The Cloak of Secrecy – Rialto’s Water Deal

05 Aug 2012 Leave a comment

by rialto-now in American Cancer Society, American Water, Budget, Ca, Cancer, Currupt, Deborah Robertson, Ed palmer, Ed Scott, Family, Joe Baca Jr, Layoffs, Lazy, Mike Story, Water, wwwstoprialtowaterratehikes.com, youth

I have sat down with both Ed Scott and Deborah Robertson.

One thing that is the same with both candidates running for mayor of Rialto is both are scrambling to try and show you they are pealing the back the cloak slowly.

Ed Scott wants you to come sit down with him and listen to his side of the story and take it as gospel. He doesn’t like it when you try and fact check his statements and hear about it from the horses mouth. Let me prove this point so that Ed doesn’t threaten to sue me again.

When he was discussing my conversation with Butch Ariza the GM of West Valley Water District. Ed Scott eluded to the fact that Mr. Ariza didn’t have direct answers on some topics not because he had yet to come across that issue but because he didn’t know me and was holding information back.

What I find funny is my father-in-law and Mr. Ariza both are members of the local HOG (Harley Owners Group), My Neighborhood Watch Group butts up to West Valleys back yard and I have worked with his staff on eliminating graffiti in the wash area along Cactus Ave.

I have found West Valley Water to be easy to deal with and I was wondering why they were overlooked in the first place as the person to run our water system since they already work in Rialto. From what I heard they wanted nothing to do with what amounts to a 30 million dollar payoff to the city council.

Ed Scott also doesn’t like my questions for Table Rock the company brokering the deal and handling the negotiations. He said “Do you know how hard it is to be in the middle of negotiations and have some random person calling asking questions that’s not even connected to the deal”. I’m sorry I thought as a rate payer I had the right to know what was going on with this deal?

Question: Do you think you should know more about this deal?

On thing that bothers me and no one can give me an answer is why if American Water really is out of the deal and Table Rock now has control or Rialto Water Services why doesn’t the SEC the Federal Securities Exchange Commission only has American Water listed as a subsidiary of Rialto Water Services:

Rialto Water Services, Inc.		Corporation		Delaware		100% held through American Water (USA)		General partner of Rialto Water Services, L.P. Percentage will fall below 50% if transaction completed as a concession.
Rialto Water Services, L.P.		Limited Partnership		Delaware		100% held through American Water (USA) and Rialto Water Services, Inc.		Rialto concession bid. Percentage will fall below 50% if transaction completed as a concession.

http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1410636/000119312511047938/dex211.htm

All of my meetings were not a total loss; I have been told I can have a copy of the entire water concession agreement. My hope is that I can download it to a zip drive and save myself the hassle and cost of printing.

So here we are again more questions than answers. Let’s keep telling those council members that they must show us their cards and involve the public.

We need your help, getting water to our NNO Volenteers

03 Aug 2012 Leave a comment

by rialto-now in Budget, Ca, City of Rialto, Crime, Fun, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Davids-Marketing/156816741049580, Inland Empire, Nieghborhood Watch, Party, Public Safety, Rialto Fire, Rialto Police Department

We are reaching out to the community looking for water and food donations for our volunteers at this event. Hundreds of people and man hours go into making this event fun and safe for thousands of people each August. Your donation of a bag of Ice and Case of Water will help us keep these servants healthy and hydrated.

Can you help? If so please call Sgt Robert Smith @ 909-820-2582

If you need someone to pick up your items we can also arrange that for you.

Also those donating to the event will be highlighted on the Social Media pages created for the Event as well as on the Blog http://www.Rialtonow.wordpress.com

Post any questions you may have or highlight your business giving to our need at: http://www.facebook.com/events/428226463883251/

Anyone who donates to this event/need will be highlighted on this blog. You will be given a week of advertising space and the opportunity to highlight your organization, business or group. In addition we are putting the finishing touches on a Social Media site that will help carry the community spirit of the NNO program, and will prepare for NNO 2013. Your donation of any size will be also highlighted there. Help us help others.

