La Habra Heights News

Our View: Uninvited, we go undercover to attend their meeting.

LA HABRA HEIGHTS, CA - On Wednesday March 7th, the La Habra Height’s Improvement Association held its scheduled “Meet and Greet” that was advertised in the Association’s publication, The Heights Life. The event was held at the city hall multipurpose room where the Association hoped to connect with members and encourage others to join. However, the event was members only and poorly attended.

An unpublicized meeting was held an hour before the scheduled 7 p.m. event. The meeting was attended by the board of directors plus three non-board members. It is unclear what was discussed during the secret meeting.

The meet and greet consisted of about 20 people in attendance and only two new potential members, one being this reporter. Having read a bit about the Association, and having seen the video reports, it was not surprising how the board initially reacted to a stranger in the room.

The board members seemed uneasy that someone was walking in on their meeting but they quickly regained composure and welcomed me in. Despite their friendly demeanor, there was a certain level of suspicion, with one woman asking for my last name after only just being introduced to her. Overall, the members were cautious but did not hesitate to open up.

Some of the recent controversy involving the association has revolved around a lack of transparency, in particular the refusal to regularly publicize the bylaws of the Association. Currently, bylaws can be changed by the board without notifying the member body and without member consent.

According to a board member at yesterday’s event, the board believes that they can refuse membership dues from anyone who is hostile to the group. However, the most recently published bylaws, filed with the California Secretary of State on May 25, 2010, states that in order to be precluded from membership an individual must not positively support article II of the bylaws.

Article II outlines the purposes of the organization which are: to “unite all property owners and residents of La Habra Heights, California, as a non partisan organization, for the purpose of maintaining a rural environment, of creating community interest, and of exerting a combined effective influence upon matters pertaining to the welfare of La Habra Heights.”

Story by: Special Correspondent Margot Paez Editor: George Edwardz

ROWLAND HEIGHTS, CA - Board members of the Rowland Water District met Monday for a special meeting to discuss a proposed agreement between the district and La Habra Heights County Water. The proposal consists of a plan to build a pipeline between the neighboring cities that would transfer water produced through surplus capacity from La Habra Heights to Rowland Water District. A representative from the engineering firm, Civiltec, was also present.

Back in 2010 a study commissioned by Rowland Water District and produced by Civiltec surveyed how Rowland Water could use surplus water production capacity from neighboring La Habra Heights to bring water to the district. The document is entitled, “Study of a Potential Source of Supply to the Rowland Water District from the La Habra Heights County Water District”. Civiltec’s study made recommendations for a variety of improvements to La Habra Heights’ current infrastructure in order to ensure a consistent flow of water to the district.

In 2011, Civiltec was again employed to prepare another study, this time for the La Habra Heights County Water District, 2011 Master Plan Update. Under a section discussing storage analysis, Civiltec notes that La Habra Heights has met the Metropolitan Water District’s recommendations for water storage that would maintain enough water during routine shutdown or maintenance and that it currently has a water supply surplus under these recommendations.

In the same section, Civiltec recommends that La Habra Heights “explore opportunities to take advantage of storage surpluses through operational scenarios aimed at price shaving and enhancing the District's capacity to provide surplus water to area agencies through sales or other agreements

Members of the press and community have raised concerns at both La Habra Heights County Water and Rowland Water District board meetings regarding this recommendation. They contend that such a deal creates a conflict of interest, since both districts desire to see this agreement move forward and since Civiltec’s impartiality is compromised due to working for both agencies.

Link to Video of March 5, 2011 Special Meeting of the Rowland Water District

Cerritos, CA Former La Habra Heights Fire Chief John Nielsen was arrested earlier this week at his Cerritos home for misdemeanor child annoyance. Nielsen is accused of sending sexually suggestive text messages to a 15-year-old student at the Orange County High School for Performing Arts.

A long time ballroom dance teacher, Nielsen, 53, has been unavailable for comment but earlier today a woman who answered the door at his house asked that his attorney be contacted for further comment.

Jonathan Piper of Lipton & Piper LLC, a law firm based in San Francisco, initially spoke on behalf of Nielsen in a phone call earlier today. When asked whether he believed his client was innocent, he said he had no comment.

