Why are you running for the CCWD
Board?
Water is probably our County’s most precious natural
resource and how we manage it may be the most important challenge we face this
generation. The Calaveras County Water
District is one of the most important elected agencies in the County, and
certainly the most important water agency throughout Calaveras County. It plays a vital role not just in the daily
lives of its ratepayers (like me) but in the economic development of the entire
County. A well-managed CCWD is crucial
for the future economic well-being of Calaveras County.
Unfortunately, constant upper management turnovers have cost
CCWD hundreds of thousands of dollars while an aging infrastructure is poorly
maintained. Worse, CCWD’s Board of
Directors hit it’s hard-pressed customers with huge rate increases while at the
same time building a new multi-million dollar Administrative building. But what is the most damaging is the breakdown
in trust between CCWD’s Board and many others, including ratepayers and other
elected officials. This cannot go on.
Calaveras County faces many challenges, but we can never
hope to make progress when one of our most important public agencies, CCWD,
either cannot or will not engage in dialogue and successful collaboration with
its own customers and other County agencies. So, I’m running for CCWD first and foremost to
restore public trust in the agency. I believe this can only come with new
leadership committed to improving customer services and improving communication
across the board. Only then will CCWD
become a useful and respected partner in the sustainable economic development
of our County. I am confident that my
extensive experience in water resource management and policy, commitment to improving
communication and collaboration with the Board, and desire to improve the
communities in which we live and work, and will help to restore the public
trust and respect in CCWD.
What are your qualifications?
I have prepared myself well for this position as a result of
my education, professional experiences, and commitments to improve the
community in which I live, work, and raise our children. I received my master’s
degree in Watershed Management from Humboldt State University in 1989. The
graduate degree compliments my undergraduate degrees in Fisheries Biology and
Wildlife Management from 1984. My entire
professional career has been focused on water resource management as a
professional biologist, professor of natural resources, watershed coordinator,
and public service employee. I am also a
rate payer that is very concerned with the direction of CCWD over the previous
years and recent decisions that have come from the board room. I am familiar with many of local projects
owned and managed by CCWD as I have provided professional services to CCWD on
several local water reliability and water rights extension projects in Division
2. I worked closely with many local
community members when we formed the Upper Mokelumne River Watershed Council in
2003 and I was the watershed coordinator for the Council from 2004 to 2007. I have worked collaboratively alongside CCWD
staff, local and regional water agencies, and interested community members to
develop programs that protect and enhance water quality and land use planning
throughout Calaveras County while protecting our water rights. The local relationships I have developed in
the past several years will provide great benefit to CCWD moving forward. My experience running private businesses and
training as a certified facilitator for dispute resolution, will allow me to
work effectively with a range of people and perspectives – both within and
beyond the board room. I know water, and
I look forward to working with the CCWD Board and staff, and other elected
officials to rebuild effective working relationships across the board.
What, if anything, will you do
to protect our water rights?
I believe that above all, the most important responsibility
of a CCWD Board Director serving the ratepayers and residents of Calaveras
County is to protect all existing and future water rights within this
county. Furthermore, it our duty and
obligation as a board member to continue to plan several decades into the
future to meet all conceivable demands for water and wastewater services
throughout the county. The challenges we
face from competing interests for our water resources will continue to be
great, and we must be up for the challenge to protect our dedicated rights to
our water with whatever means necessary.
Water has become the liquid gold in California, and Calaveras County has
been blessed with a significant amount of water rights for future use.
The ability to protect our water rights will essentially
require that we perfect it and put it to beneficial use. With sufficient demand, one of our biggest economic
challenges to protect our water rights is the requirement that we use
water. To do this will require that we
develop the capacity to store (both above and below ground), delivery, and if
necessary to treat the water. To accomplish
this, it may require significant investment in new and existing infrastructure. By prioritizing water use in locations with
existing infrastructure will allow us to reduce such investment. However, increased water demand can also be
accomplished by supporting additional water uses in a cost effective manner
that does not burden the existing customers or tax payers. Additional options to increase water markets
and revenues within the county include the expansion of water use to support
Calaveras agriculture, and to consider water markets outside the County. Above all, we must be able to support our
ability to protect our existing and future water rights by increasing its use.
Do you support the wild and
scenic designation of the Mokelumne River?
The wild and scenic designation on the Mokelumne River is
not a new idea. This issue and perspectives
have been debated for over three decades.
