City selects HDR for wastewater user-classification study; East Morrow winterization completed

The Atascadero City Manager told the council the city selected HDR Engineering to perform a customer and user classification study to help design equitable wastewater rates and to inform future rate models.

City Manager Jim Lewis said the study will examine existing rate categories and propose equitable user classifications and water-contribution proportions so future rates better reflect usage and debt-service needs for a planned new wastewater plant. "The council will receive that study in early spring and make a selection on the model that you think most represents and is the fairest model," Lewis said. He added the city is coordinating with a local water company to obtain anonymized, category-level water-use records (restaurants, dry cleaners, etc.) to check accuracy.

Lewis also reported Kirk Construction completed winterization improvements on East Morrow Road, including repaving damaged pavement, drainage measures and modest protective rail work to prevent slide expansion. He said the slide area is budgeted for full repair when the street is rehabilitated in 2030 and that staff will bring a resolution next month to pursue Federal Highway Administration funding because the route serves as an alternate to Highway 41.

Council members and residents raised concerns about timing and the condition of other Old Morrow Road sections; one resident said detours routed hundreds of vehicles onto Old Morrow during a recent closure and urged faster repairs. Staff acknowledged additional sections need attention and said the larger rehabilitation is in a longer-term budget plan while short-term stabilization has been completed.