CONTRA COSTA WATER DISTRICT

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

REGULAR MEETING

August 20, 2008

 

MINUTES

 

 

CALL TO ORDER 

 

President Campbell called to order a regular meeting of the Board of Directors of the Contra Costa Water District at 6:30 p.m., at 1331 Concord Avenue, Concord, the regular meeting place of the Board.

 

ROLL CALL

 

            Directors Present:                      Joseph L. Campbell, President

                                                            Elizabeth R. Anello, Vice President

                                                            Bette Boatmun

                                                            John A. Burgh

                                                            Karl L. Wandry

            General Manager:                       Walter J. Bishop

            Legal Counsel:                           Robert B. Maddow

            District Secretary:                      Sharon L. Burris

 

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

 

Director of Public Affairs Patty Friesen led the pledge of allegiance. 

 

ADOPTION OF AGENDA

 

Mr. Bishop reported that there were no changes to the agenda. 

 

PUBLIC COMMENT

 

President Campbell asked if there were any public comments.  There were none. 

 

CONSENT CALENDAR

 

1.         Approve the warrant register dated August 21, 2008.

 

MOTION:  Anello/Burgh to approve the consent calendar.  The motion carried by a unanimous voice vote. 

 

ACTION

 

2.         Election for Region 3 Representative on the Board of Directors of the California Special Districts Association

            a.   Appoint the Contra Costa Water District-designated representative to vote for the Region 3 Representative to California Special Districts Association;

            b.   Determine whether the District’s representative will vote for the candidate of their choice; or

            c.   If the Board chooses to direct its representative, designate which candidate will receive the vote. 

 

Mr. Bishop commented that the recommended action was for the Board to designate a representative to cast the vote for the Region 3 Representative to the California Special District’s Association (CSDA).  He reported that there were five candidates seeking election for the seat.

 

President Campbell recommended that Director Boatmun be assigned as the representative and that she be allowed to vote her conscience.   

 

President Campbell asked if anyone from the public would like to speak to the item.  There were no comments. 

 

MOTION:  Burgh/Wandry to appoint Director Boatmun as the District-designated representative to vote for the Region 3 Representative to California Special Districts Association and to vote her conscience.  The motion carried by a unanimous voice vote. 

 

3.         Legislative Affairs Report – August 2008

            Review update on legislative issues and adopt District positions for the following:  State Legislation AB 844 (Berryhill) Junk Dealers and Recyclers: Nonferrous Metals – Support; AB 1654 (Huffman) Integrated Regional Water Management Planning Act – Support; and Federal Legislation HR 6297 (DeGette) Drinking Water Utilities – Support. 

 

Mr. Bishop noted that Director of Public Affairs Patty Friesen would be making a presentation.

 

Ms. Friesen advised that the state budget was still unresolved.  She reported on the following legislation: 

 

SB XX I (Perata, Machado, Simitian & Steinberg) – Ms. Friesen reported that proposed amendment language included an urgency clause to the legislation.  She reviewed District projects included in the bill and identified them as relocating Delta drinking water intakes, Franks Tract, and funding to complete planning and feasibility studies for surface water storage.  She advised that the bill could be detained and linked to a water bond being considered for the November ballot. 

 

AB 844 (Berryhill) Junk Dealers and Recyclers: Nonferrous Metals – This legislation is a companion to SB 691 (Calderon) Junk Dealers and Recyclers: Nonferrous Material, which the District supports.  The bill would prohibit junk dealers from purchasing certain nonferrous material without obtaining proper identification.  Written records of the sale or purchase of the materials would be required and made available to local law enforcement agencies for review.  Fines would be imposed for willful violation of recordkeeping requirements.   The bill contained an urgency clause to take effect immediately.  The recommended District position was Support.

 

Director Wandry stated that the junk dealers and pawn brokers currently did not have any liability.  He asked if this would change the law so that they assume some of the liability.  Ms. Friesen responded, yes, it imposes fines for violating the recordkeeping requirements.  Director Wandry asked if an agency would still have to purchase back the stolen item.  Mr. Bishop commented that it could be treated as the acquisition of stolen property, which means it would become custody of the court.  The District would research the bill further and get back to him. 

 

AB 1654 (Huffman) Integrated Regional Water Management Planning Act – Ms. Friesen reported that the bill provided guidelines for distribution of Proposition 84 funds, specifically the Integrated Regional Water Management Plans (IRWMP).  The District had participated in the Bay Area and East Contra Costa IRWMPs, which were awarded grant monies.  The District had benefited from participating in the regional planning efforts and supports these investments that yield significant statewide and regional benefits to water quality, water supply reliability and ecosystem preservation.  A Support position was recommended.    

 

HR 6297 (DeGette) Drinking Water Utilities – The bill was a companion bill to SB 2970 (Reid and Feinstein) which the District supported.   The legislation establishes the Climate Change Drinking Water Adaptation Research Act and authorizes $25 million annually for FY 2009 through 2019.  The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Commerce, Energy and Interior Departments would be directed to establish and provide funding for a research program to be conducted by the Awwa Research Foundation.  The program includes research into water quality impacts of climate change, increased costs of water treatment, and the expense and environmental impact of alternative technologies such as reuse and desalination.  The recommended position was Support.

 

President Campbell asked if there were any public comments.  There were none.   

 

MOTION:  Boatmun/Wandry to adopt District positions for the following:  State Legislation AB 844 (Berryhill) Junk Dealers and Recyclers: Nonferrous Metals – Support; AB 1654 (Huffman) Integrated Regional Water Management Planning Act – Support; and Federal Legislation HR 6297 (DeGette) Drinking Water Utilities – Support.  The motion carried by a unanimous voice vote. 

