FPUD adopts resolution of emergency

The Fallbrook Public Utility District adopted a resolution declaring a state of emergency due to the coronavirus epidemic.

A 5-0 FPUD board vote, April 27, authorized Jack Bebee, general manager of FPUD, and Dave Shank, the district’s chief financial officer, to submit any necessary requests for emergency-related financial assistance to the state’s Office of Emergency Services or to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

“We’re only doing it just because there’s a timeline to submit it,” Bebee said. “Right now, we’re not planning to submit anything.”

The resolution allows FPUD to apply for disaster relief funding if funds are available and if FPUD incurs significant losses from the coronavirus outbreak.

“Right now we’re functioning fine,” Bebee said. “This is just to make sure we’re set up in case we need to do that.”

Relief funding would be administered through OES or through Federal Emergency Management Agency.

“The emergency declaration for FEMA and the governor’s office is really a just in case,” Bebee said. “This makes it so we’ve put it in and we’re ready if we need it.”

The district purchased hand sanitizer in bulk but will not seek reimbursement for that expense.

“Right now, we haven’t incurred significant costs due to the pandemic,” Bebee said. “We have some minor costs but nothing significant at this point.”

Work practices have been changed to minimize employee contact with each other.

“We’ve had to make some staffing modifications,” Bebee said. “Our operation hasn’t changed. The way we’re having to do it has changed.”

The adjustment of work schedules and work assignments has allowed FPUD to respond to emergency leaks and pipe failures.

“We’ve managed to keep our operations going,” Bebee said.

The scenarios which would require financial reimbursement for FPUD include uncollectible accounts. FPUD sends bills to each customer on a monthly basis.

“I think we’re prudent to do this,” FPUD board member Don McDougal said.

Joe Naiman can be reached by email at [email protected].