November 29, 2006 - Top Stories
The VC fire board Nov. 16 voted to send out a survey in January to gauge the willingness of voters to approve increased funding for the fire district.
At their December meeting directors will vote on the amount that the survey will ask the community’s reaction to. Surveys will be mailed to residents in January.
If the survey results are positive, the district could go for an election to increase benefit fees as early as next summer.
SCI Consulting Group has been working with the district for several months to see what is a feasible amount to request from the voters next year.
It has studied the district’s needs and its current funding. The district’s expenses are rising faster than benefit fees and in a few years its reserves will be dangerously low.
SCI prepared four scenarios, or alternatives for directors.
Alt. 1: County funding discontinued, 2004 staffing levels. This assumes that the County will not continue to pay for two additional firefighters per engine once its three year commitment runs out. Under this scenario, the district would be running a $190,978 deficit by 2012. To make up that deficit, a rate per benefit unit of $33 per year would be needed. Most residences in the district have ten units or more.
Alt. 2: County funding for additional firefighters continues and a one-half time fire chief is hired. Under this scenario the district would need to raise an additional $400,000 per year, or $67 per unit.
Alt. 3: County funding for additional firefighters continues and a full-time fire chief is hired. The district would need an additional $480,000 a year, or $80/unit.
Alt. 4: New fire station, with two full-time firefighters and one reserve, county funding continues and a full-time fire chief. Under this option the district would need an additional $1.5 million, or $250 per unit.
Gerald Van Steyn of SCI said that the highest rate his consulting group has successfully achieved with other districts is $80 per unit. “It’s unlikely in our experience that this community would support an extra $250 per benefit fee per year,” he said.
Coming up with an amount residents are willing to pay is a balancing act.
“We really don’t know what people are willing to pay until we put a survey out there,” said Steyn. “Almost half of our surveys come back without support.”
Board Pres. Mel Schuler asked if there is a relationship to what property owners are already paying in benefit fees to what they would be willing to add to that.
“It’s tough to say. It’s definitely a factor,” said Steyn.
He suggested that the survey ask for an amount between Alternatives 2 & 3.
He also suggested testing half of the property owners with one possible rate and then later testing a second half with a different figure.
Director Weaver Simonsen had some problems with the alternatives including the county funding, which he believes will only be temporary.
“We need to understand that we will not be able to continue with the same level of firefighters if the County cuts the funding,” he said.
“The County’s money is not coming out of a dedicated fund. It’s coming out of the reserves. What will happen when it comes to a choice between funding this or the Sheriff’s Department?” he asked.
He said if the community approves the additional funding and the County cuts funding, people will wonder why the district didn’t ask for enough money to begin with.
The additional problem as Simonsen sees it is that because the County has provided this extra staffing, the community will feel that the district doesn’t need to increase funding.
Steyn said the survey would explain the current situation and that the County money is not guaranteed.
Simonsen noted that if the County money is withdrawn, “We would have to reduce the number of people on the engines. We would have no choice.”
Steyn noted that if the County does withdraw the money, there would be a lot of press on it, and the public would be aware of it. “If that happens, you’ll be able to go back to the community and ask for funding to cover what has been lost, rather than try to cover all the bases at once,” he said.
Director Dan Thornton said that various areas of the community will react differently to the survey.
“The areas that were affected by the Paradise Fire will say ‘take what you need,’ but as you get away from those areas that sentiment won’t be as strong.” That means all of those areas need to be hit by the survey, he said.
In discussing how much to ask for, Fire Board Pres. Mel Schuler said that instead of asking for just enough to get by, they should ask for enough to fund a fulltime fire chief.
“It’s important to look at that as this community grows,” he said. He said most people in the community don’t know that Valley Center doesn’t have a fulltime fire chief.
Thornton noted that passing a new funding source “will take a grassroots effort. To get this amount articles in the paper won’t cut it. We’ll need to have people on the phones, community outreach and for it all to come together at election time.”
“A huge difference”
In his monthly report to the board Chief Kevin O’Leary reported that the extra firefighters being paid for by a grant from the County “are making a huge difference with the ability of the overhead to manage incidents in October.”
The contract between the County and the fire district and the fire district and CDF (California Department of Forestry & Fire Protection) for the extra firefighters per engine company has been in place for about a month.
The County has committed to provide this money for the next three years. After that there is no guarantee that the money will continue.
Valley View Casino marked the opening of its 1,200 space parking garage Wednesday with a small ceremony that included a ribbon cutting.
Then, several cars that had already been waiting in line were allowed to be the first to park.
The ceremony was attended by a couple of hundred tribal dignitaries and casino employees who first were treated to breakfast at the buffet.
Joe Navarro, CEO/president of the San Pasqual Casino Development Group, spoke briefly, stressing that the opening of the garage is just the first step in an overall enlargement of the facility.
