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If you need to phone us during a Board Meeting, call 802-1692.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS AGENDA Tuesday, May 31, 2016
5:30 p.m. CALL TO ORDER CONSENT CALENDAR (Action) (Consent Calendar items are acted upon as a group with a single motion. However, Board Members may, for any reason, remove an item for discussion, comment, or clarification which will then be voted on separately.)
Approval of Minutes of April 26, 2016 Meeting Resolutions 2016-18 Application for Funding – AHSC – Dinuba MFH 2016-19 Application for Funding – AHSC – Lindsay MFH ELECTIONS Election of Officers (Action) COMMITTEE REPORTS, OTHER BOARD BUSINESS
CEO REPORT
Update Status of Federal/State Policy Issues POLICIES Personnel Plan Revisions (Action) FISCAL Preliminary Budget Discussion FUNDING AND RESOURCES
If you need to phone us during a Board Meeting, call 802-1692.
PROGRAM ISSUES Partner Program Challenges
Multifamily Program Update
New Acquisition Opportunity---Walsburg Townhomes (Woodlake) CONFERENCES, SHE EVENTS, ETC.
San Joaquin Valley Housing Collaborative – August 18, 2016 – Fresno CCRH Rural Summit – October 26-28, 2016 – Asilomar HAC Rural Housing Conference – Nov. 29-Dec. 2, 2016 – Washington, DC PROGRAM/PROGRESS REPORTS Current Activities Production – Calendar Year Drought Services ITEMS OF GENERAL INTEREST
CLOSED SESSION Next Meeting: June 28, 2016
CO
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING MINUTES
Tuesday, April 26, 2016
Board Members Present: Ray Chavez, Mike Chrisman, Yolanda Gonzales, Marvin Hansen,
Dave Herb, Kayode Kadara, Lupe Martinez, Isabel Olmos, Gary Rodriguez, Ralph Rosedale,
Duane Scott, Susan Zachary-Kreps
Board Members Absent: Rich Barron, Bob Friesen, Graciela Martinez
Staff Present: Susan Atkins, Andrea Barnier, Paul Boyer, Felipe Casas, Tom Collishaw, Ethan
Dutton, Cindy Hill, Kathy Long-Pence, Betsy McGovern-Garcia, Karen Sauceda, Julie Scaife,
Andrea Sherrill
CALL TO ORDER
Chair Olmos called the meeting to order at 5:35. She announced that there is a revised agenda due to
late changes to resolutions.
CONSENT CALENDAR
Approval of Minutes of March 29, 2016 Meeting
Correction to Minutes of January Board Meeting
Motion to approve the Consent Calendar, second, passed unanimously.
COMMITTEE REPORTS, OTHER BOARD BUSINESS
Audit Committee
Scott reported for the Audit Committee which met prior to the Board meeting. The committee
reviewed the audit engagement letter and discussed the potential of putting the process out for
bid next year. After discussion, the committee agreed they are satisfied with the work of Morse
Wittwer Sampson and will consider a request for proposal process again next year. They
authorized Collishaw to sign the contract for the FY 2016 audit.
The committee then reviewed the quarterly reports for March 31. Long-Pence will review the
reports in the “fiscal” portion of the agenda. The committee then began the annual review of the
Bank Deposit and Investment Policy. There are some potential changes that the committee will
consider prior to bringing them to the full Board for approval.
Nominating Committee
Chavez explained the role of the Nominating Committee and related his conversations with Board
members whose terms are expiring on May 31, 2016. He reported that all members with expiring
terms have agreed to serve an additional term.
Chavez then made a motion to elect Chavez, Friesen, Gonzales, Kadara, Rodriguez, Rosedale and
Scott to terms ending May 31, 2018, which was seconded and passed.
Chavez also reported that no Board members expressed intent to leave their positions prior to their
terms expiring on May 31, 2017.
There was discussion about the nomination and selection of Board officers which will happen at the
May meeting.
Olmos thanked Chavez for his time and effort spent on this task.
Scholarship Committee
Kadara reported for the Scholarship Committee which met last week to make their selections. He
described the criteria used in evaluating the applications received. He then shared information on
the seven that were chosen to receive awards ranging from $500 to $1,250.
Dutton then shared information about award nights scheduled at two schools and asked if anyone
is interested in attending in order to make presentations to the students. If so, they should let him
or Scaife know. Herb will be attending an event this week in Madera.
Hansen asked about the source of the funds awarded and whether it comes from the principal of
the Scholarship Fund or just the earnings. Dutton described the decision made in early 2015 to
invest the scholarship funds with other funds at Merrill Lynch in order to increase the corpus.
The decision was to keep the funds invested there until 2017 while making $6,500 available each
year for awards. At that point, there will be an evaluation of steps necessary to reach a point
where earnings and donations can fully fund the yearly scholarships and grow the fund principal.
CEO REPORT
Update
Status of Federal/State Policy Issues
Collishaw described the status of budgets important to SHE programs. He mentioned the
importance of Congressman Valadao’s support which has been key given his position on the
Agricultural Appropriations Committee. Overall, the picture is better than the last several years.
On the state side, Collishaw said there is a group of Assemblymembers working together who
has proposed a $1.3 billion housing request from the budget surplus, including some for
homeownership. He said there is a different atmosphere at the State Capitol these days, and there
is cause for optimism about this effort. More information will be available next month.
Collishaw then announced that $56 million is being requested from the budget surplus for water
issues. There was a discussion of the potential uses of this funding if approved.
POLICIES
Update on Personnel Plan Revisions
Dutton reported that work is currently underway to update the staff handbook (Personnel Plan).
With ADP having expertise in state employment law, we want to take advantage of the
opportunity to have them be responsible for risk management as laws and regulations change
frequently. He said there are many sections that will remain unchanged, and we are working
closely with them to maintain SHE’s sense of identity and culture. It will be presented to the
Board next month for adoption, and areas that have changed will be clearly marked.
FISCAL
QUARTERLY REPORTS
a. Interim Financial Statements
-Statement of Financial Position
Long-Pence reviewed the Statement of Financial Position for March 31, 2016. She noted that
Accounts Receivable is a bit higher than normal due to the state’s slow payment on grants from the
Office of Emergency Services (OES). She explained the various components of the $14.7 million in
Notes Receivable.
-Summary Statement of Activities
Long-Pence then reviewed the Statement of Activities for March 31, 2016. She explained why there
was a $100,000 loss on Sales of Land and Houses which was related to the sale of the impaired lots
in Bakersfield. Most of the lots were sold and the cash used to purchase another project in Wasco.
b. Investment and Deposit Report
Long-Pence then reviewed the Investment and Deposit report for March 31, 2016, which shows
cash that is controlled by SHE. She pointed out that the Notes Receivable from Related Entities now
includes Strawberry Street, the five-unit rental project in downtown Visalia.
c. Interim Report of Budgeted Operating Expenses
Long-Pence then reported that the March 31 Report of Budgeted Operating Expenses is remarkably
on track for 75 percent of the fiscal year. Collishaw explained real estate development appears to
show a loss but is made whole annually (if needed) by deferred developer fees already earned. The
current status is not out of the ordinary. He also mentioned that mileage reimbursement is higher
than expected due to hiring more staff for the drought program which requires frequent travel within
the target area, in addition to NH working farther afield these days. Collishaw said it is not
something to worry about since SHE is compensated for staff travel through program grants and
contracts.
Questions from Board members included:
With the Business and Strategic Plans in mind, how can we look at this budget and
determine how many employees are in each department? Knowing if we are working in a
cost effective manner is critical when working on the Business and Strategic Plans.
Collishaw said that detailed information is not reflected in this report but that staff will point out the
information in the upcoming budget for 2016-2017. That level of detail is developed during budget
preparations, but this report is a summary. Long-Pence pointed out that since the 2015-2016 budget
was presented and adopted, we have added several staff and revenue sources.
When the new budget is prepared, can areas that have changed from the previous year be
highlighted?
Collishaw said there is a report done each year that goes back several years, however, it isn’t broken
down by department. It will be easy for staff to show how many full-time employees we are
expecting to have in the coming year as opposed to how many we have currently.
Regarding mileage reimbursement, do staff members drive their own cars for work-related
travel?
Yes, and by policy they are reimbursed at the federal rate which is currently $.54 per mile. He
explained the modification made for construction staff who do not have an assigned office, as well
as proactive steps taken by New Homes staff to urge the use of rental cars when recruiting in distant
locations.
Have we considered leasing company cars?
Collishaw said this has been discussed from time to time but not recently. There was a discussion of
the potential liability issues and difficulty in maintaining a fleet.
Land Investment Report
There was no discussion of the Land Investment Report.
FUNDING AND RESOURCES
Collishaw reported that we are still awaiting word on the award of Prop. 1 funds for our water
and sewer efforts.
PROGRAM ISSUES
Partner Program Challenges
Atkins gave her monthly report on the financial status of Partner Programs. March ended with a
profit of $20,000, while the year-to-date third quarter had an overall gain of $387,000. As has been
typical, Housing Rehabilitation had the highest loss, and manufactured housing is still in the process
of getting up and running. Drought activities account for the majority of the gain.
