Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Council looking to raise sewer rates

Sewer rates in Prescott will soon be going up.

The Prescott City Council, at its regular monthly meeting held Monday, May 17, discussed raising the sewer rates from the current $3.50 per month to $11.50 a month. The council will look at adopting an ordinance to do this at its June meeting, with the rate hike to become effective in August.

The reason given for the increase was the department has been operating in the red and losing money regularly. Larry Stockton said the rates are based on the consumption of water used between January and February, with the current rate having been passed in August 1995, and the department is projected to lose $164,000 this year.

The increase, Stockton said, will bring in $146,000 annually, which will help reduce the loss.

No other utilities will be affected by this increase, should it be approved.

Prescott Mayor Howard Taylor asked the council to set a public hearing to raze three houses in town.

City Attorney Glenn Vasser said the council passed an ordinance in 1983 on this issue. Under the ordinance, the mayor can give the homeowner 20 days notice to clean the property in question up, or be cited. An ordinance was passed in 1966 or 1967, he said, giving the city permission to tear houses down.

The owners, Vasser said, can be notified by mail to inform them the property is being condemned and will be demolished. Or a hearing could be scheduled to make sure the owner knows the city's plans, with a final option for the city being to place a notification on the property telling why it needs to be condemned.

Vasser suggested the city make sure it has photographic evidence of what the structures in question look like before they are torn down.

Of course, he added, if the owner could be found, they could give the city permission to destroy the structure.

The council set a hearing date for 7 p.m. on Monday, June 21, for the houses in question. This is the council's regular meeting date and time.

Jon Chadwell, executive director of the Prescott-Nevada County Economic Development Office, updated the council on the walking/jogging track and got an interlocal agreement signed.

The agreement between the city and county leaves ownership of the land in the county's hands, but gives the city the authority to construct, maintain and operate the track for a minimum of 25 years. Under the agreement, the county can do anything it wants with the land not used by the trail, as long as it doesn't affect the track.

He said there has been activity concerning the old garment plant, with two prospects looking at it in April, with another scheduled to look at it soon. "I feel good about two fo the prospects."

In updating the council as to the status of Prescott Rubber, Inc., Chadwell said the equipment is being shipped, and once it's in place and has been tested, hiring will begin.

The fire station/parks office on the East side of town should be finished before long, he said. The foundation has been completed for this facility, and the majority of the building has been put up.

The company handling the sidewalk project is working to complete it, and has been doing the corner work. Chadwell said some of the corners extend further into the street than before, but this is because the handicap ramp must be at a specific incline. He added all of the streets will be 12-13 feet wide.

Taylor said the Prescott-Nevada County Library needs a permanent board of directors, with the council being required to approve it. The new library board members from the city are Ann Franks, David Cassel, Gail Redden. The county must name its members. Once the board has been named, the terms will be staggered at its first meeting.