CSD Considering Rate Increases at Meeting On Monday

Big Bear City, CA, April 13, 2012, 3:00pm - The Board of Directors of the Big Bear City Community Services District will have a regular meeting on Monday. The board will discuss an ordinance to increase water service rates, district sewer service charges, and solid waste collection and disposal charges. In addition, the board is considering increasing water connection fees, sewer connection fees, and commercial disposal service user fees. In a separate ordinance, sewer, solid waste, and water charges would be collected on the Tax Roll. The meeting will take place at the district offices at 139 East Big Bear Boulevard in Big Bear City and begins at 5:30pm.

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CSD and Big Bear Lake Fire Agencies Agree to Joint Powers

Big Bear Lake, CA April 12, 2012 3:00 pm – The fire agencies of Big Bear Lake and Big Bear City have taken the first step in what has been described as an eventual merger of the two agencies.  Most of the general public is unaware that there are as many as 5 different fire agencies in Big Bear Valley.  The Big Bear Lake Fire District and the Big Bear City CSD Fire Agency are the most visible having the largest local group of paramedics-firefighters, equipment and fire stations in Big Bear. On Wednesday morning during a joint meeting of the CSD and the Fire District at Hofert Hall it was agreed to by unanimous vote from both boards that a Joint Powers Agreement would be drafted in order to form a new Joint Powers Authority.  As a JPA each agency will keep their autonomy but will begin to combine some future equipment acquisitions such as laptop computers, heart monitors as well as communications equipment.  The mission of this new JPA would be to maintain present service levels, save additional tax funds, share rescue equipment and perhaps directly employ additional personnel.   In order to better assess the viability of this JPA and possible merger Paul McDonald from C.M. Crinis and Company evaluated the fiscal condition of both fire agencies and reported that both agencies were healthy and that in his opinion there were no financial roadblocks keeping the JPA from moving forward.  In addition Mr. Mcdonald did caution that current unfunded retirement programs and the threat of future obligations need to be addressed sooner than later.   Both fire agencies are represented by the law firm Best Best and Krieger and so the boards were presented with the legal benefits as well as potential pitfalls. The attorneys concluded that a new Joint Power Authority was the best vehicle for moving forward.  If the next step is a complete merger of the agencies then it would need to be approved by the Local Area Formation Commission better known as LAFCO.  A staff member from LAFCO was on the agenda to speak about the merger process but was unable to attend due to snowy road conditions.  Fire Chief of both agencies, Jeff Willis, went on to explain that the LAFCO review process would take at least 9 months to complete and that with the JPA and additional time the labor unit differences could be reconciled.  As the final vote was tallied a spontaneous round of applause broke out and was then echoed with positive comments from the east and west side of the board room.  Fire Chief Willis said that he appreciated the cooperation of both boards and that Big Bear is embarking on a historical journey.  Once the Joint Powers Agreement is drafted it will take, at a later meeting, the approval of both boards to ratify it and move forward.   It was reiterated that persons needing fire or medical assistance would not see any change in service.

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CSD Board Of Directors Meeting Tonight

Big Bear City, CA, April 2, 2012, 8:00am – A Regular Meeting of the Board of Directors of the Big Bear City Community Services District has been scheduled for today. At the meeting Shari Strain will be presented with an Employee Service Recognition Award for 5 years of service. Items on the Consent Calendar include the Homeland Security Grant Program and Emergency Management Performance Grant, approval of Paid-Call Firefighter Rules and Regulations Modification, and approval of the Fire Department Battalion Chief Job Description. The Agenda also includes discussion and possible action regarding a Rate Increase. As always, the public is encouraged to attend and participate during the public comment portion of the meeting. Board meetings are held at the CSD offices at 139 East Big Bear Boulevard in Big Bear City.

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Big Bear City CSD Special Board Meeting 2012-13 Budget & Planning Workshop

Big Bear City, CA, March 13, 2012, noon - A Special meeting of the Big Bear City Community Services District Board of Directors will take place at 4:00pm this afternoon (March 13, 2012). The meeting will be held at the district Office at 139 East Big Bear Boulevard in Big Bear City. On the Agenda during Open Session – discussion and possible action regarding Review of Fiscal Year 2012-13 Preliminary Budgets including Possible Rate Increase Amounts. The public is invited to attend the meeting, and may speak during public comment time.

