DRAFT 10/1/22:Â Still need to upload the agenda and minutes from last meeting.
Water board meeting is tomorrow at 2:00 at the LMC Music Hall.
Please vote NO to the bylaw changes. Â
I have NOT seen the proposed changes to the bylaws, so it’s definitely a NO until I had a chance to review all changes.
I saw in the agenda that the bylaws are supposed to be updated to allow for tenant memberships, BUT, they require the property owner to be LIABLE!
WHY?
Is the property owner liable for the tenants’ phone bill, power bill, or internet bill?Â
In case you never rented:Â NO.
So WHY would they propose something that stupid?
Apparently the new “Clear Token App” is important to the board.
I couldn’t care less. I just get a bunch of quarters when I go to the bank.
There is supposed to be some ARPA grant info at the County website, but there is NO link to it in the Agenda.
And I have MUCH better things to do than wasting hours at the dysfunctional County site. Search doesn’t work.
We are not talking about replacing the rusty pipes for well 3 at Greentree until we get a Biden grant?
WHY are we NOT talking about members dropping out because of the EXTREMELY high $204/year membership fee?
- At the spring meeting, I was FOR increasing the cost per gallon as that encourages members to use LESS water.
- I was AGAINST increasing the membership fees as that encourages members to LEAVE the co-op and will result in much fewer new members joining.
I just heard of three members who decided to LEAVE the co-op because it’s much cheaper to get the water from Meadview.
And as a socialist, I really don’t appreciate the co-op ripping off the people who use little water with this exorbitant membership fee.
And it is downright STUPID to force the members who use little water OUT of the co-op.
AFTER the Greentree well was built around 2006 the co-op had over $100,000 in the bank!Â
That’s AFTER they built the well and all bills were paid!
The financial statements are online, filed with the state with the annual reports.
Unfortunately, our corrupt legislature decided to end the requirements to file financials with the annual reports and the board has consistently refused to provide me with the financials.
Instead of emailing me the financials to me, they require me to go to their “office” that’s open about 2 hours/week when I don’t have time.
Wonder why?
Like everything else in this ultra-conservative shithole, the co-op has been grossly mismanaged and one can only wonder how much was embezzled.
Instead of sending Unisource a BILL, they sent them a thank you card!
How much money was wasted on keeping the wells running for two years while we had constant power problems?
Now there’s no money to replace the rusting pipes and according to info at previous meetings, if a pipe breaks, the well is DEAD.
Trumpesque … So much corruption and absence of common sense everywhere I look.
NOBODY is ever held accountable.
The last time I talked to Mike Kelly he said he’ll charge a penny/gallon at his new well at Charles and Pierce Ferry and based on the ongoing improvements at the property, I hope it won’t be much longer until Mike opens.
Once Mike’s well opens many more members will leave the co-op because they:
1) live closer to PF than Sandy Point.
2) don’t want to pay the outrageous co-op membership fees.
While most here aren’t rocket scientists, even the many residents suffering from cognitive decline will realize that they’ll save a LOT of money buying water from Mike, at Guardian or while in Meadview running errands.
For the math challenged:
2000 g/month at Mike’s new well:
$20 at 1c/g.
2000 g/month at the co-op:
$29 GRAND TOTAL! Â $17 current membership fee + $12 for the water
At Guardian it was up to $5.50 for 500 g, but recently they lowered the cost to $3.50 again:
$14 for 2000 g.
For residents in Unit 6, Guardian is an excellent alternative and you don’t have to drive the crappy roads, but you have to feed it one quarter at a time. Highly annoying, especially when the weather sucks.
Gas n Grub is VERY expensive.
I heard about $7 for 500 g, so that would make it $28 for 2000 g.
At the water company in Meadview at Sandy Point & Silver Creek:
It’s only about $3.50 for 500 g, or $14 for 2000 g.
And I’m told you can add all your quarters at once.
So that’s the scoop on stand pipes around Meadview.  Not only will the co-op lose many existing members, but who in their right mind would join unless they use HUGE amounts of water and/or live very close to the wells?
The water co-op USED to maintain the roads, but that stopped a long time ago. Maybe when corruption became rampant and the bank account was drained?
Back in 2000 when I moved here I had my water DELIVERED for $17.50 for 1000 g.  Of course it’s way more now, $40 – $50. It obviously was not worth my while hauling my own water back then, especially considering the cost of acquiring and maintaining a water truck and hauler.
Since I had my water delivered, I know that I used about 2000 g month living by myself with a dog. Had a small garden and some trees to water and ran a swamp cooler, so used more in summer, much less in winter.
Most 1 – 2 person households will be better off leaving the co-op unless they live very close to one of the co-op wells. And why would you join, knowing that the co-op cannot sustain without liberal bailouts?
Why can’t our board members run the co-op like a BUSINESS?
We are heading straight for insolvency unless the membership fees are lowered.
I suggest reducing the membership fee to $60/year, $5/month, and offering members who left the co-op reinstatement at no extra charge.
Some won’t join again due to abuse by board members and who needs all that crap, elections, board meetings, frustration …
One person had their payment REFUSED because he was a tenant.  What a great way to piss people off and bankrupt the co-op!
They sure know how to DETER new members for no good reason whatsoever!
I really hope Mike opens the new wells soon.
I was so excited when I bought the 2 new lots on Sandy Point last year for a Wildlife Sanctuary and Desert Living and Planting Demonstration Site and I had planned on joining the co-op for that property.
Obviously, I decided NOT to join after they refused to provide financials and other info.
Not to mention the harassment because I’m apparently the only person with a working brain around here and I wrote about the issues — and I have brain damage!
None of the members running for office in spring provided any kind of assessment, analysis, and proposed solutions to keep the co-op from insolvency.
And that really says it all.
How can I send you some documents .
Michelle, christine@highdesertdirt.com works, best with a descriptive subject. I respond to all email within 24 hours, in case it gets spammed.
And I really have to get a contact page on this site …