The following is a verbatim email sent by WES BARTON.
Any additional material inserted by lakedonpedro.org will be identified as such.
SPECIAL NOTE:
Yes indeed, “[t]here he goes again!”—
AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH for your many years of honest, dedicated and illuminating research for, and public reporting to, customers of the LAKE DON PEDRO CSD.
(Customers who have been intentionally deceived regarding district operations for decades.)
Lew
File photo inserts by lakedonpedro.org
WES BARTON PUBLIC COMMENT @ LDPCSD Meeting July 17th, 2017
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L.W. (“Wes”) Barton
8/19/2017 4:20 PM
“there he goes again!”- ldpcsd mtg, Mon, Aug 21, 2017, 1pm
Every morning, I pray that President Trump is “real”, really wants to “drain the swamp”. (I also pray for this
Community, we’re “real” and I want to “drain the swamp”; this LDPCSD and its unholy vision and path.) Yes,
Here Wes goes again! The first thing CSD’s GM says in this package is he won’t provide a GM letter for our
Early consideration but will provide his comments when he start the meeting. “OW” by the way, remember,
The community must ask their questions and concerns before Board discussion as opposed to the previous
3 minutes after Board discussion. Well, so much for the “fancy” transparency award from the GM’s good
Friend(s) at CSDA.
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BELOW: Referenced page 3 of PETE KAMPA GM REPORT for Monday’s Board Meeting.
Extremely difficult for customers to adequately prepare for meeting discussion when
GM/BOARD TREASURER presented information is a surprise.
???
BELOW: “VIEWABLE” PDF of LDPCSD August 21st, 2017 AGENDA PACKET:
August 21, 2017 Regular Meeting Agenda Packet************************************
My first notice for this meeting was apx 3:30pm, Friday, afternoon. My “beer” time starts at 3:00pm! (As I
Have noted before, all welcome to come over, discuss local and political concerns; or are the fish biting.)
I’ll analyze this report next week when I get “the rest of the story”! I have little authority now and had little
Authority when I was on the Board a few years ago for even then I looked for what “should be” not how to
“Fill my and/or my friends’ pockets”. (In this context, filling pockets can be “just ego” thru actual fraud and
Failed fiduciary responsibility.) What I do bring to the table is business experience and education in dealing
With many situations (good and bad) for nearly 60 years. I learned very early on was follow the money (from
Love to greed, for evil or good, or just a tool). I’ve become “pretty good” at understanding what is happening
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Photo insert by lakedonpedro.org
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By “reading” the numbers, the patterns, current or projected (or lack of).
Pete Kampa (LLC) has a long history, documented, in being in the wrong place at the wrong time (reference
Past history (McCloud, Sonora, Los Osos and now LDPCSD). LDPCSD has a long history of providing inconsistent
Leadership, urgency, emergency, financial and operational issues (Grand jury reports, GM turnover, CPA warnings,
Near bankruptcy, large price increases to no price increases, infrastructure failures, community disinterest and
Now “today”). Today, if an innocent but savvy “time traveler” landed his “flying saucer” in Kassenbaum Flats,
He would swear that the CSD Board is controlled by GM Kampa. Kampa create the plan(s) to meet his needs,
Determines the staffing to protect himself from criticism and prevents staff from direct discussions with Board or
Community. Kampa refuses to use “cash flow projections and measurement” and board codifies by eliminating
From reporting requirements. (example might be 2 ½ years to build 3 wells with another unknown time to
Complete in both money $160k, time and grant reimbursement $396k). {Special note: April 2016, Board approved
USDA grant @$500k currently reduced to $310k; cost apparently complete in January 2017 but still no “pay day”.}
{2nd special note, wells may have an arsenic issue?} {3rd special note, the longer the better, for Kampa gets paid
Not by completion and success, but longevity.}
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Photo insert by lakedonpedro.org
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
OW, almost forgot Kampa controls the “purse strings” too. He
Chooses vendors (biggies his friends, Kennedy Jenks $550k, NJ & sons $600k plus, and of course Pete himself
For an extra $100k above his salary), prices, quality, timing include pay date, and is a check signer. GM is
Troubled now for he doesn’t have a license to run the operations and his only licensed employee is having
Health problems. Solution is to hire another level of management between himself and operations to improve
His “responsibility shield”. GM Kampa recently ran into a problem with the Filter System. Solution was an
Emergency declaration, $280k repair without bidding, and to blame the staff for not telling him that the filters
Were at risk. {Special note: some community members think this may have been convenient for this is the same
Time the new wells were discovered to have excess arsenic that needed filtering and/or dilution from non-
Existing emergency water; or to provide expansion of non-lake water to non-eligible new developments.}
PS- have you noticed CSD’s bank account is now $668k versus $1.645 million when Kampa “challenged” the
Nearly 3 year well project. (Nearly $2 million well project cost, only, minus apx grant received $1 million.)
