Session 08-17 a Special Meeting of the Homer City Council was called to order at 5:45 p.m. on June 23, 2008 by Mayor James C. Hornaday at the Homer City Hall Cowles Council Chambers located at 491 E. Pioneer Avenue, Homer, Alaska, and opened with the Pledge of Allegiance.

 

PRESENT:                 COUNCILMEMBERS:        HOWARD, NOVAK, ROBERTS,                                                                                                      SHADLE, WYTHE

 

                                    ABSENT:                               HEIMBUCH (excused)

 

                                    STAFF:                                   CITY MANAGER WREDE

                                                                                    CITY CLERK JOHNSON

                                                                                    ACCOUNTING SUPERVISOR MOORE

 

Councilmember Heimbuch has requested excusal. By unanimous consent Council concurred Councilmember Heimbuch had an excused absence.

Department Heads may be called upon from time to time to participate via teleconference.

AGENDA APPROVAL (Only those matters on the noticed agenda may be considered, pursuant to City Council’s Operating Manual, pg. 5)

 

The agenda was approved by consensus of the Council.

 

NEW BUSINESS

 

A.        Appeal of Water/Sewer Bill – Leonard Wells

 

Leonard Wells stated his typical water usage is 9,000 gallons per month. This is the average amount he has used for the past 15 years, 7 days a week. He requested the old rate be used to compute charges for December 18 through December 31, 2007. The base rate went from $45 to $180 per month. When he first brought up the overcharge, Finance explained it would be too much trouble to go back and redo all the calculations for all the customers. ACS and GCI typically prorate charges and charge accordingly. Mr. Wells stated the City does not have the legal right to charge increased fees before the ordinance was passed.

 

Billing and statement from Leonard Wells, memo from Finance to Leonard Wells dated April 17, 2008 and memo through City Manager (Response Brief of Finance Director) dated April 17, 2008 were accepted for the record.

 

Asked if the case was brought forward for his corporation, Mr. Wells answered yes, the PUC (Public Utilities Commission) does not have authority and the only course of action is appeal to the City Council and then to court. In the future one way of avoiding complaints would be to have the bills come out on the 31st or set the rates up for the first billing after any billing that occurred in December. If the bills had gone out in January at the old rates there would not have been any complaint.

 

Council discussed the need to treat everyone the same and not doing a special thing for someone and not everyone else.

 

Mr. Wells reiterated the appeal was based on whether the City has the legal right to charge January rates for December usage.

 

WYTHE/SHADLE – MOVED TO ADJOURN TO EXECUTIVE SESSION.

 

VOTE: YES. ROBERTS, WYTHE, SHADLE, HOWARD, NOVAK

 

Motion carried.

 

Council adjourned to Executive Session at 5:55 p.m. for deliberations and resumed the Special Meeting at 6:10 p.m.

 

Mayor Pro Tempore Novak announced the Council reached a consensus and will give direction to the City Attorney to draft a document.

             

ADJOURNMENT

 

There being no further business to come before the Council the meeting was adjourned at 6:11 p.m. by Mayor James C. Hornaday. The next Committee of the Whole is scheduled for Monday, July 28, 2008 at 5:00 p.m. The next Regular Meeting is scheduled for Monday, July 28, 2008 at 7:00 p.m. Special Meetings are scheduled for Monday, July 14, 2008 at 7:00 p.m. and Monday, July 28, 2008 at 3:00 p.m. All meetings scheduled to be held in the Homer City Hall Cowles Council Chambers located at 491 E. Pioneer Avenue, Homer, Alaska.

 

______________________________

JO JOHNSON, CMC, CITY CLERK

 

Approved: _____________________