minutes

Regular Meeting

Governing Board of Sweetwater Authority

February 23, 2005

The Governing Board of Sweetwater Authority held a regular meeting on Wednesday, February 23, 2005, at the Sweetwater Authority Administrative Office, 505 Garrett Avenue, Chula Vista, California. Chair Pocklington called the meeting to order at 3:30 p.m.

· ROLL CALL

Directors Present: Alkire, Doud, Pocklington, Salas and Welsh.

Directors Absent: Inzunza, Beauchamp

Others Present: General Manager Bostad, Operations Manager Rogers, Legal Counsel Cowett, Treasurer Avery, and Board Secretary Farpón. Staff members Sue Mosburg, Bill Olson, George Silva, Jim Smyth, Don Thomson, Tom Woodrum, and Kris White.

· PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG
Director Alkire 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
There was none.

ACTION CALENDAR ITEMS

1. ITEMS TO BE ADDED, WITHDRAWN, OR REORDERED IN THE AGENDA

Director Pocklington made a motion, seconded by Director Doud, that a request to attend the 1st Friday Breakfast on March 3, 2005, be added to the agenda as item 10.C. The motion carried.

2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Director Doud made a motion, seconded by Director Alkire, that the Board approve the minutes of February 9, 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 98620 through 98855 including all voided checks. The motion carried.
4. CONSULTANT SELECTION COMMITTEE (Meeting of February 10, 2005)

Director Alkire made a motion, seconded by Director Welsh, that the Governing Board award a contract to Montgomery Watson Harza-The Asset Group (MWT-TAG) to implement the Enterprise Asset Management Project with the final contract amount to be negotiated by staff provided it remains within the budget of $70,000. The motion carried.

5. OPERATIONS COMMITTEE (Meeting of February 16, 2005)

Director Salas made a motion, seconded by Director Welsh, that the Governing Board approve the selection of membranes as the preferred treatment process to meet the pending drinking water standards. The motion carried.

NOTE: Director Inzunza entered the meeting at 3:38 p.m.

6. FINANCE AND PERSONNEL COMMITTEE (Meeting of February 21, 2005)

A. Director Alkire made a motion, seconded by Director Doud, that the Governing Board approve membership renewal in the Chula Vista Chamber of Commerce for 2005 in the amount of $150. The motion carried.

B. Director Alkire made a motion, seconded by Director Doud, that the Governing Board approve membership renewal in the National Water Resources Association Municipal Caucus for 2005 in the amount of $350. The motion carried.

C. Director Inzunza made a motion, seconded by Director Alkire, that the Governing Board grant a high water bill adjustment to Evergreen Restaurant Group in the amount of $1,559.88. The motion carried.

D. Additional funding for upgrades to Perdue Water Treatment Plant. This was an information item and no action was required by the Governing Board.

E. Administration Parking Lot Lease from the County of San Diego. This was an information item and no action was required by the Governing Board.

7. NEW BUSINESS

A. ACWA-JPIA - Appointment of JPIA Director: Chair Pocklington appointed Director Alkire as the ACWA/JPIA Director.

B. Director Doud made a motion, seconded by Director Welsh, that the Governing Board concur in the nominations of Mary Gibson of Mission Springs Water District and Charles Muse of Helix Water District to the ACWA/JPIA Executive Committee. Resolutions of Support will be prepared for adoption at the next Board Meeting. The motion carried.

8. ADOPTION OF RESOLUTIONS

Upon a motion by Director Welsh, seconded by Director Doud, the following resolution:
RESOLUTION 05-01

CONCURRING IN THE NOMINATION OF W.D. "BILL" KNUTSON TO THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE ASSOCIATION OF CALIFORNIA WATER AGENCIES JOINT POWERS INSURANCE AUTHORITY (ACWA/JPIA)

was passed and adopted by the following vote to wit:

Ayes: Directors Alkire Doud, Inzunza, Pocklington, and Welsh
Noes: None
Absent: Beauchamp
Abstain: None

9. REPORT OF THE SOUTH BAY IRRIGATION DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE AND THE CITY OF NATIONAL CITY REPRESENTATIVE TO THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY WATER AUTHORITY

