Town Manager's Weekly Update for January 7, 2022

For the Week Ending

Janaury 7, 2022

Corporation Commission to Decide Monday to Raise EPCOR Water Rates. HELP US, Help you!

As we have been updating...the EPCOR rate case REALLY matters and we are asking EPCOR rate payers and PV residents to help us help you. Here is a quick backstory.

EPCOR has to gain approval for rate increases from the AZ Corportation Commission. EPCOR submitted a number of 'scenarios' for rate increases, all involving consolidating some or all of their separate EPCOR water districts throughout the State. All of their scenarios left Paradise Valley as a stand alone district, except for one scenario. The Corporation Commission will be considering whether to consolidate all districts or leave some districts as stand-alone districts. EPCOR is recommending that all districts be consolidated except PV, Sun City and Sun City West. This is EPCOR's Consolidation Secenario 1, which we support. However, Corporation Commissioner O'Connor has proposed a variation of EPCOR's Consolidation Scenario 1 which would leave Sun City and Sun City West as stand-alone districts, but would consolidate PV with the reamining districts.

Why wouldn't PV want to be consolidated with the other districts?

Because PV water rates would increase dramatically and unfairly subsidize the other water districts. PV customers alone would, in effect, have to pay for the previous investments in other districts. While the Commission has the authority to order consolidation of EPCOR's districts, it must also consider whether the resulting rates are just and reasonable. In performing this "just and reasonable" analysis, the Commission should not ignore the fact that with consolidation some customers will pay more (much more in some cases) while other customers will pay less (much less in some cases). Paradise Valley EPCOR rate payers will end up subsidizing other water districts.

Paradise Valley rates will increase, if consolidated, 47.47% for a residential one-inch meter...to subsidize Anthem's proposed rate decrease of 57.82% with a 1-inch meter using 52,000 gallons. How is this 'fair and equitable'?

And, the rate change further proposes to eliminate our current 5-tier rate structure to only 3-tiers...further penalizing large lots and Paradise Valley.

To help us, help you...please call in to get in the queue starting about 8:45am for the 9:00 public comment session. It will take patience while those ahead of you have an opportunity to speak...but this really matters. Your patience and your words stating professionally that this isn't justifiable and that we support EPCOR's Consolidated Scenario 1 (without Commissioner O'Connor's modification) is what makes sense for EPCOR and all its water districts. As EPCOR has stated, to include PV in this larger consolidation at this time "is a bridge too far". PV shouldn't be singled out to pay the costs of water service for others. They have no basis to treat Paradise Valley differently.

IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE PROPOSED EPCOR RATE INCREASE AND RATE DISTRICT CONSOLIDATION

The Arizona Corporation Commission will vote on the proposed order in the EPCOR rate case at its Open Meeting on Tuesday, January 11, 2022. Prior to that meeting, the Commission has scheduled a telephonic public comment session for those persons wishing to provide comments on the proposed order on Monday, January 10, 2022 starting at 9 AM. Here are the details on the process to call-in and provide comments:

To provide telephonic public comments, call 1-866-705-2554 and enter this code: 241497#

The Commission will start taking public comments at 9 AM and will continue until 11 AM, or until the last caller is finished speaking, whichever comes first. Persons wishing to provide comments call in starting around 8:45 AM or earlier.

The Commission will impose a three-minute time limit per speaker. There may be a significant wait time to speak (so please be patient), and callers will be muted until it is their turn to speak. However, once placed into the proceeding, callers will be able to hear the comments of other callers through the phone line. The Commission will call each person’s name when it is that person’s time to speak. Callers should tum off their computer audio during the public comment meeting, as the live stream on www.azcc.gov is delayed by 28 seconds and may cause feedback when it is the caller's turn to speak.

PV Mapping Solutions and Technology Improvements

For the past couple of years, Public Works has been identifying the locations of all the storm drains, culverts, back flows, and irrigation valves in the Town using GPS Coordinates. This information was used to create ARC GIS maps and location identifiers.

