minutes

Regular Meeting

Governing Board of Sweetwater Authority

February 9, 2005

The Governing Board of Sweetwater Authority held a regular meeting on Wednesday, February 9, 2005, at the Sweetwater Authority Administrative Office, 505 Garrett Avenue, Chula Vista, California. Chair Pocklington called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.

· ROLL CALL

Directors Present: Alkire, Beauchamp, Doud, Inzunza, Pocklington, Salas and Welsh.
Directors Absent: None
Others Present: General Manager Bostad, Operations Manager Rogers, Legal Counsel Cowett, Treasurer Avery, and Board Secretary Farpón. Staff members Hank Gaus, Bill Olson, George Silva, Jim Smyth, Don Thomson and Tom Woodrum.

· PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG
Director Welsh conducted the pledge of allegiance to the flag.

· OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT (Government Code Section (54954.3)
There were no members of the public present for comment.

· CHAIR 'S PRESENTATION
Chair Pocklington presented Director Doud with a Certificate of Recognition for service during the period of the Cold War - September 1945 to December 1991 - in promoting peace and solidarity to this nation.

ACTION CALENDAR ITEMS

1. ITEMS TO BE ADDED, WITHDRAWN, OR REORDERED IN THE AGENDA
There were none.

2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Director Beauchamp made a motion, seconded by Director Alkire, that the Board approve the minutes of January 26, 2005. The motion carried.

3. APPROVAL OF DEMANDS AND WARRANTS
Director Alkire made a motion, seconded by Director Salas, that the Governing Board approve Warrants 98403 through 98619 including all voided checks. The motion carried.

4. OPERATIONS COMMITTEE (Meeting of February 2, 2005)
A. Proposed Recycled Water Project - Memorandum of Understanding: Staff and Legal Counsel provided an extensive report to the Board regarding the meeting held on February 4th with the City of San Diego and Duke to discuss the proposed basic terms of the MOU. This was an information item and no action was required by the Governing Board.

B. Discussion of Fire Hydrant Painting by Chula Vista Downtown Business Association: This was an information item and no action was required by the Governing Board.

5. FINANCE & PERSONNEL COMMITTEE (Meeting of February 7, 2005)
A. Underground gasoline storage tank vapor recovery system upgrade at 744 "F" Street - Recommendation to award contract: The Committee had requested more information from staff on this issue and recommended that the decision be made by the full Board at this meeting. Staff provided further information regarding the bidders and recommended to award the contract to the low bidder. Director Alkire made a motion, seconded by Director Doud, that the Governing Board award the contract to the low bidder, Jauregy & Culver Incorporated, in the amount of $11,040. The motion carried.

B. Discussion of cost to produce treated water at Perdue Plant: This was an information item and no action was required by the Governing Board.

6. NEW BUSINESS
ACWA/JPIA Executive Committee Elections for the office of President (three-year term); office of Vice President (two-year term); and two Executive Committee positions (three-year term each): Director Welsh made a motion, seconded by Director Doud, that the Governing Board support Bill Knutson for the Executive Committee. The motion carried.

7. APPROVAL OF DIRECTORS' ATTENDANCE AT MEETINGS AND FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS

A. Council of Water Utilities, San Diego County Meeting at StoneRidge Country Club - Tuesday, February 15, 2005 - 7:15 - 8:45 a.m. Directors Alkire, Beauchamp, Doud, Pocklington, Salas and Welsh will be attending this pre-approved event. No action was required by the Governing Board.

B. WateReuse Annual Conference - Water Recycling: Realizing California's Potential - February 28 - March 1, 2005 - Doubletree Hotel, Mission Valley, San Diego. Directors Alkire, Doud, Inzunza, Salas and Pocklington will attend this event. Director Doud made a motion, seconded by Director Alkire, that the Governing Board approve per diem for directors who attend this conference. The motion carried.

C. University of California Berkely Extension - Management of Water in California - March 11, 2005. Director Welsh stated she would like to attend this program. Director Doud made a motion, seconded by Director Beauchamp, that the Governing Board approve per diem for directors who wish to attend this class. The motion carried.

D. Water Education Foundation Executive Briefing - March 24-25, 2005 - Radisson Hotel, Sacramento. Directors Doud and Welsh will attend this pre-approved event. No action is required by the Governing Board.

E. Request for Approval of Per Diem for Chair Pocklington's attendance at the Otay Water District's Swearing-in Ceremony for new members of the Board on January 6, 2005. Director Welsh made a motion, seconded by Director Beaucham, that the Governing Board approve per diem for Director Pocklington's attendance at this meeting. The motion carried.

F. Request for approval of per diem for Director Beauchamp's attendance at the South Bay Irrigation District Board Meeting on January 17, 2005. Director Welsh made a motion, seconded by Director Doud, that the Governing Board approve per diem for Director Beachamp's attendance at this meeting. The motion carried.

8. REPORT OF TREASURER - WANDA AVERY

Treasurer Avery reported that interest rates had gone up one quarter of a point. The Local Agency Investment Fund (LAIF) interest rate is now 2.35 percent. The interest rate for a 2-year Treasury Note is 3.31 percent; and Pacific Trust offers a 2-year CD at 3.5 percent.

9. MANAGEMENT REPORT

A. Report of Operations Manager Rogers: Operations Manager Rogers reported that staff brought the chloramine disinfection system on line yesterday at the National City Wells. He noted that this took care of the problem that we were having with mixing water from Perdue and Reynolds, which is disinfected with chloramines, and NC Wells that was formerly disinfected with free chlorine.

B. Report of General Manager Bostad: General Manager Bostad provided a summary on his recent trip to Washington D.C. with Consultant Rick Alexander. They met with Department of Interior Deputy Assistant Secretary Jason Peltier; Deputy Commissioner Mark Limbaugh; Ben Salisbury, Professional Staff to Congressman Duncan Hunter; Thaddeus Hoffmeister, Legislative Director to Congressman Filner; and senior staff to Senators Boxer and Feinstein. General Manager Bostad and Consultant Alexander provided them with updates on the Intertie project, Watershed Monitoring, San Diego Formation, and the Army Corps of Engineering Ecosystem project.

Manager Bostad referred to the press release, a copy of which had been provided to the Board, regarding the plans for a controlled water release from Loveland Reservoir to Sweetwater Reservoir. The plan is to release about 6,000 acre feet of water that will help provide enough water for us to treat locally during March and April. Directors showed interest in seeing the release. It was agreed that on Thursday, February 17th, at 10:30 a.m., the Board would convene to visit the Loveland Reservoir and watch the release at full flow.

10. DIRECTORS' COMMENTS

Director Salas said that one of the reasons she is curious about seeing the release is because she went to a Habitat Conservation Workshop and she learned more about water releases. She had no idea that, before water is released, staff has to take a biological assessment to see what kind of little creatures are downstream, and the water has to be released gradually so that the little creatures have time to scatter. She added that it was a very interesting learning experience.

Chair Pocklington said that they had two good days of meetings at MWD. Lester Snow was there. A speaker talked about the amount of groundwater that is pumped in the U.S. in a year's time, about 88 million acre-feet, and he compared it to the amount of gasoline used in the U.S. per year, about 900,000 acre-feet.

11. CLOSED SESSION

There was no need for one.

12. ADJOURNMENT

With no further business before the Board, Chair Pocklington adjourned the meeting at 6:45 p.m., to the hour of 3:30 p.m., on February 23, 2005.