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10-28-13 CC WS MinCITY OF SHOREWOOD CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION MONDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2013 MINUTES 1. CONVENE CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION 5755 COUNTRY CLUB ROAD COUNCIL CHAMBERS 6:00 P.M. Mayor Zerby called the meeting to order at 6:01 P.M. A. Roll Call Present. Mayor Zerby; Councilmembers Hotvet, Siakel, Sandberg, and Woodruff; Administrator Joynes; City Clerk Panchyshyn; Finance Director DeJong; Planning Director Nielsen; and Director of Public Works Brown Absent: None B. Review Agenda Hotvet moved, Woodruff seconded, approving the agenda as presented. Motion passed 5/0. 2. RATE STUDY Mayor Zerby introduced Ms. Stacie Kvilvang with the firm of Ehlers who is present to give a presentation about the results of the sewer and stormwater rate studies that firm conducted. Ms. Kvilvang noted her colleague Mr. Jason Aarsvold is present. The highlights of Ms. Kvilvang's PowerPoint presentation about the sewer rate and stormwater rate studies are as follows. ➢ Ehlers was asked to conduct sewer rate and stormwater rate studies. The goal was to determine what the rates need to be to pay for the cost operations and various capital projects while continuing to maintain healthy fund balances. The Sewer Fund and the Stormwater Management Fund are Enterprise Funds. Therefore, they should be run like a business and make money. They both have solid fund balances and no outstanding debt. ➢ The Stonnwater Management Fund's net assets are stable but cash has declined from $650,000 in 2009 to a projected $100,000 at the end of 2013. More than $550,000 was spent on capital projects. The current stormwater rates cover the operating costs but not future capital needs identified in the Capital Improvement Program (CIP). The capital projects will cost a total of just over $2.5 million over the next three years. The goals for this Fund are: to pay for capital projects in the CIP; to achieve and maintain a targeted Fund balance); and, pay for projects. For any Enterprise Fund balance it is recommended there be enough to cover 50 percent of operating costs, 100 percent of the annual depreciation expense and 100 percent of the next year's debt without having to bond for them. ➢ The current residential stormwater rates are: for lots less than 10,000 square feet — $10.59 per quarter; for lots between 10,000 square feet and 50,000 square feet— $15.12 per quarter; and for lots 50,000 square feet or more — $19.68 per quarter. The commercial rates vary. About 67 CITY OF SHOREWOOD WORK SESSION MEETING MINUTES October 28, 2013 Page 2 of 8 percent of the residential stormwater accounts pay the middle rate. An inter -fund loan is proposed from the Sewer Fund in the amount of: $475,000 in 2014; $150,000 in 2015; $450,000 in 2016; and, $150,000 in 2017. The loan would be paid back at a 4 percent interest rate. A rate increase of about $3.00 per quarter is proposed for 2014 and 2015 for the middle rate. ➢ The Stormwater Management Fund balance will increase overtime to where the balance should be. The actual working capital should get to where it is higher than the target working capital. The rates and projects should be reviewed on an annual basis. ➢ The goal for the Sewer Fund and Stormwater Management Funds are to increase them steadily. ➢ The Sewer Fund balance has been stable at about $3.5 million for the last three years. But, $2.990 million (or 85 percent) of reserves is projected to be spent in the next four years. The goals for this Fund are: to pay for capital projects in the CIP; to achieve and maintain a targeted Fund balance; to fund Stormwater Management and trail projects; and, pay for projects without having to bond for them. Overtime the target working capital and the Fund balance will become better proportionally. ➢ To maintain the targeted cash reserves (50 percent of operating costs and 100 percent of the annual depreciation) in the Sewer Fund a 3 percent increase in the rates for all customers is recommended starting in 2014. That would keep up with operating cost inflation and take into consideration the inter -fund loan of $1.7 million to the Stormwater Management Fund. The payback of that loan with a 4 percent interest rate is accounted for in the 3 percent rate increase. ➢ Two rate options were presented for the sewer rate for customers on both City sewer and City water. Option 1 is a fixed fee plus a user charge based on actual City water usage. Option 2 is a fixed fee plus a user charge based on winter water usage averaging for residential customers only. There are pros