2PM Wednesday, October 21 - HELIX WD REGULAR BOARD MEETING

Dear Friends,
 
Here is the agenda and board package link for our Regular Helix Water District Board Meeting:
 
AGENDA
REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Wednesday, October 21, 2015 - 2 p.m.
7811 University Avenue, La Mesa, CA 91942-0427
 
Interesting Items:
 
Agenda Item 5 – c)ii Minutes from Public Hearing on Water Rate Structure (pdf Page 53)
The vote was 3 (to 2 to adopt the 5 year plan as presented by Helix Staff and Consultant . Director Joel Scalzitti and I had proposed a two year plan adoption, due to the uncertaintiy of the water conditions/drought and unknowns, however, we lost the vote 2 (Hedberg, Scalzitti) to 3 (Muse, Verbeke, Linden).
 
Here are some links to some news media that attended.
 
Union Tribune October 7
 
Union Tribune October 15
 
Quote from our Board President DeAna Verbeke:
"I don't know what we can do to settle them down," Verbeke said. "It's the same thing over and over. They don't want to listen; they want to be mad. People in general are mad at the government. Everything costs more. Water is still inexpensive. My cellphone bill and cable bill are higher than my water bill, and I'm a Tier 3 user."
 
Quote from Susan Nichols, president of the Grossmont-Mt. Helix Improvement Association
Her group, which represents homeowners in one of the water district's areas, has lost confidence in the majority of the board.
"They have demonstrated a complete lack of regard for the public hearing process as evidenced by their dismissive treatment of the 500-plus opposition letters and standing-room only ratepayers in attendance," Nichols said. "As for the future, our organization treats issues with the Helix Water District as a marathon, not a sprint. We will continue to encourage our members - and the community at large - to speak out at board meetings, participate vigorously during elections for board seats, and to monitor the process of setting rates in the upcoming years."

Small businesses worried about rising water prices –  Channel 10 News
Helix water board approves 5-year rate hike – Union Tribune
Helix water rate hike approved despite backlash – Channel 8 News
Helix Water District approves big rate hike – Fox 5 News
HELIX WATER CUSTOMERS CRY FOUL OVER FIVE YEAR RATE-HIKE PLAN – East County Magazine
Hearing on proposed Helix water rate hikes – KUSI News
http://www.kusi.com/story/30212819/hearing-on-proposed-helix-water-rate-hikes
 
Information Item A (Pdf Page 130) 2014/2015 Audit

• Clean Audit performed of the District – no deficiencies found.
• Includes a new requirement this year where as state and local governments are required to record the net pension (unfunded) liability for its defined benefit plan as a liability on its statement of net position (balance sheet).   Hence the District’s unfunded pension liability is reported as $29,771,216. In 2017 we will have to report Other Post Employee Benefits Unfunded liability (another $25+ Million).
• Thus, the District Liabilities went from a reported Net Position in 2014 of $263 Million to a $234 Million 2015.
  
  

Information Item B (Pdf Page 182) Strategic Plan Work Plan – Update & Status

• Staff is working on a customer satisfaction survey – this was supposed to be done this year end of 2015? Doing it during an election year – interesting?

 
Information Item C (Pdf Page 220) Drought Action Plan Update for September 2015

• The district's rolling 12- month total gallons per capita per day was 95.0 as of September 2015, the lowest ever recorded for the district.
• The district is at 28% cumulative reduction, exceeding the Governor Brown mandated 20% reduction!
  
  

As always, I welcome your comments and feedback.