In Joshua Tree last night, the Joshua Basin Water District board met on the Zoom platform where they reviewed findings of a year-long parcel audit. Reporter Mike Lipsitz attended and is here with an overview…
The parcel audit looked at agency standby charges, how they are applied, and to whom. Standbys are determined by a formula that considers a number of dynamic elements for each of 12,587 properties. And while the audit showed discrepancies with some paying too much, others too little, the auditor noted that such discrepancies are expected and that the accuracy of the district’s standby charges was above average. In the next four to six weeks, the more than 200 property owners eligible for a refund will receive a postcard from the district with instructions on how to claim their refund which will be paid with interest. Looking ahead, the board approved retention of an outside firm to calculate and administer future standby fees.
