By DAVID ROSS
The VC Municipal Water District Board Monday approved a $33 million budget.
The budget anticipates selling 39,000 acre feet of water, which is the average sales for the last five years.
In the year just ending the district sold 42,500 AF.
A possible El Niño condition is anticipated next year, but if it doesn’t occur, the district will probably continue to be in a drought. If the weather is even dryer than anticipated, the extra water sales revenues will go into the district’s capital improvement fund.
The budget assumes no rate increases, but the Metropolitan Water District will introduce new rates in January and the San Diego County Water Authority is proposing a new rate structure.
If and when those new rates materialize, the district will pass the increases onto its customers.
Budgeted expenditures include:
• $776,309 for general administration
• $1,270,275 for the finance department
• $850,265 for the engineering department
• $5,308,962 for field operations
• $21,637,000 for water purchases
• $3,259,900 for capital projects
The budget calls for four new employees to be hired, bringing the total up to 69.
The new positions are: Building and Facilities Worker, Welder/Pipeline Technician, Wastewater Technician and Engineering Technician III.
A cost of living adjustment of 3.2% is also included.
Revenue
Revenue comes from the following sources:
• $24,687,000 from water sales
• $3,224,999 from meter service and sewer service charges
• $213,000 from new connection sales
• $405,000 from other revenue
• $920,000 from investment income
• $1,157,000 from property taxes
• $587,000 from water availability charges
The district maintains 267 miles of water mains, 41 covered reservoirs, 25 pump stations and serves 5540 domestic customers, 1730 ag customers and 280 commercial customers.
It also serves 2300 sewer customers through two treatment plants at Skyline Ranch and the Lower Moosa Canyon Water Reclamation Facility at Circle R Drive.
Copies of the budget are available at the district office, including versions of the budget digest, called the “budget message.”
Rate Survey
A survey just conducted among water agencies in the County conducted by the San Diego County Water Authority shows that VCMWD has the lowest domestic rates and the second lowest agricultural rates in the county.
The district’s domestic rates are $1.4162/unit, compared to the average of $1.7898/unit for the county. The next lowest domestic rates in the county belong to Yuima Municipal Water District in Pauma Valley.
The district’s ag rates are $469.10 /acre foot. The lowest ag rate is $423.58/AF maintained by Fallbrook Public Utilities District.
At a hearing Monday the board adopted new meter capacity charges increasing fees on new meters from 42%-45% depending on the size of the meter.
The fees go into effect in 60 days.
An aging water main on Valley Center Road burst Sunday night, flooding three businesses in Old Town Center.
Shear Pleasure, the VC Library and the VC Christian Book Store were all water damaged.
The library will continue to operate, although with the lower section closed off. Shear Pleasure and the bookstore are out of commission for several weeks.
A 30 inch section of main first laid in 1955, corroded to the thickness of paper, just “rolled up” under pressure of 200 pounds per square inch, said VC Municipal Water District Supt. Chuck Dacus.
An estimated 640,00 gallons were lost.
The leak was first discovered just after 8:30 p.m. Sunday. Water undermined the road near the intersection of Valley Center & Cole Grade roads, came up through a crack in the berm and flooded the three businesses on the west end of the center.
Workers and an emergency flood response team from the VC Fire Protection District arrived within minutes. The water team worked all night to repair the leak, while firefighters vacuumed the water and set up fans.
Asphalt on that part of the road is a foot thick in places and slowed reaching the damaged pipe.
Around dawn, as workers cautiously repressurized the pipe, another section burst eight feet away.
Water Gen. Mgr. Gary Arant told The Roadrunner, “The pipe is in very poor condition. We’ve wanted to replace it since the early 90’s.”
“Our concern has been trying to coordinate our pipeline replacement with the road project. It’s cheaper, you only inconvenience the public one time and there will be a lot of underground facilities, storm drain work that should only be done once.
“We have $34 million worth of this kind of pipe remaining all the way down Valley Center and Cole Grade roads,” said Arant.
In 1991 district voters authorized the district to build the project.
But the County has delayed the road project repeatedly over the years, while the pipes get older.
Sunday’s break was the last straw for Arant, who on Monday recommended to the water board to replace the section of pipe along VC Road that has ruptured several times in recent months.
“We’ve had too many incidents not to do something about it,” Arant told his board.
Replacing the 1200-1300 feet of main for that part of town will cost about $100,000.
Arant said that even if the district must replace it again it still makes good economic sense to avoid causing more damage to property.
“The bigger money issue is what damage did we do to those three businesses, including their merchandise and equipment. It’s gong to take them some time to clean up and get back in business,” said Arant.
“I think we’ve waited as long as we can. We think it’s going to be at least three more years before they do that section of the road,” said Arant.
He promised to return to the board with a spending allocation very soon.
“It hit three businesses this time and we are fortunate that it didn’t hit more.”
Directors seemed to agree that the job should be done and done soon.
Dacus and District Engineer Patric Jewell said the job will take about three weeks. The biggest block to doing it fast is getting some of the valves, which take time to deliver, said Dacus.
Aiming to do the work before school opens again in the fall, “is going to be a tough nut to crack,” said Jewell. “But there are some things that we can do to make things move.”
District insurance adjusters were on scene Monday to assess the damages.
