Bolinas Community Public Utility District
A Regular Meeting Of The Board Of Directors
May 21, 2003 270 Elm Road, Bolinas
1. Call to Order
8:00 p.m.
2. Roll
Directors Amoroso, Bertsch, Kayfetz, McClellan present
Director Siedman absent
Director McClellan presiding
3. Manager’s Report
A major leak, losing about 80,000 gallons of water a day, was found on Olema-Bolinas
Road at the end of the system, and repaired, after intensive searching over
two weeks. However, the situation illustrated that there are several more
leaks in the system, some identified, some not. The district-wide meter reading
that was undertaken to determine whether the high water production numbers
were caused by consumption revealed that average usage per residence was
about 161 gallons per day over 48 hours. Unaccounted for water ran at about
50% of production during the period prior to discovering the leak. Staff
will research possible methods of measuring flow at various points throughout
the system that would make leak detection in the future easier.
In order to reimburse employees for their co-payments for health costs, while
respecting their privacy yet satisfying the auditor’s requirements, Manager
Buchanan has proposed that employees submit a form detailing reimbursement
requests. Receipts should be kept for a year in case any questions arise
when the requests are reviewed. Director Kayfetz indicated that more research
on the legality of investigating employees’ health records should be done.
Residents on Nymph and Jute Roads have asked if BPUD will contribute towards
some roadwork they plan to do on the stretch adjacent to the BPUD property.
No plans have been submitted yet, but staff believes that it is likely to
be more in the nature of filling in potholes, rather than major work affecting
drainageways.
Administrative Assistant, Jill Whitcroft, will be on vacation/leave from
June 2 to July 3, 2003.
4. Community Expression
Matt Lewis reported that he had met with Supervisor Steve Kinsey and Department
of Public Works road engineer Jason Nutt to discuss the intersection of Overlook
and Poplar Roads. He stated that Kinsey and Nutt had not realized that the
obstruction Lewis has been concerned about is as one turns left from Overlook
onto Poplar. He has not heard from them since the meeting.
Tom Williard asked if the Bike Path Committee’s adoption of a new member
needed any ratification by the Board. He was informed that a Path Committee
report appeared farther down the agenda.
Roger Peacock asked if BCPUD would write a letter to Marin County Department
of Public Works asking the Department to repair a retaining wall on Terrace
Avenue at Surfer’s Overlook. The wall is on private property but was built
by the DPW. Director Kayfetz said the situation affects the whole community
and the District pipelines that run along Terrace.
-- Kayfetz/Bertsch four ayes,
Siedman absent to take the matter up
as an urgency item
-- Kayfetz/Bertsch four ayes,
Siedman absent to send a letter as requested
by Peacock
5. Enforcement of Ordinance 30, Establishing Rules And Procedures
For Governing The Use Of The Gridded Public Right Of Way Network On The Mesa
Director McClellan stated that, particularly in light of the County focus
on septic regulations, he believed it was time for the District to become
more aggressive and explicit in setting out the rules for privately undertaken
road and drainage work. According to the studies that BCPUD has had done
the groundwater on the Mesa can be lowered with appropriate drainage, thus
permitting septic systems some separation from the groundwater. He proposed
adding elevation numbers to the list of requirements on the road permit application,
to ensure that ditches and culverts are deep enough. He cited recently installed
culverts at Full Circle on Dogwood as probably not meeting the drainage plan
requirements. In addition he suggested that road permit applications be brought
to the Board on a case-by-case basis, rather than dealt with administratively.
Many issues were raised by numerous members of the audience: When a homeowner
undertakes improvements, for drainage to be effective, properties downstream
must also make changes. Who pays? Grades are often adjusted to avoid ponding
because of conditions elsewhere. County regulations can require culverts
that result in ditches thirty inches deep. County culverts can be too high;
who pays when one has to be changed so that private work is effective? Fences
and property lines are often in drainage ways. Who pays the cost of drainage
alongside undeveloped property? Don Murch suggested setting up a BCPUD fund
to help homeowners with unanticipated costs. Roger Peacock proposed surveying
and setting the heights of all the culverts in town so that there are definitive
starting points. Andy Blake stated that a piecemeal approach will never work.
Director Amoroso proposed forming a committee to bring a proposal before
the Board for surveying work, a budget, a four-year plan for implementing
a comprehensive drainage/road plan and how to enforce it, and language for
a ballot measure to gauge the degree of support in the community for such
a plan, and to fund it.
