Only 135 Protest Letters Recieved For Possible BBARWA Rate Increase

Big Bear, Ca, April 21, 2011, 4:00pm – On April 20^th, the Big Bear Area Wastewater Agency Board of Directors met to have a public hearing to fulfill the proposition 218 requirements prior to increasing any sewage treatment rates.  The hearing was a protest hearing in which rates could be blocked by a public protest vote of greater than 50%.  The 26,459 notification letters were mailed, and approximately 135 protests were received, far short of the 13,231 protests needed.  The board certified the results, and doing so opens the door to the possibility of raising the rates as much as 6% followed by up to five years of raises no greater than 5%.  In the coming weeks the BBARWA board will actually decide what increase, if any, will be necessary to keep the sewage treatment plant fiscally viable.  The next meetings will be April 26^th for a budget workshop, and April 27^th to ratify any changes.  The public is welcome to attend and give testimony.

[audio:https://kbhr933.com/wp-content/uploads/SP30639.mp3|titles=BBARWA 135 protest letters not enough]