Board Meeting - 10/14/2014
MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF SERRANO WATER DISTRICT
The Board of Directors of the Serrano Water District met in a regularly scheduled board meeting on Tuesday, October 14, 2014. The meeting was held at the District Office located at 18021 Lincoln Street, Villa Park, California.
CALL TO ORDER: President Rickerl called the meeting to order at 8:30 a.m.
ROLL CALL:
BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEMBERS PRESENT:
Robert F. (Woody) Rickerl President
C.L. Pharris, Jr. Vice President
Jerry Haight Board Member
Richard A. Freschi Board Member
Frank Bryant Board Member
BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEMBERS ABSENT:
STAFF PRESENT:
Jerry Vilander General Manager
Ann Michel Director, Finance & Administration
Joel Kuperberg General Counsel, Rutan & Tucker
Laura Heflin Administrative Assistant
GUESTS PRESENT:
Alyson Loyd Curt Pringle & Associates
Dave Noyes Contract CEO, SWD Recreation, Inc.
Diana Fascenelli City Council Woman, City of Villa Park
Brad Reese City Council Man, City of Villa Park
Ski Harrison General Counsel, Rutan & Tucker
Bill Nelson California Special Districts Association
Heather Baez Municipal Water District of Orange County
The following items were moved out of sequence in the interest of the schedules of the attendees:
RESOLUTION NO. 2014-10-01
Following discussion, it was moved (Director Pharris), seconded (Director Bryant), and unanimously carried to adopt Resolution No. 2014-10-01 as presented with Directors Rickerl, Haight, Freschi, Pharris and Bryant voting yes. The Board of Directors presented Ski Harrison with a formal resolution commending him for his excellent legal counsel to the District in labor related issues over the years. Mr. Harrison was wished well in his coming retirement.
PROPOSITION 1 WATER BOND PRESENTATION - HEATHER BAEZ, MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT OF ORANGE COUNTY
Heather Baez of the Municipal Water District of Orange County presented the various aspects of the water bond. Highlighted items included water bond negotiations, allocation of funds, and support and opposition. The Board of Directors thanked Ms. Baez for her informative presentation.
CSDA TRANSPARENCY CERTIFICATE OF EXCELLENCE - PRESENTED BY BILL NELSON
This item was postponed to the November board meeting due to the fact that the Certificate of Excellence was not received in time for the meeting. Bill Nelson apologized for this oversight, and congratulated the Board of Directors on their certification. He also commended General Manager Vilander and staff on their expeditious obtainment of the same. Mr. Nelson complimented General Manager Vilander on the new format of the District’s billing statement commenting that it was more informative than the previous version. Director Freschi remarked that the CSDA conference that he recently attended was excellent.
PUBLIC COMMENT
Council Woman Fascenelli reported that Governor Brown has signed legislation that will go into effect in 2020 and will result in the loss of diversion credit. As a result of this, trash rates will increase. Council Woman Fascenelli also reported that the local elementary school as well as girl scouts have contacted her to see if the District would be interested in providing tours of the treatment plant. General Manager Vilander responded that he will be happy to provide tours. Director Freschi congratulated Council Woman Fascenelli on being recognized by the Orange County Register. Council Woman Fascenelli asked for clarification on the meter service charge which is $32.21.
Councilman Reese remarked that he liked the format of the new District bills.
CORPORATE MINUTES
Consideration of Serrano Water District Board Meeting minutes of September 9, 2014. Director Freschi moved that the minutes of the September 9, 2014 meeting be approved as submitted, Director Haight seconded the motion, and the motion was unanimously carried with Directors Bryant, Pharris, Rickerl, Freschi and Haight voting yes.
GENERAL MANAGER REPORT
General Manager Vilander summarized the status of Board Committee and management matters as agendized for the month of September. Highlighted items included the new billing statements and conservation outreach efforts. Director Pharris asked that General Manager Vilander review Lemon, between Serrano and Mesa, for potential runoff. Director Freschi recommended that a 50% increase in consumption be used to generate the alert notices on the statement. Directors Bryant and Rickerl commended General Manager Vilander on the removal of the Sionix equipment from the Villa Park Dam.
FINANCIAL REPORT
Following presentation of the financial report by Ann Michel, Director of Finance and Administration, it was moved (Director Pharris), seconded (Director Haight), and unanimously carried with Directors Bryant, Freschi, Rickerl, Pharris and Haight voting yes to approve the disbursements in the amount of $241,896.01. Director Haight asked the Finance Committee to go back and look at the budget based upon current financials and to report back at the Board of Directors meeting in November. Director Haight additionally requested revised numbers at the meeting to review. He also remarked that water sales are down and salaries are up 16%. Assumptions will be brought to the November Board meeting. President Rickerl suggested that Finance Committee meetings be held on a monthly basis going forward. Director Haight also asked Ann Michel to review the voided checks that are missing in sequence and to bring to the Finance Committee meeting.
WATER REPORT
Ann Michel, Director of Finance and Administration, presented the water report. The water report was received and filed.
RESOLUTION NO. 2014-10-02 OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE SERRANO WATER DISTRICT REQUIRING EMPLOYEES AND DIRECTORS TO PAY ONE-HALF OF THE INCREASED COST OF PREMIUMS FOR THE MOST COSTLY HEALTHCARE PLAN AVAILABLE TO DISTRICT DIRECTORS AND EMPLOYEES
Following discussion, it was moved (Director Haight), seconded (Director Freschi), and unanimously carried to adopt Resolution No. 2014-10-02 as presented with Directors Rickerl, Haight, Freschi, Pharris and Bryant voting yes.
ELECTION OF INDEPENDENT SPECIAL DISTRICT OF ORANGE COUNTY (ISDOC) OFFICERS
Following discussion, it was moved (Director Freschi), seconded (Director Pharris), and unanimously carried to approve ISDOC’s slate of recommended Directors with Directors Rickerl, Haight, Freschi, Pharris and Bryant voting yes.
IMPORTED WATER PURCHASES
Following discussion led by General Manager Vilander, it was moved (Director Freschi), seconded (Director Bryant), and unanimously carried to authorize the General Manager to purchase up to 1,200 acre feet of water with Directors Rickerl, Freschi, Bryant, Haight and Pharris voting yes.
CORRESPONDENCE
Correspondence was reviewed as agendized.
DIRECTOR COMMENTS AND REPORTS
None.
ATTORNEY’S REPORT
None.
The meeting was adjourned to the SWD Recreation, Inc. meeting at 10:45 a.m, and then reconvened at 10:58 a.m. and, at which time, it was announced that the Board of Directors would move into closed session.
CLOSED SESSION
PUBLIC EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION (Government Code Section 54957)
Title: General Manager
CLOSED SESSION
CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL - PROPERTY NEGOTIATION
Government code section 54956.8: One potential case
Property - Santiago Reservoir (Irvine Lake, Recreation Rights and Access)
District Negotiations - Jerry Vilander, Dave Noyes, Joel Kuperberg
Negotiating Parties - Irvine Company, County of Orange
Under Negotiation - Price and Terms
The meeting was recessed back into open session at 12:30 p.m., and it was announced that no formal action will be taken at this time.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was formally adjourned at 12:31 p.m. The next regularly scheduled meeting will be held on Wednesday, November 12, 2014 @ 8:30 a.m. at the District office.
Laura Heflin, Administrative Assistant