OROVILLE – After holding a public hearing on the proposed 2025 budget, the Oroville City Council passed three proposed ordinances raising water, sewer and garbage rates for 2025 on Dec. 3.
“This is a public hearing for the proposed 2025 budget,” said Mayor Ed Naillon.
City Clerk/Treasurer JoAnn Denney said there had been no changes to the proposed 2025 budget since the budget hearing at the previous council meeting. Hearing no comment from the council members or the public, the mayor closed the hearing.
The proposed budget is for $10,375,750 which is less than the 2024 budget of $11,170, 450. This budget is scheduled to be adopted during the Dec. 17 council meeting.
“Under new business, we have our three ordinances. First up is Ordinance 945, amending our rates for water service. Steve and JoAnn can you talk about the rates for water service,” said the mayor.
“We are trying to keep up with the costs which are going up fast every year, instead of letting us get behind,” said Steve Thompson, the city’s Superintendent of Public Works. Denney added that they would go up $2 per residential and commercial unit.
“This is important for when we apply for grants, they can see we are at least trying to keep up with the costs. I know we can’t take it clear up to where we meet all the increases,” said Mayor Ed Naillon, who added this helps with applying for grants on all the ordinances up for discussion that night.
“It really does help a lot,” said Thompson.
The rate increase will be effective Jan. 1, 2025. This means users in the city will pay $29.50 for the first 5,000 gallons. Those in the Eastlake area will pay $40.00 for the first 5,000 gallons and those in the area known as Eastlake/Veranda will pay $43. Residents in the former North End Water Users Association will pay $$38 for the first 5000 gallons.
Mayor Naillon asked for a motion to approve Ordinance 945 and received one from Councilmember Richard Werner. The motion was seconded by Councilmember Mike Marthaller and passed unanimously.
The council next discussed ordinance 946, which also increases rates by $2.00. The new ordinance sets the new sewer rates for 2025, both inside and outside the city limits. Inside the city the rates will increase to $41.00 for residential and $41.00 for apartment and multi-family residential, plus $18.50 for each additional unit. The commercial rate will be $42.50, plus $.95 per 1,000 gallons above 10,000 gallons.
Outside the city limits, the residential rate will be $55.50 per dwelling and apartments and multi-family will be $55.50 for the first unit, plus $20 per additional unit. Commercial rates will be $56.50, plus $.95 per $1,000 gallons over $10,000 gallons and $21.50 per additional commercial unit.
Councilmember Kolo Moser made a motion approving Ordinance 946 and it was seconded by Councilmember Werner and passed unanimously.
Ordinance 947 sets new rates for garbage collection, which the city does within the city limits. The new rate adds $1.00 more for each can collected.
Councilmember Walt Hart made the motion to approve the increase. The motion received a second from Werner and passed unanimously.
The Oroville City Council meets the first and third Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. in the council chambers at city hall. The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 17.
