Check out KSBY's story on the last piece of sewer pipe going underground!
http://www.ksby.com/news/last-sewage-pipe-in-los-osos-wastewater-project-gets-installed/
John Waddell Project Manager explains that valves, manholes, road repaving and the actual plant construction are still ahead, but that this pipe part anyway, is done.
Yayyyyyy!
Friday, April 25, 2014
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
Sewer Shoot Out!
From my Google feed today, a sewer game clip that was uploaded yesterday! Now the Los Osos sewer haters will never get to experience this sort of entertainment for real, and I'm sure that none would ACTUALLY do this anyway, plus our pipes are way too tiny, but the virtual, vicarious thrill of shooting around down inside a gravity sewer could be a real stress reliever. It is clear from watching the Board of Supes today that some could really use some stress relief too! No idea when the live version of the game will be available however.... Take a look!
https://vimeo.com/92518348
https://vimeo.com/92518348
Performance Art Show
Found item on Google last night when I was looking around on the topic of the Los Osos sewer.
https://www.transitionnetwork.org/projects/los-osos-sewer-and-power-plant
Not sure what to make of this; it is over a year since inception, yet there is nothing happening yet. My best guess from the information on the page is that a local artist is the originator of this idea which might be sort of amazing if it ever comes to fruition. I will be first in line to buy a ticket (actually, can I audition!?).
Anyway, this might be the guy but if it isn't you will be amazed at the gorgeous works of art anyway as a change of pace from a sewer blog (no, it isn't sewer art). Here is a link to the webpage of his sculptures which pretty much knocked my socks off (check out the other categories too):
http://www.tedemrick.com/sculptures/
https://www.transitionnetwork.org/projects/los-osos-sewer-and-power-plant
Not sure what to make of this; it is over a year since inception, yet there is nothing happening yet. My best guess from the information on the page is that a local artist is the originator of this idea which might be sort of amazing if it ever comes to fruition. I will be first in line to buy a ticket (actually, can I audition!?).
Anyway, this might be the guy but if it isn't you will be amazed at the gorgeous works of art anyway as a change of pace from a sewer blog (no, it isn't sewer art). Here is a link to the webpage of his sculptures which pretty much knocked my socks off (check out the other categories too):
http://www.tedemrick.com/sculptures/
Reminder Postcard
Did you get yours in the mail yet?
It came from the Public Works Department on Monday to our house and it is about the wastewater retrofit program. Did you need to upgrade your toilets, shower heads, sink faucet aerators to comply with the water conservation requirements of the California Coastal Commission's permit? Most of us do—or did for those of you who have already done so.
Click here to see the brochure that explains it all!
Click here to access the list of plumbers who can do your retrofit job!
Sadly, I got stuck on one part (everything else is done and we even got a new washing machine). A fancy kitchen faucet that puts out too much water. I E-mailed the company to see if they had a fix for that, but no response. The first plumber couldn't figure out how to restrict the flow. So I guess I will move on to the next one.
The rebates that we can get to help out with the costs will be reduced after 2014, so time to move on this!
Sunday, April 20, 2014
Got P**p?
I was driving around Los Osos the other day and spotted a pristine stainless steel tanker truck. There was a catchy phrase on the back, mimicking a very famous ad that we have all seen on TV and in magazines and on billboards for years, "Got Milk?"
The phrase was first used on TV ads where someone is eating peanut butter or something very dry and is asked to answer a question but can't, as their mouth is too puttied shut, and below their beseeching and stressed out face would be the words "Got milk?" with a voice-over of that phrase. Later print ads featured various famous people wearing very fake looking white milk mustaches. This phrase was a product of ad agency Goodby Silverstein and Partners created in 1993 and it ran until February of this year (although the phrase will still be used by the Milk Processing Board in California).
So I actually had to turn my car around, go back to park and get out to take a shot of the parody of this 20-year old ad slogan.
