If continued “outsourcing” of building services is intended to save the City of Gridley money, then why are recently adopted city utility rates from July 2020 in one months’ time already impacting Gridley families, residents, disabled and elders to the point residents feel they are being pushed out of town. At City Council meetings in June/July 2020 to discuss the yearly budget adoption, which I personally was present for; Council heard concerns about the proposed fee hikes during public comment by myself and others. As a result, City Council would wait until October 2020 to adopt any utility rate increases. Gridley lacks efficient and ACCURATE accounting on monthly utility bills and has high disconnection/re-connection fees. During COVID-19, the CPUC urged IOUs (PG&E) and POUs (i.e. City of Gridley) to not shut off utility services of electricity and water. Yet, Gridley has taken strong action in disconnecting utilities to vulnerable residents and elders on medical-support equipment.
I began attending city council meetings this June 2020, after receiving a letter stating rates would soon increase to an unlivable amount. I showed up to advocate for my patients, who mainly reside in Gridley and 17k is the average yearly income. This hike would impact utilities,bus fair, fines for late utility payment, high deposits, and increase of disconnect/reconnect more than double in some cases. Residents on limited means, cannot afford this. During both meetings, city council voted to raise rates, however considering public comment made by myself and several others in attendance, would not implement them until October 2020. From June 2020-Present, families have been shut off, residents on electric dependent supplies have been w/o power, homes w/children and the vulnerable elderly. During the Covid-19, no one should not be without basic utilities due to inability to pay during a worldwide pandemic. We need to take care of our residents, and not leave them behind for not paying.
I concur with the comment of Ms. Levinson. I have the documentation to show that the City was made aware that they had not met their burdens to provide a path to recovery of the $4.28 million in impact fee waivers, had not provided evidence of job creation and had not disclosed the beneficiaries. Further the city has gone to great lengths to conceal its errors thru changes in the public record. Despite the impact on the community of Covid 19 the City has imposed a 37% tariff on electricity sales by its enterprise, weighted heavily on its lower income customers, to provide the revenue to replace the revenue lost by the impact fee waivers. The City has also proposed egregious increases in electrical service penalties for late payment or failing to pay. I ask that the County not be complicit in this conduct without further review..
I am concerned for Gridley. I recently have become aware that in 2019 the City waived over $4million in impact fees without, as nearly as the citizenry can tell, a realistic plan to recoup those funds, and now is starting to impose excessive service fees and penalties on local citizens, apparently trying to cover the revenue shortfalls. Some sort of audit to assure that the citizens (not developer) needs are being served should be completed before any "permitting" contract is renewed.
If continued “outsourcing” of building services is intended to save the City of Gridley money, then why are recently adopted city utility rates from July 2020 in one months’ time already impacting Gridley families, residents, disabled and elders to the point residents feel they are being pushed out of town. At City Council meetings in June/July 2020 to discuss the yearly budget adoption, which I personally was present for; Council heard concerns about the proposed fee hikes during public comment by myself and others. As a result, City Council would wait until October 2020 to adopt any utility rate increases. Gridley lacks efficient and ACCURATE accounting on monthly utility bills and has high disconnection/re-connection fees. During COVID-19, the CPUC urged IOUs (PG&E) and POUs (i.e. City of Gridley) to not shut off utility services of electricity and water. Yet, Gridley has taken strong action in disconnecting utilities to vulnerable residents and elders on medical-support equipment.
I began attending city council meetings this June 2020, after receiving a letter stating rates would soon increase to an unlivable amount. I showed up to advocate for my patients, who mainly reside in Gridley and 17k is the average yearly income. This hike would impact utilities,bus fair, fines for late utility payment, high deposits, and increase of disconnect/reconnect more than double in some cases. Residents on limited means, cannot afford this. During both meetings, city council voted to raise rates, however considering public comment made by myself and several others in attendance, would not implement them until October 2020. From June 2020-Present, families have been shut off, residents on electric dependent supplies have been w/o power, homes w/children and the vulnerable elderly. During the Covid-19, no one should not be without basic utilities due to inability to pay during a worldwide pandemic. We need to take care of our residents, and not leave them behind for not paying.
I concur with the comment of Ms. Levinson. I have the documentation to show that the City was made aware that they had not met their burdens to provide a path to recovery of the $4.28 million in impact fee waivers, had not provided evidence of job creation and had not disclosed the beneficiaries. Further the city has gone to great lengths to conceal its errors thru changes in the public record. Despite the impact on the community of Covid 19 the City has imposed a 37% tariff on electricity sales by its enterprise, weighted heavily on its lower income customers, to provide the revenue to replace the revenue lost by the impact fee waivers. The City has also proposed egregious increases in electrical service penalties for late payment or failing to pay. I ask that the County not be complicit in this conduct without further review..
I am concerned for Gridley. I recently have become aware that in 2019 the City waived over $4million in impact fees without, as nearly as the citizenry can tell, a realistic plan to recoup those funds, and now is starting to impose excessive service fees and penalties on local citizens, apparently trying to cover the revenue shortfalls. Some sort of audit to assure that the citizens (not developer) needs are being served should be completed before any "permitting" contract is renewed.