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Minutes - Board - 2022-08-09COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT MINUTES OF BOARD OF DIRECTORS STUDY SESSION AUGUST 9, 2022 NOTE: THIS HYBRID IN -PERSON AND TELECONFERENCED MEETING WAS CONDUCTED UTILIZING ELECTRONIC MEANS CONSISTENT WITH STATE OF CALIFORNIA ASSEMBLY BILL 361(Gov. CODE 54953(B)(3)). Members present Arlene Schafer, Art Perry, Bob Ooten, Brett Eckles, Mike Scheafer Members absent None Staff present Scott Carroll (General Manager), Noelani Middenway (District Clerk and Public Information Officer), Angela Colunga (Administrative Assistant I), Dyana Bojarski (Administrative Services Manager), Nabila Guzman (Management Analyst I), Lieu Tran (Accountant), David Griffin (Interim Code Enforcement Officer) Others present Mike Balliet, Michael Balliet Consulting Mike Carey, CR&R Jim Mosher, District resident Meeting called to order at 8:00 A.M. A. OPENING ITEMS Procedural: 1. Roll Call - (If absences occur, consider whether to deem those absences excused based on facts presented for the absence - such determination shall be the permission required by law.) President Ooten called the meeting to order at 8:00 A.M. COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT PAGE 2 MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS STUDY SESSION HELD AUGUST 9, 2022 District Clerk and Public Information Officer, Noelani Middenway, noted that President Ooten, Vice President Scheafer, Secretary Schafer, Director Perry, and Director Eckles were present. B. PUBLIC COMMENTS Procedural: 1. Public Comments President Ooten opened public comments. Hearing none, he closed public comments. C. ITEMS OF STUDY Action, Receive and File:1. Receive and File July 2022 Code Enforcement Officer Report Recommendation: That the Board of Directors receive and file this report. President Ooten introduced the report. Interim Code Enforcement Officer, David Griffin, presented report details. He reported five scavenging investigations in the following areas: Orange Avenue, Elden Avenue, Princeton Drive, and Royal Palm Drive. He noted that he has increased his patrolling of Royal Palm Drive. Director Perry asked when Mr. Griffin patrols those areas. Mr. Griffin stated that he patrols every day of the work week, but he has noticed more instances of scavenging on Mondays and Wednesdays. Secretary Schafer suggested for Mr. Griffin to patrol the area south of Fair Drive in the College Park neighborhood for scavenging. President Ooten asked how much time is spent on scavenging in comparison with dealing with trash cart issues. Mr. Griffin provided a breakdown of his daily patrol routine. He continued presenting his report and discussed trash cart enforcement. He reported that he issued 103 trash carts in public view violation notices. He added that there were no cases of graffiti for July 2022. COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT PAGE 3 MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS STUDY SESSION HELD AUGUST 9, 2022 There was no further discussion, and the report was received. Action, Receive and File: 2. July 19, 2022 Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Tabletop Exercise Debrief Recommendation: That the Board of Directors receive and file this report. President Ooten introduced the item. General Manager, Scott Carroll, stated that because District staff members are considered first responders in emergencies, the District conducts training exercises for emergency preparedness according to the Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS). He shared that the tabletop exercise reviewed the District's Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) and Emergency Operations Center (EOC) functions. He added that the District intends to perform these training exercises on an annual basis. Director Perry inquired about the items that the District needs to acquire for an emergency event. Mr. Carroll confirmed that the District is purchasing a megaphone, cell phone chargers, and battery lanterns. Director Perry inquired about having Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC) members volunteer to help operate the EOC. Mr. Carroll stated that District staff recommended having CAC members volunteer during emergency situations to help alleviate some of staffs duties. Director Perry inquired about having Board members volunteer during emergencies. Mr. Carroll stated that the primary role of the Board members is to assist the General Manager with providing information to the public. Discussion followed regarding the role of elected officials in emergency situations. COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT PAGE 4 MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS STUDY SESSION HELD AUGUST 9, 2022 Vice President Scheafer recommended cross -training with the City of Costa Mesa's Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program. Discussion followed regarding how CERT can assist the District during emergencies. President Ooten shared that he oversaw Orange County Sanitation District's (OCSD) EOC functions and discussed the importance of having a city staff member assist with the District's communication needs. Discussion followed regarding emergency communication procedures. President Ooten added that fire and police departments typically oversee the command center during an emergency. Director Perry asked where the City's EOC is located. Mr. Carroll stated that their EOC is located at the police station at City Hall. Discussion followed regarding staffs protocol for responding to an earthquake. President Ooten suggested conducting a training exercise for responding to a major sewer leak at the Elden Force Main. Vice President Scheafer asked if District staff has worked with Vicki Osborn, Director of Emergency Management for Water Emergency Response Organization of Orange County. Mr. Carroll confirmed that staff is in contact with Ms. Osborn. Director Perry shared that Ms. Osborn can help supply gloves and masks. There was no further discussion, and the report was received. Action, Receive and File: 3. 