Although intentional misdirection of a public agency to the benefit of other third party interests is important and should be corrected, sometimes humor (or attempted humor as the case may be) can help make a bad situation a bit more palatable.
My best to you and yours, Lew
I seen no reason to waste a bunch of time documenting Kampa going over the results of his less than inspiring survey.
Following the approval of the Public Records Request Response Policy, a Debt Management Policy was also passed (required by newly enacted California law – differing from the former policy which assists Kampa in obtaining some other CSDA award – for of all things….TRANSPARENCY. TRANSPARENCY?— Good Heavens.)
The final agenda Discussion and Action Item was: Discussion and Action on the water use Efficiency Project in response to the results of the Water Conservation Survey and IRWMP grant scope of work.
Thus far there have been 47 responses to this survey that has been running for months. GM Kampa discussed different ways the grant money could be used including “rain water workshops” and a reimbursement program for those who make water conservation improvements on their property that meet requirements.
Kampa then addressed the survey and some activities that could be partially reimbursed with some of the $1 million dollars received for the program, including property water conservation evaluations, replacement of water fixtures and appliances, (like low flow toilets, hot water heaters, and high efficiency washing machines), grey water systems – although these had to be created with a permit, etc.
Kampa went over some of the 47 responses and with what program possibilities customers expressed an interest in pursuing while cautioning there was only so much money which had to be used efficiently for maximum benefit. Kampa said confirmation that owners actually made the improvements on their property had to be verified by the district.
COMMENT BY WES BARTON
How much money available? Originally $175,000 but now down to $87,000 which Barton believed was due to administrative costs. Wes stated that is where Kampa (and some of his consultants) make a good deal of money with such programs. Barton also pointed out that the money that was left could also go to other communities besides Lake Don Pedro. Barton summarized by saying a large amount of money gets reduced through varied administrative costs and then what is left is split between LDP and other communities and said it certainly appeared to be just another scam.
Director Russ Warren suggested making sure the local schools received some money to replace their current toilets and urinals.
Kampa said he wished the money was available when it was really needed during the height of the drought for such things as grey water systems for irrigation purposes when irrigation was restricted. (I believe Kampa’s private company also specializes in this.)
The Board ultimately approved Kampa’s recommended Action of:
Directing- “staff to negotiate a scope of work and contract with a third-party Program Coordinator and to prepare the Final Water Use Efficiency Program Description, Public Workshop Plan, Outreach and Marketing Plan and Incentive/Reimbursement Program Terms and Conditions”.
End of meeting.
Had rain last night but there’s some partial sunshine today—I can still hear “them” growing! lol
My best to you and yours, Lew
#5. Still have a bad feeling about this one. I forgot….does Kampa actually agree to continue the information process for Wes Barton? I recall Syndie said she was instructed by GM to furnish it, but what about next month? The month after? I recall Syndie said it was her understanding that it would continue but then “handed” the question to Kampa – but did he agree to continue the process? Again, hope I am wrong. And then there was my dumb ass “asked and answered” question of the year….. Why would the GM/BOARD TREASURER restrict or cut off the only reliable source for customers to obtain accurate financial information regarding their CSD? Duh……good grief. Anyone care to take a wild guess at that one? lol.
My best to you and yours, Lew
#4. Put this together rather quickly so the video could start uploading while I slaughtered some weeds for a fire break. Is rain still on its way?
Will Wes Barton’s financial questions finally get answered or will this just be another long and drawn out process without remedy? Doesn’t an auditor basically double check the information furnished by the accountant, GM and Board Treasurer? Why is Kampa always referring to himself as “WE”. “WE” believe, “WE” thought, “WE”….whatever? Is there a mouse in his pocket or perhaps his thinking of himself as both the GM & Board Treasurer has led to an identity crisis involving multiple personalities? “WE” think the district’s financials are just fine…..nothing to see here folks….”WE” think it best if you just keep moving along – “WE’ll” take care of everything……lol)
My best to you and yours, Lew
#3 – You think these meetings drag on? Whoa. Try listening to them over and over and over.
