NID Board Meeting this Wednesday:
April 24, 2019
- When: Wednesday, April 24, 2019 9 a.m.
- Where: 1036 West Main Street, Grass Valley, CA 95945
The board meeting agenda can be found here. The next meeting will be May 8, 2019. The NID Board normally meets on the 2nd & 4th Wednesday of the month at 9:00 a.m.
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Fiscal Responsibility on the Agenda:
Water Rates increase to be approved
We need the Dam Watchdogs!
This coming Wednesday, the NID Board will vote to dramatically increase water rates for all customers.
NID's need for a water rates increase and investing in capital projects like the proposed Centennial Dam are related. The main source of NID revenue to fund capital projects like Centennial Dam is hydropower revenue, that is then placed into reserves. NID has spent at least $13 million on Centennial so far.
However, hydropower revenue has always been used to subsidize water rates. Therefore, the more hydropower revenue NID spends on capital projects such as Centennial, the less hydropower revenue is available to subsidize water rates. Hence, NID's urgent need to drastically increase water rates.
SYRCL continues to be concerned about NID's fiscal priorities, especially in light of NID's need to "meet net revenue requirements" and "build and maintain designated reserve funds" while continually spending money on Centennial Dam. We believe NID should consider cost saving measures such as stopping spending on Centennial Dam before implementing this water rates increase.
If you are an owner or tenant of a property serviced by NID in Placer, Nevada or Yuba counties and do not believe the water rates increase is justified, you can write a simple note of protest to NID for each property you own, stating your name and the address of your property. A written protest from 50 percent plus one of all NID customers must be received prior to or submitted during the April 24th Board Meeting to stop the prevent the proposed water rates increase. Make sure you submit your protest letter before the "close of the meeting." The water rates increase is the first agenda item at 9 a. m.
Want to know more? Come to the NID Board meeting this Wednesday, check out NID's Frequently Asked Questions document and read these great articles below on the water rates increase.
- The Union: “Our View: Nevada Irrigation District needs to hit pause on proposed rates increase” by The Union Editorial Board (3/29/19).
- “Step 3: Check your attitude at the door. From the Centennial Dam project to the current rate increase proposal, NID has shown a stunning ability to ignore its customers and blindly lurch forward.”
- YubaNet: “Nancy Weber: Balancing NID Rates and Needs” by Nancy Weber (3/25/19).
- “Sell excess NID properties retaining those along watersheds or that are needed for specific purposes. Use profits to fund budget” and “Rethink storage possibilities and develop a time-lined plan: dredge reservoirs, negotiate storage in Spaulding. Support landowners’ participation in an National Resource Conservation Service-funded program to help develop storage on private lands—ponds, tanks.”
- The Union: “Terry McLaughlin: Make your voice heard on Nevada Irrigation District rate increases” by Terry McLaughlin (3/27/19).
- "The average fixed rate increase for residential customers is estimated to be $13.07 per month beginning this May … by 2023, the average fixed service rate is expected to double. Both the fixed service charges and the unit charges for volume of water used would increase."
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Image by Gary Moon.
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Continue to show your support and purchase a
Stop Centennial Dam Tee today! Only $15.
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