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Consider adopting Ordinance No. 3341 amending the Farmers Branch Code of Ordinances, Appendix A - Fee Schedule, relative to fees established pursuant to Chapter 44 “Library,” Section 44-33 thru 44-35 “Library Card Fees” and Section 44-41 “Lost Library Materials and Other Charges”; Chapter 50 “Parks and Recreation,” Article II “Rules and Regulations,” Section 50-41 “Parks and Recreation User Fees”; and, Chapter 86 “Utilities,” Article IV “Service Rates and Billing Procedure,” Section 86-276 “Water Service Rates” and Section 86-277 “Sewer Rates”, and take appropriate action.
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BACKGROUND:
Ordinance No. 3341 has been prepared to address both Board recommended and other needed changes to rates and fees associated with a broad range of City services. All proposed fees are generally comparable to those charged for similar services in neighboring cities and are necessary to defray the rising costs associated with providing these services.
DISCUSSION:
The Library Board and Park Board recently evaluated fees and recommends establishing or amending fees. The Library Board recommends the addition of: Internet Guest Card fee of $25.00 per year/per card; Processing Fee of $5.00 for lost or replaced library materials; 3D Print Fee of $0.15 per gram of plastic with a $1.50 minimum; and, an increase in Computer Printing fees from $0.05 per page to $0.10 to better recover actual costs and to provide additional service to citizens. The Library Board also recommends a change for non-residents of City’s that charge Farmers Branch residents for library cards to reflect a library card fee of $200 or a TexShare Card obtained from the public library of the non-resident’s city.
The Park Board recommends amending its fee structure to provide additional options for non-residents for both indoor (natatorium) and outdoor (Frog Pond) facility usage; restructuring the types of annual combination memberships and rental packages available to better serve patrons; adding pre-season season passes for residents; and, increasing the weekly fee for participation in the Summer Funshine Program to better assist in recovering program costs. A list of recommended changes is as follows:
• provide for indoor facility (natatorium) non-resident annual indoor memberships
o Non-Resident - Individual $120.00
o Non-Resident - Family $240.00
• provide for outdoor facility (Frog Pond) pre-season season passes for residents
o Resident - Individual $65.00
o Resident - Family $130.00
• provide for regular season passes for non-residents
o Non-Resident - Individual $105.00
o Non-Resident - Family $210.00
• restructure the combination memberships available to residents
o Individual - Indoor/Outdoor - $175.00
o Individual - Combination - $325.00
o Family - Indoor/Outdoor - $350.00
o Family - Combination - $650.00
• increase non-resident after hours rental fees for use of the Frog Pond and natatorium
o Pool Area (Frog Pond) - $300.00 resident/$350.00 non-resident per hour with a two hour minimum and $200.00 deposit
o Indoor Facility - $150.00 resident/$200.00 non-resident per hour with a two hour minimum and a $100.00 deposit
• increase the non-resident off-season pavilion rental fee - $37.50 with a four hour minimum and a $100 deposit
• add a birthday party package for both residents and non-residents - $150.00
• add a new rental fee for the Froggy Spot for both residents and non-residents
o Resident - $50.00 per hour
o Non-Resident - $60.00 per hour
• increase weekly rate for the Summer Funshine Program for all participants
o Resident - $60.00 per week
o Non-Resident - $130.00 per week
o Financial Aid Resident - $30.00 per week
Additionally, City Administration has reviewed the City’s current water and sewer rate structure and has determined that it is not sufficient to address annual operating, capital and reserve requirements. The proposed budget contains a water and sewer rate increase of 15% included in revenue projections, which is necessary to help offset increases by both Dallas Water Utilities (27.3% increase in volume rate and 9.0% increase in demand charge) and the Trinity River Authority (7.1% increase). This rate increase is needed to maintain the financial stability of the fund.
Fees for water and sewer service are proposed to increase by 15% to help offset increases from Dallas Water Utilities and the Trinity River Authority for the contracted purchase of treated water and wastewater disposal, respectively. Water and sewer rates were last increased on October 1, 2014. The monthly utility bill of an average residential customer with 10,000 gallons water consumption, considering both the water and sewer rate change, will increase from $76.60 to $88.03 for a change of $11.43 per month.
This ordinance supports the guiding principle for financial stewardship.
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommended motion by City Administration that the City Council adopt Ordinance No. 3341 amending the Farmers Branch Code of Ordinances, Appendix A - Fee Schedule, relative to fees established pursuant to Chapter 44 “Library,” Section 44-33 thru 44-35 “Library Card Fees” and Section 44-41 “Lost Library Materials and Other Charges”; Chapter 50 “Parks and Recreation,” Article II “Rules and Regulations,” Section 50-41 “Parks and Recreation User Fees”; and, Chapter 86 “Utilities,” Article IV “Service Rates and Billing Procedure,” Section 86-276 “Water Service Rates” and Section 86-277 “Sewer Rates.”
POSSIBLE COUNCIL ACTION:
1. Motion to adopt Ordinance No. 3341 amending the Farmers Branch Code of Ordinances, Appendix A - Fee Schedule, relative to fees established pursuant to Chapter 44 “Library,”, Section 44-33 thru 44-35 “Library Card Fees” and Section 44-41 “Lost Library Materials and Other Charges;” Chapter 50 “Parks and Recreation,” Article II “Rules and Regulations,” Section 50-41 “Parks and Recreation User Fees”; and, Chapter 86 “Utilities,” Article IV “Service Rates and Billing Procedure,” Section 86-276 “Water Service Rates,” and Section 86-277 “Sewer Rates”.
2. Motion to adopt Ordinance No. 3341 amending the Farmers Branch Code of Ordinances, Appendix A - Fee Schedule, relative to fees established pursuant to Chapter 44 “Library,” Section 44-33 thru 44-35 “Library Card Fees” and Section 44-41 “Lost Library Materials and Other Charges”; Chapter 50 “Parks and Recreation,” Article II “Rules and Regulations,” Section 50-41 “Parks and Recreation User Fees”; and, Chapter 86 “Utilities,” Article IV “Service Rates and Billing Procedure,” Section 86-276 “Water Service Rates” and Section 86-277 “Sewer Rates”, with modifications.
3. Motion to table the issue for further study or take no action.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Ordinance No. 3341