***

You’ve heard me blah blah blah before about how the district bombards customers with massive amounts of very important material on the Friday before the Monday meeting?  Well yesterday’s Lake Don Pedro Community Services District monthly Board of Directors meeting was no exception staying true to form and consistent month, after month, after month…..

REALLY WANT PARTICIPATION?

Gosh, it almost seems like the District (as managed by PETE KAMPA, president of KAMPA COMMUNITY SOLUTIONS, llc a professional management company) does not really want customers to be well informed, much less participate in their own LOCAL PUBLIC AGENCY NON PROFIT CSD.

But how can that be true when Kampa has repeatedly encouraged customers to become involved, ask questions, and participate?  Didn’t he also instruct educational classes regarding district management and customer relations for the CALIFORNIA SPECIAL DISTRICT ASSOCIATION (CSDA)?  Isn’t he a true believer and practitioner of his highly focused compensated preaching?  Classes I attended while a director on our board suggested the agenda/packet should be available at least five (5) days in advance of the noticed meeting to permit adequate time for meeting preparation and later meaningful discussion.

SPEAK CLEARLY INTO THE MICROPHONE SO WE CAN BE SURE TO NOT HEAR WHATEVER YOU SAY

Those who do take the time to read the agenda/packet materials, prepare statements for PUBLIC COMMENT and actually attend these 2-4 hour meetings miles away, quickly discover their concern, effort and even the basic subject matter are completely ignored in official meeting Minutes that could be of assistance for other potentially interested customers/parties.

NO WAY!   ONLY ONE WAY!  THE KAMPA COMMUNICATION WAY!

That’s probably the most frustrating aspect of LDPCSD communications under this KAMPA & KOMPANY management – IT IS ONE WAY ONLY. Customers are routinely bombarded with massive amounts of material in the form of detailed reports, diagrams, charts, graphs and self-congratulatory director testimonials of unprecedented successes (often used to camouflage extremely important facts that are then simply glossed over in favor of the typical confusion and/or exuberance), yet repeated customer complaints, comments and suggestions are actively ignored and completely dismissed as unimportant.

CAPTIVE CLIENTELE

Considering the circumstances, why would KAMPA & KOMPANY give a “furry rat’s ass” about customers anyway?  They get paid regardless of how frustrated or disappointed their customers may be thanks to the bill paying mandatory customer base in the LAKE DON PEDRO OWNERS’ ASSOCIATION subdivision.

WHO KNOWS?  WHO CARES?

There is no local newspaper, television, or radio publication that could pick up our CSD’s INTENTIONAL FAILURE TO ADEQUATELY INFORM AND RESPOND TO CUSTOMER CONCERNS, much less conduct a serious investigation into how a local NON PROFIT public agency can  essentially be privatized and exploited by a FOR PROFIT management company…..blah, blah, blah…..

ANYWAY, I read the following within my permitted 3 minute audio recorded PUBLIC COMMENT TO NOWHERE at yesterday’s meeting – please excuse the bare-boned sentence structure to fit within the time frame.

 

WATER RATES MUST SKYROCKET to cover illogical EXPANSION OF GROUND WATER SERVICE TO PROPERTIES OUTSIDE THE PLACE OF USE OF WATER LICENSE 11395!  Land development special benefits subsidized with public funds while ignoring the fact the treatment plant was specifically constructed for the subdivision.

Merced Irrigation District said NO MERCED RIVER WATER OUTSIDE THE PLACE OF USE, but we did so anyway and RANCHITO WELL #1 was developed in 1992 as a remedy for the violations*.  AND NOW THAT VIOLATION REMEDY is to become DISTRICT POLICY with added costs passed to the 99% of legal MERCED RIVER WATER USING CUSTOMERS.

Customers have been deceived about our legal service area for over 35 years and  I only recently discovered authentic documents approved by the California Public Utilities Commission on its website.   Our administration office was destroyed by arson during record research of this very issue in February 2012.

