MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING
OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE
IRONHOUSE SANITARY DISTRICT
March 5, 2013
The Ironhouse Sanitary
District (ISD) Board of Directors met in regular session on Tuesday, March 5,
2013.
The place of meeting was the
Ironhouse Sanitary District Office at 450 Walnut Meadows Drive, Oakley,
California.
1.
Call to
Order
The
meeting was called to order by President Lauritzen at 5:04 p.m. At that time
the Board and interested members of staff and the public were given a site tour
of the proposed Marsh Creek Enhancement project by Tom Williams.
At
6:15 the Board took a 45 minute recess and reconvened at 7:01 p.m.
2. Pledge of Allegiance led by David Huerta
Roll Call:
Directors present: David Contreras, David Huerta, Chris
Lauritzen, Michael Painter and Doug Scheer
Members
absent: None
Staff/Consultants present: Tom Williams, General Manager
Jennifer Skrel, District
Engineer
Dave Dal Porto, Reclamation,
Levee and Ranch Superintendent
Susan Walde, District
Secretary
Bob Henn, District
Counsel
Michael Welty,
Financial Officer
Interested
Parties: Michael and Susan
Morgan, Oakley
Randy
Pope, Oakley City Council
Roni
Gehlke, Delta Science Center
3. Approval of Agenda
M/S D. Huerta and D. Contreras and the Board voted to
approve the agenda.
4. Approval of the minutes of the January
23, 2013 Special Workshop and the February 5, 2013 Regular Meeting.
M/S D. Huerta, M. Painter and the Board voted to approve
the minutes of the January 23, 2013 Special Workshop and the February 5, 2013 Regular
Meeting of the Board.
5. Public Comments – Communications from the public on subjects not on
the agenda.
There were no comments from the public in attendance.
6. Consent Calendar
A. Approval of
Payment Order, Report on Financial Position & Operating
Performance.
M/S M. Painter, D. Huerta, and the Board voted
unanimously to approve the consent calendar.
Staff Report – Michael Welty – Utonomy
Mr. Welty reported that he has been working with staff
and has made lots of progress with the budget process. All the managers have submitted budgets for
their departments and he has consolidated each department into the total budget. He plans to meet with Mr. Williams to go
through the budget line by line. He
reported he and Mr. Williams will be meeting with the Finance Committee to
review the budget progress.
President Lauritzen had asked to establish a policy
for check signing. He reported he did
develop a policy regarding staff process and Directors reviewing and signing checks.
The policy standardizes the signing of
checks once a week on Thursday; with a three hour notice to Directors of check
availability. All supporting
documentation will be attached to the checks.
The Board thanked Mr. Welty for setting this policy.
7. Business Before the Board
7A. Consideration of Use of ISD Property for a
Research Grant Project the Delta Science Center has Received Through the USDA
Agricultural and Food Research Initiative (AFRI).
Mrs. Gehlke gave a presentation on the proposed USDA grant
the Delta Science Center has received for a local learning lab to be facilitated
on Jersey Island for the project. Mrs.
Gehlke reported that they had 2400 students tour the Science Fair and they
invited interested students to Twitchell Island to see the current rice
cultivation program in progress. The
next step of the rice project is to build a learning lab but, the grant
participants will need to find an alternative location within the Delta as the
State will not renew their use of Twitchell Island for the project. The project partners will be AFRI Grant, U.C.
Davis, Hydrofocus, and possibly ISD. The
main focus of the rice project is to study peat subsidence and carbon emissions
in the western Delta. The property would be used to create a space where
students can have a local location to grow a rice field, study the biologic
effects of rice on peat soil, test sequestered carbon resulting from the rice
field, test mercury and methane effects of growing rice and study effect of soil
subsidence in rice fields. Jersey Island
is rich in fertile peat soil and is an eight minute drive from the high school,
it would support the project locally, and would be a great opportunity for
students and the community, as well as for ISD.
The grant and learning laboratory have direct benefit to ISD in that,
ISD would learn how its soils are negatively or beneficially impacted by
certain agricultural practices. The
local learning lab would have students from Freedom High School working with
professors, post grad students and grad students from U.C. Davis and U.C.
Berkeley working on the project.
