Jul 16, 2026 Utilities Commission

UH, ADOPT REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL FOR ENGINEERING DESIGN SERVICES FOR THE LARGE VALVE REPLACEMENT PROJECT, WARDLOW ROAD AND LOS COYOTES, DIAGONAL REDONDO AVENUE AND KILROY AIRPORT WAY EIGHTH STREET AND TEMPLE, CORONADO AND ABISPO AVENUES, WALNUT AVENUE AND PCH AND AWARD OF CONTRACT IS SOMAS.

ANY OPPOSED? THANK YOU.

MOVING ON.

ITEM NUMBER FIVE,

[5. 26-55629 Recommendation to adopt Request for Proposal (RFP) for Engineering Design Services for the Large Valve Replacement Project-Wardlow Road and Los Coyotes Diagonal, Redondo Avenue and Kilroy Airport Way, 8TH Street and Temple Avenue / Coronado Avenue / Obispo Avenue, Walnut Avenue and PCH (EO-3763), and award a contract to Psomas in a total amount not to exceed $267,131, for a period of three years, and authorize the General Manager to execute all documents necessary to enter into the contract, including any amendments. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]

MAY I PLEASE HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT AN RFP? SECOND? THANK YOU.

UH, CALL ON ROB ELLIS, PLEASE FOR THE REPORT.

GOOD MORNING, PRESIDENT SCOTT, AND GOOD MORNING COMMISSIONERS.

UH, ITEM NUMBER FIVE ON TODAY'S, UH, BOARD AGENDA IS, UH, REQUESTING THE BOARD TO APPROVE, UH, AN RFP FOR DESIGN SERVICES FOR OUR NEXT LARGE VALVE REPLACEMENT PROJECT.

UH, HAVE A VERY SHORT PRESENTATION PREPARED FOR YOU, WHICH WILL GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF OUR LARGE VALVE REPLACEMENT PROGRAM, AS WELL AS SOME DETAILS ON THE PROJECT ITSELF.

SO WE DO HAVE A LARGE VALVE REPLACEMENT PROGRAM.

UH, LARGE VALVES ARE CONSIDERED ANYTHING OVER 12 INCHES, UH, AND THE PROGRAM IS, UH, DESIGNED TO REMOVE DEFECTIVE VALVES AND REPLACE THEM WITH BUTTERFLY VALVES.

UH, TYPICALLY THE DEFECTIVE VALVES ARE GATE VALVES.

I HAVE A LITTLE VIDEO CLIP, UH, UH, PREPARED FOR IN THE PRESENTATION THAT WILL SHOW YOU THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE VALVES.

UH, VALVES COULD BE REPLACED AS PART OF THIS PROJECT WERE INSTALLED BETWEEN 1946 AND 2001.

SO THE PICTURE YOU SEE IN THE CENTER IS A GATE VALVE.

UH, AS YOU CAN SEE, THE GATE VALVE HAS A PRETTY LARGE FOOTPRINT.

UM, THIS IS WHAT'S CALLED A BONNET OF THE VALVE, AND THIS IS WHERE A PLATE RISES AND, UH, LOWERS, UH, UH, IN ORDER TO ISOLATE FLOW, UH, WITH THE VALVE.

UH, THE PICTURE HERE ON THE RIGHT IS A BUTTERFLY VALVE.

IT HAS A MUCH SMALLER FOOTPRINT, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S MUCH EASIER TO OPERATE AS OPPOSED TO A GAIT VALVE.

SO, ELI, CAN YOU, UH, QUEUE UP THE FIRST, SO THIS IS A ANIMATED CLIP OF THE GAIT VALVE.

AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE'S A PLATE THAT GOES UP AND DOWN, UH, WHICH THEN IN TURN ISOLATES THE FLOW.

CAN YOU PLAY THE NEXT ONE? AND FOR THE BUTTERFLY VALVE, THE, THE DISC ROTATES AND IT'S ACTUALLY WITHIN THE PIPE ITSELF.

SO, UH, THE MAIN DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE VALVE TYPES.

UH, SOME OF OUR OLDER GAIT VALVES, UH, ON LARGE DIAMETER TRANSMISSION MAINS, UH, CAN TAKE UP TO 100 TURNS IN ORDER TO, UH, CONTROL FLOW AS OPPOSED TO A BUTTERFLY VALVE WHERE, YOU KNOW, IT TAKES ABOUT 20 TO 30 TURNS, UH, IN ORDER TO ISOLATE FLOW.

SO YOU CAN IMAGINE THAT PLAYS A BIG DIFFERENCE OR A BIG IMPACT IN TERMS OF A MAIN BREAK WHERE WE ARE TRYING TO ISOLATE THE BRAKE AS SOON AS WE CAN.

SO AS PART OF THIS PROJECT, WE'RE ACTUALLY REPLACING A TOTAL OF, UM,

[00:05:02]

SIX VALVES, UH, TWO 30 INCH, 2 28 INCH GATE VALVES, UH, ONE 30 INCH AND 2 24 INCH BUTTERFLY VALVES.

UH, THESE ARE PICTURES FROM A PREVIOUS, UH, LARGE VALVE REPLACEMENT PROJECT.

I BELIEVE THIS WAS DONE OFF OF REDONDO AND KROY IN FRONT OF OUR TREATMENT PLANT.

UH, AGAIN, THIS IS A GATE VALVE THAT'S BEING PULLED OUT OF THE GROUND.

UH, AS YOU CAN SEE, AGAIN, THE FOOTPRINT IS PRETTY LARGE.

UH, SOME OF THESE VALVES CAN BE, UH, AS BIG AS A SMALL CAR.

SO, UH, THE REQUEST TODAY IS TO ADOPT RFP FOR DESIGN SERVICES FOR THIS NEXT LARGE VALVE REPLACEMENT PROJECT AND AWARD A CONTRACT TO, SO IN A TOTAL AMOUNT, NOT TO EXCEED $267,131.

UH, WE ACTUALLY ISSUED A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL TO OUR BENCH OF DESIGN CONSULTANTS, UH, TOTAL OF 23 CONSULTANTS.

UH, WE DID RECEIVE SIX PROPOSALS AND SOMAS WAS SELECTED BASED ON THEIR QUALIFICATIONS OF THEIR PROJECT TEAM, UH, THE REASONABLENESS OF THEIR FEES, AND, UH, DEMONSTRATED EXPERIENCE WITH SOME OTHER PROJECTS.

WITH THAT, THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.

I'LL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THE BOARD MAY HAVE.

ROB, ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? ANY COMMISSIONER COMMENTS? SEEING NONE.

THANK YOU, ROD.

UM, SO WE'VE GOT A, UH, MOTION TO ADOPT.

UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? ALL RIGHT, PERFECT.

TOGETHER, UH, AND WE'LL VOTE ON BOTH OF THESE TOGETHER.

UM, I GUESS YOU'RE JUST GONNA STAY IN PLACE FOR A SECOND WITH THE BOARD'S CONSENT.

WE'RE GONNA HEAR ITEMS NUMBER SIX AND SEVEN

[6. 26-55630 Recommendation to adopt Specifications WD-01-26 and award a contract to GRBCON, Inc., for the Orange Avenue Transmission Main Improvements Project (MC-5265), in a total amount not to exceed $2,845,482.50; and authorize the General Manager to execute all documents necessary to enter into the contract, including any amendments. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]

[7. 26-55631 Recommendation to adopt Request for Proposal (RFP) to Provide Construction Management and Inspection Services for the Orange Avenue Transmission Main Improvements Project (MC-5265), and award a contract to GHD, Inc. in a total amount not to exceed $499,068, for a period of two years; and authorize the General Manager to execute all documents necessary to enter into the contract, including any amendments. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]

THERE'LL BE ONE PRESENTATION, UM, IN ORDER TO HEAR THE PRESENTATION, MAY PLEASE HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT.

AND, UH, BACK TO YOU, ROB.

ALRIGHT, GOOD MORNING AGAIN.

UH, THIS ITEM IS FOR OUR ORANGE AVENUE TRANSMISSION AND IMPROVEMENT PROJECT.

UH, EACH ITEM, WELL, ONE ITEM IS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE PROJECT, AND THE SECOND ITEM IS FOR, UH, CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT AND INSPECTION SERVICES.

SO, AGAIN, I HAVE A SHORT PRESENTATION, UH, PREPARED FOR YOU TO GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECT.

SO THE ORANGE AVENUE TRANSMISSION NAME WE PLAN ON REPLACING IS IN BETWEEN BIXBY ROAD AND WARDLOW ROAD.

UH, THE EXISTING PIPELINE IS A 20 INCH CEMENT MORTAR LINED CAST IRON PIPE, WHICH WAS INSTALLED IN 1946.

SO, BASED ON OUR BREAK HISTORY OF THIS PIPE, UH, WE DID HAVE A BREAK IN 2010.

UH, AND WE HAD ACTUALLY TWO BREAKS IN OCTOBER OF 2024.

UH, THIS WAS THE BREAK THAT TRIGGERED THE BOIL WATER NOTICE, UH, BACK IN, UH, 2024.

SO BASED ON THIS INFORMATION, IT LOOKS LIKE OCTOBER IS NOT A GOOD MONTH FOR THIS PIPE, YOU KNOW, SINCE WE'VE HAD BREAKS DURING THAT TIME.

BUT ON MAY 1ST, 2025, UH, THIS BOARD DID APPROVE AN AGREEMENT WITH ECK TO DESIGN THE IMPROVEMENTS FOR THIS PIPELINE.

SO, AS PART OF THE SCOPE OF WORK, UH, WE ARE GOING TO UTILIZE THE PIPER METHODOLOGY TO REPLACE APPROXIMATELY 2,770 LINEAR FEET OF CAS IRON PIPE.

AND WE ARE GOING TO REPLACE, UH, THE CAST IRON WITH HIGH DENSITY POLYETHYLENE PIPE.

SO, OR HDPE.

UH, THE ADVANTAGE OF THIS METHOD, OR THE ADVANTAGE WITH THIS PIPELINE, PARTICULAR PIPELINE IS THERE WILL BE NO DISRUPTIONS TO WATER SERVICES BECAUSE WE DO NOT HAVE ANY SERVICES ATTACHED TO THIS PIPE.

IT'S A TRANSMISSION MAIN.

SO IN TERMS OF PIPE BURSTING, IT'S A TRENCHLESS TECHNOLOGY, UH, THAT REPLACES, UH, EXISTING PIPE BY BREAKING THE OLD EXISTING PIPE AND PULLING THROUGH A NEW PIPE, UH, AND PIPE RC WILL EXTEND THE SURFACE LIGHT OF THE NEW OF THE PIPE TO UP TO TH UH, 80 YEARS.

UH, COMPARED TO A FULL REPLACEMENT, OPEN CUT REPLACEMENT OF THE PIPE INSTALLATION IS MUCH FASTER.

UH, THERE'S LESS DISRUPTION TO THE PUBLIC.

UH, THERE'S MINIMAL EXCAVATIONS AND IT'S ACTUALLY SOMEWHAT CHEAPER THAN, UH, OPEN CUT, UM, UH, REPLACEMENT OF THE PIPE.

UH, OUR CONSULTANT DID DO A, UH, PRELIMINARY DESIGN REPORT.

LOOKED AT, UH, A NUMBER OF OPTIONS TO REPLACE PIPE,

[00:10:01]

UH, ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE DIFFERENT OPTIONS, PIPE BURSTING COMPARED TO OPEN CUT TRENCH.

UM, WE'RE SAVING PROBABLY ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS, UH, UTILIZING PIPE BURSTING ELI CAN QUEUE UP.

OKAY, SO THIS IS JUST A QUICK ANIMATED, UH, CLIP OF THE PIPE BURSTING METHOD.

THIS IS A PIPE BURSTING MACHINE.

