Things are a changing!!

Well, congratulation to all who were able to attend the CSD meeting at the church.



Isn't it interesting that some people up here don't believe there are people living here that can and do think for themselves. They shoot at the messenger because they can't deny the message. There is an old saying, “when you are pointing your finger at someone there are 10 fingers pointing back at you”. Also, you can only see in others what you have in yourself. What this all means is what ever comes out of someone is exactly what they have in their self. What they accuse of others is exactly what they themselves are doing. It does not mean that they are telling the truth. They are only mirroring what they can see, and it is not pretty.


It is important for all of us to keep track of our so called leaders, people we vote into an office. When they can't treat people with respect they have an agenda. And that agenda is not for our benefit, but their own.


There are organizations out there that have plans to own all the water on this planet. And at the rate they are growing they just might succeed. Check for yourself what Stockton is facing. They have tried it in other countries and it took a revolution to get rid of them, people died or were seriously hurt. Do we want it to get that bad here??


REMEMBER IT'S We the People!!!


Mary

The Members Have Spoken!

The current LDPOA board of directors was recalled by a landslide today.

Total Ballots 916

Lew Richardson
Yes Remove 676.....75.7%

Bill Kinsella
Yes Remove 684.....76.0%

Sally Perez
Yes Remove 642.....71.5%

Ken Kennedy
Yes Remove 632.....70.6%

Charles Day
Yes Remove 638.....71.0%

Victor Afanasiev
Yes Remove 676.....75.0%

I believe that this is the first time in the history of our Association (41 years) that the entire LDPOA Board of Directors were recalled.

IMPORTANT MEETING THIS THURSDAY

Important Meeting This Thursday

Oct 8th

Lake Don Pedro HS Multi-Room, 6:30PM.

Both BOFGSD & Mariposa Boards will be meeting. Mr. Eldon Henderson, from Don Pedro and a member of the Mariposa Board will be the Moderator.

Issues

• Finding a way for Mariposa to take over the High School

• Re-Instituting Inter-District Transfers

• Getting our High School back to where it was a year ago

• Finally getting Lake Don Pedro away from BOFGSD

• Possibly instituting a Charter District for Don Pedro

• This is the FIRST time in recent history these two Boards have sat down in the same room

• Education for our young people is at stake

THE BOTTOM LINE
WE MUST SAVE OUR SCHOOL, THE CITIZENS FROM DON PEDRO AND OUR PROPERTY VALUES CANNOT TAKE ANOTHER FINANCIAL HIT!! WHATEVER IT TAKES WE NEED EVERYONE AT THE MEETING.

THIS MATTER IS VERY SERIOUS

PLEASE ATTEND THE MEETING

Dwight Mueller on behalf of Save Our Schools Committee

Questions, please call 852-0232

A SAD DAY FOR THE CSD

Sept. 24, 2009, the Board of Directors held a special meeting in which they accepted the resignation of the Operations Manager, Jason Mc McCullough. Jason, however, is probably relieved that he longer has to put up with all the harassment from certain staff and directors. Directors Kinsella and Ross have done it again. When will they learn that the CSD Board is not the “good ole’ boys club”? So far in the 10 months on the board they have managed to drive away two good employees.

The board will be hiring a General Manager and in the interim a temporary operator at the tune of $85 + per hour. I wonder what Jason thought hearing the board discuss hiring his replacement at this high price. Unless they learn to stop the meddling and harassment, they’re only going to dig their doo-doo pit deeper than it already is.

They wouldn’t stop harassing Jason, is a new person going to fare any better, someone who doesn’t know our system or community like Jason does? I doubt it. What about the extra cost the CSD will incur hiring electricians; mechanics; plumbers; backhoe operators; etc. all this at a time when they are supposed to be cutting costs. Common sense alone tells you that costs won’t be cut, unless they’re lucky enough to acquire another gem, (Jack of all trades) willing to work 16+ hours a day. There is no one to blame but themselves, not the previous boards which is their custom.

