Saturday, April 23, 2011

Wraparound: Updates since last post

Several events have occurred since last update was posted. Not all will be covered. What is covered may not be in depth. But here goes:

  • Ryan Bonnet has been sentenced for the on-the-street drunken stomping murder of Eileen Pruitt to 25 years to life in prison, with the possibility of parole after 10 years, Members of the community have voiced opinions in regard to this sentence that range from "he will never make it 10 years," to "Ray approved it so it must seem satisfactory to her family." 
So the community may know them by sight, a photo of CGID Board Members was to have been inserted here; but it seems that taking a panoramic photo at the last Board meeting, although open to the public, was against a rule to take it without permission. This was subsequently used to intimidate this writer in email negotiating to have his service restored.
  • The Canyon General Improvement District (CGID) method of billing for services that are not wanted or otherwise not rendered (such as when the water is shut off) have been called unfair, socialistic and possibly illegal.. CGID charges full rates when clients are not occupying a residence, or a residence is being sold, or other situations arise. There is no immediate recourse to amend, stop or curtail CGID action beyond appeal to the discretion of the CGID Manager.Investigation by this writer into the authorization in law that allows this practice, the process by which such practice may be challenged (outside of being ignored at a monthly CGID Board meeting), and the record of other GID's billing practices in the state of Nevada, is ongoing. Complaint has been filed, or phone inquiries made, with Nevada Public Utilities Commission, the Storey County Sheriff's Department (dismissed as a "civil matter" with no action being taken), the American Civil Liberties Union (awaiting ALCU decision), the Storey County District Attorney's office (who has taken over a week to return the inquiry call), and at the regular monthly meeting of the CGID Board. The issues are about being charged for services that are not needed and/or not being rendered, the manner of inappropriate pressures being put on clients to pay, the Basic Rate Plan of allocation amounts, and the "everyone pays regardless" policy of the CGID. (As it stands, we do not pay for "our water," we pay for "your water" and if we don't all pay there will be "no water.")
  • The Eileen Pruitt Dog Park portion of the Louise Peri Park expansion will not be funded by the grant given to refresh/rebuild the park. All monies for any Dog Park will have to come from the community. A proposed Dog Park area has been moved east, to the hillside area (directly east of where first proposed). No consideration to locating it east of the "Rainbow Bend back access road" will be given (north of the present move); due to possible "resident complaint and parking considerations."Exercising dogs in the grass area of Peri Park will no longer be tolerated; due, it was reported by the attending Community Chest representative, to the "sanitary condition problem" created when owners do not pick up after their animals. New signs will be posted. Sheriff Antinoro was said to endorse this policy and will instruct Deputies to strictly enforce the Department of Recreation "no pets" rule in the park. This leaves the small dog park at the Sparks Marina the only fenced area to exercise large dogs in River District proximity that will allow an animal to run free..
  • The latest Park expansion meeting was sparsely attended. This writer sees the attendance problem as more endemic than attendees were willing to consider. There was call for action to involve more community members in the organization and its processes. More reason why something can't be done were advanced than plans to move forward. A bar-be-que has been proposed to attract individuals into becoming involved. It was reported that the Garden In The Hole is progressing toward possible June seeding. 
If you have something to say about any of this, you are welcome to use the Comments section below.

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