In considering whether to support or oppose the wild and scenic
designation for the Mokelumne River (or for that matter any important issue
before the CCWD Board), I must first commit myself to fully understanding the
proposal in its entirety, including all advantages and disadvantages to our
water rights, our ability to perfect such water rights in the future, potential
effects on existing customers and county taxpayers, predicted effects on our local
economies and communities, potential impacts to existing jobs or creation of
future jobs, and impacts to the existing and future recreational opportunities
of the area of such an act. I would also
engage the communities in which I represent in dialogue to develop the best
understanding of their wishes and desires.
Analogous to the designation of our nearby National Parks, wild and
scenic designation can provide the protection of specific aquatic and watershed
resources in perpetuity within a river segment for the enjoyment of existing
and future generations.
If a wild and scenic designation was proposed in such a way
that did not compromise our future water rights and ability to perfect such
rights; provided direct and indirect benefits to our local communities,
enhances local economies, provided job opportunities, increased local
recreational opportunities, had a preponderance of support from my local
constituents, and allowed our future generations to experience such resources
in a similar manner throughout time, then I would support such a
designation. One of the most important
considerations for discussion of wild and scenic is location, as I believe we must
have the unfettered ability to develop water systems in a manner that maximizes
gravity flow and reduces power costs.
What is your stand on fleet gas
cards and accountability of CCWD vehicle use via GPS or other means?
If used properly by authorized individuals, fleet gas cards
provide wholesale purchase opportunities and can reduce expenditures and
related costs. There is always the
potential for misuse of such privileges.
With sufficient documentation that the fleet gas card program was being
used in a manner that was in direct conflict with district policies, I would recommend
that the system’s accountability and purchase documentation programs be evaluated,
or if not available, one be installed by the district. There should be very clear direction to
authorized individuals on the allowable use and limitations of purchases with
the card. Disciplinary actions as a
result of card misuse must also be clearly defined. Audits of the cards should also take place at
regular intervals.
I was employed by the San Joaquin County Mosquito and Vector
Control agency at the time that they instituted a GPS tracking technology on
their fleet of vehicles. There were a
number of reasons for instituting such a program, including the need for better
tracking and reporting of chemical use in wetlands and airborne applications to
the state. GPS tracking of vehicle can
be used to provide better accountability of field staff and to more effectively
manage response to field needs. The
program may also increase efficiency and overall productivity in the field
leading to improved customer service.
The program can also be used to support policies of vehicle use,
emergency response during injuries, and to document vehicle mileage and safe
routes when carrying potentially hazardous materials. If it is determined that there is a need, and
that the program will increase customer service, reduce costs through increased
work productivity, improve field staff management capabilities, and there are
dedicated staff and funds available to monitor, evaluate, and report on the
program, then I would support such a program.
Will investigation into the
alleged depletion and/or disappearance of the reserve funds be a priority?
I am not familiar at this time with allegations of reserve
fund mismanagement at CCWD. I trust that
internal and external financial audits of the district take place at defined
intervals, and that if any misappropriations have taken place in the past,
those issues have been resolved as quickly and efficiently as possible. As a special district, CCWD answers to the
state regarding expenditures (including reserve funds), debit servicing, financing,
and possibly even operations and maintenance expenditures. All directors at CCWD have fiduciary
responsibilities to insure that the district remains solvent through the
actions of the general manager and staff.
As a CCWD director, I would prioritize collaborative and respectful efforts
by the board to evaluate all budgets and accounts, including revenue
characteristics, as part of my fiduciary responsibilities to the agency,
customers, my constituents, and taxpayers of Calaveras County.
The proper management of reserve accounts is very important
for CCWD because of the large number of water systems that are in need of
significant repairs and/or replacement.
These accounts provide the funds to meet any unexpected costs that may
arise in the future beyond available budgets.
As a business owner, I understand the need for reserve funds to meet
unexpected costs while waiting for revenues to arrive. It is these reserve funds that allow CCWD business
to proceed as necessary and avoid interruptions in service to the rate
payers. If previous activities at CCWD
have reduced the reserve funds to lower than expected capital, I would support
an audit of the accounts as soon as possible.
All future activities that I would support related to the use or
enhancement of the reserve funds would depend on the results of that audit.
What new programs/policies would
you like to see implemented?
