There’s been more than a little recent discussion on the Water District’s allocation of funds. I’m writing to make clarifications in several areas:
Budgeting
Our annual budget meeting will be held on June 7th, 7:30 pm at 25 Joaquin Rd. This is a public meeting - please feel free to participate.
After reviewing District finances and the feedback from the survey, last year we budgeted $77,000 or 55% of the total discretionary amount of $140,000 to rebates. The remainder was split, 15% or $21,000 each to three categories: Emergency Preparedness, Lands Restoration and Maintenance and Water Conservation.
These programs and projects are brand new. They have been designed by committees composed of board members and community members... hundreds of volunteer hours ..many meetings. Figuring out what to do has taken some time, but I’m sure we’ll all agree it’s better to think before we spend. Hence, the funds allocated but not spent have grown.
I should note there is an additional complicating factor we will address. Starting in July, your receipt of a rebate becomes contingent on your use of low flow toilets and shower heads. You must also fix any water leaks in your system. Not everyone will do this and get the form mailed in by the June 30 deadline. This is particularly true in this, the first year of the "new rules". Left ignored, this would create another upward force on our funds unallocated/un-rebated.
Lands improvement costs
Per the document listed on our server, http://vistaverdeca.org/files/ltcwd_LandsImprovement.pdf a summary of costs is as follows:
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Fence replacement with optional guard rail addition: $12,000 to $37,000
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Trail head improvement: $2,400
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Invasive plant control/native planting: $3,000
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Wild-life corridors w/optional split rail fencing: $500 to $3,600
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Viewing pad: $4,500
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Upgrade red-shed area $4,250 to $5,950
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Total: $26,650 to $56,450 (depending on options chosen)
Replacing the fence is by far the largest line item. It’s 40 to 50 years old and badly in need of repair. Whether we incur the additional expense of a guard rail is open to discussion. While there are some that would like to see the fence removed completely, our committee felt it should be replaced with a fence low enough for adults to see over, but high enough to prevent accidents. Unlike the “frog pond” the bank around this lake is quite steep along Lake Rd.
The viewing pad is a very small component of the total cost. After a visit, our committee was in broad agreement as to the value of this addition to the neighborhood. (Please contact me if you’d like to visit its proposed location.)
Only $8,500 has been spent in this category to date. Given the multi-year duration of this project, our projected expenditures are well within budget at $21,000 per year.
Spending on Sudden Oak Death
Since Vibeke Strand first threw out this idea over a month ago, Board President David Smernoff and I have been looking into it. Per our charter, we can only spend on water related activities and maintenance of our lands. The legal theory we’ve investigated is as follows: the District was chartered to do all things related to water delivery and “removal”. Water removal equates to storm water runoff management. Many dead trees will lead to soil stability problems hence our spending in this area may be legal. Our legal counsel concurs with this approach. The unresolved question concerns LAFCo and whether we would need to have this new “latent power” authorized.
If a more cost effective solution can be achieved (even partially achieved) using District funds, my inclination is to just do it. In the end I think the county will be ok with it, particularly if they consider the reduction of wild-land fire risk.
Regardless, in the near term, the two most important things you can do are: 1) Treat your most at risk trees, evergreen oaks, with Agrifoss, and 2) Join SOD Task force now being formed by Amanda Lee (amanda@donlee.com, 851-5590). Our first meeting is at our home at 80 Joaquin Rd on June 10th from 4 to 5 pm.
Thanks for your interest. Please feel free to call me or any other board member if you have questions or would like to express your opinion. Best of all, please come to our meeting on June 7th, 7:30 pm at 25 Joaquin Rd. All of the topics from this memo are on our proposed agenda.
Charles Krenz
Los Trancos Water District Board
80 Joaquin Rd
Portola Valley Ca 94028
