Riverbank City Council Watch

The Riverbank City Council on Monday:

• Held a public hearing on a proposal to raise monthly sewer bills by about $6 over three years. Several people spoke in opposition to the higher fees. The City Council is expected to vote March 22 on whether to raise sewer bills.

• Voted 4-0 to award a contract to Aecom Technical Services for an environmental impact report for the city's downtown specific plan. The contract is for as much as $137,466. The report will detail the probable impacts of the specific plan. The city had an agreement with the owner of a downtown cannery to pay for part of the environmental study but canceled it because of the appearance of a conflict of interest. The cannery owner has plans to redevelop the site into homes and shops. Councilman Jesse James White abstained from voting. Councilman Dave White was not at the meeting.

• Voted 4-0 to raise the fee to use the large gazebo at Jacob Myers Park to $100 for residents and $200 for nonresidents for events with more than 50 people. The fees will stay the same -- $50 for residents and $100 for nonresidents -- for events with 50 or fewer people. The vote included charging Little League tournaments $100 a day for use of Castleberg Park. The city says league officials have agreed to the fee, which will cover the cost of maintenance and cleanup at the park.

• While sitting as the Local Redevelopment Authority, voted 3-0 to award a $240,000 contract to Emcor Group Inc. to manage the former Army ammo plant for 15 months. The city expects to take over the plant April 1 and turn it into an industrial park. The city will use a federal grant from the Office of Economic Adjustment to pay Emcor's contract. Councilman Jesse James White abstained, saying he could not vote until he sees a redevelopment budget.