Tie Vote Nixes Water District’s Letter

Motions that resulted in tie votes on the Ramona Municipal Water District’s governing board failed to give approval for sending a letter to the county Board of Supervisors regarding a proposed emergency evacuation route across the border of the Santa Maria Sprayfield.

The voting ended in 2-2 ties for the two motions: one to approve sending the letter and the other motion to delay indefinitely sending the letter. Directors Darrell Beck and Joe Zenovic favored sending the letter, while directors Brian Wadlington and Kit Kesinger were against it. Director Everett “Red” Hager was not at the meeting.

Jim Piva, chairman of Ramona Community Planning Group, read a letter addressed to the board from county Supervisor Dianne Jacob. Piva and other planning group members attended the previous RMWD board meeting on Aug. 23, asking the directors to delay any action on the matter until further meetings can be arranged with all the agencies involved in planning for emergency evacuations.

Jacob stated in her letter that she would be willing to “host a meeting in the near future in an effort to resolve this matter in an acceptable manner for all involved.”

Jacob made a request to the water board that it delay any action until such a meeting can be scheduled.

The district’s letter, to be signed by each of the five directors if it had passed, would have served as the district’s intention to cooperate with the county on the proposed route while laying out a plan between the agencies.

Four major “talking points” were identified in the letter that should be covered and decisions made before the route could be designated for emergency evacuation procedures. The route goes along the northern boundary of the sprayfield in Highland Valley.

The points are:

• San Diego Gas & Electric existing utility poles and guy wires located along the property boundary be removed. The district is suggesting conversion to underground wiring.
• Stevens’ Kangaroo Rat environmental mitigation requirements would need to be determined. The district has a design in place for an Evaporation Terrace Project that would minimize the impact to the SKR and its habitat.
• Effluent Disposal Area requirements could result in a land exchange with the county for the proposed evacuation corridor. The county previously acquired a portion of the property from the previous owner through eminent domain for a proposed runway extension for the airport.
• Evacuation route maintenance would need to be decided as to which agency would take charge. The district would be willing to construct a security fence along the north edge of the route for better security and safety measures. Maintenance would be necessary to assure a clear travel route in emergency situations.

In other action, the board approved a proclamation of appreciation honoring General Manager Ralph McIntosh, for his 38½ years of dedicated service to the district, including the past three years as general manager. McIntosh will be retiring on Oct. 6.

The board also approved McIntosh remaining in the position of the district’s representative on the board of the County Water Authority. His term there will expire in September 2012. The directors will revisit their decision in the spring to see if the incoming general manager, David Barnum, may be willing to take over the CWA position at that time.

Members from the Ramona Community Emergency Response Team presented the RMWD board with a framed photograph of their team and gave a rundown of the volunteer organization’s history in Ramona.

On another issue, Wadlington praised three RMWD staff members for their outstanding service during the recent power outage that affected all of San Diego County and other areas in Southern California and Mexico.

Johnny Brean, operations manager, Jim Anderson, wastewater plant manager, and Annette Findley, human resources manager, were singled out from among the many RMWD employees who remained on the job on Sept. 8.

“All of our personnel performed admirably,” Wadlington said.

The next meeting of the RMWD Board of Directors will be 4:30 p.m. Sept. 27 at , 434 Aqua Lane.