Hey viewers!  Here’s the meeting from Monday – and as old Professor Farnsworth would say:

GOOD NEWS EVERYBODY!

There are very few Lew View comments! 

(Difficult to keep toast down already listening to “The voice of the district”!)

lol!

Here we go….just quivering with excitement yeah?

~~~

Monday, December 17th, 2018

Johnson: opens meeting at 1307hrs, all present, stand for pledge

JOHNSON ANNOUNCEMENTS: asked if people knew what happened 49 years ago today, 49^th Wedding Anniversary of Wes and Gigi Barton.

PUBLIC COMMENT –  no comment

Johnson thanks everyone for their support.

Warren: First came on board during heart of drought, only had 60-90 days of water, sees we got our million dollars back plus land purchase, a lot of improvements to system, got the million bucks back – thanks the board and public for keeping them “honest”? Good work and proud to be part of it.

Johnson: everybody made it successful.

Wes Barton:  Dec 2014 $1 million – $600,000 spent during the emergency.

GM REPORT BY KAMPA:

Impossible to read water audit report ?  Not in agenda packet?  Reads approximately 10 acre feet lost in raw water, and 7.34 AF treated or 22% of what produced.  Hope projects working on will help control failing lines.   Black smudges on paper.

Johnson: report states?  KAMPA: 22% of the treated water lost.

ROSS: How consistent is the water loss from month to month between 22-38%.  Ross believes somebody is diverting the water for use.  Someone is taking water without paying for it he believes.  Has been this way since 2008.  ????  (longer than that)

Kampa stated 5 lines leaking all the time put out a lot of water.  Not consistent month after month.  Fluctuates according to amount of water in system….  Emery stated with all the repairs that have been made the loss should have gone down but remains fairly constant.

Kampa agreed there was a problem.  Kampa said they don’t even know if the ones they are going to replace are actually leaking.  Ross said the loss should go down and Kampa agreed.  Kampa said there was no doubt some were leaking, but was that the totality of the problem?  And he didn’t think so.

The survey found 3 illegal connections but Kampa believes we have more.

7.34 treated, 10AF raw, 17.5 AF total.

Johnson:  total water consumption for this period?  Kampa stated those figures were in gallons not AF, and did some quick calculations……Johnson wanted to know how many AF we sold…..  $6,000 in lost water?

KAMPA – affluent meter vault flooded and doesn’t work…. manual read for 10 years…..will be replaced.  Measures all water leaving plant…..couldn’t test before…….. if can’t find will hire a water audit expert….

Johnson felt the consistent water loss requires a different strategy – perhaps physical inspection of meter boxes.

Kampa reported a lot of research the mapping …..documentation is very fragmented.  Spans a huge amount of time, a couple of things of no doubt, the district followed the county line (rehashing same 411 as last month).   Sierra Highlands Water Company was being followed for the LDPCSD boundaries.  Owners’ Association study …… took boundaries of Sierra Highlands Water Company, what Sierra Highlands had approved by the CPUC,  documentation is only in pieces.   No doubt, probably going to be difficult for state to put it all together, likely going to send back to us and have it  surveyed to prove it an administrative mistake.  (THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS!  EVEN MORE MONEY TO SPEND and TIME TO WASTE ON KAMPA’S SPECIAL INTEREST 20 YEAR OLD ANNEXATIONS THAT WANT TODAY’S EXPENSIVE GRANT FUNDED EMERGENCY DROUGHT GROUNDWATER PRODUCTION FOR DEVELOPMENT?)

Kampa says no one place to go for the information.  Kampa pouring over documents and sending to the state.

Johnson:  survey the entire district or just the areas in question?

KAMPA- they’re going to want a surveyor to take the two documents survey and the map and compare the two.   Problem is, Mariposa County side of the drawn map can see the whole left side shifted down and does not follow property lines.  (UNIT 7 abandoned and was never included in the SIERRA HIGHLANDS WATER COMPANY SUBDIVISION OR THE LATER CID/POA and CC&R GOVERNED RESIDENTIAL SUBDIVISION!)

JOHNSON: Want this approved where there is no doubt where the boundaries are, should have been done a long time ago.  (Already done multiple times but the SO GOSIP (same old group of special interest people) refuse to abandon their  proposed money making developments outside the subdivision fueled with proposed entitled subdivision water!)

Kampa said it would either be an administrative error or we need to go through a petition process to change the POU.  Shouldn’t be too bad because we are already providing service and not bringing in new areas to be developed – they’re existing…..(Perhaps forgot the recent McDonough issue where a property was supposedly brought back into the LDPCSD, which was something I thought only LAFCO had the authority to do?   That property was brought back into district boundary for the specific purpose of development with groundwater substitution paid for by MR WECs!)

Ross said surveying the subdivision would be a can of worms because there are only pieces of rebar marking the survey locations.  Ross said they required brass topped pins with surveyor’s information.

KAMPA said it’s been a lot of preparing for the service line contract – closing out reimbursements – will show up next month.

Randy not present again….out with stomach flu.

Kampa will cover his operations report again.  Normal maintenance around plant.  Kampa concerned with co-ordination with PG&E to fix leak.  Can’t get information.   Randy said it needs to be an emergency to get PG&E out there…..same 411 as last month!

Jose passed his T-2 examination. (D-1/T-2 now and takes pressure off other employees)

DOLLAR GENERAL.  Director Warren asked if there was any new information on the Dollar General not fulfilling the contract as reported earlier?….. Kampa asked  Syndie, no.  Only to get a check to the district which puts a band aid on the wound.   Kampa says it hurts them, because they now own a private water line but there are a lot of main extensions without proper documentation, and DG has not finished their documentation.  Most developers will not complete documentation unless something is held back from their completion but the County of Mariposa TUOLUMNE went ahead and gave them a certificate of occupancy.  Whoops!  Haven’t received any money but he expects we will but not the documentation.

KAMPA does not believe Dollar General will honor what the district is requesting even though he has talked with them multiple times on telephone, 15 times in emails.

Director Ross discussed the AMR (automated meter reading) system and the major failures experienced through the years creating a long meandering discussion including the topic of debris in water tanks (including small fish) and deteriorating main water line from Lake McClure.

Ross asked if it would be tens of millions of dollars to replace the raw water line.  Kampa said he would have to check his budget figures but Johnson stated it would be approximately 2.5 million and Kampa agreed.

VP Hankemeier asked about the barge project (last report was contact could not be made or information obtained regarding the progress of the rebuild project).  Kampa said he left another message that morning for information as they have some new REDESIGN options they are exploring and are drawing them up for the engineer now to be sure they meet the requirements previously set.  Kampa stated “we”’ would have to put the heat on them.

Johnson confirmed that the new groundwater wells could only provide 50% of the district’s true water demand (recall that the district was under mandatory water conservation when wells brought on line) and if the other intake pump goes out the district would likely required a 50% or more water restriction in consumption for the wells to cover demand.

Barge is dry docked with no “in the water again” approximate date.

