** Dear Friends: Here is the board package link for our Helix Water District Board Meeting: AGENDA REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Wednesday, October 3, 6pm 7811 University Avenue, La Mesa, CA 91942-0427 Interesting Agenda Items: Item 5.c) Ratify Checks Operating Account Checks Submitted for Ratification:
Water Stuff: Water Talks! Come Check out our Award Winning Helix Water Talks hosted at the Operations Center in El Cajon this Saturday. See where all our pipe and other water distribution system items are stored (meters, fire hydrants) and ask questions! Over 100 people have RSVP’s and there is room for more! October 6, 2018 8:30am-11am. This is also the start of Water Professionals Appreciation Week, so be sure to say thanks! Power Your Drive! Also, in September we had a SDG&E Ribbon Cutting of the activation of our Power Your Drive Charging Stations, these stations were installed “free” and we now have several Prius Prime Hybrids that we can use with these chargers and it is estimated that we will save over $1000 per vehicle in fuel costs! Upcoming Events:
10/20/18 WaterSmart Landscape Makeover Series @ OC, first of four class series which runs every Saturday through 11/03/18 Autumn Fest and Plant Sale @ The Water Conservation Garden, 10am - 3pm 11/07/18 WaterSmart Landscape Workshop for Homeowners @ OC, 6pm - 9pm As always, I welcome your comments and feedback. Blog is on my website of past meetings & comments…check it out! Please feel free to forward this email. Kathleen Coates Hedberg, PE, MPH President, Helix Water District www.HWD.com Board Director, San Diego County Water Authority www.SDCWA.org www.VoteHedberg.org www.lakejennings.org (go fishing & camping - teepees) www.socalwatersmart.com (rebate link) **Please note no public funds or resources were used for the distribution of this email... ***If you want to be removed from my list…let me know! J ****If this email was forwarded to you and you want to be added to my list…let me know! *****Transparency, don’t just say it – do it! Good Afternoon, I know some of you have been wondering where I have been, well, I have all over our beautiful country this summer. Texas, Massachusetts,Pennsylvania, New York and Atlanta with a side trip up to Canada to visit Beautiful Niagara Falls! Taking my kids to visit colleges, summer camps and lacrosse tournaments. All whilst preparing for a potential campaign (up for re-election 2018) and fighting Sacramento on the Water Tax! So, success!
A few exciting water events coming up:
Water Turf Rebates are back! Take care and be water wise! As always, I welcome your comments and feedback. Kathleen Coates Hedberg, PE, MPH President, Helix Water District www.HWD.com Board Director, San Diego County Water Authority www.SDCWA.org 619.994.6900 www.lakejennings.org (go fishing & camping - teepees) **Please note no public funds or resources were used for the distribution of this email... ***If you want to be removed from my list…let me know! J ****If this email was forwarded to you and you want to be added to my list…let me know! *****Transparency, don’t just say it – do it! ** Dear Friends: Here is the board package link for our Helix Water District Board Meeting: AGENDA SPECIAL MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Wednesday, June 6, 4 pm 7811 University Avenue La Mesa, CA 91942-0427 Water Politics: On May 23rd, I joined other local water leaders to oppose a proposed $135 million per year tax on drinking water in California. Here is an article on the new Water News Network that San Diego County Water Authority. No to the Water Tax the tax proposal is being advanced through Senate Bill 623 by state Sen. William Monning (Carmel) and a Brown Administration budget trailer bill related to safe drinking water. Be sure to make sure your Legislature votes no! They need to hear from you or we will be required to add a tax on your water bill – and this tax (money) will not be coming back to us, but to other water systems that have groundwater contamination! There are other funding opportunities available to provide for communities that have water contamination as us water agencies have pointed out to the Governor. The concern is that if the State starts taxing water bills, it will open the door to more and more taxes! Call, email, tweet your legislatures! Last Helix Meeting Recap (Friday, May 25): Last meeting the Board met and went over 5 additional proposed water rate scenarios (initially the Board rejected the first staff three proposals -rate increase around 5+%). After much discussion the Board went with Scenario 6 which will be approximately 3.5% increase to the average customer of 21 units. Scenario Selected Scenario 2 Local water supply from rainfall gradually reducing to zero by fiscal year 2022-23 (we discussed evaluating annually). Scenario 6 Utilize scenario 2 and then offset the proposed rate increase by: • increasing water sales by 3 percent to 28,500 acre-feet versus the fiscal year 2017-18 budget of 27,700 acre-feet; • using $975,000 from the El Monte Reserve to partially fund the cast iron pipeline replacement program for fiscal year 2018-19; • not making a $750,000 prepayment to CalPERS in 2018-19; and • refilling the rate stabilization fund in fiscal year 2018-19 only to 4 percent versus the 5 percent minimum set by the district's reserve guidelines and revisiting bringing the reserve to the minimum 5 percent level during the fiscal year 2019-20 budget process.
