We’re thrilled to announce an exciting new feature that will make managing your water bills easier and more convenient than ever before. Starting today, you can now pay your water bill online with just a few clicks!
Why Online Bill Payments?
Convenience: Say goodbye to the hassle of writing checks or mailing payments. With our secure online payment system, you can make payments anytime, anywhere, from the comfort of your home or office.
Speed: Online payments are processed quickly, ensuring that your payment reaches us promptly.
Eco-Friendly: Going digital with your bill payments means fewer paper statements and envelopes, which is better for the environment.
How to Make an Online Payment:
It’s incredibly easy! Simply visit our Pay your Water Bill Online page. (This page is also accessible in the top menu under “My Account”.) You’ll be guided through a straightforward process to complete your payment securely. To keep costs down, we accept online payments exclusively through ACH (eCheck). This secure payment method ensures your transactions are processed efficiently and cost-effectively. Your online payment is processed securely using industry-standard encryption to protect your sensitive information.
What’s Next?
We understand that you may want to access your account history online as well, and we’re actively working on making that feature available to you. While it’s in development, our current system allows us to provide payment links for your convenience. We are committed to continuously improving your experience and we appreciate your patience as we strive to enhance our online services for you.
During our 2022 Annual Meeting, Jon Kaminsky of Coleman Engineering gave a special presentation on the Engineering Services they will provide to design our new & improved water infrastructure! A Grant through the California State Waterboard, now estimated at $618,000, will be funding this in its entirety.
He also presented us a Statement of Qualifications / RFQ document that outlines the improvements needed for the Lake Francis Estates water system, and their qualifications to design it. We are pleased to have obtained an electronic copy for our members which can be viewed and downloaded here.
Jon welcomed any questions our Members may have, especially those who might not have been able to attend his presentation. If you have any questions, please submit them here and we will be happy to forward them to him.
The Board wishes to thank our community for your overwhelming support of our 2022 Annual Meeting & Election! We easily surpassed our required quorum with a total of 38 shares being represented. Nearly 99% voted in support of the current board, and Members also strongly sided with the proposed 2 year term amendment, with 90% voting in favor of the change.
Meeting highlights included:
An update on the fire safety & water system grants worked for & obtained, and ones currently in progress.
The huge success of receiving the Firewise Community designation, and the benefits this affords our members and our community.
A special presentation by Jon Kaminsky of Coleman Engineering, which through a Grant from the California State Waterboard will provide our all the Engineering Services to design our new & improved water infrastructure! This Grant alone is worth $618,000!
Election Results:
37 Proxy Ballots were received via ElectionRunner, and one Paper Ballot was received. Total election results will be published in the Meeting Minutes which will be posted soon. For any election results questions, please email thesecretary.
The Election Results via ElectionRunner can be viewed Here.
The LFMWC Annual Meeting & Election takes place tomorrow!
What Time? Saturday, July 9th, 2022 at 11am Where? The Alcouffe Center, 9185 Marysville Road, Oregon House Food? Lunch is Provided! Come and enjoy associating with your fellow neighbors.
It’s that time of the year again – LFMWC Elections! Nominations are now open for the election to be held July 9, 2022.
The current Board is ready and eager to serve you for another term, and we are reaching out to you once more for your support!
Anna Romano for President
Ethel Winchell for VP/Treasurer
Lisa Thompson for Secretary
The Board has a track record of accomplishments and continues to strive for the betterment of the community and the water company. Below is the list of what we have accomplished on your behalf thus far. Thank you for trusting us with your vote!
A List of Accomplishments:
Conversion to Not-for-Profit Corporation
Restatement of Articles of Incorporations and Bylaws
Firewise Project – LFE is the first Firewise Designated Community in Yuba County!
Submission of CalFire Grant Application w/ DOHFPD – 150 ft. fuel break around LFE from Lucero’s Winery and Ingersoll Development
Partnership with Dobbins Oregon House Fire Protection District
Implementation of Robocalling – for reminders and announcements
Regular mailers/ website updates / Newsletter
Website Development – Compliant
Electronic Voting
New! Ticketing System – water issues, billing, etc.
Electronic Payments
Annual Invoicing and live invoices
State Arrearages Grant Relief
Leak Detection Survey (via Grant)
Water Capacity Plan (via Grant) – LFMWC has the capacity to supply water for full buildout.
Engineering Plan, Design and Permits – Scope of Work Development and Selection of Engineering Firm (via State Waterboard Grant)
Policies and Policy Development – Late Fees, Irresponsible Use of Water, Communication for Board Meetings, etc.
