Protest hearing on Thursday
Labels: Sewer Plant
posted by Gayle Washburn @ 4:16 PM
36 Comments
Links to this post
Fillmore
This blog is about the people, places and politics of Fillmore, California. It is designed to provide a forum for people that believe that Fillmore truly can be the best small town in Southern California.
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Contributors
Previous Posts
- Virtual road trip
- And another...
- More Notices
- On the road...
- Migration out of state
- Bad Bloggers
- Sewer Contract...
- A few changes
- Would you live here?
- Sewer Plant News
Subscribe to
Posts [Atom]
36 Comments:
This post has been removed by a blog administrator.
This post has been removed by a blog administrator.
gail and patty,,,,,,,speechless
now thats priceless
Anon 1117 am -1205 (same person)
It seems that these prairie Dogs are back to their abnormal whimpering and gossiping tangents.
You know their are some meds for your episodes.
Can anyone shed any light on how this process works? Does the city look at the total number of water customers and then number of “no” votes? Is it based upon registered voters?
There has to be over 50% of property owners. Renters can't protest. Send a letter to tom Ristau.
Gail , why did you deleted my questions ?
Gail , why did you deleted my questions ?
Gail , why did you deleted my questions ?
Gail , why did you deleted my questions ?
gail your as bad as clairek.
The questions i asked must of be touchy.
you have been with patty to much
gail your as bad as clairek.
The questions i asked must of be touchy.
you have been with patty to much
gail your as bad as clairek.
The questions i asked must of be touchy.
you have been with patty to much
gail your as bad as clairek.
The questions i asked must of be touchy.
you have been with patty to much
Anonymous: I don't have time to address your questions that are irrational and have no purpose but to harrass.
Do you have a question or comment on the sewer plant or contract? Comments or questions re: Santa Paula?
Not for you, I actually want to ask questions to people that know what they are talking about, not that think that they do
So let me get this straight, by tonight 51% of the property owners in Fillmore must cast a protest vote against the sewer rate increase? If 51% is not achieved then the sewer plant is a reality. Yikes, I hate to be the harbinger of doom but Las Vegas has better odds.
I always feel like I’m coming into the middle of the movie, so my apologies if these questions have already been addressed. I’m guessing that there is a consultant involved? What has the consultant contributed in the way of advice towards the acquisition of state and federal grants? If there is no consultant then the awarded contractor would have experience in this and should be leading the quest for monies. What advice has the contractor contributed towards grant acquisitions?
Gail, you just keep skirt-tailing my questions.
why? are they true?
again im sure you wont even respond.
Would you treat your constituents like this if yoo were elected?
wait should i ask your kampaign manager bryan sipes to respond?
gail and bryan
aka BONNIE AND CLYDE!
To Anonymous 14+ posts:
I support your right to express your opinion but I really would hope you could step back and take a look at how you may be coming across to others. Whatever your agenda, it is unclear and your posts have the incoherent tone of a basket lady. Help me to understand your point of view, what is it that you are trying to communicate? Also ask yourself if hiding behind the “Anonymous” is perhaps making you say things that aren’t really what you would otherwise normally express.
Tom, yes you are absolutely right. That is how it works. And you're also right on with the odds of that happening.
Most ratepayers have indicated to me that they are expecting some kind of ballot in the mail or an announcement of an election date.
The 4 page flyer that was sent in the mail was the document that provides all the information.
To me it doesn't seem like a fair or balanced way to get public input. However, it was vetted and approved by our bond counsel attorneys. Every line of the law was scrutinized to make sure that there would be limited public input. The timing was effective as well.
However, there is a possibiity that we will be reviewing some alternatives. I think Bert Rapp is setting up a presentation for Micromedia in a few weeks. Also, Santa Paula will be having a Vertreat presentation.
We are under contract with Boyle/American Water for the $82 million but the contract can be broken under a few conditions. One condition is if the ratepayers protest in majority. The other is if we fail to get bond financing. I can't remember what the other condition is.
Also, we can break the contract and just pay a fee of $385,000 plus any work done to date on design. That still might be worth it if one of the alternatives is $40 million cheaper. Even if the capital costs are the same, we would realize millions in savings in operations and maintenance costs.
The MBR membranes are prone to fouling and require frequent replacement. Also, my biggest concern is the energy usage. This process uses ten times more energy than some of the alternatives.
