Title 13 Public Utilities and Services
Chapter 13.01 General Provisions
Section 13.01.0303 Implementation of Rate Changes – Temporary Administrative Authority
- Section 19(b) of the City Charter provides that an ordinance becomes effective thirty days after enactment unless a later date is specified, with exceptions thereto listed in section 19(a) of the City Charter. Section 16 of the City Charter provides for an enactment process. Generally, municipal utility budgets are planned over a calendar year and it is the city council’s and mayor’s intention that utility rates be effective for said entire calendar year to the extent administratively feasible and convenient, unless specifically provided for otherwise.
- Due to a variety of factors, the city council and mayor do not always resolve the utility rates ordinance enactment process a full thirty days prior to January 1st of an intended utility budget year. Accordingly, the director of public works and utilities or administrative head of the three utility enterprise operations is delegated administrative authority to set temporary administrative rates in accord with a utility rates schedule prepared by said official for enactment by the city council and mayoral approval thereafter, pending completion of the enactment process.
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- Such administrative authority may be exercised not to exceed the shorter of ninety days or until any utility rates for a calendar year have been enacted and become effective for a given calendar year.
- Nothing herein affects the requirements of advance notice of solid waste rate changes as provided in RCW 35.21.157 or RCW 70.95.212, but the director may give notice of rates proposed for adoption in fulfillment of such statutory requirements prior to a final effective date.
Date Passed: Monday, October 15, 2007
Effective Date: Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Recodification ORD C34122 Section 1
