Did not sleep very well last night because I was still trying to process GM KAMPA’s major statement that our LDPCSD water service boundaries were set by Mariposa LAFCo in 1980 and have not since been amended. WHAT? How can that be?
WHAT THE FRACK IS GOING ON HERE?
WAITING FOR MONTHS FOR A COMMITTEE REPORT OUT
So much talk by Board President Danny Johnson about “getting to the bottom of the MID POU issue” but after several months of waiting for the investigation “report out” by this committee as to the exact number of properties involved, location, fees paid, and their actual status, turns out nothing of substance has been done. Purely a stalling technique.
LET’S PUT THE FOX IN THE HEN HOUSE AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS
The lack of a committee report in itself is not surprising considering Director Emery Ross was apparently on that specific committee. Shouldn’t that be some kind of a conflict of interest? Why on Earth would Emery Ross want an investigation and then public announcement of how he (and others) wrongfully obtained their water service after having being denied such by the LDPCSD?
STALLING DISTRICT PROGRESS
Current LDPCSD Director Emery Ross, and those who continue to support his special interest MID POU bullshit, have successfully obstructed meaningful district progress for the last 25+ years. Why is our infrastructure failing? Wasn’t it Mark Twain who said something like: “Whiskey is for drinking, water is for fighting over”. And that is exactly what this District has done for decades – fight over water! (don’t know what participants consumed after fighting over water. Lol)
So much money and time wasted on providing “special benefit groundwater substitution services to outside Merced Irrigation District Place of Use properties that CAN NOT USE MERCED RIVER WATER under water license 11395 for their land development projects”. Pure and simple. (without publically funded groundwater substitution)
“HEY THIS GUY PETE KAMPA & his KAMPA COMMUNITY SOLUTIONS llc CAN HELP US!
Then, in October 2014 with the possibility that our community may have obtained a GM who knows how the “water industry works” and could help dig us out of DECADES OF IRRESPONSIBILITY and NEGLECT- it turns out he has been a hardcore supporter of Emery Ross and the Outside MERCED IRRIGATION DISTRICT PLACE OF USE folks for years!
Even though Kampa laughs it off as a “conspiracy theory” [excellent movie incidentally with Mel Gibson] I still believe Kampa was specifically brought back to Lake Don Pedro CSD to finish the MID POU expansion plans with which he was involved over twenty years ago – right here in Lake Don Pedro. [Don’t forget that it was Emery Ross who telephoned KAMPA with the “confidential information” that the GM position was opening up— and PRESTO! A closed recruitment process where the only possible selection for GM was, (drum roll) PETE KAMPA & his KAMPA COMMUNITY SOLUTIONS llc, professional management company.
Sure would like to know the facts around why PETE KAMPA left here the first time (1997). My understanding is he was possibly looking at employment termination anyway – but who knows? Considering the pitiful record keeping/security of this district I seriously doubt any uncomplimentary information remains.
Heck-we don’t even have a legitimate water service map!
KAMPA RETURNS WITH TOOLS AND BOARD SUPPORT TO COMPLETE OUTSIDE MID-POU DREAM EXPANSION WITH PUBLIC FUNDED GROUNDWATER
Ahhhh, but this time around ‘ol Pete was not the new guy. This time he returned with a wealth of knowledge, experience, and important State of California “water contacts” (heck he used to teach water related instructional classes for the CSDA!) and immediately began misrepresenting our district’s situation to every entity you can think of in order to obtain the substantial amount of State and Federal government grant money necessary to establish his “ALTERNATE SOURCE OF WATER” for his GROUNDWATER SUBSTITUTION PROGRAM.]
WHAT INFORMATION WAS OBTAINED DURING THIS EXHAUSTIVE RESEARCH OF THE MID POU ISSUE FOR MONTHS?
Apparently the only research conducted and provided to the public thus far was performed by GM Kampa and his friend & sitting Director Emery Ross -“The infamous cattle ranching ICON for outside MID POU GROUNDWATER SUBSTITUTION”.
STATE AUTHORITY ON “WATER RIGHTS” “IS WRONG?”
Heck, even Board President Danny Johnson now states there are questions as to whether the map on file with the SWRCB (State Water Resources Control Board) is correct. WHAT?
(Is there some type of “brainwashing” going on in those “closed sessions”)
Why would Johnson believe the map “might be incorrect” without simply requesting and viewing it himself? You would think if there were any question regarding the legality of the District’s operation concerning service you would start with the official map of where you could serve the MERCED RIVER WATER your SURFACE WATER TREATMENT PLANT had been PUMPING FOR THE LAST 36+ YEARS!
