– Knowledge brings responsibility.

(1) June 30, 2006, “Note 12, The District in the past fiscal year incurred significant losses in the Enterprise Funds (Water and Wastewater). The Water Fund realized a deficit change in net assets of $135,749 and the Wastewater Fund $454,183. If the District continues to incur these deficits it will be unable to meet their ongoing obligations.
(2) February 22, 2007, Mid year Budget Review: “ The CCSD is not meeting the debt coverage ratio required on the bond debt issue for the Wastewater Department.”
(3) February 22, 2007, Reserves: It is projected that $886,507.00 from Reserves will be needed to balance the 2006/2007 Operating Budget from January 1-June 30, 2007.” The Reserve Balance at its highest point was $16.5 million. As of August 31, 2007, the reserve account held $4,827,953.
(4) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2006, the following expenses accounted for the growing deficit: Pine Knolls Tank Project, Build Out Reduction Program, Desalinization Project, Meter Replacement Program, and Water Master Plan EIR, the Bluff Trail, Santa Rosa Creek Riparian Bank and tennis courts. (page 4, Auditor’s Report from Basic Financial Statements.)
(5) Page 40, Annual Pension Cost, 6/04 $203,701
6/05 $318,003
6/06 $513,579
(6) The question is why have pension costs and health costs more than doubled in two years? Section 61067 from the new community services law “allows CSDs to provide benefits to the members of their boards of directors. .. These benefits are in addition to the stipends and reimbursements that this section allows. We need further information.
(7) Mr. Sanders’ statements in the Cambrian of October 18, and his comments in the meeting of November 2, 2007 re: allocation of adm costs suggest that “the district simply changes how various costs, such as administrative time, are allocated.” The income statements and balance sheets of the district do not need just to be “resorted” from one fund to a different fund in someone’s excel program, to remove deficits from the enterprise funds, (which one assumes he thinks would “fix” the deficts in those funds which are required to have a coverage ratio of 1.10 in order to meet the bond covenants.) We need to look at every expenditure on that monthly list, and ask for the rest of the credit card charges listed as -0- for the board and the management, the stipends and benefits for the directors, an end to the lobbyists, a cancellation of the Land Conservancy contract, an end to any more funds being expended on buying lots which can be stripped of their development rights so that someone on Marine Terrace can build 2,000 sq feet rather than 1,600 square feet. These items would make a good beginning in returning to a fiscally responsible District.

Yes, it is about money – but so much, much more. As I leave my polluted and barren landscape, driving from where I have my day job, to my special place called Cambria where I have always treasured the beauty, the unspoiled viewscapes, and the wonderful people – I am beginning to understand more of the true costs of protecting this paradise.
Charlotte Darehshori