“IF THEY STILL EXISTS”

February 21st, 2016 UPDATE: 

THE FILES MISSING FROM THIS OLD POST ARE BEING RESTORED THANKS TO BACKUPS!

STRANGE HOW ONLY CERTAIN DOCUMENTS AND PHOTOS WERE LOST IN TWO SEPARATE EPISODES OF CYBER-ATTACK, huh?

<<<Return to original October 2014 posting>>>

 

I am sorry, but EMERY ROSS routinely stretches the truth and contradicts himself.  ANYONE who takes the time to listen and double check his presented information will appreciate this fact.

How many of you out there have the time to pour over old records, hours of audio tape, or even attend board meetings to hear such nonsense?

How could ANY CUSTOMER POSSIBLY KNOW HIS PENCHANT FOR SUCH FABRICATIONS OF THE TRUTH unless they actually heard ROSS speak or read some of his absolutely absurd writings? (The really strange ones often do not include the “br” at the bottom left of an Emery dictate indicating Betsie Ross’s involvement with the preparation.)

Take for instance his October 3, 2014 Board Meeting statement defending his telephoning a long time friend Pete Kampa with the “confidential/privileged information” about the upcoming GM vacancy so that Kampa would be the only “consultant” to submit a contract proposal before the position had even been publically announced so that other possible candidates might be considered..

During EMERY ROSS’s explanation of how he found out from a citizen’s telephone call that Ralph Felix had resigned as GM (and NOT BY THE CONFIDENTIAL EMAIL FROM RALPH FELIX on September 23rd), ROSS stated:

“I had told him (Pete Kampa), when I saw him at one of our training sessions, I said, if our guy ever quits I’m going to call you up and get a proposal from you.”

Yet later in that same meeting ROSS seems to contradict himself by emphasizing how many years it had been since even seeing PETE KAMPA:

“….I have full confidence in Pete, ah, in just what he’s said here today, because I haven’t seen him in many, many, many, many years”

CONSIDER THIS:   Kampa Community Solutions, LLC filed as a Domestic in the State of California on Wednesday, February 12, 2014 and is approximately eight months old, as recorded in documents filed with California Secretary of State. The filing is currently active as of the last data refresh which occurred on Sunday, June 22, 2014.

Entity Name: KAMPA COMMUNITY SOLUTIONS, LLC
Entity Number: 201404910099
Date Filed: 02/12/2014
Status: ACTIVE
Jurisdiction: CALIFORNIA
Entity Address: PO BOX 3221
Entity City, State, Zip: SONORA CA 95370
Agent for Service of Process: PETER J KAMPA
Agent Address: 176 BRADFORD ST
Agent City, State, Zip: SONORA CA 95370

How could EMERY ROSS have possibly asked PETE KAMPA for a management proposal if KAMPA’s consulting business had not been created until AFTER his  termination from TUD (Tuolumne Utilities District) in October of 2013  (Sonora Union Democrat article Oct 24th, 2013) and formed the business in February 2014, only eight (8) months prior to the “secret proposal” to EMERY ROSS?

TUD fires GM Kampa
Union Democrat staff /
Published Oct 23, 2013 at 11:59AM

The Tuolumne Utilities District board voted to fire General Manager Pete Kampa during a closed-door meeting Tuesday night.
Board President Michael Sarno confirmed this morning that he was on his way to the TUD office at 18885 Nugget Blvd., to make the announcement to staff.
The board voted 3-2 to fire Kampa effective immediately, with directors Ruanne Mikkelsen and Delbert Rotelli against the decision, Sarno said.
According to Sarno, the board will find someone to temporarily fill the position while looking for a permanent replacement.
Kampa was hired in 2006 after serving as general manager at Twain Harte Community Services District.

 

If ROSS saw KAMPA at a training session and said he would call KAMPA up for a proposal, it would have been (according to EMERY ROSS himself)  “many, many, many, many years” ago which is absolutely impossible.

EMERY ROSS DOES NOT TELL T HE TRUTH.

DIFFERING BOARD PACKETS??? – EMERY ROSS STRIKES AGAIN!
Generally the email [electronic] version of the Board Agenda and packet will precede the physical delivery [actual printed pages] of the material to directors by a day or so. One of the training classes I took a while back stated such information would optimally be furnished around 1 week prior to the meeting to provide adequate time for folks to read (for those who take the time to do so, or even have the ability), understand, and prepare for discussion and possible board action on agenda items.

Historically for our LDPCSD, the material is furnished the Thursday or Friday before the regular Monday meeting which still leaves the weekend to prepare.  (But asking questions before the Monday meeting is quite difficult if not impossible.)

Such was the case for the first Regular Meeting on October 20th, 2014 under the new leadership of Kampa Solutions LLC, because the electronic copy was sent out on October 16th, 2014.

I was looking forward to this first meeting and anticipated some favorable changes but it seems even Mr. Pete Kampa cannot control his old buddy EMERY ROSS FROM MANIPULATING what information the board will, or will not, be exposed. Since observing Mr. Ross for over three and a half years one fact is inescapable:

Emery Ross has a penchant for micro-managing ANY DISTRICT BUSINESS that might remotely deal with his foothill cattle ranch.  You know?  The one that was created and maintained with chlorinated water legally intended for domestic residential consumption IN THE SUBDIVISION under the water license and contract with MID (Merced Irrigation District)?   The fact that there might be yet another new contracted IGM is apparently immaterial to Ross’s pursuit and defense of his own business interests from behind the dais.

After reading the electronic copy of the material on the computer everything looked pretty good except I was disappointed to discover that Syndie Marchesiello (the office manager) was once again, for some reason, unable to chronologically number the pages of the board packet. This obviously makes discussing particular items extremely difficult, because, to utilize a common expression:

NOT EVERYONE WAS ON THE SAME PAGE

Not so “lol” for a public agency whose routine business should always be transparent before the public – much less one that barely avoided bankruptcy; had its administrative office burned down; and has difficulty abiding by the terms of MID’s Water License and the water service contract with our district.

Obviously breeching such a contract could jeopardize the water service to the 99% of legal customers – most of whom cannot vote in district elections and have no idea what the heck is going on with their local public agency.  All they [absentee owners] see in the FOOTHILL EXPRESS [actually set up in business due to a built-in customer base created by carrying the LAKE DON PEDRO OWNERS’ ASSOCIATION Discoverer Newsletter to subdivision property owners] are regular articles under the column RANCHING DON PEDRO by this façade of a little cowboy named Emery Ross.  Very easy to be confused as to his true motives if that is all you read and understand about this individual.

Naturally I hand numbered the packet pages again (why couldn’t this have been done when the original packet was finished and ready for copying?) and discovered some interesting information that wasn’t contained in the “official board packet” distributed by our new IGM Pete Kampa in the electronic packet.

LDPCSD policy indicates it is the IGM/GM and President of the Board that prepares the agenda/board packet, where does it say a special/conflicted interest director can modify this official publication according to his desires?

HOW CAN THERE BE TWO DIFFERENT BOARD PACKETS?

Page 51: Email from Emery and Betsie (br at the bottom of most Emery correspondence) regarding proposed activities on their ranch property.

<INSERT ROSS WELL REQUEST 1>

 

Page 52: Another email from Emery and Betsie Ross the following day with new information to evidently help explain the reason for the first email the day before.

(Please ignore my note made during the meeting in the upper right hand corner.)

