For the upcoming Newberry CSD General Meeting to be held Tuesday, June 23, 2015, CSD director Paula Deel appears to be attempting to expand the narrow perimeter of the CSD's traditional scope.

      For Item 18 on the agenda, Paula Deel proposes that the "Newberry CSD will write a letter to our supervisor stating our opposition of the selling of Cadiz Water outside the Cadiz aquifier."

      The Newberry Springs Community Alliance has been actively involved in the Cadiz water issue.  Over the past several years, many blogs have been posted in the Blotter, on it's Cadiz Water website; and many trips attending meetings and hearings in the cities of San Bernardino and Santa Margarita (Orange County) over the water heist.

      The County of San Bernardino's governmental history has been riddled with corruption.  The Cadiz water project is by far the largest in size in the giving away of county assets.  Orchestrated by then sitting supervisor, Brad Mitzelfelt, he had the corrupt support of supervisors Janice Rutherford, Gary Ovitt, and Josie Gonzales.  Only Supervisor Neil Derry stood in defiance to the corruption.  Janice Rutherford and Josie Gonzales remain on the board.

      What has prompted Paula Deel to come forth at this time with her proposal isn't known; but it is far too late due to a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that the Board of Supervisors agreed to on October 1, 2012.  This agreement was highly opposed and resisted by Senator Diane Feinstein who invited a delegation of opponents (that included the Newberry Springs Community Alliance) to meet in her West Los Angeles office.  Feinstein has made a number of Washington political maneuvers attempting to block the devastating water project.

      A Newberry CSD letter to local county supervisor Robert Lovingood can be little more than advisory in declaring the Newberry CSD's very late position on the matter.  The issues are well set in concrete due to the county agreement to the MOU.  Disturbing, however, is the continued lack of understanding about the depravity of the Cadiz project by the general public and local officials.

      Paula Deel has placed on the agenda, "Newberry CSD will write a letter to our supervisor stating our opposition of the selling of Cadiz Water outside the Cadiz aquifier."   The fact is that the county IS NOT selling the proposed 50,000 acre feet of water, per year, for fifty-years, as Deel writes.  The county is giving the water away free!  The county is not just giving away the water, it will be paying the expenses for monitoring the water's extraction under the MOU.

      In addition, the seizure of water also includes water from the Fenner aquifier, not just water from the Cadiz aquifier as Deel suggests.  Before doing an official letter on a subject, the subject should be better understood.

      For Item 17 on the agenda, Paula Deel further proposes that the "Newberry CSD write a letter supporting the effort to remove ravens from California Migrating Bird list."  

      Ravens are also listed under the "Birds Protected By The Migratory Bird Treaty Act" that is included in Title 50 of the code of federal Regulations, section 10.13.

      Ravens are considered to have the highest intelligence among birds.  Ravens and crows belong to the corvid family of birds and they are particularly susceptible to the West Nile Virus that in recent years, has killed-off large numbers of the birds.  Although Ravens can be a nuisance, removing protection for these birds does not appear advisible.

      While it is exciting to see Paula Deel reaching-out, the letters that she proposes at this time will have little, if any, impact upon Newberry Springs.