The County's sewer project is humming right along, but as with anything sewer in Los Osos, or in this case, tangentially sewer, the dissing by the project's detractors never ends. I always try to correct sewer mis-information wherever I find it. See the link below:
http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2014/07/07/3142907/slo-mulls-rules-for-well-on-prado.html?fb_comment_id=fbc_689822584426292_689964614412089_689964614412089#f1f12101d
Friday, July 11, 2014
Thursday, July 10, 2014
The Honeymooners
Most of you are too young to know about a TV show that played last century in the mid-50s. Sad to say, I recall this show well and not from Hulu or something.
I was there sitting cross-legged in T-shirt, shrug and my pedal-pushers in front of that large wooden box standing on legs with a curved glass screen set in the front of it that only displayed a sometimes fuzzy black and white image, depending on the weather. A 1/2" wide flat, brown cable snaked out from the back of the set through a hole in the exterior wall up to the antenna anchored to the roof. This is what brought the picture into the house from the TV waves zipping through the L.A. smog.
The Honeymooners was one of many great shows in semi-early TV and Ed Norton was ranked number 20 on a list of 50 of all time best TV characters by TV Guide in 1999.
I only bring all of this up because one of the characters, Ed Norton (played by Art Carney) was a sewer worker (for 17 years) and he had some pretty memorable quotes, which can be found on this link.
http://www.sewerhistory.org/misc/honey.htm
The show ran from October 1, 1955 to September 22. 1956. Ed worked in the New York Sewer Department and said that he was, "Sub-supervisor in the sub-division of the department of sub-terranian sanitation, I just keep things moving along."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UY_q_dlOCDU
Take a look. Ed gets fired from his sewer job!
I was there sitting cross-legged in T-shirt, shrug and my pedal-pushers in front of that large wooden box standing on legs with a curved glass screen set in the front of it that only displayed a sometimes fuzzy black and white image, depending on the weather. A 1/2" wide flat, brown cable snaked out from the back of the set through a hole in the exterior wall up to the antenna anchored to the roof. This is what brought the picture into the house from the TV waves zipping through the L.A. smog.
The Honeymooners was one of many great shows in semi-early TV and Ed Norton was ranked number 20 on a list of 50 of all time best TV characters by TV Guide in 1999.
I only bring all of this up because one of the characters, Ed Norton (played by Art Carney) was a sewer worker (for 17 years) and he had some pretty memorable quotes, which can be found on this link.
http://www.sewerhistory.org/misc/honey.htm
The show ran from October 1, 1955 to September 22. 1956. Ed worked in the New York Sewer Department and said that he was, "Sub-supervisor in the sub-division of the department of sub-terranian sanitation, I just keep things moving along."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UY_q_dlOCDU
Take a look. Ed gets fired from his sewer job!
Tuesday, July 08, 2014
In STEP With The Supremes!
No, STEP-ing with SCOTUS—not dancing with the musical group The Supremes, although that would be fun! Hey! Everyone has to deal with a sewer in their lives it appears, not just the residents of the Prohibition Zone in Los Osos!
Here is just the first page to the document found at the link below:
I was noodling around the Internet on my phone, bored, waiting for some appointment or other, and I found a case in 2012 that was a sewer question actually decided by the U.S. Supreme Court! Naturally, it was a sewer funding fight based on equal protections to taxpayers! On June 4, 2012, the Supremes ruled in favor of the city of Indianapolis and against 31 Northern Estates residents.
Indianapolis was requiring that the people in this neighborhood abandon their septic tanks and hook up to a sewer that had a line now going by their properties. There were two sorts of payment plans when the project began; you could pay the entire $9,278 up front or you could pay incremental amounts over 30, 20 years, or 10 years.
In any case, the city changed its method of funding (from the Barrett Law*) to one called STEP, the Septic Tank Elimination Program, which financed projects like this partially by selling bonds, which lowered the cost to the individual to hook up to the sewer. This also came with much less administrative work, where monthly payments as low as $25 would drag on for as long as 30 years. Those who paid the sewer assessment in full would not be getting a refund, as opposed to those who paid as little as $309.57, whose debt for the rest was forgiven. Unfair!
The city's argument of administrative convenience and cost, trumped the homeowner's claim of unfairness. The Supreme Court explained that there needed to only be a plausible policy reason to agree with the city.
Read further:
http://www.journalofaccountancy.com/news/20125832.htm
http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/11pdf/11-161.pdf
It would seem that the Supreme Court does not have the tools to get down into the weeds of local government. The city spent about $200,000 to defend itself (cheap by Los Osos lawsuit standards!) and I could not find how much the neighborhood spent in taking this to the Supremes. It was probably just a whole lot cheaper just to eat the $9, 278, instead of paying that amount, PLUS the legal costs. But logic does not apply to emotion-filled grievances here in Los Osos or, apparently, in Indianapolis either! And gambling seems to be an inborn response in hopes of better outcomes.
* Indiana's Barrett Law - the total cost of a project is divided up equally among those receiving the benefits.
Here is just the first page to the document found at the link below:
I was noodling around the Internet on my phone, bored, waiting for some appointment or other, and I found a case in 2012 that was a sewer question actually decided by the U.S. Supreme Court! Naturally, it was a sewer funding fight based on equal protections to taxpayers! On June 4, 2012, the Supremes ruled in favor of the city of Indianapolis and against 31 Northern Estates residents.
Indianapolis was requiring that the people in this neighborhood abandon their septic tanks and hook up to a sewer that had a line now going by their properties. There were two sorts of payment plans when the project began; you could pay the entire $9,278 up front or you could pay incremental amounts over 30, 20 years, or 10 years.