WES BARTON: Stated he was looking at the situation from an organizational standpoint and what could have happened if we were properly staffed.   He felt many of the questions brought up would never have occurred because the board would have been more involved.   Wes stated he has been looking into the outside POU and map controversy and felt Lew Richardson had some good information about the  situation.   Wes stated if he understood the state’s position (violation notice) this situation was not appropriate for an “administrative remedy” (as Pete Kampa has repeatedly stated) but requires a full change petition to the SWRCB which is not simply asking local people here what they want to do, but rather, noticing all users of Merced River water as to any plan to change current POU boundary and water use regulations.   Barton said the issue wasn’t whether the maps are right or wrong, but rather, does the district want to expand the POU BOUNDARY beyond what was established originally?  Wes stated they were arguing about stuff that had already been decided and should be looking at other things.   He commented on where were we going to expand?    He referenced some material Pete Kampa had provided that suggested only 3 new homes a year.   He said a good accountant would have had the Dollar General set up with a pre-fund that the district would draw from without having to chase after the money owed.  Regarding the Barrett Cove leak that has continued for months due to the lack of PG&E to repair a power pole next to the leak…..what happened to the $16-$19,000 claim for damages PG&E had against the LDPCSD?  (When district dug up some PG&E power lines looking for our water lines.)   Wes said he never saw a payment from the district to PG&E and wondered if that was part of the problem regarding PG&E’s failure to respond to the power pole problem near the continuing main line leak.  Wes said that leak has apparently expanded.  Wes said he has noticed the increase in water because that is where he has always walked every day.

Director Ross: Without people in the audience the board would not be as good as it is.  Watching us and bringing stuff to the board.  It takes a lot to come to meetings but it keeps the directors on their toes.

Johnson said the board does listen (referenced Richardson’s comments) but it takes time and money to address concerns.  (Oh really?  How much time would it have taken for any one Director to pick up the telephone and order an official POU map from the SWRCB instead of listening to a GM with an obvious documented special interest in land development annexations outside the SUBDIVISION PLACE OF USE  from 20 years ago he himself set up when starting his infamous water career?)  The board is trying to fix things from decades ago.(No, you are actually re-litigating POU issues settled decades ago by the state (because of Kampa’s FAKE POU MAP) but outside subdivision developers still want more of our water and Pete Kampa wants MR WECS to continue paying for such special benefit groundwater substitution service.) Johnson said he got on the board to help the district, customers and community.  He had worked with electrical panels before and when he saw the panel at the CSD it scared him.  He appreciated the input.

Item 4 – Johnson wanted to pull out the engineer’s document (from consent agenda) for board discussion.     Board approved remaining treasurer’s report and minutes.

Since Binkley Engineering is retiring from our District business – Kampa discussed his research on the new engineering firm and his decision to go with Blackwater Engineering out of Modesto with whom he has worked with in the past.   Approved.

(Confusion over placement of information in the packet – Kampa stated he accidentally placed items in wrong order.)

KAMPA: Lowest bidder for the grant service line replacement and meter project – tour of district equipment in the rain for bidding contractors –  sealed bid/10% bid bond – received 6 bidders, 12 at pre-bid, 6 turned in that morning.   Must take lowest responsible bidder.    Discussion regarding possible reasons for the varying bid estimates.   Some of the pipe materials being used for replacement are not certified “lead free” as now required by new state standards – but said it was not a big deal.

Director Warren mentioned one bid averaged $7,000 per service line replacement which was much higher that what we previously paid for the work.

GM Kampa said competitive bidding does not always get you the best deal.   Kampa said some of the cost was for re-doing the temporary asphalt repairs done in the past with permanent asphalt patches.  A couple of hundred need to be re-done.

Warren stated that in reality we were back to $2,000 a pop.

Kampa said to be honest is was closer to $2,500 per line without the asphalt repair.  He said the whole first year (2015) was done without reimbursing the district with grant money – all out of pocket.   He said we only got a portion of it back.

Warren reiterated we were paying $2,000 each without asphalt and it didn’t seem to make sense.

Kampa stated he wanted to provide more information….and discussed some of the reimbursement he anticipated from the state in the future which was $335,067.

Director Warren stated he was rather shocked by the cost of each line replacement.

Kampa again explained that the repairs were a little bit different this time because everything will be new, whereas not all of the previously replaced lines replaced all the old components leaving a weak link in the line.  He also reminded directors that the new repairs include all the asphalt repairs required.   Johnson asked if Kampa had an area for the first repairs and he responded “yep”, and stated the majority of the repairs would be located ….. paused, and  referenced a “central reduced zone“ it’s past the pressure regulating valve –

Johnson asked for street names.  Kampa replied, Banderilla, Capullo Circle, pretty much all down around the golf course on either side, up to Banderilla, and up to the Alamo Zone north side and all the way down to the other.

Kampa said the incidence of failures in the area was the factor in selecting them for first replacement and they have higher pressures.

Public comment?  None.

Johnson asked about the communication to the community to let them know what was happening.  Perhaps something in the newspaper?  Johnson wanted to show what we have received for the money spent.  Johnson wants a document advertising the beneficial projects completed with the grant money for publishing for the community to appreciate the work.

Board approves notice of award for the contractor bid.  Unanimous.

Victor Afanasiev questioned what newspaper would be used since the Sonora Union Democrat was no longer available in Lake Don Pedro.  Syndie responded,  Foothill Express and the Mariposa  Gazette, Johnson said it could also go on the LDPCSD website.  Kampa said he would do a press release for local media.

5b. Resolution approving compliance monitoring contract.  P29-37.    Another additional document handed out at the meeting.  Unanimous decision.

5c. From last month – operations reporting and priorities.  Kampa didn’t expect this date to be the planning session but discussion would be good – avoid dwelling on small projects.

Director Warren wanted a priority designation of some type with approximate cost.

Johnson then reiterated he wanted a specific report on where time is being spent by our employees.  Where are our resources being spent.  Is the AMR project actually saving time, or costing district more time and money?  Sick time, vacation time, how are things being taken care of by our employees?   Service maintenance plan board set up – is it helping?  Hindering?

Kampa said it could help but is not being used at this time.  Johnson asked if the program was too cumbersome and prevented employees from using the plan?  Kampa said it was a matter of having the time, Johnson again asked, where is the time being spent?  He said all he hears is there isn’t enough time for whatever, and he wants to know where the time is being spent.

Director Warren said we don’t have the manpower to do a pro-active plan.  He asked if the very expensive map completed was being kept up with the new data?  He was more concerned with the map issue.

Ross said we didn’t have enough people to perform everything wanted.

Johnson talked about his prior employment spanning a great area with 15-20 different organizations but had a report that employees in each area filled out to indicate where time was spent.   He said whatever was on the reporting sheet should equal an 8 hour day.  Originally he was against the “added work” but found the reporting sheet so valuable he insisted that area managers also complete the report.  He said when other managers were making up stuff in answer to the question (what were the employees doing) by top management at a meeting, he could easily report exactly what not only his employees, but their managers, were doing with their time.   Johnson said he had an employee confess to him that the report actually made her feel better about the sense of not getting things done during a particular period when she read what she had accomplished during the same time period.

Johnson said a simple report like that could answer thousands of questions.

Ross questioned the process.  Johnson said it hinged on trust because obviously someone could lie about what they were doing.  Same as with overtime reimbursement….what was being accomplished for this overtime?  Discussion of meter reading and the failure to obtain correct billable readings every month for all customers.

VP Dan Hankemeier wanted to know why employees were perceived as being reactive only and unable to proceed with other planned work.

Kampa said they will never hear from him that our employees running the plant should also be working on capital improvements.  He said they were two different things, yet the employees should be identifying and reporting on district functions that need improvement.   What are the time sucking projects?

Johnson: what is the goal for next month in order to support and work on these plans?  Johnson provided an example:  the general report of “performed service requests” should include how many, what type, etc. are all such requests revolving around a similar problem?  How much time to re-read 29 meters?   Once a complaint becomes a report, how long does it take to response and correction?