DEAR LORD – unbelievable! at least first get the official map – then complain that it isn’t what you want to do.
WILL IGNORING THIS PROBLEM AND REFUSING TO OBTAIN THAT MAP CHANGE WHAT THE SWRCB STATES IS THE LEGAL SERVICE AREA FOR MERCED RIVER WATER DIVERSION UNDER L11395? Of course not!
They are only using this stalling technique to run out some time clock that is ticking away. Is it the MID FERC HYDROELECTRIC RE LICENSING ISSUE? MID sure was right in 1980 – and if their opinion has not changed, they are right now in 2016 –
The LAKE DON PEDRO COMMUNITY is not only irresponsible, but also incapable of protecting the very water license that provides a valuable and necessary resource.
SEEMS LIKE A CONTINUING MULTI-YEAR NIGHTMARE
I can’t believe that SWRCB map (aka Merced Irrigation District Place of Use map for Merced River water use under water license 11395) has not been on our LDPCSD office wall with all other relevant information regarding the necessary GROUNDWATER SUBSTITUTION PROGRAM to supply WATER to properties OUTSIDE THE MIDPOU. It is a fact. It has been a fact for 36 years. But still NO MAP? Pure KRAPA!
I am not against anyone receiving water, but the district must do it in a lawful and ethical way. There is always a way around a problem but the factual situation, truth and a sincere attempt to remedy, must be components of that solution. If the problem started with lies and false information – that needs to be corrected and set straight first! How can you correct something built on lies?
HERE WE GO WITH “BACKGROUND” AGAIN.
Most if not all of the following has already been posted somewhere on lakedonpedro.org – don’t have time to look it up now- but check out the TIMELINE: https://lakedonpedro.org/01-time-line/
EASIEST WAY TO DESCRIBE THE MID POU BOUNDARY?
Although the two are legally unrelated, my understanding has always been the SWRCB L11395 map where MERCED RIVER WATER USE IS PERMITTED is essentially the Lake Don Pedro residential subdivision with a few recreational exceptions around Lake McClure, Lake McSwain and a Salmon farm. (There was one for a mining operation but I believe that was abandoned.)
CPUC TRANSFER APPROVAL AND THE LDPCSD FORMATION
Reading the California Public Utilities Commission [CPUC] approval of the transfer of facilities and assets from Sierra Highlands Water Company to the LDPCSD clearly indicates that our SURFACE WATER TREATMENT PLANT was specifically created to serve the LDP residential subdivision, however, properties already receiving water from Sierra Highlands would be accepted into the new LDPCSD as well. Sounds fair huh?
EXISTING CUSTOMERS?
There’s the rub. This (apparently) is where the “SHIT HIT THE FAN” because there were many thirsty property owners and speculative land developers all around the new LDP residential subdivision claiming prior existing and promised water service. [This was also addressed in the transfer by Sierra Highlands – ANYTHING not specifically detailed in that transfer agreement was not to be passed on to the new LDPCSD public agency.]
SIGNIFICANT NOTE: Extremely important CPUC transfer language was apparently changed by DISTRICT PERSONNEL to expand the water service area and include properties clearly not entitled and this DISINFORMATION was inserted into our LDPCSD historical records! And so the fraud began with the fabrication of a legitimate document. Shame shame shame.
Decades of LIES!
IS FABRICATION OF PUBLIC RECORDS STILL A CRIME? Undoubtedly this fabricated document was also used as evidence from time to time before other unknowing (or playing dumb) authorizing/permitting individuals/governmental entities.
IF A PICTURE CAN BE WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS –
A FAKE MAP CAN BE WORTH MILLIONS OF DOLLARS!
Later the LDPCSD purchased high priced color plotting equipment and software (without appropriate certification or training) to quickly MANUFACTURE THEIR OWN GIS (Geographic Information System) MAPS WHICH DID NOT NECESSARILY DOCUMENT LEGAL BOUNDARIES, but rather, where the LDPCSD (those in charge at the time) desired to provide expanded water service. Many of these maps have been repeatedly copied and modified for various purposes to the point they are laughable as any sort of evidence.
