CONTRA COSTA WATER DISTRICT

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

REGULAR MEETING

January 21, 2009

 

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

                                                            Karl L. Wandry, Vice President

                                                            Elizabeth R. Anello

                                                            Bette Boatmun

                                                            John A. Burgh

            General Manager:                       Walter J. Bishop

            Legal Counsel:                           Robert B. Maddow

            District Secretary:                      Sharon L. Burris

 

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

 

Accounting Manager Rick Graziano 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 minutes of December 10, 2008. 

                 

2.         Approve the warrant register dated January 22, 2009.

 

3.         Amendment to agreement with Bold, Polisner, Maddow, Nelson and Judson for legal services

            a.   Authorize a budget transfer of $202,000 from the FY09 Delta Projects Operating Services budget and $246,000 from the General Manager’s FY09 Operating Contingency to the FY09 General District Legal Services budget; and 

            b.   Authorize an amendment in the amount of $516,000 to the agreement with Bold, Polisner, Maddow, Nelson and Judson for FY09 legal services for a revised total amount not to exceed $1,648,000.  

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

 

ACTION

 

4.                   Authorize execution of an amendment in the amount of $1,300,000 for the design, construction and interconnection agreements with Western Area Power Administration for the Alternative Intake Project for a revised amount not to exceed $4,200,000. 

 

Mr. Bishop advised that Director of Construction Dan Owre would be making a presentation, and he would also be updating the Board on the progress of the Alternative Intake Project (AIP).

 

Mr. Owre reported that Western Area Power Administration (WAPA) was responsible for transmission of U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) project power to the District.  The Board had approved entering into an agreement with WAPA for the AIP for a total amount not to exceed $2.9 million.  WAPA’s project costs had increased from $2.9 million to $4.2 million due to WAPA’s design selection of steel power poles rather than wooden poles.  The change from wooden power poles to steel power poles was necessary to ensure long-term reliability of the transmission lines.   

 

Mr. Owre reported that the item was presented to the Operations and Engineering Committee on December 11, 2008.  Adequate funds were available in the FY09 budget to cover the increased cost.  He also advised that construction of the AIP power supply was on schedule. 

 

Mr. Owre presented an update on the AIP from June 2008 to present.  Using a map, he identified Victoria Island, the AIP setback levee and pump station, the tunnel crossing under Old River and the location of the pipeline to the Old River Pump Station. 

 

The presentation included photographs of the open cell sheet pile installation inside the setback levee and the cofferdam.  Mr. Owre advised that the cofferdam was a temporary dam used to isolate the Victoria Canal, which allowed the pump station to be constructed on dry land.  A ramp being constructed into the area contained by the cofferdam was also a part of the presentation and photographs depicting the start of the foundation piles. Discussing a picture of the receiving shaft operation on Victoria Canal, Mr. Owre explained that the receiving shaft required a vertical shaft 65 feet deep into the ground. 

 

Responding to questions from Director Boatmun whether the cement was being placed in the shaft or being taken out of it, Mr. Owre replied that cement was being injected into the shaft panels when the soil was being mixed by the cutting wheels.

 

Responding to a question from President Campbell concerning the size of the cutting wheel, Mr. Owre responded that it was 2 1/2 feet by 8 feet.    

 

Mr. Owre commented that Boardmembers may be interested in field trips as the AIP was being constructed.  Staff suggested a trip in May 2009 to view the tunnel and early phase of the pump station intake concrete construction.  Another trip was suggested during October for the finish stage of the pump station concrete and pipeline. 

 

 

President Campbell asked if the Board had any questions for the presenter.  There were no questions. 

 

President Campbell asked if anyone in the public would like to comment.  There were no comments.

 

MOTION:  Boatmun/Anello to authorize execution of an amendment in the amount of $1,300,000 for the design, construction and interconnection agreements with Western Area Power Administration for the Alternative Intake Project for a revised amount not to exceed $4,200,000.  The motion carried by a unanimous voice vote. 

 

REPORTS FOR DISCUSSION

 

5.                   Schedule Future Meeting Dates and Times

 

There were no future meeting dates and times to schedule. 

 

REPORTS

 

6.                   General Manager

 

Mr. Bishop commented on U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Don Glaser’s recent visit to the District.   

 

7.                   Legal Counsel

 

Mr. Maddow did not have a report. 

 

8.                   Board Members

 

Director Boatmun reported that she and Director Burgh had discussed having water conservation table tents available at the Mayors’ Conferences in the District’s service area to make the mayors aware of the need to conserve.  She also encouraged Boardmembers to complete the Contra Costa Special Districts Association survey provided to them. 

 

Director Anello did not have any comments.

 

Vice President Wandry did not have any comments.

 

Director Burgh commented on the recent Presidential inauguration.  He also commented positively on the progress through compromise made by the groups involved with the redevelopment of the Concord Naval Weapons Station and the City of Concord.  

 

President Campbell commented that the District had used a similar forum when developing the Los Vaqueros Recreation program.  He also commented that the District had received the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award by the Government Finance Officers Association.  He congratulated and thanked Director of Finance Brice Bledsoe and the Finance Department for their accomplishment on behalf of the District. 

 

CLOSED SESSION

 

9.         Conference with Legal Counsel – Consideration of Initiating Litigation as allowed under Government Code Section 54956.9(c) – one case

 

10.               Public Employee Performance Evaluation as allowed under Government Code Section 54957  Title:  General Manager

 

At 6:55 p.m., President Campbell announced that the meeting would move into closed session.  There were two matters before the Board.  The first matter concerned litigation and did not require the announcement of additional attendees.  The second matter was an employee performance employee evaluation and there were no additional attendees required.

 

RECONVENE FROM CLOSED SESSION

 

11.               Report on closed session.

 

At 7:17 p.m., President Campbell reconvened the meeting and announced that the Board did not take any action on the matters before it.

 

ADJOURNMENT

 

At 7:18 p.m., President Campbell adjourned the meeting to the next regular meeting of the Board of Directors scheduled for February 4, 2009 commencing at 6:30 p.m.

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                                        

                                                                                                Joseph L. Campbell, President

 

ATTEST:

 

                                               

Sharon L. Burris

District Secretary