SacSewer- 7/22/26

The Sacramento Area Sewer District (SacSewer) meeting on July 22, 2026, focused on the collection of millions in delinquent service charges, the formation of a new committee to address ongoing board attendance issues, and public praise for a new ordinance supporting affordable housing.

Delinquent Sewer Service Charges

The Board held a public hearing and unanimously approved (11-0) transferring delinquent sewer service charges to the property tax roll for collection.

• Delinquency Data: As of June 2026, the district identified 17,701 delinquent accounts, totaling $15.3 million.
• Trends: Director of Finance Tepa Banda reported a positive trend, noting that the number of delinquent accounts is 13% lower than the previous year. While the volume of accounts has decreased, the average amount owed per customer is slightly higher.

Governance and Quorum Subcommittee

The Board engaged in a debate regarding frequent difficulties in establishing a quorum for its 17-member body.

• Committee Formation: The Board voted 9-2 to establish an Ad Hoc Quorum Subcommittee to brainstorm ideas to enhance attendance and consider onboarding processes for potential future annexations. The committee is expected to conclude its work by December 2026.
• Composition: The five-member committee will include Chair Serna (Sacramento County), Phil Pluckebaum (City of Sacramento), Supervisor Villegas (Yolo County), Director Hume (Elk Grove), and Director Hull (Folsom).
• Opposition: Directors Rodriguez and Karpinski-Costa voted against the measure, arguing that creating a committee was "overprocessing" the issue. They suggested that staff should instead focus on administrative fixes, such as better communication with alternates and addressing the scheduling conflicts that prevent members from attending.

Public Comment: Affordable Housing and Tiny Homes

Andrea Montano, founder of the non-profit "Roof Over My Heart," addressed the Board to applaud the new Treatment and Resource Recovery Ordinance.

• Impact on Affordability: Montano praised the Board for aligning fees for multi-family and age-restrictive homes and for proportionally waiving fees for affordable housing, which she stated makes small residential units and tiny homes genuinely attainable.
• Regional Influence: She noted that these leadership ideas are now being explored by the City of Sacramento.
• Invitation: Montano invited the Board to a speaker seminar on tiny homes at the Tri-County Home and Garden Show, scheduled for October 14–16.

Administrative Updates and Board Matters

• Meeting Cancellation: District Engineer Christoph Dobson announced that the August 12 meeting is cancelled; the next scheduled meeting is August 26.
• Facility Tour: Chair Serna thanked the District Engineer for hosting a recent tour of the Elk Grove facilities for his staff, noting they were "very, very impressed" by the magnitude of the operations.
• Legislative Reporting: Director Dickinson requested that future legislative summaries include the actual status of bills (e.g., whether a bill is pending, dead, or in committee) rather than just a list of supported or opposed legislation.

The meeting was adjourned following these discussions.