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Home My WebLink About11-15-2006 Steering Committee MinutesMINUTES OF STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING FI LED Orange County Sanitation District Wednesday, November 15, 2006, at 5:00 p.m. IN TH E OFFICE OF THE. SECRETARY ORANGE C11i '~·'"'' ':'. , ... ·~·, ~~ DISTR ICT DEC 2 0 2006 A meeting of the Steering Committee of the Orange County Sanitation Distn·J!J K ·-~·"·~~~ held on Wednesday, October 25, 2006 at 5:00p.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, Chair Doug Davert, Vice Chair Carolyn Cavecche, Chair, OMTS Committee Tod Ridgeway, Chairman, PDC Committee Darryl Miller, Chairman, FAHR Committee Steve Anderson, Past Board Chair Directors Absent: Jim Silva, County Supervisor OTHERS PRESENT: Bradley R. Hagin, General Counsel (2) APPOINTMENT OF CHAIR PROTEM No appointment was necessary. (3) PUBLIC COMMENTS There were none. (4) REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE CHAIR STAFF PRESENT: Jim Ruth, Interim General Manager Bob Ghirelli, Acting Assistant General Manager Nick Arhontes, Director of Regional Assets and Services Jim Herberg, Director of Operations and Maintenance Lorenzo Tyner, Director of Finance and Administrative Services Norbert Gaia, Information Tech Analyst Ill Michael Gold, Legislative Affairs Liaison Simon Watson, Maintenance Manager Rob Thompson, Karen Jackson, IT Supervisor Gail Garrett, Committee Secretary The CASA Spring Conference will be held in Indian Wells, January 17-20, 2007 . Seats are still available at the Chapman University's Economic Forecast at the Irvine Hyatt Regency December 7. Notify Gail Garrett if you wish to attend either event. Chair Ferryman, Director Anderson, and staff will travel to Washington DC at the end of the month to meet with congressional staff to discuss legislative and grant programs . He announced the upcoming committee meetings for December and advised that the Board and Steering Committee meetings for December are scheduled one week earlier due to the holiday season. A social will follow the Board meeting. Minutes of the Steering Committee Page 2 November 15, 2006 (5) REPORT OF GENERAL MANAGER a. Status Report General Manager Jim Ruth reviewed activities included in his November Status Report, which was included with the Board package . Director Miller, Chair of the FAHR Committee, informed that a white paper will be presented to the Board on the John Bartel benefits study. b. Legislative Affairs Michael Gold provided a legislative update giving a brief summary of the Federal and California State election results . (6) REPORT OF GENERAL COUNSEL General Counsel Brad Hogin provided a brief update on the Kern County biosolids lawsuit. US District Court Judge Gary Feess' preliminary ruling was to prohibit enforcement of the ban to ship biosolids to Kern County until a higher court has ruled on the legality of the ordinance. Feess plans to certify the case to the gth US Circuit Court of Appeals, which may send it to the State Supreme Court. His final ruling is expected in a few days. (7) CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS a. MOVED, SECONDED AND DULY CARRIED: The minutes of the October 25, 2006 Steering Committee meeting were approved as revised. END OF CONSENT CALENDAR (8) ACTION ITEMS a. MOVED, SECONDED AND DULY CARRIED: Recommend to the Board to adopt the 2007 Legislative Platform and Goals Michael Gold presented the 2007 Legislative Platform explaining that the policy statements from 2006 had not been modified but the new platform did include the goals developed at the October Legislative Strategic Planning session and the procedures adopted by the Steering Committee a few months back. The Platform was adopted without dissent. b. MOVED, SECONDED AND DULY CARRIED: Recommend to the Board to authorize a one-year renewal to the agreements for State and Federal Advocacy services from January 1, 2007 through December 31, 2007 , in a form approved by General Counsel, as follows: Sacramento Representatives Scott Baugh (currently with Platinum Advisors) Townsend Public Affairs {TPA) $5,000 per month $5,000 per month Minutes of the Steering Committee Page 3 November 15, 2006 Federal Representatives Eric Sapirstein and John Freshman (ENS Resources $10,000 per month and Troutman Sanders Public Affairs) Michael Gold requested extending the contracts for all legislative advocates through the end of 2007. He explained that with the inclusion of goals and the new position of Legislative Affairs Liaison, staff recommends giving the current program one additional year to evolve and the Steering Committee would discuss various options for further legislative advocacy services in mid-2007. Director Ridgeway stressed the importance of hiring lobbyists and having a structured legislative program. The contracts were approved unanimously. c. MOVED, SECONDED AND DULY CARRIED: Recommend to the Board of Directors to: 1. Adopt Resolution No. OCSD 06-25, Establishing Rules of Procedure for the Conduct of Business of the District; and, Repealing Resolution No. OCSD 04- 15; and, 2. Adopt Resolution No. OCSD 06-26, Establishing Policies and Procedures for the Award of Purchase Orders and Contracts; Award of Public Works Project Contracts; Professional Services Contracts; and Delegation of Authority to Implement said Policies and Procedures; and Repealing Resolution No. OCSD 04-08. Bob Ghirelli made one correction to Item L(1 )(c), informing that the Engineering and Operations Committee will meet on Wednesdays, not on Thursdays. (9) INFORMATIONAL ITEMS a. The Agenda Items scheduled to be reviewed by the Board's working committees in November were reviewed. b. The agenda items scheduled to be presented to the Board at the October 25, 2006 meeting were reviewed. (10) OTHER BUSINESS, COMMUNICATIONS OR SUPPLEMENTAL AGENDA ITEMS, IF ANY There were none. (11) MATTERS WHICH A DIRECTOR WOULD LIKE STAFF TO REPORT ON AT A SUBSEQUENT MEETING There were none. (12) . 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 15, 2006 There were none. (13) CONSIDERATION OF UPCOMING MEETINGS The next Steering Committee meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, December 20, 2006 at 5 p.m. The next Board Meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, December 20, 2006 at 7 p .m. (14) CLOSED SESSION The Committee convened at 5:55p.m. in Closed Session, pursuant to Sections 54956.9(a) and 54957(b )(1 ), to discuss three matters. 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 Soard and Committee Closed Meetings. A report of the recommended actions will be publicly reported at the time the approved actions become final. At 6:30p.m ., the Committee reconvened in regular session . (15) ADJOURNMENT The Chair declared the meeting adjourned at 6:30 p.m. Submitted by: L -L"~~~ Steering Committee Secretary H:\dept\agenda\Steering Committee\2006\Minutes\092706 SC Minutes DRAFT.S.doc