HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution No. 289-17 - StormWaterUtilityFeeBilling
RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, Rochester Public Utilities is currently migrating to a new customer service
software (Cayenta); and,
WHEREAS, this transition provides an opportunity for RPU and the Public Works
Department to discuss existing stormwater billing challenges and to streamline and improve the
Storm Water Utility Fee billing process.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Common Council of the City of Rochester
that the City take the following actions:
1. Request RPU to modify the monthly statement to include parcel details within the
SWUF section;
2. Standardize credit and refund limits to match that of the RPU policies for
consistency;
3. Utilize enterprise databases to implement routine processes and reports to flag
parcel and customer changes that may impact SWUF billing. These quality
control measure will be possible after the consolidation and centralizing the
information into the RPU systems;
4. Fund additional staffing within the RPU organization to add two additional RPU
staff both dedicated exclusively to the SWUF. This will consolidate and
streamline work processes within the RPU enterprise database system. This will
allow SWUF-related transactions to be tracked completely within one system
and will provide a more comprehensive customer service experience. The
additional staff needed consists of: one Stormwater Customer Service
Representative and one Stormwater GIS Specialist;
5. Migrate to a “parcel owner-based” billing model for the stormwater utility fee for
all customers, including those 20-25% of Parcel Owners who are not the RPU
Utility Customer. This would remove the possibility of charging an RPU customer
who is not responsible for the SWUF costs. This would be implemented as
follows:
A. In the case where the Property Owner of Record is not also the listed
RPU Customer for that service address, the Property Owner of Record
will be contacted and a Customer Account would be created for the
Property Owner of Record. Once a Property Owner of Record has a
matching Customer Account - SWUF specific fees will be billed via that
account.
B. With this in place, any changes of parcel ownership details (per PRL
download) will result in a monthly report, and require review and updates
by staff. In other words, changes would be driven by Property Owner of
Record details instead of the typical metered services which are driven by
customer requests.
6. Authorize the Director of Public Works to sign the attached Service Level
Agreement (SLA). (The estimated annual cost for this enhanced level of service
effort and resulting quality control accuracy is $202,326. This cost should be
included in the Customer service portion of the SWUF and would add
approximately $0.42 per month per customer to the existing Customer Charge
for all Storm Water Utility customers. Alternatively, the Customer Charge could
be raised by approximately $2.15 per customer for those roughly 20-25% of
customers for which a new SWUF Customer Account will need to be created
because the Property Owner and the RPU Utility Customer are not the same.
We recommend that this increase be effective January 1, 2018.)
PASSED AND ADOPTED BY THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
ROCHESTER, MINNESOTA, THIS __________ DAY OF _______________, 2017.
___________________________________
PRESIDENT OF SAID COMMON COUNCIL
ATTEST: __________________________
CITY CLERK
APPROVED THIS _____ DAY OF ______________________, 2017.
___________________________________
MAYOR OF SAID CITY
(Seal of the City of
Rochester, Minnesota)
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