Live City Council Meeting Feb. 15: 50 Percent Sewer Fee Increase Proposed

5 p.m. Councilmembers are filing into the chambers.

5:05: An emergency item was added to tonight's agenda to discuss the location of the SMART station in Rohnert Park. .

Council recessed to closed session to discuss personnel matters; is expected to return around 6 p.m. to address a .

6 p.m. Council reconvenes.

Sewer Fund work session begins. City Manager Gabe Gonzalez reports the city is projected to have a $0 balance by 2012 and has a projected $3 million annual deficit.

Three members of Sewer Fund Stakeholder's Group are present at tonight's meeting.

6:05: "Even with an increase, Rohnert Park will still have among the lowest rates in the region," said John Dunn, interim assistant City Manager.

Tonight's meeting is the first of three scheduled City Council work sessions to address the sewer fund.

The rate analyst, Robert Reed, studying Rohnert Park's sewer fees starts report to the Council.

6:21: City needs a sewer rate hike to maintain a sewer reserves in case of emergencies, for debt the city owes, for upgrades and capital improvement projects in Rohnert Park and for ongoing operation and maintenance, analyst said.

Most of our operating costs come from payment to the Santa Rosa subregional system, for taking care of the city's waste, analyst said — about 70 percent of monies goes to them.

6:26: Operating costs and debt service obligations to maintain the sewer system in Rohnert Park cost $12 million annually, and the city is paying about $8.2 million, analyst reported.

6:35: Analyst reports city needs a 50 percent increase in sewer fees.

6:50: Some bills may go up based on that 50 percent average increase and some may go down, Reed said. 

6:52: City Council has no questions, except for Mayor Gina Belforte. She asked how the service charges would alter the cost increase for schools. It's the size of the pipe, Reed said.

6:54: City is preliminarily moving forward with rate increase, Dunn reported.

Next meetings are scheduled at Feb. 22 and March 8 for sewer rate increase discussion.

7:01: We will do what we can to make sure the city has to make sure the city has enough money in the sewer enterprise fund, said Joe Gaffney, chair of the Sewer Fund Stakeholder's Group. 

7:07: Council workshop on sewer issue concludes. Emergency item on SMART station relocation begins.

7:09: Should we discuss further the future site of the SMART station and should the city pursue a grant for the station: those are the two main issues regarding the location of the station, reports Pat Barnes, the head city engineer in Rohert Park.

The logical location is in the city center, Barnes said. SMART wants to build the station in the right location of the station, he said. 

SMART suggests doing a feasibility study for which station is better in Rohnert Park.

7:17: Staff recommends keep with the current site, but ask SMART for the feasibility study, which would be free; and forego the station master plan, which would cost the city money.

Stationary Planning Grant would be $400,000 for the station, but city would need to match $100,000 of that.

Councilmembers Amy Ahanotu and Pam Stafford agree that they don't want to spend $100,000 to relocate the station. 

7:20: Councilmember Joe Callinan agrees with staff recommendation. Vice Mayor Jake Mackenzie and Belforte agree to allow SMART to do a feasibility study free to city.

7:23: Council meeting adjourns.