In This Issue:
Jackson Resident Sues City Over Garbage Rates
AWA 2012-2013 Budget Not Yet Available
Camanche Well #14 is Again Out of Service
AWA Independent Financial Review Moving Forward?
Buckhorn Disinfection Project Added
Camanche Groundwater Study Shows Abundance of Water
AWA Board Discusses Suspension of Wastewater Increase
Help Needed with Rate Protests
About RPA
Ratepayer Protection Alliance (RPA) was formed to support the rights of the people of Amador County against
unfair rate increases, which are usually used to subsidize special interests. Recently, RPA has assisted
citizens who successfully protested several water rate increases. RPA is committed to ensuring that water,
wastewater and garbage rates in Amador County are justified, and do not unfairly burden local residents.
Donations
RPA works hard to minimize
costs of informing the public of unfair rate increases.
RPA operates on the donated time of volunteers and no one is paid for their efforts.
Donations for postage costs can be sent to:
Ratepayer Protection Alliance
P.O. Box 51
Pine Grove CA 95665
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Jackson Resident Sues City Over Garbage Rates
Krause, Kalfayan, Benink & Slavens, LLP announced in a
press release
that Jackson resident William Orescan filed a
lawsuit
in Amador County Superior Court against the City of Jackson. The suit alleges that the City has
violated the Constitutional provisions of Proposition 218 by failing to allow the public the opportunity to protest garbage rate increases.
More...
6/14/12 AWA Board Meeting Summary
- AWA 2012-2013 Budget Not Yet Available
AWA did not present a budget to the public. The Budget must be approved before July 1st 2012. AWA general manager Gene Mancebo stated that a tentative date was being set for June 19th. Since the meeting, a Budget workshop was held on June 19th.
- Camanche Well #14 is Again Out of Service
Field services manager Chris McKeage told the board that Well #14 at Camanche was shut down due to an electrical issue with the pump. Later in the meeting, the board was told that the pump would be replaced by Berkeley Pump at no charge. Camanche ratepayers will be responsible for removal, installation and motor repairs. Total cost of the repairs was not disclosed.
A camera was lowered into the well. No reason was found for the turbidity that
shut down Well #14 down from October 2010 to August 2011.
- Independent Financial Review Moving Forward?
The board agreed to have the general manager issue a request for proposals to conduct an assessment of AWA’s financial system. The general manager will return to the board with a recommended consultant to perform the financial review. The board clarified that they will not approve the recommended consultant going forward with the review until the audit for 2010-2011 is complete.
- Buckhorn Disinfection By-Products Project Added to 2012-2013 Budget
Although AWA has not received funding for the Buckhorn Disinfection By-Products Project, the board agreed to put it into the budget for 2012-2013. AWA staff estimates that the construction cost of the project is $430,000. If AWA does not receive funding for the project, ratepayers may be looking at a 20% rate increase to pay for the project.
- Camanche Groundwater Study Shows Abundance of Water
A groundwater study was presented by Dunn Environmental. The study showed that the basin that
Camanche wells draw from can supply water to 10 times as many homes as there are in Camanche. Tapping that
water can be difficult, however. At a cost of over $500,000, Well #14 was drilled in the same area as the best producing well, #9. However,
Well #14 produces less than half the water as Well #9.
- Board Discusses Suspension of Wastewater Increase
AWA general Manager Gene Mancebo recommended that the board suspend a 9% rate increase on the consolidated wastewater system (WWID1) that is slated to take affect on July 1st. Mancebo did not prepare a financial plan or prepare a budget for the directors to review how changing the rate would affect the system’s finances. The board voted to suspend the rate increase. They agreed that the rate could be reset during the budget process if needed.
The next regular AWA board meeting will be Thursday June 28th at 9am. If you would like to receive the AWA agendas or full informational packets
before each meeting, email cthompson@amadorwater.org.
Help Needed with Rate Protests
RPA is currently gearing up to help ratepayers stop unjustified rate increases.
We’ll need volunteers to walk their neighborhoods collecting protest signatures.
Donations for postage will reduce the need to walk door to door.
Click here to help
Learn how you can protest
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