01-15-98 SOUTH TAHOE PUBLIC UTILITY DISTRICT
"Basic Services for a Complex World"
James Jones, President BOARD MEMBERS Christopher Strohm, Vice President
Mary Lou Mosbacher, Director Pembroke Gochnauer, Director
Duane Wallace, Director .... :.:.:.:.:.::
REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
SOUTH TAHOE PUBLIC UTILITY DISTRICT
JANUARY 15, 1998
MINUTES
The Board of Directors of the South Tahoe Public Utility District met in a regular session January 15,
1998, 2:00 P.M., City Council Chambers, 1900 Lake Tahoe Boulevard, South Lake Tahoe, California.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS: ROLL CALL
President Jones, Directors Wallace, Strohm, Gochnauer,
Mosbacher.
STAFF:
Baer, Solbrig, Sharp, McFadane, Forsythe, Noble, Garcia,
Boyson, Adams, Rieger, Gwinn, Brown, Hoggatt, Bird,
Schrempp, Attorney Neese.
GUESTS:
Bob Mason, John Cefalu, Bob Hedley, Paula Lambdin/EI
Dorado County Department of Community Services,
Patrick McCartney/Tahoe Daily Tribune.
Consent Items 2 and 7 were brought forward for a
separate vote.
CORRECTIONS TO THE AGENDA
OR CONSENT CALENDAR
Moved Wallace/Second Strohm/Passed Unanimously
to approve the Consent Calendar as amended:
CONSENT CALENDAR
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REGULAR BOARD MEETING MINUTES -JANUARY 15, 1998
PAGE - 2
1) Authorized implementation of the two-week discon- CONSENT CALENDAR
nection procedures for delinquent sewer and/or (continued)
water accounts;
3) Authorized implementation of the two-week discon-
nection procedures on the property located at 964
Rubicon Trail, APN 31-256-031 for failure to perform
annual backflow assembly test;
4) Authorized purchase of a load bank from Nevada
Energy Systems in the amount of $13,494.17;
5) Adopted Resolution No. 2665-98 proclaiming 1998 as
the year to Go Native!;
6) Certified Negative Declaration for Cold Creek Erosion
Control and SEZ Restoration;
8) Approved Regular Board Meeting Minutes: 12/31/97.
CONSENT ITEMS BROUGHT FORWARD FOR ACTION / DISCUSSION
Moved Wallace/Second Strohm/Mosbacher Abstained/
Passed to authorize implementation of the two-week
disconnection procedures on the property located at
2105 Ruth Avenue, APN 23-311-411. (Director
Mosbacher abstained due to a potential conflict of
interest.)
Moved Strohm/Second Wallace/Jones Abstained/
Passed to approve Regular Board Meeting Minutes:
November 20, 1997. (President Jones was absent
from that meeting.)
WATER DISCONNECTION PRO-
CEDURES: FAILURE TO PERFORM
ANNUAL BACKFLOW ASSEMBLY
TEST
(Consent Item No. 2)
REGULAR BOARD MEETING
MINUTES: NOVEMBER 20, 1997
(Consent Item No. 7)
ITEMS FOR BOARD ACTION
A-LINE REPLACEMENT: PHASE II
Jim Hoggatt reported bids have been reviewed; MBE and
WBE contract requirements were met.
Moved Wallace/Second Strohm/Passed Unanimously
to award contract to lowest responsive, responsible bidder,
Ford Construction, in the amount of $5,089,110.
ST007247
REGULAR BOARD MEETING MINUTES - JANUARY 15, 1998 PAGE - 3
Bob Baer reported several property owners along Grass
Lake Road have requested the District install fire hydrants
on the new export pipeline that will be constructed during
the summer of 1998. The Porter-Cologne Act currently
prohibits the discharge of recycled water in the Lake Tahoe
Basin, even if used for fire protection. Lahontan RWQCB is
not willing to take a position on this matter, and suggested
the District propose legislation that would amend the Act to
allow the use of recycled water solely for fire protection
purposes. Lahontan will comment after the legislation is
proposed. Assemblyman Oiler is willing to introduce legis-
lation in February. Baer outlined options available for the
Board's consideration.
