minutes

Regular Meeting

Governing Board of Sweetwater Authority

March 24, 2004

The Governing Board of Sweetwater Authority held a regular meeting on Wednesday, March 24, 2004, at the Sweetwater Authority Administrative Office, 505 Garrett Avenue, Chula Vista, California. Chair Doud called the meeting to order at 3:30 p.m.

· ROLL CALL

Directors Present: Alkire, Beauchamp, Doud, Pocklington, Reynolds, and Welsh.

Directors Absent: Inzunza.

Others Present: General Manager Bostad, Operations Manager Rogers, Legal Counsel Cowett, Treasurer Avery, and Board Secretary Farpón-Friedman. Staff members Mann, Roberts, Woodrum, Silva, Smyth, and Olson.

· PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG
Chair Doud 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 ITEMS TO BE ADDED, WITHDRAWN, OR REORDERED IN THE AGENDA
There were none.

2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Director Pocklington made a motion, seconded by Director Beauchamp, that the Board approve the minutes of March 10, 2004. The motion carried.

3. APPROVAL OF DEMANDS AND WARRANTS

Director Pocklington made a motion, seconded by Director Alkire, that the Board approve Warrants 93491 through 93702 including all voided checks. The motion carried.

4. FINANCE AND PERSONNEL COMMITTEE (Meeting of March 15, 2004)

Review of Leak Adjustment for the period October 1, through December 31, 2003. This was an information item and no action was required by the Governing Board.

Director Welsh made a motion, seconded by Director Reynolds, that the Governing board approve the 2004 membership renewal in the National Water Resources Association Municipal Caucus and the payment of dues in the amount of $350. The motion carried.

Director Welsh made a motion, seconded by Director Doud, to award a contract to McGuire Environmental Consultants with funding in the amount of $34,330 from the Unallocated Reserve Fund to complete the cost analysis study in Fiscal Year 2003-04. The motion carried.

Consideration of personnel requests for 2004-05 Budget. This was an information item and no action was required by the Governing Board.

NOTE: Director Inzunza entered the meeting at 3:33 p.m.

5. OPERATIONS COMMITTEE (Meeting of March 17, 2004)

Director Pocklington made a motion, seconded by Director Welsh, that the Governing Board award a contract in the amount of $61,885 to Diversified Repairs, Inc., 12590 Campo Road, Spring Valley, CA 91978, for repairs to the Judson Reservoir Tank. The motion carried.

Discussion of service to Duke South Power Plant. This was an information item and no action was required by the Governing Board.

Field Trip to Perdue Plant and National City Wells site. This was an information item and no action was required by the Governing Board.

6. RECREATION COMMITTEE (Meeting of March 23, 2004)

A. Discussion of potential land sale to the County of San Diego. This was an information item and no action was required by the Governing Board.

B. Sweetwater Reservoir Shoreline Fishing Program.

1. Construction Schedule: This was an information item and no action was required by the Governing Board.

2. Ribbon Cutting Schedule: This was an information item and no action was required by the Governing Board.

C. Director Reynolds made a motion, seconded by Director Doud, that the Governing Board approve the modified fee schedule as submitted by staff, with the condition that the Board will consider a special rate for the Authority's ratepayers. The motion carried.

7. NEW BUSINESS

National Water Resources Association Board of Directors - Request for nominations for California Caucus positions: There were no nominations presented and there was no action required by the Governing Board.

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

Director Pocklington reviewed the schedule of meetings for tomorrow's Board meeting at the CWA. He briefed the Board on several items to be discussed, such as the reevaluation of the Pipeline 3 and 4 relocation around Bradley Park; the surveying of the aqueduct alignment correction projects; and the contract for the Rancho Penasquitos Pressure Control Hydroelectric Facility. The Board will hear the MWD Delegate Report regarding AB 2528. Another item for discussion by the Board will be the status of Vargas' AB 2243. Director Pocklington also reported that Dale Mason was being reappointed to the Board, and Paul Lewis and Doug Wilsman were retiring.

