HomeMy WebLinkAbout12-14-2023 Steering Committee MinutesOrange County Sanitation District
Minutes for the
STEERING COMMITTEE
OC6SAN
ORANGE COUNTY SANITATION DISTRICT
CALL TO ORDER
Thursday, December 14, 2023
5:00 PM
Conference Room A
Administration Building
10844 Ellis Avenue
Fountain Valley, CA 92708
(714) 593-7433
A regular meeting of the Steering Committee of the Orange County Sanitation District was
called to order by Board Vice -Chairman Ryan Gallagher on Thursday, December 14, 2023 at
5:00 p.m. in the Administration Building of the Orange County Sanitation District.
ROLL CALL AND DECLARATION OF QUORUM:
The Clerk of the Board declared a quorum present as follows:
PRESENT: Ryan Gallagher, Pat Burns, Christine Marick, John Withers and Jon
Dumitru
ABSENT: Chad Wanke and Marshall Goodman
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; Kelly Lore, Clerk of the Board;
Mo Abiodun; Jackie Castro; Daisy Covarrubias; Tanya Chong; Thys DeVries; Martin Dix;
Justin Fenton; Rebecca Long; Rob Michaels; Eros Yong; and Ruth Zintzun were present in
Conference Room A.
OTHERS PRESENT: Brad Hogin, General Counsel; Lindsey Caro and Gary Weisberg,
Associate Counsel, Woodruff & Smart; and Rob Coppedge, Special Counsel, were present in
Conference Room A. Eric O' Donnell, Townsend Public Affairs; and Eric Sapirstein, ENS
Resources, were present telephonically.
PUBLIC COMMENTS:
None.
REPORTS:
Board Vice -Chair Gallagher did not provide a report.
General Manager Rob Thompson provided a brief update to the Raul Palazuelos litigation and
stated the case had been successfully resolved.
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STEERING COMMITTEE Minutes December 14, 2023
CONSENT CALENDAR:
1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 2023-3331
Originator: Kelly Lore
MOVED, SECONDED, AND DULY CARRIED TO:
Approve minutes of the Regular meeting of the Steering Committee held November 15,
2023.
AYES: Ryan Gallagher, Pat Burns, Christine Marick, John Withers and Jon
Dumitru
NOES: None
ABSENT: Chad Wanke and Marshall Goodman
ABSTENTIONS: None
2. LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS UPDATE FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER 2023-3339
2023
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 November 2023.
AYES: Ryan Gallagher, Pat Burns, Christine Marick, John Withers and Jon
Dumitru
NOES: None
ABSENT: Chad Wanke and Marshall Goodman
ABSTENTIONS: None
3. PUBLIC AFFAIRS UPDATE FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER 2023 2023-3340
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 November 2023.
AYES: Ryan Gallagher, Pat Burns, Christine Marick, John Withers and Jon
Dumitru
NOES: None
ABSENT: Chad Wanke and Marshall Goodman
ABSTENTIONS: None
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STEERING COMMITTEE Minutes December 14, 2023
NON -CONSENT:
4. SOLICITATION OF GENERAL LEGAL COUNSEL SERVICES 2023-3344
Originator: Wally Ritchie
Board Vice -Chair Gallagher provided an overview of the General Legal Services Ad Hoc
Committee's discussion from the Committee's meeting earlier today and requested any
input on the General Legal Services Ad Committee's recommendations. He stated
that it was the consensus of the Ad Hoc Committee to proceed with an RFP +
small percentage cost component for solicitation. The Committee requested a
flexible solicitation with the option to submit a proposal for legal services as a
whole, as a portion, or as only one category of the seven categories discussed. It was
agreed that staff would provide the initial written scoring component; and would
provide all scores to the Ad Hoc Committee to draw the line. It was recommended
that the Ad Hoc Committee interview all firms above the line drawn for all
disciplines, and would then provide a recommendation to the Steering Committee; the
full Steering Committee will interview the top two firms for General Counsel and
make a recommendation to the Board of Directors. The Ad Hoc Committee also
recommended that the Contract duration be five (5) years with one (1) five-year
extension. Staff anticipates holding interviews during the May Steering Committee
meeting. In response to a request from Director John Withers, Finance and
Procurement Manager Ruth Zintzun stated that a full written scope and process
would be provided at the Ad Hoc Committee's next meeting in January.
INFORMATION ITEMS:
None.
DEPARTMENT HEAD REPORTS:
None.
CLOSED SESSION:
CONVENED IN CLOSED SESSION PURSUANT TO GOVERNMENT CODE SECTIONS
54956.9(d)(4L& 54956.9(D)(1
The Committee convened in closed session at 5:08 p.m. Confidential minutes of the Closed
Sessions have been prepared in accordance with the above Government Code Sections 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 ANTICIPATED 2023-3342
LITIGATION - GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 54956.9(d)(4)
CONVENED IN CLOSED SESSION:
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STEERING COMMITTEE Minutes December 14, 2023
Number of Potential Cases: 1
Potential initiation of litigation regarding Miller -Holder Easement.
CS-2 CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL RE EXISTING LITIGATION - 2023-3361
GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 54956.9(D)(1)
CONVENED IN CLOSED SESSION:
Number of Cases: 2
Fernando Herrera Workers' Compensation Claim, Workers Compensation Appeals
Board, Case Nos. ADJ12271396 and ADJ16380462
RECONVENED IN REGULAR SESSION.
The Committee reconvened in regular session at 5:40 p.m.
CONSIDERATION OF ACTION, IF ANY, ON MATTERS CONSIDERED 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.
ADJOURNMENT:
Vice -Chair Gallagher declared the meeting adjourned at 5:41 p.m. to the next Regular
Steering Committee meeting to be held on Wednesday, January 17, 2024 at 5:00 p.m.
Submitted by:
e ly Lore, MMC
C rk f the Board
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