BOARD MEETING MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING
Saturday, September 16, 2017
A. CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL
Vice President Zell called the Regular meeting of the Board of Directors of the Stinson Beach
County Water District to order on Saturday, September 16, 2017, 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
Sandra Cross, Director
Directors absent:
Morey Nelsen, President
General Manager present:
Ed Schmidt
Staff present:
Helma Schwendig - Office Supervisor
B. PUBLIC EXPRESSION
None.
C. SETTING OF AGENDA
The agenda was unanimously adopted as set.
D. GENERAL BUSINESS
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Request for Consent to Assignment of Garbage Collection Contract between
Shoreline Disposal Inc. and Stinson Beach County Water District.
The District has been requested to provide its consent to The Ratto Group of Companies Inc. to assign the District's Garbage Collection Contract Agreement to Recology Sonoma Marin, a subsidiary of Recology Inc., pending James Ratto's sale to Recology.
General Manager Schmidt introduced Fred Stemmler, General Manager, Recology Sonoma Marin, and Ed Farewell, Vice President and Group Manager, Recology's Northern California Group.
Mr. Stemmler is a CPA and joined Recology in 2008. He will oversee the day-to-day operations and work with Mr. Farewell to ensure the operations are performed in accordance with the District's Contract Agreement. All equipment and trucks that The Ratto Group now holds will be part of the sale. The safety of his drivers and excellent customer service are of Mr. Stemmler's paramount concern.
Mr. Farewell has extensive experience in the refuse business, joining Recology in 1983. He is responsible for ensuring efficiency and quality of service in recycling and waste collection. He confirmed that the rates that are now in place through January 31, 2021 will be honored by Recology. Both gentlemen spoke of their desire for a seamless transition and their need for the Stinson Beach County Water District's consent to the assignment, so that Recology may move forward with the acquisition.
The Board expressed concerns regarding continuance of the following:
(1) The practice of giving a one month discount (free) for December upon payment of eleven months in advance.
(2) The free pick up of dog waste cans at the existing locations.
(3) The street side service option for customers, which consists of drivers bringing the full cans to the street and returning the empty cans to their prior location for a monthly fee. [This is different from the carry charge for cans more than 50 feet from the roadway.]
(4) The free annual pickup of bulk waste and electronic waste.
A Board member also noted that the free green waste is picked up weekly. It has not yet been determined if the Bolinas-Stinson Resource Recovery Project has the resources to handle all of Stinson's green waste at its Olema-Bolinas Road site.
Director Boucke stated that for the Seadrift Subdivision, the Seadrift Association had also separately negotiated with The Ratto Group for a fee to bring the property owners' cans to the edge of Seadrift Road and Dipsea Road and return them.
Michael Traynor, a Seadrift property owner, had e-mailed his concerns about the assignment to Director Boucke and General Manager Schmidt. These e-mails were shared with the Board members. Mr. Traynor, who was present at the Board meeting, noted that the assignment document had not been submitted for the Board's review.
Director Baskin made a motion to approve the request for the assignment of the Ratto contract to the Recology entity that is making the request, subject to condition No. 1 being that Recology agrees that they will continue the existing practice of The Ratto Group to provide customers with one month free discount upon advance payment of 11 months of service, and condition No. 2 that the approval of the assignment is conditioned on the Board further approving the actual assignment document and supporting documentation to be reviewed first by the Legal Committee and District Counsel Patrick Miyaki, and then brought back to the Board for final approval. Director Cross seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously by Vice President Zell and Directors Baskin, Boucke, and Cross. -
Yearly donation requested by the Stinson Beach Village Association.
The District received a letter from J. Michael Matthews, President of the Village Association, requesting community donations to cover the Association's operational costs. Its mission is to act as a steward of the Stinson Beach Community Plan that was originally adopted in 1976 and revised in 1985. Dues are not required for membership. A $75 donation is suggested for businesses.
Director Baskin made a motion to donate $100 to the Village Association. Director Boucke seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously by Vice President Zell and Directors Baskin, Boucke, and Cross. -
Request from the Desalination Committee for $20,000 to study the feasibility of
using desalinated water for supplementing the District's future water supplies.
The Desalination Committee members (Directors Cross and Zell) have met several times in recent months to discuss the need for potential additional water supplies in case of future droughts and possible salt water intrusion caused by global warming. No one knows what is going to happen in the future. Right now, the District's water supply is dependent on rainfall. Additional water supplies could be created by utilizing sea water or brackish water.
The General Manager has been requested to contact Marin Municipal Water District to determine costs for a small desalination plant study. He prepared an outline of the various items that a feasibility study could entail.
Director Baskin suggested that the concept of using GGNRA land for both a small desalination facility and a wastewater plant serving properties around the Calles, Patios and possibly Seadrift be discussed with Steve Ortega at the Board meeting of November 18, 2017. The General Manager will contact Steve regarding these topics.
E. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Due to the absence of President Nelsen, a quorum was not met to approve the minutes of the
July 15, 2017 meeting. Vice President Zell and Director Boucke were absent at the July 15
meeting, so the vote will be deferred again to the October 21 Board meeting.
Director Boucke moved to approve the Minutes of August 19, 2017. Director Baskin
seconded the motion. The motion was passed unanimously by Vice President Zell and
Directors Baskin and Boucke. Director Cross was absent at the August 19 meeting.
F. APPROVAL OF DISBURSEMENTS
Director Baskin moved to approve the disbursements of August 16, 2017. Director Boucke
seconded the motion. The motion was passed unanimously by Vice President Zell and
Directors Baskin, Boucke and Cross.
G. MANAGER'S REPORT
The General Manager discussed his monthly report. He drew a bird's eye view on the
whiteboard of the Highlands Water Tank #1 to show the Board some of the critical areas
inside the tank that Euro Style Management is sandblasting and welding. The project is about
two weeks behind schedule.
The CalPERS retirement actuarial valuation reports have been received. These reports set
the employer contribution requirements for fiscal year 2018-2019. The Estimated Total
Employer Contribution for the Miscellaneous First Tier Plan is $201,572 and the Estimated
Total Employer Contribution for the PEPRA Plan is $9,926.
The Board noted that the General Manager's September 5, 2017 Newsletter, which described
his interview with Marcus White on the second day of Marcus' retirement, was very well
written and appreciated.
Buck is recovering from surgery and is expected to be at a rehabilitation facility for several
weeks.
H. COMMITTEE REPORTS
None.
I. CORRESPONDENCE
None.
J. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 11:17 a.m. The next regular meeting will be on Saturday,
October 21, 2017, at 9:30 a.m.