The word for the day is “Odious”, but where’s the Kaboom??

May 11, 2025 (Originally published)

Ridgecrest California

Let’s talk about the Ridgecrest City Council and the Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority, shall we? This post may look like a mess because it is. It took hours and hours to figure out what the hell just happened at the City of Ridgecrest, and now we know. Where’s the Earth shattering Kaboom? You’ll find it below.

O’Neil Accuses Blades of Making False Statements to the State Assembly Committee and Violating The Brown Act

Scott O’Neil’s excellent Letter to the Editor of the Daily Independent was published on May 2nd.

From Scott O’Neil’s letter to the editor:

 I was reviewing the 8 April 2025 transcripts and minutes of the Assembly Committee on Water, Parks and Wildlife hearing on these Bills. Those show that you, Mayor Pro tem Kyle Blades, attended hearings in Sacramento and spoke in favor of both Bills. Specifically, you were identified by the Chair as being present to answer technical questions regarding the Bills. Then when the Chair asked for testimony, you identified yourself as “Mayor Pro tem for City of Ridgecrest” and testified in support of AB 1466. You followed up by saying you were very much in favor. Later for AB 1413, you identified yourself as “City of Ridgecrest” and testified strongly in support.

You’ll find the videos from the May 5th Kern County Board of Supervisor’s meeting and the May 7th Ridgecrest City Council meeting below. The Daily Independent has been covering this story as well so check there for more updates. This has all happened in the last 30 days.

Councilman Blades made false statements and misrepresentations at a committee hearing in Sacramento, says Scott O’Neil in a second letter to Councilman Blades in care of the City of Ridgecrest on May 7th, 2025:

“Either you knowingly violated the Brown Act by discussing a position made by consensus of the Ridgecrest City Council without appropriate public notification and reporting, or you perjured yourself at a hearing by claiming a position that was not legally substantiated.” – Scott O’Neil

The answer is both of the above. See City Manager Ron Strand’s answer below.

The Daily Independent’s Publisher’s Pen Indicates Very Bad News Ahead

Very Bad For Blades. Seriously Very Bad for Strand and Hayman, Very Very Seriously Bad for the GA And Very Very Embarrassing for the Navy in our humble opinion.

According to a “Publisher’s Pen” in The Daily Independent, John Watkins says that it appears that laws were “bent if not broken” and if so, “some reports have indicated that base security clearances could be at stake”.

Does Watkins mean that because Blades is a DOD employee, his actions may be under investigation by the NCIS? Why yes, it does look bad on the NAVY too, especially since they’re so involved in the formation of the GA and the DRI model that was used to estimate the size of the pie. Loss of Confidence…This is bad. Very bad.

This is the issue at hand along with some of the groups opposing the bills:

Adjudication is the process by which property owners and water users defend their water rights under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). There are currently 2 different adjudication lawsuits winding their way through California’s Superior Court in order to determine whether or not the IWV is in “critical overdraft” and whether the valley’s Groundwater Sustainability Plan, hereinafter referred to as the “GSP”, is based on the best available science and data.

Every 5 years, the GSP is supposed to be evaluated and updated in order prove to the Department of Water Resources that the GA has a feasible GSP, and it must be based on sound geohydrologic science. See What is Hydrogeology and what do Hydrogeologists do? Can you pronounce any of this?

Hydrogeology is the study of groundwater – it is sometimes referred to as geohydrology or groundwater hydrology. Hydrogeology deals with how water gets into the ground (recharge), how it flows in the subsurface (through aquifers) and how groundwater interacts with the surrounding soil and rock (the geology).

Using the comments from the meeting in Bakersfield, we understand that Adjudication determines a) How big the pie is (water in storage and recharge) and b) How the pie is allocated (water rights).

The Indian Wells Valley GSP Was Rigged From the Beginning

All the players in the 10 year melodrama we call “The Great Indian Wells Valley Water War” were in attendance, and the meeting (video below) lasted over 2 hours. Every minute is worth watching.

