Item 44 - Public Hearing – Adopt a Resolution Adjusting Sanitation Services Users Charge

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Page 2 of 3 ATTEND THE PUBLIC HEARING: Written protests may also be submitted at the Public Hearing on February 20, 2024, at 5:30 p.m., in the City Council Chambers at 22 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana, CA 92701. All members of the public will have an opportunity to speak and give testimony regarding the proposed sanitation user charges at the Public Hearing; however, only written protests will count toward a majority protest. Written protests must be received before the conclusion of the Public Hearing to be counted. The Public Hearing is subject to being held electronically or by teleconference if required or permitted by national, state and/or local orders as a result of a public health emergency crisis. In this event, information will be provided on the City's website and posted in City Council Chambers. WHY HAVE I RECEIVED THIS NOTICE? The City of Santa Ana is presenting the increased user charges for its roadway cleaning and environmental sanitation program services. Property owners and customers of record who would be impacted by these changes are receiving this notice. The City of Santa Ana is dedicated to providing reliable and cost-effective sanitation services to its residents/property owners, and businesses. WHY ARE USER CHARGES INCREASING? BACKGROUND: The City’s roadway cleaning and environmental sanitation programs play a vital role in maintaining the City's cleanliness and hygiene standards. These programs encompass a wide array of services, including street sweeping, abandoned item collection, sidewalk cleaning, and power washing, addressing illegal dumping, and cleaning alleys. Additionally, they ensure compliance with sanitation codes through right-of-way inspections and enforcement activities, as well as the removal of weeds from streets and sidewalks. Beginning in fiscal year 2025, the City budget reflects several critical changes, including costs for contract maintenance staff to boost sanitation services, and for additional maintenance workers and program support employees. Furthermore, a significant ongoing expenditure of $3.0 million is earmarked for the introduction of a new street sweeping contract. This contract will enhance service frequency, especially in key arterial and commercial corridors, resulting in quicker response times, benefiting the entire community. It's imperative to acknowledge the challenges faced by the City. Inflation, economic pressures, and supply chain disruptions have substantially increased costs. Notably, user charge has remained stagnant since 1996, and in 2019, it was reduced, placing additional strain on the City's finances. Despite these hurdles, the City remains dedicated to maintaining high cleanliness standards through strategic investments and efficient utilization of resources. BASIS UPON WHICH THE CHARGES WERE CALCULATED: The City retained SCS Engineers (SCS) to perform a Sanitation Services Users Charge Study. This study included a five-year financial projection of anticipated growth, fund balances and reserve targets, revenues, operations and maintenance expenses, vehicle/equipment replacement expenses, and capital spending. The analysis determined that the City’s current user charge revenues will no longer be sufficient to meet the projected financial needs of the City to fund its sanitation services operations. Therefore, a five-year financial management plan was calculated. SCS determined that sanitation services user charge per unit should increase to a monthly charge of $11.72 per month in July 2024, billed bi-monthly as $23.44 per unit per bill. An inflationary-like increase of approximately 3.50% is anticipated to be necessary each July from 2025 to 2028.