Schipske States WRD Misused Public Funds to Buy Advertisement Featuring WRD President and Candidate, John Allen

 November 1, 2022

www.ratepayeradvocate.com

 

Schipske States WRD Misused Public Funds to Buy Advertisement Featuring WRD President and Candidate, John Allen

Gerrie Schipske, Water Ratepayer Advocate and candidate for the Water Replenishment District #3, today issued the following statement concerning the misuse of public funds by the Water Replenishment District. Schipske points out that the WRD purchased a full-page advertisement in the program booklet given out by the Historical Society of Long Beach during the recent Annual Cemetery Tour. The ad featured a portrait photo of John Allen and a group photograph that identified him as the “president” of WRD.

She issued the following statement:

“WRD is a public agency that assesses the water departments and agencies of local government. Those assessments are passed along to the water ratepayers. By law, the assessments are only to be used to provide water replenishment services. Instead, WRD has a long history of purchasing advertisements promoting its board members.

Less than nine days before the election, WRD placed a full-page advertisement in the program booklet distributed during the Historical Society of Long Beach’s Annual Cemetery Tour. The ad featured a portrait photo of the current candidate, John Allen, and a second photograph with Allen posing as President of the WRD. The ad is clearly a campaign advertisement for Allen.

Water ratepayers should not be paying for the campaign of any WRD member. Leading up to an election, the WRD which is a government agency should refrain from using public funds to pay for any advertisement which features any WRD elected officials.

The last time I checked, the water ratepayers of Long Beach have been continually assessed to pay WRD for its ‘pumping charges.’ This assessment has increased the monthly water bills Long Beach ratepayers are charged. These funds should not be used to pay for the publicity for its elected officials.”

Gerrie Schipske is an attorney and water ratepayer advocate
seeking election to District #3 of the Water Replenishment District.

WRD HAS BEEN SUED FOR ILLEGAL ASSESSMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN PASSED ALONG TO THE RATEPAYERS

As a Water Ratepayer Advocate, Gerrie Schipske is concerned that in the past six years, the Water Replenishment District has been sued by the cities of Downey, Cerritos, Signal Hill, and Bellflower, for violating Proposition 218 procedural requirements when determining a rate for pumping groundwater.

Assessments must only be spent for “regional benefits, reduce reliance on imported water sources, or enhance water security in the basin.” The monies cannot be used for other purposes which the cities alleged the WRD was doing.

Consequently, the cities agreed to settle for $9.1 million dollars.

The WRD needs a water ratepayer advocate, like Gerrie Schipske, to make certain this does not happen again.

Schipske Claims WRD Director John Allen Refused to Help Long Beach Create Groundwater Catchment at Willow Duck Pond -- Told Her It was “LB Problem.”

Gerrie Schipske, Water Ratepayer Advocate and candidate for the Water Replenishment District #3, today blasted WRD Director John Allen, who is running for re-election, for refusing to help Long Beach with a serious water issue created by the “duck pond” located in El Dorado Park West. Schipske represented the area containing the El Dorado duck pond for eight years as a member of the city council.

She issued the following statement.

“WRD is the largest ‘groundwater’ agency in California. The agency is supposed to be helping create groundwater catchment areas so that our city has a reliable source of drinking water as we face serious drought and water shortages.

“Last year, I contacted Mr. Allen about the duck pond near Willow which is badly in need of repair. The duck pond is actually a stormwater catchment and turned into a duck pond because people left ducks there and many wild ones flew in. The sidewalk surrounding it is badly broken. The pond gets filled with algae because it is not properly aerated and people throw bread into the water, creating bacteria. Also, the parking lot (when it rains) has oil run off which pollutes and the golf course sprays pesticide on the course which runs off into the pond.

When there has been raining, the pond, and surrounding park area flood and run off on to Willow Street. In the dry season, the city has to use water to water the surrounding park.

 Structuring drainage combined with modified recharge wells can be used to catch water runoff. This modification of water catchment areas could make the duck pond area dry quickly after a rain so the activities of people are not bothered when utilizing the open space provided. Surface runoff water could be absorbed in an open aquifer so that the hydrological balance always be maintained. Adequacy groundwater in the area could be used to water the park and back up for clean water by creating wells and reservoir stocks.

I so informed Mr. Allen and asked if WRD could turn this pond into a groundwater catchment and reconfigure the surrounding area. The land on which El Dorado Park sits has a low water table and possibly could be dug down to let the natural water rise into a new pond. It floods when we have heavy rains. Just north of the duck pond is Willow Street which severely floods when it rains; somehow that water could be directed to the pond.

This could be a win-win for WRD and those of us who want that pond fixed with a sustainable solution. Mr. Allen responded that the duck pond is ‘LB’s problem.’

The last time I checked, the water ratepayers of Long Beach have been continually assessed to pay WRD for its ‘pumping charges.’ This assessment has increased the monthly water bills Long Beach ratepayers are charged. Developing a sustainable groundwater system in Long Beach is WRD’s problem and should have been funded.”

Gerrie Schipske is an attorney and water ratepayer advocate who is seeking election to District #3 of the Water Replenishment District.

Earthquake in Northern California reminder of dependence of Southern California on Delta Water

English: Graphic breakdown of water salinity, defining freshwater, brackish water, saltwater, and brine water. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Seismologists reflected today that had the 6.0 earthquake that hit Napa been pointed in the other direction, the energy would have destroyed the fragile levee network in the Delta allowing sea water to surge in and devastate the fresh water that Southern California so much depends upon. This potential crisis was discussed in the PPIC study in 2007 -- Click here

We need forward thinking water policy throughout the state. We need ethical decisions being made about construction projects to store and distribute water.

Help me bring open and transparent government to the Water Replenishment District.

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