Not sure if this will work…… link below to quick video taken earlier.

<KEEP PYRO CUMULUS>

Sorry, do not have time to better present this horrible situation.   A friend was coming by my place so I was outside to great him when I noticed the air traffic and column of smoke to the east of the LDP Subdivision  around the Hunters Valley area.  (The “finger peninsula” between the Merced River coming from Bagby around Horseshoe Bend and into Lake McClure which is formed from backing up the MERCED RIVER with the New Exchequer Dam – (also had a major fire there [Hunters Valley] several years ago – but this looks much worse!)

I made a good estimate – my neighbor told me what he had heard—- BLM land (aka Public land)  — Hunters Valley area – BUT THOSE PERIODIC BLACK COLUMNS OF SMOKE THAT ROSE FROM THE HORIZON WERE WORRISOME…..   Barn?  Shed.  Other outbuilding?  God forbid a residence?  Did not look good from this distance.

The Hunters Valley subdivision is right there too!  – next to the BLM Land….just west of the open “Peoples Land” on Hunters Valley Access Road (to left when driving to BEAR VALLEY) —- that mountain between the MERCED RIVER and the residential/ranch subdivision !  Then I saw the CALFIRE DESIGNATION on the internet …..The DETWILLER FIRE…..(deep sigh…..residential/ranch area!)

Check it out for yourselves….here are some photos from my place looking almost due East – (Lake McClure is in between and out of sight beyond foreground hillside).   Please say a prayer for those involved – or at least think “good thoughts” for all living things – this one appears to be particularly “ugly” and  fast moving judging by the wind here and the smoke drift there.)

My best to you and yours, Lew

<OFFICIAL INFORMATION LINK>

PHOTOS FROM TARANTU-RATTLE (Lake Don Pedro Subdivision, Mariposa County side)

<above>  THREE FIRE FIGHTING AIRCRAFT AND A BIRD!

(NOT IN ORDER OBVIOUSLY…..!)

Here are two photos of the Detwiller Fire from TURLOCK CA, from “Leanne”- thanks Leanne!

Get yours in the mail recently?  Wonder if this explains why my pond “fountain frog” suddenly developed nasty looking black stains, although the pond water is very clear?  No biggie, not drinking that recirculating pond water myself and the Comet Goldfish appear healthy and active.   (Guess they aren’t chewing tobacco and spitting on the frog…..lol!)

Still, looks like we must now apparently deal with this Manganese contamination issue also – (“as well” might have been confusing) in addition to the arsenic and other groundwater contaminants.

What bothers me a bit is that PETE KAMPA knew about such groundwater contamination twenty years ago but failed to plan for its successful removal with his expanded GROUNDWATER SUBSTITUTION PROGRAM.  Doesn’t seem right that the MERCED RIVER WATER ENTITLED CUSTOMERS of the subdivision must now consume such GROUNDWATER when there is no legal reason for them to do so.  In other words, the only reason residents of the Lake Don Pedro Subdivision must have groundwater mixed with their “normal high quality” MERCED RIVER WATER from Lake McClure, is so the LDPCSD can provide (and expand) a special benefit GROUNDWATER SUBSTITUTION PROGRAM to properties not otherwise entitled to the MERCED RIVER WATER under 11395.

Obviously, with every new service connection OUTSIDE THE MERCED IRRIGATION DISTRICT PLACE OF USE, more GROUNDWATER CONTAMINANTS will be introduced and “blended” into the subdivision’s former, and traditional, lake water source.

Anyway, for viewers not receiving one of these   “Violation Notices”, here are two partial page copies concerning the Manganese reporting.  (Original pages were 8.5″ x  14″).

ALMOST TWICE AS MUCH AS PERMITTED –

but of course, it could be much worse.

(anyone care to bet this is just the beginning?)

<LINK TO MANGANESE INFORMATION>

My best to you and yours, Lew

Here’s a good example indicating who is in charge…..

Gosh, even when the board president repeatedly requests how KAMPA SHOULD PLACE THE BOARD SECRETARY POSITION ON KAMPA’s new ORGANIZATIONAL CHART (as answering to the Board and not GM KAMPA)…..

Kampa still does what he wants!

Hey, if the board secretary position is on the chart, why not the board treasurer?

That’s an important position don’t ya think?

Maybe Kampa does not want to advertise he has been responsible for district finances and what information is actually provided to the CPA and auditor?

Anyone notice another UNSIGNED  “solvency certificate” is in the agenda packet?

What the heck is that about?

Doesn’t make sense to the rest of us but you can bet Sneaky Pete Kampa has some devious reason.

Too bad board members do not take a close look at the district’s formation history and realize that a very important document that KAMPA is apparently relying on from ALMOST 50 YEARS AGO to continue his 20 YEAR PURSUIT OF “Special benefit water service” to his developer friends —— IS NOT EVEN SIGNED!

Similar to the “fake” California Public Utilities Commission approval for the transfer of facilities and assets which greatly expanded the district service area that is also in our “formation documents”.

I’m sorry. But this district appears to have been specifically set up to provide a secret “special benefit GROUNDWATER SUBSTITUTION PROGRAM” to land developers outside the place of use for MERCED RIVER WATER – WHILE EXPECTING THE MAJORITY OF MR WECs of the subdivision to quietly pay for this subsidized special benefit for perpetuity!

BE FAIR.  AT LEAST TELL THE POOR PROPERTY PURCHASER WHAT TO EXPECT

OK….if that is how it is supposed to work –  the CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF REAL ESTATE should require KNOWN DISCLOSURES of this SUBSTANTIAL FINANCIAL LIABILITY for every PROPERTY OWNER WITHIN THE LAKE DON PEDRO OWNERS ASSOCIATION subdivision that is a customer of the Lake Don Pedro CSD!