Kampa, naturally, does not answer a number of important questions which do not require any intense research and advance preparation to answer. That’s the traditional excuse, it’s not on the agenda and the board/GM have not researched the matter and are unprepared to answer such explicit questions without advance notification so they can prepare. wow.
Questions like: how do you get the ARSENIC (which is common to all the wells) out of the groundwater production before serving to the public? How can our district purchase over $3,184 worth of MERCED RIVER WATER from the MERCED IRRIGATION DISTRICT yet pay only a $147 electric bill to pump it out of Lake McClure? Yet during the same time period have a $1,001 bill for ground well #2 electricity? How could KAMPA as the GM AND BOARD TREASURER actually have been paid about $60,000 over what he told the board his compensation was over that of his normal monthly salary? Why are dollar amounts bouncing around different accounts in district financial entries? (Easter is coming up…..is it like hiding eggs?) On and on it goes…..but the GM says….no questions or answers now, we’ll continue this to next month…..then the next emergency, critical matter, news, etc…takes priority while everyone attempts to digest another KAMPA-GANDA CAMOUFLAGED PAPER DUMP IN THE AGENDA PACKET OR ELSEWHERE. This is unreal. But is it unusual? Is such nonsense just amplified with the increasing authoritative jurisdictional layers of government? Or is the LDPCSD an exceptional case in its own weight class? Do other SPECIAL DISTRICTS run like this? If so might be a clue as to why the Little Hoover Commission has entertained a discussion on the proposal of ending them within 10 years?
YOUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT MANAGEMENT AT WORK?
Yes and no.
Our local public agency (and the way it was designed to function) was hi-jacked by “special interests” under the guise of responding to a drought emergency and surreptitiously pursuing the creation of an “alternate source of water” (groundwater wells with grant funds) so as to EXPAND THE GROUNDWATER SUBSTITUTION PROGRAM and continue selling this touted “emergency water” outside the permitted area of the water license under which this district has always operated.
The LDPCSD was, is, and will continue to be exploited by this for-profit management company and its president and our current “remote GM”who was quietly returned to the Lake Don Pedro CSD in an effort to CONTINUE THE SAME OUTSIDE MERCED IRRIGATION DISTRICT PLACE OF USE SPECIAL BENEFIT WATER SERVICE TO THIRD PARTY LAND DEVELOPERS (TO WHOM OUR DISTRICT HAS NO LEGAL DUTY TO PROVIDE WATER SERVICE IN THE FIRST PLACE) JUST LIKE HE WAS DOING TWENTY YEARS AGO WHEN HE STARTED HIS INFAMOUS CAREER IN WATER!
(long sentence. almost like a frustrated exhale. but you already knew that? yeah? think I’ve heard this stuff before too.)
My best to you and yours, Lew
(YAWN) – OK, here’s #2. Speaking of which, sure seems like customers of the Lake Don Pedro CSD have been receiving a lot of #2 since October 2014, yeah? Not so “lol” is it?
My best to you and yours, Lew
Saturday, March 25th, 2017 -Foggy & rainy day in LDP.
Wow. Sure has been a long time since typing on the old Dell laptop in WordPerfect. I will have to find one of my “home made templates” for the “F key commands” in order to find my way around the program again. The battery charge lasts about 5 minutes which negates using the laptop remotely without AC power but it still works so, as someone who has suffered from PACKRAT SYNDROME my entire life – I’ll keep it until it won’t function at all! lol (Still handy for jotting down ideas and such.)
GREAT KEYBOARD
Yup, I do like this old keyboard on the laptop, feels good. The keys are normal size and very smooth functioning. The tablet keyboard is just too small – lots of mistakes touching two key pads at once which is frustrating and my finger-pad diet just isn’t working – lol. The desktop is OK but should probably be replaced as 6 of the most frequently used key decals have completely worn off and others are following in kind. This sometimes makes it difficult to locate my finger position with a simple glance, but again, it works so why mess with it just because of some negative appearance issues and slight inconvenience? Waste not, want not! (Wonder if there is an easy way to cannibalize the keyboard from the laptop or somehow “jump wire” it over to the desktop? lol)
WHAT TO DO? 90+% sure now. 97% sure…..100%.
