Water Board Is Misleading

While the Camrosa Water District management would like everyone to believe that it is just a few wealthy homeowners who are unhappy with its actions over the past six months, the success of the recall movement speaks for itself. In less than three weeks time, more than 3,000 signatures were obtained to force the recall of each member of the Camrosa board. That equates to about 25% of all district voters, not just a few “wealthy landowners” as claimed in your story (“Three Camrosa Officials to Face Recall on Nov. 5,” July 22).

Additionally, within your article, there is a theme that this water recall movement is simply a backlash because of forced mandatory conservation. Members of our district have cut back 27% from last year’s usage, which is between 7% and 12% more than the cutbacks mandated by the Metropolitan Water District. Therefore, to try to argue that the recall movement is based solely upon the refusal by members to reduce their usage of water is ridiculous.

Furthermore, the Camrosa Water District board’s claim that its tiered structure was simply done on a trial basis is also further misinformation. On June 27, at the beginning of the meeting at which the recall movement was launched, Jack Rogers, president of the Board of Directors, chided members of the district for the way they used their water. There was no mention in his opening remarks that the tiered billing system was simply conducted on a trial basis, nor that the board was in the process of reviewing it. Certainly, at the end of the meeting, after faced with the recall petitions and with tremendous anger from members of the district, the board did react by setting up a committee to advise it on how to change the system.

In conclusion, voters of the district should not be fooled by the political ploys of the Board of Directors and management of the Camrosa Water District. They have not been forthright with customers in the district, and their actions are no more than attempts to save their political futures.

JOSEPH M. LOVRETOVICH, Camarillo