AGENDA

1. CALL TO ORDER: Presiding Officer: Establish Quorum, Pledge of Allegiance

2. PUBLIC COMMENT § 54954.3:

Any person may address the Board at this time on any matter within the jurisdiction of the Board that is NOT ON THE AGENDA. A maximum of three minutes is allowed each person and a maximum of 20 minutes per topic. Any person wishing to address the Board on an item ON THE AGENDA will be given the opportunity at that time. The Board Chair may apply reasonable restrictions, including time limits, on all public comments. Speakers are encouraged to consult District Management or Directors prior to agenda preparation regarding any District operation or responsibility, as no action will be taken on non-agenda issues. Generally no discussion or comment by the Board should be expected on non-agenda items, except to properly refer the matter for review of action as appropriate. Based upon §54957.9, in the event the meeting is willfully interrupted, the chair may order the room cleared and continue in session.

3. DISCUSSION / ACTION as to all items except those indicated as discussion only:

a. Presiding Officer’s Report:

b. Statement of Brown Act Compliance:

?Request: by Director Richardson –Board vote to affirm continued obedience to Brown Act

Meeting notice requirements despite State suspension of enforcement and/or reimbursement 

c. Dan Tynan Request:

?Request: by J. Turner – Verification of LDPCSD employment for the CDPH certificate

d. Hugh Martin Request to stop paying availability fee:

?Request: by Director Ross – consider a policy on requests of this type and a decision on

his request

e. Chief Plant Operator’s Report: R. Gilgo

Report includes the following:

•Chief Plant Operator’s Report

?Request: $1650.00 plus tax for repair of 2001 Chevy company truck

f. Treasurer’s Report: M. Avila

Report includes the following:

?Request – Approval, read, and file August Treasurer’s reports for reporting period July 2012

?Request – Approval, to pay legal bill

?Request – Approval, to pay Pinnacle bill

g. Consent Calendar #1:

?Request – Approve, read and file of the consent calendar

• There are no minutes to present at this time

?Correspondence: CSDA Salary Survey:

?Request – Decision if the Board wants the District to participate in the Survey

Consent Calendar #2:

?Request – Read and file of the consent calendar

• There are no meeting minutes to present at this time

h. Substantial Water Loss:

?Request: by Director Richardson – Apparently approximately 7,480 +/- gallons of water in the last two months has been lost from an Outside MIDPOU water line which traverses private ranch property.  Access by CSD will be required to confirm line integrity, correct reason for loss, and prevent cross contamination to down line users. District engineers have confirmed there are no records of this line with the exception of an inquiry in 1982 by Wes Snyder of the feasibility of installing such. Propose an ad hoc committee to investigate matter (including process for creating a public utility easement for the LDPCSD to maintain the line) then report back to the board.

i.   GM/IGM Vacancy:

?Request: by Director Richardson – Circumstances of recent IGM resignation and options for vacancy: Request Board “vote of confidence” for John Turner to continue as GM / IGM with understanding any pending written complaints will be addressed appropriately

j. Authorization to Hire Licensed Operator:

?Request: by Director Ross – Consider authorizing the Chief Plant Operator to hire a qualified person with a minimum of a T-2, D-2 license as soon as possible.

k. Letter from Bruce Ramsden California Department of Public Health:

?Request: Information, Designation of Chief and Shift Operators

l. Recruitment of Financial Administrator:

?Request: by Director Ross – Consider actions to fill the vacant position of Financial Administrator, including advertising for the position.

m. Appointment of Treasurer:

?Request: by Director Ross –Consider alternatives for appointment of Treasurer

n.   Designation of Staff Responsibilities Pending Hiring of General Manager:

?Request: by Director Ross – Consider designating a CSD employee to be in charge of Operations and a CSD employee to be in charge of Administration pending hiring a GM

o. Grand Jury Response:

?Request: by Director Richardson / Director Ross – Options in light of IGM resignation

p. Board Reorganization:

?Request: by Director Ross – Board reorganization due to resignation of Board President

q. Appointment of Board Secretary:

?Request: by Director Ross – consider alternatives for appointment of Board Secretary

4. DIRECTORS COMMENTS:

Any Director may address the Board on any item of interest that is within the subject matter and jurisdiction of the District. Generally no discussion or comment by other Board members should be expected on non-agenda items, except to properly place the matter on a future agenda for review, discussion or action as appropriate.

5. ADJOURNMENT

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Much has happened in the last few weeks and I have been very busy.  Some of the information I wanted to post immediately, but due to the continuing nature of some of the situations decided discretion a more prudent path for now.  Suffice it to say, if you can possibly make it to the August 20th 2012 Monday Board meeting, please do so.  I imagine it will be quite informative.

My best to you and yours, Lew

This morning (Monday, August 6^th) at 0521hrs I was lucky enough to see the ISS (International Space Station) approaching from West North West (over the Modesto area) and heading towards Fresno. Although I haven’t kept up with the schedule, I was pretty sure what it was and later confirmed it online.

