27 Jun 2012
by rialto-now
in American Cancer Society, American Water, Bad Commerce, Budget, Ca, Cancer, Centurion Security Patrol, City of Rialto, Currupt, Deborah Robertson, Ed palmer, Ed Scott, Joe Baca Jr, Layoffs, Lazy, Lewis Properties, Mike Story, Protest, Ron Pharris, SOSRialtoWater@gmail.com, Taxes, Water, wwwstoprialtowaterratehikes.com
Hello everyone and good morning.
I am sorry I missed this meeting & that this council refuses to listen to the community. It seems that the only people they listen to are people who live outside of the city of Rialto as they did last night in reference to the Lytle Creek Development Project.
But that isn’t what were speaking on in this post, now its over the signatures collected in protest to the council’s decision to outsource our water to embattled American Water company.
The city attorney Jimmy Gutierrez (Mr I get DUI’s) he didn’t like the way the signatures were gathered and told the city clerk who informed council that they would not be putting the issue on the Ballot in November. It will never go before the people.
(The petitions, gathered by the Utility Workers Union of America, did not include a copy of the concession agreement, Rialto City Attorney Jimmy Gutierrez said in an interview.) From SBSUN.com
This council and Mayor do not care what you think or say unless forced to listen (IE the outsourcing the PD issue).
What is the disconnect with this council and listening to the residents. Ed Scott barks at residents from the dias like a junk yard dog (someone running for Mayor) Ed palmer just ignores you altogether, but at least Councilwoman Robertson will return a call as she did last night when I first got word of this horrible decision with the promise of another meeting in the next 2 weeks lets see if it happens.
Long Story short you have no say in the American Water Deal and we all will suffer for the next 30 Years because this city will never be able to afford to leave this contract ever.
We all must attend, watch council meetings and also call these people and make them finally listen to the people.
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City of Rialto approves water rate increases, denies petition
Posted: 06/27/2012 12:07:27 AM PDT
RIALTO – The Rialto City Council on Tuesday voted to end the contentious issue of a whooping rate increase by voting 4-1 for its approval.The issue, and a related agreement to outsource the city’s water and sewer operations to New Jersey-based American Water Works Co. Inc., have been a boiling point for many residents for over a year.
The council’s action will propel water and sewer rates 114.8 percent by 2016.
Because the city of Rialto hasn’t increased rates for years, many residents recognize that rates need to go up, but think the increase should be spread out over more years.
Only Councilman Joe Baca Jr. opposed the rate increase.
As part of the meeting, the council decided not to schedule a referendum during the Nov. 6 general election on that outsourcing agreement – even though the city was presented with more than enough valid signatures to make that happen.
The petitions, gathered by the Utility Workers Union of America, did not include a copy of the concession agreement, Rialto City Attorney Jimmy Gutierrez said in an interview.
Under a provision of the election code, which Gutierrez said was written to encompass city ordinances, a copy of the ordinance must accompany the petitions “so that people know what they are signing.”
In those situations where there are other documents, courts have ruled that they too must be included, he said.
“You got to give all the information to the public,” Gutierrez said.
With the petitions circulated by the union, a copy of the city council resolution on the concession agreement was the only document included, he said. “How’s the public going to know what it’s signing without a copy of the concession agreement,” he said.
When asked how a document spanning hundreds and hundreds of pages, as is the case of the concession agreement, could be part of a petition being passed from one person to the next, Gutierrez said, “yeah, but that’s what the law says.”
Later he said that at least a summary of the agreement should have been included along with the petitions.
Contacted late Tuesday night, Utility Workers spokesman Mark Brooks said that the union’s legal team would need to evaluate the city’s position.
The union submitted 6,379 signatures and of those, 1,545 were declared invalid during a certification process conducted by the county Elections Bureau. That left 4,834 valid signatures – well above the amount needed to put the issue before voters.
During the council meeting, Mayor Pro Tem Ed Scott said that work is underway with city staff to modify the concession agreement in a way that will be “to everybody’s liking.”
He provided no details.
After the vote, resident Frank Gonzalez said, “I don’t agree with the results (of the Proposition 218 vote) but the citizens had a chance…I would like to work with you, even though I don’t agree with you.”
City Council’s vote on the rate increase was delayed to await the results of a Proposition 218 protest vote where a majority of the ratepayers – plus one – must file a written objection to the action.