USDA Household Water Well System Application
Atkins explained the change that was necessary in Resolution 2016-07 which resulted in its removal
from the Consent Calendar. The decision was made to remove Stanislaus County from the service
area for competitive reasons, and Atkins said that the four jobs in that county pipeline can be
assisted with other funding.
Motion to approve Resolution 2016-07, second, passed unanimously.
Acquisition/Rehab – Tax Defaulted Properties in Tulare County (Resolutions 2016-08 -- 2016-17)
Atkins reminded Board members of the goal of Partner Programs to pursue new opportunities to
acquire, rehab and sell properties as an additional means of providing housing for low-income
families. Now that housing prices are recovering, there are fewer foreclosed homes on the market.
She explained that as a nonprofit, SHE is allowed to act similar to a government agency with first
right of refusal on homes that are due to be sold for back taxes. There are ten properties that have
been identified as meeting SHE’s desired specifications: modest size, 3-4 bedrooms, not old enough
to have lead paint, and no swimming pools. Since there is no opportunity for inspection before
purchase, Atkins said we have carefully reviewed the property profiles for information that might
indicate a poorly maintained property in addition to physically visiting each site.
Questions from Board members included:
What happens to the homes lender?
Atkins said lenders are allowed to pay the taxes to secure their loan, and if they don’t do it by the
June 1 deadline, they lose any remaining investment in the property.
Are we trying to locate properties in close proximity to each other so that a construction
staff can more economically work on them all?
Atkins replied that this isn’t a major issue since we hire independent contractors for these jobs.
Have we done anything like this before?
Atkins said we have acquired homes through auction, but not through the tax default process.
Does someone publish a list of names of those who acquire the properties?
Atkins said the information will be on the property records but not published.
Collishaw pointed out that some of these properties may still be occupied, meaning residents would
need to be evicted if the properties were, in fact, acquired. Rosedale asked if these residents could
then be considered as potential buyers of the property. Atkins commented that if they could qualify
for the loan, that might be an option. Rodriguez said he is uncomfortable with the idea of potentially
evicting residents. Scott pointed out that the owner will lose the home whether or not SHE is the
purchaser, and another buyer would not make it available to a low-income buyer.
Scott commented that this program would allow SHE to acquire properties that might otherwise be
acquired by investors who would do nothing to rehabilitate them and then charge exorbitant rents.
Atkins pointed out that even if we are able to acquire all ten properties, the total outlay would be
under $100,000. In addition to making the homes available to low-income buyers, this program will
also improve the neighborhoods as tax defaulted properties often have deferred maintenance needs.
Motion to approve Resolutions 2016-08 through 2016-17, second, passed with one abstention.
In response to Rodriguez’ concern, Herb stated that if a homeowner is evicted, they could
potentially qualify for the new loan and end up with an affordable payment.
Strategic Planning: Remaining Lines of Business
Collishaw updated the Board on the status of the strategic planning process. At the last meeting, the
Business Plan and SWOT analysis for all 13 lines of business were discussed, and goals and
strategies were discussed for four lines of business. The goals and strategies for the remaining nine
lines of business were emailed to Board members after the meeting and included in the current
meeting packets. Staff is looking for input from the Board about which of these nine is of interest
for discussion tonight so that work can begin on preparing the draft document which needs to be
ready for adoption at the June Board meeting.
Regarding Community Development, Rodriguez pointed out that efforts to construct a sewer system
in Shafter have been ongoing for 10-15 years, mainly because there hasn’t been anyone who can
keep county staff engaged. He asked if an increase in CD staff will mean this type of situation will
be expedited in the future. Collishaw pointed out that Warner has been the only staff person
working in Kern County for more than 35 years. With the addition of new staff, there are plans to
restructure the department into three geographic territories with separate area managers. Boyer
discussed increased activity already underway in Kern County that is possible due to new staff
assigned in that area.
Chrisman asked for a summary of the new level of activity and how it differs from 3-4 years ago.
Boyer discussed the additional communities and expanded scope of services. If Prop. 1 funds are
being used, the project must be related to building a capital project. Staff members are also working
with RCAC to provide leadership training to community residents. There was extensive discussion
of the work SHE has done in disadvantaged communities to move toward consolidation of small
systems and how this relates to training community residents. Chavez posed the idea of having
trained community members work as interns in county offices to keep projects moving forward.
Herb discussed the state law that requires annexation of disadvantaged areas contiguous to urban
communities.
Chrisman asked about the CD goal of securing $10 million in funding: what was the funding level
before this projected increase? Boyer said it is currently at $1-1.5 million. The largest application
submitted prior to that was for $8.7 million from DWR.
Regarding the land acquisition goal of maintaining an 800-lot inventory, Hansen asked how that
number is chosen. McGovern-Garcia explained the calculation that involves projecting how many
finished lots will be needed for New Homes as well as raw land so that there are always 200
developed lots available to homebuilders.
Regarding Rental Asset Management, Collishaw said we will need to expand staffing as we develop
additional projects. The same goes for Resident Services; the good thing is that there is room in the
budgets for hiring in both programs.
Collishaw then discussed the plans for Housing Counseling and Education which calls for them to
be the entry point for all prospective home buyers, whether in New Homes or Homebuyer
Assistance. This will create the need for additional staff in that program and cross-departmental
coordination.
Herb commented on one of the stated challenges in Homebuyer Assistance: advocate for less
restrictive state and local policies. He pointed out that there is Board member interest in
investigating alternative housing types which have been restricted by policies. Collishaw assured
him that this subject is included in the business plan draft document in the New Housing section.
As for emergency services, Collishaw said it’s very hard to predict where this activity will be in five
years.
Rosedale related a television program he watched that revisited neighborhoods of homes 30 years
after they were built and speculated what SHE’s older neighborhoods might look like now.
Collishaw said he frequently drives through SHE projects, and for the most part, SHE projects
compare very well with non-self-help homes. Chrisman commented this might be an interesting
story to tell.
UPCOMING CONFERENCES, SHE EVENTS, ETC.
New Staff Orientation (Board members welcome) – May 20, 2016
Collishaw invited interested Board members to attend the new staff orientation as a good way to
get in-depth information on SHE activities.
PROGRAM/PROGRESS REPORTS
a. Current Activities
b. Calendar Year Production
c. Drought Services
d. Rental Projects
There were no questions on the progress reports.
ITEMS OF GENERAL INTEREST
Rosedale shared a flyer on homelessness that he got at the Housing California conference. There
was a brief conversation on the costs of dealing with this problem and the programs that are
showing “housing first” is much less expensive way to address homelessness than the shelter
approach.
Chavez announced the plans for the next San Joaquin Valley Housing Collaborative which is
scheduled for August 18 in Fresno.
The meeting adjourned at 7:20.
Next Meeting: May 31, 2016
BOARD RESOLUTION SUMMARY
May 2016
Resolution 2016-18: Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities (AHSC)
Program Application for Lindsay Village
Action Requested: Authorize SHE to apply to the Affordable Housing and Sustainable
Communities (AHSC) program for up to $5.6 million of funding for the Lindsay Village
affordable rental project and associated infrastructure improvements. The program is being
administered by the Strategic Growth Council (SGC) and the Department of Housing and
Community Development (Department or HCD), and AHSC is funded through Cap-and-Trade
proceeds. The project includes a total of 50-units, transportation improvements at Westwood
and Hermosa, and funding for a water well in Lindsay.
Background:
SHE applied for AHSC funding for Lindsay Village last year, and as expected due to program
regulations that favor urban areas, Lindsay Village was not selected for funding. SHE and others
were successful in advocating for regulation changes that level the playing field for rural areas
and in Round 2 there is a 10% rural set-aside (approximately $38 million). Together with the
funding received from HCD through the Multifamily Housing Program, AHSC funds will
complete the financing package necessary to begin construction of Lindsay Village.
Resolution 2016-19 Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities Program
Application for Sierra Village (Dinuba)
Action Requested: Authorize SHE to apply to the Affordable Housing and Sustainable
Communities (AHSC) program for up to $4.7 million of funding for Sierra Village (Dinuba) and
associated infrastructure improvements. The project includes a total of 44-units, transportation
improvements at Davis and Crawford, and funding for an on-site vanpool which will be operated
in partnership with the California Vanpool Authority.
Background:
SHE has secured a tax credit allocation and HOME funds for the development of the Sierra
Village affordable rental community. However, due to a $2,000,000 construction bid overrun,
SHE needs to secure additional funding for the project. The project has been re-designed to
allow for 20 units/acre and will be developed in two phases for a total of 104 units. The AHSC
funding is the final source needed for Phase I and should funds be awarded, SHE will close the
financing and commence construction.
