Murky Water's Newsletters

6th edition

What choice is the Mayor talking about in the City’s brochure “The Choice Is Clear”? When this all started a year ago there were two choices – surface water or ground water. Now the two member ad-hoc committee, consisting of Mayor Ramirez and Council member Gill, intend to recommend converting to surface water to the City Council. Will there still be a groundwater choice available to Hillcrest water users? What other choices will Hillcrest Water System (HWS) customers have? It appears that the only choices will be a YES or NO for surface water! 

The Mayor thanks “all the citizens” for helping the city reach their recommendation. Who are these citizens?  Surely, not the 1800 Hillcrest water users who submitted petitions opposing the city request to unfairly charge them to fix the City’s HWS!  Surely, not the citizens who protested at the City Council meetings! Surely, not the many citizen’s newspaper articles written in opposition to the city’s proposed actions! Who are “all the citizens” advising the two member ad-hoc committee to go to surface water and have HWS water users pay $19,000,000 to fix a city problem? 

The HWS ad-hoc committee citizen advisory members did not come to a consensus to advise conversion to surface water. In fact, the ad-hoc committee was put on hold in January with the intent to complete another engineering study and a cost benefit analysis. After these studies were completed the ad-hoc committee was to reconvene and review them. Apparently, the two member ad-hoc committee did reconvene – but without the citizens advisory group! 

In addition, when exposed to the “thousands of pages of documents” many of us began to see larger issues not being properly addressed.  For example: a secure QUANTITY of water for the entire city at the lowest possible cost. Blending was not seriously considered as an option, even though California is in a drought and costs for water is rising!  

During discussions at the ad-hoc committee meetings and discussions with city officials, citizens sensed the reluctance of the city to accept the will of the people but rather to resist by closing them out of the process and then start pushing their new solutions on HWS water users through clever colorful brochures created by hired public relations professionals. 

The two member ad-hoc committee was unsuccessful in bringing the community together and did not achieve its objectives! A large amount of your tax dollars continues to be expended by the ad-hoc committee since its creation several months ago. These expenses might not have been necessary if a compromise could have been reach much earlier in the process. However, the two member ad-hoc committee continued to insist that HWC water users embrace their concept that we should pay to fix their HWS system. 

One of the ad-hoc citizen’s advisory group members recently took the initiative to submit a compromise to the City Manager that could have possibly satisfy all sides – that compromise was rejected by the City Manager. 

One of our Walton citizens made the following observation: “The recent flyer from the city is selling you surface water for $19.80. Sound too good to be true?  DO THE MATH: $19.80 X 4,000 TAXPAYERS X 12 MONTHS X 20 YEARS IS $19,008,000.  THAT IS THE SAME LOAN AMOUNT.  AGAIN, WE ARE FINANCING THE LOAN FOR EXPANSION.” If the City convinces you to say yes, be aware that this is the start, not the end, of financing the city’s faulty vision for its water system to enhance future development. 

If you disagree with what the City’s is proposing you must protest and say No! By not protesting you are giving a yes response to the City!  Don’t let politicians, developers and realtors convince you to pay for something that is not your responsibility! 

For almost a year a small group of people have been tenaciously trying stand up for the for the Hillcrest water customers. It is time for the rest of the Hillcrest water customers to become actively involved in defeating Yuba City’s unfair and inequitable proposals! Walton citizens should remember the city’s unfulfilled promises made during the 2000 Walton annexation.  

ATTEND THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING AT THE CITY HALL ON JULY 1, 2008, 7:00 PM AND EXPRESS YOUR OBJECTIONS! 

5th edition

Following is the letter handed out to the many who attended the City Council Meeting at the school on Walton Ave., May 19 at 6:  It was a turn out of 200 to 250 that included a lot of new faces.  On the back of the Newsletter below was the glossy flyer that South Yuba City received when annexed.  It was great that it was there as all read it again.  There were many who spoke to the Council and asked questions from Region 1.
Most show that they are more confused then residents from 2/3.  One very serious lady that attempted to ask the Council questions did not know she was receiving ground water from the former  Hillcrest water  Company.
Nothing was decided by the Council at this meeting.  The meeting continued until 11: with new questions coming up until then.  However, many left when Candidate Whiteaker addressed the Council.  It was very
surprising that there will be many issues that will call for the City Council to develop NEW POLICIES TO ADDRESS.
 