The District charges an AVAILABILITY FEE of $60/ac, maximum 3 acres or $180/year because lots in the subdivision are on average less than two acres, yet a proposed 900 acre subdivision which MUST BE FURNISHED GROUND WATER also pays only $180/year rather than the $54,000 using the $60/ac formula.  Does that sound reasonable?

GROUND WELL PRODUCTION WILL NOT MEET EXISTING HIGH WATER DEMAND and selling what EMERGENCY WATER we have is foolish.

Expanding service outside the PLACE OF USE with emergency ground water, new employee positions, GM created Policies, reinstating post retirement medical benefits and even a plan for accepting deeded “iffy wells” from developers so innocent customers will pay for maintenance, repair and replacement, all greatly increasing costs.

IN THE INTEREST OF HONEST PUBLIC SERVICE WITHOUT HINT OF MISREPRESENTATION I would suggest the BOARD postpone voting at this time; immediately post on its website and Face Book Page the MID Place of Use Map along with identification of all properties that must receive ground water substitution.

ONLY THREE SHORT MONTHS until the District election after which these issues and financial consequences could be addressed before an informed public and decided by a fully elected board of directors.

 

 

• I was recently advised by a former GM the well was not specifically constructed for that purpose but was indeed accepted as the legal remedy for outside Place of Use customers who were wrongfully receiving Merced River water outside the permitted area under water license L11395 held by the Merced Irrigation District.  Unfortunately, select District information has either been “liberated from the office” or through the years or destroyed by the arson in February of 2012.

More later….

 

My best to you and yours, Lew

While looking at the above map can viewers now appreciate why PETE KAMPA & KOMPANY placed so much emphasis on constructing and developing an “alternate source of water” with public funds?  The ground well project was repeatedly advertised as being an emergency drought water supply for existing customers – yet was planned from the beginning (and is still being pursued) to be the solution for land developers outside the Place of Use who can not legally be furnished Merced River water from Lake McClure.

Why should the 99% of legal Merced River water users in the subdivision (for whom the water plant was clearly constructed) pay for this ground water special benefit to land developers outside the subdivision?

 

 

___________________________________________

WHAT THE CSD WANTS PEOPLE TO BELIEVE IS THE SERVICE AREA (website)…..,

 

MAP DISPLAYED ON THE NEW LDPCSD WEBSITE (above)

 

 

 

 Why is KAMPA & KOMPANY so determined to expand district water service outside the 11395 Place of Use requiring expensive ground water wells designed, constructed, developed, maintained (and eventually replaced) with public funds – for private land development projects?

These ground wells were ostensibly created for the benefit of the legal users of Merced River water in the subdivision during drought water shortages – how can such emergency-intended water be sold outside the POU for private profit endeavors?

Remember this when the LDPCSD comes knocking on your water meter for more MONEY!

My best to you and yours, Lew

MAP DISPLAYED ON THE NEW LDPCSD WEBSITE

IS, ONCE AGAIN, EXTREMELY MISLEADING

[NOTE:  The CUSTOMER SURVEY RESULTS from months ago still have not been posted for customers to easily view.  The new website has a link to the Customer Survey form, however, you must supply personal information to create a member account to use the link.  I read the privacy notice and don’t feel comfortable supplying that additional information at this time, besides, I don’t believe a customer should be required to provide such information (that can later be used for other unknown purposes) just to see the results of this old survey – IF THOSE RESULTS ARE EVEN CONTAINED UNDER THAT LINK.  It would be frustrating to furnish personal information to access the link only to discover the results were not there.  Once your 411 is out there – its out there!  No return policies.  lol] 

