Sacramento County Grand Jury
• 2009-2010
• Agency Response
Rio Linda/elverta Community Water District
⚠️ Translation Notice: This content has been automatically translated. The original English text is the official version. Translation may contain errors.
⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.
Findings and Recommendations 8 findings
F1
Page 1
0- The District does not have adequate, reliable sources of water supply to meet the requirements of its existing customers based on acceptable standards of service and requirements of the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Water Supply Permit. Response- The District recognizes the need to increase the sources and amounts of water supply to meet the current and future needs of the community. To this end, the District is aggressively working with CDPH officials to overcome the deficiencies cited in Compliance Order No. 01-09-09-CO-004 by developing more Source Capacity through the installation of three new high capacity production wells positioned in strategic locations throughout our distribution system. The engineering plans have been presented to and approved by CDPH to complete the installation of one new well by fall 2010, and two additional wells by spring 2011 as required to meet the Compliance Order directives. The District has an intense construction schedule to improve or enhance all health, reliability and safety requirements throughout the system immediately. Grand Jury
Related Recommendations (1)
R1
Page 1
1- The District should give immediate priority to negotiating and implementing additional emergency and peak demand water supplies from neighboring water utilities. DIRECTORS: Interim General Manager / Secretary: Mary R. Harris / President Vivien Spicer-Johnson / Vice President W. Mychael Cardenas Cathy Hood Belinda Paine e-mail: mcardenas@rlecwd.com Response- The District installed an intertie with Sacramento Suburban Water District in the summer of 2007 with the intention of activating the connection whenever system pressures drop below safe operating levels. Records show the connection has been infrequently utilized, and only during periods when summer temperatures exceed 100 degrees, or when local production wells are being serviced. Additional studies and engineering reports suggest developing or rehabilitating wells and installing storage facilities are more viable ways to overcome the current peak demand shortages. The District’s 2008-2013 Capital Improvement Plans address the need to put new wells on line immediately, and complete the installation of a storage tank shortly thereafter. Grand Jury
F2
Page 2
0- The defective water system poses significant risks to public health and safety. The District must make a series of improvements to mitigate these risks. Response- Measures to enhance and improve the water system began prior to the release of the Grand Jury report through a series of conferences and cleanup programs with CDPH and new management incentives. Top priority has been given to this issue. The District instituted and implemented revitalization procedures and repair schedules to protect the public by enforcing better Operations and Maintenance practices. Throughout March and April 2010, the District repaired numerous leaks and failing infrastructure. Currently, CDPH and the District have mapped out preventative maintenance practices and policies to correct this serious problem. Grand Jury
Related Recommendations (1)
R2
Page 2
1- The District must institute and maintain a backflow prevention program meeting all CDPH requirements. Response- The District is well ahead of CDPH timelines to reinstate its Cross Connection Control and Backflow Prevention programs by developing Best Management Practices and O&M Manuals to maintain better control and monitoring in this area. Backflow Device testing began in late May 2010 and all devices within the District will be tested by late summer 2010 with reports provided to CDPH on a regular basis. Grand Jury
F3
Page 3
0- The District does not have a complete inventory of all equipment and assets owned by the District Response- The District has regularly maintained records of all assets and has updated them regularly. Despite this finding, a complete inventory assessment is underway to validate and update records to develop Best Management Practices to prevent errors or oversight in this area. Grand Jury
Related Recommendations (1)
R3
Page 3
1- The District should immediately conduct an inventory to account for all equipment and assets. Response- It is underway and anticipated to be completed by August 2010. Grand Jury
F4
Page 3
0- The District has been torn by factionalism for years. Contentious behaviors by Board of Directors, General Managers, employees, employee Unions, concerned citizens and ratepayers have led to a dysfunctional organization. Self interest has prevailed over public service. Response- The current Board of Directors and management are focused on more transparency to keep all interests better informed and working together. The District is committed to its objectives to provide safe and reliable water supplies while protecting and serving the community with unbridled determination and true obligation. The District and its Board of Directors are committed to being productive and proactive in all aspects of dedication to public service and in improving District business practices. Grand Jury
Related Recommendations (1)
R4
Page 3
1- The Board of Directors and staff at the District should be trained in professional management and conduct, ethics, and respect for others. Response- This recommendation is at the heart of what the Administration and Board of Directors had already begun to implement and enforce prior to the release of the Grand Jury
F5
Page 3
