An effort has apparently failed to block a proposed fee-increase for customers in the monterey peninsula water management district. roughly 15-thousand letters of opposition were needed to prevent the increase, however just-more-than-10-thousand letters were certified. Despite the shortfall, district officials remain in negotiations with opponents, and the adoption of the fee has been delayed to june 27th. Some opponents are calling for a regular public vote instead of the requirement to write letters. If no change is made to the proposal, water fees would go up from anywhere between 39 and 173-dollars per year. That would raise an estimated 3-point-7 million dollars annually. Another meeting between opponents of the plan and district officials is scheduled for Monday.