Moved Wallace/Second Strohm/Passed Unanimously to:
1) Request from the contractor, the price of a change order
to install connections on hydrants on Grass Lake Road;
2) Request Assemblyman Oiler to introduce legislation by
February 28, 1998; and 3) Request that Lahontan RWQCB
take a position on the proposed legislation during their
April 3, 1998, meeting in South Lake Tahoe.
Dawn Forsythe stated this pilot program would provide
emergency aid to customers who need assistance in pay-
ing their water and/or sewer bill. Paula Lambdin, Program
Coordinator for the El Dorado Community Services Depart-
ment, outlined the administrative details associated with
implementation of this program.
Moved Mosbacher/Second Gochnauer/Passed Unanimous-
Iv to approve the H20 Program in concept. Staff was direct-
ed to continue researching details/costs of the program,
and to bring recommendations back to the full Board.
Water and Wastewater Operations Committee: The
committee met January 12 and discussed several items
on this agenda. Minutes from the meeting are available
upon request.
Planning/Ordinance Committee: The committee will
meet January 20.
County Water Agency / EDWPA / LAFCO Committee:
Rick Hydrick distributed a summary of the recent EDWPA
manager's meeting.
FIRE PROTECTION FOR
GRASS LAKE ROAD
H20 PROGRAM (HELPING
HANDS OUTREACH PROGRAM)
BOARD MEMBER STANDING
COMMITTEE REPORTS
ST007248
REGULAR BOARD MEETING MINUTES - JANUARY 15, 1998 PAGE - 4
Legislative Funding Ad Hoc Committee: Director Wallace BOARD MEMBER AD HOC
reported the League to Save Lake Tahoe is assisting COMMITTEE REPORTS
Senator Dianne Feinstein in her efforts to design a "Tahoe
Bill." Representatives John Doolittle and Jim Gibbons (Nv.)
are also collaborating on a bill designed to be a funding bill for
the Presidential Deliverables.
Lahontan/SWRCB Communications Ad Hoc Committee:
Bob Baer met with Harold Singer January 15 regarding the
installation of fire hydrants on the export pipeline. Director
Strohm and Baer met with Gordon Cologne, co-author of
the Porter-Cologne Act, to clarify the intent of portions
of the Act.
Water Quality Task Force Ad Hoc Committee: The
committee will meet January 16 to discuss water supply
contamination. Staff will conduct a separate meeting with
the potentially responsible parties later that day.
Chief Financial Officer: Rhonda McFarlane reported on
on the site visits by California OES and FEMA. Two
deviation reports will be developed to cover both emer-
gency work and permanent work. As a result of the recent
appeal approval, FEMA will reimburse $1,443,555 for the
two damaged 6" sewer lines under the Upper Truckee River
and for the construction of the Ponderosa Pump Station.
STAFF REPORTS
A total of $960,000 has been reimbursed by FEMA to date
for the January 1997 flood damage. A total of $2.5 million
in reimbursements are expected.
Richard Solbrig reported on the status of the emergency
projects:
STATUS OF EMERGENCY PROJECTS
Millich Ditch/Snowshoe Thompson Ditch No. 1 Emergency
Proiect of March 20, 1997 - The project will go to bid after
all agreements and easements have been finalized.
Upper Truckee River Gravity Sewer Line Crossin,q (near
Morton Dr. and South Upper Truckee Road) Emergency
of 10/2/97 -V.C. Construction and Thomas Haen, Co.
mobilized their equipment to the site. The access road
was protected by a thick layer of wood-chips. Ten loads of
rock have been placed to protect the sewer line. Con-
struction has been delayed due to rainy weather.