In any case, the city changed its method of funding (from the Barrett Law*) to one called STEP, the Septic Tank Elimination Program, which financed projects like this partially by selling bonds, which lowered the cost to the individual to hook up to the sewer. This also came with much less administrative work, where monthly payments as low as $25 would drag on for as long as 30 years. Those who paid the sewer assessment in full would not be getting a refund, as opposed to those who paid as little as $309.57, whose debt for the rest was forgiven. Unfair!
The city's argument of administrative convenience and cost, trumped the homeowner's claim of unfairness. The Supreme Court explained that there needed to only be a plausible policy reason to agree with the city.
Read further:
http://www.journalofaccountancy.com/news/20125832.htm
http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/11pdf/11-161.pdf
It would seem that the Supreme Court does not have the tools to get down into the weeds of local government. The city spent about $200,000 to defend itself (cheap by Los Osos lawsuit standards!) and I could not find how much the neighborhood spent in taking this to the Supremes. It was probably just a whole lot cheaper just to eat the $9, 278, instead of paying that amount, PLUS the legal costs. But logic does not apply to emotion-filled grievances here in Los Osos or, apparently, in Indianapolis either! And gambling seems to be an inborn response in hopes of better outcomes.
* Indiana's Barrett Law - the total cost of a project is divided up equally among those receiving the benefits.
Wednesday, July 02, 2014
Sewer Featured in Flick
Went to the Palm Theater in SLO last Sunday to see a special screening of a FILM (to be differentiated from a movie).
The Last Wave (Black Rain, U.S. title) was released in 1977 and was directed by Peter Weir. I won't spoil the plot if you haven't seen it (it IS well worth seeing, a short review can be found at this link). However, this being a sewer blog, this must be reported! A sewer in Sydney, Australia, gets featured as a gateway to a subterranean otherworldly place. The capture below simply does not do it justice, it's a pretty cool sewer. See it for yourself!
If you have Hulu Plus, you can watch it here:
http://www.hulu.com/watch/237124
Watch the trailer there, but a better version is here:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004D4Q9CW/ref=atv_feed_catalog?tag=imdb-amazonvideo-20
The Last Wave (Black Rain, U.S. title) was released in 1977 and was directed by Peter Weir. I won't spoil the plot if you haven't seen it (it IS well worth seeing, a short review can be found at this link). However, this being a sewer blog, this must be reported! A sewer in Sydney, Australia, gets featured as a gateway to a subterranean otherworldly place. The capture below simply does not do it justice, it's a pretty cool sewer. See it for yourself!
If you have Hulu Plus, you can watch it here:
http://www.hulu.com/watch/237124
Watch the trailer there, but a better version is here:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004D4Q9CW/ref=atv_feed_catalog?tag=imdb-amazonvideo-20
On 16th! Some Action!
Sewer-wise, it has been dullsville of late. Until it is time to hook-up to the pipes coming out of our houses to the pipes to the treatment plant out of town, there is not much to amuse or ponder. The pipes are in the street and the generator and pump station buildings are going up quietly. You can't see anything of the treatment plant from the road.
However, two days ago, a truck with three men rolled up to the manhole down the street. The cover was pried off, then the man in the white hazmat outfit reached down inside, smoothing some edges or other and adding some tape. They were all very nice and explained that they were sealing the manhole covers. I must say, the inside was as sparkly white as Jonah Hill's fake teeth in "Wolf of Wall Street!" That can't last, expect the Austin Powers look of ghastly dentition after a few seasons, but it is a nice way to start!
However, two days ago, a truck with three men rolled up to the manhole down the street. The cover was pried off, then the man in the white hazmat outfit reached down inside, smoothing some edges or other and adding some tape. They were all very nice and explained that they were sealing the manhole covers. I must say, the inside was as sparkly white as Jonah Hill's fake teeth in "Wolf of Wall Street!" That can't last, expect the Austin Powers look of ghastly dentition after a few seasons, but it is a nice way to start!
Saturday, June 28, 2014
Sewage Treatment from 10,000 Feet
This photo taken while flying over Phoenix a couple of days ago will never replace Google Earth's. The windows of the jet looked like they had been cleaned with Brillo pads inside and out. I don't have a great camera, and the angle from window to treatment plant was just plain wrong. However, when you write a sewer blog, you are happy to have found fresh grist for the mill, or perhaps more precisely, not-so-fresh excretia in a traditional treatment mode.
Please employ the far better rendition off of Google Earth to get the true feel of this, where you can zoom down to gaze into the frothing currents of the aeration tanks! Fortunately, the resolution isn't so great that you can identify anything untoward in the clarifiers (the solid bundles probably didn't make it through the screening process intact anyway). The address to input into Google Earth for a better view is: 5615 South 91st Avenue, Tolleson, AZ.
There are two other treatment plants for Phoenix for which you can also Google Earth!
• 23rd Avenue - use these latitude and longitude coordinates for fun instead of an address:
33.424727, -112.111138
• Cave Creek - 22841 North Cave Creek Road , Phoenix, AZ
For a little background of likely useless information:
• The wastewater system includes two city-owned wastewater plants (a third is not), almost 5,000 miles of sewer mains and 78,000 manholes.
• More than 250 million gallons of wastewater is treated each day, servicing about 2.5 million customers (just think, in 2016 we too will become "customers," not depositors into septic tanks!)
• More than 90 percent of Phoenix’s wastewater is highly treated and reused for crops, power generation and turf irrigation.
• Phoenix uses cameras and high tech equipment to clean grease, roots and other debris from about a third of its sewer lines each year.
• Numerous award-winning videos and public service announcements have been produced featuring actor Leslie Nielsen.
• The City of Phoenix Water Services Department is more than 100 years old.
• Phoenix, Arizona is the nation’s fifth largest city, encompassing about 540 square miles.
• There are about 30 sewage lift stations (don't they know for sure???).
