BOARD MEETING MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING
Saturday, October 27, 2012
A. CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL
In the absence of President Elizabeth Sapanai, Vice President Zell called the Regular meeting
of the Board of Directors of the Stinson Beach County Water District to order on Saturday,
October 27, 2012, at 9:30 a.m., at the Stinson Beach County Water District office, located at
3785 Shoreline Highway, Stinson Beach, CA 94970.
Directors present:
Jim Zell, Vice President
Lawrence Baskin, Director
Barbara Boucke, Director
Directors absent:
Elizabeth Sapanai, President
Scott Tye, Director
Treasurer present:
Judy Stemen
General Manager present:
Ed Schmidt
Staff present:
Helma Schwendig - Administrative Asst.
B. PUBLIC EXPRESSION
None.
C. SETTING OF AGENDA
The agenda was unanimously adopted as set.
D. PUBLIC HEARING
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Discussion and possible direction to staff re: proposed changes in speed limit for
Shoreline Highway between Muir Beach and Stinson Beach.
The County has received two requests from Caltrans to establish speed limits on two portions of Shoreline Highway which are currently unposted and have the prima facie speed limit of 55 mph. It is proposed to reduce the speed limit from 55 mph to 35 mph at Mile Post 7.1 to 8.4, and from 55 mph to 30 mph at Mile Post 10.31 - 11.43. Vice President Zell directed staff to send a letter supporting the reduced speed limits to the Marin Department of Public Works.
E. GENERAL BUSINESS
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Discussion and possible direction to staff re: proposed garbage rate increase by
Redwood Empire Disposal, Inc.
The General Manager distributed a letter and worksheets from Steve McCaffrey, Director of Governmental Affairs, North Bay Corporation, calculating the change in the Consumer Price Index as a basis for their requested rate adjustment effective January 1, 2013. The proposed increase of 5.72% will include the CPI's for 2011 and 2012 because they did not apply for an increase last year. Also, since the County of Marin has increased the JPA Zero Waste fee an additional 1.29%, the total proposed garbage rate increase will be for 7.01%, an approximate increase of $1 per month for the average residential customer. They will not use the much higher rate analysis done last year by Armanino and McKenna. Two public hearings will need to be scheduled before the rate increase can go into effect.
Mr. McCaffrey requested that he and a District subcommittee review their 23 year-old contract and come to an agreement to modernize their existing contract, including the addition of a provision concerning their extra recycling service. The Board decided that this project will be assigned to the Finance Committee and that Mr. McCaffrey should prepare a chart showing side by side the current and proposed rates. Director Boucke requested Mr. McCaffrey to provide clarification of the "Hill Rate" and the street locations to which this special rate applies. -
Discussion and possible direction to staff re: Appeal of Expired Design Permit and
$750 fee for Ms. Barbara Fedun, 85 Buena Vista Avenue, Stinson Beach, Account
#03570.
The General Manager summarized his staff report. Ms. Fedun's Septic System Design Permit expired in February of this year, and she is appealing the District's $750 application fee for Resubmitted Design (Redesigned Plan) Review for an Onsite Wastewater System. [Note: In February 2011, after the installation of her new septic tank, Ms. Fedun had requested that she be permitted to utilize the septic tank as a holding tank, until such time as the ground had sufficiently dried out for the installation of her drip system leach field. The Board had denied her request at the March 19, 2011 Board meeting.]
Ms. Fedun stated she cannot pay the $750 fee due to her financial circumstances. She stated she will contact the designer of her system, Noadiah Eckman, to determine how Ms. Eckman plans to substantiate her statement that Ms. Fedun's leach field soils have been irreparably damaged by the weight of the contractor's foundation spoils and construction cribbing and debris and no longer support Ms. Eckman's percolation data. Ms. Fedun expressed disbelief that Ms. Eckman failed her leach field system before it is even installed.
Director Baskin suggested that Ms. Fedun have an engineer certify that the condition of her leach field area is adequate for the proposed drip system design. If not, she must submit new plans. Ms. Fedun inquired if she could use her septic tank as a holding tank. Director Baskin responded that the Board has no authority at today's meeting to grant Ms. Fedun approval to use her septic tank as a holding tank. A holding tank would require a variance and would only be permitted after all other options have been explored and if a holding tank is the only remaining feasible option.
After much back and forth discussion among the Directors and Ms. Fedun, Director Baskin motioned that Ms. Fedun be required to submit a request for an extension or a redesign, one or the other, within 60 days of the notice from the District that wet weather testing has commenced, and the determination of which of those Ms. Fedun will do will be based on the parameters the Directors have discussed. Director Boucke seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. -
Discussion and possible direction to staff re: approving Amended Resolution No. GB-
2012-04 Establishing an Employee Benefit Program for the Fiscal Year 2012-2013.
The California Public Employees' Pension Reform Act of 2013 was signed into law by Governor Brown on September 12, 2012. The Act changed the retirement formula for new employees to 2% at age 62. Director Baskin moved to approve Amended Resolution No. GB- 2012-04 which incorporated this change. Director Boucke seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.
F. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Director Boucke noted that on line 28, page 3 of the September 15, 2012 minutes, the word
"exasperate" should be changed to "exacerbate." With that correction, Director Baskin moved
to approve the Minutes of September 15, 2012. Director Boucke seconded the motion. The
minutes were approved unanimously.
G. APPROVAL OF DISBURSEMENTS
Director Baskin moved to approve the disbursements of September 27 and October 17, 2012.
Director Boucke seconded the motion. The disbursements were approved unanimously.
H. MANAGER'S REPORT
The General Manager discussed his monthly report. At the request of Director Boucke, he
prepared a Rolling Capital Improvements Cash Flow Report, which is always 12 months
out ahead. Director Boucke recommended an additional line to the monthly column
headings.
The District needs to have a new Government Accounting Standard Board (GASB) 45
actuarial valuation of the District's post-employment health care program prepared. Presently,
only two retired employees are in this program, but the District is also required to prefund for
active employees. Dennis Daugherty of the Nicolay Consulting Group will prepare the 2012
valuation.
The Bolinas Community Public Utility District is strongly supporting the newly created Bolinas
Lagoon Advisory Council. Director Boucke noted that Lesly Robinson has been appointed by
the Board of Supervisors as its representative from Stinson Beach.
The General Manager distributed to the Board his draft comments regarding the Marin County
Planning Commission's Recommended Draft of the Local Coastal Program Amendment. His
comments covered the following four topics as requested by the Stinson Beach Village
Association Ad Hoc Committee: Biological Resources, Mariculture, Water Resources, and
Public Facilities and Services. The time for submission has been extended for several weeks,
and will thus appear as an agenda item for discussion at the November 17, 2012 Board
meeting.
Steve Kasierski, the Real Estate Project Manager for the GGNRA, verbally notified the General
Manager that the District's existing easement at the Highlands Tank site allows for the use of
subcontractors such as Verizon and GTE Mobilnet for construction and maintenance access.
Mr. Kasierski will send the District a letter in confirmation.
The Board rejected Ms. Jane Heintzelman's claim for $140 for repairs to her washing machine.
The Board felt it was highly unlikely that the District's emergency water shut off could have
caused her washing machine to fail. The accidental perforation of the District's water main
pipe by AT&T occurred on Calle del Sierra and is some distance downstream from her home
at 3510 Shoreline Highway.
I. COMMITTEE REPORTS
None.
J. CORRESPONDENCE
None.
K. ADJOURNMENT
The motion to adjourn the meeting was approved by unanimous vote. The meeting was
adjourned at 11:00 a.m.