Council approves increased water and sewer fees

Nevada Daily Mail

The Nevada City Council held a public hearing and voted 5-0 to increase the fees connected with the city's water and sewer by 20 percent for Nevada residents and by 25 percent for those living outside the city limits with city water or sewer service. City manager JD Kehrman told the council the increased rates are necessary to pay for operating costs and to build reserve funds to replace water and sewer lines and equipment. The ordinance also includes a recommended minimum annual fee adjustment that will be based on the Consumer Price Index. The second reading of this ordinance will be held during the Jan. 7 council meeting.

In other business the council:

* Voted 3-2 against a special ordinance approving a work order for Williams, Spurgeon, Kuhl & Freshnock, Architects Inc., to conduct a feasibility study of a two-story brick building at 314 W. Cherry to determine if it can be used in the relocation of the fire department to this location. The cost of the study will be $2,324.11. This study was conducted in the fall of 2012. Jayne Novak, who voted no, said this should have been included in the original feasibility study since Novak and other council members wanted the building to be used if possible. Other council members voting no were Lance Christie and Brian Leonard. Blake Hertzberg and Seth Barrett voted for the measure.

* Voted 5-0 to give final approval to a special ordinance accepting the city's $22 million 2014 Municipal Budget and Capital Improvement Budget. The budget includes about $4.8 million for personnel, $5.4 million for supplies and services and $8.1 million for capital projects.

* Voted 5-0 to approve the re-appointment of Ray Dean Scism to his third three-year term on the infrastructure committee. His term will expire in September 2016.

* Voted 5-0 to approve the re-appointment of John Haggans to his fourth three-year term on the infrastructure committee. His term will expire in September 2016.

* Voted 5-0 to pass on first reading a special ordinance amending the city's 2013 municipal budget. The amendment includes a variety of transactions, including grant and bond proceeds and related expenditures; loss control revenues; inter fund transfer from the street fund to the general fund for the administrative support services attributable to the street fund. The amendment also includes the final grant reimbursement for the airport apron project; a water study grant; transferred the water tower project to 2014 and purchased computer hardware for the water treatment plant.

* Voted 5-0 to pass on second reading a special ordinance approving a 48-month lease of 30 golf cars and two utility vehicles, from E-Z-Go for $80,412 or $1,675.25 per month for use at the Twin Lakes Sports Complex.

* Voted 5-0 to pass on second reading a special ordinance accepting a bid of $202.02 per year for a two-year lease from Gary Ashby to lease hay land at Marmaduke Park.

* Voted 5-0 to pass on second reading a special ordinance accepting the bid of $397.97 per year from Gary Ashby to lease about 50 acres of hay land at the city's old landfill for two years.

* Voted 5-0 to pass on second reading a special ordinance accepting the bid of $195.01 per year from Gary Ashby to lease about eight acres of pasture land at the wastewater treatment plant for four years.

* Voted 5-0 to pass on second reading a special ordinance accepting the bid of $2,500 from Dwayne Hardin to lease about 56 acres of cropland at the old city landfill.

* Voted 5-0 to give final approval to a special ordnance declaring a 20-foot strip city-owned property surplus and selling it for $2.500 to the neighboring property owners, Randy and Debbie Allen, 917 N. Adams St,, to allow them to construct a house on the property. The lot is too narrow to meet city code without the additional 20 feet of property.

* Voted 5-0 to pass on first reading a special ordinance approving a memorandum of agreement with Alliance Water Resources to provide water and sewer services to the city of Nevada for 2014 at a cost of $1,542,800.04, or $128,566.67 monthly. This is a 1.8 percent increase from 2013. The agreement also includes keeping the annual repair expense cap at $79,000 and the chemical expense cap at the same as 2013 of $82,200.