For an interesting read on Maricopa County, the existing and planned wastewater treatment facilities, go peruse this pdf!
http://www.azmag.gov/documents/pdf/cms.resource/wastewater-treatment.pdf
For some fun photos of googled term "city Phoenix wastewater treatment plant" (although a nuclear power plant in Michigan found its way in this collection), visit:
http://www.google.com/search?q=city+phoenix+wastewater+treatment+plant&client=safari&sa=N&rls=en&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&ei=lG6uU4-gEcr9oASGh4DICA&ved=0CBsQsAQ4Cg&biw=1439&bih=679
There are two other treatment plants for Phoenix for which you can also Google Earth!
• 23rd Avenue - use these latitude and longitude coordinates for fun instead of an address:
33.424727, -112.111138
• Cave Creek - 22841 North Cave Creek Road , Phoenix, AZ
For a little background of likely useless information:
• The wastewater system includes two city-owned wastewater plants (a third is not), almost 5,000 miles of sewer mains and 78,000 manholes.
• More than 250 million gallons of wastewater is treated each day, servicing about 2.5 million customers (just think, in 2016 we too will become "customers," not depositors into septic tanks!)
• More than 90 percent of Phoenix’s wastewater is highly treated and reused for crops, power generation and turf irrigation.
• Phoenix uses cameras and high tech equipment to clean grease, roots and other debris from about a third of its sewer lines each year.
• Numerous award-winning videos and public service announcements have been produced featuring actor Leslie Nielsen.
• The City of Phoenix Water Services Department is more than 100 years old.
• Phoenix, Arizona is the nation’s fifth largest city, encompassing about 540 square miles.
• There are about 30 sewage lift stations (don't they know for sure???).
For an interesting read on Maricopa County, the existing and planned wastewater treatment facilities, go peruse this pdf!
http://www.azmag.gov/documents/pdf/cms.resource/wastewater-treatment.pdf
For some fun photos of googled term "city Phoenix wastewater treatment plant" (although a nuclear power plant in Michigan found its way in this collection), visit:
http://www.google.com/search?q=city+phoenix+wastewater+treatment+plant&client=safari&sa=N&rls=en&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&ei=lG6uU4-gEcr9oASGh4DICA&ved=0CBsQsAQ4Cg&biw=1439&bih=679
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
Toilet Book for Tots
Relatives with a humorous bent gifted me with a delightful book which I am very happy to plug on my blog. It's right on topic here! After all, what is the use of a sewer for Los Osos if there are no toilets? Do many of us even know how a toilet works?
I would hope that people with children would buy a copy, and depending on their age, read them the whole story, or have them read you the story! I am showing you only a sampling here. The book employs some humor, but thankfully avoids what is considered "bathroom humor." Actually, adults could learn a lot here too.
The title is Toilet How It Works, and the author is David Macaulay. It runs 32 pages plus cover. It is for kids in Reading Level 4. Both septic tanks and conventional waste treatment are nicely illustrated. Perhaps some in this town will lobby Mr. Macaulay to write in STEP and Vacuum systems for the next edition! Hey, how about composting toilets? He could illustrate cleaning one out for the kiddies! We should always be inclusively politically correct, should we not?
I would hope that people with children would buy a copy, and depending on their age, read them the whole story, or have them read you the story! I am showing you only a sampling here. The book employs some humor, but thankfully avoids what is considered "bathroom humor." Actually, adults could learn a lot here too.
The title is Toilet How It Works, and the author is David Macaulay. It runs 32 pages plus cover. It is for kids in Reading Level 4. Both septic tanks and conventional waste treatment are nicely illustrated. Perhaps some in this town will lobby Mr. Macaulay to write in STEP and Vacuum systems for the next edition! Hey, how about composting toilets? He could illustrate cleaning one out for the kiddies! We should always be inclusively politically correct, should we not?
You will want to see the large and fun drawing of intestines that precedes the smaller set in the photo below!
There are some very cute bacteria commenting on pages 17 and 26!
There is a nifty sludge press illustrated on page 25.
Perhaps Mr. Macaulay can in a future book illustrate the political fight in Los Osos over sewer technologies! It seems that Reading Level 4 is about the right speed to make this battle understandable to the world outside Los Osos. It might clarify some things for insiders too.
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
California State Water Board Announcement on Septics, Etc.
Those on septic tanks (or in the case of Los Osos, those remaining on septics after the PZ sewer system starts up) might want to review this. For example,
Seriously, do YOU KNOW where your sludge layer is?
This is a message from the State Water Resources
Septic tanks shall be pumped when any one of the following conditions exists:
i. The combined thickness of sludge and scum exceeds one-third of the tank depth of the first compartment.
ii. The scum layer is within 3 inches of the outlet device.
iii. The sludge layer is within 8 inches of the outlet device.
This is a message from the State Water Resources
Control Board.
Control Board.
Control Board.
Notice - The State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) will hold a public meeting on September 23, 2014 at 9:00 a.m. to receive public comments on proposed General Waste Discharge Requirements for Discharges to Land by Small Domestic Wastewater Treatment Systems (General Order) and an associated California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Initial Study/Negative Declaration (Negative Declaration). The proposed General Order and Draft Initial Study/Negative Declaration have been posted on June 20, 2014 and is available at:http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/land_disposal/waste_discharge_requirements.shtml
For more information and any questions, please contact Timothy O’Brien at (916) 341-6904 ortobrien@waterboards.ca.gov.
SUBMISSION OF WRITTEN COMMENTS
The State Water Board will accept both written and oral comments on the proposed General Order and Initial Study/Negative Declaration. Written comments must be received by 12:00 p.m. (noon) on July 25, 2014.
Saturday, June 21, 2014
Tybee Island: Small # of Peeps With A Large Sewage Savvy
Unlike Los Osos, Tybee island, permanent population 3,067 (2012 census) has had a sewer, since at least 1972. For 42 years the groundwater has not had to deal with the problem that Los Osos has, nitrate contamination from septic tanks, which has caused over-pumping of Los Osos' lower aquifer because the upper aquifer has been too contaminated to drink since the 1970s. Our upper aquifer is now overfull from septic tank discharge and the excess water leaches into the bay.
