November 23, 2005 - Top Stories
The term “gala night” is often abused, but when it comes to Saturday’s grand opening of the Maxine Theater, it is an entirely appropriate description.
The evening began for some with an appreciation dinner at Pauma Valley Country Club for the donors and design and construction people responsible for the 500-plus seat theater.
Then at 7 p.m. the curtain went up on over three hours of first- class entertainment, which included Rich Horne singing the Lord’s Prayer, a performance by the Adult Valley Center Pauma USD Staff Chorus, with a solo by Laralee Beck and, of course, an evening of Swing music by Crazy Rhythm Hot Society Orchestra.
Fire administrator Brynda Wierson, who had only been in her position for a few months, resigned effective Friday. Personal reasons were cited in the announcement made Thursday night at the fire board meeting by board Pres. Stan Johnson.
Mrs. Wierson, who joined the district in July, was the first person hired to fill the newly created post.
Until she arrived, the duties of district administrator and fire marshal had been carried out for many years by Joy Justis.
However, with the continual growth of the district, inspections and plan checks have become the major part of Justis’s job.
A search will now begin for her replacement.
New Engine Needed
The fire district needs to replace one of its engines, at a cost that will range between $300,000 and $350,000, Chief O’Leary told the fire board Thursday.
In 2004-2005 the fire district applied for a FEMA grant to replace the E-272 engine. According to the chief, “We did not get it. They don’t give any reasons. I was very surprised when they did not give us the grant.”
E-272, which is a reserve engine, is currently out of service. The district is operating with three engines. They will need to replace two of them by 2010 under OSHA regulations that will become mandatory in 2010.
According to O’Leary, it is not feasible to repair the current E-272, which is a 1987 Ford C-800 series, CDF type model 11. The motor would need to be rebuilt or replaced.
CDF Capt. Saul Villagomez is in charge of finding a replacement engine, which must be able to be used as both a structure fire engine and a wildland fire engine.
They are looking at a new “interface engine” which has a narrower wheelbase and can get in and out of tighter places, and works better in rugged terrain.
Board Pres. Johnson asked if this type of engine is four-wheel drive. O’Leary said that they have no four-wheel drive engines, which are more expensive.
The district has applied for a $50,000 grant to help pay for a new engine. Half of the cost of the engine is already saved in the appropriated engine account, but they are short by about $187,000.
Director Dan Thornton advised against patching the old engine. He said he would like to put together a financing program to pay for a new one.
He recommended a replacement program that would prevent the district having to replace all of its engines at once.
“If we are not careful we could end up with four pieces of used equipment that are all needing to be replaced at the same time,” he warned.
Director Weaver Simonsen said they should apply to Fifth District Supervisor Bill Horn for some of his discretionary funds.
Thornton made the motion to direct the chief to go forward and asked to be part of the negotiations with the vendor and to work on the specs for the engine.
“You got what you wanted, chief, a new fire engine for Christmas,” quipped Johnson.
“Well, maybe next Christmas,” said O’Leary.
Turnover Remains High
At his monthly activity report to the VC Fire Protection District board Thursday night, Chief Kevin O’Leary discussed how many new fire reserves there are each month.
Director Weaver Simonsen asked for something written to indicate how often crews are going out with new people.
“It’s like seeing new people every single day,” said CDF Capt. Kathy Holgate.
“I’ll tell you, they are leaving. They are getting jobs,” said O’Leary, who noted that the district is having reserve academies more and more often.
Weaver said it is important for the community to know about this problem, since they are very likely going to be asking the voters for more money next year.
“I would be interested in finding out how many times you go out on a call and have people who have no experience,” said Board Pres. Stan Johnson.
This problem is caused by the fact that the fire department has so many new, probationary firefighters, which is the result of so much turnover in the reserves.
For example, in October the district had 28 active reserves, but four were lost due to various commitments, including three who were hired away by other fire departments.
During October, five reserve shifts had to be filled by firefighters who had to be on overtime.
Six months after the temporary waste treatment plant at Woods Valley Ranch opened, treated effluent is still being hauled to a plant in San Diego for disposal in the ocean.
Several tankers a day haul 20,000-30,000 gallons off the property to the North City Waste Treatment Plant in San Diego for the development which, ultimately, will have 270 units.
Gen. Mgr. Gary Arant of VC Municipal Water District, which will ultimately take over operating the permanent plant, told The Roadrunner this week: “For a long time we had a hard time getting the plant to operate properly. For awhile we were collecting raw sewage.”
He says “we,” however the interim filtration plant was installed and is operated by the developer of Woods Valley Ranch, Newland Communities.
Newland Communities pays $45,000 a month to haul the effluent , plus paying an operator (not the water district) $400 a day to operate the plant until the water district accepts it.
Two issues keep postponing that day.
One is that the plant and the land it sits on is owned by Newland, while the discharge permit for the effluent is in the name of the water district.
The Regional Water Quality Control Board, the authority in such matters, says that until the land and plant are owned by the district that the permit is invalid.
The water district sent a letter this week asking the regional board to reconsider. Arant made the point that “irrespective of who owns the land, we are responsible for the discharge.”
The other problem is that there is only one set of effluent analyzing equipment. The water district requires “redundancy,” says Arant.
“We want two analyzers to make sure that it meets requirements. Until then we won’t allow the plant to discharge,” he said.
Once the plant begins discharging effluent on the Woods Valley Golf Course, the law will require redundancy in analyzing equipment, he said.
Because the plant is not operated by VCMWD, it can’t make that happen.
“It’s their plant,” emphasized Arant. “We keep telling them that they need to get them operating. That’s why the public continues to see the trucks haul this highly treated effluent away instead of putting it on the golf course.”
Arant sympathizes with people who don’t like seeing the trucks run up and down the road.
“We are really close to getting it resolved,” he said. “We are making it very clear to Newland that they need to get the second analyzer in place.”
The district’s engineer, Wally Grabbe, added, “The trucks are out there hauling this waste and we are getting complaints from residents. We’re not happy with the situation, believe me.”
Although the plant operator is Newland, Arant realizes that in many people’s minds, “this raises an issue: Can’t the district operate a treatment plant?
“Yes we can,” he said. “We operate the Moosa Plant and the Skyline Ranch sewers. For some reason we can’t get the physical plant at Woods Valley to operate on a consistent basis.”
A permanent sewer plant started construction in October and should be operating by September of 2006. It will have all the built in systems required.
At the next VC Planning Group Circulation Subcommittee meeting, Dr. Rajan and Brendan McNabb of the County Dept. of Public Works will make a presentation regarding the early design work on the proposed Cole Grade Road Improvement project.
The meeting will be Dec. 1, 6 p.m. at VC Library, seminar room.
According to VC planning group Chairman Andy Washburn, “Now is the time to give our input to DPW regarding the design of the improved road. It will be more difficult to make changes later. Ask your friends and neighbors for their views. Give it some thought. Invite people to attend. Be ready with questions.”
The Circulation Subcommit-tee makes recommendations to the VC Community Planning Group.
You are invited to the Community Thanksgiving Service being held on Wednesday, Nov. 23, 7 p.m., at the Middle School. Participating churches include Calvary Chapel of Valley Center, Ridgeview Church, the Olive Branch Church, and Valley Center Community Church.
According to Pastor Bill Trok of Ridgeview, the event is a community-wide expression of thanks and unity among the churches. There will be music, prayers and refreshments.
The Valley Roadrunner
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