There are a number of programs that I would like to see
implemented as a director at CCWD. The
first program would be the opportunity to create accounts that allow for
sliding rates, and adjustment of payments based on the customer’s economic
resources. I understand that as a
special district, CCWD must follow state water code regulations, and that those
regulations, at this time, does not allow for subsidies to rate payers. There are current discussions with the state
by a collective group of water agencies to modify the state water code and
allow for state subsidies to rate payers based on need. These subsidies come from state funds, not
other rate payers. I will commit to
participating with that collective group to further those discussions along.
We know that CCWD needs additional revenues but neither
ratepayers nor taxpayers should be called upon to provide them. Before rates go up another penny, we need to
look at other ways to boost CCWD revenues.
I believe that the following programs/policies can provide significant
future revenues. These include the
following: developing partnerships with
other water agencies to train staff to maintain or enhance certifications or
mandatory training; investigate the opportunity to lease, sell, or otherwise generate
revenue from district assets that are not being currently used; increase water
sales to support Calaveras Agriculture, and, for the right price, explore sales
of our surplus water to outside; initiate discussions with NCPA to increase our
share of the revenues from hydroelectric generation from Spicer Reservoir.
In an attempt to restore respect and trust in CCWD, I would
work to develop policies and programs to enhance communications, dialogue, and
transparency by reaching out to elected officials at the county and local
government levels, and reach out to the customers and tax payers within
Division 2.
What do you feel is working
within CCWD well and would leave alone?
I do not feel as though I have complete familiarity or thorough
knowledge at this time with all of CCWD’s programs, operations, facilities,
customer support, results of water treatment tests, or maintenance activities
to confidently provide a list of those activities that CCWD does well, or those
activities that CCWD does less than well.
I have experienced excellent service through the call-in
customer service program. I have
personally called CCWD a few times to discuss the way in which the tiered water
billing process is calculated, or have had questions regarding other billing
information, and have received satisfactory results each time.
If the lack of complaints by family, friends and
acquaintances is a benchmark for work performed well, the wastewater treatment
system in West Point is operating well.
I also feel that the track record of CCWD for supporting local small
businesses with capable skill sets has been excellent throughout recent
history. CCWD has also maintained a
strong presence at various local and regional water forums when fully staffed. This presence is a show of commitment to
local water resource management and a desire to work collaboratively and
effectively with other water agencies to seek state and federal funding,
develop policy and programs to more efficiently manage existing water sources, conjunctive
use programs, groundwater management policies, and to prioritize and plan for
future water management projects focused on protecting water quality, improving
planning for water storage and delivery systems, water rights protection, and
enhancing collaborative activities on a regional scale. CCWD has also been very good at securing
federal and state funds to improve the infrastructure and efficiency of water
storage, treatment and delivery to benefit its customers in economically
challenged areas.
Will you or will you not, push
for the completion of the sewer line on Little John Road? Why?
I have no understanding of the sewer line on Little John
Road at this time as it is outside of the Division 2 service area and where I
live and work. As mentioned above with the
question of supporting the wild and scenic designation on the Mokelumne River, if
I do not have the information necessary to make an educated decision, I will seek
the necessary information before making such decisions. I would need to be informed by staff on the
current infrastructure capacity and condition of such a system prior to my
statement to support such a project.
However, I can say that if the project is not controversial, has support
by the Director that serves that area and local residents, and will not burden
the ratepayers or tax payers in that area, there is a good chance that I can
support such a project. However, I would
want to evaluate the economic short-term and long term impacts to the District prior
to my decision. Also, if the purpose of
the project is to support further development in an area that does not have
existing infrastructure, I would want to be sure that all fair-share
contributions, or all costs for extension of new services are being met by the
landowners/homeowners that would benefit.
Do you support or oppose
groundwater regulations?
CCWD is primarily a surface water supplied district other
than the northwestern portion of the county near the communities of Burson and
Wallace. Because the district is
essentially a surface water management agency, I would refrain from supporting activities
to regulate groundwater in this county unless it was specifically and only
related to active conjunctive use programs in the western portion of the county
where surface water was being used to recharge groundwater aquifers – and where
it would be in the best interests of CCWD customers or county tax payers to
have such regulations. The state does
not recognize significant groundwater reserves in Calaveras County except along
the very western edge of the County.
