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CHRISTIAN BALDERAS IS LIVE IN SANTA CRUZ TO EXPLAIN. STATE REGULATORS ARE PUSHING FOR A COURT APPOINTED LAWYER TO TAKE OVER OPERATIONS. THIS INDICATING, THE STATE HAS LOST FAITH THE COMPANY CAN FIX THINGS BY THEMSELVES. BIG BASIN WATER COMPANY, PROVIDES DRINKING WATER FOR THOSE IN THE BOULDER CREEK AREA AND ON MONDAY NIGHT ANNOUNCED PLANS FOR A 56 PERCENT RATE HIKE...TO UPGRADE ITS FAILING INFRASTRUCTURE... IT'S CAUSED YEARS OF UNRELIABLE SERVICE AND RESULTED IN MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF STATE FINES. BUT IT MAY BE TOO LITTLE TOO LATE...THE STATE WATER RESOURCES CONTROL BOARD, NOW FILING LEGAL ACTION. <I DON'T WANT TO GIVE THEM MONEY BLINDLY, AND I DON'T THINK THEY SHOULD BE GIVEN MONEY BLINDLY.> JULIE WUEST WAS AT THE MEETING. SHE SUPPORTS THE STATE'S PLAN TO FORCE RECEIVERSHIP, A PROCESS THAT PLACES A JUDGE APPOINTED LAWYER TEMPORARILY IN CHARGE OF MANAGING BIG BASIN'S WATER OPERATIONS UNTIL IT COMES UP TO CODE. OWNERSHIP DOES NOT CHANGE. <I COULD GET BEHIND IT IF THE RECEIVER WERE HANDLING THE MONEY." .> <WE NEED WATER AND WE NEED SEWAGE, BUT WE NEED IT TO BE THIS BUSINESS TO BE EXECUTED BY SOMEONE WHO UNDERSTANDS THE BUSINESS AND ISN'T RUNNING AROUND AND FIXING LEAKS AND BROKEN PIPES.> THE BIG BASIN WATER COMPANY DISAGREES. THEY WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING FOR THE APPOINTED RECEIVER. <THEY SAID IT WOULD BE A LAWYER, AND LAWYER PAY IS A LOT MORE THAN ANY OF US MAKE. I DON'T SEE THE NEED FOR SOMEONE TO SIT IN AN OFFICE AND SEND EMAILS. I SEE THE NEED FOR SOMEBODY WHO'S AN INDUSTRY PROFESSIONAL IF WE WERE TO HAVE HELP> THE WATER RESOURCES CONTROL BOARD OUTLINED A LIST OF PROBLEMS IN A LETTER TO THE WATER COMPANY. INCLUDING FAILING TO RESPOND TO CUSTOMERS, PERSISTENT WATER OUTAGES, NOT HAVING ENOUGH WATER SUPPLY AND A BACK UP SOURCE OF POWER...TO NAME A FEW. BIG BASIN WATER'S PROBLEMS GOT WORSE FOLLOWING THE CZU LIGHTNING COMPLEX FIRE IN 2020... WHEN ITS OFFICE AND INFRASTRUCTURE WERE DESTROYED ITS WATER TREATMENT PLANT, WHICH WAS DAMAGED IN THE FIRE AND NOW NON OPERATIONAL. SUPERVISOR BRUCE MCPHERSON, HAS NO CONFIDENCE THEY'LL BE ABLE TO TURN THINGS AROUND. <THEY HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO DO IT IN THE PAST, THAT'S WHY WE'RE GOING THROUGH THIS STEP. IT'S UP TO THE STATE TO DECIDE WHO CAN DO IT BEST AND HOW MUCH IT'S GOING TO COST> ALSO IN SUPPORT OF THE RECEIVERSHIP IS THE NEIGHBORING WATER DISTRICT, SAN LORENZO VALLEY. THEY WERE CONSIDERING ABSORBING BIG BASIN WATER, WHO'S BEEN TRYING TO SELL THE BUSINESS... NEGOTIATIONS WERE DISCONTINUED... BUT THEY INDICATE THEY'D BE OPEN TO AGAIN EXPLORING