Golden State Water Company hosting forum in Claremont
“Golden State Water Company will host a meeting tonight with its Claremont customers.
“The company is going to make more of an effort to the community,” said company spokeswoman Julie Hooper. “We’ve tried to be more collaborative with the city … eminent domain prices are very costly and unnecessary.”
The meeting, which will feature Denise Kruger, Golden State Water’s senior vice president of regulated utilities, and Benjamin Lewis, Foothill district manager, is set to take place from 6:30 to 8 p.m. inside the multipurpose room at 757 College Way.
Hooper’s “eminent domain” comment is in reference to Claremont council officials’ approval on Nov. 6 of eminent domain as a possible tool to acquire Golden State Water Co.’s assets in the city and appropriation of $350,000 to that end.
At that meeting, city officials said Claremont pays 54 percent more for water than Pomona, 65 percent more than La Verne and 182 percent more than Upland.
The water company questions those town hall figures and has sent out public records requests to the city asking for calculations and data it used to create its charts and cost estimates. Hooper said as of Monday the company had not heard back.”
Woods, Wes. Inland Valley Daily Bulletin 18 November 2013.