NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON
PROPOSED ADJUSTMENTS TO WATER AND SEWER RATES
Wednesday, April 1, 2026 at 6:00 pm
in the Council Chambers at 355 South Center St, Westmorland, CA 92281
Para ver la traducción al español, consulte la página 6.
You are receiving this notice as property owner or utility customer within the City of Westmorland (City). The City Council will hold a public hearing on April 1, 2026 to hear public input and to consider and potentially approve water and sewer (wastewater) rate changes for the next five years.
Background
The City of Westmorland provides water and sewer service to over 500 service connections including single family residences, apartments, businesses, and schools throughout the City. The City’s Water and Sewer Funds are self-supported from rate revenues and do not receive tax revenues to fund their operations.
The City has been very successful in pursuing grant funding for water system improvements. Westmorland will receive over $11 million for treatment upgrades and the installation of water meters. As part of the funding process, the City was required to conduct a rate study to ensure that it has funds available for operations and maintenance costs that are not covered by the grant. The proposed rates are based on a comprehensive cost of service study that calculates water and sewer rates over the next five years, beginning July 1, 2026. The proposed rates do not exceed the proportional cost of the service attributable to each parcel. Rate structure adjustments are also proposed to better align with industry standard practices, improve customer understanding, and implement metered water rates. The study upon which the rates are based is available for review on the City’s website.
Why are rate increases needed?
Rate increases are needed for both the water and sewer utilities to fund operating and maintenance expenses, infrastructure improvements that will not be funded by grants, and to maintain emergency reserves. For example, the City plans to spend about $440,000 over the next five years to purchase new water pumps, vehicles, and other equipment.
How to Participate
The proposed rate increases are governed by section 6 of Article XIII D of the California Constitution (Proposition 218), Government Code sections 53751 et seq. and 53759 et seq., and related laws. Property owners and utility customers subject to the proposed rates may participate in this ratemaking in a variety of ways. More information and the Rate Study Report are on the City’s website at https://www.cityofwestmorland.net/ or you can call (760) 344-3411.
The City will hold a public hearing on April 1, 2026, to receive public comment, including any written protests to the proposed rates. Any property owner or customer of record may submit one written protest per parcel. Immediately following the close of the public hearing on April 1, 2026, protests will be counted and validated. If valid protests are submitted for a majority (50% plus 1) of the parcels subject to the proposed rate increases, the City Council will not adopt the rates.
Every written protest MUST include ALL of the following to be counted:
- A statement that it is a protest against the proposed water rates, sewer rates, or both;
- Name of the property owner or customer of record who is submitting the protest;
- Identification of the assessor’s parcel number or street address (service address) of the property for which the protest is made; and
- An original signature of the property owner or customer of record who is submitting the protest.
Written protests may be submitted by:
- Mail to: Prop 218 Protest, P. O. Box 699, Westmorland, CA 92281; or
- In-person delivery during normal business hours at 355 South Center St, Westmorland, CA 92281; or
- In-person delivery at the Public Hearing, before the end of the Public Hearing.
Regardless of how the written protest is submitted, it must be received by the City before the end of the public hearing to be held on April 1, 2026, beginning at 6:00 p.m. at 355 South Center Street (City Council chambers), Westmorland, CA 92281. (Postmark dates will not be accepted.) To ensure protests are genuine, they will not be accepted by e-mail or other electronic means. Please identify on the front of the envelope for any written protest, whether mailed or submitted in person to the City, that the enclosed protest is for the Proposition 218 Protest. Oral comments at the Public Hearing will not qualify as formal protests unless accompanied by a written protest, but the Council welcomes all public input.
At the end of the public hearing, written protests will be counted in public view. Only one written protest per parcel in the City's service area (i.e. address/assessor parcel number) will be counted. If valid written protests are not submitted for a majority (50% plus 1) of the properties subject to the fees, the Council may adopt the proposed rates. The first rate change, if approved, will take effect on or after July 1, 2026.
Pursuant to California Government Code 53759, a 120-day statute of limitations applies to any legal challenge to a new, increased, or extended fee adopted by the City Council pursuant to this notice. If you challenge this proposal in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you, or someone else raised at the public hearing described in this notice, or in written correspondence delivered to the City Clerk at, or prior to, the public hearing.
English NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
Spanish NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
Chinese Mandarin NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
City of Westmorland Awarded $2.73 Million USDA Grant and $1.1 Million Congressionally Directed Community Project Funding to Establish New Emergency Operations Center for Fire and Police
WESTMORLAND, CA: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Utilities Service has awarded the
City of Westmorland a $2,737,500 grant under the Community Facilities Loans and Grants program. Congressman Dr. Raul Ruiz just announced that the City of Westmorland was awarded an additional $1.1 Million grant through Congressionally Directed Spending Community Project Funds.
