| Alarming discoveries about water, sewer rates? Hardly |
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In a December 2007 budget committee meeting report to the city council, a city engineer alerts the council of impending significant increases in system development charges (SDCs) and utility costs. Follow-up requests for information by the council? None. Sixty-five-hundred Newberg customers receive their December 2007 water bills with a notice printed on the invoice saying the Citizen Rate Review Committee was convening and that important information regarding the agenda was on the city's Web page. Follow-up requests information from customers? None. Follow-up requests for information from council members? None. Follow-up requests for information from the Graphic? None. Number of customers responding to an invitation to attend CRRC hearings? None. Sixty-five-hundred Newberg customers receive their March 2008 water bill with a notice printed on the invoice of likely significant increases in utility costs. Follow-up requests for information? Same response as the December notice - none. Thousands of the April 4 edition of the Graphic newspaper are distributed with public notice of the proposed utility rate increase. Follow-up requests for information? Same response as the December notice - none. Number of responses to May 2 notices posted to bulletin boards at city hall, library, Public Safety Building and city Web site? None. Thousands of the May 7 edition of the Graphic newspaper distributed with both a public legal notice and a quarter-page ad purchased by the city. Follow-up requests for information: Same response as the December notice - none. Number of times councilmen who voted against the rate hike attended CRRC meetings, or called city staff with concerns prior to the council meeting? None. Number of times mayor attended CRRC meetings? One-hundred percent! Number of times council members opposed to the rate hike asked the mayor detailed questions regarding the decision process or committee deliberations? None. Chanced the Graphic would get their May 27 editorial facts correct if they had attended a CRRC hearing, if they had personally grilled the city engineer/manager? Not likely 100 percent, but some correct information would have been possible. After thousands of notices and 18 months opportunity to be educated, and two front page articles, fabricated facts are published in the editorial column and "four or five" citizens find time to complain to the council that they haven't been notified. To quote the Graphic: "Don't you just love it when the wheels of democracy turn freely." Guest Opinion - Mike Gougler - Newberg developer |