Current 2017-18 – 18 Units $151.19 Scenario 6 % 3.5% $ Increase $5.33 Proposed 2018-19 $156.52 **This is less than the anticipated 2015 Water Rate Study of 7.1% - 218 Notice. Interesting Agenda Items: Item 8. Page 92 Action Item - The board adopt the fiscal year 2018-19 preliminary operating budget in the amount of $78,480,100 and the preliminary PayGo capital budget in the amount of $11,093,000.
Please feel free to forward... Kathleen Coates Hedberg, PE, MPH President, Helix Water District www.HWD.com Board Director, San Diego County Water Authority www.SDCWA.org www.VoteHedberg.org www.lakejennings.org (go fishing & camping - teepees) www.socalwatersmart.com (rebate link) **Please note no public funds or resources were used for the distribution of this email... ***If you want to be removed from my list…let me know! J ****If this email was forwarded to you and you want to be added to my list…let me know! *****Transparency, don’t just say it – do it! ** Dear Friends: Here is the board package link for our Helix Water District Board Meeting: AGENDA SPECIAL MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Friday, May 25, 3 pm 7811 University Avenue, La Mesa, CA 91942-0427 Last week the Board met and went over 3 proposed water rate scenarios. The Board rejected ALL three proposals. After quite a bit of discussion and suggestions from the Board, we asked staff to modify the scenarios and come back with them slightly modified to discuss today at 3pm. The staff brought back an additional 5 scenarios, proposed new rate scenarios reduce the rates 1% or more! Here is what has been proposed: Proposed Scenario Descriptions Scenario 1 Local water supply from rainfall at 660 acre-feet in fiscal year 2018-19 and then at the historical average of 1,220 acre-feet in fiscal years 2019- 20 through 2022-23 Scenario 2 Local water supply from rainfall gradually reducing to zero by fiscal year 2022-23. Scenario 3 Local water supply from rainfall gradually reducing to zero by fiscal year 2022-23. Additionally, the $2.5 million of budgeted revenues in excess of budgeted expenditures for fiscal year 2017-18 being placed in the rate stabilization fund and then available to offset rate increases in fiscal year 2018-19. Scenario 4 Utilize scenario 2 above and then increasing water sales by 6 percent to 30,000 acre-feet versus the fiscal year 2017-18 budget of 27,700 acre-feet Scenario 5 Utilize scenario 2 and then offset the proposed rate increase by: • increasing water sales by 3 percent to 28,500 acre-feet versus the fiscal year 2017-18 budget of 27,700 acre-feet; • using $975,000 from the El Monte Reserve to partially fund the castiron pipeline replacement program for fiscal year 2018-19; • not making a $750,000 prepayment to Cal PERS in 2018-19; and • refilling the rate stabilization fund to the 5 percent minimum set by the district's reserve guidelines. Scenario 6 Utilize scenario 2 and then offset the proposed rate increase by: • increasing water sales by 3 percent to 28,500 acre-feet versus the fiscal year 2017-18 budget of 27,700 acre-feet; • using $975,000 from the El Monte Reserve to partially fund the castiron pipeline replacement program for fiscal year 2018-19; • not making a $750,000 prepayment to CalPERS in 2018-19; and • refilling the rate stabilization fund in fiscal year 2018-19 only to 4 percent versus the 5 percent minimum set by the district's reserve guidelines and revisiting bringing the reserve to the minimum 5 percent level during the fiscal year 2019-20 budget process. Scenario 7 Utilize scenario 2 and then offset the proposed rate increase by: • increasing water sales by 3 percent to 28,500 acre-feet versus the fiscal year 2017-18 budget of 27,700 acre-feet; • using $975,000 from the El Monte Reserve to partially fund the castiron