Local water users and major pumpers, including Searles Valley Minerals and the Indian Wells Valley Water District, formed the IWV Working Group which produced a new model with updated well data and state-of-the-art groundwater imaging technology backing them in the adjudication process.

Apparently, SGMA is working well, and 94% of over 90 regulated groundwater basins have their GSP’s approved by the Department of Water Resources. Only 5 basins are involved in adjudication proceedings and one of them is the IWV’s groundwater basin.

Why should Ridgecrest OPPOSE AB 1413?

This will open a whole new legal can of worms for SGMA and it’s possible it could result in even longer court battles that will most certainly come. The bills appear to be written solely to block any adjudication of the Indian Wells Valley’s GSP (the pie).

Below is the video from the Special Meeting of the Kern County Board of Supervisors held in Bakersfield on Monday, May 5, 2025. Many people gave public comments, including Chris Ellis of Coso Geothermal and George Kroll, the general manager of the IWV Water District.

At the end of the meeting, when the Supervisors asked questions, Supervisor David Couch dropped the hammer on Blades, Hayman and Strand. It was a sight to see so watch the whole thing if you can, but skip forward to the Supervisor’s questions and comments at the end.

Supervisor Jeff Flores gave one of the more insightful comments among many, and board members were direct and authentic in both their questions and their opinions. Supervisor Peters was the lone supporter of the bills in question.

It’s a “Must Watch” meeting video if you want to understand why water is the most important issue in the Indian Wells Valley and how California’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act will affect your property rights and your water rights as well as the cost of your water bill. Click on the link or the image below to begin the video in a new tab:

Kern County Board of Supervisors Special Meeting, May 5, 2025 (Video)

Philip Peters asks himself the ultimate question: “Is this beneficial to the members of my community?”

Kern County Supervisor Philip Peters, who are you trying to fool? The people in the Indian Wells Valley, or the people in Bakersfield? In any case, Peters said that the bills would have the effect of “closing loopholes” that allow water users to challenge the data used by groundwater authorities in the deterimination of safe yield, groundwater in storage and recharge.

The Board of Supervisors wasn’t going to buy any of it, and the Indian Wells Valley isn’t “your community”. Does Peters think everyone’s stupid? He’s also wanted to know who placed the Special Meeting on the schedule in a closed session. He speaks at the beginning of the meeting and makes the motion to support the bills at the end. It’s a joy to watch. His motion was flatly rejected and a continuance of the meeting will be on Tuesday, May 13th. (Agenda here)

Does this sound beneficial to members of “my community” Supervisor Peters??

UPDATE: This item has been pulled from the May 13th meeting agenda. That’s all folks!

Investigations (Bakersfield)

661-868-5851 Phone

Pichardoj@kernda.org (Jeanette at the front desk)

Lt. Perez – dperez@kernda.org

Re: Conspiracy to Commit Fraud in the City of Ridgecrest

The GA is making matters worse for themselves by hatching this scheme regardless of the conclusion of the Assembly’s vote.

The Kern County Board of Supervisors couldn’t have been more respectful to Hayman, Strand and Blades, while Blades came across poorly Ron Strand seemed annoyed that anyone would ask him such a direct question. “No”, they didn’t vote to specifically support these bills in a closed or open session.

Supervisor David Couch Presses Blades and Strand for Answers Regarding Scott O’Neil’s Letter

Supervisor David Couch was well-aware of the Scott O’Neil’s Letter to the Editor published in the Daily Independent the week before. He asked the three representatives from the City of Ridgecrest to come to the podium to respond to O’Neil’s letter.

Blades stepped forward first, and said to Supervisor Couch “I knew I liked you for some reason, thanks for bringing that up”. That was some wierd pandering.

Blades then proceeded to stick his foot in his mouth, saying that Mr. O’Neil, who Couch highly respects, was essentially ignorant about the Brown Act. “It implies lack of knowledge of the Brown Act” said Blades.

