On the agenda for this Tuesday's City Council meeting is the following item. As any longtime follower of the affairs of Sierra Madre can tell you, this will be the kickoff event for the third water rate increase since 2011. A nearly every second year occurrence in town, apparently. Should you see the name Raftelis, be aware there is a water rate increase on the way.
If you click here, you will be taken to the Agenda Report. Scroll down to item (f).
In the past if you were to click on the blue'd portion above you would be taken to the Staff Report for this item. I attempted to do that this morning and was unhappily greeted by the following:
If you click on "system administrator" this email address shows up.
Intrafinity's website can be accessed here.
This brings up a question. Is the City Council meeting for Tuesday now properly noticed? Is public access to Staff Reports a requirement for holding this meeting?
Let me know if you are also having this problem. Hopefully it is just a glitch.
I hope this is not all due to some new policies being implemented by the new city manager. If so, this is a very disturbing trend. Maybe that's the way they did business in the city where he previously worked in Colorado but that's not the way things work in Sierra Madre.
ReplyDeleteI think the system administrator might have been buzzed.
DeleteJudging by the money we're paying her to run the city's website, I'm sure she can afford the good stuff.
DeleteCan't say if "we"can are being denied, in as much as "we" have zero transparency and zero accountability; this is the money savings "policy" put into place.
ReplyDeleteThe City Clerk is no longer required to take notes, just "highlights" of meetings, after all the meetings are transmitted on public accessed television. If anything legally needs to be addressed in the future, these taped and audio records will be available at the library.
Not sure if notices are legally being posted, I havn't gone on line to check, and the Mountain View adjudicated paper is a hit and miss print deadline.
So no, everything is fine, the Council implemented cost savings in order to keep us all "informed".
"We" all will be taxed more later for keeping ourselves in the dark.
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DeleteMod, this one looks like a glitch. Going to the city's website, clicking on "Agendas & Reports" on the left, and then on "City Council" under "Agenda Packets," will get you to the staff reports, where you will learn that we need another study for another round of water rate increases because . . . we are not using enough water! Why, oh, why, do these consultants always make incorrect assumptions about future consumption (ignoring things like a well-publicized drought and fierce restrictions)and yet are STILL hired AGAIN to do yet another study and get the numbers wrong?
ReplyDeleteIs it because we are not using enough water? Or is it because payments on the principle for the 2003 water bonds comes due?
DeleteWhy sure! It is about residents not using enough water. Just like Measure UUT was about the library and not CalPERS debt. C'mon! Play along! You don't want to be uncivil, do you?
DeleteWhat would the neighbor's think?
DeleteMost neighbors don't think. They just graze.
DeleteThat explains all the lawns.
DeleteThe water rate increase study will cost $90,000. How can that be?
DeleteYou poor innocent people, especially you John, this is a Trump world. President Trump doesn't want you bothering people with this information.
ReplyDeleteThe link from the agenda doesn't work, but you can access the report by clicking on the staff reports link on the left side of the website. Here's a direct link to the report: http://cityofsierramadre.com/common/pages/DisplayFile.aspx?itemId=7979555
ReplyDeleteI think the term "write privilege required" indicates that somehow the system administrator has attached the link for editing staff reports to the agenda report. Wow. Think of all the fun you could have today if you somehow hacked it and rewrote all the staff reports.
ReplyDeleteThis method of accessing public documents is illegal for the state of California
ReplyDeleteLogin
Username
Password
In fact you do not have to identify yourself in any manor other than requesting to see a particular public record. Shame on Sierra Madre, Ca. just another attempt of deny access to documents.
I filled out the application for access, and received the following email:
ReplyDeleteDear Ursula,
Your cityofsierramadre user account has been activated.
You can access the cityofsierramadre website by going to http://cityofsierramadre.hosted.civiclive.com and logging in with the following credentials:
Screen Name:
Password:
If you go to that page to log in there is no place to log in.
The official reply from city hall will be, a accidental typo was had with agenda document ACCESS. This of course is pure bull since their true intent was to delay and dumb down the public. The GOP is also doing this in Washington D.C. https://www.yahoo.com/news/gop-chairman-warns-agencies-requests-records-064831360--politics.html
ReplyDeleteWell, there is one silver lining here. Now people know there is another water rate increase on the way.
