[00:00:04]
THE MEETING IS CALLED TO ORDER THE CLOSED SESSION.
UH, WE'RE LISA SQUIRES IS GOING TO DO THE ROLL CALL.
I FORGOT TO DO THIS MY FIRST TIME.
UM, WE HAVE A CLOSED SEC SESSION HAPPENING NOW PURSUANT TO SECTION 54 95 7 A OF THE CALIFORNIA GOVERNMENT CODE.
UM, AND SO WE WILL ADJOURN NOW.
ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THE CLOSED SESSION ITEM? IF NOT, THE BOARD WILL RECESS INTO CLOSED SESSION.
[00:35:59]
MEETING[CALL TO ORDER]
[00:36:00]
TO[00:36:00]
ORDER.[00:36:01]
I[00:36:01]
GET[00:36:01]
TO[00:36:02]
DO THIS.UM, AND I CALL IN LISA FOR THE ROLL CALL.
[ROLL CALL]
PRESIDENT RAINEY IS ABSENT.UH, LET'S HAVE THE PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE,
[PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]
UM, PRESENTED BY CHRIS GARNER.P ALLEGIANCE TO THE HONOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS.
ONE NATION OF GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH THE JUSTICE.
[ANNOUNCEMENTS]
UH, MEETING.I'M VICE PRESIDENT, SO IT'S GOOD TO SEE ALL OF YOU.
UM, THAT'S MY REPORT,
ARE THERE ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS? I'LL TURN IT OVER TO CHRIS.
IS THIS WHERE I CALL ON YOU? SURE, THAT'S FINE.
UH, I, I JUST HAVE SOME COMMENTS ON ITEM NUMBER THREE WHEN WE GET THERE.
UH, OTHER THAN THAT, NO REPORT.
UM, WE, WE NEED TO APPROVE THE
[1. 23-32783 Recommendation to approve November 9, 2023 Board meeting minutes. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
NOVEMBER 9TH BOARD MINUTES APPROVAL.YOU OPPOSED? OH, SORRY, I FORGOT THAT UPFRONT.
IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE MINUTES, WHICH ARE POSTED? SO I HAVE A MOTION IN A SECOND.
[2. 23-32826 Recommendation to approve Transfer of Funds for November 30, 2023. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
UH, ITEM NUMBER TWO, WE'LL APPROVE THE TRANSFER OF FUNDS.I WONDER, BRING UP A COUPLE POINTS.
UM, IF YOU LOOK AT ITEM NUMBER TWO, UH, NORMALLY WE DON'T TALK ABOUT THIS, BUT THERE'S A COUPLE OF ITEMS ON HERE THAT WANNA BRING YOU TO YOUR ATTENTION.
ONE IS, IF YOU LOOK AT ITEM LINE, ITEM NUMBER 12, IT'S THE SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAM CHARGES.
WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS AT THE BOARD LEVEL ON OUR SU SUSTAINABILITY CHARGES, UH, TO DOWNTOWN IN THE PAST, AND IF YOU REMEMBER, WE CAME TO YOU, I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE TWO MONTHS AGO, THREE MONTHS AGO.
UM, AND THERE HAD BEEN A BIG INCREASE IN OUR CHARGES THAT WE WERE BEING ALLOCATED.
SO WE HAVE GONE BACK AND WE WORKED WITH RICH ANTHONY, UH, TO WORK WITH DOWNTOWN ON REALLOCATING THAT.
AND SO I THINK RICH WANTED TO SAY A FEW THINGS.
UM, SO I THINK COMMISSIONER SHANNON MAINLY LED THIS CHARGE, BUT THE ENTIRE BOARD AGREED, AND THAT WAS SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT, WHICH IS NOT SHOWING UP RIGHT NOW ON THIS, ON THE, ON THIS FORM, BECAUSE THEY CHANGED THE NAME AND COMBINED TWO THINGS.
BUT YOU MAY RECALL THAT THERE WERE QUESTIONS ABOUT THREE MONTHS AGO ABOUT A PROPOSED TRANSFER BY THE WATER, SEWER, AND GAS FUNDS TO THE CLIMATE ACTION OFFICE.
UM, AND, AND WHETHER THAT THAT TRANSFER WAS, WAS LEGAL, NUMBER ONE, AND NUMBER TWO, IF IT WERE, WERE THE AMOUNTS, UH, DEFENSIBLE.
AND I THINK THE SHORT ANSWER TO BOTH THOSE QUESTIONS IS YES, IT'S LEGAL AND, AND YES, THEY'RE DEFENSIBLE, BUT NOT AFTER WE APPLIED SOME MORE RIGOR TO THE WAY WE, THE CITYWIDE THE WAY WE WENT ABOUT ALLOCATING FEES.
SO I THINK YOUR QUESTIONING, UH, WAS VERY HELPFUL.
IT, IT ACTUALLY LED TO DIRECT CHANGES IN THE WAY THAT, THAT THESE THINGS ARE GONNA BE ALLOCATED AND PAID FOR.
UM, ULTIMATELY IT LED TO A REDUCTION IN THE AMOUNT THAT I THINK THE CITY IS ASKING TO BE TRANSFERRED.
BUT REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE AMOUNT IS, THE, THE MECHANISM THAT WE AGREED TO AFTER SEVERAL MEETINGS WITH THE CITY IS, IS MUCH MORE EFFICIENT.
UM, CLEARLY THE CITY HAS CLIMATE IT,
[00:40:01]
THE, THE HAS CLIMATE AND CARBON REDUCTION GOALS THAT IT IS REQUIRED TO ABIDE BY, BY VARIOUS STATE LAWS AND EXECUTIVE ORDERS.AND THIS VARIOUS CITY ENTERPRISE FUNDS SHOULD SHARE IN THAT BURDEN.
IT SHOULDN'T ONLY BE ON THE GENERAL FUND.
UM, SO I THINK THIS IS TOTALLY LEGALLY DEFENSIBLE TRANSFER.
THE SECOND ANALYSIS IS THE ALLOCATION.
HOW DO THEY ALLOCATE BETWEEN ALL THE ENTERPRISE FUNDS AND CITY DEPARTMENTS, THE AMOUNT THAT WILL BE TRANSFERRED? AND, AND THAT HADN'T REALLY BEEN THOUGHT THROUGH UNTIL, UNTIL THE UTILITIES COMMISSION KIND OF ASKED FOR SOME ANSWERS.
AND, AND WHAT THE CITY HAS AGREED TO DO IS TO APPLY THE INDIRECT COST MECHANISM, WHI, WHICH IS A MECHANISM THAT THEY APPLY TO MANY OTHER SHARED COSTS.
SO WE'RE BEING CONSISTENT WITH RESPECT TO THE SUSTAINABILITY AND CLIMATE ACTION OFFICE WITH OTHER SHARED COSTS THAT, THAT ARE SPREAD AMONGST VARIOUS CITY DEPARTMENTS.
UM, HOPEFULLY THAT MAKES SENSE.
SO I THINK WE'RE BEING CONSISTENT.
I THINK WE'RE BEING FAIR TO THE RATE PAYERS AND FAIR TO ALL THE DIFFERENT CITY CONSTITUENT DEPARTMENTS.
AND, UH, I SUPPORT THE REQUEST FROM THE GENERAL FUND TO HAVE THE SUSTAINABILITY AND THE CLIMATE ACTION OFFICE, UH, SUPPORTED BY THESE, BY THE PROPOSED TRANSFER AMOUNTS.
I THINK THEY'RE FAIR AND DEFENSIBLE.
AND, AND IF I CAN ADD A COUPLE THINGS, THE, UH, PREVIOUSLY THE ALLOCATION WAS SPLIT ABOUT BETWEEN ABOUT FIVE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, AND NOW IT'S SPLIT AMONG ALL THE DEPARTMENTS.
AND SO OUR CHARGES, UH, THAT HAD BEEN PROPOSED FROM DOWNTOWN WERE OVER 400,000.
AND, UH, THEY'VE REDUCED THAT BY ABOUT 300,000.
SO I I, I THINK WE'VE COME TO A GOOD SPOT ON THIS.
OUR, UM, DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THAT? ANY COMMISSIONER COMMENT? I APPRECIATE, YES.
UM, RICH, WITH ALL, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, UH, I DON'T QUESTION FOR A SECOND, UH, THE, UH, LEGAL DEFENSIBILITY OF THIS, UH, OF THIS PROPOSAL.
AND OBVIOUSLY THAT'S YOUR JOB ANYWAY.
EVEN IF I DID HAVE A QUESTION, I WOULDN'T, I WOULDN'T QUESTION IT BECAUSE THAT'S THE CITY ATTORNEY'S JOB.
IT'S THE OTHER, IT'S THE OTHER PART OF THE, OF THIS ANALYSIS.
I'VE ALWAYS OBJECTED TO THIS PROPOSAL BECAUSE I THINK THE TERMS SUSTAINABILITY HAS NEVER BEEN FULLY VETTED AND DEFINED.
EVERY, ALMOST EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM PROBABLY DISAGREES WITH THAT, BUT THAT'S THE WAY I FEEL.
AND THEREFORE, IF, UH, I HAVEN'T HADN'T BEEN BEATEN DOWN BY EVERYBODY, UH, I PROBABLY WOULD SAY NO TO THIS PROPOSAL, BUT I'M KIND OF TIRED TODAY, SO
WELL, IN THAT CASE, DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER COMMISSIONER COMMENT? I JUST HAVE A QUICK QUESTION ON, UM, THE ANNUAL BUDGET FOR SOME OF THESE ITEMS IS NOT LISTED.
IS THERE A REASON FOR THAT? THAT USUALLY INDICATES THAT THERE'S NO BUDGET FOR IT, RIGHT? SOME OF THESE SEEM LIKE, LIKE REAPER GRAPHIC CHARGES FOR 47,000.
IS THAT NOT SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD HAVE ANTICIPATED? BRANDON, EXPLAIN YOURSELF.
A LOT OF THE ONE-OFF CHARGES, YOU'LL SEE, ESPECIALLY TECHNOLOGY RELATED OR FOR ONE-OFF PROJECTS, A LOT OF 'EM ARE BILLING RELATED.
SO IF YOU SEE NO BUDGET, A LOT OF TIMES IT'S BEEN COMMINGLED WITH OTHER OTHER LINE ITEMS. SO IT'S KIND OF A MORE OF AN ADMINISTRATIVE THING WHERE IF YOU SEE A BLANK, IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THERE'S NO BUDGET.
IT USUALLY MEANS IT'S A ONE-OFF CHARGE IN A PARTICULAR CATEGORY.
SO THERE ARE SPECIFIC ONES YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ON.
I'M, I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO DO FURTHER RESEARCH ON THOSE.
UM, JUST KIND OF REFERENCING WHAT, UM, COMMISSIONER SHANNON SAID, I THINK THE WORD SUSTAINABILITY HAS KIND OF OFTEN BEEN VAGUE TO A LOT OF PEOPLE.
UM, I KNOW METROPOLITAN IS USING THE WORD CAMP FOR WATER, WHICH IS A CLIMATE ACTION MANAGEMENT PLAN.
UM, SO COMMISSIONER SHANNON, IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT IN TERMS OF BASICALLY WHAT THIS, THIS CITY IS DOING TO ADDRESS CLIMATE ACTION IN, IN EVERYTHING THAT WE DO.
