Monday, 20 September 2010 06:26

AWA Finance, PR committees to take different angles on GSL task

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slide2-awa_finance_pr_committees_to_take_different_angles_on_gsl_task.pngAmador County – The Amador Water Agency set an October 7th workshop to go through a list of conditions it will have to meet to get a federal loan and grant for its Gravity Supply Line project, proposed for upcountry in the Central Amador Water Project service area. The AWA board of directors on September 7th tabled a discussion of conditions from the U.S. Department of Agriculture on the AWA’s grant for $5 million and an $8 million loan. Top on the USDA list was “reserves,” which was among 10 items listed as to be completed if approval is issued. Vice President Debbie Dunn asked about the make up of the reserves, and how soon the agency would have reserves sufficient to do the project. She also asked about permits, which listed a zero for cost, so she assumed it would cost them “zero dollars.” Engineering Manager Erik Christeson said some fees were already paid, while others, like county permitting, would be a percentage based on the winning bid amount. Dunn complained about staff not giving enough information, and said it was “the third time we requested a road map to get through these conditions.” General Manager Gene Mancebo said it would help to be clear about what they wanted to have more detail about. President Bill Condrashoff cut off the discussion, and said he would rather not go through the list because it did not show enough detail. Director Don Cooper of District 3 said last week that the overall time frame is 12 months to meet all conditions of the USDA. He said two board committees would be handling separate areas of the GSL. It will include a new financial plan, worked on by the finance committee, of which Cooper is a member. And last week Dunn’s public relations committee started work on the “public education and communications plan” for the GSL. The finance committee starts on the financial plan October 6th. Cooper said the communications plan is about “being able to educate customers in such a way that we’re not really marketing or selling them on one alternative or the other.” It will look at building new pump stations or building the GSL, presented “so that neither one has a sales pitch on it.” He said it will “eventually have to include financial aspects,” but the “communication plan at this juncture is kind of separate from the financial plan.” He said the financial plan likely would not come out before the end of year. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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