City of Oak Creek

Common Council Report

Meeting Date:  2/6/07

Item No.:        

Recommendation: 

That the Common Council:

a.         Consider absorbing the Oak Creek portion of the 2007 storm water utility fee for the Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District;  and,

b.         Consider absorbing the Oak Creek portion of the charges to the Oak Creek/Franklin Joint School District for State Weights and Measures inspections for fiscal year 7/1/05-6/30/06.

Background:

a.         State law does not permit the City to waive stormwater fees on specific properties.  Since the storm water utility fee was first enacted in 2003, the Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District annually has requested that the City absorb a percentage of the fees due from school properties.  The Council has, so far, agreed each year, reasoning that much of the district is in the City of Oak Creek, with fees paid by Oak Creek taxpayers, so it would be in the taxpayers’ interest to absorb those charges.  In addition, there are considerations given by the School District to the City for which the City is not charged, such as the use of various sites for elections, etc.   Although there has been no specific dollar for dollar examination of various “due-to/due-from” costs, the Council has generally agreed that the City could accommodate the absorption of these fees. The balance, relating to the Franklin portion, would be paid by the School District.

The value of the Oak Creek portion of the school district for 2006 is approximately 85% of the district’s value.  The City would absorb 85% of the stormwater fees assessed on the 2006 tax roll.  A brief request letter from the School District is attached.

The following sites would be covered:

Oak Creek Franklin

Tax Key Site      Total Portion Portion

715-0111           Cedar Hills Elementary               $  714.00    $    606.51   $  107.49

783-9039           District Administration Site             384.00          326.19         57.81

827-9026           Oak Creek High School/

Edgewood Elementary                 4,044.00        3,435.22      608.78

830-9996-002     District Administration Office          216.00           183,48        32.52

830-9997           West Middle School                   1,752,00        1,488.25      263.75         

864-9000           Carollton Elementary                     762.00           647.29      114.71

873-9978           East Middle School                    1,374.00        1,167.16      206.84

907-9020           Shepard Hills Elementary               798.00           677.87      120.13

957-9996           Meadowview Elementary                 701.00          595.47      105.53

962-9011           Deerfield Elementary                      756.00          642.19      113.81

                                                                        ______________ _________

                                                Totals:            $ 11,501.00    $ 9,769.63  $1,731.37

b.         Secondly, the State of Wisconsin annually conducts inspections of weighing and measuring devices at businesses within the City, and bills the City for such inspections.  Since the School District has weight scales used in physical education programs, their scales are also inspected by the State.  In the past, the City absorbed the cost of the School District’s inspections; the School District has again requested that consideration.

Fiscal Impact:

The total storm water utility fee for 2007 would be $11,501.00, of which $9,769.63 would be absorbed by the City from Fund 38-Storm Water Utility, and $1,731.37 would be payable by the School District.

The total fee for weights and measures inspections for 7/05-7/06 would be approximately $150, of which $128 would be absorbed by Inspection Department Acct. 70-524 Testing, and $22 would be payable by the School District.

Both the Storm Water Utility and the Inspection Testing budget have sufficient funds to absorb these costs.

                                                            Respectfully submitted,

                                                            Patrick DeGrave, PhD

                                                            City Administrator

Prepared by and Fiscal Review by:

Beverly A. Buretta, CMC

City Clerk