Comments on: No-shows at GDPUD could cost district $$

By: Bonnie (former Divide Resident)

Bonnie (former Divide Resident) — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 16:54:20 +0000

Sorry folks, just took my dose of Special GDPUD Koolaid that relinquishes all thought processes. Bill Wright is a real expert on water law. Bill Wright is a real expert on water law. Bill Wright is a real expert on water law.

By: Clyde

Clyde — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 16:49:43 +0000

Sorry, Bonnie, you’re off script. Repeat after me: BILL WRIGHT IS A REAL EXPERT ON WATER LAW.

By: Bonnie (former Divide Resident)

Bonnie (former Divide Resident) — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 16:26:40 +0000

I read with interest the comments re: Bill Wright and his “expertise with water law”. Bull pucky. Has no one forgotten he was let go by the Garden Valley Fire Department and Black Oak Unified School District, both Govt Districts on the Divide? Board members from that era don’t recall Mr. Wright with any respect for his knowledge but rather his ability to milk their respective districts. Bill Wright found a home at GDPUD for the last 20+ years. A little “quid pro quo” perhaps? IF he were a true “water law expert” then why doesn’t he handle water rightslicensing for GDPUD? He was just their general counsel. Areas requiring expertise were contracted to other firms for water rights, litigation, etc. Bill Wright and John Fraser may be think highly of Wright’s expertise but I tend to hear more talk on the Divide about his lack of knowledge which led to his contract not being renewed at other Districts. This is information that unless you are close to some of the Board members who experienced working with Bill Wright, you may not know. And wasn’t Bill Wright’s name on lunch receipts with the entire GDPUD Board too? Ask any other legal counsel for a govt agency if that is compliance of the Brown Act? Isn’t his job to guide the district to comply, not assist by participating?

By: Evelyn

Evelyn — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 12:48:32 +0000

Speaking of dereliction of duties: Elsewhere (“EID GM, counsel voted raises”) Editor Michael Rafferty reports EID Director John Fraser’s remark that GDPUD’s District Counsel Bill Wright is “a real expert on water law.” Unfortunately water legal eagle Wright either has learned nothing about the Brown Act during his 20 year GDPUD stint or has not seen fit to impart relevant information to GM White. Oh, and about that slander . . .

By: Jerry Silva

Jerry Silva — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 10:08:07 +0000

Excuse me but doesn’t the Brown Act require 24 hour prior notice for a Special Meeting. How could the Board President continue the meeting to a new time (5:30) that was never posted to the public. Perhaps someone with real legal expertise could help this Board out? Obviously District Counsel Bill Wright isn’t earning his keep. Read in another article he turned in his resignation. Good riddens to him!

By: Kathy Otermat

Kathy Otermat — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 10:01:15 +0000

to “Flacid Norm” – it is not true and is slander. After the open session of our GDPUD regular board meeting on Dec. 11, I asked Norm based on what facts did he state “the three women boycotted the meeting?”. He stated it was his opinion since the tree of us didn’t show up. He is not the Board President. I don’t cc: a quorum of the Board so I did reply by email to our Board President Ray Griffiths and the GM Hank White regarding my inability to attend a 12:30pm meeting due to my work schedule. They are both aware I work during the day. Mr. Krizl’s statements was entirely inaccurate. I did not know whether Maria Capraun nor Bonnie McLane would be attending the meeting. I only responded regarding my scheduling conflict. As opposed to the prior Board, we do not meet nor discuss as a quorum. We have and will continue to abide by the Brown Act with no backroom meetings, or lunches as a quorum. No one at the district called me regarding the meeting times or to ask about my ability to attend. As past treasurer, I received calls to come in and sign checks but with something like the CalPers amendment with a hard deadline, no one at the District thinks the Board Members should be called? I’ve known that Director McLane’s email has been down for a couple of months, it turns out that she too never received a call. Shortly after I learned the meeting was changed to Friday at 12:30 I received a call from a cousin who lives in Georgia, asking if I could pick him up at Sscramento Airport Friday at 5:30pm. I said yes. When the GM sent an email on Friday at 1:30pm (again no phone call) that the meeting was changed to 5:30pm, my cousin was already in the air and I had no one to pick him up for me. Another cousin’s funeral was last Monday so I was busy helping with arrangements including helping out of town relatives. To read that Norm called me derelict in my duties for boycotting the meeting, just made me shake my head. Norm had the nerve to chastise Director Capraun to speak with respect to the GM when his statements to the Mountain Democrat are yet another example of his poor judgement and his lack of respect for other Directors. As Ms. Capraun stated to him, perhaps it’s time for him to look in the mirror when it comes to not treating others with respect. I encourage all to listen to the Board audio for themselves rather than the sensational biased reporting Dawn Hudson and editor Mike Raffety choose to continue to report regarding GDPUD.

