The NEWS index
Some items from The Rio Linda
Elverta News, November 3, 2005:
Water District hit with another lawsuit
First Community Council Meeting Held
Published in Rio Linda Elverta News November 3, 2005 - Scroll for other articles
Water District hit with another lawsuit
First Community Council Meeting Held
Published in Rio Linda Elverta News November 3, 2005 - Scroll for other articles
Water District hit with another lawsuit
Employees want CalPERS benefits back
by Jay O'Brien
Rio Linda/Elverta Community Water District (RLECWD) employees, claiming the RLECWD Board has denied their rights and benefits, have filed suit in Superior Court to have their health benefits, provided through the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS), restored.
Six of the seven RLECWD employees who report to General Manager Dave Andres claim, through their attorney Felix Poggemann, that the RLECWD has ignored its own stated policies to confer with employees, has ignored the employees' association, and has not followed its own published procedures.
The employees state that they gave up raises in the past so as to maintain their CalPERS health benefits. The RLECWD Board of Directors has canceled CalPERS benefits as of December 31, 2005.
The employees' suit, assigned to Judge Raymond M. Cadei, asks the court to issue a "writ of mandate", forcing RLECWD to continue the health benefits presently in place.
This court action, as does the suit filed by retired General Manager Mike Phelan, also seeks an award of attorney's fees.
These employees are the ones responsible for providing safe drinking water to the RLECWD customers. Several long-time employees who knew "every pipe in the district" have recently left the district to find better working conditions. How long can the RLECWD Board can convince those who are still on the payroll to stay?
Published in Rio Linda Elverta News November 3, 2005 - Scroll for other articles
First Community Council Meeting Held
Hal Morris elected Chairman
by Jay O'Brien
The Rio Linda-Elverta Community Council held its first meeting October 26th in the new Depot Visitor Center in Rio Linda.
Sacramento County Board of Supervisors' Clerk Cindy Turner opened the meeting. The first order of business was to elect officers; Hal Morris was elected Chairman and Bob Bastian was elected Vice Chairman. The other members of the Council are Jeff Bair, Mary Harris and Norma-Lee. The Council members were nominated by First District Supervisor Roger Dickinson and formalized September 14th by the Board of Supervisors.
The Council adopted Rules of Conduct, changing future meeting dates to the second Wednesday of each month.
The Council heard one item, a proposal to divide 10 acres into 4 lots on the east side of 24th Street, 800 feet south of E Street. The Council approved the project after hearing testimony from the applicant and from one neighbor on the south of the proposed lot split. The neighbor expressed her concern about drainage. This proposal must now be approved by the Board of Supervisors, as it does not meet the requirements of the Comprehensive Land Use Plan for McClellan Air Force Base, now known as McClellan Park.
In addition to Board Clerk Turner, County staff was on hand to advise and assist the Council. Also at the staff table were Sandy Burnett, Assistant Clerk of the Board; Krista Whitman and Bill Burke, County Counsel; Judy Robinson and Dave Pevny, Planning and Community Development; and Todd Smith, Environmental Review and Assessment. In the audience were other County representatives, including Cheryl Creson, Municipal Services Agency Administrator; Victor Morrison-Vega, Neighborhood Services Director; and Mark Manoff, North County Service Area Manager. Senior Planner Judy Robinson is not new to Rio Linda, having served on our Recreation and Parks Board from 1993 to 2000.
Agency Administrator Creson commented, "It made me feel good to see the first meeting of the Rio Linda/Elverta Community Council and how well it went. I was especially happy for the Council members and the residents who attended. The vision of the Board of Supervisors to have communities make local land use decisions is becoming a reality. I think the future looks bright. Rio Linda and Elverta have a right to be proud of their Council and its members."
The next meeting of the Rio Linda-Elverta Community Council will be held on November 9th.
Employees want CalPERS benefits back
by Jay O'Brien
Rio Linda/Elverta Community Water District (RLECWD) employees, claiming the RLECWD Board has denied their rights and benefits, have filed suit in Superior Court to have their health benefits, provided through the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS), restored.
Six of the seven RLECWD employees who report to General Manager Dave Andres claim, through their attorney Felix Poggemann, that the RLECWD has ignored its own stated policies to confer with employees, has ignored the employees' association, and has not followed its own published procedures.
The employees state that they gave up raises in the past so as to maintain their CalPERS health benefits. The RLECWD Board of Directors has canceled CalPERS benefits as of December 31, 2005.
The employees' suit, assigned to Judge Raymond M. Cadei, asks the court to issue a "writ of mandate", forcing RLECWD to continue the health benefits presently in place.
This court action, as does the suit filed by retired General Manager Mike Phelan, also seeks an award of attorney's fees.
These employees are the ones responsible for providing safe drinking water to the RLECWD customers. Several long-time employees who knew "every pipe in the district" have recently left the district to find better working conditions. How long can the RLECWD Board can convince those who are still on the payroll to stay?
Published in Rio Linda Elverta News November 3, 2005 - Scroll for other articles
First Community Council Meeting Held
Hal Morris elected Chairman
by Jay O'Brien
The Rio Linda-Elverta Community Council held its first meeting October 26th in the new Depot Visitor Center in Rio Linda.
Sacramento County Board of Supervisors' Clerk Cindy Turner opened the meeting. The first order of business was to elect officers; Hal Morris was elected Chairman and Bob Bastian was elected Vice Chairman. The other members of the Council are Jeff Bair, Mary Harris and Norma-Lee. The Council members were nominated by First District Supervisor Roger Dickinson and formalized September 14th by the Board of Supervisors.
The Council adopted Rules of Conduct, changing future meeting dates to the second Wednesday of each month.
The Council heard one item, a proposal to divide 10 acres into 4 lots on the east side of 24th Street, 800 feet south of E Street. The Council approved the project after hearing testimony from the applicant and from one neighbor on the south of the proposed lot split. The neighbor expressed her concern about drainage. This proposal must now be approved by the Board of Supervisors, as it does not meet the requirements of the Comprehensive Land Use Plan for McClellan Air Force Base, now known as McClellan Park.
In addition to Board Clerk Turner, County staff was on hand to advise and assist the Council. Also at the staff table were Sandy Burnett, Assistant Clerk of the Board; Krista Whitman and Bill Burke, County Counsel; Judy Robinson and Dave Pevny, Planning and Community Development; and Todd Smith, Environmental Review and Assessment. In the audience were other County representatives, including Cheryl Creson, Municipal Services Agency Administrator; Victor Morrison-Vega, Neighborhood Services Director; and Mark Manoff, North County Service Area Manager. Senior Planner Judy Robinson is not new to Rio Linda, having served on our Recreation and Parks Board from 1993 to 2000.
Agency Administrator Creson commented, "It made me feel good to see the first meeting of the Rio Linda/Elverta Community Council and how well it went. I was especially happy for the Council members and the residents who attended. The vision of the Board of Supervisors to have communities make local land use decisions is becoming a reality. I think the future looks bright. Rio Linda and Elverta have a right to be proud of their Council and its members."
The next meeting of the Rio Linda-Elverta Community Council will be held on November 9th.