On-going Grant Development and Applications – County, State, and Federal
SAM and DUNs Account
Corporate Books and Member Shares – Research, Compilation, Verification, Issuance
CalWarn Membership
Capital Improvement Plan
Emergency Response Plan
Having a representative at the California Waterboard SAFER Advisory Board (Safe and Affordable Funding for Equity and Resilience Drinking Water program) – our VP has been appointed for a 2-year term. (This is an unpaid position). Relevant to LFMWC’s understanding of State legislations, regulations, and access to state grants. Small and rural water companies will be represented and heard.
There are several projects that are in progress that the Board would like to drive to completion. The goal of the LFMWC board is to be a sustainable Pilot community in Northern California.
Work-In-Progress:
Phase 1 Engineering Plan/Design and Permits – Grant management and reporting. See attachment for example of State Requirements for Audit/Report
Phase 2 Construction Grant Development and Application for water system upgrade (New tanks, pipes, pumps, generator, fire hydrants, fire suppression water storage/capacity/structure, road paving, culverts, etc.
Fire Substation – LFE is in a High Fire Hazard Zone. Our system is at high risk of damage from wildfires. Residents on Kenneth ave. and the end of Shirley ave. and Ingersoll are at higher risk of loss of property and life endangerment. Some homes are being dropped by their fire insurance companies and/or are insured at exorbitant fees. The Board has a vision of being a ‘Shelter in Place’ Community. Very important to note, according to Calfire, if the entrance of the subdivision is on fire, their engines and crews will NOT enter.
Acquisition of the 85-acre property for wildlife habitat/preservation, fire hazard mitigation, water utilities, wells, solar, waste water, rain storm collection.
Computerization and Electronic Documentation of Water Data and Reports for recording and analysis in preparation for the SCADA Computer System entry.
All the Grant Development work the board is pursuing is 100% funded. LFMWC has no financial capacity to enter into loan or matching grant programs. Requirements for grants are strict regular reporting, auditing, management, record keeping, and implementation. Grant applications require Board Members CVs in order to demonstrate that the officers have the knowledge, experience, and education to qualify and be awarded the funding. Failure to submit timely and correct reports may cause loss/withdrawal of funding and return of monies received.
The Annual meeting has been moved to July 9, 2022 @ 11:00AM Nominations for the Board Now Being Accepted
This year’s Annual Members Meeting & Election is now scheduled to be held on July 9, 2022 at 11:00am at the Alcouffe Center, 9185 Marysville Rd, Oregon House, CA. Please be sure to mark your Calendars! Lunch will be provided. More information forthcoming.
Board Nominations are Now Open!
Members may nominate themselves or another Member for the following positions:
The deadline to receive nominations is June 27, 2022. Ballots, Proxies and Nomination Flyers (if any) will be sent out by July 1, 2022.
All nominees are subject to the following qualifications:
1) Must be a Member. 2) Must be willing and able to take the AB54 Webinar within 6 months of being elected. 3) Must agree to a criminal background check certifying no felony convictions within the past 10 years. 4) Must be available for most scheduled Board Meetings and Member Meeting(s). 5) Must be current in water/lot fees (developed or undeveloped as appropriate) and remain current during position.
Responsibilities and Commitment Required
This is not a position that should be considered lightly. The LFMWC Board of Directors is responsible for guiding our water system’s future. Nominated Election Candidates must be community-service oriented, a team player, and MUST have the skillset of the position that they are applying for. (SEE details in this flowchart).
The Lake Francis Mutual Water Company Board of Directors is the governing body responsible for all policy decisions affecting LFMWC the water company and related member services. Its functions are crucial to the operation and to the representation before the county, state and federal governments and regulatory agencies. Serving on the Board requires interests in the issues confronting water systems and a strong commitment to representing it. In addition, it means dedicating at least 5 hours weekly to do operational work and communications, a two-hour in-person monthly working meeting, and approximately 40 hours per grant application as part of the grant writing team, as well as attending the quarterly Board meetings. The monetary compensation for this commitment is $100 per quarter and paid annual water fees (for one lot share only).
Additionally, all of the grants that the company has applied for will require Grant Management, Reporting, and Audits. The water system upgrade will need a continuance on grant applications for the Construction Phase after the Engineering Plan/Design and Permit applications (Now in Progress). This is the topmost priority in our water company. You can find these very important and consequential Grant Audit Reporting responsibilities listed here.
Nominees are requested to submit a short narrative of their Mission/Vision for the water company, and what they can contribute to our community and the water company. This will be published on our website and will be shared to all of the members for consideration for the election. If you have any nomination questions, please contact Lisa Thompson, Board Secretary at secretary@lakefrancisestates.org or through our NEW website ticketing system.
VOTING
Voting will take place primarily through electronic voting (Election Runner) and at the Annual Meeting on July 9, 2022 for any who submit their vote via paper/proxy. The deadline for submitting a paper of electronic ballot is July 9 at 11:15AM. Each parcel/share will be allowed one (1) ballot vote.
