Zone 7 Meeting - February 19, 2020

Open Session and Pledge of Allegiance

Report out of Closed Session

Citizens Forum

Minutes

Consent Calendar

DVWTP Ozonation Project Quarterly Progress Presentation

Preliminary Water Supply Operations Plan for 2020

Contract Award for Chain of Lakes Pipeline Alignment Study

General Manager Performance Evaluation Procedures and Process

Committees

Reports-Directors

Items for Future Agenda - Directors

Staff Reports-Information items-No action will be taken

Adjournment


ZONE 7 Meeting


February 19, 2020

MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

ZONE 7

ALAMEDA COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT

REGULAR MEETING

February 19, 2020

The following were present:

DIRECTORS: SANDS FIGUERS

DENNIS GAMBS

SARAH PALMER

DICK QUIGLEY

ANGELA RAMIREZ HOLMES

OLIVIA SANWONG

MICHELLE SMITH MCDONALD

DIRECTORS ABSENT: NONE

ZONE 7 STAFF: VALERIE PRYOR, GENERAL MANAGER

OSBORN SOLITEI, TREASURER/ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER, FINANCE

COLTER ANDERSEN, PRODUCTION MANAGER

JARNAIL CHAHAL, ENGINEERING MANAGER

CAROL MAHONEY, INTEGRATED WATER RESOURCES MANAGER

RHETT ALZONA, PRINCIPAL ENGINEER

JOHN KOLTZ, SENIOR ENGINEER

BRANDON WOODS, ASSOCIATE ENGINEER

DONNA FABIAN, EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT

ALEXANDRA BRADLEY, COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST

COUNSEL: DAVID ALADJEM, DOWNEY BRAND

Item 1 - Call Meeting to Order

The meeting was called to order at 6:00 p.m. and the Board immediately went into Closed Session.

1. Closed Session

a. Government Code section 54957(b); Public Employee Performance Evaluation: Title: General Manager

b. Conference with Labor Negotiators pursuant to Government Code section 54954.5:

Agency Negotiator: Valerie Pryor/Osborn Solitei

Employee Organizations: Alameda County Management Employees Association; Alameda County Building and Construction Trades Council, Local 342, AFL-CIO; International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, Local 21, AFL-CIO; Local 1021 of the Service Employees International Union, CTW; Unrepresented Management

c. Conference with Legal Counsel - Existing litigation pursuant to Government Code §54956.9(d) (1): 2 cases. (1) Edwin Belshe and Ginger Belshe v. Alameda County Flood Control and Water Conservation District, Zone 7, et al., Alameda County Superior Court Case No. RG17868354; (2) City and County of San Francisco v. City of Dublin et al., Contra Costa County Superior Court Case No. CIV MSN18-0928

d. Conference with Legal Counsel - Potential initiation of litigation pursuant to Gov't Code section 54956.9(d) (4): 2 cases

e. Conference with Legal Counsel - Anticipated litigation pursuant to Gov't Code section 54956.9(d) (2): 2 cases

Item 3 -

Open Session and Pledge of Allegiance

President Figuers called the meeting back into session at 7:00 p.m. and led the pledge of allegiance.

Item 4 -

Report out of Closed Session

President Figuers reported that the Board of Directors met with Legal Counsel to confirm the matter of Belshe v. Zone 7, et al., and that a settlement has been reached in the amount of $485,000 and the case is dismissed.

Item 5 -

Citizens Forum

There was no public comment.

Item 6 -

Minutes

Director Palmer moved to approve the minutes of the Regular Board Meeting of January 15, 2020, and Director Ramirez Holmes seconded the motion. The minutes were approved by a voice vote of 7-0.

Item 7 -

Consent Calendar

Director Palmer made a motion to approve Items 7a, 7b and 7c. Director Quigley seconded the motion. Items 7a, 7b and 7c were approved by a roll call vote of 7-0.

Resolution No. 20-04 Declaration of Fix a Leak Week (Item No. 7a)

Resolution No. 20-05 Zone 7 Conflict of Interest Code - Biennial Review (Item No. 7b)

Resolution No. 20-06 Pest Control Services Contract with The Hitmen Termite & Pest Control, Inc. (Item No. 7c)

Item 8 -

DVWTP Ozonation Project Quarterly Progress Presentation

Brandon Woods, Associate Engineer and Project Manager of the ozone project at the Del Valle Water Treatment Plant (DVWTP), gave a brief overview of the benefits of ozone, an update on the status of the project, and shared some progress photos.