I am having had a bit of a dilemma regarding an incident I thought about posting over four five months ago when it occurred but did not yet am considering going to posting it with this first video presentation for the Monday, March 20th, 2017 meeting. (If you are reading this I obviously decided to post, if not, this intro will join the countless other blah blah blahs not published.)
I guess the first question in explanation of this <previous> dilemma would be:
Why did I not mention this “mysterious incident” back in October of 2016 when it happened?
Good question and I clearly recall seriously considering doing just that but believe some misguided sense of “fair play” or compassion for another human experiencing exceptional personal and/or business stress – even if an adversary, prevailed.
I believed posting that information at the time would be “piling on” unnecessarily – especially in light of the fact I had already quite clearly voiced my genuine distrust for KAMPA & KOMPANY and their activities within the LAKE DON PEDRO CSD on this website many times. I recall, when considering the time line of events, thinking the incident may have been a simple stress reaction, albeit irresponsible, to KAMPA COMMUNITY SOLUTIONS llc having recently lost the Los Osos CSD account. Obviously I had no idea as to what, if any, precipitating variables may have been involved. After all, I wasn’t there and neither were any viewers except those involved: Pete Kampa, his passenger, possible witnesses to the incident and the law enforcement officers handling the matter. However, now with retrospect of other subsequent events and hearing Mr. Barton’s concerns, perhaps I was wrong and should have have just thrown it out there with everything else and permitted viewers to determine for themselves if relevant to our LDPCSD business? I still believe I did the right thing with what was known at the time, but if not, please accept the following as correction for that error in judgement.
INCIDENT REFERENCED LAST MONDAY
The incident to which I am referring, or rather the ramifications of that incident, were briefly mentioned by Wes Barton during Public Comment last Monday. (ie, Kampa’s drivers license status; driving to the LDPCSD by himself again; our district insurance coverage; and the GM employment requirements necessitating two days/20 hours per week per the contract with Kampa Community Solutions, llc, aka, KAMPACS.)
The “incident particulars” as described above no doubt makes what happened crystal clear to many viewers but there may be some who are not connecting all the dots. I do not know if this matter has already been adjudicated or not but now appreciate the potential negative influence it may have had, or is having, on Pete Kampa and his performance as GM/Board Treasurer at the LDPCSD and will therefore post links to that past online information for viewer edification.
Here are two different reports of that incident from local online news sources:
Union Democrat
OK, with those out of the way, perhaps some of the information relayed during Public Comment will make more sense. So here we go, first installment of the March 20th, 2017 LDPCSD Monthly Board meeting. (NOTE: I will not be doing “word for word” of the entire meeting this time because it just takes too much time and valuable storage space, however, recordings will be retained for possible future reference.)
Oh yeah, regarding the McCloud CSD comment, here is a link to a previous LAKEDONPEDRO.org post:
LAKEDONPEDRO POSTING ON McCLOUD
My best to you and yours, Lew
Thursday, while traveling south on Merced Falls Road just outside Merced Falls, I saw something I don’t recall ever noticing before – the Lake McSwain spillway flowing!
Yup, noticed something white on the horizon and took a short detour to discover it was indeed whitewater. Thought I’d grab some quick video of this beautiful sight after so many years of drought (of course it may not be so beautiful down river for those with flooding issues). Some of the scenery landscape along the river sure makes more sense when you consider what this area must have looked like before the two Exchequer Dams and the McSwain Dam interrupted the natural flow during extremely heavy flows.
