”In our continuing attempt to maintain a high level of public services to our citizens, staff is recommending organizational changes that provide for a more responsive government as well as better defining management responsibilities and accountability.”Rich Guillen, City Administrator, Staff Report, Budget Message for the Fiscal Years 2006-07 Through 2008-09 Triennial Budget, May 23, 2006.
Consider the preceding statement by City Administrator Rich Guillen when reading the following correspondence between a Carmel-by-the-Sea resident, the Carmel Fire Chief, the Carmel Public Safety Director and the Manager of California American Water concerning the resident’s concerns about the fire hydrant/water supply system situation in Carmel-by-the-Sea.
From: Carmel resident
Sent: Saturday, September 30, 2006
To: Steven Leonard ['monterey@amwater.com']
Subject: Questions about Carmel-by-the-Sea’s Water Supply SystemSteve Leonard
Vice President and Manager of California American Water:
As a resident of Carmel-by-the-Sea, I am writing to you to request clarification and information regarding Carmel-by-the-Sea’s fire hydrants and water supply pipes situation.
I understand that California American Water Company is the owner and operator of the Carmel City water system and is responsible for water supply in Carmel-by-the-Sea; and the Carmel Fire Department is responsible for water delivery. I also understand that you, Cal Am’s local manager, are awaiting or have received information from the Carmel Fire Department in order to determine the best course of action; that is, unclogging or replacing “antiquated” water supply pipes in Carmel-by-the-Sea.
Questions:
1. Are you awaiting or have you received information from the Carmel Fire Department so that you can determine the best course of action?
2. If you have received information from the CFD regarding clogged or damaged water supply pipes, then briefly what will the remedy entail?
I understand that Carmel needed your permission to conduct hydrant flow tests, and that the city has not conducted such tests since 1995. Did the City of Carmel-by-the-Sea not ask you for permission to conduct those tests since 1995?
Thank you for your time and responses.
From: Carmel resident
Sent: Saturday, September 30, 2006
To: Andrew D. Miller[ 'amiller@ci.pg.ca.us']
Subject: Clarifications on "Carmel Fire Department Water Supply 2006"Andrew Miller
Fire Chief:
As a resident of Carmel-by-the-Sea, I am writing to you to request clarifications to your “Carmel Fire Department Water Supply 2006” information sheet.
I understand that California American Water Company is the owner and operator of the Carmel City water system and is responsible for water supply in Carmel-by-the-Sea; and the Carmel Fire Department is responsible for water delivery. I also understand that Cal Am’s local manager, Steve Leonard is awaiting information from the Carmel Fire Department to determine the best course of action; that is, unclogging or replacing “antiquated” water supply pipes.
Questions:
1. Have you completed water flow tests on all the Carmel water supply lines and 201 fire hydrants? If not, when do you estimate you will complete this task?
2. If you have completed the tests, briefly what information are you providing Cal Am in order to remedy the situation?
3. Why has Carmel not conducted water flow tests since 1995 in order to comply with the standard of annual inspections of fire hydrants and 5 year cycle tests involving 20% of hydrants and water supply pipes/year?
Thank you for your time and response.
From: Andrew D. Miller
Sent: Sunday, October 1, 2006
To: Carmel residentSubject: Re: Clarifications on "Carmel Fire Department Water Supply 2006"
I am on vacation and will return to my office on October 10th. I will have updated fire hydrant flow test information at that time and will respond to your questions #1 and #2. As far as question #3, I have only been the Carmel Fire Department (CFD) Fire Chief since last November. During that time I have been evaluating and updating the CFD operational systems. Right off the bat I had all of the fire hydrants in Carmel service tested and as soon as Cal-Am allowed for the hydrant flow testing we started day one. This is when we found that some of the 80 year old 4” galvanized lateral lines were compromised due to corrosion. Our strategy was to test all areas that had these questionable 4” lateral lines and we only had until October 30th to complete this task per Cal-Am. To that end I want to reassure you that we have contingency plans in place.
Thank You
Andrew Miller
Fire Chief
From: Carmel resident
Sent: Tuesday, October 03, 2006 1:50 PM
To: George Rawson
Subject: Question on City's Water SituationGeorge E. Rawson
Public Safety Director:
As a resident of Carmel-by-the-Sea, I am writing to you regarding your “Carmel Fire Department Water Supply 2006” information sheet and recent news reports.
