Gold Bar residents protest water rate hike

New Gold Bar Councilmember Kendall Wallace faced contention during his inaugural council meeting last Tuesday, as residents packed city hall to speak against a proposed water rate increase.

According to the city, the purpose of the water rate fee amendment is to help fund badly needed repairs to the water system's aging infrastructure. A new rate study advised city officials that a $20 per month assessment charge be added to the current assessment of $12.41, resulting in a total monthly assessment charge of $32.41. Currently, the base rate for residential water consumption in Gold Bar is $30.90 per month, which means that once the water rate fee amendment is passed, an average residential customer will pay $63.31 plus an additional $2.50, for a total of $65.81 per month.

Base rates are calculated based on a maximum usage of 5,000 gallons per month, in accordance with state mandated conservation policies.

The rate increase resolution comes on the heels of the city's completion of its Water System Plan (WSP), which was approved by the Washington State Department of Health in July 2015. In order to maintain the system and pay for necessary below-ground infrastructure updates, including upgraded water mains and valves, a rate increase must be implemented, the city said.

Gold Bar's primary water supply comes from two of four city owned and maintained wells. Water from wells three and four, which are fed by different aquifers, are simultaneously pumped through a transmission line into a reservoir site, where the water is blended to improve overall water quality.

Gold Bar resident Toni Jurin asked if the WSP addressed issues related to arsenic in well four, which is the reason it's blended with well three.-á -á

"My understanding is that well four was undrinkable; that there was way too much arsenic in it and that's why we're mixing it with well three,GÇ¥ Jurin said. "Sooner or later that problem has to be resolved.GÇ¥

Public Works Director John Light explained that well-blending is a common practice used across the United States, not only with things like arsenic, but also pH, which is a measure of acidity. Drilled in 1993, well four is the newest and also the deepest well, at 720 feet. The presence of arsenic is naturally occurring and common in wells as deep as well four, Light said.-á

"Our water quality is good. We had one hit of .01 milligrams per liter on arsenic in well four,GÇ¥ Light said. "That's the trigger point. We blend water with well three; that's an acceptable practice.GÇ¥

Six Gold Bar residents spoke out against the proposed increase, many of them returning to the podium a second and third time due to the three-minute time limit.-á Most demanded a town hall meeting for further discussion on the topic.

Many were outraged at what they felt were inadequate attempts at communication by the city, asking that more be done to notify the public in the future.-á

Councilmember Davi Martin responded to concerns about notification, saying the city held workshops and presentations with very limited attendance. According to the city, a workshop was held on Sept. 22 and a presentation by a water-rate consultant was held on Oct. 6. Further council discussion was held on Nov. 3, Dec. 1 and Dec. 15, all of which were publicized on the city's website. After the Dec. 1 council meeting, a mass-mailer was sent to the city's water customers, apprising them of the proposed rate change.-á

But residents at the meeting maintained that the city's current method of communication had failed. They requested the city get permission from the Sultan School District to use its U.S. 2 reader board, so those driving by would see the meeting notifications.-á -á

The decision to raise the rates was not made lightly, Martin said. Grants are being pursued and the city has done its due diligence, she said.-á

"Our job as the city is to supply good water, and unfortunately we have a very, very old infrastructure that needs a lot of work,GÇ¥ Martin said. "The point is, we're stuck between a rock and a hard spot. We have good water now, but it needs to be maintained. We can't maintain it on what we're charging now.GÇ¥

Steven Fore owns Alpine Adventures, an outdoor recreation business on U.S. 2 that does whitewater river rafting, standup paddle boarding and eagle watching. He said he has concerns over the city's strategy, which appears to him to be completely ineffective. He has no problem paying an increased rate, he said, but the city's current approach will not solve the problem.

The current WSP lays out a schedule for the needed system repairs and upgrades over the course of 20 years. The total cost of the necessary repairs is being estimated at $9.8 million, broken down over time. The plan allows for improvements along Ninth and 10th streets and pump upgrades at well four in 2017, which would cost around $795,000. Other issues would be addressed in future years.

Arsenic treatment for well four would cost around $500,000 and occur sometime between 2021 and 2025.-á -á

Fore said the problem is that maintenance has been deferred for too long already. Throwing a few million into the Gold Bar's water system, he said, is the same as sticking your finger in a dike. He questioned why the city's grant writers would consider pursuing lower levels of funding, when it won't come close to solving problem.-á -á

"We have a $9.8 million problem that's not going to go away. It can fail on us. I don't see how raising any rates or doing anything with what you've presented makes any sense at all,GÇ¥ Fore said. "If this is the best that you can come up with, it's not good enough.GÇ¥-á

Fore admonished the council for "chasing awayGÇ¥ Councilmember Lee Hodo, who resigned in December. Hodo has extensive background in engineering, Fore said, and is well-equipped to handle the current issues. He referred to Hodo as "the exact person you need to fix the problem.GÇ¥

On Thursday, it was rumored that Hodo had agreed to return to the council. The rumor was confirmed by Fore on Friday, Jan. 8.

Tracy Cotterill asked about the feasibility of the Snohomish County Public Utility District (PUD) taking over the system. Currently, the PUD does supply a certain percentage of the city's water.-á

"This sounds like it's bigger than we are,GÇ¥ Cotterill said.-á "Has anyone thought about talking to PUD about taking over our water system?GÇ¥

Wallace sought for clarification about the PUD, and asked if that had ever been discussed. Martin said it had, but cautioned that rate increases through the PUD could be even higher than what the city is currently proposing.-á

"The answer is yes, we have considered the PUD as an alternate supplier of our water,GÇ¥ Martin said.

Resident Vicki McDaniel advocated strongly for a town hall meeting.

"We're a small community and we're a tight-knit community. We need to stick together,GÇ¥ McDaniel said. "We need to work on this problem together.GÇ¥

Fore returned to the podium several times to make his point. He too expressed frustration over the lack of town hall meetings, which allow a slightly less structured arena for residents to voice their concerns. Council meetings lack the opportunity for give and take, which embittered several residents last Tuesday. He asked councilmembers to set a town hall meeting, right then and there.

"It's our town. It's not your town,GÇ¥ Fore said. "Do we need to start putting petitions out? Would that do it? If we put out a petition demanding that we be allowed to vote on any water increases, would you let us in then?GÇ¥

Councilmembers agreed to discuss setting up a town hall meeting during the next council meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 19.

There remains one vacancy on the Gold Bar City Council. Interested applicants should apply via the city website. For more information on Gold Bar's water rate increase and to see the city's WSP, visit the Gold Bar city website at http://cityofgoldbar.us/city-services/reports/water-comp-plan/.