ADVERTISMENT

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City Council Has Some Explaining to do Over the Water Deal

27 Jul 2012 4 Comments

by rialto-now in American Cancer Society, American Water, Bad Commerce, Budget, Ca, Cancer, City of Rialto, Currupt, Deborah Robertson, Ed palmer, Ed Scott, Family, Grace Vargas, Inland Empire, Layoffs, Mike Story, Protest, Uncategorized, Water, wwwstoprialtowaterratehikes.com, youth

I want to begin this post by telling you that people in council think you’re in love with the water deal since they moved from American Water to more local control. They claim that I am the only one upset and asking questions on all the money changing hands and the great secrecy that has gone into drafting this deal. I would invite everyone to email and call their council and Mayor and tell them good or bad what you think of this deal and whether you believe there needs to be more transparency. I will include the contact info for everyone in city government so that you may more easily reach them.

I was contacted a couple of weeks by someone telling me that American Water is still in the deal with the city of Rialto. This person thought it might be something worth looking into, so I did. What I found wasn’t where my caller expected me to end up but I find it all the more interesting.

It appears that Rialto Water Services (RWS) and American Water are in the same region and RWS was formed about the time American Water began its move on the city’s water system. Although from all my research and digging, so far it looks like American Water is out of the deal, but what I did find stinks from where I sit.

I called American Water and spoke to Maureen Duffy Vice President, Corporate Communications and External Affairs she said that American Water had been removed and she couldn’t speak to any ensuing penalties from this action. Which is funny because we heard there were penalties even if the community voted against the rate increases with prop 218 vote.

Officials from West Valley Water District (WVWD) are not jumping at the chance to take the contract because of all the financial implications that reside there. No one wants to take on this deal that is full of bad looks and dirty dealings. After some digging we find why WVWD is leery.

I placed a call to West Valley Water District and spoke to Mr. Ariza their General Manager:

West Valley Water District is looking to operate the city’s water department. The person controlling the financial side of the deal is Table Rock Financial based out of San Francisco. The total deal is now a 170 million dollar loan, up from 130 million dollars. Who has heard what the 30 million dollars is purposed for? According to Mr. Ariza the 30 million dollars is needed to service the debt on the 170 million dollar loan the city is taking out with Goldman Sachs. So instead of it being a way to replace the loss of our RDA and attract new business to Rialto, here is what it is going for:

Service the Debt on 170 Million Dollar loan.
Give the city a way to have money on deck in a capital improvement fund so they can further pay for development costs that should be the responsibility of the developer.
Ed Scott made a point to ask staff if the Lytle Creek Development was in any way involved in the necessity of the water deal, staff said NO. So explain who is going to pay the 5 million dollars in needed improvements to existing county properties within the city when we have no more money to give? Maybe the 30 million payoff in the water deal? Ron Pharrise and the city both have a strong vested interest in this deal happening because the county won’t allow Rialto to annex the county parts of Lytle Creek to the city without taking over the rest of the County areas in the city. City staff estimated that this would cost in the realm of 5 million.
Rialto paid 40-50 million fighting the perchlorate cloud contaminate in our water. No more talks have happened on where the settlement is or who is going to get it.

Also the way Mr. Ariza said it breaks down is:

40 million for the infrastructure upgrades to water and waste water.
30 million for RDA funds/capital improvement funds.

That leaves 100 million dollars left over where is that going? There is a company called Table Rock financial that is BROKERING the deal, their company web site is super basic, they operate out of San Francisco and no one answers their phones and there is no voice mail. I was able to get someone on city staff to give me the lead negotiators cell phone number Lynn Smull. Mr. Smull took one call that lasted less than a minute. He told me to text him my info and he would reach me the following day, when he didn’t call I texted again. He said he was busy in negotiations and his staff would call me. I have yet to receive a call.

Mr. Ariza has concerns on how the city council has operated through the entire process. He and his board are taking such a long time to even give the city the thumbs up on the deal because they are combing over the 161 page concession agreement. Mr. Ariza said he is doing his due diligence to protect existing WVWD customers and rate payers and to make sure this agreement won’t force them to raise existing rates. Mr. Ariza said he would be treating the water deal with Rialto as a sub-section of WVWD because they will only be operating the system not have overall control. Normally one would be happy about this except the people who waited this long to get things in order are the same ones with the control.

I always liked the idea of WVWD running the water here, heck the first time I had to pay my bill in person I went there to find out that a city of our size is so split. After talking with Mr. Ariza I was more at ease with the idea of working with him and his people on our utility. He was very personable and hid nothing. He offered to sit down with me and take my calls anytime. He even alluded to the fact that if we did things right in reference to the upgrades the fourth year of 25% rate increase may be much lower. I called both GM’s of EVWD & WVWD both were very nice and told me everything they knew and if they didn’t have direct knowledge they pointed me in the right direction.