As far as state and federal grants and loans, they will be minimal. Boyle Engineering is the project manager. As far as the financing we will be getting $60 million in pivate bonds. We could have gone to the state revolving loan fund for 3.5% interest which would have saved some money but that option was rejected for various reasons. I think it still might have been worthwhile to pursue.
You may want to check out some of the previous topics on sewer issues for more information.
oh tom , go drive your pesty motorcycles in santa paula.
the questions were for bonnie or clyde.
Yes you both ruin campaigns and candidates. Buying full page ad's with lie's and smears. Bonnie and Clyde would approve.
SUBVERSIVE YES.
Anonymous listen to tom. You are going off the deep end. The election is over. gayle and Patti have not lied or out down anyone like you have. Move on.
Sure they did.
Gail and Bryan which caused the lies.
bonnie and clyde
Every single meeting that takes place those trouble makers are there.
This post has been removed by a blog administrator.
Pesty Motorcycles? I have to admit I find that amusing but is pesty even a word?
Lies, havoc, troublemakers, subversives? Is this1950 and are you Joeseph McCarthy? Why not throw in damn communists and cover all the bases? Please educate me, what details can you provide that can substantiate your claims. I would also like to point out that your continued comparisons of Gayle and Brian to Bonnie and Clyde are truly uncalled for. The Barrow gang was responsible for death.
Anonymous – If you don't feel comfortable responding on this blog I will offer my email address to you or anyone else.
tfennell (at) rtfsolutions (dot) com
I'm being sincere in my curiosity
Maybe if you spent more time investigating solutions to our sewer crisis , maybe your thoughts would be taken seriously. My children act more mature than you have.
The Fillmore Hawks have written multiple letters to our state and national elected leaders.
Have you anonymous? Stop with the blasphemy.
This post has been removed by a blog administrator.
This post has been removed by a blog administrator.
First off this is not the same anon, but I am curious Clairek for all the BS that you have done over the past few months please Post a copy of one of the letters that you have sent out. I do not believe that you have and are simply blowing smoke.
Second, Gayle what does this mean exactly:
To me it doesn't seem like a fair or balanced way to get public input. However, it was vetted and approved by our bond counsel attorneys. Every line of the law was scrutinized to make sure that there would be limited public input. The timing was effective as well.
This was explained to you in great detail at the city council meeting yet you keep rambling on and on, it is a conspiracy thing or what, Give it up the gov is not out to screw you they do not even care about you. Bottom line even if the public was able to vote on this item, they would have no clue what was going on and penalties that would and are being imposed on us. Stick with you friend Patti on this, she voted yes, you need to understand the bigger picture and stop with the fear tactics and conspiracy theories.
Third, Vetreat is dead, it is not applicable for this situation, this has already been decided and even if they came in front of the city council, you do not have enough votes or support to overturn what has already been decided. So again ask the city council to sue the LARWQCB for their illegal mandate to make us build the sewer plant.
Gayle, the other thing is that again make statements as though you know what you are talking about, yet you have already admitted that you are not an engineer, do not have any qualifications to make recommendations, but are only trying to express your opinion, but with statements like:
The MBR membranes are prone to fouling and require frequent replacement. Also, my biggest concern is the energy usage. This process uses ten times more energy than some of the alternatives.
You make claims that have no merit, again stop, you are not listening you are making unethical and immoral claims based on unsubstantiated information. It is like you have tunnel vision and cannot see past the tip of your nose. Widen our horizens and learn from others, excluding the yes queen Patti.
First, regarding the Prop 218 vote, you can’t believe that it was a fair public process. If you do, then maybe you do not believe in democracy. I heard that Mr. Jamey Brooks or someone at the hearing addressed this issue last night. I guess I’m not the only one that feels that way. It is not a conspiracy however the legislation has been widely discussed whether it is fair or not.
The penalties that you are talking about are a separate issue from the Prop 218 vote or the alternative technologies. You are accusing me of fear tactics but you are the one using fear tactics. Have you read the TSO or WDR? If you want to challenge me do it on a specific fact and let’s see your homework. I’ve also talked to the state water board and the regional water board. I know you heard me say this before and you just want to harass – but, the water boards want to see a “good faith effort”. There is a possible offer on the table right now for us to be in compliance. Why don’t you want to evaluate it if it would solve the problem and cost less money, and, be in compliance of the WDR and TSO?
On what exact basis is Vertreat not applicable for this situation? All of the objections that I have heard have come from the competition.
Why don’t you try to sue LARWQCB?
