FINANCING: Have no fear…..you are going to be hearing plenty about Financing regarding KAMPA’s 14 Million Dollars in proposed District projects for many years to come.
PUBLIC COMMENT: Just like with KAMPA’S MAPPING PROJECT, a simple concept is perverted into a different argument to achieve the desired goal, and in this case that goal was to prevent any documented public comment.
Rather than following the established District Policy on Public Comment reporting for Meeting Minutes , the LDPCSD, following Pete Kampa and the California Special District Association (CSDA) policy suggestion (an organization in which Kampa has served multiple times and consults regularly for advice) decided to abolish public comment reporting all together.
Not like this decision made a big difference anyway since the District had been violating its existing policy for over a year anyway. Although verbatim transcription was never the issue (as suggested in the policy change supporting material) but rather only a brief summary description, the Board never-the-less voted unanimously to prohibit all documentation of public comment in the minutes by Directors and/or customers. Actually kind of funny since Board Members have never lacked an adequate opportunity to voice (and have documented) their opinions regarding district matters but only the few customers who regularly attended meetings and chose to make a public statement—that magically evaporated as soon as the words left their mouths.
Without normal newspaper coverage of meetings (like other Districts) Lake Don Pedro customers are effectively denied the opportunity to hear contrary or challenging opinions by their fellow neighboring customers. No doubt just the way the district would prefer the situation – nice and quiet without documentation of any controversial comments. I can certainly understand this policy change considering some of the outrageous things that have been intentionally misrepresented recently by our district management to other government agencies. Geez, why put that in writing for other customers to see, appreciate or maybe even comment themselves? Worse yet…..ask questions.
Just imagine, without the comments made in past meetings long ago none of us would have learned the truth about this district and the decades of apparent fraud (that fabricated CPUC document and lost official service area map regarding outside Place of Use restrictions under the water license and the special benefit water service for land developers paid for by the 99% of the legal customers in the subdivision) – but then again, what difference has it actually made? We are still going to pay for that deception.
Judging by the routine lack of meeting attendance no one appears concerned anway, that is at least until their rates jump dramatically and it will be too late.
Perhaps District management should indeed be allowed to just do what it wants and run its course without ANY public opposition? Give them enough rope to hang themselves? They will obviously continue to do what they want anyway and if they happen to violate another policy they’ll just change it to conform to the activity. Again, what difference does it make? Corruption is all around us. What can anyone do about it other than vote every once in a while when provided the opportunity?
This is something I need to seriously consider for 2017 because my own personal work regarding my house and property seems to always pile up and I’m not getting any younger so the work correspondingly gets more difficult. (Sure am glad I “major pruned” my Pines years ago.) There just isn’t enough time to get everything done and overall time is getting shorter with each passing day. <sigh> Oh well, guess I’ll just have to address that next year (in less than 10 minutes), but until then, I hope you all have a safe and Happy New Year and as always –
my best to you and yours, Lew.
Here is the last of the video for the December 19th, 2016 Meeting….Alright! Finished before midnight! later.
Item 5a: Conduct the annual Board reorganization to include the appointment of the office of President and Vice-President.
Both Danny Johnson and Dan Hankemeier retain their previous positions as Board President and Board Vice President, respectively. VP Hankemeier requested the Board Secretary to republish all the committees and members involved for future reference.
Personally I believe both Director Emery Ross and Board President Danny Johnson should remain on the Board of Directors for as long as PETER KAMPA remains as the General Manager. I believe this because they are the only two directors remaining from the original board that orchestrated PETER KAMPA’s return to the LDPCSD to create the groundwater substitution program for land developers outside the legal Place of Use under water license 11395 and should “ride out” what they have created.
5b: Adoption of a Resolution approving a formal response letter to the State Water Resources Control Board opposing adoption of the Bay Delta Substitute Environmental Document.
Board President Johnson stated the information was between agenda pages 39 and 44 that has been previously discussed quite a bit in GM Kampa’s report and asked the board for a first motion. VP Hankemeier made the first and Director Jim Sult seconded the motion which opened the issue to further discussion by directors prior to the opportunity for public comment.
Director Russell Warren questioned whether at some point after sending this document down the road (District’s support of the Merced Irrigation District’s S.A.F.E. Plan (Salmon, Agriculture, Flows and Environment) which opposes the SWRCB’s proposal for greater water releases from Lake McClure) would our district have to eventually write a check?
GM Kampa stated the district would be asked (for financial support) when the time comes for the filing of the law suit which will be massive and represented by many water districts. Kampa advised about every environment group will be suing for one reason or another and will be hung up for a while. President Danny Johnson commented on a law suit with which he was personally familiar regarding the Friant Kern Dam which lasted over 25 years.
Yours truly, Lew Richardson, commented that the resolution appeared to only authorize the writing of a formal protest letter (which was director affirmed) and not authorization to send the one attached in the agenda packet, yet I was advised it was the letter to be sent to the SWRCB. I suggested a number of corrections needed to be made first.
I do not have video of this part of the meeting but always an audio recording, so rather than just report on what was said, here is the audio portion of that discussion and the documents being discussed so I do not accidentally fail to properly represent what transpired.
I must also again apologize to viewers for my vocal outbursts but it is so fracking frustrating to observe this same deceitful pattern of behavior by our alleged professional general manager who misrepresents facts to the Board of Directors, the public, and other government departments and agencies.
