Bolinas Community Public Utility
District
A Regular Meeting
Of The Board Of Directors
December 19, 2012 270 Elm Road, Bolinas
MINUTES
1. Call to Order.
7:35 p.m.
2. Roll.
Directors Amoroso, Kimball, Siedman and Smith present;
director Bender absent. Director Siedman presiding.
3. Manager’s Report.
-- Update on the Terrace Avenue Water Main Relocation Project.
Staff reported that the district received an e-mail earlier this month from
the California Department of Public Health (“CDPH”) confirming that the headquarters
office has approved the district’s request to amend the loan funding agreement
for this project to increase the amount of the loan and extend the time to
complete the project. The formal paperwork is expected to be sent out
to the district by the end of the month. In the meantime, district
staff has proceeded to install new meters on Hillside and Marin Way for the
four customers whose meters must be relocated in connection with this project.
-- Update on the Terrace Avenue Bluff Stabilization Project.
Staff has submitted soil boring permit applications for the three borings
needed for the next phase of the geotechnical investigation of the bluff
at Surfer’s Overlook. The County of Marin has confirmed that neither
planning nor coastal permits are required for the borings. Staff thanked
property owners Bob Ekedahl and Dean Hart for their cooperation in authorizing
the beach level borings to be done on their properties. Staff also
thanked Bob Beaumont, director of the Department of Public Works, for waiving
the fee for the encroachment permit needed for the boring on Terrace Avenue
and Brian Crawford, director of the Community Development Agency, for asking
the County Administrator to pay for the soil boring permit application fees.
-- Update on the Wastewater Treatment Plant Pump Station and Electrical Upgrade
Project.
Staff is working to finalize all contract details; the project is planned
for the Spring.
Water consumption in the district was up slightly in the most recent quarter
for residents on the back of the Mesa. Now that the winter rains have
started, staff expects consumption to drop back to typical low winter levels.
The winter rains (and consequent rise of the organics in the raw water) have
required increased monitoring by staff of the chlorine levels in the district’s
treated water – this topic has been hotly debated by staff as the district
seeks to keep its chlorine residuals low to deter the formation of disinfection
byproducts, yet high enough to maintain the required disinfection residuals
in the system. Staff is planning to purchase new equipment to monitor
residual levels at the water storage tanks, as well as a de-chlorinator to
use when flushing hydrants near waterways.
The Board reviewed a draft letter to customer Wayne Lazarus approving his
request for financial relief due to a leak at the property; the Board’s approval
is contingent upon an inspection at the property. Staff updated the
Board on other customer matters, including the location of two meters on
the Little Mesa and the attempted repair of a leak on a customer service
saddle on Park Avenue. Unfortunately, the repair was not completely
successful, so staff intends to undertake another repair when the weather
improves.
On the wastewater side of operations, staff rebuilt one of the treatment
pond aerators at a cost of just under $4,000; staff noted that the district
likely will need to budget for the replacement of the aerators within the
next few years.
Staff directed the Board’s attention to a letter from the County of Marin’s
Department of Public Works about its upcoming road resurfacing and rehabilitation
project, which includes the repaving of Wharf Road, Horseshoe Hill Road and
Olema-Bolinas Road. In addition, the County plans to do ADA curb ramp
installations, drainage work and other miscellaneous improvements.
Director Smith requested that staff contact the County engineer running the
project and inquire about the availability of ground asphalt, subject to
the usual pre-testing requirement, as it could save the County a significant
amount of money in trucking costs on the project. He noted there also
may be ground asphalt available from the County’s plans to re-do the Agate
Beach parking lot with permeable concrete. Director Kimball agreed,
and suggested the district could offer to pay for half of the cost of the
testing if that would encourage the County to provide the ground asphalt
to the community.
The Board reviewed other correspondence sent and received
since the last regular meeting, including a letter to Piazza Construction
with the final retention payment for the Wharf Road Service Saddle Replacement
Project and the district’s group termination request to Kaiser Permanente
to exit its existing plan in favor of the new plan with ACWA/JPIA.
Finally, staff presented a draft of an informational brochure
about “Fats, Oils and Grease” or “FOG” and how FOG impacts customers on the
sewer system, as well as septic system owners. Staff intends to have
a final version ready for the Board’s approval at the January meeting.
