2019 Finance committee, Dan Allie, Brent Bean, chair, and John Beltrandi. (Photo by Amy Porter)
WESTFIELD – The discussions on the stormwater fee increase continued Thursday evening, first in the Finance sub-committee, where it received a 2-1 recommendation; then in the Council, where it was referred to Legislative & Ordinance for a resolution.
In Finance, new chairman Brent B. Bean, II, deferred to the previous chairman, At-large Councilor Dan Allie to present an amended plan. Allie said the new plan would generate additional fees with less of an impact on residents and businesses by using undesignated funds in the Department of Public Work’s stormwater account. He said the revenue is needed to fund an 18-item capital plan that will meet state permit regulations.
Allie said in the amended plan, the residential stormwater fee would increase from the current $20 annually to $30 for the remainder of this fiscal year, retroactive to Jan. 1, and for FY20, and then increase to $40 in FY21, beginning in July, 2020.
The amended plan lifts the commercial cap of $640, but lowers the rate from 4.5 cents to 1.4 cents per square foot, which Allie said is more fair and equitable for small to medium-sized businesses, who would see their annual fee go down.
Under the old rate, a small business with 15,000 sq. ft. paid the same amount as the largest business in town. In the new plan, the fee for a businesses of 15,000 sq. Ft. would drop from $640 to $199 per year.
The new plan sets the cap on businesses from 80,000 to 150,000 sq. ft. to $1280 per year, and over 150,000 sq. ft. to $2100 per year.
This plan uses $301,000 in stormwater undesignated funds in FY20 and FY21, and provides revenue for three new personnel to be hired in FY20 to ensure that the DPW has the workforce to get the work done, and to bring as much in-house as possible.
“Some of these projects would be significantly affected by grant money,” Allie said, adding, “We’re trying to put a plan in place; then, the Mayor could decide what to do.” He said the new plan generates the needed revenue, and is more fair and equitable, especially for small businesses.
Finance committee member John J. Beltrandi, III asked whether the committee has determined where the money already in stormwater fees for the last nine years has gone.
DPW Director David Billips said most of it is for system maintenance, and repair work. He said the stormwater system is in a similar place to where the roads were, just fixing problems. “Where it’s gone is system operations and maintenance,” Billips said.
Beltrandi suggested that it will be important to look at the job descriptions created for the new employees, to ensure that they are not too specific to work as needed in other areas in the DPW. “Every 40 hour employee is on snow removal,” Billips said.
Ward 2 Councilor Andrew K. Surprise, who attended the meeting said he was always against raising fees if possible. He said most of the money is for repairing the levees which will cost millions, and will match federal funding of 65% by the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture National Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) “If we don’t match that, we’re potentially on the hook for the whole bill, and residents have the potential to lose flood insurance,” Surprise said.
Flood Control Commission Chairman Albert G. Giguere, Jr. said it will cost the city $2 million to repair Arm Brook Dam, and 3, 4 or 5 million to repair Powder Mill. “We haven’t maintained these for decades, and they’re past the 50-year life expectancy. If we drop the ball on this, the state could come back and say you’re fixing this on your own,” he said, adding that if they fail, the city is liable.
Before asking for a vote on the plan, Bean commended everybody for their due diligence on the increase. He said the City Council has been giving back Free Cash to offset the tax rate the last couple of years; dollars that could have been used for this. “I was one of the few dissenting votes to give back Free Cash. I knew this would happen,” he said, adding, “That’s why I’m against the fee increase.”
Allie suggested referring the plan to the Legislative & Ordinance committee. A motion was made, and Allie and Beltrandi supported moving the plan to L&O, with Bean voting against the recommendation.
A debate on the merits of the plan and where it should go next occurred during the City Council meeting which immediately followed Finance, covering many of the same points. At-large Councilor Matthew Emmershy commented on the discussion regarding Free Cash in the Finance Committee, and added that he had recommended a $1.4 million cut to the budget. “The reality is, for the DPW to get to 65/35, we need to get these funds in place. The reality is, they need to do these projects,” he said.
After further extensive debate, the plan was referred to the L&O committee to prepare a resolution for a vote by the City Council.