Since the referenced documents were too difficult to read on the “audio/video” I’ll post them here also. Sorry for my meeting scribbles as well. -lol)
Where were we? Oh yeah, back-tracked to Kampa’s over $10,000 ridiculous digital mapping project which is an expensive diversion from the primary issue of what the LDPCSD legal boundary was at formation in 1980. Seems to me knowing what was legally approved as a service area when the district was first formed would be the starting point for any serious investigation as to how this district as arrived at such a contradictory, hodgepodge, checkerboard service area map which violates one of the most significant operational regulations you could imagine, ie, where our district could legally service MERCED RIVER WATER under license 11395 with which this district has always operated.
ANYWAY, back to the agenda….
Kampa started to address the AT&T Negotiations but President Danny Johnson pointed out he (Kampa) had skipped over the agenda item titled, WATER RIGHT VIOLATION RESPONSE. Kampa indicated this was not a major issue as the state was only requesting information and the District has not received a formal complaint or even heard from the State in a while.
AT&T Negotiations. Surveyors have been out at the site because both Mariposa and Tuolumne County evidently have an interest in the property and AT&T must decide within which county to initiate construction plans. Due to Kampa’s having to spend time on the matter some expenses are beginning to materialize for the proposed project. The matter will come back to the board before any major decisions are made.
SWRCB Substitute Environmental Document. Kampa reported the meeting held in Merced this same date (Dec 19th) had a very large audience with 26 elected officials speaking which took the majority of time.
Survey for water use efficiency. The GM said the District needed more involvement by the community as it has only received about two dozen responses and there should be at least one hundred. Board President Johnson asked if the “Homeowners paper” (still doesn’t understand the LDPOA is a “Property Owners Association” not a “Homeowners Association”) could be utilized in the effort. Kampa suggested 10% of the customer base would be a good response, therefore, 1,400 customers – (minus) approximately 200 vacation rentals (according to Office Supervisor Syndie Marchesiello = 1,200 customers @ 10% = 120.
Board Member Best Practices Workshop and Attachment on leadership conference. Information presented regarding CSDA workshops available for directors (Directors also receive email notifications of such training opportunities) would assist in the district receiving a “TRANSPARENCY CERTIFICATE” {aka award}
State inspections.Approximately every three to five years with the most recent being performed on November 22 and included the new groundwater wells in the review. Kampa stated there were complimentary words and recognition that district has invested much in its infrastructure.
BACK UP TO PAST AGENDA ITEM PER BOARD PRESIDENT.
President Danny Johnson returned to the CSDA Conference information and asked if there was a fee involved. Kampa replied there was: $600 for first member $400 for the second for two and a half days for the Leadership Conference. Costs varied depending upon particular training and location (Sacramento, Palm Springs, Napa, and Monterey) Kampa suggested directors give him a call because he “lives and breathes” the stuff and is pretty familiar with what is offered.
(Kampa has repeatedly mentioned our district obtaining the CSDA’s District “TRANSPARENCY CERTIFICATE” which is rather ironic considering the lengths he has gone to prevent legitimate public transparency of district management and operations information. Go figure! Guess they don’t have a district “NON-TRANSPARENCY” AWARD – lol)
SKIPPED DISCUSSION ON ITEM State Reports on Water Conservation and Annual Consumer Confidence Report Distribution.
AUDIT. GM Kampa advised the audit was in progress and board would be advised upon completion.
Project Grants and Reimbursements. Money is coming in but the State is pretty slow and the district is still furnishing boxes of requested information. (Approximately $900,000 is still out there to be collected on (reimbursed); a $400,000 DWR (Department of Water Resources grant) and a $500,000 USDA (United States Department of Agriculture grant) Director Warren questioned our finances stating if we are owed $900,000 we are out of cash— Kampa admitted some pretty sizeable transfers from our money market account to the checking account were required and the filter repairs are still outstanding and need to be paid but expected government reimbursement to be furnished in a couple of weeks. The GM stated another 200 pages of requested information is to be delivered next Thursday for the USDA grant reimbursement.
DWR IRWMP GRANT. Two project signs will be installed in the community to inform the public – which are required to obtain the grant. Board President Danny Johnson suggested another sign/banner stating if customers wanted some of the grant money for reimbursement for water efficiency they would have to fill out the survey (mentioned above). Also described as, if you want money for you new toilet – fill out the survey!
Skipped over Service Line Replacement Project item. (Agenda stated Environmental review is complete)
Skipped over Emergency Well Project as already discussed per Board President Danny Johnson under Project Grants and Reimbursements.
Skipped over Water Treatment Plant Filters Cost and Upgrade Status. As already discussed per President Danny Johnson. (Approximately $300,000 for the total project)
Skipped Meter Project Status item as already discussed per Board President Danny Johnson. [From agenda packet: “At last month’s Board meeting, an expenditure to troubleshoot and remedy the problems with the District water meter system was approved. This work will take place on December 20, 2016 with the estimated completion in 4 to 5 days total.”]
Skipped EMERGENCY PUMP BARGE RENOVATIONS as already discussed per Board President Danny Johnson [without studying or acknowledging barge estimate repairs are apparently considerably over the board limit of $20,000.]
Ranchito Well #1 Renovations. Was not “caved in” as was a previous concern. Engineer’s looking at inspection video of well. Another $5,850 for cleaning and testing. Then the board needs to determine a final fix for the well?
Maintenance Plan/Asset Management Program. Attached schedule for implementation of the new SEMS asset management and maintenance software program. Data entry approximately 50% complete.
NOTE: I have never received an adequate answer as to what happened to the former system that was installed to track such maintenance and assets by a former GM. Kampa only said it wasn’t completed correctly and it had to be rebuilt from the ground up.
