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Utilities Director Terry Pinto reported that last April, 1990, <br />the Board authorized staff to hire the firm of CH2M Hill to make a <br />comprehensive analysis of the utilities rate structure and the <br />ordinance that is used in the operation of utilities. We had two <br />public hearings on staff level and we received a lot of input from <br />concerned citizens and customers of the utility system and we hope <br />we have addressed all those concerns with the ordinance and the <br />rate structure. Director Pinto introduced Mr. Bill Hutchinson and <br />Ms. Isabel Jettinghoff, the representatives from the consulting <br />firm CH2M Hill, and indicated Mr. Hutchinson was prepared to get as <br />detailed as the Board wishes. <br />Bill Hutchinson indicated his presentation would be aided by <br />visuals, a smaller version of which was handed to each <br />Commissioner. Mr. Hutchinson began by explaining that the analysis <br />was conducted taking into consideration impact fees and rates and <br />miscellaneous charges for the County utilities system as well as <br />addressing the County's ordinance under which the County policies <br />are spelled out for the administration of the utilities system. <br />The project also involved conducting two public workshops with <br />input from a number of residents of Indian River County and during <br />which we were able to learn quite a bit about the concerns and <br />special interests of customers of Indian River County Utilities. <br />The need to revise the County fees and rate structure was <br />brought about by a number of factors. The County has not <br />increased water or sewer rates since 1985 and a comprehensive <br />analysis of the rate structure has not been conducted since 1984. <br />Meanwhile, costs of operation have increased substantially. There <br />have been increases in the cost of providing capacity to meet new <br />growth during the period since 1984. While rates have not been <br />increased, impact fees for water and sewer services have increased <br />in proportion to the cost of construction. Recently new <br />regulations at the state and federal level have necessitated <br />considerably more complex and costly systems of providing for water <br />and wastewater services. Mr. Hutchinson explained past methods of <br />funding the utilities and the processes used in reaching his <br />recommended rates and charges. Following is a list of recommended <br />impact fees to be effective April 1, 1991: <br />27 <br />A <br />'�R 121�91 <br />BOOK 0 Ft1GE 8 jU <br />