Score: +10 (10/8/0)

Sacramento County Grand Jury • 2021-2022

Sacramento County Grand Jury Status Review: Del Paso Manor Water District

Published: November 05, 2021 8 pages

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⚠️ 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 5 findings

The DPMWD Board of Directors has responded to and agreed with each of the eight

Related Recommendations (1)

The DPMWD should complete in earnest a full analysis of the 2009 Water District Master Plan, as was the original intent of the HydroScience Engineering contract to complete a Master Plan Update. This should incorporate all short, mid, and long-range repair and replacement needs with well-defined costs.

The DPMWD Board of Directors is meeting the requirements of the Ralph M. Brown Act and Public Records Act with regard to providing public meeting agendas, minutes, and board packets in a timely manner. They have also conducted Brown Act training, as recommended by the Grand Jury.

Related Recommendations (1)

The DPMWD should continue to work with the Sacramento Local Agency Formation Commission to complete a new Municipal Service Review in 2022, in alliance with the timeline developed and provided to the Grand Jury.

The Sacramento Local Agency Formation Commission has agreed to conduct a new Municipal Service Review in coordination with the DPMWD, providing a detailed timeline for completion in 2022.

Related Recommendations (1)

The DPMWD should develop and publicize its own Action Plans with timeframes for the Municipal Service Review and Proposition 218 process to secure voter approval of necessary rate increases.

The DPMWD Board of Directors has agreed to initiate a Proposition 218 process to address a rate increase for needed infrastructure improvements.

Related Recommendations (1)

The DPMWD should develop a strategic communications planning effort to regularly interact with its ratepayers through a variety of direct outreach efforts to ensure constituencies are informed of actions and associated costs to ensure a safe water supply.

Although the DPMWD Board of Directors has publicly agreed with the recommendations of the Grand Jury’s November 5, 2021 report, the District has only begun to publicly address the methodology it will undertake to determine the full extent of the costs to repair infrastructure and make necessary safety improvements. 5

Related Recommendations (1)

In the absence of a meaningful response by local leaders and agencies, the DPMWD should look for opportunities at the state and federal levels for funding resources which might help to alleviate the financial hardships confronting its ratepayers.

Agency Responses 2

Government agencies' official responses to this report's findings and recommendations. Click on a response to see the structured breakdown.

Ryan Saunders, President Board of Directors

June 16, 2022 • 172 pages • 10 responses • Score: +5 (+5, 4, 0) View Details ▾

PDF

10 responses to findings and recommendations

The DPMWD Board of Directors has responded to and agreed with each of the eight

Response: Agree Score: +1

We agree with this finding. F2. The DPMWD Board of Directors is meeting the requirements of the Ralph M. Brown Act and Public Records Act with regard to providing public meeting agendas, minutes, and board packets in a timely manner. They have also conducted Brown Act training, as recommended by the Grand Jury.

Response: Unknown

Score: 0

This District respectfully disagrees. However, the District believes that the update to the Technical Memorandum by HydroScience accomplishes Recommendation No. 1. At its January 2022 board meeting, the District authorized HydroScience to complete the Technical Memorandum with the assistance and input from the General Manager and Forsgren, the District's engineer. HydroScience committed to completing its updates in early May 2022. However, the District did not receive the final version of the Memorandum until Sunday, June 12, 2022. The delay in receiving this document necessarily had a domino ...

Response: Agree Score: +1

We agree with this finding. 2200131.6 14685-004 1817 Maryal Drive, Suite 300, Sacramento, CA 95864 Phone: (916) 487-0419 Fax: (916) 487-8534 www.delpasomanorwd.org Hon. Michael Bowman, Presiding Judge Re: Del Paso Manor Water District Grand Jury Report June 16, 2022 Page 2 F3. The Sacramento Local Agency Formation Commission has agreed to conduct a new Municipal Service Review in coordination with the DPMWD, providing a timeline for completion in 2022.

Response: Will Implement

Score: +1

This recommendation will be implemented by LAFCO and the District. Specifically, the District commits to the following timelines and actions: LAFCO advised on May 16, 2022 during public comment at the regularly scheduled Board meeting that it had selected the consultant that will perform the MSR. The review is anticipated to be performed over the summer and early fall, with a report issuing in November 2022. Depending on the District's Proposition 218 schedule and hearing date, LAFCO may delay issuing the report until the results of the ratesetting hearing are known. R3. The DPMWD should devel...

The Sacramento Local Agency Formation Commission has agreed to conduct a new Municipal Service Review in coordination with the DPMWD, providing a detailed timeline for completion in 2022.

