BOARD MEETING MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING
Saturday, June 15, 2013
A. CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL
President Jim Zell called the Regular meeting of the Board of Directors of the Stinson Beach
County Water District to order on Saturday, June 15, 2013, at 10:00 a.m., at the Stinson Beach
County Water District office, located at 3785 Shoreline Highway, Stinson Beach, CA 94970.
Directors present:
Jim Zell, President
Barbara Boucke, Vice President
Sandra Cross, Director
Directors absent:
Lawrence Baskin, Director
Morey Nelsen, 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 to adopt the SBCWD Operations and
Maintenance Budget for Fiscal Year 2013-2014 and SBCWD Capital Improvement
Budget through Fiscal Year 2016/17 (continued from the Saturday, May 18, 2013,
Board Meeting.)
The General Manager stated that this is the second time the budget has come before the Board for discussion. The budget had also been previously reviewed by the Finance Committee. The budget reflects the cost of hiring a new, entry level permanent Utility Worker this summer.
Director Cross moved to adopt the Operations and Maintenance Budget for fiscal year 2013- 2014 on the condition that it is revised to reflect the interest expense savings achieved by the District refinancing its prior Series 1998A, 1998B and 2002C Revenue Bonds. Vice President Boucke seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.
New Series 2013 Water Revenue Refunding Bonds were issued by the District and sold to the Bank of Nevada on June 12, 2013 for $1,997,613.97 at a fixed interest rate of 3.47%. These proceeds were used to prepay and replace the prior obligations in their entirety. The 2013 Bonds will have a final maturity of October 1, 2032. The total net cash flow savings to the District is approximately $20,325 a year for the next nineteen and a half years.
The Board commended the General Manager and Helma for their excellent work during the past several weeks in assembling and executing the various documents needed to successfully conclude the refinancing of the three revenue bonds.
Ms. Boucke moved to approve the Capital Improvement Budget though Fiscal Year 2016-17. President Zell seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. -
Discussion and possible direction to staff re: a Draft Resolution Establishing an
Employee Benefit Program for the Fiscal Year 2013 - 2014 (continued from the
Saturday, May 18, 2013, Board Meeting.)
The Employee Benefit Program was previously recommended by the Personnel and Finance Committees. The only changes to last year's program relate to additional wording under the section Retirement Benefit - "Employees hired before January 1, 2013 will receive retirement benefits under the CalPERS program at the retirement formula of 2.7% @ 55. Employees hired after January 1, 2013 will retire with the 2.0% at age 62 formula. The employee contribution for the 2.7% will be 8% of gross salary. The contribution rate for employees with a 2% formula will be 6.25%. Employees will receive survivor benefits under the CalPERS 1959 Survivor's Benefit Program."
Vice President Boucke made a motion to adopt draft Resolution No. GB-2013-00 [subsequently renumbered as GB-2013-06] Establishing an Employee Benefit Program for fiscal year 2013-2014. President Zell seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.
E. GENERAL BUSINESS
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Discussion and possible direction to staff to recruit for an entry level Utility Worker
position.
The General Manager listed all the advantages of hiring a permanent employee over hiring a temporary worker every six months. This would also ease the strain on the existing water plant operators. The total estimate cost of a new employee hired at $50,000/yr. is $63,605 which is about $13,000 more than hiring a temporary employee. The District's budget excess in the last five years shows sufficient cash flow for this position.
The Board unanimously accepted the recommendation of the Personnel Committee and gave approval for the General Manager to hire an entry level Utility Worker and modify the budget to begin funding in July. -
Discussion and possible direction to staff re: a Water Budget for Village Green I and
II.
The District has issued a Stage II Water Conservation Alert and has requested its customers to voluntarily reduce their water used for irrigation by 50%. At the General Manager's request, Richard Reasoner, of Dendron Landscape Management Consultants, prepared new water use budgets for Village Green I and II, who currently receive free water from the District. These two small parcels are part of Marin County Parks and Open Space as a Community Services District (CSD #33) and are governed by a Board of Directors.
Mr. Reasoner presented extensive materials, including calculations, charts of landscape Adjustment Factors, the estimated total water use (ETWU), the maximum allowed water application (MAWA), Projected Use and Cost Projections.
The average historic use of Village Green I indicates too much water is being used for most of the year, including the winter months. The average historic use of Village Green II indicates not enough water is being used to maintain plant life. Mr. Reasoner recommends the installation of irrigation submeters.
