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HomeMy WebLinkAbout06/24/1996 Regular .!". . . . MINUTES OF THE CONTINUED REGULAR MEETING OF JUNE 17, 1996 OF THE SPRINGFIELD CITY COUNCIL HELD MONDAY, JUNE 24,1996 The City of Springfield Council met in a continued Regular Meeting of June 17, 1996, in the Springfield City Council Chamber Room, 225 Fifth Street, Springfield, Oregon, on Monday, June 24, 1996, at 5:35 p.m., with Mayor Morrisette presiding. ATTENDANCE Present were Mayor Morrisette, Councilors Ballew, Beyer, Dahlquist, and Shaver. Councilors Burge and Maine were absent (excused). Also present were City Manager Michael Kelly, City Attorn.ey Tim Harold, City Recorder Eileen Stein and members of the staff. BUSINESS FROM THE CITY MANAGER 1. Resolution to Authorize $3.600.000 State Revolving Fund Loan. RESOLUTION NO.96-27 - A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A LOAN AGREEMENT WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY AUTHORIZING A LOAN NOT TO EXCEED $3.600.000 TO COVER COSTS OF CONSTRUCTION OF THE SOUTH SPRINGFIELD INTERCEPTOR, TO EXECUTE SUCH OTHER AGREEMENTS AS MAYBE NECESSARY TO EFFECTUATE SUCH LOAN AGREEMENT. AND ESTABLISHING A LOAN RESERVE ACCOUNT. Finance Director Bob Duey presented the staff report on this issue. The Council is requested to authorize the City Manager to complete negotiations with the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and execute a loan agreement to provide $3,600,000 from the State Revolving Loan Fund for construction costs for Phase III of the South Springfield Sewer Interceptor project. Although the City had applied to DEQ for State Revolving Loan funding for the final phase of the project, the project had not been ranked high enough priority to be given funding this year. In the past few days, however, DEQ has notified the City that other, higher priority projects have been delayed and that as a result, funding is available. Mr. Duey stated if the City can execute a loan agreement before the end of this fiscal year, DEQ would be able to offer an interest rate of 3 .93 percent. This is substantially below what the City would pay if it issued a 20 year revenue bond for construction costs, as originally anticipated. The loan will be repaid from sewer user fees and can be covered by the existing rate structure. The loan will be subordinate to city revenue bonds and thus not adversely affect the City's debt issuing capacity. This will provide the City with increased debt capacity to respo.nd to unanticipated capital needs, ongoing master planning efforts or emergency situations. By reducing the repayment period from 20 to 10 years, the City will save substantial amounts of interest. Councilor Ballew asked what sewer lines were maintained by the City and what sewer lines were maintained by the Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission (MWMC). Mr. Duey replied that MWMC manages the regional sewer system and the City manages the local sewer system. Mr. Kelly clarified that this roughly equates to MWMC maintaining sewer v.:I>> '" . . . City of Springfield Minutes of the Continued Regular Meeting of 6/17/96 Page 2 lines which are 24 inches and larger in diameter, and the City maintains sewer lines that are smaller than 24 inches. He stated that there are some exceptions, but that this is a general rule as provided for in the intergovernmental agreement that governs the regional sewer system. Councilor Ballew commented she knew of a federal grant and asked whether this was part of that. Mr. Duey replied that the City did try to obtain a federal grant for the South Springfield Interceptor, but has never been successful in receiving federal funding for the project. Mayor Morrisette noted that on Tuesday, June 25, at 10:00 a.m., he would be talking with Senator Mark Hatfield. He explained he had sent a letter specifically requesting $3 million and followed up with several telephone calls. He stated MWMC was also making a request for a separate matter. Mayor Morrisette suggested scheduling a work session in the future to discuss sewer user charges, reserves and rel~ted issues. Mayor Morrisette explained that the engineering firm of CH2M Hill gave a presentation at the last MWMC meeting. He said that during the meeting sewer capacity and funding issues were discussed. Mr. Duey discussed possible options if the loan amount does not cover all the construction costs for the third phase of the Interceptor project. Public Works Director Dan Brown explained how funding would be used if Senator Hatfield . was successful in obtaining it for the project. IT WAS MOVED BY COUNCILOR SHAVER, WITH A SECOND BY COUNCILOR BEYER, TO ADOPT RESOLUTION NO. 96-27. THE MOTION PASSED WITH A VOTE OF 4 FOR AND 0 AGAINST. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 6:00 p.m. Minutes Recorder - Julie Wilson (tL9!I~ Mayor A~ Eileen Stein City Recorder