Belmont City Council cancels sewer rate increase

Nope, that would never happen in Pacifica.   

San Mateo Daily Journal, 7/4/11.  "Sewer rates have been climbing steadily in Belmont for more than a decade but the city’s mayor and another councilman have had enough.  

Residents in Belmont will not see an 8 percent increase in their sewer bills next year because Mayor Coralin Feierbach and Councilman Dave Warden voted against the increase at a Tuesday night council meeting.

The increase is needed, according to staff, to rehabilitate pump stations and main pipes that transmit sewage flows and to fund an $8 million bond proposed for fiscal year 2011-2012 for infrastructure fixes. 'The vote means we will have to defer some capital costs,' Belmont Finance Director Thomas Fil said. 'The challenge for the city now is to figure out a way to pay for the capital improvements without the rate increase', Fil said.

The city mailed notice of the proposed charges to 8,242 property owners who then had the opportunity to protest the increase. Property owners could have shot down the proposed increase themselves under Proposition 218 if a majority of them protested the increase.  A majority of 4,122 written protests would have been needed from the public to prevent the increase but the city only received 17 written protests. 'Most people throw those Prop. 218 notices away,' Feierbach told the Daily Journal. The ordinance needed four votes for approval Tuesday night but only got three. Councilmembers Christine Wozniak, David Braunstein and Warren Lieberman voted for the rate increase.

The city boosted the rate 6.75 percent last year, increasing the average resident’s annual bill from $528 to $551.  Since 2000, Feierbach said, sewer rates have nearly doubled for the average resident. At this rate, the mayor said, the rate would be tripled. 'I have voted for sewer increases before but not this one,' she said. The 8 percent increase would have raised the average annual residential sewer charge from $551 to $576, an additional $2.11 per month. The average bill would only go up about 4.6 percent, however, since Belmont residents are using less water currently than in years past.

Initially, decreased water use by Belmont’s customers resulted in revenue projections that overestimated revenue from the city’s sewer rates, according to a staff report. As a result, the sewer fund balance declined. Belmont currently has a minimal capital reserve that cannot fund any projects currently. Warden voted against the rate increase for a variety of reasons but noted sewer rates have climbed excessively in the past 10 years.

'At some point, you have to look for money elsewhere,' Warden said. In years past, the council has raised the rate by 12 percent, 16 percent and 13 percent' Warden said. Warden thinks there may be some other pots of money available to fund capital improvements to the city’s sewer infrastructure. 'Redevelopment Agency money, perhaps, could be used for that purpose if it is allowed' Warden said. Infrastructure fixes are needed to prevent sewer overflows, for which the city could be fined, according to the staff report. 'Currently, public works crews with the city are evaluating the system to determine its most critical needs' Fil said. 'The infrastructure projects are part of the city’s sewer master plan' Fil said."

Posted by Kathy Meeh