The final tally for the water rate increase protest vote was 4,345, where 5,701 were required to block it. The sewer rate increases were opposed by 6,883, where 10,387 were needed to block it, Gutierrez said.
Councilman Ed Palmer accused the union’s Prop 218 campaign of producing many invalid and fraudulent votes.
“Thank goodness the vote wasn’t close, because the union would have forced us to physically account for very vote, a process that would have cost the city hundreds of thousands of dollars,” he said.
Palmer noted that his own signature was forged and sent into the city clerk’s office as a protest vote.
The Utility Workers union has several contract issues with American Water across the country and has opposed the company’s business expansion into Rialto.
Read more: http://www.sbsun.com/ci_20947976/city-rialto-approves-water-rate-increases-denies-petition#ixzz1z0aeFlVg
18 Jun 2012
by rialto-now
in AFL-CIO, American Cancer Society, American Water, Bad Commerce, Budget, Ca, Cancer, Centurion Security Patrol, City of Rialto, Coffee Nutz, Currupt, davidsMarketing, Deborah Robertson, Ed palmer, Ed Scott, Family, Flores Park, Grace Vargas, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Davids-Marketing/156816741049580, Joe Baca Jr, June Hayes, Lazy, Lewis Properties, Mike Story, Protest, RDA, Sheet Metal Workers Union, SOSRialtoWater@gmail.com, The Circle Vision Quest, Water, wwwstoprialtowaterratehikes.com
Let me preface this article with a little piece of info. When your asking someone to invest in your company or idea you give a portion or percentage over to them for a certain dollar amount.
City Council and Staff along with the RUA valued the water and waste water at 30 million dollars of which they are cashing out in total. American Water is valuing the water and waste water systems at 130 million dollars, with a 3 million dollar reduction each year we honor the contract. So when the contract is so bad we just can’t stomach their lack of service and customer service people working in call centers in India we have to pay them at their valuation. So a city with no money as it is we will be stuck with this crappy bad deal. The city has already begun to sell your services down the drain. Street sweepers that under sold a contract to get the work to come back later for more money. Graffiti removal services where the owner actually said who cares if the tags stay up another day or two if it saves the city money.
Remove these people this november and send a message that we demand to be heard and represented.
RIALTO – A big question surrounding Rialto’s controversial 30-year contract with American Water Works Co. Inc. will be answered Tuesday.That’s when officials from the City Clerk’s office will count Proposition 218 protest ballots starting at 1 p.m.
Proposition 218 requires cities to have a vote of potentially affected residents when a rate hike is proposed.
In the case of Rialto’s proposed water rate hikes, a large number of ballots came into the city within the last 30 minutes of the deadline on June 12, Mayor Pro Tem Ed Scott said Friday.
That prompted the City Council to defer a vote on the final procedure to institute a series of rate hikes that would mean a 114.5-percent increase in water and wastewater
A wheel line irrigation system operates in an agriculture area near the offices of Pacific Gas and Electric Company in Hinkley. (Gabriel Luis Acosta/Staff Photographer)
rates by 2016.
The rate hikes are part of a plan to outsource the management of Rialto’s water and wastewater systems to American Water.
The matter will be taken up again at a City Council meeting on June 26.
While the vote tally could end the deal, that result is unlikely, election observers say, as more than half of the Rialto property owners and renters who are ratepayers – plus one – would have filed a protest.
But there’s another issue looming that could derail the water agreement and rate hikes.
On May 12, members of the Utility Workers of America turned in petitions with more than 6,400 signatures seeking to put the council’s water rate decisions to a vote, which could be held in November or at another time selected by the council.
Only about 3,800 signatures are needed to take the council’s action to voters.
The city hired the county’s elections office to validate the signatures.
Scott said he has not heard the result, but that too would come out on the council meeting of June 26.
Not only do signatures need to be valid, but the process to collect the signatures needs to be valid, Scott said.
Joe Baca Jr., who was the lone dissenter in the rate hike vote, said most Rialto residents understand that rates need to increase to pay for water system upgrades, just not so rapidly.
