Home Election 2014 Ironhouse Sanitary District Candidate Not Telling Truth on Rate Increase

Ironhouse Sanitary District Candidate Not Telling Truth on Rate Increase

by ECT

DavidHuerta

In a rather quiet race to date, the Ironhouse Sanitary District has three candidates running for two seats. This years race would probably go unnoticed, however, current ISD Director David Huerta is not telling the truth in his ballot statement.

According to David Huerta’s Candidate Statement of Qualifications, he writes the following about rate increases:

“We kept rates flat for the last two years; gained efficiency in staffing through a combination of in house promotions and retirements; established policies for creating and maintaining reserves for the agency; and had a solar panel array built to off-set our energy costs.”

This sounds great, however,  in June the  Ironhouse Sanitary District Directors voted to increase the 2014-15 rates from $618 to $637—an increase of $19. Since being elected in 2010, rates have increased from $574 to $637.

Here is a look at the rate increases since 2000:

  • 2014 – $637 (+19 increase)
  • 2013 – $618 (No change)
  • 2012 – $618 (+26 increase)
  • 2011 – $559 (+18 increase)
  • 2010 – $574 (+32 increase)
  • 2009 – $542 (+32 increase
  • 2008 – $510 (+45 increase)
  • 2007 – $465 (+53 increase)
  • 2006 – $412 (+52 increase)
  • 2005 – $360 (+60 increase)
  • 2004 – $300 (+9 increase)
  • 2003 – $291 (+9 increase)
  • 2002 – $282 (+6 increase)
  • 2001 – $276 (+18 increase
  • 2000 – $258 (+10 increase)

Going back to his campaign in 2010,  David Huerta ran on “Fixing Ironhouse Now” and four years later, nothing has changed and rates continue to go up while he also fought to keep luxurious benefits for directors.

During the October 2012 meeting where they were discussing the idea of changing director benefits, Huerta argued that Directors should be compensated for serving on the Board while saying those who disagreed with him were either “gadfly’s” and “board watchers” as he explained that people won’t run for this Board without good compensation.

Huerta further explained that he was not a fan of reducing pay and stating that “offering the minimum is a slap in the face to be honest,” while stating reducing benefits “is a loss in board compensation”.

As the Board debated the benefits, when it came time to decide how to define “new director” versus “existing director”, Huerta argued that if a Board Member is defeated in an election, they could have 4-years to become re-elected and their “clock” would not reset and would be considered an “existing director” so they could fall under the old benefits plan and the directors be “vested”.

Thankfully, former director Doug Hardcastle argued that the benefits should not carry over and that “if you are out, you are out” saying new directors would not miss the benefits because they never had them.

At that point, Huerta argued that the Board should not be making these decisions based on gadfly’s, board watchers or people who think little of the value of the board. He explained that there should be compensation.

Ultimately, Doug Hardcastle and Chris Lauritzen won the argument and ratepayers won regarding the reduction of benefits for directions.

ECT Endorses Chris Lauritzen & Susan Morgan

With three candidates running for two seats, we are endorsing Chris Lauritzen and Susan Morgan.

Chris Lauritzen has been on the Board since 2004 where he helped make decisions to reduce the burden on ratepayers (such as new wastewater treatment plant and investing in solar) while he was vital in reducing director benefits.

Susan Morgan vows to clean up the way ratepayer money is being spent and wants to further reduce director benefits. She has also served as the Oakley City Council liaison to the Ironhouse Sanitary District for the past two years and is well versed in issues facing the District.

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3 comments

Tom Lamothe Sep 17, 2014 - 6:11 am

Have had the pleasure to know Chris Lauritzen for over 30 years. And have found Chris to be straight forward and honest! Chris is definitely the right man for the district!

Oakley Old Timer Sep 17, 2014 - 6:33 am

The issue of rate increases and director benefits has been going on for years. They are headed in the right direction for benefits, but the rates going up are insane. I agree with ECT on the endorsements. Huerta has got to go after calling people gadfly’s or board watchers, its what the public is supposed to do.

Where did Antioch go wrong??????? Sep 20, 2014 - 9:04 am

Oakley sanitary has a history of give big raises to employees. It all started when Dave Bauer left as general manager and tom Williams came. They started trying to compare there positions and functions to that of larger district. Tom reclassified jobs and gave big raises with approval from the board. Typical government BS.

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