I understand that California American Water Company is the owner and operator of the Carmel City water system and is responsible for water supply in Carmel-by-the-Sea; and the Carmel Fire Department is responsible for water delivery. I also understand that Cal Am’s local manager, Steve Leonard, is awaiting information from the Carmel Fire Department to determine the best course of action; that is, unclogging or replacing “antiquated” water supply pipes.
Question:
Why has Carmel not conducted water flow tests since 1995 in order to comply with the standard of annual inspections of fire hydrants and 5 year cycle tests involving 20% of hydrants and water supply pipes/year? Did the City not request permission from Cal Am to conduct the water flow tests the past 11 years? Again, if not, why not?
I would appreciate a prompt, honest and straight forward answer. Thank you for your time and response.
From: George Rawson
Sent: Thursday, October 05, 2006
To: Carmel resident
Subject: Re: Question on City's Water SituationHello: I received your email concerning fire hydrants in Carmel. This issue is still under review by our Fire Chief, myself, and our City Administrator. A report on this matter will be forthcoming to the City Council in the near future. Thank you for your interest in the Carmel Fire Department.
George Rawson
Director of Public Safety
Carmel-by-the-Sea
From: Carmel resident
Sent: Thursday, October 05, 2006
To: Rawson
Subject: Re: Question on City's Water SituationGeorge Rawson
Public Safety Director:
As the City of Carmel-by-the-Sea’s Public Safety Director, your official job description is, as follows:
PUBLIC SAFETY DIRECTOR
Definition
Administers, plans, organizes, directs, coordinates, and supervises the operations of the Public Safety Department in providing law enforcement, crime prevention, fire suppression, fire prevention, emergency/diaster planning, and other related services concerning the preserfation of life and property in the City; performs other duties as reuqired.
While you may be reviewing “this issue” presently, my question concerns past tense conduct involving public safety for the years 1995 to the time prior to contracting with Fire Chief Andrew Miller. As such, since my question bears directly on your official duties and responsibilities as Public Safety Director, ensuring the public safety of all Carmelites, I expect a professional answer from you, not until this “matter” is presented at a future City Council meeting.
Again, my questions:
Why has Carmel not conducted water flow tests since 1995 in order to comply with the standard of annual inspections of fire hydrants and 5 year cycle tests involving 20% of hydrants and water supply pipes/year? Did the City not request permission from Cal Am to conduct the water flow tests the past 11 years? If not, why not?
From: Steve Leonard
Sent: Thursday, October 12, 2006
To: Carmel resident
Subject: Re: Questions about Carmel-by-the-Sea’s Water Supply System First let me apologize the tardy response. I started my cold and flu season a little early this year.
Regarding the Carmel fire hydrants. We have been working closely with the Carmel Fire Department to test and identify substandard hydrants. We have received the testing results from the Fire Department and we are analyzing the results from the water systems point of view. When we have completed our preliminary review we will get back together with Carmel Fire to prioritize the corrective actions. Our very preliminary review suggests that there are variety or problems mostly caused by rusting of the mains supplying the hydrants. It is my understanding that recent hydrant testing has not regularly occurred. To my knowledge the Department does not need our permission to flush. We do try to coordinate with the Department when they are flushing to keep track of the water usage.
In closing, we are working closely with the Department and the City Manager to get a handle on the problem and develop the a plan to solve it.
Thank you for your interest.
Steve Leonard
From: Carmel resident
Sent: Friday, October 13, 2006
To: Andrew Miller
Subject: RE: Clarifications on "Carmel Fire Department Water Supply 2006"Andrew Miller
Fire Chief:
Since I understand from Steve Leonard that he has received “the testing results from the Fire Department” and are presently analyzing the results from “the water systems point of view,” can you please briefly explain what your testing results and data demonstrated?
Thank you for your time and response.
From: George Rawson [mailto:grawson@ci.carmel.ca.us]
Sent: Monday, October 16, 2006 12:09 PM
To: Carmel resident
Cc: Andrew D. Miller
Subject: Fire HydrantsHello: On behalf of Fire Chief Andrew Miller, thank you for your email concerning fire hydrants. As I mentioned in my previous email to you on October 5, 2006, the matter of fire hydrants is not yet finalized and is still under review by the City of Carmel. When the review is completed a report will be forwarded to the City Council. Thank you for your patience and interest in this matter.
