April 28, 1999

7:30 p.m.

The Board of Directors of the San Benito County Water District convened in Regular Session. Directors Wm. Rupert, John Tobias, Ken Perry, Bob Swanson and Gary Gonzales were present together with District Counsel David Pipal, District Manager/Engineer John S. Gregg, and Administrative Services Officer Janet L. Torres

a.       Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag

          President Perry called the meeting to order and requested all to stand and recite the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.

  1. Approval of Agenda

Upon motion duly made, seconded and carried, the Agenda was approved as submitted.

  1. Public Input

President Perry opened and closed the Public Input portion of the meeting, hearing no comment from the public.

  1. Approval of Minutes for:        March 24, 1999 – Regular Meeting

April 12, 1999 – Special Meeting

  1. Allowance of Claims

3.      Acceptance of Investment Committee Report for the Quarter ending March 31, 1999

Director Rupert questioned the Investment Report, the sales of investments and the letter to Dean Witter. Counsel Pipal stated the matter was set for executive session. District Manager/Engineer Gregg stated the structure of the note was a time issue. The District had to hold the note for six years so there would not be a service charge. He stated the delay was taken to avoid 1-1/2 % penalty.

Director Rupert questioned the claim for $663.00 for Jeff Ray. District Manager/Engineer Gregg stated it was for a flood forecast center training in Napa.

Upon motion duly made, seconded and unanimously passed the Consent Agenda was approved.

4.      Consider Resolution Designating District Manager, John S. Gregg, as Negotiator for the San Benito County Water District in Negotiations with the United States Bureau of Reclamation Pursuant to Binding Agreement No. 8-07-20-W0130-BA

District Manager/Engineer Gregg stated this Resolution was a routine matter at the Bureau’s request. He stated negotiations are not emanate, this is just a bureaucratic process and our response to their request is to be in the form of a Resolution.

Upon motion duly made, seconded and unanimously passed the District Manager was designated as negotiator for the San Benito County Water District with the United States Bureau of Reclamation pursuant to the binding agreement as stated above.

Director Rupert stated two board members hold positions on the USBR Contract Renewal Committee. District Manager/Engineer Gregg stated he will request a Special Meeting to discuss this matter.

5.      Consider Acceptance of Northeast Fairview Project Water Supply Assessment

District Manager/Engineer Gregg stated the intent of the letter is to convey concerns of the District with respect of salt additions to the groundwater basin. He stated the easiest access to water is San Felipe water. He stated the wastewater disposal plan is inefficient. Director Swanson stated to put it in a formalized report, send to Sunnyslope, City and Board members regarding the urgency of a treatment plant regarding excess salt in the water. President Perry asked if John Gregg could talk about what is going to happen at the Water Resources Association. District Manager/Engineer Gregg stated legislature has given power to water agencies to enforce limited use of water softeners. He stated by using a cylinder type water softener it reduces the salt disposal by 30%. President Perry asked if John had calculated the difference using San Felipe Water? He asked if households would need the softeners. District Manager/Engineer Gregg stated it would probably reduce the figures to 25%. He stated San Felipe water is just at the edge of hardness. He stated letter will be sent intending to capture the discussion of the Board promoting the Hollister Area Treatment Plant. He asked if the Board accepted the letter as written. Director Rupert stated that based upon the report John has given regarding the salt input, why not put the number in the letter. ‘This project will contribute _____ tons of salt to the basin’. District Manager/Engineer Gregg stated using the potassium figures, salt increases 50% to groundwater. Director Rupert stated he agrees with stating the real problems. Director Swanson agreed. Director Gonzales stated he thought it was hypocritical. He stated he felt new projects were not the problem, the old projects also contribute to the problem. He stated now we draw a line, twenty years ago we should have drawn the line. Director Tobias stated there is a need to identify the salt problem and it needs to start somewhere. President Perry stated we have to start to address all the issues, including potable water and sewer water. He stated he agreed with Director Gonzales but felt they needed to start somewhere. Director Swanson stated as far as the salt issue, this isn’t new. He stated what we are addressing is that these projects start using better water. President Perry asked it the Board wanted to agree to put this in. Director Rupert agreed, Director Swanson agreed, Director Gonzales disagreed, Director Tobias agreed and President Perry agreed. Director Swanson stated that during the Expansion Committee, another group came expressing concerns regarding water quality and water quantity. He stated he didn’t totally agree with the statement of insufficient water supply and insufficient water system capacity, but stated now he does agree. Director Swanson stated he supported the report. Director Gonzales stated he had nothing to say. Director Tobias stated he was concerned with the wastewater disposal. He stated the problem was identified but specifically where the water would go was not addressed. Director Tobias stated he didn’t want to intensify the north county water problem.

Upon motion duly made, seconded and carried the Northeast Fairview Report Water Supply Assessment was accepted, with the addition of the analysis of additional salt to the basin and the possibility of the wastewater flowing into the north county area. The motion was passed with a vote of 4 to 1 with Director Gonzales opposing.

