PART X.

Kampa proposed establishing six reserve accounts which will obviously require increasing existing rates & fees along with creating a number of new customer fees.  How much of an increase?  Not known yet – months of study and research to be done first.   wonderful.

Sorry, but I must ask once again:

Why should Merced River water entitled customers of the subdivision pay for a special benefit water service requiring GROUNDWATER SUBSTITUTION from extremely expensive and often undependable wells in this drought prone, fractured rock, foothill area?

Shouldn’t those OUTSIDE MID-POU land developers pay for ALL EXPENSES REQUIRED to produce their special benefit water service which they need and use?

What is so difficult to understand here?  Of course if the District would simply post on its new and improved website the official MERCED IRRIGATION DISTRICT PLACE OF USE MAP FOR MERCED RIVER WATER USE UNDER WATER LICENSE 11395, most folks would understand the problem of what this GROUNDWATER SUBSTITUTION PROGRAM is intended to serve.

Imagine if this substitution special benefit policy is approved by the board…..and later when these ground wells fail and need major work or complete replacement – guess who will be on the financial hook?  

UNETHICAL AND SIMPLY WRONG

This makes no sense since the entitled Merced River water using customers in the Lake Don Pedro subdivision (99% of customers) do not need this special benefit groundwater replacement program. 

What is groundwater substitution?

What ever amount of Merced River water that leaves the use area permitted under the water license (essentially the Lake Don Pedro subdivision & golf course) must be replaced with an equal or greater amount of groundwater.  

Example:  IF 5 acre feet of Merced River water (1,629,265 gallons) is pumped from Lake McClure, treated at the LDPCSD plant and then distributed to a neighboring subdivision located OUTSIDE the legal place of use under the water license, 5 acre feet (1,629,265 gallons) or more, would have to be pumped from a ground well source and delivered to the treatment plant as replacement for the river water diverted. 

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Why does the Lake Don Pedro CSD consistently refuse to post a legitimate map displaying where Merced River Water (pumped under Merced Irrigation District water license 11395) can legally be used in this area? Properties outside the 11395 Place of Use MUST use ground water. Why should 99% of legal Merced River water users in the subdivision (for whom the water plant was constructed) pay for this ground water special benefit for land developers outside the subdivision?

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Subdivision properties DO NOT REQUIRE SUBSTITUTION as they are legal Merced River water users under water license 11395 held by the MERCED IRRIGATION DISTRICT, and have legally used river water since the district was formed in 1980.  Substitution is ONLY REQUIRED FOR PROPERTIES OUTSIDE THE LEGAL USE AREA UNDER L11395!

SIMPLE/FAIR SOLUTION:

The simple solution would be to form a “special benefit water service zone” [for all properties outside the MID-POU which cannot use Merced River water] where those receiving the special benefit of GROUNDWATER SUBSTITUTION pay for all the costs required to provide the service.  Those benefiting from groundwater substitution should be financially responsible for the monitoring, reporting, maintenance, repair, and of course, replacement of the ground well for that project.

Simply having the land developer drill a well and then deed it to the district only puts the district (and all customers not requiring substitution) on a substantial financial hook for perpetuity!  (Up to several hundred thousand dollars per well.)

All costs associated with this special benefit GROUNDWATER SUBSTITUTION PROGRAM should be PAID BY THOSE RECEIVING THE BENEFIT, therefore, those LAND DEVELOPERS should be the ones required to create and fund the appropriate reserve accounts needed to cover future repairs and replacement of the ground wells serving their project.

Simple and fair and to do otherwise is wrongfully taxing those not receiving the benefit.

Welcome back.

Continuing on the agenda…some very revealing comments by Kampa I thought regarding the “emergency groundwater well project” and grant funding changes which evidently involved over $250,000 re-designated to lateral service line replacement rather than his groundwater substitution program for outside MID-POU land developers.

Wow!  Finally some solid evidence “the legitimate authorities” have recognized the situation and have “encouraged” correction?

Fantastic!  Money going to where it should have in the first place – repairing/replacing failing primary infrastructure!  Now all we need for our nonprofit public agency CSD is a GM to honestly represent this District who is not simultaneously running his own for-profit management company and other public agencies!

Wonder how that suggestion of putting a 1/4 million dollars back into neglected infrastructure was actually made?  Imagine that for a moment……legitimate authorities (not those covering for a well known celebrity in the state water industry) taking an interest in decades of corruption complete with the years of unanswered complaints?

