Maitland City Talk

The City Council met on Aug. 24 in the City Hall Chambers. Below is a synopsis of that meeting.

The Old Business included a draft letter to LYNX regarding FlexBus.

The Consent Agenda was approved as presented:

• Approval of City Council Meeting Minutes of Aug. 10, 2015

• Approval of City Council Budget Workshop Minutes of Aug. 3, 2015

• Receipt of Parks & Recreation Advisory Board Meeting Minutes of June 3, 2015

• Vehicle Purchase from Don Reid Ford 2016 Ford F-250 Pick-Up Truck with Trailer

• Equipment purchase from Ring Power Corporation for a 2015 Caterpillar Skid-Steer

• Approval of the purchase of a Hydra-Stop Valve Insertion Machine for Public Works

• Authorization of Audubon Way Stormwater System Use Agreement with Orange County

• Authorization of the Interlocal Agreement for Dispatch Services

• Approval of FY 2015 Road Resurfacing Piggyback with Orange County Contract Y14-134-B

There was a public period where residents wished to be heard.

Decision items:

• Resolution – Master Bond/Authorizing Issuance of $10 million Water & Sewer Loan, Series 2015

• Resolution – Supplemental Bond/Authorizing Loan from Whitney Bank D/B/A Hancock Bank for $10 million Water & Sewer Loan, Series 2015

• Resolution – Establish Equivalent Residential Unit Rate for Environmental Stormwater Utility Fees

• Duke Energy Switchbox Location

Discussion items:

• Protection of Wetland/Conservation Area/100 Year Floodplains, at the request of Councilwoman Reponen

• Maitland Avenue Transfer

• Existing 380 Notice

The next Council meeting is on Sept. 14 at 6:30 p.m.

Environmental stormwater fee increase

Effective Oct. 1, 2015, the City’s Environmental Stormwater Utility Fee will be increasing from $9.25 per equivalent residential unit per month (ERU) to $9.80 ERU per month to fund the Fiscal Year 2016 budget. In the Stormwater Lakes Management Plan 2011 update, the city’s consultant estimated a rate of $12.00 per ERU per month would be necessary to make the Environmental Stormwater Utility fully independent of outside funding sources, pay for all administrative costs, and have the ability to continuously implement new projects. The Environmental Stormwater Utility Fund was established in October 2008 as a means to fund the city’s Lakes Management and Stormwater programs. The revenue from the monthly fee is retained in a special revenue fund, and can be used exclusively for the activities of the utility including: operations and maintenance; planning, design, engineering and other technical activities; implementation of capital improvements projects as outlined in the Stormwater Lakes Management Plan; water quality management activities; public education and outreach; and administrative support services. The ongoing programs funded in the Fiscal Year 2016 budget include: cleaning and repair of catch basins, inlets and stormwater pipe; performing swale maintenance; providing water quality treatment maintenance; street sweeping every city street twice per month; and spraying of lakes to control aquatic weeds. The Fiscal Year 2016 budget also includes $405,000 in capital improvement projects and a recommendation to replace the aging street sweeper. For additional information about the Stormwater Environmental Utility Fund, visit the utility’s web page on the city’s website at http://bit.ly/1PwDNBy.