Couch asked “was there a actually a vote that was taken by the City of Ridgecrest in support of these bills?”

Blades again claimed that the council’s actions were “not a violation of the Brown Act” and went on to say that O’Neil’s letter was “a legal strategy taking a swipe at a councilmember”.

Couch asked again, “And that was determined in closed session?”

“Yes sir” said Blades.

Is there actually a position taken by the City of Ridgecrest in support of these bills?

Couch was ready to move on, then Blades stepped forward and kept talking, sticking his foot in the wrong place for a second time. “Yeah yeah, the City of Ridgecrest supports these bills”.

Couch then asked if Strand or Hayman wanted to speak to the question. Strand stepped forward to clean up Kyle’s mess.

“Was there ever an item on a public agenda where the council was asked to vote specifically on these bills?”

Strand finally admitted.”This specific item? No.”

Double KABOOM!!

Councilman Hayman Kept Quiet While Strand Hung Blades Out To Dry

It was apparent that Kyle seriously fumbled his response to Supervisor Couch, and Ron Strand had to step forward to clarify Kyle’s non-answers and misrepresentations, thereby protecting the City from any Brown Act transgressions or misrepresentations by Blades.

Who haven’t we mentioned? Councilman Scott Hayman. He’s been the City’s representative on the GA board for seven long years. He knows how odious the whole GA saga has been, and he’s defended the actions of the GA (and Ron Strand) every step of the way.

Councilman Rajaratnam Blocks Public Disclosure and Debate

During the May 7th council meeting, Councilman Skip Gorman attempted to bring the matter to the public’s attention, and Mayor Travis Endicott supported him, but Rajaratnam, the business manager and front-man for former Mayor Bruen and Desert Valleys Credit Union, was the swing vote and blocked Gorman’s attempt to bring the two proposed bills up for public debate.

Solomon blew the opportunity to speak and have a public discussion. He should be ashamed of himself. We thought he believed in transparency.

KABOOM!

After getting a thumbs down from Blades, Rajaratnam and Hayman, Gorman was visibly perturbed, the sidewinder scowl on his face was a dead giveaway, and he politely declined to make any comments during the “Council Comments” portion of the agenda, saying “I better not, I’m in a pushback mood right now and I’ll say something wrong”.

Mayor Endicott then turned to Blades for his turn on comments, and he replied “I’m actually in a pretty good mood right now but I don’t want to say anything wrong either” with his signature creepy grin fully engaged while staring at Councilman Gorman. Creepy.

Blades then thanked City Clerk Ricca Charlon for all her hard work. Ironically, during the meeting Ricca got an award for outstanding city clerks while at the same time accepting the blame for leaving former Mayor Bruen’s name on the City’s letterhead. However, she did remember to change Councilman Blades’ title to Mayor Pro Tem before the letter was hand carried to Sacramento. We find it hard to believe the rumors that she’s Ron Strand’s sister-in-law but anything is possible at the city and we haven’t bothered to ask her.

KABOOM! Slightly smaller but a Kaboom! nonetheless.

Here’s the video, timestamped to begin at 1:05:47 when Councilman Gorman eloquently makes the request for an agendized public discussion on AB 1413:

Former Kern County Supervisor Mick Gleason Hooks One Out of Bounds

Mick Gleason took a respite from golfing in Phoenix and was rumored to be in the building, but seeing what was happening caused him to flee Bakersfield just as quickly as he arrived, leaving a last minute 2-page letter with the clerk. The letter was metaphorically tossed in the trash, unread and never to be heard from again.

Edit for clarity: This is an example of a DUD – NPC like the rest of us.

KABOOM! Former Mayor Eric “Vax-Mandate” Bruen’s head just exploded!!!

https://roadrunner395.com/2025/05/29/scott-oneils-letter-to-the-editor-in-the-daily-independent-we-all-need-to-stay-informed-and-get-involved