Hillcrest protest successful?

Yuba City received 2,047 valid protests from Hillcrest voters, according to an unofficial tabulation that concluded Thursday night.

City Clerk Terrel Locke said 2,000 protests were needed to sink the proposal to connect Hillcrest Water System users to the city's surface water system.

The final tally will be presented to the City Council today at 3 p.m. in City Hall.

Opponents who watched city staff count protest ballots since Aug. 19 called their efforts successful.

"It appears the citizens have spoken for the area, and we want to back to the table with the city immediately for a fair and equitable solution," said Elaine Miles.

Miles added she believed many more invalid protests could be valid.

The unofficial count also showed 247 protests were rescinded and 331 protests were declared invalid.

Yuba City proposed a $19.80 monthly surcharge for 4,000 residents to pay for a storage tank and part of a 30-inch pipe connecting Hillcrest to the city's surface water plant.

The connection and surcharge was proposed after Hillcrest well water showed arsenic levels higher than federal standards allowed during part of last year.

Critics say it's a bid to pay for a pipe needed for development, and the city could connect the area more cheaply with less costly connections.

Mayor Rory Ramirez said the council will talk about all the options with the Hillcrest water system during today's meeting.

"When you have a group of customers that have for whatever reason decided they do not want to pay to cover the cost to provide that service, then you have to look at from a fiscal standpoint what's appropriate as a course of action," Ramirez said.

Those options include, but are not limited to, trying again with a proposal that can be challenged under Proposition 218, or looking to a private operator, Ramirez said.

The mayor said he believed selling the system is the best option.

"I'm looking at it and probably that option, based on what I know and understand, is probably the most viable," he said. "Put out a (request for proposals) and see who's out there that's interested."

The unofficial tally

Valid Protests: 2,047

Protests needed: 2,000

Protests rescinded: 247

Invalid protests: 331

Contact Appeal-Democrat reporter Robert LaHue at 749-4713 or rlahue@appealdemocrat.com