and cons for the Options. Customers pay sewer rates based on the actual water usage; but, not all water usage goes down the drain. Winter averaging is based on the first quarter water usage and would make the yearly rate more predictable; but, it assumes all water usage is indoors. Users not on City water cannot measure sewer usage. Customers with lower water usage will experience a decrease in their sewer bills; but, those higher usage customers will see an increase. ➢ Sewer Fund Option 1 — For the 2012 sewer operations personnel services costs were approximately $95,000. That equates to a base rate of $8.25 per customer per quarter. The usage charge covers all other operating and capital costs for the Sewer System. The usage charge would be $1.90 per 1,000 gallons based on the average user for all customers on City water. For customers not on City water it would be based on the average water usage of 34,000 gallons per quarter and the total quarterly sewer bill for those customers would be $72.85. ➢ Sewer Fund Option 2 —The base rate of $8.25 per customer per quarter is the same as for Option 1. The usage charge would be based on winter average water usage in the first quarter for residential customers. The usage is much lower in the winter months; therefore, the usage charge is higher. The usage charge would be $3.40 per 1,000 gallons for residential customers and $1.90 for commercial customers. For customers not on City water it would be based on the average water usage of 19,000 gallons per quarter and the total quarterly sewer bill for those customers would be $72.85. ➢ The first quarter average water usage is the lowest consumption quarter. The usage starts to increase some in the second quarter. It is the highest in the third quarter. And it goes down to the second lowest in the fourth quarter. The winter average water is relatively flat throughout the year. There is a slight dip in the first quarter and that is likely because of those customers that go south in the winter. ➢ The existing residential quarterly sanitary sewer rate is $70 for residents, $46.66 for low income sewer only, and $70 for sewer customers only. For commercial customers it is $70. ➢ For residential and commercial customers an $8.25 fixed base charge is being proposed. For low income sewer only customers the charge would be $48.57. For sewer only customers the charge would be $72.85. For Option 1 (actual water consumption) the residential usage charge would be CITY OF SHOREWOOD WORK SESSION MEETING MINUTES October 28, 2013 Page 3 of 8 $1.90 per 1,000 gallons and for Option 2 (winter average water usage) it would be $3.40 per 1,000 gallons. More money would be collected for Option 1. The commercial usage charge would be $1.90. ➢ For residential users 80 percent fall in the 34,000 gallons per quarter average water consumption and pay $70 per quarter. For that average the usage rate would be $72.85 for both Options. For non -water customers it is assumed they will fall into the 80 percent range. The current charge is $70.00 and it will increase to $72.85 for both Options. For the 10 percent of customers who use 4,000 or 7,000 gallons per quarter their sewer bill will go from $70 per quarter to $21.55 for Option 1 and $21.85 for Option 2. For the 10 percent high water users their bill will go from $70 to $124.15 for Option 1 and $123.85 for Option 2. The commercial users who are only paying $70 will have their bill increase to $179.25. ➢ Essentially the residential customers who are average water consumers are subsidizing high water users and commercial users over time. ➢ Deciding which Option to choose comes down to a policy discussion. There is no right or wrong answer. Both Options generate the same amount of revenue. For Option 1 there would be more fluctuation in the sewer bill between winter and summer. Low users will get a break and high users will pay more. For Option 2 customers the first quarter usage caps water consumption for the rest of the year and the bills would be more stable throughout the year. The majority of cities do winter averaging; it helps with budgeting. ➢ The City did a joint project with the City of Excelsior in 1971 for the joint usage of Glencoe Road sanitary trunk sewer line. The total cost of that project was $42,360 and the City paid one half of that. The City annually pays Excelsior joint use sanitary sewer service rental fees based on budgeted collection costs, depreciation and administrative costs, and a proportional share of the estimated wastewater flows into Excelsior for Metropolitan Council Environmental Services fees. During the rate study it became apparent that there may have