GOLETA WATER.org

Attorney Susan Petrovich's Re-cap of the May 31, 2006 Grower Meeting with the Goleta Water District

The following Action Items arose from our May 31 meeting:

1. The ag water users present at the meeting recommend that the Board adopt NO increase in the ag water rate this year (in part because this represents 2 increases in one crop year and in part because of the burden resulting from the incremental creep in water cost that exceeds the price increases that farmers can charge for their crops. We discussed the fact that crop prices that have remained pretty much stagnant and, in the case of avos, have decreased -- we discussed the impact of NAFTA) or at least no increase until Jan. 2007.

2. Kevin Walsh agreed to distribute to the task force members Carpinteria Water District's ag water cost studies.

3. Kevin Walsh agreed to take the first stab at developing language for a Board policy the would reflect our discussion of using a 3K AFY with a 5-year rolling average as the trigger point for revisiting the ag water rate structure.

4. Kevin also agreed to send to the task force members a map of GWD's infrastructure for reclaimed water and information regarding the quality of reclaimed water, particularly its suitability and degree of safety for use on orchard crops. We discussed information that Sunkist will not accept fruit that has been irrigated with reclaimed water.

5. Kevin will follow up with Kristin Amyx of the Chamber of Commerce regarding the ag viability study that the CAC and Chamber were discussing a few months ago.

6. At the next meeting, the task force hopes to be able to interview (probably by phone) a consultant who is qualified to conduct the ag water use poll/research.

OUR NEXT MEETING IS 2 P.M. ON JUNE 29, 2006.