About Cambria

Despite the fact that water supplies are undeniably constrained and climate change is likely to constrain them even more, there is more than enough water to go around — and that includes enough water to maintain the environmental and biological integrity of our rivers, streams, estuaries and wetlands.

In November 2004, the Planning and Conservation League (PCL) published “An Investment Strategy for California Water”. This publication (available online at PCL.org) concluded that new demands for water associated with California’s projected growth could not only be met, but could be met economically and without damaging California’s environment. The following year, the state Department of Water Resources essentially confirmed PCL’s findings in The California Water Plan Update 2005, Bulletin 160-05.

More recently, Peter Gleick of the Pacific Institute has argued what we have is a water management problem, not a water shortage problem. If we were to manage our water use more efficiently, our limited resource could provide for more people. It means we need to change the “me” paradigm into a “we” paradigm. We need to make some fundamental changes in our behavior and our assumptions.

Here’s two important questions for everyone: How much are you and your 4,000 neighbors willing to pay for water without restriction? The current plan approved by the Board Is the plan to limit the number of connections a defensible  policy? Before you respond, just think about this: 4,650 customer are using water without restriction, but every other  lot owner inside the CCSD’s service area is out of luck because they aren’t on a list that was closed in 1990 and ceased producing new connections in 2001. You and I can waste all the water we can pay for while hundreds of others are denied service. Please help me see how this isn’t going to present a problem.

In a recent post, I  focused on individual water use in Cambria. The focus for today is total annual water use for Cambria. The data below is from the well production reports provided by the CCSD. The numbers for each month are a composite of production from both Santa Rosa and San Simeon Creeks. Some months the production is entirely from San Simeon Creek, some months the production is spread equally between the two creeks. If you are interested in seeing the production for each well, click the “WellProductionComplete” tab after Clicking Here.

The May meeting of the CCSD Board provided some glimpses on some of the most critical policies of the District. The district is pursuing desalination at any cost, virtually ignoring the most cost effective element of its “balanced portfolio” of water supply: conservation.

Some evidence: Over $6,000 a month on a lobbyist for desal, at least a portion of the district engineer’s salary, and untold hours of staff time in just one month of spending versus $2,000 (or less) budgeted for the entire year for the rebate program that offers $150 for every water conserving replacement of a toilet or washer. In fact, the entire budget for 2009-10 for conservation programs is less than what they plan to pay the desal lobbyist.

Policy is a social choice. It is not determined by science, although it is, or should be, informed by such.

This just in: the agenda for next week’s CCSD meeting. The meeting is scheduled at the Veterans Memorial Hall on Main Street at 12:30pm. Download the full agenda from the CCSD website. Excerpts below.

On the consent agenda:

A. Consider Approval of Expenditures for Month of April 2009
B. Consider Approval of Minutes of Board of Directors Meetings April 14 and April 23, 2009
C. Consider Resolution 20-2009 Approving Award of Fire Hazard Fuel Reduction Contract
D. Consider Adoption of Resolution 18-2009 Nominating Director Muril Clift as a Candidate for Election to the Special District Risk Management
Authority Board of Directors
E. Consider Resolution 22-2009 Approving Assignment of Banking Powers for the Cambria Community Services District’s Bank and Investment
Accounts
F. Consider Approving Extension of Intent to Serve Letter for Senior Care Facility, Michael Clark, Applicant, APN 024.191.052
G. Consider Approving Extension of Intent to Serve Letter for Cambria Shores Inn, Kim Eady, Applicant, APN 022.381.002
H. Consider Ratifying General Manager’s Approval of Professional Services Proposal by Carol Cowley, CMC, to Officiate the 2009 Water and Sewer
Rates Protest Process

HEARINGS AND APPEALS
A. Public Hearing to Confirm Itemized Report of Water and Wastewater Standby or Availability Charges as Provided in Government Code 61124
1. Receive Financial Report
2. Conduct Public Hearing
3. Consider Adoption of Resolution 21-2009 Confirming Water and Wastewater Standby or Availability Charges

REGULAR BUSINESS
A. Receive Water Conservation Presentation
B. Receive Fiscal Year 2007/2008 Management Letter from Crosby and Cindrich, CPAs, and Response by Management

Two time slots for public comment are on the agenda, a change I wholeheartedly support.  See you there next Thursday!

Well, friends, it’s been a long, strange trip and it’s not looking to end soon. According to the agenda recently provided, tomorrow’s meeting at the Vet’s Hall (12:30pm) will essentially be a preview of the budget hearing at the regular April 23, 2009 CCSD meeting. The three items on the agenda are

A. Presentation by Finance Ad Hoc Committee: DRAFT FY 2009/2010 Operating Budget
B. Presentation by Utilities Ad Hoc Committee: Capital Maintenance and Capital Improvement Program (CIP)
C. Presentation by Executive Ad Hoc Committee: Discussion of DRAFT Resolution 14-2009 Adopting Guidelines for the Submission and Tabulation of Protests in Connection with Rate Hearings Conducted Pursuant to Article XIIID, Section 6 of the California Constitution

Leaving alone for a moment the bizarreness of an elected board considering their Executive Committee to be “Ad Hoc”, President Sanders has set a full day of information-giving. Whether the board will direct staff to make changes to the proposed budget before the April 23 hearing is anyone’s guess. (Although public pressure would seem unlikely to affect the recently elected Directors Clift, MacKinnon and DeMicco, nor directors Sanders or Chaldecott, whose terms seem secure until Fall 2010). And what will the guidelines for submission and tabulation of protests be?