been some overpayments to Excelsior with regard to what the City has been paying for the system. The City is being billed on budgeted costs and there is no reconciliation back to actual costs. Also, the City is paying on depreciation based on the entire City of Excelsior system and not just the Glencoe Road trunk sewer line. The City currently pays about $30,000 annually to Excelsior. The City could save about $7,500 annually based on these assumptions: the value of the Glencoe Road trunk line in 1971; the life of a fixed asset of 50 years; the asset being depreciated by the same amount each year; and, the asset being fully depreciated by 2021. There is no one on staff or on Council who knows what the agreement was in 1971. Mayor Zerby thanked Ms. Kvilvang for the good report. Councilmember Woodruff stated he spoke with Ms. Kvilvang earlier in the day and he asked her a number of questions about the studies. He noted that Ehlers had been asked to model the two studies based on capital needs out through 2018. Yet, there will be capital needs beyond that. He stated he is a little concerned that the recommendations will not meet the capital needs going forward. He recommended the study recommendations be revisited periodically. Ms. Kvilvang agreed with revisiting this. Ms. Kvilvang clarified that Ehlers had the City's capital needs out through 2023. After 2018 they are not very significant. The proposed rates already account for that. Woodruff questioned if enough thought has been given to the out years for capital projects. Woodruff stated the proposal for the sewer rate is for the low water users, which is about 10 percent of the City -water customers, to see a significant drop in their sewer rates yet for those customers not on City water there rate will increase slightly over today's rate. He questioned the fairness of that. Ms. Kvilvang clarified the water usage used is average so there will be some water users who's bills will be close to the higher amounts and there will be some that end up paying less. She also clarified that CITY OF SHOREWOOD WORK SESSION MEETING MINUTES October 28, 2013 Page 4 of 8 those people not on City water are assumed to be in the 80 percent group of City water customers and therefore they will pay the same rate. For the non -water customers who use a lot of water they are benefiting from being grouped in with the 80 percent group and those who are low water users are not. Councilmember Woodruff stated over the last 4 — 5 years he has had residents who go away for the winter or who are retired and live alone ask him why their sewer bill is so high. He expressed concern that those residents who are not on City water will continue to pay a higher rate. He noted that he does not have a good idea about how to address that. He stated he would find it difficult to justify why a low City -water user would have a very low sewer bill while a low well water user would have a much higher bill. He commented there are those who might think that could intent people to want to connect to City water. Woodruff noted there are trail projects beyond 2018. Yet, the rate change recommendations do not take into account the Sewer Fund or Stormwater Management Fund helping to pay for those projects. The financial needs for Galpin Lake Road, the Smithtown Road east and the Excelsior Boulevard trail segments are the only ones taken into account. Woodruff stated earlier in the day he questioned why a transfer, rather than a loan, could not be made from the Sewer Fund to the Stormwater Management Fund. All property owners pay for both utilities. He noted that he thought that the City paying itself interest on the loan is to him funny money. He suggested Council discuss that some time. He clarified that although he has a slight problem with paying interest on that loan it is not a significant issue for him. Woodruff then stated Ehlers has recommended that the reserves cover the annual depreciation and 50 percent of the operating costs. He does not think that is enough. He noted that he has a philosophical problem with establishing a fund to save up for future projects. This Council has never done that. Future projects have been paid for with future money. He stated Council needs to discuss if it wants the City to save up for future projects. Councilmember Sundberg asked that Council be provided with comparable rate data for other communities. Ms. Kvilvang suggested Council pass on to Director DeJong what communities it would like data for and then DeJong can forward it on to her. She will then put the data together. Councilmember Siakel noted she thought the results of the study are clearly laid