YOU HAVE BURSTING RODS THAT ARE ASSEMBLED IN WHAT'S CALLED A RECEIVING PIT.

THOSE RODS ARE THEN PUSHED THROUGH, UH, THE EXISTING PIPE, AND A BURSTING HEAD IS ATTACHED TO THE RODS, AND THAT IS PULLED THROUGH THE EXISTING PIPE, AND WHICH IN TURN BREAKS THE EXISTING PIPE.

AND THE NEW PIPE IS PULLED THROUGH.

UH, THE BURSTING HEAD FOR THIS PROJECT WILL UTILIZE A PNEUMATIC HEAD.

UH, SO IT'LL PULSATE, UH, TO AID IN THE BREAKING OF THE PIPE.

AND IT HAS CUTTERS, UH, WHICH WILL, UH, FACILITATE THE, UH, BREAKING OF THE PIPE.

SO INSTEAD OF HAVING A LARGE OPEN TRENCH ON ORANGE, WE'RE GONNA HAVE SEVERAL, UH, RECEIVING AND INSERTION PITS.

SO I THINK, UH, WE'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT SIX PITS EVERY THREE TO 500 FEET.

SO THE CONTRACT TIME FOR THIS PROJECT IS 150 CALENDAR DAYS.

UH, WE ANTICIPATE, UH, STRATA CONSTRUCTION IN SEPTEMBER OF THIS YEAR, UH, WITH THE END OF CONSTRUCTION IN JANUARY, 2027.

THE ACTUAL PIPELINE INSTALLATION IS MUCH SHORTER THAN THAT.

IT'LL TAKE ABOUT PROBABLY A MONTH AND MONTH AND A HALF, UH, TO COMPLETE THE PIPELINE INSTALLATION.

THERE ARE OTHER THINGS THAT NEED TO BE DONE, SUCH AS PAVEMENT RESTORATION, WHICH PUSHES THE, UH, COMPLETION OF THE PROJECT OUT TO JANUARY OF 2027.

AGAIN, UM, THE CONSIDERATIONS IN GOING WITH PIPE BURSTING, UH, THE COSTS AND THE IMPACT TO THE PUBLIC.

SO FOR ITEM SIX, THE RECOMMENDATION, WELL, BEFORE I GET TO THAT, UM, A LITTLE DETAIL ON WHAT WE DID.

UM, SO IN MAY 20, MAY 21ST, 2026, UH, WE PUBLISHED A NOTICE OF INVITED BIDS FOR THIS PROJECT.

UH, WE DID RECEIVE THREE BIDS ON JUNE 23RD OF THIS YEAR.

AND THE BID TABULATION IS ATTACHED TO THE BOARD LETTER.

UH, THE LOWEST RESPONSIVE BID WAS SUBMITTED BY GRB CON IN THE AMOUNT OF $2.8 MILLION, AND WAS FOUND IN CONFORMANCE WITH THE BID DOCUMENTS.

UH, AND THIS IS ITEM NUMBER SIX.

FOR ITEM NUMBER SEVEN.

UH, WE ISSUED A, UH, REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL THROUGH LONG BEACH BUYS.

UH, WE RECEIVED A TOTAL OF SEVEN PROPOSALS AND EVALUATED AND EACH PROPOSAL.

SO STAFF RECOMMENDS GHD, UH, BASED ON THEIR EXPERIENCE ON SIMILAR PROJECTS, PROJECT TEAM, AND THE REASONABLENESS OF THEIR FEES, UH, THE NOT TO SEEN AMOUNT FOR THEIR SERVICES IS JUST UNDER 500,000.

THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION ON BOTH ITEM SIX AND SEVEN.

UH, I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS MAY HAVE.

ROB, ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS ON EITHER SIX OR SEVEN? ARE THERE ANY COMMISSIONER COMMENTS? I HAVE ONE.

UM, I MAY HAVE MISSED IT, BUT WHAT HAPPENS TO THE OLD PIPE, BROKEN PIPE? DOES IT LEFT IN THE GROUND? IT'S LEFT.

GOT IT.

THANK YOU FOR THAT GOOD REPORT.

SO, I'M SORRY I WAS CALLING.

UM, HOW, WHY DOES PIPE BURSTING EXTEND THE LIFE OF THE, OF THE PIPE UP TO 80 YEARS? WELL, WE'RE, WE'RE ESSENTIALLY INSERTING A NEW PIPE.

UH, IT'S HD IT'S JUST A NEW, NEW PIPE.

80 YEARS.

SECTION IN THEIR SPECIFICATIONS FOR THE STREET IMPROVEMENTS, UH, THAT OUTLINES OUR PROJECT AND THAT THEY ARE TO COORDINATE THE CONTRACTOR IS TO COORDINATE THE WORK.

UM, IS IT DIFFERENT FOR SEWER? WE CAN PIPERS ALSO.

THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.

I, I DID HAVE A, A QUESTION RELATED TO, UM, THE, THE ACTUAL PHYSICAL LOCATION ORANGE AVENUE.

I DID, DID READ THAT THERE IS A MAJOR PUBLIC WORKS PROJECT HAPPENING.

UM, IS THERE COORDINATION WITH PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES DEPARTMENTS TO ENSURE THAT, THAT THE NEW STREET THAT IS GOING IN PLACE IS NOT, NOT GONNA BE DISRUPTED? YES.

UH, WE, UH, STARTED COORDINATION EFFORTS FROM THE GET GO WITH PUBLIC WORKS.

UH, THEY ACTUALLY HAVE, UM, A

[00:15:01]

SO WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO GET IN BEFORE THEY ACTUALLY GET THERE.

SO.

SURE.

UH, SO WE HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT ITEM SIX AND SEVEN.

ANY OPPOSED? ALRIGHT, PERFECT.

[8. 26-55632 Recommendation to authorize the General Manager to execute a Memorandum of Understanding, and any necessary amendments, with the Long Beach Community College District (LBCCD) to authorize Long Beach Public Utilities Department (LBPUD) to participate as a host partner for the #CaliforniansForAll College Corps program, for the term from July 2026 through June 2029. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]

AUTHORIZE THE GENERAL MANAGER TO EXECUTE A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING AND ANY NECESSARY AMENDMENTS WITH THE LONG BEACH COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT TO AUTHORIZE LONG BEACH PUBLIC UTILITIES DEPARTMENT TO PARTICIPATE AS A HOST, PARTNER FOR THE CALIFORNIANS FOR ALL COLLEGE CORE PROGRAM FOR THE TERM JULY, 2026 THROUGH JUNE, 2029.

UH, MAY I PLEASE HAVE A MOTION? I MOVE ON A SECOND.

SECOND.

THANK YOU, COLIN TAI SING.

MORNING PRESIDENT SCOTT AND COMMISSIONERS.

I WILL TRY MY BEST TO DO MY PRESENTATION FROM THIS ANGLE IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT FOR ME AND, UH, I DON'T HAVE COOL ANIMATION LIKE ROB, SO, UH, PLEASE BEAR WITH ME.

SO, A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON THE UTILITY INTERNSHIP PROGRAM.

SO WE'VE HAD A HISTORY OF PROVIDING INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS, UM, TO THE COMMUNITY.

AND PRIMARY GOALS ARE TO CREATE CAREER AWARENESS FOR THE UTILITY SECTOR.

'CAUSE IT'S TYPICALLY NOT, NOT AS, UH, SEXY AS SAY BEING A FIREMAN.

UM, BUT, UH, BUT WE DO WANT TO BRING AWARENESS THAT IT IS A GREAT CAREER TO, TO BE PART OF UTILITY.

UM, AND BY DOING THAT, IT DOES STRENGTHEN OUR RECRUITMENT AND LONG-TERM SUCCESSION PLANNING BECAUSE WE CAN BRING PEOPLE IN AND GROW 'EM WITHIN THE UTILITY.

AND OBVIOUSLY THIS ALSO PROMOTES A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE UTILITY AND THE COMMUNITY.

AND THEN PAST INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS, THEY'VE BEEN FUNDED VARIOUS WAYS, EITHER THROUGH INTERNAL BUDGETING OR THROUGH GRANTS AND PARTNER FUNDED.

UM, WITH THE CITY.

WE HAVE HAD LONG SUCCESS WITH OUR INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS, MANY OF WHICH HAVE, UM, BECAME PERMANENT EMPLOYEES WITHIN THE UTILITIES AFTER THE INTERNSHIP.

UM, NOT TO BE IN ENGINEERING IN WATER TREATMENT AND, UH, IN WATER QUALITY.

AND ALSO WITH DEAN'S SHOP WITH CONSERVATION.

SO FOR THIS PROGRAM, THIS IS THE COLLEGE CORE PROGRAM, WHICH IS A STATE PROGRAM THAT IS DESIGNED TO ENGAGE STUDENTS IN MEANINGFUL COMMUNITY SERVICE, UM, AND PROVIDING STUDENT AN ACADEMIC AND CAREER SUCCESS.

AND ALSO HELPING WITH THEIR, UM, TUITION COSTS.

SO LONG BEACH CITY COLLEGE RECEIVED A GRANT TO IMPLEMENT THE PROGRAM.

SO THERE ARE MANY COLLEGES THAT ACTUALLY ARE PARTICIPATING IN COLLEGE CORE PROGRAMS. UM, AND LONG BEACH CITY COLLEGE IS ONE OF 'EM THAT RECEIVED A GRANT.

UM, FELLOWS FROM THE LONG BEACH CITY COLLEGE WILL THEN WORK 450 HOURS PER ACADEMIC YEAR AT A, UM, A, UH, AT A, AT A PARTICIPATING AGENCY.

UM, AND THIS IS FULLY FUNDED THROUGH THE COLLEGE CORPS PROGRAM.

SO WHAT OUR RESPONSIBILITIES ARE IS SHOULD WE ENGAGE IN THIS MOU, WE'LL BE A COMMUNITY HOST PARTNER FOR THREE YEARS THROUGH FROM 2026 TO 2029.

AND WHAT WE COMMIT TO IS WE WOULD ACCEPT A MINIMUM OF TWO COLLEGE STUDENTS, UH, FELLOWS.

AND EACH WILL BE ASSIGNED TO WORK UP TO 450 HOURS IN ONE SCHOOL YEAR.

SO THEY'RE GONNA BE GOING TO SCHOOL AND THEN WORKING PART-TIME, UM, WITH US.

UM, WE WILL PROVIDE THEN ASSIGNMENTS, MENTORSHIP, SITE SUPERVISION, UM, OF COURSE THEN WE HAVE TO VERIFY THE HOURS WITH, UH, THE COLLEGE, UM, FOR THEIR GRADUATION.

AND WE'RE LOOKING TO PLACE THEM IN WATER QUALITY TREATMENT OPERATION, DATA ANALYSIS, ENGINEERING, PROJECT ATION AND CONSERVATION.

NOW, THERE IS NO DIRECT COST TO THE PUBLIC UTILITY.

UM, THEY ARE PAID THROUGH THE, UH, COLLEGE CORE PROGRAM THROUGH LBCC.

OUR COSTS WILL BE OUR INVOLVEMENT WITH OUR OWN STAFF.

IN TERMS OF THE TIMELINES, UM, THE PROGRAM STARTS IN JUNE WHERE LBCC STUDENTS, UM, CAN APPLY TO BE A FELLOW.

AND THEN THERE IS A SELECTION PROCESS WHERE LBCC REVIEWS APPLICATIONS AND CONDUCTS INTERVIEWS.

AND THEN AS A HOST PARTNER, WE WOULD PARTICIPATE IN THE, UM, IN THE INTERVIEWS IF WE HAVE A, UM, DESIRE TO, AND WE WILL, UM, AND THEN LBCC WILL ADMINISTER A PROGRAM AND THEN LONG BEACH UTILITIES WILL ASSIGN A SUPERVISING STUDENT TO SUPERVISE A STUDENT FOR UP TO FOUR 50 HOURS.

