HomeMy WebLinkAbout06/22/2004 Adjourned Meeting 267
CITY OF YAKIMA, WASHINGTON
ADJOURNED MEETING
OF THE CITY COUNCIL
JUNE 22, 2004 - 5 :30 P.M.
COUNCIL CHAMBERS - CITY HALL
Roil Call
Present:
Council: Mayor Paul George, presiding, Council Members Ron Bonlender,
Dave Edler, Neil McClure, Mary Place, Bernard Sims, and Susan
Whitman
Staff: Dick Zais, City Manager, Glenn Rice, Assistant City Manager, Doug
Mayo, Wastewater Manager, Max Linden, Utility Engineer, and
Karen Roberts, City Clerk
Consultants: Bob Ward and Kenyon Hunt, Black and Veatch
2. Study Session on Wastewater Division Issues
(Prior to the meeting, the Council was provided with two notebooks: Draft 2004
Wastewater Facility Plan prepared by Black and Veatch and 2004 Wastewater
Connection Charge)
A. 2004 Wastewater Facility Plan
Doug Mayo introduced Max Linden, Utility Engineer; Bob Ward and Kenyon Hunt,
both consultants with Black and Veatch. He stated that Mr. Hunt developed the
Facility Plan, which is required to be updated every five years in order to secure
state grants. The Facility Plan looks at a 20 -year picture for wastewater needs
based on the population projection from the census, estimated flows for residential
and industry, anticipated growth needs, and known possible future mandates. The
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit has a goal of
zero discharge into the river, favoring reuse of the water and that the discharge
meets drinking water standards. Although the draft plan does not get us to that
goal, it does keep us in compliance with current and anticipated requirements.
Most of the projects outlined in the Plan are for rehabilitation of systems that are
wearing out and to make sure we have adequate treatment capability if something
else fails. Redundancy is necessary because we are not allowed to shut down our
system.
Max Linden reviewed the charts provided in the packet to Council. The Facility
Plan that was submitted to the Department of Ecology (DOE) is incomplete
because we have not done the state environmental review yet as it requires a
public process. In 2000, we submitted a draft Wastewater Facility Plan to DOE;
however, it was not approved. They had questions regarding capacity because we
did not address Del Monte or infiltration. By the time we negotiated a new permit, it
was 2003 and the Plan was three years old. We decided to do a more extensive
review of the Plan and looked at all of the Wastewater Treatment facility, paying
attention to the capacity issues.
266
ADJOURNED MEETING — WASTEWATER
JUNE 22, 2004
Kenyon Hunt referenced Figure 1 -1, Plant Organic Capacity, in the 2004
Wastewater Facility Plan. Even with the load from Del Monte, it was determined
that the plant capacity would not need to be increased until around the year
2018. They also looked at the key components of the plant to determine where
redundancy is needed.
Mr. Linden pointed out that the majority of the needed improvements are
scheduled within the first six years according to the Plan. The numbers are now
being fine -tuned to develop an approximate cost for these improvements. The
UV disinfection project is on the priority list due to 9/11 issues with safety and
homeland security. The UV will replace the chlorine system since having
chlorine stored on site triggers a different set of regulations. He referenced a
chart that summarizes improvements that are mandatory or due to growth.
About 60 -70% are mandatory rather than growth. The total cost is about $86
million over 20 years for both the treatment plant and the collection system.
This would provide redundancy and renewal of older items with something
extra for growth, fixing problems, and increasing capacity to the collection
system.
Asked about the facility's value, Mr. Zais replied that the replacement value is
approximately $100 million; one of the City's biggest assets.
Mr. Linden recommended that Council hold a public meeting on July 20; and
after completing the environmental review process (need to complete the public
review first), staff will ask Council to adopt the Plan. Council Member Sims
calculated that these improvements would cost approximately $580 per person,
for 150,000 people served over twenty years at about $30 per year to finance
capital improvements, not including interest.
B. - Proposed revision to the wastewater connection charge study and
subsequent revision to wastewater connection rates and services
Doug Mayo explained that the connection charge gives a new customer to the
system the opportunity to help reimburse the existing ratepayer for the investment
they made. We want to assess future growth costs to the new customer of the
system so they pay for the expenses to serve them. Prior to this connection
charge, the City had a Capital Cost Recovery Charge; however, in 1996 this was
revised and updated. Things happened to trigger this change, including the
settlement of the annexation issue. We have three zone rates: Zone 1 is inside City
limits; Zone 2 is the area within the 1976 urban area boundary, for which we
received $30 million worth of grants, and Zone 3 is the area outside of the 1976
Urban Area Boundary but within the 1994 Interim Urban Area Boundary. The main
difference between Zone 1 and Zone 2 is the length of the collection system, Zone
2 being further from the Plant. With annexation, the area that needed
infrastructure built shifted from the County to the City's responsibility making a
significant difference in the rate. Discussion continued on other impacts to the
rates and methods of equalizing them among customers. Also discussed were
sewer versus septic systems, various methods of billing, and the opportunities to
install sewer pipes during road construction.
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. 269
ADJOURNED MEETING — WASTEWATER
JUNE 22, 2004
City Manager Zais commented on the gravity and complexity of this issue, and
stated that Council may wish to have another session with staff to study this
further. We have no more federal grants to assist with the cost of improvements.
Staff is not proposing a utility rate change in this Plan; this is for the growth
element. The development community will be interested in this issue. Council
Member Place asked that Terrace Heights Sewer and the City of Union Gap be
notified of the public hearing. Mr. Mayo agreed, and stated that those entities have
had a copy of the Plan since January.
It was the general consensus of the Council to set July 20, 2004 from 7 -9 p.m. as
the date of public hearing.
3. Adjournment
Mayor George adjourned the meeting at 7:00 p.m.
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CITY CLERK PAUL P. GEORGE, MAYOR
Minutes prepared by Linda Watkins. An audio and video tape of this meeting are available in the City Clerk's Office
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