Just a few quick photos as I proceeded over the bridge North bound. Actually had the whole highway to myself for the trip (although there were some folks at the Off Highway Vehicle park outside La Grange.) Seemed like a scene in one of those creepy zombie movies….you know, driving into an area devoid of human presence? Where’s the traffic? The people? Something strange is going on here…….(Screeching tires….a sudden stop….shaky figures approaching vehicle……growling….gnashing of teeth….screaming…… )
geez, sure is good to have the highway open again.
Now…..once Ranchito Drive and HWY132 are repaired……. later!
Looks great yeah?
(Crossing Dry Creek…..the Lake Don Pedro subdivision is off to the right in the distance. I believe the running water that took out our Ranchito Drive eventually ends up crossing under HWY 59 here.)
While organizing and backing up my LDPCSD files I came across a number of issues that were evidently overlooked and/or forgotten in light of the complete destruction of our administration office by arson on February 27th, 2012.
One of these was the fact our district employees were actively and SUCCESSFULLY locating and shutting off many illegal connections (not being billed for the water consumed). Whether criminal charges for utility theft were actually filed and pursued is unknown.
************************
On Wednesday, February 8th, 2012 at approximately 1030hrs I received call from IGM Dan Tynan regarding several illegal connections discovered by employees Jose and Justin. Five of these were described as follows:
North of the T intersection of Gusanillo Way x Granite Springs Road. Unimproved property. Bath tub with float device to keep tub filled for cattle (apparently not used for some time) Barrel lock installed.
Granite Springs west of Tulipan possibly Lot # 1742, improved property. Bypass of meter with garden hose and sprayer attachment on ground. Barrel lock installed.
Llanura Court, unimproved property. New AMR meter with .02 consumption but with an adapter connection on the other side of the yoke. Barrel lock installed.
Pepito Court, unimproved property. Apparently a meter had been removed – still blue tagged, yet another connection to receive water attached on the other side of yoke. Barrel lock installed.
Pepito Drive, unimproved property. Two concrete meter boxes. Illegal connections to both tied to a buried ½” drip irrigation line. Old meter. Both connections had barrel locks installed.
************************
I also found a number of information requests I submitted to the office that specifically dealt with the Outside Merced Irrigation District Place of Use issue and how FACTS clearly contradicted what was BEING PROVIDED TO THE PUBLIC by special interests pushing further OUTSIDE POU WATER SERVICE. Requests that were NEVER ANSWERED and also abandoned in the wake of the administration office destruction and resulting confusion. Perhaps these questions and discoveries were getting too close to the actual water loss truth?
Then only a few years later when the District had managed to purchase and install a new admin office and save over one million dollars in cash – (with the assistance of a Proposition 218 which raised rates for the far majority of innocent <<<MR WECs>>> MERCED RIVER WATER ENTITLED CUSTOMERS of the subdivision) PETE KAMPA was suddenly brought back to the LDPCSD through an unethical closed recruitment process orchestrated by sitting board directors to continue KAMPA’s LAFCO annexation plan of further SPECIAL BENEFITGROUNDWATER SUBSTITUTED SERVICE for more properties OUTSIDE POU using PUBLIC FUNDS FOR CONSTRUCTION OF THE NECESSARY GROUNDWATER WELLS. (Heck, even a proposed 900 acre residential subdivision (approved by LAFCO in 1995 when Kampa was here the first time) was actively concealed from the public until only a few months BEFORE KAMPA’s 2014 RETURN!)
What was one of the first things KAMPA did when he returned? Abolished the traditional WATER REPORT which included very important water use and loss statistics for public review in the agenda packet. Why?
Obviously the above noted 2012 utility thefts represent only a small fraction of our decades of massive water loss (treated and raw water) but I trust the point is clear….even that effort was quickly halted and remained virtually inactive until a state investigation in 2016-2017 resulting in the September 26th, 2017 NOTICE OF VIOLATION by the STATE WATER BOARD for outside POU water service in violation of water license 11395.
Must get back to work outside in preparation for a likely brutal summer!
Good news. Bad news. Bad news first – uploading is taking quite a while because of my selecting the wrong camera recording resolution the day of the meeting [set everything up the night before too!] and failing to just try something new and convert it to something more appropriate. Good news? The next installment (#10) will be the last of the meeting! Yippeeeeeeeeeee!