AND THAT WILL START IN THE ACADEMIC YEAR FROM SEPTEMBER THROUGH MAY.

AND THEN IN MAY THEY WILL GRADUATE FROM THE PROGRAM.

SO WITH THAT, THE REQUEST IS TO AUTHORIZE GENERAL MANAGER EXECUTE AN MOU AND ANY NECESSARY AMENDMENTS

[00:20:01]

WITH LBCC TO AUTHORIZE PUBLIC LONG BEACH PUBLIC UTILITIES DEPARTMENT TO PARTICIPATE AS A HOST PARTNER FOR THE CALIFORNIA FOR ALL COLLEGE CORE PROGRAM FOR THE TERM FROM JULY, 2026 THROUGH JUNE, 2029.

WITH THAT, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU, TIA.

ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS, ANY COMMISSIONER COMMENTS? WHEN IN JULY DOES THIS START? IT'S ACTUALLY ALREADY STARTED.

THE, UM, WE HAVE SUBMITTED IN ADVANCE, UM, POSITION DESCRIPTIONS TO LBCC SO THAT WHEN THEY GO THROUGH AND, UM, LOOK AT FELLOWS THAT APPLY, THEY WILL LOOK FOR PEOPLE THAT HAVE QUALIFICATIONS OR DESIRES IN THE AREAS IN WHICH WE ARE LOOKING FOR.

UM, ONCE APPROVED, IF APPROVED, UM, WE WILL PARTICIPATE IN THE INTERVIEW PROGRAM TO SELECT THE, UH, THE FELLOWS AND THEN THEY WOULD START SOMETIME IN LATE AUGUST, EARLY SEPTEMBER, UM, ONCE WE HAVE THE MOU IN PLACE, WHICH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IS HELPING US WITH THAT RIGHT NOW.

JUST CURIOUS, HAVE HAVE THOSE STUDENTS AT CITY COLLEGE, THEY HA HAVE THEY SELECTED A MAJOR YET OR THEY JUST DOING GENERAL ED TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THEY'RE DOING? LIKE, I THINK, I THINK IT'S A MIX.

UM, LPCC, BECAUSE IT'S A COMMUNITY COLLEGE, IT'S A LOT OF, UM, PEOPLE COMING BACK INTO SCHOOL FROM THE WORKFORCE, MAYBE LOOKING TO CHANGE IN CAREERS.

AND THIS PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO LOOK FOR A DIFFERENT AVENUE FROM MAYBE SOMETHING THAT THEY WERE PREVIOUSLY DOING.

TY, WHICH WHO WILL HANDLE THIS IN OUR DEPARTMENT? SO UNDER THE HR UMBRELLA, HR WILL OVERSEE OR PERSONNEL SERVICES, SORRY.

UM, WE'LL OVERSEE THE PERSONNEL SERVICES SECTIONS, BUT THEN EACH DIVISION THAT IS LOOKING FOR A FELLOW, UM, THEY WOULD THEN PARTICIPATE, SUBMIT THE POSITION DESCRIPTION, AND THEN BE PARTICIPATING IN THE INTERVIEW PROCESS.

AND THEN IT WILL BE BROUGHT ON TO THE DIVISION THAT'S REQUESTING FOR THIS COMING UP ACADEMIC YEAR.

THE DIVISION'S REQUESTING IT IS ACTUALLY WATER QUALITY.

SO KEVIN'S IN THE AUDIENCE RIGHT NOW, UM, IN THE WATER QUALITY LAB.

AND SO WE'LL HAVE THEM HELPING US WITH WATER QUALITY SAMPLING AND ANALYSIS AND DATA ANALYSIS.

GREAT, THANK YOU FOR THAT.

UM, THE OTHER ONE IS, ARE THERE OTHER STUDENTS IN THIS PROGRAM THAT ARE IN OTHER DEPARTMENTS IN OUR CITY? YES, I BELIEVE, UM, I BELIEVE THE CITY IS ALSO LOOKING AT THIS.

UM, BUT THE CITY HAS A LOT OF OTHER PROGRAMS AS WELL.

AND THEN THERE'S ALSO, I BELIEVE CAL STATE LONG BEACH ALSO HAS A SIMILAR PROGRAM.

ANY OTHER COMMISSIONER COMMENTS? ALRIGHT, PERFECT.

UH, SO WE'VE GOT A MOTION, UH, TO, UH, EXECUTE THE MOU.

ANY OPPOSED? ALRIGHT, PERFECT.

RESOLUTION NUMBER UT 1 5 6 6 AUTHORIZING THE GENERAL MANAGER TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT AND ANY NECESSARY DOCUMENTS, INCLUDING ANY AMENDMENTS WITH THE REGENTS OF UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA ON BEHALF OF ITS RIVERSIDE CAMPUS.

UH, MOVING ON.

ITEM ITEM NUMBER NINE, ADOPT

[9. 26-55633 Recommendation to adopt Resolution No. UT-1566 authorizing the General Manager to execute a contract, and any necessary documents, including any amendments, with the Regents of the University of California, on behalf of its Riverside campus, without advertising for bids, for an Affordability Study, in an amount not to exceed $170,000, for a period of two years. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]

WITHOUT ADVERTISING FOR BIDS FOR AN AFFORDABILITY STUDY, UH, MAY I PLEASE HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT? THANK YOU.

A SECOND.

ALL RIGHT.

CALL ON DEAN WANG FOR THE PRESENTATION.

THANK YOU, PRESIDENT SCOTT.

GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONERS.

UH, I DON'T EVEN HAVE A PRESENTATION SO YOU GUYS CAN JUST, UH, ENJOY MY, MY VERBAL PRESENTATION.

UH, SO, SO THIS ITEM BEFORE US TODAY IS, UM, UH, EFFORT TO UNDERTAKE AN AFFORDABILITY STUDY WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA RIVERSIDE.

UH, SO AFFORDABILITY IS ONE OF THE KEY OBJECTIVES THAT WE HAVE FOR THE UTILITIES DEPARTMENT, MAKING SURE THAT OUR RATES REMAIN AFFORDABLE TO OUR CUSTOMERS.

UH, AND THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT PRESSURES THAT, THAT WE'RE NOT UNIQUELY FACING HERE IN LONG BEACH.

THERE ARE, UH, ECONOMIC PRESSURES, REGIONAL PRESSURES, JUST, UH, WATER INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, WATER INFRASTRUCTURE, AGING, UH, UH, AND AS WELL AS WATER DEMAND, UH, REDUCTIONS.

AND SO ALL OF THOSE ISSUES AREN'T NECESSARILY UNIQUE TO LONG BEACH, UH, AND UC.

RIVERSIDE HAS, UH, PREVIOUSLY CONDUCTED STUDIES WITH OTHER METROPOLITAN, UH, MEMBER AGENCIES.

AND SO THEY'RE UNIQUELY POSITIONED TO HELP US, UH, ESSENTIALLY, UH, DO AN ANALYSIS, A SIMILAR ANALYSIS FOR LONG BEACH, UH, UTILITIES DEPARTMENT.

UM, IN ADDITION TO THE, THE WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE WITH THESE OTHER UTILITIES, WE'VE ACTUALLY, UH, COORDINATED WITH UC, RIVERSIDE, AND THE, THE, UH, PROFESSORS THERE TO, UH, ADD TO THE SCOPE.

UH, WE ARE UNIQUE IN THAT WE ARE A MULTIPLE, UH, UTILITY, UH, DEPARTMENT.

AND SO FOR US, THEY WILL ACTUALLY BE ASSESSING NOT ONLY WATER AFFORDABILITY, BUT OVERALL WATER, SEWER AND GAS, UH, RATE PORTABILITY.

SO THE, THE HOLISTIC, UH, PICTURE OF OUR, OUR CUSTOMER'S BILL.

AND SO REGARDING, UH, ALL THE DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF, UH, AFFORDABILITY, UH, ARE BEING EVALUATED.

SO, UH, A LOT OF TIMES WHEN WE'RE CONSIDERING BUDGET AND RATES AS THE, THE BOARD IS WELL AWARE, WE LOOK AT AN AVERAGE BILL AND, AND HOW THE IMPACT IS, UH, GOING TO BE, UH, IMPACTED

[00:25:01]

BY THE RATE INCREASES AVERAGE BILL.

BUT THIS, UH, THIS STUDY WILL REALLY LOOK AT THE DETAILS OF DIFFERENT CUSTOMER SEGMENTS.

WE HAVE A VERY DIVE, UH, DIVERSE CUSTOMER BASE.

AND AFFORDABILITY MEANS, UH, DIFFERENT THINGS TO EACH OF THESE DIFFERENT GROUPS.

WE HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT AFFORDABILITY PROGRAMS, WHICH YOU'LL HEAR IN THE NEXT ITEM, UH, UH, THAT TONY WILL BE, UH, PRESENTING.

UH, THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO HELP OUR CUSTOMERS IN DIFFERENT WAYS.

IT'S NOT JUST, UH, OUR CUSTOMER BASE ISN'T, UH, UNIFORM AND OUR CUSTOMER, OUR, UH, CUSTOMER RATES ARE NOT UNIFORM.

AND SO THIS AFFORDABILITY STUDY WILL HELP US TAKE A LOOK AT THE DIFFERENCES, UM, ON HOW EACH OF OUR CUSTOMER SEGMENTS IS IMPACTED.

IT'LL ALSO LOOK AT OVER TIME HOW AFFORDABILITY HAS BEEN CHANGING AND GIVE A, A PREDICTION OUT INTO THE NEXT FEW YEARS OF WHAT AFFORDABILITY WILL LOOK LIKE, UH, GOING FORWARD FOR US.

AND THAT WILL HELP US TO, UH, SHAPE, UH, THE WAYS THAT, YOU KNOW, THE BOARD AND AND STAFF AND US AS THE UTILITIES DEPARTMENT CAN REALLY HELP CUSTOMERS AS FAR AS, AS FAR AS, UH, AFFORDABILITY GOES.

UM, SO THE ITEM FOR THE BOARD TODAY IS TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION.

UH, THE REASON FOR THE RESOLUTION IS BECAUSE WE DID NOT COMPETITIVELY BID OUT THIS WORK.

UC, RIVERSIDE IS UNIQUELY POSITIONED TO DO THIS STUDY FOR US, GIVEN THEIR PAST, UH, WORK WITH, UH, OTHER METROPOLITAN MEMBER AGENCIES AND THE WAY THAT THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO INCORPORATE OUR DATA INTO THEIR ALREADY, UH, PREVIOUSLY CONDUCTED STUDIES, AS WELL AS COMPARE OUR INFORMATION TO THE OTHER METROPOLITAN MEMBER AGENCIES IS THE REASON WE'RE NOT GOING OUT FOR COMPETITIVE BID ON THIS PROJECT.

SO WITH THAT, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.

THANK YOU, DEAN.

ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? ANY COMMISSIONER COMMENTS? IS, UM, IS IT A STUDENT DRIVEN PROJECT THEN WITH A PROFESSOR LEADING THE PROJECT? IS IT LIKE PART OF CURRICULUM? SO IT'S, IT'S TWO, UH, ESSENTIALLY PROFESSORS, UH, DRIVING THE RESEARCH AND THEY'LL HAVE, I BELIEVE, OUR PHD, UM, STUDENTS ASSISTING WITH THE DATA HANDLING AND DATA ANALYSIS.

IT'S INCREDIBLY VALUABLE BEING ABLE TO COMPARE WITH THE PRIOR WORK AND MERGE.

ALL OF THAT IS GREAT.

SO I, I BELIEVE THIS, UH, PROFESSOR DID A PRESENTATION AT THE, WAS IT AQUA OR URBAN WATER? UM, IS THIS THE SAME, YOUR SAME DEPARTMENT, SCHWABE OR DR.