Dave Worthley asked what caused the problem at Ranchito Well #1 (the original well constructed in 1992 and used to provide groundwater substitution for those properties outside the MID Place of use under 11395 receiving MERCED RIVER WATER). Kampa advised it was due to the minerals in the water that build up with age and deteriorate equipment.
Wes Barton asked about the remaining work on the wells and how much it would cost and Kampa advised it was only SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) work and conduit and would be approximately $56,000 for all three wells plus incidentals.
Victor Afanasiev asked about fire hydrant testing however President Johnson suggested he bring the matter up at the next public comment. Victor said he would.
Board President Johnson said the next matter on the agenda was item 4 Approval of Consent Agenda with several meeting notices. He also pointed out that he and Director Ross were not present at two of the meetings and could therefore not vote on those particular Minutes.
Meeting Minutes approved.
During the approval for the Treasurer’s Report Vice President Dan Hankemeier reiterated his expressed desire to have our contracted accountant appear before the board to explain some of the issues repeatedly brought up at meetings. President Johnson stated the accountant already did attend a meeting once a year after the audit and suggested a “training session” for the board members.
Director Russell Warren reminded the board that they had promised the public to have the accountant attend a meeting. I commented he was supposed to come and answer Wes Barton’s questions. (Questions that have gone unanswered for months) Wes said something about there being two (different financial experts). GM Kampa stated there was a difference between our accountant (CPA-Certified Public Account) and the auditor.
Both Directors Warren and Ross agreed that questions have persisted for over a year and needed answers.
I have a video clip of that remaining discussion (Board’s previous agreement to have the accountant come to a meeting to explain some things Wes Barton has been asking about for over a year now, but first some more blah, blah, blah because I believe it important.
Since the topic was financial I asked why the Board is allowing GM Pete Kampa to pursue a $10,000 plus mapping project when the only missing map is the original one created at the District’s formation in 1980 and approved by Mariposa and Tuolumne County LAFCos.
State of California Licensed Land Surveyor #3190, Keith Leonard performed that survey. You know, it still strikes me as quite peculiar Mariposa or Tuolumne County doesn’t have a copy of that original water service area map. How could a survey be performed and they not receive the final results of that required survey?
Perhaps their known possession would have raised many legitimate questions as to why both counties approved annexations outside the place of use under water license 11395 held by the Merced Irrigation district with which our surface water treatment plant had always pumped MERCED RIVER WATER from Lake McClure? (Even it’s predecessor Sierra Highlands Water Company too!)
Heck the LDPCSD has the original metes and bounds survey (engineering terms in compass headings, degrees, arc angles, distances, etc.] as documented and contained in the September 19th, 2016 meeting agenda packet [hand numbered pages 42- 52 of course].
Why doesn’t the Board just have that decades old missing map plotted for everyone to see and appreciate? They could always add the expensive miscellaneous “bells and whistles” later if they wanted. [Overlays of service expansions both with and without proper LAFCo annexations or even availability fees having been paid. Heck if created to the same scale they could use the numerous existing overlays in our existing records….unless those too have also been conveniently “lost” in the last couple of years.]
Possession of the original map would assist folks in understanding how the political Gerrymandering process works in our district elections to facilitate and guarantee that regulations would never be seriously investigated and understood much less followed.
Well, I guess it is the same old story….it is always easier to spend another person’s [or agency’s] money than your own – especially when there is absolutely no accountability by an intentionally misinformed community.
Sad to say every current and future customer of this district will pay for such blatant waste of money which adds up to a very significant amount. Customers will get stuck with the tab for perpetuity and Kampa & Kompany will eventually just walk away to exploit the next disadvantaged-unorganized community.
How can such fraud be allowed to continue within a public agency operating in the great State of California?
Could it be that the LDPCSD is just one of thousands of other such examples of the outright failure to protect this natural resource required for survival?
Maybe this is just another reason why Governor Brown’s CALIFORNIA WATERFIX proposal was created – despite the “significant and unavoidable” impacts to many communities?
Shame, shame, shame on every director, GM and/or other special interest individual – past and present, who placed special interest agendas over that of the legally intended beneficiaries of water license 11395 in the Lake Don Pedro subdivision. Those who refused/refuse to follow those clear restrictions all share responsibility in what will likely happen to our water supply. Shame, shame, shame.
I had a great deal of difficulty working with those recent video clips since I haven’t used the program much lately (Unfortunately it appears as though I’m one of those people who can’t take a break without having to be retrained! lol)
Anyway, I was trying to figure out how I was previously able to work with the program more efficiently and ended up creating another video about something I believe to be EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. (Kind of a “re-do” actually)
The Barge Expense which Kampa seemed to conceal from everyone and his MAPPING PROJECT which I do not trust for a nanosecond.
Seems to me he evaded the issue of WHERE THE INFORMATION FOR HIS OVER $10,000 MAP PROJECT WAS GOING TO BE RECEIVED – but I believe I already know.
When on the board I had the opportunity to see the many, many maps and overlays the district had produced which raised a number of serious questions about our legal service boundary and continuing efforts to expand service outside the MID POU. I guess what is most frustrating about this situation is the simple fact most people with even a rudimentary understanding of maps would also likely see these discrepancies, or violations, if you will.
The maps of real importance?
The one approved by the respective counties at district formation (the 1980 metes and bounds survey);
the Merced Irrigation District Place of Use map per water license 11395;
the map the State Water Board has had on file since formation as the official service area, and of course,
what the California Public Utilities Commission approved when transferring Sierra Highlands Water Company facilities and assets to the newly formed LDPCSD.