“'This state-of-the-art monitoring system is extremely important because it provides an early warning to protect our supply wells," said Tybee Island Mayor Jason Buelterman. "With this information, we can effectively plan a response to possible contamination problems,' he added."
"These real-time-monitoring wells are part of a larger network of wells that the USGS annually samples for chloride concentration to determine relative movement of saltwater in the Upper Floridan aquifer in the Savannah, Georgia area. The wells are part of a statewide groundwater level monitoring network funded by the USGS and the Georgia Environmental Protection Division. The City of Tybee Island provided funding to upgrade the wells to enable real time monitoring of groundwater levels and salinity."
Pretty cool Georgia!
So, where does Tybee Island's water supply come from?
"Although Tybee Island currently has a good supply of fresh groundwater, there is a potential for saltwater to enter the Upper Floridan aquifer, which is the principal source of fresh water in coastal Georgia..."
Like Los Osos' water supply, Tybee Island's water comes from below the town. However, due to a sewer system, nitrate contamination from septic tanks is not a problem. Maybe we would not have a water supply problem either if we hadn't been so careless with our sewage.
More on Tybee's water from USGS:
"The U.S. Geological Survey designed and installed the innovative system that uses satellite telemetry to monitor groundwater levels and salinity daily. Tybee Island is the most seaward municipality in the Savannah area and is vulnerable to groundwater contamination from seawater. This new system will serve as an early warning indicator of saltwater encroachment toward public supply wells."
"These real-time-monitoring wells are part of a larger network of wells that the USGS annually samples for chloride concentration to determine relative movement of saltwater in the Upper Floridan aquifer in the Savannah, Georgia area. The wells are part of a statewide groundwater level monitoring network funded by the USGS and the Georgia Environmental Protection Division. The City of Tybee Island provided funding to upgrade the wells to enable real time monitoring of groundwater levels and salinity."
Pretty cool Georgia!
In our case, our water supply will be directly tied to the reuse of our treated wastewater. It is hopeful that we will pay closer attention to the saltwater intrusion problem that we have now once the Basin Plan kicks in, and that in 30 or so years, when the water we will be returning to the lower aquifer starts to halt the intrusion (starting in 2016), we will be thankful that we got a sewer when we did.
Better late than later..............
Friday, June 20, 2014
Obi-Won Kenobi vs. the Obstructionists Wielding Cocktail "Swords"
WHEREAS, Paavo has advanced the work of the Department and has demonstrated high level of wisdom among staff earning the nickname “Obi-Won Kenobi” of Public Works...*Soon-to-retire Director of Public Works Paavo Ogren, was honored at the Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday, June 17, 2014 for his 23 years of service to the County of San Luis Obispo. You can view the meeting off this link (the part you want is after 1:30 PM, skip past the sewer teeth-gnashers at Public Comment):
http://slocounty.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=2&clip_id=1789
Staff was not the only beneficiary of the Obi-Won Kenobi effect. There was no contest really, between Master Kenobi and the people who pretended to want a sewer but didn't really, who did everything they could think of to block one—and—Los Osos is actually getting a sewer. It is due to arrive in 2016, the hard part of pipes in the street already having been completed. Paavo was always three steps ahead, giving the appearance of being four steps behind, a tactic that worked phenomenally well.
Here is my take:
You get the drift. So do the sewer opponents. In recognition of this fact, they symbolically bash their chests, tear out their their hair and issue high-pitched knells of sewer grief weekly at the Board of Supervisors. None of which will change one little bit the fact that Los Osos is getting the sewer it picked out among the choices presented by the County and finessed into fruition by Paavo Ogren, SLO County's Obi-Won Kenobi. Paavo will long be remembered at various levels of government, by contractors of sewer projects across the nation and especially by the majority of the citizens of Los Osos who are happy at long last to be getting 21st century sanitation.
Thanks Paavo! We will never forget you and wish you the best in Oceano.
http://agenda.slocounty.ca.gov/agenda/sanluisobispo/3478/UGFhdm8gUmVzb2x1dGlvbiBKdW5lIDIwMTQucGRm/12/n/29581.doc
Thursday, June 19, 2014
A Slice of Savannah Sewage
I'm traveling and I'll admit the car was going pretty fast, but here is a shot of Savannah, Georgia's President Street Water Quality Control Facility Secondary Wastewater Treatment Plant!
You might want to read further on this topic by visiting the engineering company'a page on this facility's website (Savannah's info on this plant is slender):
Savannah has four water reclamation plants; the one above processes 40 million gallons per day.
You might want to read a brief description of Savanna's "sewer modeling" off of this link:
The facility above is open for tours for schools and some corporations. I am bummed that I am in neither category!
Sunday, June 15, 2014
Friday, June 13, 2014
Recycled Water Geek Out
Depending on your intellectual investment in recycled water, the State Water Resources Control Board's General Waste Discharge Requirements, adopted June 3 and published June 12, will be a riveting read or will be a useful document to promote slumber:
http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/board_decisions/adopted_orders/water_quality/2014/wqo2014_0090.pdf
Our sewer project had jumped through its hoops to satisfy Special Condition No. 5 of the Coastal Development Permit and come out with this plan to recycle water:
http://www.slocounty.ca.gov/Assets/PW/LOWWP/RWMP+-+Final+May+2012.pdf
For you geekiest of geeks out there, here is a useful link to Clean Water State Revolving Fund Laws and Regulations AND how the foul sewer water will get sparkly enough to be recycled:
http://www.slocounty.ca.gov/Assets/PW/Design+Division/OTB/300448.08.02+Volume1D+AppendixG-O.pdf
Happy reading!
http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/board_decisions/adopted_orders/water_quality/2014/wqo2014_0090.pdf
Our sewer project had jumped through its hoops to satisfy Special Condition No. 5 of the Coastal Development Permit and come out with this plan to recycle water:
http://www.slocounty.ca.gov/Assets/PW/LOWWP/RWMP+-+Final+May+2012.pdf
For you geekiest of geeks out there, here is a useful link to Clean Water State Revolving Fund Laws and Regulations AND how the foul sewer water will get sparkly enough to be recycled:
http://www.slocounty.ca.gov/Assets/PW/Design+Division/OTB/300448.08.02+Volume1D+AppendixG-O.pdf
Happy reading!
