Vince Ross Village Square given FPUD's community service discount

The Fallbrook Village Association will be receiving a Community Service Water Usage customer discount for Vince Ross Village Square water purchased from the Fallbrook Public Utility District.

The FPUD board voted 5-0, Feb. 22, to approve the Community Service Water Usage customer rate for Vince Ross Village Square, which is at the intersection of South Main Avenue and Alvarado Street.

"Our board wanted to do this since it is a benefit to the community, helping to keep Fallbrook attractive," Jennifee DeMeo, board president of FPUD, said.

Vince Ross Village Square includes a town center park, an events center and a veterans' memorial. Community and other public events have taken place at Vince Ross Village Square for more than 25 years.

"The Village Association has been dedicated to revitalizing Fallbrook for a long time," Roy Moosa, president of Fallbrook Village Association, said.

Moosa said that the Fallbrook Village Association pays for repairs, pays insurance and pays property taxes on most of its property.

A 3/4-inch meter provides water to the 0.16-acre property. Vince Ross Village Square uses approximately half an acre-foot annually.

FPUD provides free or discounted surplus recycled water to what are known as Community Service Water Usage customers. The Fallbrook Village Association also maintains Jackie Heyneman Park, and FPUD has given the Fallbrook Village Association the Community Service Water Usage customer benefits for Jackie Heyneman Park.

"Village Square is just as much a community meeting area," Moosa said.

"The Fallbrook Village Association is highly valued and is an absolute pillar of community volunteer support," FPUD board member Dave Baxter said.

The Community Service Water Usage customer discount process includes determining a baseline usage figure, which provides an incentive to conserve.

"We look at the water use, come up with an allocation," FPUD general manager Jack Bebee. "Anything above that is on their dime."

Any annual usage exceeding half an acre-foot would be billed at the standard "irrigation only" rate, which is currently $7.04 per 1,000 gallons.

The Fallbrook Village Association will still pay monthly charges and other fees.

"The fixed costs still get incurred," Bebee said.

FPUD's estimated annual lost revenue from not charging the Fallbrook Village Association for water used at Vince Ross Village Square is $1,147 annually, which equates to $1,147 of annual savings for the Fallbrook Village Association.

"It's a lot for a nonprofit," Moosa said.

Other FPUD users will not have increased rates to fund Community Service Water Usage customers.

"We have to use non-rate revenue to offset the cost," Bebee said.

Bebee said that rental income from wireless communication facilities is one such revenue source which can be used for Community Service Water Usage customer discounts.

"Your help with these endeavors is very much appreciated," Moosa said.

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