By Emerson Drake
1/26/10
At today's MID meeting we saw a vocal group of residents argue adamantly against the proposed 11% rate increase.
After many speakers (some who called for Allen Short's ouster) presented their discussion points, by a vote of 3-2(the discenters being John Kidd and Cecil Hensley, our rates went up 7% immediately and study groups will be held after the next meeting to impliment surcharges to our always increasing bills.
As usual the MID staff's presentation was colorful but not satisfying.
One slide in particular displayed rate increases in percentages comparing other utility districts against the MID.
But without actually knowing how much money each represents it was worthless. As an example, PG&E had an increase of 2.1% and Santa Clara had a 7% increase. But since no numbers are mentioned who can know which is better?
Actually PG&E has lower rates than MID at this stand point. So while the presentation was fact filled, it wasn't informative and this was pointed out by several members of the audience.
But the extraordinary fireworks began at the very end of the meeting,during Public Input for the Good of the District portion when comments were made regarding the mis-named Smart Meters.Three points regarding the meters were made.
1. Some of the smart meters have burst into flames. Somewhere around 20,000 meters have been sent to Mexico for repairs and communication errors were discovered and miss matched components were installed in them during the repairs.
2. Transmitters inside the meters have caused the GFI/AFI circuit breakers to trip in homes. The solution the MID used was to replace breakers with ordinary breakers and install GFI recptacles in various places inside the home. Repairmen and not certified electricians were used and the work wasn't inspected by either the City or the County.
MID could be held liable for future wiring problems and injurys or deaths that could result.
Over $150,000.00 worth of overtime resultd which was intentially hidden and charged to maintenance or capital accounts to cover budget shortfalls and cover expense.In addition since
MID has intentionally withheld this problem from the public, many customers could be experiencing this problem and had it corrected at their own expense.
3. Meters have been discovered to be grossly inacurate by as much as 30% give or take. While a small number of these has been discovered to date(and unless someone complains they might not be discovered)there is no way of knowing the true extent of the problem.
Please remember that no meters were tested locally prior to instillation not even a random sample.Why Allen Short has been claiming at MID meetings that there are no problems with these meters is anyone's guess. But apparently the public has been deliberately misinformed.
During one of the meetings many breaks I talked with Kate Hora(MID Public Affairs Specialist)who made the statement that MID wasn't experiencing problems with the meters. I suggest she ask more questions of those informing her.
