April 14, 2021 Minutes
Published 2021-05-20 14:22:42
1902 – Serving Our Community for over 115 Years – 2021
WEST BAY SANITARY DISTRICT
MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE DISTRICT BOARD
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 14, 2021 AT 7:00 P.M.
1. Call to Order
President Dehn called the meeting to order at 7:01PM
Roll Call
BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: President Dehn, Secretary Walker, Treasurer Thiele-
Sardiña, Director Moritz, Director Otte
BOARD MEMBERS ABSENT: None
STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT: Ramirez, Condotti by Zoom
Others Present: Vivian Housen – Housen & Associates, Court Skinner –
Public Works City of East Palo Alto, Victoria Wong with
Mid-Pen Housing.
2. Communications from the Public: None.
3. Consent Calendar
Motion to Approve by: Otte 2nd by: Walker Vote: AYE: 4 NAY: 0 Abstain: 0
CONSIDERATION OF ITEM(S) REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT CALENDAR
Comments: None.
A. Approval of Minutes for Regular meeting March 24, 2021
B. Approval of the Financial Activity Report Authorizing Payment of
Certain Bills and Salaries and Consideration of Other Financial Matters thru March
31, 2021
C. WBSD Operations and Maintenance Report – March 2021
D. Town of Los Altos Hills Operations and Maintenance Report for Work Performed by
WBSD – March 2021
E. Town of Woodside Operations and Maintenance Report for Work Performed by
WBSD – March 2021
F. Consideration to Approve District’s Investment Portfolio Reports Including
Transactions of Assets Described Therein as of 3/31/21
G. Consideration of a Resolution of Intention to Annex Certain Territory (4 Navajo
Place, Portola Valley) to the West Bay Sanitary District On-Site Wastewater
Disposal Zone and to Establish the Date and Time of Public Hearing
4. Consideration to Accept the East Palo Alto Developers Sewer System Capacity
Study by V. W. Housen & Associates
Motion to Approve by: Walker 2nd by: Moritz Vote: AYE: 5 NAY: 0 Abstain: 0
Comments: Vivian Housen presented the second draft of the capacity study showing
updates per the Board’s request. The Board discussed the possibility of annexing certain
territories if it would help East Palo Alto Sanitary District. Victoria Wong, Project Manager
with Mid-Pen Housing thanked the Board for entertaining the possibility of serving their
project. Director Moritz questioned V.W. Housen & Associates on the conceptual cost of
construction and asked if they could easily be doubled. Ms. Housen responded with, yes
they could when going out to actual construction.
5. District Manager’s Report
Comments: District Manager Ramirez reported that the Investment Policy and Personnel
Policy updates are under review and will be ready for Board consideration later in April or
early May. He reported that there appears to be about a $2M shortage in Commercial
Revenue for FY 21/22 due to lower commercial flows because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
He also reported, Aztec Consultants now has a building permit for the metal storage building
at FERFF.
1) Administrative:
a. Personnel Policy is being updated and should be ready by the April 28th meeting.
b. Housen and Associates will have a draft EPA Sewer System Capacity Study.
c. District Manager is working with the Office Manager to reorganize the Administrative
Staff to provide admin support to all department heads.
2) Finance:
a. The Finance Advisory Committee met to review the new Purchasing Policy. The
Purchasing Policy will be brought to the full Board for approval on April 14, 2021.
b. Staff has been working on the draft Budget for FY2021/22. Commercial Revenue will
be $2M dollars less than the prior year due to the COVID-19 Stay at Home Order.
c. Sewer Service Charge 218 Notice were mailed by March 10th. The 218 Public
Hearing will be held on April 28, 2021.
3) CIP & IT Projects:
a. Levee Improvement Project:
i. The comment letter to the Bayfront Environmental Impact Review have been
delivered. The anticipated date for the final EIR should be by early May.
ii. District Manager Ramirez has been working with SCWA on a Fish and Wildlife
grant opportunities to help fund the Levee Improvement Project. A preliminary
application has been submitted asking for approximately $5,000,000 in grant
funding towards the Levee Improvement Project. The SCWA requires a 50%
match minimum.
b. Construction Capital Improvement Program (CIP)
i. Staff has obtained a Building Permit from the City of Menlo Park for the Aztec
Building at the Flow Equalization Facility. Unfortunately, due to Menlo Park
requirements and recent construction cost inflation, change orders will be
necessary. The IT & Project’s Manager are doing their best to mitigate those
change orders.
ii. Precision Pipeline has begun construction work on this year’s CIP project. The
first construction site was on Gilbert Ave. in Menlo Park. They are currently
working on easement pipelines off of Van Buren Road in Menlo Park.
iii. Freyer & Laureta is working on the Bay Front Improvement projects including
the Influent Pump Station. They are also working on other grant opportunities.
4) Operations and Maintenance:
a. Collection System:
i. The new Unit 208 Service Truck is on the road. Staff is looking for feedback on
the new unit messaging.
b. Training:
i. California Water Environment Association (CWEA) certification is continued to
be endorsed by Management Staff.
ii. Twenty two of the twenty four maintenance staff are now certified in CWEA
Collection System Maintenance.
