Los Osos administrator to get 23 percent pay increase
April 30, 2017
By KAREN VELIE
Less than a month after the Los Osos Community Services District Board voted to increase water rates by as much by as 65 percent, the district is considering increasing the pay of its part-time administrator by 23 percent.
Six months ago, on Oct. 27, the board voted unanimously to contract with Grace Environmental Services for $78,024 a year. Because the district contracted with a consulting firm rather than a person, it was not required to pay benefits.
On May 4, the district board will do a review of its General Manager Renee Osborne and also reevaluate the contract with her company, Grace Environmental Services. The district board will also consider a proposed draft budget that has the general manager’s contract at $96,000 a year, a more than 23 percent increase.
On Friday, the same day the May 4 agenda was posted, the district sent out notices of the proposed water rate increases. Under Proposition 218, agencies must inform customers of water rate increases 45 days prior to the proposed rate hike. If more than 50 percent of customers reject the rate increase, it is void.
Nevertheless, the district needs approximately $5 million in new infrastructure including a nitrate removal facility and new wells, to ward of sea water intrusion and protect from over pumping. Because water conservation efforts led to lower revenue, the district’s water department was running in the red last year.
The proposed water rate increases are expected to bring in between $500,000 and $900,000 a year over three years.
Osborne is the district’s 16 general manager in a span of 16 years.
The comments below represent the opinion of the writer and do not represent the views or policies of CalCoastNews.com. Please address the Policies, events and arguments, not the person. Constructive debate is good; mockery, taunting, and name calling is not. Comment Guidelines