CITY BEAT JULY 2023

At its meeting June 13, 2023, the City adopted its new Budget. It reflects three months of community feedback including interviews with residents, business owners, non-profits, and 158 citizen survey responses. Now, with a clear path forward, it is ready to meet the community’s ten top priorities and address its ten top concerns.  The Budget is available at this link: https://city-san-juan-bautista-ca-budget-book.cleargov.com/10219

One of the top concerns expressed in the feedback, was a lack of understanding in the community about what the City administration was doing. Public service in San Juan Bautista has been re-branded: “Respectful, Responsive, Helpful, Friendly.”  In response to this concern, the new Quarterly “Newsletter” project has been launched and will be included in the next Utility Bill.  Time to walk the talk.

Nearly 80% of the survey responses voted “water” or “water quality” to be the top priority.  In the last year, the City settled a $900,000 fine with the sewer regulatory agency, and used grants and low interest loans to pay for a 7-mile sanitary sewer force main to Hollister.  The increase in sewer rates will pay the USDA for a $10 million loan, at 2.5% interest over the next 40-years.  Construction will begin this summer, and be completed by June 30, 2024.  Agreements are coming forward this summer for the City to build a pipeline in the soon-to-be-abandoned old Highway 156, connecting the City’s ground water system to the Water District source of surface water.  The ground water will be 65% blended from the new source of surface water.  The increase in water rates will pay for this project, that will be completed in summer of 2025.

Please feel free to call and schedule an appointment at (831) 623-4661, to learn more about how your tax dollars are budgeted, and being used to serve you.