NADI? UH, IT WAS GOOD.

NO, IT WAS USED TO RIVERSIDE VERY LIKELY.

UH, WE HAVE, WE HAVE WORKED WITH, UM, THE PROFESSOR PREVIOUSLY ON A DIFFERENT STUDY YEARS AGO, AND I, I KNOW THEY'RE VERY ACTIVE IN, IN DOING THIS TYPE OF RESEARCH, SO IT'S VERY LIKELY, UH, THE SAME PROFESSOR, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE THEY ALREADY HAVE A, A STRONG MODEL IN PLACE AND, AND, UH, I THINK THIS IS WORTHWHILE.

UM, BEFORE I, I HIT READ DOWN A LITTLE FURTHER ON METROPOLITAN'S INVOLVEMENT.

UM, I WAS GONNA LINK THAT EARLIER AND AS YOU KNOW, MET HAD THAT DISCUSSION FROM LONG, LONG TIME.

SO I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS.

ONE, UM, IS, IS THE REASON THAT WE ARE DOING THIS AS WELL SEPARATE, IT SAYS HERE, CREATE A MORE ROBUST KIND OF A VALUE SYSTEM OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.

IT'S KINDA LIKE LAYERING IT, RIGHT? SO NOW THAT MET CAN ACTUALLY USE SOME OF WHAT THEY FIND OUT FROM US AS WELL.

IS THAT CORRECT? CORRECT, YES.

IT'S BOTH WAYS, RIGHT? AND SO ALL THE WORK THAT'S PREVIOUSLY BEEN DONE WILL HELP TO INFORM US AND, AND, UH, HELP US TO SEE WHAT WE ARE UNIQUELY FACING VERSUS WHAT THE REGION IS FACING.

IF THERE ARE ANY FUTURE, UH, AGENCIES THAT WANNA PARTICIPATE, THEY'D BE ABLE TO BENEFIT FROM THAT.

OUR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION BEING SUPPLEMENTED AND, AND REALLY, YOU KNOW, LIKE I MENTIONED, UM, UH, WE WORK DIRECTLY WITH THE PROFESSORS TO ADD TO THIS SCOPE AND SO OUR INFORMATION IS GONNA BE MORE DETAILED AND ANALYZED IN MORE WAYS THAN EVEN THE PREVIOUS STUDIES.

AND SO I, I THINK THAT WOULD BE USEFUL FOR THE OTHER, UM, AGENCIES THAT WOULD BE CONSIDERING A STUDY LIKE THIS.

GREAT.

IT MAY BE A HEAVY LIFT, BUT HOPEFULLY THIS ISN'T SOMETHING THAT, NOT, NOT ON OUR END, BUT IT'S EVEN MET.

WE FILE IT, WE GET IT, WE FILE IT AND WE GET ALL THE INFORMATION.

HOPEFULLY AT SOME POINT WE CAN DO SOMETHING WITH REGARDS TO LEGISLATION FOR THE LIRA LOW INCOME RATE ASSISTANCE.

IS THAT A POSSIBILITY? IS THAT WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT? LIKE HOW WE CAN LOOK AT THIS AT THE STATE LEVEL? THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY HOW MET WOULD BE LOOKING AT THIS, BUT, UH, AS AN OUTCOME OF THIS STUDY, I DO FULLY EXPECT THAT STAFF WOULD COME FORWARD TO THE BOARD WITH, UH, INFORMATION, MAYBE NOT RECOMMENDATIONS, AT LEAST INFORMATION FOR THE BOARD TO CONSIDER WHAT ACTIONS WE MIGHT TAKE TO YOU MODIFY OUR PROGRAMS OR CHANGE OUR AFFORDABILITY OFFERINGS OR OUR RATE STRUCTURE.

SO YEAH, I, I'M NOT SURE HOW THEY'RE CONSIDERING IT STATE OR REGIONAL.

ANY OTHER COMMISSIONER COMMENTS? ALRIGHT, PERFECT.

I LOOK FORWARD TO THAT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

UH, SO WE HAVE A, UH, RESOLUTION WHICH REQUIRES A ROLL CALL VOTE.

TINA, VICE PRESIDENT CORDERO.

COMMISSIONER MCGUIRE? YES.

[00:30:01]

COMMISSIONER AUSTIN AND PRESIDENT SCOTT.

THE GENERAL MANAGER TO EXECUTE A NON-DISCLOSURE AGREEMENT WITH SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON TO FACILITATE THE RECEIPT OF INCOME QUALIFIED ASSISTANCE PROGRAM CUSTOMER DATA.

ALRIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

MOVING ON.

ITEM NUMBER 10, AUTHORIZE

[10. 26-55634 Recommendation to authorize the General Manager to execute a non-disclosure agreement with Southern California Edison to facilitate the receipt of income-qualified assistance program customer data. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]

UH, IN ORDER TO HEAR TONY'S PRESENTATION, MAY I PLEASE HAVE A MOTION? SO MOVED.

AND A SECOND.

THANK YOU, UH, TONY FOSTER FOR PRESENTATION.

ALRIGHT, GOOD MORNING, PRESIDENT AND COMMISSIONERS.

I TOO WILL CONTINUE WITH THE THEME OF AFFORDABILITY FOR THIS UTILITY.

LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN ENHANCE OUR UTILITY PROGRAMS, AFFORDABILITY PROGRAMS. I'M ALSO GOING TO FOLLOW DEAN AND SOLELY AN ORAL PRESENTATION .

SO HERE WE GO.

UM, THE ITEM BEFORE YOU REQUEST AUTHORIZATION FOR THE GENERAL MANAGER TO EXECUTE A NON-DISCLOSURE AGREEMENT WITH SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON TO FACILITATE A SECURE RECEIPT OF INCOME QUALIFIED CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM DATA.

SO THE CALIFORNIA PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION, THE REGULATIONS REQUIRE INVESTOR OWNED UTILITIES SUCH AS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON, SCE, TO SHARE INFORMATION ON CUSTOMERS ENROLLED IN QUALIFYING LOW INCOME ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS WITH OVERLAPPING UTILITIES.

'CAUSE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON AND LONG BEACH UTILITIES SERVE MANY OF THE SAME CUSTOMERS.

WE ARE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE THIS INFORMATION.

THE PURPOSE OF ATTAINING THIS DATA IS STRAIGHTFORWARD.

IT WILL HELP US BETTER UNDERSTAND THE NUMBER AND CHARACTERISTICS OF INCOME QUALIFIED CUSTOMER WITHIN OUR SERVICE TERRITORY AND WILL SUPPORT THE AFFORDABILITY ANALYSIS CURRENTLY CONDUCTED BY THE AFOREMENTIONED UC RIVERSIDE STUDY.

IT WILL ALSO ALLOW US TO EVALUATE OPPORTUNITIES TO IMPROVE AWARENESS AND PARTICIPATION IN LONG BEACH UTILITIES CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS TO PROTECT CUSTOMER PRIVACY.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON REQUIRES THAT WE EXECUTE A NON-DISCLOSURE AGREEMENTS FOR ANY INFORMATION CAN BE SHARED.

THIS AGREEMENT ESTABLISHES STRICT REQUIREMENTS FOR DATA SECURE HANDLING USE, AND PROTECTING PROTECTION OF CUSTOMER DATA.

ONE POINT POINT WORTH NOTING IS THAT SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON APPEARS TO HAVE ACHIEVED EXCEPTIONALLY HIGH PARTICIPATION IN ITS CARE LOW INCOME ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

THEIR 2025 ANNUAL REPORT INDICATES ENROLLMENT THAT EXCEEDS 1.36 MILLION CUSTOMERS REPRESENTING APPROXIMATELY 106% OF THE ESTIMATED ELIGIBLE POPULATION OF THE PUCS ESTABLISHED METHODOLOGY.

THIS MAY REFLECT SE E'S MATURE OUTREACH AND ENROLLMENT EFFORTS AND DEMONSTRATES THE VALUE OF HAVING RELIABLE ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION AVAILABLE, BUT ADMINISTERING CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS. FINALLY, I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT APPROVAL OF THIS ITEM DOES NOT AUTHORIZE ANY CHANGES TO LONG BEACH UTILITIES CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM MERELY PRESENTS OPPORTUNITIES TO DO SO.

ANY FUTURE RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING PROGRAM MODIFICATIONS OR EXPANSION TO BE BROUGHT BACK TO YOU COMMISSIONERS FOR CONSIDERATION THROUGH A SEPARATE PUBLIC PROCESS AND STAFF, UH, RESPECTFULLY RECOMMENDS THAT THE COMMISSION AUTHORIZE THE GENERAL MANAGER TO EXECUTE THE NON-DISCLOSURE AGREEMENT WITH SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDITS.

SO THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT AND I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.

TONY, ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? COMMENTS? ANY COMMISSIONER COMMENTS? YES, SIR.

SO I, THIS, THIS SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT THING.

WHAT, WAS THERE ANY COORDINATION OR, OR PRIOR TO THIS AND HOW, HOW LONG HAS THIS, UM, I GUESS PUC DIRECTIVE BEEN IN PLACE TO BE ABLE TO SHARE DATA WITH? SO I DON'T HAVE A SPECIFIC DATE, BUT IT HAS BEEN AWARE, THIS IS A FIRST INSTANCE FOR US TO MY KNOWLEDGE AND ANY OF MY FELLOW COLLEAGUES, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, I DON'T THINK WE'VE EVER UTILIZED THIS DATA IN THIS MANNER.

SO THIS IS A FIRST IMPRESSION FOR US TO DO SO.

AND I CAN GET BACK TO YOU ON HOW LONG THIS, UH, REQUIREMENT TO SHARE DATA HAS BEEN IN PLACE.

WELL, I THINK THE INFORMATION WILL BE HELPFUL FOR US STRATEGICALLY UNDERSTANDING OUR CUSTOMER BASE A LOT BETTER AND, UM, WILL HELP HELP US BE ABLE TO PLAN.

ABSOLUTELY, ABSOLUTELY.

WE'RE KEEN TO SEE THIS 'CAUSE THERE'S A GREAT DEAL OF OVERLAP.

SO I ALSO THINK IT HELPS THE, THE, THE FOLKS THAT ARE, THAT WE SERVE.

SO, UM, I SUPPORT THIS ITEM.

ANY OTHER COMMISSIONER COMMENTS? ALL RIGHT, SO WE'VE GOT, UH, MOTION TO AUTHORIZE.

NEXT ITEM, ITEM NUMBER 11, ADOPT

ANY OPPOSED? ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU.

AND THANK YOU TONY AND TONY'S STICKING AROUND.

UH,

[00:35:01]

[11. 26-55635 Recommendation to adopt Resolution No. UT-1565 authorizing the General Manager to execute a contract and any necessary documents, including any amendments, with InfoSend, Inc., without advertising for bids, for utility bill printing, mailing, and related document presentment services for water, sewer, refuse, and natural gas utility accounts, in an annual amount not to exceed $1,800,000, for a period of three years, with the option for two additional one-year periods, at the discretion of the General Manager. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]

RESOLUTION NUMBER UT 1 5 6 5 AUTHORIZING THE GENERAL MANAGER TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT AND ANY NECESSARY DOCUMENTS, INCLUDING ANY AMENDMENTS WITH INFO SEND INCORPORATED WITHOUT ADVERTISING.

FOR BIDS FOR UTILITY BILL PRINTING, MAILING, AND RELATED DOCUMENT PRESENTATION SERVICES FOR WATER, SEWER REFUSE AND NATURAL GAS UTILITY ACCOUNTS.

UH, MAY I PLEASE HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION? SO MOVE.

PRESIDENT AND COMMISSIONERS TODAY, INC.