IS THAT CORRECT, CHRIS, WOULD YOU SAY? YES.
UM, THE OTHER THING IS THOUGH, THAT I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT IS, I'M NOT QUESTIONING THE DOLLARS, BUT I'D LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, UM, HAVE A SAY IN SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON AND THAT WE HAVE A KIND OF A LEADERSHIP ROLE BECAUSE WATER'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT IN THIS.
UM, THE MORE WE GET INVOLVED IN THAT, THE MORE CHARGES THAT THEY WOULD SAY, OKAY, IF YOU WANT US TO DO EXTRA, YOU'RE GONNA PAY FOR THAT.
WE JUST, WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
WE CAN CERTAINLY GIVE YOU THE, THEY DO AN ANNUAL PLAN.
THEY, SO THERE'S A SUSTAINABILITY, I THINK THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE CALLED, UM, COMMISSION, AND THEY DO AN ANNUAL PLAN THAT TALKS ABOUT THAT AND HOW IT IMPACTS WATER.
AND SO WE CAN CERTAINLY PROVIDE THAT TO YOU.
WHO, WHO, WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS AT THE CITY? UM, IT'S MEREDITH REYNOLDS.
SHE'S A, I BELIEVE DEPUTY C MANAGER.
WILL WE GET A REPORT BACK THEN
[00:45:01]
AS TO WHAT'S BEING DONE? I, I MEAN, DOES ANYBODY HERE KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING WITH THIS? I'LL, I'LL, OKAY.I'LL MAKE SURE YOU GET THE REPORT.
AND, AND THEN THE OTHER, OTHER ITEM I WANTED TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO IS ITEM LINE ITEM NUMBER TWO, WHICH IS THE ELM, UH, STREET PROPERTY.
IF YOU RECALL, I'VE MENTIONED IT A COUPLE TIMES, BUT I'M NOT SURE THAT, UH, IT RESONATED WITH YOU.
BUT FOR THE GAS FUND BEFORE THE MERGER, UM, THE CITY HAD MADE THE DETERMINATION THAT THEY WANTED TO, UH, UM, PURCHASE A, THE FORMER SEE BUILDING DOWNTOWN AT ELM STREET, UM, FOR ADDITIONAL OFFICE SPACE.
AND AT THAT TIME IT WAS, I BELIEVE IT'S A FOUR STORY BUILDING.
AND SO THE GAS UTILITY WAS BEING ALLOCATED ONE FLOOR OF THAT PROPERTY.
AND SO, UH, THE GAS FUND WAS BEING CHARGED $6 MILLION.
UH, UM, IT'S ROUGHLY SAY 2020 $4 MILLION TO PURCHASE THE BUILDING.
SO THERE WAS A ONE-TIME FEE OF $6 MILLION FOR THE ACQUISITION, AND THEN THERE'S GONNA BE TENANT IMPROVEMENTS FOR THAT ONE FLOOR THAT WOULD BE CHARGED TO THE GAS FUND.
UM, OIL IS GONNA BE GOING DOWN TO THAT BUILDING.
AND SO OIL WILL PICK UP SOME OF THOSE CHARGES AND WE'LL HAVE TO PAY RENT TO THE GAS FUND.
AND WHAT I'VE TOLD DOWNTOWN IS WE WANT TO, UH, SORT OF TAKE A TIME OUT AND LOOK AT ALL OUR NEEDS IN THE NEW MERGED DEPARTMENT TO, TO DETERMINE WHAT, IF ANY NEED WE HAVE FOR THAT FLOOR.
AND SO TENANT IMPROVEMENTS WILL BE COMING BACK TO YOU, UH, ASSUMING THAT DOES HAPPEN DOWN THE ROAD.
UM, BUT THIS IS WHAT YOU SEE BEFORE YOU TODAY IS THE ACQUISITION COST FOR THE BUILDING.
AND SO I THINK, UM, POLICES, UH, BEING ALLOCATED ONE FLOOR, AND THESE ARE ROUGH NUMBERS.
UM, UM, I KNOW, UH, THE NEW SENIOR CENTER IS GONNA BE MOVED DOWNTOWN.
IT'S WHERE THE OLD, UM, WILLIAMSBURG.
UM, BUFFET PLACE WAS, WELL, I THINK IT PREVIOUSLY WAS AN EDISON CALL CENTER, RIGHT? YEAH, IT WAS THE EDISON BUILDING.
AND I, AND I CAN'T REMEMBER WHO HAS THE FOURTH, THE OTHER FLOOR MAY HAVE BEEN TECHNOLOGY.
UM, SO THEY'RE IN THE PROCESS.
THEY HAVEN'T MADE THE IMPROVEMENTS YET.
SO THIS IS REALLY SORT OF THE FIRST STEP.
BUT THIS WAS APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL WAY BEFORE THE MERGER.
UH, QUICK QUESTION, CHRIS, YOU, YOU SAID WHAT IF ANY NEED WE HAVE.
SO WHAT IF THE WE DON'T HAVE A NEED, THEN WE GOT AN ISSUE? UM, WE WOULD HAVE TO EITHER TRY AND FIND SOMEONE TO, TO TAKE OUR PLACE FOR THAT FLOOR.
UM, AND MAYBE THEY PICK UP THOSE TENANT IMPROVEMENT CHARGES AND REIMBURSE THE GAS FUND FOR THAT FLOOR, THE $6 MILLION, OR WE, UH, BASICALLY ARE THE OWNER FOR THAT FLOOR AND WE WOULD LEASE THAT PROPERTY TO SOMEONE ELSE.
SO LIKE WE'RE GONNA LEASE SOME OF IT TO, UM, THE OIL SIDE AND THEY'LL PAY US RENT FOR THAT.
WE WOULD DO THE SAME THING TO SOME OTHER, EITHER A CITY ENTITY OR SOME OUTSIDE ENTITY.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO HAVE A TOUR OF THE FACILITY, I'D BE HAPPY TO ARRANGE THAT FOR YOU.
YES, MR. GARDNER? I'D LOVE TO
THAT'S A LOT OF CHANGE COMING.
IT SOUNDS LIKE A LOT OF BIG DECISIONS.
I MEAN, BECAUSE WE'RE, I, I THINK WE SHOULD, WE'RE, WE'RE NOW INVOLVED IN IT.
SO DID IT HAVE TO BE CITY DEPARTMENTS THAT WOULD LEASE IT OR COULD IF WE WANTED TO LEASE IT LIKE A NONPROFIT FLOOR? I THINK THERE IS SOME TALK ABOUT POSSIBLY MOVING SOME NONPROFITS INTO THAT SPACE.
THAT WOULD BE LIKE A NONPROFIT CENTER WOULD BE REALLY A COOL THING, BUT WE WOULD HAVE TO CHARGE THEM RENT.
WHAT IF WE GAVE IT TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT? YEAH.
DID WE GET A, A A SAY NO IN THIS? THIS WAS DONE BEFORE THE MERGER, SO WE WEREN'T INVOLVED IN IT AT ALL.
AND IT, THAT'S WHY IT ONLY AFFECTS GAS.
IS THERE ANY OTHER COMMENT ON THIS ISSUE? NO.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? I DO NOT HAVE A SECOND.
DID I NOT GET A SECOND
WE STILL NEED A SECOND TO THE MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM NUMBER TWO.
I'LL HAVE TO WORK WITH DOWNTOWN TO SEE WHAT THE TOURS COULD, COULD WE WELL HAVE A QUESTION.
UM, WE'RE HOLDING IT, WE'RE HOLDING EVERYTHING UP.
CAN WE DO THAT? UH, IT'S WITHIN YOUR PURVIEW.
YEAH, I MEAN YOU CAN, I MEAN, WE'RE HOLDING EVERYTHING UP, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE TO HOLD OVER.
WHICH ITEMS ARE WE LOOKING AT? ARE WE LOOKING AT SUSTAINABILITY ALSO AND,
[00:50:01]
AND THE, UH, THE TRANSFER FOR FUND FOR THE FOURTH FLOOR? OR IS IT JUST ITEM NUMBER TWO ON THE TRANSFER OR THE WHOLE THING ALREADY? YOU DID.THIS IS ALL, SO I THINK WHERE WE'RE AT IS WE'RE, WE'RE CONSIDERING I, WELL, THERE'S TWO ITEM NUMBER TWOS, WHICH IS MAYBE CAUSING SOME CONFUSION.
YEAH, THERE'S ITEM NUMBER TWO ON THE UTILITIES BOARD AGENDA.
AND THEN THERE'S ITEM NUMBER TWO ON, ON THE DETAILED, UM, JV LIST.
AND WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM NUMBER TWO ON THE UTILITIES BOARD AGENDA, WHICH, WHICH FAILED FOR LACK OF A SECOND.
AND THEN COMMISSIONER SHANNON MADE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS TO HOLD OVER ITEM NUMBER TWO, WHICH WOULD BE HOLDING UP ALL OF THESE TRANSFERS.
THERE'S NO SENSE OTHER THAN MYSELF TO HOLD OVER.
WELL, AM I RIGHT? IF THAT'S THE CASE, THEN WE SHOULD HOLD OVER TWO UNTIL WE'VE HAD A CHANCE TO SITE DO THAT.
I SEE SHA SO COMMISSIONER SHANNON'S TALKING ABOUT ITEM NUMBER TWO HAVING TO DO WITH THE ELM TRANSFER OF ABOUT $6 MILLION.
SO I THINK WE CAN FAIRLY SAY THAT COMMISSIONER SHANNON'S SUBSTITUTE MOTION IS TO APPROVE ITEM TWO FROM THE UTILITIES COMMISSION AGENDA, BUT NOT ITEM TWO IN THE DETAILED LIST OF TRANSFERS THAT WOULD BE HELD OVER AND CONSIDERED SEPARATELY AT A FUTURE MEETING, IF I COULD MAKE ONE.
IS THAT RIGHT? COMMISSIONER SHANNON, IF I COULD MAKE ONE SUGGESTION.
UM, AND OBVIOUSLY IT'S, IT'S YOUR CALL, UM, SORT OF THE TRAIN HAS LEFT THE STATION ON ITEM TWO IN THE SENSE THAT THE COUNCIL ALREADY APPROVED THE, UM, THAT THE GAS FUND WAS GOING TO COVER THESE CHARGES.
AND SO WHAT WE'RE DOING IS REIMBURSING A, I BELIEVE, REIMBURSING A OUTFLOW OF CASH, THE GENERAL FUND.
AND SO HOLDING IT OVER, WHAT, WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST IS WHAT YOU WANNA DO IS DO A TOUR BEFORE WE DECIDE TO SPEND THE 6 MILLION, $6 MILLION ON IMPROVEMENTS, WHETHER WE THINK THAT'S A, A GOOD INVESTMENT OR NOT.
'CAUSE THAT IS, UH, I THINK YOUR CALL, 'CAUSE THAT DECISION WAS NOT MADE BY THE CITY COUNCIL IN THE SENSE OF A COMMITMENT, IN MY OPINION.
BUT IT WAS MADE ON BEHALF OF THE GAS DEPARTMENT.
CERTAINLY THAT'S THE EXPECTATION.
