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The reality, however, is likely a bit different. It is pretty much assured that the City has already determined it is going to raise our water rates for the third time in four years, and that the folks downtown even know how much more they intend to ask us to pay. The "process" described above being little more than a consensus building public relations exercise orchestrated by the current water consultant. All done in hopes that people will quietly submit to paying more for water, rather than going off on a Prop 218 tear like they did in 2010, which was the last time the City raised water rates.
In case you didn't get this postcard from the City inviting you to tonight's downtown confab about our economic woes with water, this is pretty much what gets said:
Water & Sewer Rate Study
In September and October 2013 the City Council will be considering new water and sewer rates. In preparation for these discussions, five informational community meetings have been scheduled to talk about the Water & Sewer Rate Study. Each of the five community meetings will cover a different topic.
Wednesday, August 14 at 6:30 p.m. - City Hall Council Chambers, 232 W. Sierra Madre Blvd.
Water and Sewer Department's Budget, Finances, and Bond Debt
Monday, August 26 at 6:30 p.m. - Sierra Madre Room, 611 E. Sierra Madre Blvd.
"State of System" - Capital and Long Term Master Plan, Sewer & Water System Needs
Saturday, September 14 at 9:00 a.m. - Maintenance Yard, 621 E. Sierra Madre Blvd.
Water System, "How Water Gets to Your Tap". This tour will involve walking on unpaved and uneven surfaces.
Monday, September 30 at 6:30 p.m. - City Hall Council Chambers, 232 W. Sierra Madre Blvd.
Preview of the Water & Sewer Rate Study
Thursday, October 10 at 6:30 - City Hall Council Chambers, 232 W. Sierra Madre Blvd.
Conclusion and Highlights from all Previous Meetings
If you have any questions, please contact the City of Sierra Madre, Department of Public Works at 626-355-7135.
Location City Hall Council Chambers
Contact 626-355-7135
232 W. Sierra Madre Blvd., Sierra Madre, CA 91024
We've all been to these kinds of events before, so there really isn't too much new here. The City wants more of your money for water, and they would love for you to hand it over without giving them too much grief.
As far as this blog is concerned, one of the biggest issues here is the $20,000,000 or so in City of Sierra Madre debt, most of it emanating from the badly troubled Water Department. You know, the place where the pipes leak, the water is gone and the debt is as high as the sky?
That really ought to be their slogan.
All of which makes Mayor Nancy Walsh's recent statements to the Pasadena Star News ("Sierra Madre expects to raise water rates once again"- link) all the more troubling. Here is what she had to say about a week ago:
Mayor Nancy Walsh said Wednesday that residents can expect future water-rate increases to offset the city's low credit rating.
Though a current study determining the effects of water rates is still under review, "no doubt there will be an increase" again, she said.
"We need to make sure we're good on our bond covenant," the mayor said. When the rates were discussed in 2010, Walsh was a council member and advocated an initial rate increase of 15 percent, followed by 3 percent increases the next four years.
(Later) ... That proposal angered residents and the council ultimately approved 7.5 percent, Walsh said.
"I did not support the rate that was proposed, but I was outvoted," she said of the 7.5 percent increase. "In the end, I had to vote for it. Any money helped."
"Shortly after, our credit was downgraded," Walsh said. "This is really talking about our credit. It's our No. 1 priority."
I'd think that Sierra Madre's "No. 1 priority" should be identifying adequate water supplies and fixing badly neglected infrastructure, like all of those ancient and badly leaking pipes. But to hear Nancy tell it this is all a water bond covenant and credit issue. Which to me sounds as if a majority of the City Council is looking to use this water rate hike to repair our bond and credit ratings issues.
And why would that be so important? Fixing our credit and bond ratings would make it possible to try and borrow our way out of the current financial mess. Which is pretty much how we got into $20 million dollars in debt in the first place.
If this is what they are actually planning to do, then we would have no choice but to oppose this water rate increase. Somebody has to stop them before they borrow again. I am not sure this city could survive too much more indebtedness.
Sierra Rob Me
More and more we are discovering that public officials wish to use The Tattler as a way of publicizing their events. I get all kinds of publicity releases and general marketing flack in my email asking if I could help publicize this or that. The answer is almost always no, it just isn't what we do here. Bill Coburn is good at that stuff I tell them, and I send them over to his site.
But I have to hand it to Chief Giannone, when he wanted to announce something on this blog, he just posted it in the comments. Considering all the guff he gets here, that is quite reasonable of him. It is also good to know he recognizes that if you want to reach a significant portion of this community, this blog is where you can do it.
Here is what he had to announce:
From Chief of Police Giannone: I am going to hold a Special Community Meeting this Friday, August 16th, at 7:00 PM in the City Council Chambers.
Please reach out to all your neighbors and community members that you can to attend the meeting. We will give updates on what we know regarding the burglaries and other issues in town and some reminder tips for home security.
Thank you for your help,
Larry Giannone
Chief of Police
Sierra Madre Police Department
Office (626) 355-1414
Fax (626) 355-5468
Email: lgiannone@cityofsierramadre.com
That makes a second meeting I am going to need to attend this week. Having been robbed myself a few years back, I am painfully aware of just how hard this recent surge in crime in town is hitting both the victims and their worried neighbors.
I want to hear what the Chief has to say. You should, too.
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