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ATC Report
In This Issue:
Jackson Releases Wastewater EIR

AWA Board Approves June Payments of $42,000 in Attorney’s Fees

AWA Future Topics List Has Become Unmanageable

Help Needed with Rate Protests


About RPA
Ratepayer Protection Alliance (RPA) was formed to support the rights of the people of Amador County against unfair rate increases, which are usually used to subsidize special interests. Recently, RPA has assisted citizens who successfully protested several water rate increases. RPA is committed to ensuring that water, wastewater and garbage rates in Amador County are justified, and do not unfairly burden local residents.

Donations
RPA works hard to minimize costs of informing the public of unfair rate increases. RPA operates on the donated time of volunteers and no one is paid for their efforts. Donations for postage costs can be sent to:
Ratepayer Protection Alliance
P.O. Box 51
Pine Grove CA 95665 		City of Jackson Releases Draft Environmental Impact Report for Wastewater Upgrade Project

The City has prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) to address the specific environmental effects of implementing the City of Jackson Wastewater Treatment Plan Improvement project that may require up to an 80% wastewater rate increase. The DEIR is available online here.

A 30-day public review period will be provided to receive comments on the adequacy of the Draft EIR. The comment period will start on July 27, 2012, and e nd on August 27, 2012. More...


7/12/12 AWA Board Meeting Summary
  1. AWA Board Approves June Payments of $42,000 in Attorney’s Fees
    There was little on the agenda for the July 12th Amador Water Agency board meeting agenda. However, the public asked the board to pull the payables list from the consent agenda in order to discuss payments to AWA’s attorney of $42,000 (which would pay for nearly 5 weeks of legal work at $220/hour). General Manager Gene Mancebo explained that the attorney has been setting up community facilities districts, fixing 66013 accounting reports and other issues. The Board has already authorized $263,000 for other consultants to work on these same issues. When Director Bob Manassero pointed out that it was probably more than one attorney working on these projects, former Director Debbie Dunn exclaimed “that is the point.”

    The public also questioned a $4,500 payment that AWA made to auditor Leaf and Cole for additional work on the 2010-2011 audit, but Board refuses to disclose what the auditor is actually working on. More

  2. AWA Future Topics List Has Become Unmanageable
    Because the public has repeatedly complained that the AWA Directors are ignoring important issues costing ratepayers millions of dollars, the Board has a list of 22 topics for future discussion. Director Paul Molinelli stated that General Manager Gene Mancebo is “tremendously overworked”, but did not state what Mancebo is working on. Several directors stated that staff is overloaded but did not state the reason for the overload. Molinelli asked “why aren’t we clicking these things off?” and then suggested taking some items off the list, rather than ever discussing them. More
The next regular AWA board meeting will be Thursday July 26th at 9am. If you would like to receive the AWA agendas or full informational packets before each meeting, email cthompson@amadorwater.org.


Help Needed with Rate Protests

RPA is currently gearing up to help ratepayers stop unjustified rate increases. We’ll need volunteers to walk their neighborhoods collecting protest signatures. Donations for postage will reduce the need to walk door to door.

Click here to help
Learn how you can protest

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

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

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