All have been posted on lakedonpedro.org with the exception of the most important one that has been missing for many years –
the LAFCo approved service area map which the district has seemed extremely reluctant to produce — and I think we all know why.
Heck, even the official CPUC transfer approval document was wrongfully changed (in-house apparently) to permit service in areas the CPUC did not authorize. Decades of fraud and abuse for the owners of property in the Lake Don Pedro Owners’ Association subdivision who are mandatory customers of the Lake Don Pedro CSD which, in my mind, appears to be nothing more than decades of institutionalized fraud without escape – unless you care to sell your home and property……likely at a loss. All due to special interest corruption of a local public agency. Very, very sad and WRONG!
OK, if you will recall, Randy was giving his verbal operations report and GM Kampa changed the subject to the emergency PG&E call out on Friday. Keeping with the chronological order (since the following video jumps over this discussion and the beginning of KAMPA’s MAP PROJECT, let’s fill in the missing pieces before the next video clip.)
ELECTRICAL EMERGENCY AT THE PLANT
Randy advised that while working on a STATE MANDAED UPGRADE to install a meter in the 18” finished water line (water that has been treated and ready for distribution to customers) an electrical conduit with high voltage power lines had been discovered full of water next to the water line. Naturally all work stopped for safety reasons and PG&E was contacted about the situation.
Although the initial expectation was this meter project would now take several months to complete Randy contacted some PG&E employees he knew and explained the situation which resulted in approximately 15 various types of PG&E trucks and numerous employees showing up at the treatment plant. (He joked that it looked like every PG&E employee in Merced was present.)
The end result is that the District may now proceed with installing the new “mag meter” which is not only crucial if our decades old SIGNIFICANT WATER LOSS is ever to be located and corrected but was required by the State of California years ago and never completed.
[You know my opinion on this BS as well – how many years was this water loss problem permitted to fester and get even worse? But more importantly – why?
Why wasn’t it addressed with the millions of dollars in grant money Kampa obtained instead of creating a special benefit alternate source of water for groundwater substitution to assist outside place of use land developers?
I still believe it (the continuing massive water loss) may have been, and is, a simple and convenient excuse for intentional unaccounted for water use undetectable with simple “billing activities”- after all, seriously now folks,…
How can ANYONE possibly calculate a water loss (much less locate it) without knowing exactly how much treated water is actually leaving the plant?
Then add to this how many properties could theoretically be receiving water in direct violation of the original official district water service map that mysteriously disappeared during the “great expansion” that Pete Kampa himself was involved and advocated 20 years ago during his first LDPCSD employment tour?
At least another 9,000 plus acres!
You know, I have heard this STATE MANDATED WORK reference a few times now and must say,
it actually instills a bit of apprehensive confidence that someone, somewhere in legitimate California State Government might actually understand and appreciate what has been going on here not only for decades, but especially since Kampa’s return and is pushing the district to make these NECESSARY MANDATORY CHANGES. (At least I sure want to believe this anyway.)
One thing is painfully obvious, if left to the district these projects would NEVER HAVE BEEN STARTED OR COMPLETED!
Way too corrupt with special interest influence.]
OK, back to the meeting. My blood pressure is going up again.
COULD BE PUMPING FROM LAKE WITH FIXED INTAKE
Director James Sult confirmed with the rising lake levels there was no reason our one fixed intake pump could not be furnishing water to the treatment plant. Director Warren added that the ground wells would be needed if the one functioning fixed intake failed because the second was inoperable and the barge was down.
AGAIN….why weren’t these MAJOR PRIMARY INFRASTRUCTURE REPAIRS MADE PRIORITIES WHILE THE LAKE WAS DOWN WITH THOSE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN PUBLIC GRANTS KAMPA SOUGHT?
This is something else that has been rolling around in the back of my skull….
why has KAMPA taken every opportunity to use groundwater when not absolutely necessary? He has said because it was cheaper and more convenient for the employees, but could he also be “paying back” in groundwater substitution the MERCED RIVER WATER that has already left the district service area?
Who knows?
What happened to the traditional OUTSIDE MIDPOU COMPLIANCE REPORT in the monthly board agenda packet again?
This is the ONLY WAY regular customers have any idea how much MERCED RIVER WATER is leaving the district to properties outside the permitted area of water license 11395.
Is the Merced Irrigation District also unconcerned about MERCED RIVER WATER compliance reporting so long as the LDPCSD publicly supports it’s S.A.F.E. Plan: (Salmon, Agriculture, Flows and Environment)?
Or is it a matter of –
Same Arrogant Failures Every-time?
Board President Danny Johnson then apparently attempted to get Randy to state the Board’s activities in promoting maintenance and modernizing the plant (filters) had saved employees work time in operations. Randy, however, corrected that assumption by stating it was more of a water quality improvement than time required, as the treatment process was the same. Mr. Gilgo again repeated that the quality of the water has been greatly improved though careful to say it was always good, it is much better now.
The Board President then commented on the filter inspections and whether Randy had the certification to perform those inspections. Randy explained there was nothing much to inspect other than superficially, but core samples are taken of the filter media every two years by a contract company looking for “mud balls”, size of media, and depth of the different media layers.
{Approximately 8 feet of media is contained within the filter pressure vessel so only the top layer of sand is visible when the hatch is opened. Those large white “submarine looking tanks” at the plant – lol}
KAMPA added there was a specific annual procedure for visually inspecting the media characteristics without a core sample every two years. After further questioning by President Johnson Kampa admitted that with more frequent inspections the District would probably have been aware there was a problem with the filters and scheduled the contract company for a more detailed media inspection.
