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Deal: Stockton water for use at French Camp
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In order to go forward with plans for a multi-purpose building at French Camp School, Manteca Unified received the OK last Monday on an out-of-service agreement with the City of Stockton for drinking and fire protection water.

The school board voted 5-2 on the conditional water service pact.

“The people in French Camp will be upset,” Trustee Manuel Medeiros predicts.

He and colleague Nancy Teicheira were against the agreement that, according to the staff report, could “allow the City of Stockton at some time in the future when feasible, to annex the French Camp School parcels into the City of Stockton.”

However, Superintendent Jason Messer noted that a provision made during an Oct. 1 telephone conversation between David Soldani of the Fresno-based Atkinson, Anderson, Loya, Ruud & Romo – Manteca Unified’s legal representative – with the City of Stockton attorneys’ Richard Nosky, Jr. and John Luebberke will provide some assurances.

According to the letter dated Oct. 2: “This provision is intended to ensure that the City is extending its municipal utility services to properties that are either in the City or may become part of the City at some time in the future. The provision is not intended to address or affect other properties that are not receiving City utility services.”

In this case, the district plans to make every attempt at being a good neighbor, with officials hoping to avoid the events of the past.

Trustees still recall the events surrounding the new administration building that took place just a few years ago.

The district made an agreement with the City of Manteca to provide such utilities. But this action also led to the annexation of the Manteca Unified complex along with that of about a dozen homes – despite resistance from neighbors, the City opted against creating an unincorporated island – on Louise Avenue near Airport Way.

At French Camp School, in order to proceed with plans for the multi-purpose facility made possible by the voter-approved Measure M money, the district was in need of providing domestic drinking and fire protection water by tapping into the City of Stockton’s water source, thus, signing a “conditional water service agreement.”

Messer said that the utilities provided by the City of Stockton will be used for handling water suppression necessary for the new building and, of course, drinking water.

Plans also call for pipes to be installed from French Camp Road down to Ash Street, with the total budget for the multi-purpose building estimated at $92,240.90.

The historic school site is located at 241 E. Fourth St.

To reach reporter Vince Rembulat, e-mail vrembulat@mantecabulletin.com