pipeline replacement program for fiscal year 2018-19; • not making a $750,000 prepayment to CalPERS in 2018-19 and • keeping the rate stabilization fund at its current level of $2.3 million or 2.8 percent of water billings and revisiting bringing the reserve to the minimum 5 percent level during the fiscal year 2019-20 budget process. Scenario 8 Utilize scenario 2 and then offset the proposed rate increase by: • increasing water sales by 6 percent to 30,000 acre-feet versus the fiscal year 2017-18 budget of 27,700 acre-feet; • using $975,000 from the El Monte Reserve to partially fund the castiron pipeline replacement program for fiscal year 2018-19; • not making a $750,000 prepayment to Cal PERS in 2018-19; and • keeping the rate stabilization fund at its current level of $2.3 million or 2.8 percent of water billings and revisiting bringing the reserve to the minimum 5 percent level during the fiscal year 2019-20 budget process.
For the average customer using 21 Units of water in a two-month period. Current 2017-18 - $151.19 Scenario 1 % 4.6 $ Increase $6.99 Proposed 2018-19 $158.18 Scenario 2 % 4.9 $ Increase $7.47 Proposed 2018-19 $158.66 Scenario 3 % 4.9 $ Increase $7.47 Proposed 2018-19 $158.66 Scenario 4 % 4.2 $ Increase $6.37 Proposed 2018-19 $157.56 Scenario 5 % 3.9 $ Increase $5.89 Proposed 2018-19 $157.08 Scenario 6 % 3.5 $ Increase $5.33 Proposed 2018-19 $156.52 Scenario 7 % 3.4 $ Increase $5.14 Proposed 2018-19 $156.33 Scenario 8 % 3.0 $ Increase $4.56 Proposed 2018-19 $155.75 **This is less than the anticipated 2015 Water Rate Study of 7.1% - 218 Notice. MY thoughts for discussion…
As always, I welcome your comments and feedback. Blog is on my website of past meetings & comments…check it out! Please feel free to forward this email. Kathleen Coates Hedberg, PE, MPH President, Helix Water District www.HWD.com Board Director, San Diego County Water Authority www.SDCWA.org www.lakejennings.org (go fishing & camping - teepees) www.socalwatersmart.com (rebate link) **Please note no public funds or resources were used for the distribution of this email... ***If you want to be removed from my list…let me know! J ****If this email was forwarded to you and you want to be added to my list…let me know! *****Transparency, don’t just say it – do it! ** Dear Friends: Here is the board package link for our Helix Water District Board Meeting: AGENDA SPECIAL MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Wednesday, May 16, 5 pm 7811 University Avenue, La Mesa, CA 91942-0427 Interesting Items: Item 9. Page 92 Board Discussion - The Board Review the Five-Year Projection Scenarios and Provide Guidance to Staff for Updating the Fiscal Year 2018-19 Water Rates On April 4, 2018, Helix Water District staff presented the fiscal year 2018-19 budget guidelines and principles to the district's board and members of the public. Staff then met with the board at a public workshop on May 2, 2018 to review a draft of the fiscal year 2018-19 preliminary operating and capital budget. From the fiscal year 2018-19 preliminary budget and five year projection staff has prepared three, five year projection scenarios that are detailed below. Proposed Scenario Descriptions Scenario 1 Local water supply from rainfall at 660 acre-feet in fiscal year 2018-19 and then at the historical average of 1,220 acre-feet in fiscal years 2019- 20 through 2022-23 Scenario 2 Local water supply from rainfall gradually reducing to zero by fiscal year 2022-23. Scenario 3 Local water supply from rainfall gradually reducing to zero by fiscal year 2022-23. Additionally, the $2.5 million of budgeted revenues in excess of budgeted expenditures for fiscal year 2017-18 being placed in the rate stabilization fund and then available to offset rate increases in fiscal year 2018-19.