Director Warren felt the board was discussing subjects more appropriate for the GM and his management of his employees.  Johnson reminded everyone that the subject came up last month because a groundwater well was off line for a while due to the lack of some gaskets – why didn’t we have those in stock for immediate repair?  He said it was not a witch hunt, but a way for the GM to show how the board could help him and with an employee report tracking system it would not be hard to do.

This month there was $1,800 in overtime.  What did district receive for that overtime?  Questions a responsible board member should ask….where is the money going?

Kampa said they had to obviously discuss the district’s infrastructure and prioritization of a capital improvement plans for the future.  Johnson said such a plan should have dates attached to it for completion, cost, who is accountable, etc.

Johnson reiterated his concern about the condition of intake and thought the public should be aware through district communication.

Director Warren thought 3-4 days more appropriate for such a planning workshop instead of 3-4 hours in one meeting.

Kampa said we were trying to do such projects ourselves and it was an engineering exercise, but just add new projects to others not completed from the past.  He said the district has done things and then s said, wish he hadn’t of done that and he was determined not to rush the process just to get something done for the sake of saying something got done.

Johnson said the board needed to hear from operations and noted that Randy rarely attends meetings (with the operations report therefore traditionally handled by GM Kampa).  Kampa said Johnson and the board would not get the real story and he doesn’t need a report sheet to tell him time is being wasted because none of the automated equipment of the plant is working.  He said the plant was run 80% manually with trouble shooting ongoing.    Kampa stated he has asked for a written engineering explanation of how the treatment plant is supposed to be operating.  Kampa says Randy says the system is only manually operated because he doesn’t know the automatic side of the operation.

Kampa said once the new equipment is installed the employees will be trained on how to run the treatment plant automatically and will  learn  to walk away from the 80% manual operation.

Johnson said, tell me what they are doing – if something needs repair, get it fixed.

Kampa stated he felt he had received good direction from the board.  Projects based on engineering experience and cost factor – something we will talk about with the district engineer.  Johnson asked when could this happen –

A condition assessment – estimated years left of equipment,  6 months, typically a full year for a full plan, but we don’t have to do the whole thing, we can carve out certain projects…. Line replacements, raw water line, master metering, a number of projects, evaluation of the transmission line, etc., intake, treatment plant upgrades, distribution components are all part of a planning grant already submitted and will probably take another two months for decision to award planning grant under Prop 68, it might take four months to get a contract and funding for it because it is a half million dollar planning exercise, but the result is plans and specifications approved by the state ready for a construction grant or construction loan but you’ll see progress all the way through it.

Russ Warren also stated he was appalled at the condition of some of the water tanks – rotten boards supporting electronics, lack of security, level indicator systems not working properly … we needed to standardize and update some of that equipment with new technology such as electrical generation from the moving water in pipes.

Continued discussion as to what might be done.  Johnson asked if Kampa if he could just explain to him the operational roles of employees because he felt there was more the board could do there.

Director Emery Ross asked Wes Barton how many people were here in 2008 – for operations?  Wes replied he believed 3 or 4.  Ross said, double what we have now and things weren’t getting done then.

Director Warren felt that with only three employees in operations we were slowly sinking as a district.

Johnson disagreed but continued by asking the board what they wanted to do about the matter.

VP Hankemeier asked when Kampa would have something put together for the board regarding a planning meeting for projects?

Kampa said the first part would be consulting with the engineer but a condition assessment of the plant could not be done quickly and the district had a lot to do.

Public Comment:  Wes Barton stated every GM has had a plan of what needs to be done and how employees were spending or should be spending their district work time.  Every GM here has had their own computer package through the years for such employee tracking costing around $1,000 – $2,000 for the software.   Wes said the real question to ask was, what are employees doing that customers are willing to pay for?  Those are pretty well listed.  But what are they doing that customers do not want to pay for?  Those are the things you want to get rid of.   Wes said this could be done with some special time cards entered into that software package.  Value added work, or, bad work?  That can go into your computer system.  That can be done but who will be using the information?    We hired the CPA at $600 a month, for payroll and the financials, he now gets paid about $2,500 a month.  I don’t know what he’s doing, you guys know what he’s doing but I don’t, but I think he could be doing this kind of recapping work with this information.  Wes said it would take time to get started but it could be done if we stopped with the other garbage.  Just like with the grants – no question that they’re a blessing but everything we do with a grant takes a lot longer and a lot more money than you can convince anyone in the public  – am I to believe we got three wells for $600,000 each?   I don’t think so, I don’t believe that was reasonable and I wouldn’t even try to explain it.  But it happened.  Why did it happen?  Because it had a whole bunch of these  other things in there that had to be done because of all the engineers and all.  Maybe we need to staff up with the right people – so long as we’ve already got a CPA we’re more than doubling his pay right now –  more than doubling it, so he could be doing these things and we could simplify the things all we want  let’s throw out the things that aren’t worth doing.  Wes said he wasn’t looking for a job but would be more than willing to help with the effort.

President Johnson asked for a summary.

Syndie said she had it for Kampa to meet with engineer and establish a time.

5d.  Board reorganization.  VP Hankemeier suggested keeping everything the same.  Ross seconded.

Unanimous board decision to leave board as is.

Next closed session, 3:40hrs, will reconvene at 3:48hours.

CLOSED SESSION: CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL – LITIGATION Significant exposure to litigation pursuant to paragraph (d)(2) of Government Code Section 54956.9: (1 case)

President Danny Johnson open meeting for the CLOSED SESSION REPORT OUT at 4:14 hrs, with nothing to report, and closed meeting also at 4:14hrs.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Well, that’s what I noted from listening to the two CDs (Regular Board Meeting and the CLOSED SESSION “Report Out”) I picked up yesterday.

I wonder if the litigation could be with PG&E for the damage claim the district has evidently not paid?

Or a personnel hiring matter for operations manager from last year?

Or GM Kampa’s POU map submitted to the State Water Board?

(Recall admission from last month that district could potentially be subject to “exposure”?)

Who the heck knows?

(But I sure as heck have some reasonably fact based theories.)

Time will tell.

My best to you and yours, Lew

Don’t panic…..different SANTA – lol

My best to you and yours, Lew

Scan you LDPCSD December 17th, 2018 Agenda Packet yet?

Notice what appears to be another “Kampa Sandbagging” on his GM report?

Why not included in the properly Brown Act noticed agenda and packet distributed by our local LDPCSD office?

Was Pete’s report simply not completed on time when the agenda packet was ready in the office – as required?

Or, is this a common Kampa technique utilized to obscure, conceal and/or “down play” public knowledge and appreciation for how some aspects of the LDPCSD are now operated under a Kampa Community Solutions, llc, aka, KAMPACS remote management system?

You know, GM Kampa never explained where he had used the wrong government code on information contained in previous agenda packets…..was it those GM Evaluations where a government code section dealing with DISTRICT LIABILITY and LOSSES was used?  Heck questions about that numerous times did not receive any semblance of a decent response – questions regarding such pecularities usually do no.  They are just forgotten until the next occurrence which is predictably the next monthly board meeting.

Is that why we see this new GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION in the agenda this month?

“6. CLOSED SESSION
a. CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL –LITIGATION
Significant exposure to litigation pursuant to paragraph (d)(2) of Government Code Section
54956.9: (1 case)
7. ADJOURNMENT:

ANYWAY, Our Meeting Agenda Packet only included the below reference as to why there was no GM Report:

No biggie, just probably added that late report to the LDPCSD website “online packet”.