At this time I oppose groundwater regulations for most of
Calaveras County. I do not feel as
though groundwater regulations have a benefit to, or should even be considered
in all but the far western portion of Calaveras County. Most of the remaining portions of Calaveras
County (including all of Division 2), lack significant groundwater resource
that would justify such regulation. In
addition, the area lacks the high demand for groundwater typically reserved for
densely populated metropolitan areas, agricultural operations, or large
industry. Our local groundwater
resources are located mostly in fractured underground rock strata that lack the
volume and recharge rate characteristic of large groundwater aquifers. As a result, these small groundwater resources
can be relatively unstable over time. Many
property owners struggle to maintain existing groundwater reserves and avoid
depletion of wells. I would need to hear strong opposing arguments for
regulating groundwater in all but the northwestern portion of Calaveras County
before considering modifying my beliefs and perspectives on groundwater
management by the state.
Please explain your
understanding of the North Fork Stanislaus River Hydro Electric Development
Project.
The North Fork Stanislaus River Hydro Electric Development
Project produces electric power and provides recreation. The project is owned by CCWD and managed
under a joint development agreement with CCWD and Northern California Power
Agency (NCPA). The cornerstone dam on
the project is the New Spicer Meadow Dam and Reservoir (Referred to as Spicer
Reservoir) was constructed between 1985 and 1990. The primary power production facility of the
Project is the Collierville Powerhouse at Clarks Flat. The project covers 60 miles and includes
Spicer Reservoir, two diversion dams and tunnels, the McKay’s Point Diversion
Dam, the Collierville Powerhouse, and power transmission lines.
Water travels from the North Fork Stanislaus River by
diversion to Spicer Reservoir via a two-mile tunnel from the North Fork
Diversion Dam. Water from Spicer
Reservoir then flows into Highland Creek, which flows into the North Fork
Stanislaus River. Water is eventually impounded
in the McKays Point Reservoir. A small
diversion dam was constructed on Beaver Creek, to deliver water from Beaver
Creek into the McKays Point Reservoir.
From McKays Point Reservoir, the water enters the Lower Collierville
Tunnel and falls 2,270 feet from McKays Point to the Collierville Powerhouse. The project typically produces 252 megawatts
of electric energy per year. Approximately
40 miles of 230 kilovolt transmission lines connect the Collierville Powerhouse
with PG&E’s substation at Bellota
CCWD owns the water rights, the license to produce electricity,
and the hydroelectric facility. NCPA
operates the hydroelectric facility under agreement with CCWD. NCPA constructed the hydroelectric facility
and power transmission system at apparently no cost to CCWD. CCWD received a significant payment from NCPA
at the beginning of the project; however, these funds have been exhausted
through the years. Although NCPA
receives significant economic benefit from monthly hydro revenues, CCWD
receives an average of approximately $500,000 per year.
At this point you may add a
prepared statement of no more than 300 words.
No public agency can operate in the public interest unless
it is committed to do so. Unfortunately
rate payers, tax payers, and other public agencies have every right to question
whether CCWD’s current Board of Directors has truly made this commitment. To fix this will take time. Words alone cannot heal the wounds of CCWD’s
ratepayers or rebuild the public trust. Nor
will soothing rhetoric automatically restore the confidence of other public
agencies in CCWD, and build the kinds of lasting and effective partnerships we
urgently need to move forward. Actions
will need to speak louder than words, and one of the first actions CCWD needs
to take is to re-affirm its commitment to operating with transparency and
within the laws regarding open meetings and the public’s right to know. In the end, only when citizens and other
elected officials see a real change in CCWD’s actions and commitment to
collaborate, both internally and externally, will there be real change for the
better.
Calaveras County is blessed with extensive water rights. And since water is probably our County’s most
precious natural resource, how we manage it may be the most important challenge
we will face this generation. Working together
- listening to each other in a spirit of compromise and mutual respect, I know
we can get Calaveras County on the right economic track. The future well-being of our County depends on
our ability to wisely manage the one precious resource we have in abundance.
If elected, I pledge to do all I can to bring about a new
era of trust and transparency with CCWD’s customers and the taxpayers, and to
work as hard as I can to rebuild working relationships with other elected
officials.
I expect to be held accountable.
Terry Strange
office (209) 293-3200
cell (209) 419-2997
email: strangeaqua@volcano.net
www.TerryStrangeCCWD.com
Terry Strange
office (209) 293-3200
cell (209) 419-2997
email: strangeaqua@volcano.net
www.TerryStrangeCCWD.com
