20250224Comment_1.pdf

From: Peter B
To: secretary
Subject: Case# PLW-W-24-02 Priest Lake Water,LLC
Date: Monday,February 24,2025 1:53:15 PM
Attachments: IPUC document(-Larry and Lvnn Marvin.docx
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Good morning,
Please find attached a letter to the IPUC regarding the above-referenced case. The letter was
written by Larry and Lynn Marvin. They not only currently own 5 lots in Marvin Estates,but
were the original developers of the subdivision and the water company.
They were having trouble uploading their letter, so they asked if I would do it for them. Their
contact information is at the end of their letter should you need to contact them.
Regards,
Peter Bock
®❑ —

February 24, 2025
Idaho Public Utilities Commission
P.O. Box 83720
Boise, ID 83720-0074
REGARDING: Priest Lake Water LLC, Application PLW-W-24-02
To Whom it May Concern:
We are writing this letter regarding the proposed increase in usage fees that Priest Lake Water
LLC, (Jared Horlacher, Owner) is asking for. The Priest Lake community consists of hard working
people & retirees living on a fixed income. His proposed fee exceeds all other water companies
in northern Idaho. In addition, he wants to charge business's $10,000.00 to hook up. This is a
remote area in northern Idaho where it is hard to make a living through-out the year. With the
proposed rate increases & horrendous hookup fees implemented, it would be a hindrance for a
business to succeed. Charging the R.V. designated lots for 12 months of water when, based on
the CC&R's they can only use the property for 7 months a year, is simply not fair to those
property owners.
Increasing the amount of gallons from 10,000 gallons to 30,000 gallons included in the monthly
charge is gas lighting & preposterous, as no one in the subdivision will ever use more than
6,000 gallons a month except for, perhaps a minuscule few in 2 or 3 months of summer,
therefore an overage charge should be based on 10,000 gallons a month to be fair. Raising the
gallons 30,000 is a way of trying to justify raising the monthly rates.
When we originally designed the subdivision, the County didn't have a comprehensive zoning
plan, but "designated highway property for light commercial use". Therefore, the CC&R's for
Marvin Estates would be the entity to designate the zoning use for the lots & blocks within the
subdivision. Since the lots designated Commercial could also be used for residential, there
should be no difference between the hook-up fees & the monthly use fees as any other lots in
the subdivision.
We have been made aware that a relative of Jared's is involved in a large water district at Priest
Lake, and perhaps Jared is getting his grandiose ideas of the 72 rate payers paying for his
company's storage shop and security fencing along with his living wage of$50,000.00 and an
11% profit margin for the business.
It might be advantageous for we, the home owners of Marvin Estates, to purchase the water
company from PLW (Jared Horlacher) where we would all have the best interest for the water
system for Marvin Estates subdivision. As a benefit of doing this we would not have to be
regulated by the IPUC.
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When we sold the water company to Jared Horlacher, we thought it was understood that the
primary goals of running this 'captive' water system was to provide clean, safe drinking water to
the neighborhood at an affordable rate. Making a living wage on top of that goal was never
discussed as that would conflict with the primary goals, as it is too small of a system. That is how
we ran the system for over two decades and we expected that to continue or we would not have
sold it to Jared Horlacher.
We hope you will deny this ridiculous attempt to hold the Marvin Estates Subdivision ransom to
the demands of PLW, LLC (Jared Horlacher).
Respectfully,
Larry Marvin and Lynn Marvin
6236 W. Shawnee Ave.
Spokane, WA 99208
208-290-2170
Email: [e-mail]
(OWNERS OF 5 LOTS IN MARVIN ESTATES)
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