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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1994-03-23 - AGENDAS - JOINT SPECIAL (2)CITY OF SANTA CLARITA CITY COUNCIL JOINT MEETING WITH CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23, 1994 7:00 P.M. Valley View Elementary School 19414 Sierra Estates Drive Santa Clarita, Ca. 91321 AGENDA 7:00 P.M. CALL TO ORDER ROLL CALL OPENING REMARKS 7:05 P.M. PRESENTATION BY SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY 7:10 P.M. PRESENTATION BY CASTAICLAKE WATER AGENCY 7:25 P.M. PRESENTATION BY CITY OF SANTA CLARITA RECOMMENDED ACTION Receive presentation by agencies above 7:40 P.M. PUBLIC COMMENT (Comments are to be limited to 3 minutes per individual. 9:00 P.M. CLOSING COMMENTS BY CITY OF SANTA CLARITA 9:05 P.M. CLOSING COMMENTS BY CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY 9:10 P.M. CLOSING COMMENTS BY MODERATORS MARY SPRING AND MAYOR GEORGE PEDERSON RECOMMENDED ACTION: Receive comments from agencies above 9:15 P.M. ADJOURNMENT CITY OF SANTA CLARITA CITY COUNCIL JOINT MEETING WITH CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23, 1994 7:00 P.M, Valley View Elementary School 19414 Sierra Estates Drive Santa Clarita, Ca. 91321 The meeting of the City Council/Castaic Lake Water Agency was called to order by Mayor George Pederson at 7:00 p.m. Mayor Pederson led the flag salute., Mayor Pederson and Steve McLean made introductions of each agency and began the meeting with opening remarks. The following persons made presentations: Bill Marietta, Santa Clarita Water Company Mary Spring, President, Castaic Lake Water Agency George Caravalho, City Manager, City of Santa Clarita The following people addressed the meeting:. Connie Worden-Roberts Bill Thompson Bob Keller John Steffen Paul Berriz Tom Haynor Andy Kulica Vera Johnson Dave Blazey Rose Coyle Dave Enz Dennis Coyle Ed Dunn James Van Sickle Kevin Lynch Jack Curenton Joan Dunn Bill Frederick Allan Cameron Michael Kotch Lynn Plambeck Barbra Waycott Scott Franklin Gary Johnson Bob Lathrop Fred Heiser Jack Ancona Frank Mungia John Drew Lynn Bodick Bob Manley Cam Noltemeyers Laurene Weste Linda Storli Written comments or questions were submitted by Violet McSweeney, Lynn Boeding, W. K. Johnson, Dennis Farnham, John Steffen, Kevin Lynch, James Van Sickle, and Vera Johnson. Closing comments were made by Councilmember Jan Heidt and Mary Spring. It was smoved by Heidt and seconded Coin t study sessiqp on March 30, 1994 Do>1na M. Grindey, CMC City Clerk min.cndclwa.dmg by Darcy to adjourn the meeting to the City No objections, so ordered. D n [o7 C Ko IC co 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 CERTIFIED ORIGINAL JOINT MEETING BETWEEN THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA AND THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY IN RE: ACQUISITION OF SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY SANTA CLARITA, CALIFORNIA MARCH 23, 1994 TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS 25852 MCBEAN PARKWAY, SUITE 147 SANTA CLARITA, CALIFORNIA 91355 (805) 254-4232 REPORTED BY: CINDY TACHELL, CSR NO. 8572 FILE NO.: 940323 TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS 1 0 G 11 I[ic [o] 10 Io I© 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 PROCEEDINGS TAKEN AT 19414 SIERRA ESTATES, SANTA CLARITA, CALIFORNIA, 91321, COMMENCING AT 7:00 P.M., ON WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23, 1994, BEFORE CINDY TACHELL, CSR NO, 8572. APPEARANCES: FOR THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA: MAYOR GEORGE PEDERSON GEORGE CARAVALHO, CITY MANAGER JAN HEIDT, CITY COUNCIL DONNA GRINDEY, CITY CLERK FOR CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY: STEPHEN MCLEAN LINDA FLEMING MARY SPRING, CHAIRPERSON FOR SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY: WILLIAM J. MANETTA, PRESIDENT TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS 101 0 O 0 O 0 0 IQ U 0 0 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 SANTA CLARITA, CALIFORNIA, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23, 1994 7:00 P.M. P R O C E E D I N G S MR. PEDERSON: GOOD EVENING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. WE WANT TO START THE MEETING ON TIME TONIGHT. AND WE WELCOME YOU TO THE SPECIAL MEETING. WE NOW OPENED A JOINT MEETING, AN INFORMATIONAL MEETING OF THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA AND THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY. I WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU TO RISE WHILE MR. MCLEAN LEADS US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. (PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.) MR. MCLEAN: WE WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN BY INTRODUCING A FEW OF THE PEOPLE WHO WILL SPEAK THIS EVENING. MR. BILL MANETTA IS WITH THE SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY. AND MARY SPRING IS WITH THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY. AND GEORGE CARAVALHO. MR. PEDERSON: WE ARE SORT OF TAKING TURNS. YOU SEE HOW FAIR WE ARE MAKING THIS. I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE MR. GEORGE CARAVALHO WHO IS THE CITY MANAGER FOR THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA. AND OUR MODERATORS TONIGHT STEVE MCLEAN AND ISM GEORGE PEDERSON. AND NOW MR. MCLEAN WILL GIVE US A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE FORMAT OF THIS EVENING. MR. MCLEAN: THERE ARE TWO BASIC REASONS FOR US TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED REPORTERS 3 G O Eel O x A A A 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 MEETING THIS EVENING. THE NUMBER 1 REASON IS TO HEAR FROM YOU, THE COMMUNITY. AND I MUST CONFESS I'M SUFFERING FROM A LITTLE BIT OF A HEAD COLD. MY EARS ARE A LITTLE PLUGGED SO PLEASE SPEAK UP. THAT IS THE MAIN REASON WHY WE ARE HERE TONIGHT. THE SECOND REASON IS TO PRESENT SOME BASIC INFORMATION ON THIS COMPLEX AND SOMEWHAT CONFUSING ISSUE TO EVERYONE IN ATTENDANCE HERE. AND WE WILL DO THAT AS OUTLINED IN THE AGENDA BY HAVING SOME OPENING STATEMENTS FROM MR. MANETTA OF THE SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY AND MARY SPRING OF THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY, THE GENERAL MANAGER OF THE CITY, THE CITY MANAGER GEORGE CARAVALHO, AND THEN WE WILL BEGIN 'A PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PERIOD AND MR. PEDERSON WILL DESCRIBE THE GROUND RULES FOR THAT. MR. PEDERSON: THANK YOU. THE GROUND RULES ARE REALLY RATHER SIMPLE. WE HAVE THREE MINUTES OF TIME FOR EVERYBODY TO EXPRESS THEIR POINT OF VIEW, INFORMATION, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO SAY WITHIN THAT THREE MINUTES OF TIME. WE ARE GOING TO USE THE MICROPHONE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE AISLE HERE. AND WHAT WE WILL BE DOING IS WE WILL BE TAKING THE NAMES AS THEY COME UP BETWEEN US AND WE WILL CALL A NAME AND WE WILL TELL YOU WHO THE NEXT PERSON IS SO WE CAN SORT OF GET A LINEUP AND SAVE TIME THAT WAY. YOU MAY ALSO SUBMIT WRITTEN STATEMENTS. YOU MAY HAVE A STATEMENT LONGER THAN THREE MINUTES, WHATEVER LENGTH YOU WANT AS A WRITTEN STATEMENT, BUT YOU WON'T HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO READ MORE TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS 4 Eol O 74 A] 7 A O A 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 THAN THREE MINUTES OF IT. IF YOU WOULD LIKE THAT STATEMENT YOU HAVE THAT'S WRITTEN, IF YOU READ IT UP THERE AND YOU GIVE IT TO OUR COURT REPORTER, SHE WILL THEN PUT IT VERBATIM INTO THE RECORD. BECAUSE THIS ENTIRE PROCEEDING IS BEING RECORDED TONIGHT. ALSO TONIGHT AND WE WANT TO THANK THE COLLEGE OF CANYONS AND ALSO KING VIDEO. THEY ARE FILMING THIS ENTIRE EVENT FREE OF CHARGE. THERE MAY BE A MODERATE CHARGE FOR THEIR TAPE LATER ON. IT WILL BE SHOWN. WHEN IT'S SHOWN, WE WILL LET EVERYBODY KNOW THROUGH THE NEWSPAPER, THROUGH KBET AND OTHER METHODS THAT THIS TAPE WILL BE SHOWN. WE ARE GOING TO REQUEST THAT WE ARE NOT GOING TO INDULGE IN TWO-WAY CONVERSATIONS IN THAT THREE-MINUTE PERIOD. WE WON'T HAVE YOU ASKING QUESTIONS OF THE MODERATORS OR ANYTHING. BUT JUST EXPRESS YOURSELF FOR THREE MINUTES. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO SPEAK FOR THREE MINUTES. IF YOU WISH LESS TO SPEAK, YOU MAY. BUT YOU CANNOT BORROW TIME. YOU CANNOT SELL TIME. YOU CANNOT LEND TIME TO ANYBODY ELSE. SO THOSE ARE THE ONLY SIMPLE GROUND RULES OF THIS. WE HOPE EVERYBODY WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES. WE WILL STAYHERE AND HERE YOU ALL. AND SO AT THIS TIME I THINK WE'RE PREPARED FOR AN OPENING STATEMENT BY MR. BILL MANETTA. MR. MANETTA: GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS BILL MANETTA. I'M THE PRESIDENT OF SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY. 5 TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS 0 U AI ;f7 10 10 Ic 19 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 I HAVE JUST A FEW MINUTES TONIGHT TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHO WE ARE, WHAT WE DO AND WHAT AREAS WE SERVE. WE ARE AN INVESTOR OWNED WATER UTILITY THAT'S BEEN SERVING THE SANTA CLARITA VALLEY SINCE THE LATE 1940'S. WE ARE A FAMILY HELD CORPORATION OWNED BY ONE FAMILYTHROUGHOUT THIS PERIOD OF TIME. WE WERE CALLED BOUQUET CANYON WATER COMPANY IN 1949 AND LATER IN 1972, WHEN I CAME TO WORK FOR THE WATER COMPANY AS A HYDRAULIC ENGINEER, WE MERGED WITH THE SULLIVAN WATER COMPANY AND BECAME THE SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY. THAT WAS 1973. WE WERE BASICALLY A RETAIL WATER UTILITY THAT SERVED A LITTLE UNDER 20,000 CUSTOMERS, RESIDENTIAL MOSTLY AND BUSINESSES AND INDUSTRIAL. WE ALSO AREA WHOLESALE UTILITY. MANY PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT. BUT WE SERVE WATER TO FIVE UTILITIES IN OUR SERVICE AREA THAT HAVE THEIR OWN WATER STORAGE TANKS, METERS, DO THEIR OWN OPERATIONS. IN 'FACT, I SEE ONE OF THE UTILITIES THAT WE SERVE HERE TONIGHT AND I ASSUME HE IS GOING TO BE TALKING TO YOU. THEY ARE A SMALL WATER MUTUALS, OVER A HUNDRED HOMES IN EACH, IN MANY OF THEM. SOME ARE SMALLER. AND ALSO HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATIONS, WE SERVE WHOLESALE TO THEM. WE HAVE GOTTEN ALONG FINE WITH THEM AND IT'S BEEN A VERY COMPATIBLE OPERATION. AS .I SAY MOST OF YOU PROBABLY WEREN'T EVEN AWARE THAT WAS GOING ON. WE SERVE IN THE AREAS OF CANYON COUNTRY, SAUGUS AND PARTS OF NEWHALL. APPROXIMATELY 80 PERCENT OF TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS Nil IAw Ed O C C L L C O O 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 OUR SERVICE AREA IS THE BOUNDARIES OF THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA. APPROXIMATELY 20 PERCENT OF IT IS IN THE JURISDICTION OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY. 100 PERCENT OF OUR SERVICE AREA IS IN THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY. FOR MANY YEARS OUR HIGHEST PRIORITY IS CUSTOMER SERVICE. WE HAVE STROVE VERY HARD TO KEEP OUR WATER RATES DOWN AND KEEP OUR COSTS LOW. WE ARE STRIVING FOR A BETTER MICROPHONE. WE HAVE NOT HAD A RATE INCREASE SINCE 1983. THAT'S OVER 11 YEARS. WE ARE VERY PROUD OF THAT. WE THINK WE HAVE ONE OF THE LOWEST WATER RATES IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. AND WE HOPE THAT IT WILL CONTINUE UNDER ANY OWNERSHIP. WE CAN PROVIDE THIS ECONOMIC WATER BECAUSE WE HAVE MADE SURE THAT DEVELOPERS PROVIDE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT IS NECESSARY FOR THE DEVELOPMENT. THEY BUILD PLANTS THAT ARE NEEDED FOR THEIR FACILITIES AND IT KEEPS THE WATER RATES DOWN TO OUR CUSTOMERS SINCE THEY DO NOT SUBSIDIZE THE DEVELOPMENT. WE FEEL THAT THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY ALSO HAS A SIMILAR SITUATION. THEY HAVE NOT RAISED THEIR WATER RATES TO US, THANKFULLY SINCE 1986. STILL QUITE A LONG TIME. THEY SELL TREATED WATER FOR $145 AN ACRE FOOT. THAT'S THE LOWEST TREATED WATER RATE IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. THEY ALSO HAVE A PHILOSOPHY THAT DEVELOPERS PAY THE COST OF INFRASTRUCTURE AND THAT KEEPS THEIR WATER RATES DOWN TO US, ALL OF US IN THE VALLEY AS CURRENT CUSTOMERS. TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS 7 I C 10 to 1© 1© 10 10 to to 10 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 SINCE THEIR HAS BEEN A LOT OF RAPID GROWTH PERIODS IN THE HISTORY OF THIS VALLEY IN THE LAST 40 YEARS, WE HAVE MADE EVERY EFFORT TO PUT IN NEW PLANTS. SINCE I ARRIVED HERE IN 1972 WE HAVE PUT IN -- REPLACED ALL THE OLD BOLTED TANKS THAT WERE IN THE SYSTEM OF THE OLD AND REPLACED THEM WITH BRAND NEW WELDED STEEL AMERICAN WATER WORKS ASSOCIATION SPECIFICATION TANKS. AND SOME OF THEM ARE EXTRA THICK BECAUSE WE KNEW WE WERE DESIGNING FACILITIES NEAR EARTHQUAKE ZONES SUCH AS THE SAN GABRIEL FAULT WHICH RUNS THROUGH THE HEART OF OUR AREA. 90 PERCENT OF OUR PLANT HAS BEEN INSTALLED SINCE 1973, WITHIN THE LAST 20 YEARS. 73 PERCENT OF OUR PLANT IS LESS THAN TEN YEARS OLD. SO IT IS A NEW SYSTEM. WE HAVE LARGE MAINS. WE HAVE GOOD PUMPING EQUIPMENT. WE HAVE THE TWO HIGHEST PRODUCTION WELLS IN THE VALLEY. 3000 - GALLON A MINUTE WELLS. THEY ARE 1700 FEET DEEP INTO THE SAUGUS AQUIFER. THEY ARE VERY CLOSE TO THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY NEWHALL LATERAL. AND DURING THE DROUGHT, WE PUMPED OUR WATER INTO THEIR LATERAL SO THAT WE COULD SHARE OUR WATER SUPPLY WITH THE REST OF THE VALLEY. WE DID GO THROUGH A LITTLE DISASTER THAT WE HAVE ALL GONE THROUGH. IT'S CALLED THE EARTHQUAKE. I HAVE MIXED EMOTIONS TALKING ABOUT THE EARTHQUAKE, BECAUSE MY PERSONAL PROPERTY, MY HOUSE AND MY RESIDENCE SUFFERED MORE DAMAGE THAN THE TOTAL DAMAGE TO THE ENTIRE SANTA CLARITA TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS 0 C O O C 0 O O no ❑f no U 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 WATER COMPANY FACILITIES. SO I HAVE MIXED EMOTIONS. I'M HAPPY FOR THE COMPANY. I LOST CONTROL OF MY HOUSE. BUT OUR CUSTOMERS, 50 PERCENT OF OUR CUSTOMERS DURING THE EARTHQUAKE AND AFTER THE EARTHQUAKE RECEIVED NO SERVICE INTERRUPTION AT ALL. YES, YOU HAD TO BOIL WATER AND YES, WE HAD TO PUT CHLORINE IN. THOSE WERE ALL DICTATED BY THE STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, WHICH WE HAD NO CONTROL OVER. THESE WERE ALL, IT WAS FOR PRECAUTIONARY REASONS ONLY. WE HAD GENERATORS ON LINE WITHIN A FEW HOURS TO MAKE UP FOR THE POWER THAT WAS, SOME OF THE POWER THAT WAS LOST BY EDISON. WE HAD A CONTRACT FOR EMERGENCY GENERATORS TO BE DELIVERED AND THEY GOT TO US JUST ABOUT THE TIME EDISON DID GET THE POWER BACK ON. WE DIDN'T NEED TO PUT THE BULK OF THE BIG GENERATORS ON, BUT WE HAD SOME EMERGENCY GENERATORS. THAT KEPT US IN WATER. WE ALSO HAD, THESE LARGE STORAGE TANKS I'VE BEEN TELLING YOU ABOUT WERE FULL AND THEY PROVIDED WATER FOR MANY HOURS AFTER THE EARTHQUAKE. HOWEVER, WE DID SUFFER BROKEN MAINS IN THE STREET. THOSE MAINS EVENTUALLY DRAINED THE TANK AND WE HAD SOME OF OUR CUSTOMERS OUT OF WATER. BUT AFTER TWO DAYS, BY WEDNESDAY MORNING WE HAD, 98 PERCENT OF OUR CUSTOMERS WERE BACK IN SERVICE. THERE WERE STILL A FEW THAT CARRIED ON A FEW MORE DAYS BECAUSE WE HAD TO ISOLATE THE MAINS TO A FEW HOUSES AND WORK ON THE MAIN SYSTEMS AND WE GOT BACK TO THEM SHORTLY THEREAFTER. BUT WE HAD 98 PERCENT RECOVERY WITHIN 9 TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS 7D D 0 7 J D 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 TWO DAYS. WE HAD ANOTHER DISASTER THAT WE WENT THROUGH. MANY OF US HAVE FORGOTTEN IT, BUT IT WAS CALLED THE CALIFORNIA DROUGHT. FIVE YEARS OF REAL DRY AREA AND ABOUT TWO TO THREE YEARS LOCALLY OF REAL SEVERE DROUGHT. WE'VE BEEN VERY PROUD OF PROTECTING OUR LOCAL GROUND WATER SUPPLIES. OUR COMPANY AND THE OTHER RETAIL WATER PURVEYORS OF THE VALLEY HAVE PROTECTED A VERY GOOD GROUND WATER SYSTEM. WE DON'T BRAG ABOUT HOW GOOD IT IS. WE DON'T TELL THE WORLD BECAUSE SOMEONE WILL PROBABLY TAKE IT AWAY FROM US IF THEY KNOW YOU GOT SOMETHING GOOD. IT TURNED OUT THOUGH THAT WE HAD ABOUT THE BEST SYSTEM IN THE STATE DURING THE DROUGHT. WE DID HAVE A VOLUNTARY CONSERVATION PROGRAM. WE WORKED WITH THE CITY. WE WORKED WITH THE OTHER PURVEYORS. THE CITY FORMED A DROUGHT COMMITTEE, WHICH CONSISTED OF MEMBERS OF THE CASTAIC AGENCY AND MEMBERS ON THE CITY STAFF. WE WORKED WELL TOGETHER. AND WE WENT THROUGH THAT DRY PERIOD WITH NO MANDATORY RATIONING REQUIRED AT ALL IN THE CITY. THERE ARE OTHER AREAS LIKE THE CITY OF SANTA BARBARA AND MARIN COUNTY NORTH. I TELL YOU WHAT PROBLEMS THEY HAD DURING THE DROUGHT BECAUSE THEY LET THEIR WATER SUPPLY GET TRASHED. THEY USED THEIR WATER SYSTEMS AS GROWTH CONTROL DEVICES AND THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT PAID THE PRICE WAS EXISTING CUSTOMERS. FORTUNATELY WE PROTECTED OUR 10 TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS n A 'D D 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 WATER SUPPLY AND IT IS STILL HERE FOR US AND FUTURE GENERATIONS. WATER QUALITY IS ALSO AN ISSUE. THE WATER WE SUPPLY TO OUR CUSTOMERS MEETS ALL THE STANDARDS OF THE STATE, FEDERAL AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS. THERE WILL BE FUTURE STANDARDS THAT WILL BE COMING DOWN, WE BELIEVE, THAT WILL REQUIRE MORE CAPITAL EXPENDITURE TO OUR SYSTEM, TO EVERY WATER SYSTEM IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. THAT'S A GIVEN. BUT WE FEEL THAT WITH THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY PLANT WHICH IS JUST BEING CONSTRUCTED AND COMPLETED THIS YEAR, .IT IS IN THE HEART OF OUR SERVICE AREA, IT IS A GREAT POSSIBILITY THAT THE BLENDING OF OUR TWO SYSTEMS WILL BE VERY COMPATIBLE BY MEETING NEW WATER QUALITY STANDARDS. OUR WELLS THAT ARE ADJACENT TO THEIR PIPELINES COULD POSSIBLY BE TREATED THROUGH THEIR TREATMENT PLANTS IF THESE NEW FEDERAL STANDARDS TAKE PLACE. AND I EXPECT THEM TO TAKE PLACE IN ABOUT FOUR TO FIVE YEARS. I'LL TRY TO CLOSE WITH TRYING TO ANSWER A QUESTION I'VE HAD PEOPLE POSE TO ME FOR THE LAST TWO OR THREE WEEKS. IS SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY FOR SALE? THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO FOR SALE SIGN ON THE FRONT YARD OF OUR OFFICE. I GUARANTEE YOU. WE HAVE BEEN IN OPERATION FOR OVER 40 YEARS AND VERY PROUD OF THE GOOD SERVICE WE'VE GIVEN. WE DO FEEL, AS THE FOUNDING OWNER OF THE COMPANY FEELS, THAT A COMPANY OF OUR SIZE WILL EVENTUALLY BE UNDER 11 TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS l �o i� N 1:) r� i fD iD 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 PUBLIC OWNERSHIP. IT JUST SEEMS TO HAPPEN THAT WAY. THE QUESTION IS WHAT'S GOOD FOR THE COMMUNITY AND WHEN IS A GOOD TIME TO MAKE THIS TRANSACTION. WE FEEL THAT NOW, A GOOD DEAL FOR THE COMMUNITY WOULD BE THAT THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY TO TAKE OVER THE OPERATIONS OF THE SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY. IT WILL SETTLE A LONG STANDING, VERY EXPENSIVE LAWSUIT INVOLVING ALL THE RETAILERS AND THE AGENCY AND BASICALLY ALL OF THE PEOPLE IN THE VALLEY. IT WILL SETTLE IT BY INSTALLING A WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN THAT WILL BE CAST IN CONCRETE, FLEXIBLE ENOUGH TO TAKE CARE OF OUR FUTURE NEEDS, BUT IT WILL BE THERE. IT WILL SERVE WATER OF AN ADEQUATE BLEND TO ALL THE AREAS IN THE VALLEY, CASTAIC, VAL VERDE, THE PRISON, THE HONOR RANCHO. THOSE PEOPLE NEED TO BE TREATED THE SAME AS EVERYBODY ELSE IN OUR VALLEY. ONE OF THE MAIN CONCERNS THAT WE HAVE AT SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY IS THAT WHOEVER, IF ANYBODY, DOES TAKE OVER OUR SYSTEM, WHOEVER THAT IS, THAT THE DEAL, THE ARRANGEMENT, WHATEVER YOU WISH TO CALL IT, WILL HAVE NO ADVERSE EFFECTS ON OUR EXISTING CUSTOMERS. AND I WILL ASSURE YOU, WE WILL STRIVE EVERY WAY WE CAN TO CONTINUE THE LOW RATES THAT WE HAVE. I SEE NO REASON WHY THE SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY RATES SHOULD GO UP IN THE NEXT THREE TO FOUR YEARS NO MATTER WHO OWNS US. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MR. MCLEAN: OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY, MARY SPRING. TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND 12 0 G 0 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 MS. SPRING: GOOD EVENING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. I WOULD LIKE TO TELL YOU "A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY AND THIS PROPOSAL TO ACQUIRE THE SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY. A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY. BACK IN 1962, THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY WAS FORMED BY AN ACT OF THE LEGISLATURE TO BE A LOCAL AGENCY REPRESENTED BY LOCALLY ELECTED OR. COMMUNITY TO BE REPRESENTED ON 'IT BY LOCALLY ELECTED BOARD MEMBERS TO PROVIDE STATE PROJECT WATER TO THIS COMMUNITY. AS YOU CAN SEE BY THE DISPLAY ON THE END OVER HERE, IT'S A RATHER LARGE AREA THAT WAS RENTED TO THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY. AND WE ARE GIVEN THE RESPONSIBILITY OF PROVIDING WATER SUPPLIES TO THAT VAST AREA THERE. NOT MUCH HAPPENED WITH THE AGENCY THROUGH THE '60'S. AND BY THE MID '70'S, WHEN THE STATE WATER PROJECT WAS BEGINNING TO COME ON-LINE, THE COMMUNITY PASSED A'BOND ISSUE ALLOWING FUNDS TO BUILD THE EARLE SCHMIDT WATER FILTRATION PLANT OUT AT CASTAIC LAKE. THAT PLANT CAME ON-LINE IN 1980. NOW, UP UNTIL THAT TIME, THE SOLE WATER SUPPLY IN THE SANTA CLARITA VALLEY HAD BEEN FROM WELLS BRINGING UP GROUND WATER TO SUPPLY THIS COMMUNITY, THE RESIDENTS, THE BUSINESSES AND AGRICULTURAL USER. NOW WE HAD A SUPPLY OF STATE WATER AVAILABLE. AND IT CAME TIME TO DECIDE HOW THIS WATER WAS GOING TO BE ALLOCATED TO THE TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS 13 O WIN 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 COMMUNITY. THE GROUND WATER WAS ALLOCATED IN A KIND OF A GENTLEMEN'S AGREEMENT AMONG THE FOUR WATER PURVEYORS. AND I GUESS I SHOULD NAME THEM. THE NEWHALL COUNTY WATER DISTRICT, VALENCIA WATER COMPANY, SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY AND LOS ANGELES COUNTY WATER WORKS NUMBER 36. THE WAY THE AGENCY WATER WAS ALLOCATED AT THAT TIME, AND A CONTRACT WAS SIGNED WITH THOSE FOUR WATER COMPANIES, WAS THE SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY WOULD RECEIVE 60 PERCENT OF THE WATER. VALENCIA WATER COMPANY WOULD RECEIVE 35 PERCENT OF THE WATER.. NEWHALL COUNTY WOULD RECEIVE 4'PERCENT OF THE WATER. AND WATER WORKS NUMBER 36 WOULD GET 1 PERCENT. THAT WORKED JUST FINE. WE GOT TO THE MID '80'S AND A LOT OF THINGS WERE HAPPENING IN THE MID '80'S. WE HAD TREMENDOUS GROWTH IN THIS VALLEY. WE HAD GROWTH PROJECTIONS THAT KIND OF BOGGLED THE MIND. THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT AND THE COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION AND SCAG WERE FORECASTING 270,000 PEOPLE FOR THE SANTA CLARITA VALLEY BY THE YEAR 2010. WELL, THAT SENT A REAL MESSAGE TO US THAT TAKING ALL OF THE GROUND WATER RESOURCES AVAILABLE IN THE COMMUNITY AND ALL OF THESE STATE WATER PROJECTS THAT MIGHT EVER BE AVAILABLE TO US, WOULD NOT SERVE '270,000 PEOPLE IN THE YEAR 2010. SO SOMETHING NEEDED TO BE DONE. OBVIOUSLY WE NEEDED TO FIND NEW SUPPLIES OF WATER. WE NEEDED TO BUILD NEW FACILITIES TO TREAT AND DISTRIBUTE THOSE SUPPLIES. TACHELL &ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS 14 m- 0 0 7*1 J 167 0 i mf 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID WAS TO GET LEGISLATION PASSED IN 1986, THAT DID SEVERAL THINGS FOR THE AGENCY. FIRST OF ALL, IT PROVIDED FOR REALLOCATION OF THE AGENCY WATER AMONG THE RETAIL PURVEYORS. SECONDLY, IT ALLOWED US TO INSTITUTE SEVERAL FEE SCHEDULES. THE MAIN ONE BEING A CONNECTION FEE ASSESSED AGAINST ALL NEW BUILDING THAT CREATED A NEED FOR NEW WATER SUPPLIES. WE CALL THAT A CONNECTION FEE. AND THAT WATER HAS BEEN, THOSE CONNECTION FEES HAVE BEEN PLEDGED TO THE REPAYMENT OF DEBT ON THE ACQUISITION OF NEW SUPPLIES AND THE BUILDING OF NEW FACILITIES. IT ALLOWED FOR THE FOUR RETAIL WATER COMPANIES TO HAVE REPRESENTATIVES ON OUR WATER BOARD. SO THAT ALL OF THE WATER INTERESTS IN THE COMMUNITY WERE REPRESENTED AROUND THE SAME TABLE AND COULD TRY TO REACH AGREEMENT ON THE USAGE AND THE BEST UTILIZATION OF ALL OF THE WATER SUPPLIES. WHAT WE COME TO CALL THE WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN. THIS LED TO SEVERAL IMPORTANT EVENTS IN THE LATE '80'S. THE AGENCY ACQUIRED A RANCH IN SOUTHERN CENTRAL CALIFORNIA OVER ON THE WESTERN SIDE CALLED DEVIL'S DEN RAN. WITH THIS CAME AN ENTITLEMENT OF 12,580 FEET OF STATE PROJECT WATER. THIS WAS TO BE A FUTURE WATER SUPPLY. KIND OF INTERESTING THAT THIS LAND WAS NEVER FARMED BEFORE THE STATE WATER PROJECT WAS BROUGHT THERE. SO THERE IS NO HISTORY OF, LONG HISTORY OF AGRICULTURAL THERE. THERE IS NO POPULATION ON THIS LAND THAT RELIED UPON THAT WATER. AND IT 15 TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND f7 co 10 C ID C 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 WAS WATER THAT WAS, WE WERE GRANTED THE POWER TO ENGAGE IN TRANSFERS OF WATER THROUGHOUT THE STATE. SO IT WAS PLANNED THAT WE WOULD ACQUIRE THIS WATER BY ACQUIRING THE RANCH AND AT SUCH TIME AS IT WAS NEEDED IN THE FUTURE, PROBABLY IN THE MID TO LATE 1990'S, THIS WATER COULD BE TRANSPORTED TO THIS VALLEY FOR LOCAL USE, OR IF WE DIDN'T NEED IT AND THERE WAS SURPLUS WATER IN THE SYSTEM, WE COULD BANK THIS WATER IN THE STATE WATER BANK AND DRAW ON IT AT SUCH FUTURE TIME AS WE HAD NEED FOR IT. IN THE MEANTIME, THIS RANCH IS PROVIDING A NICE INCOME STREAM FOR THE AGENCY. WE HAVE EMBARKED ON A RECLAIMED WATER PROGRAM. THIS IS NOT COMPLETE YET. WE ARE NOT ABLE TO DELIVER RECLAIMED WATER AT THE PRESENT TIME. WE WILL BE WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS AND EVENTUALLY THIS RECLAIMED WATER PROGRAM WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ABOUT 10 PERCENT OF THE TOTAL WATER SUPPLY IN THIS COMMUNITY. OF COURSE, THAT'S WATER THAT CAN'T BE USED IN HOUSEHOLDS, BUT IT CAN BE USED IN PARK WAYS, RECREATIONAL AREAS, FREEWAYS, AND SO FORTH, THAT FREE UP OTHER WATER FOR DOMESTIC USE. AND WE BEGAN TO GO TO WORK ON A MANAGEMENT PLAN. BY 1990 SOME MORE THINGS HAD HAPPENED. IT'S KIND OF HARD TO DO LONG RANGE PLANNING IN THIS KIND OF A WORLD THAT WE LIVE IN, BUT THE STATE WATER PROJECT HAD BECOME STALLED. NO PROGRESS WAS BEING MADE ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE FACILITIES THAT WOULD CONTINUE TO BRING 16 TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS C IU is m 10 �0 �0 m 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 ADDITIONAL SUPPLIES TO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. IT IS A SERIOUS IMPEDIMENT TO THIS WATER SUPPLY. WE WERE HAVING INCREASINGLY STRICT REGULATIONS BY THE FEDERAL EPA ON WATER QUALITY AND WATER TREATMENT STANDARDS. THESE THINGS NEEDED TO BE DEALT WITH. WE WERE HAVING A DROUGHT. FOR THREE OR FOUR YEARS WE HAD A DROUGHT. THE GROWTH PATTERNS WERE NO LONGER GOING IN THE WAY THEY HAD BEEN ANTICIPATED BACK WHEN THE AGENCY WAS FORMED OR EVEN IN THE EARLY 1980'S. AND WE BECAME AWARE THAT REALLOCATION OF THE SUPPLIES WAS NECESSARY. ALSO, THE REALLOCATION THAT WAS AUTHORIZED IN THE LEGISLATION IN 1986 WOULD KICK IN IN 1991. WHEREAS THE SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY HAD SUPPORTED THAT LEGISLATION AT THE TIME IT WAS PASSED, I THINK BY 1991, THEY BEGAN TO HAVE SOME DOUBTS THAT THIS WAS A GOOD IDEA. AND THIS WAS PARTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE LAWSUIT THAT THEY FILED AGAINST CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY AND THE OTHER WATER PURVEYORS. LATER IN 1991, CASTAIC -- OR SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY APPROACHED OUR AGENCY AND SAID, YOU KNOW, WHY DON'T YOU BUY THE COMPANY. WE SAW NO REAL REASON TO BE IN THE RETAIL WATER BUSINESS AND TOLD THEM THAT WE SIMPLY WERE NOT INTERESTED AT THAT TIME. THINGS DRAGGED ALONG. NOTHING HAPPENED WITH THE LAWSUIT. ABOUT EARLY 1993, THEY CAME BACK TO THE TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS 17 u I O 10 [E G ❑N ❑0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 AGENCY AND SAID, YOU KNOW, THIS WOULD BE A REALLY GOOD WAY TO RESOLVE THIS LAWSUIT. WHY DON'T YOU TAKE AN INTEREST IN IT ANYWAY. TAKE A LOOK AT IT AND SEE IF IT APPEALS TO YOU. THE MORE WE THOUGHT ABOUT IT, THE MORE WE THOUGHT THAT IT DID BEGIN TO MAKE SENSE. AND WE WOULD AT LEAST TAKE A LOOK AT IT AND SEE IF IT WAS FEASIBLE. IN THE MEANTIME, WE LEARNED THAT THE CITY HAD ALSO BEEN OFFERED THE WATER AGENCY FOR SALE. AND WE WERE BOTH INTERESTED IN GETTING ALL THE FINANCIAL AND PHYSICAL AND ENGINEERING INFORMATION OUT OF THE SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY THAT WE COULD GET IN ORDER TO MAKE A GOOD DECISION. WE HAVE NOT FINISHED OUR ANALYSIS OF THIS SITUATION. WE HAVE PRELIMINARY INDICATIONS THAT IT IS FINANCIALLY SOUND, THAT THE PHYSICAL PLANT AND THE ENGINEERING AND THE EQUIPMENT ARE WHAT THEY ARE PURPORTED TO BE AND IT LOOKS LIKE A VERY GOOD SOUND WATER COMPANY. ACQUISITION BY THE AGENCY WOULD SETTLE THE WATER ALLOCATION ISSUE. IT WOULD ENABLE US TO ENGAGE IN A TOTAL WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN. AND SO WE DECIDED TO GET A LITTLE MORE SERIOUS AND TO DIG INTO IT A LITTLE FARTHER. IN ORDER TO DO A GOOD SOB OF BECOMING A, GETTING INTO THE RETAIL BUSINESS HERE, WE DECIDED TO APPLY TO THE STATE LEGISLATURE FOR LEGISLATION. WE HAVE THE POWER TO SERVE WATER AT RETAIL AT THE PRESENT TIME. BUT THE LAW THAT ENABLES THE AGENCY TO OPERATE DOES NOT SPECIFY HOW THE AGENCY WILL SERVE IT RETAIL. SO IN ORDER TO PROTECT THE TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS FF: 0 U Q 14 [4 Q 0 ❑9 0 no 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 PUBLIC AS WELL AS THE AGENCY, WE ARE SEEKING LEGISLATION THAT WOULD ENABLE US TO FALL UNDER WHAT IS KNOWN AS THE COUNTY WATER DISTRICT LAW. THIS IS A COMMONLY USED, PROVEN RELIABLE BODY OF LAW THAT HUNDREDS OF WATER COMPANIES IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA OPERATE UNDER. WE FELT THAT THIS WAS PERHAPS AN EXCESS OF CAUTION TO DO THIS, BUT IT PROVIDED NOT ONLY SAFEGUARDS FOR THE AGENCY BUT SAFEGUARDS FOR THE COMMUNITY AS WELL. AND WE HAVE SOME OTHER SAFEGUARDS THAT ARE SPELLED OUT ON THE BOARD UP HERE AND IN YOUR HANDOUTS. AND I AM GOING TO TOUCH ON THEM BRIEFLY IN A FEW MINUTES. I DO WANT TO SAY THAT THE SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY WAS OFFERED TO THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY IN A FRIENDLY BUY-OUT SITUATION. WE WOULD BE ABLE TO PURCHASE THE COMPANY IN THE, ON THE INSTALLMENT PLAN. THERE WOULD BE NO CONDEMNATION PROCESS, NO FLOATING OF BONDS, NO LEVYING OF TAXES TO PAY FOR THIS ACQUISITION. IN ORDER FOR IT TO BE FEASIBLE FOR THE AGENCY TO BUY THIS COMPANY, IT WOULD HAVE TO BE ABLE TO PAY FOR ITSELF OUT OF ITS REVENUE STREAM. THE AGENCY WILL NOT EMBARK ON THIS PURCHASE IF THAT IS NOT 'POSSIBLE. SO FAR INDICATIONS ARE THAT IT IS. THE SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY WOULD BE OPERATED AS A TOTALLY SEPARATE ENTITY. THERE WOULD BE NO SUBSIDY OF ONE COMPANY BY THE OTHER, NO COMMINGLING OF FUNDS. THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE AGENCY HAS BEEN VERY ADAMANT THAT IT HAS TO BE A SEPARATE STAND-ALONE ENTITY THAT 19 TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS 0 O C C 0 U D 0 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 IS FULLY OPERATIONAL AND CAN SUPPORT ITSELF AND STILL PROVIDE THE HIGH LEVEL OF SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY. WE WOULD HAVE NO CONTROL OVER ANYBODY OPERATING PRIVATE WELLS. THERE WOULD BE NO INCREASES IN WATER RATES. AND WE WOULD NOT HAVE THE POWER OF EMINENT DOMAIN OVER THE OTHER RETAIL WATER COMPANIES. I THINK YOU KNOW WE MAY HAVE BEEN ACCUSED OF OH, THEY WANT TO GET DELUSIONS OF GRANDEUR HERE AND TAKE OVER THE WHOLE WATER INDUSTRY. THAT'S NOT THE CASE. WE'VE BUILT PROVISIONS INTO THIS PROCESS THAT PROTECTS THE OTHER WATER COMPANIES FROM ANY KIND OF AN UNFRIENDLY TAKE-OVER ON OUR PART. NOW, WHAT WOULD BE THE BENEFITS OF THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY IN ACQUIRING THIS COMPANY? FIRST OF ALL, IMMEDIATELY THE QUALITY OF WATER WOULD BE IMPROVED. BILL SAYS HIS WATER QUALITY MEETS THE STANDARDS OF THE STATE AND FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS AND HE IS ABSOLUTELY TRUE. BUT BY MIXING THE WATER FROM THE NORTHERN PART OF CALIFORNIA, WHICH IS SO MUCH DIFFERENT QUALITY AND IT DOESN'T HAVE THE HARDNESS THAT OUR LOCAL WATER, THE WATER QUALITY WOULD BE IMPROVED IMMEDIATELY. IT IMPROVES THE RELIABILITY OF THE SUPPLY TO THE SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY CUSTOMERS AS WELL AS TO THE VALLEY AS A WHOLE. IT PROVIDES MORE EFFICIENT OPERATION AND ELIMINATION OF DUPLICATION. WE WOULD STRIVE TO RETAIN THE WATER RATES AS THEY ARE AND HAVE BEEN FOR THE 20 TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS 19 IC IO IG m no N IQ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 s 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 LAST, WHAT WAS IT 11, 13 YEARS. 11 YEARS. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT ACQUISITION OF THE COMPANY DOES NOT ITSELF CAUSE AN INCREASE IN THE WATER RATES. SOMETHING THAT THE GOVERNMENT MIGHT REQUIRE IN THE WAY OF WATER TREATMENT OR OTHER KINDS OF THINGS COULD IMPACT THE RATES, BUT INSOFAR AS THE SALE ITSELF, IT WOULD NOT. IT WOULD SETTLE THE LAWSUIT AND WOULD ENABLE US TO GET INTO TOTAL WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN. WHAT ABOUT THIS TOTAL WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN? WHY WOULD THAT BE AN ASSET TO THIS COMMUNITY? FIRST AND FOREMOST, IT WOULD SAFEGUARD THE GROUND WATER SUPPLIES IN THIS BASIN. IT WOULD MAXIMIZE ALL THE POSSIBLE WATER RESOURCES THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE SERVICE AREA OF THE AGENCY. WE WOULD BE ABLE TO DEVELOP BETTER CONTINGENCY PLANS THAT COULD BE PUT INTO PLACE IN CASE OF DROUGHT OR OTHER KINDS OF EMERGENCIES. THE BENEFICIARIES OF THE REALLOCATION OF THE SUPPLIES WOULD BE MAINLY THE COUNTY WATER WORKS NUMBER 36 WHO SERVE VAL VERDE AND HASLEY CANYON, THE PETER PRITCHETT HONOR RANCHO AND THE NEWHALL COUNTY WATER DISTRICT. AS I INDICATED EARLIER, THEY RECEIVED THE SMALLEST AMOUNT OF WATER FROM THE AGENCY. THEY HAVE BEEN MAKING CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE AGENCY AND THE STATE WATER PROJECTS SINCE IT BEGAN IN THE EARLY DAYS AND THEY HAVE, THEY SHOULD HAVE AN ENTITLEMENT TO MORE OF THAT WATER. WE CAN RESPOND MORE FULLY TO THE TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS 21 0 G 0 Co no O 0 0 0 19 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 RESPONSIBLE PARTIES FOR PLANNING. THE CITY AND THE COUNTY ARE THE RESPONSIBLE BODIES THAT PLAN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS AREA WITHIN THE CITY BOUNDARIES AND WITHIN THE UNINCORPORATED AREA. AND BY HAVING A COORDINATED WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN, WE CAN THEN PLAN AND RESPOND TO THE GROWTH THAT THEY ARE DETERMINING FOR THE AREA. IT PROVIDES A COORDINATED INTEGRATED USE OF BOTH SUPPLIES AND FACILITIES. SO IN CLOSING, I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND YOU THAT THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY IS A LOCAL AGENCY. WE HAVE THE EXPERIENCE TO HANDLE WATER, TO DELIVER IT, TO TREAT IT, TO REALLY WORK IN ALL PHASES OF THE WATER INDUSTRY. OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS ARE COMPOSED OF PROFESSIONALS IN THE WATER INDUSTRY AND NEARLY EVERY MEMBER OF THE BOARD HAS BOTH PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE IN SOME CASES WITH THE WATER INDUSTRY. WE ARE A PUBLICLY ELECTED BOARD. WE ACCOUNTABLE TO YOU, THE CITIZENS OF THIS COMMUNITY. THE AGENCY SERVES 195 SQUARE MILES. A RATHER SIZEABLE AREA. AND WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO THAT ENTIRE AREA TO MAKE SURE THAT THE WATER SUPPLY IS WELL COORDINATED AND AVAILABLE TO THE ENTIRE AREA. AT THE PRESENT TIME THE SALE IS ONLY BEING OFFERED TO CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY. A PRICE FOR THE COMPANY HAS NOT BEEN SET. THAT DECISION WILL BE BASED UPON THE QUALITY AND CONDITION OF THE COMPANY, ITS ABILITY TO PAY FOR ITSELF AS A STAND-ALONE OPERATION, DEPENDS ON OUR TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS 22 J O G 10 10 m no 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 ABILITY TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF WATER WHILE RETAINING THE SAME WATER RATE AND THAT THE SAFEGUARDS THAT WE HAVE ELIMINATED ON YOUR ILLUMINATED ON YOUR HANDOUTS THERE BE MET. YOU KNOW, IT IS KIND OF INTERESTING, DURING THE DROUGHT, THE SANTA CLARITA VALLEY REALLY FARED BETTER THAN ANY OTHER COMMUNITY IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. AND THAT'S BECAUSE YOU VOLUNTARILY CONSERVED WATER. YOU WORKED TO HELP MAKE OUR SUPPLIES GO FARTHER AND THE FIVE WATER COMPANIES WITHIN THIS AREA ALL WORKED IN CONCERT TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE WAS A WATER SUPPLY FOR EVERYONE. THE SANTA CLARITA VALLEY ALSO HAS THE LOWEST WATER RATE OF ANY AREA IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. AND THAT ALSO IS A RESULT OF THE ABILITY OF THESE COMPANIES TO WORK CLOSELY TOGETHER. THE MISSION OF THE SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY IS TO PROVIDE A RELIABLE QUALITY SUPPLY TO THE SANTA CLARITA VALLEY AT A REASONABLE COST. IF THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY PURCHASES THE SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY, IT WILL ENHANCE OUR ABILITY TO CARRY OUT THAT MISSION. IT WILL FORMALIZE THE VERY POSITIVE WORKING RELATIONSHIP THAT WE HAVE WITH THE PURVEYORS INTO A MANAGEMENT PLAN. IT WILL ENSURE RELIABLE, QUALITY WATER AT A REASONABLE PRICE AND GOOD SERVICE TO THE SANTA CLARITA VALLEY FOR MANY, MANY, MANY YEARS TO COME. THANK YOU. MR. PEDERSON: I WOULD NOW LIKE TO INTRODUCE MR. TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED REPORTERS 23 O C O J O A C A 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 is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i: A 10 co 'O 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 VALENCIA. 