The phrase was first used on TV ads where someone is eating peanut butter or something very dry and is asked to answer a question but can't, as their mouth is too puttied shut, and below their beseeching and stressed out face would be the words "Got milk?" with a voice-over of that phrase. Later print ads featured various famous people wearing very fake looking white milk mustaches. This phrase was a product of ad agency Goodby Silverstein and Partners created in 1993 and it ran until February of this year (although the phrase will still be used by the Milk Processing Board in California).
So I actually had to turn my car around, go back to park and get out to take a shot of the parody of this 20-year old ad slogan.
Only in Los Osos.... and thanks goes to Al's Septic!
Friday, April 18, 2014
Bay News Letter Reveals Sewage Wedding Venue!
The April 17 to 23, 2014 Bay News had a very fun letter from Dan Glesmann in Morro Bay! Scroll to page 13 off this link:
http://www.tolosapress.com/managed_files/cms/BN%2004-17-14%20web.pdf
It is entitled, "Say 'I Do' Amongst the Poo." The letter was about Morro Bay's proposed sewer plant and how to pay for it. Mr. Glesmann writes about a goal setting workshop where an education center was brought up. He found an article in the Associated Press "Woodinville Wash.—A sewage treatment plant near Seattle is advertising its availability as a wedding venue." People pay money to hold a wedding there!
So because I have already reported on the Tillman Reclamation plant in the San Fernando Valley as being used as just such a venue, I found a couple of interesting links to this newly discovered place that does the same thing:
http://www.kingcounty.gov/environment/brightwater-center/facility/rental.aspx
http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2014/04/11/Brightwater-Wastewater-Treatment-Center-being-used-as-a-wedding-venue/6461397234418/
http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/wastewater-treatment-plant-allowing-flushing-brides-grooms-marry-n78821
I couldn't find the Facebook page it has but check out this video!
http://www.kirotv.com/news/news/sewage-treatment-plant-advertises-wedding-venue/nfW7K/
Really, too late for us to add this to our plant (this plant is HUGE anyway), but some fun sewer reading nonetheless. (The plant is MBR and doesn't smell, remind you of anything?) Could this be in Morro Bay's future?
http://www.tolosapress.com/managed_files/cms/BN%2004-17-14%20web.pdf
It is entitled, "Say 'I Do' Amongst the Poo." The letter was about Morro Bay's proposed sewer plant and how to pay for it. Mr. Glesmann writes about a goal setting workshop where an education center was brought up. He found an article in the Associated Press "Woodinville Wash.—A sewage treatment plant near Seattle is advertising its availability as a wedding venue." People pay money to hold a wedding there!
So because I have already reported on the Tillman Reclamation plant in the San Fernando Valley as being used as just such a venue, I found a couple of interesting links to this newly discovered place that does the same thing:
http://www.kingcounty.gov/environment/brightwater-center/facility/rental.aspx
http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2014/04/11/Brightwater-Wastewater-Treatment-Center-being-used-as-a-wedding-venue/6461397234418/
http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/wastewater-treatment-plant-allowing-flushing-brides-grooms-marry-n78821
I couldn't find the Facebook page it has but check out this video!
http://www.kirotv.com/news/news/sewage-treatment-plant-advertises-wedding-venue/nfW7K/
Really, too late for us to add this to our plant (this plant is HUGE anyway), but some fun sewer reading nonetheless. (The plant is MBR and doesn't smell, remind you of anything?) Could this be in Morro Bay's future?
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
Semi-Sewer Related BOS Item Tuesday!
Read what is on Tuesday's Supe's agenda for enlightenment on SLO County bio-solids/sewage-sludge issue!
CONSENT AGENDA – REVIEW AND APPROVAL
Items Set for Hearing:
2. Introduction of an ordinance to continue the provisions and restrictions that were in place in the Land Application of Treated Sewage Sludge/Biosolids interim ordinance for a period of four years. Hearing date set for May 6, 2014. All Districts.
This item is meant notice a hearing to re-up an expired interim ordinance until a permanent ordinance can be crafted by or before March 2018 and includes the need for:
• Notification of the Public Health Department, Environmental Health Services Division 30 days prior to the land application of biosolids exceeding or equaling 5 cubic yards.