out. She stated from her vantage point the recommended increase in the stonnwater rate is minimal; it is about $1 a month. She suggested a larger increase in anticipation of future project needs such as trails. Ms. Kvilvang noted that is Council's policy decision. Councilmember Woodruff stated the analysis shows that for 67 percent of the customers that rate will increase from the current rate of $15.12 to $37.62 in 2018. He considers that to be a significant increase; an increase of over 150 percent when compared to 2013. He noted that when looking at the actual dollar amount a person would be paying less than $160 a year for stonnwater management. Ms. Kvilvang explained the increase in the quarterly rate would be $3.02 in 2014, $3.63 in 2015, $4.36 in 2016, $5.22 in 2017 and $6.27 in 2018. Woodruff stated the amount the rate will increase by in 2017 when compared to 2013 is more than the 2013 rate. Siakel stated the future stormwater management demands and project needs are quite significant. She noted she does not view the proposed increases as out of line. She reiterated that she questions if the increases are enough. She noted that she, like the other four Councilmembers, is not on City water but she thinks the recommendations for the sewer rates seems fair. She stated she does not think there is a way to make the rates fair for 100 percent of Council's constituents. She then stated with regard to the billing issue with Excelsior she thought if the situation were reversed she thought Excelsior would approach the City about it. Therefore, she suggests the City approach Excelsior about this issue. CITY OF SHOREWOOD WORK SESSION MEETING MINUTES October 28, 2013 Page 5 of 8 Councilmember Hotvet expressed her curiosity about how many residents go away for the winter. Mayor Zerby noted that he thought the information was presented well. He stated he thought the stormwater rate could be increased even more in anticipation of future projects and mandates. He noted that he prefers the sewer rate Option 2 which uses the winter average water usage to determine the usage charge. He thought it would be easy to understand and fair. He asked what happens with new users with the winter averaging approach; those that become customers in the summer or fall. He asked if the rate is based on an average. Ms. Kvilvang stated that is typically how it is done. He stated he thought not looking past 2015 for trail projects is okay; he thought that would allow for more resident involvement. He then stated that if residents want the trail system to be built out faster it may become a bonding consideration, noting Councilmember Woodruff has brought up residents voting on bonding for trails before. Consideration of that has to be factored into the election cycle. Councilmember Woodruff stated that the first opportunity to have this as part of an election cycle could be in 2014. If Council really wants to do that it should discuss it during the first quarter of 2014. He clarified he is not advocating the bonding issue at this time. He stated the next opportunity to have bonding on the ballot would be in 2016 and noted he is not sure how many of the current members of Council will be on or running for Council. Mayor Zerby stated he agrees with Councilmember Siakel's recommendation to approach Excelsior on the potential overbilling issue. Mayor Zerby thanked Ms. Kvilvang for coming this evening and for Ehlers efforts. 3. CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM Administrator Joynes asked Council to consider what he is going to talk about from the perspective of the end. He noted the two rate studies were pieces of the puzzle of how to fund the projects Council has been talking about for 1.5 years, in particular trails. The rate studies done by Ehlers have provided a roadmap for how to do that for the next couple of years. Joynes reviewed the direction staff took from Council during the October 14, 2013, work session. • Determine how to stabilize the Equipment /Technology /Building Fund. • Allocate the proceeds from the sale of the property at 5795 Country Club Road to the Park Capital Improvement Program (CIP) and to phase in improvements to Badger Park over a couple of years. • Set aside the Mill Street trail segment project for a to- be- determhied time period and to schedule the construction Galpin Lake Road trail segment in 2014 and the Smithtown Road east trail /sidewalk segment in 2015. That schedule was factored into the rate studies done by Ehlers. • Use Minnesota State Aid (MSA) funds to help fund trail projects where appropriate. • Use reserves in the Sewer Fund to help fund trail projects. This was