MINUTES
1.
Call to Order.
7:32 p.m.
2.
Roll.
Directors
Amoroso, Comstock, Siedman and Smith present; director Siedman presiding. Director Siedman noted that director Godino is
attending the meeting by telephone.
Director
Siedman said that he would like the Board to acknowledge the recent passing of
Shift Operator Scotty Hanks, a valued member of the BCPUD staff since 2008,
with a minute of silence. The BCPUD
extends its condolences to Scotty’s family and friends.
3. Manager’s Report.
-- Update
on the Terrace Avenue Bluff Stabilization Project.
Staff
reported that the County has scheduled a hearing on the coastal permit
application for the installation of the road-level retaining wall repair
project at Surfer’s Overlook in August.
The County anticipates that the design and bidding will be coordinated
such that construction can start in mid-September. A six-week construction schedule is planned
and Terrace Avenue will be closed at Surfer’s
Overlook during the project installation.
The Board requested that staff clarify whether the road will be closed
during non-working hours only, or for the entirety of the project installation.
-- Update on the BCPUD Chlorine Disinfection
Byproduct Reduction Project: Limited Duration Employment Agreement with Lewie
Likover for FY 2015-16.
The
coagulation pilot project started this week; staff ran the pilot on water from
the Woodrat #1 reservoir and took baseline tests and measurements. Staff
initially used too much coagulant, which caused the filter membranes to foul;
staff made adjustments to inject just 0.3 ppm of coagulant and results
improved. Specifically, there was a big
reduction in color from the raw water and also from the filtered water; sample
results will verify whether total organic carbons were reduced, or not. The next step is to run the pilot on water
from the Arroyo Hondo creek. If both of
these steps are successful, staff will perform bucket dosing tests, using reservoir
water from the warmest time of year plus storm water from the Arroyo
Hondo. Importantly, there was no carry-over
of alum (i.e., coagulant) into the finished water during the pilot.
Staff
requested Board approval of a limited duration employment agreement for Lewie
Likover for FY 2015-16, which is on the same terms and conditions as prior
years with a 3% increase in his hourly wage.
L. Comstock/D. Smith all in favor to
approve the limited duration employment agreement with Lewie Likover for FY
2015-16.
--
Update on Replacement of Sewer Pumps at the Wharf Road Lift Station: Lift
Station Pump Evaluation Report by West Yost Associates.
The Board received a draft Lift Station Pump
Evaluation Report from West Yost Associates wherein two 30 HP dual phase shaft
(not belt) pumps manufactured by Vogelsang are recommended to replace the
district’s failed pumps. The report also
recommends – although it is not mandatory -- that the district install grinders
before the pumps if possible. As there
is insufficient space in the pump room to install grinders, they would have to
be installed in the wetwell if the district decides to purchase grinders. The estimated cost of purchase and
installation of the pumps is $212,000 and the estimated cost of purchase and
installation of the grinders is an additional $66,000, plus the cost of certain
electrical upgrades.
Discussion ensued among the Board members
about the costs involved, whether engineered drawings are necessary, whether
one grinder can be used rather than two, and whether grinders are truly
necessary at all, given that the district has operated without grinders for
decades, and so forth. Director Smith
noted that West Yost appears to be recommending only two-stage pumps and he
questioned whether single stage pumps would be sufficient (and less
expensive). After a brief discussion,
the Board agreeds to hold a special meeting on July 22, 2015 at 11:00 a.m. to
further consider the draft report and pose questions to the West Yost
Associates engineer who prepared the draft report.
Staff reported that water consumption in the
district declined in the most recent billing cycle (for the downtown area
during the months of April, May, June) compared to this time last year and
staff thanked and congratulated the community for its conservation efforts.
Staff directed the Board’s attention to the
most recent public notice concerning chlorine disinfection byproducts, which
was mailed to customers on July 13th. Staff noted that the district’s results are
improving (i.e., the level of disinfection byproducts in the district’s treated
water is declining), but the overall annual running averages regrettably remain
above the maximum contaiminant level.
The Board reviewed a copies of the district’s
2014 Consumer Confidence Report, which was mailed out to customers on June 26th,
as well as copies of the district’s 2014 license reports (for its 3 water
sources), which were submitted by the district’s attorneys to the state prior
to the June 30th deadline.
Staff reported that the district needs to
purchase a new air compressor to replace the existing compressor at the Woodrat
Water Treatment Plant, which is an essential piece of equipment that is not
working well. Staff recommends the
purchase of an Ingersoll Rand compressor at a cost of approximately $6,500, to
be paid for by funds allocated to the “plant” section of the budget. The Board had no objection.