May 2008—Some  FACTS FOR ALL OF US TO CONSIDER:

Proposed by City Manager Steve Jepson; approved by Yuba City Council—Beautiful (expensive) flyers mailed to SOUTH YUBA CITY WATER USERS!  $75,000 WORTH!  Believable??  Do not forget Yuba City’s Region 2/3 Annexation flyer promised: “State certified water, adequate water pressure for fire protection, and, “No water or sewer hook-up fee required upon annexation or thereafter.”  Plus, Hillcrest Water no longer exists: “you are a Yuba City Water customer.”  Mayor Ramirez now says these promises are not binding.

The City Administrator, hired at $185,000 a year, will soon be raised to over $220,000 (the Governor only makes $216,000).  The Mayor and Councilman John Miller, who are both up for re-election in November, think Jepson deserves it and support his views for new development.  Utilities Director, Bill Lewis is responsible for providing ALL of Yuba City with CLEAN water.  Some Yuba City residents receive “off-clear” water.  For doing an “excellent” job, he is paid over $175,000.  But, no money for South Yuba City water customers.  Our water rates are supposed to include maintenance—why are we treated differently than 80% of Yuba City customers?  Why should 20% have to pay to upgrade the City’s system?  Is the City so far in debt they have to pass  this on?

Now they want us to pay for 27 miles of piping at a cost of $30,000,000 to further development and the $24,000,000 water plant upgrade enjoyed by all Yuba City surface water customers—but mostly by developers.  Everything proposed by these big spending “leaders” is for future growth.  Shopping malls, new subdivisions, lower fees for builders and developers—why should infra-structure be paid for by SOUTH YUBA CITY WATER USERS ONLY??  DO NOT LET THEM GET AWAY WITH THIS!  SAY NO TO BIG SPENDERS!  VOTE NO ON WATER EXTORTION!

Measure R proponents say a charter could make County representatives responsive to “we, the people.”  Retroactive pension benefit voted by big spending Board of Supervisors costs County residents over $3.6 million a year—for  over 20 years.  $72 million that could have gone to our levees, roads, infra-structure.  $72 MILLION THAT WILL HAVE TO BE PAID FOR BY OUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN—and we didn’t get to vote on it.  THINK ABOUT THAT!!!  The same thing is happening in Yuba City.  Maybe Yuba City should consider becoming a Charter City???

Yuba City is already in debt $109 million—debt none of us were ever given the chance to vote on.  Debt for fancy buildings, pensions, benefits, and water and sewer expansion for development.  What about roads?  What about levees?  What about Yuba City’s promise of no hook-up fees?  How much debt will “big spenders”  pass on to our children and grandchildren? Don’t let Yuba City do this to them with our water!

VOTE NO ON WATER EXTORTION!!!

For Info Phone:

Bob 674-7969

Ann 674-7758

Elaine 671-7916

Lynn 751-5157

4th edition

     A new study has been developed under the City Manager’s contract authority! 

The City Manger has hired two consultant firms for the purpose of having ANOTHER study for ground water users! The City’s stated purpose of this study is: 

“………to help the City better understand the needs and desires of residents who receive water from the groundwater systems. The team will help spearhead a new public education, outreach and feedback program designed to inform residents about options for improving water quality and provide direction to the city on the best course of action.” 

We do not believe that this is the real purpose of this study!

The real reason is to defeat the already clear message of “NO” from over 1700 Walton home owners! 

We checked on one consultant’s web page and found that one area of their expertise is in providing their clients with support to help win campaigns to ensure their agency receives the funding it needs. In this case it would be for the Utilities Department. We have asked the City Manager to further clarify the purpose and intent of this study. 

Guess what folks, the City Manager will be recommending that results of this study and any recommended actions be funded by our very own Hillcrest Water Enterprise Fund!! BELIEVE IT, Walton funds being used to oppose previous protests by Walton home owners! 

This study will cover issues already covered by previous months of Walton ad-hoc meetings, newspaper and radio coverage. Has the City concluded that the Ad-Hoc Committee has been a failure in communicating City positions to Walton citizens? Do they now need professional consultants to oppose the protests of Walton area home owners? 

This study is a duplication of previous efforts and is an inappropriate expenditure of funds, especially in light of the City’s budget difficulties of over 1 million dollars. This contract should be terminated! 

We anticipate the City will offer Walton homeowners a lower cost to entice you to vote yes for the City’s solutions. Don’t be fooled and vote to become an assessment district and pay for 20 years for something that is not your responsibility!  The City bought the water system for future growth without asking us or us asking them and they should pay for it and fix it!