By: Phil Veerkamp

Phil Veerkamp — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 19:01:29 +0000

Mr. Riordan,CalPERS is not a union. It's more like "Fidelity" or an IRA or a 401K than any union. Public employers AND employees contribute (defer pay) and CalPERS invests in stocks and bonds (wall street). CalPERS has never "struck", or initiated "work actions". Nonetheless CalPERS is in financial difficulty because the Ponzi scheme of wall street relying on uninterrupted compounding growth is . . . uh . . . never-never land of OZ bologna. . . LINK - FACTS AT A GLANCE

By: Jim Riordan

Jim Riordan — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 18:22:15 +0000

Fire em all. I’m sick and tired of hearing about CalPers and all the other worthless unions with their hands out . . .If they want more, let ‘em go EARN it somewhere else. Other NON-UNION folks will gladly step in to make what they earn.

By: Pat Snelling

Pat Snelling — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 12:40:55 +0000

I am bewildered by GDPUD’s leadership. Board President said the other Board members could meet at a later time — and the Board President calls a meeting anyway??? Who does that? Why couldn’t they meet later when they would have a quorum? — Here is one more question: HOW MUCH DID IT COST TO HAVE THE ATTORNEY STAND AROUND? You can’t blame the people who were asked to jump on such short notice. I blame the people who called for the 12:30 pm meeting knowing that they wouldn’t have enough members to do business — so the Attorney’s fees start clicking.

By: Evelyn

Evelyn — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 05:29:52 +0000

SUGGESTION: Perhaps the paper should write a clearly identified opinion piece setting out their view of the state of affairs at GDPUD, stating who they hold responsible for the current state of affairs and why. Having got that off their chest, they subsequently could endeavor to report what actually happens.

By: Evelyn

Evelyn — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 05:03:40 +0000

Is there some sort of sub rosa agenda at work in the Mt Dem’s misrepresentation of GDPUD staff and directors? The most generous interpretation involves ignorance. But that interpretation is becoming increasingly indigestible. Please pass the Milk of Magnesia.

By: Jack Podsedly

Jack Podsedly — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 04:16:40 +0000

The public has been trying to get the 2.0 at 55 for a year and all of a sudden the manager and 2 monkeys are trying to get a special meeting to rush it through. I can not wait until sanity is in the majority on the board.

By: Flaccid Norm

Flaccid Norm — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 03:27:27 +0000

Is this statement from Norm Krizl TRUE or SLANDER: “……. it was a dereliction of duty to boycott the meeting and to not return phone calls or e-mails regarding whether or not they planned to attend”

By: Written by Hank or Wright? You guess

Written by Hank or Wright? You guess — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 03:18:43 +0000

These articles constantly bewilder me. It’s almost like they are being drafted by someone at the district. For instance this: “The board was notified on Tuesday, Dec. 4, of the need for the meeting in order to vote on amending the district’s CalPERS contract.”. How does Ms. Hudson know this and why in the heck is she reporting on it? Anyone with half a brain (yes Dawn, I’m giving you credit for a half!) knows the meeting didn’t happen, but this detail would have had to come from whomever sent the notification to the board. That’s either getting into someone’s personal information or doing completely irresponsible journalism and stating something as fact without having verified. It’s really odd that this is allowed to go down on the “Oldest Newspaper” in California. You’d think they have a little more pride than that. Dawn is now a laughingstock and frankly will never be able to work anywhere else as a reporter. Perhaps the National Inquirer is seeking a hefty sad woman.

By: Maria Capraun

Maria Capraun — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 00:21:10 +0000

Dawn wrote this, was at the meeting at 12:30 pm. She failed to show up for 5:30 pm.

By: Evelyn

Evelyn — Sun, 09 Dec 2012 23:51:29 +0000

Did Hank White write this report, or did someone from the Mt. Dem. actually attend the meeting?

