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HomeMy WebLinkAboutRESO 100196055595 Resolution No. 10019 Resolution of the Council of the City of Palo Alto Amending Utilities Rule and Regulation 11 (Billing, Adjustments and Payment of Bills) R E C I T A L S A. In 2006, the City of Palo Alto created a credit card policy (ASD 1-47) to establish guidelines on the acceptance of credit card payments. The City did not charge a convenience fee for credit card payments. To limit credit card processing fees absorbed by the City of Palo Alto Utilities (CPAU), CPAU did not accept credit card payments of more than $10,000 per month from a single account. B. The $10,000 payment limit was lifted in 2013, in order to provide more payment flexibility to CPAU’s large commercial customers. C. Since then, more customers have been paying their utility bills by credit card. In addition, credit card companies have been increasing their credit card charges. Credit card fees for utility payments have increased by 141% in the past five years from $472,217 in FY 2017 to $1,139,418 in FY 2021. D. In November 2021, CPAU received 9,200 credit card payments ranging from $1 to $75,000. Of the 9,200 credit card payments; 9,100, or 98.9%, of the payments were less than $5,000. E. Staff recommends amending Utility Rule and Regulation 11 to set $5,000 as the maximum amount customers may charge when paying their utility bill via credit card without an additional cost recovery fee of up to 2.7% of the amount charged over $5,000. With the new maximum fee-free credit card amount of $5,000, staff will contact approximately 100 utility customers and recommend they switch to an alternative payment method, which would potentially reduce the total credit card fee amount charged to the City by 50%, or $550,000. NOW, THEREFORE, the Council of the City of Palo Alto RESOLVES as follows: SECTION 1. Pursuant to Section 12.20.010 of the Palo Alto Municipal Code, Utility Rule and Regulation 11 (Billing, Adjustments and Payment of Bills) is hereby amended as attached and incorporated. Utility Rule and Regulation 11, as amended, shall become effective March 1, 2022. // // // DocuSign Envelope ID: 8519E034-49FD-4F9C-9B50-CA5C86A8BD94 6055595 // SECTION 2. The Council finds that the adoption of this resolution does not meet the definition of a project under Public Resources Code Section 21065 or CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(2), thus, no environmental assessment under the California Environmental Quality Act is required. INTRODUCED AND PASSED: February 28, 2022 AYES: BURT, CORMACK, FILSETH, KOU, STONE NOES: DUBOIS, TANAKA ABSENT: ABSTENTIONS: ATTEST: APPROVED: City Clerk Mayor APPROVED AS TO FORM: City Manager Assistant City Attorney Director of Utilities DocuSign Envelope ID: 8519E034-49FD-4F9C-9B50-CA5C86A8BD94 Certificate Of Completion Envelope Id: 8519E03449FD4F9C9B50CA5C86A8BD94 Status: Completed Subject: Please DocuSign: RESO 10019 - Resolution Amending Rule 11.docx Source Envelope: Document Pages: 2 Signatures: 5 Envelope Originator: Certificate Pages: 5 Initials: 0 Mahealani Ah Yun AutoNav: Enabled EnvelopeId Stamping: Enabled Time Zone: (UTC-08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada) 250 Hamilton Ave Palo Alto , CA 94301 Mahealani.AhYun@CityofPaloAlto.org IP Address: 199.33.32.254 Record Tracking Status: Original 3/1/2022 2:22:15 PM Holder: Mahealani Ah Yun Mahealani.AhYun@CityofPaloAlto.org Location: DocuSign Security Appliance Status: Connected Pool: StateLocal Storage Appliance Status: Connected Pool: City of Palo Alto Location: DocuSign Signer Events Signature Timestamp Amy Bartell amy.bartell@cityofpaloalto.org Assistant City Attorney City of Palo Alto Security Level: Email, Account Authentication (None) Signature Adoption: Pre-selected Style Using IP Address: 199.33.32.254 Sent: 3/1/2022 2:33:01 PM Viewed: 3/1/2022 4:12:41 PM Signed: 3/1/2022 4:13:02 PM Electronic Record and Signature Disclosure: Accepted: 7/16/2015 5:52:40 AM ID: d8ecb53d-ef81-4016-8886-1560c48de42a Dean Batchelor dean.batchelor@cityofpaloalto.org Director of Utilities City of Palo Alto Security Level: Email, Account Authentication (None) Signature Adoption: Pre-selected Style Using IP Address: 199.33.32.254 Sent: 3/1/2022 4:13:03 PM Viewed: 3/8/2022 2:09:16 PM Signed: 3/8/2022 2:09:23 PM Electronic Record and Signature Disclosure: Not Offered via DocuSign Ed Shikada ed.shikada@cityofpaloalto.org Ed Shikada, City Manager City of Palo Alto Security Level: Email, Account Authentication (None) Signature Adoption: Pre-selected Style Using IP Address: 199.33.32.254 Sent: 3/8/2022 2:09:25 PM Viewed: 3/9/2022 2:56:17 PM Signed: 3/9/2022 2:56:36 PM Electronic Record and Signature Disclosure: Not Offered via DocuSign Patrick Burt pat@patburt.org Mr Security Level: Email, Account Authentication (None)Signature Adoption: Pre-selected Style Using IP Address: 98.35.161.52 Sent: 3/9/2022 2:56:39 PM Viewed: 3/9/2022 6:56:02 PM Signed: 3/9/2022 6:56:16 PM Electronic Record and Signature Disclosure: Not Offered via DocuSign Signer Events Signature Timestamp Lesley Milton Lesley.Milton@CityofPaloAlto.org City Clerk Security Level: Email, Account Authentication (None)Signature Adoption: Pre-selected Style Using IP Address: 199.33.32.254 Sent: 3/9/2022 6:56:18 PM Viewed: 3/11/2022 2:04:31 PM Signed: 3/11/2022 2:04:36 PM Electronic Record and Signature Disclosure: Not Offered via DocuSign In Person Signer Events Signature Timestamp Editor Delivery Events Status Timestamp Agent Delivery Events Status Timestamp Intermediary Delivery Events Status Timestamp Certified Delivery Events Status Timestamp Carbon Copy Events Status Timestamp Witness Events Signature Timestamp Notary Events Signature Timestamp Envelope Summary Events Status Timestamps Envelope Sent Hashed/Encrypted 3/1/2022 2:33:01 PM Certified Delivered Security Checked 3/11/2022 2:04:31 PM Signing Complete Security Checked 3/11/2022 2:04:36 PM Completed Security Checked 3/11/2022 2:04:36 PM Payment Events Status Timestamps Electronic Record and Signature Disclosure CONSUMER DISCLOSURE From time to time, City of Palo Alto (we, us or Company) may be required by law to provide to you certain written notices or disclosures. 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