But fear not, I have not fallen back to lob this missive from an anti-CCSD bunker.  No. I wish the CCSD a speedy and full recovery from what neglect and poor management have wrought.  Where some have tread lightly, I might have taken a more direct route.  I think there are few among us who would say the CCSD is full of health and wellness. I’d even venture a guess that we all grasp the concept that it is a long road ahead for our CSD and our town. I’ll be the first to admit I often take for granted that water flows when I turn on the faucet. But unless I’ve got this wrong, we’re being provided a more comfortable and sugar-coated version of the same old stories.

Director Clift, one member of the finance committee, offered the CFRC some of his time (unpaid, BTW) to explain what philosophical perspective was given to staff as they re-worked the budget. He and Director MacKinnon asked as the budget was redrafted that

• revenue projections would be reasonable
• expenses based on specific estimates or actual historical and must be justified
• it should be a pure operations budget (no capital improvement projects)

and

• they would under no circumstances accept a rate increase of greater than 15%.

According to Clift, the bottom line is that the water department needs a 9.5%-10% increase to cover planned expenses and wastewater needs a 14% increase. It seemed to be his position that the Board should approve a 15% increase accross both water and wastewater and the “extra” would be used to build reserves or fund needed improvements and maintenance.

I hope I can get to tomorrow’s workshop, since I’d like to hear a fuller discussion of the issues involved. The Board’s role is to set policy and hire a General Manager who is responsible for carrying out board policy. Other than choosing the G.M., the Board’s main conduit of control over the staff is through the budget setting and oversight.  I hope my elected board doesn’t miss this opportunity to make some critical fiscal decisions.

Keep it tuned here…the postings have been sparse due to my own personal fiscal issues, but I will keep you updated as often as I can.

Both the Cambria Healthcare District and the Services District meet this week – CCHD Tuesday night at 6:30pm at Rabobank and the CCSD at the Vets Hall Thursday at 12:30pm. If you can only attend one meeting, it should be the CCHD Tuesday – it’s the one you can’t see later on TV. The CCSD posted their agenda on their website today, but no agenda packet was available online for public review.  The packet of information that the directors receive is supposed to be made available to the public at the same time the directors receive it. In past months, that has meant that it was available for download  on the same day at the agenda was posted. Details of the items will be posted here once the information is available to me.

SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT REPORT
MANAGER’S AND BOARD REPORTS

A. MANAGER’S REPORT
(Estimated Time: 10 minutes)
B. MEMBER AND COMMITTEE REPORTS
(Estimated Time: 10 minutes)

CONSENT AGENDA

A. Approve Expenditures for Month of February 2009
B. Approve Minutes of Board of Directors Meeting, February 19, 2009
C. Adopt Resolution 11-2009 Declaring a Public Nuisance for the Annual Fire Hazard Fuel Reduction Program
D. Adopt Resolution 12-2009 Ratifying Rejection of Claim by J E Lindsey Inc As Recommended by SDRMA (Special District Risk Management Authority)

(Estimated Time: 10 minutes)

HEARINGS AND APPEALS

A. Adopt Resolution 10-2009 Scheduling a Public Hearing to Approve Water and Wastewater Standby or Availability Charges for Fiscal Year 2009- 2010                                                                      (Estimated Time: 5 minutes)

REGULAR BUSINESS

A. Presentation and Overview of PROS Commission Objectives and Activities
B. Appoint Emergency Water Alternatives Citizens Committee
C. Consider Nomination of CCSD Director as Special District Member to LAFCO (Local Agency Formation Commission)
D. Adopt Resolution 13-2009 Instituting an Immediate Hiring Freeze and Rescinding Approval of Unfilled Budgeted CCSD Staff Positions

(Estimated Time: 60 minutes)

PUBLIC COMMENT
Members of the public wishing to address the Board on any non-actionable item not listed on the agenda (items one through five) and within the jurisdiction of the Cambria CSD may do so when recognized by the President. Public comments during this and other portions of the agenda will be limited to 3 minutes per person.

