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8.7 Financial Protections <br /> <br />Amendment of our charter is proper to allow citizens to plan and develop property while not <br />placing a financial and emotional burden on existing households in Ramsey, and to assure that <br />the entire cost of extending sewer and water for leapfrog development shall be the responsibility <br />of property owner(s).wanting the improvement. Extension of sewer and water for leapfrog <br />development could potentially bankrupt residents, the public utility funds, and the general fund, <br />while imposing additional cost on present users of public utilities. Shifting of development costs <br />onto neighbors can be particularly harsh for existing households facing involuntary connection to <br />services and shifting development risks citywide via bonding is similarly unwise. Hence, the <br />City elects by Charter, to allow raising revenue for sewer and water leapfrog extension <br />exclusively under charter sections 8.8 and 8,9 and in no other way. The design and installation <br />of all' utility extensions must be consistent with the city's design criteria and the comprehensive <br />sewer and water plans, and be approved by the city. <br /> <br />8.8 Required Hookup LimitatiOns <br /> <br />Whenever a property that did not petition for sewer and/or water is required, compelled or <br />otherwise tbrced to connect to public sewer and/or water, or a comparable fee or assessment is . <br />charged without immediate connection required, the following shall apply. <br /> <br />8.8.1 Connection required due to System Failure <br />Whenever private systems are judged to have failed under any local, state or federal regulations <br />and connection to available public services is required, the liability of the property owner for <br />payment 0f all governmental assessments, fees, or charges related to connection shall not exceed <br />the cost of repair to existing system(s)judged to have failed. Governmental charges exceeding <br />cost of repair, if any, shall be paid from the Household Protection'Escrow Account established <br />for that purpose. The property owner will be responsible for the actual cost of the physical <br />connection and may contract individually with anyone qualified to'perform that work. <br /> <br />8.8.2 Connection required without System Failure <br />Whenever local,-state or federal regulations require the abandonment of functional, private <br />system(s) all governmental assessments, fees, 'or charges shall be paid from the Household <br />Protection Escrow Account. The property owner will be responsible for the actual cost of the <br />physical connection and may contract individually with anyone qualified to perform that work. <br />The Escrow Accotmt shall also cover households where utility connection(s) may not be <br />immediately required but where governmental charges are imposed. <br /> <br />8.8.3 Establishment of the Household Protection Escrow Account <br />The City shall establish a Household Protection Escrow Account kept apart from general funds, <br />and shall maintain a sufficient balance in that account to cover expenditures required by the <br />Charter and implementing ordinances. The council will be responsible for assuring this account <br />is kept solvent. This account will be funded from charges to those petitioning for the extension <br />of sewer and/or water to their propertles and from assessments against the properties for which <br />the improvement is sought. <br /> <br />-84- <br /> <br /> <br />