The project proposal on Jersey Island consists of utilizing
an area of approximately 5000 square feet.
The students will be responsible for monitoring and the maintenance of
the crop. There will be approximately
30-60 total students involved in different facets of the program. Director Lauritzen stated as long as he has
been on the Board he has been educated about subsidence and, he is concerned
about doing anything that may provide the State with reason to reduce their support
to the levee projects. Ms. Gehlke stated
the current project on Twitchell is not the only project like this being
performed in the Delta. Similar projects
are being performed on Liberty and Staten Islands, and in the Yolo Bypass. Mr. Williams added that the proposed project
will provide ISD and Reclamation District 830 (RD 830) with valuable
information which will help both entities make more informed decisions on
farming and levee maintenance practices in the future.
Mrs. Gehlke indicated the project would consist of
three seasons starting on March 13, 2013.
Director Contreras asked what the financial obligation
to District would be. Mrs. Gehlke stated
the grant will cover most of the costs for the project. There would need to be work done by ISD to
till the ground, build a berm around the exterior of the project and a slight
electrical cost to the District for pumping of water to the project. Dave Dal Porto estimated the cost to ISD for
the set up work for the project would be approximately $1,500. The total grant for this project by the Delta
Science Center is for $27,000. The Delta
Science Center will be setting up the rider for insurance for ISD and for RD
830.
President Lauritzen asked for any questions from the
public.
Director Contreras stated he would like to make a
recommendation the Board support this project.
M/S D. Scheer, D. Huerta and the Board voted unanimously
to authorize the General Manager, in consultation with District Counsel, to
negotiate and enter into an agreement with the DSC for temporary use of ISD
property for the learning lab in conjunction with the USDA grant with an estimated
setup cost to ISD in the amount of $1,500.
7B. Receive
Presentation From Board President of Reclamation District No. 830 on Proposed
Marsh Creek Enhancement Project.
Mr. Williams, President of Reclamation District 830,
addressed the Board and gave a brief overview of the Reclamation District and
its responsibility for operations and maintenance of the Jersey Island levee
and reclamation works. He spoke in
regard to the Marsh Creek Enhancement Project stating the project has been
around in one form or another since 2004 when he first addressed the board. He gave a brief timeline and history of the
project to help the newest Board members understand the ISD relationship to the
proposed RD 830 project. Mr. Williams
presented the Board with a power point presentation outlining the anticipated
project.
The RD 830 grant amount is $8,950,000. It is anticipated the grant amount will fully
fund the proposed Marsh Creek Habitat Enhancement Project from start to finish
(creating up to 90 acres of enhancement on the ISD property and approximately
200 acres on the neighboring Dutch Slough Project). Mr. Williams stated the enhancement
opportunities of the project are possible by 1) the excavation of up to 600,000
cubic yards of dirt on the ISD property (allowing for up to 90 acres of habitat
enhancement on the ISD site), and 2) moving the excavated fill material to the
neighboring Dutch Slough site to fill deeply subsided areas (allowing for more
shallow water habitat enhancement).
Mr. Williams stated he met with DWR recently and the
timing of excavating and moving the fill material has been delayed until 2016
due to the Contra Costa Water District canal encasement project. Mr. Williams stated he is working with DWR to
give a workshop for the Board on the combined Dutch Slough Restoration Project
and the Marsh Creek Enhancement Project.
President Lauritzen asked what mitigation documents
will need to be prepared for the project.
Mr. Williams stated that the RD 830 project is still in its conceptual
phase and full compliance with CEQA (California Environmental Quality Act) will
need to be performed. The proposed RD
830 grant estimate includes the cost of performing the CEQA compliance. Also, with the delay until 2016 for moving
the fill material, additional time will now be available for project CEQA and
necessary permitting.
Mr. Williams asked for comments from the Board, and
also asked the Board to set a potential date for a workshop with DWR to further
discuss the project.
Director Contreras asked about the timing of the grant
monies for payment of the dirt purchase from ISD. Mr. Williams stated he will be working with
DWR regarding securing money for the dirt purchase (either up front or as some
type of option purchase where a small percentage is offered to secure the
material until the dirt moving can begin) in lieu of waiting until 2016.
