minutes

South Bay Irrigation District
Minutes of the Regular Meeting

August 19, 2003

The Board of Directors of South Bay Irrigation District held an adjourned regular meeting on Tuesday, August 19, 2003, at the Sweetwater Authority Administrative Office, 505 Garrett Avenue, Chula Vista, California. President Pocklington called the meeting to order at 3:30 p.m.

ROLL CALL

Directors Present: Doud, Pocklington, Welsh and Wright
Directors Absent: None.
Others Present: General Manager Bostad, Operations Manager Rogers, Legal Counsel Strand, Board Secretary Farpón-Friedman, and applicants for Division 4 Richard A. Reynolds and Theresa Thomas.

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 was no comment from the public.

PRESIDENT’S PRESENTATION

ACTION AGENDA

ITEMS TO BE ADDED, WITHDRAWN OR REORDERED TO THE AGENDA
(Government Code Section 54956.5)

Director Doud made a motion, seconded by Director Wright, that Item 2 be revised to include not only the interviews of the applicants but also the appointment of the selected new director. The motion carried.

INTERVIEWS OF APPLICANTS AND APPOINTMENT TO FILL THE VACANCY IN DIVISION 4

President Pocklington explained the procedure that would be followed to conduct the interviews of the two applicants. He said that, although this is a public hearing, it would be fair to both applicants that the Board interviewed the applicants separately. The applicants had no objections, and Ms. Thomas asked that she be interviewed following Mr. Reynolds.
Mr. Richard A. Reynolds addressed the Board and said that he has lived in this area since 1955 and has worked in the water business most of his career. He first worked for Cal American, then as a consultant, and finally for Sweetwater Authority, 15 years as Chief Engineer and the last seven years as General Manager.

The members of the Board then proceeded to ask Mr. Reynolds several questions regarding his experience as Chief Engineer and as General Manager of Sweetwater Authority, and how this could affect his relationship with Sweetwater Authority staff if he were appointed.

Mr. Reynolds left the room, and Ms. Thomas addressed the Board. She stated that she has been strongly interested in water and sewage for many years. She has lived all over the world and has always been very active in the community in an effort to sustain the environment. She currently is a teacher of Microbiology at Southwestern College.

After completion of a short question and answer session, Ms. Thomas left the room and the members of the Board evaluated the candidates’ statements. Upon a discussion, Director Doud made a motion, seconded by Director Wright, that the Governing Board appoint Richard A. Reynolds as the new director for Division 4 of the South Bay Irrigation District. The motion carried unanimously.

Mr. Reynolds and Ms. Thomas were then invited back in the room. President Pocklington thanked both of them for their applications and informed them of the Board’s decision to appoint Richard Reynolds as the new director for Division 4. He commended Ms. Thomas for her involvement with the community and what she has done for Chula Vista, and reminded her that she could run for the position at the next general elections in November of 2004.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Director Wright made a motion, seconded by Director Doud, that the Board approve the minutes of the regular meeting of July 28, 2003. The motion carried.

APPROVAL OF DEMANDS AND WARRANTS

Director Wright made a motion, seconded by Director Doud, that warrant numbers 10018 through 10028 be approved. The motion carried.

NEW BUSINESS

Request from Otay Water District to concur in its nomination of Gary Croucher for the position of Director of CSDA, Region 6.

Request from Vista Irrigation District to concur in its nomination of Jo MacKenzie for the position of Director of CSDA, Region 6

CSDA – Region 6 – Official Ballot for Board of Directors Election 2003.

President Pocklington made a motion, seconded by Director Welsh, that the ballot be sent casting votes for Jo MacKenzie and for Gary Croucher for CSDA Region 6 Seats A and C respectively. The motion carried.

APPROVAL OF DIRECTORS’ ATTENDANCE AT MEETINGS & FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS

A. Director Wright made a motion, seconded by Director Welsh, that the Governing Board approve per diem for directors who attended the Chula Vista City Council meeting on July 22, 2003. The motion carried.

B. Director Wright made a motion, seconded by Director Doud, that the Governing Board approve per diem for directors who attended the Chula Vista Nature Center Shark & Ray Experience Pre-opening Celebration, July 25, 2003. The motion carried.

REPORT OF TREASURER
Ms. Avery was not present.

REPORT OF LAFCO SPECIAL DISTRICTS REGULAR MEMBER

President Pocklington said that the Special Districts Advisory Committee election was held last month and there were a total of ten directors appointed, one of which was Director Wolniewicz. He did not know how LAFCO would handle filling the vacancy left by Director Wolniewicz.

The annexation of Blossom Valley Middle School to the Lakeside Sanitary District was discussed at the August 4th meeting. The Commission delayed the decision for up to sixty days to get some additional questions answered.

REPORT OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY WATER AUTHORITY REPRESENTATIVE

President Pocklington said that on Monday, August 4, 2003, the CWA received the certificate of approval from the California Division of Safety of Dams for its first dam and reservoir, which is the first dam that has been built in 50 years in San Diego County. On August 7, 2003 they started putting water into the dam and it will take 10 months to completely fill it.

Regarding desalination, President Pocklington referred to comments from the Coastal Commission saying that it could threaten marine life, spoil development in sensitive habitat, and turn what has long been considered a common good, the ocean, into a commodity. He referred to an editorial in the San Diego Union stating that each desalination plant must have an extensive Environmental Impact Report covering issues such as the impact on marine life and inducement for growth. It will be the State Regional Water Quality Control Board, not the Coastal Commission, who will issue a discharge permit for the plant. While the commission will regulate development in the coastal zone, it has no authority over inducements for growth. He also talked about the problems with the desalination plant in Tampa Bay, which is the largest in the nation but has been shut down for weeks because its filter continues to get clogged.

President Pocklington commented on the cost of Workers’ Compensation Insurance. He noted that for every $100 of payroll, California companies pay $5.85 Workers Compensation premium. Employers pay $1.63 in Arizona, $3.02 in Nevada, and $2.06 in Oregon. The U.S. average is $2.50, less than half the rate paid by California businesses. A law passed last year that went into effect in January increasing the maximum benefit for temporary disability from $490 to $602 per week. Next year the top benefit will be $728 and by 2005 it will hit $840 per week.

DIRECTORS’ COMMENTS

Director Wright said he never had the opportunity to meet Ms. Thomas before although he knows that she attended one Sweetwater Authority Board meeting. He commended her for her contributions to the community and he hoped that she would stay involved because we need people like her.

Director Welsh said that Ms. Thomas practices what she preaches with her attitude.

Director Pocklington thanked Ms. Thomas for participating and said he hoped it had been a good experience for her and that she will take away from this that the board is trying to do the very best at South Bay Irrigation District and at Sweetwater Authority.

CLOSED SESSION
There was no need for one.

ADJOURNMENT
With no further business before the Board, President Pocklington adjourned the meeting at 4:53 p.m., to the hour of 3:30 p.m., on September 15, 2003.