Hollister
– Business leaders and city officials are hoping to address the
concerns of local residents by holding a town hall meeting next
week to answer questions about the construction and funding of a
new $120 million sewage treatment plant.
Hollister – Business leaders and city officials are hoping to address the concerns of local residents by holding a town hall meeting next week to answer questions about the construction and funding of a new $120 million sewage treatment plant.
Community Leaders for Economic Activity and Recovery, a local organization of business leaders and concerned citizens, is hosting the forum with support from the Hollister City Council. A panel of experts, including City Manager Clint Quilter and sewer project manager Dave Jones will be on hand to answer questions. CLEAR organizer Annette Giacomazzi said the forum plans to address the timeline for the construction of the new wastewater facility, costs of the project and sewer rate increases.
“Our goal is to inform the public,” Giacomazzi said Friday. “This isn’t necessarily a complaint session, but a discussion and information session.”
However, Giacomazzi said city councilmen Brad Pike and Doug Emerson will be participating in the discussion and will listen to concerns.
After a brief presentation from city and project officials to begin the town hall meeting, the floor will be opened up for questions.
“The city is committed to providing answers for citizens,” Giacomazzi said. “They want everyone to be informed so they can make the best decisions for Hollister’s future.”
CLEAR believes completion of the sewer project, which will allow the state to lift the building moratorium that has had Hollister in a stranglehold for the last four years, is vital to the city.
“We need this for the economic vitality of Hollister and San Benito County,” Giacomazzi said.
The state placed a moratorium on new sewage connections in Hollister after 15 million gallons of treated wastewater spilled into the San Benito River in 2002. The moratorium, which has brought new construction and development to a virtual standstill, has hurt the city’s economy.
The sewer project will be paid for with money generated from selling bonds. Since the city will not be able to use impact fees from new construction to cover the bond, officials have created a plan that uses sewer rate increases and future impact feeds to complete the project.
Under the new rate schedule a single family residential water bill will increase 165 percent in the next five years, jumping from $31.30 a month to $124.40 a month by 2009. The increasing rates will be introduced incrementally, starting with a 48 percent hike this year. However, city officials hope the plan doesn’t have to implement the full rate increase, anticipating that impact fees from new development once the moratorium is lifted will cover nearly half of the plant’s construction costs. If that assumption holds up, the sewer rate increase would be significantly less drastic, with the monthly rate climbing to $71.50 by 2009 instead of $124.40. Assumptions aside, the city council will have to approve the new sewage rate scheme to demonstrate that it can generate enough revenue to satisfy the binding company.
Brett Rowland covers public safety for the Free Lance. He can be reached at 831-637-5566 ext. 330 or br******@fr***********.com.