UTILITY BILL PRINTING, MAILING AND DIGITAL PRESENTMENT SERVICES.

THIS RECOMMENDATION MODERNIZES ONE OF OUR MOST CRITICAL CUSTOMER SERVICE FUNCTIONS BY REPLACING THE CITY'S AGING IN-HOUSE PRINTING OPERATION WITH A PROVEN INTEGRATED SOLUTION THAT IMPROVES RELIABILITY, ENHANCES OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY, AND SUPPORTS TIMELY ACCURATE UTILITY BILLING FOR APPROXIMATELY 185,000 CUSTOMERS EACH AND EVERY MONTH, STAFF REQUESTS ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION.

UT 1565 AUTHORIZING THE GENERAL MANAGER TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH INFOS.

SEND IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $1.8 MILLION ANNUALLY FOR AN INITIAL THREE YEAR TERM WITH TWO OPTIONAL TWO YEAR EXTENSIONS.

THIS AGREEMENT ALLOWS LONG BEACH UTILITIES TO DIRECTLY MANAGE UTILITY BILL PRODUCTION WHILE CONTINUING TO USE THE SAME PROVEN VENDOR ALREADY SUPPORTING OUR BILLING SYSTEM TODAY.

UTILITY BILL PRODUCTION IS SHARED BETWEEN LONG BEACH UTILITIES AND THE TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION DEPARTMENT, UH, WITHIN THE CITY MANAGER.

WHILE INFL ALREADY GENERATES THE ELECTRONIC BUILD IMAGES, TID MANAGES THE PRINTING ENVELOPE INSERTION HOSTAGE AND MAILING USING THE CITY'S IN-HOUSE PRINT OPERATION.

THIS MULTI-STEP PROCESS SUPPORTS APPROXIMATELY 185,000 UTILITY BILLS EVERY MONTH.

THAT REQUIRES MULTIPLE CONTRACTS, AGING EQUIPMENT, AND SIGNIFICANT STAFF RESOURCES.

ALTHOUGH THIS PROCESS HAS SERVED THE CITY FOR MANY YEARS, IT HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT TO SUSTAIN.

RECENT BILL INCIDENTS DEMONSTRATED THE OPERATIONAL RISK ASSOCIATED WITH AGING PRODUCTION EQUIPMENT AND MANUAL PROCESSING, MULTIPLE HANDOFFS, MANUAL MAIL PREPARATION, FEDERAL MULTILINGUAL MAILING REQUIREMENTS, ADD COMPLEXITY AND INCREASE THE POTENTIAL FOR SERVICE DISRUPTION.

MODERNIZING THIS PROCESS REDUCES THOSE RISKS WHILE IMPROVING RELIABILITY FOR OUR CUSTOMERS.

BECAUSE UTILITY BILL PRINTING HAS HISTORICALLY BEEN PERFORMED BY CITY EMPLOYEES.

CHARTER SECTION 1806 COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS PROPOSITION L, PROP L REQUIRED THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVAL BEFORE THESE SERVICES CAN BE CONTRACTED.

ON JUNE 16TH, THE CITY COUNCIL ADOPTED THE REQUIRED FINDINGS DETERMINING THAT INFOS CAN PROVIDE THESE SERVICES MORE ECONOMICALLY AND EFFICIENCY THAN THE CURRENT IN-HOUSE PROCESS.

THE ANALYSIS ALSO FOUND THAT APPROXIMATELY 354,000 IN ANNUAL TID RESOURCES, THESE ARE LABOR RESOURCES, CAN BE REDIRECTED TO HIGHER VALUE TECHNOLOGY SERVICES WITHOUT REDUCING THE WORKFORCE.

UNDER THE PROPOSED AGREEMENT, LONG BEACH UTILITIES WILL CONTRACT DIRECTLY WITH INFOS FOR COMPLETE END-TO-END BILL PRODUCTION.

BILLING INFORMATION WILL CONTINUE TO ORIGINATE FROM OUR EXISTING CUSTOMER CARE AND BILLING SYSTEM, BUT INFOS SEND WILL MANAGE PRINTING ENVELOPE INSERTION, POSTAGE MAIL PREPARATION, AND DELIVERY DIRECTLY TO THE POSTAL SERVICE.

THIS SIMPLIFIES THE PROCESS, ELIMINATES DUPLICATE ADMINISTRATION AND PROVIDES A SINGLE ACCOUNTABLE PROVIDER WHILE MAINTAINING THE SAME CUSTOMER BILLING EXPERIENCE.

SO WHY INFOS SEND THIS RECOMMENDATION EXPANDS AN EXISTING SUCCESSFUL PARTNERSHIP RATHER THAN INTRODUCING A NEW VENDOR.

INFOS SEND ALREADY PROVIDES THE CITI BUILT IMAGE GENERATION SERVICES AND HAS FULLY INTEGRATED INTERFACES WITH OUR BILLING SYSTEM.

UH, CUSTOMIZED BILL TEMPLATES AND ESTABLISHED WORKFLOWS.

TRANSITIONING TO ANOTHER PROVIDER WILL REQUIRE REBUILDING THOSE INTEGRATIONS, EXTENSIVE TESTING AND SIGNIFICANT IMPLEMENTA IMPLEMENTATION COSTS WITHOUT PROVIDING ADDITIONAL VALUE.

CONTINUING WITH INFOS SEND MINIMIZES THE RISK WHILE ENSURING UNINTERRUPTED BILLING OPERATIONS.

[00:40:05]

THE AGREEMENT WILL BE FUNDED WITH THE SAME WATER, SEWER, GAS, AND REFUSE UTILITY FUNDS THAT CURRENTLY PAY FOR THESE SERVICES.

THROUGH THE TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION DEPARTMENT.

LONG BEACH UTILITIES ASSUMES DIRECT RESPONSIBILITY FOR BILL PRODUCTION.

CORRESPONDING COSTS WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE TID MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING SUBSTANTIALLY OFFSETTING CONTRACT COSTS.

AS A RESULT, THERE IS NO NET FISCAL IMPACT TO THE WATER, SEWER, OR GAS FUNDS.

NO IMPACT TO THE GENERAL FUND.

SO IN CLOSING THIS RECOMMENDATION MODERNIZES THE UTILITY BILL PRINTING AND MAILING IMPROVES THE SERVICE RELIABILITY FOR OUR RATE PAYERS STREAMLINES OPERATIONS AND SUPPORTS THE LONG BEACH UTILITIES BUSINESS PLAN BY DELIVERING A MORE RELIABLE COST EFFECTIVE CUSTOMER SERVICE FUNCTION.

STAFF RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THE ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION UT 1565 AUTHORIZING THE GENERAL MANAGER TO EXECUTE PROPOSED AGREEMENT WITH.

AND THIS CONCLUDES MY REPORT.

I'M TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

TONY, ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? ANY COMMISSIONER COMMENTS? THANK YOU, UH, VERY MUCH.

UM, SO THE CITY'S GONNA SAVE THREE $53,000.

WHAT ABOUT EMPLOYEES? ARE THEY GONNA, WE GONNA LOSE ANY OR THAT? DO THEY DOWNSIZE OR, I MEAN, TID DOES A LOT.

SO THEY'RE NOT, THIS IS JUST ONE COMPONENT.

I'M ASSUMING THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE NO, THESE EMPLOYEES, NO EMPLOYEES WILL BE HARMED, RELEASED.

THEY ALL ARE REDIRECTED TO HIGHER LEVEL FUNCTIONS.

THIS WAS PRETTY MANUAL WORK AND SO, UH, THEY WILL ALL BE RETAINED IN THE LABOR COST SAVINGS.

I DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU HAD A COMMENT.

UH, THE LABOR COST SAVINGS REFLECTS THAT 300,000 FIGURE THAT YOU REFERENCED.

OKAY, GREAT.

ALRIGHT.

AND JUST TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT, UH, I DID READ THAT THERE, THERE WAS A, SO THE, THE BARGAINING UNITS WERE NOTIFIED AND THERE WAS NO MEET AND CONFER ON THIS.

UH, THAT IS A, AN INTERESTING PROCESS.

THIS, UH, PROPOSAL HAS BEEN IN THE WORKS FOR MANY YEARS AND THERE WAS AN INITIAL, UH, MEET AND CONFER AND IT WAS APPROVED BY THE BARGAINING UNITS.

AND SO WHEN WE, AND IT KIND OF DELAYED AND, UH, WAS PUT ON THE BACK BURNER FOR A WHILE AND WHEN IT WAS REINTRODUCED, UH, WE MET WITH ONE BARGAINING UNIT, BUT ANOTHER DECLINED TO MEET.

THIS WAS ALREADY ASKED AND ANSWERED BY THOSE UNITS.

AND THEN IT HAS ALREADY GONE THROUGH CITY COUNCIL AS WELL? THAT'S CORRECT.

ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.

JUST ONE MORE.

WHEN WILL, WHEN WILL IT BEGIN THEN, IF WE VOTED ON TODAY? SO, UM, IT'S GONNA TAKE A WHILE FOR YEAH.

UH, INFO SEND TO SPIN UP THESE SERVICES.

THEY REQUIRE A MINIMUM OF FOUR WEEKS TO DO SO, BUT, UH, THERE'S, UH, WE WANNA MAKE SURE ALL THE I'S ARE DOTTED, T'S ARE CROSSED.

SO WHILE THIS CAN GO RELATIVELY QUICKLY, WE AT LEAST ANTICIPATE AT LEAST A MONTH OR A MONTH AND A HALF.

MM-HMM .

WHERE WE CAN OFFICIALLY SWITCH OVER.

THANKS TONY.

ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.

ANY ADDITIONAL? COMMISSIONER CUMMINS? UH, SO THIS IS A RESOLUTION REQUIRES A ROLL CALL VOTE.

DINA, MAY YOU PLEASE CONDUCT THE ROLL CALL.

VICE PRESIDENT SCOTT.

I'M SORRY.

VICE PRESIDENT CORDERO.

AND FILE THE FY 2026 BUSINESS PLAN PROGRESS UPDATE.

COMMISSIONER MCGUIRE.

ALRIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

UH, THANK YOU TONY.

UH, MOVING ON.

ITEM NUMBER 12, RECEIVE

[12. 26-55636 Recommendation to receive and file the FY 2026 Business Plan Progress Update. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]

UH, MAY I PLEASE HAVE A MOTION TO RECEIVE AND FILE? THANK YOU.

AND A SECOND.

SECOND, AND CALLING ON JENNIFER ROJAS FOR PRESENTATION.

GOOD MORNING.

SO FOR ITEM NUMBER 12, I WILL BE PRESENTING A PROGRESS UPDATE TO THE FY 26 BUSINESS PLAN.

NOW LOOKING BACK AT THE EVOLUTION OF THE DEPARTMENT'S BUSINESS PLAN, IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE THAT IT WAS JUST IN MARCH OF 2025, WHERE WE PRESENTED THE INAUGURAL BUSINESS PLAN TO THE BOARD.

AND SINCE THEN, WE'VE COME BACK TO THE BOARD, MANY, UH, FOR OTHER UPDATES TO CLOSE OUT FY 25 5 TO INTRODUCE, UH, FY 26.

AND WE EVEN HAD A BOARD RETREAT IN DECEMBER OF 2025, WHERE THE EXECUTIVE TEAM MEMBERS WERE ABLE TO DO A DEEP DIVE INTO DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF THE BUSINESS PLAN.

AND WHAT THIS HAS TAUGHT US IS THAT WE REALLY ARE SETTLING INTO A REGULAR CYCLE FOR THE BUSINESS PLAN.

AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IS FOR ANY BUSINESS PLAN, YOU'RE BASICALLY GOING TO SEE IT THREE TIMES ONCE, UM, AS

[00:45:01]

AN INTRODUCTION BEFORE THE FISCAL YEAR STARTS A SECOND TIME, UH, DURING THE FISCAL YEAR TO GIVE A PROGRESS UPDATE ON HOW WE'RE DOING ON THOSE TARGETS AND GOALS.

