Meeting Summary
The city council held a study session on the fiscal year 2021 Enterprise Funds budget, covering water, sanitation, and water reclamation operations, capital projects, and future financial needs including potential water rate adjustments. They also discussed survey results for a proposed general obligation bond election aimed at economic stimulus and recovery for small businesses, recommending further input from the Economic Development Advisory Board.
Financial Matters
Water Purchase Contract (Oklahoma City)
Annual cost for purchasing water from Oklahoma City.
Central Oklahoma Master Conservancy District (Lake Thunderbird)
Annual payment for power costs to pump water and operating costs for Lake Thunderbird management.
Del City Raw Water Pipeline Replacement (Norman's Share)
Norman's 43% share of the cost for replacing Del City's water line, part of the Bureau of Reclamation conveyance system.
Water Fund Capital Equipment Replacement and Purchases
Budget for replacing trucks, equipment, and purchasing computers for water treatment and line maintenance.
Water Treatment Plant Significant Rehabilitation
Major project to rehabilitate the water treatment plant, nearing completion.
Water Well Projects
Project to drill new water wells and connect them to the distribution system.
Robinson Waterline Phase 2
Completed section of the Robinson Street water line project.
Robinson Waterline from University North Park to Brookhaven Square
Completed section of the Robinson Street water line project.
Robinson Waterline from Waffle House to Brookhaven Tower
Nearly finished section of the Robinson Street water line project.
New Building for Line Maintenance (Water Fund Share)
Construction of a new facility for line maintenance crews, shared with the Water Reclamation Fund.
Corrosion Control Study
Required study due to EPA regulations following the Flint, Michigan lead issue.
Water Tower Coatings (Cascade and Boyd Towers)
Painting of large above-ground water storage towers.
Sanitation Division Capital Expenditure
Annual budget for replacing sanitation trucks and equipment (e.g., garbage trucks, poly carts, dumpsters).
Landfill Tipping Fees
Annual cost for solid waste disposal at the landfill.
Recycling Contractor Payment
Annual payment to the curbside recycling contractor.
Container Maintenance Facility
Facility for maintaining dumpsters and other containers.
Indirect Potable Reuse (IPR) Pilot Project
Multi-year pilot project for treating effluent water for reuse.
Line Maintenance Building (Wastewater Fund Share)
Construction of a new facility for line maintenance crews, shared with the Water Fund.
Land Acquisition (Water Reclamation Facility)
Purchase of adjacent land to the water reclamation facility for buffer and shared use with Sanitation.
Centrifuge Replacement (Wastewater)
Replacement of equipment at the water reclamation facility.
Main Control Building Renovation (Wastewater)
Renovation of the control building and laboratory at the water reclamation facility.
Sewer Maintenance Plan 17
Project to replace sewer lines in a neighborhood.
New Development Excise Tax (2020 Estimate)
Estimated revenue from excise tax on new sewer connections.
New Development Excise Tax (Next Year Estimate)
Anticipated revenue from excise tax on new sewer connections for the upcoming fiscal year.
Coming Up
Tabled
- Robinson waterline from 12th Avenue NE to Robinson Tower ($5.3 million project) pushed off for a year or two
- Second half of Parsons water line project postponed to May 2021
- Flood Avenue from Gray project pushed back from 2021 to 2022
Deadlines
- Budget adoption on June 9th
- First reading for water rate increase in October 2020, with a vote in January 2021
- Completion of 9 new water wells and connection to distribution system by December 2020
- First reading for economic stimulus bond election on May 26th
Watch For
- Discussion on a potential water rate increase and connection fees
- Exploration of a stormwater utility fee
- Investigation into waste incineration facilities for energy generation
- Economic Development Advisory Board (EDAB) recommendations on the economic stimulus bond election
- Consideration of a companion ballot item for individual worker assistance
- Updates on the TIF lawsuit and potential use of TIF money
- Updates on state funding for manufacturing and other businesses
Announcements
- Councilmember Holman recognized David, a lab technician at the water reclamation plant, for his work.
- The city received a $700,000 grant from the Bureau of Reclamation for the Indirect Potable Reuse (IPR) pilot project.
Agenda Summary
Presentation on the budget for the Enterprise Fund
Detailed overview of the Water, Sanitation, and Water Reclamation funds, including operations, capital projects, rate histories, and future financial needs.
Continued discussion regarding a possible general obligation bond election to include an economic stimulus recovery package for small businesses
Presentation of final survey results from businesses regarding COVID-19 impacts and discussion on the scope, administration, and timing of a potential bond election, including the possibility of assistance for individual workers.