After failing to adopt a proposed water and sewer rate increase that the City of Jackson says is needed to cover increased operating costs, the city council will look at appointing a water and sewer rate committee to review the city’s utility rates before making a new rate increase proposal. The committee, if established, would re-analyze the fee structure for both utility rates, review options for low-income discounts and update mitigation fees for new connections to the water and sewer systems to ensure new projects are paying for their share of the needed services. Another option is for the city to hire a professional rate consultant to prepare a rate study and recommendations. And the City Council will consider whether to replace the city council seat left vacant when Councilman Drew Stidger resigned from the council. Three options are available to the city: the council may appoint someone to serve out Stidger’s unexpired term; the city may call for an election to fill the vacancy, which would be in June of 2008; or the council may leave the seat vacant until the end of Stidger’s term with an election in November 2008. Jackson City Council will meet tonight at 7 pm at Jackson City Hall.
Jackson Trash Rates, Utility Committee, And More
ACES Waste Service wants to raise trash collection rates in the City of Jackson by 3.3%, effective January 1st. The rate request reflects a 3.3 % increase in the Consumer Price Index – allowed under the terms of ACES’ franchise agreement with the city. ACES letter to the city of Jackson notes that a small additional increase may be necessary early next year due to an expected increase in fees charged by the Buena Vista landfill where ACES takes trash collected in Jackson. If the Jackson City Council approves the rate hike when they consider the request at tonight’s council meeting, the rate for a 96-gallon trash cart would increase about 45 cents per month. Also at tonight’s City Council meeting, Bob Devlin will present his “Concepts for Alternative Transit in Amador County” and ask for a resolution of support for Devlin’s Amador Transit Project. Devlin has worked the past two years to research and promote the use of Neighborhood Electric Vehicles on special Alternative Transit Lanes in Amador County in order to reduce traffic congestion and vehicle emissions. Devlin’s project received a unanimous vote in favor of his project’s goals last week from the Sutter Creek City Council. And Bob Devlin will be joining us here at TSPN studios at noon to talk about the little electric cars he hopes will change the way we think about driving.