At today’s meeting, Director Ross stormed out of the closed session, through the building slamming the door saying “I’m out of here”. This is not behavior becoming of a Director. The rate payers of the district deserve better. He was totally out of line with his “paid for by Emery Ross” advertisement in the September issue of the Foothill Express, publicly discussing an employee of the district. His behavior clearly indicates he hasn’t passed Ethics 101. He needs to step down and give the district a chance to move forward. I shudder at the thought of another year with him on the board. What will the next year bring?

Jean Barclay

THE PRICE OF FAILURE

Recently I spoke with the owner of a scary business. It is a private water company located north of Sacramento that is authorized by the California PUC to acquire failed water agencies. It currently owns and operates 14 such agencies.

When this company makes an acquisition, the local facility all but disappears. All billing is done from a central location, and traveling work crews do whatever physical work is necessary. Of course they have all the required State licenses for water treatment and distribution. This means all local jobs are lost.

I asked how water rates were determined and the reply was, “It’s very simple. You take your expenses and divide by the number of customers.”

This formula seems attractive at first until you realize there is absolutely no local control over the costs of labor and transportation, and no mechanism for building up reserves for capital improvements or for long term planning. If a big project comes up, the rate payers will face assessments. In one failed district, rates went up 300%!

So, my fellow rate payer, failure of our CSD is not an option. Please attend meetings, learn the issues, demand the Board get off its collective backsides, and solve problems. In my opinion, two Board members should resign, Bill Kinsella and Emery Ross, as they have nothing constructive to offer and have wasted months arguing.

Ellie Duste

I MUST TAKE EXCEPTION

to the LDP Golf Course article in the September 3rd Mariposa Gazette. Huff is quoted as stating that "huge water bills" played a part in the golf course closing. I don't understand this as CSD is operating under the same contract with the golf course that has been in place since 2005. Tom Porter signed this contract so I must believe he helped craft it and knew the document he signed. Until this year the golf course has not paid any overhead expenses.

This means that all the while they were getting the many trees and shrubs started, the rest of the CSD membership (we the people) were paying the golf course's share of the overhead. We all know how much water it takes to get plants started in this area.

I never heard any complaints about this. We were happy to have the golf course back in our neighborhood. However, the golf course contract with CSD, Item 10-6, of this contract says the golf course will pay water overhead.

I must also mention that in 2005 Peggy Walz was a CSD Director. She voted to accept the contract between the golf course and CSD.I must believe that she also read this contract before voting for it, though Peggy Walz intimates this is a large surprise to her. To suggest that CSD has "changed its water rates on a whim" is just not so. The same rates exist today as when the contract began.

The golf course purchases raw water rather than treated water so water is sent through separate piping to Gregoris Pond where it holds until needed.

A complaint from the golf course earlier this year regarding a spill at Gregoris was reimbursed! This was not a large amount, but CSD Board of Directors realized that the golf course was feeling financial strain and acted in good faith.

I agree with Ms Porter that losing the golf course is sad. But let's place blame where it belongs if blame is to be placed. Economic times are not good, the golf course membership was low and the restaurant was pricey for many folks who live on fixed incomes in our area.

Sally Punte
CSD Customer
CSD Director

VOTE YES!

VOTE YES! ON ASSOCIATION RECALL

PROTECT YOUR PROPERTY & POCKETBOOK

MEMBERS FOR THE BETTERMENT OF LAKE DON PEDRO

*A New Vision*

We are members of the Lake Don Pedro Owners Association – United for Recall – a grass roots organization who own property in Lake Don Pedro. The present Board of Directors has violated our trust by not serving the interests and values of our Community:

How the Current Board Negatively Affects Your Property Values

• No Growth Agenda

• Non-Action on Critical Issues Affecting Your Property Values

Schools
Association Assets (Hacienda, Parks & Trails)
Misinterpretation of CC&Rs
Exposure to Potential Liability Issues that may cost YOU

Publication of “All-New Discoverer”

• Increased cost to membership consisting of thousands of dollars annually

• Using All-New Discoverer as a vehicle to personally target and attack individual members

• No accountability as to editorial content

Conflict of Interest

• Negative blogs that are detrimental to Association and are directly against

• Articles of Incorporation Paragraph 2A –

“To unite property owners in Lake Don Pedro Subdivision, a subdivision located in Mariposa and Tuolumne Counties, California; to encourage civic improvements in said subdivision and vicinity; to promote community activities and interest in said subdivision; to cooperate with other organizations having similar objectives; and to improve and maintain common areas and community facilities within said subdivision.”