The City will use the grant funds, totaling $3,837,500, to remodel an existing building and construct additional facilities to establish a new Emergency Operations Center that will house the city’s fire and police departments. The current fire department building is in extreme violation of current codes and standards. Fire Department personnel are currently housed in reused FEMA trailers, which serve as both housing and office space for the volunteer fire department and standby firefighters. The Police Department is currently operating out of a 500- square-foot single room at City Hall, where officer conduct bookings, briefings, and all other police operations.
After Tropical Storm Hilary in 2023, our fire department was damaged beyond repair. The city has an urgent need to upgrade our emergency response capabilities to protect the community from future disasters, said Westmorland Mayor Justina Tina Cruz. This is truly a life-changing amount of funding for our small city, and we are grateful to the USDA and Congressman Ruiz for recognizing our need and selecting us for these grants. According to Edgar O. Ortega, the grant manager for the Community Facilities Loans and Grants Program in Imperial County, USDA Rural Development chose this project because it reflects the heart of rural resilience: neighbors looking out for one another and investing in the spaces that keep everyone safe. This project is about more than repairing a building, it is about giving Westmorland’s families peace of mind. A new fire station means faster response times, safer working conditions and a stronger foundation for the community to face future emergencies together, said Ortega. By supporting Westmorland, we are helping ensure that the community has the tools it needs to protect lives, homes, and the future of this proud town. The recently authorized Congressionally Directed Community Project Funds from Congressman Dr. Raul Ruiz secured an additional $1.1 Million that will allow the City of Westmorland to fund the project, which will expand and improve the Police Department facilities at the new Emergency Operations Center. The Emergency Operations Center will house both the Police and Fire Departments: The project site will leverage an existing commercial building at 198 E. 3rd Street. The additional Congressional funding will ensure improvements are made so that the police department can relocate to the new facility with safe and modern amenities. The project will add new construction on adjacent city-owned parcels, which will serve as the Fire Department’s living quarters and apparatus bays.
The project will also add parking and sidewalks to support the new function. The Institute for Local Government, a nonprofit organization that supports local government agencies throughout California, assisted Westmorland with writing the grant, as part of its BOOST Imperial Valley technical assistance program. BOOST is a public-private partnership between ILG, the California Strategic Growth Council (SGC), and community-based organizations to foster infrastructure and community investments in Imperial Valley. The ILG team has been phenomenal in bringing needed capacity and expertise to help the city secure and implement these grants, said Westmorland City Manager Laura Bryant. We value their close partnership, including leading the environmental review process and conducting outreach to secure match funding. The city anticipates moving the project forward soon and will provide updates to the public through reports during City Council meetings held the first and third Wednesday of every month. About the City of Westmorland The City of Westmorland was incorporated in 1934 and has a population of approximately 2,400 and is located in the Imperial Valley in Southeastern California, 12 miles south of the Salton Sea and 31 miles north of Mexicali, Mexico. It is a small residential community that sits along state Highway 86, a major highway and transportation corridor. Visit the City’s website at www.cityofwestmorland.net for more information.
355 South Center Street ▪ Westmorland, CA 92281 ▪ 760-344-3411 ▪ www.cityofwestmorland.net
February 9, 2026
Contact: Laura Bryant, 760-344-3411,
lbryant@CityOfWestmorland.net
City Hall will be closed February 16, 2026
We will reopen on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, for regular business hours.
For more information Please contact Ariana Carrillo (760) 265-1800 or by email adrianacarrillo@co.imperial.ca.us
Location: Westmorland Community Park
Date: January 31, 2026
Time: 9:00 am- 11:00 am
For more information, please contact Westmorland Food Pantry (760) 550-2093.
City Hall will be closed Monday, January 19th, office will reopen for regular business hours Tuesday, January 20th.
DATE: December 19, 2025
Time: 5:00 pm- 8:00 pm
Location: Westmorland Community City Park
For more information, don't hesitate to get in touch with Cari Augusta at 760-550-2093 or Ana Beltran at 760-960-5884
Date: November 23, 2025
J & J Tire Shop will be having a canned Food Drive. All donations will be donated to the local Community Food Bank located in Westmorland to feed families in need.
For more information please contact the following Instagram pages at :
or Via email:
jjtirecompany@gmail.com