<INSERT ROSS WELL REQUEST 2>

 

WHY NOW A “COW-WELL” ?     LOL
Gosh, are Emery and Betsie Ross really concerned about the district’s “diminishing water supply” and only attempting to help ease the burden of supplying water to outside MIDPOU properties like their cattle ranch?

Are they worried their thirsty foothill cattle might run short of the chlorinated water to which they have become so accustomed?

Could their Bovines be addicted to the chemicals and by-products contained in treated water somehow and destined to suffer some kind of withdrawal symptoms?

Will intense bovine therapy and temporary residency at a “Halfway Barn” be required?

Since Emery has recently discovered his spiritual side and advocated prayer concerning the drought in his FOOTHILL EXPRESS column, perhaps he and Betsie have mutually developed some kind of “late-blooming conscience” after twenty-one (21) years of using district water they were not entitled to in the first place?

Speaking of which, how did they “score” another district water meter after having been caught wrongfully “liberating” one of the Sturtevant meters in 2002 with EXPLICIT AND FULL KNOWLEDGE THEY HAD NO RIGHT TO SUCH WHEN THEY PURCHAED THE PROPERTY?

RECORDS THAT HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH EMERY ROSS AND HIS CATTLE RANCH WATER SEEM TO HAVE A KNACK FOR BEING MISPLACED OR DISAPPEARING.

WILL ROSS RETURN THE WATER METER TO THE DISTRICT IF HE DEVELOPS HIS OWN WATER SUPPLY?

WHAT WAS GOING ON IN 1993?

Guess what the District Board of Directors were working on in 1993 during the same time period Emery and Betsie surreptitiously claimed a meter belonging to someone else? – that’s right, re-writing District Rules and Regulations which included water service outside the MIDPOU [Merced Irrigation District Place of Use] after discovering a number of unauthorized connections.

SERVICE LINE RUNNING THROUGH THE ROSS RANCH?

Amazing.  Even our district engineer was unaware of this line that serves two other outside MIDPOU ranches adjacent to the Ross Ranch, yet when discovered Emery stated there would NEVER BE AN EASEMENT on his property for that line.  Does this conflict with what the board decided back then about district property?

There is a lot more interesting information about this “mystery water line”, (including a break in the line repaired by Emery and his neighbor without supervision by the district.  Gosh, who do you think gets sued if there is any water contamination passed down to another customer?), but let’s get back to water meters.

HOW AND WHEN DID EMERY ROSS GET THESE WATER METERS?

My understanding is that Ross was denied a water meter around May of 1993 so I started researching all of 1993 Board Meeting Minutes – but guess what meeting was not included on the computer disk supposedly containing all Board Meeting Minutes of the District? That’s right, the May 17, 1993 Minutes were missing.

My first thought was…..Maybe there was no May 1993 Board meeting for some reason?  However, looking at the CONSENT CALENDAR for June 1993 (where the previous month’s Minutes are generally reviewed by the Board) the existence of a meeting on May 17th, 1993 was confirmed.

<INSERT JUNE 21, 1993 CONSENT CALENDAR>

SO WHAT HAPPENED TO THE MAY 17th, 1993 BOARD MEETING MINUTES?

Let’s move forward.  The OCTOBER 4th, 2002 STURTEVANT RANCH LETTER to GM BOB KENT clearly indicates how and when Emery Ross wrongfully claimed one of the Sturtevant Ranch meters:

“Emory Ross was the only person on the list that purchased property from Jean Hamar.  Said hookup was specifically excluded from the sale.  It is my understanding that he consulted with your office and was denied such.  However on 8-2-93 you installed a meter for Mr. Ross and subsequently charged it against the (10) hookups granted Sturtevant/Hamar.  NONE of the other persons named in this document own or live on property ever owned by the Sturtevant and or Hamar famalies.  Therefore they would not be entitled to any of the ten (10) hookups.”

–
OK, so Emery Ross gets the meter in August of 1993 and that information would likely have been contained in the September 20, 1993 Board Meeting Minutes.  But gosh! Couldn’t find that meeting either. So again I ponder…..perhaps there was no meeting on September 20, 1993?

<INSERT OCTOBER 18, 1993 APPROVAL OF SEPTEMBER 20, 1993 MINUTES>

SO WHAT HAPPENED TO THE SEPTEMBER 20th, 1993 BOARD MEETING MINUTES?

MISSING STURTEVANT RANCH WATER METERS

The STURTEVANT RANCH discovered in 2002 that Emery Ross had “snagged” one of their water meters nine (9) years earlier (in early August 1993) for use on the ROSS Rancho Santa Teresa (Cattle Ranch).  A conversation between GM BOB KENT and the Sturtevant representative on June 12, 2002 alerted STURTEVANT RANCH to the misinformation contained in district records regarding their meters (EMERY ROSS and other property owners not entitled to the meters had claimed them never-the-less.)

The October 2002 STURTEVANT RANCH letter notifies the District of that incorrect information relayed four months earlier when GM KENT indicated he had not personally seen the records at the District and would have to located them (“if they still exists”) and requests copies of the information from STURTEVANT RANCH.

Starting to see a pattern here?

<INSERT October 2002 STURTEVANT RANCH LETTER>

“IF THEY STILL EXISTS” ???

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE LARGE AMOUNT OF DISTRICT RECORDS REGARDING THE STURTEVANT RANCH CONTRACT WITH THE SIERRA HIGHLANDS WATER COMPANY BEFORE IT BECAME THE LAKE DON PEDRO COMMUNITY SERVICES DISTRICT IN AUGUST OF 1980?

Thank heavens the STURTEVANT RANCH forwarded much information about this APPARENT water meter scam of supplying meters to outside MIDPOU properties that had NO RIGHT TO MERCED RIVER WATER.

<INSERT BOB KENT APRIL 2003 LETTER RE: STURTEVANT METERS>

Apparently, in addition to Emery and Betsie Ross, other properties also WRONGFULLY CLAIMED Sturtevant Ranch meters and started receiving water immediately yet others were allowed to become “AVAILABILITY CUSTOMERS” paying $60/acre up to $180/year to GUARENTEE outside MIDPOU WATER SERVICE IN THE FUTURE!

[If a property owner had three acres they would pay $180/year, but if an owner had over 200 acres – they would still pay just $180/year for future water service they were never entitled to anyway! WHAT A RACKET!]

NOW, WITH ALL THIS GOING ON WITH outside MIDPOU water service,  GUESS WHO DECIDES HIS LEADERSHIP SKILLS ARE NECESSARY TO HELP THE DISTRICT GET ON THE RIGHT TRACK?

What track has this district been on since EMERY ROSS and his followers have been involved? – Answer:  Outside MIDPOU water service RATHER THAN FOCUSING ON WATER SUSTAINABILITY FOR THE FUTURE OF THIS SUBDIVISION which contains the 99% of legal Merced River Water users under the water license and water contract!

THE 1997 McClure Point Deep Water Project SHOULD BE THE FOCUS – especially now with the drought.  What better time to install a new intake closer to the dam when there is no water to frustrate the installation?   Put the pipe in the ground, install a basket (keeps fish and debris from being pumped to the plant) bury and mark the location, and complete the project when money and time permits.   When the water level rises again that part of the project would already be completed for future completion and use.

That logical project has received absolutely no attention.    No big surprise huh?

