Great Helix Water District Special Board Meetings Today!

Bright and early at 9am - Lake Jennings Committee Presentations and also the Cost of Service Water Rate Workshop Presentation.

Lake Jennings Meeting Summary:
Trout opening was a success and every weekend continues to be great!
January 3 - Kids Fish Free day is scheduled - glad to see it back I think the last one was 2008.
We also approved the staff to do a $30K study on improvements (cost) needed for campground and also evaluation on decommission (to be done in February 2015 as requested by Board to evaluate the viability of the Lake etc).  
Campground recreation manager position has been offered...more to come this month...very exciting – more help for Ranger David Acevedo (who is doing a great job on the Lake/Campground!  

Cost of Service Water Rate Presentation:
Water rate workshop was very interesting, the consultant has made some good recommendations of changes, they will be putting the numbers in the rate structure to present to us in January – everything is still draft/conceptual. Three structures were presented. The board agreed to continue to go forward with the proposed modified uniform rate structure for residential (no water budgets takes too much time for maintenance etc. and a uniform flat rate is not water "conserving"), but they are proposing to change the width of the tiers that are substantiated with water system statistics and guidance (Tier 1 0-14; Tier 2 14-34; Tier 3 >34 units).
Include a line item for the pass through cost of San Diego County Water Authority (transparency).
Rate adjustments will occur in January, starting January 2016 (as opposed to November – I have been saying this for a long time, coincides with SDCWA, during cooler part of the season, makes sense!). Also, considering a 3 or 5 year rate adoption plan.  More information with actual numbers to come.

In the meantime - We have a new, senior public affairs manager, Mike Uhrhammer, he used to work for Padre Dam MWD…He is very experienced with Water District issues and Santee Lake Promotion, he will be a great Helix asset and help with Lake Jennings, public communication, new rate structure and all our public relation needs!

Great morning and good things happening at Helix!