2022 Missed Trash Pick -Up (January — July) Recommendation: That the Board of Directors receive and file this report. President Ooten introduced the item. COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT PAGE 5 MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS STUDY SESSION HELD AUGUST 9, 2022 Mr. Carroll provided report details. He noted that the District received a high rate of missed trash pickups during the months of January and June, which were mostly caused by truck breakdowns and CR&R staffing issues. He noted that this report will be provided monthly at the Study Sessions. Director Eckles inquired about the increase in missed trash pickups for January and June. CR&R representative, Mike Carey, proposed that the missed trash pickups in January resulted from the Christmas Tree Collection Program and that the missed pickups in June resulted from the increase in COVID-19 cases. Director Eckles asked how this data compares to the previous year. Mr. Carroll stated that he can retrieve that data for the Board. President Ooten stated that this report regards approximately 0.4% of the District's service area. Director Eckles inquired about the rate of missed trash pickups prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Mr. Carroll stated that CR&R's service levels have been improving since the pandemic. He noted that, five years ago, District customers did not have the resources to submit service complaints. He added that CR&R service levels will continue to improve as they hire more drivers and acquire better equipment. Director Eckles inquired about trash carts that are left in public view due to missed trash service. Mr. Carroll confirmed that the District has a method for determining if a trash cart is either a missed pickup or left in public view. Secretary Schafer inquired about CR&R's truck fleet. Mr. Carey stated that there are four new trucks for the District's service area with two in operation and the other two awaiting installation of safety COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT PAGE 6 MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF DHIECTORs STUDY SESSION HELD AUGUST 9, 2022 features. He confirmed that these new trucks will include District signage. President Ooten requested for District staff to provide the Board with more comparison data to better analyze the issue. Director Perry inquired about the District's plan for collecting Christmas trees later this year. Discussion followed regarding the District's Christmas Tree Collection Program and hiring a secondary vendor to assist with the program. Secretary Schafer requested to discuss the Christmas Tree Collection Program at the next City/District Liaison Committee meeting. Director Perry recommended including the program flyer with customer's water bills. There was no further discussion, and the report was received. Action, Receive and File: 4. Receive and File Waste Composition Study #3 from Michael Balliet Consulting Recommendation: That the Board of Directors provide comments regarding the results of the Solid Waste Characterization Study conducted on July 13, 2022. President Ooten introduced the item. Mike Balliet of Michael Balliet Consulting (MBC) provided report details. He noted that the sample of the Waste Composition Study #3 included more multi -family properties than the previous two studies. He reported that the sample contained about 50% of general trash including plastic bags and all non -container mixed plastic items, which tend to have a lower recycling value. He stated that about 18% of the sample was comprised of food waste, which was mostly bagged and mixed with kitchen trash, and about 10% was comprised of various plastic, metal, and glass containers. He noted that there was a miniscule amount (4.48 pounds) of green waste found in the sample. He noted that some multi -family properties may not produce significant amounts of green waste or may be serviced by landscapers who dispose of the waste separately from the District's system. He added that, compared to COSTA MESA SANrrARY DISTRICT PAGE 7 MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS STUDY SESSION HELD AUGUST 9, 2022 the previous two studies, Waste Composition Study #3 contained more food waste and less green waste. President Ooten commented that the recyclable materials found in the sample would eventually be placed in a third cart solely for recyclables, which may affect the percentages of other waste items found in mixed waste collection routes. Mr. Balliet stated that the customers included in this sample are sorting their organic waste in the wrong cart. He discussed the proposed three -cart system for recyclables, trash, and organics. President Ooten added that not all multi -family properties have a receptable for collecting organic waste. Mr. Balliet stated that President Ooten is referring to trash customers serviced by franchise waste haulers, which are managed by the City of Costa Mesa. He