Commentary: An odd way to mend fences

EDITOR,
I was puzzled by your article about Lompico Water District board members wanting to “mend fences” (“Lompico board members set out to mend rift,” Page 7, Oct. 30). Wanting to work together is commendable, but this seems an odd way to begin. Blaming the division in the board on efforts of Lake Boulevard residents to get the water district to give us clean water is disingenuous, at best.
We repaired the broken road — with, despite your reporting, no help from the water district — but they won’t repair their main in a way that won’t risk permanently damaging the road, which would be disastrous.
What was once a water main loop is now a dead-end that is rarely, if ever, flushed, creating a health hazard.
Meanwhile, the new majority of the board has tried to get the district under some kind of control. It has instituted, for the first time, policies and procedures for the board; tried to bring the board closer to Brown Act compliance; tried to get a handle on spiraling expenses; finished long overdue PERS and accrual audits; brought in unbiased professionals to handle accounting, etc. Most of those efforts have been met with resistance.
If these board members want to mend fences, they can begin by denouncing the mudslinging made in the online Press-Banner by their supporters.
Anyone who glances at the comments about any LCWD article can see from where the divisiveness comes. The most frequent question I hear is, “What’s their point?” I can only answer that I don’t know, but it seems to be to cause as much dissension and sling as much mud as possible.
Attempts to set the record straight are met with viciousness and name-calling. Their latest attack implies, based on a false claim of a donation, that a board member is guilty of embezzlement.
When will this stop? Directors Wyckoff and Kilgus could start mending fences by respecting their constituents and fellow board members and by naming the bloggers for what they are: cyberbullies.