His comments are below:
“Hello and welcome to all of you. Thank you for joining us here today. Most of you know me, I’m Joe Navarro, the President and CEO of the San Pasqual Casino Development Group. Today is a very special day for the San Pasqual tribe and Valley View casino team members and guests, as well as the community and residents of Valley Center.
“The opening of our garage today, the day before the Thanksgiving holiday is very fitting as we have much to be thankful for. This garage represents the first of several milestones in the development of what we believe will be a premiere gaming and dining destination.
“What began as plans on paper is finally here in concrete and steel, and it is only the beginning of what is going to be a great achievement for both the San Pasqual Band of Mission Indians and Valley View Casino.
“On behalf of the entire board of directors of the San Pasqual Development Group, I would like to thank all the people that made this project possible, for without the efforts of our amazing team, none of this could have happened.
“Our thanks go out to the tribal members of San Pasqual Band of Mission Indians, the Tribal Business Committee, San Pasqual Gaming Commission, and our Valley View Casino management and team members.
“We also want to thank the Bomel Construction Company who built this beautiful garage, the members of the media that are here with us today, and especially Valley View Casino’s guests and the residents of Valley Center, who have all been so patient and supportive throughout our expansion process. Without them, none of this could be possible.
“We are very excited about this new garage, but the excitement certainly doesn’t stop here! We have so much in store for Valley View in the coming months. In the spring of 2007 we will open our beautiful new entrance, new gaming space, our new steakhouse and steakhouse lounge, our new non-smoking bar and non-smoking gaming floor, our new high-limit gaming floor, and our new VIP lounge. In the fall of 2007 we will open four additional new dining venues, including our buffet, as well as additional gaming space and our new entertainment lounge.
“As you can see, there’s a lot more fun on the way for Valley View—and it all starts here, with this garage! Thank you all again for coming. And as you can see, there are cars waiting to get in, so let’s open this garage up for business!”
The new parking garage is the first milestone of Valley View Casino's $114 million expansion project which includes adding over 60,000 square feet of increased gaming and dining space, along with five new restaurants, three new bars, a special events center and increased slots and table games.
The first phase of the casino's expansion, including a new steakhouse and lounge and special events center is scheduled for a grand opening in spring 2007.
The remainder of the expansion is scheduled for completion in fall of 2007.
A water main break early Sunday morning on Valley Center Road near Fat Ivor’s lost between 475,000–500,000 gallons before it was shut off by Valley Center Municipal Water District employees.
The leak was caused by corrosion of a high pressure, aging pipe that was due to be replaced as part of the ongoing VC Road Project.
The leak occurred about 5:30 a.m. and was shut off by 6:45 a.m.
The amount lost is about 1.5 acre feet, or roughly $1,000 in whole costs to the San Diego County Water Authority and Metropolitan Water District.
Repairs to fix the break slowed traffic on a busy holiday weekend to a crawl.
The road was closed by California Highway Patrol until 10:30 a.m. The ten inch water main and road were fully restored by 4:30 p.m.
Road restoration required 150 cubic yards of fill.
The break probably couldn’t have come at a worse time, since the VCMWD was beginning an 11-day shutoff (see related story, this paper).
Much of the water mains along Valley Center Road are in the 50-year old range. All are being replaced as part of the Valley Center Road widening project. The pipe that failed was due to be replaced as part of the project.
To date, 3,250 lineal feet of pipe out of a total of 17,700 has been installed. New pipelines will be fully operational near the point in time when the road project is complete (in about two years).
The water district’s share of the road widening project is $4.2 million. Pipe is being installed by the County’s General Contractor, Archer-Western, under inspection supervision by VCMWD.
The two restaurants in the area, Fat Ivor’s and Pepperoni’s were either “high-lined” or provided emergency supplies by noon to avoid business loss.
NOTE: “high-lined” means that the district set up a temporary feed from its system from a point outside of the area impacted by the break.
In such a situation they use pre-sterilized fire hose, or for longer periods, install PVC lines laid on top of the ground.
They used a high-line for Pepperoni’s. They used a 500 gallon portable potable water trailer to supply Fat Ivor’s.
Help us bring holiday cheer into the lives of those who need it most.
The deadline is approaching to distribute the gifts, so if you want to participate in our annual Giving Tree you need to stop by The Roadrunner office soon.
The school district has provided us with the ages of 70 more boys and girls who could really use some Holiday Cheer.
Hometown residents are welcome to assist by stopping by to get information to purchase a holiday gift for one of the children.
We need all gifts wrapped and returned before Dec. 8 so we can be sure they are delivered before Christmas.
Please call The Roadrunner staff at 749-1112 with any questions.
Sarah Beers, Julie Ramey (Poinsettia Sales Chairman), Marcia Townsend (President) of the Dos Valles Garden Club invite you to their annual Poinsettia and Holiday Plant Sale, Saturday, Dec. 2, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Martin Gang Ranch located at 28933 Cole Grade Road.
Last week the Valley Center Primary School brought grandparents and students together with the annual “Grandparents’ Day,” a Valley Center tradition.
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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