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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-11 08-10 CCOCITY OF BROOKLYN CENTER Notice is hereby given that a public hearing will be held on the 10th day of August, 2015, at 7 p.m. or as soon thereafter as the matter may be heard at City Hall, 6301 Shingle Creek Parkway, to consider an ordinance continuing the CenterPoint Energy Resources natural gas franchise fee. Auxiliary aids for handicapped persons are available upon request at least 96 hours in advance. Please notify the City Clerk at 763-569-3300 to make arrangements. ORDINANCE NO. 2015-11 AN ORDINANCE CONTINUING THE NATURAL GAS FRANCHISE FEES ON THE OPERATIONS OF CENTERPOINT ENERGY RESOURCES CORP IN THE CITY OF BROOKLYN CENTER THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BROOKLYN CENTER DOES ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. RECITALS. 1.1. By Ordinance No. 2003-06, adopted on July 14, 2003, the City of Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, approved a franchise for CenterPoint Energy Minnegasco, a division of CenterPoint Energy Resources Corporation (the “2003 Franchise Ordinance”). 1.2. Pursuant to the 2003 Franchise Ordinance, the City Council imposed a franchise fee on the operations of the franchise by Ordinance No. 2003-23 adopted on December 8, 2003, which ordinance, including the franchise fees imposed thereby, was amended by Ordinance No. 2009-02, adopted on January 12, 2009 (the “2003 Franchise Fee Ordinance, as amended”). 1.3. The City Council has adopted a new franchise ordinance for CenterPoint Energy Resources Corp (the “Franchisee”), by Ordinance No. 2015-12, adopted on August 10, 2015 (the “2015 Franchise Ordinance”), which, upon becoming effective, will supersede the 2003 Franchise Ordinance. 1.4. The City Council finds that it is reasonable, prudent, and in the interest of the public that the franchise fee imposed by the 2003 Franchise Fee Ordinance, as amended, be continued under the 2015 Franchise Ordinance on the same fee schedule as the 2003 Franchise Fee Ordinance, as amended. 1.5. The Franchisee has consented and agreed to the imposition of the franchise fee provided for herein and waived the dispute resolution process and the right to object to the fee provided for in Section 8 of the 2015 Franchise Ordinance. ORDINANCE NO. 2015-11 Section 2. FRANCHISE FEE. 2.1. Franchise Fee. A franchise fee ("Fee") is hereby imposed on Franchisee, under the 2015 Franchise Ordinance, as set forth in the fee schedule attached hereto and incorporated herein by reference as Exhibit A, upon the effective date of the 2015 Franchise Ordinance and the end of the Franchisee's obligations to collect a franchise fee under the 2003 Franchise Fee Ordinance, as amended, so that the collection of franchise fees will not be interrupted, all as approved by the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission. This fee is an account-based fee on each premise and not a meter-based fee. In the event that an entity covered by this ordinance has more than one meter at a single premise, but only one account, only one fee shall be assessed to that account. If a premise has two or more meters being billed at different rates, the Franchisee may have an account for each rate classification, which will result in more than one franchise fee assessment for electric service to that premise. If the Franchisee combines the rate classifications into a single account, the franchise fee assessed to the account will be the largest franchise fee applicable to a single rate classification for energy delivered to that premise. In the event any entities covered by this ordinance have more than one premise, each premise (address) shall be subject to the appropriate fee. In the event a question arises as to the proper fee amount for any premise, the Franchisee's manner of billing for energy used at all similar premises in the city will control. 2.2. Payment. The Fee shall be payable to the City in accordance with the terms set forth in the 2015 Franchise Ordinance. 2.3. Surcharge. The City acknowledges that Franchisee may choose to add the full amount of the Fee as a customer surcharge to reimburse the Franchisee for the Fee. Franchisee shall provide to the City a copy of the proposed customer bill line item describing the Fee thirty days before the first bill collecting the Fee is sent to customers. 2.4. Proof of Customer Usage. Franchisee shall make each payment when due and shall quarterly furnish a complete and correct statement of gross operating revenues for said quarter. Franchisee shall permit the City and its designated representative reasonable access to the Franchisee's records for the purpose of verifying such statements. 2.5. Enforcement. Any dispute, including enforcement of a default regarding this ordinance will be resolved in accordance with the 2015 Franchise Ordinance. ORDINANCE NO. 2015-11 Section 3. EFFECTIVE DATE. This ordinance shall become effective after adoption and upon thirty(30) days following its legal publication. Adopted this 10th day of August, 2015. Mayor ATTEST: &A"- City Clerk Date of Publication: August 20, 2015 Effective Date: September 19, 2015 ORDINANCE NO. 2015-11 EXHIBIT A CenterPoint Energy Gas Franchise Fee Schedule Class Fee Per Premise Residential $ 1.52 per month Commercial A $ 1.58 per month Commercial Industrial B $ 5.15 per month Commercial C $20.60 per month SVDF A $51.50 per month SVDF B $98.88 per month LVDF $98.88 per month