I met with Councilman Ed Scott & Ed Palmer today and in reference to the water deal they said:

They told me some things I will believe until I get my own copy of the water deal. They said the 30 million will go into a capital improvement fund not the general fund. They disputed that the 30 million was going to be used to service the loan debt. I don’t believe this one because at this point we will be in deficit spending next year. The way it was explained by them and verified by someone I trust is you must have half your total budget in reserves so if we spend 10 million annually we must have 5 million in reserves. Rialto will be in what’s referred to as deficit spending by 5 million which means our reserves will go 5 million dollars below half the cities operating budget. How can we afford to service a new debt if we can’t pay our bills as they stand today?

I have yet to get in contact with Table Rock, Deborah Robertson or George Harris. Updates will be comming.

*************** Sources of Reference*********************************

All Council Members can be reached at 909-820-2525

Grace Vargas
vargasg@rialtoca.gov

Joe Baca Jr

Ed Palmer

Deborah Robertson

robertsond@rialtoca.gov

Contact Anthony W. Araiza General Manager

administration@wvwd.org

Table Rock Finacial:

Megan – 415-497-2320

Lynn Smull – 510-326-3209

855 W. Base Line Road P.O. Box 920 Rialto, CA 92377
Ph: (909) 875-1804 ext. 703 Fx: (909) 875-7284

http://www.rialtowaterfacts.com/Websites/rialtowaterfacts/files/Content/1964907/WaterAndWastewater_FAQs.pdf

American Water Corporate Offices 1025 Laurel Oak Road Voorhees, NJ 08043 856.346.8200

Or is it:

Rialto Water Services L P (856) 359-0965 Mt Laurel, NJ

Business Information:

Street Address: 330 Fellowship Road

City: Mt Laurel

State: NJ

Zip Code: 08054

License Number: 948662

License Held: General Engineering Contractor

License Status: Active As Of 1/20/2010 Update

Date License Issued: June 12th, 2010

Years in business: 2

Bond Company: Travelers Casualty And Surety Company Of America

Bond Number: 105448107

San Bernardino and Riverside Counties B.C.T.C

William Perez, Executive Secretary, EW

1074 East La Cadena Drive, Suite 15

Riverside, CA 92507

Office: (951) 684-1040

Fax: (951) 684-6410

Email: btcbill@sbcglobal.net

Budget incentives propels move to consolidate Fontana, Colton, Rialto SWAT teams

16 Jul 2012 Leave a comment

by rialto-now in Budget, Ca, Centurion Security Patrol, City of Rialto, Crime, Flores Park, Fontana PD, Inland Empire, Layoffs, Nieghborhood Watch, Public Safety, Rialto Police Department, SCAT, SWAT, youth

The Article below is from the San Bernardino Sun highlighting our regional SWAT team.

It’s a great cost saving feature as well as allowing the team to utilize the resources that the three cities have accumulated.

I personally cant wait to see this team at community events in the city and hear of them helping local gang units hit warrant homes and rid us of idiots that want to baricaide themselves.

Inland Valley SWAT.

It’s the new face for the elite, Special Weapons and Tactics arm of three area police departments: Fontana, Colton and Rialto.

Each department will contribute its SWAT officers to the combined unit, now headed by Fontana police Lt. Obie Rodriguez, although that post will rotate to the other agencies in the future.

Equipment for the combined force of 45 is being stored at a central, undisclosed location.

This was a decision that wasn’t taken lightly and didn’t happen quickly, Rodriguez said.

For more the two years, the departments have been conducing joint training operations.

Cooperative arrangements like the SWAT team merger will be the wave of the future in law enforcement, said Larry K. Gaines, chairman of the Criminal Justice Department at Cal State San Bernardino.

“It’s a way to maintain high level of service and at the same time reduce costs,” he said.

The SWAT merger is not the first combined effort by the three police departments. Earlier this year, Rialto and Colton hooked up with Fontana’s new police helicopter, expanding that city’s sky patrol into their own backyards.

“I’ve often said that crooks don’t know a border,” said Fontana Police Chief Rod Jones.

Fontana’s public safety is interconnected with its neighbors, he said.

“Certainly the economic times are a driving force of this (the cooperative efforts),” said Rialto Police Chief Tony Farrar.