WHEREAS, the State of California, the Strategic Growth Council (SGC) and the Department of
Housing and Community Development (Department) has issued a Notice of Funding Availability dated January
29, 2016 (NOFA), under the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities (AHSC) Program established
under Division 44, Part 1 of the Public Resources Code commencing with Section 75200;
WHEREAS, Self-Help Enterprises (SHE) desires to apply for AHSC Program funds and submit the
Application Package released by the Department for the AHSC Program;
WHEREAS, the SGC is authorized to approve funding allocations for the AHSC Program, subject to the
terms and conditions of the NOFA, Program Guidelines, Application Package, and Standard Agreement. The
Department is authorized to administer the approved funding allocations of the AHSC Program.
THEREFORE, IT IS RESOLVED THAT SHE is hereby authorized and directed to apply for and submit
to the Department the AHSC Program Application as detailed in the NOFA dated January 29, 2016, for the
2015-16 Fiscal Year in a total amount not to exceed $5,600,000.00 of which up to $4,100,000.00 is requested as
a loan for an Affordable Housing Development (AHD) (“AHSC Loan”) and up to $1,500,000.00 is requested
for a grant for Housing-Related Infrastructure (HRI), Sustainable Transportation Infrastructure (STI), Transit-
Related Amenities (TRA) or Program (PGM) activities (“AHSC Grant”) as defined the AHSC Program
Guidelines adopted by SGC on December 17, 2015. If the application is approved, SHE is hereby authorized
and directed to enter into, execute, and deliver a State of California Standard Agreement (Standard Agreement)
in a total amount not to exceed $5,600,000.00 ($4,100,000.00 for the AHSC Loan and $1,500,000.00 for the
AHSC Grant), and any and all other documents required or deemed necessary or appropriate to secure the
AHSC Program funds from the Department, and all amendments thereto (collectively, the “AHSC
Documents”).
FURTHER RESOLVED THAT SHE shall be subject to the terms and conditions as specified in the
Standard Agreement. Funds are to be used for allowable capital asset project expenditures to be identified in
Exhibit A of the Standard Agreement. The application in full is incorporated as part of the Standard
Agreement. Any and all activities funded, information provided, and timelines represented in the application
are enforceable through the Standard Agreement. SHE hereby agrees to use the funds for eligible capital
asset(s) in the manner presented in the application as approved by the Department and in accordance with the
NOFA and Program Guidelines and Application Package.
FUTHER RESOLVED THAT Thomas J. Collishaw, President/CEO, or his designee, is authorized to
execute in the name of SHE the AHSC Program Application Package and the AHSC Program Documents as
required by the Department for participation in the AHSC Program.
RESOLUTION 2016 – 18 AUTHORIZING APPLICATION FOR THE AFFORDABLE
HOUSING AND SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES PROGRAM
Lindsay Village
WHEREAS, The State of California, the Strategic Growth Council (SGC) and the Department of
Housing and Community Development (Department) has issued a Notice of Funding Availability dated January
29,2016 (NOFA), under the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities (AHSC) Program established
under Division 44, Part 1 of the Public Resources Code commencing with Section 75200.
WHEREAS, Self-Help Enterprises (SHE) desires to apply for AHSC Program funds and submit the
Application Package released by the Department for the AHSC Program.
WHEREAS, the SGC is authorized to approve funding allocations for the AHSC Program, subject to the
terms and conditions of the NOFA, Program Guidelines, Application Package, and Standard Agreement. The
Department is authorized to administer the approved funding allocations of the AHSC Program.
THEREFORE, IT IS RESOLVED THAT SHE is hereby authorized and directed to apply for and submit
to the Department the AHSC Program Application as detailed in the NOFA dated January 29, 2016, for the
2015-16 Fiscal Year in a total amount not to exceed $4,700,000.00 of which up to $4,150,000.00 is requested as
a loan for an Affordable Housing Development (AHD) (“AHSC Loan”) and up to $550,000.00 is requested for
a grant for Housing-Related Infrastructure (HRI), Sustainable Transportation Infrastructure (STI), Transit-
Related Amenities (TRA) or Program (PGM) activities (“AHSC Grant”) as defined the AHSC Program
Guidelines adopted by SGC on December 17, 2015. If the application is approved, SHE is hereby authorized
and directed to enter into, execute, and deliver a State of California Standard Agreement (Standard Agreement)
in a total amount not to exceed $4,700,000.00 ($4,150,000.00 for the AHSC Loan and $550,000.00 for the
AHSC Grant), and any and all other documents required or deemed necessary or appropriate to secure the
AHSC Program funds from the Department, and all amendments thereto (collectively, the “AHSC
Documents”).
FURTHER RESOLVED THAT SHE shall be subject to the terms and conditions as specified in the
Standard Agreement. Funds are to be used for allowable capital asset project expenditures to be identified in
Exhibit A of the Standard Agreement. The application in full is incorporated as part of the Standard
Agreement. Any and all activities funded, information provided, and timelines represented in the application
are enforceable through the Standard Agreement. SHE hereby agrees to use the funds for eligible capital
asset(s) in the manner presented in the application as approved by the Department and in accordance with the
NOFA and Program Guidelines and Application Package.
FURTHER RESOLVED THAT Thomas J. Collishaw, President/CEO, or his designee, is authorized to
execute in the name of SHE the AHSC Program Application Package and the AHSC Program Documents as
required by the Department for participation in the AHSC Program.
RESOLUTION 2016 - 19 AUTHORIZING APPLICATION FOR THE AFFORDABLE
HOUSING AND SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES PROGRAM
Dinuba Village
ELECTIO
NS
h:\boards\she\memos\nominating committee 5-2016.docx
DATE: May 23, 2016
TO: Board Members
FROM: Nominating Committee Ray Chavez, Chair; Yolanda Gonzales, Ralph Rosedale
SUBJECT: NOMINATING COMMITTEE REPORT
The Nominating Committee recommends and makes the following nominations:
Election of Officers to terms ending May 31, 2017
Chair: Susan Zachary-Kreps
Vice Chair: Dave Herb
Election of new members:
None
SELF-HELP ENTERPRISES
BOARD MEMO
PO
LIC
IES
FIS
CAL
h:\accounting\budgets\2016-17 budget\memo - preliminary discussion cola & 401k rates.docx
DATE: May 20, 2016
TO: Board Members
FROM: Tom
SUBJECT: PRELIMINARY BUDGET DISCUSSION
This month we want to have an informal preliminary discussion about a couple of decisions that will impact the
budget. This will give staff time to incorporate the Board’s direction prior to presenting the full budget for
approval in June. To summarize, staff proposes to incorporate into the 2016-17 FY budget current levels of
contributions to the retirement plan, and give a COLA based on the California CPI. Based on a preliminary
assessment of revenues and expenses, staff feels comfortable that these costs can be incorporated in the
proposed yearly budget without negative consequences.
Both of these items will take formal action from the Board along with adoption of the budget at the June board
meeting.
Staff has looked at other significant variables involved in development of the budget that do not require Board
action (such as health insurance and Worker’s Comp rates). We are pleased that health insurance rates will only
rise slightly (on average less than 3%), and that our emphasis on safety and continued partnership with ADP
makes us confident that Workers Comp rates will remain stable.
RETIREMENT CONTRIBUTION RATE FOR 2016-2017
There are two parts to SHE’s contribution to the employee retirement plan.
Discretionary contribution: The Plan provides for a base contribution by SHE in an amount determined
annually by the Board. This is a discretionary decision, and can be re-visited at any time during the year
as conditions change. This contribution is subject to vesting, which means an employee who leaves
during the first six years of employment will not receive the full amount that was contributed by SHE.
Employee match (Safe Harbor): The plan provides a dollar-for-dollar match for employee salary
contributions to their retirement account, up to four percent of salary. Under Safe Harbor rules, all
match contributions are immediately vested. New employees are automatically enrolled, though they
can opt-out. Participation remains very high. Any change to this element of the plan would require a
formal plan amendment, with notice to the employees more than 30 days before start of the new plan
year (July 1).
Staff is proposing to maintain the current discretionary retirement contribution at two percent.
SELF-HELP ENTERPRISES
BOARD MEMO
h:\accounting\budgets\2016-17 budget\memo - preliminary discussion cola & 401k rates.docx
ANNUAL COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT (COLA)
Background:
When possible, it has been SHE practice to apply cost of living adjustments to the SHE salary ranges to assure that
salaries remain competitive and fair, especially for those staff who are at the top of the salary range for their
positions. Due to the economic realities faced by SHE and all employers in the region between 2008 and 2012, this
was not done consistently. However, the economy has stabilized and SHE is financially strong.
California Employment Development Department (EDD) reports that the 2015 annual average CA Consumer Price
Index (CPI) increased 1.5% from the 2014 annual average. Staff is recommending that the Board approve a 2016
COLA matching the 2015 increase in CPI, adding 1.5% to the salary schedule for all employees.
All SHE salaries are based on approved ranges of seven steps for each position. Once a staff member reaches the
top step for a position, the COLA adjustment is the only increase available unless promoted. With the exceptional
tenure and loyalty at SHE, a large percentage of the staff are at the top of range for their positions, and will get no
salary increase aside from the COLA adjustment.
