Cambrian letters to the editor, Sept. 1, 2016

CCSD board deserves a reward

I want to thank CCSD board members Gail Robinette and Greg Sanders for their interest, time and courage in continuing to serve the community, even in the face of criticism from some Cambrians who oppose them and the work they do. They are crucial advocates for a long-term secure water supply, and both the Cambria Community Services District board and the community need their continued leadership.

There are always a few people who make it their full-time job to block progress and misstate the facts. At present, they are trying to make it harder to get a regular Coastal Development Permit that would allow Cambria to make full use of the Sustainable Water Facility.

Relatively short-term Cambria resident Tony Church, in his Aug. 18 opinion piece (“Without any penalties, dishonesty becomes the rule”) in The Cambrian, is to punish the CCSD board for its “deception” in building the SWF.

Church says, for instance, that the CCSD claimed a “dire emergency” in 2014 when (according to him) there was none. Yes, Mr. Church, there was an emergency, certified as such by none other than our governor. He refers to the old charge that there was a viable “temporary relatively inexpensive solution” that the CCSD should have adopted. In fact, there was no such option and he knows it.

I have a better idea, The CCSD board’s work to ensure a stable water supply deserves a reward, not a penalty. And, as the process of getting a regular permit for the SWF goes forward, I believe that with Robinette and Sanders in the lead, we will be successful.

Don’t let naysayers boondoggle you

After moving to Cambria, it became very apparent that to have quality of life, the town needed an alternative water supply. Subsequent CCSD boards focused their energy to develop an alternative water supply to get through periods of drought.

After years of obtaining EIRs and permits, and encountering legal obstacles, the EWS (Emergency Water Supply) project was built and tested in 2015. The EWS provided the alternative water supply needed to sustain our community’s water requirements. The current CCSD board should be commended for its dedication to complete an operational SWF (Sustainable Water Facility).

In order to ensure the completion of the SWF, we must re-elect Gail Robinette and Greg Sanders. Both are committed to obtaining the most efficient and cost-effective water supply for the community.

The opposition to the SWF states there is not a water shortage and new faces are needed on the board. Don’t be boondoggled by these naysayers. I learned a long time ago that there are no free lunches in this world. If you have a problem, you fix the problem. The need to re-elect Gail Robinette and Greg Sanders to the CCSD board cannot be overstated.

Voting to re-elect Sanders, Robinette

Our town has been fortunate in recent years to have a number of fine citizens step forward to serve as directors of the local Community Services District. These men and women have worked conscientiously to contend with the challenges we face as a community, particularly the difficult task of providing a dependable water supply to meet our needs. They deserve our respect and our appreciation.

Two members of the CCSD board, Gail Robinette and Greg Sanders, are standing for re-election this fall. We will be voting for them to continue in office. Gail Robinette has demonstrated the steady temperament, dedication and good judgment we need in this challenging time. And we are truly fortunate to have a man of Greg Sanders’ knowledge, experience, and leadership ability working for us. Let’s keep them in office as the board shepherds the Sustainable Water Project through to completion. They are exactly the kind of leaders we need to help build a better community.

Reservoir, respect are both needed

Just a word of thanks to all who put their lives in danger to protect Cambria from the spread of the Chimney Fire.

I asked myself what I learned from this tragic incident, and I’ll share: I watched from a distance how this fire was fought from the air, and I realized they don’t use ocean water. I also realized how important offstream storage is in fighting a forest fire. I hope our current or future Cambria Community Services District board of directors will take note and protect this community by investing in a reservoir.

We live in the woods, and we need to protect ourselves. Every winter we see thousands of gallons of rainwater run to the ocean with no catch system. If this water could be diverted and stored, this community would have a chance to survive against a wild, raging fire devouring each home.

So I ask our board of directors to be mindful and respectful to all who address the board in public comment, and not to debate or attack the one making the comments.

This story was originally published August 31, 2016 at 10:17 AM with the headline "Cambrian letters to the editor, Sept. 1, 2016."