IS THAT THERE'D BE ANOTHER SIX, A LITTLE OVER $6 MILLION IN IMPROVEMENTS.
WELL, NORMALLY I WOULD OBJECT TO THE WAY THIS IS DONE IN THE SENSE THAT IT HASN'T GIVEN US A CHANCE TO FULLY VET THIS TO, TO MAKE A DECISION AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS A FAIR ALLOCATION.
HOWEVER, THIS IS AN EXCEPTION IN THIS CASE BECAUSE IT WAS APPARENTLY MADE AT A TIME WHEN WE DIDN'T HAVE CONTROL OVER IT AND IT WAS MADE, UH, PERFECTLY LEGITIMATELY BY THE FOLKS THAT DID HAVE CONTROL OVER IT.
SO I I REALLY DON'T HAVE ANY OBJECTION TO THE ALLOCATION.
I, AND I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING YOU JUST SAID.
THE THE CITY COUNCIL HAD RIGHT AUTHORITY TO DO WHAT IT DID AT THE TIME THAT IT DID IT.
BUT CERTAINLY I'LL SET UP THE TOUR.
I I WANT YOU TO SEE THE BUILDING AND GET A FEEL FOR, UM, WHETHER IT MAKES SENSE FOR US TO, SO DOES OUR PRIOR MOTION STAND THERE? SO COMMISSIONER SHANNON'S MOTION DIDN'T GET A SECOND EITHER, BUT IT SOUNDS ALL, OH, IT SOUNDS LIKE COMMISSIONER SHANNON MAY WANNA AMEND THAT MOTION OR THAT I CAN REPEAT MY MOTION.
OR DO YOU WANT, SO YEAH, SO LET'S JUST SAY THAT FAILED FOR LACK OF A SECOND AS WELL.
SO WE'VE HAD TWO FAILED MOTIONS AND THE FLOOR IS OPEN.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO, UM, APPROVE ITEM NUMBER TWO ON OUR REGULAR AGENDA, UH, WITH THE CAVEAT THAT WE WILL SCHEDULE A, A TOUR OF THE FOURTH FLOOR, WHICH WILL ADDRESS THE SECOND ITEM UNDER THE GAS REVENUE FUND THIS MONTH.
YOU GOT THAT
OH, DO I HAVE A SECOND? I'M WITHDRAWING MY SECOND SOLELY BECAUSE OF ITEM 12, THE SUSTAINABILITY.
ANY OPPOSED? OKAY, THE MOTION CARRIES.
I THOUGHT I WAS GONNA HAVE TO USE MY PONY VOICE AGAIN.
CAN I DO A SECOND? YOU CAN ALSO SECOND.
[3. 23-32838 Recommendation to authorize the General Manager to issue a project task order to Hazen and Sawyer, under the On-Call Professional Engineering Contract No. UT-3799, for the Customer Service Line Inventory Project, in an amount not to exceed $313,460. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
LET'S MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER THREE.UH, AUTHORIZING THE GENERAL MANAGER TO ISSUE A PROJECT TASK ORDER TO HAZEN AND SAWYER.
SO FOR AGENDA ITEM NUMBER THREE, UH, WE ARE ASKING THE BOARD TO AUTHORIZE THE GENERAL MANAGER TO ISSUE A PROJECT TASK ORDER TO HASTEN AND SAWYER UNDER THE ONCALL PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING CONTRACT NUMBER UT 37 99 FOR THE CUSTOMER SERVICE
[00:55:01]
LINE INVENTORY PROJECT IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $313,460.SO THIS IS A PART OF THE USE OF ON-CALL, UM, PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING CONSULTING SERVICES.
AS YOU MAY RECALL, BACK A FEW MONTHS AGO, THE BOARD AUTHORIZED THE USE OF UM, 33 ON-CALL CONSULTANTS.
AND THE PART OF THE REQUIREMENT IS FOR US TO BRING BACK TO BOARD FOR ANY TASK ORDER OVER, UH, $200,000.
AND THIS IS ONE OF THE TASK ORDER TO HASTEN SAWYER WE HOPE CAN GET APPROVED.
SO TO GIVE YOU SOME BACKGROUND ON THIS PROJECT, UM, I HAVE A SHORT PRESENTATION.
UM, THIS IS FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE LINE INVENTORY PROJECT.
UM, THIS PROJECT IS RELATED TO THE COMPLIANCE TO LATIN COPPER RULE.
SO WE'LL FIRST, UM, GO OVER THE HISTORIC LATIN COPPER REGULATION AND WE'LL LOOK AT THE RECENT REVISIONS TO THE LEAD COPPER RULE AND WE'LL GO OVER LONG BEACH UTILITIES COMPLIANCE PLAN TO THE NUMEROUS REVISION AND FINISH WITH OUR RECOMMENDATIONS.
AS WE ALL KNOW, ELEVATED LEAD IN DRINKING WATER CAN CAUSE A SERIOUS, UH, UM, HEALTH PROBLEMS, ESPECIALLY FOR, UM, PREGNANT WOMEN AND CHILDREN.
AND WHERE DOES THE LEAD COME FROM? AND THIS GRAPH WE WANT TO, TO SHOW FROM EPA THE SOURCES OF LEAD IN DRINKING WATER.
IT'S PRIMARILY COMING FROM THE PLUMBING.
SO EITHER FROM THE SERVICE LINE OR THE HOUSE PLUMBING.
THE SERVICE LINE IS A PIPELINE THAT CONNECTS THE WATER MAIN TO THE HOUSE.
AND IN THE PAST, LEAD SERVICE LINES WERE USED IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT AREAS.
AND THIS CAN BE A MAJOR SOURCE OF LEAD IN DRINKING WATER.
AND SOMETIMES THERE COULD ALSO BE LEAD GOOSENECKS THAT ARE USED TO CONNECT SERVICE LINE TO WATER MAIN.
AND IN THE HOUSE THERE COULD BE COPPER PIPE WITH LEAD DISORDER AND THERE COULD ALSO BE FAUCETS WITH LEAD COMPONENTS IN THEM.
AND EVEN FOR GALVANIZED PIPES, IF, UH, LEAD SERVICES WERE USED UPSTREAM OF THOSE PIPES, SO OVER TIME THEY COULD LEAD, COULD GET ONTO THE GALVANIZED PIPES AND LATER LEADS TO THE WATER.
SO THAT COULD BE A SOURCE TOO.
SO, UH, HISTORICALLY LEAD IS REGULATED BY LEAD COPPER RULE THAT WENT INTO EFFECT IN 1991.
AND TWO MAJOR COMPONENTS OF THE RULE.
THAT INCLUDES A REQUIREMENT FOR CORROSION CONTROL TREATMENT.
SO THAT'S TO MAKE SURE THE WATER IS NOT CORROSIVE TO THE PIPES.
AND FOR LONG BEACH, WE USE PH H ADJUSTMENT AND ALSO LEAD MONITORING.
THAT'S BOTH IN THE DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM AND ALSO IN TAPS.
SO THAT'S TO FIND OUT THE EXTENT OF LEAD RISKING OUR IN OUR SYSTEMS, AND ALSO TO DETERMINE WHAT TYPE OF, UH, TREATMENT YOU NEED.
AND FOR LONG BEACH, SINCE THE RULE BECOME EFFECTIVE AND WE START MONITORING, WE HAVE CONSISTENTLY BEEN BELOW THE ACTION LEVEL OF 15 PPB.
AND SO THE LEAD AND COPPER RULE DID HELP WITH REDUCING THE LEAD RISK IN DRINKING WATER.
BUT OVER TIME, AS THE SIGNS START TO DEVELOP AND ALSO WE START TO FIND SOME LOOPHOLES IN THE, UH, RULES AS EVIDENT BY THE 2016 FLINT, MICHIGAN.
SO, WHICH ACTUALLY TRIGGERED A MAJOR REVISION TO LATIN COPPER RULE.
AND HERE WE ARE, LATIN COPPER RULE REVISION LCRR, IT BECOME EFFECTIVE DECEMBER, 2021 AND WATER SYSTEM HAVE TO COME TO COMPLIANCE BY OCTOBER, 2024.
SOME OF THE MAJOR COMPONENTS OF THE REVISION INCLUDE REQUIREMENT FOR WATER SYSTEM TO COMPLETE A SERVICE LINE INVENTORY AND MORE STRINGENT REQUIREMENT FOR LEAD SERVICE LINE REPLACEMENT.
AND ALSO MORE STRINGENT REQUIREMENT FOR CORROSION TREATMENT REQUIREMENT.
AND THE, THE REQUIREMENT FOR SAMPLING, THAT'S TO INCREASE THE RELIABILITY FOR BOTH THE SYSTEM AND CUSTOMER TYPE SAMPLING.
AND THERE'S ALSO THE, EXCUSE ME, ALSO THE ADDED REQUIREMENT FOR CHILDCARE AND SCHOOL SAMPLING FOR UTILITIES AND FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION AND RISK COMMUNICATION.
THAT INCLUDES BOTH THE ROUTINE COMMUNICATION OF BLOOD RISK AND ALSO WHEN AND THERE IS ELEVATED LEAD, WE HAVE TO COMMUNICATE AT A MUCH FASTER RATE.
SO FOR THIS PROJECT, WE ARE FOCUSING ON THE SERVICE LINE INVENTORY.
BEFORE WE GO INTO THE DEPARTMENT, AGAIN, I WANT TO POINT OUT, UM, SO THE SERVICE LINE IS THE LINE CONNECTING WATER MAIN TO THE HOUSE.
BUT, UM, MOST OF THE TIME ACTUALLY UTILITY DON'T ALWAYS OWN THE WHOLE LINE.
AND DEPENDING ON DIFFERENT AREAS, THE OWNERSHIP SPLIT MIGHT BE DIFFERENT.
FOR EXAMPLE, FOR US, THE SERVICE LINE OWNERSHIP ACTUALLY HA UH, SPLIT HAPPENS AT THE WATER METER.
[01:00:01]
WE OWE SOME PIPELINE BETWEEN THE WATER METER AND THE WATER MAIN.SO WE'RE RESPONSIBLE TO MAINTAIN THAT PIPELINE AND IF THERE'S ANY LEAK, WE NEED TO FIX THEM.
AND FOR THE HOMEOWNER, THE SERVICE LINE BETWEEN THE WATER METER TO THE HOUSE BELONGS TO THEM AND THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE TO MAINTAIN THAT LINE.
THE REVISED RULE ACTUALLY REQUIRES WATER UTILITIES TO COMPLETE THE INVENTORY.
THAT INCLUDES BOTH THE UTILITY SIDE AND ALSO THE CUSTOMER SIDE.
SO FOR EACH SERVICE, WE NEED TO CLASSIFY THE SERVICE LINE AS EITHER LEAD GALVANIZE THE REQUIRING REPLACEMENT.
SO THAT'S ONLY FOR GALVANIZED PIPES THAT HAVE LEAD SERVICE LINE UPSTREAM AND ALSO UNKNOWN AND NON-LEAD.
SO IF THE SERVICE LINE IS UNKNOWN, IS TREATED AS LEAD AND FOR LONG BEACH, UM, HERE IS OUR PLAN TO COME INTO COMPLIANCE.