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22 May 2012
by rialto-now
in AFL-CIO, American Cancer Society, American Water, Bad Commerce, Budget, Burglury, Ca, Cancer, Centurion Security Patrol, Crime, Currupt, davidsMarketing, Uncategorized
Thank you to every resident who when given the opportunity to sign these petitions. To those of you who didn’t sign when given the opportunity is it because you agree with a thirty year contract where the company is GAURENTEED 30% a year profit among other things or was it because you don’t agree with the petition process or you don’t like the union backing the petition?
No matter what you think its ok your entitled to your opinion and pay my water bill……… Just kidding but if you like the plan…………… ok, I don’t. If it was because you don’t agree with the petition process I don’t really either but this issue was to big for me to let my issues get in the way of reversing a bad deal. If it’s the issue with the union I too have issues with unions ask anyone that has met me for more than a minute, my layoff in 2010 destroyed me and hurt my family, then to make matters worse they hand off my job to a district favorite 3 months later, again this issue was way to big to let my personal crap get in the way.
The same thing can be said about the prop 218 vote yes the rates need to be increased slowly with the right company and under a contract Rialto can afford to back out of if its turns out horribly wrong. The prop 218 vote is important because we must show the city council and mayor that when they refuse to listen to the residents we do what is necessary to fix their bad decisions. The people must continue to put pressure on our council and absent mayor and remind them who they work for and that ignoring us isnt healthy for political careers.
Below is the article from the San Bernardino County Sun Newspaper on the certification process:
County elections staff verifying signatures on Rialto petition for a vote on water outsourcing decision
Posted: 05/17/2012 04:12:14 PM PDT
RIALTO – The signatures on a petition seeking to bring a resolution to outsource this city’s water department to a vote of the people are being validated by San Bernardino County elections personnel.
The process should be completed in about two weeks, said Michael J. Scarpello, the county’s registrar of voters.
Over the objections of many residents who attended a City Council meeting on March 27, the council voted 4 to 1 to outsource the operations of Rialto’s water and wastewater department to Voorhees, N.J.-based American Water Works Co. Inc. for 30 years.
The council also approved significant hikes in water and wastewater rates – action previous councils have avoided for years.
To meet a deadline, the City Clerk’s Office opened for two hours late Saturday afternoon to accept petitions seeking to let Rialto residents have the final say on that outsourcing decision.
The petition drive was organized by the Utility Workers Union of America, which represents employees who work for American Water.
More than 6,400 signatures were turned in, although only about 3,800 valid signatures were required to place the matter before voters, said Mark Brooks, a union spokesman.
“We are confident we have far more than enough to qualify for the ballot and we look forward to certifying this whole question for the people of Rialto to decide,” Brooks said Thursday.
City Administrator Mike Story said Saturday that the administration would not comment on the petition until the signatures had been validated.
Read more: http://www.sbsun.com/ci_20648408/county-elections-staff-verifying-signatures-rialto-petition-vote#ixzz1vQaJE2ze
21 May 2012
by rialto-now
in AFL-CIO, American Cancer Society, American Water, Bad Commerce, Budget, Ca, Cancer, Centurion Security Patrol, City of Rialto, Currupt, davidsMarketing, Deborah Robertson, Ed palmer, Ed Scott, Family, Flores Park, Grace Vargas, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Davids-Marketing/156816741049580, Inland Empire, Joe Baca Jr, Layoffs, Lazy, Lewis Properties, Mike Story, Nieghborhood Watch, Poor, RDA, Sheet Metal Workers Union, Target, Terra Vista Shopping Center, The Circle Vision Quest, Uncategorized, Water, www.babyelepnatbooks.com, www.careervisionbyjamie.com, wwwstoprialtowaterratehikes.com, youth
Dear friends and neighbors:
As you know, we are fighting the American Water privatization deal in Rialto in two different ways: first, the petition we recently filed to require the City to place the American Water contract up for a vote of the people; and second, the Prop 218 process for Rialto property owners to block the rate hikes the City is trying to impose in order to pay for this misguided scheme.
I am writing to alert you to developments on both fronts.
Concerning the voter petition, the San Bernardino Sun reported today that the City has forwarded our petitions to the County of San Bernardino to certify whether we have submitted enough signatures from registered voters to qualify for the ballot. The County says that process will take about two weeks.