The merger provides the three cities with greater expertise, better equipment at a reduced cost, said Farrar and Jones.

Additionally, there is a greater opportunity for grant funding when there’s a regional effort, Farrar said.

“This (the SWAT merger) was discussed some time ago, but the timing wasn’t right. This is really a longtime overdue,” Farrar said.

For smaller departments, like the three cities have, the SWAT position is collateral – officers assigned to it perform other duties and only take on their SWAT role in emergencies or during training, Rodriguez said.

Under the joint arrangement, each department is reducing its individual SWAT officer force, he said, noting that the three cities benefit from the potential strength of the much larger 45 person team.

In 2000, Murrieta and Hemet joined forces for a new combined SWAT team, said Murrieta police Lt. Tony Conrad.

“Savings are are realized in both training costs and personnel costs. Equipment costs can also be cut as the teams utilize equipment owned and maintained by their partner team,” Conrad said.

“As police departments look at more innovative ways of working, there are some elements which will not work in this kind of cooperative agreement,” said Stephen G. Tibbetts, a criminology professor at Cal State San Bernardino.

SWAT teams work because their training is very standardized, he said. “It doesn’t depend on local knowledge.”

Water Debate Update

12 Jul 2012 1 Comment

by rialto-now in AFL-CIO, American Cancer Society, American Water, Bad Commerce, Budget, Ca, City of Rialto, Currupt, Deborah Robertson, Ed palmer, Ed Scott, Family, Flores Park, Grace Vargas, Inland Empire, Joe Baca Jr, Mike Story, Protest, SOSRialtoWater@gmail.com, Uncategorized, Water, wwwstoprialtowaterratehikes.com, youth

Rialto Now readers we have some news on the front lines of our water debate. Yes the city made a horrible decision to not place the American Water sell off on the November Ballot, it seems if these reports are true they are finally listening, but why now? Well Councilman Ed Palmer is running for re-election on a failed platform of being there for the community & calling the city on wasteful spending that lasted a little more than a year and died. Reports are that Councilman Ed Scott isn’t seeking another term as Councilman and is seeking the job of Mayor as current Mayor Vargas is ending her time as mayor. As well as Councilwoman Deborah Robertson is also taking another stab at Mayor but her seat on council isn’t up for grabs this go around.

So with Deborah Robertson was absent and the city decided to change its course on the outsource water agreement and the 2 possibilities are Veolia North American who currently works with our waste water systems and East Valley Water District (EVWD) that currently services the top portion of the city’s water services and has worked on removing perchlorate groundwater plume.

What is important now is to continue the pressure and make sure we know about any concession agreement from here on out, we are allowed to ask questions for clarity and that the City Council stops referring to any balloon payment from any other outside companies as Redevelopment money. I have had personal conversations with people inside the state controllers office that such money may fall into the states preview to take since all RDS’s departments are no to be eliminated. Call it what it is money the RUA has owed the general fund for years………….

Ed Scott said that the thing holding up our In & Out project was the state finishing up with old RDA projects. He later said he didn’t know why things were taking so long and blamed the City Staff for not keeping Council informed of time lines and issues.

Were looking for Honest hard-working people to fill Council seats, if the news is difficult give it to use straight and allow us the community to see where we can help make the hard choices for our community together. Also we need Council Members that let us know we are heard, listen to us and don’t bark at us when you don’t like what we say.

American Water is out as operator for Rialto

Jim Steinberg, Staff Writersbsun.com

Posted: 07/10/2012 10:33:57 PM PDT

The yearlong suspense over whether New Jersey-based American Water Works Co. Inc. will manage Rialto’s water and wastewater system is over – it will not.”My gosh this is wonderful. I hated those people (American Water). I don’t feel comfortable with a company on the Stock Exchange,” said Toni Volinski, a longtime Rialto resident, who has been opposed to the American Water deal from the get-go.

“We wouldn’t have a lot of control – and that frightened me,” she said.

The financial backer of the 30-year concession agreement that made American Water the manager of Rialto’s water and wastewater department has removed American Water as the operator, Peter Luchetti, authorized officer of Rialto Water Services LP, wrote Mike Story, Rialto’s city administrator.

Leading the list of potential replacement operators, Luchetti wrote, is Veolia North American, which has managed Rialto’s wastewater treatment plant for years and nearby West Valley Water District, which has been a long-time partner with Rialto in the cleanup effort for a large perchlorate groundwater plume.