Mr. Valderrama gave his report on issues to be discussed under Planning and Environmental and Administrative and Legal. With regards to the proposed changes in the voting structure, his opinion is that if there is going to be any resolution on the voting structure, it should be done internally. He is opposed to having the final voting power be determined by legislators in Sacramento. Director Pocklington agreed with Mr. Valderrama that the CWA should try to find a solution within the board and make its recommendations.

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

D. Water Agencies of San Diego County Quarterly Dinner - Thursday, April 15, 2004 - Doubletree Club Hotel, Mission Valley. All Directors will attend this pre-approved event. No action was required by the Governing Board.

Chula Vista Bayfront Master Plan Public Meetings - March 29 and 30, 2004. Director Pocklington made a motion, seconded by Director Beauchamp, that the Governing Board approve per diem for directors who wish to attend this event. The motion carried.

10. REPORT OF TREASURER - WANDA AVERY

Ms. Avery reported that there is no change in interest rates.

11. BUDGET REPORT - DIRECTOR OF FINANCE GAUS
Report of February 29, 2004

Director of Finance Gaus said that Water Sales are under budget by $527,000. The Other Income is $677,000 over the projections, most of which comes from the funds that we received from MWD and CWA. The Interest Income is only $38,000 over budget, and the Operating Expenses are under budget by $451,000. Collectively, we anticipated that we would have $3.9 million cash flow at this time, and we have $4.5 million. We had projected to spend about 45 percent of the budget but we have only spent 30 percent.

12. MANAGEMENT REPORT

E. Report of Rainfall and Reservoir Levels - Operations Manager Rogers: Operations Manager Rogers referred to the slide on the screen showing a dozer at the Sweetwater Reservoir grading out the parking lot for the fishing program, which he thinks will be finalized by the end of this month with the grand opening probably sometime in July.

He reported that Sweetwater Reservoir is at 52 percent of its capacity, mainly as a result of the Seasonal Storage Operating Agreement. We have taken 8,700 acre-feet since November, and the program will end in April. We plan on taking 11,000 acre-feet total. Loveland Reservoir is 30 percent full and most of it is from runoff. The minimum operating pool at Loveland Reservoir is 1,150 acre-feet, and at Sweetwater Reservoir we have 1,650 acre-feet.

Mr. Rogers reported that Sweetwater Reservoir received 7.69 inches year-to-date, and the 100-year average is 9.51 inches. This would not be bad if we just looked at this year but the total runoff into Sweetwater Reservoir has not been good because we did not have much rainfall in the last five years. The rainfall to date at Loveland Reservoir is 10.98 inches, versus 12.68 inches for the 100-year average.

Report of General Manager Bostad: Mr. Bostad noted that the monthly report of activities for February was included in the board package. He informed the Board that he would be giving a presentation at the National City Lions Club tomorrow. The Authority has been doing a number of these presentations recently through an outreach for the Speakers' Bureau. He informed the Board that on March 29th he would be meeting with Brian Bernardos to try and work through some final timing issues to get the drinking water permit updated. He will also meet with the Public Works Director from Carlsbad to review what we are doing at our Groundwater Desalination Plant and the credit program that was supported by MWD.

13. DIRECTORS' COMMENTS

Director Beauchamp said that he has been tracking the Tamarisk Cleanup bill that passed the House, and he guesses it has the Senate and the President's approval. It is something that could be of interest to Sweetwater Authority. Tamarisk uses a lot of water in desert conditions especially and it is complicated by the fact that Vireos are nesting in Otay Valley. In Arizona, Southwestern Willow Flycatchers are nesting in Tamarisk so they cannot raise the reservoir. It is a problematic issue. This bill is the recognition at the Federal level that, by removing this pest in the rivers, we can help augment the water supply.

14. CLOSED SESSION

There was no need for one.

15. ADJOURNMENT

With no further business before the Board, Chair Doud adjourned the meeting at 4:21 p.m., to the hour of 6:00 p.m. on April 14, 2004.