 

My best to you and yours, Lew

PS:   Due to the complex nature of this outside MIDPOU issue, I have included a special page on the top MENU BAR entitled:  “Understanding the outside MIDPOU puzzle” and will be adding information to it incrementally.

 

My best to you and yours, Lew

LDPCSD Regular Board Meeting, Monday, October 20th, 2014
Staff and all directors present with exception of Emery Ross.
Director Comment made in the Regular Meeting just before adjournment for a Closed Session discussion.  >>>>>>>>>>>>>

DIRECTOR COMMENT by Lew Richardson, VP

The intentional disregard for an equal opportunity recruitment process, initiated by a director with obvious conflicting interests, was never-the-less utilized by four members of this public agency Board on October 3, 2014 to accept the only management proposal that could have possibly been presented which was the specific objective of that unethical closed recruitment process.

Perhaps this should be of no surprise considering this district’s history of shameful incidents, including but not limited to: the Grand Jury removal of a director for providing false information; replacement of the board president for highly inappropriate conduct (same director who orchestrated the closed recruitment process); confidential/privileged district information relayed to the public; a sitting director’s water meter being installed backwards so it would not read consumption; concealment, fabrication and destruction of official district records; outright fabrications of the truth contained in director written reports; vandalism of district equipment; and the total destruction by fire of our district administrative office during a record search regarding outside Place Of Use water diversions.

There are thousands of district customers that do not attend meetings who are never-the-less entitled to fair, objective and ethical leadership from their board of directors. Sadly this will never occur when such behind the scene director micro-managing is accepted, tolerated, and allowed to flourish unabated.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<

My best to you and yours, Lew

CORRECTION ON THE VOTE HIRING KAMPA COMPANY (Oct 15th, 2014)

WELL, just listened to some of the audio of the Friday, Oct 3, 2014 LDPCSD meeting.   As previously noted I missed that vote due to walking out of the board room in absolute disgust and feeling sick to my stomach with the continuing “behind the scene” conduct by Emery Ross. Evidently no one really cares.

–

Was I the ONLY DIRECTOR not talking about the confidential/privileged information sent to me about the coming GM vacancy?

– –
ANYWAY, listening to the audio I was surprised to discover the information communicated to me by Chuck Day regarding the vote was either misunderstood or misrepresented some way. Day told me he was against immediately accepting the proposal (which was clear in the meeting) but in actuality he voted in favor of the “surprise proposal” contingent upon his suggestion that our CSD attorney approve the contract.
–
CORRECTION: So the actual vote for approving Pete Kamp’s company to conduct the business of this district until a permanent GM can be recruited and hired was 4-0, not 3-1 as I had understood. I apologize for this misunderstanding. This is really not a big surprise since Mr. Day has much time left on the board (I do not envy him one bit) and starting off voting against the new manager would undoubtedly be used against him. It was painfully clear Ross, Afanasiev and Johnson were going through with accepting the proposal. Can’t beat them, join them?
President Day’s suggestion of making an immediate appointment contingent upon our CSD attorney ultimately approving the contract DID NOT confront my objection as to the process used to insert that proposal into the agenda. There was no public transparency of that process.
–
HOW COULD A MANAGEMENT PROPOSAL BE SUBMITTED AND ACCEPTED BEFORE THE GM VACANCY WAS ANNOUNCED?
–
Leslie Farrow, part of the “hire immediately group” made a statement with the unintended result of actually confirming and supplying evidence as to my concern that confidential information was wrongfully relayed by Ross to the benefit of one particular company looking for such business.
–
Although dismissing my concerns of Director Ross divulging confidential information as being “ridiculous” and attempting to provide yet another defense for Emery’s consistent micro-managing of district business behind the scenes, Ms Farrow accidently confirmed the reality.
–
Leslie Farrow: “I think the contingency plan is the best course of action, get him (KAMPA) in here get it down the road….but the one thing I want to say that’s unexcusable and if he (RICHARDSON) had stayed here what I was going to tell him is that, you know, unfortunately this is a small community and he (ROSS) got a phone call that he retired (GM RALPH FELIX). Let me tell you, all day long at the Coyote Fest everybody there knew that he retired (laughing by Ross – cross talk) so, you know, (cross talk) this is, this is ridiculous that he (Richardson) thinks that he (ROSS) was micro-managing that was, that was out five minutes after it happened.”
–
???????????
–
The Coyote Fest was held on September 27th, 2014, and KAMPA’s management proposal for the Lake Don Pedro Community Service District was already in the works on September 25th, 2014.
–

“That was out five minutes after it happened” ???

–
Thanks for the information Leslie.

NOW BACK TO THE ORIGINAL POSTING>>>>
–
Here is the simple explanation as to why there has been so much fighting and arguing through the years about water service in this area. Section 6.0 of the Merced Irrigation District water contract with our Lake Don Pedro CSD clearly identifies where Merced River water can be legally served.

INSERT MIDPOU SECTION 6.0:

Isn’t it interesting that EMERY and BETSIE ROSS do not reside in the legal service area of this special district?

–

How can EMERY even be a director on the board with such a special/conflicting interest?
How can he vote on ANY ISSUE concerning outside MIDPOU water service?  Or personally recruit the “new” manager who once worked here and has supported such expansion in the past?

–

How can water intended for domestic residential use in the subdivision be diverted to run a private for-profit foothill cattle ranch?

–

Why is this ground well water – from our one well (that was specifically constructed to serve outside POU properties and is the necessary “other source” for diversions outside the POU), paid for by the 99% of customers who live (or own property) in the legal service area of the Lake Don Pedro subdivision?

–

Is it really any surprise EMERY and BETSIE ROSS have diligently fought to expand district service boundaries in an effort to distract attention from their own outside PLACE OF USE business?

–

So, how did the ROSS’s obtain a water meter for their cattle ranch? Apparently by wrongfully claiming a meter from another contract that had NOTHING TO DO WITH THEIR RANCH and THEY WERE CLEARLY ADVISED OF THIS FACT AT THE TIME THEY PURCHASED THE RANCH PROPERTY – (last paragraph page one).  That first meter was subsequently removed due to the complaint of the rightful owner but how did they obtain a replacement?  Even without a meaningless/sham of an annexation?

 

INSERT STURTEVANT RANCH LETTER RE ROSS METER

–
Finally the mess was cleared up and the Sturtevant Ranch received full credit for the meters legitimately owed them:

INSERT GM KENT LETTER:

LOTS OF CONFUSION?  Hardly confusion.  It was clearly intentional.

Emery once accused me of calling him a “WATER THIEF” which I never did – he himself coined that term —– (regarding the apparent unaccounted for water from an undocumented water line running through his ranch serving other outside MIDPOU ranches) gosh, who would know better what his motives/actions truly were when he “liberated” the Sturtevant Ranch meter for his own use?  Perhaps some might consider “water thief” an accurate description in a number of matters with which Emery has been intimately involved through the decades?

Ironically, Emery’s obtaining that meter and then getting caught essentially “Blew the whistle” on several other properties that had also wrongfully claimed/obtained Sturtevant Ranch meters under that 1969 agreement.       Emery’s meter was installed in 1993, but he wasn’t even busted for that appropriation for another nine years!

EMERY USES TERM “WATER THIEF”

SO AGAIN, I ask, why should 99% of the legal customers subsidize the ROSS CATTLE RANCH or ANY OTHER OUTSIDE MIDPOU PROPERTY?