At its June 26 meeting, the council voted 4-1 to approve a rate increase that would propel water and sewer rates 114.8 percent by 2016.

Mayor Pro Tem Ed Scott, in an interview Tuesday, said he and councilman Ed Palmer, who led a subcommittee to evaluate water service alternatives for Rialto, had told Rialto Water Services that a substitute for American Water was needed.

Scott said a well-organized resistance to American Water necessitated the action to find another company to manage Rialto’s water operations.

Scott was referring to the campaigns organized by the the Utility Workers Union of America. “Replacement of American Water would be excellent news and a victory for Rialto ratepayers,” Mark Brooks, a union spokesman, said.

The Utility Workers Union has several contract issues with American Water across the country.

This is the Letter From Mark Brooks & Stop Rialto Water Rate Hikes.

Dear Rialto friends and neighbors:

I am writing to let you know about a potential huge victory for ratepayers in Rialto!

Although this may seem like a “good news/bad news” story, in our view Rialto citizens are on the verge of overturning the City Council’s very bad decision to contract out the City’s water system to for-profit American Water Company.

But first the bad news:

Last week four members of the City Council decided not to place our referendum challenging the Concession Agreement for the water and wastewater system on the ballot for a public vote.* A majority of the City Council – everyone EXCEPT Council Member Baca – made this absurd decision, even though the County and the City have both certified the fact that we submitted far more than enough signatures from Rialto voters to place this issue on the ballot.

We believe the City’s excuse for not placing this issue on the ballot – that we supposedly failed to attach the entire 1,600 page Concession Agreement to our voter petitions – is completely bogus. There is nothing in California law that would require us to do this. In addition, even if the City Council thought it had any grounds to refuse to place this issue on the ballot, the City is ignoring the long-standing California procedure that is required to ignore a valid referendum petition submitted by the voters.

We believe the four members of the City Council who made this decision are engaged in a desperate attempt to prevent Rialto voters from passing judgment on the proposed Concession Agreement.

And now for the good news:

We have received reports that the City may replace American Water as the proposed operator for Rialto’s water system under the Concession Agreement!

If the City indeed makes this decision, this will be a huge victory for Rialto ratepayers. The City’s own reports have consistently shown that for-profit American Water’s participation in this deal is one of the important reasons for the proposed water rate hikes.

What’s more, we understand that neighboring West Valley Water District might be a “preferred” replacement to operate the City’s water system.

Although the UWUA has never taken any position on who should operate the City’s water system (other than the City itself), in our view this would be good news for Rialto. West Valley is a neighboring public water system – rather than an out-of-state corporation like American Water – and already provides water services to roughly half the City of Rialto. Moreover, we believe American Water has a demonstrated track record of hostility toward the rights of utility workers.

So what about the referendum petition?

Unfortunately, the City Council’s decision not to place the referendum on the ballot probably means that someone would have to incur considerable legal expenses to sue the City to overturn this misguided decision. The UWUA is not in a position to incur these significant expenses at this time.

Even so, you should know that any Rialto voter who signed the petition against the City Council’s decision may have the right to sue. Obviously this would be a big undertaking. Moreover, we believe any Rialto voter or group interested in pursuing that fight should act immediately! We may be able to refer any Rialto group or voter interested in pursuing this further to appropriate attorneys.

Celebrate the victory!

There can be no doubt that – if indeed he City reverses its decision to contract out Rialto’s water system to American Water – this victory will be a direct result of your many efforts over the past year to oppose the Council’s misguided decisions!

In our view, any decision to replace American Water as the operator of the Rialto water system would be a huge victory – for ratepayers and for workers. As we have said many times before, any deal to contract out the City’s water system to American Water would be a bad deal for Rialto ratepayers.

Thank you for your many efforts in this struggle. We will continue to keep you informed.

Sincerely,

Mark Brooks

Utility Workers Union of America/SOS Rialto Water

* Please note that Council Member Joe Baca, Jr. voted AGAINST the City Council’s decision not to place our referendum on the ballot. To his credit, Council Member Baca has consistently opposed the Rialto Council’s misguided decisions concerning this entire issue. In our view, Council Member Baca has shown real integrity throughout this debate over the future of Rialto’s public water system.