Director Lauritzen applauded Mr. Williams for his
effort in obtaining the grants for ISD and RD 830. He asked about the future of the project with
the possibility of retirement and changes to staff and specifically, if Mr.
Williams would retire, what would become of the project. Mr. Williams stated that RD 830’s first task
as part of the grant is to develop a very detailed project Scope of Work (SOW) for
approval by DWR. The SOW will identify
things like the project team (RD 830 representatives and consultants),
individual project milestones, timelines for completing different project tasks
and who completes them, etc… In essence, the SOW will provide a clear roadmap
for the project, no matter who is at the helm. Another question was asked
regarding how potential unexpected costs are resolved. Mr. Williams responded the grant agreement
(Project Funding Agreement – PFA) includes a section on unexpected costs and
requires RD 830 to immediately inform DWR of any issues and, to meet with DWR
to address how the issue will be resolved.
DWR always has the option to approve or deny unexpected project costs,
as well as the option to amend the project scope to accommodated unexpected costs.
Discussion was held on dates available for a workshop
with DWR. March 12th at 3:00
p.m. was set for a workshop.
No action was taken by the Board and the Board will
meet again on March 12, 2013 at 3:00 p.m. for a workshop with DWR project
managers to further review the project.
7C. Consideration
of Establishing Standing Subcommittees for Capital Projects and Human
Resources.
President Lauritzen stated that it was suggested by
Director Contreras to add two subcommittees; Capital Projects and
Personnel/Human Resources. The addition
of a Capital Projects committee would enable the general manager to address the
committee and then make recommendations to the Board. Director Painter asked why the addition of a
Personnel/Human Resources committee and Director Contreras responded that it is
very common in other Special Districts.
President Lauritzen recommended the addition of
Personnel to Human Resources.
M/S D. Huerta D. Contreras and the Board voted
unanimously to establish two subcommittees; Capital Projects and
Personnel/Human Resources.
8. Staff Reports
President Lauritzen thanked staff and for their staff
reports and relayed how much they keep the Board up to date.
Jenny Skrel –
Ms. Skrel reported to the Board that in addition to her written report, she
will be a judge at the Science & Engineering Fair at Los Medanos Collage
held March 21-23.
Tom Williams –
Mr. Williams reported that the Freedom High School Science, Ag, and Math
teacher came to ISD today for a tour of the new facility and Mr. Williams
facilitated a tour of Jersey Island. The
processes were very well received by their staff and will help with future
outreach and educational opportunities with the schools. Mr. Williams reported that he has been
working with Michael Welty on the Budget process. He has also been working with Koff and
Associates on the Total Compensation Study.
He also reported he met with the Maintenance and Collections committee
on February 28th. He reported
he facilitated a tour of Jersey Island for new Director Scheer and City
Councilman Pope. They toured around the
complete island to review the processes.
Mr. Williams reported he is on the CCSDA program
committee and met with the committee members in February to plan the year of
programs. On April 15th they
have scheduled for Jim Fiedler of Santa Clara Valley Water District to give a
presentation on recycled water. Mr.
Williams reported he was approached to participate on the CSRMA pooled
liability committee and will be working on the committee with involvement three
times a year. Director Contreras had
participated on this committee and recommended Mr. Williams participation.
RD 830 – Mr. Williams will be working on the Marsh
Creek Enhancement grant and working with the ISD Board on this project.
Bob Henn –
Mr. Henn reported that he and Mr. Etzel have been working on the CEQA for the
Marsh Creek Enhancement project. Mr.
Henn has been working on follow-up on the Director’s Benefits policy.
Roni Gehlke
– Mrs. Gehlke reported that last month the Outreach Committee had a tour of
Adult Education students. Mr. Mueller facilitated
the tour and commented that they were the best behaved students yet. Mrs. Gehlke reported that in May a class of 5th
graders is scheduled to tour the facility.
9. Board
Members Advisory Reports
The Board submitted written
reports and had no additional information to report.
10. Future Agenda Items for Consideration
There were no future agenda items suggested for
consideration.
11. Adjournment
President Lauritzen
adjourned the regular meeting at 9:15 p.m. until Tuesday, April 2, 2013 at 7:00
p.m. for the next regular meeting in the Ironhouse Sanitary District offices at
450 Walnut Meadows Drive, Oakley, California.
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