factored into the studies done by Ehlers. He noted if Council were to want to charge a lower sewer rate for those residents who go south for the winter that would reduce the revenue earned and another source for funding the trails would have to be identified. CITY OF SHOREWOOD WORK SESSION MEETING MINUTES October 28, 2013 Page 6 of 8 He explained staff reviewed the items that would be funded out of the Equipment/Technology /Building (ETB) Fund. Staff decided it would be appropriate to fund the purchase of certain pieces of replacement equipment out of the Water Fund or Sewer Fund. For the Water Fund they would be a truck, air compressor, utility truck, van and pickup. Water rates may have to be adjusted to fund them. For the Sewer Fund they would be a sewer jetter and truck. After that is allowed for the future funding gaps out through 2023 in the ETB Fund would be an estimated $12,000 — $15,000 annually. Staff thinks the City would be well within its ability to finance that gap by taking it out of reserves or from cost savings experienced for roughly the last decade. Staff does not think there will be any problem stabilizing the Fund. Those were factored into the rate studies done by Ehlers. Councilmember Ilotvet asked if the seven equipment purchases just mentioned will be made between now and the end of 2018. Director DeJong stated the purchases are scheduled for 2014, 2015 or 2016. They are not scheduled to be replaced again during the remainder of the CIP. DeJong noted there are not any watermain projects schedule to happen as part of a street reconstruction project during that 10 -year period. Administrator Joynes explained per Council's direction the proceeds from the sale of the 5795 Country Club road property will be allocated to the Park Improvement Fund. For the Badger Park improvements the field orientation is scheduled to occur in 2014 for an estimated cost of $100,000 and the road, parking, shelter and playground improvements for 2015 for an estimated cost of $435,000. The hockey rink in Badger Park is slated to be removed. A decision needs to be made as to whether or not the rink should be replaced with a rink in Freeman Park. The CIP had allotted $40,000 for the hockey rink and staff believes that amount is very low if the rink will be replaced. There has been discussion about the need to replace the hockey rink especially because there is a hockey rink in the City of Tonka Bay's Manitou Park which is a short distance from Badger Park. The $40,000 has been taken out of the Park CIP. Staff has talked about working out a collaborative arrangement for operating Tonka Bay's rink with Tonka Bay staff. Shorewood Public Works staff would be responsible for making sure the quality of the ice would be up to the Hockey Association's standards for organized hockey. In return the City would be able to use the rink. At the staff level Tonka Bay has not been receptive to that. Having such an arrangement would be a win for both communities. The collaborative arrangement topic may have to be discussed at the Council level. Councilmember Siakel stated the Park Commission had been given a presentation about a portable hockey rink. She asked if that would be a viable option for on the ball field, while noting she does not need an answer this evening. Administrator Joynes stated that is a question that warrants follow -up. Administrator Joynes explained the Park CIP projects he has just talk about are valid with the assumption that the projects are funded through 2016. After 2016 it will take an approximate $80,000 additional annual contribution to balance the Park CIP. The needs in the Park CIP taper off after the Badger Park improvements are made. For the Trail CIP staff will adhere to Council's direction and use $1,092,000 out of the MSA Road Reconstruction Fund over the 2013 — 2014 time period to help fund trail projects through 2015. MSA funds can be used for the construction of trails provided the trails meet MSA standards. The Galpin Lake Road trail segment and the Smithtown Road east sidewalk/trail segment will meet those standards. There is a placeholdcr in the MSA Road Reconstruction CIP for upgrading Eureka Road north to MSA standards. Staff is not sure that Council would ever ask for that to happen. He noted it is very common to have placeholders for MSA projects so they can receive MSA funds. Using MSA funds for trails is part of the purpose of the MSA funds. Staff anticipates funding 25 percent of the Smithtown Road west sidewalk project and the 2014 /2015 trail projects out of the Stormwater Management Fund. The funding CITY OF SHOREWOOD WORK SESSION MEETING MINUTES October 28, 2013 Page 