Facts From Water District Director

In response to Mr. (Frank J.) Arcuri’s implications of conflict of interest and other improprieties related to my position as director, Division III (Monterey Park) of the San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District (SGVMWD) (Letter, Times, Oct. 19) I offer these facts.

First and foremost, the engineering firm which employs me has not performed any work or had any contracts with the cities served by the SGVMWD, i.e. Monterey Park, Alhambra, Sierra Madre or Azusa, during the last eight years. We certainly do no work with the SGVMWD.

The government code of the state of California expressly prohibits contracts between directors’ agencies and companies for which they are officers and can gain financially. The penalties are severe. This is applicable to the city of Monterey Park, where my wife is mayor. To further illustrate my integrity, my wife had to refrain from accepting a position on the Board of Directors of the County Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County, a role normally held by the city’s mayor, since my firm is doing work for the districts.

Second, the SGVMWD will not benefit from the increased water rates imposed by the city of Monterey Park. (Mr. Arcuri refers to these as “increased taxes,” which, of course, is incorrect. These are charges for water service.) The SGVMWD is an agency formed to import water from Northern California for the purpose of replenishing the San Gabriel ground water basin due to overpumping from any of the four cities.

(Thirty years ago the four cities determined it would be more cost-effective to form their own water district to import water rather than join the Metropolitan Water District and pay high annexation fees and charges.)

A court-appointed watermaster determines how much water must be replaced each year by our district. That water is spread in percolation basins near the San Gabriel River. The SGVMWD then bills the watermaster for the water and the watermaster, in turn, bills the individual cities.

The city of Monterey Park increased its water rates to pay the watermaster for replenishment water plus pay the other bills necessary to serve water to the residents. These include electric power for well pumps, water quality testing, repair and maintenance and system operation and administration. Whether the city of Monterey Park raised its water rates or not, it would still have to pay the watermaster for the replenishment water. To infer a connection between the city’s rate increase and benefit to the SGVMWD is absurd.

By policy, the rate which the SGVMWD charges for the water is identical to that charged by the Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District (Upper District), which spreads imported Metropolitan Water District water on behalf of all of the other cities overlying the San Gabriel Valley ground water basin. Those rates are consistent with Metropolitan’s rates for replenishment water.

The SGVMWD is one of the most efficient, well-run operations in the state. This can be attributed to a dedicated, hard-working staff and an experienced board of directors, a board composed of professionals in the water industry, engineering and accounting fields. My role as the director representing most of Monterey Park is to ensure that the interests of the people of Monterey Park are served on each and every decision I make. I am proud of my record.

Mr. Arcuri, the publisher of the tabloid the “American Voice,” formerly the “Monterey Park Voice,” is renowned for his rhetoric, misinformation and unfounded allegations. I am glad to have this opportunity to present the facts to the readers. They can form their own opinion of Mr. Arcuri.

JOSEPH C. REICHENBERGER

Director, Division III

San Gabriel Valley

Municipal Water District

Azusa