Of the 9,500 sewer customers in the city, just five were at the
City Council meeting Monday night to protest a resolution calling
for an increase in sewer rates, some by more than 26 percent, which
the council approved unanimously.
Hollister – Of the 9,500 sewer customers in the city, just five were at the City Council meeting Monday night to protest a resolution calling for an increase in sewer rates, some by more than 26 percent, which the council approved unanimously.
City Manager Clint Quilter said the rates, which haven’t gone up since 2000, had to be raised to keep up with the increasing cost of running and maintaining Hollister’s sewer system. The increase will also fund existing bond obligations.
“The purpose isn’t for new money,” he said, adding that the revenue from the increased rates will not be used to fund construction of Hollister’s new sewage treatment plant. Slated to be completed in 2008, the new plant will cost between $109 million and $120 million, according to Quilter.
With an increase of more than 26 percent, the sewer rate for single-family residential units went up the most – from $24.75 per month to $31.30. The rate for multifamily residential units rose from $22.50 per month to $27.28 – a more than 21 percent increase. For mobile homes, the rate increased more than 17 percent from $15.75 per month to $19.14. The new rates will begin on April 1.
In addition to raising sewer rates, the resolution approved by the council also sets a 2 percent annual increase for the next three years.
Hollister resident Marty Richman told council members that, aside from a letter that the city sent to sewer customers, he hadn’t been given a thorough explanation of why the rates were going to be raised.
“I’m not against paying for public services,” he said. “What I am against is substantial increase to public services without adequate justification.”
Richman suggested that the council hold “briefings” to keep people informed of what the city is doing.
“People will support what they understand,” he said.
Both Quilter and City Council members told Richman that there had been several discussions about a potential rate hike and that they had been well publicized.
Richman also said he thought that single-family units were disproportionately burdened by the rate increase.
Quilter said the rate increases took into account how much it costs the city to provide sewer service to a particular type of customer and that single-family units cost more.
In addition to the handful of residents on hand Monday to protest the rate increase, the city received 85 letters of protest – far below the “majority protest” needed to stop a rate increase, according to City Attorney Elaine Cass.
