Council Member Mo Greene said that land use decisions are above his pay grade. He was charged with the task of deciding whether the land use of the Kai-Capri property should changed from commercial to residential at last week’s council meeting.
Greene said that he has not gone over the land use. He has listened to the presentation of people who are much smarter [than he is] in land use and the needs of Oro Valley so he is going to approve the land use change.
It’s going to be a long four years with this guy on council.
Town employees (including cops) gets pay raise
Town employees (including cops) gets pay raise
Also at last week’s council meeting, the town council unanimously approved a 3% pay increase for all employees. This is a reinstatement of the annual wage increase the town deferred in June because of financial uncertainty caused by the pandemic. Town Manager Jacobs told the council that the town can afford it and that, because there are vacant positions, the increase will have no impact on the budget for the year. The increase takes effect this month. It does not include council members. The town manager will recommend another 3% increase starting in July.
Abraham: Reclaimed water rate should provide incentive for use... that is current town policy
The town's reclaimed water rate is based on the cost of providing reclaimed water. However, the cost does not include 79% of the debt service cost incurred in building the reclaimed water system. According to town water Director Peter Abraham, reclaimed water would be more expensive than potable water if the the total debt service were included in the reclaimed water rate. This would provide a disincentive if the were set at this level. Town policy is to set the reclaimed water rate at the cost of service, but not more than the potable rate. Town staff and the towns' water commission are recommending to council that this policy remain.
FYI: Reclaimed water us is about 2,000 acre feet per year. The town buys reclaimed water from the Tucson.,The town is currently using all of its reclaimed water entitlement though "...we lost eight holes of golf".
(Source), 57 minutes)
