For too long, Highlands Mutual Water Company has failed to meet the needs of residents in the City of Clearlake. Clearlake residents want faster growth and a better Clearlake. It’s time for change.
A VOTE FOR THE HIGHLANDS WATER REFORM BOARD IS A VOTE FOR
no more secret meetings
a safe (no boiled water) system
protecting lives and property during wildfires
shareholders who work for your interests
a thriving, growing Clearlake
Does this look well maintained?
It’s time to fix Highlands’ broken, falling apart water system.
CHALLENGES AT HIGHLANDS
Stifles Growth & Development: A survey shows four of five Clearlake residents want faster growth in their community. However, Highlands Water’s inability to support commercial growth is holding Clearlake back. The City needs to ensure Highlands can serve the new medical offices, recreation facilities and housing that residents strongly desire. Highland’s failure to provide adequate service is halting progress and new projects. Highlands Water needs reform.
Continually Issues Boil Water Notices: Water quality is a major concern for Clearlake residents, with two out of three Highlands customers expressing concerns about water quality. At times, Highlands Water customers are dealing with subpar drinking water quality, requiring them to boil water before ingesting. Highlands Water is failing to ensure reliable and safe water our community deserves. Highlands Water needs reform.
Charges High Water Rates: Highlands Water rates are ranked in the worst possible category for affordability by the CA Water Board, which the survey shows is a significant concern for most Clearlake residents. With Clearlake residents already paying water rates much too high for the area’s demographics, it will only get worse as the system continues to deteriorate from delayed maintenance. Highlands Water needs reform.
Ignores Financial Relief/Grant Opportunities: Highlands Water does not pursue grants and low-cost financing, leaving customers to foot 100% of all costs. Their neglect costs our community more than it should. Since Highlands fails to secure grant funds to reduce costs, customers are left to bear 100% of the burden of excessive rates. As the Highlands system declines, it will be extremely costly to repair and replace the aging system. Highlands Water needs reform.
Risks Lives & Property during Wildfires: Fire hydrant testing data provided by Highlands Water to a shareholder shows almost 70% of hydrants do not meet typical minimum residential standards of 1,000 gallons per minute; apparently 16 do not function at all, showing zero recorded flow. For a city located where wildfires are happening more frequently, this is highly alarming. Highlands Water needs reform.
The Boyles Fire was devastating to residents in Clearlake. According to data and records provided by Highlands Water, 16 fire hydrants do not work and 7 in 10 do not meet typical minimum standards. We are concerned.
Based on data provided to a Highlands shareholder in the past few years. Upon requesting new information in 2024, Highlands Water told shareholders there is no new hydrant testing data for their fire hydrants.
VOTE FOR A NEW & INDEPENDENT HIGHLANDS WATER BOARD TODAY
We are not the City. We are independent shareholders who care deeply about Clearlake.
Dear Highlands Water Shareholder,
Like you, we are Highlands Mutual Water shareholders. For too long, the current board of directors has failed to meet the needs of our growing city. It’s time for new leadership that will prioritize safe, reliable water and ensure transparency in all decisions that impact you and your pocketbook.
For a second time, a judge ordered Highlands Water to conduct a new election, one that is legal, meets the requirements of California corporation law and their own bylaws. Highlands Water continues to offer the same board of directors that serves them today. This worrying situation is compounded by closed door meetings, questionable decision making and little to no transparency.
We bring proven leadership, independence, a long record of professional experience and community service and a promise to make Highlands Water work for you and openly share all information with you, a Highlands shareholder. Let’s build a better water system together. Please vote for our reform slate of directors today.
Henry Bornstein
Henry Bornstein has lived in Clearlake’s Highlands Harbor area for 17 years, where he is a longtime customer and shareholder of Highlands Mutual Water. A retired attorney, Henry is now a certified California Naturalist and docent for California State Parks. He’s passionate about improving water service to support Clearlake’s growth and development and to do everything possible to secure grant funding to cut what residents have to pay.
Dennis Darling
Dennis owned Foods Etc in Clearlake for over two decades and still owns property served by Highlands Water. His commitment to community service includes supporting schools, law enforcement, and local charities. Dennis has earned many awards for philanthropy and leadership and brings experience and dedication to the Highlands Board, with a focus on transparency, public safety during wildfires and ability to support growth.