We expect the County to confirm that we have submitted more than enough votes to place this critical decision before the voters of Rialto. You can read the Sun’s article at the following link:
http://www.sbsun.com/ci_20648408/county-elections-staff-verifying-signatures-rialto-petition-vote
Concerning the Prop 218 process, we mailed protest cards today to all Rialto property owners. These cards provide property owners with a convenient way to tell the City that the people of Rialto reject these unfair rate hikes. We also included a postage-prepaid envelope to make it easy for impacted property owners to return the protest cards.
Under Proposition 218, if a majority of impacted property owners file protests with the City, the City cannot impose these rate hikes!
If you are property owner in Rialto – or a renter who is responsible for paying the water or sewer bill – we encourage you to return the protest card as soon as you receive it. If you receive a mailing from SOS Rialto Water, please open it immediately; sign the enclosed protest card; and return it to us in the postage-prepaid envelope.
We will deliver every protest card we receive to the City Clerk’s office before the June 12 deadline.
Please remember – Rialto property owners can block these unfair rate hikes, but only if a sufficient number of protests are filed with the City by June 12. Please return your protest card to SOS Rialto Water immediately.
Thank you again for your support in blocking these unfair rate hikes.
Sincerely,
Mark Brooks
SOS Rialto Water and Utility Workers Union of America
15 May 2012
by rialto-now
in AFL-CIO, American Cancer Society, American Water, Bad Commerce, Budget, Ca, Cancer, Centurion Security Patrol, City of Rialto, Coffee Nutz, Currupt, davidsMarketing, Deborah Robertson, Ed palmer, Ed Scott, Family, Flores Park, Grace Vargas, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Davids-Marketing/156816741049580, In & Out, Inland Empire, Joe Baca Jr, June Hayes, Layoffs, Lazy, Lewis Properties, Mike Story, Nieghborhood Watch, Poor, Protest, RDA, Ron Pharris, Sheet Metal Workers Union, SOSRialtoWater@gmail.com, Target, Taxes, The Circle Vision Quest, Water, www.babyelepnatbooks.com, www.careervisionbyjamie.com, wwwstoprialtowaterratehikes.com, youth
Below is the form email that went out from SOS Water, the organization that is spearheading the drive to allow City of Rialto Voters to vote on the decision to outsource our water and waste water systems. I hope this push proves a few things to the city council and mayor of Rialto:
- Simple transperity isn’t enough when it comes to our water and a 30 year contract – Besides people who either work for the city, sit on a city commission/board or belong to a group or organization that is owned by the city government no one things that the information meetings were informative, they were more confusing. No other proposals were shown, staff presenting the information came off cocky and rude & people were left with more questions than answers.
- When the people (Rialto Residents) speak listen – 80+ people signed up to speak on the impending vote on water services & the city council choose to instead listen to Union reps, possible future business owners, labor lobbies & inappropriate city mouth pieces (Ref June Hayes calling one of the speakers a card carving communist). When Rialto business owners and residents filled 4 rooms and spoke their piece and you still chose to ignore it, you work for us remember that.
- For years this city government has made a choice to ignore the water system, now when RDA funds are gone we make a made dash for the first person willing to pay us off. How is this fair to the city? Why should the residents pay for your lack of leadership. It was best said today as Governor Brown was making his latest pitch for higher taxes he ask a reporter if she didn’t like his plan what did she think he should do and she said “THATS YOUR JOB”. IF the city water is in such disrepair then let’s get to work fixing it. Start off by using the 30 million dollars the Utility owes you and let’s get to work. Then lets talk about slow graduated increases that will hurt less over time to obtain the remainder of the money and finish the work. By the councils own admission this alone will bring business here that was avoiding us because of our water systems age and disrepair. I don’t agree that is why they are avoiding us but that’s for another post.
- SOS is comprised from people out-of-state that have seen American Water at work and know first hand what type of service they provide. This doesnt bother me one bit because without the hard work and passion of the people of Rialto their efforts would have died out eons ago.
Dear friends and neighbors:
On Saturday, May 12, we filed our petition with the City Clerk with substantially more than enough signatures to place the water privatization scheme before the voters of Rialto. Under California law, this means that the City will be required to present this critical issue to a vote of the people.
We needed 10% of the registered voters of Rialto to qualify for the ballot – or just over 3,600 signatures. Instead, we turned in more than 6,400 signatures!
The people of Rialto really came through to let City Council know that the voters of Rialto deserve to have the final say on this misguided 30-year privatization scheme.
