VALLEY CENTER MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT
Regular Board Meeting
Tuesday, January 20, 2004
Time: 2:00 P.M.
Place: Board Room
29300 Valley Center Road
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 Haskell. Director Stone was absent. Staff members present were: General Manager Arant, General Counsel Cowett, Director of Finance Jeffrey, Construction/Maintenance Supervisor Hoyle, District Engineer Jewell, and Board Secretary Stetson.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
1. Upon motion by Aleshire, seconded by Polito and unanimously carried, the addition to the agenda of the request for a variance to allow providing benefits to a temporary employee was approved.
CONSENT CALENDAR
2. Upon motion by Polito, seconded by Aleshire and unanimously carried, the following consent calendar items were approved:
• Minutes of the Board meeting held January 5, 2004
• Audit demand check numbers 97173 through 97342 and quarterly wire disbursements 03-104 through 03-141
• Quarterly report of expense reimbursements per Government Code §53065.5
ACTION AGENDA
3. Mid-Year Status Report of the Strategic Plan Specific Goals and Fiscal Year 2003-04 Budget Objectives:
A mid-year status report of the 2002-03 and 2003-04 Strategic Plan Specific Goals and Fiscal Year 2003-04 Budget Objectives was reviewed which reported that of the 76 projects, tasks and programs, 21 have been completed and 42 are underway and expected to be completed by the end of the current fiscal year. Five projects are under the control of an outside agency or timing is determined by the progress of private development projects with 8 being multi-year projects. The projects and programs that are either complete or completion anticipated by the end of Fiscal Year 2003-04 represent 89% of all objectives controlled by the District.
There is no change in the status of the Valley Center Road Improvement Project, North and South. A contract has been awarded for Phase 1 of this project and there has been no indication of a delay or deferment of future phases due to the State’s budget deficit and reductions in property tax revenue to the county.
4. 50th Anniversary Celebration, Proposed Concepts:
General Manager Arant reviewed proposals to celebrate the District’s 50th anniversary, which will be July 12, 2004. They are:
• Official recognition of the District’s 50th anniversary will be requested from the State Senate, State Assembly, Congress and County Board of Supervisors.
• Schedule an Adjourned Regular Board meeting for Monday, July 12, 2004, to accept the resolutions recognizing the District and adopt a resolution officially recognizing the District’s 50th anniversary.
• Host an Open House for all customers to view historical documents such as the First Master Plan map, photos of major facilities, formation petitions, articles on incorporation and initial bond issues and other financial statements from the 1st years of incorporation. Also on display could be equipment such as meters and backflow devices.
• To promote water conservation, water saving devices such as low flow showerheads, soil moisture probes, water conservation kits and California native and drought tolerant plants could be showcased and distributed. Raffles could be held for certain items along with certificates for ultra-low flush toilets.
• Water bottles with a label printed to recognize the 50th anniversary celebration could be distributed.
• 50th anniversary polo shirts for all employees and directors.
• A newsletter chronicling the formation of the District and its growth to the present day will be printed and distributed to all customers via the water bills.
• Other miscellaneous items to recognize the District’s anniversary include adding the 50th anniversary logo to the letterhead, billing envelopes and service trucks, ribbons attached to employees’ ID badges, and 50th anniversary patches on the uniform shirts.
• Notification of the open house to be held on July 12th would be through the newsletter, message on the water bills, banners, website and media coverage.
Expenditures were estimated to range from $12,000 to $15,000 that would include printing, banners, display production, purchase of give-away items, contingencies and overtime expenses. There would be no additional cost for several items such as letterhead and billing envelopes which need to be reordered and the newsletter which had been budgeted.
The Board concurred with staff’s recommendations for the celebration of the District’s 50th anniversary and directed that food such as soda and snack food should be available, an invitation to the open house be included in the June water bills, arrange for a photographer to capture the day’s events, and develop an historical pamphlet reviewing the history of the District containing historical and current photographs that will be sent to all customers.
5. Review of the
Sa
n Pasqual Indian Reservation Water Supply:
District Engineer Jewell reviewed that at the November 17th Board meeting, the Board extended until May 31, 2004, the emergency water meter that serves properties within the San Pasqual Indian Reservation that are outside of the District’s service area. This 6-month extension for the emergency water meter was contingent upon the San Pasqual Band of Indians making formal application to the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MET), the San Diego County Water Authority (SDCWA) and LAFCO to annex the property that is receiving the temporary water service and is within the District’s sphere of influence as adopted by LAFCO. The agreement was forwarded to the San Pasqual Indian Reservation for execution but, as yet, has not been signed.