WE SPLIT THE PROJECT INTO FOUR PHASES.
THE FIRST THREE PHASES ACTUALLY ARE ALL FOCUSED ON THE SERVICE LINE INVENTORY BECAUSE THE COMPLIANCE TO THE OTHER COMPONENTS, REALLY LARGELY DEPENDING ON THE RESULTS OF THE INVENTORY.
SO PHASE ONE, WE FIRST DO A, A RECORDS REVIEW AND WE DID OUR INITIAL FIELD VERIFICATION.
AND CURRENTLY WE ARE IN PHASE TWO.
WE EXPANDED OUR FIELD VERIFICATION AND WE'RE HOPING TO GET APPROVAL TO, UH, START DEVELOP A PREDICT MODELING.
AND PHASE THREE IS FOR US TO COMPLETE THE INVENTORY, SUBMIT TO OUR REGULATOR FOR APPROVAL AND ALSO PREPARE FOR PUBLICATION.
'CAUSE PART OF WHAT'S REQUIREMENT IS FOR US TO MAKE IT PUBLICLY AVAILABLE, THE WHOLE INVENTORY TO EVERYONE.
AND PHASE FOUR, DEPENDING ON THE RESULTS OF THE INVENTORY, WE WILL DEVELOP, UM, A PLAN TO COMPLY WITH THE OTHER COMPONENTS OF THE LCRR.
SO PHASE ONE, UH, WE DID A EXTENSIVE, UH, RECORD REVIEW BACK IN 2022 WHEN THE RULE FIRST BECOME EFFECTIVE.
UM, FIRST WE WANT TO POINT OUT AGAIN, ACTUALLY BACK IN 2017, WE ALREADY COMPLETED THE INVENTORY FOR OUR SIDE OF THE SERVICE LINE, SO WE KNOW ON THE SERVICE MATERIAL FOR, UH, UTILITY SIDE.
AND WE WENT BACK AND SEARCHED THE CONSTRUCTION RECORDS FOR OUR SIDE AND WE WERE ABLE TO FIND RECORDS GOING BACK TO 1924.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY WE DO NOT HAVE RECORDS ON THE CUSTOMER SIDE.
SO HISTORICALLY, FOR OUR SIDE, UM, THE SERVICE LINE MATERIAL USED ARE PRIMARILY GALVANIZED AND COPPER.
AND BACK IN 20 20 17 TO 2020, AFTER THE FLINT MICHIGAN EVENT, WE ACTUALLY TAKE A PROACTIVE APPROACH RE WE REPLACED ALL THE GALVANIZED LINES IN OUR SIDE.
AND THE OTHER THING I WANT TO POINT OUT IS THAT FOR BOTH EPA AND THE STATE, THEY HAVE APPROVED SYSTEMS TO USE, UM, KIND OF RECORD WAY OF IF YOUR, UH, SERVICES ARE BUILT AFTER 1986, THAT'S WHEN CALIFORNIA HAS A LEAD BAND.
OR IF THE SERVICES ARE MORE THAN FOUR INCHES BIGGER, THEN YOU DON'T HAVE TO FILL VERIFY BECAUSE LEAD PIPES ARE USUALLY NOT MADE OUT OF THAT SIZE.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY FOR US, OUT OF ABOUT 90,000 SERVICES, WE ONLY HAVE 6,000 SERVICE THAT FALL INTO THOSE CATEGORIES, WHICH MEANS FOR MAJORITY OF OUR SYSTEMS, WE HAVE TO FEEL VERIFIED FOR THE CUSTOMER SIDE.
UM, SO TO MAKE OUR DATA COLLECTION MORE STREAMLINED, OUR GIS GROUP, ACTUALLY SPECIFICALLY JEFF, HE BUILT A MOBILE APP FOR THE FIELD STAFF TO, UM, COLLECT INFORMATION.
SO HERE'S A SNAPSHOT OF THAT, UM, APP.
SO HERE EACH SERVICE LINE IS A CIRCLE, WE SPLIT INTO TWO.
AND ONE SIDE IS THE UTILITY SIDE AND THE OTHER SIDE IS THE CUSTOMER SIDE.
SO FOR ANY SERVICES THAT'S, UM, NON-LEAD, IT'S COLOR BLUE AND FOR UNKNOWN AND LEAD, IT'S COLORED GRAY.
SO FIELD STAFF CAN GO OUT IN THE FIELD AND INPUT INFORMATION AS MATERIAL TYPE AND DIAMETER AND, AND ANY OTHER INFORMATION THEY CAN CLICK IN THE FIELD.
AND HERE ARE SOME PICTURES OF THE STAFF AT WORK.
SO THEY'RE BASICALLY USING, UM, DEPARTMENT ISSUED IPAD TO CLICK INFORMATION FROM BOTH THE METER PIT AND THE RISER.
AND FOR THE CASE OF THE RISER, UM, THEY ACTUALLY HAVE TO GET ON CUSTOMER'S PROPERTY.
SO I WANT TO POINT OUT IN THIS PHOTOS, THE STAFF ARE ACTUALLY, THEY ARE OUR GAS FIELD EMPLOYEES.
SO BECAUSE OF THE CONSOLIDATION, WE WERE ABLE TO COLLABORATE WITH THE GAS COLLEAGUES AND THEY BASICALLY LANDED US A HELPING HAND AND HELP US FINISH THIS PROJECT A LOT FASTER.
[01:05:05]
AND HERE'S A SUMMARY OF THE RESULTS OF THE FIRST FIELD VERIFICATION.SO WE DID ABOUT 500 SITES FROM JANUARY TO JUNE THIS YEAR, AND WE SUMMARIZE THE RESULTS INTO FOUR GROUPS.
SO LEAD GALVANIZED AND THOSE GALVANIZED ARE NOT NECESSARILY GALVANIZED REQUIRING PLACEMENT.
AND IN OUR CASE, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE LEAD SERVICE LINE UPSTREAM, SO THOSE ARE JUST REGULAR GALVANIZED LINES AND THEN NON LEAD AND UNKNOWN.
AND, UH, WE DID NOT FIND ANY LEAD.
SO WE BELIEVE OUR SYSTEM ACTUALLY, WE DON'T EXPECT TO, UH, SEE A LOT LEAD, BUT AGAIN, WE HAVE TO PROVE THEM.
AND ABOUT 6% OF THEM IS GALVANIZED.
AND CURRENTLY WE ARE IN OUR SECOND FIELD VERIFICATION PHASE.
THIS IS BASED ON THE STATE RECOMMENDATION THAT WE NEED TO EXPAND OUR FIELD VERIFICATION.
SO WE SELECTED OVER 4,000 SITES FULFILLED VERIFICATION AGAIN, BUT THAT STILL LEAVES US OVER 85,000 SERVICES WE HAVE TO VERIFY.
AND IT'S REALLY NOT FEASIBLE FOR US TO FIELD VERIFY ALL OF THEM BEFORE OCTOBER, 2024.
SO WE SUBMITTED OUR PLAN, AND STATE APPROVED US TO USE THE PREDICTIVE MODELING AS A TOOL TO COMPLETE OUR INVENTORY.
SO INSTEAD OF, UH, UH, FIELD VERIFY EVERY SERVICES, THE PREDICTIVE MODELING USES OUR EXISTING RECORDS, INCLUDING OUR EXISTING FIELD VERIFICATION RESULTS AND COMBINING THAT WITH ALL THE OTHER PARAMETERS THAT WE CAN GET LOCATION BUILT HERE, ZONING AND OUR OLD WATER QUALITY RESULTS AND OTHER INFORMATION TO DEVELOP A MODEL TO HELP US PREDICT THE LIKELIHOOD OF LEAD IN EACH SERVICES.
AND BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THIS EXPERTISE INHOUSE.
SO WE WENT OUT WITH RFP TO OUR UNCO, UH, CONSULTANTS, 18 OF THEM WERE NOTIFIED, AND WE RECEIVED THREE PROPOSALS FROM HASEN AND SAWYER, GHD AND CLIN FELDER.
AND BASED ON THEIR PROJECT UNDERSTANDING THEY'RE EXPERIENCING SIMILAR WORK AND THEIR PROJECT APPROACH, WE RECOMMEND HASTEN AND SAWYER.
AND HERE'S OUR RECOMMENDATION AGAIN, TO AUTHORIZE THE GENERAL MANAGER TO ISSUE A PROJECT TASK ORDER TO HASEN AND SAWYER UNDER THE ON-CALL PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING CONTRACT NUMBER UT 37 99 FOR THE CUSTOMER SERVICE LINE INVENTORY PROJECT IN AN AMOUNT NOW TO EXCEED $313,460.
AND THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THAT? ANY COMMISSIONER COMMENT? IT'S REAL QUICK.
UH, SO THE, UH, WILL THERE BE ONGOING FIELD VERIFICATIONS, UH, INTO THE FUTURE? YES.
AS JUST PART OF THE NORMAL COURSE OF BUSINESS.
IF, IF WE DO A PROPERTY THAT WE HADN'T BEEN TO IN A WHILE THAT IT JUST PART OF, PART OF THE PROJECT OR PART OF THEIR, THEIR VISIT WOULD BE TO VERIFY ALL THIS.
SO THE DATA WILL IMPROVE OVER TIME? YES.
AND THEN THE, UH, MEASURING LEAD AT THE CUSTOMER TAP, HOW IS THAT ACCOMPLISHED? SO WE CURRENTLY, WE DO THAT SAMPLING EVERY THREE YEARS BECAUSE WE BASICALLY, WE DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM.
WE ARE ON A REDUCED MONITORING AND EVERY THREE YEARS WE COLLECT BOTH FROM A SET OF CUSTOMERS, WE SEND THE LIST TO, THAT WAS APPROVED BY THE STATE.
BUT WE ALSO SEND OUT OUTREACH LETTERS TO ALL THE CUSTOMERS.
LIKE IF THEY WANT THEIR TAP WATER TESTED, WE, WE CAN GIVE THEM FREE LEAD TESTING AS WELL.
SO BASICALLY WE GIVE THEM A LEAD, A ONE LITER JAR AND ASK THEM TO MAKE SURE THEIR KITCHEN TAP IS NOT USEFUL AT LEAST EIGHT HOURS BEFORE THEY COLLECT.
AND USUALLY THEY WILL COLLECT THEM FIRST THING IN THE MORNING, AND THEN THEY LEAVE THE BOTTLE OUT FOR OUR STAFF TO COLLECT THEM, AND WE BRING IT BACK TO ANALYZE.
WE DO HAVE IN-HOUSE, UH, CAPABILITY TO ANALYZE LEAD.
SO, SO IT'S SORT OF UNUSUAL WE ASK FOR VOLUNTEERS TO DO THIS.
SO, AND WE DO GET PEOPLE THAT VOLUNTEER TO HELP US WITH THIS, SO APPRECIATE THAT.
THIS IS ONE OF, I I BELIEVE WE ARE PROBABLY, IT'S VERY RARE, WE'RE ONE OF THE FEW CITIES THAT OFFERS THAT.
'CAUSE I USED TO, UM, I LIVE IN GARDEN GROVE, I SAW THE OTHER CITIES OFFERED THAT TOO.