Policy:
The ability to adjust salaries to match inflation has been important in maintaining a competitive and fair
salary structure at SHE. As approved by the Board, the SHE Personnel Policy states:
5. Cost-of-Living Review
a. Annually, the Board of Directors will review the Cost-of-Living Index for the
previous calendar year. Increases are not automatic and can be given only with the
approval of the Board after consideration of external and internal constraints.
b. New pay schedules as a result of a Cost-of-Living increase will become effective
July 1.
PRO
GRAM
/PRO
GRESS R
EPO
RTS
CURRENT SHE ACTIVITIES – April 30, 2016
DEVELOPMENT
Land
Subdivisions in development pipeline: Parksdale, Patterson, Planada, Traver, Woodlake
Projects under construction: Parksdale, Traver
Lot sales pending: Dos Palos (3), Gustine (4), Winton (11) (Total: 18)
Lots available for sale: Bakersfield (10), Corcoran (9), Dos Palos (11), Parksdale (40), Riverdale (11),
Turlock (22), Wasco (28), Winton II (32) (Total: 163) Note: (#) = lots = families
New Homes
Recruiting: Active: Parksdale, Riverdale, Wasco Upcoming: Traver
Homes in construction: Corcoran (9), Dos Palos (11), Gustine (11), Winton (11) (Total: 42)
Building groups completed this fiscal year: Arvin (20), Dos Palos (10), Gustine (21), Tulare (12) (Total homes: 63) FY Goal Year to Date Monthly Goal Monthly Actual Equivalent Units (EU) 84 44.03 7 2.87 Cost per EU $27,590 $39,849 $27,590 $57,530
Multi-Family Housing
Project Location Target Opening Financing # Units Highland Gardens (Visalia Village)
Visalia 11/2016 HOME/Tax Credit/Conventional 36
Dinuba Village Phase I Dinuba 12/2017 HOME/Tax Credit/Conventional/AHSC 44 Patterson Village I Patterson 12/2018 HOME/Tax Credit/Conventional 60 Lindsay Village I Lindsay 12/2017 Tax Credit/Conven./MHP/AHSC 50
Goshen Village III Goshen 12/2017 AHSC/Tax Credits 66
TOTAL UNITS 256
Sewer/Water - Active Projects Fresno County East Niles/ Weldon Area Systems/ Stanislaus Co. London
Adkins N. Weedpatch Hwy Rainbird Valley Hatch-Olivera Monson
Camden MHP Fairfax Rd/Lamont West Valley MWC Monterey Park Tract Matheny Tract
Beran Way Frazier Park Kings County Newman Okieville
Britten Way Golden Hills Avenal Schools Rouse-Colorado Old Liberty School Area Daleville Inyokern CSD Hardwick Tulare County Plainview
Lanare Krista MWC Home Garden Akin Richgrove
Las Deltas Lake of the Woods Kettleman City CSD Alpaugh Rodriguez Camp
Orange Center School Lands of Promise Kettleman City School Allensworth Seville
Perry Colony Lakeside School Madera County Avenue 322 Saucelito School
Shady Oaks MHP Lebec 224 MHP Beverly Grand Soults
Kern County Pinon Pines Fairmead Burnett Road Sultana
60th Street Pond Parksdale Cameron Creek Teviston
Aerial Acres Rio Bravo-Greeley School Merced County Ducor Tooleville
Arvin CSD Sonshine Planada East Orosi Tract 92
Athal MWC So.Shafter Com. Meadowbrook East Vandalia West Goshen
Lemon Cove
CURRENT SHE ACTIVITIES – April 30, 2016
PROGRAM ACTIVITY
SHE Revolving Loan Fund and Partner Loan Servicing
SHE Revolving Loan Fund Loans Outstanding $11,643,226 # of borrowers: 529 Available to Lend $1,193,575 New Loans this Month $ 23,038
Partner Loan Servicing Loans Outstanding $42,026,783 # of loans: 1,155 Partner Communities: Chowchilla, Coalinga, Delano, Exeter, Farmersville, Lindsay
Multi-Family Housing – SHE and Affiliates
Project Location #
Units Year
Opened Project Location
# Units
Year Opened
Almond Court Wasco 36 1996 Parksdale Village I Parksdale 48 2010
Bear Creek I & II Planada 64 ’80 & ‘06 Parksdale Village II Parksdale 48 2012
Biola Village Biola 44 2007 Rancho Lindo Lamont 44 2009
Caliente Creek Arvin 46 1999 Rolling Hills Newman 52 2004
Casas de La Vina I&II La Vina 56 ‘92 & ‘00 Sand Creek Orosi 60 2006
Casitas del Sol Livingston 36 2001 Solinas Village McFarland 52 1995
Cottonwood Creek Parksdale 40 2001 Strawberry St. Apts. Visalia 5 2015
Gateway Village Modesto 48 1997 Sunrise Villa Wasco 44 2002
Goshen Village Goshen 64 2003 Vera Cruz Village Richgrove 49 1996
Goshen Village II Goshen 56 2011 Villa de Guadalupe Cutler 60 2001
Lincoln Plaza Hanford 40 2007 Villa del Rey Del Rey 48 2005
North Park Oildale 104 1996 Villa Hermosa Wasco 40 1999
Nueva Sierra Vista Richgrove 35 1995 Viscaya Gardens Dinuba 48 2013
Washington Plaza Earlimart 44 2006
Total Units: 1,311
Partner Programs
FY Goal FY to Date Rehab 21 10 Reconstruction 10 2 Emergency/504/Water Wells 20 32 Temporary Water Solutions 1,000 923 Homebuyer/Home LIFT 278 260 Housing Counseling 600 931 Acquisition/Rehab 12 6
Counties Serviced/Partners*:
Fresno County Kings County Mariposa County Tulare County Coalinga* Avenal* Dinuba* Orange Cove* Corcoran* Exeter* Unincorporated Areas* Merced County Farmersville* Kern County Lindsay* Delano * Madera County Woodlake* Wasco* Chowchilla* Stanislaus County Tulare*
Unincorporated Areas* Visalia*
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By Patric Hedlund, THERichard and Judy Panek
had already voted 'no' on thequestion of whether FrazierPark should annex Lake of theWoods to form a regional waterdistrict. Then they changedtheir minds.They went to the information
meeting hosted by the FrazierPark Public Utility District onMarch 31."We moved here two years
ago," Judy Panek said. Herhusband had been a buildinginspector in Long Beach.The couple—originally from
Poland, via France—decidedto retire in the clean mountainair. They were also attracted tothe affordable cost of living.
Richard Panek explainedtheir process of thinking aboutthe water system annexation:"When we got the ballot wethought it would cost too muchto annex Lake of the Woods.We thought maybe there wasn'tenough water. There wasn'tenough information with theballot. We voted 'no' and sentthe vote in."At the meeting last week,
however; "We got the pictureof what was going on and we
changed our minds. Now I am'pro' and not against. BeforeI was against connectingtogether. Now I learnedhow much water we havein Frazier Park, and aboutthe underground river. Theguy explained it very good andnow I see we are not in dangerof drying out. That is why Ichanged my mind. We learned
Above: "We changed our minds," Richard and Judy Panek said. As they read the hand-outs, saw thecharts and listened to consultants at the March 31 meeting about the water system annexation, they learnedthey had jumped to conclusions and cast their vote without having the facts. They asked, "Can we voteagain?" The answer is 'yes.' Below left Civil Engineer Dee Jaspar shows a chart prepared by The MountainEnterprise from data generated by his firm's water supply study. It analyzes the ability of the Cuddy CanyonGroundwater Sub Basins beneath Lake of the Woods and Frazier Park to sustain regional water needs. Aftera 10-year drought scenario with minimal rainfall, 68% of the water supply is still retained, his data shows.
wN .
more tonight and see we didn'thave the facts."FPPUD board members,
employees and consultantsanswered questions for overtwo hours lastThursday night,showing maps, diagrams, costprojections and informationabout state grants available tohelp build the regional systemand upgrade wells and regional
Above: °I'm not much of a big government guy," saidBob Conner, 'but this is a no-trainer. We owe youpeople, this board, gratitude for all your work.' Connerowns Lake of the Woods Mobile Village and plans to jointhe regional water system.
water delivery.As they were leaving the Fra-
zier Mountain Park Communi-ty Center, the Paneks stoppedto talk with this reporter."Can we vote again?"
Richard Panek asked.Board President Brahma
Neyman heard their questionas he was leaving the hall.
"Yes, you can vote again,"
Neyman said. FPPUD GeneralManager Jonnie Allisonexplained the process: "Cometo the office for a new ballotmarked Itevote: Be sure to putyour address and name on it,so we can fmd the first ballotand remove it when we open thebaBotbox on counting day."
All votes need to be receivedat the! Continued on page 3
lets early toadsvote agaln
a public meeting to answer questions about a regional water systemversus staying separate Notes from the public meeting held March 31, 2016
Continued from page
FPPUD office at 4020 ParkDrive (or by mail to P.O. Box1525, FP, 93225) by 4 p.m.April 14.