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
The Gang That Couldn't Poop Straight
Well, you knew THAT title was going to appear here someday, didn't you!?
Defining "straight" in this case refers to being honest, being forthright, being open. "Poop" refers to work product, or in this case, the deflection thereof.
Much has been made over many months from the usual and long-standing sewer detractors about our sewer facilitators NOT being "transparent," and of our sewer project having "NO oversight!" Paavo Ogren, our soon-to-depart Director of Public Works (he is going to work in Oceano and will wear many hats there) has been accused of subterfuge, and our newly re-elected-by-a-landslide District 2 Supervisor Bruce Gibson has been hammered with accusations of mistruths as well. These are untrue accusations of course, but when you believe something strongly as these people do, you don't let facts get in the way.
I have been inspired by two things to write this column, the word "transparency" (thanks sewer detractors!), AND what Los Osos' new General Manager Kathy Kivley has been doing lately, that is, going through all of the old journal entries in the books and wading into the long misunderstood finances (by the public) to get a true accounting of what the District has, what it owes, and even what it owes to itself. So I have been doing a little financial sleuthing of my own, because as far as transparency goes, a nasty net of sludge covered what was going on with the District's finances starting on September 27, 2005. Nasty enough to get the SLO County Grand Jury involved back in 2006.
In fact, you really should read what was said in the Grand Jury Report about Los Osos. Start on page 77 of the report on Los Osos:
http://slocourts.net/downloads/grand_jury/reports/2005/final-2005-2006.pdf
Basically, the Grand Jury wanted to investigate if public funds, namely LOCSD funds, were used by the post-Recall LOCSD Board members* to pay off a law firm hired by a citizen's group, CCLO (Concerned Citizens of Los Osos) and Al Barrow (CASE - Citizens for an Affordable and Safe Environment) that had sued the LOCSD and the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board and crafted Measure B (which stopped the sewer—but was later found to be invalid). All five post-Recall sitting directors had been heavily involved with the group suing the LOCSD and the Water Board, and in crafting and defending Measure B. This law firm (Burke, Williams and Sorenson, or BWS) was then hired by the LOCSD after the payoff. The settlement amount of the five cases was $488,617.
The Grand Jury wanted to see detailed time logs and billing records of the law firm and requested these documents through the SLO County Counsel's office—twice. What they got back was nothing the first time and the second time the documents were so heavily redacted it was impossible to determine anything. Billable tasks were left blank. Why? one would ask if you had nothing to hide?
These settlement negotiations were conducted in the Board's closed session meetings. They were handled between an attorney representing the LOCSD and an attorney from BWS.The post-Recall Board was given a single-settlement dollar amount. They were "...not offered, nor did they request any detailed information on the breakdown as to what activities were billed and included in the settlement amounts." Also, a Board member said to the Grand Jury that they wanted to settle the cases so that they could retain BWS for future work.
The Grand Jury felt that since public funds were used to settle the lawsuits, the public has a right to know just what legal services were rendered when.
Why wouldn't the Board want to see what they were being asked to settle? What public input or oversight was there? Where was the transparency in what they were doing?
Those questions still remain, along with an icky feeling of being had, either by stupidity or just plain dirty dealings. The Citizen's groups, CCLO and CASE could well have gotten nothing. The Grand Jury was stymied and never got us the answers we deserved.
In fact, CASE and BWS were stiffed later. They were among the 20 largest claims in the Bankruptcy and got pennies on the dollar:
So then a question remains.....where did all the money go that the LOCSD borrowed from reserves as GM Kivley has found, and "borrowed" from our tax monies for the CDF Fire tax payment and the Bond payment to Bank of New York?
If you are interested in reading the LOCSD's finely crafted response to the Grand Jury (by BWS's Julie Biggs, no doubt), it is on pages 29-33:
http://slocourts.net/downloads/grand_jury/reports/2005/responses-2005-2006.pdf
* The LOCSD Board was: Lisa Schicker, Julie Tacker, Chuck Cesena, John Fouche, Steve Senet.
Defining "straight" in this case refers to being honest, being forthright, being open. "Poop" refers to work product, or in this case, the deflection thereof.
Much has been made over many months from the usual and long-standing sewer detractors about our sewer facilitators NOT being "transparent," and of our sewer project having "NO oversight!" Paavo Ogren, our soon-to-depart Director of Public Works (he is going to work in Oceano and will wear many hats there) has been accused of subterfuge, and our newly re-elected-by-a-landslide District 2 Supervisor Bruce Gibson has been hammered with accusations of mistruths as well. These are untrue accusations of course, but when you believe something strongly as these people do, you don't let facts get in the way.
I have been inspired by two things to write this column, the word "transparency" (thanks sewer detractors!), AND what Los Osos' new General Manager Kathy Kivley has been doing lately, that is, going through all of the old journal entries in the books and wading into the long misunderstood finances (by the public) to get a true accounting of what the District has, what it owes, and even what it owes to itself. So I have been doing a little financial sleuthing of my own, because as far as transparency goes, a nasty net of sludge covered what was going on with the District's finances starting on September 27, 2005. Nasty enough to get the SLO County Grand Jury involved back in 2006.