OOPS!  But wait!  I recall that the packets sent digitally to requesting customers, those posted on the website, or the ones handed out at LDPCSD Board Meetings are not always the same.   Well today is Saturday, December 15th, 2018 so guess I had better see what has been posted on the LDPCSD website as far as the meeting agenda packet for Monday _–

SURPRISE!

(or maybe not – lol)

GOLLY GEE! There’s no DECEMBER 17th  2018 MEETING AGENDA or PACKET AVAILABLE on the LAKE DON PEDRO CSD Website.

Rather hard to read the missing GM REPORT yeah?

The monthly WATER LOSS REPORT is missing also.

GO FIGURE.

My best to you and yours, Lew

PS SURPRISE – #2!

The DECEMBER 17th 2018 Meeting Agenda and Packet are on the website…..oh yes they are!

Just under the TAB TITLE NOVEMBER 19th, 2018 who would have every  thought?

Guess what?

Still no GM Report so I’ll wait until I get a CD copy of the meeting audio some time later.     lol

Yup. 

The “gift” that just keeps giving.

My best to you and yours, Lew

NOTE: A revision to this video can be located under “SO WWW?” (So Where Were We?) Top left of opening menu bar –  “THANKS FRANK”   12/13/2018 0633hrs

My best to you and yours, Lew

PEARL HARBOR DAY

Received this morning –  felt it worthy of passing on to viewers who might be interested.   Struck me as to how it appears to relate to the many difficulties the USA is experiencing as a result of politically motivated immigration to disrupt and confuse the differences between  “RIGHTS”, “PRIVILEGES”, “PREFERENCES”, etc. within this freedom born and loving country.

Finally understand how normal life expectancy plays a critical role in their rewriting and perversion of true history.  Once those who were physically present and knew the truth from the special interest propaganda that is intentionally spread to confuse and change issues for the invading forces are gone, who will stand against an anti USA position and scream from the top of their lungs:

“THIS IS A LIE AGAINST LEGITIMATE CITIZENS* OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND THEIR COLLECTIVE INTERESTS IN PRESERVING FREEDOM”

 then again, who will be here to receive and understand such a warning – much less care?

Yup, beginning to understand how natural death might be embraced after conversion into a stranger while in your own home.

* Please appreciate that race, ethnicity, culture, religion, etc.  has little to do with being a LEGITIMATE CITIZEN.

My best to you and  yours, Lew

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Subject: Switzerland — What’s in a Handshake?

Wake up people!

At first glance this may seem like a trivial story,  but what lies hidden beneath it could have serious consequences for our children and grandchildren.

In Switzerland it has long been customary for students to shake the hands of their teachers at the beginning and end of the school day. It’s a sign of solidarity and mutual respect between teacher and pupil, one that is thought to encourage the right classroom atmosphere. Justice Minister Simonetta Sommaruga recently felt compelled to further explain that shaking hands was part of Swiss culture and daily life.

And the reason she felt compelled to speak out about the handshake is that two Muslim brothers, aged 14 and 15, who have lived in Switzerland for several years (and thus are familiar with its mores), in the town of Therwil, near Basel, refused to shake the hands of their teacher, a woman, because, they claimed, this would violate Muslim teachings that contact with the opposite sex is allowed only with family members.

At first the school authorities decided to avoid trouble, and initially granted the boys an exemption from having to shake the hand of any female teacher. But an uproar followed, as Mayor Reto Wolf explained to the BBC: “the community was unhappy with the decision taken by the school.  In our culture and in our way of communication a handshake is normal and sends out respect for the other person, and this has to be brought home to the children in school.”

Therwil’s Educational Department reversed the school’s decision, explaining in a statement on May 25  that the school’s exemption was lifted because “the public interest with respect to equality between men and women and the integration of foreigners significantly outweighs the freedom of religion.” It added that a teacher has the right to demand a handshake. Furthermore, if the students refused to shake hands again “the sanctions called for by law will be applied,” which included a possible fine of up to 5,000 dollars.

This uproar in Switzerland, where many people were enraged at the original exemption granted to the Muslim boys, did not end after that exemption was itself overturned by the local Educational Department.  The Swiss understood quite clearly that this was more than a little quarrel over handshakes; it was a fight over whether the Swiss would be masters in their own house, or whether they would be forced to yield, by the granting of special treatment, to the Islamic view of the proper relations between the sexes. It is one battle small ,but to the Swiss significant between overweening Muslim immigrants and the indigenous Swiss.

Naturally, once the exemption was withdrawn, all hell broke loose among Muslims in Switzerland . The Islamic Central Council of Switzerland, instead of yielding quietly to the Swiss decision to uphold the handshaking custom, criticized the ruling in hysterical terms, claiming that the enforcement of the handshaking is “totalitarian” (!) because its intent is to “forbid religious people from meeting their obligations to God.”

That, of course, was never the “intent” of the long-standing handshaking custom, which was a nearly-universal custom in Switzerland , and in schools had to do only with encouraging the right classroom atmosphere of mutual respect between instructor and pupil, of which the handshake was one aspect.

The Swiss formulation of the problem  weighing competing claims will be familiar to Americans versed in Constitutional adjudication. In this case “the public interest with respect to equality” of the sexes and the “integration of foreigners” (who are expected to adopt Swiss ways, not force the Swiss to exempt them from some of those ways) were weighed against the “religious obligations to God” of Muslims, and the former interests found to outweigh the latter.

What this case shows is that even at the smallest and seemingly inconsequential level, Muslims are challenging the laws and customs of the Infidels among whom they have been allowed to settle [i.e., stealth jihad toward sharia dominance]. Each little victory, or defeat, will determine whether Muslims will truly integrate into a Western society or, instead, refashion that society to meet Muslim requirements.

The handshake has been upheld and, what’s more, a stiff fine now will be imposed on those who continue to refuse to shake hands with a female teacher. This is a heartening sign of non-surrender by the Swiss. But the challenges of the Muslims within Europe to the laws and customs of the indigenes have no logical end and will not stop.

And the greater the number of Muslims allowed to settle in Europe, the stronger and more frequent their challenges will be. They are attempting not to integrate, but rather to create, for now, a second, parallel society, and eventually, through sheer force of numbers from both migration and by outbreeding the Infidels, to fashion not a parallel society but one society now dominated by Muslim sharia.

(The Muslims have no intention of assimilating into any non-Muslim society because their religion forbids it.  The Western Countries had better wake up and start deporting the Muslims before a it is too late. The Muslims have a Master Plan for World Domination, but the Western Countries currently have no Master Plan for defending against it.  – BKJ)

The Swiss handshaking dispute has received some, but not enough, press attention. Presumably, it’s deemed too inconsequential a matter to bother with.  But the Swiss know better.  And so should we.

There’s an old Scottish saying that in one variant reads: “Many a little makes a mickle.” That is, the accumulation of many little things leads to one big thing. That’s what’s happening in Europe today. This was one victory for the side of sanity. There will need to be a great many more.

This needs circulation far and wide.   Hopefully the U.S. can learn before it’s too late.  In fact, some schools in the U.S. are now letting Muslim male students bring and use their prayer rugs, but we can’t have prayer  in our schools?

https://www.truthorfiction.com/muslim-students-question-swiss-handshake-custom/

(BELOW) Don Pedro Waste Water Pond in the top right corner of this file photo.

Found this document this morning.  Considering the discussion at the last LDPCSD Special Meeting on November 12, 2018 reported yesterday, I thought it might be of interest to those concerned about the issue.  Lots of background information and tons of technical stuff.