5) Water Quality:
a. Sharon Heights Golf and Country Club (SHGCC):
i. There may be a need, in the near future, to restate each party’s respective
roles according the Long Term Agreement (LTA). As of late, SHGCC
has been advocating to sell the recycled water to other users. SHGCC
has been made aware by the District Manager that the Recycled Water
Plant in owned and operated by West Bay and new users must be
advocated by West Bay and not SHGCC.
ii. The recycled water plant has been operating well. The golf course pond is full,
however, Staff is regularly asking SHGCC to better predict their water
requirements.
iii. The first Annual Report is due to the State by late April 2021. Water Quality
staff would like support in generating the District’s first report. Staff
reached out to Silicon Valley Clean Water for support, however, their
Staff suggested the District reach out to the City of Redwood City
because they do not produce such report. The Water Quality Manager
and District Manager recommend the District enter into an agreement
with West Yost for support services for an amount not to exceed
$10,000.00. The amount is approved in the professional support
services budget for FY2021/22.
b. Bayfront Recycled Water Facility (BRWF):
i. Environmental Impact Report (EIR) could be certified by late April/ early May
2021.
ii. The Recycled Water Team met with the Recycled Water Ad Hoc Committee
and District Counsel in a workshop to address several BRWF issues. Staff
received direction to continue building the plant and proceed with a Recycled
Water Code.
c. West Bay:
i. Staff is continuing to evaluate personnel needs to support the Chief Plant
Operator (CPO) with the District’s recycled water efforts, due to regulatory
requirements and staffing overlap; as well as the STEP and Grinder Pump
Systems. A Utility Maintenance Worker is being considered to support both the
pump station crew and the Chief Plant Operator.
6) Fleet and Facilities:
a. Vehicle Maintenance:
i. Maintenance Operations Staff Managers are reviewing the need for an
additional hydro cleaning machine for collection system maintenance.
7) Personnel:
i. The District’s new Modification (Ex-Mod) factor is .79 well below the industry’s
standard. The Ex-Mod factor is the factor by which a standard workers
compensation premium is multiplied to reflect an insured’s actual loss
experience.
8) Upcoming Events:
a. Regular Board Meeting: April 14, 2021
b. Next Regular Board meetings: April 28, 2021. Treasurer Thiele-Sardiña will be
absent.
9) Misc./Action Items from Previous Meeting:
a. West Bay SSOs: Zero SSOs for March 2021.
b. LAH Contract: LAH requested a contract extension for one year with a 3% rate
increase. The District Manager is working on negotiating a 4% increase in order to
recoup the Teamsters negotiated labor increase of 4% in the most recent contract.
c. Town of Woodside Contract: Staff is negotiating a 4% increase rather than the
customary 3% yearly increase. The 4% is based on labor negotiations.
d. Revenue: The District received an additional $1.5 million dollars from the San Mateo
County Assessor’s Office for FY20/21 tax roll.
6. Consideration to Approve the Revised Purchasing Policy and Resolution
Motion to Approve by: Sardiña 2nd by: Walker Vote: AYE: 5 NAY: 0 Abstain: 0
Comments: District Manager Ramirez presented the revised Purchasing Policy to the
Board.
7. Consideration to Accept the District’s 2020 Performance Measurement Report
Motion to Approve by: Moritz 2nd by: Otte Vote: AYE: 5 NAY: 0 Abstain: 0
Comments: District Manager Ramirez reported on the highlights of the report which
included zero SSOs in 2020, increased coverage in newspaper articles, and a much lower
Experience Modification Factor rate of 76%. A vast majority of measures rated satisfactory
or above. One item in the “Watch” category includes the number of claims which was four
for the 2020 year, up from only two in the previous year. The Board suggested staff add a
dollar amount to the number of claims to have a better gauge on the impact of such claims.
8. April 14th Update Report on District Response to Corona Virus
Comments: District Manager Ramirez reported that the front office is now open to the
public Monday thru Friday 9AM-3PM and that administrative staff will be returning to work
full time in the office effective May 3rd.
9. Report and Discussion on Sharon Heights Recycled Water Plant
Comments: District Manager Ramirez reported that there was a recent Comcast
communications outage in which the plant was unable to produce recycled water for about
12 hours.
10. Discussion and Direction on Bayfront Recycled Water Project and Status Update
Comments: District Manager Ramirez reported that EIR response letters have been sent
out. He also reported that a meeting with the Recycled Water Committee was held to
discuss the Bayfront Recycled Water efforts and recycled water code. The recycled water
code will be reviewed by District Counsel. District Manager Ramirez and District Counsel will
begin to work with developers on agreements for the proposed recycled water treatment
plant at Bayfront.
11. Report & Discussion on South Bayside Waste Management Authority (SBWMA)
Comments: President Dehn reported that SBWMA will host a virtual retreat on April 22nd.
She also reported that a JPA amendment will be brought to the Board for approval at next
Board meeting on April 28th.
12. Report, Discussion & Direction on Silicon Valley Clean Water (SVCW) and Discussion on
SVCW CIP Program and Financing
Comments: Director Otte reported that the SVCW Commission will be considering
approval of the operating and capital budget. As well as, a new administrative policy to
reflect claims procedures.
13. Comments or Reports from Members of the District Board and Consider Items to be
Placed on Future Agenda
Comments: None.
14. Adjournment Time: The meeting was adjourned at 8:50 PM
/s/ David A. Walker
Secretary