Public Meeting To Discuss Water Rates Will Be Held Sept. 13

Ramona Municipal Water District (RMWD) rates for treated water will
remain the same in the next year, while untreated water costs and sewer rates are expected to go up. There's no estimate yet of what the increases might be.

According to the district, a drop in treated water rates from the County Water Authority (CWA) will be offset by a rise in electricity costs. The district incurs a hefty bill each year to pump Ramona's water up the hill from Poway.

RMWD Assistant General Manager David Barnum said at a recent board meeting that any increases to Ramona ratepayers are
determined from the results of an independent study conducted by
Raftelis Financial Consultants, Inc., which has an office in Pasadena.

The cost for CWA water has gone down by 5 percent, or 19 cents per
unit; however, the cost for electricity to pump the water to Ramona
customers went up 19 cents a unit, thereby equalling out to a “flat
rate increase,” Barnum said.

A public hearing for any district customers who may be affected by any
increases has been set for 4:30 p.m. Sept. 13. Notices have been mailed to RMWD customers.

The notification letters are in accordance with state Proposition 218,
which was passed by the voters in 1996. It deals with compliance
requirements for proposed increases in water and sewer rates. Barnum
said the district mailed 9,337 letters in 2010 and received only five
written formal protests. This year, the district has mailed more than 10,000.

The public hearing will coincide with the public hearing for the
adoption of the 2011-12 budget which is expected to be approved at
that time. The meetings will be at the Community Center, 424 Aqua Lane.

Barnum emphasized the district has not reduced any services to its customers.

“Most importantly, we never eliminate any type of programs,” he said.
“We’ve maintained our same level of services.”

Once approved by the board, following the Sept. 13 public hearing, new rates will go into effect on Oct. 1. Increases in sewer rates will be reflected on property owners’ tax bills from the county, the district reports.

“We are the only agency not proposing a relatively large rate
increase,” Barnum said.

The budget proposed for the 2011-12 fiscal year is $7,382,012. Barnum noted the district has cut $1 million from its operating costs since the 2007-08 fiscal year.

In other business, the directors unanimously approved contracts for
professional services with redistricting consultants and with an
engineering firm.

The consultants, Shepherd & Staats, of San Diego, will begin work on a redistricting plan set by possible population changes in each division
of the water district’s boundaries.

Roxanne Shepherd and Bill Staats attended the July 12 RMWD board meeting while Barnum made the presentation. The contract with the consultants is for $6,000. When questioned by directors if the work is not something that could be done by district personnel, Shepherd said that was possible but the software necessary for the study would cost
$5,000; therefore, it is more cost effective to use an outside
consultant.

The redistricting process is required by state law every 10 years
following the federal census. If there are increases or decreases in
population within boundaries of the five district divisions, the area
each director serves may be affected.

Barnum said the study is expected to take several months to complete
and must be filed with the County Registrar of Voters by July 2012.
Board workshops will be scheduled before that time to give the public
an opportunity to comment.

In other action, the board voted to employ Dudek and Associates, of
San Diego for part-time engineering services not to exceed $180,000.
This will eliminate filling the vacant position of district engineer,
which has an annual salary of $245,000 and the position of engineering inspector, who would be paid $104,000 per year, for an estimated savings of $169,000.

"There is enough work for part-time Dudek and Associates but not
enough work for a full-time engineer,” General Manager Ralph McIntosh said.

The board also accepted a recommendation for relocating the pipeline
alignments on San Vicente Road between Warnock Street and Vicente
Meadow Drive.

This is in conjunction with the county’s project to straighten that
section of San Vicente Road. The work is expected to begin April 20,
2013 and take two years to complete.