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Special District White Paper <br /> Expanding the Functions of the Metropolitan Wastewater Service District <br /> The Lane County Metropolitan Wastewater Service District is a county service district that already <br /> exists in the Eugene - Springfield metropolitan area. The MWSD authorizes the Metropolitan <br /> Wastewater Management Commission (MWMC), an intergovernmental commission made up of <br /> representatives of the Cities of Eugene, Springfield and Lane County, to have certain <br /> responsibilities for regional wastewater facilities. The City of Eugene operates the wastewater <br /> facilities, and Springfield performs administrative functions under an agreement with the MWMC. <br /> State law allows changes to be made to a CSD's original purpose and the district's name may be <br /> changed as well. Additional purposes may be proposed by the MWSD governing board, which is <br /> the County Board of Commissioners. The proposed new functions are referred to the Boundary <br /> Commission for review. If the Commission approves the change, the MWSD may then provide <br /> those additional functions within its territory. No vote is required unless a tax rate is proposed. <br /> The MWSD has no permanent operating property tax rate limit and does not levy operating taxes. It <br /> does levy taxes for repayment of GO debt, which is outside the constitutional limit on general <br /> government rates. A permanent property tax rate limit must be proposed along with the change in <br /> organization. The district voters must approve a proposed permanent operating tax rate limit under <br /> the double majority requirement. <br /> ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES TO IMPLEMENTING SPECIAL DISTRICT SERVICES <br /> There are 3 basic approaches to implementing special district services within the Eugene - <br /> Springfield metropolitan area: <br /> 1. Forming a new single - purpose district or multiple - purpose district; <br /> 2. Annexing city territory to one of the existing special districts; or <br /> 3. Adding services or functions to the MWSD, the county service district that is already serving the <br /> metropolitan area. <br /> More than one special district can be proposed to deliver different services, and more than one of <br /> these approaches may be followed. To identify the best approach, the desired urban services must <br /> be decided upon, the general area to be served must be identified, the preferred type of district can <br /> then be selected. The economic and operational relationships among metropolitan area cities, the <br /> county and other special districts ought to be carefully considered. The proposed petition and <br /> supporting documentation would then be assembled as required by ORS Chapters 198 or 199 and <br /> the district's principal Act. The city councils of the affected cities must agree by resolution to include <br /> the city's territory within a new district or an annexation proposal. <br /> If a city is currently providing services that would be provided by a proposed district, the city council <br /> should consider how to transition current City services. Special consideration should be made <br /> concerning how city employees are affected; bargaining agreements and human resource policies <br /> must be considered. City -owned service- related facilities also must be planned for transition; the <br /> city could plan to operate under contract, or loan, lease, sell or otherwise transfer city facilities and <br /> equipment to the district. Existing city debt obligations may contain limits on transfer of debt - funded <br /> facilities. The city budget would also require modification with the change in services. <br /> c <br /> Special Districts Paper - Final 11- 8- 01.doc Page 23 of 41 <br /> City Council Agenda page 47 <br />