Councilmember provided a summary of phase‑2 trial testimony in the Indian Wells Valley groundwater adjudication, saying the court will ask the State Water Resources Control Board for candidates to act as a special master to help review complex scientific evidence before issuing a ruling.

The Groundwater Authority approved a no‑cost extension to a 2022 cooperative agreement with the Department of the Navy to complete two Rose Valley monitoring wells, while requiring the board to review any additional work before expenditures begin. Staff said $147,000 of $300,000 grant funds has been spent and Stetson has incurred roughly $120,000 in project costs to date.

A Ridgecrest resident told the board that appendices in a data-center application appear to reference the Kern Subbasin rather than Indian Wells Valley; staff said a response is circulating and will be submitted to the CEC docket before the July 16 comment deadline.

Steve Johnson said the authority is finalizing pipeline design (90% and 100% milestones expected this year), awaiting about $1.2 million from a state implementation grant, and received a resiliency grant of nearly $3 million to supplement planning and design; staff gave a consolidation update on Rademacher and Stark Street easements.

General counsel said the Phase 2 trial on the basin's safe yield prompted the judge to propose appointing a scientific special master; parties are compiling candidate lists and the State Water Resources Control Board will provide nominees if needed, a process Labille said could take months.

The board approved applying for two WaterSMART Applied Sciences grants to replace long‑running monitoring wells and to fund a shallow seismic survey designed to improve groundwater modeling; applications require a 50% local match if awarded.

After hours of public comment, the Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority directed its consultant to stay engaged with state lawmakers and recommended staff prepare technical comments to the CEC, citing uncertainty about a developer’s water estimates and the authority’s 7,650 acre‑feet safe‑yield figure.

Council approved a consulting contract to bring retired official Ron Strand into the city's legal team for upcoming groundwater adjudication mediation, despite one councilmember's objections; vote was 3'1 with one no and one absence.

City Manager Ron Strand briefed the council on transition of GA responsibilities to Travis Reed, a $7.6 million state grant for pipeline design, coordination with Provost & Pritchard and U.S. Army Corps, and ongoing litigation and mediation planning; council decided to leave the Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority item on the agenda for transparency.

The Groundwater Authority approved Addendum B to Westbound Communications’ contract to expand outreach within the existing budget. Directors and members of the public debated earlier messaging and requested more transparency on technical data and litigation costs; staff said Westbound drafts are reviewed by staff and legal counsel.

Counsel reported the Groundwater Authority and Searls Valley Minerals have dismissed litigation with prejudice and agreed Searls Valley will negotiate to take up to 2,000 acre-feet of recycled water from the city; the Authority said the company’s replenishment fee is eliminated for past and future periods.

Council reported a settlement between Searles Valley Minerals and the Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority that drops certain lawsuits and commits Searles to work with the Authority; callers on the line asked for the settlement document and expressed skepticism about unresolved adjudication and scientific disputes.

At the Oct. 15 Ridgecrest City Council meeting, Councilman Heyman reported that the Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority adopted a 2026 budget and continues pipeline planning; public commenters pressed the authority over legal costs, social media posts and the Groundwater Sustainability Plan’s status.

Council discussion recapped the Groundwater Authoritys Oct. 8 budget adoption, a large legal-fee projection, pipeline planning supported by a roughly $2.7 million planning grant, and public commenters who raised concerns about communications, finances and the Groundwater Sustainability Plan.