Representatives of the nonprofit agency, Rural Community Assistance Corp., will be in Colfax on Saturday to explain the city’s proposed sewer rate increase.

The second in a series of three workshops will start at 10 a.m. in the historic Railroad Depot, 99 Railroad Street.

On hand will be Karen McBride and Jean Thompson-Ibbeson, rural development specialists.

McBride is a licensed water treatment plant operator. Thompson-Ibbeson is a former legislative advocate for environmental issues in Washington, D.C.

Colfax is in trouble because a narrow majority of property owners successfully protested a proposed set of three sewer rate increases.

The agency has offered to assist the city in explaining the need for the rate increases.

One proposal would increase the base sewer service fee from $60 to $87 a month, starting Jan. 1, 2009. This rate would increase at 3.5 percent a year to $96.46 a month in fiscal year 2012-13.

Without the proposed rate increase, the city will default on more than $5 million in state loans, be required to give back nearly $2 million in grant funds and be subjected to massive fines and penalties.

The other proposed increase of $12.20 a month for the next five years would cover most, if not all, the cost of repairs and upgrades to the city’s sewer collection system.

A third workshop will be held at 6 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 3 in the Railroad Depot.