Now as far as the membranes and energy usage, are you saying that the membranes don’t need to be replaced and the process doesn’t use an excess of energy? What are you basing your claims on? I’m basing mine on reading the research and studies and discussions with various engineers. I will be happy to give you their contact information and you can discuss it with them yourself. Or, if you send me your contact information I will have them contact you. And, I am keeping an open mind. I have never said that any of these options will necessarily be the best but we do need to make sure that we have exhausted all possibilities to save the ratepayers millions of dollars. You seem to be the one making claims on unsubstantiated information. I have provided links to documentation and I have many more. Send me your email address if you are serious about substantiation and I will provide you information.
Will you answer these questions or just continue on your destructive mission? I don’t know what your problem is but have you considered anger management or therapy? You seem to be so full of hate. I feel sorry for you. And if you are involved with our city government or an employee it is clear that you do not belong there if you can’t discuss these issues in a professional manner. All of the city employees I have encountered are professional and I don’t believe they would say things that you do. So why don’t you reveal yourself? Stop hiding.
As far as my pictures…I am a “people” of Fillmore!
Gayle,
You seem to be skeptical about how much effort has gone into researching all the options available for the wastewater plant and downplay the ticking clock. Your belief that a “good faith effort” is all the RWQCB wants is way off base. Do you know that fines are now mandatory, good faith or not? That would be money down the drain the people get absolutely no benefit from.
Given the new discharge standards placed on Fillmore and the time line to meet them, I think the city has done an excellent job of fleshing out the best long term options available. The contract allows for modification to some extent if better and less expensive methods are found but to simply to halt everything while someone wants to keep looking is absurd.
Santa Paula is looking at exactly the same technology as we are. The veratreat system never even made it to first base, it was DOA. One of the major firms they asked to recommend a system builds the vertreat stuff and they wouldn’t recommend it. Does that tell you anything?
Why can’t you give the people at the city and the major players in the wastewater field some credit? Remember, the clock is ticking.
On 218 – you may not like the 218 vote, but it was legal. Would you rather have the 218 protest vote done illegally? I also understand there were fewer than 200 protests, that’s just a bit shy of the 2200 or so needed. So, just who are “the people” you keep talking about? The 200 or the rest of us?
Gayle,
You seem to be skeptical about how much effort has gone into researching all the options available for the wastewater plant and downplay the ticking clock. Your belief that a “good faith effort” is all the RWQCB wants is way off base. Do you know that fines are now mandatory, good faith or not? That would be money down the drain the people get absolutely no benefit from.
Given the new discharge standards placed on Fillmore and the time line to meet them, I think the city has done an excellent job of fleshing out the best long term options available. The contract allows for modification to some extent if better and less expensive methods are found but to simply to halt everything while someone wants to keep looking is absurd.
Santa Paula is looking at exactly the same technology as we are. The veratreat system never even made it to first base, it was DOA. One of the major firms they asked to recommend a system builds the vertreat stuff and they wouldn’t recommend it. Does that tell you anything?
Why can’t you give the people at the city and the major players in the wastewater field some credit? Remember, the clock is ticking.
On 218 – you may not like the 218 vote, but it was legal. Would you rather have the 218 protest vote done illegally? I also understand there were fewer than 200 protests, that’s just a bit shy of the 2200 or so needed. So, just who are “the people” you keep talking about? The 200 or everyone else?
Yes, anon you are correct. I am skeptical about the options. However, my skepticism didn’t drop out of the sky. I’ve been getting a lot of feedback from other engineers as well as the reports from Public Citizen and others about the DBO process and privatization. I didn’t make any of this up.
You keep repeating your side of the story. I’ve heard no comments on any of the documentation that I’ve provided.
I don’t mean to downplay the ticking clock but the economic viability of our City has to be weighed against possible fines. Can you explain the “mandatory fines”? We already have fines from violations that occurred in the past. I don’t know that we have any current or ongoing violations? Do we? Are you talking about when the TSO expires?
Even if Vertreat was rejected the Micromedia or sand filters they are using in Ojai could be evaluated.
Have you figured out the total cost to the community over those 20 years of the DBO? What is your reaction to that much money being siphoned out of our town?
I have given the city credit for the work they have done. However, you have to admit that there is potential for conflict because most of the engineering work is contracted out. Our city staff is small for the amount of work they have on their plate and the projects going on so has to rely on outsourcing. Why do a lot of government contracts require independent oversight?
As far as the 200 protests, that is a lot considering that many people were so confused about the process and didn’t even know how to protest. Please read the recent topic on Santa Paula’s election.
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home