                                     

DISCUSSION AND INFORMATION

 

4.         Review and comment on the scope and objectives of the Energy Master Plan.    

 

Mr. Bishop reported the District was engaged in reducing its energy consumption and the carbon dioxide footprint.  He advised that Assistant General Manager of Administration Kurt Ladensack would be giving a presentation on the District’s first Energy Master Plan (Plan).    

 

Mr. Ladensack identified the business need for the Plan and noted that energy and energy dependent commodities costs had increased at multiples of the rate of inflation and the trend was continuing.  Approximately one-third of the District’s operating budget was used for energy-related expenses.  There was a need to develop a long-term strategy to manage this impact on the District’s total operating costs. 

 

Mr. Ladensack identified the Plan objectives as to establish efficiency goals and guidance for strategic investment in projects and programs that improve energy efficiency, reduce reliance on carbon-based fuels, achieve green house gas emission reductions, and provide for improved management of energy and energy dependent expenses.  He identified the four scope components of the Plan.  The components were energy savings from water conservation, fleet management, sustainable energy and operational efficiency capital projects, and building and facility improvements.  Mr. Ladensack expanded on each of the components. 

 

Addressing the water conservation component and the use of energy efficiency washing machines, Mr. Ladensack advised less than one-third of the homes in the District’s service area were currently equipped with high-efficiency washing machines. 

 

President Campbell asked how the data was gathered.  Mr. Ladensack replied that the data was provided by the Air Resources Board as part of the AB 32 Global Climate Change legislation. 

 

Discussion took place on the use of grey water and energy savings vs. recycled water.  Mr. Ladensack advised that part of the Plan included researching ways to develop consumer incentives to install grey water systems. 

 

Mr. Ladensack reviewed the schedule and advised that the Plan would be presented to the Operations and Engineering Committee on September 4 to review the planning study and projects that the District would be researching.  The Plan would be brought back to the Board during November/December for consideration of adoption.  

 

President Campbell asked if there were any public comments.  There were none. 

 

President Campbell asked if there were any Boardmember comments.  President Campbell commented that he had seen a similar, but much larger presentation at a recent Contra Costa Council meeting.  The presentation was done by a consultant.  President Campbell commented favorably on the logo and the Energy Master Plan’s concept.     

 

There were no other comments. 

 

REPORTS FOR DISCUSSION

 

5.         Schedule Future Meeting Dates and Times

 

Mr. Bishop reminded the Board that the Board’s Washington, D.C. legislative visits would take place September 15-17. 

 

REPORTS

 

6.         General Manager

 

Mr. Bishop gave a brief update on the status of Frank’s Tract and the District’s Immediate Actions.

7.         Legal Counsel

 

Mr. Maddow reported briefly on the Court of Appeals case of Alejandro vs. Contra Costa Water District and Contra Costa County. 

 

8.         Board Members

 

Director Wandry congratulated President Campbell and Director Boatmun on their pending reappointments to the Board. 

 

Director Burgh also congratulated President Campbell, Director Boatmun and Director Wandry on not having contested elections.  He commended them on the fine quality of work they contribute to the Board.  He reported that he would be out of town September 13-20 and would not be attending the September 17 Board meeting. 

 

Director Boatmun reported that she participated in an ACWA Communications Committee conference call earlier in the day.  Wendy Martin, the statewide drought coordinator for the Department of Water Resources (DWR), also participated in the conference call.  Ms. Martin advised that there was an increase in grant funding from DWR from $12 million $17 million, from Proposition 50.  She advised that a letter would be sent from DWR advising of the increase in grant funding.  She also stated that the federal government had been approached for drought assistance in 2009.  She advised that additional information was available on the DWR website.   Director Boatmun advised that ACWA was researching different types of media outreach and welcomed new ideas from member agencies.  She also reported that she attended the Contra Costa Council Water Task Force meeting on August 19.  A topic of discussion was accountability for water pumping and water banking.

 

Director Boatmun advised that she would be attending the California Special Districts Association (CSDA) Conference September 22-24.  Immediately following the conference she would be attending the ACWA Board of Directors Workshop on September 25 and the ACWA Board meeting on September 26. 

 

Vice President Anello did not have a report.

 

On behalf of the Board, President Campbell expressed appreciation to staff for the staff-hosted barbeque, which took place prior to the Board meeting.   He also acknowledged and thanked Director of Engineering/Construction Steve Welch for his knowledge and expertise while filling in as Acting General Manager July 30 – August 19.   

 

CLOSED SESSION

 

9.         Conference with Legal Counsel – Considering Initiation of Litigation as allowed under Government Code 54956.9(c): - one case.

 

At 7:20 p.m., President Campbell announced that the Board would move into closed session.  There was one matter before the Board concerning litigation and did not require the announcement of additional attendees. 

 

RECONVENE FROM CLOSED SESSION

 

10.        Report on closed session. 

 

At 7:28 p.m., President Campbell reconvened the meeting and announced that the Board did not take any action on the matter before it. 

 

ADJOURNMENT

 

At 7:29 p.m., President Campbell adjourned the meeting to the next regular meeting of the Board of Directors scheduled for September 3, 2008 commencing at 6:30 p.m.

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                                        

                                                                                                Joseph L. Campbell, President

ATTEST:

 

                                               

Sharon L. Burris

District Secretary