who was not present at ….

who was not present at the meeting and requested the delay so he could participate in the rate discussion.

The council continued the July 14 public hearing in Wong’s absence since it had already been noticed to the public. Several Seal Beach residents spoke to the council from the podium, sharing concerns about the rapid rate of the increases and questioning if there were any alternatives.

Under Proposition 218, the city cannot increase rates if a majority of affected property owners submit letters of protest. By the end of the meeting, the city clerk had received 297 letters of protest against the water rate hikes, of a total 5,587 parcels of land. The clerk received 293 letters of protest against the sewer rates, of a total 5,050 parcels.

On July 11, GRF Interim Executive Director Dave Potter submitted a protest letter on behalf of the foundation and six Mutuals in an effort to halt the increase. Several Mutuals also elected to submit their own letters.

The city’s water and sewer systems have been plagued by failures and costly emergency repairs in recent months.

For more information, visit the city’s dedicated rate study website at https://utilityratestudy. sealbeachca.gov/.