SLVWD Board Meeting Summary
January 20, 2022
Mark Dolson
Highlights:
Construction Contracts.
Standards Specifications.
Board Policy Manual Updates.
Next Board meeting is at 6:30 PM on February 3rd.
Preliminaries
President Mahood reported that the Board, in the just-concluded closed session, had unanimously adopted the District Manager’s objectives for December 2021 through November 2022.
There was one public comment. Reporter Brian Phan asked if the Board could comment on the potential merger with Big Basin Water. The Board was unable to do so because this matter was not on the agenda for this evening’s meeting. District Manager Rick Rogers assured Brian that he was planning to contact him Friday January 21st prior to Brian’s deadline.
President Mahood noted that the Administration Committee had selected Director Ackemann as Chair for 2022. The Budget and Finance Committee will be chaired by President Mahood.
President Mahood also reported that Rick Rogers is currently working from home due to Covid. This is why the Board meeting scheduled for January 14th had to be cancelled. In total, 15 District employees (nearly 50% of the Staff) currently have Covid.
Unfinished Business
Board Policy Manual for 2022
District Counsel Gina Nicholls presented this item to the Board. The District’s Board Policy Manual is reviewed annually. The Board discussed a list of Staff-proposed conceptual changes at its December 7th meeting and directed Staff to prepare corresponding redline changes for possible Board approval. The Board also directed Gina to collect any additional conceptual changes requested by individual Board Members for further deliberations at a subsequent Board meeting. This process was not completed over the holidays and will be addressed in an upcoming Board meeting. The deadline for Board submission of proposed changes is now Monday January 24th.
There was no Board comment and no public comment on the redline changes. Director Henry moved to adopt and approve the revised Board Policy Manual. Director Fultz seconded. The motion passed 5-0.
Membership of Engineering and Environmental Committee
Gina explained that, since the Engineering and Environmental Committees have now been combined (as stated in the newly approved Board Policy Manual), a separate resolution was required to specify the number of public seats on the Committee and the identity of the public committee members.
President Mahood moved to combine the current public memberships of the previously separate Engineering Committee and Environmental Committee, resulting in three public seats to be filled by Ken Lande, Michael Murphy, and Alina Layng. The two Board members are Directors Smolley and Fultz. There was no further discussion. The motion passed 5-0.
Continuation of Remote Meeting Authorization Under AB 361
This was a pro forma agenda item required to extend the Board’s current, Covid-induced reliance on remote meetings through January. President Mahood noted that the District was continuing to move ahead with preparing its Johnson Building to support regular hybrid meetings, but progress has been recently slowed by Covid. There was no further discussion. The motion passed 5-0.
New Business
Award of Construction Management Bid for Glen Arbor Pipeline Replacement Project
This agenda item was introduced by Josh Wolff, Engineering Manager. Josh explained that the District had recently solicited proposals for construction services to replace a leaking 6-inch water main crossing the Glen Arbor bridge at CA-9. Rather than attempt to replace the main in its existing alignment, plans were developed to suspend the new main alongside the bridge structure, below the existing walkway on the north side of the bridge. This was done to both reduce costs and simplify permitting through Santa Cruz County and Caltrans.
Four bids were received ranging from $320,500 (Monterey Peninsula Engineering) to $623,611 (Don Chapin). The low bid was deemed appropriately responsive.
Director Smolley, Chair of the Engineering Committee, concurred. He was happy both with the detail in the MPE bid and with the total of four bids in all. He commended Josh for succeeding in expanding the field of competing bidders.
Director Fultz echoed Director Smolley’s praise for Josh. Director Ackemann expressed similar appreciation. She asked a question about cost savings, but this turned out to be about two different projects. Josh explained that the District was able to coordinate with the County on these projects to more efficiently address repaving and resurfacing requirements. Rather than have the District resurface the road and then have the County perform its own subsequent resurfacing, the District was able to resurface the two-foot-wide area of the trench without resurfacing the two feet on either side of this, thus saving a lot of asphalt.
President Mahood moved to authorize the District Manager to negotiate details and enter into a contract for $320,500 with Monterey Peninsula Engineering. There was no further Board discussion and no public input. The motion passed 5-0.
Award of Construction Bid for Glen Arbor Pipeline Replacement Project
Josh introduced this agenda item as the companion to the just-discussed construction-management award. For the actual construction, only two bids were received due to the requirement that the work be performed at night. Sandis Engineering submitted the low bid of $61,850 and met all of the District’s expectations. A new bidder, 4Leaf, submitted a bid for $82,548.
Director Smolley, Chair of the Engineering Committee, said Sandis took the extra effort to review and comment on the engineering drawings. This led him to believe that they have taken previous feedback from Josh to heart. He added that 4Leaf was, in his experience, also a very reputable company.
