14 Sep 2012
by rialto-now
in AFL-CIO, American Cancer Society, American Water, Bad Commerce, Budget, Ca, Cancer, City of Rialto, Currupt, Deborah Robertson, Ed palmer, Ed Scott, Grace Vargas, In & Out, Inland Empire, Joe Baca Jr, June Hayes, Lewis Properties, Mayor Pat Morris, Protest, Public Safety, Target, Taxes, Water, wwwstoprialtowaterratehikes.com, youth
Below you will find a story from the Press Enterprise Newspaper. The articles purpose is to highlight the work moving forward at the San Bernardino Airport with the closing of the Rialto Airport. We were told that the $30 Million the city would secure by selling off our water for 30 years and raising our rates over four years by more than 100% was going to go to allow the city to afford the types of upgrades necessary when your developing land where there isn’t drainage, adequate streets for expected traffic along with street lights and signals. Reading below at first sight you think your reading about the continued relocation of the airport to move forward with its closure, but that’s not the case to those of us who still fight against this evil deal.
The following was never made clear to the public:
- Anything about the bulk of land sales going to the San Bernardino Airport for relocation costs.
- That now that the land is worthless and not desired by anyone, the city made another bad deal on our behalf to give away the supposed Capital Development money obtained from the bad water deal.
What makes the water deal and now the Airport Closure stink are:
- Closing of the Airport puts our own Helicopter program in jeopardy. We will have to take our own helicopter to another Airport creating an unnecessary delay in response time (which newspaper article will we find tells us where our helicopter will be based since the city hates telling the community what they are doing).
- $30 Million isn’t allot of money when it comes to large development. If a BULK of the money must go to San Bernardino what money is left for all the BUSINESS they think they can attract to come to RIALTO?
- Why wont the city tell us all the people connected to the city who will make millions at Rialto Rate Payers Expense.
- The statement from Councilman and Mayor Candidate ED SCOTT that the settlement money from the perchlorate cases wont be enough to repay Rialto businesses who paid perchlorate fees for years right along with Rialto residents. So Ed Scott wants us to promote him to Mayor and trust him with the responsibility of attracting new business to the city. He has his hands super dirty in being on the committee that hired failed Superior for graffiti removal services, being a council member that still likes and wants American Water as the servicer of Rialto’s failed water deal and calls the police and makes false accusations against Rialto Residents because he doesn’t like what they say.
- Target, Super Wal-Mart and In & Out are the three projects on tap for the $30 million, if we have to give most of that money to San Bernardino how will any of these projects happen?
Read the article below, then email your council members and city administrator and ask them to finally be honest with us!!!!!
Little activity goes on at Rialto Airport these days. The last few tenants could find a new home at San Bernardino International Airport.
Seven years after an act of Congress ordered Rialto Municipal Airport closed, the effort to shift tenants to San Bernardino International Airport took a small step on Wednesday, Sept. 12.
The San Bernardino International Airport Authority awarded contracts worth up to $1.8 million combined for the design of hangars that will serve private pilots and the San Bernardino County sheriff’s aviation operation.
TR Design Group, a Riverside-based company that built a city call center at Riverside Municipal Airport as well as structures near March Air Reserve Base, was awarded up to $902,720 to develop plans, including architectural and engineering, for the sheriff’s hangar.
An $868,500 contract went to Parsons Brinckerhoff Inc. for design work and oversight of the eventual construction of amenities for private pilots and their planes that would be relocated from Rialto to San Bernardino’s 32-acre site.
Funding will come from the authority’s related Inland Valley Development Agency. The agency has so far received approval from the state’s Department of Finance to use bond revenue for the new hangars and amenities. State law dissolved redevelopment agencies earlier this year and forced them to seek approval from the finance department when they want to spend property tax revenue on unfinished redevelopment projects.
The IVDA has estimated it could cost $9.55 million to build the sheriff’s hangar, according to the list of financial obligations approved by the state. The general aviation improvements could cost nearly $7 million.
In 2005, Congress made the rare move to close Rialto Airport because the city — the airport’s owner — wanted to see the land developed with homes, retail and other improvements. A large portion of the money earned from selling the land was supposed to have gone to the San Bernardino airport to create space for the tenants forced to move. But the economy soured, land values plummeted, and no land was sold or developed. Tenants still pay rent month-to-month at Rialto Airport, where weeds are visible sprouting from the runway.
