October 8, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – ECM sent questions to all candidates running for Helix Water District Board. 

In the race for seat three, there are two candidates: incumbent Chuck Muse and challenger Lori Kern-Greenberg. Kern-Greenberg responded to all questions in detail on topics ranging from water rates to transparency. (Scroll down for her replies.)

Muse refused to answer any questions, instead sending a brief reply: “All information you requested can be found on my web site.” (Editor’s note: In fact, only some of the topics are addressed on his website, which can be viewed at www.chuckmuse.org.)  

By Kristin Kjaero

August 1, 2012 (La Mesa)--The deadline to run for Helix Water District Board is August 10 and no challengers have returned papers. We need good candidates to replace incumbents!

This is the Board that CalAware forced to redo a rate hike for Brown Act violations.

The bright spot on this rubberstamp board, Kathleen Hedberg, is the only director to ask questions or appear to understand materials. The others exude paternalistic arrogance and dismiss anyone speaking at public meetings. Their vindictiveness towards Hedberg for not being “their kind” of team player led them to muzzle requests for information, skip her turn as board vice president and remove her from outside boards.

October 30, 2010 (La Mesa) – Helix Water District’s Board of Directors has faced challenges amid an era of water shortages caused by drought and court decisions limiting our region’s water supplies from Northern California. Water rate hikes, budget cuts and development of new water sources for our region are all key issues the Board must contend with in the future.

Yet campaigns for this board have stirred surprisingly little attention among the public.  Only one seat is contested. Incumbent DeAna Verbeke is running against challengers Stephen D. Last and Jordie Lehr in Division 2. In Division 4, incumbent Kathleen Hedberg is unopposed.

By Miriam Raftery

August 31, 2010 (La Mesa) -- "He makes $199,000 a year and gets a car and benefits, but this public official doesn’t want to receive routine emails outside business hours. I-Team reporter Lauren Reynolds shows us the unusual steps he’s taking to be left alone.”

So begins a 10 News investigative report on Mark Weston, general manager of Helix Water District. View the video here.

February 22, 2010 (San Diego's East County) -- At its February 17, 2010 meeting, the Helix Water District Board of Directors adopted a resolution supporting the $11.14 billion water bond set for the November 2010 ballot.

View a video of the full meeting, recorded by www.CitizensOversight.org  here:  blip.tv/file/3260117

By Miriam Raftery

February 18, 2010 (La Mesa) – By a unanimous vote, the Helix Water Board voted yesterday to disband an ad hoc committee on rate increases after several citizens objected on grounds that the process was not transparent.

“Your ad hoc committee has two board members on it,” Josan Feathers, a registered civil engineer, observed. “So when the ad hoc committee brings its recommendations to the Board , it only needs one more vote.”