March 24, 1999
7:30p.m.
The Board
of Directors of the San Benito County Water District convened in Regular
Session. Directors Ken Perry, Gary Gonzales, Robert Swanson and John Tobias
were present together with Manager/Engineer
President Perry called the meeting to order and requested all to stand and recite the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.
President Perry pulled Item #6 at the request of Manager/Engineer Gregg. After no further discussion, the remainder of the Agenda was approved as submitted.
President Perry opened the portion of the meeting to receive comments from the public on any topics not on the Agenda. Hearing no comment, he closed the public input portion of the meeting.
CONSENT AGENDA
1. Approval of Minutes
for:
Upon motion duly made, seconded and unanimously carried, Items #1 and #2 of the Consent Agenda were approved. Item #3 was removed from the Consent Agenda and placed on the Regular Agenda for discussion.
REGULAR AGENDA
Director Swanson asked Counsel Pipal and Manager/Engineer Gregg if they were satisfied with the proposed Investment Policy. Counsel Pipal and Manager/Engineer Gregg stated they were content with the results. Manager/Engineer Gregg stated this Resolution will continue with the current investments which have over five years to maturity; approves the updated Investment Policy and rescinds Resolution 97-1 and 97-5.
Upon motion duly made, seconded and unanimously passed Resolution 99-08 was adopted.
4. Consider Resolution Establishing Percolation Policy for 1999/2000 Water Contract Year
Manager/Engineer Gregg stated the objective of this Resolution is to percolate San Felipe system only at John Smith Creek, Airline Highway drainage and Tres Pinos Creek, to operate Paicines Reservoir and canal to minimize seepage, to limit the storage in Paicines Reservoir and limit days of canal operation.. He stated percolation is only used when San Justo Reservoir is full and Hollister Conduit capacity is available.
Director Swanson asked how the measurements are done to determine how much water is being lost. Manager/Engineer Gregg measurements are taken by geologic personnel. He stated they divide the channel up in intervals and make calculations in the area. He added the canal is loosing half of what the reservoir is loosing per day. Director Gonzales asked if the District would have to percolate the same amount as they did last year. Manager/Engineer Gregg stated if we don’t get the transfer we may have to percolate more. President Perry stated San Juan Valley is getting cheated of quality water. He stated wells are running artesian because of the high groundwater.
Upon motion duly made, seconded and unanimously carried, Resolution 99-09 was adopted.
5. Discussion of Scope of Annual Groundwater Report
Manager/Engineer Gregg stated the issue was raised by Director Swanson to look at the North and South county areas as well as San Juan Valley. President Perry asked if a meter was going to be installed on San Juan Creek and where it would be? Manager/Engineer Gregg stated it would be installed at the intersection of Highway 101 below Anzar Road. President Perry asked if the District would be taking samples of the water coming out of San Juan? Manager/Engineer Gregg stated it would. President Perry stated he had read in the paper that San Juan was going to run sludge through a system that does not work too well. He stated the people of Pajaro would be effected and the District should know if the water leaving San Juan carried contaminants or not. He stated the District should know if there are contaminants in the water whether it is coming from San Juan or Hollister. Manager/Engineer Gregg stated the District has expanded water quality sampling along main body of river. He stated the District needs to do quality measurements along north county as well as San Juan Valley to get information to see how much salt and contaminants are leaving the county. President Perry asked if the District is checking water quality at Flint Road as it comes below Sewer plant? Manager/Engineer Gregg stated samples were taken by Mitchell Road. He stated the District’s goal is to sample up stream and down stream of activities that might influence water quality of groundwater. Richard Place asked if there were any fecal substances in the tests? Manager/Engineer Gregg stated the District will add chloroform testing. Richard Place stated he would like to see the results of that test in the future. Manager/Engineer Gregg stated in 1988 there were alarming high levels of chloroform in San Benito River and Pajaro River. He stated the District needs to extend the database to get a better handle on that. He stated the District is looking to cooperatively with other agencies to look at particular quality of water problems which can be approached in the Annual Groundwater Report.
Director Swanson stated the Annual Groundwater Report focused mainly on Zone 6. He added according to the District Act, Zone 3 should be included in the report. Manager/Engineer Gregg stated the Board will see more information on the expansion of the Groundwater Report in the budget process. President Perry stated it was imperative to expand on water quality.
7. Committee Reports
8. District Manager/Engineer Report
a) San Benito County General Plan Update – San Benito County Planning will hold a meeting as a scoping effort to determine what the community feels. Water Resources Association meeting will discuss issues. San Benito County Water District’s concerns is water quality and quanity, and handling waste water. The scoping process should be complete in April or May. The San Benito County General Plan is a living document and changes as the community objectives change.
b) San Juan Water System – San Benito County Water District and the City of San Juan have agreed to become partners to improve water quality. The Pre-application $500,000 for design work for improvements has been approved. The District will hold a Special Meeting on April 12th to discuss our respective roles. The deadline is April 16th for application. Construction money will come from 75% federal grant, 25% local money for construction of infrastructure.
c) San Juan Valley and North County Groundwater Studies – The question is, ‘How do we better manager the water?’ The District is going through getting information on geology, groundwater and developing a model to identify inputs and outputs. The District is working cooperatively with city. The District has sent out questionnaires to large farmers to determine if they blend groundwater. The District expects to have a model of inputs and outputs by Fall of 1999.
d) Water Conservation and Public Information Program – The District has received a $15,000 grant for water conservation and urban management programs. The Water Conservation Program will be looking at distribution system leaks, leak control and water conservation implementation tasks. The Urban Management Plan has scheduled an evening meeting for April 8th. Invitations have been sent out and advertisements have been placed in the paper. On April 26th, a public hearing will held by Sunnyslope Co. Board, San Benito County Water District Board and the City of Hollister. Irrigators workshop will be held on April 29th.
e) Groundwater Modeling – When complete the model for this joint application will be presented to the County Board of Supervisors and this board. Looking at $60,000 of funds from the state water regional quality board.
Manager/Engineer Gregg gave a brief update of the Hollister Conduit repair at the request of the Directors.
9. Approval of Director Attendance at the Spring ACWA Conference, South Lake Tahoe, May 5 – 7, 1999
Upon motion duly made, seconded Directors Gonzales and Perry were approved to attend the conference.
The vote of each member of the Board on the preceding matters was as follows, unless otherwise stated:
AYES: DIRECTOR: Swanson, Perry, Gonzales, Tobias
NOES: DIRECTOR: None
ABSENT: DIRECTOR: Rupert
The Board adjourned to a regular meeting to be held on April 28, 1999 at 7:30 p.m., 30 Mansfield Road, Hollister, California.
__________________________________
Kenneth Perry
President
ATTEST: _____________________________
Janet L. Torres
Administrative Services Officer