Although I have not read every single word in the document I did scan it rather thoroughly for any mention of the process of dumping toxic liquid landfill leachate (the brownish nasty liquid stuff which accumulates at landfill basins when precipitation percolates through the garbage) into the facility for treatment –  without success.  I did read something about how using such a system for any other purpose not specifically approved by the state could be a violation.   I honestly do not know if that prior leachate dumping by tankers from the Mariposa landfill is continuing or exactly how it was initially set up by the county, but it sure sounds like something our community should find out if the County of Mariposa is indeed attempting to force that financial MONEY PIT/nightmare on the MR WECs of the Lake Don Pedro subdivision WHO (as you might have heard somewhere – lol) HAVE ALREADY BEEN UNETHICALLY SADDLED WITH THE SUBSTANTIAL COSTS in providing a subsidized groundwater replacement program for LAFCO ANNEXATIONS outside the WL11395 Place of Use boundary for Merced River water.   (Properties, incidentally, our district has no legal duty or moral obligation to provide water service which certainly makes the program appear to be more of a GIFT OF PUBLIC FUNDS AND RESOURCES FOR PRIVATE  LAND DEVELOPER BENEFIT.

When you think about it,  MR WECs are already subsidizing that waste water facility with KAMPA’s GRANT FUNDED GROUNDWATER WELL SUBSTITUTION PROGRAM since the facility is outside the legal Place of Use for Merced River water and must receive groundwater.  Although this document does mention that the facilities source water is a “blend” of surface and groundwater it FAILS TO EXPLAIN WHY THIS MUST BE DONE!

Anyway, here’s the link to the document:

Don Pedro Waste Water Facility Information

My best to you and  yours, Lew

Picked up the November 12, 2018 LDPCSD Special Meeting CD today.  Had some “down time” due to a recent knee injury so I decided to listen to the meeting audio and simultaneously create a rough report in Word as this post.  I could not resist traditional blah blah blah in areas so I identified those with a BLUE “LEW VIEW” INTRODUCTION.   OK, so here it is….

Pre-meeting discussion by LDPCSD Danny Johnson of his recent vacation in Europe and visiting areas such as France, Germany, Switzerland, Netherlands, etc.   Mentioned riding on a high speed train in Switzerland that was never-the-less very smooth.

1303hrs start meeting, Hankemeier absent; pledge.

Johnson comments on Veteran’s Day, military, and everything we have in Don Pedro.

PUBLIC COMMENT: Ruth Smith was confused about new subdivision tower on Arbolada Drive, it was not a cell tower but a data tower – is that true? (the one on Arbolada Drive….NO SERVICE!)  GM/Board Treasurer Peter Kampa states yes, it is a data tower not cell tower and it brought data to the LDPCSD, but no cell service.

1307 VP Dan Hankemeier arrives.

No presiding officer’s report by President Danny Johnson except for thanking customers who attended.

PETE KAMPA:  (CD 9:04) No time cards so Directors could receive the $100/meeting.  18% treated water loss, RAW water loss: readjusted lost water report added acre foot –  7 AF in loss.    Project for service lines and meter vault replacement out to bid.  Several hundred service lines…… in the future the new proposed water meter will help with identifying water loss.

(LEW VIEW:  WILL FINALLY HAVE SOME GOOD DATA WHEN COMPLETED?…..WHEN COMPLETED?……when completed?…….  Lol!  By March the project should be done.)

(CD 14:04)  Danny JOHNSON:  Do we have an engineer as of today?

Kampa – we have two candidates instead of four.  Kampa sent questionnaire for more information.  Fresno company taken out.  KJ principle engineer and primary contact has resigned.  Jennifer is the new engineer but Kampa doesn’t believe is adequate.  Kampa leaning towards Jeff Black (Black Water) and Alfonso ????? out of Modesto least expensive, but Kampa concerned about capability to produce.

Johnson suggests going with BLACK WATER.  WARREN:  They have WASTE WATER experience as well.  Kampa has worked with them before with the wastewater side in two other districts.  (17:20)

RANCHITO WELL STILL NOT COMPLETED.  Binkley still working on that above ground plumbing.  Surveyor has completed his work …out to bid in early December.  Hank: if out in December, when done?  End of January……???   Ranchito well #2 needs to have valve replaced?

Kampa reading and researching on the district boundaries and annexations regarding POU.  No contact from state yet regarding matter.

Planning Grant application being submitted to state (1/2 million for intake system, treatment plant and some distribution components,)

Dollar General questions by Warren…..Kampa: Dollar General still owes us completed material and our district needs to place a serious threat…. They are not producing the documents CSD asked for four months before completion. (21:00)

LDPCSD DOES NOT OWN THAT MAIN EXTENSION!

JOHNSON RE GRANTS:  Back up generation grant?  Kampa- still out there, no information.

RANDY’s REPORT BY KAMPA:  (23:30)  Due date, 90 days from start, have had it approximately 50 days…,

Everything torn apart…. Kampa expecting more information but couldn’t get in touch with Randy.

Kampa:  Leak on intake and Ranchito well #1 still down are the two big projects.  Distribution system leaks, fire hydrant work done by contractor.  August, 15 leaks but we’ll get reimbursed – District should consider getting more money to do the remainder of the service lines.

JOHNSON:  Look at the price we are paying…..can’t have our guys do the work?  A dedicated crew?

Emery: $4,000 for each lateral repair that’s $400 a foot.

JOHNSON:  THE BIG SCOPE OF WHAT WE NEED TO DO…..raising rates…..?  Can we get somebody to work on call?

WARREN: Capital needs, need to have a meeting to look at long term capital stuff….. time to have a meeting only about capital stuff and a plan.  Drought – lucky to have money to get that water.

JOHNSON:  Service line replacement will only do about a third of what is needed.

No plan – what people to do work? ….. tells Kampa to plan for a long meeting in December.

JOHNSON:  SPECIAL MEETING only for that topic.  KAMPA: We have money in budget to help prioritize the projects – models to assist in designing a program.  Kampa wants BOARD DIRECTION

Various director comments about District being stuck in drought matters that are over but we are stalling elsewhere now.

JOHNSON: Ranchito Well # 2 repair…… how long to get three flange gaskets?  Johnson’s dander up because repair wasn’t made quickly.  JOHNSON said he was going to throw a grenade:

36:50  WHAT IS OPERATIONS DOING NOW?  He then requested an accountability report from Kampa.  The “cookie cutter reports” each month do not make Johnson feel comfortable.  

JOHNSON we have to move forward – original Ranchito well is down and now Ranchito #2 is off line, what if something else fails?

ROSS: Must tell the board what is happening, very basic stuff so reports only mention recent activities. Just trying to find stuff for monthly meeting reports and discussions.   Wants to know what Randy is actually doing?   (As Chief Operator why does he rarely attend board meetings?)

JOHNSON:  discussed for years, what is happening with our LDPCSD operations? Treatment plant doesn’t take that much to report.

KAMPA state the matter was not on the agenda for discussion and they would discuss next month.

JOHNSON reminded about public comment, any Public Comment?

WES BARTON: will provide the board with his entire written comment as he would probably go over the three minutes.  First meeting in years where he’s heard anything intelligent coming from a board meeting – yes we do have serious leadership problems, serious management problems, serious staffing problems, whether we have cash problems is unknown because we don’t have anyone to keep track of the cash – so….this is good.   It’s not good that we don’t know where we are at, but it is good that we’re talking about it. 

Johnson, I respect your point Pete so we’ll discuss it next month.  Move on to item to #4 – Treasurer’s report and minutes approval.  Wes Barton requested a copy of the shrinkage report which Kampa said would be available, Johnson stated he would see to it Barton received the information.   Approved.