My best to you and yours, Lew
PS: Starting on some of the highlights of the Monday, March 20th, 2017 LDPCSD Monthly Board meeting. (Apparently other programs will still work with the backup process running in the background – just a little slower than it already is)
PETE KAMPA refusing to “straight up answer” a serious and legitimate question about the groundwater arsenic and whether it is removed with the treatment plant filters (recently “emergency repaired” for +/- $300,000) or diluted with pumped lake water (as previously stated was the process) is outrageous. [What good are KAMPA & KOMPANYS “special benefit groundwater wells” during a drought if there is no lake water to dilute the groundwater arsenic level for safe consumption per health department standards?]
There was no detailed research or investigation required to answer this simple question which has apparently received different answers depending upon who asked and when.
Why the evasive statements and/or refusals to answer? The arsenic content of that “alternate source” groundwater production that PETE KAMPA & KOMPANY have been pushing since October 2014 (and later developed with substantial grant funds which could have been used to repair/replace our failing primary infrastructure) is a very important issue, as is, how that arsenic is ultimately removed. Yup, very important to those of us who consume the only product of the LAKE DON PEDRO CSD, other than grief and frustration that is. 🙁
Welcome and a good morning afternoon to you all. Let’s see, today is Wednesday, March 22nd, 2017. Corrected the wrong date on the previous posting (ie Monday, not Tuesday – recent power failures have messed with all my house powered clocks and telephones!)
GOOD NEWS FOR YOU VIEWERS
You won’t have to endure a video production of Monday’s LDPCSD Monthly board meeting – Yippie! (Wondering what you’ve done right to avoid such audio/visual torture?) Actually the meeting was pretty straight forward and according to the agenda. Both Board President Danny Johnson and Director Jim Sult were absent so VP Dan Hankemeier presided. The audience outnumbered CSD representatives 7:5 – wow!
Wes Barton opened with a Public Comment regarding the recent audit statements which he generally characterized as “garbage”. Wes spoke of what appeared to be incorrect capitalization figures and that the accruals were off between $185,000 – $300,000. The Board did approve both GM KAMPA proposed policies yet there were assurances that the one regarding public information responses by the district would not interfere with the current process of how Wes Barton makes his monthly reports. Actually I didn’t think that one was going to pass as it appeared headed for referral to the entire board at the next meeting until, as Director Emery Ross pointed out, Wes Barton voiced he was not concerned about the policy being used against him (Wes) in a negative way (to prevent how he’s been double checking financial matters for years).
I was/am skeptical (due to everything else that has transpired since Octoer 2014) and voiced polite concern (NOTE: with no evidence of “Ugly Pill” consumption or “under the influence”of same during the entire meeting!) that the policy could perhaps later be used to thwart or stall public requests for time sensitive information. I was able to confirm that we are not “out of compliance” with any law but the CSDA award for transparency was desired. I certainly hope I am wrong that the policy will be “misused” in the future. VP Hankemeier even advised Wes to contact him if such did happen. Naturally I will keep all the recordings so if there is a later problem with the process we can go back for a detailed analysis of what was said at the meeting, but again, hope I am just “twice shy”.
Speaking of saving recorded information – I am currently working on a new backup system so I too will benefit from some time off from the traditional blah blah blah meeting video reports – you know something? Just the “raw” recordings from that short Monday meeting were over 6GB. Such storage space really adds up over time.
“OH BY THE WAY….”
Some storm yesterday huh? I was driving to Modesto to pick up another external hard drive (8TB this time) when it “jumped up” with all the “bells and whistles” of a good old Midwestern tornado storm with rain, thunder/lightning; high winds, rapid temperature change and hail – then 10 miles down the road a beautiful spring day with patches of bright blue sky – ahhh changeable foothill weather ahead – never boring. I stopped to check on a guy in a truck on the side of the road who was OK but confirmed he had just heard tornado watch warnings were in affect for the area. Wonderful day for a quick trip to Modesto!