How can property be transferred with such an intentionally hidden financial requirement that flies in the face of why that SPECIAL DISTRICT was formed in the first place?

How can such misuse of public funds and betrayal of public trust be tolerated?

Unless……?

It is just symptomatic of something much, much larger approaching on the horizon?

And you can bet money, marbles or chalk that whatever it is, the MR WECs of the subdivision will probably PAY EVEN MORE!

My best to you and yours, Lew

I was feeling a bit down the other morning, likely due to reflecting upon the decades of concerted effort in acquiring Merced River Water for land development projects outside the legal Place Of Use – and how that pesky technicality was remedied with the plan of developing more very expensive groundwater wells in order to replace Merced River Water leaving the legal POU with groundwater. OK – but here is the problem I perceive with this 37+ year operating plan….  (ready?)

As if you didn’t already know after all these repetitive blah blah blahs regarding the subject? lol.   But do not fret, I am tired and beginning to understand such feeble attempts at public education on my part along with the sincere hope for intervention and correction have most likely been in vain.  Nothing is going to change, with the exception of course, as to how much more money will be required from the MERCED RIVER WATER ENTITLED CUSTOMERS of the subdivision to continue expanding this GROUNDWATER SUBSTITUTION PROGRAM for developers outside the POU. 

And when that day comes, which it inevitably will, and subdivision residents and availability fee paying absentee owners are screaming about the monthly service charge and water consumption fee and the big hike in “standby fees” being so outrageous for what they receive – if I am still around I will nod my head in agreement, smile and probably say something like “you can’t fight city hall” or “the special interests of greed always win”  while taking solace in the knowledge at least I tried.

So, once again – while I am still here to annoy you with obsessive repetition….I do not believe it is ethical to surreptitiously obtain the money required for this GROUNDWATER SUBSTITUTION PROGRAM from the innocent property owners of the Lake Don Pedro subdivision who were/are entitled to Merced River Water in the first place.  The subdivision and golf course were ALWAYS the intended beneficiaries of that MERCED RIVER WATER under water license 11395.  That is why that FORMER SURFACE WATER TREATMENT PLANT  was constructed. 

[QUESTIONS:  Why didn’t the LDPCSD forming LAFCOs prior to 1980, consider why the original developer Boise Cascade had abandoned their many attempts at groundwater sources?  Inadequate production and poor quality water! 

Why would the LAFCOs still continue to greatly expand the LDPCSD District boundaries through speculative annexations thus creating a greater GROUNDWATER DEMAND on paper?  Remember the engineer’s MORE DEVELOPMENT TO JUSTIFY EXPENSIVE TREATMENT PLANT CAPACITY UPGRADES COMMENT? 

Were Tuolumne and Mariposa, and their respective county departments, commissions and officials also supportive of Pete Kampa’s return to Lake Don Pedro CSD – so he could assist in solving the GROUNDWATER SUBSTITUTION PROBLEM the LAFCOs had created? 

Trusting that Kampa, with his influential state connections and grant writing abilities, could obtain a PARTIAL GRANT SOLUTION to the substantial financial responsibility the counties had forced on the unsuspecting and innocent property owners of the Lake Don Pedro subdivision – a designated disadvantaged community?]

?

The concept of our special district providing water service to a particular group of customers, within a defined service area, and only for the cost required to provide that service, has been corrupted to the obvious benefit of land development interests

NOT ENTITLED TO MERCED RIVER WATER. 

This GROUNDWATER SUBSTITUTION PROGRAM should be clearly spelled out in district policy and disclosed in every title transaction involving Lake Don Pedro subdivision property where the owners are essentially mandatory LDPCSD customers and subject to this increasingly expensive special benefit. 

ANYWAY….

I was feeling a little down and a person I had just met commented on how there were different ways to look at things and offered an example with which most of us are familiar….

Is the glass half empty?   (negative perspective)

Or

Is the glass half full?        (positive perspective)

Though I had never heard or thought of such a response before I quipped –

but isn’t the issue more of “what” is in the glass?

After reading about how the Piney Creek area was annexed into the LDPCSD service area as an “island of future district service” (generally discouraged by LAFCo policies) in  exchange for the transfer of Water Rights – which turned out NOT TO EXIST,  I caught myself thinking about that whole concept of Water Right “give and take”, for what purposes, and foreseeable outcomes by those involved.

Does it seem ethical or right for the MERCED IRRIGATION DISTRICT to

• be a party to LDPCSD annexation agreements
• where the MID receives another valuable Water Right (possessed by the “to be annexed property”)
• contingent upon the LDPCSD furnishing future water service,
• to properties STILL outside the legal Place of Use under water license 11395 ——
• [which is held by the MID and
• used by the LDPCSD to pump MERCED RIVER WATER from Lake McClure [for the intended purpose of subdivision and golf course consumption],
• ——  which must therefore be provided groundwater through an extremely expensive GROUNDWATER SUBSTITUTION PROGRAM (with the additional costs for ARSENIC and OTHER CONTAMINANT removal, monitoring, state reporting, etc.) ,
• which is paid for by the originally intended MERCED RIVER WATER ENTITLED CUSTOMERS (of the Lake Don Pedro subdivision) even though,
• such annexations were intentionally concealed from the <MR WECs> of the subdivision
  
• by both LDPCSD and the “property annexation approving LAFCOs” through such means as a
• coordinated avoidance of required district Municipal Service Reviews which would have made such “slumbering annexations” known to the <MR WECs> of the subdivision and general public?  

Let’s put our thinking caps on….

Who are the beneficiaries of such annexations?  At first blush I would imagine…..

