6PM Wednesday, May 17 - Helix WD Regular Board Meeting - Proposed Draft Water Rate Discussion

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Dear Friends: 
Here is the link for the board package for our Regular Helix Water District Board Meeting: 
AGENDA
REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Wednesday, May 17, 2017, 6pm
7811 University Avenue, La Mesa, CA 91942-0427
 
What a difference a new board makes!

• The draft budget meetings and discussions went very well! It was two long nights, total 9 hours, great discussion and debate and after my many years of asking - we finally had the budget discussed before water rates!
  
• As I mentioned in the last email, the proposed budgets for Water Quality, Operations and Engineering Departments were all BELOW last year’s budget! We continued the next day and went over the CIP and Administration budgets.
• The Administration budget only went up 0.3%, which was mainly due to the addition of a few things the board wanted, mainly a comprehensive salary study (to prepare for the next MOU) and Strategic Plan Update, Lake Jennings Reserve.
  
• The Capital Improvement Budget was increased  9.6%, which there are many projects that are carry over from the year before, so perhaps some projects may be extended out.
• However, without any changes the overall budget proposed was to increase 1.8%.
• Now the question is how will this affect the water rates which is being discussed on Wednesday!

 
ITEM 6: Five Year Projection Board Workshop (pdf Page 87)
The board review the five year projection scenarios and provide guidance to staff for updating the preliminary draft fiscal year 2017-18 water rates.

• Proposed Baseline Helix WD Budget increases water rates 1.8%
• Proposed San Diego County Water Authority Budget increases Helix water rates 2.4%.

 

• Proposed Total Water Rate Increase of 4.1% to the average Helix customer who uses 18 units ($2.68 increase per month).
•  SIGNIFICANTLY less than the previously October 2015 proposed 11.8%.
• There are some other proposed scenarios (see table below), but, the rates adjustments just push the cost to the following years, not actual cuts. Which I think to decrease the rates we need to look at the proposed Budget and make some adjustments, and since we are familiar with what has been proposed, we can do that on Wednesday! Also, I do not believe in raising rates to replenish the rate stabilization fund $2,036,275 in year 2019/20.

 
As always, I welcome your comments and feedback. 
 
Please feel free to forward this blog.
 
Per the request of the Helix Water District Board on May 16, 2012, the following language is to be added by all Board Directors in all outgoing Director correspondence. "This correspondence, and any documents attached hereto, reflects the individual opinions and positions of the above-named Director and does not represent the opinions or positions of the District's Board of Directors or the District.  Pursuant to Section 9.1-11(A) of the Helix Water District Policies and Procedures Manual, individual Directors, except as otherwise authorized by the Board, shall have no power to act for the District or the District's Board of Directors."
 
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