Minutes of March 31, 2008

Regular meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. in the business office at the Wastewater Treatment Plant.  Present were Directors Kraynek, Ball, Dill, and O’Brien.  Director Schwartz was absent.  Also present were Superintendent Mike Kelley and Secretary Jodi Mitchell.

1. Minutes of February 25, 2008
 MOTION Dill/Kraynek:  To approve the minutes of February 25, 2008 as presented.
 ROLL CALL VOTE  AYES:  Directors Kraynek, Ball, Dill, and O’Brien
     NOES:  None
     ABSENT: Director Schwartz
     ABSTAIN: None

2. Communications
 Correspondence was received from Wendy Roberts regarding the District’s request for her to provide groundwater extraction meter readings each month.  Ms. Roberts informed the Secretary that she was of the opinion that sending monthly meter readings on a quarterly basis was more than adequate for monitoring purposes and that harassing the employers (ratepayers) neither created nor conserved water.  Superintendent Kelley responded to Ms. Roberts, asking her to submit meter readings on a monthly basis.  The Board concurred that Ms. Robert had a valid point, in that generally these are not water sensitive months.  However, a person cannot decide to arbitrarily change the rules.  Monthly meter readings could alert the property owner and the District to a problem if one existed; for example, a major water leak.  The Groundwater Extraction Permit Ordinance required meter readings each month.  The Board would entertain a discussion of this issue with Ms. Roberts at a Board level, but disagreed that MCCSD staff was harassing her.  The correspondence she received was a reminder for her to read the meter monthly, and a request to follow the rules.

 Correspondence was received from Michael Moreland regarding the District’s request to provide meter readings each month.  Mr. Moreland wondered what the real issue was with reporting.  He believed they had volunteered to report their water use, so the District could ascertain whether or not they had exceeded their allotment.  He thought that their careful use of water was a better method of helping effectively manage Mendocino’s limited water supply and not by providing perfectly punctual reports of maximum use.  Mr. Moreland had made several requests to report on a quarterly basis.  Superintendent Kelley responded to Mr. Moreland’s correspondence and requested he read the meter monthly and he brought staff four loaves of warm bread.

 The LAFCO 2008/2009 proposed budget was provided to the Board.

 Correspondence was received from the Mendocino High School, Gail Dickenson, Principal and Noah Gold, Athletic/Career/Activities Director.  On behalf of all Mendocino High School students and staff, they thanked the MCCSD for taking the time to share their passion and knowledge with them during Sustainability Day last week.  Feedback from the kids was extremely positive, and everyone agreed that it was a worthwhile event.  They planned on making it an annual event and looked forward to the District’s involvement.

3. Public Comment – None
 
 

4. New Business
 a. Resolution No. 206 – A Resolution of the MCCSD approving the Sewer System     Management Plan, Development Plan and Schedule and Sewer System      Management Plan Goals and Organization.
 In 2006, the State Water Resources Control Board adopted General Waste Discharge Requirements for all publicly-owned sanitary sewer collection systems located in California, with more than one mile of sewer pipe.  The District was required to develop a Sewer System Management Plan (SSMP), which contained eleven elements.  Staff prepared a SSMP Development Plan and Schedule outlining the required work products and timing to comply with the Waste Discharge Requirements, and drafted two of the required eleven SSMP elements.  The first two elements, Goals and Organization were required by May 1, 2008, and considered by the Board.
 MOTION Kraynek/Ball: To waive the reading of Resolution No. 206.
 ROLL CALL VOTE  AYES:  Directors Kraynek, Ball, Dill, and O’Brien
     NOES:  None
     ABSENT: Director Schwartz
     ABSTAIN: None

 MOTION Kraynek/Dill:  To adopt Resolution #206 A Resolution of the MCCSD        Approving the Sewer System Management Plan, Development       Plan and Schedule, and SSMP Goals &  Organization.
 ROLL CALL VOTE  AYES:  Directors Kraynek, Ball, Dill, and O’Brien
     NOES:  None
     ABSENT: Director Schwartz
     ABSTAIN: None

 Superintendent Kelley would bring SSMP elements to the Board at various stages in order to meet preparation deadlines for completion of the plan in August of 2010.