In the mood for a little “Twilight Zone” type stuff?  A little experiment? shall we?……..

Hello?

                           Helloooooooo?

                                                                     You there?  Great!

By chance are you a California government official or other influential individual/agency/entity etc., checking out this site for my seemingly endless ad nauseam comments about the Lake Don Pedro Community Services District (LDPCSD)?  

It’s 35+ years of turmoil over the use of Merced River water stored in Lake McClure and used under water license 11395, both held by the Merced Irrigation District of Merced California? 

Do you have jurisdiction, authority or some sort of extreme influence over the operation of the LDPCSD?

Perhaps even law enforcement power? 

Understand special interest corruption has been a major issue for decades with this PUBLIC AGENCY  – possibly even responsible for the February 2012 arson of our Administration Building and records?

Do you recognize and/or care that thousands of innocent property owning citizens of the Lake Don Pedro subdivision have been exploited for decades and essentially forced to financially support private speculative land development special interests to increase their property values and ultimate wealth? 

Want to help?

Well, here’s the Twilight Zone concept….

PROVE YOU EXIST!

(Actually, I already believe you exist and recognize you are often forced to remain silent and cannot act due to your current political work environment but I believe that will change soon.  Regardless, I have already noticed your handiwork (as disguised as it may have been by others) and am very appreciative.  I am sure other viewers are also cognizant of, and appreciate, your continued involvement.  This little TWILIGHT ZONE EXPERIMENT request is for those unbelieving viewers.)

YES – PROVE IT!

1. Require the LDPCSD to post the official MERCED IRRIGATION DISTRICT PLACE OF USE (MID-POU) MAP for WATER LICENSE 11395 on the LDPCSD website, ……or
2. Require the LDPCSD to make Board Meeting audio recordings available on the website 

Now back to our regularly scheduled program already in progress

Finally….time for you know what!   MBTYAY, L

Big deal!   So I misspelled July with a “7”.  lol

Here we go again!   lol   I know, I know…..I would prefer to be doing other things as well, but…..”IF YOU DON’T STAND FOR SOMETHING – YOU’LL FALL FOR ANYTHING!”

Same topic: PETE KAMPA/KAMPA COMMUNITY SOLUTIONS, llc, asking the BOARD OF DIRECTORS for more authority to change the existing management structure with two new management positions.. OR NOT…..depends on whether you believe what Kampa said during the meeting, or what he wrote in the agenda packet material in preparation  – often completely different directions.  He is quite adept at telling people what they want to hear to garner support – and can then “SPIN ON A DIME” while maintaining a contradictory balance – of course it is our dime and if lost during the dance, it is of no big concern, there are plenty more dimes.

Anyway, there was much discussion as to the actual responsibilities of the GM and other District employees – seriously.  I kid you not!  Heck of a time to be discussing responsibilities when our SURFACE WATER TREATMENT PLANT is being re-configured into a SPECIAL BENEFIT GROUND WATER SUBSTITUTION FACILITY FOR LAND DEVELOPERS OUTSIDE THE L11395 PLACE OF USE FOR WHICH OUR DISTRICT HAS NO LEGAL OR MORAL RESPONSIBILITY TO SERVE WATER IN THE FIRST PLACE.  (you may have already heard this before – like a skipping CD on one part of a song!)

Speaking of serious stuff that is repeated ad nauseam, why on Earth is our LAKE DON PEDRO COMMUNITY SERVICES DISTRICT refusing to post the MERCED IRRIGATION DISTRICT PLACE OF USE MAP on our “new and improved website”?   This is nuts!  That MID-POU Map clearly illustrates the restrictions on serving MERCED RIVER WATER outside the boundaries established under water license 11395 – yet the DISTRICT WILL NOT DISPLAY IT FOR CUSTOMERS TO SEE AND APPRECIATE FOR THEMSELVES – EVEN THOUGH OUR DISTRICT HAS BEEN SUBJECT TO THOSE WATER SERVICE RESTRICTIONS FOR OVER 35+ YEARS!  When I was on the board I attempted to get that map installed in the office – ABSOLUTELY NOT!  (What a foolish thought – illustrating where MERCED RIVER WATER could legally be used!)