Response: Agree Score: +1

We agree with this finding. During the course of 2022, the District's General Manager, Alan Gardner, has had a number of conversations with the Executive Director of the Sacramento Local Agency Formation Commission ("LAFCO"), Jose Henriquez. Two of the meetings included Board President Ryan Saunders, and one included Board Vice President Osmar Macias. We shared status updates of the District and planned Operations and Maintenance and Capital improvements projects. On May 12, 2022, the General Manager also provided an 11-page list of what had been accomplished since October 2021, a copy of whic...

The DPMWD should develop and publicize its own Action Plans with timeframes for the Municipal Service Review and Proposition 218 process to secure voter approval of necessary rate increases.

Response: Implemented

Score: 0

This recommendation was implemented on May 16, 2022. At that meeting, the General Manager and LAFCO Executive Director announced the progress of the MSR. While the MSR is outside the scope of the District's responsibilities, the District has committed to working cooperatively with LAFCO, and had its initial meeting with the President on June 14, 2022. The MSR is expected to begin on or before August 2022, consistent with the District and LAFCO's earlier response to the Grand Jury Report. This information was identified and made public as part of the agenda packet that disclosed the District's

The DPMWD Board of Directors has agreed to initiate a Proposition 218 process to address a rate increase for needed infrastructure improvements.

Response: Agree Score: +1

We agree with this finding. The District recognizes the need for a Proposition 218 study and rate setting to fund critical infrastructure improvements. On multiple occasions, during the "General Manager Report" section of the District's public meeting agenda, the General Manager has reported the progress of such process. The District Engineer has prepared a Gantt Chart planning out the anticipated steps to complete the Proposition 218 rate setting procedures. (See Attachments 2A-C.) Notwithstanding the foregoing, and as demonstrated in the Grand Jury's Findings and Recommendations, part of the...

Response: Requires Analysis

Score: 0

This recommendation requires further analysis. 2200131.6 14685-004 Hon. Michael Bowman, Presiding Judge Re: Del Paso Manor Water District Grand Jury Report June 16, 2022 Page 6 The District has authorized staff to issue a Request for Proposals for a public relations firm. The extent of any contract, while necessary, is contingent upon availability of funds. Notwithstanding the foregoing, staff has and will continue to publish important timelines, documents, and other notices on the District's website, and as part of the agenda for each public meeting. The Board has also taken action to increa...

Response: Disagree Partially Score: 0

We disagree partially with this finding. We agree that the District Board of Directors has publicly agreed with most of the recommendations in the November 5, 2021 Grand Jury report.2 We disagree that the District has "only begun" to publicly address the methodology it will undertake to determine the full extent of the costs to repair infrastructure and make necessary safety improvements. In fact, the District has discussed the necessary repairs and costs on a rolling basis, as that information has become available to it. For example, in early January 2022, the District tasked HydroScience wit...

Response: Implemented

Scheduled: in 60 days Score: 0

This recommendation has been implemented, but is also an ongoing endeavor. Even prior to the Grand Jury's recommendation, District staff has been working to find alternative funding mechanisms. For example, the General Manager is seeking a hardship waiver from the County to offset the costs for repairs to Wells 2 and 7 because of the high fees to cycle the wells to either the storm drain or sewer systems. Furthermore, staff has been made aware of the State's portal to research grant opportunities. (See Attachment 4, email from General Counsel to General Manager dated April 11, 2022.) The Distr...

Ryan Saunders, President Board of Directors

June 16, 2022 • 172 pages • 10 responses • Score: +5 (+5, 4, 0) View Details ▾

PDF

10 responses to findings and recommendations

The DPMWD Board of Directors has responded to and agreed with each of the eight

Response: Agree Score: +1

Response: Unknown

Score: 0

Response: Agree Score: +1

Response: Will Implement

Score: +1

The Sacramento Local Agency Formation Commission has agreed to conduct a new Municipal Service Review in coordination with the DPMWD, providing a detailed timeline for completion in 2022.

Response: Agree Score: +1

The DPMWD should develop and publicize its own Action Plans with timeframes for the Municipal Service Review and Proposition 218 process to secure voter approval of necessary rate increases.

Response: Implemented

Score: 0

The DPMWD Board of Directors has agreed to initiate a Proposition 218 process to address a rate increase for needed infrastructure improvements.

Response: Agree Score: +1

Response: Requires Analysis

Score: 0

Response: Disagree Partially Score: 0

Response: Implemented

Scheduled: in 60 days Score: 0

No Responses Found 2

Government entities assigned to respond to this report. No response documents have been linked in our database.

Sacramento County Board of Supervisors Elected County Office

Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District Fire District