Our new Vision with a fresh, fully elected Board of Directors will be:

• Represent the interest of Lake Don Pedro Owners Association with honesty, integrity and fairness

• Provide fair impartial election handled by neutral third party

• Will work toward the common goal of improving our Community and therefore the value of your property

• Will allow accountability for expenditures and actions taken

• Will allow you to voice your opinion and concerns

• Will bring back to the Lake Don Pedro Owners Association members the feeling of trust and respect for your board members

• Further and promote the common interests and welfare of Association members, according to the Articles of Incorporation

In the August issue of the New Discoverer, it was erroneously reported in the “No On Recall” advertisement that the United for Recall effort advocates a management company, annual assessment increases, abandonment of an Association publication and the sale of parks, trails or association assets. This is false information and has no merit for the United for Recall effort.

The RECALL effort now moves forward in conjunction with the annual October election, thereby saving all members money and providing a smooth transition.

We offer seven outstanding community-minded property owners who are willing to serve as Association Directors:

Phyllis Cotta - 852-0247

Sherri Flosi - 852-2681

Jerry Henderson - 852-2644

Ron Hunt - 852-0214

Mitch Mattea - 852-9541

Bob Sykes - 852-2784

Ray Tracy - 852-2688

The Community is encouraged to contact any one of the proposed Directors to ask questions, obtain their vision for the Association and to join the RECALL effort.

Thank you for your support and let your voice be heard!

Steering Committee – UNITED FOR RECALL

For more information, contact :

unitedforrecall@yahoo.com

Mr. Porter, Tri-fold, Vicki?

What do these three things have in common? Everything and Nothing!!!

First, thank you Mr. Porter for opening the country club and golf course. I have been thoroughly enjoying the gym and pool. I'm not a golfer. And I've enjoyed your fine restaurant with family and friends. I will miss them.

The tri-fold, well were to start, first I was chairperson of A.C.C. until April of this year. Having gone over the tri-fold many times, yes I have a copy; there are only a few things that the A.C.C. did not go along with when I was chairperson.
1. Making people have to scale drawing of their project.
2. Did not require members in Tuolumne to put in a request for tree removal, it's not in their C.C.&R.'s.
3. Did not require members to put in a request to burn on their property.
4. We also did not require 16" eaves on any structure.

What we did do was require members when asking to put up metal buildings for a drawing of size and placement on property. At which time, I would go to the site and check if it would interfere with the appearance, view from road, or just stand out to much in the area.

This is the only real changes that the A.C.C. did. If the building was to be constructed of wood we pretty much accepted it with county approval was ever it was placed, no one is guaranteed a view here. Also, since one and a half pages (of the tri-fold) was for violations the A.C.C. turned them over to that committee. That is the extent of changes.

It is true Vicki gets very passionate about her beliefs and thoughts. She will go after a project with everything she has. And when she truly believes in something she has a hard time letting go. She has a vested interest in this area as a property owner and member, just like a lot of us here. Her energy and personality is not liked by some people in the area; especially insecure males who have beliefs of women have a place and it's not in the work place or any other businesses. Vicki has some great ideas for solutions with the LDPCSD.

I have an idea about charging everyone the same monthly fee including those lots that have not been built upon yet, instead of a yearly stand by fee.

From what I have heard about Jason he has already saved the water department a great deal of money, make him GM. In the past, before Kent there was a woman GM who did not work out in the field.

This much I know about Vicki, she will exhaust herself working for all the members whether it is appreciated or not. We do not always agree on things and I do not hesitate to tell her this.

I do know she has never lied to the members.

Mary Brown

STFU (Shut the FOOL Up)