Sweetwater Springs Water District

Board of Directors Meeting

 

MINUTES

 

 

Board of Directors Meeting

Regular Meeting

June 6, 2006

6:30 p.m.

 

 

Board Members Present:                                 Gaylord Schaap

                                                                        Jim Quigley

                                                                        Victoria Wikle

                                                                        Wanda Smith

                                                                        Michael Torr (arr. 6:39 p.m.)

                                                                       

Board Members Absent:                                  (None)

                                                                       

Staff in Attendance:                                         Chuck Howell, General Manager

                                                                        Julie Kenny, Secretary to the Board

                                                                       

Others in Attendance:                                     Jack Locey

                                                                        Mike Gogna

George Klineman

                                                                        Cliff Eckert

                                                                        Quynh Nhu Le

                                                                        Lloyd Guccione

                                                                        Frank Robertson

                                                                        Bill Koehler

                                                                        Tom Krohmer

                                                                        Deborah Kay

                                                                        George Zastrow

                                                                        Chuck Ramsey

                                                                        Mr. & Mrs. Matthew Mirabella

                                                                        Lisa Gygax

                                                                        Elise Sokolay

                                                                        Doreen Atkinson

                                                                        Richard Fiorentin

                                                                        John Uniack

                                                                        Kevin O’Shea

 

 

I.     CALL TO ORDER

 

Prior to the Call to Order, member of the public Lloyd Guccione provided a handout to the Board re various issues, including the rate increase.  The properly agendized meeting was called to Order by President Wanda Smith at 6:35 p.m.

 

 

II.    CHANGES TO AGENDA and DECLARATION OF CONFLICT (6:36 p.m.)

 

District counsel Mike Gogna noted the Agenda had been revised to add Item VI-E, Discussion/Direction re RFP for Legal Services, Selection of Candidates.

 

 

III.   CONSENT CALENDAR (6:37 p.m.)

 

Public comment was made by Lloyd Guccione.  Director Smith removed all items on the Consent Calendar except Item III-D to Item VI-F.  Director Torr requested that the Consent Calendar be abandoned.  Discussion ensued.  Director Torr then moved to approve Item III-D, Discussion/Action re Resolution 06-07, Ordering an Election to be Held.  Director Quigley seconded.  Motion carried 5-0.

 

The following items were moved to be Item VI-F:

 

A.         Approval of the Minutes of the May 4, 2006, Regular Meeting

 

B.         Approval of the Operations Warrants/Online payments/EFT Payments/ Construction Warrants, and West America account activity

 

C.         Receipt of Item(s) of Correspondence

 

(D.       Remained on the Consent Calendar.)

 

E.         Discussion/Action re Resolution 06-09, Providing for Destruction of Certain District Records

 

F.         Discussion/Action re Resolution 06-10, Amending the Employment Agreement with Daniel C. Howell, and Authorizing the Board President to Execute Addendum 3 to the Employment Agreement with Daniel C. Howell.

 

 

IV.   REGULAR ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS

A.         (6:46 p.m.)  Report of District Engineer re CIP Phase III-B Construction/Approval of Outlay Report.  District engineer Jack Locey gave an overview of CIP Phase III-B status.  Brief discussion ensued.  (There was no Outlay Report for May.)

 

 

V.    PUBLIC COMMENTS (6:48 p.m.)

Public comment was made by Lloyd Guccione.

Public comment was made by Tom Krohmer.

 

 

VI.   ADMINISTRATIVE* (6:57 p.m.)

(* in order of discussion)

 

F.         (6:57 p.m.)  Approval of the Minutes of the May 4, 2006, Regular Meeting.  This item was originally on the Consent Calendar.  Public comment was made by Lloyd Guccione.  Director Schaap moved to approve the Minutes of the May 4, 2006, Regular Meeting.  Director Torr seconded.  Motion carried 4-0.  Director Torr abstained from voting as he was absent for a portion of the May meeting.

 

F.         (6:59 p.m.)  Approval of Operations Warrants/Online payments/EFT payments/Construction Warrants, and West America account activity.  This item was originally on the Consent Calendar.  Director Quigley moved to approve the Operations warrants ($17,132.15), Online warrants ($18,711.90), and the West America account.  Public comment was made by Lloyd Guccione.  Director Torr then seconded the motion.  Motion carried 5-0.

 

A.         (7 p.m.) Public Hearing/Adoption of Ordinance 31, Amending Base Rate, Water Usage Rate, and Multiple Unit Charge, and Establishing a Capital Debt Reduction Charge.  President Smith opened the Public Hearing at 7:01 p.m.  The following members of the public made comments:

Lisa Gygax

Bill Koehler (California Water Service Company), with handout

Michael Rogers

Tom Krohmer

John Uniack, with handout

Bob Dixon

Lloyd Guccione (provided handout earlier)

Kevin O’Shea

Chuck Ramsey

Elise Sokolay

 

Director Torr moved to close the Public Hearing.  Director Quigley seconded.  Motion carried 5-0.  The Public Hearing was closed at 7:40 p.m.  The GM then provided an overview of the rate increase and rationale behind the rate increase.  He then entertained questions from the following members of the public:

            Bob Dixon

            Charles Ramsey

            John Uniack

            Tom Krohmer

            Lloyd Guccione

 

Discussion ensued.  Public comment was made by Elise Sokolay.  The President polled the Board for their opinion on holding over the multiple unit portion of the rate increase or going forward with the Ordinance as drafted.  Director Wikle moved to adopt Ordinance 31, Amending Base Rate, Water Usage Rate, and Multiple Unit Charge, and Establishing a Capital Debt Reduction Charge.  Director Torr seconded.  The Clerk of the Board announced that there were 10 verbal protests to the rate increase and 15 written protests.  Discussion ensued.  Motion carried 5-0.