Recently, the city of Rialto approved a complicated deal to contract out its water management in order to earn money to reimburse San Bernardino airport for a portion of the costs.
Rialto Airport, which has been further tangled in uncertainty because of the dissolution of the city’s redevelopment agency, is expected to close by 2014, said Chad Merrill, project manager for the IVDA and San Bernardino airport.
27 Aug 2012
by rialto-now
in AFL-CIO, American Cancer Society, American Water, Bad Commerce, Brad Mitfelt, Budget, Ca, Cancer, City of Rialto, Currupt, Ed palmer, Ed Scott, Family, Janice Rutherford, Joe Baca Jr, Josie Gonzales, June Hayes, Lazy, Lewis Properties, Mike Story, Neil Derry, Poor, Protest, RDA, Ron Pharris, Sheet Metal Workers Union, SOSRialtoWater@gmail.com, Taxes, Terra Vista Shopping Center, Water, wwwstoprialtowaterratehikes.com, youth
“A decision by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc. BRKB +0.28% to end a large wager on the municipal-bond market is deepening questions from some investors about the risks of buying debt issued by cities, states and other public entities.”
“Some investors said the decision to end the bet indicates that one of the world’s savviest investors has doubts about the state of municipal finances“.
Read more of the Wall Street Journal article at the link below:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390443855804577601413630604118.html
So what I find funny in a scary way about all this is Rialto/RUA is looking to take out a $177 Million loan with $27.4 Million in existing debt. I was told that the overall rate is going to be between 7.25% & 7.5%. Yet the bulk ($144 Million) we will be paying 4.33% to 4.83% so the rates average out to be so expensive once we tack on existing debt. Why is that?
First of all because California has borrowed itself into a hole. That’s why governor Brown & a ton of other people have qualified tax measures for the November ballot. They have borrowed us into a massive hole and wont stop spending to save this state.
Second cities, school districts, counties and the state have been using bonds as a dirty band aide for their budget woes. Bonds were seen as good long term investments because municipalities made sure money was there for the bond payments to keep AA & AAA bond ratings or good credit scores. Now they just don’t have the money so they are defaulting on payments or just faulting altogether with Bankruptcy.
I have said time and time again, this deal isn’t good for the RESIDENTS in RIALTO! Yes the infrastructure needs to be upgraded but Rialto and the RESIDENTS are not in the position take on such massive debt while reaching into the pockets of struggling families. Do you know how we are going to pay the interest on this debt; we are borrowing money to pay the first three years. So that means we are borrowing more money than needed to pay interest on debt we cannot afford.
I have heard that this deal is worth $1 Billion to the parties involved. We need to stop this deal in its tracks, hold on and once our economy is back on track look into moving forward. Rialto will be $5 Million in the hole this year. Meaning we are using our reserves for what we can’t get out of our unions in the way of contract negotiations.
The amount of money we are in the hole ($5 Million) is the same amount that staff said was nessicary to bring all the county areas up to city code ($5 Million) since the city and the mangers of the Lytle Creek Development were strong armed by Josie Gonzales and the rest of the Board of Supervisors on the county board. They said if we wanted to annex the county areas in the proposed Lytle Creek Development we must also annex the areas already within our city limits. So when Ed Scott tells you that the water deal isn’t part of the Lytle Creek Development what are we supposed to think with this info. Looks like $5 Million is coming from the borrowed money to fund yet another project.
Warren Buffets recent actions means he dosent trust municipalities ability to re-pay the loans!!!! Said Ric Edelman of Edelman Finacial Services (see the podcast link below, fast forward to the last 7 minutes).
http://www.ricedelman.com/cs/radio_show/past_shows?id=1837
I have been told that this deal is also nessicary for attracting new development. What I find funny is In & Out is good to go for next year and Wal-Mart has won its lawsuits and plans to move forward with plans to re-locate to the empty lot on the corner of San Bernardino and Riverside Avenues (I don’t like this store). So why do we need 30 million dollars? To pay off the back room deals that Ed Scott and Ed Palmer have made with the Lewis builders (Target Developers) and Ron Pharrise the principle owner of the Lytle Creek Development. So once they have wasted the 30 Million dollars then what? Our CURRENT city government is so horrible at attracting real development that the community actually wants.
