This web page is http://obri.net/rl/ratestoryaddendum.html
Addendum:
The message below from Doug Cater expresses his differing opinions
about what I originally wrote in my web page. It is included here to accurately
report his position and is in response to his request to me asking me to
reword my web page. I feel this is appropriate as he is one of the Board
members I mentioned. Doug's message is in response to a message that
was posted to the Rio Linda Net by Erwin Hayer; Mr. Hayer's message is first
below, followed by Mr. Cater's response.
As Doug Cater says in his message, "There are several sides to every story, this was mine."
Jay O'Brien 4/14/2003
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: [RL] RLECWD Important Internet pages
Date: Sat, 12 Apr 2003 02:36:34 -0700
From: "Erwin Hayer"
To: riolinda@vrx.net
Hi to All
Some very important Internet pages that ALL the RLECWD ratepayers
that have access to the Internet need to read or should read.
== ==========
August 24, 2000 Press Release by Mike Phelan to the Rio
Linda/Elverta NEWS.
http://jay.mbz.org/rl/pressrelease.html
== ==========
Retirement of General Manager. 26 Feb 2001 Agenda Item: F-9
http://www.geocities.com/riolindawater/Board/01agenda/1022609.html
== ==========
Report of the Ad Hoc Committee to Count Protests of the Proposed
100% Rate Increase. 26 Feb 2001, Agenda Item: H-17
http://www.geocities.com/riolindawater/Board/01agenda/1022617.html
== ==========
Review of the Need for a Rate Increase. 26 Feb 2001, Agenda Item: H-22
http://www.geocities.com/riolindawater/Board/01agenda/1022622.html
== ==========
Hearing on and Consideration of a Proposed Resolution Establishing
Water Rates, 26 Mar 2001, Agenda Item E-4. "Over the past two weeks I
have grown somewhat irritable with some Board members".
http://www.geocities.com/riolindawater/Board/01agenda/1032604.html
== ==========
Water Rate Citizens Advisory Committee, Proposed Mission, Tasks,
and Schedule. 30 July 2001, Agenda Item 1.
http://www.geocities.com/riolindawater/Board/01agenda/01073001.htm
== ==========
The RATE COMMITTEE Recommendation Presentation. 16 SLIDES plus
Billing Information. 10 Sep 2001
http://www.geocities.com/riolindawater/Ratecomm/slide1.html
== ==========
Current Water Rates
http://www.rlecwd.com/Water%20Rates/Water%20Rates2002.htm
== ==========
Selected Articles from Past Issues of the District Newsletters,
"Water Ways". Notice that nothing published since Spring 2000.
http://www.geocities.com/riolindawater/news/waterway.htm
== ==========
The RATE Story by Jay O'Brien:
http://obri.net/rl/ratestory.html
Includes the following statement:
"Almost immediately (following above press release), three members
of the Board (RLECWD Directors) demanded a special meeting of the
Board. At that meeting, held on August 30, just days after the
press release, they firmly directed our General Manager (Mike
Phelan) and me (Jay O'Brien) that what we had done was incorrect
and was, in fact, hurting their re-election efforts. I was told
on the record at that Board meeting that my message was "sabotage"
to the re-election of Director Robert Blanchard. Mike (Phelan)
and I were directed that all "press releases" must first be run to
the entire Board for approval. That put a clamp on the public
outreach effort until after the election."
== ==========
Here's more about the mailing list (What, Why, Where, When):
See: http://obri.net/rl/mlnotes.html#whatwhywhere
Includes the following statement:
"As an elected Director of the Rio Linda/Elverta Community Water
District (RLECWD), I (Jay O'Brien) want to be easily accessible to
my constituents. I felt that such a mailing list would make that
happen, and I also felt that it would be a great conduit for the
RLECWD to get information to the public regarding the need to
raise rates. I felt it would give the RLECWD the opportunity to
get support from the community for the rate increases that were
necessary."
== ==========
== ==========
My Comments and opinions (Erwin Hayer, list member since 8 August 2000):
I recognize that between Jay O'Brien, Mike Phelan and Don Flesh,
it would be hard to place one above the other in their efforts to
get information out to the residents of Rio Linda and Elverta
about the RLECWD.
