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HomeMy Public PortalAboutExhibit MSD 64 - MSD Opening StatementRate Commission Technical Conference – April 8, 2019 Exhibit MSD 64 MSD Opening Statement Good morning, my name is Susan Myers and on behalf of the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District I would like to thank you for being here this morning and for serving on the Rate Commission. I know you have already put a lot of time into understanding the District’s Rate Proposal, so as you continue through that process please keep the following in mind: • MSD’s Wastewater Capital Improvement & Replacement Program is primarily composed of projects required to comply with the District’s Consent Decree. • The projects required to comply with the Consent Decree are mandated by plans approved by the EPA. • This Rate Change Proposal proposes to increase the wastewater charges for the District’s typical residential customer by just 2% in FY21 and just under 4% each year for FY22 through FY24. • These single digit increases will provide the revenue necessary to perform the required operations, maintenance, and construction activities and are less than previously projected because: o the cost of financing is less than that anticipated o the operational and maintenance expenses are less than those anticipated o the CIRP costs are lower than anticipated, and o the District’s Consent Decree was extended from 23 to 28 years • The calculation of the rates being proposed in this process follows the same wastewater rate methodology approved by the Court and previous Rate Commissions. It imposes a fair and reasonable burden on all classes of ratepayers. Our testimony today will provide clarification regarding the detailed aspects of the Rate Change Proposal and demonstrate how the proposed rates are necessary to MSD’s future obligations required by the Consent Decree. The order of appearance of MSD witnesses will be: Brian Hoelscher, Executive Director, myself, General Counsel; Rich Unverferth, Director of Engineering; Bret Berthold, Director of Operations; Marion Gee, Director of Finance; Tim Snoke, Secretary/Treasurer; Bethany Pugh of Public Financial Management, Inc. serving as the District’s Financial Advisor; William Stannard of Raftelis Financial Consultants serving as the District’s Rate Consultant; and Thomas Beckley also with Raftelis Financial Consultants and serving as the District’s Rate Consultant. This concludes my opening remarks. I ask that my opening remarks be accepted by the Rate Commission as Exhibit MSD 64.