Prince George city council voted to defer new fees for trucked sanitary sewer waste at the Shelley Lagoon for an additional year.
In Dec. 2019, a report to council outlined various updates to the Comprehensive Fees and Charges Bylaw including the recommendation to implement a volume charge for the disposal of trucked waste at the city-operated facility beginning on Jan. 1, 2021.
At last night’s public meeting (Dec. 21), council discussed deferring this change until 2022 to minimize the financial impact on residents and businesses because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Council also discussed the need for more information regarding the operating costs of the lagoon and the involvement of the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George (RDFFG).
The intent of the volume fee is to generate revenue to offset the costs of operating the Shelley Lagoon, which only accepts trucked waste.
Trucked waste is primarily sourced from locations that are not connected to the existing sanitary sewer system and that trucked waste is therefore originating from locations that are not paying into the sewer utility budget.
Current users of the City’s sanitary sewer system typically have a flat rate of $42 per month (2021) or $504 per year. The typical septic tank for a residential property has a volume of approximately 4.5 cubic metres and requires cleaning every two or three years.
The city says based on the bylaw volume charge of $45 per cubic metre, the cost for disposal would be $202.50 per disposal, which is works out approximately $67.50 to $101.25 per year.
After many questions about the operating costs of the Shelley Lagoon and the number of users from the RDFFG versus the City of Prince George, Acting City Manager Walter Babicz suggested council vote to defer the bylaw, after which city staff could return with an information report in the new year allowing council to amend the bylaw before implantation in 2022, if need be.
“The big challenge isn’t the deferral it’s what to do in that year of deferral,” said Coun. Garth Frizzell.
“I do have some concerns over the fee. I understand the lagoon needs work but I would be interested in having some more information on this,” added Coun. Cori Ramsay.
Babicz explained, as part of the report, the city can make contact with RDFFG to see if there is an appetite to have a service agreement or other contribution to the Shelley Lagoon site with an intention of helping to fund the RDFFG users.
“I think having this conversation and postponing [the bylaw] is a result of hearing from a large group of residents and haulers of the waste who received notification maybe later than they should have,” noted Coun. Kyle Sampson.
“It is important to note that we could have been more proactive about getting that messaging out there and talking to these haulers and residents who are affected and communicating that earlier. I think it is important to note that a mistake was made and we are correcting it.”
Coun. Terri McConnachie added that a communication plan should be added to staff’s report on the Shelley Lagoon.
“I don’t think people mind paying their fair share as long as the financial piece is there and they have an opportunity to know well in advance as opposed to looking the rearview mirror and discussing something that has already happened,” says McConnachie.
The recommendations to defer the implementation of the bylaw until 2022, was passed by council with Coun. Brian Skakun opposing all three associated recommendations.
“I was hoping we could pass three readings and not final reading until we could show the people why the rates are going up,” said Skakun.
“I think we have got this backwards. We should have had all the financial information beforehand.”
City staff says the report regarding the Shelley Lagoon will be returned to council sometime in early 2021.
And the recommendations to deffer the fees carry 8-1 with Skakun opposing, saying he's in favour of more information and that they've done this backwards #cityofpg
— Hanna Petersen (@hannaepeter) December 22, 2020
