Sewer rates set to spike

After nine years without an increase in sewer service rates, Marysville residents will soon see a 60 percent jump in their bill.

For seniors, sewer rates will nearly double.

City Council members voted unanimously Tuesday to adopt new rates, after receiving protest votes from only 2 percent of residents — far short of the majority necessary to oppose the move.

Current rates included an exception for seniors, 65 years and older. Seniors currently pay $10.76, or 82 percent of the standard $13.04 rate. Newly adopted rates will have the city's 300 senior homeowners paying a basic standard $20.79 per month.

Frank Amor, who said he was 64-and-a-half years old, spoke out Tuesday against the elimination of the discounted rate for seniors.

"Seniors are limited in their income," he said. "Reconsider. Give seniors due respect and a break in their rates," he said.

Amor said he had been looking forward to getting the discount when he turns 65, but understands the current financial pressures faced by the city.

"Marysville is not really growing," he said. "Times are tough."

Financial problems for the city loom far beyond a sewer service rate imbalance.

Council members failed Tuesday to pass a budget proposal that asked for three city employee positions to be eliminated and for several other cost-cutting measures to be taken.

Councilman Michael Selvidge said the financially shriveled draft budget he presented as part of an ad hoc budget committee — and which was subsequently shot down — was "an optimistic version of the budget."

A list of discretionary expenses under consideration have been tabled until January and budget numbers will undergo further scrutiny by new Ad Hoc Budget Committee members Ben Wirtschafter and Christina Billeci.

Meanwhile, the city's wastewater treatment plant is currently operating under a Cease and Desist order issued by the state for failure to protect its sewer ponds from potential floods.

Timelines set by the state put Marysville officials under the gun to upgrade its current treatment process.

Current options under consideration include building a new treatment plant or forging a partnership with Linda County Water District, which currently has a new plant under construction.

"We're under state mandate," said Councilman Ben Wirtschafter Tuesday. "We need to clean up our water."

"We're beginning to face huge fines by the state," said Councilman Jim Kitchen, "which would wipe out our chance to do anything."

Marysville's wastewater treatment budget already has increased from $907,000 in fiscal year 1999-2000 to $1,562,000 in 2007-2008, according to City Services Director Dave Lamon.

Sewer rates surge

Marysville Monthly Sewer Rates

Current New

Residential 13.04 20.79

Residential Senior 10.76 20.79

Rate Comparison - Residential

City/District Current Rate

Yuba City 28.87

OPUD 24.00

Gridley 23.95*

Live Oak 45.16

Linda County Water Dist. 18.50 **

*increasing in 4-6 mo.

**increase expected with new plant construction

Contact Appeal-Democrat reporter Nancy Pasternack at 749-4712 or at npasternack@appealdemocrat.com