“LEW’S VIEW”

Regarding the “final installment” of the

REGULAR MONTHLY MEETING OF THE

LAKE DON PEDRO COMMUNITY SERVICES DISTRICT

Monday, October 17^th, 2011 1300hrs

 

NOTE: Verbatim transcriptions based on analog and digital recordings.

Here are some brief descriptions of the agenda items, Board decisions, and pertinent verbatim transcriptions.

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p. RANCHITO WELL STUDY– Information update by District Engineer Elizabeth Binkley.  Letter explaining why the capacity test of the Ranchito Well is taking longer than expected due to the necessity of well stabilization.  Kalvin Gile expressed concern that the CSD could be liable for lowering the water table and harming other well users in the vicinity.  Director Ross commented that he received a call from a property owner complaining about well difficulties. 

r. REQUEST FROM MIKE SCHARTZ- follow-up on his request for water service to a property he just purchased. This property is outside MIDPOU and further discussion is subject to the results of the well test.  Mrs. Poe suggested “give him one of my old meters, I don’t care”.  Director Ross suggested the Board speculate and offer an opinion as to furnishing water service if the well test proved satisfactory.   VP Bill Kinsella and Director Lew Richardson declined to offer such a hypothetical answer.  Director Skoien advocated providing a meter to Mr. Schartz so that Mrs. Poe could also recoup her losses due to the nonpayment by Donna Martin/Morasci for the line extension.

s. REQUEST FROM ROY WALTON – to discuss his request for water service.  Interim General Manager Dan Tynan advised Mr. Walton had called and was not going to be able to attend the meeting.  Postponed to next month pending the well test.  CSD counsel has advised in the past that “will serve letters” should be avoided. 

t. RETIREMENT HEALTH BENEFIT LIABILITY – Information by Charise Reeves about the formal valuation performed to comply with the GASB 45 requirement for Retirement Health Benefit Liability.  Re-evaluations occur every two to three years depending upon the changes in the rules and how much CSD contributes.  $168,000 annual required contribution, we paid out $43,011 in 2011 fiscal year on premiums for retirees (subtracted from the annual contribution).  Currently we are not contributing to the program but at some point need to restart the funding. The board could also decide not to provide, from this point on, certain medical benefits for retirees.   Two employees have already been hired without this benefit.  Policy needs to be updated regarding this issue.

u. BOARD ROOM RECORDER – Request by Director Richardson to discuss/act  on replacing/upgrading the Board Room tape recorder with digital equipment.  The old dual tape recorder often begins to “squeal” and there have been tape malfunctions.  Going digital would be more dependable, efficient and less costly for copies requested by the public.  Charise Reeves advised an equivalent tape model would run between $600-$800 but she will check into the possibility of digital.  Many people do not even have cassette tape players anymore.  More research will be conducted with a report next meeting.

v. SECURITY OF FACILITY AND RECORDS – Request by Director Richardson regarding the possibility of missing records, initial and subsequent law enforcement reports about a past break in, and funding a security program regarding plant facilities and official records.  Months after the initial report of the break in, and during attempts to fulfill a Grand Jury request for 2009 Minutes, it was discovered a box of records (Board Packets) was missing.  The CSD was able to electronically recover most of the Minutes with the exception of one or two meetings.  Discussion ensued regarding the protection of records with Director Richardson suggesting CSD maps and transparencies were very valuable records regarding CSD history. 

DIRECTORS COMMENTS

VP Bill Kinsella:  I have been emasculated by some people for taking action to preserve the integrity of this organization and, by a couple of people, and I’m a little disgusted and tired of it particularly since the intent was not to circumvent this, this board.  Although I’ve become more and more disgusted with it, the intent was to cease a problem that would have perpetuated and put this whole board in trouble and yet I find the people who really don’t know what the hell is going on can make statements accusing me of certain things and I’m just a little disgusted with it, I’m tired of being the target for most of this crap.  People want to make a, if I do something wrong that’s fine but when I do something with the specific intent to protect this organization and then some dingbat decides that they are smarter than me, never around – just listen to rumor and then they ostracize me.  Fat chance it’s going to happen again, I will not put up with it.  I’m done.  Anybody else?

Director Lew Richardson:   Yeah, just reiterate that I think it was a total embarrassment today that we could not select a director to fill a spot, one spot open, we had one applicant who was more than qualified.  I think this is just another example of some of the repugnant, childish games that are being played.  That’s it.

VP Kinsella: I could go on about that too but I’m not going to.   Go ahead Mark.

Director Mark Skoien:  Well real quick, I had nothing to say but, Lew knows I probably got to give him a little bit of an answer (laughing), ah, regardless of what you think of it there’s no games, I mean, everybody has their right to vote and you shouldn’t be calling their right a repugnant game.  That’s all I got to say.  Let’s go watch some football.

Board Secretary Charise Reeves:  Ah please adjourn.

VP Kinsella: OK, the meeting is adjourned (1742hrs)

XXXXX     END OF OCTOBER 17^th, 2011 MEETING     XXXXX

My best to you and yours, Lew

PS:  The October 21^st, 2011 meeting (originally a Personnel Matter) was  “derailed” by only a handful of the SO GOSIP during Directors Comments despite several advisements that it was not subject matter of the district.    [Same old complaints about this website – guess they won’t be happy until they control every single source of information.  Gee, you think they hate this website eventhough they say they don’t read it?   Wait until they DON’T READ the book!  lol]    I’m working on another post regarding that ridiculous display [last meeting], however, with rain coming Thursday I’m also quite busy taking advantage of burn days to get rid of the Pine cones, needles, leaves, branches, etc..