DON WATTENBARGER

It is a pleasure to acknowledge one of our most dedicated board members and dear friend, Don Wattenbarger, who has served our board and customers faithfully for 50 years – half a century! He is a man of passion and integrity and is fiercely committed to his family and to our community.

Don was born in Tulare, CA but he and his family moved to Bakersfield when he was just five years old. He attended local schools, including Bakersfield College and is the owner of multiple businesses in town. Don started his family in Bakersfield too, marrying his wife, Connie, and raising their four children, Debbie, Jason, Scott and Kristie. Don has been a steadfast contributor to our beloved community.

Don retired as a general building contractor where he specialized in custom homes. Using that skill set, he also helped build the current Oildale Mutual Water Company (OMWC) building – donating his time to the people of Oildale on that project. He has been a member of the Board of Directors of OMWC since 1968. He began this tenure in true Don-fashion, fighting back against the shenanigans and fiscal irresponsibility of the then-current board. His leadership has been such an asset to OMWC that he has been re-elected to the board every year since.

In 1968, OMWC didn’t have enough money for payroll and they had 5,000 customers. Today the company is as financially sound as it has ever been and serving 11,000 customers. These successes would not have been possible without Don and his initiative to provide quality service to the many residents in Oildale. At

one point in time, it was suggested that OMWC raise their rates in order to solve a $4.5 million-dollar problem. His response: “That’s unfair; it’s not moral. I won’t do that.” He said, “What’s the point of having a company and a board if we are just going to turn to our customers to solve our problems.” Don has always held a strong belief that his stockholders and his customers should always be a priority and this

is clear in all of his actions. Don has been an active supporter

of the growth and prosperity of OMWC. He has been described as being “a stable force for the company throughout the years.” He is proud to have taken part in helping to secure

supplemental water for the area as well as expanding allocation in 2005 at a very competitive cost. OMWC has no unfunded liability and is a solvent company. He has ensured that OMWC continues to be a good steward of their resources, never spending money extravagantly. Don says it’s important to “always look forward to what you will need and plan for it now.”

It is through Don’s leadership and commitment that OMWC continually provides excellent service to their customers, along with fair rates. At the most recent Board meeting, Don was presented with a Resolution from the state legislature acknowledging his half-century of dedication and leadership for the people of Oildale. It was signed by Senators Jean Fuller and Andy Vidak, as well as Assemblyman Vince Fong.

We are all better off thanks to Don’s passionate advocacy for Oildale citizens. Cheers Don!

“always look forwardto what you will needand plan for it now.”

50 years of service to Oildale and Kern County

Fall 2018 • Volume 17

“DON’T BE THAT GUY”Water Conservation Campaign

Oildale Mutual Water Company is proud to be a part of the Water Association of Kern County’s water conservation campaign. The annual campaign, which began in July, is called “Don’t Be That Guy.” It uses some comedy to encourage residents of Kern County to do their part in conserving water and to raise awareness of water related issues in California. Check it out by visiting facebook.com/water4kern!

BOARD OF DIRECTORSROSS JOHNSON

President

LONNY BOLLERVice President

DON WATTENBARGERAssistant Secretary | Treasurer

BILL PURKISERBoard Member

HUGH PEARSONBoard Member

DOUG NUNNELEYGeneral Manager

OildaleWater.comFind us online

They say don’t cry over spilled milk; we say cry over spilled water.  #DontBeThatGuyKC

If you see a dead spot, #DontBeThatGuyKCand run your sprinklers again.

Just spot treat it with a cup of #water!

Dear Oildale Mutual Water Company Customer:

Utility Bill Payment Options Oildale Mutual Water Company has several different payment options to help you keep track of your utility bills and track your water consumption:

3rd Party Online Bill Payment Services Delivery Issue

In recent months the Oildale Mutual has noticed an increase in past due payments due to the use of bank and credit union online bill payment services. While these services can be convenient, you should be aware of their limitations. We have found that the vast majority of financial institutions do not submit your payment to the Oildale Mutual electronically. Rather, they issue a paper check from a processing center, debit your account, and send the check to us in the mail. The “deliver by" date they provide is their ESTIMATE of when your check will arrive in the mail, but it is not a guaranteed delivery date, and checks have arrived as much as 2 weeks past the due date. Please be aware that the Oildale Mutual Water Company is not responsible for U.S. Mail delivery time, and payments not received by the due date on the bill will be considered delinquent. Mail is received and processed daily.

Solution To avoid potential late charges, save paper and postage, and benefit from increased security, please consider making your payments through our https://oildalewater.merchanttransact.com/ Payments can be made with Visa, MasterCard, or Discover and are posted immediately to your account. The best option is to register/create an account, which will allow you to save your payment method, sign up for

automatic recurring payments, elect to receive e-bills (bills sent via email), view your usage history, and check the status of your account. To create an account click on the “New Users” tab.

To make a one-time payment, any time day or night, please visit https://oildalewater.merchanttransact.com and click on

the “Pay your bill” tab, payments are posted immediately to your account.

#1 Best Option! Online Recurring Payments For Owners Set up your utility bills online! Visit: https://oildalewater.merchanttransact.com Set up auto-pay & e-bills: No postage, No paper, No late payments! • Online billing registration instructions: Available online or call us at 661-399-5516 • View your account usage, history and status of your account, including current and past bills online • Set up automatic payments through your checking (ACH application required), or credit / debit account • Pay your bill online with a credit card (MasterCard, Visa, or Discover) • Sign up for electronic bills (e-bills) to be sent to your email • Only a $2.00 transaction fee if using credit cards

#2 Online One-Time Payment For Owners or Tenants: Make a Payment online without Registering Visit: https://oildalewater.merchanttransact.com/ Go to the Make Payment tab

#3 Payment by Mail*, Drop off, Walk-In (*Bank electronic check delivery issue information below)

PO BOX 5638 Bakersfield CA 93388 2836 McCray St Bakersfield CA 93308

#4 Payment by Phone: Call us at 661-399-5516