In fact, you really should read what was said in the Grand Jury Report about Los Osos. Start on page 77 of the report on Los Osos:
http://slocourts.net/downloads/grand_jury/reports/2005/final-2005-2006.pdf
Basically, the Grand Jury wanted to investigate if public funds, namely LOCSD funds, were used by the post-Recall LOCSD Board members* to pay off a law firm hired by a citizen's group, CCLO (Concerned Citizens of Los Osos) and Al Barrow (CASE - Citizens for an Affordable and Safe Environment) that had sued the LOCSD and the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board and crafted Measure B (which stopped the sewer—but was later found to be invalid). All five post-Recall sitting directors had been heavily involved with the group suing the LOCSD and the Water Board, and in crafting and defending Measure B. This law firm (Burke, Williams and Sorenson, or BWS) was then hired by the LOCSD after the payoff. The settlement amount of the five cases was $488,617.
The Grand Jury wanted to see detailed time logs and billing records of the law firm and requested these documents through the SLO County Counsel's office—twice. What they got back was nothing the first time and the second time the documents were so heavily redacted it was impossible to determine anything. Billable tasks were left blank. Why? one would ask if you had nothing to hide?
These settlement negotiations were conducted in the Board's closed session meetings. They were handled between an attorney representing the LOCSD and an attorney from BWS.The post-Recall Board was given a single-settlement dollar amount. They were "...not offered, nor did they request any detailed information on the breakdown as to what activities were billed and included in the settlement amounts." Also, a Board member said to the Grand Jury that they wanted to settle the cases so that they could retain BWS for future work.
The Grand Jury felt that since public funds were used to settle the lawsuits, the public has a right to know just what legal services were rendered when.
Why wouldn't the Board want to see what they were being asked to settle? What public input or oversight was there? Where was the transparency in what they were doing?
Those questions still remain, along with an icky feeling of being had, either by stupidity or just plain dirty dealings. The Citizen's groups, CCLO and CASE could well have gotten nothing. The Grand Jury was stymied and never got us the answers we deserved.
In fact, CASE and BWS were stiffed later. They were among the 20 largest claims in the Bankruptcy and got pennies on the dollar:
So then a question remains.....where did all the money go that the LOCSD borrowed from reserves as GM Kivley has found, and "borrowed" from our tax monies for the CDF Fire tax payment and the Bond payment to Bank of New York?
If you are interested in reading the LOCSD's finely crafted response to the Grand Jury (by BWS's Julie Biggs, no doubt), it is on pages 29-33:
http://slocourts.net/downloads/grand_jury/reports/2005/responses-2005-2006.pdf
* The LOCSD Board was: Lisa Schicker, Julie Tacker, Chuck Cesena, John Fouche, Steve Senet.
Saturday, June 07, 2014
Riverside Sewer Woes Echo Here
Perhaps of interest to some of us who have followed Riverside's sewer issues:
http://www.pe.com/articles/sewer-695737-city-audit.html
In my opinion, the truly poor management decisions by the Recall board starting in October of 2005, plus reduced staffing due to the resultant bankruptcy, has caused financial and water problems since late 2005. So much sewer Sturm und Drang* has blocked the District from moving forward to solve its problems in any significant way!
General Manager Kivley has discovered a board resolution from May 4, 2006 that transferred $410,000 out from Fund 500 Water to fund "wastewater project studies." That money was to have been paid back into the Water fund at the same interest rate that the district gets on its investment funds. Needless to say, that has NOT happened.
She also reports a transfer out of the Solid Waste Fund 650 of $220,000 in 2006 for "wastewater project studies." This loan may also require repayment; staff is looking into when and if the funds were transferred.
You can look at GM Kivley's comments in this year's CSD budget at this link (it is a large file and loads slowly):
http://www.losososcsd.org/Library/2014%20Agenda%20Packet/06.05.14%20Agenda%20Packet/Agenda%20Item%207B%20Fiscal%20Year%202014-2015%20Budget.pdf
Also in 2006, our tax funds from the County that had been given to the LOCSD and set aside in April of 2006 to pay the old 2002 sewer bond, some $714,267.50 of tax monies, were gone by July 2006, so that payment could only be made by in dipping into the forbidden-to-used-by-contract reserve fund, the de facto "last month's rent" so to speak, to be left alone as the last bond payment. It was by agreement with Bank of New York to be repaid within one year. Being broke and in bankruptcy however, that money is being repaid at the rate of $25,000 a year, seemingly forever.
A quote from then CSD Director Joe Sparks from 2007 (this was originally published in the Tribune, but as accessing this now would cost money, I will provide a link to the entire text as copied into Ann Calhoun's blog, dated 8-6-2007, link),
So here we are in 2014, getting to the bottom of the financial mess the Recall Election put into motion. No, it wasn't really the recall itself, it didn't have to come to this, but the bad, no terrible, terrible decisions by the newly composed board, made it impossible to avoid.
*French Neoclassicism, a movement beginning in the early Baroque, with its emphasis on the rational, was the principal target of rebellion for adherents of the Sturm und Drang movement. Sentimentality and an objective view of life gave way to emotional turbulence and individuality. Enlightenment ideals of rationalism, empiricism, and universalism no longer captured the human condition; emotional extremes and subjectivity became the vogue during the Counter-Enlightenment.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sturm_und_Drang
http://www.pe.com/articles/sewer-695737-city-audit.html
Several city critics have repeatedly alleged the city improperly spent earlier sewer bond money and illegally made loans from the sewer fund to other city funds.
To address that concern, council members voted Tuesday, June 3, to ask their new outside audit firm to do a special audit of sewer fund transactions between 2000 to 2014, including use of loans and bond money.It looks to mirror what is coming to light here again in Los Osos with the books at long last being put in order by our finance-minded new GM, Kathy Kivley.
In my opinion, the truly poor management decisions by the Recall board starting in October of 2005, plus reduced staffing due to the resultant bankruptcy, has caused financial and water problems since late 2005. So much sewer Sturm und Drang* has blocked the District from moving forward to solve its problems in any significant way!