Director Fultz praised Josh for getting a new supplier (4Leaf) to bid. Director Henry agreed.
President Mahood moved to direct the District Manager to enter into a contract with Sandis for construction management activities related to the Glen Arbor Bridge Pipeline Replacement Project in the amount of $61,850. There was no further Board discussion and no public input. The motion passed 5-0.
Contract for Brookdale Pipeline Viaduct Construction
Josh explained that Caltrans is expanding a viaduct and requiring the District to reroute some pipeline to make room for this. Caltrans notified the District in March 2021 and planned to coordinate on the choice of contractor. In December, though, Caltrans independently awarded the contract to Gordon N. Ball. The District then separately obtained a bid from Gordon N. Ball but found this bid to be unexpectedly high. Josh therefore reached out to other potential contractors and also asked Caltrans to modify their requirements. As a result, the project duration has been reduced without compromising quality.
The District received three bids ranging from $160,000 (Reber Construction) to $221,512 (Gordon N. Ball). Reber is a local (i.e., San Lorenzo Valley) contractor with a solid reputation, and they can begin work Monday January 24th.
Director Smolley, Chair of the Engineering Committee, added that Reber was acceptable to Caltrans, and the District is okay with the exclusions that Reber has spelled out in their contract. The other bidder, Granite Creek, was proposing to work at night (Reber will work during the daytime), but their costs were higher ($215,000).
President Mahood moved to instruct the District Manager to enter into a contract with Reber for an amount not to exceed $166,000. There was no further discussion and no public input. The motion passed 5-0.
CAL FIRE Fire Prevention
Carly Blanchard, Environmental Programs Manager explained that the District is seeking to submit proposals and needs to designate signatories.
President Mahood moved that the Board approve the attached resolution approving the District Manager to be the representative and signatory. There was no Board discussion and no public input. The motion passed 5-0.
Standards Specification and Details Policy
Josh explained that the District has historically operated without an adopted set of Standard Specifications. This is an issue that FEMA has repeatedly called attention to, and Staff has been working to develop a set of Standard Specifications in conformance with accepted engineering practices and relevant State, County, and Fire Codes. The comprehensive, recently completed Specifications include standard detail drawings for commonly used facilities and installations and are expected to be used by Designers, Homeowners, and Contractors to ensure that all new construction and/or rehabilitation of facilities within the District’s purview is completed in compliance with current Codes and District requirements.
Director Smolley said he has worked on similar documents, and he knows this to be a very laborious but absolutely necessary process that requires detailed review. He commended Josh and the rest of the Engineering Staff for being able to complete this.
President Mahood similarly congratulated Josh for bringing this task to completion. Director Ackemann offered her congratulations as well. Director Henry agreed, describing the work as very thorough. Director Fultz observed that this issue has been outstanding for a long time and said he was incredibly impressed with what Josh is accomplishing. He asked if the completed Standards will be posted to the District’s website, and Josh said the official version would replace the current draft on the website.
President Mahood moved to approve the attached resolution adopting the Standards and Specifications for construction of water facilities within the District. There was no further Board discussion. There was no public input. The motion passed 5-0.
District Reports
Director Fultz asked about an ROI statement missing from the Environmental Report, and Carly said this would be included next month.
Director Fultz asked if the Operating Revenue in the Budget and Finance Report included the surcharge, and Kendra Reed, acting Finance Manager, said it did. Director Fultz noted that the past-due amount is declining, and Kendra said the District has recently received state funding for past-due bills which will cause this to drop even further.
Director Ackemann asked what the District is doing to communicate the availability of this relief. Kendra said the District sends customers a letter stating the amount credited to their accounts and asking them to call to set up a payment arrangement for any remaining balances. The District is currently waiting to hear whether there will be another round of state funding. Director Ackemann suggested that any information the District could share about this relief funding with local nonprofits would be welcome as it would help get the word out to those most in need.
Director Fultz asked about the status of the Felton Tank Project noted in the Engineering Report. He wanted to know whether the District now had all the necessary easements. Rick said the ball was still in the property owner’s court. The District has sent memos, and the property owner has been slow to respond.
Director Fultz noted that the Operations Report indicated that the District is now taking water from Foreman Creek. He asked for confirmation that water was now flowing in both directions through the District’s North/South intertie. Rick said 98% of the system is now using surface water. The District tested for Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) following the first rain but found no issues. There was, however, some high turbidity. While Fall Creek was offline, the District used its emergency status authorization to move water south.
There was one public comment: Larry Ford thanked all participants for a very efficient and productive meeting.
The meeting was adjourned just after 7:30 PM.