Director Palmer asked Mr. Woods to explain what happens to ozone when it gets released into the atmosphere. Mr. Woods responded that when the ozone is applied to the water, about 90-95% of the ozone is absorbed in the water and the rest results in off-gas which is sent to the ozone destruction units and turned into pure oxygen after the treatment.

Item 9 -

Preliminary Water Supply Operations Plan for 2020

Sal Segura, Associate Engineer, gave a brief overview on Zone 7's water supply conditions and planned operation for 2020. Mr. Segura stated the information was provided to the Water Resources Committee where it was asked to be shared with the full Board. Mr. Segura stated that Zone 7 has five main sources of water; the State Water Project, Yuba Accord water and other transfers, stored water in Lake Del Valle, local groundwater, and groundwater stored in Kern County. Mr. Segura noted the five main categories of water usage; municipal deliveries, agricultural deliveries, local groundwater recharge, Kern County recharge, and the State Water Project Carryover.

Item 10 -

Contract Award for Chain of Lakes Pipeline Alignment Study

Sal Segura, Associate Engineer, gave a brief presentation on the Chain of Lakes Pipeline Alignment Study Contract Award. Mr. Segura stated that the pipeline will help manage Zone 7's water resources by allowing use of the Chain of Lakes prior to completion of current mining activities. Mr. Segura stated that staff issued a Request for Proposals process and found HydroScience Engineers to be the most suitable engineering firm to conduct the Study.

Cindy Preuss, Vice-President of HydroScience and the proposed Project Manager for the study, stated that since the pipeline will be approximately 7 ½ miles long spanning through the cities of Livermore and Pleasanton, it is important that the public be kept abreast on the project. Ms. Preuss stated that right after the kickoff meeting with Zone 7 staff, her team will develop a public outreach plan.

Director Ramirez Holmes expressed concern over spending $506,000 on a study for new infrastructure when we could be spending money on existing infrastructure. Mr. Segura responded that the pipeline would give Zone 7 the ability to store local water that would normally be lost, and it would also allow stored water to be sent to the DVWTP for treatment.

Director Gambs stated that he would like to quantify the amount of surplus SWP water and local water available for the project. A report on this would be helpful for the Board to gain an understanding of the benefits from the project. Directors Palmer and Smith McDonald agreed.

Carol Mahoney, Integrated Water Resources Manager, stated that with the Chain of Lakes pipeline, Zone 7 would be able to more effectively manage its groundwater basin by moving water into the basin, and if necessary, move it back out for use during a drought.

Public comment was received.

Director Gambs made a motion to approve Item 10 and Director Quigley seconded the motion. The motion passed by a roll call vote of 7-0.

Resolution No. 20-07 Contract Award for Chain of Lakes Pipeline Alignment Study (Item No. 10)

Item 11 -

General Manager Performance Evaluation Procedures and Process

Director Sanwong stated that the Administrative Committee met in January and February of this year to discuss the General Manager Performance Evaluation Procedures and Process. Director Sanwong stated that the Committee recommended keeping the same format as last year by having the General Manager fill out a self-evaluation, and the Board members completing the General Manager performance review form, then submitting it to General Counsel. Director Sanwong stated that there were minor suggested changes to the form as shown in red on the attachment in the staff report, and that the Committee also discussed having staff complete a survey and whether or not that survey should be included in the performance review of the General Manager.

After the Board discussed the recommended changes, it was decided to not add the two suggested items in red on the first page, to change the title of item #1 to "Interaction with the Board," and then on item #2, add "Delegates Appropriate Tasks and Responsibilities."

Director Palmer moved that the changes to the Performance Evaluation Form be approved and Director Quigley seconded the motion. The motion was approved by a voice vote of 7-0.

Valerie Pryor, General Manager, stated that she would have her self-evaluation completed by February 28th. It was also decided that the Board would have their completed evaluation forms to General Counsel by March 11th. Director Palmer moved that the new timeline be approved, and Director Ramirez Holmes seconded the motion. The motion was approved by a voice vote of 7-0.

Item 12 -

Committees

a. Administrative Committee Meeting - January 7, 2020 - notes

b. Administrative Committee Meeting - February 4, 2020 - notes

Item 13 -

Reports-Directors

a. Verbal Comments by President

b. Written Reports

c. Verbal Reports

Item 14 -

Items for Future Agenda - Directors

Item 15 -

Staff Reports-Information items-No action will be taken

a. General Manager's Report

b. Legislative Update

c. January Outreach Activities

d. Monthly Water Inventory and Water Budget Update

e. Capital Projects Status Report

f. Verbal Reports

Item 16 -

Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 8:47 p.m.