Summary of the 8/13/24 City Council Meeting - Sewer Rate Adjustment Discussion
During the meeting, the City Council discussed authorizing the initiation of the Prop 218 process to adjust the city's sewer rates, effective January 1, 2025, through fiscal years 2029 and 2030. This process involves a protest procedure where property owners can express their objections.
Key Points:
- Current Situation: The last rate adjustment was in 2008, leading to significant inflationary pressures and a projected $4 million budget shortfall.
- Rate Analysis: The city worked with NBS to evaluate the current financial plan and rate design, completing a cost-of-service study for the wastewater treatment process.
- Public Outreach: The city will provide a dedicated website and trained staff to help residents understand the proposed changes.
- Next Steps: The Council will proceed with the Prop 218 process, with public hearings scheduled for October 2024. If the majority of protests are not received, the new rates will be implemented on January 1, 2025.
Conclusion: The Council approved moving forward with the Prop 218 process, with an emphasis on maintaining equity and ensuring that the rates reflect the actual cost of service across different customer classes.
The official public notice says that the rate study can be seen on this site. While there is a Q and A page, there is no link to the rate study itself.
Did city staff meet or do outreach to their largest dischargers? If so, to whom and when?
I want to review the study.
Thank you,
Maryn Pitt
Manufacturers Council of the Central Valley.
Hi Maryn,
Thank you for your inquiry regarding the Turlock rate study. The draft is currently available HERE for review on our website, and we are working diligently to finalize the official document. For timely updates, please sign up here.
Regarding our outreach, I want to reassure you that our engagement efforts have been extensive. We’ve reached out to all industrial users and have also focused on key larger commercial class users. This targeted approach has allowed us to support, educate, and actively engage with a significant segment of our most impacted community.
For those interested in understanding the implications of the new rates, I recommend using our rate calculator available on the CivicMic website at https://www.civicmic.com/city-of-turlock/sewer-rate-calculator/. This tool is designed to provide personalized insights based on individual or business circumstances.
We value your participation in this process and are committed to keeping all stakeholders well-informed and actively involved. Should you have any further questions or require additional information, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Best Regards,
Michelle Argerich-Valentine
engagement coordinator
800.676.7516 | margerich@civicmic.com
CivicMic A podium for the people.
CivicMic is focused on providing collaborative governance services, including outreach and public engagement. Commitment to linking the public’s participation to the decision-making process is our number one goal.