Hey folks, I was poking around the internet last night after giving my almost 10 year old German Shepherd Dog a bath – which is becoming a more regular part of our routine now. You know, it must be some kind of canine instinct to dread a bath. Perhaps because they lose their “hunting scent” or “normal odor” yet every single time the seemingly unpleasant deed is done and they resume life with a squeaky clean body – it is quite obvious they feel and certainly act so much happier.
After a bath my dogs have always run circles around me while communicating with more “non bark” vocalizations, you know, playful growling, woofs, and yaps…the crouching on front legs and pouncing off in different directions. Often they will impulsively pick up a stick, piece of bark or scrap of ANYTHING and attempt to goat me into a game of “keep away”. Chase me! Chase me! (Which of course I will always participate.)
Tara still becomes quite playful and vocal after a bath and though she can no longer move about as she once did, she clearly communicates her pleasure, comfort, and appreciation. For so many years I would slowly shake off a night’s sleep and as previously vivid dreams evaporated into nothingness and lost memory – they were simultaneously replaced with the steady upbeat cadence of a thumping tail signaling the excitement of a new day. It certainly was a great way to start the day. I dearly miss that thumping tail, but the ears and eyes still talk volumes.
ANYWAY….although by no means representative of everything on the internet regarding this matter, I did run across some information about our new manager that I thought should be shared.
HERE’S SOME INFO FROM ZOOMINFO: http://www.zoominfo.com/p/Pete-Kampa/35187507
Employment History mentions PETE KAMPA was to be the next California Special Districts Association president (but had to resign evidently due to the later employment termination at TUD-(Tuolumne Utilities District); General Manager at TUD; General Manager at Technische Universiteit Delft; Manager at Technische Unversiteit Delft; and General Manager of Twain Harte Community Services District.
LEW’S NOTE: Didn’t see any mention of Lake Don Pedro Community Services District and his time spent here as plant manager or his work towards expanding our district service boundaries to include properties OUTSIDE THE LEGAL PLACE OF USE UNDER WATER LICENSE 11395! Somewhat of a conflicted career – the exploitation of water resources for those not entitled here in Don Pedro, assisting in the exporting of good clean American water to foreign countries for cash in McCloud, but then transforming into a leader in protecting and conserving our precious water resources.
LEW’s NOTE: LOOKED IT UP ON THE ONLINE DICTIONARY:
Delft University of Technology (Dutch: Technische Universiteit Delft [?t??.ni.s? ?y.ni.v?r.si.?t?i?t ?d??(?)ft]), also known as TU Delft, is the largest and oldest Dutch public technical university, located in Delft, Netherlands. With eight faculties and numerous research institutes[6] it hosts over 19,000 students (undergraduate and postgraduate), more than 3,300 scientists and more than 2,200 people in the support and management staff.[4]
The university was established on January 8, 1842 by King William II of the Netherlands as a Royal Academy, with the main purpose of training civil servants for the Dutch East Indies. The school rapidly expanded its research and education curriculum, becoming first a Polytechnic School in 1864, Institute of Technology in 1905, gaining full university rights, and finally changing its name to Delft University of Technology in 1986.[7]
LEW’S NOTE: FINALLY, HERE’S A PIECE OF AN ARTICLE FROM THE SONORA UNION DEMOCRAT ON October 10th, 2006 THAT MENTIONS US……
Kampa is new TUD manager…….
….Kampa, 44, is the former operations manager for the Lake Don Pedro Community Services District. He also worked for seven years as the general manager of McCloud Community Services District in Siskiyou County before getting the Twain Harte job in May 2005.
Kampa said he planned to give the Twain Harte district notice today and that advertising for his replacement will begin immediately. (GOING TO TUD)
LEW’s NOTE: “ADVERTISING FOR HIS REPLACEMENT WILL BEGIN IMMEDIATELY”???
Wow. See? KAMPA knows how GM recruitment is supposed to work – advertising for replacement is immediate……not immediate replacement without advertising.
Sure was expedient and convenient to have friends like Director EMERY & Betsie ROSS who can circumvent annoying rules or procedures that get in their way.
Of course none of this could have been accomplished without assistance from Directors Victor Afanasiev and Danny Johnson who apparently also didn’t think advertising the GM position was necessary for fair competition to select the best qualified GM.
There was no serious researching of the sole applicant solicited by DIRECTIOR E&B ROSS. Wasn’t necessary. ROSS knows what he wants.
AFTERALL, ROSS IS THE BOSS, RIGHT HOSS?
“act first, analyze later’ approach”????
Typical modus operandi of E&B ROSS and followers!
This old article was evidently written before Mr. KAMPA became concerned about keeping clean California water as a local resource treasure – back then I guess it was just a money maker.
