HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-09-2017 Legislative Committee MinutesMINUTES OF THE
LEGISLATIVE AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
Orange County Sanitation District
Monday, October 9, 2017 at 3:30 p.m.
A meeting of the Legislative and Public Affairs Committee was called to order by
Chair Sebourn on Monday, October 9, 2017 at 3:35 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
David Shawver, Board Vice-Chair
Allan Bernstein, Member-At-Large
Peter Kim, Member-At-Large
John Withers, Member-At-Large
COMMITTEE MEMBERS ABSENT:
Donald P. Wagner, Member-At-Large
Chad Wanke, Member-At-Large
PUBLIC COMMENTS:
None .
REPORT OF COMMITTEE CHAIR:
Chair Sebourn did not provide a report.
REPORT OF GENERAL MANAGER:
STAFF PRESENT:
Jim Herberg, 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
Marc Dubois
Alfredo Garcia
Rebecca Long
Mark Manzo
OTHERS PRESENT:
Brad Hogin, General Counsel
Eric O'Donnell, Townsend Public Affairs
Eric Sapirstein, ENS Resources (via
teleconference)
Heather Stratman, Association of California
Cities-Orange County (ACC-OC)
General Manager Jim Herberg did not provide a report.
10/09/2017 Legislative and Public Affairs Committee Minutes Page 1 of 4
CONSENT CALENDAR:
1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES (Clerk of the Board)
MOVED, SECONDED, and DULY CARRIED TO: Approve minutes for the
Committee meeting held on September 11, 2017.
AYES:
NOES:
ABSTENTIONS:
ABSENT:
Bernstein, Kim, Sebourn, and Shawver
None
None
Wagner, Withers, and Wanke
Chair Sebourn requested that Item No. 3 be re-ordered to be heard prior to the
Non-Consent Calendar.
INFORMATION ITEMS:
3 . ASSOCIATION OF CALIFORNIA CITIES -ORANGE COUNTY
PRESENTATION (Bob Ghirelli)
Public Affairs Supervisor Jennifer Cabral introduced Heather Stratman from the
Association of California Cities-Orange County (ACC-OC). Ms. Stratman provided
a PowerPoint presentation that reviewed the role of ACC-OC, governance and
membership of the organization, significant issues addressed by the organization
in 2017, the organization's agenda and priorities for 2018, ACC-OC's commitment
to collaboration with its stakeholder groups, and the partnership between ACC-OC
and the Sanitation District. In response to his request , Ms . Stratman indicated that
she will provide Vice-Chair Shawver a list of how California legislators, statewide ,
voted on legislation last year, sorted by political party.
Director Withers arrived at 3:55 p.m.
NON-CONSENT CALENDAR:
2 . LEGISLATIVE CONCEPTS (Bob Ghirelli)
Ms. Cabral introduced this item and provided a brief background. Ms. Cabral
introduced Eric O'Donnell from Townsend Public Affairs (TPA), who provided a
PowerPoint presentation that reviewed each of the proposed legislative concepts :
Legislative Concept 1: Amend Public Contracting Code for Sanitation Districts to
increase the threshold for contracting
Legislative Concept 2: Amend Public Contracting Code for Sanitation Districts to
modify the bid advertising requirement
Legislative Concept 3 : Design Build Authorization for Future OCSD Administration
Buildings
Legislative Concept 4: Inspection of sewer laterals at the time of a parcel sale
10/09/2017 Legislative and Public Affairs Committee Minutes Page 2 of 4
Mr. Herberg indicated that Legislative Concept 2 would have the most immediate
cost benefit.
MOVED, SECONDED, and DULY CARRIED TO: The Committee provided
direction to staff to further research and develop Legislative Concepts 1 - 3 and
continue to monitor activity surrounding Legislative Concept 4 for potential future
action .
AYES:
NOES:
ABSTENTIONS:
ABSENT:
Bernstein, Kim, Sebourn, Shawver, and Withers
None
None
Wagner and Wanke
The Committee further prioritized the Legislative Concepts be addressed in the
following order:
1st priority -Concept 2
2nd priority -Concept 1
3rd priority -Concept 3
AYES:
NOES:
ABSTENTIONS:
ABSENT:
Bernstein, Kim, Sebourn, Shawver, and Withers
None
None
Wagner and Wanke
Ms. Cabral indicated that staff would return to the Committee with further
information in November.
INFORMATION ITEMS:
4 . PROPOSED OUTREACH STRATEGY FOR ANTICIPATED RATE PLAN
ADJUSTMENTS (Bob Ghirelli)
Ms. Cabral reviewed this item and provided an overview of the approach to be
utilized to maximize outreach , hinging on efforts through the OCSD tour program ,
community outreach, tabling at events, and speakers' bureau. The approach will
continue to tell the OCSD story with an emphasis on OCSD's influential public. The
OCSD story includes highlighting OCSD's successes and the key role OCSD plays
in the community. Ms. Cabral distributed a sample of what a potential outreach
mailer might look like.
5. LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS UPDATE (Rebecca Long)
Rebecca Long, Senior Public Affairs Specialist, introduced Eric Sapirstein, ENS
Resources , who reported on the testimony pertaining to water infrastructure needs
at the infrastructure hearing by the California Association of Sanitation Agencies
and National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA). Mr. Sapirstein
reported that he continues to watch activity pertaining to tax reform as it might have
10/09/2017 Legislative and Public Affairs Committee Minutes Page 3 of 4
an impact on OCSD constituents not being able to deduct OCSD rates from federal
tax reporting.
Director Withers departed the meeting at 4:32 p.m.
Eric O'Donnell, Townsend Public Affairs (TPA), provided a PowerPoint
presentation pertaining to this item that included a recap of the legislative session
and a recap on major topics of interest (affordable housing funding package, cap
and trade extension plan, and 2018 park bonds). The presentation also included
an update on several bills, including AB 967 (Gloria)-Hydrolysate, AB 574 (Quirk)-
Potable Reuse, AB 1479 (Banta) regarding the designation of a Custodian of
Records , SB 212 (Jackson)-Pharmaceutical Waste , and SB 623 (Monning)-Public
Goods Charge. Mr. O'Donnell also briefly reviewed the tours of OCSD offered to
various legislators .
6. PUBLIC AFFAIRS UPDATE (Jennifer Cabral)
Ms. Cabral updated the Committee on community outreach, speaking
engagements in which OCSD staff is participating, and social media postings for
the month of September. Ms. Cabral also reviewed upcoming events. Ms. Cabral
indicated that the flyer announcing the public services announcement contest is
provided in the blue folders and reviewed the mode of dissemination of contest
information to the educational facilities in the OCSD service area . Ms. Cabral asked
the Committee to contact staff should they have additional avenues through which
to advertise the contest.
OTHER BUSllNESS AND COMMUNICATIONS OR SUPPLEMENTAL AGENDA ITEMS,
IF ANY:
None.
ADJOURNMENT:.
Chair Sebourn declared the meeting adjourned at 4:49 p .m. to the next Legislative and
Public Affairs Committee meeting, Monday, November 13, 2017 at 12:00 p.m.
Submitted by:
r l/l;yJ ~rr-
Tina Knapp, CMC
Clerk of the Board
10/09/2017 Legislative and Public Affairs Committee Minutes