Yup a lot of rushing around yesterday in some angry weather to return a same day mail delivered hard drive that was not the correct one – in either SIZE OR CONFIGURATION! (isn’t that frustrating – taking the time to make sure you are ordering the right thing then waiting days for it to arrive and when it does discovering it is OUTRAGEOUSLY the wrong item and paying more for something less?), driving to Modesto to return the wrong one and pick up the right one – LAST ONE IN STOCK incidentally so it could not be held indefinitely, quick turn around and headed back to Lake Don Pedro meandering through weather related traffic, then making it home only to discover the power was out again. Oh well, sometimes things just have to wait – but there’s always a good reason and sometimes even a benefit – although usually not appreciated at the time of the inconvenience.
My best to you and yours, Lew
HAVE YOU TAKEN A LOOK AT THE TUESDAY, MONDAY, MARCH 20th, 2017 AGENDA & PACKET? YOU SHOULD. KAMPA&KOMPANY ARE CERTAINLY WORKING ….BUT TO WHOSE BENEFIT?
Need to make this quick. We have a lot of rain coming in this next week. OH BOY! Everything will just start growing again when the Sun comes back out, but at least it will be much easier to take down the next time.
TO: THE THREE DIRECTORS WHO (to my knowledge)WERE NOT INVOLVED with orchestrating the “Grant Fund Solution to the OUTSIDE MIDPOU PROBLEM” – a source of much of the continuing controversy.
SUBJECT: KAMPA PROPOSED PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST RESOLUTION (and Debt policy)
FROM: Your “Blah blah blah (UGLY PILL FREE) Blogger Lew
THE REAL PROBLEM
Substantial financial mistakes, errors, and possible intentional misrepresentations of fact that have been discovered and made public WERE NOT BROUGHT TO THE BOARD’S ATTENTION by GM KAMPA, (who is also Board Treasurer); his management company; or the various other highly paid financial experts our district employs for such purposes – but by our own resident customer and former Board President Wes Barton.
ONLY “CHECK & BALANCE” REMEDY AVAILABLE
For many years, and countless hours, Wes has used his financial and accounting background to double check our financial reports and procedures. Wes has made detailed public reports to the board regarding his research and findings at almost every Monthly Board meeting I have attended. Although essentially ignored by management, these reports have often ignited more director interest and actually resulted in board action which is very good for the district and customers.
WHY ELIMINATE “LOCAL GOOD”
I respectfully ask the three of you to consider NOT ONLY the TIMING OF THIS POLICY CHANGE (after substantial discrepancies were reported by Wes including how much money Kampa actually made compared to what he reported), but also its likely outcome of hampering or completely ELIMINATING A TRUSTED, RELIABLE AND NECESSARY CHECK & BALANCE against the continued domination of our public agency by a GM who is also a private for-profit management company president and businessman. (That old “SERVING TWO MASTERS” thing.)
WHAT EXACTLY ARE THE CHANGES? AND WHY?
Even the description of this “change” and the supporting data is cause for pause.
FROM THE AGENDA PACKET: “Debt and Public Records Request Policy – To remain in compliance with new laws and to achieve the CSDA Excellence in Transparency award, two new policies needed to be developed this month; and are included in this agenda packet for approval.”
IS THE DISTRICT CURRENTLY OUT OF COMPLIANCE?
FOR WHAT REASON? SAYS WHO?
DOES THE DISTRICT REALLY “NEED” THIS NEW POLICY?
OR
DOES KAMPA NEED IT TO ELIMINATE UNCOMFORTABLE CHALLENGES TO HIS INCORRECT STATEMENTS?
ISN’T AN AWARD MEANINGLESS UNLESS PRESENTED FOR SINCERE ACHIEVEMENT AND NOT AS SIMPLE CAMOUFLAGE FOR PAST ACTIVITIES?
Included with this agenda item is a draft public records response policy developed from a model provided by the California Special Districts Association and in place with many special Districts throughout the state.
“…… A DRAFT PUBLIC RECORDS RESPONSE POLICY DEVELOPED FROM A MODEL…..”
Who’s draft? What model? Yes, yes…we know how tight Pete is with the CSDA.
“….and in place with many special Districts…..”