The next step is that the City will review our petition to verify that we have submitted a sufficient number of valid signatures. After that, this issue should be presented to a public ballot sometime over the next few months. We will need to re-double our efforts to make certain this water privatization contract is defeated at the ballot box.
In addition, in the next few days we will be sending Prop 218 protest cards to all Rialto property owner who are affected by the huge rate hikes that the City Council is trying to push through to finance this deal. If a majority of property owners protest these rate hikes, then the City cannot impose the rate increases and the entire water privatization scheme fails.
We will keep you posted on both of these efforts as we move forward.
Congratulations again for all of your hard work and for standing up for the future of Rialto.
Mark Brooks
SOS Rialto Water
P.S. I am posting below a link to the news story in the Sunday’s San Bernardino Sun concerning our success in getting the petition filed, and another link to a guest editorial from SOS Rialto Water members that was printed in the Sun on May 9.
http://www.sbsun.com/ci_20612243/more-than-6-000-rialto-residents-sign-petition
http://www.sbsun.com/pointofview/ci_20585383/rialto-voters-deserve-say-american-water-deal
13 May 2012
by rialto-now
in AFL-CIO, American Cancer Society, American Water, Bad Commerce, Budget, Ca, Cancer, Centurion Security Patrol, City of Rialto, Currupt, davidsMarketing, Deborah Robertson, Ed palmer, Ed Scott, Family, Flores Park, Grace Vargas, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Davids-Marketing/156816741049580, In & Out, Inland Empire, Joe Baca Jr, June Hayes, Layoffs, Lazy, Lewis Properties, Mike Story, Protest, RDA, Ron Pharris, Sheet Metal Workers Union, SOSRialtoWater@gmail.com, Target, Taxes, The Circle Vision Quest, Water, www.babyelepnatbooks.com, www.careervisionbyjamie.com, wwwstoprialtowaterratehikes.com, youth
We the People have spoken. The final count is into the Rialto City Clerks Office.The Referendum Petition that we fought so hard for, 3 weeks of door to door asking all Rialto Voters to please sign and you did. We were hoping for min of 3500 and topping out 5000 for padding and our numbers are 6418, You did it. We the People of Rialto have spoken. Here’s a camera shot of the receipt I took in front of the Clerks office 5:00pm. Now let’s start to rebuild Rialto to the Jewel that it should be. Rialto you did it. Thanks! Joe Britt
11 May 2012
by rialto-now
in AFL-CIO, American Cancer Society, American Water, ARMC, Bad Commerce, Budget, Burglury, Ca, Cancer, Centurion Security Patrol, City of Rialto, Coffee Nutz, Crime, Currupt, davidsMarketing, Deborah Robertson, Ed palmer, Ed Scott, Family, Family Sports, Flores Park, Fun, Grace Vargas, Holidays, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Davids-Marketing/156816741049580, Inland Empire, Joe Baca Jr, Layoffs, Lazy, Lewis Properties, Mike Story, Military, Nieghborhood Watch, Poor, Protest, Public Safety, Rialto Fire, Rialto Police Department, Ron Pharris, Sheet Metal Workers Union, SOSRialtoWater@gmail.com, SWAT, Target, Taxes, The Circle Vision Quest, Uncategorized, Water, www.babyelepnatbooks.com, www.careervisionbyjamie.com, wwwstoprialtowaterratehikes.com, youth
City of Rialto — Notice
The Rialto City Clerk’s Office, located at 290 W. Rialto Ave., CA. 92376, will be open on Saturday, May 12th, 2012 from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm.
Vote By Mail Ballots – Rialto Drop-Off Site
The Rialto City Clerk’s Office is a designated Vote-By-Mail Ballot Drop-Off site for the Presidential Primary Election June 5, 2012. For more information, please contact the Rialto City Clerk’s Office at (909) 820-2519, or the Registrar of Voters at (909) 387-8300/Toll Free (800) 881-VOTE / TDD (909) 387-2788.
Fire Station 202 Grand Opening
The City of Rialto Fire Department Cordially Invites You to Attend on Saturday, May 12th at 10:00 am 1700 N. Riversde Ave.
Job and Resource Fair
The City of Rialto is hosting a Job and Resource Fair in partnership with the County of San Bernardino Workforce Development Department.