–

Why don’t outside POU properties simply pay for the added costs for that SPECIAL BENEFIT of ground water substitution for surface water (lake) transfers?  Oh.  Too expensive for them, but OK to pass the costs to legitimate users of Merced River water?

–

Think about this, EMERY and BETSIE ROSS support the concept of installing more ground wells to expand outside POU service and believe since all customers already pay for the old well they should be required to also pay for the installation, maintenance, repair and replacement of several more.  Can you imagine the expense?

–
Now can you guess what our “new contract manager”, PETER KAMPA, did just before leaving Lake Don Pedro back in 1997 and going to McCloud CSD up in northern California? (That’s where he negotiated a contract with the Nestle Corporation for a water bottling plant which was ultimately abandoned and left that community in absolute bitter turmoil.)

INSERT KAMPA SOI EXPANSION & RESIGNATION

CUSTOMERS, (residents AND water availability properties in the subdivision) you had better wake up and smell the chlorine before you end up footing a massive funding project for future and extremely expensive ground wells to supply water t0 many more outside MIDPOU properties.  There are only 35 properties on the list right now but many more wanting water service.  (Go figure in this drought prone foothill environment.)  Imagine what sort of service expansion will occur if there is suddenly more ground water available for the increased profit dreams of Emery and his followers?  (Don’t forget some of his supporters can vote in district elections even though they don’t receive water, legally cannot receive water, and don’t pay a single penny to the district!  What a racket.)

–

We only have one ground well right now on Ranchito Drive that was specifically installed to permit the continued water service to existing properties outside the MIDPOU.  (Wells in this fractured rock geology can be pretty undependable also.)   Even now there are those who are discussing the possibility of rescinding the recent district resolution which prevents further outside MIDPOU water service. That resolution was based on the sound evidence of a complicated well study and the professional opinions of our engineer and attorney.

Perhaps it is not too late to stop, or at least slow,  this affront to fairness by generating some letters to county and state agencies and/or your governmental representatives?  Let them know you are against this  continuing attempt at expansion of our service boundaries that will certainly occur AT YOUR EXPENSE.   Complaints to the county district attorneys of Tuolumne and Mariposa?  Requests for investigation by their respective Grand Juries?  Ask the Merced Irrigation District (MID) why they allow this to continue.  Maybe even the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) might take notice if enough of you get involved and write to them questioning what the heck is happening in Lake Don Pedro?

Seriously, does it seem fair or reasonable to expand our service area when the water license and contract with MID clearly prohibits such outside service?   Isn’t that putting the CART BEFORE THE HORSE …..once again?   Do you want this surface water treatment plant to be transformed into ground water substitution scheme for surface water (lake) transfers to other properties not entitled to our licensed water?  Just to make their properties more valuable while jeopardizing the water service for everyone?

–
You probably already know what I’m going to say……so say it with me…..only those properties receiving the special benefit of outside MIDPOU water service should be required to pay for those added costs!  Other than that,

LET THE WATER FLOW!

My best to you and yours, Lew

Oh yeah, to be posted soon…. How Emery Ross once threatened the district with criminal charges that would be very expensive for the district but he would be willing to “settle” the matter; how he vowed to make lives miserable with his presence at board meetings (he sure has been successful in that endeavor on both sides of the dais), how a previous attorney advised the board not to respond to his questions, and  even warned him not to harass district employees, and much, much more.

Almost forgot, did you know when he was president, he personally racked up approximately $10,000 in telephone calls to state departments with ridiculous questions he could have researched for himself?

I’m exhausted, later.

 

 

I was curious as to how that contract PETE KAMPA negotiated between the McCloud CSD as its General Manager and the Nestle corporation, which wanted to purchase 200 million gallons of local water for bottling,  turned out a few years back.  NOTE:   Pete Kampa worked for the McCloud CSD for 7 years.

Read the short paragraph below and note the method of operation – quick board action without sufficient investigation and research.

Many assumed a discussion would be had, questions fielded, and the community would then work together to assess options. They thought they were there to hear about a proposal. But after Kampa and Palais did their PowerPoints, the crowd was dumbfounded when the gavel struck and Dragseth and the other four board members voted unanimously to sign the contract right then and there. The deal was done.

Very familiar as to how PETE KAMPA’s management contract was approved at last Firday’s Oct 3, 2014 LDPCSD meeting. No real discussion of options or alternatives.  Just DIRECTOR EMERY ROSS micromanaging again and calling his old friend and former co-worker PETE KAMPA, and secretly relaying that the Lake Don Pedro Community Services District General Manager’s position was open – even though the information was confidential/privileged for directors only.

WITHOUT ANY PUBLIC NOTICE OR ADVERTISING OF THE GM OPENING, KAMPA had a FIRST STRIKE management proposal and CONTRACT READY FOR SIGNING at the meeting only two days later.

Three directors signed it, one voted no, the other walked out “sick to his stomach” with the typical non-transparent governmental action and favoritism typical of DIRECTOR EMERY ROSS. Yes, my stomach feels better thank you.

No research into Mr. Kampa’s previous employment took place regarding our LDPCSD or other locations like McCloud CSD or Tuolumne Utilities District (where his employment was terminated).  There was no opportunity to question KAMPA about the circumstances of his prior resignation from our LDPCSD or the complaints from customers shortly before he left.  No chance to ask about his expanding the District’s SOI (Sphere of Influence) through Mariposa County even though such service outside the legal Place of Use under License 11395 is clearly prohibited.

Anyway, seems our new LDPCSD manager PETE KAMPA, has a history of such behind the scene behavior up in Siskiyou County as well.   Unfortunately, I now believe KAMPA was definitely working with ROSS on his CLOSED RECRUITMENT FOR CRONIES CRAP, but of course that is just my opinion.

READ MORE ABOUT THIS:    Stop NESTLE WATERS

 

My best to you and yours, Lew

 

 

Hey folks, I was poking around the internet last night after giving my almost 10 year old German Shepherd Dog a bath – which is becoming a more regular part of our routine now. You know, it must be some kind of canine instinct to dread a bath. Perhaps because they lose their “hunting scent” or “normal odor” yet every single time the seemingly unpleasant deed is done and they resume life with a squeaky clean body – it is quite obvious they feel and certainly act so much happier.

After a bath my dogs have always run circles around me while communicating with more “non bark” vocalizations, you know, playful growling, woofs, and yaps…the crouching on front legs and pouncing off in different directions. Often they will impulsively pick up a stick, piece of bark or scrap of ANYTHING and attempt to goat me into a game of “keep away”. Chase me! Chase me! (Which of course I will always participate.)
Tara still becomes quite playful and vocal after a bath and though she can no longer move about as she once did, she clearly communicates her pleasure, comfort, and appreciation. For so many years I would slowly shake off a night’s sleep and as previously vivid dreams evaporated into nothingness and lost memory – they were simultaneously replaced with the steady upbeat cadence of a thumping tail signaling the excitement of a new day. It certainly was a great way to start the day. I dearly miss that thumping tail, but the ears and eyes still talk volumes.

ANYWAY….although by no means representative of everything on the internet regarding this matter, I did run across some information about our new manager that I thought should be shared.

