YUCCA MESA - May 6, 2009 - Dr. Robert Karman, Co-Founder of the Stop Yucca Mesa Annexation Coalition, testified before the Hi-Desert Water District Board on May 6, 2009.  The following is his testimony:

"With my wife, Elizabeth Karman, I am Co-Founder of the Stop Yucca Mesa Annexation Coalition. The Coalition requests that you develop a resolution about Hi Desert Water staying an independent organization and not becoming part of the Town of Yucca Valley.

Previously, on 3/19/09, my wife Elizabeth requested that the water board address the sphere of influence and annexation. As a result, Mr. Takata, the town manager, came to a subsequent board meeting and indicated that the Town was not in a financial position to annex the proposed Yucca Mesa sphere of influence area, which, as you know, is coterminous with the Hi Desert Water District's service area. He stated it might be 20 years before it was in a position to actually annex that part of Yucca Mesa making up the proposed SOI. Meantime, the SOI is about services. So why start now? Why not wait 15 years?

Mr. Takata’s statements may be true, but do not reveal all of the information the water board needs to consider. First, LAFCO, the state agency mandated by the legislature to plan such changes to boundaries, considers a SOI to be the likely future boundary of an existing incorporated area such as a town or city. So if LAFCO takes it seriously, so do we. We live there, and we don’t want to be part of the Town no matter how much they try to downplay what is happening.

Second, without having a sphere of influence, the Town cannot assume control of the water company and its services, which will include the very significant $250 million dollar sewer system and waste water treatment plant. In our opinion, the Town wants that project, and in particular, its user fee revenue stream. We believe that it is the primary target of the sphere of influence application they filed. On 3/19/09 Dr. Hough also talked about a time two or so years ago in a Joint Council meeting when Councilwoman Lori Herbel expressed strong interest in that project being under Town control.

It would be timely for the Hi-Desert Water Board to discuss the viability of what we opine the Town wants to do. If you do not want to combine with the Town and agree with the following, we strongly recommend that you place this item on the agenda of your next meeting and create a resolution stating among other things that Hi-Desert Water is an efficient and cost effective organization and that it is in the best interests of its customers to remain an independent entity and not merge with the Town. We request a copy of that resolution in advance.

On behalf of the Coalition, thank you.

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