6400 FOR NEWHALL AND 800 FOR DISTRICT NUMBER 36. THESE FOUR WATER COMPANIES ARE REPRESENTED ON THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER BOARD BY HAVING FOUR APPOINTED SEATS AND THERE ARE SEVEN ELECTED MEMBERS FOR A TOTAL OF 11 MEMBERS. THIS WHOLESALER IS INVOLVED IN AND HAS INTEREST IN KERN COUNTY AS WAS EXPRESSED EARLIER. THEY ALSO HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH VENTURA COUNTY AND L.A. COUNTY 'IN TERMS OF TALKING ABOUT DISTRIBUTION OF WATER AND RECIPROCAL AGREEMENTS. SO YOU CAN SEE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN A WHOLESALER AND THE RETAILERS HAVING A TOTAL OF 43,200 CUSTOMERS. OVER HERE, WHICH IS ALSO SHOWN ON THE MATERIAL WE HANDED OUT IS THE AREA OF THE SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY, THIS PINK AREA. THE BLUE LINES ILLUSTRATES THE CITY BOUNDARY. AND YOU CAN SEE THAT THE 75 TO 80 PERCENT OF THE CITY THAT WAS MENTIONED, THAT THE WATER COMPANY IS ALREADY IN THE CITY. I MIGHT POINT OUT THAT THE MATERIAL THAT'S BEEN CIRCULATED, AND MY ASSISTANT WAS INVOLVED IN A MEETING THIS MORNING, IS INCORRECT IN TERMS OF THE BOUNDARY OF THE CITY. IN OTHER WORDS, THEY WERE TRYING TO POINT OUT THAT IN FACT, THE CITY WAS TRYING TO GET THE WATER COMPANY, BECAUSE ALL THIS AREA INCLUDING ELSMERE, ET CETERA, WAS AN ATTEMPT TO CONTROL GROWTH. AND WE WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT. SO WE WENT TO THE WATER COMPANY TWICE TO VERIFY THAT THIS IN FACT 25 TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS L O O c G 1' O C�7 Chi L 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 IS THE APPROPRIATE BOUNDARY. AND IF YOU WANT TO COME AND LOOK AT IT, 'I KNOW IT'S NOT AS CLEAR IN THE MATERIAL THAT WE HANDED OUT. THE CITY'S POSITION IS THAT WE OPPOSE THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY ACQUIRING THE SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY. THE CITY COUNCIL HAS NOT TAKEN A POSITION ON WHETHER TO BUY THE COMPANY OR NOT. I WOULD LIKE TO MENTION EIGHT POINTS IN MY COMMENTS THIS EVENING. POINT NUMBER 1, IN JANUARY OF 1993, A YEAR AGO, WE WERE APPROACHED BY THE SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY TO GET INTO DISCUSSIONS IF WE HAD INTEREST IN ACQUIRING THAT COMPANY. THOSE DISCUSSIONS WENT INTO THE SPRING OF THAT YEAR AND THEY MADE SEVERAL PROPOSALS TO US IN MAY OF LAST YEAR. THEY INDICATED THAT THEY HAD NO INTERESTS IN SELLING THE COMPANY TO THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY. THEY WERE NOT DISCUSSING THIS ISSUE WITH THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY AND THAT THEY HAD STRONG INTEREST IN SELLING IT TO THE CITY. WE MADE COUNTER -PROPOSALS TO THEM AND IN THE SUMMER WE WERE AUTHORIZED BY THE COMPANY TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF EXAMINING THEIR PHYSICAL PLANT AS WELL AS THEIR BOOKS, WHICH WE DID. WE COMPLETED ALL OF OUR STUDIES, ALL OF OUR WORK IN THE LATE SUMMER AND INTO THE FALL. IN SEPTEMBER, WE LEARNED THAT THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY WAS AT THE STATE SEEKING MODIFICATION TO LEGISLATION. SO WE CONTACTED THE SANTA CLARITA WATER TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS 26 19 a Ie 10 IN 19 IO IN 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 COMPANY AND WE SAID ARE YOU DISCUSSING THIS WITH THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY? THEY SAID NO. AND THEY SAID THAT THEY HAVE NO OBJECTION, HOWEVER, FOR THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY TO PURSUE MODIFICATION IN THE LEGISLATION. THEY SAID THEY STILL HAD STRONG INTERESTS IN WORKING WITH THE CITY AND THAT THEY FELT IT WAS HIGHLY PROBABLE THAT WE WOULD COME TO TERMS. WE CONTINUED OUR DISCUSSION. IN DECEMBER WE SCHEDULED A MEETING FOR JANUARY TO CONTINUE OUR DISCUSSIONS.. IN JANUARY WE HAD A MEETING SCHEDULED FOR JANUARY THE 24TH, WHEN THE EARTHQUAKE OCCURRED. AT THAT TIME I NOTIFIED THE COMPANY THAT WE WANTED TO POSTPONE THE MEETING UNTIL WE COULD GET THROUGH THE EARTHQUAKE AND WE WOULD SCHEDULE A MEETING AT THAT TIME. FIVE DAYS LATER WE RECEIVED A LETTER STATING THAT THEY DID NOT WANT TO TALK TO US ANYMORE. THE CITY IS ALREADY INVOLVED IN THE AREA OF WATER. THE CITY COUNCIL HAS TWO MEMBERS ON THE BOARD MADE UP OF THREE MEMBERS FOR SANITARY DISTRICT 26 AND 32. BECAUSE OF THAT WE HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN DISCUSSIONS WITH THE WATER AGENCY AS WELL AS OTHERS ABOUT THE USE OF RECLAIMED WATER. AS YOU KNOW THE HIGH INTEREST, THE CITY HAS HIGH INTERESTS IN PROTECTING THE RIVER, IN LOOKING AT USING RECLAIMED WATER FOR GOLF COURSES AND OTHER USES AND SO WE'VE BEEN PART OF THOSE DISCUSSIONS. TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED REPORTERS ` FA 0 O N 19 0 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 WE FORMED A JOINT .POWERS AUTHORITY TO PROTECT THE WATERSHED AREA WITH THE SANTA MONICA CONSERVANCY. WE ARE WORKING IN THE AREA OF DEALING WITH TWO FEDERAL MANDATES. ONE FOR THE CLEAN WATER SAFE, SAFE WATER ACT. THE OTHER ONE, THE ACT DEALING WITH CLEANING STORM WATER DRAINS THAT WAS ON THE COUNCIL AGENDA MOST RECENTLY AND YOU PERHAPS HEARD A LOT ABOUT IT. OTHER CITIES ARE FACED WITH INCREASED COSTS OF CLEANING THE WATER PRIOR TO RECEIVING WATERS. THE EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS IS ANOTHER AREA THAT WE'VE BEEN DEALING IN WATER AND YOU 'KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT THAT. THE DROUGHT ORDINANCE WAS ALREADY DISCUSSED, WHERE THE WATER COMPANY WORKED WITH THE CITY TO DEAL WITH THAT ISSUE DURING THE DROUGHT. THE NEXT ISSUE DEALS WITH THE CITY PURCHASE OF THE WATER COMPANY. WHY WOULD WE HAVE INTEREST IN THAT? AS YOU KNOW, THE CITY SPENT A LONG TIME AND SPENT A LOT OF MONEY IN TERMS OF PREPARING A PLAN FOR THE CITY. AND THERE IS A LONG-TERM VISION IN TERMS OF MEETING THE ASPIRATIONS OF THIS COMMUNITY. AND WE FEEL THAT THIS COULD BE FULL, A FULFILLMENT OF THE GENERAL PLAN AS WELL AS PROVIDING QUALITY AND PROPER MANAGEMENT OF WATER. THERE IS A DISCUSSION AND SOME WILL SAY THAT THE CITY HAS NO EXPERTISE IN WATER. I MIGHT SAY THAT WE HAVE SEVERAL EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE WORKED FOR CITIES THAT 28 TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS 0 O d Cy 0 0 0 0 0 0 O 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 HAVE HAD WATER. AND MY ASSISTANT WORKED IN FRESNO AND BAKERSFIELD. BOTH OF THEM HAD WATER. I'VE BEEN IN THIS BUSINESS 25 YEARS. THE CITY OF VELVITAS (PH) HAD A WATER SYSTEM. THE CITY OF SAN CLEMENTE HAD A WATER SYSTEM. I WAS A CITY MANAGER IN BAKERSFIELD. WE HAD WATER. WE OWNED WATER RIGHTS ON THE KERN RIVER THAT WAS VALUED AT 60 MILLION DOLLARS. WE HAD 2800 ACRES WHERE WE PERCOLATED WATER. I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE POINT. I THINK WATER, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT POLICY MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP. THAT'S THE ISSUE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT HERE TONIGHT. THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY IS BUILDING A TREATMENT PLANT. THEY WENT OUT AND HIRED A CONSULTANT. THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY WANTED TO GET INVOLVED IN GETTING A BOND CERTIFICATE OF PARTICIPATION, THEY HIRED A CONSULTANT. THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY IS INTERESTED IN BUYING THIS WATER COMPANY. THEY HIRED A CONSULTANT. THE VERYSAME THINGS WE DO. SO YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP. POINT NUMBER 5, CONFLICT OF INTEREST. WE FEEL THAT THERE IS A CONFLICT OF INTEREST WHEN YOU HAVE A WHOLESALE WATER COMPANY BUYING A PRIVATE WATER COMPANY THAT SERVES 20,000 CUSTOMERS. THEY HAVE INDICATED THAT THEY WILL NO LONGER HAVE REPRESENTATION ON THIS BOARD, THAT THIS BOARD WOULD REPRESENT THOSE CUSTOMERS. WE THINK THAT'S A CONFLICT OF INTEREST. IT'S NOT UNLIKE GENERAL MOTORS BUILDING THE 29 TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED REPORTERS C 9 O A ❑0 co C G 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 CARS AND ALSO SELLING THE CARS AND NOT GOING THROUGH RETAILERS SO THAT YOU HAVE THAT COMPETITIVE MARKETPLACE GOING ON. WE ALSO HAVE SOME CONCERNS WITH THE PRESIDENT OF THE WATER COMPANY HAVING DISCUSSIONS WITH CITY STAFF ABOUT THE NEGOTIATIONS OF THIS WATER SYSTEM, PARTICIPATING IN THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THAT COMPANY, GOING TO SACRAMENTO AND LOBBYING FOR THAT COMPANY, AND ALSO SAYING HERE TONIGHT THAT THEY SUPPORT THIS ACTION. HE IS ALSO A STOCK HOLDER IN THAT COMPANY. WE HAVE CONCERN WITH WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU SETTLE THE LAWSUIT. THE LAWSUIT IS OVER WATER RIGHTS, WHICH ARE OWNED 60 PERCENT BY THIS PRIVATE WATER COMPANY. WHAT HAPPENS IN TERMS OF THE AGREEMENT OF THAT SETTLEMENT IS THAT WHERE DOES THE WATER GO WHEN YOU TAKE IT FROM THIS AREA? WHO BENEFITS FROM THAT? AND I THINK THAT'S A QUESTION THAT SHOULD BE EXAMINED BY THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE INTERESTED. WE ARE CONCERNED BY WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU HAVE A BIDDING SYSTEM FOR A PRIVATE WATER COMPANY BETWEEN TWO PUBLIC AGENCIES. THE NUMBERS THAT WE HAVE SEEN IN THE PAPERS FAR EXCEED THE NUMBERS THAT WERE DISCUSSED BY THE WATER COMPANY AND THE CITY. WE HAVE CONCERN ABOUT THE ISSUE OF CONTROLLED GROWTH. I LIKE TO CALL THAT THE BOOGEYMAN SYNDROME. THEY SAY THERE IS A BOOGEYMAN AT CITY HALL, THAT 30 TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS A no O O A n U 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 IF YOU GIVE CITY HALL THIS CONTROL OF GROWTH, THAT THEY ARE GOING TO STOP GROWTH. WELL, I SAY, WELL, WE'VE BEEN HERE FOR SIX YEARS. YES. WE'VE HAD SOME PEOPLE THAT WERE CONCERNED AND WANTED TO SLOW GROWTH. WE'VE ALSO HAD SOME PEOPLE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE GROWTH. BUT I THINK THE CITY HAS TAKEN A BALANCED APPROACH. THE OTHER THING IS THAT THE WATER COMPANY IS PRETTY MUCH ALL IN THE CITY ALREADY. SO WE HAVE CONTROL OF GROWTH OF THAT AREA NOW. THERE IS TWO LARGE AREAS THAT ARE OUTSIDE THE CITY RIGHT HERE, WHICH, WHAT'S HIS NAME. JACK SCHEIN (PH) HAS GOT ALREADY AN APPROVED PLAN THROUGH THE COUNTY AND CHEVAL HAS GOT THREE THOUSAND UNITS APPROVED UP HERE. SO THEY ALREADY HAVE THEIR ENTITLEMENT. SO I DON'T SEE HOW THE CITY IS GOING TO USE THIS WATER COMPANY TO CONTROL GROWTH. IN ADDITION, THE ONE SEAT THAT WE WOULD HAVE ON THIS BOARD IS ONE OF 11 MEMBERS. AND SO YOU WOULD HAVE TO BE A PRETTY PERSUASIVE PERSON TO CONVINCE THE OTHER TEN MEMBERS AND DOMINATE WATER POLICY. SO I DON'T THINK THERE IS ANY BOOGEYMAN AT CITY HALL. SO IN SUMMARY I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THE CITY HAS INTERESTS IN LOCAL CONTROL. THEY TALK VERY MUCH ABOUT FINANCING. WE HAVE A THREATENING LETTER FROM THE WATER COMPANY SAYING IF WE REVEAL ANY SPECIFICITY OF FINANCING, THAT THEY WILL SUE US. SO I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT. 31 TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS 0 O O O IN 0 x 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 BUT REALLY, THE NUMBERS ARE, THE PROCESS WOULD BE THE SAME THAT IT WOULD BE SELF-SUSTAINING. IT WOULD BE FINANCED THROUGH THE PROCEEDS OF THE COMPANY. BECAUSE THE COMPANY, BEING A PRIVATE WATER COMPANY PAYS ITS BOARD OF DIRECTORS. IT PAYS TAXES. AND SO THOSE FUNDS INSTEAD OF GOING FOR THAT PURPOSE, WOULD BE THEN USED TO, EITHER DEBT SERVICE FOR PAYING OFF THE DEBT. SO I THINK THAT WOULD BE MUCH OF THE SAME. ONE OF THE THINGS IS THAT THE CITY HAS FAR LESS DEBT THAN THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY. I ALSO MENTIONED THE ISSUE OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST. I TALKED ABOUT GROWTH AND THE BOOGEYMAN. I TALKED ABOUT THE SHIFT OF WATER RIGHTS AS WELL AS THE COMPETITION AND THE COST TO THE CITIZENS. I WOULD LIKE TO END BY SAYING THAT WE ARE A DEMOCRACY. AND THERE IS NO BOOGEYMAN AT CITY HALL. WHOEVER YOU ELECT TO THE COUNCIL WILL DICTATE POLICY. THIS WEEK THE COUNCIL HAS, YOU KNOW, GIVEN A POSITION THAT THEY ARE AGAINST THE WATER COMPANY. WHO KNOWS. THAT MAY CHANGE IN THE FUTURE. THE POLICY OF THE CITY CHANGES WITH THE PEOPLE THEY ELECT. AND THAT'S WHY YOU FORM A LOCAL GOVERNMENT. THAT'S WHAT CITY VOTING WAS ALL ABOUT IN TERMS OF LOCAL CONTROL. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR LISTENING TO ME. MR. PEDERSON: THANK YOU. WE ARE GOING TO START NOW WITH THE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PORTION OF THIS. ONE THING I WOULD ASK OF EVERYBODY IS AS DIFFERENT SPEAKERS COME 32 TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS IQ 19 ❑4 IL L ❑0 10 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 UP, THEY ARE GOING TO COME IN THE ORDER WE RECEIVE THEM. IF YOU WOULD PLEASE BE KIND ENOUGH TO HOLD YOUR APPLAUSE. WE CAN COLLECTIVELY SALUTE EVERYBODY AT THE END. BUT IT DOES SLOW DOWN THE PROCESS AND WE WOULD JUST LIKE TO START NOW. I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO STEVE AND WE WILL START THE THREE-MINUTE PARTICIPATION PORTION. MR. MCLEAN: THANK YOU. OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS CONNIE WARDEN AND WE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ASK BOB KELLAR TO BE PREPARED TO SPEAK FOLLOWING HER. MS. WARDEN: GOOD EVENING. CONNIE WARDEN. CURRENTLY HOMELESS. MY MAILING ADDRESS IS P.O. BOX 220233. THAT'S NEWHALL, 91322. FOR MANY OF US IN THE ROOM TONIGHT, THE REQUEST FOR LOCAL CONTROL BEGAN MORE THAN TWO DECADES AGO. AND IT WAS WITH CONSIDERABLE PRIDE AND ACCOMPLISHMENT THAT WE ATTAINED THE MILESTONE OF CITYHOOD IN 1987. THE ACHIEVEMENTS BY THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA SINCE THAT TIME HAVE BEEN SIGNIFICANT. THE CITY STANDS NOW ON THE THRESHOLD OF BECOMING A GREAT 21ST CENTURY MUNICIPALITY. SOME OF YOU IN THIS ROOM TONIGHT MAY ALSO RECALL PROFESSOR DONALD ACKERMAN. HIS NAME AND INFLUENCE HAVE AFFECTED THE WAY MANY CITIES AND COUNTIES DO BUSINESS THROUGHOUT CALIFORNIA. WE LEARNED THE CONCEPT OF REGIONALIZED DECENTRALIZATION FROM HIM. AND THAT LAST PHRASE REDUCED TO ITS ESSENCE SIMPLY MEANS ENABLING THOSE ENTITIES, BE THEY AGENCIES, DISTRICTS OR BOROUGHS, WHO BEING BEST DELIVER SERVICES BASED ON THEIR 33 TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS 0 O G O G v 10 0 C 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 QUALIFICATIONS, THEIR PROFESSIONALISM, THEIR DISCIPLINE, THEIR OBJECTIVITY AND EXPERTISE TO DO SO IRRESPECTIVE OF GEOPOLITICAL BOUNDARIES. WATER POLICY MAKES AND THE MANAGEMENT OF WATER RESOURCES IS SO CRITICAL THAT IT MUST BE ACCOMPLISHED WITHOUT THE POTENTIAL FROM POLITICAL MANIPULATION AND IS THEREFORE BEST APPROACHED AS A UTILITY BUSINESS. WHILE THE ARGUMENT IS OFFERED THAT MANY CITIES HAVE MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICTS, AN EVEN GREATER NUMBER DO NOT. APPLICATION OF THE MOST OBJECTIVE MANAGEMENT PRINCIPALS IS HIGHLY DESIRED IN WATER POLICY MAKING AND MANAGEMENT. THE ISSUE BEFORE US THIS EVENING IS THE OFFER FOR SALE OF A PRIVATELY HELD WATER DISTRICT COMPANY TO A LOCAL WATER WHOLESALER. WHILE IT MAY BE MORE DESIRABLE TO HAVE ANOTHER PRIVATE COMPANY OFFER TO PURCHASE THE DISTRICT, NO OTHER OFFER IS ON THE TABLE. THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY HAS THE EXPERTISE, THE PROFESSIONALISM, THE SKILLS AND THE TRACK RECORD FOR TOTAL WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, INCLUDING THE PRESERVATION OF OUR GROUND WATER BASINS. THEY SHOULD ACQUIRE THE COMPANY. AS A STRONG PROPONENT OF CITYHOOD AND A SUPPORTER OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT, I WISH TO OFFER THE FOLLOWING: GOVERNANCE AND LEADERSHIP OF A LARGE CITY IS COMPLEX AND DAUNTING. IT REQUIRES MANY TALENTS, INCLUDING MANAGEMENT ABILITIES, NEGOTIATION SKILLS, INTERPERSONAL RELATIONS, AND IMPORTANTLY, THE KNOWLEDGE OF WHEN TO SAY TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS 34 e Cl c O co C 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 NO. I URGE THE CITY COUNCIL TO SAY NO TO ANY EFFORT TO PURCHASE THE SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY. THANK YOU. MR. PEDERSON: MR. BOB KELLAR. MR. KELLAR: I WILL KEEP MY COMMENTS BRIEF. