WES BARTON continued his OUTSTANDING JOB OF REPRESENTING THE FINANCIAL INTERESTS of LAKE DON PEDRO COMMUNITY SERVICES DISTRICT “MANDATORY CUSTOMERS” in the Lake Don Pedro Owners Association residential subdivision.
OK, let’s see if I correctly understand this mess?
The Final Audit was ultimately approved by the Board of Directors BUT CONDITIONED UPON COMPLETE REPLACEMENT with the one our Board Secretary distributed to the board and public? The Secretary’s report was contained in the traditional monthly meeting agenda packet? This Final Report replacement was required because the final bound audit report from “Auditor John” (never stated his last name during the audit presentation nor was his name located in the audit report) which was presented to the Board of Directors for approval contained different figures, one constituting a $443,000 difference? This was a result of how Kampa capitalized the groundwater wells?
The auditor suggested the report error was likely a simple mistake occurring in HIS OFFICE when an employee accidentally had bound (as the Final Report) what in reality was a draft report prepared some time ago? The Final Report presented by the auditor was issued November 18th, 2016 and presented to the LDPCSD BOARD on February 22, 2016 for approval?
Wes Barton has been asking questions for about a year with no response from Peter Kampa who is the management company president and our LDPCSD General Manager AND Board Treasurer Pete Kampa? Barton’s questions regarded substantial differences with the monthly board meeting financial disclosures presented by Kampa? Barton has repeatedly stated at meetings that the errors involved how Kampa was reporting the government grant funding used to construct the groundwater wells? Kampa refused to answer these questions eventually citing that the information had been forwarded to the auditor for report formation?
The LDPCSD SURFACE WATER TREATMENT PLANT was originally constructed and intended to serve properties inside the Lake Don Pedro subdivision? The California Public Utilities Commission approval paperwork for the transfer of facilities and assets to the LDPCSD in 1980 had been changed and placed in district records? The original MARIPOSA COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION (LAFCo) DISTRICT FORMATION MAP OF 1980 was “lost” and replacement maps containing additional information as to where MERCED RIVER WATER service could be furnished were created by the LDPCSD and provided to a variety of other county, state and federal agencies? Rather than furnishing a requested reproduction of the 1980 formation map (original engiineer’s survey exists), KAMPA proposed, and the board approved, a “multi-map” project for over $10,000 in remaining district funds?
The LDPCSD pumps MERCED RIVER WATER impounded at Lake McClure under authority of THE MERCED IRRIGATION DISTRICT (MID) which holds water license 11395 issued by the STATE WATER RESOURCES CONTROL BOARD (SWRCB) which regulates MERCED RIVER WATER diversion and use? The license clearly identifies the PLACE OF USE for MERCED RIVER WATER?
GROUNDWATER WELLS in this area are extremely expensive and unreliable as a permanent source of water in this foothill fractured rock geologic environment? Subdivision property owners are legally prohibited from drilling their own groundwater wells and are essentially MANDATORY CUSTOMERS OF THE LAKE DON PEDRO COMMUNITY SERVICES DISTRICT? They represent approximately 99% of the LDPCSD customer base? There is no prohibition for drilling private groundwater wells for properties OUTSIDE THE MERCED IRRIGATION DISTRICT PLACE OF USE (MIDPOU) regulations (outside the subdivision)?
The GROUNDWATER SUBSTITUTION PROGRAM used by the LDPCSD permits circumvention of explicit MERCED RIVER WATER PLACE OF USE restrictions (water license 11395) by permitting water service to properties OUTSIDE the PLACE OF USE? This is done by REPLACING every unit of MERCED RIVER WATER (that would otherwise be illegally leaving the permitted area) with GROUNDWATER pumped from groundwater wells? Prior to Kampa’s return to the LDPCSD in 2014, the LDPCSD only had one groundwater well (RANCHITO DRIVE WELL #1) that was used to replace MERCED RIVER WATER diverted for the existing 36 properties Outside Place of Use receiving water service from the LDPCSD?
