9-28-18 Sec 1 pg 1-9_Edition 9/26/18 4:00 PM Page 8

8 Friday, Sept. 28, 2018 OPINION Highland Community News n highlandnews.net

Editorial
Milestones and moments

W
hen my kids were young, they tended to exagger-
ate.
“I’ve told you a million times not to use hyper-
bole,” I’d say.
I’m not sure
they ever got the joke, al-
Letter
though I explained what the from the
word meant and how to pro- editor
nounce it. James
As a reporter, the word Folmer
comes to mind when I hear
public officials declare a his-
toric moment has occurred or that a milestone has been
reached. In the nine months that I’ve covering water agencies in
the East Valley, several of those have occurred.
• The creation of a groundwater council to make certain that
every agency pays its fair share for the water pumped out of the
Bunker Hill Basin. I used the words “historic step” in the head-
line.
• When the completion of eastern branch of the State Water
R ick M c k ee ; T he A ugusTA c hRonicle viA c Agle c ARToons
Project was celebrated in February at the Citrus Reservoir in
Mentone, Susan Lien Longville, then president of the San
Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District board, called it a
milestone.
Commentary
• The land swap to improve environmental protections in the
Santa Ana River Wash and expand mining operations is still
awaiting approval in the U.S. Senate. If it does pass, you can bet
somebody will call it historic.
The top of the water food chain
• Earlier this month, in a rare meeting between the Valley Dis- East Valley Water District Director James ty cost the ratepayers way too much money.
trict and the San Bernardino Valley Water Conservation District Morales read these prepared remarks at the Our detractors expected political weakness
to approve a joint project to capture 98 percent of the surface Sept. 19 meeting as the board was preparing to and for us to roll over. Yet, the East Valley
water from the Santa Ana River and store it in the basin, three approve the $147.5 million guaranteed team stood tall. We stood tall for facts,
directors called it a historic day. maximum price to design and build the and facts are stubborn things, aren’t
• Last week, when the East Valley Water District approved the Sterling Natural Resources Center. they?
guaranteed maximum price for the Sterling Natural Resources Morales has been on the board since It always seems impossible until it’s
Center, Director James Morales said it was the most important 2013. done, yet here we are tonight. This is a
meeting in his five years serving on the board. vision whose time has come. There are
• And the next day at the ribbon-cutting ceremony to cele- I feel like this is one of the most im- agencies where it’s mostly talk and do a
brate the new hydroelectric turbines that generate more energy portant meetings I’ve had the privilege little bit of action.
James
to sit and be on this board in my entire This is not one of those agencies.
than it takes to run Water Treatment Plant 134, CEO and Gener- Morales
al Manager John Mura called it a milestone. time at this district. This agency takes bold action. And this
Riding back to my car in a van after that event, I sat next to The East Valley Water District has tradition- board takes bold action rooted in wisdom and
ally played a subservient role when it comes to character.
Valley District Director June Hayes. I asked her if this was nor-
wastewater in this valley. This project will safeguard our community
mal. Are historic moments so frequent in the water world?
There have been forces who wanted us to far into the future and enable us to be self-suf-
She didn’t answer my question, but proceeded to tell me about
stay subservient. ficient. Self-sufficiency makes us the envy of
another historic moment, a public-private partnership approved
The preference was to keep our local water Southern California.
in the city of Rialto to improve water service. flowing downstream and ultimately out of here We are geographically located at the mouth
In every case, you can make an argument that these are his- with no benefit to us all. of the Santa Ana River, top of the water food
toric moments. They are certainly significant steps and we ap- Along the way to tonight’s meeting, there chain and we should take advantage of that.
plaud every one of them. Without water, this would be a lonely have been attempts to distort and misinform This project does that.
place covered in scrub brush. reality, even provide false claims, and inter- We will not be subservient for much longer.
It’s not hyperbole if it’s true. fere with the general decision-making process I’m really looking forward to this project’s
n What do you think? The Highland Community News welcomes between us and our partners. completion.
responses to its editorials. Email them to editor@highlandnews.net. These tactics and lack of professional digni- There is no substitute for water.

HIGHLAND
Community News Your Community. Your Newspaper.
Letter to the editor
The entire contents of the Highland Community News are copyrighted, 2018, by Support Kielhold for SBVMWD and not involved in any water-related businesses
© Century Publishing Co. Inc., 27000 Base Line, Suite G, Highland, CA., 92346. I recommend that we elect Paul Kielhold to re- that would compromise his director duties.
Reprints allowed with permission only. Call (909) 862-1771. place retiring San Bernardino Valley Municipal Kielhold is a lifelong resident of Yucaipa. He
Water District. Division Five Director Steve and his wife have three grown daughters. His fa-
Published by Toebe Bush, publisher Copelan. ther was a pioneer director of the Yucaipa Valley
Century Publishing Co Inc. Email: tbush@highlandnews.net Copelan has an outstanding reputation as a di- Water District, so consequently he is no stranger
27000 Base Line, Suite G James Folmer, editor rector and he is endorsing Kielhold as his re- to the water business. His past community serv-
Email: editor@highlandnews.net ice include serving on the Yucaipa Planning Com-
Highland, CA. 92346 placement. For too long some valley politicians
Florina Ybarra, office manager mission, as past president of the Yucaipa Valley
Phone: (909) 862-1771 have created an embarrassing atmosphere on
legals@highlandnews.net Kiwanis Club, BSA charter representative Troop
FAX: (909) 862-1787 Christy Harbour, advertising executive this board. It has been reported that certain pro-
highlandnews.net Email: sales@highlandnews.net fessional politicians have turned the district into B and the San Bernardino County grand jury and
Advertising rate card available Hector Hernandez Jr., reporter a money pit and have collected as much as many other valley services.
Email: reporter@highlandnews.net $60,000 per year, plus benefits. I could go on and on with Paul’s qualifications.
Obrey Brown., sports editor Kielhold is a retired small businessman, not a I highly recommend that you vote for Kielhold
Email: baseballolb@hotmail.com politician with 44 years as a regulator project for District Five director on the San Bernardino
Debbie Schneider, classified account executive manager and environmental analyst. He wants to Valley Municipal Water District Board of Direc-
Email: classifieds@highlandnews.net
CALIFORNIA NEWS
PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION
provide water services to our valley, not get in tors. With him on the board of directors it will be
Published weekly on Fridays.
line for those big bucks. He has a bachelor of sci- guaranteed that we can keep control of our water
Subscription Rate is $24.95 annually ($19.95 for seniors Classified Advertising Deadline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 p.m. Tuesday futures and not the professional politicians.
ence degree in natural resources management
65 or older), by mail $39.95, paid in advance. Advertising Deadline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 p.m. Monday Burrel Woodring, Yucaipa
Legally Adjudicated Publication
from Humboldt State University. He is retired
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Legals Deadline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Noon Monday n What do you think? Email letters to the editor to editor@highlandnews.net.
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