MWD & DWP To Possibly Merge

Big Bear, Ca, April 11, 2011, 5:00pm - According to the City of Big Bear Lake, “valley residents may soon reap the benefits of a combined water district.”  Today the Department of Water and Power (DWP) Board of Commissioners voted to engage in discussions with the Big Bear Municipal Water District (MWD) regarding the potential cost and benefits of the MWD acquiring the DWP water system.  DWP Chairman Steve Foulkes stated “Our goal and expectations are that we can achieve significant cost savings that could be used to reduce rates or accelerate water infrastructure replacement or both and at the same time create a better long term water management structure.”  According to the city, some of the potential benefits of a combined water district would be elminination of one layer of government, possible significant reduction in water rates, or acceleration of water infrastructure replacement, reduced administrative, property tax, debt service and other costs.  Chairman Foulkes further stated: “This strategic business combination with MWD, will further the DWP’s mission statement to more cost effectively deliver quality water to meet the needs of our current and future customers.”

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DWP Seeking Applicants for Board Positions

Big Bear, Ca March 25, 2011 12:00 pm – Good management of the Valley’s water resources is essential.  Concerned citizens living in the area served by the City of Big Bear Lake’s Department of Water & Power can help ensure good management by becoming a member of the DWP’s Board of Commissioners.  The Board has 3 vacancies as of June 30, 2011.  Commissioners are appointed to the 5-member panel by the City Council.    Appointees are required to be registered to vote, a resident of an area served by the DWP, and must attend all regularly scheduled meetings on the third Tuesdays of every month, as well as additional meetings called by the Board.  Applications for the openings can be obtained in the City Clerk’s office in the Civic Center at 39707 Big Bear Blvd, by calling (909) 866-5831, and online at citybigbearlake.com.  The deadline to submit applications is 5:00 pm April 20, 2011.

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DWP Meets To Discuss Moon Camp Development

Big Bear, Ca, March 14, 2011, 3:00pm - The Department of Water and Power will meet tomorrow morning at 9AM for their regularly scheduled meeting.  Items on the agenda include a USDA Project update, a mitigated negative declaration for the Eastside Test Well Project, and the board will consider approval of the Memorandum of Understanding regarding the Moon Camp Development Interconnection with the Fawnskin Development Water System.  Members of the public are encouraged to attend, and may speak during public comment time.  The meeting will take place at 41972 Garstin Drive in Big Bear Lake.

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Water and Power Meeting Tomorrow

Big Bear Lake, Ca February 14, 2011 1:00 pm – The next meeting of the City of Big Bear Lake, Department of Water and Power Board of Commissioners is set for tomorrow at 9:00 am.  Items to be discussed during the open session include a presentation from the executive firm Ralph Anderson & Associates to begin the process for selecting a new General Manager; review of the timeline and steps required under Proposition 218 for a July 2012 rate change; and revisions to the proposed Summary of Benefits and Working Conditions for non-union employees as of January 2011.  A closed session will follow to include discussions of pending litigation and a conference with labor negotiators.  A public forum will allow citizens to address the board about matters not on the agenda.  The meeting begins at 9:00 am at 41972 Garstin Drive, in the City of Big Bear Lake.  To view the full agenda go to http://www.bbldwp.com/Board/Meetings/Agendas/110215/page.htm

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Department of Water and Power Secures $5.2 Million Loan/Grant Money

Big Bear Lake, CA, September 13, 2010, 8:00am – Last Wednesday, September 8^th, the Department of Water and Power signed documents officially closing a loan and grant from the US Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development Program in the amount of $5,200,000 which consists of $1.6 million in grant money and $3.6 million in the form of a loan at 2.375% interest to be paid back over the next 40 years.  According to DWP General Manager Joel Dickson, the process began over a year ago when the DWP Board of Commissioners directed staff to submit an application with the USDA to request funding for upgrading critical infrastructure.  Dickson states “the funding will be used for drilling, installation and equipping of critical well projects needed to ensure a safe and reliable water supply in the valley for many years to come”.  The well projects include a well on Magnolia Lane in Sugarloaf, a well near Union Bank in Big Bear Lake and two wells in Fawnskin.  The new Magnolia Lane well and the Big Bear Lake well are replacing older wells that have already been taken out of service.  The water supply for Fawnskin is low so the two new wells will provide additional water for that area as well as replacing the one existing well that is 70 years old.  The new funds will also be used for pipeline replacement projects that will improve critical fire flow capabilities throughout the DWP’s system.  According to DWP Chairman of the Board of Commissioners, Steve Foulkes, “the funding from the USDA means that these important projects can be completed with minimal impact on rates and charges to DWP’s customers”.  As these projects were anticipated to be necessary for capitol improvements, the expense was included in the last rates that were set by the DWP.  A second application for approximately $9 million was submitted to the USDA for funding more pipeline replacements projects planned for the summer of 2011.  The Department of Water and Power staff is hopeful that they will be awarded these additional funds.

