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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1977-12-01 (Special) Meeting MinutesSPECIAL MEETING: COUNCIL CHAMBERS CITY OF ENGLEWOOD, COLORAOO December 1, 1977 The City Council of the City of Englewood, Arapahoe County, Colorado, met in special session on December 1, 1977, at 7:30 p.m. Mayor Taylor, presiding, called the meeting to order. The invocation was given by Mr. Marten E. Lathrop, 3259 s. Clarkson. The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Mayor Taylor. Mayor Taylor asked for roll call. Upon a call of the roll, the following were present: Council Members Williams, Sovern, Smith, Mann, Brown, Clayton, Taylor. Absent: None. The Mayor declared a quorum present. Also present were: City Manager Mccown Assistant City Manager Curnes City Attorney Berardini Director of Utilities Fonda Director of Finance/City -Clerk James • • • • • • Mayor Taylor addressed the audience and explained sequence of events which led to this meeting, i.e. the passage of bill for an ordinance requiring installation of water meters upon sale or transfer of property at the expense of the bl.zy'er. A public hearing was held and most of the people were unfavorable toward installation water meters; however, the same people were in favor of improving the water plant to increase the water pressure and replacing old worn out water pipes. Mayor Taylor continued explaining that Council was planning to take action on the final reading of the ordinance and then proceed in the direction that the public has indicated • • • • • • • INTRODUCED AS A BILL BY COUNCILMAN WILLIAM3 BY AUTHORITY ORDINANCE NO. 21, SERIES OF 1977 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SUBSECTION (a) OF SECTION 16, CHAPTER 3, TITLE XV OF THE 1969 ENGLEWOOD MUNICIPAL CODE, BY ~UIRING THE OWNERS OF ALL PROPERTY HAVING December 1, 1977 Page 2 CONNECTION TO THE CITY WATER SUPPLY TO INSTALL APPROVED WATER METERS UPON THE SALE, TRANSFER, OR CHANGE FROM RESIDENTIAL TO COMMERCIAL OR INDUSTRIAL USE. COUNCILMAN WILLIAM3 MOVED TO PASS ORDINANCE NO. 21, SERIES OF 1977 ON FINAL READING. Councilman Sovern seconded the motion. Councilman Sovern stated that the City has two problems on the water issue -the water improvement system and the water meter installation - with the water improvement system to be considered first. Councilman Sovern still felt that the ordinance is valid and that eventually Englewood would have meters. Councilman Williams stated that he sponsored the bill originally because he thought the City needed water meters and that the bill made the implementation as easy as· -possible. Councilman Williams predicted that within two or three years water meters will be mandatory in the City of Englewood. Upon a call of the roll, the vote resulted as follows: Ayes: Nays: None. Council Members Williams, Sovern, Smith, Mann, Brown, Clayton, Taylor. The Mayor declared the motion defeated. • • • • • • Mayor Taylor summarized the alternatives that Council had to consider on the water program. The first alternative was the voluntary installation of water meters. The second alternative was to phase out the flat rates and have water meters installed as the property changed hands. The third alternative was mandatory metering irmnediately. Mayor Taylor stated that the Council decided alternative /12 was the best; however, many people became misinformed in one form or another tainting the alternative unfavorably. Therefore, Mayor Taylor, stated the Council has decided to pursue antoer direction and that is the bond issue. • • • • • • City Manager Mccown reviewed the proposed improvements to be covered I by the bond issue. City Manager Mccown stated that the largest improvement would be the $4.5 million renovation to the Allen Treatment Plant. Other improvements City Manager Mccown stated would be additional storage in the north part of the City, expansion of existing storage at Belleview and Clarkson and replacement and correction of pipes. City Manager Mccown also stated that McLellan Pump Station would be relocated in order to be filled from the City Ditch; and an inflatable dam at the Union intake. The improvements will take a 50% increase in revenues to pay off the bonds, City Manager Mccown stated, and the improvements will be done in a 3 -5 year period. * * * * * * December 1, 1977 Page 3 Director of Utilities Fonda then presented the intracicies of the Capital Water Improvement Program, and how the Water Department arrived at computations inherent to the Program. • • • • • • The Mqor asked if there was anyone in the audience wishing to address the Council on this matter. Bill Clayton, 958 E. Cornell Ave., appeared before the Council and asked about the low rate projection that Director of Utilities Fonds had discussed. Mr. Clayton wondered if people switched over to a meter for a low rate, would enough revenue be generated. Director Fonda answered Mr. Clayton's question by stating that if numerous people switched over to meters causing not enough revenue to be generated, then the City would have to make adjustments accordingly and increase the rate. A fervent dispute then ensued between Council Williams and Mr. Clayton over the issue of water meters. • • • • • • Councilman Mann requested a recess. Mayor Taylor declared a recess at 9:05 p.m. The Council reconvened at 9:20 p.m. Upon a call of the r oll , the following were present: Councilman Williams, Sovern, Smith, Mann, Brown, Clayton, Taylor. Absent: None. The Mayor declared a quorum present. • • • • • • Councilman Brown posed a question to Director of Utilities Fonda that has b e n p inted ut t h m. Councilman Brown's question was if the rate could be increased 10% ever-y year for five years, which is the length of the program anyway, in order to meet the cost of the improvements rather than pass a bond issue. Director Fonda stated that a similar solution was examined; but the City decided to encumber the bond issue now, beating inflationar-y costs and stretching payment over a twenty year period (the life of the bond). Director Fonda also stated