Committee highlights social‑media reach, explains new $21 reserve fee line for bills

The Communication & Technology Committee reported a marked increase in website and Facebook activity in August and said staff have updated online materials to clarify recent billing changes.

A presenter told the committee that a post about the Chesbrough closure was the top social item in August and drew roughly 2,900 views; site traffic included visitors from the United States, Singapore and China. The presenter said staff updated the district rate card and added a line showing reserve fees for water and sewer “which is now $21 per account,” and that the combined reserve increases added about $10 to the typical bill. The presenter said they posted an explanation of Prop 218 to the district’s channels to clarify why the reserve amounts changed: “I posted yesterday, just an explanation of prop 2 18 that this was passed and that a big part of, you know, $10 of the increase in the bill went toward the reserves, which we desperately need to fund.”

Committee members asked staff to flag spikes in posts so they can track whether online attention corresponds to phone inquiries. The committee agreed to keep pipeline content concise and to include a short banner or bill insert to direct residents to fuller explanations online. Linda Butler said she will work with staff to prepare a general‑manager profile for the Sept. 25 pipeline and to include a short, clear explanation of the billing change there.

The committee did not take formal action on rates during this meeting; the discussion focused on communication and transparency with residents.