For example I have heard numerous council members say in reference to In & Out “we need more than another fast food place” or “we have enough burger joints”. We have too many crappy stupid chain fast food burger joints that hire the worst employees, pay the lowest wages and offer horrible customer service. On top of all that they offer a un healthy over processed food option.
In & Out is the best burger option in the State. They offer fresh quality food at a reasonable price. They also are and employer that looks for the best expects the best and pays a very fair wage. They are always clean, polite and productive. The next best option is Bakers but for some reason they are always right smack in the middle of the worst part of the city.
People in Rialto do you want to see this deal drag this city into ruin? How much more money do you want to give these defunct local legislators? Stop the back room deals and call them on this failed deal, also let’s vote for major change in November.
Below is a list of people tied to or working on this Water Deal call and email them and let them know what you think of their deal even if you already called or emailed do it again they have yet to get the message:
All Council Members can be reached at 909-820-2525 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 909-820-2525 end_of_the_skype_highlighting
Grace Vargas vargasg@rialtoca.gov
Ed Scott
scotte@rialtoca.gov
Joe Baca Jr
bacaj@rialtoca.gov
Ed Palmer
palmere@rialtoca.gov
Deborah Robertson
robertsond@rialtoca.gov
Contact Anthony W. Araiza General Manager
Table Rock Finacial:
Megan – 415-497-2320 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 415-497-2320 end_of_the_skype_highlighting
Lynn Smull – 510-326-3209 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 510-326-3209 end_of_the_skype_highlighting
855 W. Base Line Road P.O. Box 920 Rialto, CA 92377 Ph: (909) 875-1804 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (909) 875-1804 end_of_the_skype_highlighting ext. 703 Fx: (909) 875-7284
22 Aug 2012
by rialto-now
in AFL-CIO, American Water, Budget, Ca, Cancer, City of Rialto, Crime, Currupt, Deborah Robertson, Ed palmer, Ed Scott, Family, Flores Park, Grace Vargas, In & Out, Inland Empire, Joe Baca Jr, Josie Gonzales, Layoffs, Lazy, Lewis Properties, Nieghborhood Watch, Protest, Public Safety, Rialto Fire, Rialto Police Department, Street Crime Attack Team, SWAT, Terra Vista Shopping Center, Uncategorized, Water, youth
Let’s start with some awesome news we have the attention of more than just or city council we have senators and senators of the future, financial advisors and Dr. Imran Farooq.
Mr. Farooq is a partner at:
The Omnius Group – The Omnius Group specializes in comprehensive economic development to dynamically integrate public and private sectors. Our experience includes real estate development, commercial finance, green technologies, workforce development and extensive relationships across local, state and federal agencies. Our objective is to pursue projects that incorporate economic, social and environmental value in the local communities.
http://www.facebook.com/DrIFarooq
His preliminary advice is to look at:
Is it possible to propose exemptions to rate increases depending on household incomes? This might be a way to protect the most vulnerable in the community but still facilitate the deemed ‘necessary’ upgrades.
Now we were sent an interesting piece of news. The article below is about the failure of American Water to secure the contract with the City of Rialto. I find it interesting that in the press release they (RWS) claim they decided to sever ties with American Water, but here it looks like American Water was the one cutting the ties. Insiders have told me that the cities decision to ignore the residents desire to put the outsourcing issue to a vote in November gave American Water an uneasy feeling about moving forward. The city attorney’s bad advice to the council now looks like a failed political move.
You see they didn’t put the issue on the ballot for a ton of reasons:
- They don’t want to know what you think, at least the Eds and the city attorney. Call them sometime and try asking questions they will try everything in their power to shove you off they just want to make their money.
- They know it’s an election year with a presidential election which means more people at the polls.
- Putting the issue on the ballot would remove their ability to say that most of the people want this deal.
- The city wants to have a stock pile of money to dip into to bring us “Development”. What happens once the $30 Million is gone and spent? How then will you bring us the economic development we desire?
- The city tried to hide from their bad decision by saying it was a union issue not a community issue, let alone I saw hundreds of residents getting petitions signed the union got what they wanted and left, the residents are still here and a few of us refuse to stop fighting.
