Resolution No. 6864
..
, *
1
RESOLUTION NO. 6864
2
3
4
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
VERNON AMENDING RESOLUTION NO. 6827 AUTHORIZING
THE CITY ADMINISTRATOR TO CAUSE TO BE PREPARED
AND MAILED OR OTHERWISE DISTRIBUTED LETTERS TO
RESIDENTS AND ELECTORS IN THE CENTRAL BASIN
MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT PROVIDING INFORMATION
AND SUGGESTING ACTION REGARDING THE DISTRICT'S
PROPOSED STANDBY CHARGE TO BE IMPOSED BY THE
DISTRICT IN FEBRUARY 1997
5
6
7
8
9
WHEREAS, the Central Basin Municipal Water District
10
("District") encompasses the area within the boundaries of the
11
City of Vernon and also areas in surrounding cities and areas
12
outside the city limits; and
13
WHEREAS, the City of Vernon and other cities located in
14
the District's service area are required by law to be customers of
15
the District and purchase various water products from the District
16
including, but not limited to, surplus storage, in-lieu
17
replenishment, potable water, treated domestic potable water,
18
untreated uninterruptible water, reclaimed water, and various
19
other water products; and
20
WHEREAS, the District is levying annual standby charges
21
or assessments on real properties within the District's boundaries
22
in order to assist in paying for the District's expansive
23
construction and other programs; and
WHEREAS, the cost of the District's water reclamation
24
25
project has multiplied far beyond the District's original estimate
26
and representations, and the District has not yet demonstrated
27
that it has or will have sufficient users of reclaimed water and
28
. .
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
revenues to provide the necessary funds for existing indebtedness
of the District, or to avoid prolonging the standby assessments on
real properties; and
WHEREAS, the District annually schedules a public hearing
during February of each year, to consider imposition of such a
standby assessment for yet another year with no apparent viable
program for repayment of the growing indebtedness of the District
and without sound fiscal planning, thus posing the threat of
further and additional standby assessments on real properties in
the District; and
WHEREAS, the District, after a public hearing in February
of 1996, imposed a standby assessment for the tax year July 1,
1996 through June 30, 1997, to support the growing indebtedness of
the District for its reclaimed water program; and
WHEREAS, the City of Vernon and the owners of real
properties in and outside of the City but subject to the District
standby assessments have a common interest in assuring that the
District's reclaimed water program is financially viable, and that
the District's expansion program will not be a tax burden on them
for years to come; and
WHEREAS, the District's reclaimed water program and the
projected expansion of its construction program beyond its income
directly impact real properties in the City of Vernon and the
industrial establishments in the City that are served by the City,
the economic health of which are in the vital interests of the
City; and
WHEREAS, the public health, safety and welfare of the
City of Vernon, its residents and property owners, and the
-2-
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
commercial and industrial enterprises in the city require that the
residents, electors and property owners both inside and outside of
the city limits of the City but within the District receive
information about the District's proposed expansion, construction,
indebtedness, financial status and assessments and the proposed
hearing before the Board of Directors of the District to consider
imposition of standby charges, in order that the residents and
property owners may participate in insisting at the proposed
hearing that the District provide verified, authentic information
regarding the District's proposal to levy standby assessments and
the justification therefor.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF VERNON AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1: The city Council of the City of Vernon does
hereby find and determine that the recitals contained hereinabove
are true and correct.
SECTION 2: The City Council of the City of Vernon hereby
authorizes the City Administrator of the City of Vernon to cause
to be prepared, mailed, or otherwise distributed to residents,
property owners, electors, and others within the District: (1) a
letter or letters providing information about the proposed annual
hearing before the District's Board of Directors to order a
standby assessment on real properties in the District; (2) a
letter or letters suggesting contacting the District by telephone
and mail to express the recipient's views on whether the people
should have the right to vote on the reclaimed water program
before another standby assessment is imposed; and (3) in the City
Administrator's discretion, information about the District's
-3-
.J _.'
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
indebtedness, existing and projected, its construction program,
escalating costs, reclaimed water program, Central Basin's claims
that the program "helps drought-proof" the area and benefits
everybody, the opposing view that the costs exceed the benefits,
information regarding water rates, their impact on different
customers, the view that the users of the reclaimed water should
pay for it and that the voters should be asked whether they
support the program and are willing to pay for it and such other
information relevant to the District's reclaimed water program as
the City Administrator deems appropriate pursuant to this
resolution. In the event the City Administrator determines that a
fOllow-up letter on the subject hereof is needed to carry out the
purposes of this resolution, such a follow-up letter is also
authorized.
Said letter or letters may suggest that: (1) the
addressees attend the hearing before the Board of the District;
(2) contact the District by telephone and mail to express the
recipient's views on whether the people should have the right to
vote on the reclaimed water program before another standby
assessment is imposed; or (3) take other appropriate action to
make their views known to the members of the Board.
SECTION 3: The City Council of the City of Vernon hereby
authorizes not to exceed 360,000 copies of each such letter to be
so prepared and mailed or distributed at City expense, and hereby
makes the necessary appropriation therefor from funds derived from
sources within the City of Vernon.
III
III
-4-
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
1
SECTION 4: The City Clerk of the City of Vernon shall
certify to the passage of this resolution and thereupon and
2
3
thereafter the same shall be in full force and effect.
4
APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 15th day of October, 1996.
c..' _~'. " /~1L.2/' ;/ / .'
~"C.,:C::~ii'";;?-iC:...L/L..,.. ' ----,/. ..;:::!l:. L.- ",-.... '"-,
LEONIS C. MALBO G, Mayor
5
6
7
AT~
BRUCE V. MALKENHORST, City Clerk
8
9
-5-
. .
..., t .
1
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
2 ) ss
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES )
3
4
I, BRUCE V. MALKENHORST, City Clerk of the city of
5
Vernon, do hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution, being
6
Resolution No. 6864, was duly adopted by the City Council of the
City of Vernon at a regular meeting of the City Council duly held
on Tuesday, October 15. 1996, and thereafter was duly signed by
7
8
9
the Mayor of the City of Vernon.
~/~
BRUCE V. MALKENHORST, City Clerk
10
11
12 ( SEAL)
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
-6-