Votes will be counted withthe assistance of the public atthe regular preplanning meet-ing on Thursday, April 28 at 6p.m.
Non-Binding Poll in FPThe FPPUD board is elected
to make decisions on behalf oftheir community. They are notobligated by law to follow theresults of the current polling,but directors said they want toknow how their constituentsare leaningon the sub-ject of an-nexation.On Jami-
ary 28 theboard passeda resolutionto pursue consolidation of localwater sources into a regionalwater system in the event thatthe plan is approved by itswater'customers.
Binding Vote in LOWOn February 4 the share-
holders of the Lake of theWoods Mutual Water Companyagreed 110 to 16 that they wantto join a regional water system.That vote is binding.
If the annexation proceedsand a regional system isapproved by Kern County'sLocal Agency FormationCommission (known asLAFCO), private LOWMWCshares will be surrendered andthe system will become partof the public regional system.
The carrotsThe potential benefits of
joining forces, and the economic'carrots' offered in the form ofstate grants to modernize aginginfrastructure and to build theregional 'system, have attractedseveral other water systems tosend a letter requesting to joinin a regional system."I'm not much of a 'big
government' guy, but this is ano-brainer," said Bob Conner,the owner of Lake of the WoodsMobile Village at the March 31.meeting.Conner said he plans to join
in the regional water system ifthe plan goes forward.Chuck Schroeder said the
*A,
Above (14): Civil Engineer Dee Jasper, FPPUD Board Directors Frank Durso, Rebecca Gipson, Gerald Garcia, Brahma Neyman, Lisa
Schoenberg, board clerk Tiffany Matte. Below: There were empty chairs, but the questions and answers were thoughtful and useful.
by June Schmidt, THEAll members of the Frazier
ParkPublicUtilityDistrict boardwere at the March 31 informa-tion meeting Brahma Neyman,Lisa Schoenberg, Frank Durso,Gerald Garcia and RebeccaGipson. Staff members General
Manager Jonnie Allison, Clerkof the Board Tiffany Matte andother FPPUD employees werethere. Civil Engineer Dee Jasperand David Warner of Self-HelpEnterprises also were on hand toanswer the public's questions.
Rebecca Moore of Kern Coun-ty's LAFCO (Local Agency For-mation Commission) was thereto observe, but did not partici-pate as a panelist. About 14 com-munity members attended.Brahma Neyman opened the
meeting. Jonnie Allison gave the
Manager's Report and addressedquestions he recently receivedfrom the public.Question: If FPPUD gets stategrant money will the state takeover? Answer No.Question: Will annexationmake our rates go up? Answer:
No, rates are based on the currentrate study. A new one will be donesoon since the last one is 1'/s yearsold.Question: If Frazier Park stillhas a sufficient water supply whyare we restricted to two days ofoutside watering?Answer: That restriction is inplace due -to Governor Brown'sconservation mandate, not be-cause our supply here is low.
Allison talked about repairs onthe 8-inch water main and dis-played the metal clamps used for
Shepherd of the MountainsLutheran Church also decidedto join in, as will a series ofprivate well owners.
Registered voters from allneighborhoods within the newdistrict's boundaries will be eli-gible to run for election to serveas directors on the new regionalboard, with their names on thecounty ballot.
Just as the Frazier Parksystem has now, the publicregional system would continuewith a full-time professionalmanagement staff who mustbe certified according to stateguidelines.
Public systems must also op-erate with transparency. Thepublic is welcome to all regular,special and emergency meet-ings. Budgets, expendituresand related documents must allbe available upon request.
repairs.Question: Will the grants beenough to repair the entire Fra-zier Park system? Answer: No.There are over 25 miles of pipe inthe system. Most are steel withsome PVC. There is still a lot to
do to fix the system. The districtneeds money for en engineer. Ithas a three-men crew. Many ofthe maps of our 80 year old sys-tem are inaccurate. The cost ofrepairs will only go up. The 13.5million in / Continued on page 4
To Annex orNot to AnnexContinued from page 3grants will help to repair theworst sections.David Warner spoke about
the reason for the poll. Theboard did not want to make adecision on annexation withoutgetting public input.The poll was sent out on
March 15 to anyone who re-ceives a water bill—owner orrenter. They need to be submit-ted to the board or postmarkedby April 14.
Counting will take place at thepreplanning meeting on Thurs-day, April 28 at the FPPUD of-fice, with the public's help.Option 1: Yes to annexation—An overview of what this meanswas given. The amount of thegrant (at least $13,150,000)was determined by how mucheach current water system maybe eligible to receive (LOW, FP.LOW Mobile Village, churchesand individuals). If more sys-tems decide to be part of theannexation, the grant amountcould go up.Question: If annexation is ap-proved, do we get the entiregrant amount? Answer: Yes.Question: What is the costof the inter-connection of theLOW and FP systems?Answer: It has not been de-signed yet so they do not know.The state will provide moneyfor design and engineering.Question: What happens tothe annexation if the grantsdon't go through? Answer: Ifthe grants are not provided topay for expenses, the annexa-tion will stop. That will be acondition of the agreement.Question: (This questionerused figures without sayingwhere the numbers came from;they were not accurate): "If itwill cost $1.5 million to install400+ smart meters in LOW, Icalculate it would cost between5 and 6 million dollars to re-place all of FP's meters."Answer: Dave Warner did themath and said that at $900each, it will cost $1.1.7 millionto replace all 1,300 meters inFrazier Park. [The grant toLOW is to install meters and torepair 4,000 feet of pipeline].Question: "I was told itwould cost $10,000 to connectmy property to the water sys-tem. Will LOW customers becharged to be connected to theregional system?" Answer: No,
because there is not an initialcharge to connect existing cus-tomers to the system. Anyonewho does not join the regionalsystem at this point will payconnection fees to join later.Question: Will all wells bepart of the system? Answer:Private well owners can keeptheir own wells but thosecan only be used for irriga-tion and must be fitted witha backflow prevention device.
Option 2: No to annexation—An overview of what thismeans was given and questionswere then asked and answered.
profit company, Cal Water,took over and the water ratesskyrocketed Answer: No,no other options [such asprivatization of the systems] arebeing considered.Question: If we become a re-gional water district wouldLOW residents be able to runfor board positions? Answer:Yes. It is also possible that thenumber of board memberscould be increased from five to
Question: How long wouldcommunity be considered 'ribadvantaged?' Answer: (Milled to a lengthy discussion ohow the state determines if 1community is lisadVantaged[qualifying for low interesloans] or 'severely disadvantaged' [qualifying for grantsand how the USDA uses 2011median household income dabto calculate grants).Question: Are these the onktwo options being consideredThe questioner explained thewhen he owned propertyLake Isabella a private, for
seven in the future.Question: Will nitrates in thiLOW system affect FP -water'Answer: No.Question: Is there Idly plaifor a water treatment systemdeal with contaminants?Answer: No. Water treatmenis very expensive. Currently w:have the option to dig test welland determine water quoitbefore adding any water to thregional system water supply.
The Porterville Recorder
Well agreement approved
By Kelli Ballard
April 11, 20163
Officials move to quickly hook up homes in East Porterville Porterville City Council Tuesday approved an agreement between the city and Tulare County that gives the city a new well in exchange for providing water for East Porterville residents. The Tulare County Supervisors are expected to consider the pact on April 12. “I’m really, really excited about what’s happening,” said Fred Beltran, a volunteer with the Porterville Area Coordinating Council, which has helped drought victims. “This thing’s moving so fast.” Homes where water wells have gone dry have 1,500-2,500 gallon potable water tanks connected to the plumbing inside homes. The state has agreed to pay for connections to the city’s water system for about 425 homes in East Porterville, but that number could go higher. The first step, City Manager John Lollis said, will be to connect 40 homes that are located along existing water lines along Date Avenue in East Porterville. Part of the agreement also calls to connect homes in the Vandalia Avenue area that are not connected to the city’s system and whose wells have gone dry. Those homes were annexed into the city in 2006. Although the plan is to connect about 500 homes as soon as possible, Lollis said, “We’re probably talking about, in the East Porterville area, another 200 to 300 homes that will probably be experiencing well outages as this drought continues into the summer months or additional folks come forward with their wells dry.” This step marks just the beginning of the of the plan between the state, county and city. “There is a hard charge ahead right now in developing an East Porterville water grant ultimate connection of 1,800 connections,” Lollis said. Homeowners who connect to city services will be required to sign an irrevocable annexation agreement which states that the property will be annexed at a future date, no matter who owns the home at the time. Homeowners will also be required to abandon their current wells. “If they choose not to connect, the provision of the state support would be terminated, and they would no longer be provided with [tank] water or bottled water,” Lollis said. However, there may be an exception to the well-abandonment rule for properties that have a well being used strictly for livestock. Only private wells being used for household needs would be required to be abandoned. “That could potentially be an impediment to some people who want to connect to the city water system,” said Ryan Jensen, co-founder of East Porterville Residents for Water Justice. He asked the council to reconsider. “At least consider the possibility of some kind of flexibility with that well-abandonment policy or some form of consideration of exemption.” Juanita Baldo, a west-side resident whose well went dry, asked if there would be any help for those not on the east side. Greg Farley, drought manager for the state Department of Water Resources, told Baldo that the agency is “looking at different opportunities to help the small systems,” adding there are other programs such as Self Help Enterprises that provide loans and grants for private wells.
