In This Issue:
45% Water Rate Increases at AWA Could Soon Be Reality
RPA Reaction to Rate Increase
Proposed CFD Discounts Infrastructure to 16 Landowners at Ratepayer Expense
AWA Rate Protest Procedure More Difficult for Ratepayers
Board Approves $200,000/Year General Manager Contract
AWA Spends $79,013.72 on Attorney in 6 Months
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
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45% Water Rate Increases at AWA Could Soon Be Reality
On July 26, the Amador Water Agency Board directed staff to send out notices informing ratepayers of five water rate increases over the next 4 years, averaging 31%. Amador Water System customers (Jackson, Ione, Sutter Creek, Plymouth, Drytown, Amador City and Martell) can expect an average 26% increase over 4 years. Upcountry’s CAWP system will get an average rate increase of 45%. Camanche rates will increase an average of 19%, and LaMel Heights rates will go up an average of 28% over the 4-year period.
Members of the public attending the meeting were surprised that the AWA Board would ask for rate increases with their accounting in a state of disarray.
As the Grand Jury noted, AWA’s auditor found that “the Agency's bank accounts have not been truly reconciled." Bill Condrashoff questioned,
“Why would ratepayers give AWA more of their hard-earned dollars if AWA cannot account for what they are collecting now?”.
Under Proposition 218, ratepayers have the right to protest the rate increase. If more than 50% object, the increase will not go into effect.
More...
RPA Reaction to Rate Increase
RPA grew out of the Upcountry and Camanche rate protests in 2010, where an overwhelming majority of ratepayers indicated that they wanted
costs controlled, not rates increased. In the ensuing two years, AWA Directors have squandered $400,000 going against the will of their
constituents. More
Proposed CFD Discounts Infrastructure to 16 Landowners at Ratepayer Expense
On July 26, the AWA Board adopted a resolution declaring its intention to establish
a Community Facilities District (CFD) in the Amador Water System (AWS). AWA
Board members said they believe that the CFD will reduce the need for future rate increases. However later in the same meeting,
the Board voted to send out notices to raise rates for all Amador Water Agency water customers.
Though the CFD will only include 16 property owners (208 parcels totaling over 20,000 acres),
it will affect all AWS ratepayers because the 16 landowners will be
guaranteed water treatment facilities at a 60% dicount. Ratepayers will make up the 60% difference with higher water rates.
More...
AWA Rate Protest Procedure More Difficult for Ratepayers
Based on complaints from the public and Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association (HJTA)
, AWA’s attorney recommended amending the
protest procedures that the Board adopted in March.
Specifically, the new procedure would require that each protest include the AWA customer account number and a parcel number. After a heated discussion
with the public, the Board denied that requiring account numbers would deter ratepayers from signing a protest form. Although AWA only needs a name and
address to identify a service connection and the responsible ratepayer, customers will now have to find their parcel number and account number in order to
exercise their Constitutional right to protest.
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Board Approves $200,000/Year General Manager Contract
The AWA Board approved a contract with General Manager Gene Mancebo. Mancebo’s annual salary is $137,004 with 10+ weeks of paid leave and other fringe benefits
estimated at approximately $68,000. Ratepayers will pay about $200,000 ($17,000 per month) for Mancebo’s employment as GM,
even though AWA’s books are in such bad shape that no accurate audit can be prepared for at least the last two years. The list
below shows what the AWA Board agreed to in exchange for Mancebo’s services:
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AWA Spends $79,013.72 on Attorney in 6 Months
In the last 6 months, the AWA Board spent nearly $80,000 of ratepayer funds on legal issues. $25,000 was spent on the recent rate
study and the CFDs that are still not complete. $8,400 in attorney fees was used to respond to public records requests, including a letter he
wrote to explain why AWA would not provide the publicly-requested financial documents tracking restricted funds. The Directors voted to
refuse to disclose AWA’s financial status, and the “66013” lawsuit
was filed because that was the last option for finding out what happened to the money.
More...
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