SO I CALLED IN AND SAID, CAN I GET MY TUB TESTED? THEY'RE LIKE, NO, YOU'RE NOT ON THE LIST.
UM, LEARN SOMETHING FROM YOUR PRESENTATIONS.
MY QUESTION IS THIS, IT'S MORE DIRECTED AT, UM, THE FACT THAT WHEN WE TRY TO TALK TO PEOPLE ABOUT NOT PURCHASING WATER
[01:10:01]
OUT OF PLASTIC OR WHATEVER, AND THEN THIS SORT OF THING, NOT THAT THIS IS COMING OUT RIGHT NOW, BUT IF PEOPLE START ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT LEAD, BECAUSE I KNOW PFAS, WE'VE SAID THAT IT'S YEAH.CON IT'S CONTAINED UP FURTHER UP.
SO WE DON'T REALLY HAVE AN ISSUE WITH P FFO S BUT WITH LEAD, IF PEOPLE JUST HAVE IT IN THEIR HEAD THAT IT'S EASIER TO JUST GO BUY WATER AND NOT, YOU KNOW, NOT USE IT FROM THE TAP.
I, IS THAT, IS THAT AN ISSUE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT? YEAH, I, I THINK THERE'S OBVIOUSLY SOME FALLOUT FROM FLINT, MICHIGAN, AND PEOPLE, UM, CERTAINLY, UM, UM, HAVE RAISED THE ISSUE OF LEAD.
UM, BUT WE DO A GREAT JOB WITH OF OUTREACH.
UH, Y AND HER TEAM, UH, DO A FANTASTIC JOB.
ANYBODY THAT HAS QUESTIONS, WE, WE PUBLISH ON OUR WEBSITE, THE, UH, ANNUAL, UH, WATER QUALITY.
UM, WE GO OUT TO COMMUNITY GROUPS.
WE'LL TALK ABOUT TO ANYBODY WHO, WHO WANTS TO KNOW ABOUT IT.
SOME PEOPLE JUST DON'T WANT TO YEAH.
BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S INTERESTING.
I I I GOTTA GIVE IT TO THE BOARD.
UH, THE COST OF BOTTLED WATER IS LIKE, LIKE A THOUSAND TIMES MORE THAN TAP WATER.
I MEAN, IT'S JUST INCREDIBLE, THE THE ECONOMICS OF IT, BUT PEOPLE JUST DON'T, YOU KNOW, THEY COMPLAIN ABOUT, UH, YOU KNOW, GASOLINE GOING UP, UH, A FEW CENTS, BUT BOY, THEY DON'T MIND PAYING IT FOR BOTTLED WATER.
IS THERE ANY OTHER COMMISSIONER COMMENT? OKAY.
IT'S JUST NICE TO SEE THAT WE'RE AHEAD ON THE COMPLIANCE SCHEDULE, SO CONGRATULATIONS ON THAT.
UM, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? MOTION? SECOND.
AND WE, WE ALSO HAVE SKIP IN THE AUDIENCE.
HE HANDLES, UH, THE TREATMENT PLANT AND, UH, A LOT OF THE GUYS OUT THERE SO APPRECIATE OH, THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR EFFORTS.
IT'S NICE TO KNOW WE'RE ZERO LED ON THAT REPORT,
ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION CARRIES.
[4. 23-32846 Recommendation to adopt Specifications WD-67-22 for the Cathodic Protection Improvement of Potable Water Systems Project – Phase 6 (EO-3557) and authorize the General Manager to sign a construction contract with EXARO Technologies Corporation in the amount of $510,387. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
ADOPTING SPECIFICATIONS AND AUTHORIZING THE GENERAL MANAGER TO SIGN A CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT WITH XA RRO TECHNOLOGIES.UH, I'M ACTUALLY PINCHING FOR ONE OF OUR ENGINEERS WHO UNFORTUNATELY COULD NOT BE HERE TODAY, SO I'M GIVING THIS PRESENTATION ON HER BEHALF.
SO, UM, THE ITEM I HAVE BEFORE YOU THIS MORNING IS, UH, TO REQUEST THE BOARD TO AUTHORIZE OUR GENERAL MANAGER TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT WITH, UH, RO TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION TO CONSTRUCT THE, UH, POTABLE WATER SYSTEM PROJECT PHASE SIX, CATHARTIC PROTECTION IMPROVEMENTS.
SO HAVE A SHORT PRESENTATION, PREPARE FOR YOU, PREPARE, AND I'LL GET RIGHT TO IT.
CAN YOU, CAN YOU FORWARD IT FOR ME PLEASE? I KNEW WE SHOULD HAVE HAD THE ENGINEER GET THE
SO A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON THE, ON THIS PROJECT COMMISSIONERS, UH, BACK IN 2010, UH, THE DEPARTMENT, UH, CONDUCTED A STUDY, UH, CORROSION PROTECTION STUDY OF OUR PIPELINES, POTABLE AND RECYCLED WATER PIPELINES.
UH, AND FOLLOWING THE STUDY AND THE RESULTS FROM THE STUDY, UH, THE DEPARTMENT ESTABLISHED OUR CATHODIC PROTECTION PROGRAM.
AND THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF THE PROGRAM IS TO PREVENT CORROSION OF OUR PIPELINES.
SO, UH, THE PIC WELL, CAN YOU GO BACK? YEAH.
SO THE PICTURE ON THE TOP RIGHT IS ACTUALLY A CORRODED PIPE THAT WAS AT HARTWELL PARK.
AND THE PICTURE ON THE BOTTOM RIGHT IS A REPAIR JOB THAT WE DID BECAUSE OF A CORRODED PIPE.
AND THIS WAS DONE, UH, IN THE EDISON RIGHT OF WAY ADJACENT TO THE LVL PLANT.
SO I HAVE A SHORT, UH, VIDEO, UH, WHICH WILL HOPEFULLY EXPLAIN BETTER WHAT CATHARTIC PROTECTION IS, IS.
SO CATHARTIC PROTECTION IS ONE OF THE MOST EFFECTIVE METHODS, UH, OF PREVENTING CORROSION ON METAL SURFACES.
SO IN THIS CASE, UH, THE CATHODE IS ACTUALLY OUR PIPELINE, AND WE USE A SACRIFICIAL ANODE, UM, IN THIS PRESENTATION AT ZINC, UH, WHICH WILL CORRODE FASTER, WELL, WHICH WILL CORRODE IN PLACE OF OUR PIPELINE.
UM, THE ANO AND CATHODES ARE CONNECTED TOGETHER BECAUSE ALUMINUM IS MORE ACTIVE METAL, UH, IT'S MORE LIKELY TO LOSE CHARGE PARTICLES.
THOSE PARTICLES ARE FORCED TO FLOW TO THE STRUCTURE THAT'S TO BE PROTECTED, WHICH IS OUR PIPELINE.
[01:15:01]
AND ELECTRONS, UH, THAT TRANSFER OVER WILL ASSIST IN PROTECTING THE PIPELINE ITSELF.SO THERE ARE DIFFERENT TYPES OF METALS THAT CAN BE USED AS AN ANODE.
UH, AND IT DEPENDS ON THE, UH, METAL THAT WE'RE PROTECTING, RIGHT? SO WE WANT, UH, METALS THAT ARE MORE ACTIVE THAN OUR IRON PIPELINES.
SO BASED ON THIS, WE CAN USE ZINC, ALUMINUM, OR MAGNESIUM.
SO THE MORE NEGATIVE METAL IS, UH, THE BETTER IT PROTECTS OUR PIPELINES.
ONCE THAT'S INSTALLED, UH, WE CAN TEST THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE CATHARTIC PROTECTION SYSTEM.
UH, WE BASICALLY TAKE A MULTIMETER TO MEASURE, UM, VOLTAGE BETWEEN THE CATHODE AND THE SOIL AND THE SOIL AND THE ANODE ITSELF.
SO FOR THIS PROJECT, WE ARE INSTALLING NINE NEW TEST STATIONS, AND ADDITIONALLY, WE ARE INSTALLING 99 MAGNESIUM SACRIFICIAL ANODES AS PART OF THE PROJECT.
AND ADDITIONALLY, WE'RE DOING SURFACE RESTORATION, UH, BECAUSE THESE TEST STATIONS WILL BE LOCATED EITHER IN THE STREETS OR IN THE SIDEWALKS.
SO, UH, THE, I'M SORRY, CAN YOU GO BACK, GEORGE, BACK ONE MORE? YEAH.
SO THE PICTURE ON THE LEFT, THIS IS ACTUALLY A MAGNESIUM ANODE WRAPPED AND IS BEING DROPPED INTO A, A HOLE ADJACENT TO THE PIPE THAT'S TO BE PROTECTED.
UH, THIS PICTURE IS A CATHODIC TEST STATIONED, UH, AGAIN, WE HAVE PERSONNEL THAT WILL GO OUT AND TEST THESE ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.
HERE IS THE MULTIMETER, UH, WHICH WILL READ, UH, VOLTAGE TO ENSURE THAT THE, THE CATHARTIC PROTECTION SYSTEM IS WORKING PROPERLY.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS A PICTURE OF A REPAIR THAT WAS DONE, UH, OVER BY THE EL, UH, LEO VANDER LANDS PLANT.
UH, WE HAD A PIPELINE THAT FAILED BECAUSE IT CORRODED.
SO, UM, THIS IS A CONSEQUENCE OF, YOU KNOW, UH, CORROSION OF A PIPELINE.
AND THIS IS THE EXTENT OF SOME OF THE REPAIR WORK THAT WE FACE.
SO THE PROJECT ITSELF IS LOCATED IN NORTH LONG BEACH.
UH, WE ARE PROTECTING A 36 AND A 20 INCH PIPELINE POTABLE WATER PIPELINE, UH, LOCATION IS ALONG OSGOOD STREET, UH, 60TH STREET AND DOWN ORANGE AVENUE.
SO THE RECOMMENDATION BEFORE, UH, BEFORE I GET TO THE RECOMMENDATION, UH, LET ME GIVE YOU SOME MORE BACKGROUND INFORMATION.
UH, WE DID, UH, PUBLISH NOTICE INVITING BIDS FOR THIS PROJECT BACK IN SEPTEMBER.
UH, WE OPENED BIDS IN OCTOBER.
UH, WE DID RECEIVE SIX BIDS, AND THE BID TABULATION IS ATTACHED FOR YOUR REFERENCE.
UH, THE LOWEST RESPONSIBLE BIDDER IS X ARO TECHNOLOGIES AND THE AMOUNT OF $510,387, AND WAS FOUND IN CONFORMANCE WITH BID DOCUMENTS.
SO THE RECOMMENDATION BEFORE YOU TODAY IS TO ADOPT SPECIFICATIONS WT 67 22, AND AUTHORIZE THE GENERAL MANAGER TO SIGN A CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT WITH RO TECHNOLOGIES IN THE AMOUNT OF $510,387.
THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION COMMISSIONERS.
UH, I'LL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS WE HAVE.
THAT'S A BIG LESSON IN CHEMISTRY.
UM, ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? COMMISSIONER COMMENT? I'D LIKE TO SAY ONE THING.
UM, ROB, CAN YOU TOUCH ON, 'CAUSE GAS ALSO HAS THOUGHT PROTECTION, BUT IT'S DONE IN A DIFFERENT MANNER IN Z.
