August 19, 2002
VALLEY CENTER MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT
Regular Board Meeting
Monday, August 19, 2002
Time: 2:00 P.M.
Place: Board Room
29300 Valley Center Rd.
Valley Center, CA 92082
The Valley Center Municipal Water District Board of Directors’ meeting was called to order by
President Broomell at 2:00 P.M.
ROLL CALL
Board members present were: Directors Broomell, Polito, Aleshire and Stone. Director Haskell
was absent. Staff members present were: General Manager Arant, General Counsel Cowett,
District Engineer Jewell, Director of Operations Dacus, Acting Director of Finance Jeffrey, and
Board Secretary Stetson. Spectator present was Mr. Ross, Valley Roadrunner Newspaper.
CONSENT CALENDAR
1.
Upon motion by Aleshire, seconded by Polito and unanimously carried, the following consent calendar items were approved:
• Minutes of the Board meeting held August 5, 2002
• Notice of Completion filed for the Couser Canyon Road Water Main Replacement
Project
• Audit demand check numbers 90325 through 90505
ACTION AGENDA
2. Request for Additional Water Quality Testing:
General Manager Arant reported that approximately April of 2002, members of the Valley
Center Cancer Cluster, who are gathering data in response to the high incidence of cancer
in Valley Center and are concerned that a cancer cluster exists in the community, requested
that additional water quality testing be conducted by the District. In response to this inquiry,
they had been informed that additional testing would be considered if a list of contaminants
to test for was provided and that the request was submitted by the University of California,
Irvine, Epidemiology Department. Investigation for a potential cancer cluster in Valley Center
is being conducted at the College of Medicine, University of California at Irvine under the
guidance of Dr. Anton-Culver, Director of the Epidemiology Division and the San
Diego/Imperial Organization for Cancer Control. Correspondence regarding additional
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Board of Directors’ Meeting
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testing dated August 12
th
was received from Dr. Anton-Culver with attached correspondence from the Valley Center Cancer Cluster members containing a list titled “1990 - 2000 Pesticide
Use Report (PUR) Data for San Diego County, 92082 zip code”, which is data supplied by the
Department of Agricultural Weights and Measures listing pesticide use in Valley Center
covering the period 1990 to 2000. Also provided was an “EPA List of Chemicals Evaluated
for Carcinogenic Potential.” The lists contain a total of 89 chemicals with approximately 16
identified as having heavily suspected carcinogenic compounds and the other chemicals
having been applied in low quantity or considered a low risk.
Staff recommended that, if the Board approves the additional water quality testing that has
been requested, the water samples be taken within the District’s system as well as close to
the aqueduct connections. Further, the list of chemicals will be evaluated to determine which
are currently being used and those that have been eliminated from use, along with a review
to determine if any of the listed chemicals are currently being tested by Metropolitan. No
water tests will be taken on the customer’s side of the meter as the District has maintained
an aggressive backflow prevention program requiring reduced pressure backflow devices at
meters with properties that inject fertilizer or have a well and double check backflow devices
for residential meters. An estimated cost to test once for these 89 chemicals is between
$2,500 and $5,000.
General Manager Arant recommended proceeding on a one-time basis to conduct the
additional water quality testing for listed chemicals noting the concern of some Valley Center
citizens due to the high incidence of cancer cases in the community. It was noted, however,
that the University of California, Irvine, Cancer Surveillance Program and the County Health
Department have concluded there is no evidence of a cancer cluster in Valley Center and air
quality tests conducted by the Air Pollution Control District have revealed there are no
harmful emission levels.
Upon motion by Polito, seconded by Aleshire and unanimously carried, the Board
authorized conducting on a one-time basis additional water quality testing as
requested by the San Diego/Imperial Organization for Cancer Control.
GENERAL MANAGER’S AGENDA
3. District Status Report, July 2002:
The District’s Status Report for July 2002 was reviewed.
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Water purchases for Fiscal Year 2001-2002 totaled 49,524.1 acre feet.
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At a workshop on the San Diego County Water Authority’s Regional Facility Master Planning process, it was reported that the preferred alternative of the Authority’s staff is
development of 50 mgd of desal. water, 100,000 ac. ft. of new carry-over storage,
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Board of Directors’ Meeting
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additional local treatment capacity, and delaying Pipeline 6 until at least 2030. Two
proposed desalination plants are next to the Encina Power Station in Carlsbad and
adjacent to the South Bay Power Plant in Chula Vista. An environmental review process
will need to be completed prior to construction of these two proposed desalination plants.
Development of groundwater resources, conjunctive use, conservation, brackish water
and reclamation projects need to continue.
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Director Aleshire reported he had attended a recent Urban Water Institute Conference during which he had attended a desalination workshop. It was reported that the Tampa
Bay desalination plant is expected to be operating by the end of 2002. Certain risks have
been identified with this project that include: guarantees on the membranes, use of the
power plant cooling system, environmental regulations, financing and capital costs.
Development of new technology for desalination processes is anticipated for the near
future. Desalination plants are also being constructed by the Los Angeles Department
of Water & Power (12 MGD) to be in service by 2008 with an estimated cost of
$1,033 per acre foot. West Basin is pursuing a desal. plant with financial assistance from
the federal government in an effort to reduce capital costs that will result in desal. water
costing between $530 and $660/ac. ft. The cost is estimated at $900/ac. ft. without the
subsidy.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS AGENDA
4. Enhanced Patrolling at Lake Turner:
Director Polito reported he has noticed that recently there have been no trespassers at the
District’s Lake Turner site. Director of Operations Dacus stated that increased patrolling of
the lake property and a heightened awareness that trespassing will not be allowed have
contributed to the reduction of illegal activity on the property.
GENERAL COUNSEL’S AGENDA
5. Amendments to the Appendix of the District’s Conflict of Interest Code:
Board adoption of Resolution No. 2002-32 to amend the Appendix of the District’s Conflict of
Interest Cost pursuant to the Political Reform Act of 1974 was requested. The proposed
amended Appendix updates the list of designated employees, members, officials and
consultants who are subject to the District’s Conflict of Interest Code per the guidelines of the
Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) and, as “designated employees,” must complete
Statement of Economic Interests disclosing financial interests. The designated officers and
employees are so listed as it has been determined that they make or participate in the making
of decisions which may foreseeably have a material effect on financial interests.
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Board of Directors’ Meeting
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Upon motion by Stone, seconded by Polito and unanimously carried, the following
resolution, entitled:
RESOLUTION NO. 2002-32
RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF
THE VALLEY CENTER MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT
AMENDING THE APPENDIX OF THE CONFLICT OF
INTEREST CODE PURSUANT TO THE POLITICAL
REFORM ACT OF 1974
was adopted by the following vote, to wit:
AYES: Directors Broomell, Polito, Aleshire and Stone
NOES: None
ABSENT: Director Haskell
CLOSED SESSION
6. A Closed Session was called by President Broomell at 3:06 p.m. pursuant to:
• Government Code §54956.9(a), Conference with Legal Counsel - Existing Litigation.
Name of case: Sweetwater Authority, et al. v. Dynegy, Inc., et al.
Superior Court Case GIC 760743
• Government Code §54956.9(b), Conference with Legal Counsel - Anticipated
Litigation
The Regular Board meeting was reconvened at 4:33 p.m. No action was reported.
ADJOURNMENT
7.
Upon motion by Aleshire, seconded by Stone and unanimously carried, the meeting was adjourned at 4:34 p.m.
ATTEST: ATTEST:
______________________________ _______________________________
Secretary President