Important: Before Nominees decide to run, please be aware that this election is being held for officer positions in the Lake Francis Mutual Water Company only. LFMWC does not have any legal authority over Lake Francis Estates and cannot take any action to enforce the CC&Rs (with respect to short-term rentals, modular homes, setbacks, etc.). Otherwise the LFMWC Board of Directors could be held personally liable for fiduciary duty violations. If you are contemplating running for an officer position because you want to enforce the CC&Rs, please see this letter from the law office of Baydaline & Jacobsen for a legal explanation of why the LFMWC Board cannot do so.
In order to streamline communication and collaboration, the LFMWC Board has launched a Help Desk Ticket System.
Why a Ticket System?
First, a ticket system is far superior to email in driving the successful resolution of inquiries. An email can be lost in a stream of many, and if an email eventually needs to be forwarded to someone else for followup, critical information may be lost that was contained in earlier messages or previous threads. With a ticket system, all communication and information is stored in one place, within the ticket. So when the ticket is assigned to another person, nothing is lost – all the information goes with it.
Also, a ticket system helps with the resolution of tasks. Even with the best of intentions, some tasks may fall by the wayside, due to being buried in a sea of old emails and other new tasks. With a ticket system, a task never gets buried. It stays open and assigned to someone until it is resolved. This streamlines communications and makes it much more time efficient for everyone.
Which Help Desk?
We decided to use the Hesk Help Desk System for multiple reasons. It is an excellent program that is offered without cost. It is easy to use and features email response, which allows people unfamiliar with Help Desks to simply reply to their tickets via email. It also includes a knowledge base, which we will be rolling out as we get accustomed to the program.
After many hours of development, we are confident this new Help Desk will lead to increased Member satisfaction as it has been tailored fit to meet our water company needs. In addition, we have given a section of the ticket system to be used by our community’s ACC. You can check out the new Help Desk Ticket System here.
Good news! We have learned that the wells providing water to Lake Francis Estates are able to support a full buildout of our community’s 58 lots!
The details: The LFMWC Board, in cooperation with California Rural Water Association, applied and received a Technical Assistance Grant from the State of California to fund a ‘Water Capacity Survey’ for Lake Francis Estates. This Grant includes a well sounding test conducted in March and another one which will be scheduled in summer to measure our wells on both peak and low seasons. The first well sounding test was formally reported to us on March 16, 2022, with the following conclusion reported:
“Based on the results of this analysis and the field data collected on March 2nd, 2022, Well 4 and Well 5 are able to produce the volume of water needed to sustain a full buildout of 58 lots. However, additional field investigations taken during the summer months may be necessary to further substantiate these findings. The additional storage required for a full buildout is 12,000 gallons with the 10% increase in storage or 14,200 gallons without the 10% increase in storage. This is the minimum additional volume needed to meet the estimated maximum day demand at full buildout. This value does not include the additional volume needed for fire protection.”
A big THANK YOU to the several LFE neighbors who participated in the steps necessary to help our subdivision be a safer place in the event of fire! How proud we are to have the distinction of being the first Firewise accredited community in Yuba County! Neighbors who participated will be awarded a yard sign showing their support towards the safety of our community.
The national Firewise USA® recognition program provides a collaborative framework to help neighbors in a geographic area get organized, find direction, and take action to increase the ignition resistance of their homes and community and to reduce wildfire risks at the local level. There are currently over 1500 Certified Firewise USA sites throughout the United States.
Firewise communities are those that have taken appropriate measures to become more resistant to wildfire structural damage.
If you live in LFE and haven’t yet had your Firewise assessment, please take time to sign up here. Experts trained on fire mitigation will help with tailored advice for you and your residence – at absolutely no cost.
What’s more, several insurance companies including the CaliforniaFair Plan currently give homeowners insurance discounts to homeowners whose homes reside in Firewise Communities. Download the Certificate to present to your insurer here.
Experts trained on fire mitigation are here to help with tailored advice just for you and your residence, at no cost to you! Owners of undeveloped lots are also welcome to attend!
Listen to the FireWise Introductory Presentation by Allison Thomson, Executive Director of Yuba Firesafe Council, to learn how you would benefit from this state and countywide assistance. This Zoom Meeting was held January 26th @ 6pm. Listening to the Zoom introductory presentation will cut the duration of your home visit by half!!
Schedule your free home visit with Fire Mitigation Advisor, Gary B. Fildes, Registered Forester and Arborist, along his team and receive a personalized Plan of Action. No obligations of any kind! https://yubafiresafe.org/wildfire-mitigation-advisor-program/