1. The Merced Irrigation District receives another water right,
2. Land developers outside the legal place of use for MERCED RIVER WATER receive a special benefit GROUNDWATER SUBSTITUTION PROGRAM which increases their profit margin;
3. Real estate associated interests benefit due to the “increased inventory” of properties with quality water,
4. The respective counties are relieved of the financial and logistical burdens of providing water to thousands of acres of drought prone property within jurisdictions,
5. For profit district management companies such as KAMPA COMMUNITY SOLUTIONS llc, (KAMPACS) and their traditional sub contractors benefit with treatment plant re-configurations, upgrades, line extensions further outside POU, groundwater well development, etc.
6. and County and State entities receive increased tax revenue from the improved lands  … so many benefit from such a “foothill water empire” based on an expensive and unreliable GROUNDWATER SUBSTITUTION PROGRAM!!!

Q: But who is injured, incurs additional expense, and/or liabilities for this diversion from intended water service?

A: The past, present, and future property owners within the Lake Don Pedro Owners Association subdivision who must subsidize a special benefit GROUNDWATER SUBSTITUTION PROGRAM for outside third party land developers demanding cheap quality water.

So, is it just a matter of perspective ……

“ANYTHING VALUABLE REQUIRES PROTECTION”

My best to you and yours, Lew

Sure seems strange that with such detailed reports about how the LDPCSD was going to expand the district water service area by thousands of acres, there was NOT ONE WORD ABOUT THE MERCED RIVER WATER restrictions in Water License 11395 they had known about for years.

No mention of the fact that an expensive GROUNDWATER SUBSTITUTION PROGRAM was also required to replace every unit of MERCED RIVER WATER that leaves the MERCED IRRIGATION DISTRICT PLACE OF USE (MIDPOU) with expensive groundwater wells.

Seems they also side-stepped the little issue of ARSENIC and OTHER CONTAMINANT REMOVAL from local groundwater which must be monitored and reported to the state to ensure healthy drinking water and increases treatment costs.

Wasn’t anyone curious as to why

the LAFCO OFFICIAL DISTRICT SERVICE AREA MAP CREATED IN 1980 AT DISTRICT FORMATION from an 11 page detailed

METES & BOUNDS ENGINEERED SURVEY

JUST HAPPENED TO DISAPPEAR from multiple locations?

Sorry.  None of this makes sense except for one possibility .. –

The LAKE DON PEDRO CSD was specifically created with the intent of quietly defrauding every property owner within that residential subdivision by forcing  them to quietly and unwittingly subsidize a SPECIAL BENEFIT WATER SERVICE FOR DEVELOPERS OUTSIDE THE MIDPOU.

This SPECIAL BENEFIT Outside MIDPOU water service could only be ACCOMPLISHED WITH AN EXPENSIVE GROUNDWATER SUBSTITUTION PROGRAM created and maintained with public funds as a FINANCIAL BENEFIT and development incentive for PRIVATE LAND DEVELOPERS who were legally prohibited from receiving MERCED RIVER WATER.

Pretty simple actually

THEY DID NOT WANT OUR SUBDIVISION LAND WITH MERCED RIVER WATER

THEY WANTED OUR SUBDIVISION MERCED RIVER WATER ON THEIR LAND.

ANYWAY, here’s some interesting reading although it sure doesn’t seem like county officials gave a “rat’s asset” about that 99% MAJORITY of MERCED RIVER WATER ENTITLED CUSTOMERS in the subdivision, does it?

Residential  citizen/customers were betrayed by local government in the name of third party land developers

pursuing greater profit margins with cheap quality water.

screwed the  <MR WECs> once again

My best to you and yours, Lew

(DOCUMENT CONTROL AT BOTTOM LEFT OF PAGE)

Check out this 1985 PRO DISTRICT EXPANSION OUTSIDE MIDPOU SUPPORT LETTER.

WITHOUT A SINGLE WORD as to where MERCED RIVER WATER could legally be served!

N  THEIR JOB?CC

WAIT A MINUTE! PAGE A2…..4th paragraph….Does it sound like all that property around the EMERY ROSS CATTLE RANCH (formerly part of Sturtevant Ranch) was not yet annexed into the district boundary?

“This reservoir can serve by gravity outside District boundaries in Section 34 Township to to South Range 15 East, portions of Penon Blanco Road, Highway 132, and The Old State Highway extending south, east, and west from this section.  In addition, the District is committed to serve the lands of Sturtevant in this area.”

“…can serve by gravity….”    and not,  “….does serve by gravity….”???

WHAT DOES THE ORIGINAL (DECADES AWOL) 1980 LAFCO FORMATION MAP ILLUSTRATE?

Was all that STURTEVANT PROPERTY already included in 1980?  Or was it later added thanks in no small part to this “EXPANSION ADVOCACY LETTER BY BINKLEY ENGINEERS” just before the major 1987 SPHERE OF INFLUENCE BOUNDARY CHANGES TO BE MADE?  (When LAKE SHORE RANCH and others were presumably brought into the District SOI – despite the district’s inability to provide MERCED RIVER WATER to those properties.)

THAT 1980 FORMATION MAP IS THE KEY TO MUCH OF THIS-

is that why it has been missing since shortly after LDPCSD formation?

SHOULD NOT A LAFCO (LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION) BE REQUIRED TO CREATE AND MAINTAIN ACCURATE PUBLIC RECORDS OF THE SPECIAL DISTRICTS THEY FORM WITHIN THEIR JURISDICTIONS?

CHECK IT OUT!

“In addition, the District is committed to serve the lands of Sturtevant in this area”?

(Pretty subjective opinion based on a relative’s suspicious 10 meter agreement to increase the service area 17 years earlier and 12 years before the LDPCSD WAS EVEN FORMED!)

