CCWD to approve contract for Fly-In Acres

Posted: Tuesday, May 14, 2013 /The Calaveras Enterpise

The Calaveras County Water District board of directors will  take potential action to approve a contract with Weber-Ghio &  Associates for the design and engineering of the recently approved  Fly-In Acres assessment district in Arnold at its meeting Wednesday. The meeting will commence at 9 a.m. in San Andreas, 423 E. St. Charles St.

Fees from the assessment district will be used to replace the  subdivision’s water distribution system, which services 185 parcels. The estimated cost of construction is $2.8 million and is slated to be  completed by the end of 2013.

In a special board meeting held May 2, directors and CCWD staff  continued discussion regarding raising customer rates to fund long  avoided capital improvement projects. Fiscal year 2013-2014 alone was  estimated to cost $2 million.

“What we have to do is really  address the resources and assets for the community,” said District  General Manager Mitchell Dion in a previous interview with the  Enterprise. “This is really about finally investing in our  infrastructure.”

It was agreed that notification of the proposed  rate hikes – a cumulative 71 percent by 2017 on water bills and 62  percent on sewer bills – will be mailed out to all CCWD customers within two weeks. After notices are mailed out the board will wait 45 days to  hold a public hearing. If a majority of ratepayers object to the rate  hikes, the district will not be able to implement them. A sample protest letter will be provided at ccwd.org.