WHITEHAWK RANCH

 

MUTUAL WATER COMPANY

 

 

2008 ANNUAL REPORT

 

APRIL 2009

 

          WHITEHAWK RANCH MUTUAL WATER COMPANY

1197 Whitehawk Drive

PO Box 147, Clio, CA  96106

530-836-4066 / Fax 530-836-1613

 

2008 Annual Report to Members

April 2009

 

ITEMS:

 

1.     Policies.

2.     Board Members and Meeting Schedule

3.     Water Treatment Plant Overview and Update.

4.     Wastewater Treatment Plant Overview and Update.

5.     Water Company Employees.

6.     Financial Records.

ITEM # 1

 

POLICIES

 

1.      Each Home site, VACANT OR OTHERWISE, shall receive and shall be obligated to pay a minimum monthly standby fee of $64.08. Home sites 14-20 in Phase I, which are not connected to the sewer system, shall receive and shall be obligated to pay a minimum monthly standby fee of $21.46.

 

Active Members will be charged a basic water service fee of $40.30. Active Members will also be charged for water usage. Water usage fees will be based on the average monthly water use from the previous 12 months that ended in September. Water usage fees for 2009 are based on the average monthly water use from September of 2007 through September 2008. Water usage fees are currently $.008 per cubic foot. All active members share the expense of wastewater treatment equally, or currently $78.61 per month. Members are mailed payment coupons based on their average monthly use.

 

Commercial Members fees are: Basic Water Service $40.30, Wastewater Fees $269.44 and Commercial Members will be billed at $.008 per cubic foot water usage fee.

 

Basic Service and Usage Fees may vary in future years.

 

The current published base fee for water and wastewater connection service is $1000 and $3500 respectively.

 

In 2006, in order to support new subdivision development in community, the Mutual Water Company substantially increased its water and wastewater treatment and disposal capacities.  Due to the high cost of these expansion projects, required specifically to support the new subdivisions, all lots in these new subdivisions will be required to pay an incremental fee of $500 and $1500 over the published base fee.

 

As of November 1, 2006, all new Whitehawk Ranch subdivisions maps and their associated lots recorded with the Plumas County Recorders Office will be subject to these incremental fees.    

As of this 2008 Annual Report, filed in May 2009, lot owners in The Vistas (Phase VIII, Unit 2) and Hawkridge (Phase IX, Unit 3B will be charged this incremental fee when they request connection service.

The Mutual Water Company has determined that the water supply for domestic use, irrigation, and fire hydrant flows, for Lots #32-45, in Phase IX Unit 3B, is not at present adequate, and will not be adequate until a new water tank, booster pump system or other water system improvements that address the water flow requirements to Lots #32-45 to the reasonable satisfaction of the Mutual Water Company are installed and operational. The Mutual Water Company has recorded a “Notice of Condition to Development” on June 12, 2008 as Instrument No. 2008-0004160 to provide notice of the development condition to the owner(s) of Lots 32 through 45 regarding this matter.

Base Connection Fees may vary in future years.

 

2.      The Board of Directors of the Whitehawk Ranch Mutual Water Company has established a policy that Will Serve Letters requested by the Plumas County Building Department will not be issued until the Architectural Review Committee (ARC) has approved the plans submitted to them. The ARC will notify the Mutual Water Company in writing when Will Serve Letters may be issued. Before the Will Serve Letter is submitted, the connection fees and the incremental fee, if appropriate, described in the above policy will be assessed to the property owner.

 

3.      The Board of Directors of the Whitehawk Ranch Mutual Water Company has established a policy that all home sites must have a domestic water supply pressure reducer/regulator installed in the home site service line. The pressure reducer/regulator shall be installed to minimize the risk of possible high water pressure damage to plumbing fixtures in their homes and auxiliary systems such as irrigation systems and frostless hydrants/hose bibs connected to the domestic water service line. The water system at Whitehawk Ranch is a one-zone system with pressure varying according to elevation. Home sites in Phase I are exempt from this policy due to their elevation in the water system.

 

4.      The Board of Directors of the Whitehawk Ranch Mutual Water Company has instituted a cross-connection control policy requiring auxiliary systems (landscape irrigation systems, etc.) install backflow prevention devices. The Mutual Water Company must approve all Backflow prevention devices. You may obtain a copy of this policy with specifications from the Mutual Water Company.

 

5.      The Mutual Water Company upon two weeks notification by the property owner will install water meters. Please call the Mutual Water Company concerning meter installation.