For some reason it makes me think of the State of California removing SPEED LIMIT SIGNS ON ALL PUBLIC ROADWAYS then allowing individual law enforcement officers to decide at the time of the vehicle stop what the posted speed limit is, 65MPH one day, 15MPH the next, then later maybe 175MPH!  (Yeah, I know, not a very good analogy – but still, how can any business (or enforcement of law), be fairly carried out without a clear understanding of what is legally permitted?  Wasn’t there a routine by Steve Martin years ago where he explained his wrongful action by stating he simply forgot murder was illegal? – Guess such explanation works with TOP SECRET materials stored on private email servers as well – even if leading to another person’s demise.)

Seems to me this is the sort of BASIC PUBLIC INFORMATION (where Merced River water can be legally served) THAT EVERY CUSTOMER OF THIS DISTRICT SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO ON THE WEBSITE. Any person actually – it’s supposed to be a public agency.

Here’s a funny tidbit, PETE KAMPA is scheming some way of receiving an award for PUBLIC TRANSPARENCY OF GOVERNMENT PROCESS FOR OUR DISTRICT WHILE UNDER HIS MANAGEMENT COMMAND– yet he refuses to publish this easily obtainable map!   The sad part is I wouldn’t be surprised if he did receive an award for transparency – seems there are many others in government and related support agencies with that same “mushroom philosophy” for rate paying customers and citizens –  KEEP THEM IN THE DARK AND FEED THEM BULLSHIT – they can’t do anything about it at all except vote – and by then they will forget the initial complaint due to all the other BS that has been heaped on them in the name of public service!

Yes indeed, I am very cynical of government (as was suggested by an SWRCB employee a while back during a “conference call”) and even more so now considering the lack of promised follow-up by the very people who profess to be concerned about state regulations being followed.  (More like cover their own asses and ignore the problem.)

TRANSPARENCY OF GOVERNMENT PROCESS?  Yup, there is certainly something transparent about what is going on in LAKE DON PEDRO, – but not in a good way.  (Of course we all must recognize that the “wheels of justice grind slow…….but exceedingly fine” aka – some things naturally take more time to investigate while the resulting harm/injury/damage may continue.)

Part VI will start with the exciting Board vote on whether or not to approve Kampa’s research as to the responsibilities required of District employees, including the GM (didn’t we do that in the last episode?)

Good grief – time for a cold beer!  MBTYAY, Lew

VERY DIFFICULT TO HEAR THE AUDIO RECORDING OF THE MEETING – likely just as planned.

15 Minute audio below:

Continued JULY 18 2016 LDPCSD MONTHLY BOARD MEETING

After approving the CONSENT CALENDAR,  President Danny Johnson appeared to “jump the gun” a bit by introducing the next order of business as “Adoption of a Resolution Approving a Revised Policy on Employee Benefits including Medical, Dental and Vision and Eligibility ….(pages 27 -75 of agenda/packet)

Folks, like many others, I believe this GM Kampa re-establishment Post Retirement Medial Benefits for employees AFTER POLICY WAS SET BY A PREVIOUS BOARD OF DIRECTORS is absolutely wrong and requires serious investigation.  How did this happen?  Still not answers, just Kampa wanting the board to retro-actively approve his actions.

[Order your electronic copies from the LDPCSD Office yet?

209 852-2331!]

Back to Agenda Item 5a:  Discussion and Action Regarding the District Organizational Chart, Personnel Responsibilities and Position Requirements. (pages 25-26)

GM Kampa moved to the other end of the Board table in order to work a slide presentation to augment his proposal.   (Once again I could not find these extra presentation charts and such in my agenda/packet.  Why not included with the agenda packet for everyone to read along as is traditional in such presentations?  Put together too quickly?)

Kampa emphasized the most important aspect of this item was to understand what was required of the various employee positions within the district but he would not get into every little detail of those responsibilities entailed.

(What is expected of the GM and what the GM expects of the other employees – currently four fulltime employees and one extra help office assistance.)

THE VOICE OF THE DISTRICT STAMMERS FREQUENTLY

Kampa was apparently experiencing some difficulties with this presentation and admitted incorrect information was being displayed but eventually synchronized what he was saying with what was being projected on the gym wall.  Hey!  Give the guy a break.  He’s running multiple public agencies at the same time and these things should probably be expected with “remote general managing”.

He stated the Government Code had very specific language describing the different positions and responsibilities.    Kampa talked, and talked, and talked about things which could have easily been represented in a simple written report.

Ah what the heck!  I’m sick of listing to another KAMPA “sales pitch” for more power and authority in misdirecting our district towards continued private special interest/benefit land development profit while using our non-profit public agency to do so.    Listen for yourself.   What do you think?

My best to you and yours, Lew

Phew!  It’s hot.