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<br />Council Minutes - October 10, 2000
<br />Page 5
<br />
<br />Council Business
<br />
<br />City Sanitarian David Fridgen presented the SCORE funding grant application, recycling
<br />service charge for 2001, and extension of E-Z Recycling contract.
<br />
<br />SCORE money from Ramsey County partially funds New Brighton's curbside recycling
<br />program, and the remaining is funded by thc Recycling Service Charge collected by
<br />Ramsey County through property taxes. Next year, New Brighton will receive $46,015.00
<br />in SCORE money. With the City's proposed budget, less the SCORE money, the County
<br />will collect $18.25/househo1d. That amount is $1.25 more than in 2000 and represents the
<br />following factors: increased collection costs, promotional costs for recycling and clean-up
<br />days, incrcased participation in clean-up days, and increased County charges to manage
<br />recycling service charge.
<br />
<br />E-Z Recycling is requesting a three-year extension of their contract at an increase of 3%
<br />increase for the first year and 2% for each remaining two years. E-Z has performed wcll
<br />and has not rcquested a price increase in the past five years.
<br />
<br />Samuelson verified that the increase reflects the increases proposed by E-Z Recycling.
<br />
<br />Motion by Samuelson, seconded by Gunderman, to APPROVE THE 2001 SCORE
<br />FUNDING GRANT APPLICATION FOR RAMSEY COUNTY, THE 2001 CITY
<br />RECYCLING SERVICE CHARGE, AND APPROVE A THREE-YEAR
<br />CONTRACT EXTENSION WITH E-Z RECYCLING.
<br />
<br />3 Ayes - 0 Nayes, Motion Carried.
<br />
<br />City Manager Matthew Fulton explained that the Council is considering an ordinance that
<br />would charge private utilities a fee for use of the City's right-of-way (ROW). Xcel
<br />Encrgy is the sole provider of gas and electric service in New Brighton and uses the ROW
<br />for poles, cables, lighting, etc. Information about this proposed new revenue will also be
<br />discussed at public meetings on October 17, October 19, October 24, and November 14,
<br />2000.
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<br />Propcr said the City is responsible for management of 70 miles of ROW which consists of
<br />City streets and boulevards. The ROW provides access to homes and businesses, and is
<br />an ideal location for public and private utilities such as sanitary sewer, water, electricity,
<br />gas, telephone, and cable. Thc cost to provide, maintain, and manage the ROW is paid by
<br />the abutting properties through taxes and special assessments. Annually, the City
<br />rehabilitates about 2 miles of streets at a cost of $1 ,000,000. Other associated costs
<br />include: snowplowing, streetsweeping, strect lighting, patching, crack sealing, contract
<br />maintenance, and street signage at an annual cost of $236,000.
<br />
<br />Xcel occupies 84 acres of ROW at an annual estimated lease value of $366,000, and
<br />bcnefits from all weather access to utilities. Xcel would be charged for the use,
<br />maintenance, and rehabilitation of ROW, at a fee equal to 2.5% ofXcel's gross revenues
<br />from the New Brighton service area. Xce1, in turn, would pass along the fee to its
<br />customers in New Brighton based on monthly electric and gas usage. A typical family
<br />would see an additional monthly fee of $1.60 based on gas consumption and a monthly fee
<br />of $1.50 for clectricity. Currently the only other utility the City charges a fee is cable TV
<br />which at a rate of 5% of gross revenues.
<br />
<br />Council Business
<br />
<br />SCORE
<br />Grant/Recycling
<br />Report 00-235
<br />
<br />Franchise Fee
<br />Discussion
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