 

*** At 8:50 p.m., President Smith announced a 5-minute recess **

 

B.         (8:57 p.m.)  Introduction of Ordinance 30, Amending Policy Number 4070 of the District’s Policies and Procedure Relating to Reimbursement of Actual and Necessary Expenses Pursuant to AB 1234.  District Counsel Mike Gogna provided an overview of this item.  Discussion ensued.  The GM provided further overview.  Further discussion ensued.  Director Torr moved to introduce Ordinance 30, Amending Policy Number 4070 of the District’s Policies and Procedure Relating to Reimbursement of Actual and Necessary Expenses Pursuant to AB 1234, by title only.  Director Smith seconded.  Motion carried 5-0. 

 

C.         (9:07 p.m.)  Discussion/Action re Format of Board Minutes.  The GM provided an overview of this item.  Discussion ensued.  Public comment was made by Lloyd Guccione.  Direction was given to staff to make suggestions or options regarding the format of the Minutes.  However, upon further discussion of the Board, the direction to staff was withdrawn.

 

D.         (9:23 p.m.)  Discussion/Action re Resolution 06-08, Approving a Short-Term Agreement for Legal Services with Meyers, Nave, Riback, Silver & Wilson.  The GM provided an overview of this item.  Director Torr moved to approve Resolution 06-08, Approving a Short-Term Agreement for Legal Services with Meyers, Nave, Riback, Silver & Wilson.  Director Wikle seconded.  Motion carried 5-0.

 

E.         (9:25 p.m.)  Discussion/Direction re RFP for Legal Services, Selection of Candidates.  The GM provided an overview of this item.  Discussion ensued.  Public comments were made by Tom Krohmer, Lloyd Guccione, and George Klineman.  Director Smith moved to table this item.  Discussion ensued.  No action was taken.

 

F.         (9:35 p.m.)  Discussion/Action re Resolution 06-09, Providing for Destruction of Certain District Records; Discussion/Action re Resolution 06-10, Amending the Employment Agreement with Daniel C. Howell, and Authorizing the Board President to Execute Addendum 3 to the Employment Agreement with Daniel C. Howell.  These items were moved from the Consent Calendar.  Director Torr moved to approve Resolution 06-09, Providing for Destruction of Certain District Records.  Director Smith seconded.  Motion carried 5-0.

 

            Director Torr moved to approve Resolution 06-10, Amending the Employment Agreement with Daniel C. Howell, and Authorizing the Board President to Execute Addendum 3 to the Employment Agreement with Daniel C. Howell.  Director Wikle seconded.  Public comments were made by Lloyd Guccione, Nhu Le, and Tom Krohmer.  The GM made a comment.  On vote, motion carried 5-0.

 

 

VII.  GENERAL MANAGER’S REPORT (9:48 p.m.)

 

The GM provided an overview of the following matters:

 

1.         Laboratory Testing

2.         CIP Phase III Status Report

3.         Planned Projects

4.         Water Sales

 

 

VIII. BOARD MEMBERS’ ANNOUNCEMENTS/COMMENTS

(9:48 p.m.)

 

Director Wikle announced that the Sonoma County Open Space District is celebrating their 15th anniversary on June 10 and June 11.

 

 

IX.   CLOSED SESSION (9:50 p.m.)

 

At 9:50 p.m., President Smith announced the items to be discussed in Closed Session.  At 10 p.m., the meeting reconvened and the following action on Closed Session items was announced:

 

            A.         Pursuant to Gov. Code Section 54957.6 -- Conference with Labor Negotiator

                        District Negotiators: Glenn Berkheimer, IEDA; Chuck Howell, General Manager

                        Employee Organization: Stationary Engineers Local 39

                        Direction was given to staff.

 

            B.         Conference with Labor Negotiator pursuant to subdivision (f) of Section 54957.6 of the Government Code.

District Negotiator: Chuck Howell

Unrepresented employees: Field Manager, Office Manager, Senior Crew Supervisor, Crew Supervisor

                        Direction was given to staff.

 

 

X.    ITEMS FOR THE NEXT AGENDA (10:02 p.m.)

 

 

ADJOURN

 

The meeting adjourned at 10:03 p.m.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

 

Julie A. Kenny

Clerk to the Board of Directors

 

APPROVED:    

 

Wanda Smith:               ______________           _          ______

Victoria Wikle:               ______________           _          ______

Jim Quigley:                  ______________           _          ______

Michael Torr:                 ______________           _          ______

Gaylord Schaap:           ______________           _          ______