I took the liberty of highlighting some of the parts concerning MR. KAMPA’s work while at the McCLOUD COMMUNITY SERVICES DISTRICT (MCSD) in Siskiyou County up north.
Interesting connection between the two GMs and Twain Harte CSD huh? Sure wonder about the other connections.
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Spring / Summer 2007
Petition to California Supreme Court
by Diane Lowe and Betsy Phair, Concerned McCloud Citizens
Nestlé water draw would reduce flows to the McCloud River – photo by Mark Gibson
In the latest legal effort to prevent the privatization of our precious water supply, Don Mooney, attorney for Concerned McCloud Citizens (CMC), filed a Petition for Review with the California Supreme Court. The Petition challenges the Appellate Court decision of January 2007, which reinstated the contract between the McCloud Community Services District (MCSD) and Nestlé Waters North America and reversed our initial victory. The contract, signed in October 2003 without due public process and environmental reviews, has been the subject of ongoing legal proceedings since March, 2004. This latest Petition is considered to be a long shot, as only a small percentage of cases are accepted to be reviewed by the Supreme Court. A decision on whether the Court will review the case is expected soon, possibly by the end of April, 2007.
Legal Background
In his Petition, Mooney wrote “Nestlé received an entitlement to ‘proceed,’ without an analysis of the environmental impacts under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) first… The Court allowed the respondent agency to approve a large withdrawal of water in an extremely sensitive environmental setting by conditioning the approval on compliance with CEQA at a later date. By doing so, the court endorsed the ‘act first, analyze later’ approach to CEQA.”
If the January 2007Appellate Court decision goes unchallenged, it could impact the timing of approvals of similar projects. We are concerned that this ruling could be construed to permit public agencies and others to enter into long term project agreements prior to a CEQA analysis.
Previously, the Siskiyou Superior Court declared the contract (for the purchase and sale of spring water between Nestlé and the MCSD) null and void. The court stated …that the approval of the agreement constitutes an initial and integral stage of the ‘proposed project’. Nestlé appealed the Superior Court decision in the 3rd Appellate District Court. The Appellate Court reversed the trial courts opinion and ruled against CMC in January 2007. “The court concluded the District’s approval and execution of the agreement with Nestlé did not constitute approval of a project within the meaning of CEQA. On the positive side, however, the Appellate Court also ruled that the Nestlé contract was a “tentative” contract with a 5-year contingency period in which Nestlé must secure all discretionary permits (including CEQA documentation), reviews, and approvals “along with final adjudication of any legal challenges based on CEQA.” The contingency period for contract ends on October 1, 2008.Environmental Review of the Nestlé Project
On July 14, 2006, Pacific Municipal Consultants and the County Planning Department released the three-volume Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) on the proposed Nestlé project in McCloud. In spite of the short time allowed for public review of the huge document, environmental attorneys, hydrologists, CMC, and other groups and citizens found that it was very inadequate, because it lacked the cumulative data for decision makers to make informed decisions. An EIR must have a detailed project description and include potentially significant environmental impacts associated with it. The County reputedly received over 2000 comments from citizens and local environmental groups, including the Mount Shasta Bioregional Ecology Center.
These comments expressed concern about the potential impacts to McCloud, the region and state, considering the lack of cumulative hydrological information of the Squaw Valley, Mud Creeks, and the McCloud River Basin. Moreover, the proposed factory building would be one million square feet; it is estimated that every structure in McCloud could fit inside it. This would have major impacts on the town, both visually and environmentally. The contract also allows for segregated pipes from the community-owned springs to bring water directly to the Nestlé plant, affecting much of the McCloud community’s spring water supply. Other concerns include: carbon emissions, traffic, property value decline, destruction of old mill buildings, water rights, and the potential effects of global climate change on future water supplies.
The Final Environmental Impact Report is expected soon. It is possible that a supplement to the initial Draft Environmental Impact Report may be released first. When the Final EIR is released, the public will have a brief time to respond, followed by County Planning Commission review and the Siskiyou County Supervisors’ CEQA Public Hearing.
McCloud’s Managers, Negotiators and Board Changes
Many of the decision makers and employees involved with the contract, signed in 2003, have moved out of the area. It seems ironic that the former district manager and chief negotiator of the contract, Pete Kampa, is no longer in McCloud. The manager who replaced Kampa in McCloud, has also moved on to again replace Pete Kampa, this time in Twain Harte, CA.
During this critical time, the MCSD is functioning without a manager. Only one board member of the five remains from the Board that signed the contract with Nestlé for this massive water mining, bottling and distribution center. The only other negotiator remaining is the current MCSD attorney, Sacramento-based David McMurchie, who was hired to negotiate the contract just two months before it was signed.
