Moving to East Palo Alto while completing my Masters in Educational Technology at Stanford University, I have lived in this community for 38 years. I served one term as EPASD Vice President and served as a Board member for ten years. It's been two years since I last served on the board. Two years away from the Board has sharpened my vision. As Director I will work to:
1. REDUCE COSTS TO RATEPAYERS
At $520 per year our rates are higher than Palo Alto, Burlingame, Los Altos, Stanford, Napa and much of California We can do better! As Director I plan to work to lower rates by:
- Improving Organizational Efficiencies - such as reducing overlapping job functions, and lowering engineering and accounting services costs.
- Establishing Spending Limits -to hold the line on overall costs and ensure EPA sewer charges are within range of neighboring communities.
- Use Part of $5 Million Reserve to Reduce Operating Costs that are passed on to the ratepayer
2. SENIOR ADVOCACY
I am a 72 year old senior who understands the meaning of Living on a Fixed Income. I am devoted to working to reduce the annual rate we pay for our Sewer Service Charges which continue go up every year. Our seniors can't afford annual cost-of-living raises for sewer service while Social Security pays zero cost-of-living increases. $520 a year is too high! As Director, I will also advocate for:
- Lateral Replacement Fund- to assist senior ratepayers whose lateral pipes have failed. Cost to replace the pipe lateral that goes from the house to the large underground pipe in the center of the street is thousands of dollars.
3. DISASTER PREPAREDNESS
If EPA suffers a large earthquake, underground pipes are likely to burst causing large amounts of toxic raw sewage to spill into the streets and flow back into resident's homes. What do we do then? Who do we notify? How do we contact residents? What about clean up?, What readiness does District staff abide by? Is equipment on hand? Are there staff mock disaster exercises? Who would be in charge? As Director, I will work to:
- Update and Revise our Disaster Plan Using State-of-the- Art practices to ensure the District has a first-rate plan to react to any disaster.
4. FRESH NEW IDEAS
- Fresh new ideas can be slow to come from a sitting Board. Two years away from the Board has sharpened my perspective. To see a Fresh New Approach to District Management, to Reduce Costs, to Foster Senior Advocacy, to Improve Long Term Planning and to Revitalize Emergency Preparedness, vote for me, Edrick L. Haggans.
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