Below is an email in its' entirety that pretty much says it all. Note that Ben Mavy is 20 years or more younger than the other board members. I think it is time for a house-cleaning...

Hi,

Last year the Placer County Water Agency board of directors was curious about the agency’s impact on the environment, so they spent nearly a quarter million dollars on a study to find out what the agency’s carbon footprint is.  For those not familiar with the term, carbon footprint is a measurement of your total carbon emissions.  In addition to this expenditure, the board is now insisting that we pay the environmentalist group, California Climate Action Registry, so we can register our carbon footprint information with them.  I wanted to amend the budget to end these payments.  I don’t understand the expenditure, or why we can’t just post our footprint information online for anyone who really wants to know.  This concern didn’t get to be heard before a vote was demanded on the budget.

Our 2010 budget was passed on a three to one vote yesterday, with me opposing (one board member was absent).  I don’t know if I could have voted for the budget as it was written, but the process kept me from even considering voting yes.  The board refused to discuss making any changes to the budget.  When I asked that we amend the budget I was told, “It’s a living document, we can change it later.”  When I persisted again I was scolded, “Now is not the time.”  I specifically wanted to remove expenses I believe are not within the mission of the agency--delivering water.  The board refused to consider the first amendment I proposed, or allow me to suggest any others, and rushed through a vote on the budget over my protests.  It was my first budget hearing and the lesson I learned about government is that first you must pass a budget before discussing or worrying about what’s in it.

Immediately after the budget vote we heard from our legal council.  Our able attorney gave us an update on the battle going on in the legislature over our water.  Apparently, Democrat legislative leaders aren’t willing to hear both sides of the debate prior to crafting new water legislation.  If you want to ask questions or make suggestions about pending water legislation you’ll find talking to a wall more fruitful.  The irony of my board colleagues complaining about this “undemocratic process” was my evening’s entertainment.

So what’s the difference between PCWA and the California legislature?  Apparently not much, and it disturbs me.

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