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Regular City Council Meeting <br /> Monday,December 10, 2012 <br /> Page 15 <br /> Finance Director Miller noted that action could be deferred until January of <br /> 2013, and still take effect in 2013,based on the quarterly billing cycle for utility <br /> billing. <br /> Mr. Miller sought to clarify residential and commercial rates (page 12 of the <br /> RCA, Schedule A), noting that the residential rate currently used represented a <br /> direct cost of passing through City costs to customers from the Saint Paul Re- <br /> gional Water Authority, but that it did not include any fixed or overhead costs, <br /> as all those fixed costs were included in the base rate with the exception of pur- <br /> chasing the water itself. Mr. Miller advised that those were considered fixed <br /> costs regardless of how much water was sold; with staff having previously <br /> aligned all fixed costs with revenue sources in the base fee as enacted in 2009, <br /> excluding variables for water usage fees. <br /> McGehee moved to remove and defer the water utility portion of draft resolu- <br /> tion for 2013 utility rates for action by a future City Council in 2013; and to re- <br /> move the recycling fee to consider reduced rates; and asking that staff return to <br /> the City Council with a proposed water rate structure based on further research <br /> and requirements of other regulatory agencies. <br /> Mayor Roe sought to clarify whether the intent of Councilmember McGehee's <br /> motion was to approve 2013 utility rates with the exception of water rates, to ta- <br /> ble the water rates only, or to table 2013 utility rates with the exception of recy- <br /> cling and move other recommended rate revisions forward. Mayor Roe noted <br /> that, at this time,no action had been taken on any utility rates with the exception <br /> of recycling rate reductions. <br /> Mayor Roe ruled the motion failed for lack of a second. <br /> Johnson moved, Pust seconded, to strike 2013 recommended water usage util- <br /> ity rates from this action; and with that exception to adopt Resolution No. <br /> 11036 entitled, "Resolution Establishing the 2013 Utility Rates," in accord- <br /> ance with Schedule A (page 12) attached to the resolution;and to forward any <br /> action on water rates to the new City Council taking office in January of <br /> 2013. <br /> Mayor Roe clarified that current water usage rates (page 12) would remain in <br /> effect as a result of this motion. <br /> Finance Director Miller requested more clear direction on what staff was being <br /> requested to provide further research. <br /> Mayor Roe advised that 2012 rates would remain in effect; and whatever rec- <br /> ommendation staff provided on water rates would be heard at a later date by a <br /> future City Council, <br />