noted that some properties within the District's service area may not have an Organics Recycling Cart due to a lack of green waste. President Ooten stated that multi -family properties require more public outreach and education due to their transient population. Mr. Balliet commented that social media tools are essential for communicating with the public. Vice President Scheafer inquired about the percentage of non -contaminated cardboard. He stated that properly recycling cardboard and paper appears to be a significant challenge. Mr. Balliet stated that, by having a third cart for recyclables, cardboard and paper items will be less contaminated and easier to recycle. He noted that this will result in a higher recovery rate for the District. Discussion followed regarding Director Eckles' trash service by a franchise waste hauler. District resident, Jim Mosher, commented that he is currently serviced by CRWs three -cart system as a City of Newport Beach trash customer. He COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT PAGE 8 MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS STUDY SESSION HELD AUGUST 9, 2022 stated that he was confused by the comment that very few customers included in the sample have green waste since the study analyzed mixed - waste collection routes. He noted that these customers may be properly sorting their green waste in the Organics Recycling Carts. He inquired about how contaminated cardboard and paper are being characterized in the study. He recommended comparing the amounts of contaminated and non - contaminated cardboard and paper items to help determine if the three -cart system is effective. He shared that CR&R's recycling carts in Newport Beach contain a label instructing customers to place metal, paper, plastic, glass, and textiles in the cart. He inquired about disposing of coated paper and asked if the District will be implementing the same three -cart system as Newport Beach. He commented on the format of the study and suggested creating six separate analyses on each category of waste to better assess contamination. Mr. Balliet stated that this sample indicates that about 20% of customers are not sorting their green waste properly. He recommended conducting further analysis of multi -family properties to determine recycling behaviors. He discussed the study's sampling and data gathering methods. He noted that some cardboard, paper, and plastic materials are categorized as trash due to their wax coating that makes them non -recyclable. He expressed support for adding a contaminated cardboard and contaminated paper category in the study. Director Perry inquired about how many more studies MBC will be performing this year. Mr. Balliet stated that there are two more scheduled studies. Director Eckles requested a spreadsheet comparing the three studies that have been conducted. Mr. Balliet stated that he has a database file with that information and recommended including additional route -specific data from CR&R to create an overall comparison. Director Eckles inquired about trash cart signage. Mr. Carroll confirmed that each trash cart in the three -cart system will have specific signage. COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT PAGE 9 MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS STUDY SESSION HELD AUGUST 9, 2022 Discussion followed regarding disposal of textiles. Secretary Schafer asked if Midway City Sanitary District has implemented a three -cart system. Mr. Balliet stated that he does not work with Midway City Sanitary District and is unable to provide an answer. Secretary Schafer asked when the third trash cart for recyclables will be available to District customers. Mr. Balliet stated that transitioning from a two -cart system to a three -cart system requires an extensive negotiation process. Mr. Carroll stated that, assuming that the Board approves the transition to a three -cart system, then the District will be implementing the new service in July 2023. There was no further discussion, and the report was received. Action: S. Fats Oil Grease (FOG) Control Enforcement Program Implementation Plan Recommendation: That the Board of Directors provide feedback to staff regarding the proposed Implementation Plan. President Ooten introduced the item. Mr. Carroll provided report details. He stated that the implementation plan is timely since the District experienced a small sewer spill last night on 19th Street and Pomona Ave due to fats, oil, and grease (FOG) from nearby restaurants. He noted that most of these restaurants do not have a grease interceptor. He shared that EEC Environmental will inspect these restaurants to ensure that they are upholding the best kitchen management practices. Discussion followed the surrounding area of the sanitary sewer spill. COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT PAGE 10 MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS STUDY SESSION HELD AUGUST 9, 2022 Director Eckles inquired about how the implementation plan differs from current wastewater operations. Mr. Carroll stated that the implementation plan details the 10 recommendations submitted by EEC Environmental. President Ooten asked if the recommendations are already included the District's current wastewater operations. Mr. Carroll clarified that the District's Wastewater Department has not adopted all 10 of the recommendations in the plan. Director Eckles and President Ooten requested more detail regarding the current and proposed wastewater operations for FOG maintenance. There