- Lastly, from the looks of the words of American Water’s CEO American Water walked away. So the city took what they thought would remain secret and tell us we (Council) have decided to remove American Water from the deal and not change the deal just the players right before an election. They didn’t hear us if they did they would have started from the ground up and better involve the community and find ways to protect residents that are elderly, poor and struggling.
Also if this deal is to bring Development to our city can someone explain the consequences of their miss-direction and lies as seen at the bottom of this article from the Public Works Newsletter:
The deal called for American Water to be paid $26.5 million a year to run the system and cover certain maintenance expenses – but not counting the automatic price escalator each year. Multiply that out 30 years – and that’s just for the O&M, which of course must be covered by sufficient revenues from the ratepayers, on top of covering the financing for the improvements, the $30 million “catch up lease payment” to the City, refinancing existing RUA debt (at much higher interest rates), etc.
When I asked Megan Madsen from Table Rock Financial about the built in profit guarantee that was there for American Water she said she had no idea what I was talking about. So when information I stumbled across leads one to believe there is more than they are telling us. Does anyone know that 27.4 million is going toward refinancing existing debt?
No one will tell us the rates they are financing at or why it nessicary to add such a massive amount of debt to something that’s tied to our WATER & WASTE WATER systems. On financial person told me that depending on how the loan is structured it may very well hurt more than help if the city ever found its self in the same situation as our neighbor San Bernardino. I have been told we will be in deficit spending this next fiscal year in the realm of $5 million dollars.
We need to be wiser to WHO is sitting on certain sub communities when it comes to dealings with contracting out services.
27 Jul 2012
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
Ed Scott
scotte@rialtoca.gov
Joe Baca Jr
bacaj@rialtoca.gov
Ed Palmer
palmere@rialtoca.gov
Deborah Robertson
robertsond@rialtoca.gov
Contact Anthony W. Araiza General Manager
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
UpdateDate 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
19 Jul 2012
by rialto-now
in Burglury, Ca, City of Rialto, Currupt, Ed Scott, Family, Flores Park, Inland Empire, Lazy, Nieghborhood Watch, Protest
It makes me sick to know that one of our long time goverment officials lives in a home with a front yard like this.
Having broken down rusted cars that look like they belong in an old junk yard shoved up against tall over grown bushes shoved up against the front of the house. This neighborhood is nice with clean homes with attractive lanscapes. This homowner needs to attend and seriously take advantage of volenteer Thompsons home tips 101.
18 Jul 2012
by rialto-now
in American Water, Bad Commerce, Burglury, Ca, City of Rialto, Crime, Currupt, Ed palmer, Ed Scott, Family, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Davids-Marketing/156816741049580, Inland Empire, Lazy, Protest, Rialto Police Department, Small Business, wwwstoprialtowaterratehikes.com, youth
Rialto should be a level playing field where no person no matter their standing or position should be above the laws, rules or ordnances.
Yet time and time again People like Ed Scott, Ed Palmer and Jimmy Gutierrez break laws, rules and ordinances and either escape any penalty or skate by with a slap on the wrist.
Ed Scott – Barks at city staff and residents, appears to break city ordinances 18.72.010, 9.26.030. Updated picture of this residence and violations coming tomorrow night 7-18-12.
Ed Palmer – Apparently Mr. Palmer doesnt even live in the CITY OF RIALTO he lives in the county area as accused by the main opposer of the Lytle Creek Development. It looked true as Ed Palmer excused himself during the argument over whether the project should even happen.
Jimmy Gutierrez – Has been arrested for drunk driving and allowed to plead NO CONTEST and still remain the City Attorney for both Rialto and Chino. Reports are coming in that Mr Gutierrez makes $50,000 a month from the city of Rialto alone, and that he still charges for a slew of other things he does as our attorney. I wonder how much he charged the city to tell council to not allow the residents to vote on the water issue.
Volunteer Thompson with Rialto PD has taught over and over again about the broken window issue, meaning if your home looks horrible and un kept the rest of the neighborhood will follow suit. As well as attract crime and unpleasant people I know from resent experience if you’re looking to buy a home you will avoid the areas at look like no one cares.