George E. Rawson
Director of Public Safety
Carmel-by-the-Sea
From: Carmel resident
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2006
To: George Rawson; 'Andrew D. Miller'
Subject: RE: Fire HydrantsGeorge Rawson
Public Safety Director:
And I mentioned to you in a previous email, my question to you has nothing to do with corrective actions to be taken by the Carmel Fire Department and Cal Am in remedying the present dire situation. Rather, it has to do with city decisions made between 1995 to November 2005 as to why the city did not conduct water flow tests in order to comply with the standard of annual inspections of fire hydrants and 5 year cycle tests involving 20% of hydrants and water supply pipes/year.
One aspect of the public’s expectations is the following: if a resident takes the time and effort to email a city official, he/she expects and is entitled to a prompt and professional response to any questions. In this instance, you, as Public Safety Director, have not only failed to meet this expectation, but you have not communicated a commitment as to whether you will even address my concern/question at a future City Council meeting.
Additionally, I would also like to take this opportunity to ask you to explain the discrepancy between the statement in your “Carmel Fire Department Water Supply 2006” information handout, “In order to conduct hydrant flow tests, the fire department needs to have permission from the water company…” and Steve Leonard’s statement, “To my knowledge the Department does not need our permission to flush.”
From: George Rawson [mailto:grawson@ci.carmel.ca.us]
Sent: Monday, October 17, 2006
To: Carmel resident
Subject: Re: Fire HydrantsHello: In response to your request for information concerning fire hydrants a report will be forthcoming to the City Council in the near future. Regarding your question about the discrepancy of hydrant flow testing, a “flush” involves opening up the hydrant to flush out debris or rusty water. Flushes do not require permission from Cal-Am. A hydrant "flow" test flows water for purposes of pressure testing. Flow testing is coordinated with Cal-Am.
George E. Rawson
Director of Public Safety
Carmel-by-the-Sea
Note: Rawson’s word “coordinated” IS NOT synonymous with “requiring permission” (from Cal Am).
COMMENTS AND BOTTOM LINE:On Public Safety Director George Rawson: After multiple attempts to get a straightforward answer to the central question of “Why has Carmel not conducted water flow tests since 1995 in order to comply with the standard of annual inspections of fire hydrants and 5 year cycle tests involving 20% of hydrants and water supply pipes/year, his repetitive answer was “A report on this matter will be forthcoming to the City Council in the near future.” When it was related to him in a follow-up email that the question had nothing to do with corrective actions requiring consultation with the Fire Chief and City Administrator, he again failed to directly answer the question. Note: The occasions George Rawson stated that this issue is under review by the Fire Chief, City Administrator and himself, the Fire Chief was on vacation. And on another occasion, the City Administrator was on vacation.
On Fire Chief Andrew Miller: During his vacation, he stated that when he returned October 10, ” I will have updated fire hydrant flow test information at that time and will respond to your questions #1 and #2.” However, Fire Chief Miller did not answer questions #1 and #2, and never responded to a further e-mail. Note: On the City’s web site is a link to Fire Chief; however, that link is not a link to the Fire Chief Andrew Miller, but is a link to the Public Safety Director. In other words, members of the public do not have any information from the city’s web site informing them of the person who is the Carmel Fire Chief, let only information to contact him.
On Steve Leonard: The manager of Cal Am was the most responsive in terms of answering questions specifically and relating up-to-date information as of that moment.
In the context of City Administrator Rich Guillen’s statement
“In our continuing attempt to maintain a high level of public services to our citizens, staff is recommending organizational changes that provide for a more responsive government as well as better defining management responsibilities and accountability,” including the new position of Public Safety Director, currently occupied by George Rawson; the central question remains unanswered and Public Safety Director George Rawson has not committed to addressing the question at a future City Council meeting. Simply put,
“Why has Carmel not conducted water flow tests since 1995 in order to comply with the standard of annual inspections of fire hydrants and 5 year cycle tests involving 20% of hydrants and water supply pipes/year? “ Bottom Line: Whatever the reasons and/or excuses presented to the public at a future City Council meeting, the public safety of Carmel-by-the-Sea residents was unnecessarily put at risk because the Carmel Fire Department failed to conduct standard tests, as described by the National Fire Protection Association, over an 11 year period, from 1995 to 2006.(Sources: http://www.nfpa.org/freecodes/free_access_document.asp;
http://www.nfpa.org/aboutthecodes/list_of_codes_and_standards.asp)
Note: To view Fire Hydrant Map, Click on Map for enlarged map.