President Johnson questioned Randy about the 60-80 customer water meters that were not working properly and whether there were new ones malfunctioning or just the same 60-90. Randy advised it was the same 60-80 with no new additional failures and some were just questioned because of apparent irregular readings that Syndie observed while processing billing.
Director Sult mentioned how chemical purchases have been questioned in the past and wondered if the repaired filters would affect that situation. Randy stated there was not a direct impact and that as it was the raw water quality that affected chemical usage.
Director Sult also confirmed the filters were rebuilt with PVC below the media and stainless steel above media.
IMPORTANT TIME LINE POINT: Chief Plant Operator Randy Gilgo then left the board room in order to obtain the barge estimate packet (eight pages) previously discussed for later handout to the board members and audience. (Thank you Randy for that extremely important information unfortunately I (and probably others) didn’t catch the apparent estimate anomaly until three days later while writing the previous post.)
Board President Danny Johnson advised he did not have a formal written presiding officer’s report and chose to make a verbal one commending board members for their work. GM PETE KAMPA echoed the complimentary comments by Danny Johnson regarding board member work and projects accomplished. Kampa stated that other than minor corrections he believed the State would give us a good “report card”.
KAMPA’s MAPPING PROJECT
The GM advised the matter should be an agenda item because the project cost could grow to a “very large number”. When questioned as to how large a number KAMPA advised more than $10,000! He advised he would not get into much detail since it wasn’t on the agenda [WHY?]but it wasn’t a matter of time required for the project because the time is relatively short but it is just “digital data that is plugged in” but decisions need to be made on how to proceed.
President Danny Johnson said he read Kampa’s paragraph in the packet concerning the matter and wanted one correction concerning a very controversial issue:
{insert}
“MID Place of Use, and properties served outside the CSD boundaries…”
Johnson stated he did not want to convey the idea that properties outside the boundaries were not part of the district. Johnson said the terminology made him cringe. He continued by saying the mapping project might find this to be true but his intent in supporting a map was to put a damper on the controversy regarding the various maps presented through the years. (NOTE: MANY OF THESE MAPS WERE FABRICATED BY THE LDPCSD AND ARE STILL DISPLAYED IN THE BOARDROOM) He said the district would not serve properties outside the district unless it had been done long ago and grandfathered in by other boards. (GRANDFATHERED? OR SIMPLY IGNORED DUE TO POLITICAL PRESSURE FROM SPECIAL INTERESTS?) Johnson said even if legally outside the CSD boundary he did not believe the district could legally now stop the water service provided for 50 years.
Johnson reiterated that the statement made him a little nervous. Kampa advised the map was to be historical and not one for future service and although there have been requests for water service outside the district they could not be processed without an annexation from LAFCo (Local Agency Formation Commission) or an outside area agreement also processed through LAFCo. (Tuolumne and/or Mariposa County LAFCo depending upon property location.)
Director Warren questioned whether Syndie in the office was the main beneficiary of such a map for answering questions regarding service availability, to which she agreed it would be helpful.
President Johnson stated he didn’t think it was just Syndie because the entire community had been at odds over the issue for decades. Johnson told Kampa to keep going forward and let the Board know – to which Kampa replied unless there was a special meeting to deal with the matter.
Director Emery Ross then suggested if there was to be a special meeting it should include the barge issue as well, but KAMPA replied that issue would only go on the agenda if it was over what the board had approved and it shouldn’t….
[???]
OK, that brings us up to the next video clip that I uploaded last night. Not sure if you folks ever see the verbal introduction that is displayed on YouTube but I’ll try to drop it in here-
Although this video is slightly out of chronological order (passed over discussion of the emergency PG&E call out to the plant on Friday – and beginning of Kampa’s map project – will try to get back to that) the video presentation at this time is necessary to show when the board of directors actually received the barge estimates which appear contrary to what was presented at the meeting. There are some other important matters as well: Kampa stating the barge issue would only be on the agenda if over the approved amount (which it clearly was but Kampa never admitted this fact); Director James Sult’s excellent comment that any production of a new District Map should be unbiased without the district furnishing the information for it’s RE-CONSTRUCTION (listen to Kampa’s answer…..anyone else smell another SNEAKY PETE on the horizon?); Board President Johnson seems to want a MAP that could be used in defense of past and future activities (he and Ross are the only two directors left from the original board that brought KAMPA back to Lake Don Pedro for OUTSIDE MID POU SPECIAL BENEFIT WATER SERVICE FOR DEVELOPERS , the other three current directors “inherited” Sneaky Pete); yours truly comments on the ridiculous and expensive KAMPA MAP PROJECT; (after which the video documents when directors and public actually received barge 411 that should have been in packet); Kampa dismisses the several month long state request for information as nothing to worry about and Kampa said the barge matter should not be on the next agenda unless over the approved amount which it apparently is by several thousand dollars.
BELOW ARE 11 PAGES OF THE METES & BOUNDS SURVEY WHICH WAS USED BY MARIPOSA COUNTY LAFCo TO CREATE THE OFFICIAL LAKE DON PEDRO COMMUNITY SERVICE DISTRICT BOUNDARY IN 1980.
WHY IS THE LDPCSD BOARD OF DIRECTORS
AND GENERAL MANAGER PETE KAMPA
(KAMPA COMMUNITY SOLUTIONS LLC)
GOING TO SUCH EXTREMES AND MONETARY EXPENSE IN ORDER TO SIMPLY AVOID THE LOGICAL RECREATION OF WHAT WAS ORIGINALLY LEGALLY APPROVED AS OUR OFFICIAL WATER SERVICE BOUNDARY MAP?