Roger Peacock asked who owned the roads. Director Kayfetz explained that
in 1926, Smadbeck Associates, the developer who owned the Mesa, quitclaimed
his ownership to the then utility district for the Mesa, which subsequently
merged with the downtown utility district to become the current BCPUD. The
offer of dedication of the roads that Smadbeck made to the County of Marin
was never accepted. Thus, BCPUD owns the roads.
In the meantime the Roads Committee will review all new applications for
permits, and bring them before the Board if there are issues that the Roads
Committee cannot resolve.
Matt Lewis, Stacey Henderson, Don Murch, Rob Rich, Jack McClellan and Andy
Blake were appointed to the ad hoc Road Improvement Committee, with Andy
Blake as chair. The committee will report at the next meeting.
7. Mosquito Abatement
There were no objections to moving Item 7 forward on the agenda.
Stacey Henderson reported that the Marin-Sonoma Mosquito and Vector Control
District can no longer provide support to Bolinas due to budget restrictions,
which leaves the two options of joining the MSM&VCD formally, or falling
back on our own mechanical methods, such as clearing ditches. To join the
MSM&VCD community would have to vote to approve participation and a property
tax of approximately $20 a year.
In a related matter, the Board received a letter from Sydney Bass, whose
property is adjacent to 315 Hawthorne. Bass noted in her letter that,
since the home at 315 Hawthorne burned down in June, 2002, standing water
has pooled and remained standing underneath the structure, providing a perfect
environment for mosquitoes. Bass recommended in her letter that the
burnt structure be removed and the standing water eliminated.
Staff indicated that the new owner of the property, Pam Whitehead, has hired
a contractor to restore the property to its natural state, a condition for
the transfer of the meter to a new address on Poplar Road. Whitehead
has stated that the contractor will complete the work by the end of May.
6. Road Maintenance Permit Application: Woods
project location: Birch between Poplar and Mesa
The proposed Birch Road drainage project illustrated the difficulties that
merely complying with Ordinance 30 does not cover. Culverts will cross the
road and intersect water lines and work needs to be done elsewhere. Director
Amoroso proposed asking for elevations. Director Bertsch, as a member of
the Roads Committee, said she would go and look at the project the following
day.
8. Bolinas Lagoon Restoration Project: status report; proposal
to appoint BCPUD
representative to project committee
Director Amoroso volunteered to attend any future meetings about the restoration
of Bolinas Lagoon as a representative of BCPUD. He said he would represent
BCPUD as having the following views: to have a project that meets the need
to preserve the lagoon with the minimum impact, to open the channel so the
fishermen can work, and to adequately investigate opening Seadrift Lagoon
to tidal action through deep culverts at several locations along the spit.
-- Bertsch/Amoroso four ayes,
Siedman absent to appoint Director Amoroso
as official BCPUD representative at lagoon restoration meetings, with Director
Kayfetz as alternate
Staff will send a letter to BLTAC, Ron Miska and Supervisor Kinsey, confirming
the appointment and asking that the District be advised of and invited to
attend any meetings.
9. Meter Transfer Request: Hollander
project location: 3 Spring Road
Albert Hollander explained that he would like to move the meter at Spring
Road to another location because the house is situated on a very dangerous
curve, very close to the road, where vehicles accelerate to go up the hill,
resulting in a lot of fumes. Director Kayfetz stated that he objected initially
because he thought it would set a precedent for moving small houses to large
lots where they could be sold for a lot of money; when he heard the testimony
about the fumes he changed his response. Director Amoroso said he had looked
at the property and the possibility of making it safer by installing a barrier
would then eliminate two parking spaces. Although Hollander does not yet
have an alternative location in mind, which the Board would take into consideration
if a request to transfer the meter was submitted, it was able to find the
meter transferable, due to compelling health and safety reasons.
-- Kayfetz/Bertsch four ayes,
Siedman absent to find the water connection
at 3 Spring Road transferable
10. Request for Variance on Schedule for Meter Transfer: Smith/Mickelson
project location: 38 Ocean / 191 Poplar
-- Amoroso/Kayfetz four ayes, Siedman absent
to grant the Smith/Mickelson request to approve
the Request for Variance, extending the time to complete the meter transfer
to May, 2004.
11. Road Survey Project: revised proposal
The revised proposal was not available but Andy Blake indicated that it would
cost about $28,000 over five years. An initial $3,000 would pay for the recording
and mapping of the existing monuments. The proposal was referred to the Road
Improvement Committee and continued to next month.