This is clearly a violation, it’s just like Ed Palmer living in the county area and not in the CITY LIMITS yet he still is on city council. Ed Palmer, Ed Scott both must excuse themselves every time an issue comes up in downtown cause they own half of it. Both need to be ousted.
12 Jul 2012
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.
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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07 Jun 2012
by rialto-now
in Bad Commerce, Budget, Ca, Centurion Security Patrol, City of Rialto, Coffee Nutz, Crime, Currupt, davidsMarketing, Deborah Robertson, Ed palmer, Ed Scott, Family, Flores Park, Grace Vargas, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Davids-Marketing/156816741049580, http://www.guardianwatch.com/, Inland Empire, Joe Baca Jr, Keith Kahn, Lazy, Mike Story, Nieghborhood Watch, Protest, Public Safety, Rialto Police Department, SWAT, The Circle Vision Quest, Tom Ammiano, www.babyelepnatbooks.com, www.careervisionbyjamie.com, wwwstoprialtowaterratehikes.com, youth
When I first moved back to Rialto I noticed how much graffiti was all over the place it was like little LA.
We rented for one year then made the decision to purchase our first home in Rialto, the graffiti was out of control.
We banded together with Lt Burkholder, Lt Crispin & Cpl Muir to get the graffiti under control. I personally held GPC the graffiti removal contractor to a hard-line of removing the graffiti ASAP. I helped GPC & the city of Rialto over obstacles such as private property right of ways and businesses that were no longer cleaning graffiti on their back walls because of retaliation against their maintenance employees. Councilman Ed Palmer and I developed a way to get property owners and leasing companies to keep their leasing signs free of graffiti.
And things were looking better……………………….. Until Now!!!!!
The city has decided to change contractors beginning last month May 2012 to save $3 a stop. Now everyone has heard the saying you get what you pay for, and we are getting just that cheaper service that has more excuses than results.
Larry De Corona the Owner of Superior Property Mainence ( http://www.4superior.com/ ) came out to the Area 1 Command Meeting stating that nothing will change but better faster services at a lower price. He tried to tell us his company can’t take care of our drainage Areas or Washes ( which is wrong ) and that they were brining in a new camera program, knowledgeable staff ect. None of his statements have shown to be true.
So I wonder why I have been calling and seeing graffiti up for days and days, poor painting, tags still showing through ect. Then I remembered something Mr. De Corona said at the meeting they are the largest graffiti removal program in LA County. Ah ha this is why who hasn’t driven around LA County and been blinded by graffiti.
Larry Decrona Owner & Managing partner in aquisition and Property Managment
Larry De Corona (pictured above) called me yesterday very upset that I am asking his company to remove the graffiti in a timely fashion. He said that they are working within the confines of the contract and that I couldn’t use his statements at the Area Command Meeting as gold. He told me that in April GPC billed the city $8K for the month of April, Superior billed the city $6K for May. This isn’t because they are so much cheaper it’s because they are slower to respond and GPC work some Saturdays in April Superior doesnt.
Mr. De Corona said something that speaks to where he is coming from a property management back ground that showed his lack of knowledge of this city or the War we wage her on Hoodlums. He said “Whats the difference if the graffiti stays up a few more days if it saves the city money”. Really did you just say that. Graffiti is a hoodlums way of saying he owns your neighborhood, street or city, and everyday it’s up there is another day to influence our teens, intimidate our communities and enrage community members.
I spoke with Tim Sullivan from public works and he told me that Superior is new and he is keeping close account of the complaints and looking at Superior’s response times and quality of work. We want to keep this from becoming a problem.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rid-Rialto-of-Graffitti/216882198324244 – We have a Facebook Page you can visit and post your problem areas with graffiti or just email them to rialtonw@aol.com and we will post for you.
Ferguson Park the Multi Million Dollar park that wont be stripped until the July Grand Opening was hit hard and it took Superior 3 days to remove this graffiti, so people’s questions on safety at our parks is still an issue and thanks to Superior the community is wondering if the new park is even worth visiting.
I have called the graffiti hotline numerous times to find MAJOR, MASSIVE tags up for days and even weeks.
The graffiti Hotline number is 909-820-2670 put this in your cell phone and call on every tag.
If you have questions, complaints or concerns please call 909-820-2602 and ask for Tim Sullivan.
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