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Home My WebLink About11-16-2005 Steering Committee MinutesDRAFT MINUTES OF STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING Orange County Sanitation District Wednesday, November 16, 2005, at 5 p.m. A meeting of the Steering Committee of the Orange County Sanitation District was held on Wednesday, November 16, 2005 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: Steve Anderson, Chair Jim Ferryman, Vice Chair Carolyn Cavecche, Chair, OMTS Committee Darryl Miller, Chairman, FAHR Committee Tod Ridgeway, Chairman, PDC Committee Jim Silva, County Supervisor Directors Absent: OTHERS PRESENT: Bradley R. Hagin, General Counsel Director Roy Moore Don Hughes Tom Dawes Richard Haimann, MWH George Basye, AERA Energy (2) APPOINTMENT OF CHAIR PRO TEM No appointment was necessary. (3) PUBLIC COMMENTS STAFF PRESENT: Bob Ghirelli, Acting General Manager Nick Arhontes, Director of Regional Assets and Services David Ludwin, Director of Engineering Jim Herberg, Director of Operations and Maintenance Patrick Miles, Director of Information Technology Lorenzo Tyner, Director of Finance/Treasurer Gail Garrett, Committee Secretary Sonja Morgan, Principal Public Information Specialist Jim Burror, Engineering Supervisor John Linder, Engineering Manager Ryal Wheeler, Maintenance Supervisor Juanita Skillman, Records Management FILED IN THE OFFIC E OF THE SECRETARV ORANGF rn11N-r-" <"' ·~-"n ,·'"l\l OISTRICi There were no comments by any member of the public. (4) RECEIVE, FILE AND APPROVE MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING The minutes for the meeting held on October 26, 2005, and the special meeting held on October 28, 2005 were approved as drafted. Minutes of the Steering Committee Page 2 November 16 , 2005 (5) REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE CHAIR Committee Chair Steve Anderson announced that OCSD and OCWD will receive the 2005 Governor's Environmental & Economic Leadership Award for Ecosystem & Watershed Stewardship for GWRS on November 22 in Sacramento. The Water Environment Federation (WEF) presented its prestigious Collection Systems Manager of the Year Award on November 1 to Nick Arhontes at the WEFTEC 2005 Annual Conference held in Washington , D.C . OCSD has also received the 2005 Public Sector Achievement Award from the California State Assembly for participating in the Santa Ana Sucker Fish Conservation Program. A presentation on "Fats, Oils and Grease (FOG) Control" will be made by OCSD staff at the Orange County Coastal Coalition meeting at the Newport Beach Public Library on November 17, at 9:00a.m . Information packets were handed out for the 2006 CASA Mid-Year Conference at the Indian Wells, January 18 through January 21. If Directors plan to attend, please let Gail Garrett know by December 1 0. State Senator John Campbell was detained in Washington, DC-staff will invite him to the December 21 meeting. Finally, Chair Anderson announced the standing committee meeting dates for December. The CIP Oversight Committee will meet on Thursday, December 15. (6) REPORT OF THE GENERAL MANAGER Acting General Manager Bob Ghirelli informed that steps have been taken by Human Resources with regard to the staff letter that was circulated to the Board last month . As a result of the article about male fish with elevated levels of egg-shell protein, staff will present to the OMTS and GWRS committees a briefing to better understand this phenomenon. Director Cavecche suggested offering a lab tour to columnist Gordon Dillow. Dr. Ghirelli provided an update on the Inland Empire Utility Agency (IEUA) regional biosolids land procurement in Chino. A 45-day option agreement with a $100,000 refundable deposit on the 45 acre parcel of land will allow the District to complete a due diligence report prior to making the decision whether to go into escrow. Jim Herberg provided handouts and updated committee members on the level of treatment provided to maintain effluent quality as close to 30/30 as possible. He discussed the increase in operational costs resulting from rising costs of chemicals, energy required to maintain this level of treatment, and disposal of biosolids. He requested direction on whether to explore savings options . Director Cavecche directed Mr. Herberg to bring to the OMTS Committee a full plan to 2012, outlining cost savings as well as any possible impacts that cutting back on the level of treatment would have on the environment and rate payers. Minutes of the Steering Committee Page 3 November 16, 2005 (7) REPORT OF GENERAL COUNSEL General Counsel Brad Hogin provided a brief update on the State Water Resources Control Board's upcoming statewide requirements for wastewater collection systems. He stressed the importance of system owners to have affirmative defense language and to participate in the upcoming public comment period . CASA, SCAP and OCSD staff are also following and participating in this activity. The State Board may adopt the new requirements in January. (8) DISCUSSION ITEMS (Items A-F) A. California State Assembly Bill 1234 Dr. Ghirelli provided an update on Assembly Bill 1234. Staff will be working with California Special Districts Association (CSDA) and CASA to develop a program that will comply with the new required ethics training, and eliminate training that is provided through Directors' cities. B. Reimbursement Agreement for City of Placentia Directors concurred that the General Manager's recommendation for a five-year pilot project to provide assistance to the City in improving their sewer system managements program would be of mutual benefit. A reimbursement agreement, in a form acceptable to General Counsel, will be developed. The item will be brought to the December OMTS for action . C. AERA Master Planned Community Equivalent Annexation Fees David Ludwin introduced George Basye, AERA Energy, and Tom Dawes, consultant to AERA Energy. Both he and Jim Burrer provided additional information requested by Directors at the prior Steering Committee meeting on sewer capacity in the project area and explained the nexus between the annexation fees and Sanitation District costs. The golf course lands playable areas are now included in the initial annexation fee payment estimate. Staff was directed to (1) prepare an Out of Service Area Sewer Service Agreement for the AERA Master Planned Community Development deferring payment of annexation fees for natural open spaces until they are developed, and (2) propose revisions to Ordinance No. OCSD 21 to cover the concept and allow the collection of these fees for out-of-area sewerage service agreements, and bring to the FAHR and Steering Committees. D. Legislative Consultant Contracts After brief discussion, staff was directed to pull this item to provide additional information and bring it to the December Steering and Board. Directors requested a listing of consultants' accomplishments for 2005 as well as specific goals for 2006, and suggested that members meet with lobbyists next year to brain storm the following year's goals. Directors also requested reports for the weekly Legislative Advocacy teleconference meetings. E. The Agenda Items scheduled to be reviewed by the Board's working committees in December were reviewed. Minutes of the Steering Committee Page4 November 16, 2005 F. 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 David Ludwin said the December 15 CIP Oversight Ad Hoc Committee workshop will provide information to Committee members on all of the CIP projects, construction costs, and their effects on user rates and COP borrowing, as well as future planning efforts by staff, to facilitate discussion with the Board regarding the capital program budget. Director Miller requested staff include "what if' scenarios in the workshop to gain understanding of how individual projects affect rates and borrowing General Counsel advised that the CIP Oversight Committee is a standing committee and should be identified as such. (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, December 21, 2005 at 5 p.m. The next Board Meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, December 21, 2005 at 7 p.m. (13) CLOSED SESSION The Committee convened at 6 :20 p.m . in Closed Session, pursuant to Section 54957(B)(1 ), to discuss appointment of interim General Manager position. 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 6:25p.m., the Committee reconvened in regular session. (14) ADJOURNMENT Minutes of the Steering Committee Page 5 November 16, 2005 The Chair declared the meeting adjourned at 6:25 p.m. Submitted by: ~G~ Gail Garrett Steering Committee Secretary H :\dept\agenda\Steering Committee\04\SC Minutes Form.S.doc