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Council authorizes Rancheria water/sewer line connection while fees and agreements are finalized
Summary
Council authorized the physical connection of new Rancheria commercial facilities and residences to Blue Lake's water and sewer mains, pending final calculation of connection fees and an MOU amendment; the action clears construction hurdles while billing and ERU calculations are completed.
At the July 28 meeting the council authorized the Rancheria contractor to complete physical waterline connections for new commercial facilities (health center/Hula and the TAM campus) and nearby residences, provided that valves remain closed and services are not activated until connection fees and an amended MOU are finalized.
City staff explained the work is needed to provide adequate fire flow and potable supply to the new buildings; staff said additional aerators and electrical upgrades at the wastewater treatment plant will be required to accommodate increased flows and that the Rancheria will participate in necessary upgrades. "We won't actually turn this service on until such time as we've worked out the connection fees and they paid the connection fees for the water service," staff told council, but requested permission for the contractor to finish infrastructure and repave the road to complete construction.
Bruce Ram, the Rancheria construction manager, said the tribe has invested in infrastructure and intends to remove on-site septic systems over time, connecting residences and commercial facilities to the city plant. Council voted to authorize the physical connections and directed staff to return with the final connection-fee calculations and an amendment to the existing MOU describing who pays for improvements and how ERUs will be assigned.
