Turlock council eyes water rate

TURLOCK -- After a busy election season, the City Council returns tonight to discuss a host of topics from water rates and quality to state public safety funds and road rehabilitation projects.

The Municipal Service Department seeks to have the city address an estimated $780,000 budget by starting the process to commission a water rate study.

The city's last water rate study showed that rates were among the lowest in the region, with only Newman and Oakdale charging less.

Municipal Services Director Dan Madden is recommending the council accept the department's 2011-12 annual report and start accepting proposals from consulting groups to conduct a water rate survey.

The council also will vote on appropriating $50,000 for a water quality control survey that will help develop a strategy to limit disinfectant byproduct pollution in wastewater from the Harding Drain into the San Joaquin River.

The council members will discuss how to spend about $215,375 of Supplemental Law Enforcement Service Funds from the state. Last year, the city did not use the state funds for police funding, so now Police Chief Robert Jackson is asking to have it combined with this year's $100,000 in funding.

The money would go toward overtime pay, new radio equipment for emergency radio communication and part-time staffing assigned to the Yerby Summer Program.

Also on the agenda will be the approval of a $694,730 bid by Oakdale-based Ross F. Carroll Inc. to landscape Golden State Boulevard south of Monte Vista Avenue. In September, the council approved bids totaling nearly $750,000 to landscape a northern section of Golden State Boulevard from Christoffersen Parkway to Monte Vista Avenue.

The project is being funded largely through $459,000 in federal Regional Surface Transportation Program money, which restricts spending to transportation enhancements. The rest of the funds are from capital facility fees. The money must be used for beautification projects and cannot be used for road maintenance or repair.

The Turlock City Council will meet at 7 p.m. today in the City Hall Yosemite Room.

Bee staff writer Marijke Rowland can be reached at mrowland@modbee.com or (209) 578-2284.