minutes

Regular Meeting

Governing Board of Sweetwater Authority

July 9, 2003

The Governing Board of Sweetwater Authority held a regular meeting on Wednesday, July 9, 2003, at the Sweetwater Authority Administrative Office, 505 Garrett Avenue, Chula Vista, California. Chair Doud called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.

ROLL CALL

Directors Present: Beauchamp, Doud, Welsh and Wright.

Directors Absent: Inzunza, Pocklington and Wolniewicz.

Others Present: General Manager Bostad, Operations Manager Rogers, Legal Counsel Cowett, Agency Negotiator William Floyd, Treasurer Avery, and Board Secretary Farpón-Friedman. Staff members, Hank Gaus, Michael Garrod, Mary Ann Mann, Paula Roberts, Jim Smith, and Tom Woodrum.

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.

ITEMS TO BE ADDED, WITHDRAWN, OR REORDERED IN THE AGENDA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

1. CLOSED SESSION

At 6:02 p.m., in compliance with Government Code Section 54957, the Board recessed to convene in Closed Session to conference with Labor Negotiator William Floyd regarding labor negotiations.

There were no minutes taken, and the session was not tape-recorded. Everybody left the boardroom except the Management Team, Treasurer, Board Secretary and Legal Counsel.

There were no minutes taken, and the session was not tape-recorded.

At 6:21 p.m., Chair Doud declared the meeting to be in open session and there was no reportable action.

2. APPROVAL OF DEMANDS AND WARRANTS

Director Wright made a motion, seconded by Director Beauchamp, that the Board approve Warrants 89339 through 89553 including all voided checks. The motion carried.

CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS

3. FINANCE AND PERSONNEL COMMITTEE (Meeting of July 1, 2003)

CONSENT ITEMS

Director Beauchamp made a motion, seconded by Director Wright that the Governing Board approve consent Items A through D. The motion carried.

A. Approve membership renewal in Urban Water Institute for Fiscal Year 2003-04 in the amount of $1,500.

B. Approve membership renewal in California Special Districts Association, San Diego Chapter for Fiscal Year 2003-04 in the amount of $100.

C. Approve an adjustment of $781.42 for National City Car Plaza in accordance with the Authority’s policy on adjusting customers’ water bills.

D. Approve an adjustment of $634.38 for Michael Palumbo in accordance with the Authority’s policy on adjusting customers’ water bills.

4. OPERATIONS COMMITTEE (Meeting of July 2, 2003)

CONSENT ITEMS

Director Beauchamp made a motion, seconded by Director Wright, that the Board approve consent items A through C . The motion carried.

A. Approve the quitclaim of the existing easement on 3750 Dory Drive, Bonita (3-SW-306), with no assessed value other than Ms. Michelle Guisti’s payment of the $400 processing fee.

B. Approve construction of the new 16-inch water main at the Hillside Homes Development, 16th Street and M Avenue, National City, with an allocation of $177,000 from the Repair and Replacement Reserve Fund, and that Mr. Arrington be responsible for the $15,570 cost to have the Authority expedite this replacement. Staff will discuss with legal counsel an agreement on a deferred payment plan prior to presenting this to Mr. Arrington.

C. Discussion of USGS monitoring well and proposed Demineralization Facility well. This was an information item and no action was required by the Governing Board.

ACTION CALENDAR ITEMS

5. COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE (Meeting of July 7, 2003)

A. Review of draft instrument for customer opinion survey. This was an information item and no action was required by the Governing Board.

B. Director Beauchamp made a motion, seconded by Director Welsh, that the Governing Board approve the purchase of a ¼-page advertisement in the Heritage Days supplement at a cost of $677.45 and a ¼-page advertisement in the Bonitafest supplement at a cost of $244.35. The Committee further recommends that Authority directors sign up to participate in the Taste of National City event on August 28, from 5-8 p.m., and in Celebrate Chula Vista on September 7 from noon-9 p.m., as “roving ambassadors” by greeting event attendees and distributing Sweetwater Authority promotional materials.