 

6.      Property owners are responsible all lines, valves, etc., beyond the discharge side of the meter. Members that requested and purchased meters larger than the standard ¾ inch and 1 inch meters are financially responsible for repair or replacement of their meters. All water consumption that registers on the roadside meter shall be subject to the current water rates.

 

7.      The Mutual Water Company is the provider of wastewater treatment (sewage) for the project. Those domestic lots/units/dwellings connected to the wastewater treatment plant shall be billed for wastewater treatment, and said charges will be included with the water billing.

 

8.      Home sites are required (at time of construction) to install a sewer cleanout at the property boundary, when connecting to the wastewater collection system.

 

9.      Homeowners will refrain from dumping of possible toxic materials into the wastewater system. These materials include paint and petroleum based products (paint thinners, paint cleaners, stains), common kitchen greases and oils, sheet-rock compounds, and automotive products (oils).

 

10.  Pursuant to the Mutual Water Company’s governing documents, all assessments are due and payable on the 15th day of every month. Assessments may be paid early. An assessment is delinquent if payment in full is not postmarked by the 20th day of the month in which it was due, i.e., January payment is due January 15th and is delinquent if postmarked after January 20th. Each delinquent monthly assessment will be charged a late fee in the amount of $10.00.  Delinquent assessments shall also accrue interest from the date the assessment is delinquent at a rate of 12% per annum. Coupon booklets and late notices will be mailed to the Stockholders only.  It is the Stockholder’s responsibility to collect assessments from their renters. Non-payment of water and/or sewer bills for two (2) consecutive billing periods shall be cause for removal of the water meter. No water meter shall be re-installed until all outstanding bills; fees and/or charges are brought current. Re-installation of a water meter shall require pre-payment of $150.00.

 

11.  The Mutual Water Company charges a $40.00 transfer fee to the Buyer upon the sale of property.

 

12.  Pursuant to the Mutual Water Company’s governing documents, all assessments and water charges shall be a lien upon lands on which the assessments or water charges are made from the time such assessments or water charges become due and payable, and if such assessments or charges become delinquent, such lien may be enforced by the following:

 

(a)                In the manner provided by law for foreclosure of mortgages of real property; or

(b)               By sale and transfer of the membership without said lands, in the manner provided for in Section 331 of the California Civil Code; or

(c)                (c)  By judicial action against the member who is delinquent in payment of such assessments or water charges.

 

If a person’s membership is withdrawn or terminated in accordance with this provision his or her equitable interest in this corporation will not be forfeited.

 

ITEM # 2

 

Board Members and Meeting Schedule

 

Current Board Members are: Steve Ursenbach, President; Bob Wood, Chief Financial Officer; Earl Zeigler, Secretary of the Board; Tom Hayes and Bill Gilbert, Co-Vice Presidents of the Board.

Board Meetings are held on the Monday before the second Tuesday of each month at 4:30 p.m. at the Whitehawk Ranch Community Center, 1127 Whitehawk Drive Clio, CA 96106 (November through April meeting time changes to 11:30 a.m.)

 

 

ITEM # 3

 

Water Treatment System Overview and Update

 

The Water Treatment Plant and a 150,000 gallon treated water storage reservoir were completed in the fall of 1991. Services to the homesites on Boulder Drive and South Meadow Drive (Phase I) were completed at that time. Service was extended to the homesites on Quail View Circle and Miners Passage (Phase II) in the spring of 1993. Services to the Whitehawk Ranch Luxury Townhomes on Deer Creek Crossing (Phase IV) were established in the spring of 1994.

 

The Water Treatment Plant was upgraded from 25 gallons per minute to 170 gallons per minute in the summer of 1994. This required the installation of a second filter, new plumbing, and the purchase of two (2) 170 gallons per minute pumps. Two pumps were purchased to ensure there would not be any problems in providing water to the project. (If one pump were to mechanically fail, this would not affect operation of the Water Treatment Plant.) The Developer paid for this upgrade.

 

Luxury Townhome services on One Horse Way and Bridle Path (Phase V) were completed in the summer and fall of 1995. Homesites on Black Bear Trail and Fox Tail Lane (Phases VI & VII) were added to the system in 1996 and 1997. Homesites on Saddle Ridge Road (Phase IX) were added in 1998.

 

The conversion of the 650,000-gallon irrigation tank to domestic water use was completed in the fall of 1998. This project required the addition of support structure and roof to meet Department of Health Services standards. The additions to the tank were also painted and plumbing changed to connect the larger tank to the distribution system. The tank was disinfected, required bacterial tests completed and added to the system. The pump capacity of the water treatment plant is now 125 gallons per minute due to the higher elevation of the larger tank.