HERE’S SOME INFO FROM ZOOMINFO:     http://www.zoominfo.com/p/Pete-Kampa/35187507

Employment History mentions PETE KAMPA was to be the next California Special Districts Association president (but had to resign evidently due to the later employment termination at TUD-(Tuolumne Utilities District); General Manager at TUD; General Manager at Technische Universiteit Delft; Manager at Technische Unversiteit Delft; and General Manager of Twain Harte Community Services District.

LEW’S NOTE: Didn’t see any mention of Lake Don Pedro Community Services District and his time spent here as plant manager or his work towards expanding our district service boundaries to include properties OUTSIDE THE LEGAL PLACE OF USE UNDER WATER LICENSE 11395! Somewhat of a conflicted career – the exploitation of water resources for those not entitled here in Don Pedro, assisting in the exporting of good clean American water to foreign countries for cash in McCloud, but then transforming into a leader in protecting and conserving our precious water resources.

LEW’s NOTE: LOOKED IT UP ON THE ONLINE DICTIONARY:
Delft University of Technology (Dutch: Technische Universiteit Delft [?t??.ni.s? ?y.ni.v?r.si.?t?i?t ?d??(?)ft]), also known as TU Delft, is the largest and oldest Dutch public technical university, located in Delft, Netherlands. With eight faculties and numerous research institutes[6] it hosts over 19,000 students (undergraduate and postgraduate), more than 3,300 scientists and more than 2,200 people in the support and management staff.[4]

The university was established on January 8, 1842 by King William II of the Netherlands as a Royal Academy, with the main purpose of training civil servants for the Dutch East Indies. The school rapidly expanded its research and education curriculum, becoming first a Polytechnic School in 1864, Institute of Technology in 1905, gaining full university rights, and finally changing its name to Delft University of Technology in 1986.[7]

LEW’S NOTE: FINALLY, HERE’S A PIECE OF AN ARTICLE FROM THE SONORA UNION DEMOCRAT ON October 10th, 2006 THAT MENTIONS US……
Kampa is new TUD manager…….
….Kampa, 44, is the former operations manager for the Lake Don Pedro Community Services District. He also worked for seven years as the general manager of McCloud Community Services District in Siskiyou County before getting the Twain Harte job in May 2005.

Kampa said he planned to give the Twain Harte district notice today and that advertising for his replacement will begin immediately. (GOING TO TUD)

LEW’s NOTE: “ADVERTISING FOR HIS REPLACEMENT WILL BEGIN IMMEDIATELY”???

Wow. See? KAMPA knows how GM recruitment is supposed to work – advertising for replacement is immediate……not immediate replacement without advertising.

Sure was expedient and convenient to have friends like Director EMERY & Betsie ROSS who can circumvent annoying rules or procedures that get in their way.

Of course none of this could have been accomplished without assistance from Directors Victor Afanasiev and Danny Johnson who apparently also didn’t think advertising the GM position was necessary for fair competition to select the best qualified GM.
There was no serious researching of the sole applicant solicited by DIRECTIOR E&B ROSS. Wasn’t necessary. ROSS knows what he wants.

AFTERALL, ROSS IS THE BOSS, RIGHT HOSS?

“act first, analyze later’ approach”????

Typical modus operandi of E&B ROSS and followers!

This old article was evidently written before Mr. KAMPA became concerned about keeping clean California water as a local resource treasure – back then I guess it was just a money maker.

I took the liberty of highlighting some of the parts concerning MR. KAMPA’s work while at the McCLOUD COMMUNITY SERVICES DISTRICT (MCSD) in Siskiyou County up north.
Interesting connection between the two GMs and Twain Harte CSD huh? Sure wonder about the other connections.

$$$$$

Spring / Summer 2007
Petition to California Supreme Court
by Diane Lowe and Betsy Phair, Concerned McCloud Citizens
Nestlé water draw would reduce flows to the McCloud River – photo by Mark Gibson
In the latest legal effort to prevent the privatization of our precious water supply, Don Mooney, attorney for Concerned McCloud Citizens (CMC), filed a Petition for Review with the California Supreme Court. The Petition challenges the Appellate Court decision of January 2007, which reinstated the contract between the McCloud Community Services District (MCSD) and Nestlé Waters North America and reversed our initial victory. The contract, signed in October 2003 without due public process and environmental reviews, has been the subject of ongoing legal proceedings since March, 2004. This latest Petition is considered to be a long shot, as only a small percentage of cases are accepted to be reviewed by the Supreme Court. A decision on whether the Court will review the case is expected soon, possibly by the end of April, 2007.

Legal Background
In his Petition, Mooney wrote “Nestlé received an entitlement to ‘proceed,’ without an analysis of the environmental impacts under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) first… The Court allowed the respondent agency to approve a large withdrawal of water in an extremely sensitive environmental setting by conditioning the approval on compliance with CEQA at a later date. By doing so, the court endorsed the ‘act first, analyze later’ approach to CEQA.”

If the January 2007Appellate Court decision goes unchallenged, it could impact the timing of approvals of similar projects. We are concerned that this ruling could be construed to permit public agencies and others to enter into long term project agreements prior to a CEQA analysis.

Previously, the Siskiyou Superior Court declared the contract (for the purchase and sale of spring water between Nestlé and the MCSD) null and void. The court stated …that the approval of the agreement constitutes an initial and integral stage of the ‘proposed project’. Nestlé appealed the Superior Court decision in the 3rd Appellate District Court. The Appellate Court reversed the trial courts opinion and ruled against CMC in January 2007. “The court concluded the District’s approval and execution of the agreement with Nestlé did not constitute approval of a project within the meaning of CEQA. On the positive side, however, the Appellate Court also ruled that the Nestlé contract was a “tentative” contract with a 5-year contingency period in which Nestlé must secure all discretionary permits (including CEQA documentation), reviews, and approvals “along with final adjudication of any legal challenges based on CEQA.” The contingency period for contract ends on October 1, 2008.Environmental Review of the Nestlé Project

On July 14, 2006, Pacific Municipal Consultants and the County Planning Department released the three-volume Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) on the proposed Nestlé project in McCloud. In spite of the short time allowed for public review of the huge document, environmental attorneys, hydrologists, CMC, and other groups and citizens found that it was very inadequate, because it lacked the cumulative data for decision makers to make informed decisions. An EIR must have a detailed project description and include potentially significant environmental impacts associated with it. The County reputedly received over 2000 comments from citizens and local environmental groups, including the Mount Shasta Bioregional Ecology Center.

These comments expressed concern about the potential impacts to McCloud, the region and state, considering the lack of cumulative hydrological information of the Squaw Valley, Mud Creeks, and the McCloud River Basin. Moreover, the proposed factory building would be one million square feet; it is estimated that every structure in McCloud could fit inside it. This would have major impacts on the town, both visually and environmentally. The contract also allows for segregated pipes from the community-owned springs to bring water directly to the Nestlé plant, affecting much of the McCloud community’s spring water supply. Other concerns include: carbon emissions, traffic, property value decline, destruction of old mill buildings, water rights, and the potential effects of global climate change on future water supplies.

The Final Environmental Impact Report is expected soon. It is possible that a supplement to the initial Draft Environmental Impact Report may be released first. When the Final EIR is released, the public will have a brief time to respond, followed by County Planning Commission review and the Siskiyou County Supervisors’ CEQA Public Hearing.