7 of 8 would be for stormwater management improvements made as part of the projects. The amount to transfer in 2014 is estimated to be $226,700 and in 2015 it is $234,500. The Sewer Fund would contribute $305,011 over 2014/2015 for similar reasons. Those transfers were factored into the rate studies for both utility funds. The trail projects slated for 2014/2015 will be funded based on the use of funds as described. After 2015 new sources will have to be identified for trail projects. The City will collect all MSA funds available through 2016 for the construction of the Galpin Lake Road and Smithtown Road east trail segments. Another funding source will need to be identified for funding repairs to Eureka Road north because it is unlikely the roadway will be upgraded to MSA standards. The City will receive an estimated allocation of MSA funds in the amount of $1,113,000 between 2017 and 2021. At this time there are no roadway or trail projects scheduled for the use of those funds. If the recommended sewer rate increases are implemented as Ehlers presented the Sewer Fund actual working capital will be higher than the target working capital threshold through 2018. If the recommended stormwater rate increases are implemented as Ehlers presented the Storrnwater Management Fund actual working capital will reach the target working capital threshold in 2018. The implementation of new Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) rules and mandates will require resources from that fund. There are additional funding resources available for use. The Water Fund has excess reserves of about $3 million that could be in part used for a loan. If the City were to use the Office of the State Auditor's ( OSA's) minimum standard for calculating General Fund reserves the City would free up about $1.5 million in reserves. He clarified staff is not recommending that be done. If the GSA's tipper limit standards for General Fund reserves were used it would free up about $1.2 million. The City's General Fund Balance Policy stipulates reserves of 55 — 60 percent of the upcoming year's general operating costs. Couneilmember Siakel asked what the OSA recommends for the minimum level of reserves. Director DeJong explained the GSA's recommendation is 35 — 50 percent of the upcoming year's expenditures excluding transfers. Administrator Joynes stated there are ways to fund things independent on how much money the City has in fund balances. There is bonding, equipment certificates (these are commonly used for capital equipment purchases and it is similar to taking out a loan for a purchase) and assessments. He then stated in 2023 the bonded debt for the public safety facilities will be paid off. That will free up about $510,000 annually for Shorewood. Some of that will have to be banked for expected maintenance to the facilities. Councihnember Hotvet asked what the interest rate is on that bonded debt. Director DeJong stated he thought it is about 3 percent. Mayor Zerby stated some of that money that was going toward the bonded debt needs to be set aside for capital repairs to the facilities. He used the analogy that once a person's house is paid off it does not imply there won't be any more bills. Administrator Joynes stated the entire amount will not be needed. Councilmember Woodruff stated he has questions about the CIP but there is not time to ask them this evening. He asked if the CIP will be discussed during the next work session. Administrator Joynes stated it would be and noted that the meeting that evening will be shorter because of other scheduling needs. CITY OF SHOREWOOD WORK SESSION MEETING MINUTES October 28, 2013 Page 8 of 8 Administrator Joynes stated the General Fund budget has to be approved in the timeframe the State requires. The CH' and the rates can be discussed at any time. He then stated his preference is to have Council in a position to make some decisions so that by the time of the next Council and staff retreat in early winter the financing is in place and then Council can talk about the strategic plan going forward. Councilmember Woodruff stated he wants to conclude the CIP by the end of November and the sewer rate and stormwater rate in December. Mayor Zerby noted there has not been discussion about building funding needs and technology funding needs. Administrator Joynes stated that will be available for the next meeting. 4. ADJOURN Woodruff moved, Sundberg seconded, Adjourning the City Council Work Session of October 28, 2013, at 7:06 P.M. Motion passed 510. RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED, Christine Freeman, Recorder erby, Ma or ATTEST: Jeifn Panchyshyn, City Clerk'