12/21/1993 - Laserfiche WebLink

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r DEC 219993 BOOK 91 f"�U-F.:3.38 7 needed replacement with high pressure sodium lights and fixtures. Certain parts and street light bulbs were outdated and were difficult to find. Currently, the City of Vero Beach Electrical Utilities Department supplies only the electricity and light bulb replacement under an agreement between the County and the District dated 1972. The charge in 1992 to each property owner within the Rockridge Street Light District was $5 per year per parcel. In September, 1993, during the regular street light district budget hearings conducted by the Indian River County Board of County Commissioners, the Board adopted a FY93/94 budget for the Rockridge Street Light District which increased the per parcel district assessment to $15 per year. The increase of $10 per year is necessary to fund the replacement of the outdated fixtures (approximately 44 lights) and remaining wood poles. The Rockridge Property Owners Association recommended this action. From our records, the old fixtures and poles were owned by the Rockridge Street Light District. Possession of twenty, seven of these poles was transferred to the District at the time of formation of the District by the then existing Property Owners Association. At this time the City of Vero Beach and the County Public Works Department would propose to cancel the 1972 agreement (letter from City attached) and bring the street light system under the standard Governmental Street Lighting Agreement between the County and the City, dated April 20, 1988. If this action is approved, the City of Vero Beach Utilities Department will not charge a one time additional cost to the property owners in the District for purchasing and installing the new street light system. Instead, the new per parcel assessment of $15 per year will fund the cost of replacement materials, installation cost, electricity, and maintenance of the entire system. The $15 per year rate will only change if fuel adjustment charges increase (as with any electric utility), if additional lights are added, or if other approved modifications to the Rockridge Street Light District are made. The County staff does not anticipate major increases in the per parcel assessment on a yearly basis. The City of Vero Beach Utility Department will own and maintain the new system, as is the case with all other street light districts within the County. ALTERNATIVES AND ANALYSIS Mr. J. Richard Sabonjohn, resident of Rockridge, has been communicating with the County and City staff regarding the cost and merits of a privately owned system in comparison to the standard Governmental Street Light Program. Following numerous discussions, the staffs are of the opinion that the Governmental Street Light Program would best meet the needs of the Rockridge area. Seven of the 44 lights within the Rockridge Street Light District are along the 17th Street Causeway. Since these lights illuminate an arterial route, staff would recommend that the County delete -these 7 lights from the District and fund them under the Transportation Fund - Traffic Engineering Division budget beginning October 1, 1994. RECOMMENDATIONS AND FUNDING It is recommended that the 1972 Rockridge Street Lighting Agreement be terminated as requested by the City and that the Rockridge Street Light District system be upgraded and included in the standard Governmental Street Light Agreement with the City of Vero Beach. Seven lights along 17th Street are recommended to be deleted from the District in October 1994 when the 94/95 fiscal year begins. Funding'to be from Rockridge Street Light District. 28