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2:10 pm Meeting called to order by President Jim O'Keefe. All Town Council members were present.
This meeting was called to discuss the upcoming 5/8/96 general meeting where the California State Water Quality Control Board and the UC Riverside researchers will discuss the Water/Nitrate Study with the community.
1. There was a vigorous discussion about the report that the Water Committee was supposed to present to the Community on May 8th. Tana Lampton reported that she had informed Lillian at the Water Committee meeting on April 30, 1996 that the Town Council wanted a Draft report to critique before the May 8th meeting. Lillian told Tana that the draft report would be ready by Thursday, May 2nd. Tana reported this information to various Town Council members. Tana reported that this due date was delayed till Friday, May 3rd. Tana reported that Dennis Dee then began to write a Water Report so that the Town Council would have something to report to the community on May 8th. Water Committee Co-Chair Lillian Smith presented her personal 3-page outline report today, which had not been presented to the water committee. Dennis Dee presented a 7 page report.
2. Geri Dee reported that the format and protocol of the meeting would be to set aside 30 minutes for the UC researchers, 15 minutes for the State, 30 - 45 minutes for any Water Reports, and then about an hour for public comment, with the meeting ending at about 10:00 pm. Geri reports that she will FAX this agenda to Wendy Phillips on Monday.
3. It was reported that the Pratty property has defaulted to the AVEK Water District.
4. Nolan Henderson stated that any governmental process takes lots of time and that the Town Council should not give up too many negotiating issues in its report to the community. Unless a Governmental Agency puts their requests in writing, the Town Council does not have to respond in writing. We should use diplomacy in any contact with a governmental agency. This is also not the time or place to tell a governmental agency to enforce their codes and laws. We need to tell the Regional Water Quality Control Board that we will work with them on a program to control nitrates.
A general discussion then followed on the content of the Town Council statement on May 8th. Consensus was that the Town Council should prepare a short general statement for the community regarding our opposition to a sewer or water system. This report should also solicit from the Regional Water Quality Control Board what they expect from us. They in turn should be informed that the Town Council is mandated to take input from the community just like they are. Once the input from the May 8th meeting is collected and collated, then the community's suggested mitigation measures will be discussed and then presented to the State.
5. Julianne Feuerhelm stated that in her opinion the Town Council should take no position at the May 8th meeting because the UC water report is flawed. She felt that the Town Council will need more time to research other educational guidelines, other nitrate studies, and our legal rights. Further, the Town Council should not attempt mitigation without knowing the costs of these mitigation. The Town Council needs more time to investigate individual impacts.
Geri reports that in a telephone conversation with Wendy Phillips that Wendy stated that the community has had a draft report to comment on since September, 1995.
6. Members of the audience stated that the Town Council could not change the rules without a poll of the community.
It was pointed out to the audience that there have been numerous polls of the community over the years that have been very consistent about the community's opposition to sewers and water issues, the latest being the one conducted by the Civic Association on March 21 , 1996. Further, 2,112 notices were sent out, with only 25-30 responses generated by these notices.
7. Geri Dee MOVED, with a second by Julianne Feuerhelm, that: Lillian Smith and Dennis Dee should work together on a statement for the Town Council at the May 8th meeting, stating what the Town Council is willing to do as representatives of the community, with a copy in a timely fashion to all Council members. VOTE: 7 ayes, 0 nays.
8. Lianne Swanson and Julianne Feuerhelm volunteered to create and distribute a
community survey at the May 8th meeting. Geri Dee will FAX the May 8th Agenda to Wendy
Phillips. Tana Lampton will work on the logistics of the meeting - P.A. system, chairs,
etc.
MEETING ADJOURNED AT : 4:40 pm
Respectfully submitted,
Dennis C. Dee
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