Apple Valley schedules water system acquisition update meeting for Tuesday (October 12, 2018)

APPLE VALLEY — The Town will host a special meeting next week to update residents regarding its efforts to acquire Liberty Utilties’ water system.

Attorneys from Best, Best, and Krieger will be on hand at the Apple Valley Town Conference Center beginning at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday to present a recap of the California Environmental Quality Act trial, a status update and next steps in the water system acquisition process.

The meeting comes nearly three weeks after Public Works Director Greg Snyder exited his position to work for Sweetwater Authority, a publicly owned water agency that serves residents in National City, Bonita and portions of Chula Vista.

Mike Molinari, who serves as Apple Valley’s public works supervisor, wastewater and grounds maintenance, was recently appointed interim public works manager, town spokeswoman Charlene Engeron told the Daily Press.

Apple Valley officials confirmed last month that Snyder — whose expertise in water and wastewater operations partly earned him the job — would resign his position effective Sept. 21.

Rather than fill Snyder’s position, a public works supervisor would become interim director of the department and a maintenance worker will take on the role of interim supervisor, said town spokesperson Orlando Acevedo last month.

Snyder was originally hired mostly bring credibility to the assertion that the town could run a water system if given the chance to do so via an eminent domain lawsuit filed against Liberty Utilities, the Daily Press reported.

Tuesday night’s special meeting is free and open to the public. For additional information, call Acevedo at 760-240-7000, ext. 7015.

Source: Rene Ray De La Cruz, Daily Press