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HomeMy WebLinkAbout04The Connection City of Chubbuck Newsletter Vol. 6 Issue 4 City Hall 5160 Yellowstone / PO Box 5604 237-2400 April 2011 Message from the Mayor: As most of you are probably aware, we are increasing the monthly sewer utility fee $16.85 per single family equivalent in order to be prepared to meet the debt service commitment for the sewer extension. This increase will be effective April 1st and will be reflected beginning with the May utility bill. Some residents were able to attend a public hearing on the 15`h of March where information was provided in effort to give clarity to the need for the increase. I would like to share with each of you much of that information. It is rather lengthy but I hope you find it helpful in ex- plaining the need for this rate increase. Since my first involvement with city government but most especially during the time I have served as Mayor, the series of decisions that bring us to this point have been some of the most difficult not only for me, but for the individuals who have served on the city council and members of the city staff. The previous city administration under the direction of Mayor Cotant, had expressed for years concern with the number of septic systems that were being installed in the north county to facilitate construction outside the reach and capacity of our sewer system. I shared this concern and felt a need to address it as I began my service as Mayor. Chubbuck was ex- periencing accelerated growth and there was considerable pressure on the county to alter their lot size requirement in or- der to provide for even more dense growth in the north county. Partnering with Bannock County and Pocatello; we were able to obtain a grant to do a feasibility study on a sewer build out that would include the entire north county that wasn't already in one of the two cities. All of the land east of I-15 had been designated as the City of Pocatello impact area and west of the interstate had been assigned as City of Chubbuck impact area. An impact area in simple terms is the area of the county adjacent to an incorporated city that, should it be annexed into a city, would become part of that designated city. It was determined as part of these discussions that Poca- tello had already accounted for providing sewer service for their impact area, consequently the study was altered to only include the Chubbuck City area of impact. Pocatello continued their involvement because of an interest in protecting the aquifer as well as being the entity that would provide the treatment for the any new sewer lines. Even though there were many potential advantages to this sewer build out, the dominant factor continued to be the pro- tection of the aquifer. There are currently many septic systems already in place. Our goal became to provide the oppor- tunity to abandon as many of those. systems as possible as well as provide a sewer alternative for future development. We also needed to address inadequacies in the existing city sewer system. An additional advantage to the expansion of the sewer was the availability of this utility infrastructure to potential business or industry that may want to locate in ei- ther the city or city impact area. As the need of the revenue necessary to provide for the repayment of the debt was discussed, it was anticipated that a substantial portion of the funds would be generated by connection fees to the new lines. At the time of our initial incur- ring of debt and the beginning of the projects, there was a significant amount of development pressure for the area, both in and outside the current city limits. Because our current sewer system would also be enhanced, it was always antici- pated that our rate payers would participate in a portion of the improvement cost. Even though there has not been the development as we had hoped, the economic down times me have experienced have created some positive elements to our dilemma. We were offered and secured 0% interest on the majority of the loans that were acquired. Also, because construction had slowed we got very favorable bids on the projects. The cost of the projects came in about 30% under engineers' estimates.: Between these.. two advantages we were able to complete these phases of the build out for millions of dollars less tharwK we hproceeded during better economic times. The availabil- ity of this sewer infrastructure should assist in encou ° -zdwelopment as the economy improves as well as the in- tended protection of the aquifer. Continued Back Page Continued From Front Page The bottom line is, the funds needed to service the debt have to be available to start payments in the coming year and we need to provide a way to meet this obligation. We will be segregating this charge from the existing sewer accounting on the monthly utility bill. Anyone who qualifies for the "Circuit Breaker" exemption as defined by the county will be exempt from this fee increase. As additional reve- nue is generated, mostly in the form of new connections to the system, we will adjust the amount of the monthly charge. We will review and make these changes annually. Our intention is that the rate will not go above this initial increase but rather that we can reduce it each year. We would ask landlords who pay the sewer charges for their renters to cooperate with us and only pass through an accurate proportion of their increase. Then as we reduce this fee we would ask that they give proportionate reductions to their renters. We had hoped that the initial burden to our rate payers would not have been this significant. I con- tinue to be convinced however that protection of the aquifer is worthy of this kind of attention. The po- tential cost of cleaning or filtering the nitrates out of our drinking water should they reach unacceptable levels would make this cost burden to the city pale in comparison. We recognize that this is not good news anytime but especially difficult as we all struggle with the slow economy. My commitment to you is that I will make a concerted effort to find ways that we can improve the revenue stream into this debt service account in order to reduce the burden to our city utility rate payers. I believe our future is hinged on these types of decisions that require sacrifice and resolve to provide for future generations well being. Thank You, Mayor England adopt a Community Wide friend from Clean Up Day --� our Shelter. May 21St More information will be in the May Newsletter. Bannock County Landfill Hazardous Waste Collection Days April 2 May 7 June 4 July 2 August 6 September 3 October 1 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. For info call 236-0607 POCATELLO FRONTIER RODEO APRIL 6TH -9TH AT MOLT ARENA Ticket Information: Pocatellorodeo.org or www.isu.edu/tickets or call (208) 282 -FANS. Tickets also available at Vickers Western Stores in Pocatello and Idaho Falls. Mayor Brian Biad City of Pocatello P. O. Box 4169 Pocatello, Idaho 83205-4169 • www.pocatello.us • (208) 234-6163 • mayor@pocatello.us Table of Contents: Spring is Here Fair Housing -- it's the Law Pet Licenses What You May Have Missed Fire Department Open House Reminder Spring is Here Springtime