— by Doug Bechtel —
I’m surprised that Eastsound Water Users Association (EWUA) continues to hold a hard line on their plan to make people with bathrooms in outlying buildings pay for an additional half membership. After hearing from affected people at their recently held Board Meeting, they must understand that there are many facets of their program that just won’t work.
As a matter of fact, I’m not aware of any EWUA members who were consulted on the program before it was put into effect.
Let’s look at it: The State DOH wants EWUA to plan for the future based on the number of houses they serve. There are many reasons why this may not be the best way to plan for the future but let’s skip that for now. For some unfathomable reason, EWUA decided to mail out the draconian “We’re going to catch you” letter, evidently to scare people into paying $3,000 now rather than $6,000 next year.
EWUA points to the few people who rushed in to pay their $3,000. I don’t care about them, I’m worried about people who don’t have $3,000, let alone the twenty plus dollars a month in additional water fees forever.
If someone can’t afford the $3,000 what will they do after the end of the year when they owe $6,000? Have their homes foreclosed on by EWUA to collect their money? Have their Social Security checks attached by EWUA? In their rush to catch those who haven’t paid for the second membership, they didn’t make any provision for hardship cases. How will they determine who is a hardship case? How will they handle it? Will they allow payment over time? How does someone apply? If they start cutting special deals with some people, how is that fair to those who scraped up enough money and paid the full price?
What about the additional $20 a month. I’m sure that there are people who are too proud to ask for help and will pay the $20 and just have less money to buy food. What provisions has EWUA made for these people?
A poorly considered program at best.
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As an EWUA member who moved to Orcas four years ago, does not own a guest house, and appreciates the consistent, professional water service we have received, I’m reserving judgement until I hear what Paul Kamin has to say at the promised members’ meeting. Surely there is a good rationale for the extra funds that would be generated by collecting these fees, which after all have been on the books for decades but perhaps not properly enforced because everyone (including EWUA) was looking the other way. Yes, this affair could have been handled (much) better, and yes, EWUA should be more sensitive to the hardship cases that may arise during the transition. But let’s give Paul a fair chance to explain his rationale.
One of Doug’s questions is: “If someone can’t afford the $3,000 what will they do after the end of the year when they owe $6,000? Have their homes foreclosed on by EWUA to collect their money?”
The simple answer is: No…the water service will be shut off.
However, I have the utmost respect for Paul Kamin’s management and communication skills and I’ve recently had a thoughtful and informative meeting with him on this topic. I’m confident that the promised meeting will be held and that he is open to exploring alternative, revenue-neutral, ways for members to pay for the excellent service which EWUA provides our community.
In the interim, it is my hope that EWUA could suspend the dates and terms of its recent letter regarding the additional membership fees for the various types of ancillary dwellings on some members may have on the properties.
I hasten to add an addendum to my comment above…my “simple answer” to Doug’s question was NOT intended to imply that I had any specific knowledge of EWUA policy…I regret writing that the “the water would be shut off”.
Though we all know that can happen if we don’t pay our bills, I have no reason to believe water service would be terminated if the additional membership fees are not paid in accordance w/ the recent letter to the membership.
I have some troubling news. We moved to Lopez in the fall of “92” from Bellingham. About a week after we moved I was handing out cards and getting a feel for Lopez. I came home that night and told Naomi that Lopez was just a rich suburb that you get to by boat.
This is even more true on Orcas. Between the cost of electricity, sewer and water, if you live in Eastsound, working people are suffering and there is no help in sight.
I think that EWUA plan to give a 50% fee reduction and three years to pay rather reasonable. If these are habitable structures that are being rented it seems to make sense to bring them into compliance. The “landlord” will probably pass the cost on through to the tenant who can generally not afford higher rent.
If the structure is an out building “workshop or. sewing room etc” that happens to have a toilet I think they should not need a guest house membership.
Maybe the answer here, since anyone caught in this net is going to pay a 50% higher base rate forever, is for EWUA to grant the memberships for free. Orcas is getting more and more expensive and we are going to lose the diversity we all say we enjoy.
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We’ll get this fixed!
Hi y’all, this process is so interesting to watch, ahem! It seems clear that doing this now will raise some serious $ for EWUA although the 3 page letter they sent never mentioned what the money is needed for, or any rationale, and we have NO financial documents available to members, not even the required annual financial report. I am still awaiting any answers to the questions I asked the board and staff weeks ago, all of them pertinent to this situation and members’ rights to know.
I am troubled at the lack of official record keeping by our nonprofit, or is it lack of disclosure? I am also troubled by all these one-on-one meetings, and by hearing reports from seniors that “they said I’m breaking the law!” and undocumented workers “they said I could go to jail!” Fred, I believe the EWUA letter was quite clear that lack of compliance by Dec. 31 would result at some point in the water being turned off, w/ a potential for retroactive fees.
What is really disturbing to me here is the bullying approach being taken in writing and in person to force compliance. I believe that is happening because EWUA is out of compliance as a nonprofit members association. Show us the amendment to the bylaws that created this rule 40 years ago, and the minutes from that meeting! Show us how the FHA approved this and public notice was given to members at that or any time.
Prove me wrong, EWUA! Rather than a dog and pony show on November 12, how about full disclosure of all the minutes and financial records to which your members are entitled?
This issue brings to mind some of the medieval taxes of Europe and how they influenced fashion and architecture. Door and window taxes resulted in the rich having windows in closets and the poor living with no windows at all. Button taxes resulted in coats with chained loops son you needed only one button. Closet taxes created the wardrobe cabinet and stair taxes resulted in uncomfortably high steps in some old houses. Perhaps this toilet tax will increase composting toilet use (you can get one for $3,000 that uses no water) or are they taxed too? Sitting on the sidelines, it makes good entertainment. Glad I don’t use EWUA water.
Once again, who this will most hurt is the poor and working people of the Eastsound UGA. Surely there is a more equitable way? This approach doesn’t take income into account at all.
The home owners at Bonnie Brae, although they had a perfectly working Septic system PAID for by the homeowners – were forced to shut that system down and join Eastsound Sewer – piping their treated sewage into President’s Channel! Yeah, I know… as a gesture of kindness and consideration, Eastsound Sewer cut the resident’s hook-up cost by half – something like $4500 to hook up, instead of $9,000 to join – not to mention the $45 or more per month they’ll pay forever, for the privilege of forced hookup and dumping into President’s Channel. How many of them do you think had that much money sitting around?
And Harvey’s point – if you have a sink and toilet in a workshop or small studio, say, will you have to pay these fees as if these places are guest houses? Wow – serfdom in the UGA really exists. This is not to disrespect Paul Kamin – I am waiting for not only his explanation but also his alternative solutions – surely he knows who this is going to hurt?
Do any of you consider us workers living and working in Eastsound UGA? We’re the backbone of what makes this economy hum. We do the work to make this place so cushy for the rest of you – because we love this place and want to be able to stay here as part of the Land we love and this community.
And for those of you like Michael Elder (who I don’t know personally), who have the luxury to sit on the sidelines and be “entertained” – I invite you to come on down to the valley and be even more entertained by getting involved with helping us poor people fight these unfair taxes and costs that we can’t support – some will lose their homes because we can’t hire slick lawyers and fight… I don’t find that the least bit entertaining.
I have a question for Mr. Elder…are you willing to supply several composting toilets to those working people of Eastsound in repayment for the entertainment you got free? I thought your comment offensive…. Merry