ReplyDeleteNot the best rollout so far for this one.
DeleteI saw that yesterday but was irritated at the fact that I had to create a log in. I distrust the city and wasn't sure if they could trace the user back to me.
ReplyDeleteI would like to remind you all the Elaine was a micromanager in all aspects of her managerial stint here. Publishing a report did not necessarily give the full picture but what she wanted the City Council and the public to know.
ReplyDelete6:32am. It's all about Elitism. Hillary is encouraging: Women, go after "big" money; we can make a differance!
ReplyDeleteAs opposed to the Wall Street Billionaire Boy's Club running Washington these days?
DeleteTrump troll rules!
DeleteRules what?
DeleteThe state of California is being managed by the mafia, it's all about pensions and state employee health benefits. The city of Sierra Madre continues this process in many ways, just like the UUT and water rate increases, it's all general fund monies. There is no water Dept, it's just a choice of words and it's money is being laundriedto other non related department's. The residents need to take action and quit killing the messenger, and need to focus on draning the swamp. If you like Trump ot not, hefigured it out, and so should you. There is never enough money available for city hall to spend. The upcoming recession, the reduction in property taxes will force this city in BK, why do we need to wait?
ReplyDeleteOn a local level everyone should be on the same page on this issue. We are being fleeced and lied to. If that doesn't piss you off then go get yourself checked for a pulse.
DeleteAsk this question: Why is the delivery of water to the Sierra Madre water customer costing the city more money?
ReplyDeleteIf they cannot show the increased in cost to the city which they would logically pass on to the consumer then, No is the answer to the increase. The utility is supposed to charge to the consumer what the actual cost of delivery is, not a bank account for other spending. The water meters are in place, their cost is not going up. That has been a ruse forever. Did sewer charges increase for the city? Show that! Electricity charges to the city, likewise! Are we buying water from MWD at an increased rate? Show that, too!
Didn't the City just purchase new smart water meters with a match grant funding?
DeleteMata Hari, the cost of my meter isn't changing but the meter rental has gone up every July first since 2011(?) My bimonthly rental went from 46$ to 74$ (2016) and it is going higher in July 2017. I've lived here a long time. My meter should be made of gold for the amount of RENTAL cost I've paid over the years. Now the City will want us to pay for the City's part in the matching funding for the NEW SMART METERS!
DeleteMacron wins the French Presidential election! Vive la France! 65% Margin of 30% points. She repudiate the link to Trump to no avail!!! Brexit and Donald Trump got trounced in France. The world is too small for the jingoism of Le Pen and Trump.
ReplyDeleteSomebody get over to Trump Guy's house quick. Take away anything sharp.
DeleteGov brown $.20 cents a gallon gas tax and increased license plate tax goes into effect the end of year. There will be no road repairs, just money going into general fund to pay for sanctuary cities. Enough is enough, I guess we will see more Rent incteases for tenants to pay for these state taxes. Enough is enough. I vote to remove the mafia.
ReplyDeleteHow much will this water rate study cost?
ReplyDeleteAbout $74K. You know, they deserve it since they were wrong last time.
Deleteor the tax is going to the ponzi scheme rip off to taxpayer's Calpers pension clusterfudge
DeleteViva le Frenchies, now Russia cannot take over Europe.
ReplyDeleteYeah. Now they'll have to concentrate on the Traitors they have running Washington for them.
DeleteFrance dodged a pen, that's for sure.
DeleteDon't thank a Marine. Or at least that one.
Deletewhen's the new City Manager gonna get us an dispensary ? it's what he does best.
ReplyDeleteBilly needs to open a bud room. Right next door to his wine tasting room.
ReplyDelete9:55am. As opposed to President B. Obama getting $400,000.00 for less than an hour speech, paid for by "his" Wall Street buddies?
ReplyDeleteAmerica loves Obama. Most people think Trump is an idiot. And just like in the 2016 election, the most people are right.
DeleteTrump troll votes for corrupt billionaire, upset when a civilian makes a living
Delete