6.      Committee Reports

    1. Investment Committee: Manager/Engineer Gregg stated the Committee discussed the issue of the sale of Morgan Stanley Dean Witter investments. He stated they discussed compliance issues and rates of return of alternative investments.
    2. Audit and Budget Committee: Manager/Engineer Gregg stated there was a presentation of the special purpose management audit. He stated the material will be forwarded to the full board. He reported there is a plan to move the District to fund accounting. He stated information will be sent to the Board in mid May.
    3. Expansion Committee: Manager/Engineer Gregg stated the District has received a number of individual requests for expansion of water service. He stated a report is forthcoming. Director Gonzales asked if the Committed had looked at tax issues. President Perry stated contract renewal is what we would like to look at. Director Rupert stated he would like to see the possibility of building on the hillsides and leaving the flat land for agriculture.
    4. Tres Pinos Committee: Manager/Engineer Gregg stated our Committee met to hear Tres Pinos’ interest and requests. Tres Pinos is interested in having operation and maintenance support. He stated they would like to have help with the on-call operation and emergency assistance. He stated the District is reluctant to offer long term on-call assistance. He stated this Board will put together a plan of operation/maintenance assistance and emergency on-call service. Director Tobias asked where the money would come from for the new wastewater treatment plant. He stated he understood that there was resistance on getting income information from Tres Pinos residents. Manager/Engineer Gregg stated the bureau needs response from 75% of the residents and only 50% have responded. President Perry stated the Board is willing to help if they will help themselves.

7.      District Manager/Engineer’s Report

    1. Paicines Ranch Resort Rezoning Project DSEIR – Special Meeting: Manager Engineer Gregg stated this was information only and he would present the document at a Special Meeting on May 12th. He stated his intent is Jan Goldsmith be available for any discussion as to conflict of interest. Director Rupert stated May 12th was good for him, Director Swanson stated it was not good for him, Director Gonzales stated it was not good for him, Director Tobias stated it was good for him, President Perry stated the date was good for him. Manager/Engineer Gregg stated Jan Goldsmith was not available on the 13th. He stated he could call her and find out if the 10th or 11th is good for her. He added it needed to be before the 14th.
    2. SLDMWA Activity Agreement for Mobile Lab Services: Manager/Engineer Gregg stated information is available to the Board regarding a mobile lab in conduction with the Water Conservation Program. He stated the Board could become a party to the agreement. He stated he has made contact with Powers agency and they will have a unit available at the Irrigation Workshop. He stated he wanted to give the Board a heads up regarding the agreement, if this service is worth it.
    3. Granite Rock Southside Quarry and Concrete Batch Plant Projects: Manager/Engineer Gregg stated two proposals are before the County Planning Commission. He stated this is a status report on those projects. He stated generally, when granite rock moved forward, they obtained a permit to mine on the bluff, the question is how deep. He stated a Reclamation Plan places conditions on the project. He stated some of the issues that were brought up were regarding traffic noise, dust, visual impact, slopes, water and groundwater, impacts on wells and discussions on flood hazards. He stated he felt this district would be ill advised to comment on wells. He stated the action is to say nothing on issues of mining depths. He added the matter awaits approval. He stated the batch plant was not approved by planning commission. It was appealed to the Board of Supervisors who in turn sent it back to Planning Commission. He stated if it is denied and appealed, we may want to appear and simply inform Board of Supervisors of conditions to protect surface and groundwater. Director Swanson asked if the reclamation issue was all on the mezzanine. Manager/Engineer Gregg stated the sedimentation ponds are in the flood plain, which needs to be protected.
    4. Pajaro River Watershed Flood Control: Richard Place stated there was a meeting with Don Gage on May 5th . He stated there is a Memorandum of Understanding between all boards. He stated Assemblyman Keeley stated the participating agencies were not communicating. Mr. Place stated he felt a lot of politics were involved. He stated AMBAG does not want to get involved in local issues other than water quality. Director Gonzales stated the Farm Bureau stated the government wants to collect revenue without naming projects.
    5. Urban Water Management Plan 2000: Manager/Engineer Gregg stated a public hearing was held on Monday, April 26, 1999 and the matter is now in the hands of the appropriate boards. He stated at the Board’s June meeting there will be a discussion of that plan. He added from that meeting a plan of action will be developed looking to alternatively address water issues for all zone 6.
    6. USBR Water Conservation/Management: Manager/Engineer Gregg stated he expects to have a working draft early in May and administrative draft in late May, which will be presented to Board in June. He stated he anticipated the document to be sent to the Bureau in August.

Director Rupert commented on Urban Water Management Plan 2000 issues. Manager/Engineer Gregg stated there were issues that need to be addressed. He stated the allocation of San Felipe water system works on basis of being non-discrimination.

The vote of each member of the Board on the preceding matters was as follows, unless otherwise stated:

AYES:          DIRECTORS:        Swanson, Tobias, Rupert, Gonzales, Perry

NOES:         DIRECTORS:        None

ABSENT:     DIRECTORS:        None

          The Board adjourned to a Regular Meeting to be held on May 26, 1999 at 7:30 p.m., 30 Mansfield Road, Hollister, California.

 

 

_________/s/Kenneth Perry_____

Kenneth Perry

President

 

ATTEST:      __/s/Janet L. Torres__________

                   Janet L. Torres

                   Administrative Services Officer