Kern County Grand Jury • 2023-2024

Report: Stallion Springs Community Services District

Published: January 22, 2024 18 pages
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Findings and Recommendations 15 findings

F1
The Wastewater Treatment Plant has been neglected resulting in an urgent situation to become State compliant.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1
A contingency plan to service affected sewer customers in the event of treatment facility closure due to non-compliance should be put in place by the CSD no later than July 1, 2024. (Finding 1)
F2
The State Time Schedule Order deadline is quickly approaching (2025), with insufficient CSD funds to make necessary improvements to satisfy the State mandates.
No recommendations for this finding
F3
The failure to implement scheduled sewer rate increases, which have now expired, has caused operational and capital improvement costs to be underfunded requiring a new Prop 218 study to be conducted.
Related Recommendations (2)
R2
The CSD initiate a new sewer rate increase study in accordance with Prop. 218 by July 1, 2024, to ensure that future operating costs and capital improvements are funded. (Finding 3)
R3
The CSD implement future scheduled increases as recommended by all Prop. 218 studies. (Finding 3)
F4
The progress of the Grant application submitted to the CWSRF in November 2021 is not being routinely monitored.
Related Recommendations (1)
R4
The CSD assign a watchdog no later than July 1, 2024, to track the grant application process monthly and report to the General Manager. (Finding 4)
F5
If grants are rejected, then a loan may be more economical for the sewer customers over the necessity of installing an engineered system on their parcels, which could cost between $ 10,000 - $ 20,000. An example of the loan repayment: $3,000,000 Loan for Upgrade of Wastewater Treatment Plant Example at 6% interest 10 year Monthly Payment $33,306 divided by 380 users $87.65 Bi-monthly $175.30 20 year Monthly Payment $21,492 divided by 380 users $56.56 Bi-monthly $113.12 Generated by Grand Jury
Related Recommendations (1)
R5
The CSD should, by July 1, 2024, diligently investigate the feasibility of securing a loan for State mandated Wastewater Treatment Plant capital improvements. (Finding 5)
F6
The reasons for the sewer rate increases not being implemented annually, and the financial situation of the Wastewater Treatment Plant, were not communicated effectively to the affected customers.
Related Recommendations (1)
R6
The CSD should keep affected customers informed of any deferred sewer rate increases of deferment. (Finding 6)
F7
It is not practical to expect residents to attend board meetings as their only source of information due to scheduling and space limitations, leaving them uninformed.
Related Recommendations (2)
R7
Effective by July 1, 2024, the CSD should timely communicate important issues with all affected residents, using bill inserts, The Bridge Newsletter and/or Town Hall meetings. (Finding 7)
R8
The CSD keep the affected customers informed semi-annually of the Wastewater Treatment Plant’s financial situation, effective July 1, 2024. (Finding 7)
F8
The CSD followed CA Public Contract Code §22030 regarding the water meter replacement project; however, residents were not completely informed of the bidding process, causing distrust.
Related Recommendations (1)
R9
Effective by July 1, 2024, the CSD should hold Town Hall or Special meetings to promote transparency with the residents for future major projects requiring bids. (Finding 8)
F9
The CSD failed to identify the contents of records to be destroyed in the Board Meeting agenda of August 2023, creating suspicion.
Related Recommendations (1)
R10
The CSD ensure that records are properly labeled per CA Govt Code §60201 in the board meeting agendas and allow time for approval from the Board prior to destruction, effective July 1, 2024. (Finding 9)
F10
The Policies and Procedures governing the District are not available on the CSD website, resulting in a lack of transparency.
Related Recommendations (1)
R11
The CSD update their website to include Policies and Procedures by July 1, 2024. (Finding 10)
F11
CSD Ordinance 160 does not explain the Administrative Citation enforcement process regarding collection of fines, trash facility access suspension and termination of services, causing complaints.
Related Recommendations (1)
R12
The CSD Board amend Ordinance 160 to specifically state the authority of the district to suspend health related services (water, sewer, or trash) as permitted by law, in the enforcement of Administrative Citations. This recommendation should be implemented by July 1, 2024. (Finding 11)
F12