In a later call to the firm, Piper’s partner, Arthur Lipton, stated that he had not yet received a formal complaint from the Santa Ana Dist. Attorney. When asked if he would be at the arraignment in Santa Ana, Lipton responded that he was not sure that he or his partner would be representing Nielsen.

When pushed on the issue, Lipton said that the firm had represented Nielsen in the past, but did not specify under what circumstances. Lipton initially denied that his firm had been speaking on Nielsen’s behalf, and when told that Piper had answered a question that referenced Nielsen as his client, Lipton responded, “I have no comment.”

According to a former council member, Nielsen had two formal complaints filed against him prior to the 2008 sexual harassment civil suit but that the city council has decided not to follow-up. The suit was later settled out of court costing the city of La Habra Heights $375,000.

Neighbors also reported that Nielsen had previously played Santa Claus at a local elementary school and that on the day of the arrest, Nielsen’s wife, acting as a surrogate for her sister, had just given birth.

In 2009 Nielsen was featured in a reality show on The Learning Channel called Dancing Tweens. The show featured children 12 and under who were participating in ballroom dancing competitions. Nielsen coached two of the dancers who were featured in the show and who belonged to his former dance studio, Interdance.

Nielsen is out on a $15,000 bond. If convicted, he could face up to a year in jail and a permanent sex offender registration..

Interview Attempt with John Nielsen

John Nielsen on TLC

Santa Ana, CA - A former dance instructor for the Orange County High School of the Arts in Santa Ana -- who has also taught ballroom dance lessons to children and adults through the city of Cerritos and at Quest Learning Center in Artesia -- was arrested at his Cerritos home today on a warrant for misdemeanor child annoyance for allegedly sending sexually suggestive text messages to a 15-year-old female.

Nielsen, Once Fire Chief at La Habra Heights, Has Been Accused of Sexual Harassment in Past

Though news of Nielsen's arrest comes as a shock to those in the Cerritos-Artesia area, a source close to the police investigation told Patch that the dance instructor has faced sexual harassment allegations in the past.

The parties involved in the legal mater eventually signed a confidential Settlement Agreement dated August 31, 2009, releasing all claims with no admission of liability, according to a court document provided to Patch by LaHabraHeights.net. The city's insurance company (California Joint Powers Insurance Agency) also issued a settlement payment of $375,000 to the Plaintiff.

Click here to read complete story

Coming up with a way to fund a $5 million road improvement plan has become more difficult and may be delayed until next year thanks to a recent state appellate court decision.

La Habra Heights, CA - A surprise meeting of the Water Board failed to start on time after board president Brad Cooke took issue with the placement of a news camera. Cooke, who increasingly finds himself in the glare of the public spot light, determined of his own accord that the camera crew, which had setup in their regular location, was now blocking the exit. Mr. Cooke directed the General Manager to summon the Sheriff & Fire Department.

A camera had been present at each meeting since September 2011, when word of a controversial deal to traffic (move) water for Rowland Heights was uncovered.

The Fire Marshall arrived at about 4:30 p.m., noted there was no room occupancy number posted, and said that one soon would be installed. The camera crew was allowed to stay in its regular position. Cooke allowed the meeting to begin at 4:39 p.m.

First on the agenda was a presentation by contracted engineering firm Civiltec on the 2011 update to the Water District Master Plan.

Questions were raised by the audience about the lack of inclusion of system impacts of water demands by Orchardale Water District, which uses the District’s infrastructure. This included known low pressure areas on a low pressure map such as City Planning Commission Chair Larry Black's residence, which the Board approved a $2,000 payment to in January.

A reporter questioned whether there could be a conflict of interest in having Civiltec do the Plan. Particularly in light of the fact that Civiltec is also the firm working for Rowland Water District on the proposed Water Wheeling/Trafficking agreement between Rowland Water District and La Habra Heights County Water District.

The Plan states, "It is recommended that district take advantage of storage surpluses by price shaving and providing surplus water to area agencies". But questions were not answered about what "price shaving" is, or what surplus water there is. Board members had no comment other than taking offense to the use of the word trafficking to describe the wheeling of water.

The proposed rate study, at a cost of between $40,000 & $50,000, was saved for last. Members of the audience questioned why a rate study was necessary when they said during the recent election campaign there would be no need for rate increases.

The Board is scheduled to meet again on February 28th.

Video & additional reports at: www.LHHNET.com