Current 2017-18 - $151.19 Scenario 1 % 4.6 $ Increase $6.99 Proposed 2018-19 $158.18 Current 2017-18 - $151.19 Scenario 2 % 4.9 $ Increase $7.47 Proposed 2018-19 $158.66 Current 2017-18 - $151.19 Scenario 3 % 4.9 $ Increase $7.47 Proposed 2018-19 $158.66 This is less than the anticipated 2015 Water Rate Study of 7.1%. MY thoughts for discussion…
Helix Water District Community Events
Lake Jennings Events
DIY Videos We have created the first of our DIY videos, which shows the step-by-step process of how to replace your traditional sprinkler nozzles with high-efficiency rotating nozzles. The video is available on our www.hwd.com website under Conservation/DIY Projects. The video is being advertised in the March - April newsletter, which also highlights the current rebate of $4 per rotating nozzle (minimum purchase of 30) available through www.socalwatersmart.com . As always, I welcome your comments and feedback. Please feel free to forward... Kathleen Coates Hedberg, PE, MPH President, Helix Water District www.HWD.com Board Director, San Diego County Water Authority www.SDCWA.org www.VoteHedberg.org www.lakejennings.org (go fishing & camping - teepees) www.socalwatersmart.com (rebate link) Thomas Paine Liberty Torchbearer Award Winner **Please note no public funds or resources were used for the distribution of this email... ***If you want to be removed from my list…let me know! J ****If this email was forwarded to you and you want to be added to my list…let me know! *****Transparency, don’t just say it – do it! ** Dear Friends: Here is the board package link for our Helix Water District Board Meeting: AGENDA - BUDGET WORKSHOP SPECIAL MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Wednesday, May 2, 4 pm 7811 University Avenue, La Mesa, CA 91942-0427 Interesting Items: Item 6. The Board Receive the Staff Presentation of the Draft Budget Schedules and Provide Direction Regarding the Development of the Fiscal Year 2018-19 Operating and Capital Budgets The budget presentations are scheduled to take place on May 2 from 4 p.m. - 9 p.m. and if needed continue on to May 3 from 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. as follows: • Water Quality/System Operations Budget • Operations Budget • Engineering Budget • Administrative Services Budget • Capital Budget Although we will not be talking about rates at this meeting, that will be on May 16, we will be hearing everything that staff wants to put in the budget and where increases and decreases are being proposed. Since we weren’t blessed with an abundance of rain like last year, we will have to plan to purchase more water from San Diego County Water Authority, the largest increase in proposed expenditures is Water Purchases, from $35,886,900 to $40,510,300. This morning I met with our GM and asked him for a copy of the Schedule anticipated estimated year end expenditures. Budget Expenditures 2016/17 $71,365,400 - Actual $68,726,598 2017/18 $72,159,900 - Estimated ? Proposed 2018/19 $79,548,700 Water Purchases Budget 2016/17 $36,056,500 - Actual $35,014,241 2017/18 $35,886,900 - Estimated ? Proposed 2018/19 $40,510,300 The Budget Schedule format this year looks a bit different as with converting to a new administration billing system, the budget includes retirement and PTO into each schedule, as opposed to leaving it out. This way, we know where employee costs are applied to each schedule. Concurrently, they still left a summary of Schedule 468 as a breakdown of insurance costs. Please feel free to come to the meeting and ask questions on the Budget, we should be there till at least 8pm, with possible continuance to Thursday evening, but we hope to wrap up Wednesday evening by 9am. CA Water Politics:
Helix Water District Community Events
DIY Videos We have created the first of our DIY videos, which shows the step-by-step process of how to replace your traditional sprinkler nozzles with high-efficiency rotating nozzles. The video is available on our www.hwd.com website under Conservation/DIY Projects. The video is being advertised in the March - April newsletter, which also highlights the current rebate of $4 per rotating nozzle (minimum purchase of 30) available through www.socalwatersmart.com . Campaigns, Contests and Scholarships