0- The Board of Directors has wasted the District’s assets. The Board of Directors and General Managers have spent funds on unsound purchases, investments, and legal expenses arising from inappropriate or ill-advised actions. Response- In direct contrast to this finding, the District and its Board of Directors are hard at work correcting past practices of previous Administrations that proved to be detrimental and destructive to the District. To take on such a monumental task requires dedication and funding that could be used elsewhere, but is necessary to restructure the institution from the ground up. Better accountability, transparency and communication is what the current Board is striving to achieve by engaging the services of professionals to quickly overcome and resolve several issues simultaneously. The direction the District and its Board of Directors are currently taking is in the best interest of the community to manage the District back to health with better control mechanisms and best institu- tional management practices throughout. Grand Jury
Related Recommendations (1)
R5
Page 4
1- The Board should retain and take the counsel of professional experts in accounting, law, human resources, water utility management, engineering, and utility rate analysis. Response- As previously mentioned, the District and the Board are involved in a variety of programs to seriously and expeditiously revamp the organization. It is one thing to look at the past to discredit and blame, and quite another to see where the District was already making significant progress with the aid of other professionals in the industry. The Grand Jury investigation and lengthy interview processes were conducted at a time when the District had already begun to take proactive steps to overcome the many problems that caused the downward spiral to occur. This recommendation is a sound one and the District had already moved into this realm before the interim Grand Jury report was published. Grand Jury
F6
Page 4
0- The Board of Directors is dysfunctional and misguided. Directors have often ignored
Related Recommendations (1)
R6
Page 4
1- The Board of Directors should adhere to its own internal policies and stop micromanaging the daily operations of the District. Response- The Board understands and respects the role of the General Manager. It also understands that the General Manager’s primary responsibility to run the daily operations of the District. The Board intends to ensure that the General Manager continues to fulfill his duties and responsibilities without Board interference, while also ensuring the Board does not fall short of its oversight obligations. Grand Jury
F7
Page 4
0- On numerous occasions Board members have violated the Brown Act and their own regulations regarding public meetings. Response- This finding is baseless, unfounded, without true merit, and is categorically denied. The District and its Board members, at all times, ensure that they conduct all business pursuant to the mandates of the Brown Act. To that end, whenever the District has any Board meetings, it ensures that its General Counsel is present to guide on all legal matters, including compliance with the Brown Act. Grand Jury
Related Recommendations (1)
R7
Page 5
1- The Board of Directors should regularly seek and follow legal advice concerning their obligations under existing meeting laws and regulations. Response- The Board regularly seeks legal advice from the District’s General Counsel and follows its General Counsel’s legal recommendations. Grand Jury
F8
Page 5
0- Without major changes in governance, management, and resource utilization, the District is unable to satisfactorily correct its problems and provide high quality water utility services to its present service area and the remainder of the District area. Response- This finding has been addressed throughout this response letter and the current Adminis- tration uses the proper governance and better management policies necessary to deliver quality service and better customer satisfaction. Major changes were already implemented during the Grand Jury’s fact finding period, and the primary objectives of the District are to deploy all necessary resources to ensure the needs of the community as a whole are more than adequately met. Under the current Administration, preventative measures are already in place with aggressive monitoring plans being laid to enhance management practices, and additional programs are being instituted to encourage and improve information sharing between the District and its ratepayers for the betterment of the community. The District’s Board and staff are committed to serving and protecting the interests of Rio Linda and Elverta by promoting quality assurance and customer satisfaction on a regular basis. Grand Jury
Related Recommendations (1)
R8
Page 5
1- One solution to these problems is a reorganization of the District. All affected public agencies (CDPH. SacLAFCo, Sacramento Board of Supervisors, SMFD, Sacramento County Department of Health and Human Services, Rio Linda-Elverta Chamber of Commerce) and interest groups should formally urge the District’s Directors to declare their intent to reorganize the District. Response- The Rio Linda / Elverta Community Water District effectively serves the best interests of the community. Every governmental entity can always do better, but the District is committed to serving its customers under the current organizational structure, and is confident that it will do so better than any other entity. We are already exploring any and all options that will enhance the operations of the District to continue to provide safe, reliable water and better services to our customers. Massive overhauling has begun with the aid of many organizations, both locally and beyond. This recommendation touches on only one solution, but our goal is to leapfrog beyond very quickly and effectively by aligning with industry standards that have been overlooked for far too long. The Rio Linda and Elverta communities are hotbeds for developer funded growth, and the District is doing everything necessary to prepare to meet the new challenges as the community expands further. Reorganization is one option, and not necessarily in the best interests of the community, but we are moving toward restructuring from within for the betterment of the District and the customers we serve.