This year, Public Works collaborated with the IT Department to enhance the usability of the information collected by creating a mobile app that Staff can access in the field so that all the information collected is easily accessible in one location. The mobile app contains a map with a drop-down menu for each item that includes technical data sheets, inspection dates, and maintenance costs and reports that users can select, and access as needed.

Latest Example of the Regular, Cost-Effective Public Works Work

Once a week, Public Works inspects the Berneil Channel and removes any litter/debris, empties the trash receptacles at the dog waste stations and refills the dog waste bag dispensers. As needed, staff removes any litter, debris or vegetation obstructing the access road on the east side of the channel. Twice a year, in the Spring and Fall, Public Works staff applies pre and post emergent for weed control.

Once a year, in December or January after the monsoon season has ended, Public Works conducts an annual in-depth, deep cleaning of the Berneil Channel. Most of this thorough process focuses on the northern east/west section of the Berneil Channel as this portion of the channel is not lined in concrete. The annual deep cleaning involves the removal of all vegetation, sediment, and debris, as well as the terrain being mowed and graded with heavy equipment so that it is level and smooth.

This year, the annual deep cleaning was completed the week of December 13^th

BEFORE PICTURES OF BERNEIL WASH

AFTER PICTURES OF BERNEIL WASH

Town Services Still Open (Virtually):

Protecting Service Delivery for Residents, Applicants

The Town of Paradise Valley has had a difficult past week with respect to our employees’ health. As a result of a few staff still coming to work while feeling sick, we currently have about half our employees out with Covid in three different departments and a large number of employee family members now are also sick. Our normal limited staff is now down to minimal staffing and, consequently, minimal operations.

We are returning to Phase One of our Reopening Plan as the best approach at this time. Phase One closes the public counters, but keeps the Post Office open and staff appointments with residents, applicants and outside individuals available by appointment only (based on staffing availability).

We feel by closing the public counters (except the Post Office), we will be able to protect some residents and visitors from being exposed and potentially avoid impacting the health of family and friends. We also hope to slow the current trend of spreading Covid further and deeper into our employees and thus impacting the services we provide. We anticipate being in Phase One for the next two weeks and will reconsider it every week after that. Our expectation is that we will be in Phase One for a relatively short period until the numbers and CDC guidelines improve.

Staff will continue to follow CDC guidelines as directed by the attached unanimous Resolution 2020-08 of the Town Council in order to protect the health and safety of citizens and employees.

Community Policing efforts continue, despite COVID

This week, the police department provided Coffee with a Cop to residents of Paradise Valley in a vitural setting. Shea Painter with ChildHelp discussed the relationship between law enforcement and advocacy centers. Advocacy centers assist law enforcement in the investigation of child abuse and child neglect cases. Ms. Painter provided reporting guidance during the presentation. The entire program will be posted to the PVPD YouTube site in the near future. The PVPD provides Coffee with a Cop virtually on the first Wednesday of the month at 7:30 a.m. A subscription to Alert PV will send you a registration link and keep you apprised of pertinent information in the Town. Sign up for Alert PV here!

Also this week, Commander Carney provided active threat training to instructors at one of the local schools. Again, this training was completed virtually, with many instructors and child care workers present. Before completing the training, Community Resource Officer McGhee completed an on-site review of the security and provided tips to the private school. If there is a Paradise Valley private school desiring this type of review and training, please contact CRO Steven McGhee.

Traffic Signal Maintenance Electronic Inventory

Public Works staff worked with the Town Traffic Signal Maintenance contractor to create an electronic inventory of all Traffic Signal equipment including locations, component type, model number, serial number, and date of certification. In addition, all maintenance records, supply vendors and support contact information were documented. The addition of the Town’s Traffic Signal inventory and maintenance records into the Town’s GIS system results in a more efficient Lucidity Work Order System process.