Report 2014-132 Recommendations
When an audit is completed and a report is issued, auditees must provide the State Auditor with information regarding their progress in implementing recommendations from our reports at three intervals from the release of the report: 60 days, six months, and one year. Additionally, Senate Bill 1452 (Chapter 452, Statutes of 2006), requires auditees who have not implemented recommendations after one year, to report to us and to the Legislature why they have not implemented them or to state when they intend to implement them. Below, is a listing of each recommendation the State Auditor made in the report referenced and a link to the most recent response from the auditee addressing their progress in implementing the recommendation and the State Auditor's assessment of auditee's response based on our review of the supporting documentation.
Recommendations in Report 2014-132: Apple Valley Area Water Rates: Differences in Costs Affect Water Utilities' Rates, and One Utility May Have Spent Millions of Ratepayer Funds Inappropriately (Release Date: April 2015)
| Recommendations to Apple Valley Ranchos Water Company | ||
|---|---|---|
| Number | Recommendation | Status |
| 3 | To demonstrate to water customers how they are working to keep rates reasonable, the four water utilities should document their cost-saving efforts and quantify, to the extent possible, any specific cost savings achieved from their respective efforts. |
Fully Implemented |
| Recommendations to Golden State Water Company | ||
|---|---|---|
| Number | Recommendation | Status |
| 4 | To demonstrate to water customers how they are working to keep rates reasonable, the four water utilities should document their cost-saving efforts and quantify, to the extent possible, any specific cost savings achieved from their respective efforts. |
Fully Implemented |
| Recommendations to Hesperia Water District | ||
|---|---|---|
| Number | Recommendation | Status |
| 1 | To assist low-income water customers, Hesperia should work with its governing body to consider the feasibility of using revenues from sources other than water rates to implement a rate assistance program. |
Will Not Implement |
| 5 | To demonstrate to water customers how they are working to keep rates reasonable, the four water utilities should document their cost-saving efforts and quantify, to the extent possible, any specific cost savings achieved from their respective efforts. |
Fully Implemented |
| Recommendations to Victorville Water District | ||
|---|---|---|
| Number | Recommendation | Status |
| 2 | To assist low-income water customers, Victorville should work with its governing body to consider the feasibility of using revenues from sources other than water rates to implement a rate assistance program. |
Will Not Implement |
| 6 | To demonstrate to water customers how they are working to keep rates reasonable, the four water utilities should document their cost-saving efforts and quantify, to the extent possible, any specific cost savings achieved from their respective efforts. |
Will Not Implement |
| 7 | To ensure that it does not use revenues from ratepayers for inappropriate purposes, by October 2015, Victorville should revise its policies to prohibit transfers or loans of water fee revenue for nonwater district purposes. Victorville should also revise its investment policy that specifies the circumstances under which it can invest water revenues—setting prudent limits on its investment in assets that the Victorville city council manages. |
Will Not Implement |
| 8 | To address the excess interest expense resulting from loans to the city of Victorville and the building of the wastewater plant, Victorville should seek reimbursement from the city for its unrecovered costs. Victorville should work with the city to prepare and submit to the water district board and the Victorville city council by October 2015 a formal repayment plan including specific dates and payments to be made to ensure that the water district and its ratepayers are made whole. When the water district board approves such a plan, it should take steps to ensure compliance with the repayment plan. |
Will Not Implement |