Much of the 40 acres of property on Pellisier Road purchased by the CSD may be underutilized.
Related Recommendations (1)
R13
The CSD revisit alternate uses by July 1, 2024, of the surplus acreage as explored by the previous General Manager on the board meeting agenda of March 19, 2019. (Finding 12)
F13
The library, situated two miles from the center of Stallion Springs, is not easily accessible to residents with limited transportation.
Related Recommendations (1)
R14
The CSD consider the feasibility by July 1, 2024, of relocating the library to a more accessible location for the residents of Stallion Springs. (Finding 13)
F14
The Stallion Springs Police Department is engaged with the community and performs its duties professionally and impartially with limited personnel and struggles to be competitive.
Related Recommendations (1)
R15
The CSD consider by July 1, 2024, initiating a special assessment tax to fund additional staff for Police and Public Works. (Findings 14 and 15) NOTES: • The Stallion Springs Community Services District should post a copy of this report where it will be available for public review. • Persons wishing to receive an email notification of newly released reports may sign up at: www.kerncounty.com/government/other-agencies/grand-jury • Present and past Kern County Grand Jury Final Reports and Responses can be accessed on the Kern County Grand Jury website www.kerncounty.com/government/other- agencies/grand-jury RESPONSE DEADLINE: • REQUIRED WITHIN 90 DAYS FROM: Stallion Springs Community Services District Board of Directors • RESPONSES ARE REQUIRED PURSUANT TO CAL. PENAL CODE §§933(c) AND 933.05 WITHIN 90 DAYS TO: • PRESIDING JUDGE SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA COUNTY OF KERN 1415 TRUXTUN AVENUE, SUITE 212 BAKERSFIELD, CA 93301 • TRUXTUN AVENUE, SUITE 600 BAKERSFIELD, CA 93301 Reports issued by the Grand Jury do not identify individuals interviewed. Cal. Penal Code §929 requires that reports of the Grand Jury not contain the name of any person or facts leading to the identity of any person who provides information to the Grand Jury. GLOSSARY: Administrative Citation: A citation issued by an enforcement officer for a code violation. Blending facility: Equipment used to mix sources of clean water to dilute contaminates to acceptable levels. Bridge Newsletter: An online and printed publication of the CSD to inform residents of current events. Brown Act: The Ralph M. Brown Act is a California law that guarantees the public’s right to attend and participate in meetings of local legislative bodies. Located in California Government Code 54950 et seq., it is an act of the 1952 California State Legislature authored by Assembly Member Ralph M. Brown. Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board: California’s largest regional water quality control board encompassing all or part of 38 counties whose specific responsibilities and procedures are contained in the Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act. Clean Water State Revolving Fund: A self-perpetuating loan assistance authority for water quality improvement projects administered by the EPA. Groundwater recharge: A process where surface water moves downward into the earth to replenish aquifers. Membrane Bioreactor: Technology used for performing secondary treatment of municipal wastewater. Ordinance 160: A Stallion Springs CSD law establishing procedures for processing code enforcement administrative citations. Proposition 218: California State amendment passed in 1996. Restricts local government revenue raising ability. Proposition 68: Parks and Water Bond Act passed in 2018 to fund improvement grants. Sequencing Batch Reactor: An activated sludge system applied in wastewater treatment. Tertiary: Third in the process of wastewater treatment. Time Schedule Order: Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board order to comply with specific actions by certain dates. Wastewater Treatment Plant: A CSD facility consisting of lift station pumps, digesting ponds, agitators and drying beds to convert raw sewage into dry solids and clean effluent.
F15
The Public Works Department is doing an excellent job for the community with minimal staffing. COMMENTS: The Grand Jury would like to thank the dedicated leaders and staff of the CSD, as well as the residents of Stallion Springs. Everyone was cooperative with answering our questions and supplying us with a plethora of information. Our visit was made more enjoyable by the three polite young men on bicycles and a young bear cub that kept us captive as it guarded the exit from the Public Works office. The cub was not a cooperative interviewee. Picture sourced from Bing images
No recommendations for this finding

Comments 7