Favors challengers in LVMWD

In my opinion the current Board of Directors of the Las Virgenes Water District, with the exception of Dr. Padgett, has forgotten who elected them, who they represent, and whose money they are spending!

The budget for the current fiscal year is approximately $46 million. The staff of LVMWD with Board approval arrived at this amount by using an old bureaucratic trick — make sure you spend the full amount of the budget this year, so you can justify an increase next year.

In this case, even though last year’s expenses were only approximately $37 million, they added another $5 million in "reserves" to bring it up to the budget and then added another $4 million for the current fiscal year.

In the last four years (including 2000-2001) the budget has increased from approximately $29 million to over $46 million. The way I figure it, folks, that is a 58 percent increase.

This is in spite of the fact that in two of the three years actual expenses were approximately $5 million under budget. (1997-98 expenses were approximately $3 million over budget.)

When I attended the board meeting in June when the current budget was discussed I asked the board members if there wasn’t any one of them who had any concern about these large increases. Not a one — with the exception of Dr. Padgett!

That’s amazing. I was with a large corporation for many years before I retired and I can’t think of a year when I couldn’t look back and say, "We could have done better." Even more amazing, during all the discussion while I was there, there was never a mention of the impact these increases have on the consumer.

Does that tell you something?

Where is all of our money going? That’s a good question! Residential and commercial growth has been minimal in recent years. By the district’s own figures the number of customers has remained essentially the same the last three years.

Dr. Padgett seems to be the only member of the board who has questioned budget items, called for fiscal responsibility and reduced water rates.

For example, at the 2000-2001 budget presentation he argued that the $5 million "reserve" and the $4 million budgeted for the design and construction of an East-West pipeline which for all practical purposes will not be spent this year (the negotiations with Calleguas Water District are just now starting), would support a 10 percent reduction in rates to consumers. Of course he was voted down by the other four members of the board, as has happened many times in the past.

It’s time for a change!

Two of the current board members, Ken Rufener and Gordon Knopp, are up for reelection on Nov. 7. These huge budget increases "happened on their watch." The two challengers, Charles Caspary and Glen Longarini, would bring many years of successful and solid business experience to the board. As businessmen, they recognize the need to be responsive to their customers.

I urge all voters in Calabasas Park and Hidden Hills to vote for Charles Caspary and all voters in Westlake Village to vote for Glen Longarini on Nov. 7.

George Seebart

Calabasas