Apple Valley, CA – Feb. 2, 2021: Closing arguments in the Town’s water trial to acquire the Liberty Utilities Apple Valley water system are scheduled for Feb. 4 and 5. Due to COVID restrictions, the San Bernardino County courthouse is not open to visitors however the Town will livestream the closing arguments to www.AppleValley.tv (click on the green Watch Live button) and on the Town’s public access channels (local Spectrum 186 and Frontier 29).

All evidence has now been presented to the court by both sides. Trial testimony ended at noon today for Phase I, the “right to take” phase in the eminent domain proceeding.

Hon. David R. Alvarez, Judge
San Bernardino County Superior Court Justice Center – Dept. S23
247 W. Third Street
San Bernardino, California 92415

RE: Town of Apple Valley v. Apple Valley Ranchos Water Company, Liberty Utilities, et al. – CIVDS 1600180 Public Access to Closing Arguments – Eminent Domain

The eminent domain case of TOAV vs Liberty Utilities goes reconvenes on 6/15/2020, but the court is not allowing any observers at present (for this or any case). The courtroom can only have 13 people in it at one time besides the staff and judge, so it will be a challenge given the number of counsel, parties, and witnesses. Everyone, per our presiding judge, will be required to stay 6 ft apart.

This will be interesting.

Diana Carloni
Attorney at Law

We just received word that all San Bernardino County courts are taking a break from everything but emergency hearings until April 2nd, which means there will be no updates on the Town of Apple Valley’s eminent domain case against Liberty Utilities until after court reconvenes.

On March 11, 2020, I attended the morning session of the Town of Apple Valley v. Apple Valley Ranchos Water (CIVDS1600180), in front of Judge Alvarez in Department S-23 of the San Bernardino Justice Center.

Citizens for Government Accountability is issuing a call for any and all current and/or past residents of Apple Valley to help convince the San Bernardino County Grand Jury to look into what we believe are the many cases of misfeasance and malfeasance by employees and elected officials of the Town of Apple Valley.

The Apple Valley town manager was hired in January 2018 with financial expertise emphasized to solve deficiencies; assistant town managers were let go. Today, there is no final budget for 2019-20, missing the legal deadline again for a month+. There also is a Prop 218 legal settlement of $3.15 million including $1+ million in legal fees expense, refusal to make any simple column calculation of monthly treasury reports for $50 million investment values management, no fund balances and no monthly department reports.

The Town Council has insisted for years that water costs are too high in Apple Valley, and that a majority of the citizens agree.