Pete Kampa was employed by the LDPCSD approximately 20 years ago during 1993-1997? Kampa during that time was very familiar with rules and regulations concerning MERCED RIVER WATER use? Kampa supported and advocated further expansion of water service outside the MIDPOU? Approximately 10,000 acres of further service? Kampa worked with some of the same properties 20 years ago which still require a GROUNDWATER SUBSTITUTION PROGRAM water service for their properties outside the MIDPOU?
Kampa worked closely with the auditor in the production of this audit report by furnishing the information on capitalization of the new groundwater wells and the public grant funds used to construct them? On the meeting approval date (three months after the report had been issued by the auditor) a discrepancy between numbers in differing reports is addressed by LDPCSD DIRECTOR RUSS WARREN who happened to compare figures in the Final BOUND Report with the report contained in the agenda packet which is presented to the public as well?
There are no LDPCSD policies which establish or provide guidance for this decades old GROUNDWATER SUBSTITUTION PROGRAM? Kampa and the board of directors have never answered the question as to why 99% of the legally entitled MERCED RIVER WATER using “mandatory customers of the subdivision” (due to property ownership in subdivision) should be required to pay for a special benefit GROUNDWATER SUBSTITUTION PROGRAM they do not need? There has been no accounting through the decades to determine just how much this GWSP actually costs the entitled users who receive no benefit yet pay the costs?
KAMPA & KOMPANY (term for those who support Pete Kampa’s further expansion plans OUTSIDE THE MIDPOU) twice attempted to have the Board of Directors ABOLISH RESOLUTION 2013-4 but failed to do so? Kampa has in writing on several occasions misrepresented the LDPCSD’s position on this special benefit water service water service and/or the facts which surround the GROUNDWATER SUBSTITUTION PROGRAM to county, state and federal agencies? Kampa continues to misrepresent the legal area of service for MERCED RIVER WATER with obsolete and incorrect maps on the LDPCSD website and has refused to correct the matter?
The GOVERNMENT GRANTS used by Kampa to construct the groundwater wells necessary to establish an “alternate source of water” with which to create the GROUNDWATER SUBSTITUTION PROGRAM NEEDED FOR FURTHER OUTSIDE MIDPOU WATER SERVICE EXPANSION, were INTENDED TO BE USED FOR EXISTING CUSTOMERS DURING SEVERE DROUGHT CONDITIONS and NOT FOR NEW SERVICE WATER CONNECTIONS? Kampa was clearly advised of this specific requirement PRIOR to receiving the funds?
Although very generous government grant funds were made available to the LDPCSD, our primary surface water treatment plant infrastructure was completely ignored as Kampa pursued his GROUNDWATER SUBSTITUTION PROGRAM for OUTSIDE PLACE OF USE properties? An excellent example of this COMPLETE IGNORANCE OF CRITICAL SYSTEMS (that COULD HAVE BEEN REPAIRED/REPLACED WITH THESE GENEROUS GRANT FUNDS WHEN MADE AVAILABLE), were the two water filters whose “emergency repair” costs only a month ago were approximately $300,00?
Pete Kampa (prior to his second LDPCSD GM appointment in 2014) was very familiar with OUTSIDE PLACE OF USE difficulties as he had previously worked for the district between 1993-1997? Confidential board information was relayed to Kampa prior to public announcement of the GM vacancy to permit the lead time necessary to prepare a “contract ready for signature” at the next monthly board meeting? Kampa achieved his second GM status through a board orchestrated CLOSED RECRUITMENT PROCESS in October 2014 which guaranteed that he, and his Kampa Community Solutions llc management company, would be the only applicant possible and thus ultimate GM appointee? There was no semblance of a traditional employment background check made of Pete Kampa or his limited liability company prior to appointment? No research or investigation into is past LDPCSD employment or reason for subsequent resignation in 1997?
This is is only some of the factual history – I have undoubtedly failed to recall other important facts. (This really is a long complicated history.)
Final last question-
Do you believe the FINAL AUDIT REPORT was a simple mistake?
Well looks like another beautiful foothill day! Hear them flourishing within the moist soil beneath the bright sunshine? Yup, need to continue the weed eating/spraying progress completed yesterday. I sure am sore, but it feels and looks so good.
My best to you and yours, Lew