Thomas DeWalt
Thomas has lived in Clearlake and been a shareholder of Highlands Water for nearly three decades. As manager of Lake County’s P.E.G. TV, he is strongly dedicated to community service. Thomas feels transparency about decision making, finances and expert reports is essential. He brings experience in advocacy and will tirelessly work to ensure water rates are as affordable as possible and fix the water system to handle growth.
Denise Loustalot
Denise is a long-time Clearlake resident, business owner, and former mayor. She brings leadership experience in fire protection due to her current role on the Lake Co Fire Protection District Board and other community service organizations . Denise is passionate about public safety and keeping Clearlake safe during wildfires, finding solutions to support growth and securing all available grants possible.
Raymond A. Silva
Ray has lived in Clearlake for nearly 50 years and brings over four decades of experience as a general engineering/building contractor. He is a current Measure V Oversight Committee member and is dedicated to improving water service and fostering collaboration between Highlands Water and the City, with a focus on supporting growth and securing all available grant money possible.
OUR PROMISE TO HIGHLANDS WATER CUSTOMERS
The five independent community members running for Highlands Water Board bring years of dedication and experience and commit to:
- Be 100% open and transparent. No more hidden meetings or documents. With a transparent, accountable board, you’ll know how decisions are made, where your money goes, and what’s happening with your water.
- Reduce or stop the need to boil drinking water. Say goodbye to boil water notices and unreliable water service. Our board will focus on fixing water pressure issues and ensuring safe, drinkable water every day.
- Ensure water rates are as low as possible. We will fight to have cost-effective and affordable water rates by securing state and federal grant funding. That way, fixing pipelines and water tanks to make sure customers personally pay as little as possible
- Fix failing water system to support a better future. Your water system should keep you safe from wildfires, consistently provide safe drinking water and be able to handle new commercial and housing hookups. That is not happening now and Clearlake is unable to grow due to Highlands fragile, deteriorating system.
- Repair Highlands system to work properly during wildfires. Assess all hydrants and begin repairing them quickly after that to make sure a failing fire protection system does not cause major damage in the Highlands area. According to Highlands’ own hydrant testing report, 7 in 10 hydrants don’t work correctly, and 16 don’t work at all.
Vote for Reform. Vote for a Better Clearlake.
What does a proxy vote mean? It means one person has agreed to be the designated person to cast one vote for the Reform Board of Directors for each Highlands Water shareholder who completes and signs the form below.
If you already cast a proxy vote for the current Highlands Board members but prefer to elect the Reform Slate below, the proxy below will supersede all previous proxies after you sign and complete the form. Please note the election cutoff is September 30 at 10 am. 2024, so please vote before 9 am on Sept. 30 to make sure your vote is counted! Complete one proxy for each property you own as a shareholder in Highlands service area. All votes will be date and time stamped for accuracy and recordkeeping.
PROXY: 2024 SPECIAL SHAREHOLDERS MEETING OF HIGHLANDS WATER COMPANY., A CALIFORNIA CORPORATION ON SEPTEMBER 30, 2024
The undersigned, as record owners of the shares of Highlands Mutual Water Company described below, hereby appoints Henry Bornstein as the proxy of the undersigned to attend and vote at the special meeting of the shareholders of Highlands to be held at 10:00 a.m. on September 30, 2024 at 16374 Main Street, Lower Lake, CA 95457 and any adjournment, postponement, or continuation thereof, and to represent, vote, execute, consent, waive, and otherwise act for the undersigned in the same manner and with the same effect as if the undersigned were personally present at said meeting.
The undersigned hereby revokes all previous proxies, acknowledges receipt of notice of the Highlands special meeting to be held on September 30, 2024, and hereby casts my vote for the Highlands Mutual Water Company Board of Directors as follows: Henry Bornstein, Dennis Darling, Denise Loustalot, Ray Silva and Thomas DeWalt.
The undersigned hereby attests to ownership of the below described parcel of land within the Highlands boundary, which grants one share of stock in the company.
Vote now to make your vote count! Elect the new board today and ensure a safer, more cost-effective water future for you and your family.
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