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE PANEL. MY NAME IS BOB KELLAR AND I AM PRESIDENT OF THE CANYON COUNTRY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. ON BEHALF OF THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE CHAMBER AND ITS BOARD OF DIRECTORS, WE WISH TO THANK BOTH THE ELECTED LEADERS AND EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY FOR ITS OUTSTANDING WORK IN GETTING US THROUGH A DIFFICULT CATASTROPHE. WE ARE EXTREMELY PROUD OF YOU. LEADERSHIP OF THE CANYON COUNTRY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE HAS CAREFULLY INVESTIGATED MATTERS SURROUNDING THE SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY AND ,ITS POTENTIAL ACQUISITION BY THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA OR CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY. THIS MATTER IS OF SIGNIFICANT CONCERN IN THAT THE CANYON COUNTRY AREA FALLS ALMOST TOTALLY WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF THE SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY. BASED ON THAT INVESTIGATION, THE CANYON COUNTRY CHAMBER SUPPORTS THE ACQUISITION OF THE SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY BY THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER, AGENCY. WE FEEL THEY ARE THE MOST QUALIFIED TO MAKE IMPORTANT DECISIONS INVOLVING WATER MANAGEMENT. TOMORROW MORNING THE CANYON COUNTRY CHAMBER WILL GENERATE CORRESPONDENCE TO ASSEMBLY WOMAN PAULA BOLAND ENCOURAGING HER TO INITIATE THE NECESSARY 35 TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS G U 19 n n 0 O 0 C, 11 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 LEGISLATION TO ENABLE THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY TO MOVE AHEAD WITH ITS ACQUISITION OF THE SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY. THANK YOU. MR. MCLEAN: AGAIN, WE WOULD ASK YOU TO HOLD YOUR APPLAUSE. PAULA BERRIZ FOLLOWED BY ANDY KULICK, K -U -L -I -C -K. MS. BERRIZ: MAYOR PEDERSON, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, MR. MCLEAN, OTHER DISTINGUISHED GUESTS, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY FIRST OF ALL, TO EXPRESS MY PERSONAL OPINIONS AND CONCERNS WITH YOU THIS EVENING. WHILE I'M SATISFIED WITH THE DIRECTION IN WHICH MOST AREAS OF OUR CITY IS DEVELOPING, THERE ARE AREAS THAT I FEEL NEED MORE ATTENTION AND CONCERN AND CITY MANAGEMENT SHOULD NOT BE FOCUSING ON AT ALL. ONE OF THESE AREAS IS INTEREST IN CONVERTING FROM A, PRIVATE TO A MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT OPERATED WATER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM. IN MY OPINION, SOME OF THE CITIES MOST CRITICALLY HIT WITH INSUFFICIENT WATER RESOURCE WEAKNESSES IN THEIR DROUGHT MANAGEMENT PLANS, SUCH AS SANTA BARBARA AND SACRAMENTO, ARE UNDER MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT MANAGEMENT CONTROL. I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT IN SANTA CLARITA VALLEY FOR 15 YEARS AND I'M VERY SATISFIED WITH THE WATER SERVICE PROVIDERS THAT THIS COMMUNITY PRESENTLY USES, CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY. I WAS VERY IMPRESSED WITH THE WATER MANAGEMENT DURING THE SEVEREST PERIODS OF THE ONGOING DROUGHT AND THEIR MANAGEMENT, NOT THE CITY'S, IN THE TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS 36 v IO �c 10 to to n U L 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 DISTRIBUTION OF WATER DURING THE RECENT EARTHQUAKE CRISIS. CASTAIC WATER AGENCY HAS ALWAYS KEPT THIS COMMUNITY APPRISED OF WATER CONDITIONS, INITIATIVES AND LEGISLATIVE MATTERS. THE INFORMATION THAT HAS BEEN DISTRIBUTED TO THIS COMMUNITY HAS BEEN ACCURATE AND WITH OF COURSE LIGHT FOR THE FUTURE. FURTHER, THEY HAVE ALWAYS SOUGHT PUBLIC OPINION. THEY HAVE PROVIDED THE HIGHEST QUALITY OF WATER, DEVELOPED AVERY RELIABLE SERVICE SYSTEM AND MAXIMIZED THE MOST EFFICIENT USE OF ALL WATER SOURCES WHILE ENSURING LONG-TERM SUPPLIES AND PROTECTION OF GROUND BASINS. IT IS VERY APPARENT TO ME THAT CASTAIC WATER AGENCY HAS DONE AN OUTSTANDING JOB IN THE WATER MANAGEMENT OF THIS COMMUNITY. AND I WOULD VENTURE TO GUESS THAT THE SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY FEELS THE SAME SINCE THE FIRST AND LATEST OFFER TO PURCHASE HAS BEEN MADE TO THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY, NOT TO THE CITY. IN SUMMARY, I BELIEVE THAT THE CITY OUGHT TO FOCUS ITS ATTENTION AND ACTIONS ON OTHER CRITICAL AREAS HARD HIT BY THE PRESENT UNSTABLE ECONOMIC CONDITIONS AND CURRENT BUDGETARY RESTRICTIONS. LET THE STATE WATER AGENCY CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THE SUCCESSFUL AND OUTSTANDING SERVICE WE HAVE GROWN ACCUSTOMED TO. MR. PEDERSON: THANK YOU. ANDY KULICK WILL BE FOLLOWED BY DAVE BLAZEY. MR. KULICK: THANK YOU, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. PREPARING FOR TONIGHT'S MEETING, I KEEP TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS 37 C7 O O O 0 O O N X L 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 COMING BACK TO THE QUESTION OF WHY. THE FACTS ARE THAT THE CITY'S LAST OFFER TO PURCHASE SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY WAS INADEQUATE. AND THIS LEFT AN OPENING FOR CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY TO MAKE ITS OFFER. SO WHY ,ARE WE GATHERED THIS EVENING IF YOUR LAST OFFER WAS UNACCEPTABLE. SOME WOULD SAY THAT THE NORTHRIDGE QUAKE WHICH AWOKE CITY OFFICIALS TO THE PROBLEM OF ADEQUATE WATER RESOURCES AVAILABILITY IN TIMES OF EMERGENCY. IF THIS WAS A CONCERN, WHY DIDN'T THE CITY PURSUE SANTA CLARITA WATER WHEN IT WAS FIRST PUT ON NOTICE OF THE SALE BACK IN 1991. IN READING THE INTERDEPARTMENT WHITE PAPER DISCUSSION OF THE SALE OF SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY, ONE COMES AWAY THINKING CITY OFFICIALS ONLY RECENTLY WERE APPROACHED ABOUT THE PURCHASE. THIS FACT IS NOT TRUE. ONE YEAR HAS PASSED SINCE THE INITIAL DISCUSSIONS TO PURCHASE SANTA CLARITA WATER TOOK PLACE AND SEEING ITS GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY SLIPPING AWAY, THE CITY JUMPED IN FACE FIRST. WILL THE PURCHASE OF A WATER AGENCY BY OUR CITY, WILL IT BE IN THE BEST INTEREST? I THINK NOT. ONCE HAVING DECIDED TO BACK OUT IN 1991, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS HAVE SPRUNG FORTH WITH THE DEVELOPMENT PLANS EQUALLY BENEFICIAL TO THE INTERESTS OF SANTA CLARITA AND ITS CITIES. THE YEARS OF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT BY THIS PRIVATE NONPROFITABLE CHARITABLE GROUPS WILL WIND UP IN THE ASH HEAP IF LEFT TO GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS WHO FAVOR THEIR OWN BRILLIANT DEVELOPMENT IDEAS. AND THESE ARE THE SAME INDIVIDUALS WHO 38 TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS U 10 C IO C 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 DECIDED TWO YEARS AGO THAT SANTA CLARITA WATER WASN'T WORTH PURSUING. WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF THE CITY DOES GO FORWARD WITH THE PURCHASE? DOES ANYONE HONESTLY BELIEVE THAT GOVERNMENT CAN DO A BETTER JOB OF BUILDING PARKS AND 'RECREATION AREAS THAN THE PRIVATE SECTOR OR MAINTAIN AND PRESERVE THESE PLACES EVEN IN TIMES OF DROUGHT? WE CONTINUE TO WITNESS THE END OF PRIVATE ENTERPRISE CREATIVITY UNDERMINED BY THE SOCIAL ENGINEERS DESCRIBED AS BUREAUCRATIC PLANNING AGENCIES. WHAT ABOUT PROTECTION FROM OVERDEVELOPMENT? STEPS ARE ALREADY IN PLACE TO INSURE PROTECTION, COUNTLESS LAWS, ORDINANCES AND OTHER PROHIBITIONS, INCLUDING OUR OWN CITY'S GENERAL PLAN ENDING PROJECTS NOT SUITED FOR THE COMMUNITY. SO I'M BACK TO THE QUESTION OF WHY ARE WE HERE? WHAT FOR? IS THE REAL REASON THE CITY WANTS TO SNAP UP A GOOD DEAL? PEOPLE MIGHT CALL THAT GOOD HORSE TRADING. HOWEVER, I WOULDN'T BE HERE TONIGHT IF I BELIEVED THAT WHAT YOU ARE PROPOSING WOULD BE BENEFICIAL. IN FACT, THE ONLY REASON I'M HERE IS TO TELL YOU DON'T DO IT. DON'T SCREW UP WHAT WILL BE A LIFE LINE FOR OUR YOUTH. LET THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY GO FORWARD WITH THE PURCHASE. GIVE US THE CHANCE TO SEE THE VISION OF OUR IDEAS GROW LIKE SEEDS FROM A FLOWER. IF IT WORKS, NO ONE LOSES. IT WOULD BE -- I WOULD BE REMISS IN CLOSING, IF I DID NOT REMIND YOU OF THE LAST GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL WHO THOUGHT ACQUIRING REAL ESTATE WAS A GOOD IDEA. HIS NAME IS BILL CLINTON. LET'S NOT MAKE A TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS 39 M n 0 O 0 Im O 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 WHITEWATER MISTAKE NOW. MR. MCLEAN: AGAIN, PLEASE HOLD YOUR APPLAUSE TO THE END. DAVE BLAZEY FOLLOWED BY DAVE ENDS. MR. BLAZEY: MY NAME IS DAVID BLAZEY. I LIVE IN NEWHALL AND HAVE BEEN A RESIDENT OF THIS AREA SINCE 1971., I'M ALSO THE PRESIDENT OF THE YOUTH FORREST ASSOCIATION IN SANTA CLARITA VALLEY, WHICH REPRESENTS BASEBALL, AYSO SOCCER, AND SANTA CLARITA VALLEY ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION. I HAVE BEEN PERSONALLY IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY SINCE 1991. AND ALSO HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT AND NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE CITY PARKS DEPARTMENT SINCE 1993, WITH THE BASIC IDEA OF ACQUIRING THE LAND KNOWN AS THE YOUTH FORREST PARK, SPECIFICALLY THE ;LOWER MESA PORTION OF THE OLD L.A. CITY REHAB CENTER ON BOUQUET CANYON ROAD. THIS IS 137 ACRE PARCEL THAT WOULD USED BY OVER 9,000 CHILDREN IN OUR VALLEY FOR THE USE OF PLAYING BASEBALL, SOCCER, RUNNING CROSS-COUNTRY, TRACK AND FIELD AND PLAYING FOOTBALL. OVER 50 ACRES WILL BE MADE ABLE TO THE CITY PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT AND HOPEFULLY THEY WILL USE THAT FOR THEIR YOUTH PROGRAMS. THE ESTIMATED DOLLAR VALUE TO THE COMMUNITY IS IN EXCESS OF '15 MILLION DOLLARS. I HAVE TALKED WITH THE DEVELOPERS AND HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THAT PROPERTY WILL SELL INSTANTLY FOR OVER $60,000 PER ACRE. THAT MEANS OVER,7 MILLION DOLLARS FOR THE LAND. YFA IS WILLING TO RAISE THE 8 MILLION DOLLARS TO MAKE ALL THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT WOULD BE 40 TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED REPORTERS A Eel O A 14 :7 A 0 C 10 R 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 NEEDED FOR THESE FACILITIES. THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY HAS OFFERED THE LAND AT NO CHARGE TO THE CITY AND THE YFA GROUP. WE WILL PROVIDE THE MONEY FOR DEVELOPMENT. WE WILL WORK WITH THE CITY IN DESIGNING AND PLANNING ON THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY. AND THAT ONCE IT'S COMPLETED, IT WILL BE TURNED OVER TO THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA. SHOULD THE CITY COUNCIL CONTINUE TO PURSUE THE ACQUISITION OF THE CASTAIC LAKE -- SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY, I FEEL THIS AGREEMENT THAT WE NOW HAVE WITH THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY WILL BE PUT IN JEOPARDY AND MORE THAN LIKELY BE ABANDONED. I SINCERELY HOPE THAT THE CITY COUNCIL WILL MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION. THANK YOU. MR. PEDERSON: MR. DAVE ENDS. MR. DAVE ENDS WILL BE FOLLOWED BY ED DUNN. MR. ENDS: MAYOR PEDERSON, THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, MISS SPRING, CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY BOARD OF DIRECTORS, MY NAME IS DAVE ENDS. I REPRESENT THE FAMILIES OF THE SANTA CLARITA VALLEY ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION AS THE PRESIDENT OF THEIR EXECUTIVE BOARD. THIS ORGANIZATION SANCTIONS PRE HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH AND THEIR FAMILES TO OUR VALLEY'S FOOTBALL, TRACK, CROSS-COUNTRY AND CHEERLEADING. THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUES ARE PEOPLE'S VIEWS BEING DISCUSSED THIS EVENING ARE PROVIDING A QUALITY WATER SERVICE AT THE MOST REASONABLE PRICE, NOT NECESSARILY WHO PROVIDES THAT SERVICE. THE CITY NEGOTIATED WITH THE SANTA CLARITA WATER 41 TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS G7 IC O 00 A 2 X A" 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 COMPANY FOR CLOSE TO A YEAR CONCERNING ITS PURCHASE. NEGOTIATIONS TERMINATED TWO MONTHS AGO. THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY HAS BEEN INVOLVED WITH THE ACQUISITIONS SINCE SOMETIME IN 1991. NEITHER HAS ACHIEVED THE SUFFICIENT LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE THAT SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY IS FINANCIALLY STABLE ENOUGH TO CLOSE A PROPOSAL. IT WOULD APPEAR TO THE MEMBERS OF OUR ORGANIZATION THAT LOGICALLY THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY MAY BE BEST SUITED FOR PROVIDING THE WATER SERVICE. THE EXPERIENCE ACCRUED OVER THE YEARS IN SUPPLYING THAT SAME QUALITY PRODUCT WOULD ENHANCE THE TRANSITION PERIOD DURING THE ACQUISITION AND GENERAL OPERATIONS THEREAFTER. CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY HAS OVER THE PAST DISPLAYED ORGANIZATIONAL STRENGTH AND CONSCIENTIOUS CONTROL OVER THEIR QUALITY AND RATES. THIS HISTORY WOULD SUPPORT THE RESIDENTS OF OUR VALLEY'S MOST IMPORTANT ISSUES. THE FIRST IS BEING SELF -FINANCED FROM THE COMPANY'S OWN REVENUE, CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY STATES VERY CLEARLY THAT FUNDS GENERATED FROM SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY WOULD NOT BE USED TO SUBSIDIZE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY OPERATIONS OR IMPROVEMENTS NOR VICE VERSA. THE PURCHASE IN AND OF ITSELF WILL NOT RAISE RATES, NOR CAN THEY TAX TO PROVIDE REVENUE FOR SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY. THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA'S ATTEMPT TO ENTER INTO THE BUSINESS OF WATER DISTRIBUTION COULD BE SUPPORTED IF ITS INTENTIONS WERE TO STRIVE TO CREATE AN INDEPENDENT WATER DISTRICT FOR THE TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS 42 Lel 7 G A O Eel 9 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 AREA NOW SERVICED BY THE SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY. THE ORGANIZATION OF WHICH COULD BE STRUCTURED BY THE CITY COUNCIL. THIS NEWLY FORMED DISTRICT THING COULD BE OPERATED WITH THE PUBLICLY ELECTED BOARD OF DIRECTORS, AUTONOMOUS FROM THE CITY COUNCIL. THIS SEPARATE ENTITY MADE UP OF KNOWLEDGEABLE DIRECTORS TO OPERATE IT SMOOTHLY, COULD OPERATE IN HARMONY WITH BOTH CITY COUNCIL AND AGENCY BOARD OF DIRECTORS. BOTH THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA AND CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY ARE TO BE COMMENDED FOR THEIR RESPONSE TO THE EMERGENCY CREATED BY THE RECENT EARTHQUAKE. INDEED WORKING TOGETHER FOR THE WELL-BEING OF THE RESIDENTS OF OUR VALLEY, YOU PROVIDED MUCH NEEDED BOTTLED WATER AND DISTRIBUTED WHAT, THAT NECESSITY WHILE THE FOUR WATER COMPANIES WERE UNDER REPAIR. WE AS RESIDENTS HAVE HOPE THAT SUCH UNITY WILL CONTINUE PAST THAT CRISIS SITUATION. THE BEST POSSIBLE QUALITY WATER AT THE LOWEST POSSIBLE COST CAN BE ACHIEVED AND BOTH ORGANIZATIONS CAN WIN THE SUPPORT OF THE VALLEY RESIDENTS. THE SCVA THANKS YOU FOR THIS TIME. MR. MCLEAN: THANK YOU. MR. ED DUNN FOLLOWED BY KEVIN LYNCH. MR. DUNN: GOOD 'EVENING. I'M'A 24 -YEAR RESIDENT OF THIS COMMUNITY AND A DIRECTOR OF THE NEWHALL COUNTY WATER DISTRICT. HOWEVER, I SPEAK TO YOU TONIGHT AS AN INDIVIDUAL AND CONCERNED TAX -PAYER. WE MIGHT ASK THE QUESTION WHY TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS 43 C 1© to C to N �O C 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 SHOULD THE CITY TAKE CONTROL OF THE SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY? I BELIEVE WE OUGHT TO JUST LOOK AT THE TRACK RECORD OF THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY. GROSSLY OVER BUILDING, BUILDING FACILITIES AND MAKING DECISIONS TO BUILDING AFTER DEVELOPMENT HAD PEAKED AND WAS HALFWAY DOWN THE CURVE. THEY VOTED TO INDEBT TO US ONE BILLION DOLLARS, THAT'S ONE BILLION DOLLARS WITH A "B", WITHOUT A VOTE OF THE PEOPLE. THEY APPROVED A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE METROPOLITAN WATER DISTRICT TO PROCESS AND SHIP WATER TO THE METROPOLITAN WATER DISTRICT IN VENTURA COUNTY. ARE WE SURPRISED? WELL, THE MAJORITY OF THE ELECTED BOARD IS COMPRISED OF METROPOLITAN WATER DISTRICT AND DEPARTMENT OF WATER AND POWER EMPLOYEES. WHY DO THEY WANT THIS SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY? ONE, THAT IT WILL PROVIDE BADLY NEEDED CASH. THEIR BOND RATING IS DOWN TO AN "A" AND THEY HAVE TRIED UNSUCCESSFULLY FOR A YEAR TO REFINANCE C.O.B. BONDS. IF THEY PURCHASE SANTA CLARITA WATER, THEY WILL ACQUIRE THE SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY WELLS AND WATER RIGHTS AND CAN TAKE OUR LOCAL WATER AND SHIP IT TO THE WEST INCLUDING VENTURA AND OXNARD. THEY CAN PROVIDE ADDITIONAL WATER TO THAT BIG CITY THAT WILL BE BUILT WEST OF I-5, IF YOU'VE SEEN SOME OF THE NEWSPAPERS, 100,000 POPULATION. CLWA, BY THE WAY, ONLY PROVIDES 20 PERCENT OF OUR WATER. THE PURVEYORS SUPPLY 80 PERCENT. SO I THINK THAT WE PROBABLY HAVE THE TAIL WAGGING THE DOG HERE. THROUGHOUT TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS 44 0 IN 19 I1) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 4 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 CALIFORNIA HUNDREDS OF CITIES HAVE MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICTS WHICH YOU HEARD EARLIER. THERE IS A NEW ASSEMBLY BILL IN THE MAKING BY CORTIZI', WHICH WILL MANDATE THAT WATER BE IN THE PLANNING PROCESS. SO IT IS ONLY NATURAL THAT A MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT WORK WITH, THE CITY PLANNING DEPARTMENT. IT ONLY ,MAKES SENSE SINCE THE CITY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR INFRASTRUCTURE. THEY SHOULD BE IN CONTROL. I URGE THE CITY TO PROTECT OUR INTERESTS AND START EMINENT DOMAIN PROCEEDINGS IMMEDIATELY. AFTER ALL, ISN'T THAT WHAT CLWA DID TO ACQUIRE THEIR PROPERTY'. THANK YOU. MR. PEDERSON: KEVIN LYNCH WILL BE FOLLOWED BY JOAN 17llhlell MR. LYNCH: MY NAME IS KEVIN LYNCH. I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT OF THIS VALLEY OVER 30 YEARS. I LIVE WITHIN THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY DISTRICT BOUNDARIES, BUT OUTSIDE THE CITY. THE ACQUISITION OF