Ledger-Dispatch.com | Well intent - Overdue paperwork could cost Ione $2.5M




 
                  Well intent - Overdue paperwork could cost Ione $2.5M
                  Friday, February 06, 2009
                  By Jerry Budrick

                              Access is restricted to the fountains in the 
                              storage ponds for the Ione Wastewater Treatment 
                              Plant at the intersection of West Marlette and 
                              Five Mile Drive.
                              Photo by: Jerry Budrick


                              Overdue monthly, quarterly and annual reports of 
                              test results for monitoring the groundwater in 
                              areas around this plant and the Castle Oaks 
                              Tertiary Treatment Plant threaten to lead to state 
                              regulatory agency fines of more than $2.5 million.
                              Photo by: Jerry Budrick

                         
                  In a Jan. 28 letter to the city, the California Regional Water 
                  Quality Control Board warned Ione that its failure to submit a 
                  lengthy list of wastewater monitoring reports on time makes it 
                  subject to fines that could amount to more than $2.5 million.

                  On the same day that President Barack Obama said three words 
                  that may find a prominent place on future lists of memorable 
                  presidential utterances, Ione City Manager Kim Kerr used a few 
                  more to tell her city council she shouldered the 
                  responsibility for the city's precarious position with the 
                  water board.

                  "I'm the city manager and I'm responsible," Kerr said as she 
                  outlined the situation Tuesday night.

                  Between the city's two wastewater treatment facilities, there 
                  is a yearly total of 34 monthly, quarterly, annual and other 
                  reports that must be prepared and submitted. Monthly and 
                  annual reports on both plants are expected from the city's 
                  chief wastewater operator, Julio Guerra, who Kerr pointed out 
                  is not a city employee. Guerra works under contract with his 
                  firm, Motherlode Compliance. Quarterly reports are done by 
                  Condor Earth Technologies and a report of waste discharge is 
                  done as needed by Lee & Ro.

                  With possible fines of $1,000 per day on each late report, and 
                  reports late by as many as 454 days, the formidable list of 
                  late reports adds up to 2,563 days late. This number times 
                  $1,000 calculates into the two-and-a-half million.

                  "We have been thinking about contracting the whole thing out," 
                  Kerr said. "I have requested a quote from Condor Earth 
                  Technologies for submittal of the monthly, quarterly and 
                  annual reports for both the wastewater facility and Castle 
                  Oaks reclamation plant. I can't change the past, but we should 
                  get some failsafe mechanisms in place."

                  All but three of the late reports have been submitted and the 
                  remaining three are expected to be on the appropriate desk at 
                  the water quality board by Monday. Kerr has a meeting 
                  scheduled with the CRWQCB compliance contact on Feb. 13 to 
                  discuss the city's response and plan for dealing with reports 
                  in the future.

                  Council action was quick and unanimous.

                  "We have to have oversight and make sure it gets done," said 
                  Councilman Jim Ulm.

                  "I would like to suggest that future agendas contain 
                  (information about) the necessary reports," added Ulm's 
                  colleague, fellow Councilman Skip Schaufel.

                  This led to a motion by Councilwoman Andrea Bonham, calling 
                  for creation of a standing item on the city council meeting 
                  agenda, showing what reports are due and whether they have 
                  been done. The motion passed 5-0.




                        Jerry Budrick




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