12. Proposal To Increase BCPUD Directors Pay
Directors have been paid $125 a month since the 1970s. Nancy McDonald observed
that the economic climate has changed since then and that people are less
able to give their time. She suggested that more people might run for election
if there were higher compensation. Director Kayfetz objected strongly, saying
that it would be inappropriate, since the school was having such a hard time.
Most districts pay per meeting rather than per month. Director Bertsch said
she would be happier if she were not losing income when she attends District
meetings during her working hours. $125 per regular meeting and $50 per committee
meeting, with a limit of two additional meetings per month was suggested.
-- Amoroso/Bertsch three ayes,
Kayfetz opposed, Siedman absent to proceed
with the ordinance process to modify the existing ordinance on directors’
pay
13. Other Business
a. Committee Reports
-- Alternative Energy:
A copy of “Small is Profitable” is available at the office for review. Bob
Gold reported that the District cannot qualify for the buydown on the wind
generator because it doesn't consume enough power and cannot hook up with
other consumers such as Commonweal or the Park Service. He invited directors
to take a tour of a wind generation facility at Rio Vista, where there is
more wind and permitting is already in place, with the idea of doing a project
there, selling the power and using the income to offset District utility
bills. He is currently exploring hydrogen and fuel cell production options.
-- Finance: 3rd quarter financial report; 2003-04 budget process
The Board received the 3rd quarter financial report.
The draft budget will be mailed out to owners and tenants prior to the public
hearing on the budget, scheduled for next month.
-- Legal:
Director Kayfetz signed and then asked staff to handle a number of documents
regarding the Orrick v. BCPUD case that need to be filed on a certain schedule.
He directed Manager Buchanan to check with counsel Kip Edwards and to make
sure Richard Harris pays the District before releasing the documents. Edwards
has billed the District, presumably for accounting reasons, since Harris
is supposed to be paying him. Director Amoroso suggested staff consult Kayfetz
with any questions.
-- Amoroso/Bertsch four ayes, Siedman
absent to authorize Director Kayfetz
to sign the legal documents
-- Mesa Septic, Roads and Drainage: SepTAC policy update
Septic, roads and drainage were discussed in items 5 and 6. There was no
further discussion of the SepTAC policy update.
-- Operations: No report
-- Park and Recreation: Mesa Park: Grant Disbursement Request
Mesa Park has submitted a written request for the release of the skateboard
park grant advance. Director Amoroso reported that he had attended a lively
Mesa Park meeting where relocating the skatepark and removing the adult baseball
field were discussed.
-- Amoroso/Kayfetz four ayes, Siedman absent
to release the grant funds
Mark Fraser has asked to purchase water to fill the storage tanks and to
irrigate the playing fields simultaneously. The District’s storage tanks
are full and the dam is spilling.
-- Kayfetz/Bertsch four ayes,
Siedman absent to allow Mesa Park to
fill its tanks and irrigate the fields for 48 hours, “in the public interest.”
-- Personnel:
Director Bertsch, as representative of the Personnel Committee reported that
the employees had presented a request for a 3% increase in hourly rates,
a 1% increase in the District’s deferred compensation contribution, to continue
the District’s reimbursement for the additional co-pay resulting from the
switch to a less expensive Kaiser plan in January, and to give Maintenance
Operator Seth Kline the option of reducing his work week to 36 hours. The
Personnel Committee had agreed to all the requests. Director Amoroso said
he saw the employee requests as only the first stage in negotiations and
recommended a counter offer.
-- Amoroso/Bertsch four ayes,
Siedman absent to make a counter offer
of a 3% total increase, divided as the employees wish, and to accept
the health and work week requests.
Director Amoroso suggested that if the employees don’t accept the 3% offer
then the District might withdraw the health cost co-pay, while accepting
the work week provision.
-- Sewer: Resource Recovery Project; Community Paths Group
The Resource Recovery Project’s permit application is moving forward. The
Community Paths Group was not discussed.
-- Solid Waste: No report.
b. Minutes of April 16, 2003 Meeting
-- Bertsch/Amoroso four ayes,
Siedman absent to approve the minutes
of April 16, 2003 meeting
c. Warrants
-- Bertsch/Amoroso four ayes,
Siedman absent to approve warrants
d. Scheduling of Next Meeting(s)
June 18, 2003
14. Adjournment
11:28 p.m.