Public agency under water





The Triunfo Sanitation District, which provides water and sewer services to 35,000 customers in unincorporated Ventura County, including Lake Sherwood, Oak Park and North Ranch, is at the center of the storm once again.

From 2000 to 2003 the district and its joint venture partner, the Las Virgenes Municipal Water District, engaged in a public agency turf war that cost taxpayers an estimated $500,000. Both sides were equally to blame during the dispute, and both raised rates on customers in the aftermath.

Triunfo’s boardroom actions continue to remain suspect. Following the battle in court with Las Virgenes, Triunfo’s financial investment strategy began to come under fire. The agency was found to have lost substantial money in the bond market while paying unnecessary trading fees to boot.

In 2004, questions arose about the Triunfo board elections, or lack of. Because of an arcane state law, only two of the five board members are publicly elected, a rarity in California. One incumbent faced his first election challenge in 25 years, and this year again only one member is being challenged at the polls. Interestingly, two of Triunfo’s appointed members serve also on the Ventura Regional Sanitation District, a quasi-private enterprise agency that manages Triunfo’s accounts. The relationship between Ventura and Triunfo, while legal, has raised many eyebrows. For example, one lawyer represents both agencies and isn’t allowed to talk about one group with the other.

On a separate issue, it was disclosed that one of Triunfo’s bank accounts established in 2004 and now containing more than $2 million hadn’t been set up to earn interest. The oversight wasn’t announced until July of this year and sparked a new round of debate about the financial stewardship of the district. If you had $2 million in the bank, wouldn’t you want it to earn interest?

Triunfo has an election in November and perhaps a change in leadership is in order. Transparency could also be improved through the formation of an independent watchdog or advisory group. Too many taxpayer dollars are at stake to let this public agency fly under the radar.


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