The Board reviewed a letter to the district
from the Department of Water Resources confirming the district’s pre- payment
in full of an outstanding water system improvement loan. The Board also reviewed a Zero Waste Marin
Grant application submitted by the district for $3,500 in grant funds to pay
for the July 4th town clean-up, as well as increased trash and
recycle pick-up at the beach entrances; the receipt of these grant funds will
enable the district to significantly increase the diversion of recyclables
during periods of high visitor presence in town.
The Board reviewed correspondence sent and
received since the last regular meeting, including a letter from the County’s
Director of Finance concerning the charges allocated to the participating
agencies in Marin LAFCO (the BCPUD’s annual allocation is $792.45), which is
expected to rise given Marin LAFCO’s hire of a new full-time analyst, and
various County communications regardings its efforts to study and plan for
sea-level rise in coastal Marin.
--
Drainage Project Manager’s Report.
The Board received a drainage report from
Lewie Likover.
4.
Community Expression.
None.
5.
Expanded Water Use Permit Application: 250 Kale Road, Bolinas (J. Lalezari).
Alethea Patton was present to
represent the property owner; she explained that the project involves the remodel
of an existing kitchen and master bedroom, with the addition of 50 square feet for
a sunroom. The project also will include
632 square feet of new decking and a seismic upgrade. Alethea confirmed that no additional plumbing
or new bathrooms are included in the scope of work. Director Siedman noted that the project does
not appear to implicate any increase in water use; as such, an unconditional
permit seems to be appropriate.
V. Amoroso/D. Smith all
in favor approving an unconditional
expanded water use permit.
6.
Expanded Water Use Permit Application: 222 Alder Road, Bolinas (R. Bass).
Richard
Bass was present and explained that his project is a new detached garage with no
plumbing included. Director Siedman
commented that this project similarly does not appear to implicate an increase
in water use.
L. Comstock/D. Smith all
in favor to approve an unconditional
expanded water use permit.
7. Marin
Local Agency Formation Commission: Proposed Revisions to Regulatory Policies
and Procedures.
Director Smith reported that
he reviewed the proposed revisions to LAFCO’s policies and procedures (which
are specific to implementing its regulatory duties and responsibilities – the deadline
for comments is July 27, 2015) and he noted two substantive issues. First, the proposed revisions delete reference
to “community plans” and second, the revisions also appear to eliminate
references to the grandfathering of joint powers agreements between special
districts. He recommended the district
comment on both of these proposed revisions.
D. Smith/G. Godino all in favor directing staff to submit a comment letter consistent with
director Smith’s observations from the BCPUD on the Marin LAFCO proposed
revisions to Regulatory Policies and Procedures.
8.
Five-Year Update and Recertification of the
BCPUD’s Sewer System Management Plan.
Staff reported that the BCPUD is required to
update and recertify its Sewer System Management Plan every five years. The changes proposed by staff for the Board’s
recertification are as follows: updates
to the district contact information in light of staff changes; revised
definitions to comport with the most recent State Water Resources Control Board
Order in September 2013; minor updates to projects and plans for sewer system
improvements based on the 5-Year Capital Improvement Plan recently adopted by
the Board; and a water quality monitoring plan to be followed in the event of a
sewer spill to state waters (specifically, samples will be taken at the point
of discharge, upstream and downstream until the County advises otherwise for total
and fecal coliform, enterococcus, e-coli and ammonia).
L. Comstock/D. Smith all in favor to approve and recertify the BCPUD’s
Sewer System Management Plan.
9.
BCPUD Resolution 637: Approving the 2015-16 District Budget.
Staff stated that the
district’s budgetary process begins usually in January of each year (as it did
this year) with public meetings of the Finance Committee; all minutes of the
Finance Committee meetings are available on-line. After several months of meetings, the Finance
Committee recommends a draft budget for the Board’s consideration and, if the
budget includes revisions to the district’s service charges, the Board then
approves a Proposition 218 notice which is sent out to customers to inform them
of the potential service charge increases. This year, the Finance Committee recommended
a budget that included increasing service charges by 10% (after three years
with no increases), so a Proposition 218 notice was sent out to explain the
proposed increases and reasons therefore.
The Board then held a public hearing on the budget on June 17, 2015 and
no protests to the draft budget were submitted.
L. Comstock/D. Smith all
in favor to approve BCPUD
Resolution 637 and the 2015-16 district budget.
10. BCPUD
Resolution 638: Replaces Resolution No.
630, Stating the Current Rates and Charges for District Services and
Authorizing Placement of Charges on the Marin County Property Tax Bill Where
Appropriate.
L. Comstock/V. Amoroso all in favor to
approve Resolution 638, stating the
current rates and charges for district services and authorizing placement of those
charges on the Marin County Property Tax Bill.
11. Update
on Proposed Sale of College of Marin Properties in Bolinas.