KAMPA ONCE AGAIN INTENTIONALLY FAILS TO INCLUDE AN EXTREMELY IMPORTANT LIMITATION: THE MERCED IRRIGATION DISTRICT WATER LICENSE 11395 PLACE OF USE BOUNDARY which identifies where Merced River water (pumped from Lake McClure) can legally be used.   The LDPCSD has always operated under License 11395 and properties served OUTSIDE the L11395 Place of Use MUST BE FURNISHED AN ALTERNATE SOURCE OF WATER which in the LDPCSD’s case means providing ground water pumped from extremely expensive ground wells that were recently constructed, developed and maintained with public government funds to maintain water service during emergency drought situations.  Many questions still remain, including, Why should the 99% of legal MERCED RIVER WATER USING CUSTOMERS OF THE SUBDIVISION pay for A SPECIAL BENEFIT GROUND WATER SUBSTITUTION PROGRAM OUTSIDE THE LEGAL PLACE OF USE UNDER 11395 for land developers not entitled to our lake water?   Why don’t these outside Place of Use properties drill and develop their own ground water wells with their own funds instead of forcing legal water users in the subdivision to subsidize private land development projects?  (Please do not forget providing water is only the first step as there will always be a substantial amount of money required for administrative compliance reporting, maintenance, monitoring, repair and eventual replacement.) Besides, currently there is not even enough ground well water production to meet the subdivision’s peak water demand during these continued drought conditions – why sell what we have developed with public funds to private land developers OUTSIDE THE LEGAL PLACE OF USE?  The LDPCSD is a nonprofit PUBLIC AGENCY operating with public funds so why is KAMPA & KOMPANY determined to expand water service even further outside the legal use area of 11395 for private real estate and land development interests yet having the 99% legal MERCED RIVER WATER USERS pay for this special benefit?  How can public funds be misdirected in such a way?

WHY IS THIS VERY IMPORTANT  35+ YEAR WATER LICENSE PLACE OF USE BOUNDARY NOT CLEARLY ILLUSTRATED ON KAMPA’S NEW WEBSITE SERVICE MAP SO THOSE VIEWING COULD HAVE AN ACCURATE AND  FACTUAL UNDERSTANDING OF THE WATER SERVICE LIMITATIONS OF THE LDPCSD?

While the primary infrastructure of our SURFACE WATER TREATMENT PLANT FOR MERCED RIVER WATER has been allowed to deteriorate, KAMPA & KOMPANY have focused district attention and funding on issues supportive of further expanding outside Place of Use water service with ground water.  Please remember that is exactly what Kampa was doing in Lake Don Pedro in the 1990s (he clearly was aware of restrictions even then) and has only resumed that special interest benefit effort since his LDPCSD Director orchestrated selective/closed recruitment process appointed him GM in October of 2014.

Our SWTP has been intentionally neglected for decades and even the extremely serious continuing results of that neglect are currently ignored as irrelevant.  Heck, last meeting Pete Kampa acknowledged the district has the ability to calculate the loss, but is apparently unconcerned with identifying exactly how much water we pump from the lake that never makes it to the treatment plant!  Since PETE KAMPA became GM, that water loss (or “SHRINK” as customer/former director Wes Barton refers to it) is just dismissed and ignored while KAMPA & KOMPANY repeatedly pat themselves on the back and advertise their great district succes. (Which clearly advances his ultimate goal of even further outside MID Place of Use water service.)  I was not the only audience member who was shocked by this information – especially during a state wide prolonged drought with water use restrictions and monetary fines for enforcement.  Doesn’t the California Constitution say something about “maximum beneficial use” and prevention of “waste”?

WHAT?  KAMPA STOPPED TRACKING THIS WATER LOSS?

THAT’s RIGHT.

KAMPA & KOMPANY are only concerned with the water that makes it to the treatment plant – where the water goes prior to that is immaterial to his plan.

Remember all that water gushing out of the Barrett Cove Ravine leak in those videos that simply flowed back to Lake McClure from where it was originally pumped?  Kampa & Kompany are unconcerned with that wasted water but customers still pay for that wasted pumping – and have for decades!  Kampa has the ability to determine exactly how much water is being lost, but is unconcerned and refuses to do so.  How can Kampa keep a straight face when attempting to compare ground well and lake water production costs with such horrible water losses?