ADJOURN TO CLOSED SESSION, 1316 Tamson Drive, Suite 204, Cambria

A. CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL – EXISTING LITIGATION
Subdivision (a) of Section 54956.9 (1 matter) Warren et al vs County of San Luis Obispo, et al
B. CONFERENCE WITH REAL PROPERTY NEGOTIATORS
Property: 024.182.053, 024.281.031,024.301.034
Agency Negotiator: General Manager
Negotiating Parties: William Storum
Under Negotiation: Property
C. CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL – ANTICIPATED LITIGATION
Significant exposure to litigation pursuant to subdivison (b) of Section 54956.9 (1 matter)
Gregg A. Berge, an individual; Eagle Nest Capital, LLC, a California Limited Liability Company; and DOES 1 through 10,000, inclusive, vs.
CCSD, County of San Luis Obispo; California Coastal Commission; and DOES 1 – 100, inclusive
D. CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL – EXISTING LITIGATION
Subdivision (a) of Section 54956.9 (1 matter)
Gregg Berge et al vs. CCSD, County of San Luis Obispo, and California Coastal Commission; Case No. B212474
E. CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL – EXISTING LITIGATION
Subdivision (a) of Section 54956.9 (1 matter) J. E. Lindsey Inc., vs. CCSD CV 098052
F. CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL – EXISTING LITIGATION
Subdivision (a) of Section 54956.9 (1 matter) Landwatch/C Hawley San Luis Obispo County vs. CCSD and DOEs 1 through 25 (inclusive),
Army Corps of Engineers and DOEs 21 through 30 (inclusive) Real Parties in Interest CV-09-00928 GAF (RZx)

Pretty sneaky sis! Want to be the winner every time? Here’s the formula:

1. Describe and then embellish a potential threat to the status quo.The threat can be real or imaginary or somewhere in between, but it must cause fear and it must be a threat that an individual could not eliminate on his or her own. (“Out of Your Hands Entirely” or “Catastrophic Acts of God” are frequently used brands)
2. Add off and on periods of heightened threat punctuated times of safety.
3. Promise to make those brief stable periods the status quo and eliminate the threat. If you’ve done it right, you will find a populace willing to suppress their own self-interest and will unquestioningly do whatever it takes to carry out your plan…whatever it might be.

How can you argue against something that will reduce a threat to life and property? It is easy to use fear to control those who would otherwise oppose you. And if you’ve manufactured the fear, it’ll be even easier for you to ride to the rescue. I mean, no one wants to be the guy who said, “Calm down! Terrorists won’t attack again” just as the terrorists are striking again and we are caught unprepared. To appeal to people’s fear in order to eliminate opposition is SO 20th century, and SO manipulative and creepy.

An example right here in Cambria:

1. Describe and then embellish a potential threat to the status quo. (Cambria catches fire. First one house, then another, and another, then the trees carry it to another, and so on. Cambria doesn’t have the water to battle fire.)
2. Add off and on periods of heightened threat punctuated with brief safe times. (There’s a built-in period of reduced threat (in winter) and the start of each fire season is lionized every year. )
3. Promise to make those brief stable periods the status quo and eliminate the threat. First, the storage in new Pine Knolls water tanks, now the Stuart street tanks and the pumps at the Rodeo Grounds, toss in a lot clearing ordinance and defensible space laws and Hallelujah!

Are you scared yet? Whenever someone is appealing to you fear (or other emotion) it activates your sense of self-preservation and your “emotional brain”. Your logical mind is suppressed and your thinking becomes more conservative. Drew Westin discusses his studies on this phenomenon at great length in his excellent book The Political Brain: The Role of Emotion in Deciding the Fate of the Nation (July 2007) Subtly remind people of their own mortality and their subconscious pulls their opinions toward a more conservative view of the world. Westin asserts the best weapon against this form of manipulation is inoculation. In other words, call it what it is: using our emotions to manipulate us. (I highly recommend Westin’s book. Read a well-written review of it at the DailyKos blog. )  Using your fear to control you is powerless when you recognize what’s being done.

CCSD using Fear? According to the previous Board, this town has been in a state of emergency for decades. The District keeps us on constant vigilant watch, providing weekly measurements and comparison charts that show how desperate the situation is. There’s hardly a moment we aren’t reminded of our deficient water supply. How much storage do we need? The recently released Resource Management System report from the County actually removed the highest severity Level 3 for Cambria’s water system, since the Pine Knolls tanks are now in service. Chief Miller and his trained personnel likely have many game plans for many of the possible scenarios involving home fires in town. That seems like a defining task of his job. I have confidence that between CalFire and our local Fire Department, they will manage the water available to do their job in an emergency. More water would be nice. So would having our own helicopter with water bucket. But we aren’t without protection now.

Know the facts. Cambria is one of the most well-protected forested areas in this state. It’s a difficult environment to defend from fire. We maintain mutual aid agreements with Calfire and other nearby fire departments, have well-trained firefighters, and relatively new equipment. Are there deficiencies? Probably. But I feel confident we are well protected in case of emergency.

The new threat: Growth. With “enough” water storage for our emergency fire protection needs, look to see the formula applied to GROWTH and development more aggressively. (More on this next week.)

Three new posts sit over at AboutCCSD.com awaiting your attention. Topics include potable water, desalination and financial issues. Also new: updates to the FY2008-09 selected expenditures worksheets available at the Cambria workspace of editgrid.com.

See you at the Vets Hall for the CCSD meeting Thursday at 12:30pm!