The process for providing municipal water to the Macbride Pointe subdivision took another step forward last week as the city council approved a draft agreement, with some minor revisions, between the City of Solon and property owners in the Macbride Pointe Third Homeowners’ Association. The ongoing discussion has been the subject of controversy with many residents expressing their opposition to city water being sent to subdivisions outside of the city limits.
Resolution 26-03, approved by the Council in February, notes Macbride Pointe is approximately 1.36 miles west of the corporate limits of Solon and under Iowa Code Chapter 368 is not eligible for annexation at this time. The resolution also notes a mandate by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources for removal of connections, by the owners, to the shared well due to an excessive amount of naturally occurring arsenic in the ground water.
The resolution states Macbride Pointe’s water usage is to be metered at the connection point, and owners will be billed at twice the base residential rate, and four times the base amount usage exceeding an agreed amount. Macbride Pointe owners will also be 100% responsible for all costs associated with connecting to the existing Gallery Acres-owned water main and all connections within Macbride Pointe in strict compliance with specifications, which the City will provide. Additionally, owners will pay a one-time connection fee to the City and must enter into an Operations Agreement outlining the responsibilities of the owners regarding connection and payment of charges.
The formal “Agreement for the Provision of Water Service Outside the Corporate Boundaries of Solon, Iowa” stipulates Macbride Pointe and Gallery Acres West must come to an agreement prior to Macbride Pointe connecting into the water main, and no connection is to be made prior to an inspection by the City Engineer. Macbride Pointe will be responsible for all City Engineer fees related to the project including reviewing construction plans, onsite inspections, and project meetings.
Water and sewer rates set to increase in July – first of three readings approved
Solon residents will see an increase in their monthly water and sewer rates starting with the July billing cycle. The city council approved the first of three readings of Ordinances 496 and 497, establishing the rate increases ahead of the city’s new wastewater treatment plant.
“Thoughtful financial planning for this project has been the priority for staff and council,” said City Administrator Cami Rasmussen. “The city council (past and current) has been positioning the city’s financing for this project—likely the largest the city will undertake. Moderate rate increases over the past few years have been part of the overall plan.”
In addition to the rate change – $13.65 increasing to $13.92 for the base minimum, residents will also see that the minimum billed will decrease from 1,500 gallons to 1,000 gallons. The change, Rasmussen explained, is a result of working with the city’s financial advisors (Northland Securities) to minimize the rate impacts on those who don’t use much water on a monthly basis.
“These folks are often senior citizens on a fixed income. Northland reviewed a full year of billing and usage reports to help determine various rate scenarios and found that changing the minimum from 1500 to 1000 lessened the impact of the rate increase for lower-end water users,” she said.
Sewer rates are based upon water gallons used, which ties water and sewer rates together for billing purposes, she added.
Sewer rates will change from $16.07 for the first 1,500 gallons to $16.39 for the first 1,000. Additionally the Sewer Debt Fee will increase from $15/month to $26/month, and the Sewer User Fee will increase from $5/month to $11.50/month.
The City will be sending out a mailer with full details on the increases and public information sessions will be held ahead of the rate change. The Council will approve the 2nd and 3rd readings of the ordinances during their regular meetings Wednesday, June 3 and Wednesday, June 17.
In other business
The Council approved an amendment to the budget for the current fiscal year, which ends June 30. The changes to the budget were necessitated by a combination of additional revenue (Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) funds received, charges for services related to the future wastewater treatment plant, and connection fees collected on building permits, and additional expenditures due to utility costs, wages, property taxes, remodeling of the new City Hall, a software conversion, building inspector fees, a new room divider at the Solon Public Library, TIF agreements, the water tower maintenance contract, a water main project, and expenses related to planning for the new wastewater treatment facility.
Council approved street closings Saturday, June 27, for the annual Big Rove Bike Ride, acknowledged the public works staff for National Public Works Week (May 17-23), and received an update from Johnson County Supervisor Rod Sullivan. Sullivan said voters will likely see a bond referendum for a new jail on the November ballot and that the County Attorney is in discussions with “a landowner” regarding a potential site. Sullivan also noted revisions to the County’s Strategic Plan will be coming and reminded citizens of the Primary Election Tuesday, June 2.