HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-15-2000 Steering Committee Minutes,_,
DRAFT
Wednesday, November 15, 2000
A meeting of the Steering Committee of the Orange County Sanitation District was
held on Wednesday, November 15, 2000 at 5 p.m., in the District's Administrative
Office.
(1) The roll was called and a quorum declared present, as follows:
STEERING COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Directors Present:
Norm Eckenrode, Chair
Peter Green, Vice Chair
Pat McGuigan, Chairman, OMTS Committee
Steve Anderson, PDC Committee
Tom Saltarelli, Chairman, FAHR Committee
Jan Debay, Past Chair of the Board
Directors Absent:
Jim Silva, County Supervisor
(2) APPOINTMENT OF CHAIR PROTEM
No appointment was necessary.
(3) PUBLIC COMMENTS
OTHERS PRESENT:
Thomas L. Woodruff, General Counsel
Director John Gullixson
STAFF PRESENT:
Blake Anderson, General Manager
Bob Ghirelli, Director of Technical Services
Gary Streed, Director of Finance
Lisa Lawson, Communications Manager
Jean Tappan, Committee Secretary
There were no comments by any member of the public.
(4) RECEIVE, FILE AND APPROVE MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING
The minutes of the October 25, 2000 Steering Committee meeting were approved as drafted.
(5) REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE CHAIR
Committee Chair Norm Eckenrode reported on several items.
A. Meeting with Tony Oliveira: Blake Anderson and Chair Eckenrode drove to
Hanford in the middle of Kings County on November 3. Mr. Oliveira has been on
the Board for several years and is very pro -farming, pro-business and relatively
anti-regulation--like many of his colleagues on the board. The Kings County
Board will be considering a biosolids ordinance next week. Mr. Oliveira told us
that he is currently in favor of the use of Class B biosolids, as long as there are
Minutes of the Steering Committee
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November 15, 2000
reasonable safe guards in place. The District agreed with that and that it takes
environmental stewardship seriously-including the use of biosolids in Kings
County. He said that he expected the Board to approve an ordinance that
includes the use of Class B biosolids, at least for the short term. He does not
believe there is scientific evidence against using Class B biosolids. He also
expressed personal and philosophical discomfort and concern about Orange
County and Los Angeles County buying land in Kings County, but is also willing to
live with the practice because it's a matter of property owners having the right to
sell their land to whomever they chose.
B. Chair Eckenrode reported on the two-day planning retreat of CASA on
October 26 and 27 . The retreat was held at the Pardee Reservoir training center
owned by the East Bay Municipal Utilities District. Jim Colston, staff member,
also attended. The purpose of the meeting was to go over the internal workings
of CASA. Of most significance was a decision to give full membership status to
California cities that want to join CASA. Up until now, cities like Los Angeles, San
Diego, and Fresno have not been allowed to have full membership and voting
privileges in CASA. Only special districts had that privilege . This change
recognizes the need to have a common and strong voice from all of the public
agencies that provide sewage treatment in California
C. Chair Eckenrode announced that the winter CASA conference is scheduled for
January 17-20 in Palm Springs. All members of the Steering Committee are
encouraged to attend. If there are openings, other interested directors may
attend (up to seven total) if members of the Steering Committee cannot attend.
D . Chair Eckenrode also reminded the Committee members about the bipartisan
lunch on December 14 here at the District. He has invited elected
representatives from Sacramento and Washington, D.C. The purpose of the
meeting will be to conduct a bipartisan discussion of local urban runoff and
upstream dairy runoff, tainted beaches, watershed management and the ground
water replenishment system
Invited guests include: Joe Dunn, Dick Ackerman, Lou Correa, Lynn Daucher,
Tom Harmon, Loretta Sanchez, Christopher Cox, Dana Rohrabacher, Ken
Emanuels (the lobbyist worked with us on consolidation issues), Ed Royce, Scott
Baugh and Supervisor Tom Wilson.
(6) REPORT OF THE GENERAL MANAGER
General Manager Blake Anderson reported several items of interest.
