The Porterville City Council will continue to look at providing relief when it comes to the significant increase in sewer fees at its next meeting. The council will meet at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.
As a scheduled matter the council will look at the sewer fees. While the discussion has centered on churches the council has also talked about providing relief for non-profits and businesses as well.
The council is looking to provide relief for those who have large irrigated areas. The intent is to ensure accurate sewer billing for properties with large irrigated areas. These properties would benefit from separate landscape meters.
Last year the council significantly increased sewer and water rates due to increasing costs and the fact the rates had not been raised for some time.
The council will look at a program in which a three-year, zero interest loan would be provided for organizations to pay for the meters. At its March 18 meeting the council directed up to $150,000 be made available to non-profits from the general fund and for business up to $1.3 million be made available through an application process.
Properties without separate irrigation meters are charged sewer rates based on total water consumption. This results in much higher sewer bills for non-profit organizations and commercial properties with large landscaped areas.
The installation of a irrigation meter would significantly reduce sewer charges by excluding irrigation usage. The estimated cost of installing a 1.5-inch irrigation meter is $1,680. Based on the typical savings it would take organizations about a year to pay back the loan.
Recognizing upfront costs may be burdensome for some organizations the council suggested the loan program.
The City Council also has $93,404.41 available in its Special Purposes Reserve Fund allocated from the General Fund for the remainder of the fiscal year. The Special Purposes Reserv Fund can be used for funding at a level determined by the Council as a pilot program, providing grants on a first come first serve basis with the number of connections to be determined by the funding available in the Special Purposes Reserve Fund.
Churches were classified as nonresidential and as a result their sewer rate went from 42 cents per hundred cubic feet to $2.90 per hundred cubic feet. With the additional increases set through 2027-2028 that would lead to an increase of 974 percent.
With the installation of the meters a typical monthly bill could be reduced from about $250 a month to $65 a month.
BASEBALL FIELDS
The city has continued to progress in developing a much needed regulation-size lighted baseball field at the southeast portion of the Porterville Sports Complex. The city has set aside $1 million in federal American Rescue Plan funds for the development of the baseball field.
But the current council has expressed expressed a desire for the sports complex to be developed into a regional sports complex which would include another baseball field. QK, Inc. is now designing the baseball field and the council as a consent calendar item will consider an amendment to QK's contract for it to design the second baseball field and a master plan layout for the complex.
The additional cost will be a little more than $105,000. American Rescue Plan funds of $89,250 and Measure I funds of $15,900 will pay for the additional cost.
TREES ON MAIN STREET
As a consent calendar item the council will consider increasing the cost for the ongoing Main Street reconstruction project when it comes to the trees that will be planted along Main Street.
Councilman Ed McKervey raised concerns about how the trees were being replaced on Main Street. As a result the council will consider replacing trees with four-foot box trees which would be about 8 to 12 feet tall. The increased cost would be $187,000, which would come from Measure I funds.
DOWNTOWN COMMITTEE
The council established the Downtown Advisory Committee to advice the council on downtown matters. The committee will consist of two councilmen and five members from downtown.
The council will consider eight applicants for the five positions as a scheduled matter. The seven who have applied are: Larisa Fry, owner of Larisa's Home Furnishings; David Horowitz, owner of Horowitz Jewlery; Kristy Martin, Porterville Chamber of Commerce CEO; Ted Penic, owner of Ted's Games to Go; Catie Adams-Puett, broker associate/realtor with Home Realty; Taha Saleh, president of T.A. Saleh Enterprises; Rob Taylor, president and CEO of Stafford's Chocolates; and Sam Zenz, owner of The Vault and the Palace Kitchen and Craft Bar restaurants.
PROCLAMATIONS
A number of proclamations are on the consent calendar for the council's approval. Under the city's policy if at least three council members show an interest in the proclamation it will be placed on the consent calendar for the entire council's consideration.
The council is set to approve a proclamation declaring April as Parental Rights Month in Porterville. Blessings of Liberty requested the proclamation and Mayor Greg Meister is sponsoring the proclamation. Meister, McKervey and councilman A.J. Rivas have signed onto the proclamation.
Blessings of Liberty, Porterville Church of Christ and Porterville Church of the Nazarene have also all requested a proclamation declaring Easter Holiday Week in Porterville.
In addition, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Porterville Church of God have requested a proclamation declaring a Holy Week in Porterville.
HAPPY EASTER BANNER
As a scheduled matter the council will consider McKervey's request to purchase a Happy Easter banner to hang on the poles donated by the Porterville Exchange Club between City Hall and Centennial Park. The estimated cost of the banner is $1,300 and the estimated production time is seven business days, meaning the banner should be able to be hung the week of Easter if approved by the council. Funds for the banner are available in the Community Promotion budget.
COMMUNITY EVENTS
As part of its consent calendar the council is set to approve a number of community events. The Children's Miracle Network Color Run/Walk for Valley Children's Hospital is set for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 26 at Veterans Park.
On Wednessday, April 30 the Parenting Network will hold its “Calling All Superheroes” from 3 to 5:30 p.m. The event will feature informational booths and a variety of child-friendly activities, including an obstacle course, bean bag toss, potato sack races, and a bounce house.
Comision Honorifica Mexicana Americana will hold its Cinco de Mayo festivities on the weekend of May 3. The Cinco de Mayo Parade will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 3 in downtown Porterville. The Fiesta Dominguera will be held from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday, May 4 at Veterans Park.
Pink Heals Tulare County and the Rollin' Relics Car Club will hold the Rollin' Relics Car Show from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 10 at Veterans Park.