By: Phil Veerkamp

Phil Veerkamp — Sun, 09 Dec 2012 23:45:19 +0000

Good grief, Dawn!!!

By: Maria Capraun

Maria Capraun — Sun, 09 Dec 2012 23:14:43 +0000

The original time of the meeting was 5:30 pm on Friday the 7th but because NORM KRIZL HAD DINNER RESERVATIONS and he wanted the meeting changed to 12:30 pm. The Board was notified by email of the change, no phone calls were placed until after 12:30 pm meeting with no other member in attendance.
They could not hold the meeting on Saturday because the General Manager had other plans. So, these two were why the meeting changed.
I was not requested to attend this meeting! I was scheduled to be sworn in on the 11th and I was planning on attending the meeting at 5:30pm before the time change. The agenda was not posted on the District website and as of today Sunday, December 9 no agenda is posted for this meeting on the website.
I was sent an email on this issue on December 5th not the 4th, on the 4th I receive the agenda for the December 11th meeting stating I was to be sworn in agenda item 2.
I received this from the GM on the 5th:
Hello,
The board concluded labor negotiations on November 13, 2012. Pursuant to CALPERS procedures, staff sent a letter requesting a contract amendment on November 16. CALPERS contacted the district on November 29 and informed the district that the pension reform act effective January 1, 2013 would impact the district’s contract amendment. Mary Pat and Bill have researched the impact and Bill has reduced the information into the attached memo for your review.

Ray Griffiths has called a special meeting for the board on Friday, December 7, 2012 at 5:30 p.m. This meeting will occur if CALPERS is successful in providing the actuarial and other amendment documents prior to the meeting. If CALPERS does not provide the documentation by Friday, it is questionable if PERS will allow an amendment to the existing contract.

Also, if the legal counsel had done his job along with the General Manager the Board would have known that this was going to need to be done. The bill was passed on September 12 of this year and the General Manager was notified on September 6 of the event. Neither thought to look into it further to keep the Board informed.
I was unaware of the fact that I need to be sworn in until Thursday the 6th with an email which was sent on the 6th at noon and I informed them all as soon as I read it that I could not attend the change of time of 12:30. There was not a boycott!!! Director Krizl is out of line and is the cause of the time change causing this mess.
This is the most dysfunctional and none professional behavior from the GM. The GM is the Board Clerk and it is his job to ensure that the Board is informed on the meetings. Yet, he refused to call to insure that each Board member was aware of the meeting time change since he had already set a time of 5:30pm. I never received a call from the District, I received a call from a member of the public after 12:30 pm meeting time to see if I could make the 5:30 pm meeting time. I had already informed the Board President, I would come if he need me and for him to let me know.
This will all change!!! This Board reports to the Public and the GM reports to the complete Board. Policies will address this shortly! All must be accountable for this behavior.

By: Evelyn

Evelyn — Sun, 09 Dec 2012 23:01:14 +0000

What is the source of the Mt Dem's info that "The board was notified on Tuesday, Dec. 4, of the need for the meeting"? Hank White's notifying email is dated Wed, 5 Dec 2012 12:26:18. In the 2nd para he wrote: "Ray Griffiths has called a special meeting for the board on Friday, December 7, 2012 at 5:30 p.m." It seems Board members were not consulted about the date of the meeting; further, subsequent to initial notification, the time was changed. What are Board members with full time jobs meant to do at such short notice? Had they been properly consulted, hard feelings and waste might have been avoided. It is patently unfair/irresponsible for the paper to assign blame in the manner reported. It serves to exacerbate and prolong tensions. Time to call a truce and get down to work. Everyone.

By: Dink Lane

Dink Lane — Sun, 09 Dec 2012 22:03:55 +0000

Let’s see — A Board member is paid $400 a month. That tells me that the board member is NOT making a living from being a Board Member …. The three board members have JOBS! and calling an emergency meeting in 24-hours (For a PERS request made back in March or April)…. to OK something that couldn’t wait until Tuesday (3 days)…. Is ANOTHER example of POOR Management at GDPUD….. How about waiting until 5:30 pm after they got off work…. OH, I forgot…. NORM didn’t want to do that…. The lone-Non-employed board member wanted to go home to his wine-tasting room…. Guess it wasn’t all that important if NORM couldn’t adjust…