Farley and Eric Lamoureux, regional administrator for the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, praised the city for its cooperation in getting help to drought victims on the east side. “Let’s get some permanent connections made,” Lamoureux said. “Let’s begin removing tanks from people’s property. Get them set into a reliable, sustainable water system.” Lamoureux said the state has never backed away from the issues in East Porterville and it plans to continue to seek a permanent solution. “There will continue to be work to look at what we need for East Porterville and where we can provide additional support for the city through these dialogues,” he said. The work to connect East Porterville residents should begin soon. “I’m very optimistic we’re going to be able to get there in the next couple of months. We can start to see some immediate work being done,” Lamoureux said. Part of the well agreement is the state will retain access to three million gallons of water per month from the well for extreme emergencies. “I do want to reiterate that the drought is not over. There’s still a lot of work that needs to be done,” Farley said.
The Hanford Sentinel
Lemoore approves water sale
Becomes first Kings County city to join drought-relief program
By Seth Nidever
April 12, 2016
LEMOORE —Lemoore is the first Kings County city to provide temporary water to residents outside city limits who are suffering from failed wells. The Lemoore City Council unanimously approved a contract last week with Self-Help Enterprises of Visalia to sell water to the nonprofit organization for an emergency dry well assistance program. The program supplies a temporary plastic tank filled with water that connects to a home's plumbing. The water supplies the shower, toilet and washing needs of residents whose wells have gone dry. Bottled water would be supplied for cooking and drinking needs.
The program includes a requirement that participants be actively planning to have a new well dug. Residents can receive the emergency water help for up to 12 months. According to Lemoore City Manager Andi Welsh, the water sold by Lemoore will stay in Kings County. The water will be pumped from a service connection in the vicinity of 19th and Idaho avenues, according to city officials. "I felt that it was important to support, on a temporary basis, people who have had their wells go dry," Welsh said. The vote was 5-0, but it didn't come without a lot of debate about the pros and cons. The issue of water conservation mandates being imposed by the state came up in the discussion. "The city is already asking our residents to reduce water [use]," said Lemoore Public Works Director Nathan Olson. "We're cutting back on water [use] as a whole." Olson sought to reassure council member that the water to be sold — no more than 1 acre-foot a month — is a tiny fraction of the monthly output of the city's wells. Olson estimated that the wells put out 5,000 acre-feet of water a month.
An example of an emergency water tank setup for a homeowner with a
failing/failed well who needs temporary help. Lemoore has become the first
Kings County city to agree to sell water to a Visalia-based nonprofit to supply
Kings County residents in this predicament
"It's a drop in the bucket that Self-Help Enterprises would be [receiving]," said Mayor Pro Tem Jeff Chedester. Olson said that the water sold to Self-Help would be subtracted from the total monthly use the city reports to the state as part of the conservation mandate. The city will charge Self-Help $8 per 1,000 gallons for water sold through the program for the first six months. Olson said that's significantly more than city residents are currently being charged. Proceeds will go will go toward the operation of Lemoore's water system, according to Welsh. The contract with Self-Help expires after two years. Michelle Speer, Kings County's emergency services coordinator, said that Kingsburg is the only other city that has agreed to supply water to needy Kings County residents. Speer said that makes sense because Kingsburg straddles the Fresno/Kings county line. Speer said that well failures are concentrated in the northeastern part of Kings County not far from the county line. Speer said an agreement with Hanford is pending. People spoke out in favor of the sale. "I think if it's humanly possible to help our communities, we should do it," said Lemoore Resident Connie Wlaschin. "I can't imagine turning on a faucet and not having any water come out." "We need to help those in need," said Lemoore resident Tom Reed. Susan Atkins, a program director at Self-Help, said the magnitude of the well failure problem "far exceeds" Kings County. Among San Joaquin Valley counties Self-Help is operating the program in, Atkins said Kings has been "least affected."
The Business Journal
Rotary water project to break ground, serve Tulare County residents
By Business Journal Staff
April 20, 2016
Local Rotary clubs, working with Tulare County, Self-Help Enterprises and California Water Service, will break ground on a project to bring water to people living just north of Visalia along Avenue 322 whose residential wells have failed. The ceremony will take place at 2 p.m. on April 28 along Avenue 322 east of Highway 63. The $192,000 project almost stalled when the state Drought Emergency grant funding could not be used to pay for fire protection and hydrants. Then a coalition of 11 Rotary clubs from Tulare and Fresno counties, plus the Visalia Rotary Community Foundation, provided money and accessed matching funds through Rotary International to cover the $29,500 project gap and pay for fire protection service in the neighborhood. “This project has taken a long time to come to fruition,” said Bill Mathis, Visalia Breakfast Rotary Club president. “Some of these people have been without reliable, safe water in their homes for almost two years. We are so glad that Rotary was in a position to help. Rotarians believe in service to others. That is bedrock upon which Rotary stands — service.” So far, 14 households have registered with Self-Help Enterprises to tie into Cal Water’s service. More may still sign up, and others may opt into Cal Water’s service at some later date. “This historic drought has had a severe effect throughout the state but especially here in the Central Valley,” said Lee Goldstein, president of the Rotary Club of Visalia, known as Downtown Rotary. “People are suffering. When we learned that these people whose wells have failed continued to lack water because there was no money for hydrants and fire protection, our local Rotarians in Visalia were eager to get involved and to help move this forward. Other Rotary clubs from around Tulare County and even in Fresno County joined us to get this project going.” In total, the project comprises 1,800 feet of new water main plus service connections, meters and four fire hydrants for the neighborhood. Self-Help Enterprises worked with the neighborhood residents and Tulare County to secure the State Drought Emergency grant funding for the project. At the request of Tulare County and Self-Help Enterprises, Cal Water agreed to provide safe, reliable water to the neighborhood. The following Rotary clubs are contributing to the project: The Rotary Club of Visalia Visalia County Center Rotary Visalia Sunset Rotary Visalia Breakfast Rotary Visalia Latino Rotary of Tulare County The Rotary Club of Porterville
The Rotary Club of Tulare Tulare Sunrise Rotary The Rotary Club of Selma The Rotary Club of Fresno The Fig Garden Rotary Club The Visalia Rotary Community Foundation
Visalia-Times Delta
Water relief comes to neighborhood north of Visalia
By Luis Hernandez
April 29, 2016
Janice Gearing said she was better off putting down the microphone and cutting short her comments during a water infrastructure project groundbreaking ceremony Thursday afternoon. Any additional comments, she said, would have brought emotions flooding in. “I am going to start crying,” she said. Gearing is among the residents just north of Visaliawho will benefit from a project that calls for the installation of a new water main on Avenue 322, east of Highway 63. The project will also bring water meters and fire hydrants. The residents benefiting had their domestic well go dry nearly two years ago. “It has been a long process,” Gearing said.
The project is the result of cooperation between California Water Service, Tulare County, Self Help-Enterprises and 11 Rotary clubs, who made a monetary donation to bridge a money gap and ensure the project was completed. The funding brought in $192,000. The donation from Rotary was $29,500. The state funding called for installation of four-inch pipe. But to have fire hydrants installed, the water main must be six inches in diameter. The donation from Rotary paid for the pipe upgrade. “We are here to meet people’s needs,” said Jim Sullins, Visalia County Center Rotary president. “This was a wonderful opportunity. We didn’t have to work with boundaries of the county. We were able to talk to some people and make this deal possible.” Sullins said Rotary clubs from Visalia, Tulare, Porterville, Selma and Fresno donated funds that were then used to get additional money from the Rotary Foundation. Rotary, Sullins said, is about service and improving the community. “And the community has no boundaries,” he said.
On Thursday, representatives from Rotary clubs were on hand to be part of the ceremony. With the ability to connect to the main line, residents can move away from using water tanks that need to be filled monthly – at a cost to homeowners. Local representatives praised Rotary for their involvement. “This provides a permanent solution,” Tulare County Supervisor Steve Worthley. “They have a permanent fix.” Connecting to Visalia’s water system, the residents can also move from domestic wells and pumps, Worthley said. “This is the community doing the right thing,” said California Assemblyman Devon Mathis (R-Visalia). “Rotary: You have done an amazing job. I am proud of my community.”
Mathis said he’s working on legislature to financially help similar projects. Gearing said her home’s well failed in early 2013. She said her family struggled using water tanks. Water use was cut, but it was a pain to do the laundry elsewhere and take showers at relatives’ homes or at work. To conserve water, Gearing said shorter showers and not flushing the toilet every time were common practices. She said the family used less than 4,000 gallons of water monthly. “We became water saving experts,” she said. “We were that good.” It was much of the same for Manuel Hernandez, another resident in the area. “We had to find out where to take our clothes to wash,” he said.
