Public Understanding
As a public service, we regularly share water-related news and views on topics of interest to San Lorenzo Valley residents.
SLVWD Board Meetings
The San Lorenzo Valley Water District board meetings are held at 6:30 PM on the first and third Thursday of each month in the District’s meeting room at 13060 Highway 9 in Boulder Creek, CA (enter from the back of the building). These meetings are open to the public, and representatives of FSLVW are regularly in attendance.
The official minutes for each meeting are prepared by the Secretary and published in advance of the next meeting as part of the official “Board Packet.” As a service to the SLV community, FSLVW offers the following more accessible summary accounts:
8/19/20, 8/21/20, 8/24/20, 8/28/20, 9/9/20
12/3/20 — Conjunctive Use CEQA contract; radio lease agreement.
12/7/20 — New Board members sworn in; committee discussions.
12/16/20 — New Board member appointed; Redwood Tank progress.
1/7/21 — Committee appointments; Brown Act training.
1/21/21 — Loan analysis; Board Policy Manual update.
2/2/21 — Fire Recovery Surcharge; Loan analysis
2/4/21 — Consolidation; Quail Hollow Pipeline
2/18/21 — Fire Management; Redwood Tank; Budget.
3/4/21 — Loan; Consolidation.
3/11/21 — Santa Cruz City Water Rights Petitions.
3/18/21 — Director To Resignation; Contract approvals.
4/1/21 — Filling vacant Board seat; draft Bi-Annual budget.
4/15/21 — Board Policy Manual.
5/6/21 — Jayme Ackemann appointment; Committee memberships.
5/12/21 — Conjunctive Use.
5/20/21 — Utility Billing Policy; Consolidation.
6/3/21 — Fire Management Plan; Investment Plan; Bill Surcharge.
6/17/21 — Grant acceptance; Contract and policy approvals.
6/30/21 — Urban Water Management Plan and Budget approval.
7/8/21 — City of Santa Cruz water rights; SMGWA update.
7/15/21 — Highway 9 bridge replacement; 2021 leakage report.
7/21/21 — Meeting recording not yet available.
8/5/21 — Fire recovery surcharge approved.
9/2/21 — Panorama contract; RAP changes.
9/16/21 — Brookdale mainline break; hybrid meetings.
10/7/21 — Forrest Springs and Bracken Brae; contract approvals.
10/21/21 — Hybrid meetings; Quail Hollow contract approvals.
11/4/21 — Water Master Plan; Big Basin Consolidation.
11/10/21 — Water Master Plan.
12/2/21 — Board Business; Revenue Stabilization.
12/7/21 — Consolidation Spending; Santa Cruz City Agreement.
1/20/22 — Engineering Contracts and Updates.
2/3/22 — Engineering Contracts; Revenue Stabilization.
2/17/22 — Cross Country Pipeline Replacement.
3/10/22 — Board Vacancy.
3/17/22 — Cross Country Pipeline Replacement.
4/7/22 — Consolidations.
4/21/22 — Board Vacancy Filled; Initial Budget Review.
5/5/22 — Consolidations; Cross County Pipeline.
5/19/22 — Committee Appointments; November Election; Outreach.
6/2/22 — Grand Jury Report; New Staff Position.
6/16/22 — Peer Review of Constructability Study
SLVWD and the SLV Community
Widespread mutual understanding between the District and the community is essential for enabling the District to serve the community as effectively as possible. Mailings from the District, articles in the local press, and community opinion polls can all contribute to this objective, but both FSLVW and the District are constantly seeking ways to improve upon the status quo.
Recognizing that its current staffing is inadequate to fully address its outreach objectives, the District sought assistance in March, 2020 from Chatterbox PR, a marketing and public relations firm based in Salinas. Chatterbox conducted an online survey on behalf of the District in April of 2020, and it presented an initial report on its findings at the June 4, 2020 Board Meeting.
Ratepayer Assistance Program
In early 2020, FSLVW began investigating the potential for the District to offer a Low Income Ratepayer Assistance program. FSLVW issued its first investigative report in early March and followed up with a detailed recommendation to the SLVWD Board in early April. The District responded cautiously but positively to this proposal.
Effective July 15, 2020 SLVWD implemented a pilot low-income assistance program for up to 208 qualifying residential customers. Initial estimates were that perhaps 1200 customers might qualify (eligibility is based on participation in the PG&E CARE program). It will likely be a substantial challenge, however, for the District to make customers aware of this opportunity.
November, 2020 Election
The San Lorenzo Valley Water District is governed by a five person Board of Directors elected to four-year terms by registered voters within the District's boundaries. Two of these five terms expire in 2020, and four candidates are competing to fill the two open seats.
FSLVW believes that it is in our collective best interest for voters to learn as much as they can both about the challenges facing our District and the competing visions and qualifications of the four candidates. Our election guide makes this as easy as possible!
CZU Lightning Fire
In mid-August, 2020, a massive wildfire forced the evacuation of the entire SLV, and the Water District suddenly found itself in the spotlight both because of the essential role of water in fighting the fire and because of the impact of the fire on the District’s water-delivery infrastructure.
Inevitably, this also led to a variety of public reactions and misunderstandings. FSLVW attempts to address these in two very different articles, each of which seeks to promote a more compassionate and accurate understanding of this traumatic wildfire, its relation to our water supply, and the role of the Water District.