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New General Manager for the CSD: Robert Hopkins

Big Bear, Ca, Feburary 7, 2012, 12:00pm – The Big Bear City Community Services District has a new General Manager after Monday nights meeting.  In September of last year the CSD hired Bob Murray and Associates, an executive search firm to help in the hiring process of a new GM.  The board unanimously voted yes on offering the position to Robert Hopkins, a long time manager in the North Lake Tahoe Public Utility District.  Mr. Hopkins will begin work on Monday, February 13^th, and when asked about the appointment, the CSD’s new General Manager said, “I am excited to meet the citizens of the beautiful mountain community that is Big Bear City.  I look forward to starting work next week with the Big Bear City Community Services District staff and developing a positive and productive relationship with the BBCCSD Board of Directors.”  Hopkins is no stranger to the duties the CSD GM position will require of him, as he has over 10 years of experience managing all levels of sewer, water and fleet public utility operations.  In addition to his public utility experience, Hopkins also has 10 years of experience as a small business owner, and served in the United States Army Reserve Service.  Mr. Hopkins has dual Bachelor of Arts Degrees in Political Science and Cultural Anthropology from the University of Nevada at Reno.  The Board of Directors congratulates Mr. Hopkins on his selection and looks forward to working with him to achieve the goals of the District.  Board President John Green commented on the search, “After a very thorough interview process and a unanimous vote, we feel that Mr. Hopkins is a perfect fit for the General Manager position and wish him the very best in his new position.”

CSD Meeting May Announce New General Manager

Big Bear, Ca, January 17, 2012, 12:00pm - The Big Bear Community Services District will hold their meeting tonight due to yesterdays Martin Luther King Day holiday.  The meeting will include employee service recognition awards, information on which board members have been assigned to committees, and a board member will be elected to the Association of California Water Agencies.  The board will go into closed session where they will speak with legal counsel over existing litigation, and will also discuss the appointment of a new general manager.  It has not been confirmed if the appointment of a new GM for the CSD will occur at tonight’s meeting, which will take place at 5:30pm in the CSD offices located on Big Bear Blvd, just east of Greenway.

CSD General Manager Search Continues

Big Bear, Ca, January 4, 2011, 3:00pm - The Big Bear City Community Services District is moving forward in their search for a new general manager.  The board is currently in the middle of the process to find a new GM.  The process is being overseen by Bob Murray and Associates, a company that specialized in finding applicants for high level executive positions.  In the coming weeks the CSD will hold a special meeting to interview candidates.  In the meantime, Interim General Manager Tim Moran recently retired on December 31st, and appointed Shari Strain as the Acting Manager while the board conducts and finilizes the search for a GM.  Strain, the CSD’s Finance Officer has been with the CSD since March of 2007.

CSD Gets New Water Superintendent & Looks for New GM

Big Bear, Ca, December 8, 2011, 12:00pm – The Big Bear City Community Services District will be moving people into new positions in the next few months.  Currently the CSD board has been reviewing qualified candidates for the position of General Manager.  At a special meeting scheduled for Monday, December 12^th, board members will decide on how many candidates they want to interview.  According to Mary Reeves, at the CSD, a new GM should be selected by the end of January or beginning of February.  As for the Water Superintendent position, the CSD Board recently selected Jerry Griffiths for the job.  Griffiths was originally hired in October of 2002 as a water service worker, and was promoted to Water Forman in 2007.  Griffiths will begin the new position on December 31^st.  Current Interim General Manager Tim Moran will be retiring on December 30^th after 32 years of service, first as a paid call firefighter in 1979, then transitioning in April of 1981 as a water service man in the water department, was promoted to Water Forman in 1984, Water Superintendent in 2007, and has been both the Water Superintendent and Interim General Manager for the past year.  Moran told KBHR that the CSD was “a great place to work… I couldn’t ask for a better career anywhere.”  KBHR thanks Moran on his many years of service to the Big Bear Community, and congratulates him on his retirement.

CSD Meeting To Discuss Apprentice Fire Fighter Program

Big Bear, Ca, December 5, 2011, 3:00pm - The Big Bear City Community Services District will hold its regular meeting tonight at 5:30pm, at the CSD offices, located on Big Bear Blvd, near Greenway Drive.  On the agenda, the board will assign the Chief Board Advisor, with the following duties: to research alternative investment opportunities and actuarial recommendations for retiree health benefits.  The board will also discuss and possibly approve an Apprentice Fire Fighter Program; in which paid call firefighters would apply to be in the program that would be a position for three years, in which they would work to become a full time fire fighter.  According to Fire Chief Jeff Willis, other fire departments have similar programs in place and have seen good results.  The CSD Board will also go into closed session, and will discuss the appointment processes for the Water Superintendent and the General Manager.  The public is encouraged to attend the meeting and may speak during public comment time.

CSD Meeting To Discuss Organizational Chart

Big Bear, Ca, November 7, 2011, 1:00pm - The Big Bear City Community Services District will meet tonight for their regular board meeting at 5:30pm.  Board members will consider approving the new job description and pay scale for the Human Resources Manager/ Board secretary position, and the new District Organization Chart.  The CSD Board will go into closed session and will discuss the General Manager hiring process, and will conference with labor negotiators for the Big Bear City Professional Firefighters Association, and the Big Bear CSD Employees Association.  The meeting will take place at the CSD offices, located at 139 E. Big Bear Blvd, and the public is encouraged to attend.

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