“COMMITTED TO SERVE”?   Not according to the CPUC approval of the transfer of facilities and assets to the new LDPCSD!

Service to the STURTEVANT RANCH PROPERTY certainly could have been argued to be one of those “LIABILITIES” completely owned by SIERRA HIGHLANDS and NOT TO BE TRANSFERRED TO THE NEW LDPCSD! (Heck, SIERRA HIGHLANDS CREATED THE MESS – THEY SHOULD OWN IT!  Not the innocent MR WECs of the subdivision!

IS THIS WHY LAFCO PREEMPTIVELY CHANGED THE SERVICE AREA BEFORE THE FACILITY/ASSETS WERE LEGALLY TRANSFERRED BY THE CPUC TO THE LDPCSD?

IF the 1980 map does show STURTEVANT within the DISTRICT BOUNDARIES as has been represented for decades.

However, IF that original 1980 map shows STURTEVANT outside the DISTRICT BOUNDARIES, then perhaps the STURTEVANT RANCH was placed within DISTRICT BOUNDARIES later after BINKLEY’S EXPANSION ADVOCACY LETTER IN 1985 just before the 1987 SOI Changes?  BUT WAIT!  That’s SPHERE OF INFLUENCE, NOT LEGAL DISTRICT SERVICE AREA BOUNDARIES!

THE MISSING LAFCO 1980 MAP WHICH WAS BASED ON 11 PAGES OF A DETAILED “METES AND BOUNDS” ENGINEER FIELD SURVEY, MUST BE RE-CREATED FOR ANY CHANCE OF UNDERSTANDING WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN REGARDS TO THE MAJOR PRIVATE LAND DEVELOPMENT SPECIAL INTERESTS THAT WERE CLEARLY INFLUENCING THE FORMATION, DEVELOPMENT AND PLANNED OPERATION OF THE LAKE DON PEDRO CSD.

Thad Binkley orchestrates a “10 meter deal” outside the permitted service area in 1968  (expanding service area just as Sierra Highlands desired), then 17 years later G R BINKLEY, of BINKLEY ASSOCIATES, advises LAFCO that the DISTRICT WAS COMMITTED TO THAT SELF SERVING AGREEMENT TO THE BENEFIT OF THE ENGINEERING FIRM AND THEIR LONG ACQUAINTED LAND DEVELOPER ASSOCIATES IN THE AREA?     

Sure seems like a conflict of interest for the DISTRICT’s ENGINEERING FIRM (and prior associates of SIERRA HIGHLANDS) to represent the expansion interests of land developers NOT ENTITLED TO MERCED RIVER WATER, while simultaneously having the responsibility of maintaining the treatment system to the benefit of the legal customers in the subdivision. 

Activities supporting further outside MIDPOU development for land developers and real estate interests represent a clear liability and detriment to the legal customers of the entitled subdivision who must bear the financial consequences and reduction in efficiency of a surface water treatment plant designed, constructed and intended to serve their subdivision interests. 

“….NATURAL SOURCE FOR SERVICE….”

Even KAMPA’s LAKE SHORE RANCH “SLUMBERING ANNEXATION” was referenced back in this 1985 letter (ten years prior to annexation) while “our engineers” were pushing for further outside MERCED IRRIGATION DISTRICT PLACE OF USE water service!

AND NOW I finally understand how the PINEY CREEK ISLAND AREA OF POTENTIAL DISTRICT WATER SERVICE  (in district, paying nothing but can vote in elections) came about…..that deal was apparently contingent on its transferring their “WATER RIGHTS”.   But only AFTER BEING ANNEXED into the district by LAFCO –   Ooops!  Guess what?  

No water rights to transfer – but the annexation was complete and legal through LAFCO?  Sure smells like fraud to me.

The benefits of providing district inclusion- property tax benefits, not required to pay anything to the district, get to vote and determine who represents the interests of those outside the service area, yet the very CONSIDERATION FOR THE DEAL (water rights on Lake McClure) DID NOT EXIST!  And no one knew or investigated or researched the matter

UNTIL AFTER THE ANNEXATION WAS COMPLETE?  Oh Please. 

Perhaps LAFCO was going for one of those “TRANSPARENCY CERTIFICATES” Kampa just obtained for the LDPCSD?  lol

Kind of like performing mechanical work on that new vehicle in the sales lot prior to purchase, then purchasing the same with a RETURNED INSUFFICIENT FUND CHECK – but never-the-less being able to keep and use the vehicle while the auto lot pays all associated expenses for as long as the vehicle is owned! sweet for the thief.

OUTRAGEOUS.

Notice also the

EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE PROPOSITION OF

INCREASING THE TREATMENT PLANT CAPABILITIES WAS ALSO DEPENDENT UPON EVEN MORE

EXPANSION OUTSIDE THE MIDPOU!

~~~

“I am sorry, but hospital emergency room

policy requires that I shoot you with this gun

to assure your injuries are sufficiently severe

to require emergency room dedicated services,

but first, please sign this form accepting financial

responsibility for the cost of the bullet and gun rental,

and then we may proceed.  Where do you want it dumb ass?”

~~~

YUP

MR WECs

of the subdivision were getting screwed from every direction possible and didn’t even know it!

Can’t you just imagine some of the LAFCO discussions at the time????  

“Well, golly gee…. based on all this solid evidence for district expansion and our careful inspection of the facts, ….. guess we have no choice but to approve more and more annexations into the district?  This is especially so because the original SIERRA HIGHLANDS WATER COMPANY officials, engineers, employees and hundreds of wannabe customers all say that’s how the COUNTIES will be able to develop all that adjacent property with this massive “foothill water empire” we build ON PAPER today thanks to the LDPCSD. 

