Minutes - Board - 2025-01-13COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT
MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS SPECIAL MEETING
JANUARY 13, 2025
Members present
Arlene Schafer, Art Perry, Bob Ooten, Mike Scheafer, Nicole Wiltshire
Members absent
None
Staff present
Scott Carroll (General Manager), Noelani Middenway (District Clerk & Public
Information Officer), Gina Terraneo (Senior Management Analyst), Dyana Bojarski
(Administrative Services Manager), Kaitlin Tran (Finance Manager), Marissa
Pereyda (Senior Management Analyst), Mark Esquer (District Engineer), Angela
Colunga (Management Analyst I)
Others present
Michael Tou, District resident and Citizens Advisory Committee Vice Chair
David Martinez
Meeting called to order at 9:00 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.)
District Clerk & Public Information Officer, Noelani Middenway, conducted
roll call and noted that President Scheafer, Vice President Ooten, Secretary
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Perry, and Director Wiltshire were present while Vice Secretary Schafer was
not present at this time.
B. PUBLIC COMMENTS
Procedural: 1. Public Comments
President Scheafer opened public comments. Hearing none, he closed public
comments.
C. ITEMS OF STUDY
Discussion:1. Preparing the FY 2025-30 Strategic Plan
Recommendation: That the Board of Directors provide comments and/or feedback
for preparation of the FY 2025-30 Strategic Plan.
General Manager, Scott Carroll, presented report details and a timeline for
the development of the Fiscal Years 2025-2030 Strategic Plan. He shared
highlights from the 2020-2025 Strategic Plan. He discussed public sewer
spills and noted that the District is re -capturing almost all wastewater spilled
from an overflow incident. He added that, since 2010, the District has spent
$25 million on repairing and replacing infrastructure. He shared that the
District's solid waste diversion rate has reached 61% compared to 52% in
2010.
Discussion followed regarding the District's Organics Recycling Program.
Mr. Carroll presented solid waste data comparing landfilled and recycled
waste since 2010 and household hazardous waste (HHW) 2017-2018 and
2023-2024 collection data.
Secretary Perry asked if the HHW collection program includes fire
extinguishers.
Vice President Ooten asked if the HHW collection data includes batteries.
Mr. Carroll confirmed that batteries are included in the program data.
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Secretary Perry asked if the District receives diversion credit for its HHW
program.
Mr. Carroll stated that the District does not receive diversion credit. He
shared that the District is required to provide a disposal option for HHW. He
presented data related to social media engagement.
President Scheafer shared information regarding the Watch Duty
application for emergencies.
Mr. Carroll discussed District staffing and staffing expenditures. He noted
that the 2020-2025 Strategic Plan was the most ambitious plan in District
history with 86 goals completed. He discussed goals that were not completed
or delayed under that plan.
Vice Secretary Schafer entered the meeting at 9:25 a.m.
Mr. Carroll presented his strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats
(SWOT) analysis and asked the Board for feedback on District performance.
Discussion followed regarding staff strengths such as Board support, field
work, sewer cleaning, organics recycling, communication, community
events, special collection efforts, and working with other districts.
President Scheafer discussed the District's efforts on public transparency.
Vice President Ooten requested for the goals that were not completed in the
2020-2025 Strategic Plan to be simplified and summarized with a plan on
how to complete them.
Discussion followed regarding constituent feedback.
Mr. Carroll asked the Board for their suggestions for improvement.
Secretary Perry stated that scavenging for recyclables is a current issue and
inquired about offering lockable trash carts.
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Vice President Ooten discussed outreach focused on cart sizes and fees and
waste sorting.
Secretary Perry recommended including information regarding palm
fronds in the District's newsletter.
Vice President Ooten suggested creating a plan to address rainwater inflow.
Vice Secretary Schafer recommending thanking District customers for their
efforts.
President Scheafer inquired about the new cart labels for the Landfill Carts.
Senior Management Analyst, Marissa Pereyda, stated that CR&R will be re-
labeling carts in March 202S.
Discussion followed regarding public feedback on issues such as missed
trash pickups, holiday trash delays, and sewer odors.
Mr. Carroll asked the Board about emerging trends or technology that the
District can explore.
Discussion followed regarding air release valves, trash truck fires caused by
household hazardous waste, and battery recycling.
Vice Secretary Schafer recommended hosting an open house and inviting
the local newspapers.
President Scheafer recommended tracking vulnerabilities for emergency
purposes.
Mr. Carroll discussed advances in artificial technology.
Discussion followed regarding sewer maintenance and closed-circuit
televising (CCTV).
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President Scheafer recommended working with the California Special
Districts Association (CSDA) on cybersecurity resources and technology.
Discussion followed regarding CCTV equipment and hiring a contractor to
assist with televising the District's sewer system.
Mr. Carroll discussed additional threats to the District including
consolidation with other agencies.
President Scheafer commented on the District's standards and status as an
independent special district. He stated that the District should continue to
monitor the Local Agency Formation of Orange County (LAFCO).
Vice Secretary Schafer expressed support for the City/Districts Liaison
Committee meetings.
Discussion followed regarding hazard mitigation for natural disasters.
President Scheafer discussed public outreach and coordinating public
facility tours.
Vice President Ooten suggested upgrading the sewer system for seismic
activity.
Mr. Carroll inquired about the District's mission and vision statement and
core values.
Discussion followed regarding updating the District's core values to include
communication, outreach, education, and innovation.
Mr. Carroll discussed the plan's strategic elements and objectives.
The Board agreed to keep sewer infrastructure, solid waste, emergency
preparedness, partnerships, community outreach and communications,
administrative management, human resources management, and finance as
the strategic elements.
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Mr. Carroll thanked the Board for their comments and suggestions. He stated
that staff will develop strategies and goals under each strategic element.
Ms. Middenway noted that the May 261 Board meeting has been moved to
May 27th due to the Memorial Day holiday.
President Scheafer suggested having another special meeting to discuss the
Strategic Plan.
There was no further discussion.
D. CLOSING ITEMS
Discussion: 1. Oral Communications and Director Comments
None.
Procedural: 2. Adjournment
President Scheafer adjourned the meeting at 10:28 a.m.
Art Perry
Secretary
Mike Scheafer
President