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Regular City Council Meeting Monday,March 10, 2014 Page 5 Roll Call Ayes: Willmus; Laliberte; Etten; McGehee; and Roe. Nays:None. 8. Consider Items Removed from Consent 9. General Ordinances for Adoption a. Consider Establishing a New Utility Rate Discount Program As previously noted, a bench handout, was provided with proposed additional ac- tion to approve a resolution establishing the new Utility Rate Discount Program criteria and eligibility requirements. Finance Director Chris Miller summarized the requested action, as previously di- rected by the City Council as detailed by staff, with one change by the City Coun- cil to discontinue the current program eligibility on January 1, 2015 versus phas- ing it in over several years. Mr. Miller advised that this action would require a two-step process: to enact an ordinance as drafted (Attachment A) and update language of City Code Chapter 801 and adding Chapter 802.12(F); and adopting an enabling resolution (Attach- ment A to the Bench Handout) establishing the objectives and eligibility require- ments of the program for annual review. At the request of Councilmember Laliberte, Mr. Miller confirmed that the ordi- nance would become effective upon publication, per law, and those eligibility cri- teria become effective upon application and verification for residents; with those on the current discount program expiring effective December 31, 2014, and eligi- ble for start up on the new program effective January 1, 2015 if still applicable. Mr. Miller clarified that no one should fall into a gap provided they qualified un- der the income-based criteria versus the previous approach for age-related dis- counts. At the request of Mayor Roe, and for the benefit of the public, Mr. Miller re- viewed the specifics of the former discount program criteria in effect since its in- ception in the 1970's and new requirements to look at needs from a financial standpoint based on income levels at 165% of and closer to federal poverty in- come level programs across the state and county(e.g. Ramsey County SNAP Pro- gram, formerly the food stamp program). Mr. Miller noted that this would mod- ernize the approach given and the purpose of the water and sewer discount pro- gram in today's economy. At the request of Councilmember Etten, Mr. Miller reviewed the communication efforts to alert the public to this change and for a potential new pool of candidates. Mr. Miller advised that the information would be provided to all households in Roseville as a direct mailing over the next three months in conjunction with peri-