Water Rate Increase On Hold Thanks to Residents’ Outcry
By Terry Miller
Published: Thursday, July 15th, 2010
Sierra Madre Residents Initial Attempt to Defeat City’s Attempt to Raise Water Rates nearly 40% Seems Successful
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By Terry Miller
It has been an exacting few weeks for Sierra Madre city’s infrastructure. Water mains breaks and aging pipes underground on Sierra Madre Boulevard have caused a small sink hole and a whopping emergency $35,000 bill to fix just that section. It also has created a public relations nightmare.
According to the city website: A 10″ water main burst in the 400 block of East Sierra Madre Boulevard. Before that section of main could be shut down for repair, a section of roadway pavement, approximately 75 feet and 41 feet wide, was severely compromised. The entire width of the street in that section has been made unsafe for through traffic, with portions of the asphalt raised as much as six inches and other areas undermined and settled six inches or more. The full extent of the damage will not be known until the entire pavement has been removed.
The current incident is caused by the same main that leaked and caused the sinkhole at Mountain Trail and Grandview approximately two years ago. The main runs from the Main Plant pump house to Mira Monte and is one of the two mains that transport water from the Main Plant to Mira Monte. This is a critical link in providing service to all of Sierra Madre’s water customers.
Until the water main is replaced, and the roadway is resurfaced, the road has been closed to all but residents of the immediate neighborhood. City staff anticipates this portion of Sierra Madre Blvd. may remain closed through Saturday, July 17, 2010. In addition there may be periodic closures to residents in the area as the work progresses.
Sierra Madre city staff say the proposed water hike is essential to renovate the city’s aging water system, prevent the city from draining its water fund reserves and defaulting on its bond notes.
“What we need to do from this point on … is we need to work together on what these solutions will be because what is clearly obvious is that our system is aging,” said Mayor Joe Mosca.
Opponents argue that the increase is too high and would hurt those on a fixed income.
Residents are being asked to cough up more for their water. The timing, to some, seemed quite thought-provoking. However, at a walk-through of the city’s maintenance and water yard last week Public Works director Bruce Inman assured residents that these pipes, some 90 years old, need to be replaced and are corroded beyond repair.
Under Proposition 218, if more than 50 percent of water customers submit a protest, the proposed water hike does not happen. However, if less than 50 percent of customers protest, the City Council will vote on an ordinance to approve the hike.
Sierra Madre residents opposed to the proposed water hike turned in 1,941 signed rate payer protest forms Tuesday evening contesting the City Council proposed 40% Water Rate Hike on Tuesday evening.
According to the city, only 1848 confirmed signatures are required. So clearly a victory, at the time of press, for those opposed to the hike in water rates.
Mayor Mosca listened to all the points during public comment and while the majority was strongly against the hike, there was a handful of residents who said the city had no choice but to put the rates up.
Laurie Cooper said the proposed increase was necessary because water is essential to the community.
“Everything else has gone up. If we haven’t had (an increase) for five years, I think it’s about time.” Cooper said.
However, Sierra Madre resident Ed Vanderpool seemed rather angry that funds paid by the citizens for water were being used for infrastructure work and “fire trucks and parks.”
Carolyn Brown, who frequently speaks at the podium, delivered the aphorism “You can’t make a city solvent by making its citizens insolvent.”
There were implications by David Derbyshire that the city had just barely skirted the letter of the law by not providing a ballot in the mail. This feeling was echoed strongly by many in the audience.
The essence of the meeting was, in fact, all about water, and ironically while the city wants to raise rates it seems to be at some sort of legal crossroad where the old and retired, water tender couldn’t be donated to another Fire Dept. desperately in need. After some moving speeches not only by Sierra Madre Fire Chief Heydorff as well as the hopeful recipient Fire Dept., it was obvious a unanimous feeling that the retired old water tender (a 1979 GMC) be donated to that dept. However, due to some red tape, it may be a while before the city that has not even one single fire hydrant, be able to improve their response times to emergencies.
Meanwhile, the residents’ protests won’t officially be declared a citizens ‘conquest until all forms are properly examined and verified according the Nancy Shollenberger, Sierra Madre’s city Clerk. Duplicate signatures have still to be eliminated.
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