WHY NOT JUST HAND THESE 11 PAGES (WHICH THE DISTRICT POSSESSES) TO A CERTIFIED MAPPING ENGINEER AND HAVE A FRACKING MAP PRODUCED?
There goes the blood pressure again.
What a fracking circus of public betrayal!
(Again, this is directed only to those who continue to support this KAMPA KRAPA)
Randy started by apologizing for not having a written report prepared due to his computer being down last week. He continued his operations report by saying the district had a new employee who was working out very well as he was being introduced to routine maintenance around the plant, performing equipment inventories and such.
NEW FILTERS (Vessel one)
The newly repaired filters at the plant are working “phenomenally” and Randy emphasized that in his own experience the plant has always produced good water but the numbers have decreased “dramatically” with the new filters. (Reduced numbers are good as they {evidently} represent values of unwanted contaminants present in the water during quality analysis.) Randy said he couldn’t wait to see the effects when the second pair of filters were also repaired – completion estimated to be in a couple of weeks.
BARGE UPDATE
Regarding the previously reported sinking barge –
Randy said there is a proposal just under $16,000 to refurbish the barge. Work is anticipated to be completed locally at the McClure dry dock facility. The second floating component attached to the barge will be decommissioned with all that equipment being added to the actual barge. Although not immediately needed (lake level is going up) the project could be completed rather quickly once approved. Solar panels are to be installed to avoid the repeated purchase of batteries and a rebuild of the “out drives” was necessary due to complaints from lake officials and the sheriff’s office that oil was leaking causing oil sheen on the water surface which obviously reflected quite poorly on district operations.
Randy stated once the barge and the second set of filters were repaired the district would be “sitting pretty for a long time”.
Director Russell Warren questioned whether or not the board had already approved $20,000 for the barge? GM Kampa seemed to indicate yes and that it involved having the plans reviewed by an engineer and included electrical issues – primarily structural and electrical.
I’ve listen to KAMPA’s answer a few times and still don’t quite understand his statement in light of previous information regarding this project last November or this last meeting December 19th!
But Director Warren did confirm the prior approval was up to $20,000.
GM Kampa then changed the subject by suggesting Randy explain what happened with the electrical issue at the plant on Friday. Although this incident was indeed interesting (perhaps we’ll get to that later) I need to address something that doesn’t seem right. What is worse is the fact I didn’t discover it until today (December 22nd) while working on this meeting report. Something is very wrong about this barge business, sure, I could be missing something – but I don’t think so.
You know, I believe at this point it would behoove me to just present the raw information to you viewers and allow you to draw your own conclusions rather than my speculating as to what the heck is going on here. I will say this though (you knew I would right?), prior to Pete Kampa’s return such important information was always contained in the prepared agenda packet with any supporting material. (Pages were also always numbered and a bottom page header identified the particular meeting date and subject matter limiting the possibility that the packet could later be changed by either adding or removing pages. All that and much more disappeared when Kampa returned to LDP.)
Prior to Kampa there was a continuity or ordered flow of precisely identified information that was much easier to follow and understand.
Pete Kampa has consistently left such important documents and supporting material out of the packet (with special emphasis on his “manager’s report”) preferring instead to break up extremely relevant information into meeting “handouts” for those few that attend. Why?
Personally I believe this is done to insure such information can eventually be easily lost from the regular packet of material to never to be seen again – much like our OFFICIAL MAP OF DISTRICT WATER SERVICE was intentionally “detached” from other important records!
Who is to say some “handout” was or was not presented to support other activity last month? Or 6 months ago? Or during the massive changes that took place immediately after Kampa’s “BOARD ORCHESTRATED RETURN” to reconfigure our surface water treatment plant into a groundwater substitution facility for land developers outside the place of use under water license 11395 using millions of public dollars obtained from state and federal agencies ostensibly to help existing customers survive the extended drought? (Wonder if that is a compound sentence? lol)
But that is just my opinion of course and I admit to not trusting Peter Kampa as far as I could physically pick him up and toss him anywhere outside our legal district boundary – but of course, even that is an unknown at this time. But again, I digress.
Other than Director Warren’s confirmation of what the Board had previously approved there was no mention of the total project estimate appearing to be substantially OVER THE $20,000 THE BOARD APPROVED LAST MONTH and the $16,000 Randy reported during the meeting.
What the heck am I missing here? Ohhhhhh……check it out…..
How could the directors, or ANYONE receiving the electronic agenda packet or the printed version at the meeting [both of which DID NOT CONTAIN THE ESTIMATES THAT RANDY FURNISHED AFTER THE BARGE COST DISCUSSION HAD CONCLUDED], possibly have realized the total cost of Kampa’s barge project was $27, 178.76?
How did Randy obtain that under $16,000 figure? Did someone tell him it was under $16,000 or was there some trick to calculating the subtotal estimates?
What is more, Director Ross even later asks Kampa if the barge matter should be placed on the next agenda yet Kampa said that was unnecessary unless the project cost was greater than what the board had approved in November….. WHAT? Didn’t KAMPA already know it was way over what was approved?
Sorry, but I think another “SNEAKY PETE” has taken place.
For those of you who did not receive the agenda/packet, here is the information to which I am referring:
<insert 3 scans & estimate package>
<BELOW> GM PETER KAMPA’s explanation of the barge project at the November 21, 2016 meeting:
2) <BELOW> BASED ON KAMPA’S “WORSE CASE SCENARIO COST” OF $20,000 THE BOARD APPROVES A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING $20,000 FOR THE BARGE PROJECT AT THE NOVEMBER 21, 2016 MEETING: (By the way, it really is suspicious how the bottom header of agenda packet material no longer identifies the meeting date and subject matter the information represents. Just another KAMPA change to our previously more professional and exact reporting methods.)