Besides, when you think about it, we will be assisting the good citizens and residents of the subdivision in obtaining a better treatment plant in the future by annexing as much as we can right now!      What about that 300 +/- acres by my cousin’s place?

Hey!  Who’s up for lunch? Is Sierra buying? The surf and turf was excellent last time.  Anyone try the Roast Beef?”

(not so lol)

THE LEGAL CUSTOMERS IN THE LDP SUBDIVISION FROM THE VERY BEGINNING PLANNING PHASE FOR THE LAKE DON PEDRO CSD, WERE BEING SET-UP FOR A COSTLY ROLLER COASTER RIDE OF TREATMENT PLANT RE-CONFIGURATIONS, UPGRADES, and NEW OPERATING PROCEDURES, but most importantly, DECADES OF DYSFUNCTIONAL LEADERSHIP/MANAGEMENT ASSURED THROUGH DISTRICT GERRYMANDERING, ALL FOR THE SAKE OF CONTINUING DISTRICT EXPANSION  OUTSIDE THE LEGAL PLACE OF USE FOR MERCED RIVER WATER !

FULL CIRCLE HUH?

NEED MORE OUTSIDE PLACE OF USE ANNEXATIONS TO JUSTIFY THE ENORMOUS COSTS INVOLVED IN EXPANDING THE TREATMENT PLANT TO SERVE MORE OUTSIDE PLACE OF USE ANNEXATIONS!

SAME PROCESS KAMPA HAS ANNOUNCED, ANNEX MORE OUTSIDE MIDPOU PROPERTIES, DEVELOP MORE GROUNDWATER WELLS, ANNEX MORE OUTSIDE MIDPOU PROPERTIES, DEVELOP MORE GROUNDWA……

HECK.. just “charge” the whole financial nightmare to the innocent and apathy cultivated  MR WECs of the Lake Don Pedro residential subdivision – such easy marks….again, and again, and again!

And so it has been viewers- the legal MERCED RIVER WATER ENTITLED CUSTOMERS of THE LDP SUBDIVISION have been paying for this SPECIAL BENEFIT WATER SUBSIDY FOR LAND DEVELOPERS FOR 37 YEARS and PETE KAMPA was simply returned to re-activate that plan by furnishing an enhanced GROUNDWATER SUBSTITUTION PROGRAM financed with public resources although obviously dedicated to the special interests of profit chasing private land developers.

 ~

Must get away from this-

I’m trapped in a cycle too-

Always my best to you and yours,

Yet posted by a frustrated Lew!

MR WEC

PLEASE NOTE: Current MARIPOSA COUNTY employees are OBVIOUSLY NOT RESPONSIBLE for what may have occurred decades ago regarding the FORMATION, MONITORING, and MODIFICATION OF OPERATIONS and PERMITTED SERVICE AREAS of the LAKE DON PEDRO COMMUNITY SERVICES DISTRICT.  

Of course there is the unwritten obligation to “defend the county…no matter what”.  lol

They are therefore likely precluded from voluntarily offering ANYTHING not specifically requested or required by law that could conceivably reflect poorly on past county activities.  I have found current employees to be very polite, helpful and tolerant of my “snooping around” while trying to discover the answers to questions like:

What precipitated this very peculiar district formation which supported great district expansion through contradictory and illogical property annexations detrimental to the interests of the customers it (the LDPCSD) was ostensibly created to serve?   

How could such annexations be approved without even a simple recognition of the most important operational regulation of that surface water treatment plant:

  WHERE MERCED RIVER WATER COULD LEGALLY BE SERVED? 

Questions now orbit around – What were the actual motives and goals of that 1980 LAFCO that formed the LDPCSD?

Had it quietly been working behind the scene with, or at minimum receptive to, the massive district expansion philosophy of the influential SIERRA HIGHLANDS WATER COMPANY President and minor shareholder, Thaddeus C Binkley?

What about the major influence of Sierra Highland’s “like-thinking” ORIGINAL GENERAL MANAGER EXPANSIONIST, Wes Snyder, who was also the first LDPCSD GM as well?

Minutes clearly document his “do it now, worry later” perspective of outside water service.  Then later, he was also a Deerwood Land Development Corporation employee while also serving on the LDPCSD Board?  Too cozy for a public agency and private for profit land development corporation in my eyes.   Please.  No offense intended.  Wes believed in district water expansion as far as possible and I admired him for his dedication but disapproved of methods used.  OK, done and over, but one must say, Wes got things done, so sincerely, RIP Wes.

Everyone has their own perspective and beliefs as to what is important in life and they presumably conduct themselves and live their lives the best they can in order to achieve those goals.  Kudos.  Hope it works for you.   Naturally there’s that little issue of TIME which (hopefully) incrementally matures our perspective of life with the new information acquired and experience of “reality” behind us.  I thought the other day…..if I were to somehow meet myself “as the teenager I was many moons ago” in my present life now at this age, I’d bet money, marbles or chalk I would have seriously disliked some aspects of the “younger me” and probably attempted to avoid further interaction.  But that harsh judgement would have likely resulted from witnessing one of my many “mistakes” growing up, which again, hopefully, we survive, learn a lesson and move on without punishing ourselves too much!  lol

People can live as they please but that does not equate to my being obliged to approve or condone methods of operation that obviously harm others.  Nor must I accept with a smile and dismiss with a frown, the collateral damage to those less powerful victims of ‘development schemes” for the sake of “development profit”.  OK – other perspectives, our differences make us great, no biggie, let’s move on shall we?

LIKE IT OR NOT

Lake Don Pedro subdivision property owners have been exploited time and time again.  By outsiders, insiders, strangers and neighbors.  And it is so very, very sad because much of it is “the road to hell paved with good intentions”, but then there are some others (I pray the minority) that are more contemplative, intentional and cognizant of the injury caused to others with their activities based in pure greed.  Enough.  I still hold out that there is more good than bad, but the faith gets stretched at times.