AND THEN THE THIRD TIME WILL BE, UH, AFTER THE FISCAL YEAR CLOSES, AND WE PROVIDE A CLOSING REPORT FOR, FOR THE BUSINESS PLAN.

SO WHAT THAT LOOKED LIKE FOR FY 26 WAS THAT WE DID OUR INTRODUCTION.

UM, WE ACTUALLY DID IT ACROSS TWO BOARD MEETINGS MEETING IN AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER OF LAST YEAR.

UM, WE, WE DID IT IN TWO PARTS 'CAUSE IT WAS STILL KIND OF NEW.

BUT GOING FORWARD, THE INTRODUCTION WILL JUST BE IN, IN ONE, ONE BOARD MEETING.

AND THEN PART TWO, THAT'S TODAY WHAT I HAVE FOR YOU TODAY, WHICH IS THE PROGRESS UPDATE.

AND THEN YOU'LL SEE FY 26 1 MORE TIME IN OCTOBER TO PROVIDE THE CLOSING REPORT.

SO IT'S NICE THAT WE'RE SETTLING INTO A GOOD RHYTHM WITH THE BUSINESS PLAN, AND WE'RE HOPING THAT YOU WILL COME TO LEARN TO EXPECT, UH, THE BUSINESS PLAN CERTAIN TIMES OF THE YEAR, THE WAY THAT YOU ARE USED TO LIKE THE BUDGETS, UH, CYCLE.

SO OUR BUSINESS PLAN, UH, USES A FRAMEWORK THAT WE CALL THE BALANCED SCORECARD.

THE BALANCED SCORECARD, UM, IS A WAY TO VISUALLY ALIGN THE PRIMARY ELEMENTS OF THE BUSINESS PLAN.

IT STARTS OFF WITH THE MORE BROAD OBJECTIVES.

THOSE OBJECTIVES BRANCH OFF INTO DIFFERENT INITIATIVES, AND EACH INITIATIVE BRANCHES OFF INTO MEASURES AND ACTIONS UNTIL FINALLY WE GET TO THE MORE, UH, SPECIFIC GRANULAR TARGETS AND GOALS.

THESE ARE SPECIFIC BENCHMARKS WHICH WE CAN USE TO, UH, TO, TO MARK OUR PROGRESS IN A, IN A GIVEN YEAR.

SO, LOOKING A LITTLE DEEPER INTO THE OBJECTIVES AND INITIATIVES, YOU MAY START TO RECOGNIZE THIS SLIDE, BUT THE OBJECTIVES ARE THE BROAD FOCUS AREAS THAT, UH, THE ORGANIZATION IS GONNA FOCUS ON.

THESE ARE FOUR THAT WE HAVE NOT CHANGED SINCE THE BEGINNING.

WE DON'T EXPECT TO CHANGE THEM ANYTIME SOON, OBVIOUSLY.

WE'RE ALWAYS GONNA FOCUS ON THE CUSTOMER.

AND WE DO THAT THROUGH DIFFERENT INITIATIVES, SUCH AS PROVIDING AFFORDABLE RATES, PROVIDING SAFE WATER AND GAS, UH, RELIABLE, RESILIENT INFRASTRUCTURE.

THEN OF COURSE, WE CAN'T SERVE THE CUSTOMER UNLESS WE HAVE STRONG FINANCIAL HEALTH.

AND WE DO THAT THROUGH THE INITIATIVES SUCH AS PROVIDING, UH, COST OF SERVICE, PRICING, UH, SUSTAINABLE FINANCES, AND OF COURSE MINIMIZING VOLATILITY BY HAVING A LONG RANGE FINANCE PLAN.

THE INTERNAL OPERATIONS OBJECTIVE FOCUSES ON THINGS LIKE BEING PROACTIVE AND INNOVATIVE, ENCOURAGING POSITIVE COLLABORATION, AND, UH, FOCUSING ON EXCELLENCE AND IMPROVEMENT.

AND OF COURSE, WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING WITHOUT OUR FOUNDATION, WHICH IS OUR WORKFORCE.

WE REFER TO THAT OBJECTIVE AS WORKPLACE CULTURE.

WE, UNDER WORKPLACE CULTURE, WE WANT TO INCREASE EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT, UH, THROUGH AWARENESS AND UNDERSTANDING.

WE WANNA HAVE AN EQUITABLE AND INCLUSIVE WORKPLACE, AND WE'RE GONNA INVEST IN OUR, OUR, UH, WORKFORCE THROUGH CAREER DEVELOPMENT AND INCREASING THEIR COMPETENCIES.

ALSO, THESE ARROWS ARE JUST TO REFLECT THAT THE INDIVIDUAL INITIATIVES DO NOT STAND ALONE WHEN WE MAKE AN IMPROVEMENT IN ONE AREA THAT HAS A CUMULATIVE EFFECT ON OTHER AREAS SUCH THAT IT, IT, IT CAN HAVE A POSITIVE EFFECT ON OTHER AREAS IF WE WORK ON ONE AREA.

SO YOU SHOULD HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU A HANDOUT OF THE FULL FY 26 PROGRESS UPDATE.

IT'S A LARGE SPREADSHEET THAT HAS OVER 220 LINE ITEMS, BUT, UM, IT LOOKS DIFFERENT THAN WHAT YOU SAW IN SEPTEMBER.

'CAUSE IN SEPTEMBER WE HADN'T YET STARTED THE FISCAL YEAR.

SO THERE WAS NO, UH, NO METRICS TO REPORT.

BUT, UH, TODAY WE ARE WELL INTO THE YEAR.

AND SO YOU'LL NOTICE A COUPLE OF NEW COLUMNS FOR, UM, FOR NUMERIC METRICS, WHICH WILL TELL YOU FOR EACH TARGET HOW WE'RE MAKING PROGRESS AS OF THIS POINT IN THE FISCAL YEAR, EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT QUITE OVER, IT'LL GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHERE WE ARE AT THIS POINT.

AND WE ALSO HAVE A COLUMN ADDED FOR COMMENTS WHERE THE DIVISION IS ABLE TO, TO EXPOUND FURTHER ON THOSE NUMERIC, UH, METRICS.

SO IT'LL BE EASY TO SPOT THE NEW COLUMNS BECAUSE THE HEADINGS ARE HIGHLIGHTED IN YELLOW.

UH, NOW I KNOW THAT, UH, THAT'S A VERY, UH, MULTI-PAGE, UH, SPREADSHEET THERE, AND IT'S, THERE'S A LOT TO GO THROUGH.

UM, OBVIOUSLY YOU'LL HAVE CHANCE A CHANCE TO ASK QUESTIONS HERE, BUT I ALSO WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT SHOULD YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, UH, IN THE COMING DAYS, WEEKS, UH,

[00:50:01]

MONTHS WHEN YOU'VE HAD A CHANCE TO REALLY LOOK INTO THE INDIVIDUAL ITEMS, STAFF IS ALWAYS AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY INDIVIDUALLY HAVE.

WE, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UH, YOU, YOU HAVE EVERY, ALL THE INFORMATION YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE BUSINESS PLAN.

SO FOR TODAY, I'M JUST GONNA HIGHLIGHT A VERY SMALL SLIVER OF SOME OF THE TARGETS THAT ARE COMPRISED IN THE COMPLETE BUSINESS PLAN.

UM, AND I'LL JUST HIGHLIGHT A FEW FOR EACH OF THE OBJECTIVES.

SO UNDER THE CUSTOMER OBJECTIVE, UNDER RELIABLE AND RESILIENT INFRASTRUCTURE, ONE OF OUR FOCUS AREAS HAS BEEN OUR PREPARATION WORK FOR LA 28.

WE HAVE SEVERAL DIVISIONS THAT HAVE BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY TO PREPARE THE AREA AROUND THE VICINITY OF THE VENUES SO THAT WHEN OUR, UH, VISITORS COME FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD AT LA 28, THEY'LL HAVE A ENJOYABLE EMERGENCY FREE, UH, EXPERIENCE.

THAT INCLUDES OUR WATER ENGINEERING GROUP THAT IS DOING, UH, REHABILITATION OF FOUR LIFT STATIONS.

OUR TREATMENT PLAN, UM, IS ALSO HELPING WITH THAT BY PERFORMING THE IN-HOUSE ELECTRICAL UPGRADES FOR THOSE, UH, THOSE, UH, PUMP STATIONS.

AND OUR STORE OPERATIONS TEAM HAS IDENTIFIED ANY POINT REPAIRS THAT ARE NEEDED IN THE VICINITY OF THE OLYMPIC VENUES FOR OUR FINANCIAL OBJECTIVE.

UNDER THE COST OF SERVICE INITIATIVE, OUR FINANCE TEAM HAS WORKED, UH, TO CREATE UNIFORM TEMPLATES FOR MANY OF OUR COMMON ACCOUNTING AND PROCUREMENT FORMS. THEY'VE COMPLETED FIVE THIS YEAR, AND WITH MORE, UH, SCHEDULED FOR THE COMING FISCAL YEAR, THE, UH, PROCUREMENT HARMONIZATION PROJECT HARM IS IN FULL EFFECT.

AND OUR FINANCE TEAM HAS DEVELOPED A DASHBOARD, UH, WITH WHICH WILL LIST ALL THE ACTIVE CONTRACTS AND THE ASSOCIATED PRICING FOR EACH OF THOSE CONTRACTS AVAILABLE FOR ALL INTERNAL STAFF TO REFER TO.

OUR INFORMATION SERVICES TEAM IS REEVALUATING, UH, CONTRACTS, MOUS, AND, UH, SOFTWARE, UH, SOFTWARE LICENSING IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT THE DEPARTMENT IS GETTING THE BEST VALUE AND, UH, REDUCING OPERATIONAL COSTS FOR THE INTERNAL OBJECTIVE OF, UH, PROMOTING POSITIVE COLLABORATION.

UH, THE AREA I WANNA HIGHLIGHT HERE IS OUR WORK TOWARDS THE CAMPUS REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT.

NOW THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A MULTI-YEAR PROJECT, BUT THE GREAT THING ABOUT THE BUSINESS PLAN IS THAT WITH THE TARGETS AND GOALS, WE ARE ABLE TO BREAK DOWN A MULTI-YEAR PROJECT INTO SPECIFIC TASKS FOR THIS YEAR ALONE.

SO OUR GAS ENGINEERING TEAM IS WORKING ON SEVERAL THINGS TOWARDS THIS EFFORT, INCLUDING DEVELOPING, UH, A PRELIMINARY FINANCIAL MODEL, UM, EVALUATING THE PROJECT DELIVERY METHODS AVAILABLE, AND ALSO THEY PLAN TO SELECT ONE OF THE FOUR, UH, CAMPUS REDEVELOPMENT OPTIONS, UH, FOR, UH, FURTHER DEVELOPMENT.

AND THEN FINALLY, FOR OUR WORKPLACE CULTURE OBJECTIVE, UNDER THE, UH, INITIATIVE OF INCREASING EMPLOYEE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS, THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT WORK, UH, BEING DONE HERE THROUGHOUT THE DEPARTMENT, SOME OF WHICH YOU'VE HEARD, UH, EARLIER IN THIS, THIS MEETING.

UH, I'VE HIGHLIGHTED ONLY THREE OF, UH, THREE DIVISIONS THAT ARE, THAT ARE TAKING EFFORTS IN, IN, IN THIS RESPECT FOR, UH, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.

HOWEVER, THERE ARE MANY OTHER DIVISIONS IN THE COMPLETE REPORT THAT YOU HAVE.

AND, UM, THIS IS JUST A VERY SMALL SAMPLE.