But, after the August 24, 2000 Press Release by Mike Phelan, three
members of the Board (RLECWD Directors) demanded a special meeting
and they firmly directed Mike Phelan and Jay O'Brien that the
Directors must approve all press releases on 30 August 2000.
After that meeting the discussion on any press releases must have
been during the closed portion of the Directors meeting and none
were approved. I am not sure what the three Directors were trying
to hide, we may still not know.
The Water Ways was not published by Mike Phelan after Spring 2000
Issue. On 30 August 2000, Mike Phelan was directed by 3 Directors
that all press releases had to be approved by the Directors.
On 26 Mar 2001, Agenda Item E-4. Mike Phelan wrote "Over the past two
weeks I have grown somewhat irritable with some Board members". My
opinion is Mike put in for retirement in December 2000 because he could
not do the job he was hired for because of the lack of support by the
Directors to approve required actions that he was recommending.
The only information that the community /ratepayers could get
after 30 August 2000 was by attending the Board of Directors
Meetings. Some special meetings were called and if you did not
check the front door of the RLECWD within 72 hours of the meeting,
you would miss the meeting. I have to admit that I did miss some
of these meetings that were very important.
Many questions have been asked at the Directors meetings that were
never answered. I have spent many hours looking for answers and
submitted many requests to the RLCWD for data.
I do believe Mike Phelan was placing many of the reports and
meeting agenda items on the Internet. This gave the community and
ratepayers access to information about the RLECWD and I believe
three Directors were unhappy because of this. I have found some
and have posted them above.
I would like to see this procedure of placing the reports and
important agenda items on the Internet. Also, I would like to see
the RLECWD Home page have a link to the archive pages for the
RLECWD.
Thanks to all that made it to this point.
Sincerely
Erwin Hayer
>From the Rio Linda Net
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: [RL] RLECWD Important Internet pages
Date: Sat, 12 Apr 2003 14:41:20 -0700
From: "Doug Cater"
To: "Rio Linda Mailing List" <riolinda@vrx.net>
Erwin-
I have responded to some of the statements you posted on the list. My
response is in capital letters to aide in the reading.
"three members of the Board (RLECWD Directors) demanded a special meeting
of the Board."
(TRUE.)
"At that meeting, held on August 30, just days after the
press release, they firmly directed our General Manager (Mike Phelan) and me
(Jay O'Brien) that what we had done was incorrect and was, in fact, hurting
their re-election efforts."
(THIS IS INCORRECT, I WAS NOT UP FOR, NOR NEAR RE-ELECTION. THIS PARTICULAR
PRESS RELEASE THAT JAY O'BRIEN RELEASED QUOTED WHAT THE WATER DISTRICT WAS
PREPARING TO DO, WHEN IN FACT THE WATER DISTRICT HAD NOT YET DECIDED TO GO
THAT
DIRECTION. THE PURPOSE OF THAT SPECIAL MEETING WAS TO SPEAK WITH JAY ABOUT
THE INFORMATION HE WAS PUTTING OUT ON THE NET. I MYSELF FELT THAT HE WAS
SPEAKING
FOR THE BOARD BEFORE WE HAD MADE OUR DECISION.)
"As an elected Director of the Rio Linda/Elverta Community Water District
(RLECWD), I (Jay O'Brien) want to be easily accessible to my constituents.
I felt that such a mailing list would make that happen, and I also felt that
it would be a great conduit for the RLECWD to get information to the public
regarding the need to raise rates. I felt it would give the RLECWD the
opportunity to get support from the community for the rate increases that
were necessary."