3) <BELOW> ALTHOUGH THE ESTIMATE PACKET WAS NOT IN KAMPA’S ELUSIVE “hide & seek IN JUNK MAIL” DECEMBER 19, 2016 AGENDA PACKET, HE DID REPORT AT THE MEETING IN WRITING THAT THE PROPOSAL WAS WITHIN THE APPROVED PROJECT EXPENDITURE AMOUNT.
4) BELOW IS THE PACKET OF BARGE ESTIMATES RANDY FURNISHED LATER IN THE MEETING AFTER THE DISCUSSION HAD ENDED AND THE BOARD AND PUBLIC HAD ALREADY BEEN TOLD THE BARGE PROJECT COST WAS UNDER $16,000.
HOW DID THE CHIEF OPERATOR COME TO UNDERSTAND THE TOTAL WAS UNDER $16,000?
CHECK OUT THE ESTIMATES FOR YOURSELF: THIS 8 PAGE ESTIMATE PACKET WAS PROVIDED AFTER THE DISCUSSION WAS OVER WITH NO ADEQUATE TIME DURING THE ON-GOING MEETING FOR BOARD MEMBERS OR THE PUBLIC TO STUDY, COMPREHEND, MUCH LESS ADD ALL THE ESTIMATE SUBTOTALS WHICH AMOUNTED TO $27,178.76! HECK EVEN THIS GREATER COST DID NOT CONTAIN THE PREVIOUSLY ANTICIPATED STRUCTURAL AND ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING CHARGES FOR THE PROJECT!
PAGE 1 OF BARGE ESTIMATES (ABOVE)
Maybe there was an accidental redundancy of work quoted in the different estimates? (Although there is an identical estimate of $6,800 on page one and page eight, they also indicate different dates and invoice numbers plus the work appears to be different.) But even if that were true and some kind of mistake – what happened to the other 30 hours @ $80/hour, or $2,400? Yup, I think we have another “SNEAKY PETE”.
Here’s the meeting presentation by the Chief Plant Operator – what am I missing here?
I’m beat….this audio/video stuff takes forever to upload and process! Hopefully it will assist you viewers in appreciating what the heck is going on here at the LAKE DON PEDRO CSD. The next posting will have video of the on-going meeting with discussion of the MAP PROJECT which is just more outrageous KAMPA KRAPA of unnecessary and extremely expensive work to obscure the truth – likely much more than $10,000 as Kampa admits. Naturally I had to embarrass myself with more public blah, blah, blah, but the video will clearly show when the board was furnished the estimate packet —— after the barge discussion had finished! That’s bullshit, isn’t it? A little over 5 minutes after Randy left the board room and returned with the estimates while the meeting continued – you can hear the beeps of the security door alarm with his leaving and returning and you can observe Randy passing out the estimates to the directors. Why was this not included in KAMPA’s JUNK AGENDA PACKET? I think we all know why.
“THERE IT IS! BETWEEN THE BUY ONE – GET TWO FREE and the LIMITED TIME OFFER ONLY AD”
Don’t know about others who routinely receive the monthly electronic LAKE DON PEDRO COMMUNITY SERVICES DISTRICT agenda packet but I was beginning to wonder if there was going to be a December board meeting at all.
Like always I started checking on Thursday for the Monday meeting material which has always been reliably prepared and delivered by our LDPCSD BOARD SECRETARY Syndie Marchesiello, yet this month, nothing. Hum, strange. So I periodically continued to check the inbox on Friday, then Saturday, then Sunday – but still nothing. Yup, something was definitely out of the ordinary because Syndie has always been quite dedicated in getting this material out to customers but if running a bit late for some reason always included a “heads-up” followed by an eventual explanation. Then it hit me like a ton of bricks…..
WHAT IF THAT SNEAKY …..
Purely on a hunch that “Sneaky Pete” might have somehow been involved with screwing up the previously dependable distribution of this monthly material I decided to check my “JUNK FOLDER” – just in case yet another routine district matter had been corrupted.
Again, I don’t know about other folks but would suspicion like me, your JUNK FOLDER is packed with numerous Christmas advertisements, special discount notices and offers from every business you’ve ordered something from within the last year or so – PLUS MUCH MORE NEW CYBER GARBAGE! I mean PACKED WITH EMAILS EVERYDAY!
So I start sifting through all that stuff and BINGO! There it was resting comfortably between holiday advertisements and other miscellaneous email garbage.
WORK OF THE “UNKNOWN SENDERS”
Since the senders were listed as a Chalyse Drake (cdrake@kampacs.com) [an employee-relative of Pete Kampa I believe, who has been delegated with the responsibility of district communications] and Peter Kampa (pkampa@kampacs.com) and the fact I have never received material from either, my email program did not recognize them as trusted senders (boy isn’t that the truth!) so the agenda/packet was relegated to the notorious JUNK FOLDER.
(Ironically “junk” is rather appropriate considering the caliber of work “Sneaky Pete” Kampa has produced lately for public dissemination. Is it all just a matter of poor preparation and lack of professional scrutiny or something far more diabolical like further disinformation to confuse official government records and simultaneously create that plausible defense for past intentional wrongdoing? Aka the infamous “cover up”?)
PERHAPS KAMPA HAS NOW APPOINTED HIMSELF BOARD SECRETARY AS WELL?
