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Assistant to the City Manager Hopkins advised there are additional expenses this year related to the <br /> implementation of Senate Bill (SB) 1383. She reported PGS has agreed to conduct the law's required <br /> contamination monitoring at an annual cost of $37,178. Staff does not recommend approving proposed <br /> additional fees for an extra waste container or a locking charge but does recommend approval of PGS's <br /> request to add items to the special service rates list. <br /> Assistant to the City Manager Hopkins compared rate period four with the proposed expenses for <br /> period five with an expectation of a $1,728,911 shortfall leading to the 5.8% rate increase. She reported <br /> on how those would look on both residential and commercial bills. <br /> Assistant to the City Manager Hopkins reported neither the City Council's Waste and Recycling <br /> Subcommittee nor does staff recommend rate smoothing, but it is an option for Council consideration <br /> as a one-time usage of reserve funds. <br /> HF&H consultant Senior Project Manager Dave Hilton stated the challenge with rate smoothing is it is <br /> only a one-time buy down of the rate increase. He noted the operating costs covered by a potential rate <br /> smoothing payment would still be added to bills next year if there is not another rate smoothing <br /> payment. He reported the potential decreases to a residential customer's FY 22/23 rates using a variety <br /> of potential payments from the reserve fund at increments up to $790,000 creating only a 3% increase <br /> and saving 35-gallon barrel users 77 cents a month and 96-gallon barrel users $1.35 a month. He <br /> noted the base rate in year six (FY 23/24) will still apply regardless of what the Council would <br /> potentially buy down for year five (FY 22/23). He noted there will be another index-based rate <br /> adjustment for year six on top of the current year's higher base rate, leading to an even more dramatic <br /> rate increase for customers through compounding. <br /> In response to Councilmember Arkin, Assistant to the City Manager Hopkins clarified the Reserve Fund <br /> is being used for City-related SB 1383 implementation costs and not PGS's implementation costs. She <br /> also confirmed there will be no additional charge to residents for composting. <br /> In response to Councilmember Balch, Assistant to the City Manager Hopkins stated staff is working <br /> with PGS and looking forward to years six and seven on securing a processing facility for commercial <br /> organic material as the current facility does not have the proper State certificate. The new facility will <br /> lead to a rate increase and it will be brought to Council once the costs are known. She estimated the <br /> cost at $250,000. She advised staff and PGS have agreed on an additional organics collection route <br /> leading to the purchase of a new vehicle and hiring its staff. She reported there will also be a one-time <br /> cost of about $500,000 to ensure all commercial customers have properly color-coded bins to meet SB <br /> 1383 mandates. She advised cameras will be added to the collection vehicles to help enforce proper <br /> sorting of waste by residents but noted these costs have not yet been finalized. She explained all one- <br /> time costs can either be added to future rates or covered by the Reserve Fund. She noted the <br /> Consumer Price Index (CPI) is anticipated to be similar to this past year leading to another rate <br /> increase for residents in FY 23/24. She noted year seven (FY 24/25) will see a cost-based rate <br /> increase and it could potentially be a very high increase. <br /> In response to Councilmember Narum, Assistant to the City Manager Hopkins clarified approving the <br /> 5.8% increase is not optional as it is a contractual agreement and the City's consultants have found it to <br /> be in line with the applicable indexes. <br /> In response to Councilmember Narum, Assistant to the City Manager Hopkins clarified residents will <br /> still be allowed three bulk item pickups annually. <br /> In response to Councilmember Narum, Assistant to the City Manager Hopkins confirmed HF&H <br /> validated PGS's figures leading to the rate increase. <br /> City Council Minutes Page 6 of 18 June 21,2022 <br />