Department of Water Resources
A daily compilation of significant news articles and comment
April 30, 2008
4. Water Quality -
Questions Surround NID's Cement Hill Treated Water Project
Yubanet.com – 4/29/08
At last week's meeting, Nevada Irrigation District (NID) board members heard objections from several property owners who claimed they were included in the CFD without their consent. Since only registered voters within the CFD boundaries were allowed to decide the fate of the facilities district, absentee owners like Jean and John Butterfield and Frank Marshall could not participate in the official vote.
Cement Hill resident Paul Mellersh found himself similarly disenfranchised. As a British citizen, Mellersh could not participate in the decision-making vote, held in December 2007.
NID Assistant Manager Tim Crough advised those present that the water district spent a majority of 2007 working on the formation of the CFD. According to Crough, the district made every attempt to determine owner interest in obtaining treated water from NID.
The water district sent out a questionnaire in 2006 to all applicable property owners. NID sought to gauge overall interest in the CFD, installation of fire hydrants, and owner willingness to incur a yearly assessment.
Parcels within the CFD boundary would be assessed a special tax of $1385 per year, beginning in 2009.
According to Mellersh, while he responded to the questionnaire, it was his understanding that his answers did not constitute a binding agreement for inclusion in the CFD. Now he faces a $19,000 tax lien for an assessment that he did not approve.
Mellersh currently obtains water from a well on his property. He is also closer to NID's Indian Flat treated water pipeline and was advised at the board meeting that hookup would be less expensive through Indian Flat than the Cement Hill pipeline.
For the Butterfields, the situation has become more complex -- and potentially far more expensive. Originally classified as a single parcel under the proposed CFD, Butterfield has since split his property into four parcels. He now faces four yearly special tax assessments.
"The problem is, when the process began our property was only one parcel. Now it's four parcels," Butterfield told NID's board.
Other than the questionnaire, they received no additional notices until they were informed that their taxes would increase as a result of the special assessment. Butterfield and his wife are not registered to vote in
Property owner Frank Marshall also faces an unwanted assessment.
"When I finally got my questionnaire, I sent it to the garbage can," he informed the board. "I'm not a registered voter, so now I'm stuck. My question is, why include my parcel since I didn't respond?"
Crough responded by admitting he was not sure why
"Since you didn't respond, we didn't know what you wanted, so we had to use our crystal ball," Crough added.
While Crough stated earlier in the meeting that there is no mechanism to detach parcels from the CFD, board president George Leipzig eventually deferred to NID counsel Jeff Meith.
"Can we redraw along the district line?" queried
Meith responded that he is not a CFD expert but advised once a lien is attached to a parcel, it can't be removed unless the debt is paid in full.
According to Meith, NID could record a satisfaction of lien if the water district advanced payment on the assessment.
"People who are on standby already shouldn't be part of the CFD," Meith said. "But my question is, if those people ever come back, then they will have to buy in at a future amount to effectively reimburse NID."
While
Without any formal mechanism for release of tax liens on properties for people like Mellersh, Butterfield, or Marshall, special taxes for the CFD would be levied with the county tax collector not later than August . Is Water Conservation on the Horizon?
Following one of the driest months of March in
General Manager Ron Nelson reported that while water supplies in March were near average, the lack of precipitation in April, in addition to an early rise in seasonal water use, contributed to a supply drop of 20% in roughly three weeks.
Zebra/Quagga Mussels: Should
They invade local waters, clogging power plant and public water intakes and pipes. They have disrupted the traditional aquatic food chains of many inland lakes by depleting food sources for other endemic species, especially fish. Treatment to remove quagga mussels is very expensive and can lead to increased utility bills.
While major colonies of these non-native, invasive bivalves are concentrated in the eastern
Director Leipzig voiced concerns about potential impacts to NID's upper Sierra reservoir system and hydropower operations. He also pointed out if the invasive mussels moved downstream into
NID plans to revisit the discussion on zebra/quagga mussels during a formal workshop in May.
"Best of
In a recent annual 'Best of Nevada County' newspaper poll, NID's Scotts Flat Reservoir received three awards as the best location for camping, boating, and fishing.
Director Paul Williams asked those present to join him in congratulating NID staff for their work in helping the water district achieve these accolades.
NID board meetings are scheduled at 9 a.m. on the second and fourth Wednesdays of every month. The public is encouraged to attend.#
http://yubanet.com/regional/Questions-Surround-NID-s-Cement-Hill-Treated-Water-Project.php
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