PORT ANGELES — The City Council could be burning the midnight oil tonight with an agenda that includes three public hearings.
City Attorney Bill Bloor also is scheduled to give a report on the state’s initiative and referendum process for cities.
Tonight’s City Council meeting begins at 6 p.m. in the council chambers at City Hall, 321 E. Fifth St. The public hearings will begin at 7 p.m.
Electricity rates
The council held a public hearing Aug. 16 on proposed electricity rate increases and then continued it to the Sept. 6 meeting.
City officials say the proposed increases are necessary to rebuild reserves depleted by four years of high energy prices and cover projected increases in wholesale power rates by the Bonneville Power Administration.
The city’s electric utility consultant has proposed increasing the energy charge, which is based upon usage, from 5.06 cents per kilowatt-hour to 5.63 cents.
The $11 base charge, a flat monthly fee, would remain the same.
A residential customer using 1,500 kilowatt-hours a month would see his monthly bill increase from $86.90 to $95.45, or 9.8 percent.
But the average residential electricity customer in Port Angeles will see a 9.5 percent monthly increase in rates, according to City Public Works Director Glenn Cutler.
The 1,500 kilowatt-hour figure generally is used as a standard to compare different cities’ electricity rates, he said.
Garbage collection fees
The council also will hold a public hearing on proposed increases in monthly garbage collection charges and landfill tipping fees.
The city’s solid waste consultant has recommended increasing both by 5 percent, effective Jan. 1.
The recommendation also includes increasing those rates from the current $69.45 per ton to $82 per ton between now and 2010 to cover operating costs without using reserves.
Residential and commercial collection of a 90-gallon container once a week would increase from $20.80 to $21.80 under the proposal.
Commercial collection of a 300-gallon container once a week would increase from $72 to $75.60.
The self-haul landfill charge per ton would increase from $80.65 to $84.70. The landfill minimum charge would increase from $5.25 to $5.50.
The charge for uncovered loads would increase from $5.25 to $5.50.
Medic One rates
The third public hearing will deal with new proposed Medic One rates prompted by a recent state Supreme Court decision.
The proposed monthly rates are $3.65 for residences, $3.85 for commercial and business properties, and $1,252 per month for city public areas.
Charges to adult family homes, assisted living facilities, 24-hour nursing facilities, group homes and schools would be per unit, based upon historical usage.
Facilities with Medicaid patients, such as nursing homes, assisted living facilities and group homes, will receive some kind of discount through the city’s charity care program, with the difference being spread among the remaining users.
The city’s current Medic One monthly charge is $3.50 a month on residents electricity bills and $3.50 per bed for nursing homes, with the first five beds exempt.
But a recent state Supreme Court decision invalidated the monthly charge for Medic One service.
The ruling stated that if the service was charged as a utility, instead of per call, then it must include a fixed fee for everyone and a usage charge just as an electric utility bills its users.
Process report
City Attorney Bill Bloor also is scheduled to give a report on the state’s initiative and referendum process for cities at Tuesday’s meeting.
The power of initiative allows voters to initiate and enact new legislation or ordinances.
The power of referendum allows voters to have an ordinance previously approved by a governing body placed on the ballot.
According to the Municipal Research and Services Center, 191 of the state’s 281 cities and towns are eligible to enact initiative and referendum. Port Angeles is not one of them.
Of those 191 cities, 50 have adopted the process as of Jan. 1, 2000.