City of Geneva Special Committee of the Whole met March 13.
Here are the minutes provided by the committee:
Present: Mayor Burns, Ald. Bruno, Burghart, Hruby, Kaven Kilburg, Kosirog, Maladra, Marks, Mayer
Absent: Ald. Swanson
Staff Present: City Admin. Dawkins, Finance Dir. Kruse, Water Supt. VanGyseghem, Deputy Clerk Fornari
Mayor Burns called the meeting to order in City Hall Council Chambers at 7:00 p.m. noting that all were present but Ald. Robert Swanson.
1. Presentation and Discussion on Updates to Title 9 (Municipal Utilities) of the Geneva City Code.
Finance Director Rita Kruse presented information related to bringing Title 9 utility billing language in line with present-day practices. Proposed changes included:
• Removing the requirement for deposits due to customer inconvenience and staff time
• Revising the fee schedule for disconnections to better recover staff costs and time involved
• Revising the language and code sections for manual read fees to allow for equity in both electric and water utilities
• Reducing the ability to waive penalties from two instances to one to allow for better staff efficiency and to allow for additional enterprise fund revenues
• Adjust rates to customers (approx. 68 accounts) whose lines are serviced by the City of St. Charles through an intergovernmental agreement between the cities so that the rates reflect the St. Charles rates more accurately.
• Change billing from annual to monthly for private fire service and cross connection fees and adding a fee charged by the third-party who processes the billing services.
Kruse also noted several areas of the code where updates were needed such as obsolete language and the need to reflect current organizational structures. Lastly, Kruse proposed reducing billing cycles from four per month to two per month to improve overall efficiency which would be a change in process only, not a code update.
Water Superintendent Bob VanGyseghem then presented proposed rate changes based on the feedback received at the January 9, 2023 policy discussion meeting. VanGyseghem also proposed changes to the Sewer Lining Grant Program to increase the amount reimbursed from a maximum of $5,000 to $10,000 to be more in line with current industry costs for the service.
Ald. Kilburg and Ald. Burghart expressed concern about the proposed rate increase for those affected by the lines serviced in St. Charles and asked if there were any other alternatives within the parameters of the IGA to charge the Geneva rates to those customers. Burns and Dawkins stated they would review the current agreement to determine what options if any would be available and would report back. Additional discussion on the grant program was heard with general encouragement to continue the program at the proposed reimbursement rates. Other comments were heard requesting increased city communications when the new rates are rolled out.
Burns noted that the items discussed would be on an upcoming agenda, most likely in April.
With no new business, the meeting was adjourned by voice vote on a motion by Ald. Marks at 7:50 p.m.
https://www.geneva.il.us/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_03132023-2109
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