Date: Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Time: 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Location: Cathedral of Praise
1521 S. Riverside Ave
Rialto, CA 92376
Employers will be recruiting for full-time and part-time employment. Come professionally dressed, bring copies of your resume and be prepared to speak to employers on site.
Greetings Homeless Network Providers, Please see the calendar below for a list of Community Action Partnership of San Bernardino County events coming soon. Thank you.
6th Annual Community Garden Open House
Saturday, May 19th
From 10:00 am – 1:00 pm
539 N. Acacia Ave.
(Behind Grace Lutheran Church)
FREE MULCH!
Donated by BURRTEC Waste (Bring your own bags & shovel!)
There will also be: Plant and Vegetable Sale Information Booths Garden Tours Free Kids Craft Butterfly Lady & Orchid Society
For more information call 421-7222.
SUNRISE CHURCH-1:00PM 690 W ETIWANDA AVE, RIALTO, CA 92376 MONDAY MAY 21, 2012 USDA Commodities Distribution
Area Command Meeting – Area #1
For mor information please contact Lieutenant Karol at 909-820-2526. Meeting times are from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm.
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When
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Thu May 24 7pm – 8:30pm Pacific Time |
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Where
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Sunrise Church 2759 N. Ayala Ave |
10th Annual Memorial Day Tribute
On Monday, May 28, from 10:00 a.m.- 1:00 p.m., the City of Rialto will host its 10th Annual Memorial Day Tribute at the Rialto Park Cemetery 200 N. Willow. Last year over 300 people attended and it continues to grow each year. If you have any further questions, please contact the Rialto City Clerk’s Office at (909) 820-2519. Rialto Residents, who are World War II Veterans, please contact the City Clerk’s Office for a special honor at the Memorial Day event. Please click here to view the prior year’s event.
8th Annual Taste of Rialto
Thursday, June 7, 2012
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Downtown Rialto – Northeast Corner of Riverside & Rialto Ave.
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Food, Beer and Wine Tasting – Come enjoy an evening of good food, music and fun! 50’s theme – tickets $25.00 |
Area Command Meeting – Area #3
WhenWed, June 6, 7:00pm – 8:30pm
WhereSimpson Elementary School 1050 S Lilac Avenue (
map)
DescriptionFor more information please contact Lieutenant Hardin at 909-820-2634. Meeting times are from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm.
Area Command Meeting – Area #4
WhenWed, June 20, 7:00pm – 8:30pm
WhereBoyd Elementary School 310 E Merrill Avenue (
map)
DescriptionFor more information please contact Lieutenant Hardin at 909-820-2634. Meeting time are from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm.
09 May 2012
by rialto-now
in AFL-CIO, American Cancer Society, American Water, Bad Commerce, Budget, Ca, Cancer, Centurion Security Patrol, City of Rialto, Coffee Nutz, Currupt, davidsMarketing, Deborah Robertson, Ed palmer, Ed Scott, Flores Park, Grace Vargas, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Davids-Marketing/156816741049580, In & Out, Inland Empire, Joe Baca Jr, Layoffs, Lazy, Lewis Properties, Mike Story, Nieghborhood Watch, Protest, RDA, Rialto Fire, Rialto Police Department, Ron Pharris, Sheet Metal Workers Union, SOSRialtoWater@gmail.com, Target, The Circle Vision Quest, Water, www.babyelepnatbooks.com, www.careervisionbyjamie.com, wwwstoprialtowaterratehikes.com, youth
Ok everyone we have recived the phone calls from both sides and with an issue like this in these economic times it can be hard to decifer the honesty and mistruths in both messages.
On one hand you have SOS Save our Water with a petition drive to undo the decision by the City Council and Mayor to sell off our water and waste water systems to American Water. The only Council Member to vote against this twice was Joe Baca Jr. who is running for Assembly.
I spoke to somone down at the city and this is the best I can decifer from both messages.
SOS Save Our Water (AKA AFL-CIO) – The union that represents the water workers dosen’t like this deal. So what they are doing is they have begun over the last couple weeks began circulating a petition to put on the ballot for the voters to decide on wheather they want American Water to actually take ownership of our systems. It does not effect water rates increasing, it just reverses councils decision. In my opinion this is a bad deal with the wrong company. Its just a last ditch effort to sell or water off for 30 YEARS for a small one time payment of 30 million dollers.
