Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Sanitation Districts topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board hears Sanitation District No. 1 budget; Cascade Shores fund balance flagged as concern
Summary
Trish Tillotson, Community Development Agency director, told the Board of Supervisors (sitting as the Sanitation District No. 1 board) that most district zones are stabilized by the 2021 Prop 218 rate increases but Cascade Shores continues to deplete reserves.
Trish Tillotson, director of the county’s Community Development Agency, and Brad Torres, sanitation general manager, presented the proposed fiscal year 2025–26 budget for Nevada County Sanitation District No. 1, which covers twelve zones including Lake Wildwood, Penn Valley, Lake of the Pines, Higgins Corner, Gold Creek, Mountain Lake Estates, Eden Ranch and Cascade Shores.
Tillotson said the district’s proposed budget relies on prior rate increases adopted in 2021 and that those rates have stabilized most zones. “Cascade Shores is our main concern, budget wise,” Tillotson said, and budget slides in the presentation showed a long‑term decline in Cascade Shores’ cash balance that was predicted when the 2021 rate increases were adopted.
Why it matters: sanitation districts are enterprise utilities that must cover operation, maintenance and long‑term capital needs. Several zones have small customer bases, so the board directed staff to begin an updated rate analysis this year and continue public outreach about infrastructure planning and funding.
Key details - District budget total: staff presented a proposed sanitation budget for Zones 1–12 totaling approximately $14.0 million (the hearing cover sheet quoted $14,000,303.03,976 — staff used rounded totals in the presentation). - Rate background: a 2021 Prop 218 process raised sewer rates; Tillotson said those revenues were used for operations and plant capital projects, including upgrades to lift stations and membrane bioreactor maintenance that the district expects will save about $96,000 annually. - Cash balances and risk: the presentation included zone‑level cash balances; Cascade Shores showed a steady decline and remains one of the highest‑cost sewer zones in the state on a per‑customer basis, staff said. - Cost savings: staff replaced two standby generators and used district in‑house labor for several projects to lower costs.
Board questions and next steps Supervisors asked for practical details about fees, timing and district schedules. A supervisor asked whether sanitation fees are billed on the property tax roll; staff replied that district charges are attached to the property tax bill.
Staff said the next step is to start a rate analysis this year that will include public hearings before any rate changes are adopted. Several supervisors recognized that smaller districts such as Gold Creek and North San Juan have very different operating scales and therefore different reserve needs.
Formal action The board (acting as the Sanitation District 1 board) approved a motion of intent to adopt the sanitation district budget as presented. The motion passed on a roll‑call vote of board members present.
Ending Tillotson said staff will continue public outreach, pursue grant funding where possible and prepare a rate‑setting analysis to return to the board for public hearing and adoption if changes are recommended.
