Catching Up - 2 Days of Public Notices

Yesterday's Indianapolis Star had public notice of the 2011 budget hearings for Rocky Ripple and Homecroft, as well as the announcement of a preliminary hearing by the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission on the sale of the water and sewer utilities.

Rocky Ripple officials estimate a total budget of $100,707, with an estimated maximum property tax levy of $24,261, down a smidge from this year's $24,443. The will hold a public hearing on September 14 at 7:30 pm at 930 W 54th Street. They expect the Common/Town Council will vote on the budget on October 19.

The 2011 budget for Homecroft is estimated to be $239,454, with a maximum levy of $90,000, up from this year's $75,132. The Common/Town Council will hold a public hearing on September 28 at 7:00 pm, at 4925 S Shelby Street (Perry Township Government Building). They expect to adopt the budget on October 26.

Both of these budgets will go to the City-County Council for a non-binding review. The Municipal Corporations committee will hold its own public hear on these budgets at their September 28 meeting that begins at 5:30 pm in room 260 of the City-County Building.

The IURC has a public notice of their public 'Prehearing Conference and Preliminary Hearing' about the utility sale. The text, from the IndyStar website says:

LEGAL NOTICE OF A PREHEARING CONFERENCE AND PRELIMINARY HEARING INDIANA UTILITY REGULATORY COMMISSION CAUSE NO. 43936 JOINT PETITION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR UTILITIES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC UTILITIES OFTHE CITY OF INDIANAPOLIS, D/B/A CITIZENS ENERGY GROUP, CWA AUTHORITY, INC., THE CITY OF INDIANAPOLIS AND ITS DEPARTMENT OF WATERWORKS AND ITS SANITARY DISTRICT FOR APPROVALS IN CONNECTION WITH THE PROPOSED TRANSFER OF CERTAIN WATER UTILITY ASSETS TO THE BOARD AND THE PROPOSED TRANSFER OF CERTAIN WASTEWATER UTILITY ASSETS TO THE AUTHORITY, INCLUDING: (A) APPROVAL OF INITIAL RATES AND RULE FOR WATER AND WASTEWATER SERVICE, AS WELL AS THE TERMS OF CERTAIN AGREEMENTS FOR WASTEWATER TREATMENT AND DISPOSAL SERVICE; (B) APPROVAL OF AN ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE PLAN UNDER IND. CODE 8-1-28 AND AN ADJUSTMENT MECHANISM FOR WASTEWATER RATES TO PROVIDE TIMELY RECOVERY OF COSTS NECESSARY TO COMPLY IN WHOLE OR IN PART WITH THE SAFE DRINKING WATER ACT AND/OR CLEAN WATER ACT; (C) APPROVAL OF PROPOSED ALLOCATIONS OF CORPORATE SUPPORT SERVICES COSTS AMONG AFFECTED UTILITIES; (D) APPROVAL OF AN OPERATING AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITIZENS ENERGY GROUP AND CWA AUTHORITY, INC.; (E) APPROVAL OF DEPRECIATION RATES AND OTHER ACCOUNTING MATTERS RELATED TO THE WATER AND ASTEWATER ASSETS; AND (F) ANY OTHER APPROVALS NEEDED IN CONNECTION THEREWITH Notice is hereby given that the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission will conduct a public Prehearing Conference and Preliminary Hearing in the above-captioned Cause in the IURC Conference Center, Suite 220, Judicial Courtroom Judi cial Courtroom 222 of the PNC Center, 101 W. Washington Street, Indianapolis, Indiana,, commencing at 1:30 PM, EDT, on Monday, September 13, 2010. This hearing is open to the public. If the Prehearing Conference does not result in agreement among the parties acceptable to the Commission concerning all procedural and other preliminary issues which may appropriately be resolved prior to a hearing on the merits of the above-captioned proceeding, evidence may be heard on the above date on all such disputed issues. These procedural and preliminary issues may include but shall not be limited to, the jurisdiction of the Commission over the parties and subject of the proceedings; a representative test year for consideration of the valuation of utility property, operating expenses, and revenues from existing rates; accounting methods, standards and principles to be applicable to these proceedings; need for and time of prefiling testimony; dates and places for hearings on the merits of this proceedings; and issues related to prehearing discovery. Any party who has an interest in or who may be affected by the procedural and other preliminary issues which may be determined in the Prehearing Conference and Preliminary Hearing should participate. All parties will be bound by the procedural and other preliminary finds and determinations made pursuant to agreements or evidence received at the Prehearing Conference and/or Preliminary Hearing held pursuant to this notice. If an accommodation is required to allow an individual with a disability to participate in this meeting, please contact the Office of the Executive Secretary of the IURC at (317) 232-2709 or TDD (317) 232-8556 at least 48 hours before the meeting.
INDIANA UTILITY REGULATORY COMMISSION OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY (317) 232-2701 BY: IURC - (SCOTT STORMS) DATE: 8/24/2010 (S - 8/26/10 - 699757)

Today's Star has several public notices of budget hearings as well. Up are the Beech Grove Schools, Beech Grove Library, and three posts noticing hearings to be held by the City of Indianapolis for Health & Hospitals, IMCPL, and IndyGo budgets.

The Beech Grove Schools Corporation estimates a total budget of $29,378,233, with a maximum property tax levy of $14,031,380, up from $9,271,971 this year. The notice also includes their 3 year capital projects plan and bus replacement plan. The Board will hold a public hearing on September 20 at 6:00 pm in the board room of the School Corporation at 5330 Hornet Avenue. They expect to vote on the budget at their October 18 meeting.

The Beech Grove Library estimates a total 2011 budget of $1,163,400, with a maximum property tax levy of $1,115,000, down slightly from $1,116,091 this year. They will hold a public hearing on October 14 at 6:00 pm at the Beech Grove Library. They expect the Board will vote on the budget at their October 25 meeting at 4:00 pm.

The City-County Council has the statutory responsibility to review and vote on the budgets of all the Municipal Corporations. Public notice of the public hearing before the full Council on September 20 will include the proposed $46,800,000 property tax levy for the Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library, the proposed $26,470,154 levy for IndyGo, and the proposed $102,130,737 levy for the Health & Hospitals Corporation. The Council will vote on all of these budgets and levies at their October 25 meeting. The Municipal Corporations committee will hold its own hearing on these matters on September 27, beginning at 5:30 pm in room 260 of the City-County Building.