McCloud’s Managers, Negotiators and Board Changes

Many of the decision makers and employees involved with the contract, signed in 2003, have moved out of the area. It seems ironic that the former district manager and chief negotiator of the contract, Pete Kampa, is no longer in McCloud. The manager who replaced Kampa in McCloud, has also moved on to again replace Pete Kampa, this time in Twain Harte, CA.

During this critical time, the MCSD is functioning without a manager. Only one board member of the five remains from the Board that signed the contract with Nestlé for this massive water mining, bottling and distribution center. The only other negotiator remaining is the current MCSD attorney, Sacramento-based David McMurchie, who was hired to negotiate the contract just two months before it was signed.

When a new manager is hired, many residents hope that the MCSD board and manager will concentrate on the responsibilites and authorities granted to the District: primarily providing services to the District rate payers, such as water, sewer, parks, library, and garbage. The previous manager publicly stated his goal as getting the Nestlé project going at all costs, including apparently the neglect of other MCSD responsibilities. The Nestlé issue has polarized this small community, demonstrating how a large corporation can adversely influence small town politics.

Water Issues Nationwide
Profound and long term water issues are currently creating conflict throughout the country and the world. Large corporations, such as Nestlé Waters of North America and its parent company Nestlé Waters France, are moving quickly to take advantage of what is often the last remaining resource of many struggling and financially strapped communities. Under the guise of solving the communities’ dilemmas, they usually catch the citizens off guard. Often it is only after the corporate plants are in operation that the public sadly develops a true understanding of the issues. This has happened in Maine, Michigan, Florida, and California. When lower courts rule against this corporate take-over, the corporations appeal and the cases eventually wind up in the higher courts. Whatever the legal arguments, the looming questions remain: Who, if anyone, has a right to mine the people’s water and haul it away to distant locations for excessive profit? Who really owns the water and who should remain the custodian of that water?

We remain deeply concerned about the potential negative impacts of a huge Nestlé water-bottling plant to our natural resources, our environment, and our town.

$ $ $ $ $ $ $

YUP, I saw a video years ago about what Nestle was doing in other parts of the United States – basically exploiting local water resources and exporting our best water to other countries.
–

Heck, China is doing the same thing: their gigantic cargo freighters fill our Walmarts, Targets, etc., with cheap crap and their empty ships have returned to China pulling long strings of huge “plastic bladders” of fresh, clean water from the USA to replenish their suffering aquifers back home.

–

Everyone wants something.
Why does EMERY and BETSIE ROSS want PETE KAMPA back here so badly?
All that cheap unimproved ranchland that with only a good supply of water could be transformed into great wealth for buddy property owners?

–

Maybe a host of planned residential developments proposed by some acquaintances desperately in need of that “liquid gold” to create untold riches? (Ground wells are expensive you know, that’s why these developers don’t want to drill their own and that’s why EMERY & Betsie ROSS & Company want to pass those significant costs on to all customers of the LDPCSD! Makes the profit margin much better!)

–

Will PETE KAMPA simply continue his attempt to exploit our Water License resources to other properties outside the legal Place of Use and possibly jeopardize water service to the 99% of legal customers in the subdivision? Then maybe just leave again for better hunting grounds?

–

What a small world and getting smaller all the time, huh? Sure seems as though some of these GMs are dancing all over the place crisscrossing paths while leaving a trail of water exploitation and community turmoil. Ahh, a disorganized and vulnerable community — just the way micro-managing directors like EMERY (& Betsie) ROSS prefer.

–

I have only scratched the surface here—there is so much more and soon, unfortunately, there will be more time to address it properly.

–

I know there are some that do not care for this blog or my rambling opinions and attempts at humor and that is fine, but please log off and go do something else equally undesirable for yourself. What I have to say is only for those who might actually give a rat’s ass as to why our Community Services District continues to be misdirected by particular disingenuous individuals with obvious special and conflicting interests concerning the proper functioning of this district.

–

Victor Afanasiev and Danny Johnson you should both be ashamed of yourselves for jumping into yet another one of EMERY & BETSIE ROSS’s surreptitious and duplicitous schemes without a shred of adequate investigation and research into the matter.
You were either hoodwinked, don’t care or support such dishonesty because I know you are not stupid.

–

I believe you betrayed your sworn/affirmed oath to a public you claim to serve by taking the easy (but very dangerous) path of following Emery and Betsie’s call. Very confusing as the three of you would likely have achieved your choice of GM anyway had you only performed your duties as intended under the BROWN ACT – with the transparency of government action open to the public for review and participation. (Just because someone like Cal Limbocker who claims to be trained in HUMAN RESOURCES supported such rash action (and is a candidate for the LDPCSD Board in next month’s election) it is no excuse not to perform your duties with an unbiased approach.

–

Public transparency? Oh please, even the board president and vice president were excluded and kept in the dark concerning your plans of hiring Kampa. What chance does the public have?

–

Perhaps you wanted to rush this through in hopes no one would notice you were slack on the job and just followers of a director with such conflicted interests someone should write a book about his crazy antics which assisted in creating this Merced Irrigation District Place of Use nightmare in the first place.

–

Oh yes, wait to you understand that tidbit.

–

Perhaps it is simply that — just cowardly apprehension that even a little due diligence might have revealed dishonorable personal, business, or political motives by others?

–

I really don’t know how you sleep at night.

 

My best to you and yours, Lew

Haste (According to online Merriam-Webster):

speed of motion or action: quickness or eagerness that can result in mistakes:

1)    rapidity of motion
2)   rash or headlong action
3)   undue eagerness to act

?      ?      ?      ?      ?      ?      ?      ?      ?      ?

You know folks, I need to “take a deep breath” and “slow down” myself.  I have a lot going on right now but am compelled to get this information out, so please excuse if there are mistakes.  I’m distracted and exhausted.

ANYWAY, I recognize no one starts with the same information or understanding of any given subject. So, perhaps the best place to proceed is by posting the agenda packet material which prompted my emphatic objections that the entire process was improper and unethical.

NOTE: Since the management proposal (and contract ready for immediate signature) was in the board packet for public dissemination, I can only believe Mr. PETE KAMPA has no concerns about any terms being confidential or privileged so I will post all the pages and cite a few in support my questioning and concerns.

I have already spoken with one customer who felt the maximum of 20 work hours a week [PAGE 19 under General Management Responsibilities] and the compensation of  $75,000 for the first year plus possible incidentals,  [PAGE 18, bottom paragraph] was a great deal for KAMPA but not so wonderful for the DISTRICT.

Anyway, I do have some questions and maybe after viewing this, you folks might have some of your own.  Here we go:

Why did Directors Emery Ross, Victor Afanasiew and Danny Johnson ignore the professional advice of GM Ralph Felix on how to proceed with the recruitment and selection process for a new GM?  [PAGE 16 LDPCSD STAFF REPORT by GM]

Directors VICTOR AFANASIEV and DANNY JOHNSON were aware of the correct procedures to select a replacement GM – they participated with the CEA (California Employer’s Association) in selecting Ralph Felix.  The CEA helps protect a public agency such as ours from improperly conducting recruitment which could result in serious problems…..ahhh, down stream you might say.

Why was the Personnel Committee not tasked with responsibility of recruitment?

When did these three directors decide to forego normal recruitment of a GM?

When did they first learn of the KAMPA management proposal?

Why were Directors EMERY ROSS, VICTOR AFANASIEV, and DANNY JOHNSON so determined to push through and approve only one proposal by PETE KAMPA which was solicited by Director ROSS?