• Places a cap of 1,500 cubic yards on the cumulative total of exceptional quality biosolids that can be land applied in any 12-month period beginning with the adoption of this ordinance.
We will most likely be trucking the Los Osos' sewage sludge to Santa Maria when our plant is up and running and producing this stuff.
Monday, April 14, 2014
What's the Difference?
Another twist to our ongoing sewer saga........
One of the contractors on our sewer project has sued the County. You can read about it here:
http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2014/04/12/3018515/county-denies-allegations-levied.html?sp=%2F99%2F100%2F&ihp=1
The other companies have not. Narrowing this down further, it is a pipe laying company that is doing the suing. Aside from working in different areas where there may or may not be much difference in the work, it is the SAME county administering BOTH of those pipe-laying contracts. So what is the difference? Why is one suing the County and the other one is not? We can guess of course, but do we really know? NO!
Suing someone is right out there in the public and I doubt anyone in the construction world won't have heard about this and wonder if hiring this company won't bring down on their heads the same sort of trouble.
Well, it is wait and see I guess if any of the legal proceedings to follow ever become public. It is at the usual stage for these things now, one side makes a complaint and the other side says no, that isn't how it was. Naturally, the sewer-naysayers are all over this, blaming the County for the trouble as they do weekly at the Board of Supes, basically rewriting how the sewer project came to be and never railing against all the rest of us for agreeing to THIS sewer at THAT cost. I guess that would just be too much work; there are five Supes and THOUSANDS of us.
One of the contractors on our sewer project has sued the County. You can read about it here:
http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2014/04/12/3018515/county-denies-allegations-levied.html?sp=%2F99%2F100%2F&ihp=1
The other companies have not. Narrowing this down further, it is a pipe laying company that is doing the suing. Aside from working in different areas where there may or may not be much difference in the work, it is the SAME county administering BOTH of those pipe-laying contracts. So what is the difference? Why is one suing the County and the other one is not? We can guess of course, but do we really know? NO!
Suing someone is right out there in the public and I doubt anyone in the construction world won't have heard about this and wonder if hiring this company won't bring down on their heads the same sort of trouble.
Well, it is wait and see I guess if any of the legal proceedings to follow ever become public. It is at the usual stage for these things now, one side makes a complaint and the other side says no, that isn't how it was. Naturally, the sewer-naysayers are all over this, blaming the County for the trouble as they do weekly at the Board of Supes, basically rewriting how the sewer project came to be and never railing against all the rest of us for agreeing to THIS sewer at THAT cost. I guess that would just be too much work; there are five Supes and THOUSANDS of us.
Thursday, April 10, 2014
Legal Notice for Sunny Oaks on Sewer Lines
Check out the legal notice from the County's Department of Planning and Building! Tuesday's Tribune had a legal notice titled,
"NOTICE OF FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT AND NOTICE OF INTENT TO REQUEST RELEASE OF FUNDS."
Ultimately these funds will prepare the park for connecting to the Los Osos sewer system, read the excerpt below,
"Project Name: Sunny Oaks Mobile Home Park - replacement of water & sewer lines Project Description: A proposal to use federal CDBG funds provided through the County of San Luis Obispo to pay for replacement of existing water and septic / sewer lines inside of the Sunny Oaks Mobile Home Park, and also to prepare the mobile home park for connecting into the Los Osos community sewer system."
Read the full notice off this link:
http://www.sanluisobispo.com/classified-ads/ad/2576581
"NOTICE OF FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT AND NOTICE OF INTENT TO REQUEST RELEASE OF FUNDS."
Ultimately these funds will prepare the park for connecting to the Los Osos sewer system, read the excerpt below,
"Project Name: Sunny Oaks Mobile Home Park - replacement of water & sewer lines Project Description: A proposal to use federal CDBG funds provided through the County of San Luis Obispo to pay for replacement of existing water and septic / sewer lines inside of the Sunny Oaks Mobile Home Park, and also to prepare the mobile home park for connecting into the Los Osos community sewer system."
