Minutes 08/10/2010 - Laserfiche WebLink

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AUQust10.2010 '" Mr. Whitehurst read the following statement: "According to a staff report, it has been a practice by City Staff to apply a City Council authorized rate increase, in any given year, toward a water bill or municipal solid waste bill where the water use or municipal solid waste use actually covered a prior partial month and may have included billing dates before the authorized and approved effective due date. I believe it to have been an unauthorized practice over the years to apply a rate increase to any portion of a bill for water or municipal solid waste that covers any portion of the month before the expressed date approved by City Council. A City Attorney opinion advised the aforementioned practice has never questioned over a range of years however, I believe our billing practices should be accurate, fully transparent and honestly applied." Motion by Mr. Whitehurst, and seconded by Mr. Moody, asking that management review the current practice and provide a means whereby any billing shall be applied to only cover the date authorized and days forward plus applying the old rate to cover days, if any, before the new rate was applied and the sum billed to each homeowner as appropriate. To avoid excess postage/personnel cost for any new billing (or overcharge) it shall be applied to offset future billings. Motion by Ms. Psi mas, and seconded by Mr. Heretick to accept a substitute motion asking the City Manager to report back to City Council, at the August 24, 2010 City Council Meeting, about prorating the billing system and advising City Council, if the system can be corrected, of what financial impact this will have on the payer and payee of the City, and was adopted by the following vote: Ayes: Cherry, Heretick, Moody, Psi mas, Randall, Griffin Nays: Whitehurst Substitute motion by Ms. Psimas, and seconded by Mr. Heretick asking the City Manager to report back to City Council, at the August 24, 2010 City Council meeting, about prorating the billing system and advising City Council, if the system can be corrected, of what financial impact this will have on the payer and payee of the City, and was adopted by the following vote: Ayes: Cherry, Heretick, Moody, Psi mas, Randall, Griffin Nays: Whitehurst '" Mr. Moody asked that Staff mobilize an effort to alleviate the mosquito problem in the Churchland area. 10 - 381 - Report on Pending Items . Bernadette Hogge, Ombudsman, gave an update on items of concern presented by citizens at the July 27, 2010 City Council Meeting. 10 - 382 - Non-Agenda Speakers 1. John Maher, 4536 Winston Road, thanked City Council for the successful bike ride that took place on Saturday, August 7, 2010 and also presented them with awards. 2. J. Brewer Moore, 308 Bobby Jones Drive, read a letter from Senator Quayle regarding a letter he received asking him to approve an appropriation supporting Portsmouth's participation in National Parks Services Star Spangled Banner Trail and other upcoming events. 3. Margaret Windley, 443 Douglas Avenue, spoke on the Battle of Craney Island and the proposed development of the former Port Norfolk Elementary School site. 4. Joseph Holt, 5801 Bertrand Street, thanked City Council and Staff with regards to having ditches cleaned and for the excellent work being done by contractors.