As we begin a new year, the city of Claremont continues to evaluate the potential acquisition of the Claremont water system. Unlike the majority of residents in California, our residents are currently required to obtain their water from a for-profit company, Golden State Water. As a result, Claremont residents and businesses are required to pay higher rates for water than those of our neighboring cities. In addition, Claremont ratepayers are subject to paying a surcharge if Golden State’s profits are reduced because of water conservation efforts.
Golden State Water Company recently hosted a customer meeting in Claremont to share information about water service and the cost of the city’s plan to take the water system by eminent domain. We detailed our quality of service, the characteristics that make Claremont a unique system to manage and maintain, and shared that the cost of a potential acquisition by the city is likely to exceed $200 million.
We are approaching the longest night of the year with the coming winter solstice on December 21. When light is in short supply we humans find ways to supply it, for darkness holds fears that loom larger when there is no hope for light.
An urban forest is a major community asset that lasts hundreds of years. If well managed, it can provide the community with many valuable benefits that far exceed its cost. Like a natural forest, our urban forest needs to continuously regenerate to be sustainable.
To realize the full potential of our urban forest, Claremont needs to develop a team that not only includes a certified arborist, but also an urban forester, as well as landscape architects and engineers who will carry out positive changes to enhance our green infrastructure.
Why bother comparing and contrasting religious exemplars? It is a way to appreciate their wisdom more fully, to understand ourselves more deeply and to grow by stretching ourselves in possibly uncomfortable directions.
In his book Four Spiritualities, Peter Tufts Richardson relates different expressions of spirituality to different personality types as described by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI).
There are four basic types of spirituality: journeys of unity, devotion, works and harmony.
