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Regular City Council Meeting Monday,July 18, 2011 Page 28 dents on proposed changes and a formal opportunity for them to speak to those changes. Councilmember Pust noted the huge jump in utility rates proposed for the 2012 budget; and opined that it made sense to provide notice to residents this year; and further opined that it probably made sense to provide notice when they instituted the conservation rate structure previously. While supporting public notification this year, Councilmember Pust spoke in opposition of enacting an ordinance re- quiring such notice be done every year; and instead suggested that efforts be made to highlight to residents when the City Council anticipates changing fees, expect- ing residents to keep track with those changes, but not requiring a formal ordin- ance or doing to on a continuing basis. Councilmember McGehee spoke in support of a letter to residents when a rate in- crease seemed likely, depending on the amount of that rate increase. Since the City had little say in increases from St. Paul Regional Water Utility for water and/or the Metropolitan Council for sewer charges, Councilmember McGehee suggested some type of notice would be more transparent for residents; however, she didn't support a major expense on the part of the city in providing that notice. Councilmember Johnson concurred with Councilmembers McGehee and Pust for using a mailing or the most effective way to get to utility customers, especially since a potentially large increase was being recommended for 2012; however, he didn't support making it an ordinance at this time. Councilmember Johnson noted that the recommendation of the CIP Committee was to virtually freeze utility rates after this major increase to address capital needs, and questioned whether an an- nual letter was necessary. Councilmember Willmus concurred with Councilmembers Pust and Johnson. Councilmembers McGehee and Johnson questioned if a simple and generic sen- tence on utility bills would suffice, without too much specificity requiring addi- tional staff time. Mayor Roe addressed the frequency of utility billing, with approximately one third-or one-fourth of the City billed each month; and how the timing of mailing rate increase notices on utility bills would realistically work out from staff's point of view. Mayor Roe suggested that a generic statement on bills alerting residents to their ability to speak publically on rate and fee increases was available to them at the formal property-tax supported public hearing. Mayor Roe asked staff to consider the practicality of such a generic notice as it related to timing of the bills for the 2012 budget, and report back to the City Council at a future meeting.