Is all of that unaccounted for water truly just lost to leaks?  Or do such leaks conveniently camouflage other unaccounted for lost water between the lake and treatment plant?  Gosh, where could it be going?  What transmission infrastructure diversions could have been planned and/or started in the 1960s?  Heck, customers can not get straight answers to current questions – how will almost four decades of water secrets be publicly exposed without serious “outside” investigation?  But who cares about missing water that doesn’t exist in paper reports?

[VIDEO BELOW] SUCH WATER LOSS HAS NOT BEEN MONITORED/REPORTED BY THE DISTRICT SINCE GM KAMPA/KAMPA COMMUNITY SOLUTIONS llc, ASSUMED MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES.   WHY?

UPDATE ON THE LDPCSD BARRETT COVE RAVINE LEAK

At the last meeting I confirmed that KAMPA has been looking at a proposed short cut for the over two mile 18″ diameter raw water line path from the lake to the treatment plant which loses much water – but can anyone guess what that shortcut would entail?

Crossing property owned by an individual who has been attempting to obtain LDPCSD water for decades to develop a private 900-1,000 acre subdivision – gosh, what a coincidence.  When asked, Kampa stated he had done no more research on the concept than looking at it like I had on Google Earth maps.  He denied “boots on the ground”.  His boots?  That may be true, but what about other contractors or consultants researching on his behalf?

A long time ago I proffered the possibility of “legitimate government entities” being involved with such duplicity and betrayal of the legal MERCED RIVER WATER CUSTOMERS OF THE LDPCSD – and that far-out possibility sure hasn’t been refuted with any assistance in stopping Kampa’s 20 year old pursuit of building a water empire with public funds for use by private land development interests.

Who is looking out for the legal customers who are to be saddled with the financial responsibility of such water service expansion beyond the permitted areas in the water license? How can a County LAFCo, armed with the incorrect information ANY PROPERTY COULD RECEIVE MERCED RIVER WATER from the LDPCSD, order another public agency (the LDPCSD) to provide expensive ground water substitution for properties outside the Place of Use under the water license, and legally have the innocent legal 99% MERCED RIVER WATER USERS pay for such developments for perpetuity?  Will subdivision customers get a portion of the anticipated profits for supplying such ground water for private development?  What about the next severe water shortage?   When many more properties are provided our emergency ground water?  SOMETHING IS VERY WRONG HERE.

Do not forget all this nonsense when KAMPA & KOMPANY eventually asks, pleads, begs and/or demands more of our money in a PROP 218 rate/fee INCREASE to fund their betrayal.

The reality is: one does not have to look towards cities like Sacramento or Washington DC for evidence of serious corruption –

we have been swimming in it for decades here in Lake Don Pedro – and it is not too difficult to understand the who, what, where, when and whys, because it has been the same old story since the beginning —-

FOLLOW THE MONEY!

Hope you all have a safe and wonderful Fourth of July – I pray we are as FREE TOMORROW as we are TODAY!

My best to you and yours, Lew

 

WHAT IS THE POINT?

Jeez, how many pounds will that chain hold?

Ever hear the expression “a chain is only as strong as its weakest link”?  Makes a good point, especially if one is working with something like a chain hoist for engine removal, hauling a trailer load of lumber secured with “log chain”, or perhaps even just “show-off high swinging” on an old style pipe and chain swing set.  Only one damaged or substandard link in an otherwise good chain could have serious consequences.  Just because a chain may look strong and secure – occasional inspection would certainly seem prudent to avoid foreseeable harm/loss in using compromised chains.    The expression is also analogous to other situations that may not involve an actual metal chain but still require 100% component integrity to avoid some type of general failure.