THE SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY BY THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY SEEMS TO BE MORE LOGICAL. HAVING HAD EXPERIENCE ON THEIR BOARD FOR 12 YEARS, KNOWING THE PEOPLE, KNOWING WHAT THEY'VE DONE, AND CREATING THE WATER TREATMENT PLANT AND DELIVERY SYSTEM, THEY ARE WATER EXPERTS. THEY ARE NOT PEOPLE WHO JUST WORK IN THE CITY WHERE THEY MAY HAVE HAD A WATER SYSTEM, BUT THESE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY PERFORMED AND DID THE ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION AND DELIVERY OF THE SYSTEM AND DELIVERY OF THE WATER. THEY'VE GOT THAT GOOD EXPERIENCE. AND THEY HAVE A 45 TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS u 0 Eel O 0 A no R A 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 GOOD RATING WITHIN THE STATE OF PEOPLE WHO DELIVER WATER. THE REVENUES FROM THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY COULD ONLY BE USED FOR WATER RELATED PROJECTS. THAT'S THEIR BUSINESS. THEY HAVE NO OTHER BUSINESS. THEY HAVE NO OTHER AVENUES. THIS AGENCY HAS ALREADY BEEN DESCRIBED AS CREATED BY THE STATE. BUT IT'S LOCALLY ELECTED DIRECTORS THAT ARE ONE IT, PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE. THEY HAVE OUR BEST INTERESTS AT HEART AND IT'S FROM A WATER STANDPOINT. IF THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA REALLY DESIRES TO TAKE OVER THE WATER COMPANY, THAT IN MY MIND AND THE MINDS OF OTHER PEOPLE, RAISES CERTAIN QUESTIONS. IS THERE REALLY A HIDDEN AGENDA AS TO WHY THEY WANT THE WATER COMPANY? THE WATER COMPANY DOES NOT SERVE THE ENTIRE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA. IT ALSO SERVES CONCERN AREAS THAT ARE OUTSIDE THE CITY. WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN THEN? THE QUESTIONS BEEN RAISED BACK AND FORTH AS TO WHY THEY BROKE OFF NEGOTIATIONS. NOT BEING PURVIEW TO THE ACTUAL CONVERSATIONS, I DON'T WISH TO COMMENT ON THAT. BUT IT DOES RAISE A CERTAIN OBJECTION AS TO WHY YOU GET IN AND THEN YOU GET OUT AND THEN WHEN YOU SEE THAT IT MAY GO A DIFFERENT WAY, YOU DECIDE TO GET BACK IN AGAIN. CERTAIN PEOPLE HAVE PERCEPTIONS OF WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. TO GEORGE IT MAY BE A BOOGEYMAN, BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED THAT THIS MAY BE A HIDDEN WAY OF CONTROLLING REASONABLE DEVELOPMENT. IF YOU TURN OFF A SPIGOT, NOBODY WILL COME. WELL, WE'VE SEEN WHAT HAPPENED TO SANTA BARBARA 46 TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS IN a a IN a O 0 0 O 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 AND MARIN COUNTY AND I THINK THAT THAT'S RIND OF A BAD WAY OF GOING. WHAT ABOUT ANNEXATION? IF THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA TAKES OVER THE WATER COMPANY, AND YOU ARE IN THE SANTA CLARITA WATER DISTRICT SERVICE AREA, DOES THAT MEAN TO GET WATER YOU MUST BE ANNEXED TO THE CITY? WHAT ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE WELLS THAT LIVE UP IN THE RURAL AREAS? WILL THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA DECIDE TO SHUT THE WELLS AND FORCE THEM TO TAKE THEIR CITY WATER? THERE IS A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN RAISED. HOW DO THEY HANDLE THIS EXERCISE OF POWER? I SUBMIT THAT THE CITY HAS A REAL REASON FOR DOING THIS. I WILL SUPPORT THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY. MR. MCLEAN: JOAN DUNN FOLLOWED BY ALLEN CAMERON. MS. DUNN: THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY HAS SECRETLY WRITTEN 'ITS EXTENSIVE PROPOSED CHANGES TO ITS GOVERNING LAWS WITHOUT ANY PUBLIC INPUT OR DISCLOSURE. WITHOUT PUBLIC NOTICE IT HAS SNEAKED THESE UP TO SACRAMENTO IN THE HOPE OF FINDING A SPONSOR AND SLIPPING THEM THROUGH THE LEGISLATURE. THE AGENCY IS KNOWN AS A BIG SPENDER IN SACRAMENTO. THE 7TH LARGEST IN THE STATE. AND WITH THE HELP OF DEVELOPER INTERESTS HOPES TO GAIN APPROVAL OF THIS LEGISLATION WHICH WOULD EXCLUDE THE CITY FROM ANY FUTURE CONTROL OF WATER. THE LEGISLATION WOULD EXCLUDE THE CITY FROM EVER BUYING SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY. EDUCATING THE CITIZENS OF THIS VALLEY ON WATER ISSUES HAS BEEN EXTREMELY 47 TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS t O to co to le to 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 DIFFICULT. TONIGHT I HAVE PROVIDED YOU WITH A FEW HEADLINE ARTICLES TO HELP YOU GET THE PICTURE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF WATER IN THIS AREA. AND AS SOON AS I'VE FINISHED, I WILL DISPLAY THOSE FOR YOU. THE CASTAIC WATER AGENCY SPENDS LOTS OF OUR MONEY. A NEW CITY. IS PLANNED WEST OF I-5 DOWN ALONG HIGHWAY 126. THIS CITY WILL NEED WATER. WE HAVE TWO LARGE WATER PLANTS. WHY SUCH EXTRAVAGANCE? COULD IT BE THAT THE NEW RIO VISTA PLANT IS NOT PRIMARILY FOR US? I REQUEST THAT THE CITY PROTECT OUR INTERESTS AND TAKE OVER THE SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY BY EMINENT DOMAIN AT ONCE. NOW, THESE ARTICLES ARE FROM THE NEWSPAPERS OVER A PERIOD OF YEARS FROM 1990 TO PRESENT. ONE OF THEM HERE IS A REAL RECENT ONE. "AGENCY TOP SPENDER ON LOBBYING. $304,000 IN THREE MONTHS." "BUILDER PLANS NEW CITY OF 100,000 PEOPLE." THAT IS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF I-5. THAT'S A HEADLINE, A NEWSPAPER HEADLINE. "AGENCY MAY SERVE VENTURA COUNTY." AND I WILL POST THESE ON THE WALL IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO READ THEM. "WATER ASSESSMENTS TO RISE 81 PERCENT." THIS HAPPENED IN JULY. THIS IS ON YOUR BILLS. "WATER AGENCY THROWS WING DING." OH, BOY. THEY SPENT $16,000 FOR A GROUND -BREAKING. NOW, IS THIS WHO WE WANT TO REPRESENT SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY? I DON'T THINK SO. AND THEN, THE LAST ONE. REDISTRICTING PUSH QUESTION? THIS IS JERRY GODBACH (PH). HE WANTED TO MOVE, BUT HE WANTED TO STAY IN THE DISTRICT AND THAT IS 1990, FOLKS. THIS IS THE 48 TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REFUNTERb J m 0 U n n O 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 LAST ONE. "CLWA REVENUES 'DROP SHARPLY, BUT WATER AGENCY SEES NO DELAY BUILDING SAUGUS PLANT." MR. PEDERSON: THANK YOU 'VERY MUCH. MS. DUNN: THANK YOU. MR. PEDERSON: ALLEN CAMERON FOLLOWED BY LYNNE MR. CAMERON: THANK YOU, MAYOR PEDERSON. ALLEN CAMERON, 27612 ENNISMORE AVENUE, CANYON COUNTRY, SANTA CLARITA. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA FOR ACQUIESCING POSITIVELY TO MY SUGGESTION THAT THIS MEETING BE VIDEOTAPED FOR BROADCAST ON SANTA CLARITA PUBLIC ACCESS TELEVISION. THIS IS FAR TOO IMPORTANT A DECISION FOR IT NOT TO RECEIVE WIDE DISSEMINATION THAT THE TELEVISING OF THE MEETING WILL ENSURE TAKES PLACE. IN SUMMATION, IT IS PREPOSTEROUS FOR THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY TO GET INTO THE RETAIL BUSINESS. AND IT'S ENTIRELY KEEPING WITH THE MISSION AND LEGAL PRECEDENTS ESTABLISHED BY THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA FOR THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA TO FURTHER ENTER THE ACTIVITIES OF WATER MANAGEMENT IN THIS VALLEY TO BUILD ON THE BASE THAT IT ALREADY HAS. COMMENT WAS MADE THAT THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF WATER COMPANIES ADMINISTERED BY CITIES IN THE STATE ALREADY, AND HAVE BEEN FOR, IN SOME CASES UPWARDS OF A CENTURY. THAT IS TRUE. SOMEONE MENTIONED THAT THERE AREA LOT OF CITIES THAT DON'T MANAGE WATER COMPANIES. THE QUESTION BECOMES HOW MANY STATE MANDATED TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS C7 G G 0 14 n IN m L L C 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 WATER WHOLESALERS ARE IN THE RETAIL BUSINESS? THE ANSWER TO THAT IS UNEQUIVOCALLY ZERO. NOT A SINGLE ONE. SHOULD THIS ABOMINATION SOMEHOW OCCUR, A TOTAL RESTRUCTURING OF STATE LAW HAS TO TAKE PLACE. I SHOULD TELL YOU THAT SHOULD THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY CONTINUE TO PURSUE THIS, NUMBER ONE, IT WILL BE PLACED ON THE BALLOT BY REFERENDUM. THERE IS LEGAL OPINION THAT SAYS THIS CANNOT BE DONE. OTHER LEGAL OPINION SAYS THAT IT CAN. I WOULD LIKE NOW TO FORMALLY REQUEST FROM THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY A COMMITMENT THAT BEFORE THEY WOULD PROCEED WITH THIS, THEY WOULD PLACE THIS ON THE BALLOT BEFORE THE VOTERS FOR THE PEOPLE OF SANTA CLARITA TO HAVE THE FINAL SAY AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THEY SHOULD TAKE THIS ACTION. SHOULD THEY NOT, AND I'VE ALREADY CONTACTED LAND OWNERS WITH WATER RIGHTS, THEY WILL SEEK AND THEY WILL ATTAIN ADJUDICATION OF THE WATER RIGHTS OF THIS VALLEY SHOULD THIS ACQUISITION OF THE WATER RETAILER PROCEED BEYOND THIS POINT THIS EVENING. THE ACQUISITION OF THE RETAILER DOES NOT SETTLE WATER THAT -- THE LAWSUIT THAT THE SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY INITIATED WHEN ITS 60 PERCENT STATE WATER GUARANTEE WAS INFRINGED UPON. IT MERELY ACCOMPLISHES THAT STEALING OF THE WATER RIGHTS. THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY IS NOT ABLE TO PROVIDE GROUND WATER MANAGEMENT OR WATER MANAGEMENT FOR THIS COMMUNITY. WATER PURVEYORS IN ANOTHER RESTRUCTURE OF STATE CONFLICT OF INTEREST LAWS WERE INAPPROPRIATELY PLACED ON WHOLESALERIS 50 TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS A 0 d 0 no 0 0 0 0 D A 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 BOARD IN 1987, WITH THE PLEDGE FROM ED DAVIS TO ME PERSONALLY AND FROM KATHY WRIGHTS, DEPUTY, THAT A GROUND WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE ENTIRE SANTA CLARITA PLAN WILL BE FORTHCOMING. TO THIS VERY DAY, NO SUCH GROUND WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN EXISTS. THERE WAS A LAME EXCUSE PUT FORTH THAT THE LITIGATION INITIATED BY THE SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY AGAINST THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY PRECLUDED THAT WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN FROM BEING COMPLETED. THE LAWSUIT COMMENCED SOMETIME BETWEEN 1990 AND 1991. THE PURVEYORS HAD ALREADY BEEN SEATED ON THE BOARD FOR SOME THREE AND A HALF TO FOUR YEARS BY THAT TIME. AND NO GROUND WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN ENSUED. IT HASN'T BEEN DONE. IT DOESN'T .EXIST TO THIS PARTICULAR DAY. PLEASE BUY THE WATER COMPANY. THANK YOU. MR. MCLEAN: LYNNE PLAMBECK FOLLOWED BY SCOTT FRANKLIN. MS. PLAMBECK: HELLO MY NAME IS LYNNE PLAMBECK AND I'M NOT HERE TONIGHT REPRESENTING ANY DIRECTOR OF NEWHALL COUNTY WATER DISTRICT. I AM HERE TONIGHT AS A PRIVATE CITIZEN. AND I'M GOING TO SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT ISSUES WHICH HAVE CONCERNED ME FOR A VERY LONG PERIOD OF TIME. TO ME THE QUESTION SEEMS VERY SIMPLE. THERE IS -- IT'S WHO REALLY WILL BRING FAIR GROUND WATER MANAGEMENT TO THIS VALLEY. WE REALLY NEED IT. AND IT ALSO COMES DOWN TO WHICH AGENCY WILL TREAT THE RATE PAYERS OF SANTA CLARITA WATER MORE FAIRLY. AND WHAT I HAVE TO LOOK AT FOR MYSELF IS WHAT HAS CASTAIC TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS 51 a O O A 7 x A Ii 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 LAKE WATER AGENCY DONE IN THESE AREAS OVER THE TIME THAT I HAVE OBSERVED THEM. I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT OF THIS VALLEY FOR 18 YEARS AND I'VE WATCHED CASTAIC FOR A LONG TIME. IN 1987, THEY RECEIVED SPECIAL LEGISLATION TO ENABLE THEM TO BRING GROUND WATER MANAGEMENT TO THIS VALLEY. IT IS NOW 1994. THE ONLY THING THEY DID WAS MONITOR WELLS AND HAVE ALL THE DIFFERENT PURVEYORS PROVIDE INFORMATION ABOUT HOW MUCH GROUND WATER THERE WAS. THEY DIDN'T MAKE ANY ATTEMPT TO ALLOCATE IT FAIRLY OR TO LOOK AT A MANAGEMENT PLAN. AS A MATTER OF FACT, IN 1991, JERRY GODBACH WAS QUOTED IN THE NEWSPAPER AS SAYING THERE ISN'T A PROBLEM. WE DON'T NEED GROUND WATER MANAGE. SO I THINK THAT IF YOU ARE GOING TO LOOK AT WHO'S GOING TO BRING GROUND WATER MANAGEMENT, IT'S CERTAINLY NOT CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY. ALSO, WITHOUT A VOTE OF THE PEOPLE THEY PASSED 132 MILLION CERTIFICATES OF PARTICIPATION ISSUE WHICH ALL OF US PROBABLY ENDED UP PAYING FOR. LAST YEAR YOUR TAXES WENT UP 87 PERCENT. IT'S ON YOUR TAX BILL. IF YOU LOOK AT THE SPECIAL WATER DISTRICT TAX AND YOU WILL SEE THAT LAST YEAR WAS ONLY HALF AS MUCH. THAT'S CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY. IS THAT THE AGENCY THAT YOU WANT TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE RATES FOR SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY? MY OTHER CONCERN WAS THAT THEY, THE AGENCY IS OFFERING BETWEEN 10 AND 20 MILLION DOLLARS MORE THAN THE CITY IS, WAS OFFERING FOR SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY. I TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS 52 C C 10 co IG Io IG co L [13 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHERE THAT MONEY IS GOING TO COME FROM. I MEAN OF COURSE IS SOMEBODY OFFERED ME 10 OR 20 MILLION DOLLARS, YOU ARE GOING TO BREAK OFF NEGOTIATIONS WITH ONE PERSON AND TALK TO THE OTHER. BUT I THINK EVERYONE SHOULD REALIZE THAT THAT'S GOING TO COME FROM THE TAX -PAYERS. SO IF YOU ARE SUPPORTING SANTA CLARITA LAKE WATER AGENCY BUYING SANTA CLARITA WATER, YOU'RE SUPPORTING THEM SPENDING 10 TO 20 MILLION DOLLARS OF YOUR MONEY. MANY CITIES OWN WATER SUPPLIES. I THINK IT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL FOR THE CITY TO HAVE A SEAT ON THE CASTAIC LAKE. I THINK IT WOULD BE A NEW START TOWARDS GROUND WATER MANAGE. I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE REALLY NEED. I ENCOURAGE THE CITY TO BUY SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY. THANK YOU. MR. PEDERSON: SCOTT FRANKLIN FOLLOWED BY BOB MR. FRANKLIN: SCOTT FRANKLIN. I LIVE ON HIGH SPRING IN NEWHALL. FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD LIKE TO START OFF BY THANKING FOR YOU PUTTING THIS MEETING ON SO EVERYBODY CAN GET THEIR VIEWS OUT. SECONDLY, I WOULD LIKE TO AIR A COMMENT THAT'S ALWAYS BUGGED ME ABOUT THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY. I RESENT THE FACT THAT THERE IS FOUR UNELECTED PEOPLE ON THAT BOARD THAT CAN TAX, THROW A TAX ON ME. I THINK IT IS UNFAIR. IF I WIN THE LOTTERY SOME DAY, YOU ARE GOING ALL THE WAY TO THE SUPREME COURT. IT IS WRONG, WRONG, WRONG. I HAD TO SAY THAT. BUT THE REAL THING HERE IS THAT 53 TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS It 10 �re 10 to 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 YOU KNOW, THERE IS NO MORE STATE WATER. BETWEEN WHAT'S HAPPENED UP IN THE DELTA AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY, WE DON'T HAVE ANYMORE WATER. SO THE ONLY WATER THAT'S 'LEFT, FOLKS, IS THE WATER THAT THE SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY, THE WATER RIGHTS THAT THEY MAINTAIN IN THIS AQUIFER BELOW US. NOW, BILL MANETTA GOT UP HERE AND THREW A COUPLE OF CURVES AT YOU. HE TOLD YOU WHAT A WARM WONDERFUL RELATIONSHIP THEY HAVE WITH THE AGENCY. AND WE KNOW THAT THAT'S NOT TRUE. THEY'VE BEEN IN LAWSUITS AND EVERYTHING ELSE. SECONDLY, MR. MANETTA FAILED TO TELL YOU HE'S GOT A BUM WATER SYSTEM IN PART OF WEST NEWHALL. AND REGARDLESS OF WHOEVER TAKES IT OVER, THAT'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE UPGRADED. AND FINALLY, I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW YOU CAN BLEND STATE WATER WITH THE EXISTING WATER, MARY, AND NOT CHARGE THEM ANYMORE MONEY. IF YOU CAN DO THAT, THE GOVERNOR NEEDS YOU DESPERATELY BECAUSE YOU HAVE SOLVED THE STATE WATER PROBLEM. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MR. MCLEAN: BOB LATHROP FOLLOWED BY JACK ANCONA. MR. LATHROP: GOOD EVENING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. TO GET DOWN TO THE REAL NITTY-GRITTY, THE ESSENTIAL PROBLEM WE FACE IS THAT CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY HAS BEEN S0 MANAGED THAT IF IT WERE NOT FOR ITS POWER OF INCREASING TAXES ON US ALL, IT WOULD BE ON THE VERGE OF BANKRUPTCY. SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY COULD BE A FINANCIAL ASSET TO CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY. AND I BELIEVE THAT IS REALLY ITS 54 TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS N 14 IC IN ❑N � C1 I0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 INTEREST. IN FACT, THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY HAS PREPARED LEGISLATION WITHOUT PUBLIC HEARING OR NOTICE AFFECTING THE AGENCY. THIS WOULD VASTLY INCREASE THE POWERS OVER THE WHOLE COMMUNITY'S WATER. IT HAS SLIPPED THE LEGISLATION UP TO SACRAMENTO IN THE HOPE THAT THE CLOUT OF NEWHALL LAND AND FARMING AND THE BUILDING INDUSTRY IN GENERAL TOGETHER WITH ITS OWN REPUTATION FOR HIGH PRICED LOBBYING WILL SQUEEZE IT THROUGH THE LEGISLATURE. WOULD YOU SUPPORT SUCH AN ORGANIZATION? THE FAIREST AND BEST WAY TO BRING THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY UNDER DECENT CONTROL AND TO PROTECT OUR CITIZENS FROM ITS EXCESSES IS FOR THE CITY TO ACQUIRE SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY PROMPTLY THROUGH EMINENT DOMAIN AND PROPER APPRAISAL TO INSURE FAIRNESS. THANK YOU. MR. PEDERSON: JACK ANCONA WILL BE FOLLOWED BY JOHN DREW. MR. ANCONA: JACK ANCONA, 19551 ABELIA, CANYON COUNTRY. I'VE BEEN HERE 26 YEARS. IT'S TRADITIONAL FOR A PRIVATE BUSINESS TO CONTROL ITS OWN POLICIES AND MAKE ITS OWN STRATEGIES IN SECRET IF IT LIKES. AN AGENCY THAT IS CREATED TO PROVIDE A SERVICE TO THE POPULATION OF A MUNICIPAL BODY IS REQUIRED BY THE BROWN ACT TO MAKE ALL ITS POLICIES, STRATEGIES AND DECISIONS ON OPERATION, METHODS IN PUBLIC MEETINGS. I DON'T KNOW WHY, BUT I FEEL LIKE THEY HAVEN'T DONE THIS. WELL, I KNOW WHY TOO. BUT I HAVEN'T GOT TIME TO ELABORATE. AND WHAT HAPPENS IN AN ORGANIZATION SUCH 55 TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS ie IO G ro C ICS IN ❑9 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 AS CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY SHOULD ALSO BE COMMUNICATED TO THE PEOPLE BY OUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS. I WANT TO THANK THE NEWSPAPERS WHO FINALLY WOKE UP ABOUT A MONTH AGO. I DIDN'T MEAN THAT TO INSULT THE NEWSPAPERS. BUT IT'S AN INSULT. IT IS REQUIRED TO REVEAL TO THE PUBLIC ALL ATTEMPTS TO CHANGE THE STATE LAWS WHICH HAVE TO DO WITH THE DELIVERY OF WATER. CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY HAS SPENT $300,000 LOBBYING THE STATE LEGISLATION. THEY WORK HARD. WE GOT TO GIVE THEM CREDIT FOR THAT. THE CREATION AND MODIFICATION OF LEGISLATION SHOULD COME FROM THE VOTE OF THE PEOPLE, AND NOT FROM THE BUILDING INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION. THAT'S PROBABLY THE HEART OF THE WHOLE PROBLEM. WE'RE CALLING EACH OTHER NAMES. MEANWHILE, THE BUILDING OR THE B.I.A. JUST SITS LIKE THE PROFESSOR IN THE WIZARD OF OZ, JUST PULLS ALL THE STRINGS. THE CREATION AND MODIFICATIONOF LEGISLATION SHOULD COME FROM THE VOTE OF THE PEOPLE FOR A CHANGE, NOT FROM STATE WATER AGENCIES, NOT FROM THE PRIVATE BUILDING CORPORATION. WATER SUPPLYING AGENCIES SHOULD BE UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE CITY AND CITIES SHOULD BE UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THEM. I RECOMMEND THAT THE CITY TAKES FULL AUTHORITY OVER ALL PUBLIC UTILITIES BECAUSE WATER COMPANIES SHOULD NOT; BE PRIVATELY OWNED BECAUSE THEY ARE RIGHTFULLY CLASSIFIED AS PUBLIC UTILITIES. THANK YOU. MR. MCLEAN: JOHN DREW FOLLOWED BY BOB MANLEY. MR. DREW: I'M JOHN DREW. AND I WOULD LIKE TO TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED REPORTERS 56 e Q G G O G A C C 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 RESPOND TO MARY SPRING'S COMMENT THAT WE HAVE A PUBLICLY ELECTED BOARD. THE SUPPLIES BROUGHT IN BY THE CITIES CLEARLY INDICATE THAT SEVEN MEMBERS OF THE BOARD ARE ELECTED AND FOUR ARE APPOINTED BY THE WATER RETAILERS. OBVIOUSLY IT DOESN'T TAKE A GENIUS IN POLITICAL CONSULTING TO REALIZE THAT IF THE WATER COMPANIES WANT TO INCREASE RATES, THE HOMEOWNERS AND THE TAX -PAYER WILL FIND THEM BIASED AGAINST THEIR INTERESTS. I FELT VERY PROUD TO BE PART OF THE ELECTION CAMPAIGN WHICH ELECTED DIRECTORS PLAMBECK AND DUNN TO THE NEWHALL COUNTY WATER BOARD. I THINK WE ARE LEARNING HOW TO WIN THESE WATER BOARD ELECTIONS. BUT IT WOULD TAKE A REAL FEAT OF FUND-RAISING AND PHONE BANKING TO BE ABLE TO ELECT SIX OUT OF THE SEVEN FREELY ELECTED DIRECTORS ON THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY RAISES RATES AND THEIR PRIOR, AS THE NEWSPAPER ARTICLES INDICATE, THIS SEEMS TO BE THEIR PLAN. IF THEY RAISE THOSE RATES, IT WOULD BE VERY, VERY DIFFICULT FOR CITIZENS WORKING TOGETHER TO REACH OUT AND CHANGE THAT DECISION. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT EARLIER SOMEBODY SAID THAT THE CANYON COUNTRY CHAMBER HAD FORMALLY COME OUT AGAINST THE CITY BUYING THE SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY. I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT THERE WAS NO POLL DONE OF THE CANYON COUNTRY CHAMBER'S MEMBERSHIP AND PERHAPS IF PEOPLE ARE GOING TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE CHAMBER, IT TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS 57 Ic 10 (1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 WOULD BEHOOVE THEM TO DO A MORE SCIENTIFIC SURVEY OF THEIR MEMBERS. FINALLY, I WOULD POINT OUT THERE IS A HISTORY OF WASTEFULNESS BORDERING ON ARROGANCE IN THE CLWA. THEIR LOBBYING EXPENDITURES ARE SO BAD THAT THEY OUTSPEND THE METROPOLITAN WATER DISTRICT, THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES AND L.A. UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT. SO IF YOU WANT TO SEE YOUR TAX -PAYER MONEY GOING TO SUPPORT OUR CORRUPT STATE LEGISLATURE, THEN GO AHEAD AND GIVE THIS COMPANY TO THE CLWA. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MR. PEDERSON: BOB MANLEY WILL BE FOLLOWED BY BILL THOMPSON MR. MANLEY: GOOD EVENING. I'M BOB MANLEY AND I'M HERE THIS EVENING REPRESENTING THE SANTA CLARITA VALLEY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. IT IS REALLY VERY DIFFICULT FOR THE CHAMBER OR ANY INDIVIDUAL IN MY OPINION TO TAKE A POSITION ON THIS SUBJECT AT THIS POINT IN TIME BECAUSE THERE IS A GREAT DEAL OF INFORMATION YET TO BE DEVELOPED, ANALYZED, AND REPORTED AND UNDERSTOOD BY ALL OF US. WHO GAINS? WHO LOSES? WHAT EFFECT WILL SUCH A SALE HAVE ON THE WATER RATES OR TAXES? A NUMBER OF THESE THINGS ARE IN THE PROCESS OF BEING DEVELOPED AND WILL BE DETERMINED IN SOME POINT IN TIME. WE DON'T EVEN KNOW AS WE SIT HERE THIS EVENING WHAT THE PRICE IS OF THIS TRANSACTION WE ARE TALKING ABOUT. IT IS A LOT OF MONEY. THUS A POSITION ON THIS ISSUE IS A VERY 58 TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS 0 J n D 0 n 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 DIFFICULT THING TO DO. HOWEVER, THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE SANTA CLARITA VALLEY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE HAS GIVEN THIS A GREAT DEAL OF THOUGHT. WE'VE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT IT. AND WE HAVE SOME, SOME THOUGHTS THAT I FELT IMPORTANT TO MENTION THIS EVENING. FIRST OF ALL, THE CHAMBER FEELS THAT IT IS PREFERABLE FOR THE SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY TO REMAIN A PRIVATE COMPANY. IF POSSIBLE. IT DOES NOT APPEAR THAT THAT'S LIKELY TO BE THE CASE. IF IT'S NOT POSSIBLE TO REMAIN PRIVATELY OWNED, AND THAT THE WATER COMPANY MUST BE SOLD TO A PUBLIC ENTITY, WE WOULD THINK THAT THE PUBLIC ENTITY INVOLVED SHOULD HAVE SOME EXPERTISE IN THE DELIVERY OF WATER. SUCH AN ENTITY SHOULD POSSESS THE RESOURCES, THE KNOWLEDGE TO PROVIDE QUALITY WATER AT A FAIR PRICE TO BUSINESSES AND CONSUMERS THROUGHOUT OUR VALLEY. THE CHAMBER HAS SOME RESERVATIONS ABOUT THE SANTA CLARITA WATER, COMPANY BEING PURCHASED BY THE CITY. THE CITY HAS A GREAT NUMBER OF OTHER PRIORITIES. CERTAINLY ROADS AND ROADWAY IMPROVEMENTS. PARKS WERE MENTIONED. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN QUALITY BUSINESSES WHICH SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY. THE CHAMBER IS ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT THE DELIVERY OF RETAIL WATER BEING CONDUCTED IN A NONPOLITICAL ENVIRONMENT. THIS IS NOT A CONCERN. I DONT FEEL THAT THERE IS A BOOGEYMAN IN THE CLOSET TODAY. BUT I THINK THAT WITH THE CURRENT CITY COUNCIL OR THE CITY 59 TACHELL &,ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS C C 0 0 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 MANAGEMENT, I THINK THAT CERTAINLY THE CITY GOVERNMENT IS A MUCH MORE POLITICALLYVOLATILE SITUATION THAN WITH A ORGANIZATION SUCH AS THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY. IN SHORT, THE CHAMBER FEELS THAT THE WATER DELIVERY SHOULD NEVER BE USED .AS A TOOL TO INHIBIT ECONOMIC GROWTH WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. WE FEEL WATER DELIVERY CAN BE MOST EFFICIENTLY PROVIDED BY AN AGENCY WHOSE SOLE PURPOSE IS WATER, RATHER THAN BY AN AGENCY WITH A NUMBER OF PRIORITIES. THANK YOU. MR. MCLEAN: THANK YOU. BILL THOMPSON FOLLOWED BY JOHN STEFFEN. MR. THOMPSON: THANK YOU. MY NAME IS BILL THOMPSON. I HAVE LIVED HERE SINCE 1975 AND ENJOYED LIVING IN THIS VALLEY. I ALSO WANT TO EXTEND SOME KUDOS TO THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA. I THINK THEY'VE DONE AN OUTSTANDING JOB WITHIN THE MOST DIFFICULT TIMES RECENTLY. BUT I'M HERE TO TELL YOU THAT I SPENT FIVE YEARS WORKING WITH THIS AGENCY, CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY. AND THEY TAKE A WELL REASONED APPROACH TO THINGS. THE PRESENTATION THAT YOU SEE TONIGHT IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THAT. AND AS I LOOK THROUGH IT, I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT A FEW POINTS HERE THAT I THINK ARE WORTH LOOKING AT. FOR ONE THING, STARTING OUT WITH POINT NUMBER ONE IS THAT THE CLWA DOES COVER A LARGE AREA. IT COVERS A MUCH, MUCH BIGGER AREA THAN THE CITY. IT IS IN THE POSITION OF WANTING TO PROVIDE THE BEST WATER FOR 60 TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED REPORTERS n J ❑N 0 R [* n 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 A REASONABLE PRICE TO THAT AREA. THAT MAKES IT A LOGICAL AGENCY TO RUN A RETAIL WATER COMPANY. NEXT, THE CLWA DOES NOT INTEND TO TAX TO PROVIDE THE REVENUE FOR THE SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY. IT IS A STAND-ALONE. THIS IS PRESENTED, LAID OUT HERE VERY CLEARLY. THE CITY, WE HAVE TO BELIEVE MAY NOT TAKE THAT SAME APPROACH. CERTAINLY IT NEEDS TO BE SERIOUSLY CONSIDERED. ALSO, THE IDEA OF IT STANDING ALONE AS AN OPERATION AND PROVIDING ITS OWN RESOURCES THAT SINCE SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY AND CONTINUING IN THAT FASHION IS SOMETHING THAT REALLY WILL NOT HAPPEN IF THE CITY IS GRANTED. IT'S SIMPLY NOT GOING TO. IT'S GOING TO BE ANOTHER CITY DEPARTMENT. THE FUNDS ARE NOT NECESSARILY GOING TO BE SEGREGATED. THE ONE WE SEE 20 YEARS FROM NOW WILL BE QUITE A DIFFERENT SITUATION FROM WHAT'S BEING SUGGESTED TONIGHT. LOOKING AT A COUPLE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT THE CITY RAISED. AND I EXPECT MY WATER BILL TO COME UP. CAREFULLY WORDED IT SAYS THE PURCHASE WOULD BE SELF-FINANCING AND NOT TRIGGER RAISING OUR TAXES. I THINK WE ALWAYS HAVE TO SAY, WELL, OKAY. BUT WE ALSO KNOW WHAT SEEMS TO TEND TO HAPPEN. AND, FOLKS, THE CITY IS GOING TO MAKE SOME MONEY ON THIS DOWN THE ROAD IF THEY DECIDE TO GO AHEAD WITH THIS. I GUESS ONE OF THE MOST TROUBLESOME THINGS TO ME IS THAT I DON'T THINK THE CITY REALLY WANTS THE WATER 61 TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS [a] O C O O O 0 0 C 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 COMPANY THAT BADLY RIGHT NOW. THEY JUST DON'T WANT CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY TO HAVE IT. THERE IS A SENSE OF REAL HURT FEELINGS HERE FOR WHATEVER REASON. WHAT CONCERNS ME ABOUT THAT IS THAT IF THEY LAUNCH INTO TAKING OVER THE WATER COMPANY BECAUSE THEY ARE UPSET, THAT'S NOT A GOOD REASON TO DO ANYTHING. THE AGENCY HAS A WELL REASONED APPROACH, WANTS TO TAKE IT OVER TO DO THE BEST JOB FOR THE PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY. I LIVE IN THE SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY AREA MYSELF. THEY WANT TO DO THE JOB FOR THE PEOPLE IN THAT AREA. AND IN CONCLUSION I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT I WOULD SUPPORT THE CLWA TAKING IT. MR. PEDERSON: JOHN STEFFEN WILL BE FOLLOWED BY TOM MANER. MR. STEFFEN: MY NAME IS JOHN STEFFEN. I LIVE AT 22714 ESQUELLA IN SAUGUS, CALIFORNIA. WE HEAR THAT THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY IS ONE WONDERFUL TERRIFIC WELL ORGANIZED GROUP OF PROFESSIONALS. WHY IS IT THAT THEY HAVE THE STANDARD & POOR'S RATING OF "A" WHILE THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA HAS A STANDARD & POOR'S RATING "AAA"? IF THAT ISN'T AN OBJECTIVE CRITERIA, WHAT IS? THAT'S NOT A JUDGMENT OF ME SAYING I THINK THAT THIS SHOULD HAPPEN OR I THINK THAT HAPPENED. THIS IS A PROFESSIONAL CRITERIA BY A FINANCIALLY SOUND ORGANIZATION. THEY HAVE A STANDARD & POOR'S RATING OF "A". THIS IS NOT JUST A THEORETICAL GRADE. LIKE POSSIBLY 62 TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS c R Q Q a O 0 0 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 YOU GOT IN ALGEBRA OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. THIS MEANS WHEN THEY GO BORROW MONEY, THEY HAVE TO PAY 8 OR 9 PERCENT. THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA HAS TO PAY 6 PERCENT. THERE IS A 3 PERCENT DIFFERENCE. YOU TAKE 3 PERCENT DIFFERENCE ON A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS AND ADD THAT UP OVER 30 YEARS AND SEE HOW THE PEOPLE WILL HAVE TO PAY FOR THAT. TONIGHT WE HEARD TWO STATEMENTS WHICH, ONE MORE ENIGMATIC THAN THE OTHER. MARY SPRING SAID THERE WILL BE NO INCREASE OF WATER RATES, UNQUOTE. SHE SAID, QUOTE, "WE WILL STRIVE TO KEEP THE SAME WATER RATES," UNQUOTE. SHE SAID THEM WITHIN THREE MINUTES OF EACH OTHER. RIGHT UP HERE. TONIGHT SHE SAID, QUOTE, "WE ARE A PUBLIC ELECTED BOARD." A FEW WEEKS AGO BEFORE THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA SHE SAID THE BOARD IS ELECTED BY CITIZENS AS YOU LOOKING AT THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA. THESE ARE BOTH LIES. FOUR OF THE PEOPLE ARE APPOINTED. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MR. MCLEAN: THANK YOU. TOM MANER FOLLOWED BY VERA JOHNSON. MR. MANER: GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS TOM MANER AND I LIVE AT 26532 BANNERMAN AVENUE, NEWHALL. I HAVE LIVED HERE IN THE PRINCESS TRACT SINCE 1968. AND WHEN I FIRST MOVED HERE, SOME AREAS OF CANYON COUNTRY WERE RUNNING OUT OF WATER DURING THE SUMMER. WE WERE FORTUNATE IN THIS TRACT WITH SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY. AND I UNDERSTAND IT WAS 63 TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS R O 7 n EE O 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 SOLD AND ALL. WE HAD TO LET OUR WATER, OUR LAWNS DRY UP A LITTLE BUT I NEVER, MISSED A SHOWER. I'VE ALWAYS BEEN PLEASED WITH THE SANTA CLARITA WATER SERVICE AND RATES. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT REMAIN THE SAME. HOWEVER, FOR REASONS, SOME UNKNOWN TO ME, IT LOOKS LIKE THE COMPANY IS UP FOR GRABS AND WHO GETS IT COULD MAKE A VERY BIG DIFFERENCE IN MY WAY OF LIFE. THERE HAS BEEN VIEWS OVER THE WATER RIGHTS OF SOME COUNTIES. I DO NOT WANT TO SPEAK AGAINST THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY OR ANYONE ELSE. BUT OF THE TWO CONTENDERS, I WOULD RATHER SEE THE CITY PURCHASE THE COMPANY FOR THE SIMPLE REASON I, AS A PRIVATE CITIZEN, WILL HAVE A VOICE SOMEWHAT WITH MY VOTE COME ELECTION TIME. THE CITY HAS IN THE PAST AND WILL IN THE FUTURE MEET MY CONCERNS. THANK YOU. MR. MCLEAN: THANK YOU. VERA JOHNSON FOLLOWED BY W. K. JOHNSON. MS. JOHNSON: VERA JOHNSON, 26534 OAK CROSSING ROAD. I'M A 30 -YEAR RESIDENT HERE IN THE CITY. THERE IS A GREAT DEAL OF FACTUAL MATERIAL BEING PRESENTED HERE TONIGHT ABOUT CLWA BY THE CITY. I SEE WE HAVE A LOT OF PROFESSIONALS HERE WITH PROFESSIONAL PRESENTATIONS AND FRIENDS OF THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY GIVING US A LOT OF WHITEWATER WASH. THERE IS EVIDENCE OF BIG SPENDING AND OVER SPENDING WITH CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY. THIS AGENCY'S MAIN PURCHASE TO PURCHASE THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY IS TO TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS C-! L 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 RELIEVE THEMSELVES OF THE LAWSUIT BY THE SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY AND TO COVER THEIR MISMANAGEMENT BY CONTROLLING A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF GROUND WATER. THE INEVITABLE RESULT OF CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY CONTROLLING BOTH WHOLESALE AND RETAIL WATER WILL BE MORE EXTRAVAGANT SPENDING AND GREATER COSTS OF WATER TO HOUSEHOLDERS. CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY'S GENERAL MANAGER, ROBERT SAGEHORN (PH) HAS ALREADY STATED THAT THE AGENCY WATER RATES SHOULD BE INCREASED BY ABOUT 200 TO 300 PERCENT. I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT OUR CITY COUNCIL VOTE UNANIMOUSLY TO TAKE OVER THE SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY BY EMINENT DOMAIN. THANK YOU. MR. MCLEAN: THANK YOU. W.K. JOHNSON FOLLOWED BY ROSE COYLE. MS. COYLE: MY NAME IS ROSE COYLE. I LIVE AT 16572 VASQUEZ CANYON ROAD, CANYON COUNTRY. I LIVE IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREA OF THE SANTA CLARITA VALLEY. I HAVE A WATER WELL THAT T HAVE TO MAINTAIN MYSELF FOR WATER. I HAVE ATTENDED THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY MEETINGS FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE EVERY ONE OF YOU ATTEND THEM OCCASIONALLY. YOU MIGHT FIND OUT WHAT'S GOING ON. AT THIS POINT I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE SANTA CLARITA CITY COUNCIL FORGET ABOUT BUYING THE SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY. I DON'T THINK THEY COULD MANAGE IT TO HELP THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREA. THANK YOU. TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS 65 Am m m 0 O m RE O 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 a 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 MR. PEDERSON: DENNIS COYLE. AND DENNIS COYLE WILL BE FOLLOWED BY DENNIS FARNHAM. MR. COYLE: THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HAVING THIS MEETING TONIGHT. I AM AGAINST ANY STATE OR LOCAL AGENCY ACQUIRING SANTA CLARITA WATER. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT STAY PRIVATE. BUT IF IT IS IN THE CASE THAT THE GOVERNMENT AGENCY HAS TO BUY SANTA CLARITA WATER FOR WHATEVER REASONS, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY BUY SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY. THE PROBLEM WITH ANY STATE AGENCY BUYING A PRIVATE COMPANY LIKE THIS IS EVENTUALLY THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE TO RAISE THEIR RATES EVEN THOUGH THE, EVEN THOUGH THE PRIVATE ORGANIZATION MIGHT NOT HAVE TO BECAUSE OF SOME FENAGLING WITH FINANCING. THE CITY AND THE STATE AGENCY, CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY, ARE ALWAYS MONEY HUNGRY AND IT IS A BAD THING. SO I WOULD RATHER SEE NONE OF THE AGENCIES BUY THE SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY. MR. MCLEAN: THANK YOU. JAMES VAN SICKLE FOLLOWED BY JACK CURENTON. MR. VAN SICKLE: MY NAME IS JIM VAN SICKLE. I'VE ONLY LIVED IN THE SANTA CLARITA VALLEY FOR SIX YEARS, BUT I GREW UP IN THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY AND MY DAD GREW UP IN LITTLE ROCK AND I'SPENT A LOT OF TIME OUT HERE. I'M ALSO SERVED BY THE NEWHALL COUNTY WATER DISTRICT SO WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT MY WATER RIGHT NOW. FOR THE LAST 16 YEARS, I'VE WORKED FOR LOS ANGELES DEPARTMENT OF WATER AND POWER. 