Director Smith said that the brochure also should emphasize the importance
of regular pumping of septic tanks to ensure the continued good operation
of such systems; he offered to draft some language for staff to include in
the brochure.
-- Drainage Project Manager’s Report.
Drainage Project Manager Lewie Likover submitted a written
report.
4. Community Expression.
Mike Valen said he strongly supports the district’s efforts
to inform the community about FOG. On a separate topic, he said that
his property is within the eucalyptus grove on Mesa Road and that PG&E
last year had tagged several trees in the right-of-way for removal, but nothing
has happened. Directors urged him to call PG&E to follow-up; in
past years, customer follow-up has been necessary to persuade PG&E to
undertake projects in Bolinas.
Director Kimball said she recently worked on bike path
median upkeep with several laborers employed by Warren Weber; she said they
did fantastic work and, since they are not fully employed with farm work
right now due to the winter season, she strongly urged community members
in need of garden assistance to consider hiring these laborers through Star
Route Farms.
5. Request for Financial Relief from Quarterly Water Bill
pursuant to BCPUD Resolution 553 – 20 Mesa Road, Bolinas (M. Valen).
Director Siedman noted that the request seeks relief for water loss due to
an irrigation system leak, which the Board ordinarily would not endorse;
however, he said the situation is a bit unusual and asked Mr. Valen to explain
his request. Mr. Valen said that he purchased the property approximately
two years ago and it was in significant disrepair; he had no idea that the
property even had an irrigation system as it was so overgrown. He did
not know there was a leak in the irrigation system until he received his
water bill; he thanked the district for staff’s assistance in turning the
water on and off while he and his contractor searched for the valve to shut
off the irrigation system. Mr. Valen said that the valve eventually
was located and that he has no intention of using the irrigation system.
Director Siedman said that under the circumstances he is inclined not to
treat this request as prohibited under Resolution 553, and the other directors
concurred. Director Smith said that in cases of blind leaks, the Board
generally forgives the amount of water lost due to the leak and proposed
that the Board do so in this case.
D. Smith/B. Kimball four in favor, director
Bender absent to grant financial relief for the full amount
of the water loss attributable to the leak, based on the historical average
water use for this property during the same billing quarter over the past
three years.
6. Approve Two-Year Extension of Franchise Agreement with
North Bay Corporation for Solid Waste, Recycling and Green Waste Services.
B. Kimball/D. Smith four in favor, director
Bender absent to approve the two-year extension of the
franchise agreement with North Bay Corporation for Solid Waste, Recycling
and Green Waste Services.
Director Kimball reminded the Board that the two-year extension provides
the district and North Bay Corporation with time to negotiate a longer-term
agreement, and that the district delegated the initial responsibility for
negotiating to its Operations Committee (i.e., directors Smith and Bender).
Director Siedman agreed and stated that North Bay Corporation claims to be
losing money under the current contract.
7. Request for BCPUD Letter to the County of Marin Regarding
the Dissolution of the Bolinas Lagoon Technical Advisory Committee (C. O’Connor).
Director Siedman noted that the Board’s policy is to require
that any one requesting a letter from the BCPUD provide an initial draft
letter for the Board’s consideration; director Smith agreed and noted that
Cela has not done so here, but the paperwork she submitted raises the salient
points. Director Kimball said that per past discussions on this topic,
director Amoroso should review Cela’s paperwork with Rudi Ferris and Ralph
Camiccia, who currently are members of the Bolinas Advisory Council, and
obtain their input before the district agrees to send a letter to the County.
Director Amoroso agreed to do so and report back to the Board.
8. Amend the BCPUD’s Illness & Injury Prevention Program
to include a Heat Illness Prevention Program.
Staff reported that it is a Cal-OSHA requirement for the district to have
a Heat Illness Prevention Plan; the draft in the Board binders was developed
from a template provided by ACWA/JPIA and modified by staff for the district’s
purposes. Staff noted that in the process of preparing this document,
staff realized that the district’s Emergency Response Plan, which is intended
as an appendix to the Heat Illness Prevention Plan, is out-of-date and should
be updated. Staff has located a template Emergency Response Plan published
by the California Department of Public Health for small water systems, and
staff recommended the district modify this template for its purposes and
then adopt it as the district’s updated plan. There was no objection
from the Board. Staff suggested that the Board approve the Heat Illness
Prevention Program, subject to further modifications by the district to update
the Emergency Response Plan (which is Appendix A to the Heat Illness Prevention
Program).