is one of my favorite times of the year. It reminds me of being a kid and experiencing a new school year. The first day of school was always full of excitement about what the year had in store. The start of spring is just as exciting for me, because there are so many activities and opportunities available. Spring means we are getting over our cabin fever. As I walk or bike in my neighborhood, I see more and more people outside. We are starting to work in our yards planting flowers and gardens and working to get our lawns green. Neighbors are out seeing each other again after the long winter and are being neighborly. I know people all over the city are planning their neighborhood's annual cookouts, yard sales, or cleanup projects. While you are out doing spring things, please don't forget to keep the sidewalks around your property clear, so people can safely walk, ride bikes or jog without the need to step into the street. This means more than Fair Housing — It's the law April is "Fair Housing Month." The Federal Fair Housing Act, passed in 1968 and amended in 1988, requires equal opportunity for all by providing equal access to housing. Housing discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, gender/sex, familial status and disability is against the law. The Act covers most kinds of housing transactions, including rental, Pet licenses 2 During the month of May, the 2 City's Animal Services Department will be selling 2 2011-2012 pet licenses for half-price. This annual half- price sale happens just before the old licenses expire June 1. homeownership, land use laws and mortgage and home improvement loan qualifications. As a recipient of federal funding for housing and community development programs, the City of Pocatello must provide educational opportunities about fair housing to the general public. The Pocatello Fair Housing Discounts are available for seniors over 60 who wish to license their dogs. Licensing for cats is not required, but it is highly recommended (if you use the proper collar). Cat licenses cost only $1. All dogs 3 months or older are Animal Services is also offering required to be licensed The two other of rotection just trimming low hanging tree branches or overgrown shrubs. It also means not parking your vehicle across sidewalks. By blocking the sidewalk, you are forcing pedestrians into the street, which is not safe. I encourage you to get to know and take time to visit with your neighbors this spring. There's no better way to start a new year or to meet a great new friend! As always, it is a privilege to be your Mayor. Committee, created in 1998 by the City Council, has taken the lead in offering education about the existence and purpose of the Fair Housing Act and its requirements. If you feel you have been discriminated against in housing matters, we can direct you to an enforcement agency. Call our Neighborhood & Community Services Division at 234-6188. and microchip clinic. Rabies vaccinations will be offered for $12 each, and senior citizens age 65 or older can vaccinate one pet for free. Microchip implants will also be available for $15 each (a $5 discount), which includes the national p p registration. prices in May for dog licenses services. Staff will be at the For more information or for are $10 for unaltered dogs or Bannock County Fairgrounds license vendor locations, call $5 for altered dogs. May 7, 2011 from 9:00 a.m. to Animal Services at 234-6156. 1:00 p.m. for the annual rabies s a c 4 r r n� s OR �i What You Mav Have Missed The City's website welcomes an average of 500 visitors any given day. Web guests come from far and wide, but as expected, the majority comes from Pocatello — approximately 6,000 visits each month. You might ask what these visitors are looking at or for. More often than not, the traffic trends show that visitors are looking for job information, which is not a surprise given the current state of the economy. In addition, what we see is that residents are looking for information from the Parks & Recreation Department — in particular our team sports and outdoor recreation activities. The interest in this information is a testament to the vibrancy of our programs and the level of community participation in activities, such as the annual Fun Run Series, Nordic Center and our numerous youth and adult team sports leagues. Now that you know what brings some visitors to our website, we want to highlight some important features you may have missed. I encourage you to visit the City's website to see what's online. For example, you may have missed that we now post video of every City Council meeting. You may also have missed that we now archive video of our Calling City Hall television program. Finally, you may have also missed that our Finance Department offers a storehouse of budget and financial information online. Any web visitor can access monthly City financial information, including cash, payroll and vendor claims reports; video of budget meetings and annual service level reports; as well as the Comprehensive Annual Fiscal Report and its complementary Citizen's Financial Report that has been created for all citizens to obtain an understanding of the City's financial condition. The City's website is a vast resource of over 1,000 pages of information. We want you to take advantage of this resource, so logon today at www.pocatello.us. Fire Department Open Nouse The Pocatello Fire Department will be hosting its annual Open House in June at Station #3, 1100 Pocatello Creek Road. The event will be held June 3, 2011 from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and June 4, 2011 from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. We invite you to take a tour of the station. You'll also get to see the fire trucks and our equipment, as well as demonstrations for vehicle extrications, home sprinklers and fire extinguisher use. Children will have a chance to go through a smoke maze, squirt water from a real fire hose, dress up as fire fighters and meet Sparky the Fire Dog! In addition, the Bannock County Ambulance District will showcase its ambulance service. Paramedics and Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) will be A' `^ Br&klyn"s 41 _ �� TM rP' y�o d(c . From the Community-. Heart, The Gift of flay :PM"vV' tS.tlk ourH TtMtt � .w+FWw available to answer questions and talk about ambulance service. You'll also get to see an advanced life support ambulance. This is a great opportunity to learn more about what fire fighters, EMTs and paramedics do. Come out and meet your local fire fighters! For more information, call 234-6201. Reminder ... May is "Bike to Work Month." Join me in committing to bike, walk, carpool or bus to work for 60% of the month. Sign up now and get a bike reflector and a free t -shirt. Go to www.pokybiketowork.org for more information. If there is a topic you'd like me to address in future newsletters or if you want to comment or ask a question, write it down, tear off this part and send your comment to me. If you wish to call or e-mail, my number and address are listed on the front page. While I cannot respond to all comments individually, I do pass them on to the appropriate departments. vl4,n4 My question/comment Telephone Addr