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Stormwater and Wastewater User Fee Rate Notification to be Distributed to Customers An annual notification of stormwater and wastewater customer service fees will be included in customers' utility bills beginning in May. The rate notification comes in the form of a brochure inserted into EWEB bills which informs customers of proposed rates and explains the purposes and uses of the City fees. The notification reflects a proposed 6.5% increase to regional wastewater(MWMC) fees and an approximate 7% increase to stormwater rates to fund the stream corridor acquisition program. Copies of the rate notification brochure have been placed in the Council Office. While the proposed rates have not yet been adopted by the City Manager through the administrative process specified in Eugene Code, staff is following City Council direction to notify customers of the amount and purpose of the proposed stormwater fee increase well in advance of the revised fees taking effect. Notice and proposed administrative orders modifying the fees will be published and made available to the public in May. Stormwater fees are proposed to increase approximately 7% beginning on July 1, 2003, to help fund the stream corridor acquisition program approved by the City Council in October 2001. This is the first increase in stormwater rates since 1994. Customers in the Small Residential category will see a $0.31 increase in their monthly fee, to a total of$5.19. The Medium Residential customer category fee will increase by $0.50 per month, to a total of$7.58. Other user categories will see an increase of$0.17 per 1,000 square feet of impervious area. The rate increase will remain in effect for three years and then be reviewed to determine stream corridor acquisition program effectiveness. Additional information on the stream corridor acquisition program is provided in the rate notification brochure and on the City's website at www.ci.eugene.or.us/pw/storm/waterways. The rate brochure is available online at www.ci.eugene.or.us/pw/fees. The new stormwater rates will also be published in local newspapers in May. The Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission (MWMC) has proposed a 6.5% rate increase in the regional monthly wastewater fees effective on bills issued on and after July 1, 2003. The proposed rate reflects increases in base-line operating costs and funds the operation and administration of the Eugene/Springfield Regional Water Pollution Control Facility at current levels. The City of Eugene provides local wastewater system services and charges a local wastewater fee. No increases are being proposed in the local wastewater rates at this time. For more information about the local wastewater and stormwater fees, contact Fred McVey at 682-5216. For more information about the regional wastewater rate increase, contact Wastewater Division Director Peter Ruffier at 682-8606. Eugene Public Library Featured in `American Libraries'Magazine The Eugene Public Library is the featured cover story of the April edition of American Libraries, a magazine published by the American Library Association. The editors of American Libraries write, "Practical doesn't equal plain at the new Eugene Public Library, a model of sustainable design that also serves up a breathtaking sky-lit circular staircase, grand reading spaces, and a welcoming entry garden." "Shepley Bulfinch Richardson and Abbott designed the"green"facility,which is nearly 30% more efficient than construction codes require. The library incorporates liberal use of natural daylight, recycled materials, and state-of-the- art ventilation strategies." A copy of the magazine can be found in the Magazines and Newspapers area of the downtown Eugene Public Library. For further information, please contact Tylar Merrill, Library Marketing Coordinator, 682-6349. Volunteers Celebrate Earth Day by Pulling Invasive Ivy at Hendricks Park Earth Day celebrations continued at Hendricks Park last Saturday, April 26, with two volunteer work projects. Volunteers from six local businesses active in Earth Share of Oregon fundraising campaigns, including the City, EWEB, PSC Scanning, Molecular Probes, and Oregon Research Institute, removed invasive weeds in the park. Edison Elementary School families along with volunteers from the Friends of Hendricks Park and the Walama Restoration Project also - contributed to the ongoing and intensive effort by removing invasive weeds in the forest and spreading fresh wood chips on the new • native plant trail. KVAL covered the Edison project as 29 volunteers ranging in age from three to 60-plus, rolled up their sleeves and participated in hard physical labor, pushing wheelbarrows up and down the trail and resurfacing the entire wildflower trail, while learning about forest ecology, native plants and invasive plants. _. 14, EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 2