Ever since I moved to Crescent City and heard about former Public Works Director Jim Barnts plans to rebuild the sewer plant to the tune of $43.8 million in this little town, I knew something was wrong.

My questions to Jimbo; how much did you buy your properties for?  How much did you sell them for?  And would they have been worth much IF they didn’t have water and sewer attached?

I figured out a long time ago after the  ’08 or ’09 grand jury report, it appears to me that Mr. Barnts as Mr. Stover’s agent/client relationship that switches back and forth has been very profitable for both of them. Mr. Stover confirmed back in 2006 that there were plenty of room to hook up to the WWTP for low income apartments.  But then, Jimbo says because of the cease and desist orders they had to build a new plant. In my mind, this grand scheme was all about Jim and his buddies making money at the expense of the ratepayers.

I had the pleasure of meeting Lonnie Levy when Charter sent him out as a technician and he was very good.  I found out that he used to run the WWTP until they fired him for trumped up charges because he refused to comply with certain acts by Jim Barnts. Sounds like standard operating procedure for this place.

While my friends have paid thousands over the last 6 years for the honor of being connected to city water and sewer (while being poisoned by fluoride for decades….. glad that’s over); I’ve spent $3 a month for Ridex to keep my septic tank in good shape. For 8 years my costs on my “sewer” system have been a mere $288.  Back in 2007 when this fiasco started, the sewer rates were $30 a month or $360 a year.  Now they’re $840 a year.  What a deal.  No one is pooping any more but their rates are double.

There’s no way I want to give up my septic system to be connected to this ill conceived, ill contrived money pit scheme and add insult to injury to having to pay for Jim and his buddies personal gains….and suffer at the whims of city council members who are not in touch with the economic reality of this area.

Connie Morrison

Crescent City, Ca.