That was some quick storm on Tuesday, May 1st was it not? Shot some video of thunder/lightening/sleet/wind…..all the good stuff. Then poof! rolled right over us on it’s way to the valley. NE winds for a while.
Dang it! The video title is wrong…..it is supposed to be 07 not 06! Oh well. Later
My best to you and yours, Lew
Yes indeed, I do look riveted (above) as Kampa explains something with his hands again. Maybe he’s demonstrating how he dove into water? Perhaps into the pool at a pricey hotel in Monterey to rescue his cell phone after throwing it in due to all the CONSTANT EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS and COORDINATING required that ruined his family vacation because of LDPCSD infrastructure damage and service interruptions caused by the Thursday March 22, 2018 atmospheric river and resulting flooding? Or perhaps, he is imitating how he flies through the sky as an OUTSIDE POU SUPER HERO with the letters “OPOU” on the front of his sporty tailored flying outfit, yeah? Maybe a bright red cape and face mask to boot?
Yeah….. a sleek black mask like the above speeding
During this portion of the meeting GM/TREASURER PETE KAMPA reports on the Thursday, March 22, 2018 storm damage and resulting interruption of water service for some customers. I now understand the expressed concern by some county officials with LDPCSD communications during that emergency since Kampa was on a long overdue family vacation in Monterey, CA. Anyway, even though not legally required, I personally prefer the idea of a GM who lives in the community and consumes the same water. You know, part of the community when some disaster occurs affecting the water service in these semi-isolated foothills. Kind of a “hands-on stakeholder” it you will. Maybe a part time “remote GM/TREASURER” doesn’t matter in this digital communication age for other districts – but what if phones were also completely out? Seems to me KAMPA’s “cookie cutter” – “one size fits all” special district management approach doesn’t fit with the exceptional situation that is our LDPCSD.
CPU processing was taking so long I had to leave post it notes to remember what command I was going to use next! lol Seriously. Yeah, yeah….getting older too, but not that bad…..yet. Strange how strong beliefs can provide you with added strength and determination on one level while simultaneously weakening you on another. Oh well, we all have birth and death in common. Not much choice in the former so might as well be doing something you believe heart and mind in when you must leave, right? If this production doesn’t teach me to SOME HOW LEARN TO CONFIRM CAMERA SETTINGS…….NOTHING WILL! WHAT A PAIN IN THE…
If something like this does happen again (recording on too high of a resolution format) I believe just converting the file to AVI would be easier. I read online about some options but I didn’t want to purchase or use FREE software – seems like there is always some hidden “hook” or something else attached to the “FREE”. Figured I’d try it this way first and just be more careful next time. (I still think it was resetting somehow, but again, that micro switch is very sensitive and I may have accidentally changed the setting with my numb thumb. Yes, my numb thumb.) One heck of a clear image though yeah? Don’t recall everything I read, but Sony has its own format that’s different from the Olympus. To be honest I didn’t shop much for a new video camera. I had used a number of HandyCams in the past and really liked them – but the old heavy analog tape and first digital ones. I do like the more simplistic menu structure, but again, sore, numb digits make working with small switches/buttons difficult. Holding the camera is like holding a Hummingbird – unbelievably light. I don’t use it for much other than CSD meetings so that’s another point I should use it more often and become familiar with the functions. Yup, extremely light weight – feel like I need to duct tape a brick to it just to remember it’s on my hand! blah, blah, blah….good night. Lew
Yes 05-A ….because the dumb ass operator accidentally selected HIGH RESOLUTION IMAGE again instead of the quick VGA stuff (must admit the quality is a lot better – but that’s not what I need! I NEED FASTER DOWNLOADING/UPLOADING TIMES!) Anyway figured I’d split this presentation into two smaller ones and see if it will work. (Would upload around 50% then freeze! FRUSTRATING! OH well, better than handwriting and snail mailing right? lol)
Yup, sure looks like a typical FALSE FLAG ATTACK sort of situation, the same players who created the OUTSIDE PLACE OF USE PROBLEM seem to always benefit in some sneaky way. (NEW groundwater wells for private development water substitution paid for with public funds! And now Kampa removing the ONLY SAFEGUARD TO THE TYPICAL BEHIND THE SCENE DUPLICITYthe district has practiced for decades is not surprising – but very wrong. He will do anything to cover his tracks.)
