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ATC Report
In This Issue:
Jackson Council Ignores Prop 218 Recommendation

AWA Board Approves 2012-2013 Budget

AWA Board Approves Loan to Wastewater ID#1

AWA Board Suspends Wastewater Increase, Avoids Prop 218

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 		Jackson Council Ignores Recommendation on Prop 218

On June 25, 2012, the City of Jackson scheduled an agenda item to rescind a resolution for an ACES Waste Services garbage rate increase. City Manager Mike Daly recommended rescinding the rate increase. Daly also recommended that the City provide the notification required by Proposition 218. Prior to meeting in public, the Council discussed in closed session the lawsuit filed by Jackson resident Bill Orescan to compel the City to comply with Prop 218. After the closed session, the item to rescind the resolution was removed from the agenda and was not discussed. More...


6/28/12 AWA Board Meeting Summary
  1. AWA Board Approves 2012-2013 Budget
    The AWA Board approved the 2012-2113 budget with only 10 days to review it. RPA raised several issues that were discussed but ultimately ignored. A critical issue is that the budget uses funds from accounts for which the balances are not known. RPA asked that the approval of the budget wait until proper accounting is available or that AWA leave off projects that require funds from accounts that do not have accurate balances. The Directors instead decided to incur costs that may have to be paid by ratepayers. More

  2. AWA Board Approves Loan to Wastewater ID#1
    Unknown to Amador Water System (AWS) ratepayers, the AWA Board loaned AWS funds to pay for operational deficits in the Wastewater ID#1 system (Fairway Pines, Tiger Creek Estates, Gayla Manor, Wildwood Estates, Surrey Junction, Jackson Pines, Pine Grove, Viewpoint Estates, & Eagles Nest). This is not a new loan, but replaces a loan that was supposed to be repaid in 2006. RPA member Bill Condrashoff warned the board that AWA does not know its restricted account balance, which could be negative. He also warned that because AWA does not know the AWS restricted reserve balance, the funds may be coming from another source, such as the AWS operational reserves. The Board unanimously approved the loan from the AWS restricted reserve account. More

  3. Board Suspends Wastewater Increase, Avoids Proposition 218
    On June 28, 2012, the AWA Board voted to suspend, rather than eliminate, a 9% rate increase to Wastewater ID#1 customers. Suspending the rate increase allows the Board to simply increase the rate by up to 9% at any time without following the Proposition 218 process. If the board had chosen to eliminate the rate increase, AWA would be required to follow Prop 218 which gives ID#1 customers the right to protest any future rate increase. More
The next regular AWA board meeting will be Thursday July 12th 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

Please forward this message to others in Amador County and help us get the word out!

Visit us on the web: www.amadorwatchdog.org
Our mailing address is: Ratepayer Protection Alliance, P.O. Box 51, Pine Grove CA 95665
Our telephone: 209-223-0993

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