2012 Annual Report - Utilities Committee

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The South Bend Common Council Annual Report for the Utilities Committee Date: 12/6/2012 To: The South Bend Common Council The office of the Clerk From:Tim Scott, 1St District Common Council Representative-Chairperson of the Utilities Committee I am pleased to file this 2012 Annual Report of the Council Utilities Committee in order to comply with Section 2-10(i)of the South Bend Municipal Code.That Code provision requires all Standing Committee Chairpersons to file an Annual Report with the Office of the City Clerk by the 2nd Monday of December. As noted at the November 26th Common Council meeting,the deadline for filing all of these reports is Monday, December 10, 2012. Duties: The Council Utilities Committee oversees the activities of all enterprise entities including but not limited to the Bureau of Waterworks. 2012 Committee Members: • Oliver Davis—Vice-Chairperson,6th District Common Council • Valerie Schey, 3rd District Common Council • Karen L.White,At-Large Common Council • Dawn Pontius,Citizen Member • Christine Sopczynski,Citizen Member Committee Meetings and Highlights: To date the Utilities Committee met six times in 2012 and held public hearings 5 times on the following issues: • The ramifications of the consent decree between the Environmental Protection Agency and the City of South Bend mandating the separation of storm and sanitary sewers which carried an estimated price of$500 million. • Valerie Schey volunteered to serve on the Board of Solid Waste. • The committee heard a report from Jon Burke,the City's Energy Czar,on the state of the energy savings the City has incurred.Through savings and grants Mr. Burke has paid for his position and has found substantial savings for the city of South Bend,through new lighting, new energy savings initiatives such as the river turbine and new conservation processes. • The Committee was informed on the option about a budgeted plan for water bills. Cynthia Simons, Customer Service Manager, of the Waterworks Department stated that rates are fairly stable. Unstable water bill increases could be a sign of a water supply issue, but mostly customers should have a consistent bill. • A public hearing was held on Bills Nos.52-12 and 53-12 for the issuance and sales of water and sewage works bonds.The storm and sewage separation project was proceeding at a successful