Read the full notice off this link:
http://www.sanluisobispo.com/classified-ads/ad/2576581
Wednesday, April 09, 2014
Dig's New Post for April '14
The "Thank the Workers" party got a mention! Pipeline construction is nearing the end on the major stuff (the minor stuff will go a few more months). Valves and manhole covers up next!
Read about it at this link:
http://www.diglososos.com/2014/04/07/dug-los-osos-wrapping-up-the-last-few-blocks/
Read about it at this link:
http://www.diglososos.com/2014/04/07/dug-los-osos-wrapping-up-the-last-few-blocks/
Friday, April 04, 2014
Bankruptcy-Sewer News
Stopping that last sewer project had horrible financial impacts on the Los Osos CSD (bankruptcy) among other things of course. Last night at the CSD meeting, Mike Seitz, general legal counsel to the CSD, reported out of the Board's closed session that Judge Riblet had signed the order to dismiss the bankruptcy, but the case will remain open for the next two years to accommodate the creditors. Multiple checks have been written to those many creditors to date.
In other financial news from the CSD last night was the mid-year budget adjustment. Since the solid waste franchise was transferred to the County on December 31, 2013 for $2.8 million to help pay for the bankruptcy, the income from this asset was terminated, so much shifting of monies to cover the deficit was required. This financial loss was decried by a couple of speakers who were both major players in causing this bankruptcy to happen, necessitating the sale of the solid waste franchise (bake sales presumably having failed to make up the deficit in CSD funds to cover the bankruptcy costs). Of course there was no shame or any recognition of culpability at all in their demeanor or speeches and much mud was flung at innocent parties to distract viewers from the speaker's moral lapse.
A "just-like-old-times" footnote: There was rich dramedy as these speakers attempted to shout over the loud, repeating beeps of the three-minute timer signaling the end of their public comment period. It was a pretty rowdy meeting too from the noise makers at the back of the room. CSD President Craig Baltimore had to rightly request the chatter and shouts to cease at the back of the room multiple times and had to ask one loudmouth to leave.
In other financial news from the CSD last night was the mid-year budget adjustment. Since the solid waste franchise was transferred to the County on December 31, 2013 for $2.8 million to help pay for the bankruptcy, the income from this asset was terminated, so much shifting of monies to cover the deficit was required. This financial loss was decried by a couple of speakers who were both major players in causing this bankruptcy to happen, necessitating the sale of the solid waste franchise (bake sales presumably having failed to make up the deficit in CSD funds to cover the bankruptcy costs). Of course there was no shame or any recognition of culpability at all in their demeanor or speeches and much mud was flung at innocent parties to distract viewers from the speaker's moral lapse.
A "just-like-old-times" footnote: There was rich dramedy as these speakers attempted to shout over the loud, repeating beeps of the three-minute timer signaling the end of their public comment period. It was a pretty rowdy meeting too from the noise makers at the back of the room. CSD President Craig Baltimore had to rightly request the chatter and shouts to cease at the back of the room multiple times and had to ask one loudmouth to leave.
Saturday, March 29, 2014
Project Update for February 2014
You can find it at this link:
http://www.slocounty.ca.gov/Assets/PW/LOWWP/PM+Monthly+Update+Feb2014.pdf
http://www.slocounty.ca.gov/Assets/PW/LOWWP/PM+Monthly+Update+Feb2014.pdf
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
LO Item on Next Tuesday's BOS Consent Agenda
Tuesday, April 01, 2014
Consent Agenda - Auditor - Controller - Treasurer - Tax Collector Items:
3. Submittal of a compliance audit of the Los Osos Water Conservation Rebate Program. District 2.
Find the relevant documents at this link:
Had a BLAST!!
The party to celebrate and thank our sewer construction guys was a huge success! It really was a happy, lighthearted gathering, the way I have imagined Los Osos was before the sewer war took center stage (I can only imagine from what I've been told by old-timers, I came here in April, 2005). This event has started the cleaning out of the cobwebs, acrimony and muck from community sewer discourse.
