The Sacramento bee posted an editorial today about the recent grand jury report regarding the RLECWD.
I’m reposting my comment here, because it’s important for everyone to know the truth, not what some flunky, research-impaired editorial writer wants you to know.
Gimme a second here, I’m going to rub my lucky penny… Oh lucky penny, I wish people who wrote editorials for the Bee knew what they were talking about, and had research skills, and had a desire to report the news instead of writing just to sell newspapers.
You write “Those in charge have clearly demonstrated they’re not up to the task. They have ignored many of the grand jury’s 2010 recommendations… etc”.
WRONG. The grand jury notes that those who HAVE BEEN in charge have demonstrated an ineptitude for running the water district. The grand jury noted that since the 2010 election, where 3 of the former board were unseated, that the district has made significant progress.
You write “Recent personnel decisions only made things worse.”
WRONG. The decision to award Ravi Metah a scandalous, obscene contract was made by the 2008-2010 board. This is the contract that provided for Mehta to be paid 30% of any funding he brought into the district. Joe Sherrill was hired in November, and given an 18 month severance clause, yet does not hold ANY of the requirements for the district’s GM as described in the policy manual. His hiring was shortly after the election, and just 24 hours after LAFCo asked the previous board not to make any long-term hires or enter into any contracts until the new board was seated. It should also be noted that the hiring of Mary Henrici, an accomplished and experienced water system manager, was the action of the current board.
In the last 6 months, there has been much less ranting, name-calling, and general disorder in board meetings than in the last 8 years. While Vivien Johnson still writes lies and half-truths in her monthly cage-liner, and Cathy Nelson-Hood still dissents with absolutely every motion that comes before the board, Mary Harris and Stephanie Suela seem to believe that they are still elected and relevant and bring a bag of mayhem to every meeting. Fortunately, board president Courtney Caron has kept them all on a very short leash, enforcing time limits on public comment, stopping the bizarre screaming rants short, and showing no hesitation at all to steer a discussion back on track.
And just think… If the Mary Harris-led “Coalition for Responsible Affordable Water” hadn’t derailed everything over the last decade, the 2000 Master Plan would have resolved all of the issues before they became issues. If the CRAW organization hadn’t won the majority on the board in 2008, moved to fire the highly competent GM and repealed the planned rate increase, Wells 15, 16 and 17 would already be supplying water to RL/E.
In the future, talk to some people. Do a little research. Accusing the current board of incompetence is akin to accusing Governor Schwarzenegger of monogamy.
