HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Minutes - Citizens Utility Advisory Commission - Meeting Date: 4/5/2017O�� Citizens Utility Advisory
� Commission
Oasis Water Campus
7070 W. Northern Avenue
April 5,2017,6:00 P.M.
I. CALL TO ORDER 6:03 p.m.
II. ROLL CALL
Present: Vice Chair, Ron Short; Commissioners; Amber Ford, Ruth Faulls, Robert Gehl and Robin
Berryhill. Commissioner Berryhill arrived at 6:10 p.m.
Absent: Chair, Jonathan Liebman (Excused)
III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING
Commissioner Ford motioned to approve the March 1, 2017, meeting minutes as written.
Commissioner Gehl seconded the motion. The motion carried 4-0.
Commissioner Gehl motioned to approve the March 8, 2017, meeting minutes as written.
Commissioner Faulls seconded the motion. The motion carried 4-0 (Commissioner Berryhill was not
yet present).
IV. PUBLIC WORKS RESIDENTIAL SOLID WASTE RATE PROPOSAL OPTIONS
AND RECOMMENDATION(S)
Michelle Woytenko, Deputy Director, Public Works and Phil Mercier, Business Analyst, presented
additional information to the Commission on the Solid Waste Rate Model.
Phil Mercier provided a recap of the Solid Waste Rate Model that had been presented at the
March 1, 2017 meeting.
- Phil followed up on questions from the Commission from the March 1, 2017, meeting on
cost saving measures.
1. What would be the cost to outsourcing services to private companies? Findings were
as follows with the 3 most recent bids: City of Phoenix's current in-house rate is
$7.19/month per household and the best private bid was $9.21/month per household.
City of Goodyear's rate for outsourced Solid Waste services is $14.72/per household.
Glendale is operating at $8.33/month per household, which is still under most
aggressive competitive bid. Phoenix, a much larger city, has the economy of scale and
it is unknown what is included or excluded in that bid. Goodyear was just bid out, so
it was just awarded and is a 5 -year contract with a CPI adjustment built in.
2. Are there any continuous improvement efforts, not only through operations, but also
to the Financial Model? One of these were identified was the cost of the Materials
Recycling Material (MRF). Material that was diverted to the landfill was being
charged back to Solid Waste. This cost will be attributed to the MRF and will benefit
the residents of Solid Waste at $120,000/year. Staff also updated the Capital
City of Glendale
Water Services Department • 7070 West Northern Avenue • Glendale, AZ 85303 • (623) 930-4100
April 5, 2017
Citizens Utility Advisory Commission Agenda
Page 2
expenditure plan to reflect the most up to date information that was presented to the
City Council. Internal landfill costs and revenue thresholds were updated to reflect the
opening of the north cell.
From the previous meeting. Public Works staff was requested to take a look at various
options. The following options are considered not feasible at this time:
- Personnel resource adjustment, any reductions would have to be tied to service level
reductions.
- Tonnage reduction. There are many variables outside the span of control of Solid
Waste.
- Flexible work schedule. Trash trucks going through the neighborhood at 2:00 or
3:00 am or 6:00, 7:00 or 8:00 pm, and weekends — not viable options.
- Purchasing methodology (leasing equipment). This will defer the drop in the Solid
Waste fund balance to a future date, and will cost more long-term. Any future
adjustments would be more significant down the road if equipment was leased.
- Container specific pricing. Not feasible, due to the fact that it will not help with
current cost of operations. Looking at other valley cities who have done this, the
baseline for containers did not change. There would be no significant reduction in
cost.
4. Potential opportunities
— Recycling efficiencies. Reduction in frequency of trash collection will take time
and will require variances. No other city in the valley is doing this. Also, have to take
into consideration risk, increase inspections and monitoring would mean more costs.
- Sweeper frequency. Currently streets are swept quarterly. If reduced to 2-
times/year, cost savings would only be $100,000/year or $ .12/month per household.
Once a year would be a savings of $200,000/year or $ .24/month per household.
Currently, the City has no investment in capital. Sweepers have been awarded
through a Federal grant. Based on potential savings, reducing frequency of street
sweeping services is not recommended. Storm water pollution prevention could be
impacted, as well as the longevity of the street infrastructure.
- Route and tonnage swapping with surrounding municipalities. This is currently
done now. City of Glendale does have a reciprocal agreement in place. In terms of
cost savings, this would be in fuel and potential densification of routes. Not able to set
anything up in the short-term.
- Residents purchasing for their own bins. Residents could save $ .28/month. Staff
would not recommend residents taking on the $70/bin purchase responsibility.
Sharing recycling bins, there may be issues with ownership, storage, and quality
control. This will not reduce cost of services, the trash trucks still need to drive down
the street.
- Bulk Trash collection reduction. Currently serviced once a month. This is one of the
highest rated services by Glendale resident surveys. Reduction to bi-monthly
collection would result in a savings of $300,000/annually or $ .45/month for residents.
Quarterly collection will result in $450,000/year in savings or $ .68/month per
resident. Capital savings would be an estimated $ .22/month.
- Incorporate "On Call" bulk trash collection. This will pull costs out of monthly
resident fee estimated at $3.00/month or $36.00/year. Looking at City of Mesa's
model, they provide on-call bulk trash service at $21.83/call or $250/on-call charges a
year.
- Bulk trash volume -limits. Enforcement of volume -limits will require additional
resources.
April 5, 2017
Citizens Utility Advisory Commission Agenda
Page 3
Public Works staff provided two recommendations and no reduction to service.
♦ 1St Recommendation: increase rate $2.75/month on November 1, 2017, taking rate from
$16.30 to $19.05. On January 1, 2019, increase rate an additional $2.75 to sustain fund
balance, taking rate to $21.80.
♦ 2"d Recommendation: $4.20/month on November 1, 2017 taking rate to $20.50 and on
January 1, 2019, increase rate by $1.00/month per resident. taking rate to $21.50.
Other valley city's rates were provided and the City of Glendale's rate is in-
line and competitive with other valley cities. Services do vary throughout the valley
cities.
Public Engagement Proposal — Staff will present plan for Public Engagement at the May 10,
2017, CUAC Meeting. The Council Workshop presentation will be June 6, 2017. Public
engagement meetings will be held during the month of July and staff will present findings again at
August 15, 2017 Council Workshop. Rate adjustment approval will go to Council September
26, 2017. Rate adjustment will be effective, November 1, 2017.
Action: Commissioner Faulls made a motion to present both Rate Adjustment Recommendations, 1 and
2, to the City Council at their Workshop Meeting, June 6, 2017. The motion was seconded by
Commissioner Berryhill. The motion carried 5-0.
V. CALL TO THE AUDIENCE
An opportunity was provided to members of the public to address the Citizens Utility Advisory Commission.
`None' .
VI. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
Consensus by board to request a 2' meeting on May 10, 2017, due to the volume of information being
shared.
VII. COMMISSIONER COMMENTS
None.
VIII. NEXT MEETING DATE
The next meeting will be May 3, 2017 at 6:00 pm.
IX. ADJOURNMENT
Motion to adjourn was made by Commissioner Berryhill and seconded by Commissioner Faulls.
Motion approved 5-0. The meeting adjourned at 7:17.
Recording Secretary:
Angela B. Holguin, Supervisor Administrative Support
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