Hernandez said he’s glad the new water main is being installed to improve the water service. “I would say it’s a nice, good, awesome work,” he said. Jessi Snyder, Self-Help Enterprises community development specialist, said the project will start on the east end of Avenue 322. Residents will be connecting to the system by June. Gearing said it would cost about $1,000 to connect to the system. Worthley said the project north of Visalia is just one example of how the drought and wells running dry are affecting Tulare County residents. There are plans to install a new water system to serve residents in East Porterville, Worthley said. In that area, an estimated 400 wells have failed.
Sullins said he’s hopeful the project north of Visalia may be the template to help others in similar situations solve their issues. “That might be more valuable than the project itself,” he said.
Cal Water and the local rotary clubs hold a ground breaking Thursday, April 28, 2016 on Avenue 322 east of Highway 63 for a water project that will bring water to 14 county residents in the area whose wells have run dry. Some have been without water for nearly two years.
The Mountain Enterprise
Thumbs Up for Regional Water Supply System
The Mountain Enterprise Staff
April 29, 2016
FRAZIER PARK, CA (Thursday, April 28, 2016 at 11:45 p.m.)—It took until 11:30 p.m. to count all the straw poll ballots from customers of the Frazier Park Public Utilities District, but once the count was in, the verdict was clear. On the question as to whether to create a regional water supply system and annex Lake of the Woods, there were 142 ‘No” votes and 340 “Yes” votes, for a total of 482 total votes (pending final verification). The straw poll is not binding, but board members said they were impressed by the attentiveness of the people of Frazier Park to the issue.
In the preplanning committee meeting this evening, the FPPUD board voted 5-0 to go forward with the annexation process. They also directed consultant Dave Warner of Self Help Enterprises to prepare an application for planning funds from the state. They said they wish to begin the studies necessary for the design and engineering of a regional system.
Lake of the Woods voted two months ago in favor of an annexation resolution, to join forces with FPPUD for the regional water supply system.
ABC 30
SOME TULARE COUNTY RESIDENTS WILL SOON BE HOOKED UP TO VISALIA CITY WATER
By Brian Johnson
April 29, 2016
VISALIA, Calif. (KFSN) -Help is on the way for some Tulare County residents, who will soon be hooked up to Visalia city water when a long-awaited project is completed. A couple of years ago, Donald Gearing panicked when his well went dry on Avenue 322. He has a family, plus animals. "This is our home my wife loves this house, we love it, our animals," Gearing said. Knowing they weren't going to leave, they lived
temporarily on half gallon containers of water. "So I just started scrambling around, (and) I found someone who was willing to send me a tank," Gearing said. Gearing now has two tanks on his property. The second came via Visalia's Self-Help Enterprises, and now his tank is filled every week for free. That's been a temporary fix, but living off the tank can't last forever. So it was with great pleasure that Gearing noticed construction on a major project had started late last week. The project will eventually bring city water to his house, and others whose wells have gone dry along Avenue 322. "It's been a long wait and I'm so happy that we're finally to this point," said Jessi Snyder, with Self-Help Enterprises. The main line should be completed within a month's time. But the project almost didn't happen altogether. Tulare County secured most of the state drought emergency funding for the $190,000 project. But those funds couldn't be used for necessary fire protection services. Eleven local rotary clubs along with the Visalia Rotary Community Foundation stepped up to fill the nearly $30,000 gap. "There are a lot of people that are suffering and you have to take one project at a time," said Rotary Club of Visalia Breakfast President Bill Mathis. "This particular project came to our attention and we felt that it was a worthwhile project that we felt that we could actually may have an impact and so something for the community." It's long-awaited relief for residents like Donald Gearing. Officials say it's a permanent fix, and in this drought, a silver lining project.
The Gustine Press-Standard
Sweat equity empowers new homeowners
Shared labor forges neighborhood bonds as homes go up
By The Gustine Press Standard Staff
May 5, 2016
GUSTINE - The community’s newest neighborhood is home to residents who forged close bonds while working together for a year to achieve home ownership through sweat equity. The group of 10 home buyers were also home builders, committing 40 hours of labor each week which essentially served as a down payment, bringing home ownership into reach. The fourth of five groups in a Self-Help Enterprises project encompassing more than 50 lots in the Borrelli Ranch subdivision, the proud owners were handed their keys Feb. 18. At that moment, a year of hard work and upheaval was rewarded. While the year was challenging, said Maricela Lopez, one of the new homeowners, “it was really worth it. The day we got the keys was when we
started living here.” Lopez was one of three project participants who shared their stories with Mattos Newspapers. Their diversity reflects that of their group, which includes families of various sizes as well as four single owners and two brothers. Lopez and her husband Jesus Lopez have four children, all under the age of 7. Adelaide and Christopher Etheridge have three children, ranging in age from 4-9. Estela Moreno-Flores is a single parent with a teen-aged son still at home. They brought varying levels of skill to the work site - but shared a common dream of owning a home of their own. “I was a person who barely put a nail in the wall to hang a picture. That was the extent of my construction experience,” said Moreno-Flores. “I didn’t even know how to read a tape measure.” Adelaide Etheridge, by contrast, grew up on a local dairy where being handy with tools was required for routine repairs and maintenance. She was ready to take on the challenge, and others followed suit. “My parents raised me to be strong and independent,” Etheridge said. “If I was told I couldn’t do something, I just did it.” Regardless of the skills that they brought to the job, the 10 owners worked and learned together, under the guidance of a Self-Help site superintendent. The participants poured foundations, framed their houses, installed electrical, did interior painting, put in light fixtures and landscaped their yards. “We didn’t know what we were getting into,” Lopez commented. “We were learning while we went.” Self-Help brought in professionals for the plumbing, excavation, dry wall, roofing and window installation. “We probably did 80 percent of the construction,” Etheridge stated. Under the Self-Help program, friends and family can pitch in to help each buyer meet the 40-hour-a-week obligation. The families work on each other’s homes, and nobody is handed the keys until all 10 houses are completed.
The year spent in construction was not without its challenges. Juggling work and family obligations was among the difficulties. Having employers who were understanding and flexible was instrumental, Moreno-Flores and Etheridge said, and helped make their journey possible. Having somebody simply offer to watch her children was a huge help, Etheridge noted. Lopez moved from Hollister to Santa Nella for the year to be close to the job site. That often meant leaving her children in the care of relatives. “Being away from the kids was the hardest part,” said Lopez, whose youngest child was 5 months old when the construction started. “They spend more time with my mother-in-law than they did with me that year.” But, she added, “you are doing it for your children.” A job site injury also put a damper on the process. Etheridge’s husband Chris was injured May 23 while a group was attempting to install trusses in a strong wind. “We were really going strong, but that brought everybody’s morale down. It took us a while to work back from that,” Etheridge said. But the bonds growing within the group were evident in the wake of the accident. “Just about everybody from the group went to visit him at home,” Etheridge recalled. “We had a lot of moral support after Chris got hurt. We were a little behind on hours, but we got them made up. Even though we help on each other’s house, everybody really stepped in and helped us with our house.” Those experiences are now in the past. The new owners are enjoying not only a sense of accomplishment but of security. “Now we don’t have to worry about having to move. This is mine and nobody is going to kick me out as long as I do what I have to do in terms of paying the bills,” said Moreno-Flores. “I can do what I want with it....I don’t have to ask permission to paint a wall.” “To be able to own a home in the town where you grew up is awesome,” Etheridge commented. “Being able to own our home is a great sense of security. We have a roof over our kids’ heads that I know is ours.” They are enjoying not only their homes but their neighborhood. “If we ever had an emergency and needed to ask a neighbor to watch our children, I know that they would be in good hands,” Etheridge reflected. “It is like we have been living here 20 years,” Moreno-Flores concluded.
The Hanford Sentinel
City will demolish problem house
Officials weigh options to address nuisance properties
By Mike Eiman Staff Reporter
May 5, 2016
City officials are preparing to demolish a boarded-up central Hanford residence that has long been a source of criminal complaints. City Manager Darrel Pyle said the two-story four-plex in the 400 block of Ford Street has a history of being broken into by drug addicts and vagrants. Pyle said efforts to have the building demolished have been particularly difficult due to the property being in foreclosure. Now that the city has permission to demolish the building, it must clean out
any lead paint and asbestos. Pyle said he hopes to finish that process by the end of the month. The demolition is being paid for using Community Development Block Grant funding. “In June, it should disappear,” Pyle said. The city demolished a house in the 400 block of South Irwin Street late last year amid ongoing complaints of drug activity, vagrancy, vandalism and other crimes. City officials said neighbors had even reported hearing gunshots coming from the house. Earlier attempts to address the problem prompted the owner to board up the house. After the problems continued, the city worked out a plan to help the owner demolish the uninhabitable house. Vice Mayor Francisco Ramirez, whose district includes both buildings, said residents around the now-vacant property on South Irwin Street have reported a noticeable decrease of criminal activity since the house was razed. Ramirez said he expects that residents on Ford Street will see similar results. “It’s another step in the right direction,” Ramirez said. Because the Ford Street property is zoned for a single family house, the building would have to be replaced with a single-family house. Pyle said the city has been in talks with Habitat for Humanity and Self Help Enterprises to build homes in Kings County.
