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<br /> <br /> <br />ATTEND THE PUBLIC HEARING: Written protests may also be submitted at the Public <br />Hearing on MMM DD, YYYY, at 5:45 p.m., in the City Council Chambers at 22 Civic Center <br />Plaza, Santa Ana, CA 92701. All members of the public will have an opportunity to speak <br />and give testimony regarding the proposed sanitation user charges at the Public Hearing; <br />however, only written protests will count toward a majority protest. Written protests must <br />be received before the conclusion of the Public Hearing to be counted. The Public Hearing <br />is subject to being held electronically or by teleconference if required or permitted by <br />national, state and/or local orders as a result of a public health emergency crisis. In this <br />event, information will be provided on the City's website and posted in City Council <br />Chambers. <br />WHY HAVE I RECEIVED THIS NOTICE? <br />The City of Santa Ana is presenting the increased user charges for its roadway cleaning <br />and environmental sanitation program services. Property owners and customers of record <br />who would be impacted by these changes are receiving this notice. The City of Santa Ana <br />is dedicated to providing reliable and cost-effective sanitation services to its <br />residents/property owners, and businesses. <br />WHY ARE USER CHARGES INCREASING? <br />BACKGROUND: The City’s roadway cleaning and environmental sanitation programs <br />play a vital role in maintaining the City's cleanliness and hygiene stan dards. These <br />programs encompass a wide array of services, including street sweeping, abandoned item <br />collection, sidewalk cleaning, and power washing, addressing illegal dumping, and <br />cleaning alleys. Additionally, they ensure compliance with sanitation code s through right- <br />of-way inspections and enforcement activities, as well as the removal of weeds from <br />streets and sidewalks. <br />Beginning in fiscal year 2025, the City budget reflects several critical changes, including <br />costs for contract maintenance staff to boost sanitation services, and for additional <br />maintenance workers and program support employees. Furthermore, a significant ongoing <br />expenditure of $3.0 million is earmarked for the introduction of a new street sweeping <br />contract. This contract will enhance service frequency, especially in key arterial and <br />commercial corridors, resulting in quicker response times, benefiting the entire community. <br />It's imperative to acknowledge the challenges faced by the City. Inflation, economic <br />pressures, and supply chain disruptions have substantially increased costs. Notably, user <br />charge has remained stagnant since 1996, and in 2019, it was reduced, placing additional <br />strain on the City's finances. Despite these hurdles, the City remains dedicated to <br />maintaining high cleanliness standards through strategic investments and efficient <br />utilization of resources. <br />BASIS UPON WHICH THE CHARGES WERE CALCULATED: The City retained SCS <br />Engineers (SCS) to perform a Sanitation Services Users Charge Study. This study <br />included a five-year financial projection of anticipated growth, fund balances and reserve <br />targets, revenues, operations and maintenance expenses, vehicle/equipment replacement <br />expenses, and capital spending. The analysis determined that the City’s current user <br />charge revenues will no longer be sufficient to meet the projected financial needs of the