that if the people wanted to pay for the improvements in five years, then the rates would really have to be raised drastically. • • • • • • December 1, 1977 Page 4 Mr. Jay Peters, 3100 s. Pearl, appeared before the Council and - asked what good would metering an apartment complex do when one meter checks the water that all apartments use. Mr. Peters stated that this would not result in any savings. Then Mr. Peters inquired about installing a meter in a residence where ve-ry little water would be used to water the yard. Director Fonda answered Mr. Peters stating that using meters in apartment complexs actually would not save that much money and that a residence on a metering system using ve-ry little water on the yard would save money over the flat rate system using a comparable amount of water. • • • • • • Upon Co uncilman Cl~ton's request, a show of hands indicated that the citizens preferred the billing to remain quarterly. • • • • • • Mr. Maurice Jones, 5020 s. Washington, appeared before the Council and stated that he was in 100% agreement with the Council and the City's plans for water improvements; however, he could not agree with the rate difference between the commercial. industrial user and the residential user. Councilman Smith stated that the difference is effective only after a certain amount of extra water usage. • • • • • • Mr. Lar-ry Owens, 3476 s. ·Grant, appeared before the Council and asked why Council did not consider piping to the City Ditch. Councilman Cl~ton responded that Council has conflicting reports of the pipe capacity and the Council is uncertain at this point and time of the availability to change the diversion points along s. Platte River to connections at McLellan Reservoir. Councilman Sovern pointed out that Council is not planning to change points now because the return on the investment is not equal to the savings we are going to get on what we are presently using. Councilman Sovern further stated that the City is t-rying to accomodate adequately for the present usage and take care or the bulk of improvements now. Directo r Fonda interjected that if the City proceeds to improve the existing facilities and later builds other pipe lines, then the City will have two alternate sources of supply and can still keep the rate down. Also, Director Fonda stated, one source would be a back up source if one pipeline would break. • • • • • • December 1, 1977 Page 5 Councilman Cl&¥ton stated that a number of people have asked him what the City plans to do in emergencies. Councilman Cl~ton stated that the Council has decided to keep the Bear Creek Filter Plant for this purpose, and that he wanted to make the public aware of the fact that the City does have back up facilities. ColU'lcilman Cl&¥ton asked Director Fonda if the maintenance costs on the weir seemed fairly high. Director Fonda stated that the maintenance is going to be high and then questioned the reliability of the weir and that he would investigate substitutes for the weir. • • • • • • Upon Councilman Smith's request, a show of hands indicated that the citizens present would be in favor of a bond issue now. • • • • • • Mr. Marten E. Lathrop, 3259 s. Clarkson, appeared before Council and asked i f a maintenance fund has been established on repairs of the water system and could any extra revenues that are received from the sale of water be set aside in a maintenance fund for future use. City Manager Mccown stated that the Water Ftmd has been operating for the last three to four years in deficit and money has been transferred from the Sewer Fund to the Water Fund to help cover expenses. Of course, City Manager Mccown, stated if in the future more water is sold and extra revenue is received then Council would decide at that time what to do with the mo nies; however, there is no such f\.U'ld of this type now. • • • • • • Mr. Ardys G. Entsminger, business address 2950 S. Fox, appeared before Co uncil to congratulate the Council for their farsightedness in the proposed water system. Mr. Entsminger asked the Council if they have given any thought of what would would happen if Englewood continued to sell water to Th o rnton for a period of twenty years but found itself short of water during that time and had a critical need for the water. Mayor T~lor stated that a clause in the contract provides for such a situation, e.g. i ~-~eriences a disaster during the term o f the contract t '1en Eqglewood would get first rights to the water supply. Mayor T~lor also s 'f ated that Thornton was well aware of these considerations when the City signed the agreement; however, it would take a catastropic situation to instigate the cut back. Councilman Smith explained to Mr. Entsminger that the City of Englewoo d is only selling water to Thornton and not the water rights; therefore, Eng l ew oo d keeps all the privileges that it alw~s has had. December 1, 1977 Page 6 Mayor Taylor declared a recess at 10:40 p.m. The Council reconvened at 10:50 p.m. Upon a call of the roll, the following were present: Council Members Williams, Sovern, Smith, Mann, Brown, Clayton, Taylor. Absent: None. The Mayor declared a quorum present. • • • • • • RESOLUTION NO. 44, SERIES OF 1977 WHEREAS, THE CITY COUNCIL HAS DETERMINED THAT IT IS NECESSARY TO EXTEND AND IMPROVE THE MUNICIPAL WATERWORKS SYSTEM OF THE CITY, AND TO ISSUE GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS IN THE AM)tJNT OF $6,700,000 FOR SUCH PURPOSE. COUNCILMAN WILLIAM) MOVED TO PASS RESOLUTION NO. 44, SERIES OF 1977. Councilman Sovern seconded the motion. Upon a call of the roll, the vote resulted as follows: Ayes: Nays: Council Members Williams, Sovern, Smith, Mann, Brown, Clayton, Taylor. None. The Mayor declared the motion carried. • • • • • • COUNCILMAN SOVERN MOVED TO ADJOURN THE SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING. Councilman Williams seconded the motion. Upon a call of the roll, the vote resulted as follows: Ayes: Nays: Council Members Williams, Sovern, Smith, Mann, Brown, Clayton, Taylor. None. The Mayor declared the motion carried and the meeting adjourned at 10:52 p.m.