B. Kimball/V. Amoroso four in favor,
director Bender absent to approve the
Heat Illness Prevention Program, subject to staff subsequent updating of
Appendix A, the Emergency Response Plan.
9. Approve Amendments to Memorandum of Understanding re
Compensation and Benefits between the BCPUD Board of Directors and BCPUD
Employees (hourly wage and hours adjustments).
Director Siedman observed that the amendments are required as part of the
district’s transition to a new health plan for employees. Director
Amoroso inquired whether full benefits are paid for full-time employees only;
director Kimball confirmed that is the case – employees must work at least
90% to receive full benefits. Discussion ensued about the language
in paragraph 4 of the Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”) and it was agreed
the words “who work a minimum of 36 hours per week” should be added to this
paragraph. Further discussion then ensued about the amount of benefits
for part-time employees and dependents hired after July 1, 2012; directors
Siedman and Kimball said this issue was not directly negotiated with staff
and is not addressed in the MOU at this point. It was agreed that this
issue should be taken up with staff during the next MOU negotiation.
Staff then responded to further clarifying questions from director Amoroso
regarding the various benefits outlined in the MOU.
B. Kimball/D. Smith four in favor, director
Bender absent to approve the amendments
to the MOU re: Compensation and Benefits between the BCPUD Board of Directors
and BCPUD Employees.
10. Update on Water Supply Augmentation Project.
Director Smith said that data collection was underway;
nothing to report at this time.
11. Volunteer Committee Reports
-- Alternative Energy: Nothing to report.
-- Bolinas Lagoon Advisory Committee: Nothing further to report.
-- Community Path Update: Director Kimball reported that BCPUD staff
prepared the upper part of the path median and installed base rock donated
by the County; the County then installed reflectors. BCPUD was reimbursed
for its labor and equipment. Yesterday, director Kimball worked with
four laborers from Star Route Farms to weed, remove eucalyptus leaves, and
repair damaged sections of the path. The funds remaining in the account
will allow for additional weeding in the spring.
-- Downtown Parking & Traffic Committee: Nothing to report.
-- Resource Recovery: The Board reviewed the most recent inspection
report from the County of Marin.
-- West Marin Mosquito Control Coordinating Council: Director Kimball
reported the Council met on December 3rd with several members of the management
team at the Marin/Sonoma Mosquito Vector & Control District and approved
the use of a new mineral oil-based larvaecide for the control of mosquitos
breeding in septic tanks. Liza Goldblatt, a member of the Council,
attended the Stinson Beach County Water District Board meeting; three new
members were recently elected to that Board and one of the new members may
begin regularly attending the Council meetings. In addition, the Council
sent out letters encouraging local relators to educate their clients (i.e.,
owners of rental properties) to monitor their septic systems for mosquito
problems and explained how to control such problems with non-toxic means.
Director Kimball noted that over 50% of the properties in Stinson Beach are
rental properties with absentee owners.
12. Other Business
a. Board Committee Reports
-- Finance: The Board received copies of the district’s fiscal year
2011-12 audited financial statements.
-- Legal: Nothing to report.
-- Mesa Septic, Flood Control and Roads: Nothing to report.
-- Operations: Nothing to report.
-- Park and Recreation: Director Amoroso reported that the Mesa Park
parcel tax measure on the November 2012 ballot failed to pass by 4 votes.
The Mesa Park Board is discussing whether to place another parcel tax measure
on the June or November 2013 ballot. Staff reported that Mesa Park
evidently has located some documents relating to the Firehouse & Clinic
Project (which may include the lift station installation and cost documents)
– these documents are needed to complete the grant amendment process.
-- Personnel: Director Kimball reported that the district is working
on the final details of the transition to the new medical plan.
-- Sewer: Nothing to report.
b. Minutes of the November 28, 2012 Regular Meeting.
Director Amoroso offered several clarifying revisions
to Item 7 of the minutes of the November 28, 2012 regular meeting.
D. Smith/B. Kimball four in favor, director
Bender absent to approve the minutes
of the November 29, 2012 regular meeting, as amended.
c. Warrants
D. Smith/B. Kimball four in favor, director
Bender absent to approve the warrant list.
d. Scheduling of Next Meeting(s)
January 16, 2013 at 7:30 p.m.
13. Adjournment.
8:54 p.m.