Cambrian letters to the editor, Nov. 30, 2017

2017 Craft Circle sale best ever

Thank you from The Cambria Craft Circle for the support from the community at our annual sale, held Nov. 11. It was our best sale ever and, because of this, we are able to divide the proceeds from the sale among 12 charities!

If you would like to join the craft circle, our first get together for next year is Tuesday, Feb. 6, at 10 a.m. in the fellowship hall at Community Presbyterian Church, 2250 Yorkshire Drive.

Water, sewer more than just the SWF

Chris Lewi and his wife are to be applauded for their ongoing efforts to use and reuse water wisely and efficiently. If more Cambria residents followed their example, we could become the model community I envisioned when I first ran for office back in 2010.

The Sustainable Water Facility was proposed, and received a permit, for emergency use only for current residents, and not for growth. Unfortunately, the ongoing costs to do testing, to pursue decommissioning the impoundment basin as ordered by the Regional Water Quality Control Board, pay for the SEIR, and so forth, have amounted to more than $1 million this year alone. Meanwhile, the plant has not been in operation since December 2016, and likely will not be in operation for several months into the coming year.

The future of the SWF will be determined by various local, state and federal agencies, including the California Coastal Commission. And while its approval may appear to provide a feeling of water security for our community, the ongoing financial insecurity the SWF continues to pose is a concern that should not be overlooked. In addition, much-needed improvements regarding water storage and delivery, as well as at the wastewater (sewer) plant, have been deferred and pushed down the road by the board and general manager in response to budget challenges faced by the district, meaning the ratepayers of Cambria.

The situation regarding the water and sewer demands of Cambria, and the monies involved to fund all of the needs of the district and the community, is far more complex than simply being in support of the SWF. Decision-making by the Board of Directors and district management must take all circumstances into consideration as we move forward in these challenging and unpredictable times.

Presbyterian 50th anniversary soon

The Community Presbyterian Church of Cambria is celebrating its 50^th anniversary at 2250 Yorkshire Drive. Before moving to its present location, the church owned and held worship services on Bridge Street at the church formerly referred to as “The Little White Church in the Pines.” Construction on that church began in 1874, when the Community Presbyterian Church was organized.

In March 1964, the Rev. P.A. Castellano was called to be pastor. The congregation was outgrowing the Bridge Street facilities, so a building committee hired Warren Leopold to prepare architectural plans. A total of $90,000 was raised from the sale of the Bridge Street property, and gifts and pledges from members and friends, and construction of the sanctuary began in June 1967. As part of the construction, the unique retaining wall around the sanctuary was built using stone donated by William Randolph Hearst.

The first worship service on the Yorkshire property was held on Sunday, Dec. 10, 1967. A celebration service will take place at 10 a.m. Dec. 10, 2017, exactly 50 years to the day later. The public is cordially invited to attend, with a luncheon following in the Fellowship Hall (reservation required).

Filling board seat shouldn’t be hard

Let me start by saying I no longer have a dog in this fight. My wife, Sally, and I moved to Arizona in 2012 after living in Cambria for 23 years. I served as a director on the CCSD board for five years in the early ’90s. During my tenure, the board moved a desal project all the way through the Coastal Commission receiving a unanimous project approval. Unlike the current facility, the project was approved with an ocean intake and outfall.

The Cambria Community Services District must sell water to create a revenue stream sufficient to meet current and future obligations. Sally and I watch the CCSD meetings on a regular basis. As was mentioned during public comment at the Nov. 22 meeting, the board is not stepping up to address the task at hand. The board is overthinking the process and wasting hours of time seeking qualifications and backgrounds they themselves seemingly do not possess.

The selection of a new director is a simple choice: Choose a director who will seek and provide sufficient water to sell, which would provide financial stability to the district. Or, select a director who will seek status quo and search for answers in financial budgets showing disappointing cash flows.

This story was originally published November 29, 2017 at 9:26 AM with the headline "Cambrian letters to the editor, Nov. 30, 2017."