5. Water Management
 a. Review Rainfall and Water Supply for 2008
 Based on the 2008 rainfall record, the district may be in an undeclared Stage 1 Water Shortage at the end of March.  A Stage 1 Water Shortage was considered a mild water shortage.
 In 2008, the District received 30.63 inches of rainfall with less than 7 inches since February 1st.  Average rainfall through March was 34.39 inches, so Mendocino was about 11% below normal to date.  So far, March was very dry with 1.06 inches of precipitation.  The District normally received 5.7 inches of rain in March.
 The forecast was for more rain during the last week of March, so the District could reach the 32 inches needed to avoid an undeclared Stage 1 Water Shortage.  If Mendocino received 35 inches of rain by May 31, there would be no water shortage this year.  MCCSD would need to formally declare a water supply emergency if 35 inches of rain was not received by the end of May.

6. Old Business – None

7. Attorney’s Report

8. District Superintendent’s Report
 During the month of March, the treatment plant operated normally.  Plant personnel performed routine plant maintenance and equipment repair.
 Staff installed the new crane on the service truck.  Fischer Communications installed the radio in the truck as well.
 Welty and Associates surveyed the Main Street and Heeser Drive Lift Stations.  The survey was needed to identify the property boundaries prior to the proposed work of the facilities.  The Main Street Lift Station was in need of an access road for normal maintenance or emergency repairs at the site.  MCCSD planned to install an emergency generator and construct a building to house the equipment at the Heeser Drive Lift Station.  Mike noted that he called Kelly Grimes regarding a shed design for the Heeser Drive lift station and had planned to ask Welty and Associates to design the road.
 Director O’Brien noted there were multi uses for the Main Street road access; 1) to reclaim park access to visitors, 2) to get the District’s service truck in for safe access to the left station, and 3) allow for the Fire Department’s emergency access.  Director O’Brien and Danny Hervilla will meet with Superintendent Kelley to coordinate the proposed road access.
 Aerator #1 and #2 have been rebuilt and would be reinstalled during April 2008.
 Staff took their regular monthly safety meeting online.  The Safety Officer also conducted the monthly safety inspection of the plant.
 Superintendent Kelley reported that current State regulations required that all diesel-fueled engines of 50 hp or greater must meet certain emissions standards.  Mike contacted Generac to obtain information on the generator, to determine if it was over 250 hp, and if so, would require a permit with Air Quality Management District, as soon as possible.  The Bobcat was exempt, because it was 46 hp, meeting the 50 hp allowable emission standards.

9. Committee Updates
 Director Kraynek stated that he and Director Schwartz met once with Superintendent Kelley to discuss the proposed budget and they had scheduled another meeting in April.  It was noted that the Auditor had previously discussed that sufficient funds be put aside for capital improvement of the ageing treatment plant.  Superintendent Kelley noted that for the District’s size and type of treatment they were below the average rate, and that a rate increase may be required to increase the capital improvement funds account.

10. District Secretary’s Report
 Secretary Mitchell reported that a Certificate of Lien was recorded against real property owned by Richard Christiana and Marie Littlefield at 45270 Albion Street for unpaid sewer service and related charges in the amount of $936.68.

 Demands and Disbursements
 MOTION Kraynek/Dill:  To approve disbursements in the amount of $30,279.56 for       checks #8181 through #8207, noting check #8181 was void.
 ROLL CALL VOTE  AYES:  Directors Kraynek, Ball, Dill, and O’Brien
     NOES:  None
     ABSENT: Director Schwartz
     ABSTAIN: None

 Due to the Memorial Day Holiday scheduled for May 26, 2008, the Board would meet one week earlier on May 19, 2008.

 The meeting adjourned.

       Respectfully submitted,
 

       Jodi Mitchell
       District Secretary