Hollister City Council members at a special meeting Monday OK’d lowering wastewater and septage rates for residential and school users but increasing the fees for some commercial users.
The proposal called for lowering single-family residences’ rates from $86.32 to $80.38; multi-family rates from $75.25 to $70.07; and mobile home rates from $52.8 to $49.17.
It would decrease school rates from a variable charge of $3.14 per student to $1.73 with a variable charge per gallon of septage going from $3.14 to $1.73.
It calls for increasing rates for low-strength commercial from $40.62 to $46.23, with a variable charge per hcf from $7.54 to $8.70; for moderate-strength commercial from $75.46 to $95.74 with a variable charge going from $9.05 to $10.37.
The city recently refinanced its major debt issuances on the construction of the water reclamation facility, resulting in lower bond debt payments and additional cash flow. The council in November approved a rate study done by Rafetelis Financial Consultants. That approved study is available for public review. It takes into account rate reductions and capital projects over the next five years.
-Kollin Kosmicki