That’s why he can’t answer questions – the answers will illustrate exactly what he has been doing for years. I believe much of our “lost water” is outside the PLACE OF USE – always have and have said so. Kampa’s actions only support my suspicion but believing something is a far cry from proving it and without access to facts – impossible. (What is required are cold hard consumption figures for all known OPOU service connections and “check meters” everywhere a CSD extension line leaves the subdivision legal PLACE OF USE.
Privacy? Sure, so long as there is no name/title change, publish only account numbers with the policy provision that any change/transfer in ownership of property or account number will be noticed and reported in a public meeting agenda packet. That way property owners have their sense of privacy but the public can still monitor suspicious increased subsidized water use outside the subdivision.)
Ever since Kampa arrived in 2014 (through an unethical selection process- were you aware of that? lol) much information that was previously public has been removed from the agenda packet keeping customers in the dark. (ah, what the heck, he’s been misrepresenting facts to Federal and State government agencies for years – deceiving mushroom customers is a breeze.)
Appears to me KAMPA has some heavy weight supporters who may be trying to protect him by “muddying the waters” so to speak. WHERE IS THE ACCOUNTABILITY?
Sure, the LDPCSD might one day , and I say, might, one day be required to finally follow regulations ignored for years, but where is the accountability for a professional special district manager (and CSDA board member of 20 years no less) who had “hands on personal experience with” LAFCO annexations 20 years ago and was clearly aware they could not receiveMERCED RIVER WATERand needed groundwater to develop – who finagled public funds to develop those groundwater wells for outside development?
Heck, he only returned to finish what he started with those LAFCo annexations between 1994-1997.
Why actively hide for 20 years – a proposed 900ac subdivision across the street from the LDPCSD that was Mariposa County LAFCO approved in 1995 when KAMPA was employed here the first time if everything was above board and legal?
ANOTHER MOTIVE FOR RETURN?
KAMPA should be held to a much higher standard of responsibility especially since paid with public funds TWICE for LDPCSD employment tours that quite clearly served the interests of developers outside the POU and caused more problems in the future.
KAMPA should not be permitted to pretend he was unaware of the MANDATORY MONTHLY COMPLIANCE REPORTING TO THE MID FOR 16 YEARS!
But of course, it certainly appears MID has been working with KAMPA to surreptitiously change the PLACE OF USE OF THEIR OWN WATER LICENSE if they PROVIDED THE SHAPE FILE FOR KAMPA’S FABRICATED MAP AND SIGNED OFF ON CHANGING THE OPOU REPORTING FORMAT POLICY OUR DISTRICT SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO EFFECTIVELY MONITOR AND PREVENT FURTHER SURREPTITIOUS OUTSIDE POU WATER SERVICE.)
WAS ANY OF THIS WATER LICENSE COMPLIANCE REPORTING FOR OUTSIDE PLACE OF USE PROPERTIESMENTIONED TO THE GRANTING AUTHORITIES THAT ADVISED KAMPA THOSE FUNDS WERE FOR EXISTING CUSTOMERS DURING DROUGHT EMERGENCY AND NOT FOR NEW SERVICE CONNECTIONS?
A SUBSTITUTION REMEDY FOR VIOLATIONS OF WATER LICENSE 11395 MID DEMANDED ALMOST 20 YEARS AGO?
NOTICE HOW THAT SAME NUMBER ALWAYS SEEMS TO POP UP? 20 YEARS AGO – WHAT WAS HAPPENING THEN?
WHO WAS RUNNING THE DISTRICT? THE OWNERS ASSOCIATION? YUP, DON’T FORGET THE EXTREME INFLUENCE THE DEERWOOD LAND DEVELOPMENT/MORTGAGE CORPORATION HAD HERE IN THE SUBDIVISION AND GOLF COURSE AREA. THE FORMER GM OF SIERRA HIGHLANDS ALSO AN EMPLOYEE OF DEERWOOD? GM OF THE LDPCSD?