Time heals all wounds.

All heels are wounded by time.

GOD-DOG

LIVE-EVIL

Whatever……..

PUPPY  MONKEY  BABY!    PUPPY MONKEY BABY!   PUPPY MONKEY BABY!     ah, much better.

now back to the regularly scheduled blah, blah, blah

MAKE THE FUTURE NOW

SO – did Thad Binkley,  in his “nonlinear style” of planning and execution (saw a book advertised with a story about his process), successfully begin LDPCSD SERVICE AREA EXPANSION in 1968, (Sturtevant meter deal- despite the established legal service area) long before the district was even FORMED in August of 1980 by LAFCO?

Take a look at the chronological time line.  Heck,didn’t he successfully expand the service area BEFORE the district had even LEGALLY RECEIVED THE TRANSFER OF FACILITIES AND ASSETS on February 21, 1981?  (Transfer was effective 30 days after the January 21 1981 CPUC approval of the transfer to the LDPCSD.)

And please remember, that CPUC transfer was going to clearly document the SERVICE AREA and EXISTING CUSTOMER ACCOUNTS to be transferred and assumed by the new LDPCSD as well – in FEBRUARY OF 1981 -…… but…wait……. the LAFCO map was created in 1980 to initially establish the new district boundaries….but how could that….?……WHAT?  Seems backwards.  Shouldn’t one start with what facilities and assets were actually approved by the CPUC first? (Rather than determining the approval was unsatisfactory before the transfer was made legal by the CPUC’s approval?  Shouldn’t any modifications to a carefully detailed service area be made AFTER THE PROPERTY WAS LEGALLY TRANSFERRED TO THE LDPCSD?  Can you imagine being permitted to make engine or body modifications on a vehicle for sale on a new car lot BEFORE YOU HAD ACQUIRED TITLE to that vehicle?  THE CART WAS BEFORE THE HORSE!)

IMAGINE…. A  scheme to have LAFCO modify the service area of a district still yet to be created by that very LAFCO, and before the California Public Utilities Commission January 21st, 1981 approval for the transfer of facilities to that district?  An approval document which also would have clearly documented the service area and customers to be served?  It also included statements as to what was not being transferred….like the numerous expensive liabilities in agreements Sierra Highlands had proposed with others outside of the service area?   Line extensions…..increased loan amounts…..”sleeping annexations”…..district secrecy and customer deception……

Did LAFCO, with knowledge of what was to be approved by the CPUC anyway, simply “jump the gun” and expand the service area before receiving that transfer approval?

(Utilizing the Thad Binkley 10 meter agreement that sitting Director Ross in 1993 and several other outside MIDPOU property owners had earlier, and wrongfully, used to establish district water service outside the place of use.  Obviously such things can only happen in a pro-expansion office with like leadership and management.)

WAS DISTRICT “PREFORMED FOR EXPANSION” BY SPECIAL INTERESTS WORKING WITH LAFCO?

What about comparing the “due diligence” efforts between the

CALIFORNIA PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION and LAFCO?

(Sound familiar?  HOW “EXISTING CUSTOMER” somehow gets re-configured to include an untold number of “non entitled” others who represent a clear detriment to those legally entitled?  Get it?  Just like with KAMPA and his grant funds supposedly for existing customers in emergency drought but actually used to create his GROUNDWATER SUBSTITUTION for properties outside the service district area.  Yup, going to serve outside the “SERVICE DISTRICT AREA” BEFORE IT WAS EVEN A SERVICE DISTRICT!   What cunning plans of using the unaware subdivision owner-victim to unwittingly subsidize activities against their own best interests as MERCED RIVER WATER ENTITLED CUSTOMERS)

Wild huh?  The apparent founder of BINKLEY ASSOCIATES (the LDPCSD’s initial and continuing engineering firm for the last 40 years) was expanding the service area 12 years ahead of district formation, and 13 years ahead of the approved transfer by the California Public Utilities Commission!  Now that’s diabolical nonlinear “out of the box” future planning!

(Whether ethical or not to the MR WECs of the subdivision is another question.)

NICE MAP BUT

NOPE.  SORRY.  CANNOT ACCEPT THIS AS THE AUTHENTIC 1980 MAP CREATED FROM A DETAILED SURVEY – EVEN WITH MY RUDIMENTARY DRAFTING KNOWLEDGE & WANNA BE “BOY SCOUT TRUST”  CAN’T DO IT.

WAS PETE KAMPA RETURNED AS GM/BOARD TREASURER TO “WAKE UP” HIS 20 YEAR OLD “SLUMBERING SPECIAL INTEREST ANNEXATIONS” with a PUBLIC FUNDED GROUNDWATER SUBSTITUTION PROGRAM?

(Paid for by

MR WECs   <link>

of the LAKE DON PEDRO SUBDIVISION!) 

(Photos taken during February 2017 monthly meeting)

Remember my 9 item Agenda Request?  Requests that were given only lip service in the GM’s report (so Kampa could later use that agenda placement to argue against a full discussion at the monthly meeting?) yet Kampa/Johnson intentionally omitted the map I had prepared AND ATTACHED to support item #2 about a possible new raw water line from the lake to the treatment plant?