As always, I welcome your comments and feedback. Kathleen Coates Hedberg, PE, MPH President, Helix Water District www.HWD.com Board Director, San Diego County Water Authority www.SDCWA.org www.VoteHedberg.org www.lakejennings.org (go fishing & camping - teepees) www.socalwatersmart.com (rebate link) **Please note no public funds or resources were used for the distribution of this email... ***If you want to be removed from my list…let me know! J ****If this email was forwarded to you and you want to be added to my list…let me know! *****Transparency, don’t just say it – do it! Dear Friends: Here is the board package link for our Regular Helix Water District Board Meeting: AGENDA REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Wednesday, April 4, 6 pm 7811 University Avenue, La Mesa, CA 91942-0427 Interesting Items: Item 6 The Board Receive an Update Regarding a Potential Meeting between the Helix Water District Board of Directors and the Padre Dam Municipal Water District Board of Directors to Discuss the East County Advanced Water Purification Project Currently in the engineering and administrative development stages. An Helix WD Adhoc Committee may be formed during the President’s Report Item 8, a). Item 7. (PDF Page 88) The Board Provide Direction to Staff Regarding the Draft Budget Guidelines and Principles for Developing the Fiscal Year 2018-19 Preliminary Budget It is that time of year again – budgets and rates – I would like a zero increase…but with the cost of CA increasing. However, we are going over the Budget Guidelines, I do have much to talk about when it comes to the end of the year excess revenues. Which as of right now, we have excess as we have sold more water than anticipated, and were able to use stored water from the rains last year (free water). I want to discuss creating a policy of that funding going toward our rate stabilization fund and then using that money to offset and balance any rate increases, not just go into the general fund. Also, further discussion on our CALPERS unfunded liability. I am pleased to see that our Capital Improvement Program is anticipated at $11.1 Million, not an increase from this years budget. According to the Water Rate Ceiling established in 2015 (I VOTED NO) the rate ceiling for this year would be approximately 7.3% but I do not anticipate that happening. The proposal increase in rates from Metropolitan Water District is approximately 3%, we will be soon talking about the impact to San Diego County Water Authority, but I do not anticipate a significant increase, thus, any increase if any to Helix should be low as well! Some of the major dates for this year's budget process include: April 4 Present to Board Budget Guidelines and Principles May 2 and 3 (tentative) Review with Board Draft Fiscal Year 2018-19 Budget Schedules May 16 Present to Board Five Year Projection Workshop May31 Distribute to Board Preliminary Budget Document June 6 Board Meeting Preliminary Fiscal Year 2018-19 Budget for Board Approval August 1 Board Meeting Approval of Water Rates August 22 Distribute to Board Fiscal Year 2018-19 Budget Document September Bill Insert Mailed to Customers Regarding Upcoming Water Rates January 1 Water rates effective on bills for water used in November and December Helix Water District Community Events
As always, I welcome your comments and feedback. Kathleen Coates Hedberg, PE, MPH President, Helix Water District www.HWD.com Board Director, San Diego County Water Authority www.SDCWA.org www.VoteHedberg.org www.lakejennings.org (go fishing & camping - teepees) www.socalwatersmart.com (rebate link) **Please note no public funds or resources were used for the distribution of this email... ***If you want to be removed from my list…let me know! J ****If this email was forwarded to you and you want to be added to my list…let me know! *****Transparency, don’t just say it – do it! ** Dear Friends: Here is the board package link for our Regular Helix Water District Board Meeting: AGENDA REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Wednesday, March 21, 6 pm 7811 University Avenue, La Mesa, CA 91942-0427 Interesting Items: Item 5 b) iii. Minutes March 10, 2018. The Board had a very productive Best Practices Workshop (Retreat) and discussed three main topics:
Item 8. (PDF Page 88) The Board Authorize Staff to Submit a Notice of Intent to Withdraw from the Association of California Water Agencies Joint Powers Insurance Authority Based on the Status of Fiscal Year 2017-18 Strategic Work Plan Objective 3.7b, "Research Coverage and Premium Options for the District's General Liability, Property and Workers' Compensation Insurance" In an effort to make sure we are getting the best price and coverage for insurance we are looking into receiving a bid from another agency, but in order to receive pricing information, the company requires that we submit a notice of intent to withdraw from our current agency. However, we can rescind the withdrawal notice, if the new bid price/coverage is not better than what we currently have. Item 9. (PDF Page 100) Monthly reports for February. Due to the warmer weather these last few months, the water usage has gone up and definitely more usage this February than last year. However, with this intermittent rain in March, the water usage may be lower this month or the same as last year. Just goes to show you mother natures weather patterns are very unpredictable! Be water wise and turn your sprinklers off for a week as rain is coming on Thursday. BH2OWYZ Helix Water District Community Events
As always, I welcome your comments and feedback. Blog is on my website of past meetings & comments…check it out! Please feel free to forward this email. Kathleen Coates Hedberg, PE, MPH President, Helix Water District www.HWD.com Board Director, San Diego County Water Authority www.SDCWA.org www.lakejennings.org (go fishing & camping - teepees) www.socalwatersmart.com (rebate link) **Please note no public funds or resources were used for the distribution of this email... ***If you want to be removed from my list…let me know! J ****If this email was forwarded to you and you want to be added to my list…let me know! *****Transparency, don’t just say it – do it! ** Dear Friends: Here is the board package link for our Regular Helix Water District Board Meeting: AGENDA REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Wednesday, March 7, 6 pm 7811 University Avenue, La Mesa, CA 91942-0427 Interesting Items/Water Politics: Item 8. (PDF Page 63) The Board Review and Consider a Request from the Association of California Water Agencies to Contribute to their No Drinking Water Tax Campaign and Participate in their Coalition Efforts In 2017, Senator William Manning introduced Senate Bill 623 which proposes a tax on drinking water to fund water solutions in disadvantaged communities. The Bill proposes to raise $160 million dollars annually by taxing water ratepayers (85% of the share), fertilizer (11%) and dairies taxes (4%) and collect the money and give it back to those disadvantaged communities to help with water treatment solutions. Last year, water agencies throughout the state opposed SB 623. While in agreement that everyone should have access to safe drinking water, the agencies advocated that a state tax on drinking water is not the appropriate solution as it works against the goal of keeping water affordable for Californians. A coalition letter initiated by Association of California Water Agencies and signed by more than 100 member agencies, including Helix Water District and the San Diego County Water Authority, proposed an alternative funding solution to a water tax.
Item 9. The Board Authorize the President of the Board of Directors to Execute a Fifth Amendment to the Employment Agreement between Helix Water District and General Manager Carlos V. Lugo Following Negotiations with Mr. Lugo during Closed Session Noticed for 5:30 p.m. on March 7, 2018
Helix Water District Community Events
As always, I welcome your comments and feedback. Kathleen Coates Hedberg, PE, MPH President, Helix Water District www.HWD.com Board Director, San Diego County Water Authority www.SDCWA.org www.lakejennings.org (go fishing & camping - teepees) www.socalwatersmart.com (rebate link) **Please note no public funds or resources were used for the distribution of this email... ***If you want to be removed from my list…let me know! J ****If this email was forwarded to you and you want to be added to my list…let me know! *****Transparency, don’t just say it – do it! ** Dear Friends: Here is the board package link for our Regular Helix Water District Board Meeting: AGENDA REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Wednesday, February 7, 6 pm 7811 University Avenue, La Mesa, CA 91942-0427 Interesting Items:
Kathleen Coates Hedberg, PE, MPH President, Helix Water District www.HWD.com Board Director, San Diego County Water Authority www.SDCWA.org 619.994.6900 www.VoteHedberg.org www.lakejennings.org (go fishing & camping - teepees) www.socalwatersmart.com (rebate link) **Please note no public funds or resources were used for the distribution of this email... *****Transparency, don’t just say it – do it! |
Author: Kathleen HedbergCivil Engineer in 5th Term as a Helix Water District Board Director and Past President of the Board! CategoriesArchives
April 2023
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