Portola Valley: Tax cutting, mysterious noise on agenda Portola Valley: Tax cutting, mysterious noise on agenda (December 14, 2005)

The low-frequency hum of unknown origin that is disturbing the formerly quiet nights of several Portola Valley residents is on the agenda for a discussion at the Town Council meeting at 8 p.m. Wednesday, December 14, at the Historic Schoolhouse at 765 Portola Road.

The council may decide to spend $1,500 to $2,000 to hire an acoustical expert to attempt to capture the sound's signature and use it to find the source of the noise, said Planning Manager Leslie Lambert.

Also on Wednesday, in light of a recent and unexpected payment from the county to the town of $915,000 in property tax revenues, the council will discuss whether and how much to lower the 5.5 percent utility users tax.

At the Wednesday meeting -- as is usual at this time of year -- the council will choose a new mayor and vice mayor, and because this was an election year, new and re-elected council members will be sworn in.

The council will also bid farewell to Councilman George Comstock, who is retiring from town government after one term on the council and eight years on the town's Architecture & Site Control Commission.

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