C. Director Beauchamp made a motion, seconded by Director Welsh, that the Governing Board approve a donation of $10,000 to the Chula Vista Nature Center to support watershed information at the Center’s Wergeland Shark and Ray Experience. The motion carried. Communications Director Roberts introduced the Director of the Chula Vista Nature Center, Daniel Beintema, who presented the Board with background history on the exhibit.

D. Discussion of web site analysis based on E-government research. This was an information item and no action was required by the Governing Board.

E. Information items: press releases, other items prepared for public information distribution, and update on major projects. No action was required by the Governing Board.

6. APPROVAL OF DIRECTORS’ ATTENDANCE AT MEETINGS AND FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS

A. Director Welsh made a motion, seconded by Director Wright, that the Governing Board approve per diem for those who would like to attend the First Friday Breakfast with speaker from the San Diego Unified Port District presenting an overview of Port operations – San Diego Country Club, Friday, July 11, 2003. The motion carried.

B. Council of Water Utilities breakfast meeting – StoneRidge Country Club – Tuesday, July 15, 2003, 7:15 a.m. Directors Doud, Inzunza, Pocklington, Welsh and Wright will attend this pre-approved meeting. No action was required by the Governing Board.

C. Retirement reception for John F. Hennigar, General Manager of Rancho California Water District – Friday, August 1, 2003, at 5:30 p.m. Director Wright made a motion, seconded by Director Doud, that the Governing Board approve per diem for those directors who would like to attend. The motion carried.

7. REPORT OF TREASURER – WANDA AVERY

Ms. Avery said there was nothing new to report.

8. MANAGEMENT REPORT

A. Report of Rainfall and Reservoir Levels – Operations Manager Rogers: Operations Manager Rogers said there was nothing new to report.

B. Report of General Manager Bostad: Mr. Bostad reported that he attended a Water 2025 Conference presented by the Department of Interior in Phoenix on July 8th. They are trying to get out to the Western States five realities of explosive population growth in areas of the West and identify those areas where water is already scarce; that water shortages occur frequently in the West already; that over-allocated watersheds can cause crises and conflict; water facility infrastructure is aging; and that crises management is not an effective way to deal with water conflicts. This planning process is broad reaching and there are meetings all throughout the West that maybe the Board members would like to attend. He thinks this is valuable because it highlights that we need to do something now about water infrastructure.

9. REPORT OF CALFED/BAY-DELTA OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE AND NWRA REPRESENTATIVE - DIRECTOR WRIGHT

Director Wright said that the CWA Board on June 26, 2003 adopted a position of support on S.1097 (Feinstein/Boxer) authorizing federal implementation of the CALFED Bay Delta program. The NWRA Report stated that Idaho Gov. Dirk Kempthorne (R), whose views on the environment have drawn fire from advocacy groups, is the leading candidate to become the new administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.

10. DIRECTORS’ COMMENTS

Director Welsh said that she hoped the taping of this meeting could be given to Director Wolniewicz so he could feel a part of what happened.
Director Beauchamp said his thoughts were with Director Wolniewicz and hoped for the best.

Director Doud read a quote from Woody Allen, “If you aren’t failing now and again, it’s a sign that you are playing it safe.”

Director Wright commented on the Redevelopment Agency Agenda regarding an affordable housing project in Eastlake. He also commented on various issues considered at the MWD Board meeting, including the planning and implementation of the use of ozone as the primary disinfectant at treatment plants, and the authorization of $250,000 for member agency seawater desalination research efforts. He told the Board about a representative from a group called Value on Tap, whom he met at the Institute of the Americas in La Jolla, who will be contacting our manager to see if we are interested in having him come to speak to us. This group's objective is to get the general public to understand the value of the product that we deliver to them. He also mentioned that the Port and the City were encouraging participation in the Chula Vista Bayfront Master Plan meetings on July 30th. He also referred to a handout he provided stating that the desalination plant in Tampa is going to remain closed for another week due to some difficulties with the membrane not being able to handle the stuff that is coming through.

11. ADJOURNMENT

With no further business before the Board, Chair Doud adjourned the meeting at 6:48 p.m., to the hour of 3:30 p.m. on July 30, 2003.