There was an art show featuring construction scenes drawn and painted by adults and kids, thank-you cards from a school class, a slideshow with shots from various neighborhoods and a really cool video put together from a day's work compressed into a couple of minutes, THREE cakes (the server used a miniature shovel to dish out the pieces), lots of BBQ-ed hot dogs and a variety of sodas, table decor of succulents in sand pails, a wall of photos, a free raffle for some of the art, music by the Zongo Combo, the reading of a cool sewer poem, and some observations from key people on the project; Bruce Gibson District 2 Supervisor, Paavo Ogren Public Works Director SLO County, John Waddell Project Manager, Jim Brantley Construction Manager, ARB's Project Manager and W.A. Rasic's Project Manager (sorry, I failed to write down your names). There was a remembrance of a much loved ARB flagman Ramon Camacho.
The event was created by Los Osos artists Joan Sullivan, Barbara Rosenthal and Jan French. Celebrate Los Osos (Pandora Nash-Karner and Mimi Kalland) helped to organize the event and with getting the sponsors. And various worker bees, myself included, signed up for behind the scenes tasks.
As we used to say where I used to work (creating catalogs of products), "copy smells, pictures sell," so I will end the words with some photos that I took.
There was an art show featuring construction scenes drawn and painted by adults and kids, thank-you cards from a school class, a slideshow with shots from various neighborhoods and a really cool video put together from a day's work compressed into a couple of minutes, THREE cakes (the server used a miniature shovel to dish out the pieces), lots of BBQ-ed hot dogs and a variety of sodas, table decor of succulents in sand pails, a wall of photos, a free raffle for some of the art, music by the Zongo Combo, the reading of a cool sewer poem, and some observations from key people on the project; Bruce Gibson District 2 Supervisor, Paavo Ogren Public Works Director SLO County, John Waddell Project Manager, Jim Brantley Construction Manager, ARB's Project Manager and W.A. Rasic's Project Manager (sorry, I failed to write down your names). There was a remembrance of a much loved ARB flagman Ramon Camacho.
The event was created by Los Osos artists Joan Sullivan, Barbara Rosenthal and Jan French. Celebrate Los Osos (Pandora Nash-Karner and Mimi Kalland) helped to organize the event and with getting the sponsors. And various worker bees, myself included, signed up for behind the scenes tasks.
As we used to say where I used to work (creating catalogs of products), "copy smells, pictures sell," so I will end the words with some photos that I took.
PS A much larger sewer art show will be held around the time of project completion.
Monday, March 24, 2014
Tuesday! Red Barn! Be There—Party Time!
Don't forget, this Tuesday March 25 is party time to thank our construction workers for doing a great job for us! I hope that you will be there! I certainly will and I printed up a few photos I took of the job as it went along—maybe you did too? Not too late to get them hung on the walls!
Anyone interested in submitting artwork should contact Barbara Rosenthal atBarbara@RosenthalArt.com or Joan Sullivan at Joan@JoanSullivan.com.
Friday, March 14, 2014
Dig Los Osos Posts a Project Update!
Pipelines, pump stations, water recycling facility, lateral connections! Use this link to read about where we are:
http://www.diglososos.com/2014/03/13/construction-update-collection-system-moves-forward-toward-completion/
http://www.diglososos.com/2014/03/13/construction-update-collection-system-moves-forward-toward-completion/
Friday, March 07, 2014
Video of Town Hall Meeting Online
For those of you who missed the meeting or would like to revisit the event, you can go to this link and watch it on your computer:
http://media.slo-span.org/slospan/Video_Files/SM/SM_14-02-26/SM_14-02-26_Los-Osos-Wastewater-Project-Public-Forum.wmv
Apparently, the video is also available on Channel 20, but I have not looked for it.
http://media.slo-span.org/slospan/Video_Files/SM/SM_14-02-26/SM_14-02-26_Los-Osos-Wastewater-Project-Public-Forum.wmv
Apparently, the video is also available on Channel 20, but I have not looked for it.