We Endorse Shawn O’ Connell For City Council

10 Jul 2012 Leave a comment

by rialto-now in Budget, Ca, City of Rialto, Ed palmer, Ed Scott, Family, Family Sports, Flores Park, Fun, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Davids-Marketing/156816741049580, Inland Empire, Layoffs, Nieghborhood Watch, Party, Public Safety, Rialto Police Department, Water, youth

Please use the links below and learn about Shawn, Conect to his campaign and help get this man to fill one of the 2 vacant City Council Positions. Shawn has oportunities for you to get involved, link up and get involved.

Pick your favorite Social Media platform and get on board with a clean positive campaign in a city looking for a breath of fresh air.

http://www.shawn4rialto.com/home

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Shawn4Rialto

http://twitter.com/shawn4rialto

Fergusson Park Dedication Ceremony

08 Jul 2012 Leave a comment

by rialto-now in Budget, Ca, Centurion Security Patrol, City of Rialto, davidsMarketing, Family, Family Sports, Flores Park, Fun, Mike Story, youth

Multi Million Dollar Park Remodel will be having its Grand Re-Opening Ceremony this Saturday at 9am

Come see what the park grant was turned into and meet parks and rec officials.

Councils Final Word on Petition Signatures

27 Jun 2012 Leave a comment

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

Jim Steinberg, Staff Writersbsun.com

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.

Updated on Coffee with the Chief meeting

20 Jun 2012 Leave a comment

by rialto-now in Budget, Burglury, Ca, Centurion Security Patrol, City of Rialto, Coffee Nutz, Crime, davidsMarketing, Flores Park, Fontana PD, Inland Empire, Mike Story, Nieghborhood Watch, Public Safety, Rialto Police Department, San Bernardino PD, San Bernardino Police, SWAT, Taxes, youth

Coffee with the Chief was held at Coffee Nutz on Foothill inRialto. It was a great time sitting down with Chief Farrar and Captain Deanda. About 15 – 20 people were there to openly dialogue about their local community. It began with the chief introducing himself and it took little time for people to dive right in. Owner Andy Carrizales was one of the many in attendance. There were also members from the Human Relations Board, two massive Neighborhood Watch groups and regular residents.

The President and Vice President of the Human Relations Board were there to get some answers on the possibility of a Chili Cook Off between the Fire Dept. and Rialto PD.

Chief Farrar said that he had not received their contact requests. With reference to the Cook Off and it would depend on if the city was going to have their battle of the badges this year where they do have a chili cook off. The matter would be further researched and an answer would be given at a later date.

Linda Chapman from the Human Relations Board announced that a customer service survey was done on Rialto PD and that the results and report were in the works.

Chief touched on some of the ways the police department was using resources wisely and keeping things like SWAT, The Helicopter Program, and Drug and Gang Enforcement available to the City ofRialto. Using these functions in conjunction with neighboring cities likeColtonandFontanaallows the costs to be shared and intel to flow more freely. Figures were also shared on what our K-9 program has accomplished. In the last year they have seized 1.2 million dollars in property and taken 1 million dollars in drugs off the street.

Chief also spoke about the effects of the state’s Early Release Program on local communities and crime. Rialto PD has one adult and one juvenile probation officers assigned toRialto. Having this resource, Rialto PD hopes to stay on top of the early release inmates and be there to enforce their probation rules when they break them.

Chief spoke about the importance of getting graffiti off ASAP and would check into complaints that TAGS were staying up for 5-6 days after being reported. If you have graffiti that isn’t being removed after you call it in you can call Public Works Official Tim Sullivan at (909) 421-7229.

Many ways to foster positive relationships between our police and the youth were discussed: They included small community afternoons to reach out to the youth in a more positive manner in conjunction with the Area Command Meetings, having game trailers out at the meetings might draw more families and give the parents the ability to sit and get important information without worrying if their kids are bored, having hot dogs, chips and a drink could eliminate the need for families to cram dinner in before coming to the meetings.

Finally the topic that I enjoyed the most was the fact that this chief’s goal was to be more transparent than any before. Capt De Anda said he directed Sgt’s to go around to people in the community and give them some information on what is taking place (in their neighborhood after an incident) so that people’s fears and imaginations wouldn’t run wild and the community would feel like they are a part owner in public safety working alongside the police not separate or against them.

These meetings are a great way to get involved, have a voice and be more informed about what is happening in the community. I would invite everyone to come out to the next meeting on July 10th. It is time well spent.

Update and comentary on prop 218 count

18 Jun 2012 Leave a comment

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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