ST007249
REGULAR BOARD MEETING MINUTES - JANUARY 15, 1998 PAGE - 5
3:20 P.M.
3:30 P.M.
MEETING BREAK
MEETING RESUMED
ITEMS FOR BOARD ACTION
Diane Noble gave a visual presentation regarding grease
buildup in sewer lines and how it impacts the collection
system. Noble identified goals and outlined recommen-
dations that were developed through public workgroup
sessions. She recommended an incentive pilot program be
implemented from 1998 to 2000 that will: 1 ) Identify the top
20 sites with the potential for the biggest improvement in
grease control; 2) Limit the compliance deadline to two
years, with an incentive for expediency; 3) Allow the first 20
priority sites to benefit from the available District assistance;
and 4) Monitor the effectiveness of the program after the top
20 have been retrofitted.
Moved Wallace/Second Gochnauer/Passed Unanimously to
reaffirm the Interceptor Sizing Policy, and to approve imple-
mentation of a two-year Grease Management Program (out-
lined above) to begin 7/1/98.
(Director Wallace left the meeting at this point.)
Diane Noble reported the District's goal is to generate
service charges and connection fees fairly. Staff held a
public workshop in November, and two public work groups
were formed to solicit public input. Several differing views
were expressed concerning the current method of sewer
service billing and charging for new and add-on connections.
The sewer unit has been used by the District for many years,
and has been amended to reflect equity among customers.
A financing plan for the export system was presented in mid-
December, which demonstrates the possible need for sewer
rate increases, associated with the three levels of grant fund-
ing. Staff and the Planning/Ordinance Committee jointly
recommend that a sewer rate study be conducted to include
service charges and connection fees.
Bob Hedley, John Cefalu, and Tim Rieger added to the
comments received by the Board.
GREASE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM
BILLING AND CONNECTION FEE
STRUCTURE: SEWER
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REGULAR BOARD MEETING MINUTES - JANUARY 15, 1998 PAGE - 6
Moved Gochnauer/Second Mosbacher/Wallace Absent/
Passed to authorize staff to develop Request for Proposals
(RFP) for a sewer rate study to address service charges
and connection fees, in the estimated amount of $30,000.
The RFP process will begin in July, 1998.
5:05 P.M.
5:10 P.M.
6:00 P.M.
BILLING AND CONNECTION FEE
STRUCTURE: SEWER
(continued)
MEETING BREAK
MEETING RESUMED AND
ADJOURNED TO CLOSED SESSION
RECONVENE TO REGULAR
SESSION
ACTION / REPORT ON ITEMS DISCUSSED DURING CLOSED SESSION
Diane Noble reported on the status of this claim.
Pursuant to Section 54956.95 of
the California Government Code/
Conference with Legal Counsel
re: Liability Claim Against STPUD
Received from Tahoe Chalet Inn
The Board directed legal counsel and staff regarding
this item.
No Board action.
Pursuant to Section 54956.9(a) of
California Government Code/Con-
ference with Legal Counsel Existing
Litigation: Schwake v. STPUD,
Federal Case No. CV-N-93-851-DWH
The Board directed legal counsel and staff regarding
this item.
No Board action.
Pursuant to Section 54956.9(b) of
California Government Code/
Conference with Legal Counsel -
Anticipated Litigation (one case)
6:05 P.M.
ADJOURNM/,ENT
South Tahoe Public Utility District
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South Ta~Public Utility District
ST007251
Robert G. Baer, General Manager
Christopher H. Strohm
James R Jones
Mary Lou Mosbacher
Duane Wallace
Pembroke Gochnauer
Date:
February 26, 1998
To:
Board Members
From: Jim Jones
Subject: March 5 Board Meeting
Both Chris and I will be out of town during the March 5 Board Meeting. Mary Lou
Mosbacher will assume the powers and duties of Board President during our
REGULAR BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING
GUEST SIGN-IN SHEET
IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE BROWN ACT:
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