Thomas Burton, Robert Carlyle, Halcie Clark, Elizabeth Getzoff (alternate), Bruce Graves, Susan Humason, Michael Pique, Carol Ravenscroft, John Tainer, Robert Thicksten, Joseph Weeks.
The PMPO Board meeting was convened at 10:10 A.M. August 24,1996. The minutes of the April 20 and May 25 1996 meetings were approved. The treasurer, Halcie Clark, reported the current balance of $8150.68 plus $5000 as an asset on retainer with attorneys Hatch & Parent.
Tom Burton reported Hatch & Parent (Santa Barbara water-rights attorneys) have a draft opinion letter on Mr. Yale's application and the San Diego County water extraction ordinance. The opinion will issue as a letter to the PMPO. The letter is a step to avoid water adjudication, a very expensive operation whose cost to Palomar residents would be about $1,000,000. John Tainer asked that the draft go to Bruce as well as Tom and George, and that the attorneys be sent a copy of Dr Huntley's analysis of the two pumping tests.
Bruce Graves said the bill so far is $700, and George Ravenscroft said the estimate for the work is still $1500.
Elizabeth Getzoff asked whether Mr. Yale had filed application for Major Use Permit. Tom Burton was unsure. Elizabeth said county planner Maxx Stalheim said had not, ground water geologist John Peterson said yes, then checked and said no. She applied to the county for a copy of Mr Yale's spring water classification file and sent Ingeborg Small $85 for costs.
George Ravenscroft said Mr Yale had filed a formal request for the county to investigate George's company, Palomar Spring Water (PSW), with the aim of reducing PSW's collection of spring water to the daily average in the year immediately preceding the Extraction Ordinance. George believes Mr Yale's project's water budget is fundamentally wrong, limiting wells to current use, even for future agricultural use. It penalizes people for water thrift and conservation. The county is asking for current actual use by Mr Yale's neighbors, against what he is proposing to extract. Neighbors have to prove their current use levels. John Tainer confirms the county asked him to report his use and install meters on his wells.
George Ravenscroft pointed out that even though Mr Yale is doing all this under the preapplication phase, some challenges are possible. For example, Mr Peterson can't go forward until water budget is set. Elizabeth Getzoff feels Mr Yale is playing on this nebulosity.
Joe Weeks suggested water users consider joining the California Farm Bureau, to take advantage of their resources and experience.
George Ravenscroft noted new construction in the designated tower zone, a new SDGE tower that he feels is unnecessarily visually distracting.
The meeting was adjourned at 11:17.
Michael E. Pique, Secretary.