LAFCO and DON PEDRO SEWER ZONE DISCUSSION  (44:45)  Purpose of the special sewer zone was to charge those using the sewer system around the golf course to pay for the services.  Sierra Highlands was formed first, then the sewer zone, and then the LDPCSD in 1980 with the resolution of formation stating the condition that the LDPCSD would assume the operation of the sewer system in the future.

WARREN: Discusses information from 2008 —-doesn’t know what the current condition of the facility.

KAMPA states the facility is fairly new but he had only operated the old sewer facility on the golf course. Johnson understands county wanting to combine services (water for entire district and waste water system around golf course) but the original system was on the golf course, but the county built a new multi-million dollar facility without sufficient financial income to support the system.    Stated a county supervisor asked for his help in getting CSD customers to support taking over the golf course sewer facility but Johnson refused stating “you’ve got the wrong boy” because of the substantial amount of money owed on the system (millions) would be a terrible liability for the district.  Johnson said the sewer customers don’t want to pay a higher cost for their sewer system and the district had a hard enough time.

Kampa stated if we refused Mariposa County Counsel would likely attempt to enforce the “will take” condition in the District’s formation resolution.  He also said the county would subsidize any difference when the CSD acquired the facility.

Johnson discussed the problem of finding adequate staffing and the waste water part had to be completely separate from the drinking water part of district business.

Warren asked how many properties were served around the golf course, Kampa advised 200 and something yet President Danny Johnson stated only 70 actually had a residence.  Kampa said there were less than 4, say 300 customers, but the system had six sewer lift stations that are unimproved since original installation.  Old equipment.  Kampa believed the processing system had been upgraded but the lifts have not.

JOHNSON asked who built the new waste system and Kampa indicated Boise Cascade built it and dedicated it to the County.

(LEW HERE:  I always thought the County of Mariposa had it constructed – they bought the property from the Erickson Ranch on Ranchito Drive for the facility.  I also thought Boise Cascade was out of the real estate business years ago?   Could Boise have somehow been legally required to replace their original system that was failing due to the added processing of uncontrolled residential development in that area in the 1990’s?  I doubt it.  I think Kampa just avoided an important aspect to this waste water facility nightmare…..who is really responsible for its creation outside the subdivision PLACE OF USE UNDER WL11395?   And the toxic leachate tanker dumping from the Mariposa County land fill years ago?  The replacement of premature wearing components?   What’s the factual word on that little matter?)   

Kampa stated he had been contacted by the District II County Supervisor (Merlin Jones) who wanted to set up a meeting to discuss the LDPCSD taking control of the sewer system. 

[LEW VIEW: Here’s an idea.  Need a full time waste water operator and staff?   Since the sewer system was necessary for the uncontrolled growth around the golf course by a land development company, have that company donate homes for those needed workers!  The homes are already in that sewer zone, what better situation for an employee to be part of where they work! Might only take two or three homes.  Perhaps lower pay than some areas, but check out your elegant subsidized residential palace and expensive water thirsty landscaping!   I can’t take it!  Even sitting at home listening to this garbage on CD.  The deceit!   Subsidize the difference?  Same thing with Boise Cascade Sierra Highlands and the new LDPCSD yeah?  They would cover the financial difference until the district got on its financial feet and could start billing subdivision property owners.    OH PLEASE!  How did that turn out?    

Cartoon time? ….

Picture if you will……  County of Mariposa figure congratulating LDPCSD figure on its new acquisition of the Don Pedro Waste Water Facility with a hearty slap on the back thrusting the CSD figure head first into the sewer waste pond.  As the County figure heads off on another SIFCPHOM (Special Interest Failed County Project Hand-Off Mission) to screw some other clueless disadvantaged community, as it disappears into the darkness it is heard to chuckle –

“good idea – get to know your new obligation”.

See what was apparently happening back then? Public officials, departments, agencies, funds and resources (including the powerful influence and authority of state agencies operating at and through the county level  – such as LAFCos which created such a special district as the LDPCSD)  were being diverted to private land development interests-

(subsidized water in a drought prone area is one heck of a special benefit and incentive for prospective developments and construction plans yeah? )

-on a number of government levels because the risk of failure and resulting foreseeable damage and financial liability were already planned to be obligations of the anticipated thousands of prospective purchasers of Lake Don Pedro subdivision property.  

“Paging Deep Pocket, paging Deep Pocket, you have a financial call on the money green lobby courtesy phone” 

ENTER MR WECs!

Even if such a special interest “wink and nod” gamble failed and became a financial nightmare/bottomless money pit,  the county was going to just simply “dump” that “crappy deal” on the MR WECs of the subdivision who were already subsidizing water service outside their water license Place of Use subdivision for Merced River water (due to the many LAFCO ANNEXATIONS INTO THEIR NEW “CATCH ALL” LDPCSD that BOASTED a built-in DEEP POCKET OF THOUSANDS OF CLUE LESS AND DISORGANIZED PROPERTY OWNERS OF THE LAKE DON PEDRO SUBDIVISION WHERE THE FAR MAJORITY OF OWNERS ARE TRAPPED MANDATORY CSD CUSTOMERS DUE TO CC&Rs WHICH RUN WITH THEIR PROPERTY TITLE.

LET THE PROPERTY ASSESSMENTS BEGIN!

Recall the special legislation required to increase the maximum availability fee from $10/lot year limit to the LDPCSD’s $60/ac year due to the low subdivision population of ENTITLED CUSTOMERS at he time?  (maximum availability fee only $180/year REGARDLESS IF THREE ACRES IN THE ENTITLED SUBDIVISION OR 2,000 ACRES OF LAFCO ANNEXED LAND OUTSIDE! – does that sound right to you?) 

So what does this new LAFCO SPECIAL DISTRICT START TO DO with six times the traditional availability fee revenue coming in?   Expanded water services even further beyond the place of use boundaries of State water permits and licenses!  Using public funds to provide water service main line extensions for annexations into the district service area (some before the district even received the transfer of facilities and assets of Sierra Highlands by the California Public Utilities Commission in 1981) all through the co-operating County LAFCOs of Tuolumne and Mariposa.  Everybody wins except for MR WECs who is saddled with all additional costs.  Oops…..sorry, just get so darn frustrated listening to this garbage. Back to the meeting……)    

Kampa indicated the county was evidently prepared to force the issue of acceptance on the district.

Emery Ross said had warned about Supervisor Jones wanting the district to take it years ago.  He said the users of the system were barely making the payments on the USDA loan for the facility.  He said the majority of the vacant lots are delinquent on property taxes which was the problem.   Emery said it was a real estate problem and there just wasn’t enough money.  Ross said the system was rejected in 2008 when it was in better condition.  Customers have twice voted down a necessary rate increase.  He advised lot owners pay $900 a year for the sewer service.  He then read the rates proposed for the next few years for the sewer bill.  Emery said the lots owners just couldn’t afford the estimated increases as many are on fixed incomes.

Director Warren stated most of us have septic (on site private system) why not properties around the golf course?

Johnson suggested it was due to the density of the homes in the area and condos and all that.

(LEW VIEW: Also difficult to develop hilltop lots do not have the area or soil required for proper leach fields.  The golf course sewer system was a way for land developers and realtors to sell properties that otherwise could not develop with their own onsite sewage disposal systems.)

Hankemeier thought the whole uphill design of the system was wrong because a failure could mean it all coming back downhill; also we weren’t involved in such a creation, why would we want it now?

Emery Ross continued about the costs of the system and the required qualified employees.

