HomeMy WebLinkAbout2018-09-Setting the Public Safety Fee dedicated to the General Fund activies relating to public safety operations
RESOLUTION NO. 2018-09
A RESOLUTION SETTING THE PUBLIC SAFETY SUPPORT FEE
DEDICATED TO GENERAL FUND ACTIVITIES RELATING TO PUBLIC
SAFETY OPERATIONS AND REPEALING RESOLUTION 2017-19
RECITALS:
A. The City of Ashland operates water and electric utilities to provide all residential
and commercial electric and water service within the City of Ashland.
B. The City of Ashland maintains a police and fire department that strive to provide excellent and
full service emergency services to the community.
C. The authorized staffing of the police department has not substantially increased in the past 20
years, remaining at approximately 28 sworn officers.
D. The residential population of the City of Ashland has increased in the last 20 years from
approximately 15,000 to approximately 21,000.
E. The annual tourist population in the City of Ashland in the last 20 years has grown from
approximately 220,000 to 320,000.
F. With current staffing the police department is struggling to provide the highest level of
service to the community.
G. Using the existing electric and water billing system to charge and collect a public safety support
fee on electric accounts is an equitable and reasonable way of generating additional revenue for
the city's general fund, allowing to the city to better fund public safety resources.
H. Funds generated through this assessment will exclusively fund public safety operations and
activities.
THE CITY OF ASHLAND RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. A Public Safety Support Fee of $0 shall be charged each month to each City of
Ashland utility customer account with an active water meter.
SECTION 2. A Public Safety Support Fee of $1.50 shall be charged each month to each City of
Ashland utility customer account with an active electric meter.
SECTION 3. If a City of Ashland utility customer account includes both an active water and
electric meter, both charges shall apply and be charged.
SECTION 4. The Public Safety Support Fee shall be charged on all rate classifications within the
electric and water utilities.
SECTION 5. The Public Safety Support Fee shall be adjusted down semi-annually dependent on
property tax collections and/or ongoing operational efficiencies in other General Fund
Departments.
This resolution was duly PASSED and ADOPTED this day of (1A ,
Resolution No. 2018- Page 1 of 2
2018, and takes effect on July 1.
~u -TI, bN
Melissa Huhtala, City Recorder
SIGNED and APPROVED this Agn7day of to j~ , 2018.
Stromberg, Mayor
Reviewed as to form:
David H. Lohman, City Attorney