City of Rialto, Edward J Carrillo, Scott Beard, Midge Zupanic, Mayor Grace Vargas, Bill Perez & Randall Lewis – This group has Robo Called, wrote in the voice of the people and mailed out letters. They want you to believe that without American Water no upgrades will ever be done and the city will crumble around itself. Ok maybe the city falling apart was my adding of dramatics but not without a little help from the city goverment. There are other companies out there with better deals for residents, its the 30 million doller pay back that has council salivating. They keep calling the 30 million dollers Redevelopment money, they had better be careful lest the state takes ownership of that money as well. If all else fails let the current employees do their job and slowly upgrade our systems. What your telling us is the people the city employed to do the job can’t meaning you don’t know how to hire the right people. Also I really dont understand how a private company can get better deals on materials and supplies but a City can’t. Cities have resources like legislators, County Supervisors and others that can help them get those great prices on supplies. Hey if Lewis Comercial Properties want to build here so bad why can’t they or Ron Pharris help the city barter for reasonable prices. With the right protection and projects Rialto is a reat place to bring your business because so many of us shop well outside our community for entertainment and day to day needs.
City office said if you don’t like the American Water Deal feel free to sign the Petition, But if you want to battle the water rates only then you must mail or walk in a letter of protest with the following information.
Name, Adress or APN & Signature. These three things must be on your letter I am signing the petition and sending out a letter and I suggest that the rest of the city does the same.
If you want to sign a petition you can go to:
379 W Valley Blvd
Rialto Ca 92376
Or if you have peitions that need to be turned in also go to the Valley Location.
If you dont want to leave your home feel free to respond to this post or email rialtonw@aol.com with your address and we will come to you with a petition to sign. Or you can go to Fresh And Easy above the 210, Walmart on Riverside or call petition cordinator Mark (615) 419-2932.
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ADVERTISMENT
05 May 2012
by rialto-now
in AFL-CIO, American Cancer Society, American Water, Bad Commerce, Budget, Ca, Cancer, Centurion Security Patrol, City of Rialto, Currupt, davidsMarketing, Deborah Robertson, Ed palmer, Ed Scott, Family, Flores Park, Grace Vargas, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Davids-Marketing/156816741049580, In & Out, Joe Baca Jr, June Hayes, Layoffs, Lazy, Lewis Properties, Mike Story, Nieghborhood Watch, Poor, Protest, Public Safety, RDA, Rialto Fire, Rialto Police Department, Ron Pharris, Sheet Metal Workers Union, Sierra Lakes Parkway, SOSRialtoWater@gmail.com, SWAT, Target, Taxes, Terra Vista Shopping Center, Uncategorized, Water, www.babyelepnatbooks.com, www.careervisionbyjamie.com, wwwstoprialtowaterratehikes.com, youth
Who Really owns Rialto?????
Below is a letter from the San Bernardino Sun Newspaper from realeste developer Randall Lewis. In it he makes it sound like what the city council did by voting to outsource our water department was a good thing. What it really boils down to is a group of lobbies that are getting well fed while the rate payer suffer for the next 30 yrs. What people like Midge Zupanic, Max & Pualine Tiddler, the Mayor and all of council don’t seem to understand is we can swallow the idea that rates may need to be adjusted, and that the repairs that THEY have failed to implement over the years need to be done. But what we don’t need to do is:
- Promise American Water or any other company a 30 year contract that runs like a mortgage, meaning if we get a few years into this and find out they couldn’t deliver on their promises we are on the hook to re-pay 130 million early termination charge that reduces by 4 million for every year until the end of 30 years.
- Promise American Water or any other company 30% profit every year for 30 years.
- Use the 30 million dollar pay off to line the pockets of developers like Ron Pharris or Randall Lewis.
- To pander to one union while stabbing another in the back.
The reason you have petitions in circulation right now is the AFL-CIO/TEAMSTERS will lose the shop because it will no longer be a union shop, the current employees are only guaranteed their jobs for a year and a half after that there is no promises of jobs. So while they are singing the praises of creating jobs in the industry of construction of the water system upgrades, they are signing the pink slips for every water and waste water employee & their families. Our Mayor and city council sold their own people down the river for the promise of a Target Shopping Center, a Super Walmart (which is still in litigation), a Lowes and then maybe we will finish the In and Out Project. Most of this money (30 million Dollar pay off) will be given to Randall Lewis for his “Target” Shopping Center. Our water employees family’s will suffer because of this councils actions and the prior ones inactions.