RWQCB and the Ever Present Ken Berry
Who is Ken Berry? OK, I confess. I'm getting down into the sewer weeds with this post. But as I always do, I was looking at the agenda for our Regional Water Quality Control Board's meeting today (it's in Salinas). I do this just to see if any sewer-related Los Osian thing might pop up. And the usual closed session legal case was there,
"4. Los Osos CSD v. Central Coast Water Board (San Luis Obispo County Case No. CV 060146 (TSO 00-131)."
Ho-hum. That has been on there for years. But then, I noticed this,
"6. Ken Berry, et al. v. Central Coast Water Board, et al. (Sacramento Superior Court; CEQA Challenge to Los Osos CDOs)"
Apparently I have been very remiss in not noticing this, maybe because I have never read anything about this and who the heck is Ken Berry? I know all the known past Los Osos CDO players, but Ken Berry isn't even on the radar. I found the case listed in the Sacrament courts but there was no online access to actual documents. So I looked back to see where this all started, maybe there would be a clue. Here are the dates of this case on our Water Board's closed session agenda:
Thursday, January 30, 2014, 9:00 a.m.
Thursday, December 5, 2013, 10:00 a.m.
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
"4. Los Osos CSD v. Central Coast Water Board (San Luis Obispo County Case No. CV 060146 (TSO 00-131)."
Ho-hum. That has been on there for years. But then, I noticed this,
"6. Ken Berry, et al. v. Central Coast Water Board, et al. (Sacramento Superior Court; CEQA Challenge to Los Osos CDOs)"
Apparently I have been very remiss in not noticing this, maybe because I have never read anything about this and who the heck is Ken Berry? I know all the known past Los Osos CDO players, but Ken Berry isn't even on the radar. I found the case listed in the Sacrament courts but there was no online access to actual documents. So I looked back to see where this all started, maybe there would be a clue. Here are the dates of this case on our Water Board's closed session agenda:
Thursday, January 30, 2014, 9:00 a.m.
Thursday, December 5, 2013, 10:00 a.m.
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
Thursday, July 11, 2013
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Friday, February 1, 2013
Thursday, December 6, 2012
October 3, 2012
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Thursday, May 3, 2012
March 14, 2012
Wednesday February 1, 2012
OK, I got bored here and skipped around and just picked a date in a year.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Thursday, February 7, 2008
This one is special, so I did a copy and paste—Friday, December 7, 2007
(SEVEN Los Osos cases on a 15 item closed session agenda.)
4. Los Osos Community Services District v. Central Coast Water Board (ACL Order R3-2005-0137) (San Luis Obispo County Superior Court Case No. CV 060633);
5. Central Coast Water Board v. Los Osos Community Services District (San Luis Obispo County Case No. CV-051074);
6. Stephen Onstot, Gregory Murphy and Julie Tacker vs. Central Coast Water Board and State Water Board (San Luis Obispo County Case No. CV 060196; Second Dist. Ct. of Appeal Case No. B195375) (Public Records Act);
7. Los Osos CSD v. Central Coast Regional Board (San Luis Obispo County Case No. CV 060146 (TSO 00-131);
8. Los Osos Community Services District (Bankruptcy), Central District of California Case No. ND 06-10548-RR;
9. Ken Berry, et al. v. Central Coast Regional Board, et al. (Sacramento Superior Court; CEQA Challenge to Los Osos CDOs);
10. Prohibition Zone Legal Defense Fund, et al., v. Central Coast Regional Board, et al. (San Luis Obispo Superior Court Case No. CV070472) (Los Osos CDOs);
But I digress. To continue with Mr. Berry's footprints,
Friday, October 19, 2007
Ken Berry, et al. v. Central Coast Regional Board, et al. (Sacramento Superior Court; CEQA Challenge to Los Osos CDOs)
Berry was NOT on the closed session agenda Friday, September 7, 2007 or Thursday, August 23, 2007.
