1977-01-24 Special Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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t -,~.,~ .. CITY OF HOUSTON ~~ INTER OFFICE CORRESPONDENCE Mr. David F. Webb, Director Department of Public Service FROM Jer Mardis DATE January 6, 1977 SueJECT Major Changes, Section 43 1) A major change is defined as an increase in rates which would increase the a roc egate revenues of the applicant more-than the greater of $100,_000,_OOO or ~ 1/2%, not including charges in rates allowed to go ;n~c~ effect by the regulatory authority (the City Council) or made by the utili~~ by order of the regulatory authority after hearings held upon r~oti ce ~~~o the public. 2) ~f the change is not major, no affected person complains and the City Council does not call for a hearing on its own motion, then no hearing Need be held and no other action taken for the rates to go into effect after the 35-day notice is up. (The utility must give the City Council notice of a change in rates at least 35 days before the rates are to go into effect.) • 3) If the change is not major, the City Council may allow the rates to go into effect before the end of the 35-day notice period (for good cause shown). It may prescribe conditions under which the change is allowed; the change '~ ^~~~:j~ct to suspension under subsection d. 4) if tIe change is not major but an affected person complains or the City Council calls for a hearing on its own motion, then a hearing must be held '.after reasonable notice before the rates can go into effect. This must be done within 30 days of the effective date of the change. 5) If the change is major, a hearing must be held. If no affected person complains before the expiration of 45-days after the notice is filed, then the hearing can be an informal one. From the information submitted from Entex, it is impossible to determine if the change is major or minor, and the safer and more certainly lawful course under the P.U.A. Act would seem to be to treat Entex's application as a major change and to hold a ~- hearing. •