AND SO THERE'S SOMETIMES FIGHTING BETWEEN OUR TWO DIFFERENT PIPELINES, CORRECT?
SO WE USE A PASSIVE SYSTEM, IT'S SACRIFICIAL ANODES.
UH, THE GAS SIDE OF THE HOUSE USES IMPRESS CURRENTS.
SO THESE ARE ACTUAL, UH, ELECTRICAL CURRENTS THAT THEY USE TO PROTECT THEIR PIPELINES.
SO AT TIMES THERE COULD BE CONFLICTS, UH, BETWEEN OUR PIPELINES AND THEIR PIPELINES.
MAINLY IT RESULTS IN OUR PIPELINES, UM, YOU KNOW, BEING COMPROMISED.
SO AS A CONSOLIDATED UTILITY, WE ARE NOW ABLE TO RELY, 'CAUSE GAS HAS A DEDICATED CCP STAFF, UH, UM, TO
[01:20:01]
HANDLE ALL THIS.UM, SO AS A CONSOLIDATED UTILITY, WE'RE NOW ABLE TO RELY ON THEIR EXPERTISE AND POTENTIALLY COORDINATE, UM, PROTECTION OF ALL OUR PIPELINES, UH, UNDER A SINGLE SYSTEM POSSIBLY.
SO, SO THOSE ARE DISCUSSIONS THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY HAVING.
UH, ANY OTHER, I'M SORRY, WHAT, WHAT PORTION OF OUR POTABLE WATER INVENTORY IS CURRENTLY UNPROTECTED? DOES NOT HAVE, IT'S QUITE A BIT ACTUALLY.
UM, THE STUDY THAT WE CONDUCTED MAINLY FOCUSED ON OUR LARGE DIAMETER TRANSMISSION MAINS, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY IF THERE'S A FAILURE ON THE TRANSMISSION MAIN, THE IMPACT IS GREATER.
BUT IT ALSO DEPENDS ON THE LOCATION, UH, THROUGHOUT THE CITY, WHERE THE PIPELINES ARE LOCATED, IF THERE ARE OTHER UTILITIES THAT ARE BEING PROTECTED BY OTHER CATHODIC PROTECTION SYSTEMS. UH, ALSO SOIL CONDITIONS, UH, BECAUSE WE CAN'T, WE DO HAVE SPOTS WITHIN THE CITY THAT ARE CONSIDERED CORROSIVE SOILS, SO THOSE CAN ATTACK OUR PIPELINES AS WELL.
I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT NUMBER RIGHT NOW, COMMISSIONER SCOTT, BUT I CAN CERTAINLY GIVE THAT TO YOU.
SO DO WE HAVE A PLAN TO CONTINUE WITH THIS? ABSOLUTELY, YEAH.
WE'RE, WE'RE AT THE SIXTH PHASE RIGHT NOW, UM, AND WE'RE PROBABLY ABOUT A QUARTER THROUGH.
SO, AND WITH THE, UH, SACRIFICIAL ANODES THAT ARE INSTALLED, UH, IS THERE, IS THERE A WAY TO EASILY REPLACE THOSE ONCE THEY'VE DEPLETED OR BEEN YES.
UM, SO WE DRILL A HOLE ADJACENT TOOTH PIPE.
UH, WE KNOW WHERE THE ODES ARE.
UH, WE WOULD JUST HAVE TO EXCAVATE THEM, TAKE 'EM OUT AND REPLACE THEM.
SO THE TEST STATIONS, UH, WILL GIVE US AN INDICATION OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE ODES, WHETHER THEY'RE, UH, CORRODING FASTER THAN WHAT WE EXPECT.
THE TYPICAL LIFE, UH, UH, UH, LIFE OF AN ANODE IS ABOUT 20 TO 25 YEARS, SO, OKAY, THANK YOU.
ANOTHER INTERESTING POINT IS ON THE GAS SIDE.
UH, ON UP UNTIL ABOUT 20, 25 YEARS AGO, THE ENTIRE GAS SYSTEM WAS, UH, METALLIC PIPE.
AND SO, UH, CP WAS VERY IMPORTANT ON THE, ON THE GAS SIDE.
THEN WE STARTED INTRODUCING PLASTIC PIPELINE IN ON FOR MANY OF THE SERVICE LINES.
AND SO I'M SURE KEVIN TALKED TO THIS MUCH MORE THAN I CAN, BUT, UM, THAT DOES NOT NEED TO BE CAT PROTECTED, UH, LIKE THE, THE METALLIC PIPELINE.
UM, BUT IT'S ALSO FROM AN ENGINEERING STANDPOINT, THERE WERE TIMES WHEN THEY WERE PUT IN PLASTIC PIPE AND, UH, PREVIOUSLY THAT CURRENT WOULD RUN ALONG THE ENTIRE METALLIC PIPELINE.
AND THEN YOU PUT A, A, A PLASTIC PIPE IN BETWEEN, AND NOW WE HAVE TO ADJUST OUR CAT PROTECTION.
SO ENGINEERING COMES TO CLEAN ON THAT.
I TOLD RICH, YOU KNOW, I CAME UP WITH THIS WHOLE PROTECTION THING IN A BAR ONE NIGHT AND
ANY OTHER COMMENT, GLORIA? NO.
[5. 23-32849 Recommendation to adopt Specifications WD-61-22 for the Drilling of Water Wells Commission 23A and El Dorado 2 Project (O-0750) and authorize the General Manager to sign a construction contract with Best Drilling and Pump, Inc., in the amount of $5,657,082. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
ITEM NUMBER FIVE IS TO ADOPT SPECIFICATIONS AND AUTHORIZE THE GENERAL MANAGER TO SIGN A CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT.WITH BEST DRILLING AND PUMP, WE HAVE CAROLINA.
UM, GOOD MORNING COMMISSIONERS.
MY NAME IS CAROLINA AND I WILL BE RE PRE REPRESENTING DRILLING OF WATER WELLS COMMISSION 23 A AND EL DORADO.
A LITTLE BIT OF THE BACKGROUND ON THE PROJECT, UM, COMMISSION 23 A AND EL DORADO TWO ARE TWO OF THE 11 GROUNDWATER WELLS THAT ARE EITHER IN DESIGN OR CONSTRUCTION.
THE BENEFIT AND PURPOSE OF THE ONGOING PROGRAM IS TO OPTIMIZE THE LOCAL WATER SUPPLY AND INCREASE THE GROUNDWATER PRODUCTION.
THE WELLS WILL ALSO PROVIDE REDUNDANCY FOR REGULAR WELL MAINTENANCE WITHOUT IMPACTING THE SYSTEM WATER PRODUCTION.
IN OTHER WORDS, TO HAVE ENOUGH WELL CAPACITY IN THE SYSTEM TO ALLOW FOR CYCLING AND REGULAR MAINTENANCE OF WELLS FOR THE PROJECT LOCATION.
UM, THE PROJECT IS LOCATED IN EL DORADO PARK.
UM, IT IS BOUNDED BY EAST WARLOW ROAD UP TO THE SOUTH SAN GABRIEL RIVER CHANNEL TO THE WEST, EAST CARSON STREET TO THE NORTH, AND THE 6 0 5 FREEWAY TO THE EAST.
AS PART OF THIS PROJECT, WE WILL BE
[01:25:01]
DESTROYING COMMISSION 23 WATER WELL.SO HERE IS THE SAN GABRIEL RIVER, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER.
UM, FREEWAY IS ON THIS SIDE, AND, UH, WARO IS DOWN HERE.
COMMISSION 23 IS LOCATED TO THE EXISTING COMMISSION.
WELL, EL DORADO TWO IS NEAR THE LONG BEACH POLICE ACADEMY, AND THIS IS EL DORADO TWO.
AND YOU CAN SEE THE POLICE ACADEMY IS HERE.
UM, ALSO, IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THIS AREA, LONG BEACH TOWN CENTER IS HERE.
THE MAP ON THE RIGHT IS THE VICINITY OF THE WATER OF THE WELL SITES.
I LIKE TO ALSO MENTION THAT EARLIER THIS YEAR, UH, WE HAD A RIBBON CUTTING FOR, UM, A NEWLY CONSTRUCTED WELL, UM, COMMISSION 22 A AND I'M POINTING THAT ONE HERE IN THIS SLIDE.
UM, THE SCOPE OF WORK INCLUDES, UM, DESTRUCTION OF ONE EXISTING PORTABLE WATER SUPPLY.
WELL COMMISSION 23, THE PUMP MOTOR, THE PUMP MOTOR AND ABOVEGROUND PIPING WILL BE REMOVED.
THE UNDERGROUND PIPING WILL BE ABANDONED AND THE ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT WILL BE DEMOLISHED.
IN ADDITION, THE WORK WILL INVOLVE THE CONSTRUCTION DEVELOPMENT AND TESTING OF TWO PORTABLE WATER SUPPLY WELLS DURING THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE.
EACH WELL GOES THROUGH DRILLING, UH, OF THE HOLE AND CONSTRUCTING THE WELL CASING TESTING OF MATERIALS, DEVELOPING THE WELL BY PRELIMINARY DEVELOPMENT, WHICH INCLUDES SWABBING AND PUMPING AND FINAL DEVELOPMENT BY PUMPING AND SURGING.
VARIOUS SURVEYS ARE PERFORMED SUCH AS FLOW METER SURVEY AND DUAL CAM HOE VIDEO SURVEY.
UM, HERE, UM, THIS IS, UH, TYPICAL, UM, PROJECT SCHEDULE OF THE, UM, ALL FACES OF THE WELLS, UM, DRILLING AND EQUIPPING.
AND, UM, I LIKE TO MENTION THAT THE SCALE HERE IS NOT THE, THE TIMELINE HERE IS NOT TO SCALE.
UM, SO IT TYPICALLY TAKES ABOUT FIVE YEARS, UM, TO, UM, BRING A WELL ACTIVE.
THE PROJECT BEGAN APPROXIMATELY IN FISCAL YEAR 22, DRILLING, DESIGN AND PERMITTING WHILE WORKING ON THE DESIGN OF THE NEW WATER WELL LONG BEACH.
LONG BEACH WORKS CLOSELY WITH THE VISION OF DRINKING WATER, DDW TO OBTAIN THE PRELIMINARY SITE APPROVAL.
THE INITIAL PERMITTING CAN TAKE LONGER THAN A YEAR.
AS SOON AS THE PRELIMINARY SITE APPROVAL IS OBTAINED FROM DDW, THE PROJECT MOVES INTO CONSTRUCTION PHASE WHERE WE ARE NOW, AND THAT'S DEPICTED IN THIS, UM, ORANGE BOX.
WHILE WORKING ON THE DRILLING PHASE IN THE EQUIP IN THE DRILLING PHASE DESIGN, THE EQUIPPING DESIGN PHASE OF THE PROJECT CAN BEGIN AND IT OVERLAPS, AS YOU CAN SEE HERE.
SO ALTHOUGH WE ARE DOING, UM, DESIGN FOR DRILLING, WE ARE ALSO ABLE TO DO PART OF THE DESIGN FOR THE EQUIPPING PHASE DURING THE DRILLING DESIGN.
