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BACKGROUND <br /> In 2018 when setting rates for rate period one (FY 18/19), the City Council voted to <br /> increase the 35-gallon residential solid waste cart rate above the original staff <br /> recommendation to offset PGS's expressed concerns regarding potential lost revenue <br /> due to migration of residential customers from the 96-gallon cart to the 35-gallon cart. It <br /> was determined that the City and PGS would meet at some time after rate period one to <br /> determine if significant migration had occurred because of the lower rates and if PGS <br /> would need additional income generated by the higher rate, or if the additional revenue <br /> should be remitted back to the City and its ratepayers. <br /> On June 7, 2022, the City Council agreed that the PGS Reserve Account could be used <br /> for the following purposes: <br /> 1 . Implementation of SB 1383 <br /> 2. Nexus Study not to exceed $25,000 to determine Vehicle Impact Mitigation Fee <br /> 3. Smoothing of garbage rates <br /> 4. Landfill related issues. <br /> DISCUSSION <br /> PGS has been holding the revenues resulting from the higher 35-gallon residential <br /> customer rate set by the City Council in a liability account to ease concerns of <br /> customers migrating to this lower rate and PGS potentially facing detrimental impacts to <br /> their revenues. The 35-gallon residential rate has been continually adjusted through the <br /> index-based rate adjustment process, and the amount of revenue above the staff <br /> recommended rate has accrued to $622,093 as of June 30, 2022. <br /> After one year under the new Franchise Agreement, 329 or 3.6 percent, of PGS's 96- <br /> gallon residential customers migrated to the less expensive 35-gallon cart resulting in a <br /> loss of revenue of $52,602 which is less than 0.25 percent of PGS's projected annual <br /> revenues. In the PGS Statement of Income and Retained Earning Year Ending June 30, <br /> 2019, the company's Gross Rate Revenue earned was $31 ,708,377, Operation <br /> Expenses were $27,458,764, and Income taxes were $58,853 producing a net income <br /> of $4,190,760. Based on the analysis in the report by the City's consulting firm, HF&H <br /> Consultants, Inc. (HF&H) as provided in Attachment 1 , it does not appear that migration <br /> resulted in significant revenue loss in rate period one. <br /> City staff, HF&H, and PGS leadership have met several times to discuss the 35-gallon <br /> cart migration liability account. City staff and HF&H have concluded that no additional <br /> revenue is due to PGS and that the revenues in the liability account belong to the City <br /> and its ratepayers. At the City Council Waste and Recycling subcommittee meeting on <br /> May 4, 2023, PGS acknowledged that there was not agreement between the City and <br /> the company on the original intent of the direction provided by the City Council in 2018; <br /> nevertheless, PGS agreed with the City staff recommendation to remit all revenue in the <br /> liability account at the conclusion of rate period six back to the City, and to eliminate the <br /> account in rate period seven during the cost-based adjustment. <br /> Page 2 of 3 <br />