Breaking News: State to reinstate funding when work resumes

(Note: Just got this press release from the CSD... obviously, more details to come:

November 9, 2005

State to reinstate funding when work resumes; Los Osos on State Water Board’s Nov. 16 meeting agenda

Three weeks after Los Osos district officials called
for work on the sewer project to resume, construction
is poised to restart.

The immediate work will focus on the collection and
disposal systems only, not the treatment facility. 

In a letter received by the Los Osos Community
Services District on Nov. 4, the state water board
said it’s now willing to reinstate funding as soon as
work is renewed, said Dan Bleskey, interim 
general manager.


“Although we ordered the contractors back to work
on Oct. 21, they felt that the state hadn’t given
adequate assurance of funding,” said Bleskey.
“Some of the contractors now feel that they have
that assurance or, at least, have a higher comfort
level with the state board’s intention.”

It will take a few days for the work order to take effect, he said.

“The construction crews need a couple of days to
mobilize and we need time to notify citizens in the
immediate work areas.

We’re also working with the treatment plant site
contractor to chart a course that satisfies state
requirements, respects Measure B and gives him
a detailed and clearly written work plan from the district.”

At the Tri-W property -- site of the treatment plant
that Measure B now requires to be relocated out of
town -- specific work areas are in the process of being

identified and a change-order will be issued to the
contract with Monterey Mechanical. The work
will be non-plant related, and is expected to
include run-off control and possible curb, gutter
and street improvements.

Barnard Construction, one of the pipe-collection system

contractors, will be the first to restart as soon as the
county permit requirements and other regulatory
obligations are satisfied. Whitaker Contractors, a local
firm, will return to work in phases.

In a related action, the CSD held a special meeting on
Monday to approve a resolution requested by the State
Water Resources Control Board. By adopting the
resolution, the CSD board reaffirmed its commitment to
the project and the terms of the recent state proposal. 

The resolution, like the proposal, calls for work on the
collection and disposal systems to resume immediately,
but allows a maximum two-year extension on the treatment
facility and for a concurrent review of alternative technologies.

The CSD is on the water board’s Nov. 16 meeting agenda.

Construction is expected to resume within a week.

Schedules will be publicized in local newspapers, on the
district’s website at www.losososcsd.org, on Los Osos
Charter Channel 20 and through weekly announcements
on KVEC 920 AM.