We are continuing to question the City Manager about this study. Questions and answers are too numerous to print here and we are also waiting for more answers to come. We will be placing the series of these questions and answers on our Murky Water website.

Based on this study we expect the City to conduct a significant campaign to convince you to vote yes for the City’s proposal(s)! We need your help to stop the City from “shoving it down our throats”! Please volunteer to help us with money and with walking door-to-door to deliver newsletters. For more information contact us at 674-7969 or 671-7916. Call or write your City Council and let them know where you stand on these matters! 

ATTEND OUR MEETING AT THE MOOSE LODGE ON April 13^TH AT 2-5 PM!!!

3rd edition

No to $6,000 Special Tax Assessment District
Repeat Again and Again, No, No, No

We are on a roll and with everyone’s help we can keep moving forward.

OUR MAIN GOAL IS TO ENSURE THAT THE WALTON AREA RESIDENTS RECEIVE FAIR AND EQUITABLE TREATMENT CONCERNING THE CITY’S PROPOSED WATER SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS.

In order to do that, important current issues to be covered are:

MOST IMPORTANTLY: A PUBLIC NOTICE WAS IN THE PAPER ON 1-21-08 THAT REQUIRES A RESPONSE BY FEB. 14 TO COMMENT ON AN ENVIRONMENTAL STUDY BE DONE TO STUDY PIPING, STORAGE FOR WATER LINES COMING DOWN CLARK. THEY ALSO PROPOSE A WELL AND TREATMENT FACILITY.  THE COST OF THE STUDY WILL BE PASSED ON TO YOU.  IT WILL BE BROUGHT BEFORE THE COUNCIL ON FEBRUARY 5th or 19th AND S/B ARGUED THAT WE DO NOT NEED TO INCUR FURTHER DEBT.  THESE ARE IMPORTANT MEETINGS AND ALL SHOULD ATTEND.  THE COUNCIL MEETINGS ARE WHERE WE ARE VISIBLE.

RESPONSE TO PUBLIC NOTICE:  There have been two public notices that we will respond to.  Please keep in touch to get that information.

TO CHALLENGE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A SPECIAL TAX ASSESSMENT DISTRICT we have taken the following important steps.  There are 1,500 signed petitions. They were presented and reported to the City Council at the meeting on January 5, 2008. The goal here is to inform residents about the requirements of Prop. 218.  We still have more work regarding the requirements of Prop. 218.  The Petition drive is still in process.  KEEP UP THE DRIVE AND LEARN MORE ABOUT PROP 218.  READ BACK PAGE.

News?  Recession?  Mortgage Meltdown?  Whatever it is, we are there! No housing boom in Yuba City.  The City should be changing their plans in light of current suppressed economic times.  Yuba City is the fourth highest in the country in unemployment of cities researched.  IS THIS A TIME FOR ADDITIONAL DEBT, NO, NO AND NO.  The mayor goes to Washington to discuss Arsenic?  Could this be an expenditure from the Hillcrest Water Enterprise Fund?

The situation is changing every day.  We are not able to keep all the residents informed with the methods we are using.  The latest information will be at:

1660 Alicia Drive

1532 RANCHO WAY, You can pick up has a brief petition translation in Punjabi here   Signed petitions can be either mailed to this address or dropped off at either one.

ALSO, YOU CAN CALL:

BOB………..674-7969           DON………. 755-4048           ELAINE……….  671-7916

We have accomplished so much because so many people have gotten involved.  First of all a lot of supporters attended the Ad Hoc meetings and were very involved in that process.  The meetings were very tiring and took a lot of determination to keep up the dialog with the City Council and the Water Department. The meetings did not produce any clear results (more on the murky side).  While that was happening, another goal to get out information was being met by the many working on the petition drive. When petition volunteers call on water users, they answer question and give much needed information.  There are still residents that remain uninformed.  It is very difficult to cover our territory with the news

While the Ad Hoc meetings have been suspended for the reason given by the Mayor to do a new Engineering Study to reduce cost, at the same time there has been information received from the Water Department  that they are doing a study to meet the requirements of Prop. 218.  THOSE APPEAR TO BE TWO STUDIES.  That requires us to cover both bases.

