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SUTHERLIN —Voters on Tuesday rejected two measures that Sutherlin city officials had hoped would bring some stability to municipal water rates.
One measure would have overturned a charter put in place in November 2008 that required voter approval before increasing water rates. The measure failed, according to Director of Elections Patty Hitt, with 90 percent of the voters.
“I guess anybody has to see that as a distrust in the ability of the elected officials to determine water rates,” City Manager Robb Corbett said.
The second measure was the Sutherlin City Council's attempt to adjust water rates by introducing a base fee to all users based on meter size. The average home would have been charged a $23.50 fee on top of consumption. The Concerned Citizens of Sutherlin formed to lower water rates two years ago. George Reel, a member of the group, said this would have “rolled back” rates for all users besides the very low users with a current bill less than $23.50.
The majority of voters, 59 percent, also denied this measure. Technical language and the lack of a voter's pamphlet may have contributed to the denial, according to Mayor Stan McKnight.
“It was bad timing,” McKnight said. “People just got their tax bill, which reassigned most of Sutherlin (with higher taxes). People figure we are just going to hit them again.”
McKnight said he and three councilors were elected last year on the platform of lowering water rates. The previous council had changed fees to a base rate of .00695 cents per gallon which was “quite a bit too much,” McKnight said. People were caught off guard because the prior rate was so low, he said.
When the newly elected officials entered office, however, they found their hands tied because of the charter. Without it, Corbett said, a rate change would have likely been made long ago. He knew, however, getting this measure to pass would be an “uphill battle” because of the large distrust and prior rate increases.
Reel also believes the ballot didn't make the issue clear. Because it was the only election in Douglas County, a voter's pamphlet with more explanation wasn't possible. Forty-seven percent of voters participated in Tuesday's election.
Both Reel and McKnight expressed disappointment at the outcome.
“It was a lot of work for two years,” Reel said of the Concerned Citizens' effort, which included funding an engineer to help solve the problem.
McKnight said the council was now stuck “between a hard place and a rock trying to figure out what to do.”
He said the council is obligated to ensure enough revenue to make annual $500,000 payments on the new Cooper Creek water treatment plant. Without a base fee or guarantee that people will increase water consumption back to where it was before the large increase in price, revenue is not assured. When the current rate system was implemented, water use dropped by half, with the city losing out on revenue from one million gallons.
McKnight said he would like to cut rates back but, because it took 10 months to bring this ballot to vote, it might not be a possibility until this summer. Officials can't cut it back too much, he said, and then not be able to recoup money if people continue the habit of using less water.
“I don't know if we can continue to fight a losing battle,” McKnight said.
• You can reach reporter Heather Morse at 957-4208 or by e-mail at hmorse@nrtoday.com.
One measure would have overturned a charter put in place in November 2008 that required voter approval before increasing water rates. The measure failed, according to Director of Elections Patty Hitt, with 90 percent of the voters.
“I guess anybody has to see that as a distrust in the ability of the elected officials to determine water rates,” City Manager Robb Corbett said.
The second measure was the Sutherlin City Council's attempt to adjust water rates by introducing a base fee to all users based on meter size. The average home would have been charged a $23.50 fee on top of consumption. The Concerned Citizens of Sutherlin formed to lower water rates two years ago. George Reel, a member of the group, said this would have “rolled back” rates for all users besides the very low users with a current bill less than $23.50.
The majority of voters, 59 percent, also denied this measure. Technical language and the lack of a voter's pamphlet may have contributed to the denial, according to Mayor Stan McKnight.
“It was bad timing,” McKnight said. “People just got their tax bill, which reassigned most of Sutherlin (with higher taxes). People figure we are just going to hit them again.”
McKnight said he and three councilors were elected last year on the platform of lowering water rates. The previous council had changed fees to a base rate of .00695 cents per gallon which was “quite a bit too much,” McKnight said. People were caught off guard because the prior rate was so low, he said.
When the newly elected officials entered office, however, they found their hands tied because of the charter. Without it, Corbett said, a rate change would have likely been made long ago. He knew, however, getting this measure to pass would be an “uphill battle” because of the large distrust and prior rate increases.
Reel also believes the ballot didn't make the issue clear. Because it was the only election in Douglas County, a voter's pamphlet with more explanation wasn't possible. Forty-seven percent of voters participated in Tuesday's election.
Both Reel and McKnight expressed disappointment at the outcome.
“It was a lot of work for two years,” Reel said of the Concerned Citizens' effort, which included funding an engineer to help solve the problem.
McKnight said the council was now stuck “between a hard place and a rock trying to figure out what to do.”
He said the council is obligated to ensure enough revenue to make annual $500,000 payments on the new Cooper Creek water treatment plant. Without a base fee or guarantee that people will increase water consumption back to where it was before the large increase in price, revenue is not assured. When the current rate system was implemented, water use dropped by half, with the city losing out on revenue from one million gallons.
McKnight said he would like to cut rates back but, because it took 10 months to bring this ballot to vote, it might not be a possibility until this summer. Officials can't cut it back too much, he said, and then not be able to recoup money if people continue the habit of using less water.
“I don't know if we can continue to fight a losing battle,” McKnight said.
• You can reach reporter Heather Morse at 957-4208 or by e-mail at hmorse@nrtoday.com.
