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Home My WebLink About05-08-2017 Legislative Committee MinutesMINUTES OF THE LEGISLATIVE AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE Orange County Sanitation District Monday, May 8, 2017 at 12:00 p.m. A meeting of the Legislative and Public Affairs Committee was called to order by Chair Sebourn on Monday , May 8 , 2017 at 12:01 p.m . in the Administration Building of the Orange County Sanitation District. Chair Sebourn led the pledge of allegiance . A quorum was declared present , as follows: COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT: Greg Sebourn , Board Chair Allan Bernstein , Member-At-Large Peter Kim , Member-At-Large Chad Wanke , Member-At-Large John Withers , Member-At-Large COMMITTEE MEMBERS ABSENT: David Shawver, Board Vice-Chair Donald P. Wagner , Member-At-Large PUBLIC COMMENTS: None. STAFF PRESENT: Jim Herberg, General Manager Bob Ghirelli , Assistant General Manager Jim Colston, Director of Environmental Services Rob Thompson, Director of Engineering Ed Torres , Director of Operations & Maintenance Lorenzo Tyner, Director of Finance & Administrative Services Tina Knapp , Deputy Clerk of the Board Jennifer Cabral Al Garcia Rebecca Long Kelly Newell Man Nguyen OTHERS PRESENT: Brad Hagin , General Counsel David French , ENS Resources (via teleconference) Eric O 'Donnell , Townsend Public Affairs Eric Sapirstein , ENS Resources (via teleconference) Cori Williams , Townsend Public Affairs 05/08 /201 7 Legis lative and Publ ic Affairs Comm ittee Minutes Page 1 of 5 REPORTS: The Committee Chair and the General Manager may present verbal reports on miscellaneous matters of general interest to the Committee Members . These reports are for information only and require no action by the Committee. General Manager Jim Herberg did not provide a report . Chair Sebourn briefly reported on the recent lobbying trip to Washington , DC , which was successful and provided a good opportunity to meet with various key stakeholders . General Manager Jim Herberg asked Ed Torres, Director of Operations & Maintenance , to provide an update on the recent gas odor at Rocky Point Pump Station in Newport Beach. Mr . Torres indicated that the emergency command center has been in operation since last week in response to these concerns . Jennifer Cabral , Public Affairs Supervisor , reported that staff has been in communication with local residents and the City of Newport Beach. CONSENT CALENDAR: Consent Calendar Items are considered to be routine and will be enacted, by the Committee , after one motion , without discussion. Any items withdra wn from the Consent Calendar for separate discussion will be considered in the regular order of business. Consent Calendar Item No. 5 was added to the agenda via a supplemental agenda. 1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES (Clerk of the Board) MOVED, SECONDED, and DULY CARRIED TO: Approve minutes for the Committee meeting held on March 13, 2017 and the Special Joint meeting of the Legislative and Public Affairs Committee and the Steering Committee held on April 26 , 2017 . AYES: NOES: ABSTENTIONS: ABSENT: Bernstein, Kim, Sebourn , Wanke , and Withers None None Shawver and Wagner 2 . OPPOSE ASSEMBLY BILL 1479 (AB 1479) (Rebecca Long) MOVED, SECONDED, and DULY CARRIED TO: Approve letter of opposition to Assembly Bill 1479 -Public Records: Custodian of Records : Civil Penalties (Assemblymember Banta). AYES: NOES: ABSTENTIONS: ABSENT: 05/08/2 017 Bernstein , Kim , Sebourn , Wanke , and Withers None None Shawver and Wagner Legis lative and Public Affairs Committee Minutes Page 2 of 5 5 . SUPPORT ASSEMBLY BILL 574 (AB 574) (Bob Ghirelli) MOVED, SECONDED, and DULY CARRIED TO: Approve letter of support for Assembly Bill 574 -Direct Potable Reuse (Assemblymember Quirk). AYES: NOES: ABSTENTIONS: ABSENT: Bernstein , Kim , Sebourn , Wanke , and Withers None None Shawver and Wagner NON-CONSENT CALENDAR: None. INFORMATION ITEMS: 3. LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS UPDATE (Rebecca Long) Rebecca Long, Senior Public Affairs Specialist, indicated that the Board Chair and Vice-Chair will be in Sacramento for a lobbying day on June 27th and that the State of the District event will be held on October 13, 2017. Ms. Long indicated that the event will be held at a Mile Square Regional Park facility to accommodate a larger number of attendees. Tours of the Sanitation District will be provided after the event. Cori Williams , Townsend Public Affairs (TPA), provided an informative PowerPoint presentation that included an update on activities in the State government and the status of various bills that , given the calendar of the current legislative session , are currently in the Appropriations Committee . Ms. Williams' presentation included an overview of various legislation and key decision makers of same , including AB 851 (Caballero); SB 212 (Jackson); AB 1250 (Jones- Sawyer); AB 18 (Garcia) and SB 5 (De Leon), which are the park bond bills and are