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Somis residents press county over Waterworks District 19 rates; public works pledges financial planning work group
Summary
Somis residents told the Ventura County Board they rejected an 11.9% rate increase through Prop 218 and called for an independent overhead nexus study and infrastructure assessment; Public Works staff said a financial‑planning work group and a 10‑year CIP search for grants and loans will begin with renewed community engagement.
A string of Somis residents and small‑farm operators asked the Ventura County Board of Supervisors on March 24 to halt proposals they say shift county management costs to a tiny water system and its customers.
Kathy Janowski, a Somis resident and three‑acre avocado farmer, told the board that the county’s labor overhead allocation treats small waterworks like large municipal systems and the result is a disproportionate charge that leaves the local utility unable to operate without steep rate increases. “We would like to challenge the fee structure by asking for a nexus study that shows the cost of services provided by the county ensures the fees do not exceed the reasonable cost of service,” Janowski said.
Other public commenters described years of depleted reserves, unplanned reliance on expensive imported water, and a plan that could force recurring double‑digit increases. Margaret Tolbert, a 30‑year Somis resident, said the community lacks a transparent long‑term plan and urged an independent audit and clearer communications before any new rate is imposed.
In response, Public Works Director Greg Strack acknowledged the community’s frustration and said the agency has new leadership at Waterworks District 19 and has begun reengaging the community. “We’ve been attending the MACs and coordinating the MACs, and we’ve also arranged for this financial planning work group that’s been developed specifically for the reasons to identify financial information within Waterworks District 19, to share and to analyze,” Strack said. He described a five‑year CIP that the district cannot yet fund and said staff will pursue a ten‑year CIP, grants, loans and targeted assessments and bring more information to the forthcoming Municipal Advisory Council meeting.
Board reaction and next steps: Supervisor Gorell asked staff to re‑engage the community and said the county will begin the long‑term strategy engagement at a scheduled MAC meeting. Strack said six of the last ten years for the district saw no rate increases and that staff will continue community meetings and share financial detail at the next MAC session.
Why it matters: Waterworks District 19 serves roughly 800 parcels and a small farming community; residents say that overhead allocation and lack of infrastructure planning threaten the viability of farms and rural households. The county’s promised financial planning work group and independent analyses are intended to identify options that avoid shifting unsustainable costs to residents.
Quotes: “We’re being asked to pay for centralized county services that are lean, localized operations simply [that] do not utilize that scale,” Janowski told the board. Director Strack said staff will continue engagement and bring a plan to the next municipal advisory council meeting in Somis.
