Zone 7 Meeting - November 16, 2022
3. Open Session and Report Out of Closed Session 15. Items for Future Agenda - Directors MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS ZONE 7 ALAMEDA COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT REGULAR MEETING November 16, 2022 The following were present: DIRECTORS PRESENT: DAWN BENSON SANDY FIGUERS DIRECTOR GAMBS LAURENE GREEN SARAH PALMER ANGELA RAMIREZ HOLMES OLIVIA SANWONG DIRECTORS ABSENT: NONE STAFF PRESENT: VALERIE PRYOR, GENERAL MANAGER HEATH MCMAHON, ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER - ENGINEERING OSBORN SOLITEI, TREASURER/ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER - FINANCE JARNAIL CHAHAL, ENGINEERING MANAGER CAROL MAHONEY, GOVERNMENT RELATIONS MANAGER KEN MINN, GROUNDWATER RESOURCES MANAGER JEFF TANG, ACTING PRINCIPAL ENGINEER JAVIA GREEN, FINANCIAL ANALYST MICHELLE PARENT, WATER RESOURCES TECHNICIAN DONNA FABIAN, EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT GENERAL COUNSEL: REBECCA SMITH, DOWNEY BRAND Item 1 - Call Zone 7 Water Agency Meeting to Order President Palmer called the Regular Meeting of the Board of Directors to order at 7:15 p.m. Item 2 - Closed Session The Board went into Closed Session at 5:48 p.m. and came out of Closed Session at 6:46 p.m. Item 3 - O 3. Open Session and Report Out of Closed Session There was nothing to report out of Closed Session. Item 4 - President Palmer led the Pledge of Allegiance. Item 5 - All Directors were present. Item 6 - Audrey Egger, a 3rd grade student at Joe Michell School in Livermore, thanked Zone 7 for going to her class and teaching her about water. Item 7 - Director Green pulled Item 7e. Director Ramirez Holmes moved to approve Items 7a, 7b, 7c, and 7d and Director Benson seconded the motion. The items were approved by a roll call vote of 7-0. Director Green asked that the resolution be amended to include her for the out of state travel to the ACWA Washington D.C. Conference. Director Green moved to approve Item 7e and Director Figuers seconded the motion. Item 7e was approved by a roll call vote of 7-0. Item 8 - The Special Board Meeting Minutes of August 10th and August 31st, and the Regular Board Meeting Minutes of October 19, 2022, were approved by a roll call vote of 7-0. Item 9 - JaVia Green, Financial Analyst, presented three scenarios for the Board to consider adopting the treated water rates for calendar years 2023 through 2026, effective February 1, 2023. Scenario 4 would include rate revenue adjustments of 5% per year with $2.6 million in capital funding for the Stoneridge PFAS project. Scenario 4B includes rates revenue adjustments of 5.5% per year with $2.9 million in capital funding for the Stoneridge PFAS project. In Scenarios 4 and 4B, the remaining capital costs for the Stoneridge Well PFAS project would be funded from project deferrals and reserves, and reserves would not be replenished through water rates. Scenario 5 would include rate revenue adjustments of 7.5% per year with $16.3 million in capital funding for the Stoneridge PFAS project. Fund 100 reserves would be at target level by the end of the four-year rate cycle. President Palmer made a motion to approve Scenario 5 and Director Green seconded the motion. Directors Benson, Ramirez Holmes and Sanwong voted no, and Directors Figuers and Gambs abstained. Director Green made a motion to approve a 6.2% rate revenue adjustment, but it didn't receive a second. President Palmer made a motion to approve Scenario 4B and Director Figuers seconded the motion. The motion passed with a roll call vote of 5-2 with Directors Green and Sanwong dissenting. Item 10 - Jeff Tang, Acting Principal Engineer for Flood Protection Engineering, gave a presentation on the request for a Joint Funding Agreement with USGS for installation and annual stream gauge operations and maintenance. Mr. Tang stated that this new gauging station will help with hydraulic modeling and with the early storm and flood warning system network that staff are developing. Director Figuers moved to approve the item and Director Benson seconded the motion. The item was approved by a roll call vote of 7-0. Item 11 - Michelle Parent, Water Resources Technician, gave a presentation requesting authorization for a commercial septic system at Darcie Kent Vineyards' cannabis retail facility. Ms. Parent gave a background on the site, its proposed use, the proposed nitrogen load, and the Alameda County Department of Environmental Health's conditional approval requirements. The Board discussed the timeline and lack of clarity of the proposed mitigation measures, the anticipated expansion of the municipal sewer system, and the potential of more than doubling the load of wastewater in the groundwater. Director Figuers made a motion that the item to be brought to the Water Resources Committee for further discussion and Director Benson seconded the motion. The Board agreed with a roll call vote of 7-0. Item 12 - Michelle Parent gave a presentation requesting authorization for a commercial septic system use at Birch Creek Ranch for a proposed commercial olive oil tasting facility. Ms. Parent gave a background on the site, its proposed use, the proposed nitrogen load, and the Alameda County Department of Environmental Health's conditional approval requirements. Ms. Parent said that the owners of the winery wish to convert a storage barn into an olive oil tasting facility, remodel a water tower building to provide two restrooms, and convert a carriage house office into a 1-bedroom residence. Ms. Parent added that the site is outside of the high nitrates area of concern, and Zone 7 approval will be conditioned upon the Alameda County Department of Environmental Health's permit for design. Director Ramirez Holmes suggested a revision in the resolution under item 4 to remove the words "use of the" so it says, "the proposed septic system." Director Gambs moved to approve the item with the suggested changes from Director Ramirez Holmes, and Director Figuers seconded the motion. The item was approved by a roll call vote of 7-0. Item 13 - There were no comments from the Board on the meeting notes. Item 14 - President Palmer reported that she attended a Water Education Foundation meeting, a webinar on hazardous algae blooms, and a meeting with the DCA staff in Sacramento. Director Gambs reported that he attended the Alameda County Special District's meeting. Director Green reported that she attended the ACWA Groundwater Committee meeting. Director Ramirez Holmes reported that she attended the ACWA State Legislative Committee meeting in Sacramento and the Los Vaqueros JPA (LVJPA) meeting. She added that the LVJPA will begin meeting at Zone 7 for their monthly meetings beginning in February. Item 15 - 15. Items for Future Agenda - Directors There were no requests for items for a future agenda. Item 16 - Valerie Pryor stated that in the General Manager's Report, on October 31st, the State Board issued the final notification and response levels for PFHSX and there were four wells that were over that response level, but staff are blending two of them, and two of them are offline. She wanted to reassure the Board and the community that the water being distributed is below that response level. Item 17 - President Palmer adjourned the meeting at 10:01 p.m. |