FOR EXAMPLE, OUR RESOURCES TEAM IS ACTIVELY RECRUITING FOR THE CLI, UH, CALIFORNIA CLIMATE ACTION FELLOWS, AND I BELIEVE THEY WILL BE SPEAKING MORE ABOUT THAT IN IN THE COMMITTEE MEETING LATER THIS MORNING.

UM, OUR FIELD OPERATIONS TEAMS HAVE SUCCESSFULLY IMPLEMENTED A, UH, A UTILITIES ACADEMY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LONG BEACH CITY COLLEGE.

AND THEN OUR WATER QUALITY TEAM.

SOMETHING THAT TY MENTIONED EARLIER, UH, EARLIER THIS MORNING WAS THAT THEY'RE WORKING ON INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS TO SUPPLEMENT LABORATORY OPERATIONS.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT THINGS HAPPENING IN THE DEPARTMENT.

LIKE I SAID, I JUST HIGHLIGHTED ABOUT 12 TARGETS.

THERE ARE OVER 220 IN YOUR COMPLETE REPORT.

UM, BEFORE I MOVE ON TO QUESTIONS, I JUST WANTED TO, UM, ANNOUNCE THAT I WILL BE STEPPING DOWN FROM THE LEADERSHIP ROLE OF THE BUSINESS PLAN WORK GROUP.

I'LL STILL BE PART OF THE WORK GROUP, BUT, UM, I HAVE BEEN SELECTED TO LEAD ANOTHER IMPORTANT EFFORT, UH, FOR THE DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NEW MOBILE WORKFORCE, UM, SYSTEM, WHICH WE ARE REPLACING OUR LEGACY SYSTEM AND, AND BRINGING IN A NEW SYSTEM.

SO I KNEW THAT I COULDN'T DO LEAD BOTH EFFORTS EFFECTIVELY, BUT THAT PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ANOTHER MEMBER OF OUR WORK GROUP TO STEP UP AND, AND LEAD THE TEAM GOING FORWARD, FORWARD.

AND SO

[00:55:01]

GOING FORWARD, UH, THE, THE WORK GROUP WILL BE LED, UH, BY THE VERY TALENTED AND CAPABLE, UH, CHUCK CARDO WHO WILL BE SPEAKING FOR THE NEXT BOARD ITEM.

BUT I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF ME AND OF THE TEAM OVER, UH, THE COURSE OF THE BUSINESS PLAN.

AND, UM, NOW I'M OPEN TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.

THANK YOU, JENNIFER.

BEFORE WE DO THAT, ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? ALRIGHT, ANY COMMISSIONER COMMENTS? YEAH.

UM, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, JENNIFER, BUT I WANNA THANK YOU BECAUSE FROM THE VERY BEGINNING WHEN THIS THING WAS LAUNCHED, UM, YOU WERE VERY STELLAR IN THE WAY YOU APPROACHED IT, UM, AND YOU GOT A LOT OF ACCOLADES, BUT YOU ALSO WERE VERY QUICK TO SHARE IT WITH YOUR TEAM.

SO I GREATLY APPRECIATE THAT.

UM, I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING AND FOLLOWING YOU, WHAT YOU DO IN YOUR NEXT EVENT.

CONGRATULATIONS, JENNIFER.

IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE.

ONWARD AND UPWORK.

THANK YOU, JENNIFER.

UH, AGAIN, I, I THINK WE'VE SAID IT MULTIPLE TIMES.

WELL DONE.

AND, UH, LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING HOW YOU TACKLE THE NEXT, UH, THE NEXT PROJECT.

AND LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING FROM, FROM CHUCK.

UH, IF YOU'VE GOT BIG SHOES TO FILL, BUT I'M SURE YOU'RE UP TO THE, TO THE TASK.

I I JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION, JUST A A BIG BROAD, UH, REGARDING THE BUSINESS PLAN.

HOW HAS, IN YOUR PERCEPTION, HOW HAS ADOPTION BEEN FROM A CULTURAL STANDPOINT? UH, ARE WE, DO WE FEEL LIKE THAT THE, THE, UH, THE ENTERPRISE IS ON BOARD AND, AND OUR FOLKS ARE, ARE INTERESTED AND EXCITED ABOUT THE BUSINESS PLAN? IS IT HELPING THEM IN THEIR, IN THEIR DAILY LIVES? UH, IS IT, UH, WHAT'S YOUR PERCEPTION? SO THAT'S, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

AND, AND THAT IS THE ULTIMATE GOAL THAT, UM, EVERYBODY IN THE DEPARTMENT HAVE, FEEL CONNECTED TO THE BUSINESS PLAN AND FEEL LIKE THEY, THEY HAVE AN EFFECT ON THE BUSINESS PLAN.

I THINK THAT WE'VE DONE THAT VERY EFFECTIVELY UP THROUGH THE MANAGEMENT LEVEL.

UM, ONE THING THAT A**L DID, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS A VERY, UH, GREAT WAY TO KIND OF KICKSTART EVERYONE'S INVOLVEMENT WAS LAST YEAR HE HAD EACH EVERY SINGLE MANAGER PRESENT THEIR BUSINESS PLAN AT OUR ALL MANAGERS MONTHLY MEETINGS.

SO, UM, AND SO I THINK THE MANAGERS ARE VERY ENGAGED AND MAYBE THE NEXT LEVEL DOWN STAFF THAT IS OFTEN VERY INVOLVED IN IMPLEMENTING SOME OF THOSE TARGETS AND GOALS.

HOWEVER, I THINK THERE IS MUCH WORK TO BE DONE AS FAR AS THE RANK AND FILE EMPLOYEES.

I THINK THEY KNOW THAT IT EXISTS.

ANATOL HAS GONE, UH, PERIODICALLY TO SPEAK WITH EACH WORK GROUP AND, UH, EXPLAIN THE BUSINESS PLAN.

BUT, UM, TO SAY THAT EVERY SINGLE EMPLOYEE FEELS LIKE THEY, UM, HAVE AN EFFECT ON IT, I THINK WE STILL HAVE SOME WORK TO DO IN THAT RESPECT.

BUT WE HAVE SOME THINGS IN THE WORKS, UM, INCLUDING A DEVELOPMENT OF, OF, UH, A USER FRIENDLY APPLICATION THAT PERHAPS, UH, WILL BE ACCESSIBLE TO RANK AND FILE EMPLOYEES SO THEY CAN JUST EASILY LOOK UP AND SEE, UH, OR LOOK, LOOK INTO THAT APP AND SEE HOW EVERYBODY'S, UH, TARGETS AND GOALS, BUT HOW THAT MIGHT AFFECT THEIR WORK GROUP.

I KNOW IT'S MAYBE A LITTLE MORE, UM, UH, DIFFICULT FOR, UH, TO, TO GET, UH, SOME OF, LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, MY FIELD EMPLOYEES EXCITED ABOUT A SPREADSHEET, BUT, UM, THAT'S WHY WE WANNA PRESENT IT IN A MORE EXCITING WAY.

UM, OUR NEW MEMBER OR NEWER MEMBER, UH, JOY CONTRERAS, WHO IS THE PUBLIC AFFAIRS TEAM, SHE HAS SOME REALLY GOOD IDEAS ABOUT INCORPORATING SOME PARTS OF THE BUSINESS PLAN INTO THE NEWSLETTER, WHICH WE HAVE ALREADY STARTED TO DO, BUT, UM, BUT THERE'S, THERE'S SOME MORE WORK TO BE DONE AS FAR AS THE, THE, UH, THE GRANDER, UH, POPULATION OF EMPLOYEES.

BUT I DO THINK WE'VE BEEN VERY EFFECTIVE, UM, AT LEAST TO THE MANAGER LEVEL AND MAYBE THE NEXT LEVEL DOWN.

UH, TERRIFIC.

THAT'S A, A GREAT ASSESSMENT AND THAT, THAT'S HONESTLY WHERE I WOULD EXPECT US TO BE, UH, JUST A, A YEAR PLUS INTO THIS, UH, NEW CONCEPT.

UH, AND CHUCK IS GONNA HAVE, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, HIS WORK CUT OUT FOR HIM TO, TO, TO HELP TAKE IT TO THE ENTIRE, UH, ENTIRE WORKFORCE.

SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.

I APPRECIATE IT.

UH, ANY OTHER COMMISSIONER COMMENTS? ALL RIGHT, WE'VE GOT A MOTION TO RECEIVE AND FILE ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.

FISCAL YEAR 2027 BUSINESS PLAN AND AS PROMISED, CHUCK RITO.

ANY OPPOSED? NONE.

THANK YOU, JENNIFER.

UH, SO ITEM NUMBER 13, RECEIVE AND FILE THE

[13. 26-55637 Recommendation to receive and file the Fiscal Year 2027 Business Plan. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]

WELCOME.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, PRESIDENT SCOTT.

AND GOOD MORNING COMMISSIONERS.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, JENNIFER, FOR THE KIND WORDS AND INDEED VERY, UH, UH, LARGE SHOE, UH, LARGE SHOES TO FILL.

BEFORE WE START, CAN WE GET A MOTION? OH, I'M SO SORRY.

I'M SO EXCITED FOR CHUCK.

UM, .

[01:00:01]

OKAY, PROCEED.

WELL, UH, , I DO APPRECIATE THE EXCITEMENT.

THIS WILL BE A BRIEF PRESENTATION ON THE, UH, FY 27 BUSINESS PLAN.

BEFORE WE START, WE JUST NEED THE MOTION IN SECOND.

OH, I HEARD A MOTION.

OH, DO WE HEAR MOTION SECOND? OKAY.

I WAS PROBABLY, I WAS PROBABLY TALKING OVER THEM.

ARE IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY, IF I COULD PLEASE ASK THEM TO OUR MEMBERS TO STAND UP IF YOU'RE NOT SHY OR WAVE .

SO, UH, THE PREVIOUS ITEM PRESENTED BY JENNIFER ROJAS COVERED THE, THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR'S BUSINESS PLAN, ALONG WITH THE LATEST METRICS COMPILED BY STAFF.

THIS PRESENTATION.

ON THE OTHER HAND, WE'LL INTRODUCE THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR'S BUSINESS PLAN AND HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE NEW TARGETS AND GOALS THAT ARE, THAT WERE ADDED TO THE PLAN.

INCLUDED IN YOUR PACKET FOR THIS ITEM IS THE CORRESPONDING SPREADSHEET FOR THE FY 27 PLAN, AND LIKE THE SPREADSHEET YOU RECEIVED ON THE PREVIOUS ITEM FOR FY 26.

THIS SPREADSHEET ALSO HAS COLUMNS FOR OBJECTIVES, INITIATIVES, UH, MEASURES AND ACTIONS AND TARGETS AND GOALS.

AND SINCE WE ARE SOLELY INTRODUCING THIS PLAN, UH, THERE WILL BE, UH, THERE IS NO COLUMN FOR METRICS, NO CHANGES, UH, WERE MADE TO THE INITIATIVES AND OBJECT THE OBJECTIVES AND THE INITIATIVES GOING INTO THE NEW FISCAL YEAR.

YEAR.

SO WHAT YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN REMAINS, HOWEVER, UH, NEW MEASURES AND ACTIONS AND TARGETS AND GOALS WERE ADDED.

AND THESE ITEMS ARE IDENTIFIED IN THE SPREADSHEET BEFORE YOU AND HIGHLIGHTED YELLOW FOR YOUR REFERENCE.

AND JUST TO NOTE, JUST, UH, UH, PLEASE NOTE THAT MICROSOFT COPILOT, WHICH IS THE CITY'S AUTHORIZED AI SYSTEM, WAS UTILIZED TO AID STAFF IN COMPARING THE FY 26 AND FY 27 SPREADSHEETS AND HIGHLIGHTING THE, UH, THE REVISED AND NEW ITEMS. YELLOW, UM, AS JENNIFER HAD MENTIONED EARLIER, IT, IT IS A LARGE STAFF, AND ANYTIME WE CAN USE AI TO BE MORE EFFICIENT, UM, WE TRY, UH, TRY TO DO THAT.