And here we finally are, the FIRST appearance,
Friday, July 6, 2007 Ken Berry et al. v. Central Coast Water Board (Sacramento Superior Court Case No. 07CS00648).
So who the heck is Ken Berry? I did a bit of sleuthing and I will give a BRIEF rundown here, believe me, there is much more:
Spring 2003 Berry first appears online supporting an organization called "Recall Sanity." Its main concern was the plurality method of electing a new governor if California Governor Gray Davis was recalled.
(Next, and I have already listed this above, Friday, July 6, 2007 Ken Berry's case appears for the first time on the Regional Water Quality Control Board's list of closed session items: Ken Berry et al. v. Central Coast Water Board [Sacramento Superior Court Case No. 07CS00648]).
October 2, 2008 Ken Berry writes to the Central Valley RWQCB his intent to comment and advance future actions on five projects in three different counties on three wastewater treatment plants, a landfill and the Port of Stockton all regarding Cleanup and Abatement Orders (CAOs) or Cease and Desist Orders (CDOs).
December 2008, Berry appeals the Amador Planning Commission's decision to certify an EIR for a subdivision project.
July 7, 2009 at the State Water Resources Control Board Berry files a petition on the City of Richmond's CAO.
September 2009 one finds Ken Berry In Pro Per against the City of Willits, Willits Environmental Remediation Trust, SWRCB - "Amendment of Petition for Review of Refusal To Enforce the California Water Code and the United States Clean Water Act , Darby Creek."
March 2010, Berry starts on the path to a lawsuit against a gravity water line project.
February 2, Ken Berry files a lawsuit in Amador County seeking Sutter Creek to rewrite it EIR for the Gold Rush Ranch & Golf Resort.
March 12, 2012, Jackson, California residents Ken Perano and Ken Berry filed a lawsuit in Amador County Superior Court against the Amador Water Agency (AWA).
Listed in a news article for 2012 was a case Berry filed in Mendocino County but I couldn't find it searching the Mendocino court cases.
Mr. Berry's address and phone number are readily available online and I was tempted to call or write to him to ask why, WHY? My observations are that there appears to be time, money and a repetitive legal wish to have various public and private entities to see things the Ken Berry way. He did not vanish as did the PZLDF CDO case, which lost, was aced out, erased from the Water Board's closed session list NO! he hangs in there, year after year after year in a limbo, a stasis of simply appearing to have some bone to pick for Los Osos. The burning question remains of course, once the sewer is built, will this case live on to bolster the dicey reputation of the sewer story that would not die?
I prefer to let the mystery remain and leave it here, in pixels, an unfinished story in the many chapters of weirdness that populate the Los Osos sewer saga.
PS, link to more weeds (on a Writ of Mandate). And "California Citizens for Environmental Justice" is a dead end on Google. I didn't get into the Donna Avila part, that would be a whole other story.
Wednesday, March 05, 2014
Poop in the Garden!
Only in Los Osos would a phrase like that seem not out of place you might be thinking, but alas, not true!
Yes, we liquidize poop particles in our septic tanks and the liquidy parts flow out—well, depends on who you ask as to where they flow during flooding like in 1995, but generally to a leach field or a leach pit. I have attached a link to an hilarious video of poop in the garden, well, under it actually (sorry about the ad and be sure to watch the video until the end). Gross alert; you will witness what cleaning out a septic tank looks like. Thank heaven "smell-o-vision" is not enabled in your computer or hand held device.
Have fun!
http://home.howstuffworks.com/home-improvement/plumbing/septic-tank-cleaning.htm
Generally speaking, we do not have poop in our gardens unless you apply manure I suppose.
Provocative title though isn't it, "Poop in the Garden!" But alas, it is not mine. It belongs to the San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden's event next Monday evening. Yes, that really is the name for the presentation. So here is the link to the page which will explain what this is all about:
Yes, we liquidize poop particles in our septic tanks and the liquidy parts flow out—well, depends on who you ask as to where they flow during flooding like in 1995, but generally to a leach field or a leach pit. I have attached a link to an hilarious video of poop in the garden, well, under it actually (sorry about the ad and be sure to watch the video until the end). Gross alert; you will witness what cleaning out a septic tank looks like. Thank heaven "smell-o-vision" is not enabled in your computer or hand held device.