recommended for support or support if amended ; AB 968 (Rubio); SB 231 (Hertzberg); AB 967 (Gloria); and transportation funding , including the gasoline excise tax . Staff will provide an update to the Committee in the future on the potential increase in costs that might be seen in the biosolids hauling contracts due to the increase of the gasoline excise tax . Director Withers left the meeting at 12 :20 p .m. Ms. Cabral and Ms. Long indicated that the Sanitation District has invited key legislative stakeholders to visit the Sanitation District and indicated that we will ensure that constitutional officers , such as the Lieutenant Governor, are invited as well. 05 /08 /2017 Legis lative and Publ ic Affa irs Comm ittee Minutes Page 3 of 5 Eric O 'Donnell , TPA , concluded the PowerPoint presentation by providing an update on cap and trade funding and SB 775 (Wieckowski), AB 151 (Burke), and AB 378 (C . Garcia); long term drought regulations ; and the discussion regarding special districts being had by the Little Hoover Commission and the upcoming Little Hoover Commission roundtable meeting in June with key stakeholders . Ms . Cabral provided an updated State legislative matrix and indicated that , based on the Sanitation District 's legislative plan, letters are being sent regarding several other bills besides those on today 's meeting agenda. David French , ENS Resources , provided an overview of the recent lobbying days in Washington , DC . Eric Sapirstein , ENS Resources , reported that during the recent lobbying days , the Sanitation District was told that the project for the expansion of the Groundwater Replenishment System (GWRS) is eligible for additional federal assistance , notwithstanding Title 16 assistance. Mr . Sapirstein also provided information regarding the budget and water infrastructure. Ms. Cabral indicated that the recent article from "Time" magazine, that included information regarding the Sanitation District , and bottled GWRS water were given to those people that staff met with during the lobbying days ' meetings . Staff will provide the Committee with a list of professional organizations to which OCSD belongs or maintains a partnership. Ms . Cabral indicated that staff will be reaching out to the Comm ittee as legislation progresses through the legislature to see what relationships exist between Board Members and influential stakeholders for further support. Ms. Cabral also reported that talking points on key activities of the Sanitation District will be provided monthly to Board Members so that the Directors may communicate this information to their agencies or to the public. Chair Sebourn suggested that further support be garnered by Board Members through collaboration with each other in the local areas and meeting with legislative officials in their home district offices . 4 . PUBLIC AFFAIRS UPDATE (Jennifer Cabral) Ms . Cabral provided an overview of public outreach activities during the month of April. Ms. Cabral reported that outreach is continually made to the Sanitation District 's influential public , including elected officials , staff members of local agencies , and a variety of State and Federal representatives . Ms . Cabral indicated that public outreach activities and efforts have almost doubled in FY 2016-17 compared to FY 2014-15 and FY 2015-16 . Ms . Cabral indicated that the Sanitation District contracts with an organization called Inside the Outdoors to connect with students at local schools through curriculum regarding the Sanitation District and its processes . The Committee expressed an interest in ensuring that the Sanitation District is reaching children and perhaps collaborating with other organizations , especially for cost sharing 05/08/2017 Legislative and Public Affa irs Committee Minutes Page 4 of 5 purposes , to offer a demonstration installation at the Discovery Cube , or other similar opportunities . Ms . Cabral advised the Committee that an article regarding the OCSD source control program was recently published in "The Source " magazine and the article will be provided to the Committee in the near future . The Board Chair expressed an interest in having TPA coordinate with member agencies regarding the positions taken by the Sanitation District on legislation and perhaps obtain position letters from the member agencies as well. OTHER BUSINESS AND COMMUNICATIONS OR SUPPLEMENTAL AGENDA ITEMS, IF ANY: None . ADJOURNMENT: Chair Sebourn declared the meeting adjourned at 1: 19 p .m . to the next Legislative and Public Affairs Committee meeting , Monday, June 12, 2017 at 12 :00 p.m. Submitted by: TU!A-IJ~~ Tina Knapp , CMC Deputy Clerk of the Board ,_ .. .-_-,, ... :·::::··. /. ,: ..:::--·~,.. ,~---/ ;: -: ":" ~ ·-.. (; ,...... . --' -.... ,~: ,..... --,,,. ,. .,, .. -. ... --,.· ... ..,, ,,.,J,, ... ,-/ .. --. . . : t; ,J ....... ,..,,,,,. " .. "'-1 . ._ . -~ • -:-.''. .. ·· . .....,. -... ... -.. .· ... -, '=',.. --~ ... ,,,. ..... ·. ~ "' .~ 05/08/2017 Legislative and Publ ic Affa irs Comm ittee Minutes Page 5 of 5