General Manager Kivley has discovered a board resolution from May 4, 2006 that transferred $410,000 out from Fund 500 Water to fund "wastewater project studies." That money was to have been paid back into the Water fund at the same interest rate that the district gets on its investment funds. Needless to say, that has NOT happened.
She also reports a transfer out of the Solid Waste Fund 650 of $220,000 in 2006 for "wastewater project studies." This loan may also require repayment; staff is looking into when and if the funds were transferred.
You can look at GM Kivley's comments in this year's CSD budget at this link (it is a large file and loads slowly):
http://www.losososcsd.org/Library/2014%20Agenda%20Packet/06.05.14%20Agenda%20Packet/Agenda%20Item%207B%20Fiscal%20Year%202014-2015%20Budget.pdf
Also in 2006, our tax funds from the County that had been given to the LOCSD and set aside in April of 2006 to pay the old 2002 sewer bond, some $714,267.50 of tax monies, were gone by July 2006, so that payment could only be made by in dipping into the forbidden-to-used-by-contract reserve fund, the de facto "last month's rent" so to speak, to be left alone as the last bond payment. It was by agreement with Bank of New York to be repaid within one year. Being broke and in bankruptcy however, that money is being repaid at the rate of $25,000 a year, seemingly forever.
A quote from then CSD Director Joe Sparks from 2007 (this was originally published in the Tribune, but as accessing this now would cost money, I will provide a link to the entire text as copied into Ann Calhoun's blog, dated 8-6-2007, link),
The District has no full-time or permanent General Manager, even though the LOCSD Board had the opportunity three months ago to hire from multiple qualified candidates.
The District has yet to re-pay approximately $400,000 borrowed from the Water Quality Trust Fund to fund the 2006 Ripley report, and Ripley remains a major creditor in the District’s Bankruptcy proceedings.
The District has yet to re-pay approximately $700,000 that was borrowed from the Bond Reserve Fund to make a Bond Redemption payment because the District had insufficient funds to make the payment on September 1, 2006. From the period of October 2005 until April 2006, approximately $1,100,000 in assessment revenue (District General Ledger 4061) was deposited in District accounts for the purpose of making the September 1, 2006 Bond Redemption payment, yet those funds were not available to make the payment.One of the commenters on this blog posting, former LOCSD Director Richard LeGros, wrote on that missing bond money,
Why was this "loan" not reviewed and approved by the LOCSD board in public, as required by law?Where did all this money go? The one wastewater study that came out, the Ripley report, that contract was for only around $500,000 and $100,000 of that total was a claim in the bankruptcy. Was all this money really moved to fund "wastewater project studies," or did it really go to attorneys in an useless attempt to defend against the indefensible? When the financial entries are all found and entered, will the books finally balance?
So here we are in 2014, getting to the bottom of the financial mess the Recall Election put into motion. No, it wasn't really the recall itself, it didn't have to come to this, but the bad, no terrible, terrible decisions by the newly composed board, made it impossible to avoid.
*French Neoclassicism, a movement beginning in the early Baroque, with its emphasis on the rational, was the principal target of rebellion for adherents of the Sturm und Drang movement. Sentimentality and an objective view of life gave way to emotional turbulence and individuality. Enlightenment ideals of rationalism, empiricism, and universalism no longer captured the human condition; emotional extremes and subjectivity became the vogue during the Counter-Enlightenment.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sturm_und_Drang
Wednesday, June 04, 2014
Our Stalwart Bruce Gibson Wins Supe Seat Handily!
Someone who, from his position of elected official, has done all that he (or any superman) could, to shepherd through with much support and funding our contentious sewer project, was rewarded with his third term last night with 67% of ballots cast. Clearly, voters of the Second District are happy with his work in many areas, not just the Los Osos sewer, but since this is a sewer blog, I heartily commend his work for Los Osos and look forward to another four years. It takes a wise and patient man to sit through the tense discussions week after week and still positively support our sewer project. We are lucky to have him facing a task that few of us could stand.
April Sewer Project Update!
The County has posted its latest progress report for April 2014. Of particular interest, the photos of the treatment plant area and what is being done there. Quite fascinating, take a look!
http://www.slocounty.ca.gov/Assets/PW/LOWWP/PM+Monthly+Update+Apr2014.pdf
http://www.slocounty.ca.gov/Assets/PW/LOWWP/PM+Monthly+Update+Apr2014.pdf
Monday, June 02, 2014
The Mysterious Ordinance 3209
Really, Water Board give us a break!
Bruce Gibson spoke at the Central Coast Regions Water Board meeting on May 22, 2014 asking for the Los Osos Prohibition Zone CDOs to be rescinded. He was asked by the Board as to what the County could do to enforce compliance to hook up should they remove the CDOs.
This is when the mysterious Ordinance 3209 popped up which the Water Board apparently was unaware of (as was most of us too, although it was very public in its adoption if you were paying attention)!
This ordinance was introduced on October 5, 2010 and adopted December 14, 2010 by the Supes and you can read it off this link (it is toward the end of the staff report). Yes, it has TEETH!
http://slocounty.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=2&clip_id=1002&meta_id=198936
Here's how it went down:
Bruce Gibson spoke at the Central Coast Regions Water Board meeting on May 22, 2014 asking for the Los Osos Prohibition Zone CDOs to be rescinded. He was asked by the Board as to what the County could do to enforce compliance to hook up should they remove the CDOs.
This is when the mysterious Ordinance 3209 popped up which the Water Board apparently was unaware of (as was most of us too, although it was very public in its adoption if you were paying attention)!
This ordinance was introduced on October 5, 2010 and adopted December 14, 2010 by the Supes and you can read it off this link (it is toward the end of the staff report). Yes, it has TEETH!
http://slocounty.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=2&clip_id=1002&meta_id=198936
Here's how it went down:
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
The Board of Supervisors of the County of San Luis Obispo, and ex-officio the governing body of all other special assessment and taxing districts for which said Board so acts, met in regular session at 09:00 a.m.
