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Home My WebLink About11-17-2004 Steering Committee MinutesMINUTES OF STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING Wednesday, November 17, 2004 A meeting of the Steering Committee of the Orange County Sanitation District was held on Wednesday, November 17, 2004 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: Jim Ferryman, Vice Chair Carolyn Cavecche, Chair, OMTS Committee Tod Ridgeway, Incoming Chairman, PDC Committee Roy Moore, Chairman, FAHR Committee J im Silva, County Supervisor Shirley McCracken, Past Board Chair Directors Absent: Steve Anderson, Chair (2) APPOINTMENT OF CHAIR PRO TEM No appointment was necessary. (3) PUBLIC COMMENTS OTHERS PRESENT: Thomas L. Woodruff, General Counsel Don Hughes STAFF PRESENT: Blake Anderson, General Manager Bob Ghirelli, Director of Technical Services Bob Ooten, Director of Operations and Maintenance Carol Beekman, Director of Communications and Administrative Services Gail Garrett, Committee Secretary FILED IN THE OFFIC E OF THE SECRETARY ORANGE rr" "'~" ' · · ··-•-r •'"'M n!STR ICT DEC 15 2004 ev ~_1_-z _____ . ··~· ~"~ There were no comments by any member of the public. (4) RECEIVE, FILE AND APPROVE MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING The minutes of the October 27, 2004 Steering Committee meeting were approved as drafted. Minutes of the Steering Committee Page 2 November 17, 2004 (5) REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE CHAIR Committee Vice Chair Jim Ferryman announced that Chair Steve Anderson was in Washington, DC, doing the rounds with members of the Orange County delegation. Information packets are available for the Directors for the 2005 CASA Mid-Year Conference at the Palm Springs Hilton, January 19 through January 22. If Directors plan to attend, please let Gail Garrett know as soon as possible. Vice Chair Ferryman made the following announcements. Director Tom Ridgeway has been appointed Chair of the Planning, Design and Construction (PDC) Committee, effective immediately. Vice Chair Ferryman thanked Director Donahue for his service as the PDC Committee Chair this past year. Vice Chair Ferryman has been appointed to both GWRS and the Council of Governments (COG), and Director Darryl Miller to GWRS . The Steering Committee will adjourn to Conference Rooms A and Bat 6:30p.m. for Wes Bannister's reception to congratulate him on his appointment as Chairman of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. He is only the second Orange County chairman to attain this honor in the agency's 75-year history. The District has received its new ocean discharge permit from EPA and the Consent Decree was formally filed in the United States District Court in Santa Ana. Finally, Vice Chair Ferryman announced the standing committee meeting dates for December. The Urban Runoff Ad Hoc Committee quarterly meeting is scheduled for December 1st at 3 p.m. and due to the holidays, the Board will meet one week earlier, on December 151h. (6) REPORT OF THE GENERAL MANAGER General Manager Blake Anderson reported on: A. Legal Services General Manager Blake Anderson gave an overview of the report provided by Mr. Darrell Cohoon, an independent management consultant, on the scope of legal services, relative costs, and overall level of performance. He outlined the steps that have been taken in the last six months to review cost monitoring and possible cost savings measures with each of the Departments . General Counsel Tom Woodruff commended Ms. Olga Cervantes on her performance at the District as Principal Contracts Administrator. Her presence at the District has reduced and will continue to reduce General Counsel services, thereby resulting in significant cost savings to the District. Director Jim Silva questioned the high cost of legal services for last year. Mr. Woodruff responded that this was largely due to recent litigation. Director Ridgeway requested that General Manager Anderson and the Director of Finance, Gary Streed, submit a report on the breakdown of all legal services. Director Carolyn Cavecche expressed concern regarding conflicts that may arise with General Counsel, and noted that having in-house attorneys would erase all Minutes of the Steering Committee Page 3 November 17, 2004 possible conflicts. Supervisor Silva and Director Ridgeway concurred. General Manager Anderson advised that Mr. Streed would provide a mid-year report on the breakdown of legal costs for each Department. Vice Chair Ferryman requested that staff circulate the audit results once again. B. Status of Response to the Huntington Beach Visitors and Convention Center Request (HBVCB) for PR Fund General Manager Anderson reported that Chairman Anderson met with the mayors of the beach cities. Mr. Anderson submitted a memo to Chair Anderson re staff recommendations vis-a-vis the HBCVB proposal, including estimated associated costs. Director Cavecche objected to forming another coalition and suggested joining an established coalition . Director Ridgeway named several and noted that Supervisors Wilson and Silva are both on the Orange County Coastal Coalition (OCCC) Board . Don Hughes, Supervisor Silva 's assistant, will send a copy of the OCCC membership roster to Director Ridgeway and General Manager Anderson . (7) REPORT OF GENERAL COUNSEL General Counsel Tom Woodruff did not make a report. (8) DISCUSSION ITEMS (Items A-B) A. The Agenda Items scheduled to be reviewed by the Board's working committees in December were reviewed . General Manager Blake Anderson alerted the Steering Committee that, since January is a dark month for the PDC, an additional item, OCSD Collection System Model and Strategic Plan Update, Job. No . J-1 01, will be going directly to the Board for consideration in January. B. 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. (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 Minutes of the Steering Committee Page 4 November 17, 2004 There were none. (12) CONSIDERATION OF UPCOMING MEETINGS Due to the holidays, the Steering Committee and Board will meet one week earlier next month , on December 151h at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. respectively. (13) CLOSED SESSION The Committee convened at 5:40p.m. in Closed Session, pursuant to Sections 54956.9, 54956.7, and 54956.9(c) to discuss four items . 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 :20p.m., the Committee reconvened in regular session. (14) ADJOURNMENT The Chair declared the meeting adjourned at 6:20 p.m. Submitted by: ~~ Gail Garrett Steering Committee Secretary H :\dept\agenda\Steering Committee\04\SC Minutes Form.S.doc