LOOK AT ALL THE NON-COMPLIANT SUBSTANDARD DEVELOPER CONVENIENCE ROADS THAT CORPORATION CONSTRUCTED IN THE SUBDIVISION TO AVOID HAVING TO CREATE FIRE SAFE DRIVEWAYS ACCORDING TO THE 1991 FIRE SAFE STATE RESPONSIBILITY ACT REGULATIONS!
(And just recently we find out those years of “FIRE FEE” STATE BILLING were ACTUALLY the result of an ILLEGAL STATE TAX –
YET those who paid it won’t be getting their +/- $900 back!
Sure could have helped property owners with yearly county property taxes.
What a scam against property owners in SRA while the land developer gets off without having to remove non-compliant roads (not even being used for homes) that represent a continuing and extreme danger to anyone using them!)
KAMPA MAPA FULL OF KRAPA!
BACK TO KAMPA’s GRANTS FOR GROUNDWATER WELLS.
Sure seems like misrepresentation to obtain FUNDS –(don’t forget that “MID SHAPE FILE MAP” that the MERCED IRRIGATION DISTRICT supposedly gave to Kampa’s hired CAD Company to create yet another FRANKENSTEIN KAMPA MAPA FULL OF KRAPA)
-and misappropriation of FUNDS THAT WERE CLEARLY INTENDED FOR DROUGHT EMERGENCY RELIEF to ACTUALLY FINANCE AN ALTERNATE SOURCE OF WATER to cover existing REPORTED AND UNREPORTED POU violations of which KAMPA was already aware; and TO FURTHER EXPAND THAT SUBSIDIZED BENEFIT to other properties our district has no moral obligation or legal duty to furnish water.
I have always believed much of our “lost water” is outside the PLACE OF USE but who knows? The way the Merced Irrigation District has been working with Kampa to keep OUTSIDE POU INFORMATION CONCEALED, maybe the district has been supplying RAW WATER TO RECREATION AREAS AROUND McCLURE since the beginning? That’s why no serious effort in decades to locate and stop the loss? Maybe it is not loss? Just diverted to another approved use but isn’t paid for by the users?
Kampa ending the public reporting on individual OPOU PROPERTIES only supports such suspicions. Ever since Kampa arrived in 2014 (through an unethical selection process – don’t suppose you’ve ever heard of that yeah?) much information that was previously public has been removed from the agenda packet keeping customers in the dark.
(Just where MUSHROOM CUSTOMERS SHOULD BE CONSIDERING ALL THE KAMPA KRAPA FED TO THEM.
Ah, but let’s be fair. Kampa is an equal opportunity deceiver – he’s been misrepresenting facts to Federal and State government agencies for years to snag that grant money for LAFCO ANNEXEDASPECIAL BENEFIT WATER SERVICE. Where is the accountability? Sure, the LDPCSD might, and I say, might, have to finally follow regulations they have completely ignored for years, but where is the accountability for intentionally violating water regulations by a professional special district manager (and CSDA board member for 20 years no less) that has had “hands on experience” working with the MERCED IRRIGATION DISTRICT PLACE OF USE WATER LICENSE RESTRICTIONS FOR MERCED RIVER WATER he has known about for 20 years?
YUP, should be held to a higher standard especially since paid with public funds. Heck, he only returned to finish what he started with those LAFCo annexations between 1994-1997. Sure seems like misrepresentation and misappropriation.
No one can blame OPOU property owners for wanting water for their developments, but the individuals elected, appointed, employed and/or delegated authority for providing, administrating and regulating the water needs of property owners in the subdivision should have to answer for their complete and utter disregard for MR WECS*rights to quality water service for only the cost of what is required to provide such. All this special benefit groundwater substitution, arsenic removal, state monitoring/reporting, etc. should be paid for by those who receive that special benefit.
*MERCED RIVER WATER ENTITLED CUSTOMERS (of the Lake Don Pedro Subdivision) later
GIVE THEM AN INCH and THEY’LL TAKE A MILE.
GIVE THEM AN ACRE FOOT – and
THEY’LL RECONFIGURE YOUR SURFACE WATER TREATMENT PLANT INTO A GROUNDWATER SUBSTITUTION FACILITY TO CIRCUMVENT STATE WATER LICENSE RESTRICTIONS FOR PRIVATE LAND DEVELOPER SPECIAL BENEFIT & PROFITS OUTSIDE THE PLACE OF USE FOR MERCED RIVER WATER -WHICH IS THE SUBDIVISION AND GOLF COURSE.