Yup, there is never enough time.  Attended the two LDPCSD meetings yesterday, Monday, June 20th, 2016: Financial Committee @ 1000 hrs – 1200hrs, and the regular monthly meeting @ 1300- 1452hrs).  6 people in attendance and it was hot in that board room — temperature wise.  Naturally the board packet was published and made available only a day or so before the meeting.  So many important decisions Kampa is asking the board to approve yet there is always VERY LITTLE TIME TO STUDY THE MATERIAL MUCH LESS RECEIVE ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS.  All planned my friends.  All planned.

Since I was unable to locate the customer survey results on the website (as had been suggested by a board member and GM Kampa) – I asked about where they (the results) were displayed.  I was told I could get the information from the office, although that was not the point.  They were supposed to be presented on the website, perhaps they will show up on the upcoming “new website”.  I suspicion there was a low percentage of returns thus no real incentive to publish disappointing results and I can understand that, but still, public money was used for all that and we should have easy access to not only the results, but the costs involved.

Budget is being prepared and there is still opposition to GM Kampa’s apparent re-establishment of post retirement medical benefits that had been discontinued by another board of directors many years ago.   There were three requests for Board approval in Item 6 of the agenda under DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS:

       a. Adoption of a Resolution Approving a Revised Policy on Employee Insurance Benefits

       b. Adoption of a Resolution Approving a Revised policy on Eligibility for Employee Benefits

       c. Discussion and Action Regarding the District Organizational chart, Personnel Responsibilities and Position Requirements

[Seems like resolutions intended to ratify prior action even though the specifics of that prior action are still unknown and the board refuses to comment (like the who, when, how and whys of re-established employee benefits accomplished without any noticed public board meeting action to rescind prior approved and upheld district employment policy – how can they do that?)

Although I had requested the subject be on the agenda for open discussion, all three were postponed to the July meeting by an approved motion by Director Emery Ross.  Suggestions of having third parties look at the situation were also made.  No doubt something is being cooked up for July to insure a quick approval to legitimize behind the scene activity intentionally hidden from the public.

I asked if the outside Place of Use compliance reporting had stopped again (since the report was not in the agenda packet) – that obvious failure was attributed to the Operations Supervisor Randy Gilgo who was again absent from the monthly meeting.  I believe three or four meetings in a row now.  I jokingly asked if he still even worked here….yes he does, just hasn’t been able to attend the monthly meetings.  Perhaps the GM could schedule more convenient meetings?   Director Emery Ross complained that the board should not be answering questions from the public.  Strange, submitted written questions do not receive answers either.

There was a little bit of dancing around the issue of providing further outside Place of Use water service which is to be discussed in the near future.  Hummm, interesting. They do exactly as they want while refusing to provide relevant information to questioning customers.   With the grant money emphasis on developing an “alternate source” of ground water for outside Place of Use sale, Kampa and Kompany are not likely to just give up on twenty something years of planned expansion with the 99% of legal MERCED RIVER WATER CUSTOMERS PAYING FOR THAT SPECIAL BENEFIT. (Do not forget maintenance, repair, replacement, etc.)  Kampa’s recent admission to being approached early on by owners of outside place of use property (that he was attempting to provide water service a couple of decades ago) is consistent with the theory of why Kampa returned to Lake Don Pedro:  to continue the outside place of use expansion using newly developed ground water sources that were supposed to be for emergency drought water sustainability for existing customers.  [NOTE:  Please remember the “KAMPA & KOMPANY” reference is only shorthand for those individuals who support Pete Kampa’s re-configuration of our CSD operations.  Actually, the acronym SO-GOSIP (Same Old Group Of Special Interest People] also applies.]

Having witnessed their methods of operation thus far, wording like the below should alert customers.

Under SERVICES ASSUMPTIONS, Kampa states:

“No new regulations will be enacted to cause a dramatic change in operation costs”

Please note the qualifier “dramatic”, so by this statement, if not a “dramatic change”, it’s perfectly OK……sneaky Pete.