66 TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND LOA U 0 0 0 0 •❑ CSA 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 AND I'M NOT A MANAGER BY THE WAY. UP UNTIL LAST YEAR, I WOULD HAVE FELT PRETTY STRONGLY THAT THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA SHOULD BUY SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY. I THINK THAT MUNICIPAL OWNERSHIP OF UTILITIES BASED ON MY OWN EXPERIENCE AND MY KNOWLEDGE OF THE HISTORY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF WATER AND POWER INEVITABLY WAS A POSITIVE THING FOR THE CITIZENS OF THE CITY. UNFORTUNATELY, THE LAST SIX MONTHS IN PARTICULAR, BUT THE LAST YEAR HAVE SHOWN JUST HOW SITUATIONS LIKE THAT CAN CHANGE. POLITICAL OPPORTUNISM BY CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND A NEW MAYOR HAVE CHANGED MY MIND QUITE A BIT. COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE SEEKING POLITICAL AGGRANDIZEMENT ARE SERIOUSLY DAMAGING THE DEPARTMENT OF WATER AND POWER. THE MAYOR IS TRYING TO USE DEPARTMENT OF WATER AND POWER FUNDS, MONEY PAID BY RATE PAYERS, FOR THE PURPOSES OF SERVICES, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS AND THE MAINTENANCE REPAIR OF INFRASTRUCTURE TO HIRE MORE POLICE. AND OF COURSE, IT IS HARD TO SAY, AND I HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF THIS, BUT I SUSPECT THAT SOME OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE ALSO LOOKING AT SOME OF THAT MONEY FOR OTHER PURPOSES. UNTIL THE LAST 20 YEARS OR SO, INDEPENDENT UTILITIES EXPERIENCE MANAGEMENT PROVIDED SUPERIOR SERVICE FOR BOTH ELECTRICAL AND WATER CUSTOMERS AT THE LOWEST RATES OF THE YEAR. UNFORTUNATELY THOSE DAYS ARE GONE. WATER AND POWER IS NOT GOING TO BE RUN THE WAY IT USED TO BE RUN. AND AGAIN, I'M STILL TALKING 20 YEARS AGO. I'M NOT TALKING TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS 67 D U 0 10 U Eel N O 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 ABOUT THE LAST 10 OR 15. AND I SUSPECT THAT THE POLITICAL ASPECTS OF THE SYSTEM ARE NEVER GOING TO BE REMOVED FROM IT. I DON'T WANT THAT TO HAPPEN TO THE WATER UTILITIES IN THIS VALLEY. IT IS NOT TO, THIS IS NOT MEANT TO REFLECT NEGATIVELY ON ANY COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT ARE CURRENTLY HOLDING OFFICE. UNFORTUNATELY NOT AFTER THE NEXT ELECTION OR THE ELECTION AFTER THAT. THANK YOU. MR. PEDERSON: JACK CURENTON FOLLOWED BY BILL FREDRICK. MR. CURENTON: JACK CURENTON, 19425-B SOLEDAD CANYON, 211. IT ALWAYS AMAZES ME WHEN WE HAVE THESE LARGE ORGANIZATIONS AND GROUPS LIKE THIS OF WELL HEELED, WELL EDUCATED PEOPLE GET UP AND SPEAK BEFORE PANELS LIKE THIS. IT IS ALWAYS A CASE OF ONE SIDE SAYING WHO CAN GET WHAT FROM WHOM AND THE OTHER SIDE SAYING HOW DO I KEEP THEM FROM GETTING ANY OF IT. BUT YOU KNOW, THIS IS AN ELECTION YEAR THAT WE ARE IN RIGHT NOW AND BECAUSE OF THAT THERE IS AN AWFUL LOT OF THOSE CATCHY BUZZ WORDS THAT WE GET LIKE TAXES ARE TOO HIGH, CRIME RUNS RAMPANT IN OUR STREETS AND POLITICIANS DON'T LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE AND OF COURSE, THE WELL WORN OUT PHRASE THAT GOVERNMENT WANTS TO CONTROL, WELL, SOMETHING. OR ANYTHING IT CAN GET ITS HANDS ON. NOW, THERE'S SOMETHING THAT KEEPS GETTING BANDIED AROUND HERE AND WE KEEP HEARING ABOUT, WELL, THE RATES WILL GO UP. THE RATES WILL GO DOWN. THE RATES WON'T 68 TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS C 0 0 0 O Cow 0 0 IN 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 GO UP. THE RATES WON'T GO DOWN. LET'S FACE IT. HAVE YOU KNOWN VERY MUCH OF ANYTHING IN THE LAST 20 YEARS THAT DIDN'T GO UP IN PRICE NO MATTER WHO RAN IT? SO FORGET THAT ARGUMENT. MY WATER BILL IS $30 A MONTH. IF IT WENT UP 50 PERCENT IT'S NOT GOING TO KILL ME NEXT MONTH. BUT THE REAL QUESTION COMES FROM -- THE CITY WOULD HAVE VERY LIMITED CONTROL ON GROWTH WITHIN THE SPHERE OF SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY -- WHICH BY THE WAY, I'M JUST A RESIDENT TONIGHT. I HAPPEN TO BE THE PRESIDENT OF MY HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION WITH 531 VOTING RESIDENTS THAT LIVE IN THAT TRACT. AND IN THAT TRACT WE ARE SERVED BY SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY. AND I'VE ONLY HEARD ONE OTHER PERSON GET UP TONIGHT AND SAY THAT THEY GOT THEIR WATER FROM SANTA CLARITA WATER BY THE WAY. SO I DON'T THINK THE CITY IS GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF SPHERE OF INFLUENCE AND CONTROL OF DEVELOPMENT IF THEY OWN SANTA CLARITA WATER. BUT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SAYING, IF YOU, THE CITY, TAKE THIS, YOU WILL CONTROL DEVELOPMENT. IT'S LIKE MY GRANDMOTHER USED TO SAY IF YOU POINT ONE FINGER, YOU GOT THREE POINTING BACK. IN A SITUATION LIKE THIS, SINCE THERE IS ALREADY A SUIT REGARDING THE REDUCTION OF THE WATER RIGHTS TO SANTA CLARITA WATER CURRENTLY IN FORCE, HENCE THE REASON IF WE CAN'T BEAT THEM, WE'LL BUY THEM, WHY NOT DO THIS SO WE CAN CONTROL WATER AS AN ENTITY TO MAYBE SHIFT SOME OF THE WATER FROM THE CANYON COUNTRY RESIDENTS AND PUT IT SOMEPLACE ELSE WHERE MAYBE THERE IS OTHER DEVELOPMENT TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS 57 Lol 9 9 O I IT 101 Al 1 2 3 4 5' 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 THAT MAY BE ABLE TO UTILIZE IT. THIS IS REVERSE CONTROL. NOW, YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT CONTROL. WE TALK ABOUT UNCONTROLLED GROWTH. THERE IS A WORD FOR THAT IN THE MEDICAL DICTIONARY. IT IS CALLED CANCER. UNFORTUNATELY, THERE ISN'T A CURE FOR THAT ONE EITHER. IS THE CITY QUALIFIED TO RUN A WATER COMPANY? WELL, I SERIOUSLY DOUBT THAT IF THE CITY TOOK IT OVER, THAT THE NEXT DAY THERE WOULD BE WHOLESALE FIRING OF EVERYBODY WHO RUNS THE THING CURRENTLY. I SUGGEST THE CITY DO EVERYTHING IT CAN TO TAKE CONTROL OF THE SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY FOR THE BENEFIT OF ITS CITIZENS. THANK YOU. MR. MCLEAN: BILL FREDRICK FOLLOWED BY MICHAEL KOTCH. MR. FREDRICK: IF I MAY, I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK FROM UP HERE. MY NAME IS BILL FREDRICK. WHAT YOU SEE OVER THERE IS FOUR WATER COMPANIES. I- REPRESENT THE FIFTH WATER COMPANY. WE HAVE 66 MEMBERS. IT IS CALLED SAND CANYON OAKS MUTUAL WATER COMPANY. RIGHT HERE. BY THE WAY, WHOEVER DREW THE MAP, IT'S WRONG. THIS LINE IS OVER HERE. AND OUR CUSTOMERS GO IN HERE. WE ARE DEATHLY AFRAID OF THE CITY TAKING OVER THE WATER COMPANY. AS YOU CAN SEE, WE ARE OUTSIDE THE CITY AND WE ARE TREATED LIKE STEPCHILDREN. OUR WATER SYSTEM WE PUT IN OURSELVES. 66 PEOPLE DONATED $460,000 THREE MONTHS AGO AND PUT OUR WATER SYSTEM IN. BILL MANETTA HELPED US AND THE WATER COMPANY OF SANTA CLARITA IS 70 TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS C a A C) x N A 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 SELLING US WATER. WE HAVE NO WELLS AND NO STORAGE FACILITIES. WE ARE OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS. WE ARE IN THE COUNTY. WE ARE AFRAID WHATEVER THE CITY COUNCIL 'DOES, WE ARE STUCK WITH IT EVEN THOUGH WE ARE NOT IN THE CITY. WE DON'T WANT TO BE IN THE CITY. RIGHT NOW I THINK THE CITY. SHOULD TAKE CARE OF ROADS. WE NEEDS ROADS HERE. WE NEED A BRIDGE. RIGHT NOW WE HAVE 166 FAMILIES THAT LIVE BACK HERE. WHEN THE WASH RUNS, LAST YEAR WE HAD ALMOST THREE DEATHS. PEOPLE GOT WASHED OUT IN THEIR CARS. THE CITY SHOULD TAKE CARE OF CITY BUSINESS. LET THE WATER COMPANY, CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY TAKE CARE OF THE WATER BUSINESS. THANK YOU. MR. KOTCH: GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS MICHAEL BOTCH. I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE SANTA CLARITA ORGANIZATION FOR PLANNING THE ENVIRONMENT. YOU HAVE MY ADDRESS ON FILE ON THE CARD. CASTAIC LAKE DECLARED THAT THE SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY WOULD BE A SEPARATE ENTITY WITH NO COMMINGLING OF FUNDS, EVEN THOUGH CASTAIC IS NOT SECURING THE CONNECTION FEES AS THEY PLAN TO RETIRE THE DEBT AND EVEN THOUGH THEIR CREDIT RATING IS REDUCED. THE SOLE DECLARED INTENT .IS TO SETTLE THE LAWSUIT REGARDING THE ALLOCATION OF THE STATE WATER PROJECT WATER. A WHOLESALER ACQUIRING A RETAILER SEEMS A RATHER SEVERE 'WAY TO SETTLE A LAWSUIT. AND WE DO HAVE TO ASK WHAT DOES CASTAIC LAKE REALLY HAVE TO GAIN? ARE THEY JUST DOING THIS OUT OF A SENSE OF PLEASURE? ONE TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED REPORTERS 71 Lai Lei Lol m a A X R 7 If 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 QUESTION THAT'S NOT BEEN ASKED SO FAR, AND MAYBE I'LL GET AN ANSWER LATER ON, IS IF CASTAIC OWNS SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY, DOES THE AGENCY NAME THE SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY'S REPRESENTATIVE TO THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY? WOULD THIS BE A CASE OF THE BOARD PERPETUATING ONE OF ITS OWN MEMBERS? I ALSO HAVE TO ASK MARY SPRING HOW SHE CAN SELL STATE WATER PROJECT WATER AT $145 AN ACRE FOOT TO REPLACE SANTA CLARITA'S WATER WHICH THEY PRODUCE AT $105 AN ACRE FOOT AND NOT RAISE RATES? IT WOULD TAKE SOME INTERESTING WORK. CASTAIC REDUCED SANTA CLARITA'S ALLOCATION OF STATE WATER PROJECT AND AS A RESULT, SANTA CLARITA, DURING THE LAWSUIT REFUSED TO 'TAKE STATE WATER PROJECT WATER, WHICH IS WHY THE WATER QUALITY WENT DOWN. THE REASON WHY THE WATER QUALITY WOULD IMPROVE ACCORDING TO CASTAIC'S PLAN IS BECAUSE THEY WOULD REPLACE THAT WITH SOME OF THE STATE WATER PROJECT WATER. BUT CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY COULD ALSO REDUCE SANTA CLARITA AREA ALLOCATION TO ZERO IF IT WISHED. SCOPE HAS PUSHED FOR GROUND WATER MANAGEMENT EVER SINCE ASSEMBLY BILL 4175 WAS APPROVED. AND THROUGHOUT ALL THESE YEARS UNTIL NOW MYSTERIOUSLY, THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY HAS HAD NO INTEREST IN GROUND WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN. WE FEEL THERE ARE TOO MANY CONFLICTS OF INTEREST IN HAVING THE WHOLESALE AGENCY RUNNING A RETAIL WATER SUPPLIER. WE THINK THAT A MUNICIPAL WATER COMPANY TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS 72 C) co C m �❑9 to 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 122 23 24 25 WOULD BE CONSISTENT WITHIN THE CITY AS WITH OTHER CITIES. THE CITY CAN BETTER COORDINATE WATER PLANNING WITH OTHER CITY PLANNING. AND THE CITY OWNING THE SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY WOULD GIVE THE CITY A SEAT ON THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY, WHICH COULD BE GOOD FOR PLANNING THROUGHOUT THE VALLEY. THANK YOU. MR. MCLEAN: BARBARA WAYCOTT FOLLOWED BY GARY JOHNSON. MS. WAYCOTT: BARBARA WAYCOTT, 16301 VASQUEZ CANYON ROAD, CANYON COUNTRY. I REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY. I'M REALLY PROUD OF SEEING ALL THESE PEOPLE HERE TONIGHT. BUT I AM CONFUSED. I HAVE LIVED HERE SINCE 1969. AND I BET IF I COULD TELL ANY OF YOUR, 90 PERCENT OF YOUR CHILDREN HERE, THEY WOULD THINK THAT ALL THE TAXES AND ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON IN GOVERNMENT HAVE ALWAYS BEEN THERE. AND WE TELL THEM, HEY, SINCE 1966, 90 PERCENT OF YOUR TAXES HAVEN'T BEEN THERE. SO WE NEED TO EDUCATE OUR CHILDREN. I'VE BEEN A MEMBER. I'VE HAD SANTA CLARITA WATER WHEN I LIVED IN SAUGUS. I AM A BUSINESS PERSON AND I HAVE L.A. DWP WATER IN CHATSWORTH. I'M ON A WELL IN VASQUEZ CANYON. IF THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA TAKES OVER THE WATER DISTRICT, IS IT GOING TO ALLOW ME TO KEEP MY WELL OR AM I'GOING TO BE FORCED TO CLOSE DOWN MY WELL TO GET WATER? IF THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY TAKES OVER, ARE THEY GOING TO - LIKE BILL MANETTA WAS KIND ENOUGH, WHEN I DIDN'T HAVE ANY WATER AND I WAS TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS 73 D N u O C) 1 2 3 4 5 6' 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 GURGLING DOWN TO HALF A GALLON 'A MINUTE. IT COST ME FIVE GRAND, BUT I WAS ABLE TO GET SOME WATER ON,AN'EMERGENCY BASIS. HE HELPED ME. WILL THE CITY HELP ME? WILL THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY HELP ME AS A NONPERSON, NOT IN THE CITY? I'M NOT -- I ALSO WAS IN BURBANK AND I HAD BURBANK WATER. I MEAN, CITY CONTROLLED WATER COMPANY. I WAS REAL HAPPY WITH THAT WHEN I WAS A YOUNG PERSON. BUT WHAT I'M WORRIED ABOUT IS I'VE BEEN GETTING L.A. DWP IN MY PERSONAL BUSINESS. AND JUST LAST YEAR THEY CAME THROUGH AND I DIDN'T HAVE ANY CHOICE. THEY GAVE ME SOME NEW METERS. AND THEY SAID WE GOT TO PUT YOU ON .A NEW PLAN. YOU ARE A LITTLE PERSON. YOU'VE GOT A COUPLE OF EMPLOYEES. BUT YOU ARE IN A NICE AREA. AND DOG GONE IT, WE ARE GOING TO MAKE YOUR WATER BILL GO FROM $700 -- OR NOT WATER.. ELECTRIC AND WATER. FROM 700 BUCKS A MONTH TO $2100 A MONTH. EAT IT. YOU CAN MAKE IT UP IN YOUR BUSINESS. I'M WORRIED ABOUT: WHO TAKES OVER. WHAT IS IT GOING TO DO FOR US IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS? MR. PEDERSON: GARY JOHNSON. GARY JOHNSON WILL BE FOLLOWED BY FRED HEISER. MR. JOHNSON: LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, MY NAME IS GARY JOHNSON. I REPRESENT THE VALENCIA INDUSTRIAL ASSOCIATION AS THE PRESIDENT, BUT BEFORE I BEGIN, I HAVE KIND OF TWO STATEMENTS AND YOU CAN KIND OF CHOOSE BETWEEN ONE OR THE OTHER. I HAD PROMISED A CITY COUNCIL WOMAN THAT I'WOULD TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS 74 m 0 E& u X Ef I x 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 LOOK INTO THIS IN-DEPTH AND 'I HAD DONE SO. I HAVE SPENT A GREAT DEAL, AMOUNT OF MY TIME IN THE PAST WEEK, MY BUSINESS TIME, BY THE WAY, AND A RESIDENT OF THIS COMMUNITY, IN RESEARCHING AND POLLING A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS CONTRARY TO SOME OF THE INDIVIDUALS YOU'VE HEARD HERE TONIGHT STATING THAT WE DO NOT POLL OUR INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS. WE GET SOME OF THEIR INPUT, SOME OF THEIR FEEDBACK. SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE ARE EVEN HERE TONIGHT. AND THE GENERAL CONSENSUS WAS THAT THEY TOO DID NOT TRULY BELIEVE THAT IT WAS IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF THEIR COMMUNITY AS WELL AS MY OWN, THAT THE CITY SHOULD BE IN SUPPORT OF PURCHASING THIS PARTICULAR AGENCY. THEREFORE MY PREPARED STATEMENT THIS EVENING IS THIS: THE VALENCIA INDUSTRIAL ASSOCIATION JOINS WITH THE CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE IN REQUESTING THAT THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA NOT BECOME INVOLVED IN THE PURCHASE OF THE SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY. BASED ON AN ANALYSIS OF FACTS AS PRESENTED BY BOTH THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA AND THE CASTAIC,LAKE WATER AGENCY, BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF VIA HAS CONCLUDED THAT CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY HAS THE EXPERIENCE, EXPERTISE AND ABILITY TO BEST MANAGE WATER RESOURCES TO INSURE EFFICIENT USAGE, TO GUARANTEE LONG TERM RELIABILITY OF WATER SUPPLIES AND TO PROTECT THE GROUND WATER BASIN SUPPLIES. AND AGAIN, WE HAVE POLLED OUR MEMBERS, NOT 75 TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED REPORTERS 101 I 10 �0 1© IN IN to 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM. AND LET ME REMIND THIS GROUP HERE TONIGHT THAT WE REPRESENT THE ASSOCIATION OF APPROXIMATELY ABOUT 800 BUSINESSES. AND IN THAT 800 BUSINESSES, WE PROBABLY HAVE ABOUT 17,000 INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYEES AND EMPLOYERS. OUT OF THAT PARTICULAR AMOUNT, HOW MANY WOULD YOU SAY LIVE WITHIN THIS AREA THAT IS BEING AFFECTED AND HOW MANY OF THOSE WOULD YOU SAY THAT WOULD TRULY BE IN FAVOR OF THE CITY DOING THAT? WELL, WE WOULD HAVE TO SPEND A WHOLE YEAR TO POLL ALL THOSE. OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS TAKES IT VERY SERIOUS IN MAKING SURE THAT WE REPRESENT THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY OF THE INDUSTRIAL ASSOCIATION THE BEST POSSIBLE WAY. AND I DO WANT TO SINCERELY TELL YOU AT THIS PARTICULARLY POINT I SPENT A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF VOLUNTEER TIME AWAY FROM MY BUSINESS AS A RESIDENT AND A BUSINESS PERSON IN THIS COMMUNITY, THAT I TAKE GREAT PRIDE IN DOING WHAT I DO AS A VOLUNTEER AND I ALSO TRIED TO MAKE IT AS FAIR AS POSSIBLE FOR ALL THE INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYEES. THANK YOU. MR. MCLEAN: FRED HEISER FOLLOWED BY FRANK, I - BELIEVE IT IS MUNGIA, M -U -N -G -I -A. MR. HEISER: FRED HEISER, 20311 DELIGHT STREET, CANYON COUNTRY. I AM A CUSTOMER OF SANTA CLARITA WATER. I LIKE MY WATER. I LIKE MY RATES. LET'S GET TO THE NITTY-GRITTY OF THIS THOUGH. WATER IN THIS COUNTRY IS POWER. AND I DON'T MEAN ELECTRICITY. I MEAN FINANCIAL POWER. I MEAN POLITICAL POWER. THE QUESTION HERE IS WHO DO 76 TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND x 9 C 10 IN '[s7 co I© 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 YOU WANT, DO WE WANT TO HOLD THE REIGNS OF THAT POWER? I SEE BAD THINGS HAPPENING IF SANTA CLARITA WATER GOES TO CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY OR TO THE CITY. I THINK I SEE WORSE THINGS HAPPENING IF IT GOES TO CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY. I SEE A LOT LESS PUBLIC REPRESENTATION ON THE CASTAIC LAKE BOARD. THE CITY COUNCIL GETS ELECTED. FIVE PEOPLE. IT MORE CLOSELY OVERLAPS THE SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY'S AREA. MY PERSONAL PREFERENCE WOULD BE THAT NEITHER THE CITY, NOR THE WATER AGENCY BUY SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT, IF IT MUST BE SPUN OFF INTO A PUBLIC AGENCY, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT BECOMES ITS OWN PUBLIC AGENCY WITH ITS OWN ELECTED WATER BOARD. ANOTHER POSSIBILITY MIGHT BE A CUSTOMER -OWNED COOPERATIVE AS A FORM THAT'S USED IN THE MIDWEST. GRANTED, MOST OF THE TIME IT IS MUCH SMALLER COMMUNITIES. BUT .IT'S SOMETHING THAT CAN BE EXPERIMENTED WITH. WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OVER THIS IN THE HANDS OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE MOST DIRECTLY AFFECTED BY IT. THAT IS THE CUSTOMERS OF SANTA CLARITA WATER. NOT HAND IT OVER TO A GROUP OF BUREAUCRATS WHO MAY OR MAY NOT BE INTERESTED IN THE CURRENT CUSTOMERS' BEST INTERESTS. THE CITY HAS A LOT OF AREA THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY'S AREA. THEREFORE HAVING THOSE PEOPLE HAVE A SAY IN WHAT HAPPENS TO SANTA CLARITA WATER IS INHERENTLY UNFAIR. THE SAME THING WITH CASTAIC. THEIR AREA IS A HUGE AREA. MOST OF IT DOES NOT TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS 77 A [e7 I0 10 10 IN re 10 to 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 OVERLAP. I MEAN, MOST OF IT IS NOT CONTAINED WITHIN CASTAIC LAKE WATER COMPANY. MOST OF IT CONTAINED IN THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY IS NOT CONTAINED IN THE SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY AREA. MOST OF IT'S OUTSIDE THAT AREA. SO ALL THOSE OUTSIDE AREAS WILL OVER BALANCE THE NEEDS OF LOCAL CUSTOMERS. I FEEL THAT WE SHOULD KEEP IT OUT OF THE HANDS OF LARGER AGENCIES LIKE THE CITY AND LIKE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY. IT SHOULD BE ITS OWN AGENCY. MR. PEDERSON: WILL YOU PRONOUNCE YOUR LAST NAME FOR US? YOU WILL BE FOLLOWED BY LYNN BODING. MR. MUNGIA: THANK YOU. MY NAME IS FRANK MUNGIA. I'M A VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE DALE REDEVELOPMENT CORPORATION. WHILE WE'RE NOT WITHIN YOUR BOUNDARIES, WE ARE A MAJOR ADJACENT LAND OWNER WITH PROPERTY WELL WITHIN THE SHADOW OF INFLUENCE OF THE DECISIONS OF THE CITY. I WISH TO SIMPLY URGE THAT THE CITY LEAVE THE COMPLEX AND CRITICAL MATTERS OF WATER MANAGEMENT AND POLICY TO THE VERY CAPABLE AND COMPREHENSIVE AND PROFESSIONAL HANDS OF THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY. THANK YOU. MR. MCLEAN: THANK YOU. LYNN BOEDING, I BELIEVE. THE NEXT SPEAKER THEN IS CAM NOLTEMEYER FOLLOWED BY LAURENE WESTE. MS. NOLTEMEYER: CAM NOLTEMEYER. I LIVE IN VALENCIA. I ATTENDED A TWO-DAY CONFERENCE THAT THE SANTA CLARITA WATER BOARD HELD UP IN THE CLUBHOUSE OF THE SUMMIT 78 TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REF()RCrERS X .40 �0 10 ❑N n 10 10 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 JUST A COUPLE WEEKS AGO. AND I FIND IT INTERESTING WHEN MARY SPRING WENT OVER THE HISTORY, SHE KIND OF NEGLECTED TO GO OVER SOME OF THEIR MORE CURRENT THINGS LIKE THE RIO VISTA PLANT WHICH, BY THE WAY IS RIGHT IN SANTA CLARITA WATER DISTRICT'S AREA. JUST AN INTERESTING LITTLE FACT. THEY ALSO DIDN'T GO INTO THE FACT THAT THEY ARE LOOKING TO REFINANCE. THEY DID GO WITH CERTIFICATES OF PARTICIPATION RATHER THAN A BOND ISSUE SO THEY CAN CIRCUMVENT THE VOTE OF THE PEOPLE. THEY HAD TO PAY FOR THOSE. AND MOST OF IT'S SUPPOSED TO COME FROM DEVELOPMENT FEES BECAUSE THEY DID CIRCUMVENT THE VOTE OF THE PEOPLE. SO IT LOOKS LIKE THEY ARE IN A LITTLE FINANCIAL TROUBLE FROM WHAT THEY WERE SAYING IN THIS MEETING. WE ALSO HAVE SEEN NUMEROUS ARTICLES IN THE PAPER ABOUT VIOLATIONS OF THE BROWN ACT. NOW, MARY SPRING ALSO SAYS, YES, THEY HAVE LEGISLATION. YES, THEY ARE PUSHING IT. I ASKED AT THIS MEETING DO YOU HAVE MINUTES? THEY SAID YES. I SAID CAN YOU SHOW ME IN THE MINUTES WHERE YOU DISCUSSED THIS PUBLICLY? SHE IMMEDIATELY REFERRED ME TO THEIR ATTORNEY WHO IS STANDING BACK HERE. THEY SAID THEY DISCUSSED IT UNDER THE GUISE OF LITIGATION, WHICH MEANS BACKROOM SECRET AGENDAS. THIS IS A QUOTE FROM DAN HAHN (PH), A NEWHALL ATTORNEY IN THE PAPER, THE SIGNAL PAPER. QUOTE, "CLAIMS OF SECRET MANEUVERING HAVE ARISEN AND GONE AWAY ONLY TO COME BACK AGAIN." SO APPARENTLY THIS ISN'T THE 79 TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REYDRTERS 0 O i.19 IKE 10 0 n I[t U to 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED. THIS SO INTERESTED ME THAT I CONTACTED THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY TO SEE IF WE CAN'T GET A LITTLE REVIEW OF THE BOARD, PERHAPS A FEW SUBPOENAS. WE'LL BRING OUT WHAT WE REALLY NEED TO KNOW, IF THEY ACTED PROPERLY OR NOT. THEY ALSO DIDN'T MENTION THEIR PROPOSAL TO SPEND ABOUT 700,000 FOR A NEW WATER LINE, WHICH LOOKS SUSPICIOUSLY LIKE A GIFT OF PUBLIC FUNDS. IF THE CITY IS BEING ACCUSED OF TRYING TO CONTROL GROWTH THEN LIKEWISE, THEY COULD PERHAPS BE ACCUSED OF TRYING TO PROMOTE GROWTH IN ORDER TO FINANCE THEIR RIO VISTA PLANT. IF THEY DON'T HAVE A LOT OF GROWTH, THEY ARE IN BIG FINANCIAL TROUBLE. THE CITY SHOULD PURCHASE IT TO PROTECT US FROM THE SECRET MANEUVERINGS. MR. PEDERSON: LAURENE WESTE WILL BE FOLLOWED BY LINDA STORLI. THEY ARE THE LAST TWO SPEAKERS. LINDA STORLI WILL BE FOLLOWED BY FIVE MINUTES OF RESPONSE FROM MR. GEORGE CARAVALHO. THERE WILL THEN BE A FIVE-MINUTE RESPONSE FROM MARY SPRING, AT WHICH TIME WE WILL CONCLUDE THE MEETING. MS. WESTE: THANK YOU, MAYOR PEDERSON. YOU NEED ONE NEUTRAL SPEAKER AND I AM IT. AND IT'S ALMOST OVER. I READ A LITTLE SOMETHING IN MY BIBLE, WHICH IS A VERY OLD BOOK. AND I'LL RELATE IT TO YOU IN MY NEUTRAL SPEECH. ON JANUARY 17 WE BECAME UNAVOIDABLY A PARTNER WITH NATURE AND HER DANCE OF CHANGE. WE ARE CHANGED DRAMATICALLY IN SECONDS. MANY OF US ARE HOMELESS. AND MANY OTHERS ARE TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS m 0 O O le X A 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 ,14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 STRUGGLING TO FIND NORMALCY. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT TIME AND A TIME FOR US TO REMAIN FOCUSED, A TIME WHEN THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY ARE PRIMARILY REBUILDING OUR HOMES AND OUR LIVES. SANTA CLARITA NEEDS UNITY AND IT NEEDS CONSENSUS. WE MUST SPEND OUR ENERGY IN A POSITIVE WAY HELPING EACH OTHER. AND THE WISDOM OF SOLOMON IN FIRST KINGS, TWO WOMEN CAME TO HIM AND ASKED HIM FOR A VERY TOUGH DECISION. EACH ARGUED THAT A BABY BELONGED TO THE OTHER. NEITHER WAS WILLING TO CONCEDE THE BABY TO THE OTHER WOMAN. SO SOLOMON OFFERED TO CUT THE BABY IN HALF. THIS WAS UNAPPEALING TO EITHER WOMAN. THEY FORTUNATELY FOUND CONSENSUS AND THE BABY'S LIFE WAS SPARED. LET US IN THE WISDOM OF SOLOMON NOT CUT US IN HALF. WE HAVE ENOUGH ON OUR PLATE WITH MOTHER NATURE AND I URGE YOU ALL TO FIND SOME COMPROMISES AND SOME CONSENSUS IN THIS ISSUE. OUR WATER IS SAFE. IT IS HEALTHY AND IT IS ABUNDANT. THAT IS A BLESSING. BUT OUR GREATEST BLESSING IS OUR PEOPLE AND HOW WE TREAT EACH OTHER IS HOW WE WILL DETERMINE HOW QUICKLY THIS COMMUNITY WILL RECOVER. THANK YOU. MR. PEDERSON: THANK YOU. LINDA STORLI. MS. STORLI: MY NAME IS LINDA STORLI AND IT IS ALWAYS HARD TO FOLLOWING LAURENE WESTE AND EVEN HARDER TO FOLLOW THE BIBLE. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA AND THE SANTA CLARITA -- I'M SORRY. THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY FOR HAVING THIS FORUM. THE PURPOSE OF A 81 TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS n v I© IN 10 10 10 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 WATER COMPANY IS TO PROVIDE SAFE CLEAN WATER EFFICIENTLY AND ECONOMICALLY. I WAS ASKED THE OTHER DAY BY A REPORTER, AS ALL THE CANDIDATES FOR CITY COUNCIL WERE I'M SURE, WHAT I THOUGHT OF THIS. AND I GAVE A LENGTHY PROBABLY 20 -MINUTE ANSWER. AND WHEN IT ENDED UP IN THE PAPER, IT SAID SOMETHING LIKE SHE DOESN'T HAVE AN OPINION. I HAD AN OPINION, BUT THIS ONE IS A TOUGH ONE. I WOULD ALWAYS LIKE TO SEE PRIVATE ENTERPRISE OWN WHAT PRIVATE ENTERPRISE CAN OWN BEST. AND WATER COMPANIES AND UTILITY. COMPANIES ARE BEST OWNED BY PRIVATE ENTERPRISE. WE SEEM TO BE LACKING SOMEONE THAT WANTS TO RUN UP HERE PRIVATELY AND BY THIS WATER COMPANY. I BELIEVE THOUGH THAT THIS IS A TOUGH QUESTION AND I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE ARE JUST BEGINNING TO LEARN ABOUT THROUGH FORUMS SUCH AS THIS, THROUGH DISCUSSIONS, THROUGH ARTICLES IN THE PAPER. AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US, IF I HAD ONE REQUEST OF YOU HERE THIS EVENING ;IS TO TAKE THIS SLOWLY. LET US ALL SINK IT IN AND LET US UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN FROM BOTH SIDES. AND WE CAN ALWAYS HOPE THAT SOMEONE WITH 90 MILLION DOLLARS COMES UP AND BUYS IT OUT FROM UNDERNEATH BOTH OF YOU. THANK YOU. MR. PEDERSON: THANK YOU. I: KNOW WE ARE GOING TO BE CLOSING SHORTLY, BUT I JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY. YOU'VE BEEN A VERY, VERY GOOD AUDIENCE AND YOU REALLY ABIDED BY MY REQUEST NOT TO APPLAUD. I REALLY THANK YOU. THIS IS 82 TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED REPORTERS 507 10 () 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16` 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 GEORGE CARAVALHO. ACTUALLY IT IS JAN HEIDT. MS. HEIDT: I MAY LOOK A LITTLE DISHEVELED TONIGHT, NOT BECAUSE I'M HERE ON THIS ISSUE. BUT I JUST CAME FROM A FIVE-HOUR MEETING OF THE METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY. MR. MANLEY, IF YOU THINK THIS IS POLITICAL VOLATILITY, YOU OUGHT TO COME DOWN HERE. ANY GOVERNMENT AGENCY IN THE SANTA CLARITA VALLEY OPERATES, BY COMPARISON, AT THE HEIGHT OF CIVILITY. I WANT TO START BY CLARIFYING A FEW POINTS THAT WERE MADE TONIGHT AND ADDING A FEW OF MY, OWN. THE DROUGHT COMMITTEE THAT WAS TALKED ABOUT BY BOTH MR. MANETTA AND MARY SPRING CAME ABOUT AS A RESULT OF THE FACT THAT WHEN THE STATE DECIDED TO RATION THE WATER, THEY. NEEDED AN ORDINANCE FROM A LOCAL MUNICIPALITY IN ORDER TO GET THEIR ALLOTMENT. SO IT WAS THE CASTAIC,LAKE WATER ,AGENCY AND THE FOUR PURVEYORS AND THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA WHO WORKED ON THAT TOGETHER. AND I MIGHT ADD, I THOUGHT IT WENT VERY WELL. MR. LYNCH, SINCE OUR EXPERIENCE OF ANNEXING AT PINE TREE, WE'VE DECIDED NOW THAT WE WILL NOT ACTIVELY PURSUE ANNEXATIONS AND PARTICULARLY IN THIS AREA OF CANYON COUNTRY SINCE RIGHT NOW THERE ARE NO PEOPLE. AND TO ME, IT'S BEEN A POINT OF INTEREST ON THE COUNCIL THAT I DO NOT WISH TO GO OUT THERE AND ACTIVELY ANNEX PLACES NOW BECAUSE IT'S BECOMING RAPIDLY APPARENT THAT THE MONEY GENERATED BY 83 TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS 0 0 co d 0 no C� U U ❑N l 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 RESIDENTIAL IS NOT ENOUGH TO PAY FOR THE SERVICES THAT THE CITY WOULD HAVE TO PROVIDE. SO ANY ANNEXATION WOULD TAKE AWAY FROM THE CITIZENS ALREADY IN THE CITY UNLESS YOU GET A BIG HUNK OF COMMERCIAL THAT GENERATES SOME TAX DOLLARS. SO I'M NOT ACTIVELY -- OR I DON'T THINK THE REST OF THE COUNCIL IS ACTIVELY PURSUING THAT. I THINK WHAT CONCERNS ME ABOUT THIS WHOLE SITUATION IS THAT PEOPLE HERE TONIGHT BASICALLY HAVE MADE UP THEIR MINDS. AND WE HAVEN'T HEARD FROM THE MOST IMPORTANT GROUP HERE. I MEAN, THE PAPERS MADE UP ITS MIND. OTHER MEDIA HAS MADE UP ITS MIND. VIA HAS MIND UP ITS MIND. CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE HAVE MADE UP THEIR MINDS. BUT THE PEOPLE THAT WE 'HAVEN'T HEARD FROM, AND THE CITY OFTEN GETS YELLED AT FOR NOT LISTENING TO PEOPLE, IS THE 20,000 CUSTOMERS. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY THINK BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T ASKED THEM. AND NOT ONLY THAT, WE HAVE NOT GIVEN THEM A VEHICLE TO EXAMINE WHAT IS GOING ON. WE'VE ONLY SAID WE MUST CHOOSE UP SIDES. SO WE'VE HEARD FROM DEVELOPERS AND THE BUSINESS AND THE AGENCY AND THE CITY. BUT WE HAVE NOT HEARD FROM THOSE 20,000 PEOPLE. THE VEHICLE THAT 'I WOULD PROPOSE THAT WE DO IS THAT WE GET .AN INDEPENDENT THIRD PARTY IN HERE. I'VE MENTIONED THIS TWICE ALREADY. MAYBE A RETIRED JUDGE WHOSE BEEN IN THE FIELD. MAYBE SOME PERSON OF DISTINCTION FROM OUTSIDE THE AREA TO TAKE A LOOK AT THIS. SO THAT PEOPLE CAN 84 TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS 0 C fir! 10 10 119 10 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 MAKE UP THEIR OWN MINDS AND NOT BE SWAYED BY SOME OF THE BACKGROUND CRAP THAT'S GOING ON. IT WOULD ALSO BE MY INTENTION, AND IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A GOOD THING THROUGHOUT THIS WHOLE PROCESS OF NEGOTIATING WITH THE SANTA CLARITA WATER COMPANY, HAD WE NOT BEEN SWORN TO TOTAL CONFIDENTIALITY, THAT THERE MAY HAVE BEEN A FOCUS GROUP THAT MOVED RIGHT ALONG WITH THIS PROCESS SO THAT THE PUBLIC WOULD HAVE HAD A PLACE TO LOOK AT IT. BUT THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN. IT'S ALSO MY FEELING THAT SOMEHOW WE HAVE TO PROVIDE INFORMATION FOR THOSE 20,000 PEOPLE. THEY ARE CUSTOMERS. THEY USE THE SERVICE. THERE SHOULD BE SOME KIND OF JOINT MAILING THAT MIGHT INCLUDE INFORMATION FROM THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA, FROM THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY, AND FROM AN IMPARTIAL THIRD PARTY TO SAY THIS IS THE SITUATION. WHAT DO YOU THINK? AND THEN FOLLOW UP WITH A PHONE POLL, A RANDOM PHONE POLL. I CAN TELL YOU THAT I AM SERVING ON THE MTA'S LABOR NEGOTIATIONS COMMITTEE. AND AT THIS POINT IN TIME, I HAVE NEVER FELT MORE FIRMLY ABOUT THE FACT THAT THE TAX -PAYERS HAVE TO BE REPRESENTED. I AM A CUSTOMER OF THIS WATER COMPANY'. I HAVE BEEN A CUSTOMER FOR 22 YEARS. THERE HAVE ONLY BEEN A. HANDFUL OF CUSTOMERS OF THIS COMPANY WHO HAVE SPOKEN HERE TONIGHT. ONE OTHER THING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO POINT 85 TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS 19 Ed O 0 C0] U 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 OUT, WHICH IS GOING ON HERE. WE HAVE TWO SPECIAL DISTRICTS OUT HERE. THE SANITATION DISTRICTS, 26 AND 32, AND THE AGENCY. LAST YEAR, WHEN THE STATE NEEDED TO BALANCE THEIR BUDGET, THEY WENT TO THE SPECIAL DISTRICTS. THE SPECIAL DISTRICTS HAD TO REPLACE THAT REVENUE FROM, THE PROPERTY TAX. THE SANITATION DISTRICT -- WE RAISED THE RATES ON PEOPLE USING THE SERVICES. SO DID THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY. THE CITY LOST NOTHING. THE CITY LOST NOTHING FROM THE STATE. THERE IS NO GUARANTEE THAT THAT WON'T HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE. BUT FIRST, THEY ARE LOOKING AT SPECIAL DISTRICTS. SO I IMPLORE YOU AND I IMPLORE THE COUNCIL AND THE ,AGENCY TO TAKE THE 'NEXT STEP AND TO FIND A VEHICLE FOR THIS COMMUNITY TO EXAMINE THIS, THAT HAS NO PUSHY PUSHY ONE SIDE OR THE OTHER, TAKE SIDES, THAT'S IT. I THINK WE OWE IT TO THIS COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. MR, PEDERSON: MARY, YOU NEED THIS MICROPHONE? MS. SPRING: NO. I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR COMING OUT THIS EVENING. I KNOW THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER THINGS THAT MIGHT BE MORE FUN ON A WEDNESDAY NIGHT, BUT PROBABLY THERE IS NOT AN ISSUE THAT'S MORE IMPORTANT. I APPRECIATE ALSO THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO SPOKE TONIGHT AND SHARED YOUR VIEWS WITH US. WE'VE HEARD A LOT OF VIEWS. AND SOME OF THEM ARE FAVORABLE TO ONE SIDE AND SOME WERE FAVORABLE TO THE OTHER. WE'VE DRAWN SIDES HERE. I HAVE TO SAY THAT SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS m IU I0 C07 Io C 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 THE AGENCY, I HEARD SOME VERY INACCURATE INFORMATION ABOUT THE AGENCY. I HEARD SOME INFORMATION TAKEN OUT OF CONTEXT. AND THAT DISTURBS 'ME AND I WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO CORRECT THAT TO ALL OF YOU. I HOPE THAT YOU'VE ALL FILLED OUT YOUR SPEAKER CARDS. WE WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND TO THE COMMENTS AND THE QUESTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN POISED THIS EVENING AFTER THIS MEETING IS OVER AND THE TRANSCRIPT HAS BEEN TYPED AND SO FORTH. SO PLEASE DO ALL FILL OUT YOUR CARDS AND LEAVE THEM SO WE CAN FOLLOW UP WITH YOU AFTER THIS MEETING. I THINK IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO SEE WHO REPRESENTS YOU ON THE CASTAIC LAKE WATER AGENCY BOARD. I BELIEVE THEY ARE ALL PRESENT TONIGHT AND I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE THEM. WILL YOU BOARD MEMBERS PLEASE STAND UP? WE STEVE MCLEAN, WHO IS VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD. JIM GATES, DON FROLICH, JERRY GODBACH, BOB DEPREMIO. REMAIN STANDING PLEASE. BILL MANETTA, RICHARD GREENE, DINA STAPPHEW AND JOE BRIANSIDE WHO RECENTLY RESIGNED FROM THE BOARD. HIS REPLACEMENT HAS NOT BEEN NAMED AS YET. BUT THE NOMINEES FROM THE NEWHALL COUNTY WATER DISTRICT IS DON CASE, WHO IS ALSO PRESENT, 'I BELIEVE. AND BILL COOPER. THEY ARE ALL HERE. THEY ARE ALL WEARING NAME TAGS. I WOULD LIKE TO URGE YOU TO STICK AROUND AFTERWARDS AND TALK TO THEM. YOU CAN SIT DOWN NOW. A VOICE: WHICH ONES ARE ELECTED? TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS m ID 0 G I tl m Lel IO G 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 MS. SPRING: I WOULD LIKE TO URGE YOU TO STICK AROUND AFTERWARDS AND TALK TO THEM AND ASK THEM QUESTIONS. COME UP AND SEE THE DISPLAYS. ASK US ANYTHING THAT YOU WOULD LIKE ABOUT THE HAND OUTS THAT WE HAVE PROVIDED FOR THIS EVENING. AND ALWAYS AT ANY TIME YOUR INQUIRIES AND YOUR INTEREST IS GREATLY APPRECIATED AND WE WANT TO RESPOND. AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING OUT THIS EVENING. MR. PEDERSON: THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR MAKING THIS AVAILABLE. I WOULD BE HOPING FOR A MOTION FOR ADJOURNMENT. MS. HEIDT: SO MOVED. MR. PEDERSON: THANK YOU AND GOOD NIGHT. WE ARE ADJOURNING THE MEETING TO MARCH 30 AT 7:30 P.M. (THE PROCEEDINGS ADJOURNED AT 9:20 P.M.) TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS m 10 IG IO IG to IO In 10 IO 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 STATE OF CALIFORNIA ) ) SS COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ) I, CINDY TACHELL, A CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTER DO HEREBY CERTIFY: THAT SAID PROCEEDINGS WERE TAKEN BEFORE ME, AT THE TIME AND PLACE THEREIN SET FORTH, AND WERE TAKEN DOWN BY ME IN SHORTHAND AND THEREAFTER TRANSCRIBED INTO TYPEWRITING UNDER MY DIRECTION AND SUPERVISION; I FURTHER CERTIFY THAT I AM NEITHER COUNSEL FOR, NOR RELATED TO, ANY PARTY TO SAID ACTION, NOR IN ANYWISE INTERESTED IN THE OUTCOME THEREOF. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I HAVE HEREUNTO SUBSCRIBED MY NAME THIS A6 DAY OF 1994. 4 �� CERTIFIEDORTHAND REPORTER va TACHELL & ASSOCIATES CERTIFIED SHORTHAND REPORTERS Eg 10 o C) 0 I0 QUESTION / COMMENT' /CLWA & CITY JOINT -MEETING MARCH 23, 19994 NAME.�jJ��� ADDRESS ORGANIZATION .� % ' 1 WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK 1YESj� NO QUESTION OR COMMENT: �J / ` DIRECTED TO: CITY O CLWA O ' QUESTION / COMMENT CLWA & CITY JOINT MEETING MARCH 23. 1994 � I NAME ADDRESS ORGANIZATION WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TY �.L�NOO QUESTION OR COMMENT: DIRECTED TO: CITY O CLWA O I G 0 �G QUESTION / COMMENT CL)NA & CITY JOINT MEETING MARCF1 23, 1994 NAME _ ADDRESS ORGANIZATION WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK YES W40 DIRECTED TO: CIT7/ CLWA. t QUESTION / COMMENT tt CLWA & CITY JOINT (MEETING MARCH 23, 1994 NAME::. 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