Huntington Beach Stalls OK of Water Budget

HUNTINGTON BEACH —  Following recent controversies in other water districts, the City Council on Monday voted to delay a proposed budget for its own a multi-city water board.

“When I pick up the daily newspaper and read about what has gone on at Rancho Santa Margarita (Water District), I get very nervous,” said Councilman Ralph Bauer, referring to investigations involving expenditures and expense account reporting.

Bauer is one of two council members who represent Huntington Beach on the West Orange County Water Board, which also serves Seal Beach, Westminster and Garden Grove. The board buys water for those cities from the Municipal Water District of Orange County.

In unanimously voting to delay the budget, the Huntington Beach Council said it questions increases proposed for the 1993-94 water board budget. One of those is an increase in administrative costs for the water board from the current $29,550 to $31,650 in 1993-94.

Bauer said the business of delivering water in Orange County baffles him.

“Water passes through four or five hands before it finally gets to us, and each time someone gets an administrative cut,” he said. Bauer said he agreed with a former Orange County Grand Jury which once recommended consolidation of water districts.

Although four cities comprise the board, Huntington Beach is the largest and pays 52.5% of the board’s annual budget. Huntington Beach’s proposed share for 1993-94 would have been $208,503.

The council’s action delayed passage of the water board budget until sometime early in June. In the meantime, city employees will study the water board budget to see if the recommendations are fiscally sound.