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HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-22-2003 Steering Committee MinutesDRAFT MINUTES OF STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING Wednesday, January 22, 2003 A meeting of the Steering Committee of the Orange County Sanitation District was held on Wednesday, January 22, 2003 at 5 p.m., in the District's Administrati~e FILED Office lN THE OFF IC E OF THE SECRETARY . OR AN GE COII MTV " ....... ~TI()N DISTR ICT (1) The roll was called and a quorum declared present, as follows: FEB 2 6 200 3 ·~v ~/(_r STEERING COMMITTEE MEMBERS: OTHERS PRESENT~ -----"·---~-~-,~-~-"·--, .. - Directors Present: Shirley McCracken, Chair Steve Anderson, Vice Chair Brian Donahue, Chairman, PDC Committee Brian Brady, Chairman, FAHR Committee Jim Silva, County Supervisor Norm Eckenrode, Past Board Chair Directors Absent: Jim Ferryman, Chairman, OMTS Committee (2) APPOINTMENT OF CHAIR PRO TEM No appointment was necessary. (3) PUBLIC COMMENTS Thomas L. Woodruff, General Counsel Don Hughes Sonja Wassgren Jim Colston Ryal Wheeler Randy Fuhrman Larry Porter STAFF PRESENT: Blake Anderson , General Manager Bob Ghirelli, Director of Technical Services Bob Ooten, Director of Operations and Maintenance Lisa Tomko, Director of Human Resources Carol Beekman, Communications Services Manager Jean Tappan, Committee Secretary Larry Porter asked that biosolids be treated to Class A level so that we can continue to dispose of them in Kern County. Randy Fuhrman spoke on cover ing all bases with our legislative advocacy program and asked that the minutes of the December 18 meeting be revised to more accurately reflect his comments. (4) RECEIVE, FILE AND APPROVE MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING The minutes of the December 18, 2002 Steering Committee meeting were approved with revisions requested by Mr. Fuhrman. Director Brady abstained. Minutes of the Steering Committee Page 2 January 23, 2003 (5) REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE CHAIR Committee Chair Shirley McCracken reported on the CASA conference she attended last week along with Directors Eckenrode, Silva and Neugebauer. At the meeting she had the opportunity to meet with our Washington legislative consultant on finding ways to gain federal legislative support for funding for our programs. She also announced the February 19 workshop for new and returning directors. (6) REPORT OF THE GENERAL MANAGER General Manager Blake Anderson reported on the following items: A. EMT Retreat (January 30-31, 2003) Mr. Anderson reported on the executive management retreat scheduled for next week. He discussed the process that will be used to develop unifying strategies and key goals across the District to provide guidance to our staff on how to prioritize and direct their efforts during the next two to three years. Staff has prepared declarative statements on existing and new programs as the basis for developing the unifying strategies. B. Progress towards Achieving 30/30 Secondary Treatment Standards Bob Ooten reported on the progress in the last month. Mr. Anderson reported that a 'blue ribbon' panel has been formed that will review the proposed secondary treatment construction schedule and its findings will form the basis for the negotiated construction schedule that will be part of the terms and conditions of the permit we eventually receive from EPA and the Regional Water Quality Control Board. C. Disinfection Update Mr. Ooten reported on the status of the disinfection work and results received. He said that there were two days when the numbers were high and did not meet operating targets, but were still below the permit limits. Bob Ghirelli reported that the beach was 'hot' on one of days when we had high readings, but the beach monitoring was done before our maintenance shutdown. We have always been in compliance with recreational permit levels. D. State Budget Crisis Mr. Anderson reported on the meetings about the state budget crisis that are being attended or monitoring. He reviewed possible losses under different scenarios. The impacts of a successful legal challenge to the tax assessor's practice of accelerating the annual Proposition 13 property tax escalation rate were discussed. Mr. Anderson stated that for every additional $1 million we have to collect to cover our expenditures, we must add approximately $1 to the annual user fee for residential users. He has been trying to get all of the agencies in the county together in an attempt to reach some commonality. E. Carol Beekman, our new Communications Manager, was introduced. She described her experience and indicated that she has been active in media training and crisis communications. Mr. Anderson reported that she will be a member of the EMT (as was the previous Communications Manager) and will be working closely with the Directors on issues impacting their organization. _ Minutes of the Steering Committee Page 3 January 23, 2003 (7) REPORT OF GENERAL COUNSEL General Counsel Tom Woodruff reported that word was received today that the 41h District Court of Appeals affirmed the trial court's decision awarding judgment in favor of the District in an employee lawsuit, seeking to have the Court order the District to return him to work. Mr. Woodruff also discussed the impacts on a new bill that addresses the issue of abstentions during meetings. He will be preparing a memo for the Directors and will discuss it in detail at next month's Board meeting. (8) DISCUSSION ITEMS (Items A -C) A. Update on State and Federal Legislative Activities Bob Ghirelli updated the members on another potential impact on our budget as a result of the state budget crisis. Discussions are underway to reduce the funding of the Water Resources Board through the state General Fund and supplement their needs by increasing waste discharge fees. Meetings are underway on how to allocate monies received from ACA 11, should it pass when presented to the voters in 2004. Staff continues to work on developing a legislative proposal to get better science and more consistency on the biosolids issue and to have them regulated just like water discharges. On the federal level, our consultant feels that Congress is close to enacting the spending bill. The process for seeking funding next year is underway. Jim Colston is preparing a briefing book for electeds. There is a need for Directors to meet with the Orange County delegation to press our case. The goal is to get a letter from them seeking money for secondary treatment from Congress. Director McCracken reported that she is forming a Legislative Ad Hoc Committee to keep current with the legislative consultants while Congress is in session. She has asked Jim Silva and Jim Ferryman to serve on this committee with her. Mr. Anderson reported on his efforts in Sacramento to get Proposition 218 language changed to allow the District to impose fees for treating urban runoff. We are looking for a sponsor for this bill before the end of February deadline. We are also looking at procuring bonds and grants to assist us with our secondary treatment expansion. B. The Agenda Items scheduled to be reviewed by the Board's working committees in February were reviewed. C. The agenda items scheduled to be presented to the Board at tonight's meeting were reviewed. (9) OTHER BUSINESS, COMMUNICATIONS OR SUPPLEMENTAL AGENDA ITEMS, IF ANY There was no other business discussed. Minutes of the Steering Committee Page 4 January 23, 2003 (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 Wednesday, February 26, 2003 at 5 p.m. The next Board Meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, February 26, 2003 at 7 p.m. (13) CLOSED SESSION The Committee convened at 6:26p.m. in Closed Session, pursuant to Section 54956.9(b), to discuss significant exposure to litigation. Minutes of the Closed Session are on file with the Board Secretary. Confidential Minutes of the Closed Session held by the Steering Committee have been prepared in accordance with Government Code Section 54957.2, and are maintained by the Board Secretary in the Official Book of Confidential Minutes of Board and Committee Closed Meetings. A report of the recommended actions will be publicly reported at the time the approved actions become final. At 6:45 p.m. the Committee reconvened in regular session. (14) ADJOURNMENT The Chair declared the meeting adjourned at 6:45 p.m. an Tappan eering Committee Secretary G:\wp.dta\agenda\Steering Committee\03VAN\012203_SC_Minutes_R1.doc