Big Bear Lake Residents Apply for Positions on the Planning Commission and DWP Board of Commissioners

Big Bear Lake, CA, July 22, 2010, 5:14pm – Last Wednesday at 5pm was the application deadline for full-time Big Bear Lake residents interested in applying to serve on either the Planning Commission or the Department of Water and Power Board of Commissioners for terms that extend through June 30, 2013.  According to the City of Big Bear Lake City Clerk, residents who applied for the one available position for the Planning Commission were Barbara Willey, Mary Jones, Don Smith, Robert Jackowski, Todd Bittner, Rusty Barnes, Jerry Roberts and Curtis Bryant.  Applications were accepted for the one seat on the DWP Board from Barbara Willey, Douglas MacIver, Don Smith and Robert Jackowski.  During the next step, staff will contact the Big Bear Lake City Council to schedule a date and time for interviewing the applicants. In other election news, for the zone-specific seats available on the Big Bear Municipal Water District’s Board of Directors; residents who have been issued nomination documents to run again included Todd Murphy for Division 1, Paula Fashempour for Division 2 and Skip Suhay for Division 3.  This November 2, 2010 election will include federal, state and county offices as well as 15 offices specific to the Big Bear Valley.  Prospective candidates have until Friday, August 6 to file candidate papers with the Registrar of Voters in order to be included in the November General Election.

DWP Board of Commissioners Hold a Special Meeting Friday, July 23rd

Big Bear Lake, CA, July 22, 2010, 12:25pm – The Board of Commissioners of the Department of Water & Power, City of Big Bear Lake, will conduct a Special Meeting on Friday, July 23, 2010, at 9 am at their offices located at 41972 Garstin Drive in Big Bear Lake.   The purpose of the special meeting is to award contracts to the lowest responsive bidder for the 2010 USDA Funded Pipeline Replacement Projects.

Application Deadline for Two City of Big Bear Lake Vacancies

Big Bear Lake, CA, July 20, 2010, 1:30pm – Tomorrow, Wednesday, July 21st at 5pm is the application deadline for full-time Big Bear Lake residents interested in applying to serve on one of two City of Big Bear Lake vacancies on terms that extend through June 30, 2013.  The Planning Commission and the Department of Water and Power Board of Commissioners each have one seat vacated by residents who are relocating outside of Big Bear.  Richard Lambert of the Planning Commission and Karen Dally of the DWP Board have vacated their seats.  In addition to being a full time Big Bear Lake resident, applicants for either commission must be registered voters, and complete an application, available either at the Big Bear Lake Civic Center or online at citybigbearlake.com.  The Planning Commission is a five-member body, appointed by City Council, and meets on first and third Wednesday afternoons to make recommendations to Council on matters related to growth and development, such as General Plan amendments, specific plans and zone changes, as well as addressing development applications, such as conditional use permits, plot plan reviews, subdivisions and condominium maps. For these efforts, current Commissioners receive a $400 monthly stipend. The DWP Board of Commissioners also receives a $400 monthly stipend–meets on the third Tuesday morning of each month. Responsibilities of DWP Commissioners include decisions related to water conservation, supply, generation, distribution and sale of water and related services.  The City Council will interview prospective candidates for appointment to the Planning Commission and DWP Board.

Department of Water and Power Board of Commissioners Meet Tuesday, July 20th

Big Bear Lake, CA, July 19, 2010, 12:00pm: The regularly scheduled meeting of the Department of Water and Power Board of Commissioners will be Tuesday, July 20th beginning at 9am at their offices located at 41972 Garstin Drive in Big Bear Lake.  Concent calendar items include contracts awarded for pipeline construction, drilling Seminole and Magnolia wells and equipping Lakeplant #6 and Cherokee wells.  Discussion items include board consideration to secure a loan arrangement with the USDA Rural Development agency and consideration to adopt a resolution of the USDA’s water or waste system grant agreement.  Board will also consider the annual adjustment to capacity charges.

City of Big Bear Lake Seeks Residents for Appointment to Planning Commission, DWP Board

Big Bear Lake, CA — The City of Big Bear Lake has two vacancies to fill—one on the Planning Commission, the other on the Department of Water and Power Board of Commissioners—on terms that extend through June 2013. The Planning Commission is a five-member body, appointed by City Council, and meets on first and third Wednesday afternoons to make recommendations to Council on matters related to growth and development, such as General Plan amendments, specific plans and zone changes, as well as addressing development applications, such as conditional use permits, plot plan reviews, subdivisions and condominium maps. For these efforts, current Commissioners Anne Zimmerman, Jim DeGroot, Craig Smith and David Caretto receive a $400 monthly stipend. The DWP Board of Commissioners–which presently includes Big Bear Lake residents Steve Foulkes, Fred Miller, Bill Giamarino and Robert Tarras, each of whom also receives a $400 monthly stipend–meets on the third Tuesday morning of each month. Responsibilities of DWP Commissioners include decisions related to water conservation, supply, generation, distribution and sale of water and related services. Full-time Big Bear Lake residents interested in serving on either commission must be registered voters, and complete an application, available either at the Big Bear Lake Civic Center (at 39707 Big Bear Boulevard) or online at citybigbearlake.com. The application deadline is Wednesday, July 21 at 5pm. The City Council will interview prospective candidates for appointment to the Planning Commission and DWP Board.
(For details on benefits for other elected and appointed office holders within the Big Bear Valley, visit our previously posted stories on the Airport District Board, the Bear Valley Community Healthcare District, Big Bear Lake City Council, Big Bear City Community Services District, and the Big Bear Municipal Water District. Trustees for the Bear Valley Unified School District received a $240 monthly stipend if all meetings were attended, based on California Education Code section 35120a5, though the school board eliminated their stipends in accepting the budget cuts of “Plan B” on June 23.)

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