There was a great turnout at the City Council meeting.  We filled every seat and overflowed into the lobby.  The City Council was required by procedure to listen to residents that wanted to give their argument against the charging of the proposed hook-up fees.  The speakers were allowed to speak before the regular agenda.  This could have been because there was an agenda item for the council to vote their selves a raise. The meeting can be watched by going onto the Internet to the City Website and watching it.  The Council looked very uncomfortable during the presentations.  There is a meeting that should be attended on February 5^TH and/or February 19th.  See front page about those.

Also, there have some very great Letters to the Editor printed in the paper along with one article by John Dickey. However, he has misled readers with misinformation.  It is no wonder that the information is again, MURKY.  That is the condition of what we get from the CITY.  Let’s hope it will be scrutinized by the residents of Yuba City. This is another opportunity for us to bring attention to the DEBT this city government wants to incur and pass on to the taxpayers.  You can leave comments about the article at the Appeal Democrat web-site below Mr. Dickey’s article.

Proposition 218:

Proposition 218 is called "Right to Vote on Taxes Act."  Essentially, the Act prevents the City from charging us for water lines or anything else without us voting to either pay for them or not.  We can say “NO” on a ballot, called a “PROTEST BALLOT.”  Four of our Ad Hoc Advisors will attend a class on February 27 put on by the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers’ Organization to learn more about how Proposition 218 applies to our situation and the City's proposal that we pay for the City's proposed $30,000,000 surface water pipeline expansion.

WALTON AREA WATER USER:

2nd edition 

Are you aware?:

• That your City government is planning to install a new 30” pipe line across town and hook you up to the surface water (river water) supplier at a cost of upwards of $6,000.

• The City is using the area’s ground water Arsenic problem as a reason (excuse) for the need to convert to the other source.
   

• However, the City has no plan to shut down our wells and in fact, will continue to keep them operational for use by the City customers in low water years or other backup needs.  At which time, you will be back on ground water after paying your $6,000 or more.  The Arsenic levels are under control now and are manageable now and can be in the future.
   

• The real reason for the new pipeline is for new residential and commercial expansion.  The Hillcrest or ground water system will not support any more expansion.  So, if they, the City can get you, the Walton area residents to pay for the new pipe line then the City can invite large construction companies to develop at a reduced cost.
   

We need your support.  There will be a City Council meeting on January 15 at 6:30 pm.  Please come and show your support.

MURKEY WATERS UPDATE – 12/27/2007

As of December, the Arsenic Average for 2007 Meets the Federal Guidelines

1. The City plans to correct the Walton Area arsenic problem to meet new EPA standards by using either well water or surface (river) water. The City plans on connecting us to surface water for approximately $20,000,000 (which, depending on the payment option you select, will put a $6,000 -$10,000 lien on your mortgage for 20+ years). After several weeks of AD-HOC meetings and many hours of research there are a lot of facts and statements that have been discovered.  For the purpose of this flyer we would like to bring to the Walton Citizens’ attention just a few.

2. PRE-ANNEXATION The City made the decision to purchase Hillcrest Water Company. Walton area citizens did not vote on this acquisition. In City’s process of acquiring the Hillcrest Water Company, the following statements were made in official documents.

   1. In a flyer handed out to the Walton Citizens, the City committed: “No water or sewer hook-up. Is required upon annexation or thereafter” (Undated 2000). The Ad-Hoc committee has been shown this flyer and questioned about it and given no response to the possible legal issue involved in charging for “hook-up” now.

   2. “Council believes that it is in the long-term interest of future city citizens that Yuba City supply water to all citizens within our jurisdiction.” (August 9, 2000)

   3. “Acquisition of Hillcrest Water Company provides a backup water supply for all Yuba City Residents.” (October 3, 2000)

   4. “The Acquisition allows continued consistent level of service and high quality of water supply to all current and future citizens” (October 3, 2000)

   5. “Acquisition of Hillcrest will result in redundant water supply and a reliable source during drought and emergency conditions.” (October 3, 2000)

   6. WALTON ANNEXATION – NOVEMBER 27, 2000)

3. POST-ANNEXATION

   1. “Yuba City requests that LAFCO, under Government Code Section 56133, authorize the City of Yuba City to provide water service within its sphere of influence at your next meeting – March 22. The primary conduit to provide this service will be the Hillcrest Water System, which the city is in the process of acquiring.” (February 21, 2001.  THE CITY WANTS TO OWN THE HWC TO SUPPLY FUTURE DEVELOPMENT.