The Board requested the General Manager to arrange for a joint meeting with the SBCWD Board and the CSD Board to inform and educate the CSD Board regarding landscape irrigation budgeting for water conservation.
Vice President Boucke made a motion to approve Mr. Reasoner's Scope of Work proposal of $2,351 to create an ETWU Prototype at a later time frame for ten additional sites. President Zell seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. -
Discussion and possible direction to staff re: the Highway 1 Pipeline Replacement
Project.
One of the sources of the District's water loss is a leaking section of transmission pipeline at the intersection of Highway 1 and Panoramic Highway. The project, which will entail digging in Caltrans' right-of-way, consists of installing 700 feet of new four inch diameter water pipeline as well as replacing the water service laterals of the seven homes that branch off this line. The estimated project cost is $111,000.
Vice President Boucke moved to authorize the General Manager to advertise for bids, open the bids and award the contract. Director Cross seconded the motion. President Zell cautioned that the project not be advertised to contractors until receipt of Caltrans' approved Encroachment Permit.
F. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Director Cross moved to approve the Minutes of May 18, 2013. Vice President Boucke
seconded the motion. The minutes were approved unanimously.
G. APPROVAL OF DISBURSEMENTS
Director Cross moved to approve the disbursements of May 9, May 22 and June 6, 2013.
Vice President Boucke seconded the motion. The disbursements were approved
unanimously.
H. MANAGER'S REPORT
The General Manager discussed his monthly report. He will continue to follow up with Peter
Fiske regarding his visit to our Steep Ravine Tank site and the installation of the Pax mixer.
The Fitzhenry Creek water line crossing repair project has been moved up a year and is
expected to cost approximately $50,000. The General Manager is organizing information on
the repair, which he will share with the adjacent property owners, the Park Service and the
County.
The General Manager is continuing to follow up to resolve the issue of the failed poly tank from
Pall Corporation. He has made a counter proposal to Pall, requesting to receive four years of
free operational and maintenance standby assistance. The District will weld the seams of the
other leaking tank.
He has authorized the Marin County Public Works Department to raise the District's 38 water
line shut-off valves as part of their repaving project on Belvedere Avenue and vicinity. Their
contractor has offered the District a good price for raising the valves.
The District's new pickup truck will be delivered next week.
Vice President Boucke expressed her concern that the leak reduction request of Mrs. Victoria
Grady, 360 Belvedere Avenue, Stinson Beach, would not have qualified for a reduction under
the new leak reduction policy. Ms. Boucke requested that the provisions of Resolution No.
GB-2013-04, approved by the Board at its May 18, 2013 meeting, be revisited and discussed
at the next Water Operations Committee meeting.
I. COMMITTEE REPORTS
The District's Wastewater Engineer, Richard Souza, has compiled a summary of proposed
revisions to Title IV that were discussed at the last several Wastewater Committee meetings.
The last ordinance was approved in 2012. The District needs to perform two more annual
reviews before the changes are sent to the Regional Water Quality Control Board for approval.
J. CORRESPONDENCE
The Board reviewed the correspondence. Cheryll Barron, a former tenant of 297 Seadrift
Road, notified the General Manager by e-mails on June 12 and June 14, 2013 that she wished
to set the record straight regarding the Board Minutes of September 15, 2012. These minutes
stated that "Ms. Marden Plant, who owns a rental home at 297 Seadrift Road, is being sued by
her tenants for water quality." Ms. Barron stated that, in actuality, she and her partner, Roger
Meredith, are suing Ms. Plant for three septic backups. Ms. Barron's e-mail states: "Just to be
perfectly clear, we have never had any complaint about water quality. Nor do we blame
SBCWD in any way for the septic problems in that house. The professionalism and expertise
of your inspector Chris Kelley struck us as outstanding. The implementation of his
recommendation is the job of the landlord."
Sassafras Seagrass, a mobile food truck provider, has requested permission from the Marin
Community Development Agency Planning Division to operate a food truck at 15 Calle Del
Mar, at the northwesterly corner of the Hasler property with a portable toilet at the site. The
food truck is proposed to operate from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. seven days a week from May 1
through August 31 and would have 6 staff people. The Board directed the General Manager
to respond to the memo dated June 10, 2013 from Senior Planner Curtis Havel and enclose an
excerpt from the District's Title IV, Chapter 4.07.070 "Chemical Toilet Permit." The operation
of a food truck does not fall within the definition of temporary construction purposes or a
special event.
K. ADJOURNMENT
The motion to adjourn the meeting was approved by unanimous vote. The meeting was
adjourned at 12:15 p.m.