- Fail to give the community the ability to decide. People have to force the city to seek out what the public thinks and wants to do.
Most of the proponents of this Sale are Elderly meaning they Qualify for the 20% discount for low-income and senior citizens. Also meaning that they wont be alive to see the end of this bad deal. Yet we will all suffer their ill-informed, illegal decision.
So when you get recorded calls from the city telling you not to sign the petition and allow democracy to decide this very important decision, or the city manager mayor and sell Rialto down the river lobby (Randall Lewis and Ron Pharris) write letters to the sun stating how great this is and that we should be proud of this council and mayor. Listen to what their not saying. If you see them tell them what you think and ask them why we didn’t hear any of the other proposals from local companies working with local water and waste water systems. Ask them if they will repeal the brown lawn ordnance since we will no longer be able to afford to water our lawns. Ask them if they even CARE.
Rialto invests in itself
RandallLewissbsun.com
Posted: 05/03/2012 09:05:21 PM PDT
A city’s economic vitality is based in large part on its ability to create jobs and it’s commendable to see that the leaders of Rialto understand that necessity. The city has faced difficult choices and will face more in the months ahead as it positions itself for an economic recovery that will favor those communities with the infrastructure to compete for new businesses.We understand that growth requires investment, and appreciate what Rialto has done in that regard. Recently, the City Council took the difficult step of raising water rates, with the very specific intention of reinvesting in the community to help make Rialto more competitive.
However, it doesn’t end there. With the loss of redevelopment agencies, cities need to be more resourceful and visionary than ever. They need to address challenges head on and turn them into opportunities.
By taking bold steps, Rialto is fulfilling its promise of a “2nd Century of Progress.” That bodes well for the city’s economy and its ability to provide residents with the essential services they’ve come to expect.
RANDALL LEWIS
Lewis Group of Companies Upland
27 Apr 2012
by rialto-now
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Dear friends and neighbors:
PLEASE COME THIS WEEKEND to help us sign up Rialto voters on our petition to repeal the City Council’s VERY BAD DECISION to contract out Rialto’s water and sewer system to for-profit American Water Company.
We only have two more weeks to collect the signatures we need to place this crucial decision on the ballot for the voters of Rialto to decide. THIS DECISION WILL AFFECT RIALTO FAMILIES FOR THE NEXT THREE DECADES!
We will be at the Teamsters hall in Rialto this Saturday and Sunday, from 10:00 a.m. until noon to mobilize volunteers to collect more signatures to overturn the City Council’s decision. The address is provided below.
Please come to one or both of these urgent meetings!
1. If you already have a petition packet, PLEASE COME THIS WEEKEND TO TURN IN YOUR FINISHED PACKETS AND ALSO TO CHECK IN WITH OUR ORGANIZERS ABOUT YOUR PROGRESS. If we don’t know how many signatures our volunteers are gathering, we cannot make plans for our campaign over the next two weeks.
2. If you have not picked up a petition packet yet, PLEASE COME THIS WEEKEND TO PICK UP A PACKET TO SIGN UP YOUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS TO STOP THIS VERY BAD DECISION BY CITY COUNCIL. If you have already been circulating packets, PLEASE COME THIS WEEKEND TO TURN IN YOUR EXISTING PACKET OR PACKETS TO OUR ORGANIZERS AND TO PICK UP ANOTHER PACKET TO CIRCULATE!
I am also attaching a revised version of our Instructions for Petition Circulators. If you have any questions, please call me at 615.259.1186, or Jerry at 602.684.0552.
If at all possible, please come both days this weekend to help us get across the finish line! We will have “walk lists” for neighborhood canvassing and everything else you will need to mobilize Rialto voters against the City Council’s terrible decision to contract out Rialto’s water system and to drive up your water and sewer rates.
Thank you for everything you do. Rialto voters will have the last say in this critical decision if we decide to WIN!
Mark Brooks
SOS Rialto Water/Utility Workers Union of America
SOS Rialto Water – Referendum Volunteer Organizing Meetings
Saturday & Sunday Mornings
April 28-29
10:00 a.m until Noon
Teamster Local 63 Hall Parking Lot
379 W. Valley Blvd., Rialto, CA 92376
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