LDPCSD BOARD PRESIDENT DANNY JOHNSON  

(Discussed finding “someone” to write grants to fund

groundwater wells for outside MIDPOU properties

shortly before Pete Kampa’s return to the

LDPCSD in October 2014) 

Here’s a link to that original post five months ago in February:

My 9 Item Agenda request – but the map was “lost”

    DIRECTOR EMERY ROSS

OUTSIDE MIDPOU COMMERCIAL CATTLE RANCHER WHO ORCHESTRATED PETE KAMPA’S RETURN TO THE LDPCSD BY PROVIDING CONFIDENTIAL BOARD INFORMATION TO KAMPA AND CREATING A “CLOSED RECRUITMENT PROCESS” ASSURING APPOINTMENT WITHOUT EMPLOYMENT BACKGROUND CHECK

~~~ MY AGENDA REQUEST FROM FEBRUARY ~~~

THE MAP WAS CERTAINLY NOT “LOST”

Like so many records at the LDPCSD, my map was not lost but intentionally omitted from the material to which it was attached.

How can a GM and his crony Board President pick through a customer’s PAID FOR AND LEGALLY SUBMITTED AGENDA REQUEST and simply remove a specific page that they, for their own nefarious reasons, feel objectionable for public review? 

Is that not wrongful censorship of a legally submitted agenda request to a public agency?

SOS ….same ‘ol…..stuff  (lol)

This is the same technique that has been repeated many, many times by the LDPCSD concerning its annexation records.

Ambiguous annexation paperwork which never identified the property being pushed through.  WHO KNEW WHERE THOSE PROPERTIES TO BE ANNEXED WERE  ACTUALLY LOCATED? 

THE TRADITIONAL “REFER TO ATTACHED EXHIBIT” WAS NEVER ATTACHED to the paperwork for referral but the process continued resulting in “SLUMBERING ANNEXATIONS” where only those personally involved knew the truth. 

A Truth that remained quiet until KAMPA’s return to create the GROUNDWATER SUBSTITUTION PROGRAM NEEDED FOR THEIR RE-ACTIVATION?

KAMPA TRACK RECORD OF PURSUING 20 YEAR OLD PROJECTS – relevant today?

Which raises a number of other questions, but one of particular interest considering the “slumbering status” of these annexations, is just how RELEVANT are special interest secret annexations made 20 years ago considering the recent CALIFORNIA EMERGENCY DROUGHT and the lessons – supposedly learned?  

WERE SUCH ANNEXATIONS EVEN REASONABLE THEN?

Why are so many of them directly tied to commercial real estate and land development interests rather than the interests of the MR WEC‘s of the subdivision for whom that (FORMER) surface water treatment plant was designed, constructed and clearly intended to serve?

One of the maps Pete Kampa displays on the LDPCSD Board room wall also indicates the ORB HATTON subdivision on the eastern shores of Lake Don Pedro as also proposed to be in the district boundaries.  Who knows? Maybe it was secretly approved somehow also and waiting to be re-activated on the Tuolumne County side of the subdivision area?  (Although from what I recall reading in the newspapers back then, Tuolumne County did not go along with such grandiose plans of a bay area land development corporation operating in this area at the time.  Evidently Tuolumne County “HELD THEIR GROUND” at a few public meetings in Sonora.  Actually encourages a bit of faith and trust that “legitimate government” entities might indeed be concerned and protective about the MR WEC‘s of the subdivision.  Someone sure needs to be involved.

TRACK RECORD (past activities) and CHARACTER COUNT

Kampa is not forthcoming or candid with his “hands on” personal experiences with such annexation matters 20 years ago.  In other words, Kampa has proven he is once again MISREPRESENTING LDPCSD FACTS and TRUTH – JUST AS HE DID 20 YEARS AGO.

SEEMS LIKE THE DOCUMENTED PAST OF UNETHICAL BEHAVIOR BY AN INDIVIDUAL APPOINTED GM/BOARD TREASURER and GIVEN ACCESS TO OVER $1 MILLION DOLLARS IN PUBLIC FUNDS, WAS INTENTIONALLY OVERLOOKED BY APPOINTING DIRECTORS WHO  FAILED TO REQUIRE A TRADITIONAL EMPLOYMENT BACKGROUND CHECK.  

Is that not a failure of their  fiduciary duty to the district and the MR WEC‘s of the subdivision?

“FIDUCIARY:  A person or institution who manages money or property for another and who must exercise a standard of care in such management activity imposed by law or contract; e.g. executor of estate; receiver in bankruptcy; trustee.  A trustee, for example, possesses a fiduciary responsibility to the beneficiaries of the trust to follow the terms of the trust and the requirements of applicable state law.  A breach of fiduciary responsibility would make the trustee liable to the beneficiaries for any damage caused by such breach.” 

Black’s Law Dictionary Fifth Edition  (old edition but the principle remains essentially the same)

RELEVANCY OF ANNEXATIONS DECADES OLD? 

Do land development proposals initiated that long ago still carry the same weight in reasonableness or feasibility after 20 years of restful slumber?  Their inactivity only waiting for the surreptitious return of their “water empire creator” to re-activate the project with GROUNDWATER SUBSTITUTION FUNDED BY THE PUBLIC but serving the private personal and business interests of a former employee who was “unethically returned” and appointed GM/BOARD TREASURER? (Along with his limited liability management company)

YUP.  Something certainly appears wrong here and several “DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVES/OFFICIALS” are involved.

COMMON SENSE APPROACH?

Where is the common sense approach to such planned developments?

What happened to that logical “ZERO SPHERE OF INFLUENCE” PROPOSAL BY THE MARIPOSA COUNTY PLANNING DEPARTMENT IN 1985″? 

That was the only proposal to ever make sense considering the MERCED RIVER WATER restrictions contained in WL11395 but land development expansionists went crazy with even further demands for  our precious natural resource.  The MR WEC‘s of the subdivision had their most valuable resource exploited by the very individuals and government entities entrusted to protect and wisely use such a blessing.

PROBABLY MUCH DEEPER THAN JUST COUNTY AND LDPCSD

