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<br /> <br /> Ms. Leithead-Todd: Well, they have to get licensed every year for whatever <br />they’re doing typically and so, you know, they get scrutinized differently. And anything <br />new obviously that comes in with a new building permit, Department of Health would <br />require them that they couldn’t get a certificate of occupancy until they hooked up. <br /> <br /> Mr. Matsuda: So commercial rate would be higher too, like $44 or something? <br /> <br /> Ms. Leithead-Todd: We do consumption for commercial. It’s based on the <br />amount of water that you use. It’s only the residential properties that have the flat <br />monthly rate. And that was a change instituted by the County Council as oppose to the <br />Department, many years ago. I’ve often wondered whether the rates for our fees <br />should be handled either administratively just like Parks and Recreation, that <br />administratively can set the fees for park facilities or if the Environmental Management <br />Commission like the Board of Water Supply can set the rates for water whether you <br />should empower the Environmental Management Commission by giving them the <br />authority to set the fees rather than having everything go through the County Council <br />and have it in the County Code. <br /> <br /> Mr. Matsuda: Do they have the authority to do that? <br /> <br /> Ms. Garson: Not Now. <br /> <br /> Ms. Leithead-Todd: It can be given to them by ordinance. <br /> <br /> Mr. Matsuda: Oh it could be given to them. Okay, alright. <br /> <br /> Mr. Medeiros: There’d be an advantage to that because of the political situation <br />of the Council. I think it would be a good advantage. <br /> <br /> Ms. Leithead-Todd: And also because it’s a Commission that meets every month <br />with the Department, they spend a lot more time and attention on the operations, they’re <br />much more familiar with our facilities. We do regular visits where they get to go see <br />what our operations are like at our Wastewater facilities, they get to go see what our <br />transfer stations are like, what our landfills are like and so they’re probably much more <br />aware of what’s actually going on in the department then the individual Councilmembers <br />would be. <br /> <br /> Mr. Espejo: Is that something you recommended to the Council already? <br /> <br /> Ms. Leithead-Todd: No, I have not and I’ve been back at the Department now for <br />not quite a year and a half and we’re looking at the fact that rates have not been <br />increased for wastewater since 2002, rates have not been increased for tipping fees for <br />solid waste since 2007, those costs need to be addressed. If you just think of it in terms <br />of, since 2002 to 2014, how much of our wages and salaries have gone up, how much <br />is our electricity bill to run our Wastewater facilities have gone up. Equipment, Dora can <br />tell you what a vehicle from 2002 to 2014 for her to replace vehicles has gone up <br />significantly. <br /> <br /> <br />4 <br /> <br /> <br />