minutes

Regular Meeting

Governing Board of Sweetwater Authority

September 8, 2004

· ROLL CALL

Directors Present: Alkire, Beauchamp, Doud, Inzunza, Pocklington, Reynolds, 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 Inzunza 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 ITEMS TO BE ADDED, WITHDRAWN, OR REORDERED IN THE AGENDA

General Manager Bostad requested that the Closed Session under the Finance & Personnel Committee be moved to Item 12 in the Agenda. Director Doud made a motion, seconded by Director Alkire, that the Closed Session under Item 6.D. be discussed under Item 12 of the agenda. The motion carried.

2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Director Beauchamp made a motion, seconded by Director Pocklington, that the Governing Board approve the minutes of August 24, 2004. The motion carried.

3. APPROVAL OF DEMANDS AND WARRANTS

Director Alkire made a motion, seconded by Director Reynolds, that the Governing Board approve Warrants 95996 through 96210 including all voided checks. The motion carried.

4. COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE (Meeting of August 30, 2004)

Director Pocklington made a motion, seconded by Director Beauchamp, that the Governing Board approve the continuation of publishing approved Board meeting minutes on the Authority's internet website. The motion carried.

Staff update on the reorganization of the Communications Section: This was an information item and no action was required by the Governing Board.

Staff report on Authority involvement with the Water Education Foundation Southern California Tour, October 7, 2004: This was an information item and no action was required by the Governing Board. Director Beauchamp suggested that we offer tours of the Richard A. Reynolds Desalination Facility to those attending water-related events in San Diego.

Staff report on events scheduled for September and October 2004: This was an information item and no action was required by the Governing Board.

Press Releases, other items prepared for public information distribution, and update on major projects: This was an information item and no action was required by the Governing Board.

5. OPERATIONS COMMITTEE (Meeting of September 1, 2004)

Director Pocklington made a motion, seconded by Director Alkire, that the Governing Board approve the request to quitclaim the Authority's easement at 760 Broadway and that all costs associated with processing this request be paid by the owner. The motion carried with Director Beauchamp abstaining.

Desalination Facility - Discussion of membrane cleaning: This was an information item and no action was required by the Governing Board.

Storm Water Management - Vacuum Truck - Discussion of Best Management Practices: This was an information item and no action was required by the Governing Board.

Gregory Canyon Update: Director Beauchamp reported that Pala Band representatives had asked that we take a position on the initiative: Director Beauchamp made a motion, seconded by Director Pocklington, that the Governing Board adopt a neutral stance on the request for support to repeal the initiative related to the Gregory Canyon Landfill project. The motion carried.

6. FINANCE AND PERSONNEL COMMITTEE (Meeting of September 7, 2004)

A. Director Welsh made a motion, seconded by Director Pocklington, that the Governing Board approve an adjustment to the Chula Vista Town Center's account in the amount of $3,195.36 in accordance with the Authority's policy to not profit from a customer's misfortune. The motion carried.

B. Director Welsh made a motion, seconded by Director Pocklington, that the Governing Board approve the membership renewal in the American Water Works Association for the Fiscal Year 2004-05 in the amount of $4,004. Funding for this membership is in the current year's fiscal budget. The motion carried.

C. Director Welsh made a motion, seconded by Director Beauchamp, that the Governing Board approve a contribution of $250 to the Special District Public Education Program of the California Special Districts Association and the Association of California Water Agencies. The motion carried.

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

A. The Western Coalition of Arid States (WESTCAS) Fall Conference - October 20-22, 2004 at Westward Look Resort, Tucson, Arizona: None of the Directors will attend this pre-approved event.

NWRA 73rd Annual Conference - November 10-12, 2004 at Hotel Del Coronado, San Diego: Directors Beauchamp, Doud, Inzunza and Pocklington will be attending this pre-approved event. No action was required by the Governing Board.

