Recommendation to adopt resolution authorizing City Manager to adjust certain rates for natural gas service to reflect market conditions by implementing Gas Rate Schedules 1 through 5, 7, 9, and special conditions and incentives in Exhibits A and B.  (Citywide)
Item 16 report from Long Beach Gas and Oil. Recommendation to adopt a resolution authorizing the city manager to adjust certain rates for natural gas service to reflect market conditions citywide. Okay. Thank you. Mr. Wesson, as you had a quick staff report from our gas and oil director, Chris Garner. First, I have to confess, hearing all this talk about health food being your gas meal director, I'm craving a Tommy's chili burger really bad right now. But starting tomorrow, it's going to be all celery. Just don't have it on my desk. Okay. No mayonnaise. As you're aware, there's heightened concern nationwide regarding the failings. Excuse me. Utility infrastructure, be it natural gas, water, electricity, sewer, etc.. After the major natural gas pipeline explosion in a neighborhood in Northern California in 2010 that killed eight people and destroyed nearly 50 homes, the state has pushed for greater reinvestment of gas repair money into the replacement of older or susceptible natural gas pipelines and Long Beach. We've been doing the same with our own 1900 miles of underground natural gas pipelines in Long Beach and Signal Hill. This rate adjustment before you tonight will help us continue the progress we have made to ensure the safe delivery of natural gas to 150,000 gas customers. In addition, this will allow us to increase our level of service provided to our customers as we look for ways to shorten appointment windows and decrease wait times in our utility call center. For the average residential customer, their monthly gas charge or monthly gas bill will increase by an estimated 1.40 $0.06 per month. This proposed rate adjustment is consistent with the provisions in the city charter that require that the gas rates be market based and comparable to those charged by other gas tools in Southern California. That concludes my report. Thank you. Any council comment? I have a motion in a second. Seeing none. Oh, okay. Customer Supernova. Just a question. Thank you for the report, Mr. Gardner. I understand we that our last rate increase was. Just seven months ago. What can you predict how soon we'll have another increase? It's very unusual for us to have more than one rate adjustment in a year. What we do for the teachers, we compare our rates with Southern California Gas Company on a regular basis. It was unusual this year because they adjusted their rates more than once, largely due to increased pipeline investment that the CPC is putting on their plate. In addition, the provisions of the cap and trade in 2015 natural gas utilities were included for the first time, and so there's been some adjustments on rates in that regard, but I suspect it will be at least one year before we come back. Thank you. Thank you. Any public comment on the item? CNN, please cast your vote. Motion passes unanimously. Thank you. Next item, please. 17. Report from Parks, Recreation and Marine. Recommendation to adopt a resolution authorizing the city manager to submit a grant application to the Los Angeles County Regional Park and Open Space District in the amount of $623,600 for the implementation of Phase two of the de Forest Wetlands Project.