Is “Sneaky Pete” now the LDPCSD Board Secretary and Office Supervisor in addition to being our part time general manager and Board Treasurer? No doubt he certainly controls the information. (Can you imagine what our district records will look like after the Kampa Klean Up is Komplete? – not so lol)
Heck, maybe the Board of Directors will be completely unnecessary in the near future? But I digress.
The following message from the “VOICE OF THE DISTRICT” accompanied this elusive December agenda/packet:
____________________________________
Good evening!
Attached please find the Board meeting agenda and supporting materials for next week’s Board meeting. All of the materials are contained in a single file, but if you need individual copies of specific documents, please feel free to contact me directly, or download from the website at ldpcsd.org.
WHY THIS SUDDEN CHANGE IN TRADITIONALLY DEPENDABLE INFORMATION DISTRIBUTION?
Although meeting preparation time was cut a bit short I started going over the packet – which for the electronic copy also meant no page numbers again. How considerate.
No written Presiding Officer’s Report or Chief Plant Operator’s Report and of coursethe OUTSIDE MERCED IRRIGATION DISTRICT PLACE OF USE REPORT FOR WATER LICENSE 11395 COMPLIANCE REPORTING WAS ABSENT, (geez, with all their talk of responsibly using MERCED RIVER WATER you would think this report would be included – you know, documenting compliance with the properties that MUST RECEIVE GROUNDWATER SUBSTITUTION BECAUSE THEY LEGALLY CAN NOT RECEIVEMERCED RIVER WATER) however, GM Kampa’s written report was still interesting in a few respects.
But first, to keep this meeting report chronologically correct, we need to address the useless PUBLIC COMMENT portion of the meeting first. (Well perhaps not totally useless if it is still reported on lakedonpedro.org because it certainly never will be by our nonprofit public agency which is obviously controlled by the Kampa for profit management company with “Sneaky Pete” at the helm.)
Once again the 5 member board of directors outnumbered the customers attending the meeting – absolutely pathetic but understandable. (When you think about it, the board of directors has outnumbered total district employees for many years as well! – We’ll take a look at KAMPA’s letterhead in regards to his “formal letter” to the wrong SWRCB individual later which is comical as it lists all the directors, GM, and other staff….. heck – why only leave out the two or three employees who really do the work?)
LDPCSD customer apathy has been cultivated for many years just like any other crop: “Why bother? They’re going to do what they want anyway – who can stop them?” Lucid observations and good questions, but still the result is that exact customer attitude desired by those who quietly work in the shadows under the guise of legitimate public service. Just plain disgusting. (Remember now – these harsh comments only apply to those who have actively supported Kampa’s special benefit groundwater substitution program for outside PLACE OF USE land developers – I believe there may be 2 or 3 directors doing the best they can under the inherited circumstances. Only Danny Johnson and Emery Ross remain as part of the original BOD which orchestrated Kampa’s return to continue his (Kampa’s) 20 year old documented district expansion plans outside the POU – in spite of the very clear language of water license 11395! 99% of legal users of MERCED RIVER WATER in the Lake Don Pedro subdivision paying for this deceit? Outrageous betrayal. But again, I digress.
PUBLIC COMMENT. Three public members spoke. (So much for the district’s next official report!) LOL!
Yours truly commented on the atypical electronic agenda/packet mailing with different sender addresses resulting in the “junk mail” delivery – and once again with no page numbers; the simple request of RE-CREATING THE ORIGINAL 1980 APPROVED WATER SERVICE MAP from the LAFCO survey being magically transformed by KAMPA & KOMPANY into a massive and expensive mapping project ($10,000 +/- ) and how it was disingenuous for the district to create resolutions with recitals as to their legal operation when it doesn’t even know (or care about) it’s legally approved water service boundary; and the formal letter of protest to the SWRCB being addressed to the wrong individual according to that agency’s online instructions for such communications.
Dave Worthley suggested customers send emails to the State water Resources Control Board in protest of the Bay Delta SED (Substitute Environmental Document) which proposes to increase environmental water flows from our Lake McClure (waterboards.ca.gov).
(Incidentally, there are many “snail mail” written comments to read on the SWRCB website if viewers are interested- both for and against the proposed increased water flows. One I found particularly interesting was from a 30 year retired TID employee from Turlock who believes the issue has little to due with protecting Salmon (other predators such as Bass being responsible for loss and not the amount of water) and more about just providing increased flows to southern California. Did you know the proposed twin tunnels are to be 40 feet in diameter and over 120 feet under ground and will travel approximately 35 miles to move more water from the Sacramento River for delivery down south? Very interesting engineering wise. Cost? The estimated 15-17 billion is more like 50 billion dollars when all aspects such as financing are considered. Wow. You know, this whole issue reminds me of the difficulties with any addiction situation – THERE WILL NEVER BE ENOUGH OF THAT OF WHICH ONE MAY BE ADDICTED – providing more will only increase demand for more – a never ending cycle of consumption. Rather like expanding our special benefit outside POU water service based on groundwater substitution huh? again I digress -sorry.)
Victor Afanasiev stated according to local realtors some 70 home owners in the Mariposa area have lost their home insurance due to lack of adequate fire protection and again raised the question of fire hydrant testing by the district. I am still shocked by Kampa’s September 2016 LDP high school gym meeting report on that matter. No legal duty? wow, I surely would have lost money, marbles or chalk on that bet.
Finishing the PUBLIC COMMENT, Board President Danny Johnson suggested changing the order of agenda items to permit Chief Plant Operator Randy Gilgo to verbally report on recent district activity.
Well the sun is sporadically shining and I have work to do outside so we’ll start up next time with the Chief Plant Operator’s report, but until then and as always,