“Whoops”, almost forgot, I’ve been wanting a controller since June 2012, but GM keeps showing the Board
“hetch-hetchy” like wages for a controller. Currently, our controller is located 50 miles west of the office and
Our GM is located 50 miles east of office (yep, 100 miles to talk, “eye to eye”, no biggy, however for accountant
Appears to do what GM asks). I am so sure our last audit was significantly in error, I have a formal, registered
Complaint with the CPA licensing agency and they have accepted my complaint for review. (apx 60 days out).
GM just hired same auditor for another 3 years and CSD controller (CPA) is continuing his job. What is really
Interesting is that we now schedule pay for our office person and CPA (exclude auditor) up to $115k + benefits.
(Remember, CSD is less than a $1.5 million in revenue; what a deal !)
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Insert video clip from March 2nd, 2017 post.
The wrong Auditor’s Report was bound and initially furnished to Board of Directors and the Public.
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Well, let’s continue down the agenda. Two new “big businesses” for CSD want s water (store and storage)
Near Don Pedro commercial area. Will make the $5500 meter setting for a house look like the petty cash
Account. Additionally, doesn’t discuss such issues as MID “place of use” and who at CSD can evaluate the
Plans and manage the project to completion. Obviously, our part time GM doesn’t have the time nor
I believe the capacity to manage a project himself.
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INSERTED MAP of Proposed DOLLAR GENERAL location where the LDPCSD is planning on extending the water main in order to supply the development’s increased commercial water demand (as compared to the previous RV trailer park water customer). Unknown MID POU property designation – Will EMERGENCY DROUGHT GROUND WELL WATER produced with the new grant funded groundwater wells (intended for existing customer use during drought emergencies) be required to support the water demand of this new business? Who knows? KAMPA keeps such information concealed from the paying public.
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This last water emergency project, GM hired a consulting
Engineer company for approximately $600k to manage, etc.
Binkley, CSD’s life time engineers (grand dad, dad, daughter) wrote a letter outlining all the problems she
Saw at our intake system (source of water). WOW ! Not new for I remember one “emergency” declared
Before my time (apx 2006) that is still open. But is a great example of how this Board has jumped on the
Crony system of something for nothing with GM Kampa (LLC). Yes, CSD needs infrastructure upgrading,
Great cost. But to get Grants and lots of money that is paid out to the consultants and their cronies without
Managing the business, serving your constituents is a “dead-end” road. This CSD’s new “address”. This
Board is “lost” in day dreams, promotion by the Board leader and his GM, LLC, have found easy followers
Not only behind the “big table” in the meeting room but also up and down every street in this community.
Remember, only the old Board ran for the past election; they won. For sure, GM Kampa (LLC) will not
Change his ways. I doubt that enough if any Board members have the capacity to understand what they
Are doing to this community; they may be brain-washed in the utopian picture of “Grant heaven”.
Apparently, the majority of the community believe if they vote, they have no other responsibility. Some
Of you know, not true! Most government agencies have proclaimed, “not my job”. One exception,
However, but I fear it is way out. Most government “whistleblower”, operational audits are for government
Activities, consumer or “non-local government” activities. California has one “high risk” audit agency and
They have accepted my complaint. They don’t correspond nor answer questions and concerns, you just
Wait for them to get to your complaint. Additionally, I mentioned the CPA licensing agency is in process
Of reviewing CSD’s last audit and the CSD’s internal CPA reporting. Time is not on our side, relative to
Outside government to come riding in on a “white horse” to rescue. The current management at CSD
Has nearly halved the reserves of the last 5 year plan in less than 3 years and are now working on the
Second half. It is really up to you and I! I am reaching out with these notes before CSD’s monthly
Meetings. I offer my evening beer meetings to discuss. I hope you forward this note to your friends.
Hope to see you at the meeting , Monday.
L W(Wes) Barton, 209-852-0276
e-mail: lw.wes.barton@gmail.com
August 19, 2017
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Thanks again Wes Barton!
Below is only one of the many repetitive lakedonpedro.org blah blah blahs regarding this OUTSIDE MERCED IRRIGATION DISTRICT PLACE OF USE special benefit water service (GROUNDWATER SUBSTITUTION to circumvent water license restrictions) PAID FOR by the majority of MERCED RIVER WATER ENTITLED CUSTOMERS of the LDP subdivision.
ISSUE HAS ALWAYS BEEN QUITE CLEAR – BUT “KAMPA & KOMPANY” HAD A VERY CLEVER PLAN…….
My best to you and yours, Lew
PS: Here’s the most recent video attempt. (Trying to create some kind of “regular” ending for video posts.) Learn something with every try, …..but will I remember? That’s the kicker. Heck last night I was….was……let me see now……had something, …something to do with color blending and fade outs, ……and a video editing feature, with,…..no…no….still images, yeah, still images and Photo Shop editing with, well, trying to use both programs together in ways I haven’t up till now……because,…I need to…… ahhhhh, …….(oh yeah, feeling much better about this with every keystroke……lol)