Comparable districts? Where? What size? Yearly income? Water license restrictions on place of use? Was their administration office also destroyed by arson? Did they have a GM return after 20 years to finish unethical work not completed the first go around, but this time with grant money? Etc.
The District’s website contains many of the documents normally requested of the District through this process. Staff’s intention is to maintain a vast reference library of important and timely public records on the website; which will save staff time and individual response effort.
STAFF’S INTENTION TO MAINTAIN….? OH PLEASE! LOOK AT THE WEBSITE!
MISLEADING FACTS IN SUPPORT OF RESOLUTION
“….The District’s website contains many of the documents normally requested….”
Perhaps, but also, many requested documents that are currently posted are STILL INACCESSIBLE AFTER MONTHS OF COMPLAINTS – ie, the Resolution 2013-4 prohibition of further OUTSIDE MIDPOU water service.
This can not possibly be an oversight, but an intentional refusal to provide truthful information to the public.
Why change another policy which will only restrain or possibly eliminate a reliable and proven “check and balance” from the customer side of the equation?
Instead of changing another policy, based on incorrect support material offered by KAMPA, why doesn’t the Board demand management to successfully complete that which is already presented to the world as finished?
Fix the 8 links under NOTICES on the website which do not work! First have KAMPA ADEQUATELY FINISH WHAT HE IS ATTEMPTING TO USE AS SUPPORT FOR YET ANOTHER MORE RESTRICTIVE POLICY CHANGE BEFORE CHANGING THAT POLICY!
DIFFERENT POLICY CHANGE FORMAT
This policy change presentation in the agenda packet deviates from the traditional comparison presented.
You know what I mean? Where the original policy is displayed with what is to be removed identified with strike out, and the proposed new material in a different font style and/or color for ease in identification, comparison and understanding of exactly what changes are to take place. (ie, like in voter pamphlets.)
CSDA LETTER HITS IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF THIS RUSE
Please also review the Agenda Packet CSDA letter to the Hoover Commission (pages 6-10) regarding the proposed elimination of Special Districts. At the top of page 9 the letter states:
“It is impossible to productively take a one-size-fits-all approach to local government, and it is both counterintuitive and hazardous to consider a top-down approach to local government.”
And on page 8: Where special districts such as ours want services
“done well; and wants it done with local control and flexibility”.
Top of page 9 (under Community Engagement) where it states
“….special districts offer the opportunity for increased levels of community engagement”.
Where CSDA mentions the use of the LAFCo process criteria, please realize how this process was completely avoided in the GRANT MONEY SOLUTION TO THE MIDPOU PROBLEM:
Open and public local process;
(NOPE! The Grant Solution consisted of private communications, negotiations and agreements OUTSIDE the scrutiny of public monthly board meetings, conversations and agreements which also likely constituted serious Brown Act violations.)
includes input and participation of all affected parties;
(NOPE! 99% of subdivision customer opinions have been ignored and left completely out for decades)
objective analysis,
(NOPE! Kampa’s private business interests, past LDPCSD OMIDPOU experience, and recent communications regarding “PLACE OF USE” water service issues also occurred outside the boardroom and could hardly be considered objective)
and
gives residents who receive and pay for the services the final say.
(NOPE! The 99% of entitled MERCED RIVER WATER using customers of the subdivision have been intentionally left out of such discussions and decisions for decades – they have had their district official records stolen, lost, fabricated and replaced but their opinions were of no concern back then or now, the only two important things required of them was/is continued ignorance of the facts and their money to fund further deceit.)
Also page 9: (This is a really important observation.)
PROBLEM: Incorrect financial information has been provided to the Board of Directors, the Public and other government entities by alleged professionals to which our district already pays a substantial amount of money for the proper management of these financial issues.
PROPOSED SOLUTION: (By PETE KAMPA – the GM/BOARD TREASURER and President of his own “for profit” special district management services limited liability company):
Who is this KAMPA RESOLUTION really intended to benefit?
wait! hear that?
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😉
My best to you and yours, Lew
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