Director Pocklington briefed the Board on some of the issues that would be discussed at tomorrow's Board meeting at the CWA. He highlighted items included in the Administration and Finance, Water Planning, and Imported Water Committees, of which he is a member. Those items included an upgrade of the PeopleSoft Financial and Human Resources System to provide better tools for planning, controlling, accounting and prioritizing; a professional service contract to upgrade the Maximo Computerized Maintenance Management system; a consulting services contract for a Regional Membrane Bioreactor Systems Study; and two professional service agreements to support the All American and Coachella canal lining projects.

Director Inzunza said that he had his first meeting as the National City Representative on the CWA Board. He learned that the Board Meetings are more of a formality as all the work is mainly done through the committees. He met with Chair Pocklington and Manager Bostad to discuss an informal mechanism to communicate monthly via telephone to brief each other and prepare for the upcoming CWA Board meetings. He is looking forward to working with Chairman Pocklington and he thinks they will make an excellent team.

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

A. ACWA 2005 Legislative Symposium - Sacramento Convention Center, Tuesday, March 29, 2005 - 9:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Directors Doud, Inzunza and Salas will attend this pre-approved event. No action was required by the Governing Board.
B. Water Education Foundation - Lower Colorado River Tour - April 6-8, 2005.None of the Directors will attend this pre-approved event. No action was required by the Governing Board.

C. Director Doud made a motion, seconded by Director Alkire, that the Governing Board approve per diem for directors who wish to attend the First Friday Breakfast on March 4, 2005, with Assemblyman Juan Vargas as the speaker. The motion carried.

11. REPORT OF TREASURER - WANDA AVERY

Ms. Avery reported that the current interest rate at the Local Agency Investment Fund (LAIF) is 2.39 percent.

12. MANAGEMENT REPORT

A. Report of Operations Manager Rogers: Operations Manager Rogers displayed some pictures that were taken on February 17th when staff took five Board members to the Loveland Reservoir to watch the release of water going from 200 to 300 cubic feet per second. He reported that the highest rainfall received at Sweetwater Reservoir during any rainfall year was around 26 inches and, at this time, Sweetwater Reservoir has received 20.72 inches. The highest rainfall at Loveland Reservoir was 31 inches in 1997/98 and at this time Loveland has received almost 25 inches.

He also said that the release from Loveland Reservoir started Monday of last week at 100 cubic feet per second, 200 cfs the next day, and 300 cfs two days later. The release ended yesterday at 4:45 p.m. The spill lasted approximately eight days with a total of 3,600 acre feet released to Sweetwater Reservoir. Presently, Sweetwater Reservoir is 74 percent full and Loveland Reservoir is just under 70 percent. There is still water going into both reservoirs and he would predict that the capacity would rise to 80 percent in Sweetwater and close to 75 in Loveland. He demonstrated for the Board how the information regarding the reservoirs could be accessed through the Intranet and offered to set it up so that directors would have access to it.

B. Report of General Manager Bostad: Mr. Bostad briefly talked about the possibility of selling water to CalAmerican and said that staff would bring this issue to the Operations Committee for discussion. He also said that staff is considering to lower the production at the wells and Desalination Plant, which would boost the production from the Reservoir. Regarding the transfer, he added that staff had planned to run it for two or three weeks but, because we received so much runoff, there was no need to release beyond one week. He called attention to the monthly report of activities and offered to answer any questions that the directors might have.

13. DIRECTORS' COMMENTS

Director Welsh thanked staff for arranging, and Director Salas for suggesting, the tour to watch the release from Loveland Reservoir. It was very interesting.

Director Alkire learned that the Loveland Dam is really the Sweetwater Falls Dam. The tour was very educational. He wants to go on record that he offered to take Director Welsh's picture about the third step down and she refused it.

14. CLOSED SESSION

There was no need for one.

15. ADJOURNMENT

With no further business before the Board, Chair Pocklington adjourned the meeting at 4:25 p.m., to the hour of 6:00 p.m. on March 9, 2005.