Summary of Public Works Committee Meeting

I’d like to provide a brief summary of the April 8th Public Works Committee meeting, which took place at 5:00 p.m. in the Upland City Council Chamber. All committee members were present, including our newly appointed members, D’Braunstein and Miller. We also had several members of the public in attendance, along with Mayor Velto and Councilmember Zuniga.

The meeting began with a staff presentation on a key item: the proposal to place residential utility charges—specifically for storm drain, sewer, and solid waste—onto the San Bernardino County property tax roll beginning July 1st. This change would not affect water billing, which will continue to be issued separately due to its variable nature.

The proposed shift is aimed at improving operational efficiency, ensuring more consistent revenue collection, and reducing administrative costs. Currently, unpaid utility bills total over $1 million, and the existing lien process can take more than 400 days to recover those funds. By transitioning to tax roll billing, the City could recover delinquencies faster and protect enterprise funds used for capital improvement projects like sewer and stormwater infrastructure.

The presentation also highlighted environmental benefits—such as reducing paper waste—and the fact that many cities in our region already use this model successfully. Approximately 78% of Upland homeowners would see no change because their property taxes are already paid through impound accounts.

We received a mix of public comments. One resident expressed strong support, noting this as a smart, fiscally responsible move. However, numerous others raised concerns about the burden this could place on property owners—especially seniors and those on fixed incomes. Issues raised included the risk of liens, escrow confusion, and limited options for tenants.

City staff addressed several questions, including how Burrtec handles tenant billing, how homeowners’ associations may be impacted, and whether escrow companies can handle partial payments. Clarifications were also made regarding the Proposition 218 process, which would still apply to any future rate increases.

To be clear, this item was for discussion only—no action was taken at this meeting.

The second agenda item was a routine review of the Urban Forest Management Plan. Staff confirmed there have been no changes to the plan, no citizen appeals, and that risk management claims involving street trees have been documented and addressed. The committee requested that future reports include more specific data on street tree activity and claims.

Finally, I took a moment to welcome our new committee members and thank the community for their continued engagement. The next Public Works Committee meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, July 8th.

Respectfully,

Councilmember James Breitling

District 2

As always, if you have any questions, please reach out to me on my personal cell phone at 909-342-2523 or email me at jbreitling@uplandca.gov