 

The Lodge and Ranch Parcel were added in 1999. Construction of a distribution line to the new Golf Course Maintenance area and possible homesites in the area was added to the system in 2000. Phase VIII, Unit I was added to the system in 2002. Phase X was added in 2004.

 

The second eight-inch distribution main through South Meadow that had been planned for several years was completed in 2002.

 

Phase VIII, Unit II, of “The Vistas” was added to the system in the fall of 2006.

 

The 2008 Consumer Confidence Report (formerly the Annual Water Quality Report to Members) is generally mailed prior to the Annual Meeting.

 

Regulatory Authority over our water system reverted to Plumas County in 2005.  Our annual report will be presented to Plumas County, Department of Health Services, later this year.

 

The Department of Health Services has issued a Permit to Operate a Public Water System to the Mutual Water Company. This Permit is reviewed annually with the filing of our annual report to the Department of Health Services.

 

Projects for 2008 included:

 

  1. Completion of the additional 200-gallon per minute water treatment plant expansion.
  2. Upgrade of the current plant to include installation of an online turbidimeter (constant monitoring) and flow meter.
  3. Addition of Phase 9 Unit 3B (Hawk Ridge) into the system.

 

 

ITEM # 4

 

Wastewater Treatment System Overview and Update

 

Phase I of the Wastewater Treatment Plant was completed in the fall of 1993 to serve the Whitehawk Ranch Custom Homesites on Quail View Circle and Miners Passage. The Whitehawk Ranch Luxury Townhomes on Deer Creek Crossing were added in 1994. Extending services to the Whitehawk Ranch Luxury Townhomes on Bridle Path and One Horse Way was completed in the fall of 1995. Homesites on Black Bear Trail and Fox Tail Lane were added to the system in 1996 and 1997.

 

Phase II of the Wastewater Treatment Plant was completed in 1997. This phase consist of a 30,000-gallon per day package treatment plant. This is an extended aeration type treatment plant. This plant is considered one of the simplest and most effective at treating wastewater. The additional processing unit enables the wastewater facility to process an estimated daily flow of 52,000 gallons with expansions planned for future homesites.

Homesites on Saddle Ridge Road were added in 1998. Construction was completed on the service line and liftstation that services the Ranch Parcel, Community Center, Pool and Lodge at Whitehawk in 2000. Construction of a pressure service line to the new Golf Course Maintenance building and possible homesites in the area were also added to the system in 2000. Phase VIII, Unit I and Phase XI, Unit III were added to the system in 2002. Phase VIII, Unit II, “The Vistas” was added to the system in the fall of 2006 and spring 2007

 

Projects for 2008 included:

 

  1. Completion of the 50,000-gallon per day wastewater treatment plant expansion.
  2. Completion of the 20,000-gallon per day leachfield expansion.
  3. Addition of Phase 9 Unit 3B (Hawk Ridge) into the system

 

Projects for 2009 may include:

 

  1. Expansion of the reclaimed wastewater pasture irrigation system

 

ITEM # 5

 

Your Water Company Employees

Tom Vannoy & Antonio Ramirez

 

Tom Vannoy has been at Whitehawk Ranch for twenty years. He began his Mutual Water Company duties in the fall of 1991 when the water treatment plant was completed and began serving customers. The State of California, Department of Health Services, Office of Drinking Water certifies him to operate and supervise a water treatment facility. Tom is a Grade 2 Water Treatment Operator. Tom is also a certified Distribution Operator. A regulation of the Department of Health requires all surface water systems have a certified Treatment and Distribution Operator. The State of California, Environmental Protection Agency, California Regional Water Quality Control Board certifies Tom to operate and supervise a wastewater treatment facility. Tom is a Grade 2 Wastewater Treatment Operator. Tom is a volunteer of the Graeagle Fire Department and a Certified Pool Operator.

 

Antonio Ramirez has been at Whitehawk Ranch for thirteen years. Antonio is being trained in all aspects of water system operation and maintenance and wastewater system operation and maintenance. Antonio has very good mechanical skills and is a great asset to the Water Company.

The Mutual Water Company has also been contracted by the Whitehawk Ranch Community Services District to maintain the pool, landscaping, janitorial and some building maintenance.

 

If you have any problems or questions concerning your service, please feel free to call Tom at the MWCO Office 836-4066, or Cell Phone 394-7350. In case of emergency, you can page Tom at 280-8530; you can also email Tom at whrtom@psln.com.

 

 

ITEM # 6

 

Financial Records

 

Financial records are attached.