WAITING- WAITING- WAITING- FOR UPLOAD…..
hey! I can still type in Word…….depressing news for viewers, yeah?
I just thought of an example and although it certainly doesn’t exactly match the fact pattern of the current OPOU blah, blah, blah, still believe it will adequately illustrate a point.
Ready? Here we go….
UNCLE LEWIE’S STORY TIME
Once upon a time there was this little town out west whose citizens struggled and saved their money for a community theater. This was before “talking moving picture shows” were developed so it was nothing more than an empty building (some say a barn) without windows, a sheet for a projection screen on the far wall, some benches, a few chairs and a projector sitting on a raised table opposite the screen.
A small fee was ultimately required to offset the costs of repairs, improvements and obtaining new films. Occasionally individuals, often children, would sneak through a back unlocked door in order to get a glimpse of whatever was playing but usually quickly removed due to the fact they did not pay for the entertainment like everyone else and were often disruptive. Occasionally a lenient and compassionate employee would observe young children huddled to side of the aisle all displaying open gaping mouths of astonishment at what they were witnessing on screen but the employee would allow such trespassing to continue if quiet and non disturbing to the oblivious paying customers focused on the film.
Eventually a new building was constructed just for film viewing with a full stage, a piano purchased and a pianist employed to augment the films with live music and various sound effects near the stage making the show experience much more enjoyable and entertaining. Beverages and snacks were later made available but that convenience also added to ticket prices but it was still considered worth the money for such new and exciting entertainment. Attendees from neighboring towns frequently made the road trip to see whatever was playing at the theater which was quickly making a name for itself. Of course this naturally also drew more (without resources for ticket purchase) to sneak into the theater in various ways, some quite elaborate like the hand excavated tunnel from the alley to under the stage, but once again trespassers were promptly removed and the tunnel sealed. Eventually a city ordinance was created to address the increasing problem of line jumping, trespass and the turmoil it caused with frustrated paying customers. A part time paid manager was hired from another city which also had a theater believing the manager’s stated lengthy experience with the business would help control and remedy the situation and increasing problems.
As technology and enhancements for the movie experience grew so did costs and innovative instances of sneaking into the theater. Management fees dramatically increased correspondingly. Some paying attendees felt true compassion and a sense of responsibility for the underprivileged who still could not afford the full ticket price so they instituted a program funded with pooled donations to facilitate reduced and even free admission tickets to those in need.
As more and more strangers from other towns and communities arrived to claim their REDUCED & FREE ADMISSION TICKETS (for themselves and many friends and acquaitances who had not even arrived in town yet) only to discover none were available, disappointment, resentment and anger often escalated into arguments even fist fights between those who paid full price and those who did not.
This disruption and violence increased to the point where the now highly paid part time theater manager just permitted non ticket holders to quietly enter through an open rear door under the theory of preventing further vandalism, threats and violence against theater employees, customers waiting in line and even innocent non-involved people just happening to be walking by – IF the outsiders were denied their demanded reduced and/or free tickets.
The original compassion and generosity of those original paying attendees who furnished FREE TICKETS and management’s “turning a blind eye” (supposedly to quell disturbances) was quickly transformed into angry demands, more property damage and threatened violence, finally settling into a form of accepted institutionalized extortion.
When paying customers complained and asked what had happened to their once beautiful theater, the now unbelievably highly paid professional part time manager explained that everyone had a right to view film presentations regardless of ability to pay because “all enjoy movies”.
Yet when those who previously paid the ever increasing full ticket price attempted to also enter without paying (like the many children and increasing bus loads of adults from neighboring towns) they were promptly advised by management:
because they APPEARED TO HAVE EXTRA RESOURCES TO ATTEND SUCH ENTERTAINMENT it was ONLY FAIR that they pay GREATLY INCREASED TICKET PRICES TO COVER COSTS OF EVERYONE ELSE ATTENDING THE MOVIE!
WHAT?
Welcome to the LAKE DON PEDRO CSD THEATER MR WECS.
THE END
PS: Well, not quite the end.
Sounds a lot like the rampant illegal welfare payments and current national argument regarding the costs of illegal immigration, yeah?
a sleek black mask like the above speeding