“We think an owner-occupied home is better than a rental with an absentee landlord,” Pyle said.
Pyle said state law is designed to protect citizens from having government agencies infringe on their private property. That means the city has to convince the owner that the property is more valuable without a building that is constantly being broken into and looted. Ramirez said the city is continuing to look at other properties that prompt ongoing criminal complaints. He said the process to deal with properties, like those on Irwin and Ford streets, is very lengthy. “The reality is it took us months to get from point A to point B,” Ramirez said. Pyle said the city is looking at options to help address other nuisance properties with an excessive number of criminal complaints. Because it costs money every time police, firefighters or other city resources respond to a call for service, Pyle said, it’s only fair to send a bill to the property owner if they don’t deal with criminal activity. “The goal is they’re going to start paying for those resources,” Pyle said. The nearby cities of Lemoore, Visalia and Fresno have all implemented laws to fine owners of properties with frequent reports of criminal conduct. Community Development Director Darlene Mata said the downtown revitalization committee and the Hanford City Council will be looking at different methods to deal with nuisance properties.
50th Year • No. 37 The Mountain May 6, 2016
The Voice ofthe MountainCommunitiesSince 1966 500Poll chooses regional water systemFrazier Park PUD takes historic vote to annex Lake of thez WoodsBy Patric Hedlund, TINEHomemade chocolate chip
cookies powered volunteers
late into the night at the Fra-
zier Park Public Utility District
office Thursday, April 28.Volunteers formed a work
party to open over 500 enve-
lopes, log in parcel numbers
and count the straw poll votes
by hapd.Customers had been asked if
they wish to annex Lake of the
Frazier Park PUD takes
historic vote to annex
Lake of the WoodsContinued from page 4
Mobile Village and the Shepherd
of the Mountains Lutheran
Church confirmed they also wish
to be included in the annexation,
as did a few other private well
owners. Park410seemer4...„ ,
Of about 1,300 Frazier
water customers, 38% responded
Woods Mutual Water Compa-ny. The ballot asked if FrazierPark should create a regional
water supply system and ac-
cept grants for upgrades andconstruction provided by state
and federal funds—or not.FPPUD'e board members
held a vigil, watching the pro-
ceedings, waiting for the tally
to be complete.Just after 11 p.m. the pro-
visional first count from Fra-
zier Park customers showed142 'No' votes and .340 'Yes'
votes—with a total of 482 bal-
1 lots counted.About 25 ballots that arrived
after the published deadline (orwith other irregularities) wereset aside and not counted; butthe poll result was clear.
Historic VotesLake of the Woods water
customers had already held abinding vote in February, with16 'No' votes and 110 'Yes' votesin favor of annexation.So at 11:10 p.m. Thursday
night the Frazier Park boardformally voted to accept thestraw poll results, then entereda historic unanimous vote toannex Lake of the Woods.The two districts will next
submit theirannexation requestto Kern County's Local AgencyFormation Commission (LAF-Co). That process may take sixto nine months, with hearingsfor public comment.
It was 11:30 p.m. when board
Continued on page 4
Diane Smallwood holds up the lastballot just after 11 p.m.
Frazier Park watercustomers DianeSmallwood andMaria Dreier(with managerJonnle Allison •providing support)volunteered tocount 500 votes.The ballot askedwhether or not toannex Lake of theWoodsto createa regional watersupply system.
Continued from page 1
Chairman Brahma Neymansmashed the gavel on the deskto adjourn the meeting.The six hour marathon had
been like a New Year's Eve count-
down to midnight—but without
the champagne or dancing. Whatlies ahead will be a major newchapter for this region.
Before that final gavel, theFPPUD directors asked DavidWarner, their Self-Help Enter-prises consultant, to apply for
funds from the state to coverengineering, design, planningand budgeting for the proposedsystem. That work is required
before construction funds canbe requested.
It may take two to three
years before a regional systemis in place—and the processcould atop at any time if statefunding is inadequate.The first versions of both the
Lake of the Woods and FrazierPark water systems were beingbuilt in the 1920s, close to 90
to the straw poll.. .
Left: Brahma Neymanprepares to adjourn
the meeting just before11:30 p.m. Above:
Tiffany Matte finishestallying the votes and
(right) Dee Jaspartells about new state-ordered groundwaterbasin managementauthorities formind.
FPPUD and LOW formed
a preplanning committee to
research the water supply
available in the middle and
western sections of the Cuddy
Creek Groundwater Basin and
to chart the average water
consumption by residents of
both communities.
In March, Lake of the WoodsContinued on page 5
years ego. LOW evolved into aprivate mutual water companywhile Frazier Park became a
public water district.Now it is likely that LOW'S
mutual will become part of
Frazier Park's public system.If so, the size of the board of
directors may expand, and all
Lake of the Woods residents
will be eligible to vote and run
for the water board. Names of
candidates will appear on the.
Kern County general election
ballot.Both systems were in the
midst of the slow and costly
process to upgrade infrastruc-
ture when the drought struck.
Lake of the Woods lost access to
the majority of its water supply
in 2019, about halfway through
the current five-year drought.FPPUD began holding
open meetings to invite both
private and public well owners
throughout the region to discuss
joining together in a regional
supply and distribution system
to provide greater resilience to
all residents.State agencies are offering a
"carrot" of significant Binding
to assist rural systems that
may wish to consolidate. In
November 2013 an application
for a 'preplanning grant' was
' submitted to the state. In
January 2014 the grant was
funded.
Volunteers DianeSmallwood and
Maria Dreier launchinto setting up asystem to count
votes with FrazierPark Public Utility
District GeneralManager JonnleAllison. FPPUCAdministrative
Assistant TiffanyMatte logsthe
parcel number:of the votes. whitCivil Engineer DeeJasper (sitting) ant
Self-Help EnterpriseConsultant DavkWarner (standing
look onNot shown, but lifor the marathorare Terry KellIrt
and FPPUD boarsmembers Rebecc
Gipson (whybaked the cookies:
Gerald GardeLisa SchoenbercFrank Durso anBrahma Neymar
Visalia Times-Delta
Waterwise: Board leadership workshop offered
May 12, 2016
By Luis Hernandez
Self-Help Enterprise’s Sue Ruiz says those who complete the 2016 Water Boards Leadership Institute workshop will be better prepared to lead. “Anybody who comes out it’s going to have better leadership skills; be a better decision maker; be better at all that,” she said. “It’s guaranteed.” The six-weekend workshop in community leadership, which starts June 17 and 18, is aimed at members of water or sewer district boards from disadvantaged communities. Others who would benefit from the workshop includes those who plan to join a board or those who assist one, serving as a secretary or note keeper. And there’s a reason why.
“State officials have come to realize members from small community boards need to come to the table,” Ruiz said. “We have to have representation at the table.” The participation is required because of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, Ruiz said. “We feel it’s important for community leaders to come out,” Ruiz said. This is the first time the water boards leadership workshop will be offered. Self-Help Enterprises and the Rural Community Assistance Corporation are teaming up to organize the workshop. Ruiz said the instruction will be at Self-Help Enterprises’ office in Visalia. There will be a team of presenters and the instruction will be in an active setting. “It’s going to be participatory,” he said. “There’ll be a lot of problem-solving with your board and other boards. Time will go very quickly.” A similar workshop held previously ended with 35 participants graduating. It started with 38. “That says a lot,” Ruiz said. “That’s evidence it’s worth your time. When you don’t lose a lot of people, it says a lot.” The dates for the workshop are:
• June 17 and 18. • July 23. • Aug. 6. • Sept. 10. • Oct. 1. • Nov. 5.
Information: 802-1627.
Volume XXXVI No. 7 • 7 April, 2016 www.ourvalleyvoice.com Co)
Self-Help Enterprises to Host
Water Boards Leadership InstituteSelf-Help Enterprises and the Ru-
ral Community Assistance Corporation
(RCAC) will be hosting a Water Boards
Leadership Institute, which strengthens
community leadership by
teaching skills and tools
to be more intentional,
effective and energized
leaders. Participants
must be current or aspir-
ing members of water or
sewer district boards of
directors from disadvan-
taged communities in the
San Joaquin Valley.The Water Boards Leadership In-
stitute development course begins in
June. There is no cost for the course. The
course lasts six months, and meets one
weekend per month at Self-Help Enter-
prises (8445 W. Elowin Ct, Visalia). The
schedule below will give participants the
opportunity to implement skills acquired
in each phase of the course and then re-
convene to process, and
learn more. By the end of
the course, participants
will be equipped to take
up challenging problems
in their community and
lay out sensible, achiev-
able approaches to solv-
ing those problems.
Those interested in
joining can email their
and contact information to nan-
[email protected] or call us at
(559) 802-1627. More information is
also available at http://bit.ly/2016Lead-
ershipInstitute.
Self .HelpEnterprises
name