   2. “Negotiations with Hillcrest Water Company are continuing, and it is anticipated that acquisition could be complete by May 2, 2001. At that time, Yuba City would be responsible for all aspects of operation of the water company.” (February 21, 2001)

   3. “The water meets all current regulations with the exception of the recently passed arsenic rules.” (February 21, 2001) “The acquisition itself will have no financial impact on current customers.” (February 21, 2001)

   4. “This project proposes to allow the City to assume the role of water provider for those areas now served by the Hillcrest Water Company and allow the City to supply water to other areas within its Sphere of Influence.” (March 22, 2001)

   5. HILLCREST WATER COMPANY ACQUIRED BY CITY (April 13, 2001).  The cost of the Hillcrest Water Company has been passed on to you in your water bill. 

CONCLUSION:

THE WATER FROM THE HILLCREST WELL COMPANY (HWC) HAS MET THE FEDERAL CRITERA BY HAVING AN AVERAGE ARSENIC MEASUREMENT FOR THE PAST YEAR UNDER 10ppbs.  Also the State is not enforcing this criteria at this time for several reasons.  Then why is Yuba City?

THE CITY IS REQUESTING YOU TO PAY A THIRD TIME FOR WATER SUPPLIED BY THE CITY.  It is apparent that this is a city created problem and the City should be required to correct the problem and it should not be the sole responsibility of the Walton Citizens. For more information or to help in our protest, call 673-2716, or 755-1881.

1st edition

There is no better term for the confusing information that has come to our attention while seeking answers to some simple questions about Walton are water.

We have read the State Department of Health Services report and would like you to know that your water, even with the Arsenic issue, is safe for your use. Knowing that, why the hast to establish a new Tax Assessment District here in Walton (Formerly Hillcrest water users)?

DO YOU KNOW when you were annexed into Yuba City in 2000 you were promised: (printed information is on file)

• There would be no "hook-up" fees for water use.

• The City would not require homeowners to install water meters on their property if the had an existing home.

• City purchase of Hillcrest would not change water costs for users.

• City would assist you in creating an assessment district (deferred payment plan) if desired for street improvements and WATER AND SEWER LINE EXTENSIONS.

BUT in February 2001, our City Council said they did not know if we would be charged "hook-up" fees.  (Information in city of Yuba City memorandum)

AND, in 2003, a little known ordinance was passed with an established amount for those "hook-up" fees for the Walton area ($6,600).

BUT, in 2004, Tierra Buena, also a Hillcrest Water user, was charged a "hook-up" fee less established for the Walton Area ($3,561).

DO YOU KNOW that we are really Walton even though we were annexed to the City?  We Walton folks are accounted for separately at the City Water Company.  We were annexed, but not considered and included in the City of Yuba City Water Department.

AND, a lot of expansion in the South and West area is planned and written into a "Master Plan."  "Hook-up" fees for developers have been established for if and when the plan goes into effect for Walton to go onto surface water, but there is not more capacity from the newly expanded water treatment plant for hooking up that development.  The new, expanded plant will only serve existing customers and Walton.  Where is the money for build-out in the plan?  Why is there no water available when the calculation for the projected price of "hook-ups" was computed to include new users?  No clarity here from the Yuba City Water Department.

THEN there is the plan to keep, maintain, and operate the wells that we are getting our water from now as back up for future needs.  But, it is too costly to maintain and run them for us to have and use?

We, the Walton population, are considered new water users by the City of Yuba City and are being charged "hook-up" fees as new homeowners even though our homes paid to be hooked up to the Hillcrest Water Company.  The City bought that company, and the City bills us for the water.

There is so much contradiction in all the information presented regardless of the source.  All decisions to form a new source for taxation in the Walton area should be put on hold until there is a CLEAR, COST EFFECTIVE, AND DOCUMENTED WATER PLAN for Walton and Yuba City.  Please sign a letter/petition being circulated to urge the City of Yuba City to address our questions with documentation.  DON'T BE RUSHED INTO A DECISION COSTING THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS WITHOUT DOCUMENTATION OF THE NEED TO TO ACT NOW.

BE SURE TO ATTEND THE "SPECIAL COMMUNITY MEETINGTS" held by the City of Yuba City.

You may contact Suzanne Connelly @ 755-0729 or Elaine Miles @ 671-7916 for information, to help in getting the word out and/or to sign a letter/petition.

WHAT ELSE CAN YOU DO?

Call Yuba City Administrator