Also consider the possibility that the MERCED IRRIGATION DISTRICT is also working with the COUNTY OF MARIPOSA and PETE KAMPA of the LDPCSD to create some other “SWEETHEART DEAL” outside the public view?

Is this legal? Where does the Brown Act become relevant IF SUCH NEGOTIATIONS ARE TAKING PLACE?

I really do not know.  Getting to the point not much is surprising in this obvious game of customer deceit and deception.

BACK TO THE “REMOVED” MAP IN AGENDA REQUEST

Why would a narrative describing that area be permitted and not the accompanying map?  Same subject, same area, and same players.   Was it because a map is graphical, easier to understand negating the requirement of having to read?  You know, being easier to mentally digest a map and recognize an area rather than reading paragraphs of words and sentences providing no clue as to location?  

Was the map intentionally removed due to the possibility of someone else viewing our agenda packet and realizing that was the same property KAMPA worked with 20 years ago? Or is currently involved in some other greater secret being kept from the MR WEC‘s of the subdivision?

Or was it just another piece of the puzzle that KAMPA/ROSS/JOHNSON could not permit to be picked up and placed in the slowly materializing puzzle image showcasing decades of special district corruption to the detriment of the MR WEC‘s of the subdivision?

I don’t know but believe a good argument could be made for that possibility. 

Anyway- here’s the map KAMPA & JOHNSON REFUSED TO PUT IN THE AGENDA PACKET for public viewing:

WHAT A CO-INCIDENCE – LAKE SHORE RANCH – A PETE KAMPA          “SLUMBERING ANNEXATION” FROM 1995! 

My best to you and yours, Lew

PS  Repetitive after thoughts….

     VP DAN HANKEMEIER               DIRECTOR RUSS WARREN             DIRECTOR JIM SULT

How much did the three directors, not initially involved in KAMPA’s return to Lake Don Pedro in Oct 2014, know about these past annexations and Pete Kampa’s apparent continuing relationship with developers?

Did Kampa explain to ALL BOARD MEMBERS his past activities regarding expanding district service further beyond the MIDPOU of the water license?

IF SO, why wasn’t this revealed to the public when questions regarding issues of outside MIDPOU and annexations were specifically discussed during LDPCSD meetings?

IF NOT, is this the reason ROSS and JOHNSON made sure there would be no background check on KAMPA and his past employment with the LDPCSD?

Did Kampa advise ALL DIRECTORS of his past “working relationship” with Director Emery Ross 20 years earlier in expanding such service?

Was KAMPA  involved in the mysterious “private outside MIDPOU water line” traversing the cattle ranch of Director Ross which starts on Granite Springs Road and serves at least two other outside MIDPOU ranches further south on HWY 132?

Why is there no LDPCSD Utility Easement on that water line as proposed shortly after KAMPA’s resignation in 1997?

Is it ethical leadership and/or management for a public agency to intentionally conceal such information from the MR WEC‘s of the subdivision?

Why would Kampa OBVIOUSLY ENCOURAGE MISINFORMATION AND CONFUSION TO FLOURISH when he could have quite easily “set the record straight” with his personal knowledge of events?

What benefit to the district and its legal customers is achieved through consistent omission of relevant fact and truth by the Board of Directors and their appointed general manager and board treasurer?

Well, perhaps they didn’t receive it?  Maybe too busy to send a “Received – thank  you – please do not send anymore”  lol.

I mean after all, this outside MERCED IRRIGATION DISTRICT Place of Use issue has been, apparently, intentionally and completely ignored by county planning departments and their respective LAFCos for over 37 years as annexation after annexation was approved expanding the district beyond its initial established boundary.

Annexations which obviously forced the MR WECs of the LDP Subdivision into a decades old subsidized GROUNDWATER SUBSTITUTION PROGRAM for developers outside the MERCED RIVER WATER Place of Use – so MERCED RIVER WATER illegally leaving the subdivision could be replaced with extremely expensive groundwater to remedy the violation!

What a scam against the MR WECs of the LDP Subdivision for decades!

Think of all the cost increases and diversions from the priority goal of serving  MR WECs quality water for only the cost required for its production and delivery FROM THE SURFACE WATER TREATMENT PLANT and not arsenic contaminated groundwater wells requiring additional treatment, monitoring, and reporting to the State.   $$$$   (Sure they might come in handy someday, if all the water isn’t sold to outside MIDPOU land developers.)

But how could such an important variable as WHERE MERCED RIVER WATER could LEGALLY BE SERVED UNDER THE WATER LICENSE not be acknowledged and discussed in all the elaborate “water plans” for this drought prone foothill region?

Yup, just one little, tiny, stumbling block to the (on paper) “KAMPA FOOTHILL WATER EMPIRE” ‘ol Pete was pushing to both County Planning Departments and, apparently, without Board approval judging from the “apology letter to Tuolumne County Planning”.

What was the apology regarding again?     Oh yeah, “misrepresentation” of LDPCSD future plans for expansion.  What a frigg’n co-incidence.  22 years later….what was that old post of mine?…..REM?   The Crosby, Stills & Nash album?……oh yeah…

de ja vu

(click me….I’m a link!  lol)

Maybe someone, somewhere, will take a look at this “slumbering annexation” motive for some of the other “bad stuff” going on as our surface water treatment plant has been re-configured into a GROUNDWATER SUBSTITUTION FACILITY to circumvent water restrictions contained in WL11395 regarding PLACE OF USE for MERCED RIVER WATER while making MR WECs of the subdivision almost 40 year old victims of fraud (in my opinion at least).  We shall see.

Anyway, no answer?  Here’s what I sent……….

My best to you and yours, Lew