Barbara Anderson and Gen. Mgr. Sherry Bumgardner of Shear Pleasure thanked “everybody who volunteered to clean up and we apologize to our customers for the inconvenience.”
They expect to reopen in two or three weeks. And even for that short time they could lose $8000 in business, said Mrs. Anderson.
Each beautician was removing equipment on Tuesday and workers were getting ready to tear out the water-damaged floor, walls and the sink.
Noni Noordman, manager of Valley Center Christian Books told The Roadrunner, “We’re still assessing the damage. The flood people are emptying out the store and boxing up the contents now in the back of the sanctuary [at nearby Valley Center Community Church]. We have to go through the inventory piece by piece.”
She estimated that the store lost about a third of its inventory.
Book cases, almost all of them made from pressboard, racks and stands, were probably a total loss, she said.
The carpet will have to be pulled and walls and floors redone, she said.
“We’re probably looking at three to four weeks before reopening,” said Mrs. Noordman.
“It was really something that no one seemed to have any control over. We’re very thankful that the damage wasn’t worse and we intend to get it all back and up and running,” she said.
Sandy Puccio, manager of the VC library, said that few, if any books were lost to the two inches of water that invaded the building.
“But when I came in on Monday they said all the books had to come out of the lower section,” she said.
Water had soaked the walls and threatened books next to the walls.
Books were removed from the back wall and the lower section has been closed to staff and the public.
“We don’t know how long before we have full access to the full library,” said Puccio.
“The public nor us has access to books on tape, adult fiction, Friends of the Library sale books, biographies or local history,” she said.
The inundation didn’t prevent the library from kicking of the summer reading program on Tuesday.
“The kids’ books are in the upper section,” said Puccio happily.
The library may close early some of this week, but should be back to normal schedule by next week, she said.
Sheriff’s detectives are investigating vandalism that occurred at Bell Gardens Farm late last week.
The vandal or vandals worked secretly at night when the farm was closed.
Equipment, fences, gates, and controlled entrances were damaged. Padlocks were cut and supplies were removed or scattered about the grounds. Extensive damage to golf carts and split rail fences around the berry patch providing the outdoor classrooms used for education workshops for children were damaged.
“These repeated acts of vandalism impact not only our resources as a new non-profit organization, but also those who visit the farm with special needs, ” said Barbara Karle, the farm’s Executive Director. “The golf carts allow access to those that could not otherwise travel through the farm on our ‘traditional tour,’ ” said Karle.
Damage is still being assessed but repairs undoubtedly will take resources from the farm’s mission of educating its visitors about the importance of agriculture.
The reason of the acts of vandalism is unknown, so administrators have decided to put additional resources into theft prevention and protection.
“We are deeply saddened by these events,” says Karle, “this farm having just become a non-profit relies on limited resources. We just don’t have the money repair or replace our educational equipment and tools,” she said. “To some degree, I hope that by increasing public awareness we will draw attention to the issue.”
Officials are asking if you have any information about the acts of vandalism or can help with donations contact Barbara Karle at 749-6297.
Allan H. Steinbeck died on Father’s Day, June 16 at his home in Hidden Meadows with his family by his side. He was 72.
The memorial service will be held at Alheiser Comer Mortuary on Broadway in Escondido on Thursday, June 27 at 2 pm.
Born in Illinois, Mr. Steinbeck was a resident of Hidden Meadows for more than 33 years. He was one of the pioneers who helped develop the Hidden Meadows community.
Prior to moving to San Diego County he founded Photosign Service Company, a Los Angeles based graphic arts and reproduction company which he owned until the late 1990’s.
He was passionate about local government and worked tirelessly for his chosen candidate in elections for a variety of offices - from the County Board of Supervisors to his local water, fire and school district boards.
He held elective office as a director of the Valley Center Municipal Water District, and was a member of numerous boards and commissions, including the California Special Districts Association and the San Diego County Cable Television Review Commission. He was a longtime member of the Hidden Meadows Community Sponsor Group, serving several terms as Chair.
He traveled extensively with his family on trips across the United States, Mexico, the Caribbean, Europe, the Middle East and the Orient.
He discovered Timeshare Vacation Ownership while vacationing in Cancun in the 1970’s and was the driving force behind the establishment of the successful Welk Resort timeshare development north of Escondido. He was also a partner in numerous other real estate ventures with his friend Lawrence Welk, most notably the Rimrock development.
In the early 1990’s he was a member of the ownership group of his local newspaper, the Valley Roadrunner, and was instrumental in the founding of the North County Messenger Newspaper which served the community of Bonsall and the I-15 Corridor.
He was active in his children’s schools, and served on the Escondido High School Parents Club as President, and as an Athletic Booster Club board member. He also helped spearhead the successful school bond election for the completion of San Pasqual High School.
Mr. Steinbeck was an abundantly kind and generous man, and he is survived by his two sons, Mark and Neal, daughters-in-law Dorothy and Oksana, granddaughters Elizabeth and Amber Rose, sisters Helen Hayden and Carol Whitney, brothers-in-law Frank Hayden and Bill Whitney, and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceeded in death by his wife of 35 years, Mary Jean Steinbeck on January 26, 1995.
The Valley Roadrunner
P.O.B. 1529, Valley Center, CA 92082
Tel. 760.749.1112 Fax 760.749.1688
Website: www.valleycenter.com
Email: editor@valleycenter.com
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