Someone asked if it was the Porter properties.  Johnson replied it was everything around the golf course not just Porter’s property, the condos over there, where the homes are closer together.  Emery continued reading a report about sewer water running down the street which is illegal.

President Danny Johnson commented on the hype years ago of Lake Don Pedro becoming the next Tahoe area.  He said the County would not have invested in the place unless they thought the area was really going to prosper and develop but it was a bust.

VP Dan Hankemeier repeated that we had nothing to say about it.

Johnson commented this issue has been on and off for years.

Kampa said it was a public process and the district didn’t exist in 1980, but Sierra Highlands was already in place and LAFCO processed the projects.

(LEW VIEW:  THESE DIRECTORS OBVIOUSLY DO NOT KNOW THEIR OWN DISTRICT HISTORY!)

Johnson asked for Kampa’s recommendation, he said when they sit down and discuss we should require an engineering condition assessment, how regulations are being met, facility/water monitoring….on the collection side, are their predictions of financial stability accurate, etc.

KAMPA TALKING ABOUT SUBSIDIZED SERVICE BY THE COUNTY and REIMBURSEMENT IF WE TAKE OVER THE WASTE WATER PLANT!

JOHNSON SAID SEWER COSTS WILL NOT BE PASSED ON TO WATER PAYING CUSTOMERS.

(LEW VIEW: REALLY?  HOW WOULD ANYONE KNOW?

YOUR WORD?  LIKE WHEN STATING THE NEW GROUND WELLS WOULD NOT BE USED FOR OUTSIDE PLACE OF USE SPECIAL BENEFIT SUBSIDIZED WATER REPLACEMENT SERVICE?

OR LIKE HOW THE ENORMOUS EXPENSE FOR GROUNDWATER SUBSTITUTION FOR LAFCO ANNEXED PROPERTIES ISN’T PASSED ON TO INNOCENT MR WECs NOW?

CARE TO COMMENT ON THAT DECADES OLD SUBSIDIZED SPECIAL BENEFIT WATER SERVICE?

EVERYTHING THE BOARD WAS DISCUSSING IS PRECISELY WHY SUBDIVISION REGULATIONS SHOULD HAVE BEEN ENFORCED BACK THEN but it was impossible with the Deerwood Corporation influence over a gullible community driven by decades of greedy local real estate manipulation.   This is insane.  The county created the problem by permitting the uncontrolled development by the Deerwood Corporation et al around the golf course.  The county chose the outside POU location for the waste water plant, and used it do dump their landfill leachate in the system in the dark of night, so why not let the county continue to provide those special benefits it set up?)

Johnson told Kampa to say hello for the board.  Kampa advised he had work to do on the assessment concept.

(LEW’S VIEW:  Placing KAMPA IN CHARGE OF SUCH A DISCUSSION?  LIKE WITH THE DOLLAR GENERAL PROJECT CONTRACT?  AND DOLLAR GENERAL NOW OWNS A PRIVATE WATER LINE TRANSPORTING DISTRICT WATER?

PERHAPS DOLLAR GENERAL WILL ENTER INTO THE SPECIAL BENEFIT WATER SERVICE OUTSIDE THE POU BUSINESS NOW?)

Johnson asked Kampa if the old treatment plant would have met the needs of the homes present?

He said, no.  It could not be upgraded so a new one was required.

(LEW VIEW: SO COUNTY PURCHASED LAND OUTSIDE THE SUBDIVISION POU AND CONSTRUCTED A WASTE WATER PLANT THAT REQUIRES EXPENSIVE GROUNDWATER SUBSTITUTION TO STAY LEGAL WITH THE WATER LICENSE CONDITIONS?)

Discussions about Kampa’s prior experience with the old system.   ???  He believes they are the same lift stations from the old sewer system.

Ross continued reading various financial facts from some article about the cost of running the system.

Johnson commented our district had enough problems with water running down the street without taking on sewer water running down the street as well.

(LEW VIEW:  EXCELLENT POINT DANNY!

ANYONE ELSE APPRECIATE THE SIMILARITIES?

Land developers outside WL11395 POU for Merced River water don’t want to pay for their own groundwater wells for development? …… get MR WECs of the subdivision to pay for it through the LDPCSD!

Homes around the golf course that receive the special benefit of sewer service hookup don’t want to pay what it costs to run their own system? – get  MR WECs of the subdivision to pay for it through the LDPCSD taking over a failing sewer system!

Wonderful example of co-operation, yeah?)

Danny Johnson stated a few years ago he was told they owned 6 to 7 million dollars for that system.

Wes Barton agreed around that time it was 6 million dollars.

Kampa commented on the testing required and strict permitting…… engineering to keep it in compliance.

Ross asked what the direction was for the GM?

Johnson said, go there and find out, move forward, talk to county, if question comes up if board interested— no we are not.

Warren wanted more information, system worth, cost of operation, how it will pay for itself….

Ross said it cannot pay for itself which is the problem.

Johnson said Kampa needed to talk to the county.

Kampa wanted the board to specifically direct him  —- talked about property values in the area…….

Our community reputation……engineering evaluation, condition of assessment, operating expenses, depreciation, what is financial picture, what are we taking on? ,   Capital improvements…..if they provide this then the board has something to discuss.

Warren wanted to know about unfunded liability for past personnel.

Wes Barton said the contract written was based on a very small waste water plant, but they built a new plant and never asked us to participate with that treatment plant project and that the sewer facility was definitely tied to the residential development at the time, we have NO RESPONSIBILITY!  The original district and what is now proposed are two different things.  Wes said he would not go and discuss it at all.  Great for the county but not the CSD.  He said if we discuss it, it will take time, effort, money…..just like the MSR that never got done.   That money went nowhere.  Don’t screw around with this thing- Pete has enough to do now.

Ross said Wes had some good points.

Kampa said never in his career had he turned his back on someone who wanted to discuss a matter.

Warren said all we see are things we can’t afford, this doesn’t help to pump and treat water for our customers.

Johnson said if a county supervisor would like to come to the meeting and educate directors, bring it on.  Come to the meeting and spin it to the board.  That way the board does not say just NO, but come and dance in our house!  Warren stated we did not represent their interests.

(LEW VIEW: WHY DID NOT ONE DIRECTOR ASK FOR OUR ATTORNEY’S PRIOR OPINION ON THIS MATTER  WHICH WAS WE ARE AN EXISTING SPECIAL DISTRICT AND THE COUNTY COULD NOT FORCE US TO TAKE ON SUCH A LIABILITY!  Why did Planning Director/LAFCo Executive Officer Sarah Williams report to the Mariposa County Board of Supervisors some time ago that the LDPCSD could not be forced by the County of Mariposa to take possession of that failing sewer system zone it set up without notice or participation by the LDPCSD?  What has changed since then?  Have all those years of missing LAFCO RECORDS BEEN SANITIZED and the deceptions concealed?)

Johnson requested a motion from the board.  Kampa said he is going to be asked to attend a meeting with the supervisor one way or the other.

(LEW VIEW:  PROPERTY VALUE DISCUSSION WAS A RED HERRING DISTRACTION!)

Syndie stated she had several directions….Pete to talk to supervisor and ask him to attend one of our meetings…. Johnson said it was just a suggestion, but we have to tell Pete what to do.

Warren said the supervisor should come to our meeting and tell us the facts!

Hankemeier said they reject it based on what Emery said.

Warren said Kampa didn’t want to slam the door in their face.

Kampa said we could check on our legal options……..what are the other options?  Go to LAFCo?  What are our opportunities?  Application to LAFCO to have condition removed?

