Groups in the Bishop area – everything from the Boy Scouts to the Photo Club – are having problems using the Department of Water and Power meeting room at the Bishop headquarters. The Bishop Photo Club said that DWP has informed them that they will no longer be able to use their conference room unless a DWP employee is present. The Photo Club is looking for another meeting room for their nearly 25 members. They’re not the only ones. We contacted DWP Public Relations Officer, Chris Plakos about the change in policy. He said the safety and security of employees, customers, visitors, facilities and property is a priority for LADWP. Plakos said, “To ensure for workplace safety and the security of the LADWP Bishop Administrative Office, any meetings that are being held by the public at the office need to have an LADWP employee sponsor and attend the meeting.” Plakos said DWP understands the policy may be new for some groups who have held meetings at the office in the past without a DWP employee present. He said, “However, this is necessary and we appreciate the understanding and support of the public as we work to ensure the well being of all involved.” Some citizens speculated that this tightened security might be related to the incident at the end of August when DWP security crews locked down all offices in the Owens Valley to seize documents. Some type of internal investigation is reportedly taking place. It is unknown if the new policy on the use of the meeting room has anything to do with this incident.
LADWP tightens rules
by News Staff | Oct 26, 2012 | Government Agencies/Utilities | 14 comments
Is there some reason that Inyo County cannot impose a resource extraction tax on the water LADWP takes? I understand that it is DWP’s land and water rights, just like oil belongs to the oil companies who lease the land for drilling rights, yet still must pay resource extraction taxes.… Read more »
It’s not being done. Don’t know if it could be, but it’s an interesting idea.
BK
Unfortunately the LA DWP is always looking a hundred years into the future, and while the second aqueduct was being constructed, they had the California Constitution amended in 1966 to read as follows. Look closely at paragraph (e) CALIFORNIA CONSTITUTION ARTICLE 13 TAXATION SEC. 11. (a) Lands owned by a… Read more »
Tourbillon- I like that idea. Bet DWP would go after our new born if we tried it.
Tourbillon: DWP pays property tax on their land. Crystal Geyser would also be taxed for resource extraction. Also water and oil have different rules governing their appropriation. Water rights and mineral rights are not the same thing, but I’m sure someone has proposed this type of tax before, but it… Read more »
Come on DWP, locking out the boy scouts now. Wow!
If you follow current events you’d know the Boy’s Scouts are no better then the Catholic church when it comes to covering up the molestation of young boys.
Actually, they are. It is true that they did not report the abuse to the police or other authorities, but they did make sure that those involved were not able to ever be involved with any scouting activities again, anywhere in the country. That was not the case with the… Read more »
Has the DWP ever charged groups for using there meeting rooms?? The answer is no!!! So I dont understand how this is news worthy, and why is it that BK never gives them praise for the good things they do and donate to our community? The people that work there… Read more »
We cover news that people contact us about. Several groups have expressed concern about this new DWP policy. There is no personal hatred for DWP here. They are a mega-entity with a great deal of power and influence in our communities. What they do or don’t do is important and… Read more »
really- dogs love their abusive owners also.
With DWP’s recent hardline antics I would not be a bit surprised to start seeing parcels of land in the valley padlocked and posted. That’s one way to squelch any citizen complaints about them and their practices.
DWP I think .. in this case is mearly reacting to complaints within their department, or departmental directives might be dictating them to do this?
LADWP has declared war on the people and institutions of the Owens Valley and is fighting the war on all fronts. No more Mr. Nice Guy is their new policy. The gloves are off.