Shareholders Discussing Crestview Mutual Water Co.
Crestview has no written plan to guide which projects should be approved and in which order and how to pay for them. However, here is Crestview Watch’s understanding of an unofficial and unwritten strategic plan inferred from recent Board decisions and discussions in meetings. Crestview faces a situation in which Continue reading Crestview’s unofficial strategic plan laid out
On January 27, the Board adopted the 5-year capital spending plan presented by GM Gil Barboa. The total is $568,500, of which 84% is for emergency electric power projects. Most of this, Barboa said, should be spent in 2026. This CapEx plan was one of the factors considered by the Continue reading Board adopts $568,500 capital spending plan, mostly for emergency electric power.
Service Availability Charges and Volumetric charges for all three Tiers will go up ten percent on February 1, 2026, per the Board’s action at its January 27 meeting. The increase is necessary because of cost increases across the board, and to start building reserves for infrastructure improvement projects. After the Continue reading 10% rate increase starts February 1.
The Board’s budget discussions make clear that Crestview needs one emergency generator to comply with the new legal requirement for a backup source of water for wells idled by power failure in a wildfire emergency, but compliance will not require a new well. New General Manager Gil Borboa and Superintendent Continue reading Crestview must add one emergency generator; other capital projects being considered. (Repost from December 22.)
The Board’s budget discussions make clear that Crestview needs one emergency generator to comply with the new legal requirement for a backup source of water for wells idled by power failure in a wildfire emergency, but compliance will not require a new well. New General Manager Gil Borboa and Superintendent Continue reading Crestview must add one emergency generator, but discussion continues on other capital spending.
On November 25, the Board adopted an operating expense budget for the fiscal year ending November 30, 2026, but it postponed decisions about budgeting for capital spending, cash reserves building, and rate increases. Staff will provide additional information about capital projects at the next meeting and more financial planning information Continue reading Board adopts operating expense budget, postpones capital budget, and foreshadows substantial rate increase.
Revenue must go up to buy imported water to replace this year’s smaller pumping allocation, because less rainfall is projected, and because the capital budget is much larger. The average billing rate will increase because each Tier is reduced from 8,000 to 7,000 gallons per share per month. All changes Continue reading Expense budget and water rates increased December 1, 2024
The Tier 1 usage rate will go from $2.85 to $3.79 per 1,000 gallons, effective April 1. This is expected to generate enough revenue to meet the expense budget approved November 28, 2023, plus a new annual fee of $44,000 imposed by Fox Canyon Groundwater Management Agency. The budget covers Continue reading Tier 1 rates to increase 33 percent April 1.
By a 4-1 vote on February 27, the Board raised the $9.00 per share per month Service Availability Charge to $12.90 starting March 1. The Board will get more information from the rate consultant before making a decision about whether and how much to change volumetric rates for consumption. The Continue reading Board raises rates and may raise them more after further study.
At its next meeting, the Board will consider a consultant’s report stating that water rates need to go up 20% to balance the expense budget adopted in November. The report proposes increasing the Service Availability Charge (payable even when no water is used) 43% from $9.00 per share per month Continue reading Board to consider 20% water rate increase.