Should EMERY ROSS have recused himself from voting on the matter because of his continuing friendship and past working relationship with PETE KAMPA?

JUST BEFORE THE CLOCK STRUCK TWELVE!

The KAMPA PROPOSAL was sent to the CSD OFFICE and EMERY ROSS on Tuesday, September 30th, 2014 at 1158 PM – only two minutes before midnight. [PAGE 17]

Note that Kampa does not indicate how he came to “understand that your District manager has resigned effective the end of this week”.

The original agenda had no mention of the KAMPA PROPOSAL and was printed on or before September 30th, because I received one on Tuesday, September 30th with the CSD project list.  Then it was suddenly changed on Oct 1st to include the proposal for a meeting on Oct 3rd!   Who pushed that change?

During the Friday, Oct 3rd Special Meeting I questioned EMERY ROSS as to telephoning PETE KAMPA and divulging confidential information concerning the GM resignation.  ROSS stated he had not read the September 23rd email sent to him by the GM and had only heard about the GM resigning from some citizen.  Then he called KAMPA with the news.

QUESTION:  WHO WAS THIS CITIZEN WITH CONFIDENTIAL/PRIVILEGED INFORMAITON who thought they should advise a micro-managing director that the GM had resigned?

THINKING CAP TIME FOLKS!  lol

If you were a director on a board and some citizen told you your GM had resigned, and you didn’t know a thing about the matter, wouldn’t you first check your emails/telephone messages, etc.  from the office or at least place a call to the office and/or GM to find out what the heck was going on?

Does it seem reasonable, responsible, or proper  that the first person EMERY ROSS telephoned was his old friend and co-worker PETE KAMPA who just happened to be the GM of his own consulting management firm looking for more business?

[PAGE 18:  NOTE the job name and date under the KAMPA COMMUNITY SOLUTIONS, LLC letterhead: Lake Don Pedro Community Services District, and under that?

September 25, 2014 !

This appears to be evidence that PETE KAMPA was certainly aware of the GM vacancy at least FIVE DAYS prior to sending in his very late night proposal on September 30th.

Did it take five days to create that “boilerplate” type pdf proposal – working feverishly until almost midnight on Tuesday?

COULD KAMPA have, (in concert with and per the instructions of EMERY & maybe BETSIE ROSS),  intentionally withheld sending the email to bolster EMERY ROSS’s story of hearing about the resignation some time after the confidential email in hopes of indicating a last minute process and not violating the confidential/privileged nature of the communication?

OBVIOUSLY PETE KAMPA KNEW ABOUT THE RESIGNATION ONLY TWO DAYS AFTER DIRECTORS RECEIVED THE GM’S CONFIDENTIAL RESIGNATION LETTER!

Why wasn’t the proposal sent September 25th, when there would have been sufficient time for all directors to study the proposal, schedule a meeting to discuss, and then make a decision?

IS KAMPA EMERY ROSS’S TYPE OF GM? – GROW THE DISTRICT OUTSIDE THE MIDPOU LEGAL PLACE OF USE BOUNDARIES AND SPREAD THE COST WITH THOSE WHO DON’T EVEN RECEIVE THAT EXPENSIVE BENEFIT!

Yup, good ‘ol EMERY ROSS has done it again.  Naturally he wants KAMPA to come back to the LDPCSD.

I wonder if EMERY ROSS, VICTOR AFANASIEV or DANNY JOHNSON BEFORE THEY VOTED TO ACCEPT THE KAMPA PROPOSAL were aware of the whole story about his prior employment at our LDPCSD?

According to my sources there were a number of customer complaints that were to be filed against PETE KAMPA right before he resigned in the Fall of 1997.   The board certainly didn’t discuss this at last Friday’s Special Board Meeting.  There was no prior or substantive discussion regarding KAMPA’s prior employment or difficulties while with the LDPCSD at all.

Were these directors aware PETE KAMPA, right before he resigned as Plant Manager for the LDPCSD, pushed for and received authorization to proceed with Sphere of Influence boundary adjustments to include other outside the LEGAL Place of Use properties for potential future water service customers?

THE ONLY WAY to supply that water is to drill many more ground wells to provide another source of water other than Lake McClure (which you should know by now, cannot be used by outside MIDPOU (Merced Irrigation District Place Of Use) properties due to restrictions in Water License 11395…..say it!….Water License 11395.

Is this management proposal evidence of PETE KAMPA’s continued program of district expansion just like EMERY ROSS desires, along with all those folks who pay nothing to the district yet vote in district elections?    There’s much more to this folks, but I have some happy/sad work to perform.

 

My best to you and yours,  Lew

PETE KAMPA MANAGEMENT PROPOSAL BELOW GM STAFF REPORT

My best to you and yours, Lew

My best to you and yours, Lew

Thanks for your thoughts.

LDPCSD is a California Special District, right? A public agency accountable to the taxpayers and citizens it is supposed to ethically and honorably represent, right? I mean they take a sworn (or affirmed) Oath of Office to do that, right? A public agency which you would naturally assume to be an EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER, right?

WRONG!

NOT WHEN EMERY ROSS aka “MUMBLES THE COYBOY” IS INVOLVED

STEPPING
DOWN
AS BOARD PRESIDENT
DUE TO A GRAND JURY REQUEST
TAUGHT THIS WANNA BE ATV COWBOY
ABSOLUTELY NOTHING ABOUT HIS
MICRO-MANAGING CONDUCT!

Director Emery Ross has once again decided to flex his micro-managing muscle and personally orchestrate a situation where his long time friend and former LDPCSD co-worker was the ONLY APPLICANT TO FILL A VACANT IGM POSITION THAT NO ONE WAS SUPPOSED TO KNOW ABOUT. THAT’S the kicker….the vacancy was only announced in a privileged and confidential email to the LDPCSD Directors.

Loose lips sink ships right?  (Or maybe a lucrative contract?)

The notice at the bottom of the September 23, 2014 email which contained the attached resignation letter stated:

“The information contained in this email transmission is legally privileged and confidential information intended only for the use of the individual or entity to whom it is addressed. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, or copying of this email message is strictly prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please do not read, copy, or retransmit this communication, but destroy it immediately. Thank you.”

During Friday’s meeting Emery said he hadn’t seen the GM’s resignation email but merely heard the news from someone else…..Sounds more like the typical EMERY ROSS “the dog ate my homework excuse”. Not too believable, but it would fit with the late night faxing of A FIRST STRIKE PROPOSAL BASED ON INSIDER INFORMATION.

But why would Emery take it upon himself to call his friend with this “heads-up” confidential information (resignation wasn’t publically announced) when the agenda was already prepared? Come to think of it, how was that agenda so suddenly and covertly changed to have Emery’s friend’s proposal with prepared contract ready for signature in a public agenda board packet?

QUESTION: HOW CAN ANYONE APPLY/SUBMIT A PROPOSAL FOR A JOB WHEN THE OPEN POSITION HASN’T EVEN BEEN OFFICIALLY NOTICED YET?

ANSWER: HAVE ONE OR MORE DIRECTORS ON THE BOARD WHO DON’T UNDERSTAND (OR CARE) ABOUT THE OATH OF OFFICE THEY TOOK.