was no further discussion. Action: 6. Consider Adopting Resolution No. 2022-970 Authorizing Remote Meetings Recommendation: That the Board of Directors adopt Resolution No. 2022-970 Authorizing Remote Meetings. President Ooten introduced the item. Motion: To adopt Resolution No. 2022-970 authorizing remote meetings. Motion by Michael Scheafer, second by Arlene Schafer. Final Resolution: Motion Carries 5-0 Aye: Arlene Schafer, Art Perry, Bob Ooten, Brett Eckles, Mike Scheafer Director Perry inquired if this resolution will be presented at every Study Session moving forward. Mr. Carroll confirmed that it will be a standard item on the Study Session agenda to ensure that it is valid. There was no further discussion. Action: 7. Review SB 1383 Public Outreach Samples COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT PAGE 11 MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS STUDY SESSION HELD AUGUST 9, 2022 Recommendation: That the Board of Directors provide feedback on the SB 1383 outreach samples. President Ooten introduced the item. Ms. Middenway provided report details and presented the District's public outreach materials related to Senate Bill (SB) 1383. She noted that the District's new contract with its communications consultant, Tripepi Smith, went into effect on July 1, 2022. She stated that outreach materials consist of the District's website, social media posts, door hangers, flyers, bill inserts, video media, and other forms of content. She reviewed social media posts related to kitchen pails and alternative food storage containers. President Ooten suggested a few edits for the outreach materials related to organics recycling. Director Eckles inquired about lining food storage containers with paper. Ms. Middenway confirmed that brown paper bags, newspaper, and compostable bags can be used to collect organic waste. Discussion followed regarding how to line containers for food waste. Ms. Middenway continued reviewing social media posts related to food waste and transitioning to a three -cart system. Vice President Scheafer suggested using a cart image with a blue lid to indicate that customers will be receiving a recycling cart. Ms. Middenway confirmed that CR&R will be providing images of its recycling cart. Discussion followed regarding Director Eckles' organics waste carts. President Ooten inquired about the District's current outreach materials related to trash service. Ms. Middenway stated that, because the District has not formally adopted a three -cart system, its communications are still focused on the two -cart COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT PAGE 12 MINUTES OF TILE BOARD OF DIRECTORS STUDY SESSION HELD AUGUST 9, 2022 system. She presented the District's Organics Recycling Program and Two - Cart Recycling System flyers and the District's SB 1383 webpage. Discussion followed regarding CR&R's cart auditing procedures. Ms. Middenway shared the District's upcoming Eco Expo event in September 2022. President Ooten suggested sharing alternative methods for collecting food waste. Secretary Schafer inquired about the event's date. Ms. Middenway stated that it will take place on Wednesday, September 28, 2022 from 3:00 p.m. — 7:00 p.m. Director Eckles suggested partnering with the Costa Mesa Chamber of Commerce. Ms. Middenway shared that the event will include an interactive terrarium demonstration and siphon demonstration. She noted that there will be a table for the Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) to encourage more participation. President Ooten suggested recording the event and sharing it on the District's social media platforms. Director Perry asked who will be leading the discussions at each event table. Ms. Middenway stated that the event tables will be managed by District staff. She discussed the event's giveaway process. Director Perry asked if the District has started advertising for this event. Ms. Middenway asked for the Board to assist in promoting this event. Director Eckles requested event flyers to share with the public. COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT PAGE 13 MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS STUDY SESSION HELD AUGUST 9, 2022 Mr. Mosher commented that the phrase "counter to compost' is not entirely misleading since CR&R's Anaerobic Digestor produces compost and renewable natural gas from organic waste. He added that people pay more attention to the labels on their trash carts than other forms of public outreach. He discussed the trash service by CR&R in the City of Newport Beach and shared the details of the label on his recycling cart. He noted that the three -cart system may cause more confusion than the two -cart system. There was no further discussion. D. CLOSING ITEMS Procedural: 1. Oral Communications and Director Comments Secretary Schafer asked if the Board received reminders regarding their assignments and trainings at the upcoming California Special Districts Association annual conference. Ms. Middenway clarified that Board members do not have to register for their training sessions. Secretary Schafer shared that the City of Costa Mesa is hosting a luncheon and inquired about registering. Director Eckles stated the City is hosting its State of the City and Mayor's luncheon on September 23, 2022 at 11:00 a.m. Discussion followed regarding registering for the City's event. There were no additional comments. Procedural: 2. Adjournment President Ooten adjourned the meeting at 9:35 A.M. _a&f2 Arlene Schafer Secretary Bob Ooten President