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PRESENT:
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Supervisors: Bruce S. Gibson, Adam Hill, James R. Patterson, and Chairperson Frank Mecham
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ABSENT:
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Supervisor: K.H. 'Katcho' Achadjian
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13
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C-2
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This is the time set for hearing to consider protests to an ordinance establishing a mandatory sewer connection requirement and sewer service charges for the Los Osos Wastewater project; and adoption of the ordinance if no majority protest exists; 2nd District. (02:13 PM)
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Chairperson Mecham: opens the floor to public comment.
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Mr. Tom Murphy, Mr. Hugo Conti, Ms. Gail McPherson, Dr. C. Hite, Mr. Don Bearden, Ms. Maureen Cormier, Mr. Bill Moylan, Mr. Bill Garfinkel, Ms. Beverley DeWitt-Moylan, Mr. Bo Cooper, Ms. Lacey Cooper, Mr. Al Barrow, Mr. Richard Margetson, Ms. Piper Reilly, Mr. Ben DiFatta, Mr. Chuck Cesena, Ms. Leslie Sands, Mr. Bruce Payne, Ms. Joyce Albright, Mr. Keith Wimer, Mr. Jeff Edwards, Ms. Julie Tacker, Ms. Linde Owen, Ms. Anna Easter, Ms. Elaine Watson, Mr. Alon Perlman, Mr. Dan Gilmore – Los Osos Community Services District General Manager, and Ms. Kathleen Jensen: speak.
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A motion by Supervisor Bruce S. Gibson, seconded by Supervisor Adam Hill, to adopt the rates and charges ordinance, is discussed. Mr. Warren Jensen, County Counsel, asks the Board to first make a motion finding a majority of protests was not received prior to approving the ordinance, with the motion maker and second withdrawing their motion.
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Thereafter, on motion of Supervisor Bruce S. Gibson, seconded by Supervisor Adam Hill, and on the following roll call vote:
the Board finds a majority protest has not been successful having received 801 written protests.
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Thereafter, on motion of Supervisor Bruce S. Gibson, seconded by Supervisor Adam Hill, and on the following roll call vote:
the reading of the proposed ordinance is waived and said proposed ordinance is read by title only and ORDINANCE NO. 3209, ordinance establishing a mandatory sewer connection requirement and sewer service charges for the Los Osos Wastewater Project, adopted.
Footnote: If you have time to watch the video of this, don't miss the comments (rantings) by Tom (Reclamator, or as I prefer "Wrecklamator") Murphy! He cites the "National Standards Enforcement Agency" and some confused words about the County of SLO and $500 million! Always entertaining that Mr. Murphy!
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Sunday, June 01, 2014
IGM Will Get Up to $291,000 a Year
Ahhh, now for an interesting bit of sewer history!
Much has been made of Paavo Ogren's salary as the new General Manager of Oceano. But in searching around the internet, I found an overlooked bit of history about our own Los Osos CSD from 2005. Apparently one of those yelling the loudest about the Oceano General Manager's salary was a supporter of a Los Osos INTERIM General Manager making a TON more money than Mr. Ogren!
The facts on this mountain of money for an IGM for Los Osos were published in The Sun Bulletin (a Tribune subsidiary back then) on October 19, 2005. I had to go into the archives and pay $2.95 at NewsLibrary.com, the service provider for the SLO Tribune Archives, so I can't point to a link to the article directly, but you can access it yourself if you want to pay, google this title in the Trib's archives (there is more than one article too):
The gist of the article says that Dan Bleskey will replace Bruce Buel as GM. Buel earned $94,000 year plus benefits. LOCSD President Lisa Schicker reported that Bleskey would work 3-5 days a week. He will cost the District between $14,500 to $24,000 a MONTH!
So, for a former LOCSD Director to raise a stink about a salary to a permanent General Manager (who by the way will be working two jobs under that title) in another town in which she does not live, seems hypocritical at the very least, but to those who follow sewer politics, it seems like an angry punishment toward a person who, as Public Works Director, offered so much expertise, support and hard work toward getting Los Osos a much delayed sewer, which this same CSD Director didn't seem entirely sold on our town even needing.
Much has been made of Paavo Ogren's salary as the new General Manager of Oceano. But in searching around the internet, I found an overlooked bit of history about our own Los Osos CSD from 2005. Apparently one of those yelling the loudest about the Oceano General Manager's salary was a supporter of a Los Osos INTERIM General Manager making a TON more money than Mr. Ogren!
The facts on this mountain of money for an IGM for Los Osos were published in The Sun Bulletin (a Tribune subsidiary back then) on October 19, 2005. I had to go into the archives and pay $2.95 at NewsLibrary.com, the service provider for the SLO Tribune Archives, so I can't point to a link to the article directly, but you can access it yourself if you want to pay, google this title in the Trib's archives (there is more than one article too):
| October 19, 2005 PRIVATE ENGINEER HIRED BY NEW SERVICES DISTRICT BOARD COULD COST $14,500 TO $24,000 A MONTH |
The gist of the article says that Dan Bleskey will replace Bruce Buel as GM. Buel earned $94,000 year plus benefits. LOCSD President Lisa Schicker reported that Bleskey would work 3-5 days a week. He will cost the District between $14,500 to $24,000 a MONTH!
So, for a former LOCSD Director to raise a stink about a salary to a permanent General Manager (who by the way will be working two jobs under that title) in another town in which she does not live, seems hypocritical at the very least, but to those who follow sewer politics, it seems like an angry punishment toward a person who, as Public Works Director, offered so much expertise, support and hard work toward getting Los Osos a much delayed sewer, which this same CSD Director didn't seem entirely sold on our town even needing.
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