SO IN THE REMAINING SLIDES, UH, I WILL BRIEFLY HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THESE NEW, NEW TARGETS AND GOALS FOR FY 27.

AND FIRST UP, UNDER THE CUSTOMER OBJECTIVE, THE SAFE WATER AND GAS INITIATIVE AND THE MEASURE IN ACTION TO ENSURE ALL INFRASTRUCTURE CONFORMS TO STANDARDS GAS SERVICES DIVISION ADDED THE NEW TARGET AND GOAL TO ESTABLISH A METER AND A MI EXCHANGE PROGRAM WITH A TARGET METRIC OF 4,000 REPLACEMENTS IN F BY 27.

UNDER THE FINANCIAL OBJECTIVE, THE COST OF SERVICE INITIATIVE AND THE MEASURE IN ACTION TO MANAGE AND MAXIMIZE RESOURCES TO OPTIMIZE COSTS, THE TREATMENT PLANS ADDED A NEW TARGET AND GOAL TO IMPLEMENT A WATER SOURCE DECISION MATRIX.

THEY TARGET METRIC OF 100% SUB STAFF TRAINED ANNUALLY ON UTILIZING THE MATRIX.

AND ONCE DEVELOPED, THIS MATRIX WILL HELP STAFF PRIORITIZE GROUNDWATER USE AND LIMIT OTHER SOURCES UNDER THE INTERNAL OPERATIONS OBJECTIVE.

THE POSITIVE COLLABORATION INITIATIVE AND THE NEW MEASURE IN ACTION TO DEVELOP A FRAMEWORK FOR THE CAMPUS REDEVELOPMENT, THE GAS ENGINEERING DIVISION ADDED THE NEW TARGET AND GOAL TO DEVELOP A STRATEGY FOR THE EFFICIENT USE OF SURPLUS LAND THAT ADHERES TO THE SURPLUS LAND ACT.

AND LASTLY, UNDER THE WORKPLACE CULTURE OBJECTIVE, THE INCREASED KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS INITIATIVE AND THE MEASURE IN ACTION TO PROMOTE CROSS TRAINING OF STAFF WATER SERVICES DIVISION ADDED THE NEW TARGET AND GOAL TO CROSS TRAIN STAFF IN THE CROSS CONNECTION CONTROL PROGRAM.

AND THROUGH THIS PROGRAM, THIS STAFF WILL BE TRAINED ON TOPICS SUCH AS BACKFLOW PREVENTION, ANNUAL TESTING, COMPLIANCE, AND CUSTOMER NOTIFICATIONS, AMONG OTHER TOPICS.

AND THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE NEW TARGETS AND GOALS ADDED TO THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR'S BUSINESS PLAN.

UH, AGAIN, THESE, UH, THE NEW ITEMS AND THE REVISED ITEMS ARE HIGHLIGHTED IN THE SPREADSHEET IN YELLOW.

AND, UH, WE DO RECOGNIZE, LIKE, UH, JENNIFER HAD MENTIONED EARLIER THAT THIS IS A, IT'S A HUGE SPREADSHEET, UM, LOADED WITH INFORMATION.

PLEASE FEEL FREE TO READ IT AT YOUR LEISURE.

AND STAFF IS AVAILABLE AT ANY TIME TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS RELATED TO THE CONTENT OF THE PLAN.

SO, UH, TO END, AS WE JENNIFER HAS DONE IN THE PAST AND SORT OF A NOD TO, YOU KNOW, UH, JENNIFER'S LEADERSHIP, WE, UH, UH, I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE, UH, THE MEMBERS OF THE BUSINESS BUSINESS PLAN WORK GROUP FOR THEIR EFFORTS AND DILIGENCE IN, IN WORKING WITH THE RESPECTIVE DIVISIONS, GATHERING INFORMATION, DISSEMINATING INFORMATION, SO THAT WE HAVE THE CONTENT BEFORE THE BUSINESS PLAN CONTENT BEFORE YOU TODAY.

AND WE DO HAVE SOME MEMBERS THAT, UH,

[01:05:01]

SO, UH, IN THE AUDIENCE, WE HAVE JOY CONTRARE, WE HAVE CYNTHIA PORT PORTILLO, AND, UM, AM I MISSING ANYONE? AND WANTED TO SAVE THE, UH, UH, BEST IN LAST FOR, UH, JENNIFER ROJAS.

AGAIN, UH, WANNA RECOGNIZE THE PAST COUPLE YEARS, JUST YOUR LEADERSHIP, JENNIFER, AND, UH, TAKING IT FROM THE EARLIEST DRAFTS OF THE BUSINESS PLAN TO WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW, MORE COM COMPREHENSIVE.

AND YOU KNOW, FROM THE LOGOS AND THE, THE DASHBOARDS, IT JUST, UM, OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP AND GUIDANCE PROVIDED.

AND, YOU KNOW, I HAVE MY WORK CUT OUT, UH, .

SO, UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH, JENNIFER, AND, AND, UM, GREAT JOB AND CONGRATULATIONS WITH THAT.

UH, THIS CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATION.

HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU, CHUCK.

UH, ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? ANY COMMISSIONER COMMENTS? ALL RIGHT, WELL DONE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

LOOKING FORWARD TO THE FUTURE.

UH, SO WE'VE GOT A MOTION TO RECEIVE AND FILE ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.

14, RECEIVE AND FILE THE JUNE 18TH, 2026 PLANNING COMMITTEE REPORT.

ANY OPPOSED? A PERFECT, UH, ITEM NUMBER

[14. 26-55638 Recommendation to receive and file June 18, 2026 Planning Committee Report. Suggested Action: Approve recommendation. ]

MAY I PLEASE HAVE A MOTION TO RECEIVE AND FILE.

SO MOVED.

ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND I WILL BE GIVING THE REPORT.

UH, SO THE PLANNING COMMITTEE MET ON JUNE 18TH, 2026 FOLLOWING THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSIONERS, UH, TO RECEIVE INFORMATIONAL PRESENTATIONS REGARDING THE BOARD OF LONG BEACH PIER B ON DECK RAIL SUPPORT FACILITY PROGRAM.

ALSO THE WATER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM MASTER PLAN UPDATE AND THE PORT OF LONG BEACH WATER SYSTEM TRANSFER UPDATE.

UH, SO THREE BIG TOPICS.

THE COMMITTEE RECEIVED AND FILED A PRESENTATION ON THE PORT OF LONG BEACH PEER B ON DECK, ON DECK RAIL SUPPORT FACILITY PROGRAM.

UH, STAFF PROVIDED AN OVERVIEW OF THE DEPARTMENT'S COORDINATION EFFORTS WITH THE PORT OF LONG BEACH TO ACCOMMODATE THE APPROXIMATELY $1.8 BILLION PB ON DOCK RAIL SUPPORT FACILITY PROGRAM.

ALL UTILITIES DEPARTMENT WORK ASSOCIATED WITH SUPPORTING THE PROJECT WILL BE FULLY FUNDED BY THE PORT OF LONG BEACH.

PLANNED UTILITY RELOCATIONS INCLUDE 7,000 LINEAR FEET OF NEW WATER DISTRIBUTION AND TRANSMISSION MAINS, 3000 FEET OF, UH, NEW SEWER MAINS, 14,000 FEET OF NEW GAS PIPELINES, WATER AND SEWER RELOCATION WORK IS TENTATIVELY SCHEDULED FOR COMPLETION BY THE FALL OF 2029 AND GAS PIPELINE WORK BY THE FALL OF 2030.

SECONDLY, THE COMMITTEE ALSO RECEIVED A FILED PRESENTATION ON THE WATER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM MASTER PLAN UPDATE STAFF PRESENTED AN OVERVIEW OF THE DEPARTMENT'S FIRST UPDATE TO THE 2020 WATER DISTRIBUTION MASTER PLAN, WHICH BEGAN IN JANUARY, 2026 AND IS ANTICIPATED TO BE COMPLETED WITHIN 24 MONTHS.

THE UPDATE INCLUDES DATA COLLECTION AND SYSTEM ASSESSMENT, DEMAND FORECASTING, HYDRAULIC MODEL UPDATES AND CALIBRATION, AND EVALUATION OF THE CONDITION OF THE WATER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM AND ASSOCIATED FACILITIES AS PART OF THE CONDITION.

ASSESSMENT.

STAFF IS DEVELOPING A PREDICTIVE FAILURE MODEL USING MACHINE LEARNING AI TO, UH, EVALUATE THE PROBABILITY AND THE CONSEQUENCE OF PIPE FAILURES, IDENTIFY HIGH RISK PIPELINE SEGMENTS, HIGH AND SUPPORT FUTURE CONDITION ASSESSMENT WORK PLANS.

THE STUDY WILL ALSO EV EVALUATE AI BASED TECHNOLOGIES FOR LEAK DETECTION AND, UH, THE DEVELOPMENT OF REAL-TIME LEAK, DETECT DETECTION DASHBOARD.

IN RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSIONERS STAFF PROVIDED ADDITIONAL CLARIFICATION ON THE ROLE OF HYDRAULIC MODELING AS A SYSTEM VALIDATION TOOL TO ENSURE WATER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM PERFORMS AS INTENDED.

AND THEN FINALLY, UH, THE COMMITTEE RECEIVED AND FILED A PRESENTATION ON THE PORT OF LONG BEACH WATER SYSTEM TRANSFER UPDATE.

UH, SO A BIG PROJECT, UH, STAFF PROVIDED AN UPDATE ON THE ONGOING STUDY EVALUATING THE TRANSFER OF PORTIONS OF THE PORT OF LONG BEACH WATER SYSTEM TO LONG BEACH UTILITIES UNDER THE JANUARY 20, 20 MOU BETWEEN THE BOARD OF UTILITIES COMMISSIONERS AND THE BOARD OF HARBOR COMMISSIONERS.

THE STUDY INCLUDES VERIFICATION OF THE EXISTING SYSTEM, UH, INFORMATION, ASSESSMENT OF SYSTEM CONDITION, IDENTIFICATION OF DEFICIENCIES AND DEVELOPMENT OF CAPITAL AND OPERATIONAL IMPROVEMENT PLANS.

FOUR PRIMARY AREAS OF CONCERN WERE IDENTIFIED.

UH, PRIMARY WAS, UH, WATER QUALITY, UH, FIRE FLOW CAPACITY, METER RELOCATIONS AND PIPELINE ACCESSIBILITY.

A DRAFT CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN IDENTIFIED 17 PROJECTS TO ADDRESS THESE DEFICIENCIES.

UH, FOLLOWING DISCUSSIONS WITH THE COURT'S NEW EXECUTIVE AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT

[01:10:01]

TEAMS, STAFF PROPOSED A PHASED IMPLEMENTATION APPROACH, BEGINNING WITH IMPROVEMENTS SUPPORTING PEERS.

A AND B DISCUSSIONS ARE ONGOING WITH A DETERMINATION ANTICIPATED IN AUGUST SEPTEMBER OF THIS YEAR TIMEFRAME.

IN RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS FROM COMMISSIONERS, STAFF PROVIDED ADDITIONAL CLARIFICATION REGARDING THE PRIORITIZATION OF WATER QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS, PORTS RECEPTION TO THE PROPOSED PROJECT COSTS, AND THE STRATEGY OF FOCUSING INITIAL IMPROVEMENTS ON CRITICAL HIGH USE FACILITIES.

THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT.

UM, ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? ANY COMMISSIONER COMMENTS, YOU HAVE A MOTION TO RECEIVE AND FILE THE REPORT.