Minutes - Board - 2025-04-08COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT
MINUTES OF BOARD OF DIlmECTORS STUDY SESSION
ApRm 08, 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/Pubhc
Information Officer), Gina Terraneo (Senior Management Analyst), Dyana Bojarski
(Administrative Services Manager), Kaitlin Tran (Finance Manager), Mark Esquer
(District Engineer), John Gonzalez (Wastewater Maintenance Manager), David
Griffin (Code Enforcement Officer), Tony Gomez (Wastewater Maintenance
Supervisor), Jesse Blakely (Wastewater Maintenance Supervisor)
Others present
None
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.)
President Scheafer called the meeting to order at 9:00 A.M.
District Clerk and Public Information Officer, Noelani Middenway, noted
that President Scheafer, Vice President Ooten, Secretary Perry, Vice
Secretary Schafer, and Director Wiltshire were present.
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MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS STUDY SESSION
HELD APRIL 08, 2025
B. PUBLIC COMMENTS
Procedural: 1. Public Comments
President Scheafer opened public comments. Hearing none, he closed public
comments.
C. ITEMS OF STUDY
Action, Discussion: 1. Southern California Waste Management Forum Spring
Conference Update
Recommendation: That the Board of Directors receives and files this report.
General Manager, Scott Carroll, requested to pull this item from the agenda
and postpone its discussion to a future meeting.
There was no further discussion, and President Scheafer proceeded to Item
C2.
Action, Discussion: 2. Receive Summary of Staffs Attendance to the Water &
Wastewater Equipment, Treatment & Transport Show in Indianapolis, Indiana
from February 16-19, 2025
Recommendation: That the Board of Directors receives and files this report.
Wastewater Maintenance Supervisor, Jesse Blakely, presented general
information about the Water and Wastewater Equipment, Treatment and
Transport (WWETT) conference and noted that staff learned about
advancements in remote monitoring, artificial intelligence, geographic
information systems (GIS), and asset management upgrades.
Secretary Perry inquired about upgrades to the District's GIS.
Vice Secretary Ooten asked if the District could use artificial intelligence to
improve closed-circuit televised (CCTV) data and help reduce the cost
associated with closed-circuit televising the wastewater system.
Discussion followed regarding the proposed budget for upgrading CCTV
equipment.
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MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS STUDY SESSION
HELD APRIL 08, 2025
President Scheafer requested for staff to draft a priority list of the main
lessons from the conference for the purposes of strategic planning. He
expressed support for using a fisheye CCTV camera and video/security
camera for monitoring of the pump stations.
Discussion followed regarding manhole data and maintenance.
Wastewater Maintenance Supervisor, Tony Gomez, presented additional
information about the conference. He recommended to continue the
District's participation in the WWETT conference and to consider applying
the lessons learned towards District operations.
Vice President Ooten asked how many pump stations have smart covers.
Mr. Gomez stated that there are currently 12 smart covers.
Mr. Carroll noted that the District is in the process of implementing more
smart covers.
Mr. Gomez discussed the District's Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition
(SCADA) system, messaging system, and pump station maintenance.
President Scheafer discussed the Special District Risk Management
Authority's (SDRMA) Safety Program.
Vice Secretary Schafer complimented District staff for attending the
conference.
There was no further discussion, and the report was received.
Action, Receive and File: 3. Receive and File March 2025 Code Enforcement Officer
Report
Recommendation: That the Board of Directors receives and files this report.
Code Enforcement Officer, David Griffin, presented report details. He noted
that seven instances of scavenging were addressed and 147 violation notices
were issued for trash carts in public view.
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MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS STUDY SESSION
HELD APRIL 08, 2025
Discussion followed regarding areas of focus and recurring notices.
There was no further discussion, and the report was received.
Action, Discussion: 4. Preparing the Fiscal Year 2025-30 Strategic Plan
Recommendation: That the Board of Directors provide direction to staff.
Mr. Carroll presented the proposed 2025-2030 Strategic Plan for the Board's
review and edits. He shared changes to the core values and strategic
elements.
The Board expressed support for the proposed strategic elements.
Mr. Carroll presented the objectives and tasks of the leadership element.
Vice President Ooten suggested creating sub -tasks within the leadership
section of the proposed 2025-2030 Strategic Plan.
Mr. Carroll presented the objectives and tasks of the wastewater
infrastructure element.
Discussion followed regarding the Sewer Inspection Rebate Program (SIRP)
and the development of accessory dwelling units (ADU).
Mr. Carroll presented the objectives and tasks of the solid waste element.
Discussion followed regarding variable trash rates and Senate Bill (SB)1383
enforcement.
Mr. Carroll presented the objectives and tasks of the emergency
preparedness element and the partnerships element.
Vice President Ooten suggested creating more detailed plans for partnership
tasks that are ongoing.
Discussion followed regarding installing a fire hydrant at the Rob Hamers
Yard.
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MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS STUDY SESSION
HELD APRIL 08, 2025
Mr. Carroll presented the objectives and tasks of the communications
element.
President Scheafer suggested partnering with the Mesa Verde Living
magazine as a potential outreach platform.
Mr. Carroll presented the objectives and tasks of the human resources
element.
Vice President Ooten discussed Orange County Sanitation District's (OC San)
safety trainings and resources.
Wastewater Maintenance Supervisor, John Gonzalez, discussed the District's
wastewater safety efforts and trainings.
Vice President Ooten inquired about Orange County Waste and Recycle
(OCWR) grants.
Mr. Carroll presented the objectives and tasks of the finance element.
Discussion followed regarding installing charging stations at District
Headquarters.
Mr. Carroll reviewed the 2025-30 Strategic Plan schedule.
The Board commended staff for the work on the proposed plan.
D. CLOSING ITEMS
Procedural: 1. Oral Communications and Director Comments
President Scheafer shared that a resident requested a newsletter article
about recyclable plastics and asked how residents can locate their District
division and representative.
Ms. Middenway reminded the Board about the upcoming Special Meeting on
Tuesday, April 15.
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MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS STUDY SESSION
HELD APRIL 08, 2025
There was no further discussion.
Procedural: 2. Adjournment
President Scheafer adjourned the meeting at 11:00 A.M.
Art Perry M e Scheafer
Secretary
President