GILROY
– A grand jury found the Santa Clara Valley Water District did
not violate state law last year when it raised water rates.
GILROY – A grand jury found the Santa Clara Valley Water District did not violate state law last year when it raised water rates.
However, the grand jury made two recommendations to improve how the district notifies the public of important meetings.
The grand jury wants the water district to establish written policies and procedures regarding which publications it uses to advertise meetings.
It said the water district must advertise meeting notices in local newspapers in addition to its typical posting of notices in the San Jose Mercury News and the San Jose Post Record.
“Not all interested parties in the county read the San Jose Mercury News or San Jose Post Record,” the grand jury stated in a press release.
The grand jury inquiry was conducted to determine what written policies the water district has established to notify well owners and operators of public hearings. The inquiry focused specifically on where and when the water district provided notice of an April 15, 2003 public hearing, when rate hikes were proposed.
The grand jury found that the water district did not violate any of the state’s open meeting laws since it placed notice of the meeting in the two San Jose newspapers.
However, the grand jury stated in a press release, “The recommendations (to advertise in local newspapers), if adopted, will improve the communication of public hearings to all interested parties.”
The water district is responding positively to the grand jury’s recommendations.
“These are fair recommendations,” water district spokesman Mike DiMarco said. “These are things we try to do on a regular basis.”
DiMarco said the water district’s current practice is to advertise meetings “in papers that give the biggest bang for the buck.”
“We’ll evaluate if the taxpayer wants us to advertise in the local papers, too,” DiMarco said. “Right now, we’re still evaluating that.”
Eric Leins covers city politics for The Dispatch. He can be reached at (408) 842-6400 Ext. 275 or by e-mail at el****@************ch.com.
