05-06-2021SOUTH TAHOE PUBLIC UTILITY DISTRICT
David Peterson, Vice President
Chris Cefalu, Director
BOARD MEMBERS
Shane Romsos, Director
Kelly Sheehan, President
Nick Exline, Director
John Thiel, General Mana er Paul Hu hes, Chief Financial Officer
REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
SOUTH TAHOE PUBLIC UTILITY DISTRICT
May 6, 2021
MINUTES
The South Tahoe Public Utility District Board of Directors met in a regular session, 2:02 p.m., at the
District Office, located at 1275 Meadow Crest Drive, South Lake Tahoe, California.
ROLL CALL:
Board of Directors: President Sheehan, Directors Cefalu, Romsos, Peterson, Exline
Staff: John Thiel, Paul Hughes, Gary Kvistad, Melonie Guttry, Julie Ryan, Brian Bartlett, Bren Borley,
Chris Skelly, Chris Stanley, Jessica Henderson, Liz Kauffman, Marla Sharp, Sara Lucero, Shelly Thomsen,
Steve Caswell, Tim Bledsoe, Trevor Coolidge, Brent Goligoski
Guests: Duane Wallace, Paula Peterson, Rebecca Bryson, Rick Lind, Chase Janvrin
CORRECTIONS TO THE AGENDA OR CONSENT CALENDAR:
President Sheehan announced that staff is recommending pulling Agenda Item 6a -Setting Sewer
Capacity Charges to allow for further communication with community partners.
CONSENT CALENDAR:
Moved Peterson/Second Cefalu/Sheehan Yes/Cefalu Yes/Romsos Yes/Peterson Yes/Exline Yes to
approve the Consent Calendar with changes as presented.
a.CALIFORNIA CONSERVATION CORPS SPONSOR AGREEMENT
(Julie Ryan, Engineering Department Manager)
Authorized South Tahoe Public Utility District staff to execute a Sponsor Agreement with the
California Conservation Corps.
b.2021-2022 TANK COATINGS TOUCHUP PROJECT
(Julie Ryan, Engineering Department Manager and Heidi Baugh, Purchasing Agent)
Authorized staff to advertise for Bids for the 2021-2022 Tank Coatings Touchup Project.
c.REGULAR BOARD MEETING MINUTES: April 1, 2021, and April 15, 2021
(Melonie Guttry, Executive Services Manager/Clerk of the Board)
Approved the April 1, 2021, and April 15, 2021, Minutes
REGULAR BOARD MEETING MINUTES May 6, 2021
ITEMS FOR BOARD ACTION
a.Approve Payment of Claims (Debbie Henderson, Accounting Manager)
PAGE-2
Moved Sheehan/Second Cefalu/Sheehan Yes/Cefalu Yes/Romsos Yes/Peterson Yes/Exline Yes
to approve Payment of Claims in the amount of $1,815,430.90.
STANDING AND AD-HOC COMMITTEES AND LIAISON REPORTS:
Director Exline provided a report regarding the System Efficiency and Sustainability Committee
meeting held on May 4, 2021. Director Romsos shared details regarding the District's application for a
Department of Energy Grant.
Director Exline reported regarding the Ad-Hoc Workforce Housing Committee meeting held on May
4, 2021, and explained that he has received phone calls expressing concern regarding the proposed
increase in sewer capacity fees. Chase Janvrin of the Tahoe Prosperity Center thanked the Board for
removing this Item today and for the District's commitment to affordable housing. He added that the
Tahoe Prosperity Center is not against the District raising rates, but in doing so, would like the District
to take special consideration for affordable housing. He further provided a few affordable housing
statistics.
Rebecca Bryson who is involved with several housing efforts around Lake Tahoe, expressed her
gratitude for the District's commitment to the community in pulling the sewer capacity agenda Item.
She offered several suggestions regarding rates, grandfathering in affordable housing already in the
planning stages and the transferring of sewer units.
Melonie Guttry read a letter from Duane Wallace, former Board Member, expressing his concerns
regarding raising the sewer capacity fees and the consequences of doing so for affordable housing.
David Peterson provided details regarding the upcoming Association of California Water Agency
(ACWA) Conference on May 12 and 13, which he will be attending.
Shane Romsos attended the recent Alpine Biomass meeting and provided details regarding a few
grant submissions.
BOARD MEMBER REPORTS:
Nothing to report
EL DORADO WATER AGENCY PURVEYOR REPORT:
Director Peterson announced the next regular El Dorado Water Agency meeting is scheduled for
Wednesday, May 12, which conflicts with the ACWA Spring Conference, so he will not be attending.
GENERAL MANAGER REPORT:
John Thiel reported on several items:
•Provided a staffing update, including two upcoming retirements: Doug Van Gorden,
Underground Repair Supervisor, has been with the District 29 years and Delores Trebotich,
Laboratory Technician, retiring from the District after 42 years.•Provided a COVID-19 update
Director Peterson recused himself due to a conflict of interest with the Tahoe Keys Property Owner's
Association (TKPOA), which has been reviewed and confirmed by District legal counsel, reinforcing
the conflict and that the conflict cannot be waived by the Board. Director Peterson will continue to
recuse himself from all things concerning the Tahoe Keys Water situation. In addition, he will recuse
REGULAR BOARD MEETING MINUTES May 6, 2021 PAGE-3
himself from Union and Management Negotiations as he has two nephews working for the District
also creating a conflict of interest with respect to those matters.
•The District is continuing to work with the Tahoe Keys and their Consultant, MC Engineering,
with respect to their water shortage emergency while protecting the District and ratepayers
from any additional cost. Lukins Brothers Water Company is planning to install fill stations for
landscaping trucks and planning to construct an intertie with the Tahoe Keys later this month.
The Tahoe Keys is planning to install uranium treatment systems at two of their wells as early as
next month. He provided further details regarding water flows during peak times and the
TKPOA request for the District to take a closer look at consolidation efforts as well as
improvements needed to the District's water system to supply TKPOA with water. The District is
beginning to work with legal counsel to review consolidation efforts as well as a
Reimbursement Agreement with TKPOA. John Thiel and Julie Rvan addressed questions from
the Board and provided details regarding TKPOA installing a backflow device downstream of
the intertie to protect the District's water system.
STAFF/ATTORNEY REPORTS:
Nothing to report
ADJOURN TO CLOSED SESSION: 2:32 p.m.
RECONVENE TO OPEN SESSION: 3:18
a.Pursuant to Government Code Section 54957(a)/Conference with Labor Negotiators:
Memorandum of Understanding with Stationary Engineers, Local 39. Present at this Closed
Session will be Agency Negotiators: John Thiel, General Manager; Paul Hughes, Chief Financial
Officer; and Liz Kauffman, Human Resources Director.
No reportable Board action
b.Pursuant to Government Code Section 54957(a)/Conference with Labor Negotiators:
Memorandum of Understanding with Management Group. Present at this Closed Session will
be Agency Negotiators: John Thiel, General Manager; Paul Hughes, Chief Financial Officer;
and Liz Kauffman, Human Resources Director.
No reportable Board action
ADJOURNMENT: 3:19 p.m.
Melonie Guttry, Clerk of the ard
South Tahoe Public Utility District
Kelly Sh an, Board President
South Tahoe Public Utility District