Johnson said for Kampa to go and get those answers, board is researching,

Warren said we should talk with our attorney and see what he says…..Kampa to talk with our attorney and bring back to board the attorney’s suggestion.

HERE WE GO AGAIN REPEATING SOMETHING ALREADY DONE AND PAID FOR!!!!

1423hrs adjourn

My best to you and yours, Lew

SAME OLD GAME….do whatever it is you want and then attempt to change the rules and mitigate damages to those innocent victims already harmed.

Check out how support for this proposed “administrative change” by the STATE WATER RESOURCES CONTROL BOARD (SWRCB  aka “STATE WATER BOARD”) was initiated and why.

Should not such a request have been forwarded to the SWRCB PRIOR TO ANNEXING properties into the LDPCSD that were clearly outside the POU of WL11395?

Please also appreciate that once again FALSE INFORMATION WAS BEING USED TO ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO SUPPORT THE CAUSE OF REPLACING THE LEGITIMATE MAP WITH A “FAKE POU MAP” SO AS TO CONTINUE THE EXPANSION OF THE DISTRICT WATER SERVICE BOUNDARIES EVEN FURTHER THAN HAD ALREADY BEEN EXPANDED BY LAFCO!

What is the FALSE INFORMATION BEING CONVEYED?

The WRONG POU MAP had been filed with the State of California instead of the map “KAMPA & KOMPANY” (and his LDPCSD predecessors who advocated district expansion beyond the water license boundary from “day one”) claim was the correct map and included many of the LAFCO ANNEXATIONS into the district that had already started receiving water – not to mention all those which were planned to also be served outside the POU.

Apparently the incorrect June 20, 1977 map which included many LAFCO ANNEXATIONS “reserving water for future use”was indeed filed with the state during licensing yet was later revised June 15, 1998 to remove those areas “reserving water for future use” which were clearly outside the WL1395 POU boundary.

Here are the words from the September 28th, 2017 SWRCB NOTICE OF VIOLATION to the LDPCSD (page 31-32):

“A review of Division records indicates that issues with the POU on MID’s License 11395 corresponding to the LDPCSD area began in the 1970’s and were discussed by correspondence in 1999 and 2000.  By letter dated August 18, 1999, MID requested an administrative change to expand the boundaries of its service area under the license.  MID claimed that the boundaries should have included parcels outside of the designated POU, served with water as early as 1973.  However, according to MID, these areas were not included in the POU due to MID not submitting a revised map between 1978 and licensing.  Division staff produced a memo dated February 23, 2000.  The memo indicates that the POU for License 11395 includes “domestic use at homesites with the service area of Sierra Highlands Water Company.”  The Sierra Highlands Water Company is the predecessor of the LDPCSD.  The memo concludes that the licensed POU purposefully did not include the areas “reserving water for future use”, as shown on the June 20, 1977 map.

MID was informed of the Division’s findings by letter dated March 21, 2000, and the Division advised MID that a change petition was needed to fix the discrepancy in the POU.  After subsequent correspondence, MID stated by letter dated December 19, 2000 that LDPCSD is not using water diverted under the MID license outside the POU.  Additionally, the letter states, “We believe the use of supplemental supply by the LDPCSD and the associated reporting to Merced by the LDPCSD avoids the need for Merced to file a petition for change pursuant to its water rights.”

PAGE 33:

“Division staff obtained maps of the LDPCSD from Division files and from the LDPCSD website.  The website has a side by side display of the 2012 LDPCSD boundaries and the June 20, 1977 map (revised June 15, 1978) submitted to the Division as part of the licensing process, cited in the 1999-2000 correspondence.”

Recall what the result of this orchestrated  request for a POU change based on more incorrect information provided by the LDPCSD was?…….

Yet here we are once again in 2018

continuing the same waste and misuse of substantial public funds and resources in another attempt to re-litigate and expand POU BOUNDARIES [changing water license] that were legally established over forty years ago.  Why?  Special interests want to include properties for Merced River water service despite the fact they are clearly outside the legitimate POU of the entitled residential subdivision.

Appreciate the “DOUBLE WHAMMY” in financial costs and reduced services for MR WECs?

If no POU CHANGE – pursued with local public funds for private land developer interest benefit – then their “fallback position” is simply the continuation of the unethical and EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE SUBSIDIZED GROUNDWATER SUBSTITUTION FOR WRONGFUL MERCED RIVER WATER DIVERSIONS outside the POU of WL11395!

The original Ranchito Drive well #1 has been down for years which means EVERY SINGLE DROP OF GROUNDWATER being used to remedy these intentional violations of the water license (providing water outside the subdivision) has been funded with STATE and FEDERAL GRANT MONEY  THAT WAS SPECIFICALLY INTENDED TO ASSIST EXISTING CUSTOMERS THROUGH EMERGENCY DROUGHT CONDITIONS…….NOT TO PROVIDE A SPECIAL FINANCIAL WATER SERVICE BENEFIT TO LAND DEVELOPERS WITH LAFCO ANNEXED LAND OUTSIDE THE SUBDIVISION PLACE OF USE !

I believe such could be considered a misappropriation of government funds if requisite intent could be established.

The MR WECs of the LAKE DON PEDRO residential subdivision have been paying more for their water service since DAY ONE (higher availability fees had to be approved due to low population in subdivision but then that extra revenue was used to pursue further service OUTSIDE THE FRACK’N SUBDIVISION!) because of the intentional failure of the District to abide by the water restrictions contained in WL11395 while simultaneously catering to the special interests of real estate/land developers holding vast areas of land outside the license boundary which required water for development.

Also  please remember that the 1987 establishment of a huge SPHERE OF INFLUENCE (SOI) BOUNDARY [where water service might reasonably be provided in the future] was based on a detailed LAFCO commissioned SOI RESEARCH STUDY and Report that……..

NEVER ONCE

MENTIONED THE WATER RESTRICTIONS IN WL11395!

Peculiar, yeah?

My best to you and yours, Lew

PS: Latest request for Public Information:

12:05 (today)

Good afternoon Syndie – hope you had a happy Thanksgiving!

Please accept this email as a PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUEST FOR a copy of the April 15, 1998 LDPCSD Place of Use boundary map.

BACKGROUND: Per the Lake Don Pedro Community Services District (LDPCSD) May 14, 1998 correspondence (composed by then GM Lois S. Di Tore to the Mariposa County Board of Supervisors requesting support for a STATE WATER BOARD Administrative Correction to the water license Place of Use) I hereby request a copy of that LDPCSD prepared April 15, 1998 POU map presented to the Mariposa County Board of Supervisors for their consideration and ultimate action on that matter.

ALSO, I have not received a response to my November 14, 2018 PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUEST for the following documents:

1. A copy of the Official WL11395 POU Map currently on file with the SWRCB;

2. A copy of the LAFCO 1980 formation map derived from the metes and bounds field survey of the proposed LDPCSD service area;  and

3. A CD copy of the audio recording of the last LDPCSD special meeting held on November 12, 2018.

Please let me know of any particulars and I will make arrangements for payment and pickup.

Thank you, Lew Richardson

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Lew,

Your email has been received and is being processed.  The requested CD of the 11-12-2018 Special Board meeting has been created and ready for pick up during office hours. You will be notified upon completion of the remainder of your request.

Regards,

Syndie Marchesiello

Office Manager / Board Secretary

PH# (209) 852-2251 Ext. 2

Fax #(209) 852-2268

www.ldpcsd.org