Or under REVENUE FORECASTS:  “We are not planning financially on selling more water, or gaining more customers this fiscal year”, that may be true, but KAMPA & KOMPANY have already used public funds to plan/construct/develop the ground water wells necessary for an “alternate source” to provide outside the Place of Use.  Twice this group has attempted to abandon the existing prohibition of such expansion and have already installed the necessary infrastructure and are proceeding with the remote control equipment required for such expanded service to be accomplished after “this fiscal year”.     I wholeheartedly admit, and standby, my distrust for Kampa & Kompany and their constant half-truths in pursuit of special interest benefits paid for with public funds.

TYPING TROUBLE

My fingers are still numb and typing is more difficult without the sensation of actually pressing the keys.  Tingling like poor circulation – hands/fingers still swollen.  Not sure if typing is a good exercise or not but at least fingers are moving!  Working with concrete and mortar without gloves is stupid and very time I do it I promise myself I will not do it again, then a project jumps up where just “a little hands-on” work accomplishes the desired finish.  Seems I do not have the dexterity I need while wearing various types of gloves so I finish the work then immediately wash with soap and water, but alas, the damage is already done. (I do have a great pair of gloves for just this sort of work but gave up looking for them and wasn’t going to make a special trip to town.)   Amazing how, when focused on the work, you don’t notice that the first couple of layers of skin have been literally sanded off, —- but later……oooohhhhhh!  Besides being a bit sore and numb, I now also have “Velcro digits” that snag and hold on to everything! LOL  Kind of funny at times, like after blowing my nose with a tissue and being unable to throw the tissue away – suck on my fingertips like,….well, I already said it ….Velcro!

I must be real careful when wiping away material from around my eyes as fingertips also have sharp jagged pieces of dry dead skin which could cause damage if dragged across an eyeball.   Not being my first experience with this concrete/mortar malady I know a sure fire remedy that has always worked for me —-liberally coat fingers and hands with “Bag Balm”, put on an old pair of gloves and continue work.  Amazing how that antiseptic “grease” balm can work-in and soften dry concrete/mortar damaged hands/fingers.  Naturally, anything you touch without gloves will leave greasy smudges – like eyeglasses, windows, door handles, etc.   Plan on dropping a few things through slippery fingers also.

Let’s see…. started my grey water laundry irrigation again & tweaked the homemade detergent recipe with a bit of Eucalyptus oil.  Orange oil works well too.

____________________

I didn’t mention this security fencing issue at the last meeting but after seeing it still apparently unlocked this Thursday morning  and later in the afternoon, thought “what the heck?”  Maybe it will get some needed attention if someone else comments?

I am rather busy trying to accomplish a host of different projects so producing a bunch of meeting videos is not possible right now (did I just hear a number of viewers sigh in unanimous & appreciative relief?  Lol).   Besides, what is the point?  Seriously.  What difference does it make whether customers have truthful/factual information or not?  Seems district management is still considering ways of using emergency drought ground water for “outside place of use” expansion/sale (our district has always pumped water from Lake McClure under L11395 held by the Merced Irrigation District for use in the subdivision [and a few other listed areas] but special benefit water service outside the legal Place of Use under L11395 must be accomplished with expensive ground water wells developed with public funds.)  The district also seems intent upon continuing with the re-establishment of post retirement medical benefits for two employees despite clear violation of the intent of a previous board which created the policy.  The policy was evidently challenged and upheld years ago and followed until (apparently), Pete Kampa somehow assumed “district policy making/changing authority” and interpreted policy according to his business perspective.  I voiced opposition stating any such major financial policy change should have been addressed by the board of directors in a public meeting setting.  Heck, I still have not heard Pete Kampa actually admit to being the one who “interpreted policy” 180 degrees opposite from the cost saving intent of the original policy.

Why are such interpreted conflicts seemingly always settled to the customers’ financial detriment?  Especially in a nonprofit public agency?

Eventually the district is going to ask customers to approve a major rate/fee increase and that is when all this surreptitious special benefit activity, refusal to answer legitimate questions, negligence and defiant arrogance will be of great assistance in evaluating how and why an increase even became necessary.

My best to you and yours, Lew