That MWA well — revisited (August 18, 2015)

After reviewing part of the video recording of the April 28, 2015 Town Presentation of its plan to seize Ranchos (just a plan, remember — the Town has yet to make up its mind!), I recalled something that Scott Nassif wrote when he tried to scold me for my representations of another Town water deal gone wrong: That of the AVWD.

Regarding the AVWD, Nassif claimed:

The plan was to form an assessment district, sell bonds, build the water system improvements and then deed the facilities to AV Ranchos. However, County staff determined it would constitute a gift of public funds, […]

That makes sense, right? I mean, except for the part about spending all that time and money forming an assessment district, doing the bonds, improving the water system, etc., and only then finding out (!) that the plan wasn’t legal. You’d think maybe someone would have learned from that experience.

Apparently not.

At the April 28th meeting, Art Bishop seemed to be saying that the MWA well project occurred during his tenure at the Mojave Water Agency (MWA). This is the same Art Bishop, by the way, who seemed so proud of how he and his fellow council members were investing the taxpayers’ money through the Town’s attacks on Ranchos.

Therefore, after going through the fiasco with the AVWD, part of which (according to Nassif) involved spending taxpayer dollars for the benefit of a private corporation, the MWA (ostensibly with the support of Art Bishop) decided it would be a good idea to spend $2.5 million on a well to give to Ranchos. Nevermind that Ranchos neither wanted nor needed it. It’s only $2.5 million, let’s do it!

The more you learn, the less you want the Town anywhere near our water system.

Greg Raven is Co-Chair of Apple Valley Citizens for Government Accountability, and is concerned about quality of life issues.