One thing that has always struck me as peculiar about many LDPCSD maps – and a definite warning sign as to authenticity, was how such purported OFFICIAL MAPS rarely had a date, identity of the issuing authority, or other relevant information (usually contained in a title block) such as number of revisions, compass heading and scale. If not for the fact these activities were so serious and damaging to others – what this district has produced and attempted to pass off as “evidence” is laughable.
WHY IS DIRECTOR ROSS SO INVOLVED IN THE MID POU?.
When Boise Cascade was constructing the LDP residential subdivision water infrastructure in the 1960s, they discovered another water tank site was needed to maintain correct pressure and flow in the northeastern portion of the development. Ultimately, the Sturtevant Ranch owners agreed to provide the land and easements necessary for the “STURTEVANT TANK” in exchange for 10 water meters that could be used by that ranch in a designated area in the future. Documents were recorded with the LDPCSD and substantiated the fact 10 water meters were on the “Sturtevant Ranch account”. With me so far?
When Emery Ross came to this area (early 1990s) and purchased his ranch property he was clearly advised by the seller (Sturtevant Ranch owners) Emery had no right to a water meter. Ross purchased the property anyway but then attempted multiple times to obtain service but the LDPCSD steadfastly refused. He was clearly out of the MID POU service area.
Several years later a Sturtevant family member attended a LDPCSD meeting and discovered Emery Ross had somehow obtained one of the ranch’s water meters (obviously with some sort of assistance from LDPCSD personnel).
This prompted an investigation which revealed there were several other properties which had also WRONGFULLY obtained these STURTEVANT RANCH water meters along with a FALSE WATER SERVICE ACQUISTION DATES – which I believe still remain. (Dating back to the residential subdivision development.)
CAUGHT – BUT NO METER REMOVALS
Even though the wrongful acquisition of these water meters was eventually discovered (RECORDS IN THE OFFICE WERE MISSING/COULDN”T BE FOUND – another BIG CLUE) the water service was never discontinued so these OUTSIDE MERCED IRRIGATION PLACE OF USE PROPERTIES had to be furnished GROUNDWATER from our (at the time) only emergency groundwater well, along with all the other properties (35-36 total – including Emery Ross’s commercial cattle ranching operation).
For decades other outside MID POU property owners have tried to get water service (who can blame them for that? – whether a single home, cattle ranch, or a subdivision – in these drought prone foothills everyone wants water – but they want someone else to be “ON THE HOOK” if an expensive ground well fails) but were denied due to the GROUNDWATER SUBSTITUTION PROGRAM requiring construction of many more extremely expensive groundwater wells.
WHAT THE FRACK IS HAPPENING HERE?
Here is a small portion of the 40 pages of very confusing material presented by KAMPA:
“The LDPCSD has two different boundaries that were set by the Mariposa County Local Agency Formation Commission or LAFCO upon the formation of the District in 1980.
The District boundaries are the limits within which the district has the exclusive authority to provide the water and wastewater services for which the district was established.
The District boundaries were set based on the best available information in 1980 and have not since been amended.
The district “sphere of influence” boundaries is established by LAFCo as basically a planning area, outside the current district boundaries where logical additional expansion of our services may be necessary.
The attached district boundary and sphere of influence map shows nearly identical boundaries, with some very small variances.”
What? The above certainly flies in the face of the numerous annexations to the district that Tuolumne/Mariposa County LAFCos made in the 1980’s and 1990’s.
How could these properties be annexed into the district (one example I have provided on this site was IF the LDPCSD didn’t respond to a county request for response the proposed project could be DEFAULT APPROVED for lack of response! – https://lakedonpedro.org/01-time-line/maripco-planning-request-for-2006-154-comments/) if they were already within the district service boundaries created by LAFCo at formation in 1980 – according to PETE KAMPA’s report?
But how can Emery Ross receive water when his property was never even annexed by LAFCo? Or the POE PROPERTY MULTI-METER CASE where neighboring APNs (Assessor Parcel Number) were used by a family to fraudulently obtain two more water meters for the same property! (Friend of Ross incidentally)
SIDE NOTE: My understanding is there has only been ONE OFFICIAL ANNEXATION APPROVED BY THE SWRCB FOR OUR LDPCSD – that being South Shore for 2,010 acres and 772 af of MERCED RIVER WATER, but that never developed, is still “on the books”, and our district doesn’t receive a thin dime!
Well, the above information is way ahead of the video clip, but it is taking so long to upload/down load – just trying to get through the meeting. Hopefully I can get caught up this weekend.
My best to you and yours, Lew