( WE HAD DISCOVERED DURING THIS SPECIAL MEETING THAT THE RIO LINDA /ELVERTA
COMMUNITY WATER DISTRICT HAD CUT A CHECK AND WAS PAYING FOR THE RIO LINDA
NET. WE WERE UNHAPPY THAT THE WATER DISTRICT WAS PAYING FOR A COMMUNITY
E-MAIL CHAT LIST. WE WERE ALSO UPSET THAT THE BOARD PRESIDENT JAY O'BRIEN
AND GENERAL MANAGER MIKE PHELAN HAD CHOSE TO SPEND THE DISTRICT'S MONEY
WITHOUT BOARD APPROVAL ON SOMETHING THAT DID NOT ENTIRELY PERTAIN TO WATER.
WE
DEMANDED THAT MIKE PHELAN RETRIEVE OUR FUNDS SPENT ON THIS E-MAIL CHAT
LIST.)
>
My Comments and opinions (Erwin Hayer, list member since 8 August 2000):
"But, after the August 24, 2000 Press Release by Mike Phelan, three members
of the Board (RLECWD Directors) demanded a special meeting and they firmly
directed Mike Phelan and Jay O'Brien that the Directors must approve all
press releases on 30 August 2000.
(THIS IS CORRECT - WE AS A BOARD FELT THAT AFTER THE PREVIOUS PRESS RELEASE,
AND THE DISTRICT'S FINANCIAL PARTICIPATION IN AN E-MAIL CHAT LIST WITH OUT
BOARD
APPROVAL, THAT WE NEEDED TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT WAS GOING TO BE RELEASED AND
TO
WHOM.)
"After that meeting the discussion on any press releases must have been
during the closed portion of the Directors meeting and none were approved."
(WRONG)
" I am not sure what the three Directors were trying to hide, we may still
not know."
(NOTHING - WE NEEDED TO BE INVOLVED IN THE DECISION MAKING, I FELT BLIND
SIDED BY THE PRESS RELEASE AND THE DISTRICT'S FINANCIAL INVOLVEMENT IN A
E-MAIL CHAT LIST)
"The Water Ways was not published by Mike Phelan after Spring 2000
Issue. On 30 August 2000, Mike Phelan was directed by 3 Directors
that all press releases had to be approved by the Directors."
(THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT MIKE CHOSE NOT TO PUBLISH, HE WAS NEVER DIRECTED TO
STOP PUBLISHING THE WATER WAYS. I LIKED THE WATER WAYS. THE WATER WAYS WAS
NOT A PRESS RELEASE BUT AN INFORMATIVE PUBLICATION THAT GAVE THE CUSTOMERS A
VIEW OF THE DISTRICT AND ITS ACTIVITIES.)
"On 26 Mar 2001, Agenda Item E-4. Mike Phelan wrote "Over the past two
weeks I have grown somewhat irritable with some Board members". My
opinion is Mike put in for retirement in December 2000 because he could
not do the job he was hired for because of the lack of support by the
Directors to approve required actions that he was recommending".
(THERE WERE SEVERAL REASONS FOR MIKES RETIREMENT - HEALTH, AGE, ETC. I KNOW
MIKE WAS ALSO FRUSTRATED BECAUSE HE WAS THE MANAGER OF A DISTRICT WHERE-
1-THE EMPLOYEES WERE NOT BEING PAID ANY WHERE CLOSE TO WHAT OTHER
DISTRICTS IN THE AREA WERE PAYING THEIR EMPLOYEES. 2-THE DISTRICT RATE
STRUCTURE WAS IN POOR CONDITION AND WE WERE NOT MEETING OPERATING EXPENSES.
AND THREE (3) OF THE FIVE (5) DIRECTORS WERE FIGHTING A RECALL. I AM SURE
THAT THE CURRENT GENERAL MANAGER IS IRRITABLE WITH A FEW BOARD MEMBERS RIGHT
NOW!!! THAT GOES WITH THE JOB ESPECIALLY WHEN A DISTRICT IS TRYING TO
OVERCOME DIFFICULT
TIMES, AND DIFFICULT DECISIONS)
Erwin-
There are several sides to every story, this was mine. Jay is aware of my
position on this, during the time this went on and after. I have asked him
to reword his web page to reflect what actually happened. We obviously
disagree. I do not make choices and decisions based on whether or not I am
going to be re-elected. My decisions are all based on what I feel is right.
>From the Rio Linda Net