NEVER MET HIM TO MY KNOWLEDGE
I’ve read and watched some information about Kampa’s personal energy in the field of water treatment and for the most part thought it quite complimentary.  I agreed with some of his ideas and comments. The fact Kampa was terminated from his position at TUD (Tuolumne Utilities District) about a year ago really wasn’t too earth shattering for me since the voting public often does not understand the issues and the hard unpopular decisions that must be made in order to keep the water flowing. I always figured it was a local political thing, similar to our situation here in Lake Don Pedro.

A handful of people that don’t know their assets from a hole in the ground call all their friends and acquaintances telling them who the best candidate is who won’t raise their rates and give them everything they want for Christmas!
Then POOF! An otherwise competent and goal oriented GM/DIRECTOR hits the road because of rumors and disinformation. But now, after meeting him for the first time and observing the connection with EMERY ROSS, perhaps my natural inclination to believe the best in people was misplaced in this situation? Just like it was with EMERY ROSS.

THINK ABOUT THIS
As the former GM of TUD (Tuolumne Utilities District) Mr. Kampa was obviously all too familiar with the often cumbersome restrictions and regulations of the Brown Act, Request For Proposals, standard operating procedures, etc. . He is familiar with the typical district and how transparency in government is crucial to public trust — especially when about the only news a customer gets is the notice of a rate increase.

Perhaps there is no hard core illegality going on here, but face it, there is clear evidence that smacks of favoritism in a governmental process of recruiting the best person/company for a very important job. Kampa may be the best solution for the position, but thwarting an honest above board recruitment process that is open to all who might be interested is cause for pause.

A SNEAKY PETE OR NOT? (I really don’t know)
Didn’t any alarm bells go off in Kampa’s head? I mean, his long time friend DIRECTOR EMERY ROSS was providing him with “insider trading” type information. The Board could have met and determined going with Kampa may have been the best thing to do, but when things are done contrary to the norm and in secrecy, I get nervous.

When Emery is involved I know there is a reason to slow down and consider things carefully because, frankly, Emery is less than candid. Didn’t Kampa wonder or worry how Emery might try to assist him and fix things behind the scene? Seriously, Kampa has known Emery for two decades and anyone who knows Emery is aware that he pretty much does and says as he pleases with little or no accountability. If you personally speak with him for a while you would understand this. Shouldn’t Kampa have wondered why a sitting Director on a CSD Board would provide him WITH FIRST STRIKE OPPORTUNITY TO GET HIS PROPOSAL in before others? Didn’t Kampa sense something was wrong when he sent such information to EMERY ROSS personally at 1158 PM on September 30th – the same day the original agenda was prepared and distributed but then quickly changed to include only Kampa’s proposal?

Did Kampa even know his proposal was set up to be THE ONLY ONE THAT COULD HAVE  POSSIBLY BEEN CONSIDERED?

Again, there may not be any hard and fast illegalities here calling for jail time or anything, but in my mind it was in violation of CSD policy regarding director conduct, and policy as to how the agenda is created (the President of the board had no idea of the agenda changes), surreptitious, under-handed, sneaky, unethical, but most of all —- all too typical for THE EMERY ROSS METHODOLOGY OF MICRO-MANAGEMENT. I have so much more to share on this later.

YES, I DID WALK OUT OF FRIDAY’S MEETING
Perfect attendance for almost four years (four year term up in December). Never missed a meeting.  Have never been late for a meeting.  Friday was however a breaking point. Emery and Betsie have obstructed positive district progress since they arrived in Don Pedro and started cattle ranching with water they KNEW FOR A FACT THEY WERE NOT ENTITLED UNDER THE WATER LICENSE, yet they have cultivated the false appearance as victims of a greedy selfish water district.    Now they apparently plan to insulated themselves further with their long time friend as the new IGM.

When I realized precious time was being wasted discussing something three directors had already made up their minds to accomplish, and that once again EMERY and BETSIE ROSS were the instigators of another plot to help conceal how they actually wrongfully started a foothill cattle ranch using treated water unquestionably intended for domestic human consumption and in direct violation of Water License 11395, I did honestly feel sick to my stomach.   Oh sure, I was angry also and that’s not healthy either.

I believe I have abstained from voting only once because the evidence in support of the motion was weak, but the results would have been significant.
On Friday I could not vote “YES” for Mr. Kampa’s proposal because as Emery spoke I recognized it was just another MUCKED UP SITUATION BECAUSE OF HIS CONSTANT INTERMEDELING AND MICRO-MANAGING OF DISTRICT BUSINESS. Certainly I couldn’t vote yes knowing that it was another EMERY ROSS CHEAT.

How could I vote no in light of the positive things I had heard about Kampa? Listening to Emery and observing his typical orchestrated theatre of a few supporters in the audience was slowly eroding any confidence in Kampa’s proposal. My belief that Mr. Kampa had undeservingly been terminated from TUD because of dirty politics was being tainted with the known underhandedness and dirty politics so typical of Emery Ross.
Yup, I felt sick to my stomach that such nonsense continues unabated.

Have much to do in a short period of time so excuse spelling, grammar, style, etc.  , but until later and as always-

My Best To You And Yours, Lew

PS: MUCH MORE on all this later, but for now here is the information request I sent to the CSD office today – perhaps we can figure out what happened together?

???????????????????
Hello Syndie, could you please also include (with the previous request):

1) the LDPCSD policy/procedure for hiring independent contractors;
2) the standard operating procedure for solicitation and acceptance of management/consultant services;
3) the current established committees and their assigned personnel;
4) all committee meetings/reports regarding the GM vacancy
5) all LDPCSD emails (including Director and Staff) FAXES, reports, telephone messages etc., following the resignation of Ralph Felix
6) all communications with CEA (California Employer’s Association – who assisted in our last GM hiring) since the resignation letter
7) what personnel and/or Directors were involved with the preparation of the October 3rd 2014 Agenda?
8.  what personnel and/or Directors were involved with changing DISCUSSION / ACTION item c. to include “management proposal from Pete Kampa”?

Seems to me what occurred at the Friday, October 3rd, 2014 Special Meeting was an intentionally constructed closed recruitment process orchestrated by Director Emery Ross to have the Lake Don Pedro Community Services District specifically contract with a personal friend of his to be the new IGM. How could any other “independent contractors” possibly compete for the position if Emery Ross didn’t call them with the news of a GM vacancy also? Why was the Board President and Vice President not notified that Director Ross was going to personally choose the next IGM? Why didn’t the LDPCSD advertise for a new IGM/GM as originally proposed in the first agenda? I cannot help but believe since Emery Ross made a point of saying I was against OUTSIDE PLACE OF USE WATER SERVICE that his personal choice for a new IGM might be more comfortable with Director Ross living outside the LEGAL PLACE OF USE under Merced Irrigation District Water License 11395 while supporting his cattle ranch with treated chlorinated water that was clearly intended for domestic residential consumption.

You know Syndie, I had hoped to sit back and quietly ride out another few months and finish my four year term without incident and just chalk it up to local political corruption and decades of cultivated low information resident apathy. My days are pretty busy taking care of Tara as she slowly fades away. I have never done so much laundry in my life! So sad, cannot use her front legs now but is in great spirits, no pain, and loves to go on cart pulls and still plays catch. I know our time is short but this latest self serving, micro-managing stunt by Emery has caused me to change my plans a bit. Obviously Ross didn’t learn anything from being removed as Board President a couple of years ago by the Grand Jury for such behavior.

Thanks,

Lew Richardson, Vice President, LDPCSD