HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 06101986 - 1.6 (2) BOARD OF SUPERVISORS �O
FaCM: Phil Batchelor, County Administrator CxIlra
C^W�ta
DATE: June 10, 1986 Cly �/
SUBJECT: Request for Audit of Sanitation District No. 15 "`"� �`�
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
RECOMMENDATION
Acknowledge receipt of report submitted by the County
Administrator relating to request for audit of Sanitation
District No. 15.
BACKGROUND
In January 1985 Supervisor Torlakson, on the basis of a letter
from Howard Holmes, asked for an audit of Sanitation District
No. 15. This request was considered by the Board and referred to
the County Administrator and Public Works Director for report to
County Counsel. The latter action reflected the fact that
threatened litigation involving Sanitation District No. 15 was a
consideration at the time.
A review of this matter has determined that the financial records
of Sanitation District No. 15 are kept by the County Auditor-
Controller in the manner required by law and analogous to the way
records are kept for county departments. Rather than a financial
audit, however, our understanding of the request in question is
that it relates to an analysis and evaluation of sewer hook-ups
in Sanitation District No. 15 rather than a financial audit
itself. County staff has put considerable effort and review into
this matter although no formal report has been made to the Board;
the matter has, however, been discussed with the parties.
Currently staff services to Sanitation District No. 15, a
district governed by the Board of Supervisors, are provided
through the Public Works Department. Personnel formerly in
Public Works, but now assigned to the Community Development
Department, provided this service in the past. The facts of this
situation, as we understand them at the present time, are as
follows:
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES S16NATURE" \
RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMERDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE:
APPROVE OTHER
SIGNATURE S :
ACTION OF BOARD ON jUN 10 IRS APPROVED AS RECOMMENOFU OTHER
WR'E OF SUPERVISORS
I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE
UNANIMOUS (ABSENT AND CXXUWCT COPY OF AN ACTDOND TAK'END
AYES: NOES: AND ENTERED am THE 6QtDNR1<TES OF THE EcMM
ABSENT: ABSTAIN: OF SUPERVISORS ON THE: [MATE SPIDWN.
ATTESTED JUN 10 1986
PHIL UATCMEILM, CLERK OFF THiE IM'ARID OF
AUFPER WISORS AND MUNTY ADlMIMSURATOR
X382/7-83
.CIEPUTY
-2-
1 . From 1982 through early 1985, Sanitation District No. 15
staff actively searched the records and performed field
reviews to ensure that all properties receiving sewer
service were being charged. The staff that prepared the
1985-1986 Sewer Service Fee Roll felt they had included
every sewer user in that roll, and that the charges were an
accurate reflection of the use. A record of these
assessments is on file in the Office of the Clerk of the
Board.
2 . If staff discovers a property connected to the sewer system
without a permit, an attempt is made to determine when the
connection was made and the fee collected for the missed
charges.
3 . Sanitation District No. 15 staff knows of seven properties
in the district that have habitable structures that are not
connected to the sewer system. Section 3 . 3 of Sanitation
District No. 15 Ordinance No. 1 required connection to the
sewer only when the building was within 150 feet of the
public sewer. On February 28, 1984 the Board of
Supervisors, as governing body, adopted Sanitation District
No. 15 Ordinance No. 8 which removed the 150-foot
limitation. In April of this year a determination was made
to fully enforce Ordinance No. 8 by requiring all properties
to connect to the public sewer. This action will affect
several properties which had been exempted because their
septic tank systems were considered to be working
satisfactorily and distance from the sewer would make hookup
very costly.
4. On receipt of a request for issuance of a building permit
within Sanitation District No. 15, the applicants are
required to obtain a connection permit from the district.
The annual Sewer Fee Roll is updated based as shown by such
permits.
5 . An issue on the island concerns properties that have boating
berths but do not have adequate sanitary facilities as
required by County Ordinance No. 67-38. Properties that
fall into this category were charged and included in the
1985-1986 Roll, but County Counsel has advised that charging
such fees is not permissible and the fees will be rebated as
appropriate. Another, issue relates to fees when owners
convert a single family structure to a duplex. District
staff field check for such situations, but field inspection
is dependent on approval of the owner or other sufficient
facts indicating conversion.
Overall our conclusion is that there is a clear intent on the
part of staff to charge every parcel receiving service the
appropriate fee as provided by law and that a high degree of
compliance is being obtained. Alleged violations are
investigated through field checks to identify and back-charge
owners who have hooked up without a permit. Additional staff
effort could be directed into such field inspection, but it would
not likely be cost effective.
The Citizens Advisory Committee for Sanitation District No. 15,
we believe, is conscientiously seeking to effectively fulfill its
responsibility for monitoring sewer service activities in
Sanitation District No. 15 .
Orig. Dept. : County Administrator
Public Works Director
Community Development Director
Health Services Director
County Counsel
Bethel Island Municipal Utility District