Ripon City Council
Special Meeting Minutes
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2025
SPECIAL MEETING
2:00 PM
The Special Meeting was called to order by Mayor Daniel de Graaf at 2:00 pm ROLL CALL:
Attendee Name Title Status Arrived
Daniel de Graaf Mayor Present
Gary Barton Vice Mayor Present
Dean Uecker Council Member Present
Michael Restuccia Council Member Present
Leo Zuber Council Member Present
OTHERS PRESENT: City Administrator Kevin Werner, City Attorney Tom Terpstra Jr., Public Works Director James Pease, City Clerk Lisa Roos, Deputy City Clerk Jane Kilgore, Information Systems Technician Elizabeth Farnam, Associate Civil Engineer Spencer Schroen.
PUBLIC DISCUSSION:
No one from the public wished to speak at this time.
1. TOPICS OF DISCUSSION
A. RESOLUTION NO. 25-35
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY
COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RIPON
APPROVING A TEMPORARY PUBLIC
WORKS FOREMAN POSITION AND
AUTHORIZING PART TIME
MAINTENANCE WORKERS
ADDITIONAL HOURS WHEN
FOREMAN IS ON AN EXTENDED
LEAVE OF ABSENCE
This resolution approves a temporary
Public Works Maintenance Foreman
position and allows Part Time Maintenance
Workers additional hours when a Public
Works Foreman is on a extended leave of
absence.
City Administrator Werner said this is a request for City Council to consider establishing a temporary Public Works Maintenance Foreman position. He said this temporary assignment would allow the Public Works Director to appoint a qualified maintenance employee to serve in a foreman capacity during periods when one of the existing foremen is on an extended leave. The request also includes authorization for the Public Works Director to increase the hours of part-time employees, as needed, to provide coverage and maintain service levels during such absences.
City Council Page 2 October 30, 2025
Werner clarified that the position would not involve one individual covering all four foremen roles, instead, when a foreman is out, a maintenance employee familiar with that specific area of responsibility would be temporarily appointed to fulfill those duties.
Werner confirmed that employees temporarily assigned to the foreman role would receive additional compensation for the duration of the assignment. He said upon the return of the regular foreman, the designated employee would revert to their regular position and pay rate.
He said the arrangement would apply only to extended absences, such as those covered under the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) or disability leave, and not for short-term absences such as vacations.
Motion to approve Resolution 25-35 approving a temporary Public Works Foreman position and authorizing Part Time Maintenance Workers additional hours when Public Works Foreman is on an extended leave of absence.
RESULT: ADOPTED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Leo Zuber, Council Member
SECONDER: Michael Restuccia, Council Member
AYES: de Graaf, Barton, Uecker, Restuccia, Zuber
B. WATER, SEWER, AND GARBAGE FUNDS RATES STUDY (2026-2030) Discussion/No Action Staff to present the results of the Water, Sewer, and Garbage Funds Rates Study
prepared by Pavletic Consulting, LLC.
City Administrator Werner explained that the City of Ripon operates the Water, Sewer, and Garbage Enterprise Funds as separate, self-supporting business-type accounts. These funds are restricted, and customers pay directly for the services provided through each enterprise.
Werner noted that each Enterprise Fund includes an Operating Fund, which covers employee salaries and benefits, operating expenses, bond payments, and maintains a target balance for debt service and emergencies. He said the Capital Reserve Fund is supported by transfers from the Operating Fund and is intended for future capital replacement, as outlined in the utility rate study.
Werner said that the City prepares an Engineer’s Report every five years to assess the revenue needs of each Enterprise Fund and actively manages these funds to ensure financial stability and high-quality service. He said incremental rate adjustments, based on the rate study, allow the City to respond to economic conditions while ensuring rates accurately reflect the cost of providing utility services.
Werner said annual rate reviews help minimize the financial burden on customers by avoiding large, infrequent increases. He said each year the City Council reviews the recommended rate adjustments and determines whether the full increase is necessary or if a lower adjustment can be implemented.
City Council Page 3 October 30, 2025
Werner explained that the projected expenses for the Water Enterprise Fund are based on anticipated inflation and maintaining current service levels. Operational changes include the addition of granular activated carbon (GAC) well head treatment at Well 3 in fiscal year 2026, and coagulation/filtration well head treatment at Well 9 in fiscal year 2028. He said that same year, one additional Maintenance Worker position is also planned.
Werner stated that the water capital transfer averages approximately $1 million per year, which funds the replacement of groundwater wells, water meters, vehicles, and miscellaneous equipment. He said that surface water implementation is planned outside of the current five-year study period.
Werner reviewed the Water Operating Fund cash flow, debt service coverage, and projected monthly bill impacts through fiscal year 2030. He referenced a PowerPoint that illustrated that revenues and operating costs are projected to gradually increase over the next five years, with annual rate adjustments of 5% beginning in fiscal year 2026.
Werner explained that maintaining incremental rate adjustments helps sustain adequate reserves, ensures debt service coverage targets are met, and minimizes the need for significant rate increases in the future.
Werner said that the recommended rate structure for sewer includes a 5% increase each year over the five-year study period. He said that for most of the five years, the projected balances remain above the target. He added that the consultant’s assumptions are conservative, including a 1% annual growth rate and continued conservation efforts throughout the five-year period.