Mr. Joe Membrino, attorney for the firm representing the San Pasqual Indian Reservation, contacted the District on December 19th and inquired as to the District’s annexation policy, procedures and charges. District Engineer Jewell reported that Mr. Membrino stated that, as a result of the recent Quantification Settlement Agreement (QSA), the San Pasqual Band had a wheeling agreement with MET and the SDCWA to receive water without annexation to those agencies and that they are working with these agencies on projects that will generate the water for the 5 Indian bands that were parties of the Indian Water Rights Lawsuit. This lawsuit has been settled through the QSA, and the 5 bands have water rights to 16,000 ac. ft. with lining of the All-American and Coachella Canals.
A deposit of $2,000 was requested from Mr. Membrino that would indicate a good faith effort toward initiating annexation proceedings of the properties into the District’s service area. In addition, Mr. Membrino was informed that improvements to the District’s pumping, storage and transmission facilities may be necessary in the event that San Pasqual Indian Band’s water rights secured from the lawsuit are requested to be wheeled through the District’s system. The Indian Bands are evaluating constructing their own pipeline from MET’s and the SDCWA’s system to serve their properties. Staff noted that until the San Pasqual Indian Band completes its wheeling arrangements or it annexes the property receiving temporary water service into the District, its service is tenuous as it is based upon having available water.
General Counsel Cowett stated that he will endeavor to coordinate negotiations between the District, MET and the SDCWA regarding the wheeling agreements.
6. Request for Variance to Provide Benefits to a Temporary Employee:
An additional Meter Technician position had been approved at the November 17th Board meeting to meet the growing workload in the meter department. There will be no financial impact on the budget this fiscal year for this added position as there is an unfilled approved position in the Field department. Further, approval of this additional position was to be requested for Fiscal Year 2004-05.
The Board had been informed of the numerous applications received for the Meter Technician position and had approved staff’s request at the January 5, 2004, meeting to also hire a temporary Meter Technician to fill the void in the meter department due to a disabled employee who is seriously ill. This temporary position could also be filled without a net impact on the budget. From the Interviews of potential candidates, the temporary position could be filled as there is a good likelihood that the position will become regular full-time, but candidates have indicated they cannot afford to accept the position without benefits; namely, medical and retirement coverage.
A variance to Section 5.3(b) of the District’s Administrative Code pertaining to temporary employee provisions was requested to provide the temporary Meter Technician the same benefits provided a regular full-time employee. The cost would be funded out of the salary/benefit surpluses in the Field Department budget.
Board authorization was given for an additional full-time Meter Technician position which will be presented for formal approval at the next Board meeting.
GENERAL MANAGER’S AGENDA
7. Review of Miscellaneous Informational Items:
Additional Loss of Property Tax Revenue. Initial reports regarding special districts’ loss of property tax revenue due to the state’s budget deficit is that it will be an additional 10% loss of the original ERAF shift. The District had experienced a $529,000 loss in property tax revenue under the original ERAF shift. As such, the District’s tax revenue would be reduced an additional $53,000. With increases in assessed valuation, the current value of the property tax shift is $864,000. General Manager Arant reported that it has not been clarified if the additional 10% property tax shift is on the original ERAF tax shift or on its current value.
Meeting with Mr. Braman Re: Cougar Pass Road Easement. General Manager Arant stated that he had met with Mr. Braman regarding obtaining a road easement through his property on Cougar Pass Road (APN 186-042-54-00) and quitclaiming the District’s road and blanket easements encumbering his property as Mr. Braman had proposed. The District would retain its pipeline easement. Mr. Braman proposed at the meeting that the District be granted a Joint Use Agreement on the San Diego County Water Authority’s access road. Because this proposal would need further review, Mr. Braman was asked to submit the proposal in writing to the District.
Retirement Notice of Chuck C. Dacus. It was reported that Director of Operations Dacus submitted his 12-month retirement notice that will be effective January 22, 2005.
Excess Reserves Refund. General Manager Arant reported that refunds received from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and the San Diego County Water Authority total almost $1.1 million. These refunds are from the wholesale agencies’ excess reserves.
CLOSED SESSION
8. A Closed Session was called by President Broomell at 2:59 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.
San Diego Superior Court Case GIC 760743
▪ Government Code §54956.9(a), Conference with Legal Counsel – Existing Litigation.
Name of Case: Rincon del Diablo Municipal Water District, et al. v. San Diego
County Water Authority, t al.
San Diego County Superior Court Case No. GIC798230
▪ Government Code §54956.8, Conference with Real Property Negotiator
Assessor’s Parcel Number 188-240-31
Negotiating Parties: Gary T. Arant, General Manager
Under Negotiation: Price
▪ Government Code §54956.9(a), Conference with Labor Negotiators
Agency Representatives: Gary T. Arant, General Manager
Employee Organization: Valley Center M.W.D. Employees’ Assoc.
RECONVENE
9. The regular Board meeting was reconvened at 4:05 p.m. No action was reported.
ADJOURNMENT
10. Upon motion by Aleshire, seconded by Polito and unanimously carried, the meeting was adjourned at
4:06 p.m.
ATTEST: ATTEST:
____________________________ _______________________________
President Secretary