8. NEW BUSINESS

California Special Districts Association, San Diego Chapter - Call for Nominations for Board Members: Director Alkire made a motion, seconded by Director Inzunza, that the Governing Board approve nominating James F. Doud as a candidate for the President position.The motion carried.

9. REPORT OF TREASURER - WANDA AVERY

Ms. Avery reported that the interest rate for Treasury Notes is 2.05 percent.

10. MANAGEMENT REPORT

A. Report of Operations Manager Rogers: Operations Manager Rogers reported that Loveland Reservoir is at 29 percent of its full capacity and Sweetwater Reservoir is at 30 percent. He also reported that the Surface Storage Operator Agreement program would start on October 1st and that we would normally take water starting in November through March. However, Pipeline 3, the untreated water pipeline at CWA, will be closed down for repairs. MWD has worked out an agreement so that we can take water in October, June, and July, which would provide us another 6,000 acre-feet. With regards to the Fishing Program, Mr. Rogers reported that an average of about 200 anglers are fishing on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. The first day of the fishing program, the number of anglers was about 1,300. We are collecting about $1,000, which is about 68 percent of the revenue that we should be getting.

Report of General Manager Bostad: Mr. Bostad informed the members of the Board that Director of Water Quality Mann's last day at Sweetwater Authority would be September 24th. At her request, there would be no farewell luncheon, but instead cake and ice cream will be served at the Water Treatment Plant on the 23rd for those who would like to drop by to say goodbye to Mary Ann.

He then gave a brief report on the Chula Vista Nature Center, since the Board had approved a donation to this effort. He referred to the picture of a display shown at the Center. The display includes the message, "Actions On Land Affect the Bay" and a turtle that has been labeled "Sweetwater Authority." In addition to the explanation of protecting watershed, there is a slot for the purpose of putting in a coin that flows all the way to the bay with the intent to teach young people that whatever happens along the streets and the neighborhood will ultimately wash down to the bay. He added that Communications staff was planning to spend more time at the Center to build a closer relationship with them and to provide inserts with additional messages regarding watershed protection, local supply, and development. Up to 15,000 students visit the Center every year. Answering Director Welsh's question, General Manager Bostad said that we are considering ways to get our message out more extensively by either providing our input for their curriculum or having one of our Communications staff on site to provide that information to assure that there is more of a balanced message stressing the reasons for having a dam and a reservoir.

11. DIRECTORS' COMMENTS

Director Pocklington reminded the board that there would be a CWA tour of the Colorado River on October 8 through the 10. He said that City Council Members from Chula Vista and National City, as well as a number of different clubs and organizations, are being invited and that Directors Alkire, Doud, and Welsh would be attending the tour. He also commented that Gary Croucher would be replacing Larry Brietfelder on the CWA Board and that the Otay Board approved reducing per diem to its directors from $145 to $100 per meeting.

Director Beauchamp said he spoke to Jaime Bonilla and Jose Lopez of the Otay Board and extended an invitation for a ride to the breakfast meetings in Poway. The next group he would like to approach is the City of San Diego. He does not think they will attend Special District events, but they do need to attend the water-related meetings.
12. CLOSED SESSION

At 6:33 p.m., in compliance with Government Code Sections 54957.6 and 54957, the Committee recessed to convene in closed session to discuss labor negotiations and the employment evaluation of the General Manager and Operations Manager.

At 6:58 p.m., Chair Doud declared the meeting to be in open session.

Director Pocklington made a motion, seconded by Director Beauchamp, that the Governing Board approve the Finance & Personnel Committee's recommendation for a salary of $164,763, car allowance of $8,238, and bonus of $5,354 for the General Manager, and a salary of $148,287, car allowance of $7,414, and bonus of $4,819 for the Operations Manager. In both cases, the bonus can be applied to an Executive Physical and the cellular phone may be for business and private use. The motion carried.

13. ADJOURNMENT

With no further business before the Board, Chair Doud adjourned the meeting at 6:59 p.m., to the hour of 3:30 p.m. on September 22, 2004.