ONCE THE EQUIPPING DESIGN ENDS, THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE OF THE EQUIPPING WILL START, AND THAT'S HERE IN THIS PHASE, WE INSTALL NEW PUMP AND MORTAR ASSOCIATED ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT AND PIPING TO ENABLE US TO PUMP WATER FROM THE WELL.
WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH DDW TO OBTAIN THE FINAL PERMIT TO BRING THE WELL ACTIVE.
AS MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY, IT WILL TAKE ABOUT FIVE YEARS FROM THE INITIAL DESIGN UNTIL THE WELL BECOMES ACTIVE AND THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT, THE WELL THE WELLS NEEDS TO GO THROUGH TWO MAJOR PHASES.
THAT'S THE PERMITTING WITH DDW AND THE UNCERTAINTY, UNCERTAINTY OF LONG LEAD TIME MATERIALS DURING CONSTRUCTION.
UM, IN THIS, UM, SLIDE I'M SHOWING THE DRILLING ACTIVITIES.
UM, HERE YOU CAN SEE THAT THESE ARE THE SOUND BARRIERS AROUND TYPICAL, A TYPICAL WELL SITE.
UM, HERE YOU CAN SEE THE DRILLING RIG WHERE THEY'RE ACTUALLY DRILLING THE HOLE FOR THE WELL.
AND ON THIS SIDE YOU CAN SEE ALL THE, UM, COLUMNS THAT THEY'RE USING TO DO THE, UM, EXCAVATION, UH, OR BORING OF THE HOLE.
AND THIS IS ALL THEIR TYPICAL SETUP THAT
[01:30:01]
THEY HAVE, UH, AROUND INSIDE THE SITE.AND HERE'S ANOTHER PICTURE OF AN AERIAL VIEW.
SO AGAIN, THIS IS THE SUN BARRIERS.
UM, HERE'S THE DRILLING RIG, AND THESE ARE THEIR COLUMNS TO DO THE, UM, DRILLING AND ALL THEIR SETUP AS WELL.
ON OCTOBER 26TH, 2023, UM, TWO BIDS WERE RECEIVED AND OPENED.
AFTER EVALUATING ALL BIDS RECEIVED THE LOWEST RESPONSIVE BID SUBMITTED BY BEST DRILLING AND PUMP, AND THE AMOUNT OF 5,000,006 $57,082 WAS FOUND TO BE IN CONFORMANCE WITH THE BID DOCUMENTS.
IT IS OUR RECOMMENDATION OR THE, THE RE OR THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO ADOPT SPECIFICATION WD 61 22 FOR THE DRILLING OF WATER OF WATER WELLS COMMISSION 23 A AND EL DORADO TWO PROJECT, AND AUTHORIZE THE GENERAL MANAGER TO SIGN CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT WITH BEST DRILLING AND PUMP IN THE AMOUNT OF 5,000,006 $657,082.
AND THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION, AND I WILL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, I'M GONNA, UH, IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT FIRST? ANY COMMISSIONER COMMENT? COMMISSIONER SCOTT? SO DOES, WILL THIS PROJECT IMPACT POA PARK, WHICH IS RIGHT IN THAT GENERAL AREA, POA PARK? MM-HMM,
UM, WELL THE, THE PROJECT IS LOCATED IN EL, IN EL DORADO PARK.
UM, SO WE'VE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH, UM, PARKS, UM, VERY, AND WE KEEP THE, UH, LINES OF COMMUNICATIONS OPEN.
SO THEY, UM, THE TWO WELLS, UM, THIS ONE AND EL DORADO TWO IS ACTUALLY ISOLATED FROM LIKE, WHERE THE COMMON AREA IS.
UM, SO THIS IS KIND OF OUTTA SIGHT.
UH, WELL, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF, UM, GROWTH HERE, SO THERE'S NOT, NOT EVEN IRRIGATION LINES HERE.
THAT WAS, THAT WAS, THAT WAS MY QUESTION.
AND THEN, UH, I'M ASSUMING THIS IS PART OF OUR CIP BUDGET THAT, THAT WE HAD PRESENTATIONS REGARDING.
ANY OTHER COMMISSIONER CORDERO? THANK YOU J THANK YOU LINA.
THIS IS REALLY REDIRECTED AT MORE AT CHRIS RIGHT NOW.
SO WE, WE ACTUALLY HAVE, UM, THIS IS TWO OF THE 11 NEW WELLS THAT ARE CURRENTLY EITHER IN THE DESIGN PHASE OR A CONSTRUCTION PHASE.
CAN, CAN YOU TELL ME, LIKE, I'M JUST CURIOUS, LIKE WHEN DID WE START OUR 11, THAT PROCESS DOWN THAT ROAD FOR 11? WHAT YEAR DO YOU REMEMBER, ROB, DO YOU KNOW THAT IS, THAT WAS AROUND FISCAL YEAR 2021.
AND MY ONLY QUESTION ABOUT THAT IS BECAUSE I REALLY WANNA CONGRATULATE THE STAFF AND FOR THE VISION THAT YOU ALL HAVE TO MOVING TOWARD THIS.
I THINK BECAUSE WE, I THINK SOME OF US WERE AT THAT GROUNDBREAKING AND I THINK THIS IS JUST PART OF, I BELIEVE OUR WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN.
IS THAT RIGHT? UH,
AND SO IT DOES REPRESENT A MULTI, MULTI-YEAR EFFORT.
THAT'S A NEW TERM, UH, MULTI-YEAR EFFORT, UH, TO BRING WELL AFTER, WELL AFTER WELL, AND MAKE THE SHIFT OF WHICH YOU'RE VERY WELL, UM, CONSCIENTIOUS ABOUT BEING AT METROPOLITAN TO DEVELOP MORE AND MORE LOCAL SUPPLY, UH, TO REDUCE OUR DEPENDENCE ON IMPORTED WATER.
IS THERE ANY OTHER COMMISSIONER COMMENT? MOTION TO MOTION TO APPROVE? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION CARRIES.
WE'RE JUMPING NOW TO ITEM NUMBER SEVEN
[7. 23-32871 Recommendation to adopt Resolution UT-1501 authorizing the General Manager to enter into a contract with Crown Castle, for the lease of fiber connectivity, under the same terms and conditions specified in the California Department of General Services (DGS) CalNet contract in an amount not to exceed $472,200 for a five-year period. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
ON THE AGENDA, UM, TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE GENERAL MANAGER TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT WITH CROWN CASTLE.AND I'M CALLING PAULA FOR THAT.
HELLO? GOOD MORNING COMMISSIONERS.
UM, THIS RESO THIS, UH, RECOMMENDATION IS TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION UT 1 5 0 1 AUTHORIZING THE GENERAL MANAGER TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT WITH CROWN CASTLE FOR THE LEASE OF FIBER CONNECTIVITY.
UM, I'M GONNA SKIP THROUGH THE REST OF THE MOUTHFUL THERE IN THE
UM, THIS IS TO HELP GIVE SECURE CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN OUR ADMINISTRATION BUILDING AND THE, THE TREATMENT PLANT FOR OUR SCADA SYSTEMS TO PROVIDE DISASTER RECOVERY,
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UM, UM, OPTIONS.AND WE BROUGHT TO YOU THE PACKAGE FOR THE HARDWARE FOR DISASTER RECOVERY, I BELIEVE LAST MEETING THAT WAS THE HEWLETT PACKARD AGREEMENT THAT YOU DID.
THIS IS GONNA GIVE THE SECURE LINE OF COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN THE TWO LOCATIONS.
IT'S ALSO GONNA GIVE US A SECURE LINE OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN ADMINISTRATION, TREATMENT, PLANT AND RESERVOIR HEAL.
UM, AND THIS IS GOING TO BE A SECURE FIBER LINE THAT IS INCLUDED IN THIS DOLLAR AMOUNT IS INCLUDED ALL CONSTRUCTION COSTS AS WELL AS A 99.9% GUARANTEED UPTIME THAT THEY WILL REFUND US, UM, CASH PER MONTH ON ANY TIME THAT WE ARE DOWN THAT IS OUTSIDE OF THAT DOWNTIME.
UM, AND WITH THAT, I WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
PAULA, ANY I I WANNA CALL ON ANATOL FOR ADDITIONAL COMMENTS? YES.
UH, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER MCGUIRE.
UM, JUST AS AN ASIDE, UM, I ACTUALLY SHOULD HAVE ACKNOWLEDGED THIS UPFRONT IN SOME OF THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING'S COMMENTS, BUT IF YOU WILL INDULGE ME, I JUST WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT.
AS AN ASIDE, YOU'VE BEEN HEARING A LOT, UH, AND READING A LOT ABOUT THE CYBERSECURITY INCIDENT AT THE CITY AND YOU'VE BEEN BRIEFED ON THE ACTIONS WE'VE BEEN TAKING, BUT I THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE TO TAKE A MOMENT THAT ALTHOUGH THIS IS AN ALL HANDS ON DECK TYPE OF RESPONSE, AND SO EVERY UTILITY EMPLOYEE HAS BEEN DOING THEIR PART TO TRY TO RESPOND APPROPRIATELY.
AS YOU WELL KNOW THAT MANY TIMES IT'S A SMALL GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT ARE DOING AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF WORK BEHIND THE SCENES TO MAKE THIS ALL POSSIBLE.
AND THAT'S IMPORTANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE HERE.
SO I JUST WANNA PASS IT BACK TO AL PAULA TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE IT STAFF HERE AT THE UTILITIES DEPARTMENT THAT HAVE BEEN DOING JUST AN ALMOST IN ESSENCE ROUND THE CLOCK ACTIVITIES.
I'M GONNA BE QUIET, I'M GONNA LET PAULA DO THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.
YEAH, I WAS, I'M GONNA ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IN NUMBER EIGHT AS WELL BECAUSE THAT IS DEFINITELY RELEVANT TO WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WITH KEEPING OUR SYSTEMS, UH, UP TO DATE, REPLACING OUR HARDWARE ON A NORMAL SCHEDULE.
BUT WE DO HAVE A VERY SMALL MIS TEAM AND ALL OF US ROLL OUR SLEEVES UP AND WORK.
I JOKE THAT I'M ONLY HALF A PERSON, BUT I THINK
AND THIS HAS BEEN, UM, AN AROUND, I'D SAY AROUND THE WEEK, I DON'T KNOW THAT I'M QUITE READY TO SAY AROUND THE CLOCK, BUT AROUND THE WEEK EFFORT.
UM, STAFF DID NOT TAKE WEEKENDS OFF.
UM, AND I THINK THE FIRST DAY THAT STAFF FULLY TOOK OFF WAS THANKSGIVING DAY.
UM, AND, AND THAT'S IMPORTANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE HOW DEDICATED EVERYONE WAS THROUGH THIS WHOLE PROCESS.
SO I'D LIKE TO ASK THE, UH, MIS TEAM TO STAND.
AND JEFF IS IN GIS, HE CAME IN ON HIS DAY OFF THAT HE HAD PRE-PLANNED ON THANKSGIVING VACATION.
HE'S PART OF THE TEAM AS WELL.
SO I'M GONNA ASK JEFF TO STAND AS WELL, JUST SO THAT YOU GUYS CAN SEE WHO THE GROUP IS.
