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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-27-2023 Steering Committee MinutesOrange County Sanitation District Minutes for the STEERING COMMITTEE Wednesday, September 27, 2023 5:00 PM Conference Room A Administration Building 10844 Ellis Avenue Fountain Valley, CA 92708 (714) 593-7433 CALL TO ORDER A regular meeting of the Steering Committee of the Orange County Sanitation District was called to order by Board Chairman Chad Wanke on Wednesday, September 27, 2023 at 5:01 p.m. in the Administration Building of the Orange County Sanitation District. ROLL CALL AND DECLARATION OF QUORUM: Assistant Clerk of the Board Tina Knapp declared a quorum present, as follows: PRESENT:Chad Wanke, Ryan Gallagher, Pat Burns, Marshall Goodman, Christine Marick, John Withers and Jon Dumitru ABSENT:None STAFF PRESENT: Rob Thompson, General Manager; Lorenzo Tyner, Assistant General Manager; Michael Dorman, Director of Engineering; Laura Maravilla, Director of Human Resources; Riaz Moinuddin, Director of Operations and Maintenance; Wally Ritchie, Director of Finance; Lan Wiborg, Director of Environmental Services; Tina Knapp, Assistant Clerk of the Board; Mo Abiodun; Jennifer Cabral; Jackie Castro; Mortimer Caparas; Daisy Covarrubias; Raul Cuellar; Thys DeVries; Martin Dix; Justin Fenton; Al Garcia; Rebecca Long; Valerie Ratto; and Ruth Zintzun were present in Conference Room A. Thomas Vu was present telephonically. OTHERS PRESENT: Brad Hogin, General Counsel; and Alex Akerman and Lieb Lerner, Special Counsel, Alston & Bird, were present in Conference Room A. Cori Takkinen, Townsend Public Affairs, and Eric Sapirstein, ENS Resources, were present telephonically. PUBLIC COMMENTS: None. REPORTS: Chair Wanke did not provide a report. General Manager Rob Thompson informed the Board that the Clerk of the Board is on vacation and Assistant Clerk of the Board Tina Knapp is performing the Clerk's duties in her absence. Mr. Thompson also introduced recently promoted Assistant Clerk of the Board Jackie Castro. Mr. Thompson also provided a recap of the recent rig fishing a few of the Directors participated in onboard OC San's ocean monitoring vessel, Nerissa. Page 1 of 5 STEERING COMMITTEE Minutes September 27, 2023 CONSENT CALENDAR: 1.APPROVAL OF MINUTES 2023-3190 Originator: Kelly Lore MOVED, SECONDED, AND DULY CARRIED TO: Approve minutes of the Regular meeting of the Steering Committee held August 23, 2023. AYES:Chad Wanke, Ryan Gallagher, Pat Burns, Marshall Goodman, Christine Marick, John Withers and Jon Dumitru NOES:None ABSENT:None ABSTENTIONS:None 2.PUBLIC AFFAIRS UPDATE FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST 2023 2023-3208 Originator: Rob Thompson MOVED, SECONDED, AND DULY CARRIED TO: Recommend to the Board of Directors to: Receive and file the Public Affairs Update for the month of August 2023. AYES:Chad Wanke, Ryan Gallagher, Pat Burns, Marshall Goodman, Christine Marick, John Withers and Jon Dumitru NOES:None ABSENT:None ABSTENTIONS:None 3.LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS UPDATE FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST 2023 2023-3207 Originator: Rob Thompson MOVED, SECONDED, AND DULY CARRIED TO: Recommend to the Board of Directors to: Receive and file the Legislative Affairs Update for the month of August 2023. AYES:Chad Wanke, Ryan Gallagher, Pat Burns, Marshall Goodman, Christine Marick, John Withers and Jon Dumitru NOES:None ABSENT:None ABSTENTIONS:None Page 2 of 5 STEERING COMMITTEE Minutes September 27, 2023 NON-CONSENT: 4.ORANGE COUNTY SANITATION DISTRICT LEGAL SERVICES 2023-3224 Originator: Rob Thompson Assistant General Manager Lorenzo Tyner introduced the item, indicating that OC San recently conducted a Request for Qualifications process to identify HR legal services. Vice-Chair Ryan Gallagher expressed his appreciation to the Committee and staff on the process and indicated that the Legal Services Ad Hoc Committee had concluded its intended purpose. The Committee members also expressed appreciation for the successful process. The Committee members determined that it was of interest to pursue reviewing general legal counsel services and potentially proceed with a proposal process for these services. Chair Wanke appointed Vice-Chair Gallager and Directors Burns, Dumitru, Marick, and Withers to serve on the General Legal Services Ad Hoc Committee. MOVED, SECONDED, AND DULY CARRIED TO: Create a new General Legal Services Ad Hoc Committee for the purpose of reviewing the current/evergreen contract and the policy and process surrounding this contract and potentially bidding general counsel legal services. Discuss the status and scope of the Legal Services Ad Hoc Committee and any recommendations from the Committee. AYES:Chad Wanke, Ryan Gallagher, Pat Burns, Marshall Goodman, Christine Marick, John Withers and Jon Dumitru NOES:None ABSENT:None ABSTENTIONS:None 5.SINGAPORE INTERNATIONAL WATER WEEK 2024 ATTENDANCE 2023-3226 Originator: Rob Thompson Mr. Thompson provided an overview of this item. MOVED, SECONDED, AND DULY CARRIED TO: Recommend to the Board of Directors to: Approve out-of-country travel to Singapore for General Manager Rob Thompson to participate in the Singapore International Water Week to present on water recycling, resource recovery, and resiliency, contingent on receipt of a 50% scholarship to offset travel costs. AYES:Chad Wanke, Ryan Gallagher, Pat Burns, Marshall Goodman, Christine Marick, John Withers and Jon Dumitru Page 3 of 5 STEERING COMMITTEE Minutes September 27, 2023 NOES:None ABSENT:None ABSTENTIONS:None INFORMATION ITEMS: None. DEPARTMENT HEAD REPORTS: None. CLOSED SESSION: CONVENED IN CLOSED SESSION PURSUANT TO GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 54956.9(d)(1). The Committee convened in closed session at 5:21 p.m. Confidential minutes of the Closed Sessions have been prepared in accordance with the above Government Code Section and are maintained by the Clerk of the Board in the Official Book of Confidential Minutes of Board and Committee Closed Session meetings. CS-1 CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL RE EXISTING LITIGATION - GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 54956.9(d)(1) 2023-3220 CONVENED IN CLOSED SESSION: Number of Cases: 1 Klean Waters, Inc. et. al. v. Orange County Sanitation District, United States District Court, Central District of California, Southern Division, Case No. 8:15-cv-00627...body RECONVENED IN REGULAR SESSION. The Committee reconvened in regular session at 6:00 p.m. CONSIDERATION OF ACTION, IF ANY, ON MATTERS IN CLOSED SESSION. General Counsel Brad Hogin stated there was no reportable action. OTHER BUSINESS AND COMMUNICATIONS OR SUPPLEMENTAL AGENDA ITEMS, IF ANY: None. BOARD OF DIRECTORS INITIATED ITEMS FOR A FUTURE MEETING: None. Page 4 of 5 STEERING COMMITTEE Minutes September 27, 2023 ADJOURNMENT: Chair Wanke declared the meeting adjourned at 6:00 p.m. to the next Regular Steering Committee meeting to be held on Wednesday, October 25, 2023 at 5:00 p.m. Submitted by: _____________________ Tina Knapp, MMC Assistant Clerk of the Board Page 5 of 5