Council to Consider Water Fee, Nominees for Redevelopment Board

With the demise of its redevelopment agency, the Pinole City Council is scheduled on Tuesday to discuss appointments to an oversight board that will set policy on how to use the remaining assets of the former agency.

As provided for in state legislation, the seven-member committee will provide direction to the city. Under the legislation, Mayor Pete Murray is entitled to make two appointments, one of whom represents the labor union of redevelopment employees.

The council will make recommendations to the other local agencies that have the authority to make the remaining appointments.

County supervisors John Gioia and Federal Glover will appoint one member each, and and the other appointments will be made by the West Contra Costa Unified School District, the county superintendent of schools, the Contra Costa Community College District and the East Bay Regional Park District.

Appointments must be made by May 15. If they are not assigned by then, Gov. Jerry Brown will make the appointments.

The council is scheduled also on Tuesday to recommend to city staff how to vote on a county initiative to raise existing fee to pay for improving water quality. The current fee for most homeowners is $35 a year. The proposed increase would cost an extra $19 per home. Other types of properties would face varying increases.

The fee would last for 10 years, subject to an annual increase at the cost of inflation if the council imposes the adjustment.

As the owner of more than 40 properties, the city can cast one ballot for each property. The increase for each of the city-owned properties would range from less than $1 to about $735. City staff are council direction, suggesting that it:

• direct city staff to voter either yes or no on all the city's ballots
• direct city staff cast votes in direct proportion to yes or no votes of the council

or

• direct city staff to cast no ballots, giving proportionally more weight to private property owners' votes.

The propsal, called the 2012 Community Clean Water Initiative would fund efforts to "protect local water quality, keep trash and other pollutants away from Contra Costa County waterways, and meet mandated requirements of the Federal Clean Water Act and State clean water regulations," according to its advocates.

The election is being conducted by mail only. The deadline for receipt of ballots is April 6.

The council meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. in the Council Chamber, 2131 Pear St.