Director
Siedman reported that a local group interested in acquiring the Bolinas properties
to be sold by the College of Marin is waiting for an RFP to be issued. He explained that the BCPUD ultimately may
acquire title to the lab property and/or the boat dock, which would then be
leased to the Bolinas Community Land Trust (for affordable senior housing)
and/or a local fishermens’ association (for a public dock), respectively. The reason the BCPUD might acquire title is
because of specific College of Marin priorities for public use of these properties
(affordable housing and public recreation).
Director Amoroso noted that the BCPUD would not be taking title to the
College of Marin property currently leased as a private residence.
12. Water Supply Update.
Staff confirmed that the district currently
is supplying the town’s water demand exclusively from the district’s preferred
water source, the Arroyo Hondo Creek.
As for the ongoing study of the irrigation
well at the Resource Recovery site, the district is waiting for a report from
consulting hydrologist Rob Gailey. This
report will evaluate the likely safe yield of the well, taking into account
information gathered to date concerning recharge and, if possible, the
potential for seawater intrusion. Director Smith said he remains concerned about
how to explain the relatively fast recharge of the well last Fall before the
rains began following the intensive use to establish the fields at Mesa Park –
where did the recharge freshwater come from and could it induce seawater
intrustion? He noted that Rob Gailey may
not yet be able to derive definitive conclusions at this point, but may instead
recommend additional data gathering and/or testing of the well water. In any event, the report will help the Board
assess whether it is worthwhile to continue to expend resouces to develop the
well as a potential supplement to the district’s potable water supply.
13. Volunteer Committee Reports.
--
Bolinas Lagoon Advisory Committee: Nothing to report.
-- Downtown Parking &
Traffic Committee: Nothing to report.
--
Resource Recovery: Staff reported that the Resource Recovery
Project is pursuing a potential grant to replace the tractor used at the
site. In addition, the RRP recently
revised its site management plan to address County of Marin requirements for groundwater
protection given the proximity of the greenwaste to the irrigation well.
--
West Marin Mosquito Control Coordinating Council: Nothing to report.
--
Land Stewardship Committee: Director Siedman reported that the Committee
will next meet on July 24, 2015.
14. Other Business.
a. Board Committee Reports.
-- Finance:
Minutes of the April 20, 2015 Finance
Committee Meeting.
Director Comstock offered two clarifying
corrections to the draft mintues of the April 20, 2015 Finance Committee
meeting.
L. Comstock/D. Smith all in favor to approve the minutes of the April 20,
2015 finance committee meeting, as corrected.
-- Legal: Nothing to report.
-- Mesa Septic, Flood Control and Roads: Nothing
to report.
-- Operations: Staff
reported that Conservation Corps NorthBay will meet with staff next week and develop
a cost proposal for its crews to clear encroaching vegetation adjacent to the
district’s solar arrays. Director Smith
suggested that staff also discuss a potential bike path maintenance proposal
and staff agreed to do so.
-- Park and Recreation: Nothing to report.
-- Personnel: Staff reported that the district has posted
ads in local newspapers as well as on on-line job posting sites for a full-time
shift operator and anticipates reviewing resumes during the last week of
July. Director Siedman inquired about
the role of the Personnel Committee; staff suggested that the applications be
screened first by staff, and then a slate of candidates to be interviewed will
be recommended. Director Siedman noted
that director Godino will be out of the country until late August and that
director Smith is the alternate on the Personnel Committee; he asked director
Godino if she had any objection to director Smith participating in the
interviews in her absence. Director
Godino said she would be very grateful.
Director Amoroso suggested that at some point the
district consider hiring two people and perhaps reorganize the staff to some
extent. For example, perhaps two staff
members can be devoted to capital projects and two to operations. He noted that the district’s chief operator
likely will retire within the next few years, so the district should be looking
to the future. Although the district did
have four operators in previous years, the district did not reorganize staff to
dedicate half to capital projects – however, in light of the district’s new
Five Year Capital Improvement Plan, perhaps it makes sense to do so now.
Director
Siedman suggested that staff recommend a slate of five candidates for the
Personnel Committee to interview in August.
--
Sewer: Nothing to report.
b. Minutes
of the June 17, 2015 regular meeting.
Director Comstock offered revisions to the
draft minutes of the June 17, 2015 regular Board meeting; director Amoroso
noted that there is a typo on page 4 of the draft minutes.
L. Comstck/D. Smith all in favor to
approve the draft minutes of the June 17, 2015, as corrected.
c. Warrants.
D. Smith/L. Comstock all
in favor to approve the warrant list.
d. Scheduling of Next Meeting(s):
July 22, 2015 at 11:00 a.m. – special meeting of the Board.
August 19, 2015 at 7:30 p.m. – next regular meeting of the Board.
15. Adjournment.
8:55 p.m.