Water district contracts with two private firms: one for engineering, another for redistricting

By Karen Brainard

Ramona Municipal Water District (RMWD) directors have approved contracting with two business firms, one for engineering services and the other for redistricting.

Dudek and Associates, headquartered in Encinitas, will provide engineering services on an as-needed basis.

RMWD did not fill the district engineer position when Tim Stanton retired in December 2010. The district’s engineering department has three full-time employees.

RMWD General Manager Ralph McIntosh said the district does not have enough work for another full-time employee but occasionally will need additional engineering support. Contracting out is more cost-effective and will offer greater flexibility, he said.

The one-year contract with Dudek is not to exceed $180,000. The services will be billed on a time and materials basis.

The water board also approved a $6,000 contract with Shepherd & Staats to prepare redistricting plan alternatives.

The redistricting plan complies with state law that requires public agencies to adjust the division boundaries of elected officials to conform with census population data. That data is released every 10 years. The 2010 census was available in March.

Once prepared, the water board will review the redistricting options and the public will have the opportunity to give input.

The water board will adopt a final plan, which will be filed with the San Diego Registrar of Voters office by July 2012.

RMWD is divided into five divisions, with voters choosing the director to represent the geographical division in which they live. Shepherd & Staats prepared the water district’s redistricting options following the 2000 census.