A. An update was provided by Bob Ghirelli, Director of Technical Services, on Kern
County and Kings County biosolids issues . No action will be taken on the
purchase of Liberty Farms until the biosolids ordinance is adopted. If Class B
biosolids are allowed, then due diligence will continue. The court has not ruled
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November 15, 2000
on the Kern County biosolids ordinance CEQA challenge. Mr. Ghirelli reported
that EPA is getting more involved with the enforcement of biosolids application
requirements. The milo harvest on the District's Kings County property is almost
complete .
B. Lisa Lawson, Communications Manager, updated the committee on the status of
the public outreach program for the GWRS project. The Joint Coordination
Committee (JCC) meets next Monday night to discuss financial and governance
issues. Director Swan made a presentation at the last FAHR Committee meeting
on the IRWD alternative proposal. Gary Streed reported on his meeting today
with the project's financial consultant. A draft report has been prepared . The
assumptions will be discussed at the next JCC meeting and the results will be
reported at the December 2 workshop. Staff was directed to provide t ime on the
workshop agenda for Director Swan to make a shortened presentation on the
IRWD alternative proposal. General Manager Blake Anderson indicated that new
Directors will receive special briefings on the project before the January 24, 2001
decision is made.
C. The Committee received an update on the SARI line relocation project. The
design is underway with construction scheduled to start in the Fall of 2001 and
completion scheduled in 2003. Because some of the lots adjacent to the project
are terraced and the lower portions extend closer to the river than previously
thought, 69 easements will be required. Staff will be meeting with Yorba Linda
city officials to discuss this and determine the best way to proceed. The biggest
issue is still the funding of the SAWPA portion of the project. Mr. Anderson met
with two SAWPA Board members who appear to understand the need for the
project. The chair, vice chair and general manager of SAWPA have asked to
meet with the District's counterparts. This meeting should take place in the next
three weeks .
D . Blake Anderson reported on the 2-1/2 day executive management retreat held
last week to discuss the five-year business and staffing plan. He reported that
the plan will move through the Board committees on its way to the Board at its
February 2001 meeting for consideration and approval.
E. Senate Bill 1559 was approved by the governor in July and will be effective
January 1, 2001. This bill allows increases in Sanitation District Directors'
compensation by a resolution of the Board of Directors. This board has not had
an increase since 1986. The existing compensation is $100 per meeting and is
limited to 6 meetings per month. The Steering Committee directed staff to bring
the issue through the FAHR Committee in December on its way to the full Board
in December. The members recommended that the compensation be increased
to $170 per meeting for a maximum of six meetings per month.
F. Bob Ghirelli briefed the Committee on the results of a new technical report on the
Huntington Beach bacterial contamination problems that will be released to the
public and announced in a formal press conference tomorrow. Mr. Ghirelli
explained the results and also indicated that the District will continue with
additional studies identified in the report, as well as others that are currently
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November 15, 2000
underway. Staff still believes that the plume is not the cause of the contamination
as the report hypothesizes. A team has been formed to put together a plan for
the additional studies that will begin next spring, as well as bringing in the same
experts previously consulted to help develop that plan.
(7) REPORT OF GENERAL COUNSEL
General Counsel Tom Woodruff did not make a report. He indicated that there would be no closed
session as nothing has developed in the Crow Winthrop claim since the last meeting.
(8) DISCUSSION ITEM (Item A)
A. The Agenda Items scheduled to be reviewed by the Board's working committees in
December was reviewed.
(9) OTHER BUSINESS, COMMUNICATIONS OR SUPPLEMENTAL AGENDA ITEMS, IF ANY
There was no other business discussed.
(10) MATTERS WHICH A DIRECTOR WOULD LIKE STAFF TO REPORT ON AT A
SUBSEQUENT MEETING
There were none.
(11) MATTERS WHICH A DIRECTOR MAY WISH TO PLACE ON A FUTURE AGENDA FOR
ACTION AND/OR STAFF REPORT
There were none.
(12) CONSIDERATION OF UPCOMING MEETINGS
The next Steering Committee meeting is scheduled for December 20, 2000 at 5 p.m.
The next Board Meeting is scheduled for December 20, 2000 at 7 p.m.
(13) CLOSED SESSION
There was no closed session.
Minutes of the Steering Committee
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November 15, 2000
(14} ADJOURNMENT
The Chair declared the meeting adjourned at 6:35 p.m.
appan
te ring Committee Secretary
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