HomeMy WebLinkAbout07/07/2009 04A Draft Minutes 06-09-2009 Study SessionYAKIMA CITY COUNCIL
STUDY SESSION
JUKE 9, 2009 — 8:00 — 9:30 A.I.
COUNCIL CHAMBERS — YAiKIMA CITY HALL
1. Roll Call
Present:
Council: Assistant Mayor Micah Cawley, presiding, Council Members Maureen
Adkison, Kathy Coffey, Rick Ensey, Bill Lover, and Sonia Rodriguez
Staff: City Manager Zais and City Clerk Moore. Assistant City Manager Dave
Zabell., Stormwater Utility Manager Shelley Willson, and Wastewater
Manager Scott Schafer
Absent: Mayor Dave Edler (Excusedj
2. Stormwater Program Update and Discussion
Shelley Willson, Stormwater Utility Manager, reviewed the material
provided to Council using a powerpoint presentation.
The Stormwater Utility operates under three programs:
® NPDES — National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
UIC - Underground Injection Control Program
® " Capital /Safety
The cities of Union Gap, Sunnyside, Yakima,. and Yakima County operate
under the Regional Stormwater Policy Group (RSPG). The RSPG is
doing a large amount of the administrative work. The powerpoint
presentation listed the RSPG activities, and local activities taking place.
Capital /Safety.and Liability Needs are identified as pedestrian, vehicle and
bicycle hazards, localized flooding, property damage, and infrastructure
failure.
NPDES Operations relate to pollution prevention measures, good
housekeeping practices, adopting and enforcing the illicit discharge
ordinance, inventory and mapping of the system, and outflow monitoring
UIC, referred to as a drywell, is a box in the curb line with a protruding
pipe that is perforated like a French drain and allows infiltration into the
soil. There is a distinction between this and stormwater (surface water).
UICs are potential point sources to ground water. They are difficult to find
in the field and require identification and mapping. It is estimated that
there are 5,000 UICs in the City. Each one has to have an assessment
ADJOURNED MEETING - STORilATER PROGRAM
JUNE 9,2W9
done to determine what its pollutant potential is. They also have to have a
plan for addressing them. This is a very heavily regulated area.
Mrs. Willson reviewed Council activity to date. In 2007, the City Council
established rates to fund activities necessary to:
• Meet minimum requirements of NPDES permit for years 1 and 2
® Meet the minimum requirements of UIC regulations
• Address immediate safety needs through system rehabilitation and
minor expansion
• Repay the Wastewater Utility and Street Fund for previous
expenditures
The 2010 and 2011 Rate Proposal:
• Includes transfer of $215,000 to the Street Fund for "good
housekeeping measures" - $215,000.
• This is a bare -bones budget; there are no funds for construction or a
reserve for a contingency or emergency.
• Focuses on next two years with no moderate or long range funding
consideration.
• Each $1 in the rate equates to approximately $48,000 in revenue
City Manager Zais explained that this phase was one of the steps with
respect to obtaining the permit. They contemplated a phase -in of activity,
e.g. data collection, record keeping and projects, over a period of time. As
new requirements arise, we have to anticipate the activity accordingly.
We originally set up the program to meet minimum requirements.
Mrs. Willson reviewed Table 1 (in the packet supplied) that depicted the
adopted budget and the proposed 2010 -2011 budgets. The major
increase is the $208,000 addition to the Street Division. With regard to the
professional services item for $35,000, they suggest if that money is not
used for legal counsel or a special need, that it be set aside for updating
the 1993 Comprehensive Plan that deals with infrastructure in the system.
It needs to be updated to cover annexations and new regulations.
City Manager Zais commented that the good news is we are nowhere
near the original projected numbers; but the bad news is, there will be an
increase to what we are charging of approximately $0.42 a month for the
average resident. The average rate for eastern Washington cities is $3.80
per month per ERU. The proposed rate for the City of Yakima will be
$3.33 per month in 2010 and $3.58 for 2011. Because of the efforts we
have put into the program and regional system, we are considered one of
the model programs in the state by the Department of Ecology. We have
been given high marks with regard to our efforts for the regional approach,
and have received some grants. We have also avoided lengthy and costly
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ADJOURNED MEETING - STORMWATER PROGRAM
JUNE 9, 2009
litigation. A number of entities are challenging the state on the legalities of
the permit and are not making much headway.
3. Audience Comments
Clarence Barnett, representing the Central Washington Homebuilder's
Association, emphasized that, when working on the illicit discharge
ordinance, it is important to not add strict penalties for violators at the
beginning. Many of the people who have illicit connections, don't know
they are in violation. It would be helpful to place emphasis on giving a
notice of violation with a time period for them to correct the problem before
applying heavy penalties. Scott Shafer, Wastewater Manager, agreed.
We want to mirror the pretreatment program where there are escalating
steps. There would first be a warning letter that would escalate to a notice
of violation and then escalate to fines. We do need something in place to
work as a deterrent to keep violations from continuing. The illicit
discharge ordinance will be brought before Council on or before July 16th
so it will be effective August 16th ,as required.
4. Adjournment
ADKISON MOVED AND RODRIGUEZ SECONDED TO ADJOURN The
motion carried by unanimous voice vote; Edler absent. The meeting
adjourned at 8:47 a.m.
READ AND CERTIFIED ACCURATE BY
ATTEST:.
COUNCIL MEMBER DATE
COUNCIL MEMBER DATE
CITY CLERK Assistant Mayor, Micah Cawley
Minutes prepared by Linda Watkins. A CD and bVD of this meeting are available in the City Clerk's Office
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