Have fun!
http://home.howstuffworks.com/home-improvement/plumbing/septic-tank-cleaning.htm
Generally speaking, we do not have poop in our gardens unless you apply manure I suppose.
Provocative title though isn't it, "Poop in the Garden!" But alas, it is not mine. It belongs to the San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden's event next Monday evening. Yes, that really is the name for the presentation. So here is the link to the page which will explain what this is all about:
Saturday, March 01, 2014
The Meetings Were Packed!
Especially the first one, standing room only!
Wednesday, February 26, the County had two Town Hall-type meetings at the Middle School to give Los Osos an update on the wastewater project. I went to both of them. There was a ton of information. Here is a condensed version of information imparted in no particular order:
• 39 miles of pipe installed so far
• 3,3000 laterals in place so far
• 2016 the treatment plant will be done and the laterals will begin to be hooked up to the houses in phases
•Notices will be sent to each property; the speed of which these are sent will be adjusted as the hook-ups progress, but the total time will be one year
• 2017 all laterals will be connected (let the flushing begin!)
• Lateral connections require a plumbing permit and the County intends to streamline the process
• Your licensed contractor, if you have one, can pull the permit
• There will be an online permit you can do yourself
• Up to the BOS to approve or not, but John Waddell will present a plan to charge the normal plumbing permit costs to the project
• 2014 the roads will begin to be resurfaced
• The project got $21,542, 407 in grants
• The money you pay for your share shows up on your tax bill, but the County will set up some sort of option to pay monthly
• Michelle Houser has taken another job (gone today, Friday February 28) but her E-mail will still contact the County for questions needing answering
• Late 2014 South Bay Boulevard will be repaved
• Sludge will most likely go to the Santa Maria facility
• Los Osos Valley Road will be dug up again; PG&E is burying the utility lines from South Bay Boulevard to Los osos Creek
• Sewer service charges look to be 1¢ per gallon on average for an average cost of $15/mo.
• There will be options for low-income people to help pay the sewer costs; funds from USDA, MBNEP, CDBG, the Community Foundation, more information to come out, but it will work like the phone company or the electric company discounts
• The County is working with Assemblyman Katcho Achadjian for a State program to be brought back that allowed low-income people to defer their property tax until the property is sold
• The County will reapply to the State Water Board to lower the interest rate on the SRF loan next year and to extend the payment time from 30 years to 40 years to make for lower payments
• SLO Green Build is working on plans to instruct people on how to reuse their septic tanks to capture and reuse rainwater and graywater
• There have been 18 sites completed in the program to improve drainage, there are 2 or 3 large sites left to improve
• Future road improvements include: Spot Road Rehabilitation done by County crews to remove and replace small areas that are degraded; Pavement Overlay of primary roads where 11/2 to 2" of asphalt is laid down; Microsurfacing of neighborhood street where a durable surface treatment the same as is used in San Luis to smooth out the roads
• Late 2015 - 2016 the major road work will be done
• Excess soil will be removed by contractors on the road shoulders before they get their final check, but the compaction from before, done over many years, will take time to return
• The 350 homes that needed grinder pumps have been notified
• Future building on vacant lots cannot occur until (1) The water shortage is solved; (2) The Habitat Conservation Plan is approved by U.S. Fish & Wildlife; (3) The Local Coastal permit needs to be updated which requires an EIR and approval from the California Coastal Commission (read about this and take the survey at this link)
• If the vacant lots get the go-ahead, there will be another Assessment District created so that they can pay their share of the sewer and there may be additional costs for water and their share of the Habitat Conservation Plan
And there is most of it. The Powerpoint presentation will be posted shortly on the LOWWP site and the video by AGP should run on Channel 20 in the near future.
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