What was different about this viewing opportunity was that the morning light was behind the rapidly departing bright object and I could actually detect a physical object reflecting the morning sun that had not illuminated the earth in this region yet. (Of course the fact the telescope was still assembled and on the tripod with the correct lens sure helped!) Amazing! 230 miles up there orbiting the Earth.

Here’s some interesting information on the ISS:

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html

Here’s the schedule to find the best viewing times in your location (Country/State/City):

http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings/index.html

MARIPOSA COUNTY VIEWING:

http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings/cities/view.cgi?country=United_States&region=California&city=Mariposa

For those of you interested, tonight at 2159hrs (9:59PM) you can get a great 6 minute view (open sky without vertical obstructions) of the ISS as it passes over Mariposa County again from WSW to NE with the maximum elevation being 44 degrees.

You can also track PROGRESS47P – 5 minutes at 8:48 PM (S to ENE) and then for 4 minutes at

10:24PM (W to N) but both passes are only 27 degrees at maximum elevation.

Here’s information on the Russian robot Progress program (re-supplies the space station).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Progress_flights

Good viewing!

My best to you and yours, Lew

Under the category of COMPUTERS, “unforgettable” would best describe mine.

I GOT FLUCTUATED!

You know how it goes up here in these foothills when it comes to the occasional power outage or fluctuation in current. A minor current fluctuation on Friday, July 27, 2012 was enough to trigger the computer’s surge protector and at the worst possible moment. A technician was remotely operating my computer and while transferring data from one location to another my system suddenly started to reboot. The oven, microwave and other electrical appliances that usually require resetting after such an event were unaffected.

HERE’S THE CARTOON SCENE

[Anticipating the technician’s forthcoming comments, the computer owner; with eyes tightly closed in front of a blank computer screen; the open palms of his hands pressed tightly against his ears, is hunched over in the chair rocking in a fetal position slowly shaking his head side to side is softly repeating “no, no, no, no, no, ..….”]

Here’s something you never want to hear a computer technician say during such an incident: “Ah-ooo, that’s not good”, followed with a hesitant “you may have lost some data” and finally, the most terrifying inquiry of all – “when was your last complete backup?”

Needless to say, since Friday I have been throwing back up thumb drives and disks into the computer, reinstalling updates and even picked up some equipment that should have been purchased with the computer years ago: a convenient external hard drive and a surge protector with battery backup.

Fortunately, I take photos and video like I write…..way too much! Lol It’s not unusual to shoot many images in the attempt to get the “best one” and that’s fine, but the mistake I make is in keeping all the shots that were top contenders for the “best one”. Much of the data loss is a blessing in disguise. I tend to be a packrat and keep stuff with only a remote chance of it ever being utilized again.

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT:

MARIPOSA HAS BEEN, AND IS STILL, ACCEPTING CANDIDATES FOR THE LDPCSD ELECTION

Contrary to the rumor that candidates were not able to apply in Mariposa County due to some late paperwork from our District Office, Mariposa County Clerk Keith Williams assured me yesterday everything is ready for anyone interested in running for a position on the LDPCSD Board of Directors.

WILL YOU HELP?

There is no doubt in my mind there are many people in this community that could be of great service to this district and their fellow neighbors. Folks who would just consider the facts and honestly make decisions based on what is best for our district and all ratepayers. Individuals with integrity who are not afraid to “do the right thing” despite pressure from the very same special interests which created many of our current lingering difficulties.

PART OF THE PROBLEM OR SOLUTION?

There are different versions of the following concept:

Stupidity is doing the same thing over and over again receiving consistently undesirable results yet continuing the process in hopes of a different outcome.

This November the voting members of this district will decide which candidates will represent their interests. Some voters may not be aware of the serious issues affecting this district and might either fail to vote, vote solely by name recognition, or even just rely on the advice of someone else. Some may fear hurting a friend or acquaintance’s feelings by not actively supporting them for the position which is understandable but extremely dangerous since friendships have no bearing on an individual’s ability or integrity in representing public interests.

Please do not waste your time (as I have) in believing there must be some governmental department, agency or office that will swoop in and correct obvious problems because that responsibility essentially falls on the voters by virtue of who they elect to represent them.

Imagine this example: the District’s legal representation, based on regulations, specific legal training and experience recommends the District paint a wooden barn with traditional bright red paint, but for some reason, three out of five directors on the board ignore that advice and decide to stucco the barn, install a tile roof, and then paint the entire thing Turquoise with yellow stripes and pink poke-a-dots. What are the voters to do?

Sure, a recall might work but that takes time, organization and of course money, but mean while, what other ludicrous decisions and district policies might be made or created that are not in the public’s best interests?

Unfortunately, it’s like the anti-“whatever” campaigns …. The best way to quit is to never start.

This district is finally heading in the right direction with an experienced water professional as IGM and it would be a crying shame to see it revert back to the traditional chaos of micro-managing special interest directors.

This is your Community Services District – get involved – be the change you desire!

My best to you and yours, Lew