YOU GUYS KNOW GEORGE, UM, ALL THE TIME.
UH, BUT, BUT THIS IS, THIS IS THE, THIS IS THE MUSCLE HERE,
UM, AND, AND REALLY WE OWE A LOT TO, TO THIS GROUP FOR THEIR DEDICATION
OKAY, NOW, NOW WE'RE GONNA EMBARRASS THEM.
UM, SO
UH, HE IS THE PERSON I GO TO FOR A LOT OF THE REALLY HARD COMPLICATED WORK TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE SECURING OUR NETWORKS.
UM, NEXT TO HIM IS ABRAHAM ORTIZ.
ABRAHAM HELPS US WITH OUR LIFECYCLE REPLACEMENTS AS WELL OF ALL, ALL OF OUR MOBILE DEVICES AND MOBILE DEVICE REPLACEMENTS.
AND NEXT TO HIM IS THE NEWER MEMBER TO OUR TEAM.
ELI, UH, LANDON AND ELI ALSO HELPS WITH DESKTOP REPLACEMENTS AND UH, SUPPORT.
AND THEN YOU GUYS KNOW GEORGE FROM THE MEETINGS.
GEORGE ALSO HANDLES QUITE A BIT OF WORK IN HIS OTHER REGULAR DAY JOB.
GEORGE ASSISTS ME WITH ALL THINGS PROCUREMENT.
UM, HE ASSISTS ME WITH BUDGETING.
UM, AND THEN HE ALSO DOES THE WORK TOO.
UM, SO WE ALL WEAR A LOT OF HATS AND, UM, THIS GROUP IS HOW A LOT OF WORK GETS DONE, NOT JUST HERE AT WATER, BUT THEY'VE ALSO TAKEN ON A HUGE WORK WITH HELPING WITH GAS SINCE THE CONSOLIDATION.
CERTAINLY THE LAST COUPLE WEEKS HAVE BEEN, I'M SURE CRAZY FOR ALL OF YOU WITH THANKSGIVING IS THIS THREAT THAT THE CITY'S RECEIVED AND WE'RE JUST REALLY PROUD OF THE WHOLE TEAM AND FROM THE CITY MANAGER DOWN, EVERYONE THAT'S BEEN INVOLVED AND, UM, PROUD OF LONG BEACH, YOU KNOW, FOR REACTING AND BEING PREPARED AS WE ARE.
ANY, UH, LET THEM TAKE HALF DAY OFF ON CHRISTMAS.
ALSO,
OKAY, SO FOR THE RECOMMENDATION, I AM ASKING TO ADOPT RESOLUTION UT 1 5 0 1 AUTHORIZING THE GENERAL MANAGER TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT WITH CROWN CASTLE FOR THE LEASE OF FIBER CONNECTIVITY UNDER THE SAME TERMS AND CONDITIONS SPECIFIED IN THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF GENERAL SERVICES CALNET
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CONTRACT IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $472,000, $472,200 OVER A FIVE YEAR PERIOD.UH, ANY PUBLIC COMMENT I'LL ASK AGAIN, COMMISSIONER COMMENT? NO.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? MOTION TO APPROVE.
CALLING LISA, VICE PRESIDENT MCGUIRE.
[8. 23-32880 Recommendation to adopt Resolutions UT-1502, UT-1503, UT-1504, UT-1505, and UT-1506 authorizing the General Manager to enter into contracts with 1) CDW Government, LLC; 2) GovConnection, Inc., dba Connection – Public Sector Solutions; 3) SHI International Corp.; 4) Panasonic Connect North America; and 5) Insight Public Sector, respectively, for the purchase of computer equipment, under the same terms and conditions specified in the OMNIA Partners Public Sector contract in an aggregated amount not to exceed $800,000 per year for a three-year period, with the option to renew for two additional one-year periods at the discretion of the General Manager. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]
EIGHT, PAULA REMAINS IN PLACE.THIS IS TO ADOPT RESOLUTIONS AUTHORIZING THE GENERAL MANAGER TO ENTER INTO CONTRACTS WITH CDW GOV CONNECTION, SHI, PANASONIC AND INSIGHT.
PAULA, SO THIS ONE'S ANOTHER MOUTHFUL.
UM, SO THIS IS ASKING THE GENERAL MANAGER TO ENTER INTO SEPARATE FIVE SEPARATE, UH, RESOLUTIONS WITH THESE FIVE SEPARATE VENDORS.
UM, VICE PRESIDENT MCGUIRE, YOU MIGHT REMEMBER WHEN YOU FIRST STARTED, THERE WAS A LIST OF DEVICES THAT WE WERE RETIRING AND YOU WERE ASKING ME WHY THE LIST WAS SO MASSIVE.
AND I EXPLAINED TO YOU THAT, UH, BEFORE I GOT HERE, THERE WASN'T NECESSARILY A VERY STANDARD WAY THAT WE WENT THROUGH ON A SCHEDULE SYSTEMATICALLY REPLACING AGED OUT EQUIPMENT.
AND I WAS EXPLAINING TO YOU THAT THAT EQUIPMENT WAS REALLY NO GOOD TO ANYONE.
WE COULDN'T DONATE IT BECAUSE IT HAD GOTTEN SO OLD.
AND SO, UM, THIS IS NOW THE END OF MY SECOND YEAR HERE, AND WE HAVE FULLY CEMENTED A LIFECYCLE REPLACEMENT FOR OUR HARDWARE.
SO YOU SHOULD NOTICE THAT THOSE, UH, RETIRE ASSET FORMS ARE NOT AS BAD ANYMORE.
UM, AND STAFF IS DOING THIS ON A REGULAR ROTATION.
AGAIN, A HUGE EFFORT AND I, I REALLY WANNA THANK THE STAFF FOR THAT.
UM, THAT, THAT THEY NOW KNOW WHEN WE GET THINGS IN, WE GET RID OF THINGS ON A TIMELY FASHION
UM, AND WE'RE STICKING TO STAYING CURRENT, WHICH REALLY HELPS US WITH OUR CYBERSECURITY POSTURE.
SO THESE FIVE VENDORS ARE GOING TO GIVE US THE ABILITY TO PURCHASE FROM PRE-NEGOTIATED CONTRACTS, UM, WITH WHAT IS KNOWN AS A DISCOUNT FLOOR.
SO EVERYTHING THAT WE PURCHASE FROM THE VENDORS ON THESE CONTRACTS HAVE PRE-NEGOTIATED SET DISCOUNT LEVELS.
AND THEY MIGHT GIVE US DISCOUNTS BELOW THOSE LEVELS.
SO THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING TO HAVE THESE FIVE SEPARATE CONTRACTS WITH THESE VENDORS BECAUSE WHAT I'VE ASKED MY STAFF TO DO IS IF WE NEED 20 COMPUTERS, WE REACH OUT TO ALL FIVE OF THESE VENDORS VERY SIMILAR TO THE ON-CALL ENGINEERING BENCH.
AND THEN WE STILL HAVE SOMEWHAT OF A COMPETITIVE PROCESS THAT WAY THESE FIVE VENDORS ARE ENSURING THAT THEY'RE GIVING US THE BEST PRICE, NOT JUST THE BASE CONTRACT PRICE.
UM, BUT BECAUSE WE ARE BUYING FROM CONTRACT, IT ALLOWS US TO TURN AROUND THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS A LOT FASTER.
SO FOR PANASONIC, UM, COMMISSIONER SCOTT, YOU MIGHT RECOGNIZE THAT FROM KIND OF THE MDFS AND, UH, THE MDCS, SORRY, FROM FIRE TRUCKS, THAT'S THE SAME, UM, KIND OF EQUIPMENT WE PURCHASE FOR OUR FIELD STAFF.
THE TOUGH BOOKS, UH, THE TWO IN ONE TABLETS WITH THE CAMERAS, THE FIELD STAFF FIND THOSE, UH, EXTREMELY HELPFUL.
WE DO, NOW THAT WE ARE CONSOLIDATED UTILITY WITH GAS, WE DO HAVE ABOUT, UM, 150 TOTAL TOUGHBOOKS THAT NEED TO BE REPLACED THIS YEAR.
SO I DO WANNA BE CLEAR ABOUT THIS.
I'M ASKING FOR $800,000 THAT I WILL MANAGE AMONGST THOSE FIVE VENDORS.
UM, JUST IN FULL DISCLOSURE, I DO THINK THAT A LARGER PORTION OF THIS IS GOING TO GO TO PANASONIC BECAUSE OF THE COST OF THOSE TOUGH BOOKS.
THOSE TOUGH BOOKS ARE A HIGHER DOLLAR AMOUNT.
THERE'S ALSO A LONGER LEAD TIME ON GETTING THEM.
THAT'S WHY HAVING THIS CONTRACT WITH THEM UPFRONT ALLOWS US TO OBTAIN THE GOODS FASTER.
BUT I DO THINK PROBABLY HALF OF THAT $800,000 MAY END UP BEING AWARDED TO PANASONIC IN SMALLER GROUPS.
SO TO TALK ABOUT MY PHILOSOPHY WITH THIS, UM, I BELIEVE WE BUY WHAT WE CAN REASONABLY DEPLOY.
UM, SOME PLACES BUY FOR THE WHOLE YEAR AT ONE TIME.
THE PROBLEM WITH THAT IS THOSE COMPUTERS SIT ON A SHELF AND BY THE TIME YOU GET EIGHT MONTHS TO IT, THAT COMPUTER HAS LOST EIGHT MONTHS OF ITS WARRANTY.
ALSO, THAT SAME COMPUTER IS PROBABLY A LOT CHEAPER IF YOU WOULD'VE BOUGHT IT EIGHT MONTHS LATER RATHER THAN BUYING IT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.
SO BECAUSE WE HAVE A SMALL STAFF AND LIMITED STORAGE, UM, THERE WILL BE SEVERAL PROCUREMENT ROUNDS OF EQUIPMENT THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
UM, I'M HAPPY TO BRING THINGS BACK TO THE BOARD, UM, IN WHATEVER FASHION YOU WOULD LIKE.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE, UM, UPDATES ON THE SPEND OUT OF THE BENCH.
UH, I KNOW THAT LIKE WITH THE ENGINEERING BENCH, IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT'S GOING TO EXCEED THE $200,000 THRESHOLD YOU'VE REQUESTED TO BRING THAT, I'M ALSO HAPPY TO DO THAT WITH THIS AS WELL, IF THAT WOULD HELP.
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THAT, I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.WE'D LOVE TO HEAR WHAT HAPPENS NEXT.
AND THEN THE RE THE SYSTEMS ARE ALREADY OUTTA DATE BY THE TIME YOU GET 'EM IN ANYONE'S HANDS.
UM, DO WE HAVE ANY, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS? ANY COMMISSIONER COMMENT? I HAVE A MOTION.
[PUBLIC COMMENT Opportunity to address the Utilities Commission on non-agenda items. Each speaker is limited to three minutes to make their comments unless extended by the Chair.]
I THINK WE'RE DONE.UM, IS THERE ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK ON A NON-AG AGENDA ITEM NOW? SEEING NONE.
THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS CLOSED.
[ADJOURNMENT]
I'VE ADJOURNED THE MEETING.