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Home My WebLink AboutA001 - Email to Mr. Gano, notice of item on agenda Diane R Voss/COA To blgano@dmacc.edu 02/29/2008 02:19 PM cc bcc Diane R Voss/COA Subject Water Rate Discussion Mr. Gano: Council Member Matthew Goodman requested that you receive notice when discussion about water rates was going to be on a City Council Agenda. I'm writing to advise you that discussion of water rate structure modifications is scheduled on the Council's Agenda for March 4. That meeting will commence at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers, located on the second floor of City Hall, 515 Clark Avenue. The March 4 Agenda and information regarding your item of interest are attached. Thank you for your interest. Please call if you have questions. Diane Voss, City Clerk/Records Manager P. O. Box 811 Ames, Iowa 50010 (515) 239-5105 A08-033004..doc Conceptual Rate Structure-March 4 2008.pdf John R Dunn/COA To Doug Marek/COA@COA, Diane R Voss/COA@COA 04/02/2008 05:38 PM cc Steve Schainker/COA@COA bcc Subject Water Rate Ordinance I'm not sure who has the formal version of the proposed rate ordinance, but I noticed two typos that need to be corrected before Council approves it next week. They both came from me. In section 28.201(1)(b)(ii)(a), the charge for usage over 2500 cubic feet should be$0.0417, not$0.0471. In section 28.201(2)(a)the word "preferred"should be changed to"non-peaking"to match the terminology G�\ used elsewhere in the ordinance. John R. Dunn, P.E. Director, Ames Water and Pollution Control Department 300 East 5th Street, Bldg. #1 Ames, Iowa 50010 PH: (515)239-5150 FAX: (515)239-5251 E-Mail: Idunn(c_city.ames.ia.us URL: http://www.cityofames.org/waterweb — Caring People- Quality Programs-- Exceptional Service— J ny Duane R Pitcher/COA To Diane R Voss/COA@COA IN. 04/18/2008 09:45 AM cc A 0- bcc 1 Subject Fw: Water Rate Structure Questions Diane, Per our discussion, HCS will be asking to have input on the water rate ordinance. Thanks, Duane Duane Pitcher, CPA, CPFO Director of Finance City of Ames 515 Clark Avenue P.O. Box 811 Ames, Iowa 50010 Phone (515) 239-5114 -----Forwarded by Duane R Pitcher/COA on 04/18/2008 09:43 AM----- John R Dunn/COA 04/18/2008 08:13 AM To Duane R Pitcher/COA@COA, Mike J Wheelock/COA@COA cc Steve Schainker/COA@COA, Christina Murphy/COA@COA, John C Joiner/COA@COA, David A Brown/COA@COA Subject Water Rate Structure Questions Duane& Mike- I met yesterday morning with the board from HCS to explain the new water rate structure. They had two things that they felt were horribly unfair, and they plan to ask Council for changes when the second reading of the ordinance takes place next Tuesday evening. 1. Is it possible to assign multi-unit apartment buildings with a single master meter to a rate structure similar to single family residential accounts, and have the size of the blocks scaled up based on the number of dwelling units? 2. Can we tag new construction accounts so that property owners are exempt from the higher rates for a period of 90 or 120 days so they can establish their new sod? These are both billing questions, and I am hoping that one of you could have an answer ready for Council Tuesday evening. If it is possible, I could support their first request. I am not in favor of their second request even if it is possible. New lawn watering is not insignificant and it absolutely contributes to the peak. Also, one of my fundamental tenants all along for this rate structure has been that we are not distinguishing between "good"and "bad" uses of water, but are focused on the patterns of use. The exemption being requested would single out new lawn watering as a "good" use, and I am not in favor of including it in the rate structure and thereby pushing the expense back on all customers. HCS will also likely be making an argument that this water rate structure is twisting them in the opposite direction of what Inspections and Public Works forces them to do in regards to needing sod installed as • quickly as possible to comply with soil erosion protection requirements and receipt of the certificate of occupancy. I explained to them that we are not prohibiting them from watering sod; we're only asking that they consider the appropriate times to lay sod (for example, I believe that City construction contracts actually prohibit new sod from being laid during the hottest part of the summer) and that they pay the actual cost of us providing that peak water demand for them. Their response was that this will add thousands to the cost of a new home (with I disagree with), and they will have to pass the costs on to home owners who are already having problems qualifying for loans. Steve-You may wish to notify the Mayor that there will be individuals who will want to speak on this during second reading. John R. Dunn, P.E. Director, Ames Water and Pollution Control Department 300 East 5th Street, Bldg. #1 Ames, Iowa 50010 PH: (515) 239-5150 FAX: (515)239-5251 E-Mail: Idunn(a�city.ames.ia.us URL: http://www.cityofames.org/waterweb — Caring People — Quality Programs — Exceptional Service — 0 0 ocono rpri v rLo ornconv v ran°n b Os m N (Cl)r-A coo v tD a ► A v to F N O m r Iu> O N C (n Q � I H Cl) 44 N3;� V; iH � H (DD Q O m aOo el Cp O O rO(�. 1 40 440 (NOW) r 40 O(il r (D � � CD C 40 4% 03, 603 43 f9 Y! rl7 3 m z coo Cp00 ro rOo CD 0 r w � �o N � m m O cm cm m m m m COO. a Cann f m O W Itn N N co "It f9 N a0 coN a ' b d! r rn co 3 �O N i _a00 CD fl3 (n eF m (ss (fs N3 all er► O 0 0 0 O 0 0 co "Uc0 CD NaOO 0 �J� NI v T C^,IN C N N 4O'f O NI m N m N r D c r 0 N N 0 0 6f 4m O 0 0(n N O aQ N O E W m CO r C CD CD r I� Co �f W h O N O a "' UL l(D 1 Capp � e-h(n C%lC C. 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