Werner said that the projected expenses for the Sewer Enterprise Fund are primarily based on inflation and maintaining current service levels. He noted that the City continues to operate under a 1994 Waste Discharge Permit, which allows a lower level of treatment than many surrounding agencies, allowing the City to maintain some of the lowest sewer rates in the region.
Werner explained that the City continues to transfer approximately $400,000 annually for capital replacement items such as aerators, lift stations, and other equipment.
Additionally, following a policy established in 2015, funds are transferred annually to the wastewater treatment plant reserve account in preparation for future upgrades that will be required once flows exceed the limits of the 1994 permit. He said those future costs will be shared between new development and existing customers.
Werner said based on the most recent study, originally conducted near 2015, the City expected to collect about 75% of the existing customers’ share of future wastewater treatment plant costs. He said that study is currently being updated, and the consultant will soon provide revised estimates based on current regulatory requirements and projected upgrade costs.
Werner said that the planned wastewater treatment plant upgrades are expected to occur in four phases over the community’s full buildout. He said, however, the start date for City Council Page 4 October 30, 2025
those improvements has not yet been determined, as it depends on future growth and when flow levels reach the limits of the current permit.
Werner confirmed that the upgrades will take place at the existing wastewater treatment plant site and based on the last study, the phased improvements are projected to include a $580,000 upgrade in 2027, a $990,000 upgrade in 2030, and a major $22 million upgrade in 2040.
Werner explained that projected expenses for the Garbage Enterprise Fund are based on anticipated inflation and the goal of maintaining current service levels. He noted that during the previous five-year study period, the regulatory impact of Senate Bill 1383 was not included in the projected rates. As a result, disposal costs were higher than expected, which reduced the amount available for planned capital transfers between 2020 and 2025.
Werner said that the Public Works Department has identified the capital transfers necessary each year to replace equipment expected to exceed its useful life over the next 15 years. He said these projections have been incorporated into the 2026–2030 rate study.
Werner added that the proposed rates for this period will provide sufficient revenue to fund the planned equipment purchases and maintain the City’s current level of garbage service.
Public Works Director Pease discussed the City’s approach to managing aging equipment and determining when to rebuild versus replace. He explained that the City has historically extended the life of its vehicles and equipment through diligent maintenance practices. He said that this approach has saved money over time but has also created challenges as the fleet ages.
Pease noted that the City now targets an eight- to twelve-year replacement cycle for garbage trucks, which strikes a reasonable balance between maximizing equipment life and ensuring reliability. He said the rate study assumes an eight-year replacement period to allow some flexibility for unexpected repairs or equipment failures. He said that the capital fund supporting equipment replacement is limited, and there have been times when the balance has fallen below the minimum threshold due to unanticipated expenses.
Council Member Zuber agreed with Pease and said that maintaining adequate reserves in the solid waste capital fund is essential. He pointed out that the fund has occasionally dropped below the minimum, at times as low as $345,000, while the cost of a new side loader garbage truck now exceeds $500,000. He emphasized the need to strengthen the fund’s balance so the City can respond to unforeseen equipment failures without jeopardizing operations.
Werner said that during the previous five-year rate study period (2020–2025), unexpected regulatory increases impacted the fund’s stability. The current plan is designed to rebuild the fund over the next five years and restore it to a healthier level, similar to the City’s water and sewer funds.
Zuber expressed concern that if an unplanned expense occurs early in the next study period, the City may face shortfalls before reserves are fully restored. He stated he is not City Council Page 5 October 30, 2025
advocating for a 10–20% increase in garbage rates, but questioned whether current projections are sufficient to maintain long-term stability, especially given ongoing State mandates and regulatory changes affecting solid waste operations.
Werner reviewed a comparison of the City’s utility rates with those of neighboring communities. He said overall, the City’s combined utility rate is approximately 14% lower than the average of the cities surveyed. Water rates are consistent with the regional average, while sewer rates are roughly 50% lower. Garbage rates, however, are about 11% higher than the cities included in the comparison.
Werner explained that the next step in the process is to begin the Proposition 218 proceedings related to the proposed utility rate adjustments. Under Proposition 218, rate approval requires the absence of a majority protest. He noted that this current meeting served as a workshop to gather City Council feedback on the draft rate study report.
Werner stated that the finalized Engineer’s Report and a resolution of intent to begin the Proposition 218 process are scheduled to be presented at the November Council meeting.
He said following approval, notices and protest ballots will be mailed to property owners no later than November 28 to meet the 45-day public notice requirement. He said the public hearing is tentatively scheduled for January 13, 2026 at which time protest ballots will be counted. He said if a majority protest is not received, the proposed utility rates would be approved and take effect in for the February 2026 billing.
Werner further explained that, consistent with past practice and recommendations from the City’s rate consultant, ballots will be mailed to both customers and property owners to ensure all interested parties are informed. He said each property is entitled to only one counted protest ballot. If both a tenant and a property owner submit protest ballots, only one will be counted toward the total. The process is tracked and verified by City staff.
Werner clarified that the Proposition 218 process is not a “yes or no” vote but rather a majority protest procedure. This means the proposed rates move forward unless a majority of property owners submit valid written protests opposing the increase.
Werner concluded by noting that staff will proceed with the necessary steps to initiate the formal Proposition 218 process and prepare for Council consideration at the November meeting.
2. ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 3:01 PM. (Signed) Daniel de Graaf
Mayor
ATTEST:
(Signed) Lisa Roos
City Clerk