When a new manager is hired, many residents hope that the MCSD board and manager will concentrate on the responsibilites and authorities granted to the District: primarily providing services to the District rate payers, such as water, sewer, parks, library, and garbage. The previous manager publicly stated his goal as getting the Nestlé project going at all costs, including apparently the neglect of other MCSD responsibilities. The Nestlé issue has polarized this small community, demonstrating how a large corporation can adversely influence small town politics.
Water Issues Nationwide
Profound and long term water issues are currently creating conflict throughout the country and the world. Large corporations, such as Nestlé Waters of North America and its parent company Nestlé Waters France, are moving quickly to take advantage of what is often the last remaining resource of many struggling and financially strapped communities. Under the guise of solving the communities’ dilemmas, they usually catch the citizens off guard. Often it is only after the corporate plants are in operation that the public sadly develops a true understanding of the issues. This has happened in Maine, Michigan, Florida, and California. When lower courts rule against this corporate take-over, the corporations appeal and the cases eventually wind up in the higher courts. Whatever the legal arguments, the looming questions remain: Who, if anyone, has a right to mine the people’s water and haul it away to distant locations for excessive profit? Who really owns the water and who should remain the custodian of that water?
We remain deeply concerned about the potential negative impacts of a huge Nestlé water-bottling plant to our natural resources, our environment, and our town.
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YUP, I saw a video years ago about what Nestle was doing in other parts of the United States – basically exploiting local water resources and exporting our best water to other countries.
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Heck, China is doing the same thing: their gigantic cargo freighters fill our Walmarts, Targets, etc., with cheap crap and their empty ships have returned to China pulling long strings of huge “plastic bladders” of fresh, clean water from the USA to replenish their suffering aquifers back home.
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Everyone wants something.
Why does EMERY and BETSIE ROSS want PETE KAMPA back here so badly?
All that cheap unimproved ranchland that with only a good supply of water could be transformed into great wealth for buddy property owners?
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Maybe a host of planned residential developments proposed by some acquaintances desperately in need of that “liquid gold” to create untold riches? (Ground wells are expensive you know, that’s why these developers don’t want to drill their own and that’s why EMERY & Betsie ROSS & Company want to pass those significant costs on to all customers of the LDPCSD! Makes the profit margin much better!)
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Will PETE KAMPA simply continue his attempt to exploit our Water License resources to other properties outside the legal Place of Use and possibly jeopardize water service to the 99% of legal customers in the subdivision? Then maybe just leave again for better hunting grounds?
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What a small world and getting smaller all the time, huh? Sure seems as though some of these GMs are dancing all over the place crisscrossing paths while leaving a trail of water exploitation and community turmoil. Ahh, a disorganized and vulnerable community — just the way micro-managing directors like EMERY (& Betsie) ROSS prefer.
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I have only scratched the surface here—there is so much more and soon, unfortunately, there will be more time to address it properly.
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I know there are some that do not care for this blog or my rambling opinions and attempts at humor and that is fine, but please log off and go do something else equally undesirable for yourself. What I have to say is only for those who might actually give a rat’s ass as to why our Community Services District continues to be misdirected by particular disingenuous individuals with obvious special and conflicting interests concerning the proper functioning of this district.
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Victor Afanasiev and Danny Johnson you should both be ashamed of yourselves for jumping into yet another one of EMERY & BETSIE ROSS’s surreptitious and duplicitous schemes without a shred of adequate investigation and research into the matter.
You were either hoodwinked, don’t care or support such dishonesty because I know you are not stupid.
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I believe you betrayed your sworn/affirmed oath to a public you claim to serve by taking the easy (but very dangerous) path of following Emery and Betsie’s call. Very confusing as the three of you would likely have achieved your choice of GM anyway had you only performed your duties as intended under the BROWN ACT – with the transparency of government action open to the public for review and participation. (Just because someone like Cal Limbocker who claims to be trained in HUMAN RESOURCES supported such rash action (and is a candidate for the LDPCSD Board in next month’s election) it is no excuse not to perform your duties with an unbiased approach.
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Public transparency? Oh please, even the board president and vice president were excluded and kept in the dark concerning your plans of hiring Kampa. What chance does the public have?
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Perhaps you wanted to rush this through in hopes no one would notice you were slack on the job and just followers of a director with such conflicted interests someone should write a book about his crazy antics which assisted in creating this Merced Irrigation District Place of Use nightmare in the first place.
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Oh yes, wait to you understand that tidbit.
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Perhaps it is simply that — just cowardly apprehension that even a little due diligence might have revealed dishonorable personal, business, or political motives by others?
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I really don’t know how you sleep at night.
My best to you and yours, Lew
