CC - Agendas - City Council - REGULAR - 11/4/2008

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Prescott City Council Regular Voting Meeting — October 28, 2008 Page 10 2. Adoption of Ordinance No. 4665-0908 — An ordinance of the Mayor and Council of the City of Prescott, Yavapai County, Arizona, amending Title II, Chapter 2-1 and Title III, Chapter 3-14, of the Prescott City Code, regarding the imposition of water and sewer development fees. Mr. McConnell said that since last week a memo was sent to the Council re deferment, and most of those remarks pertain to the sewer fund specifically. He said that the Sewer Fund is particularly needy for capital improvements as pointed out during budget sessions. Without having done the sewer model, the City had not identified the extent of the capital needs, and that was accomplished with the sewer model. This wastewater and water study was done which translates into the fee contained in the draft ordinance. Also, two of the attachments are candidate projects for deferral if these are not implemented. If the Council chooses to defer or adopt the fees and defer the effective dates, the staff would adjust the CIP beginning in the next regular City budget update which starts in January. They have stressed many times that because of all the factors that go into the needs, the financing of the needs, the market, the economy, it is their recommendation to update these every two years. They are one year into the process and before they know it, if Council concurs, they will start in about a year from now. He said that Dan Jackson was present should there be any technical questions pertaining to the study itself. Councilman Bell said that since he was the one that suggested the delay in implementation last week he wanted to say that with the economy the way it is, with the nation, state and local city, he thinks it is a terrible time to be raising fees on anyone. He will continue to ask that they delay implementation to July 11, 2009, but go ahead and approve the fees. Councilman Roecker concurred with Councilman Bell. He has fought with himself over the issue the whole week and he cannot see approving this at this time because of the economic conditions of the country. He recognized that they will have to defer some issues but he thinks it is necessary. They have got to give those people buying houses in the community a little time. He said that for those in the public who thinks that the Council is in the pocket of the builders, in his mind it goes way beyond that—there are a lot of families in the community that are reliant on having jobs and it is important that they give every possible chance for that to happen. Councilman Luzius said that he was not in favor of any extension. He said that they extended it two years ago and did not apply the sewer fees or change the water fees. What they are doing by postponing it is they are laying extra burden on the citizens of Prescott that are there now.