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Minutes - Board - 2016-01-12 SANITAR4 r® O qy 0RPORATEONr COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT MINUTES OF BOARD OF DIRECTORS STUDY SESSION JANUARY 12, 2016 CALL TO ORDER The Board of Directors of the Costa Mesa Sanitary District met in study session on January 12, 2016 at 9:30 A.M. at 628 W. 19Th Street, Costa Mesa. ROLL CALL DIRECTORS PRESENT: Michael Scheafer, Arthur Perry, Robert Ooten, Arlene Schafer, James Ferryman DIRECTORS ABSENT: None STAFF PRESENT: Scott Carroll, General Manager; Robin Hamers, District Engineer; Noelani Middenway, District Clerk. OTHERS PRESENT: Lawrence Jones, CR&R; Sally Geislar, University of California Irvine; Jim Mosher, Resident; Jack Faris, Voit Real Estate. PUBLIC COMMENTS President Scheafer invited members of the public to address the Board of Directors. He noted that Jim Mosher, a member of the public, requested to provide comments regarding Items 1 and 2 but did not wish to speak during Public Comments. ITEMS OF STUDY 1. Organics Recycling Behavioral Study Recommendation: That the Board of Directors receive the results of the study. Scott Carroll, General Manager, provided an overview of the purpose of the Organics Recycling Behavioral Study. He noted that Sally Geislar of the University of California Irvine would be giving a presentation that differs slightly from the presentation included in the agenda packet. Mr. Carroll indicated that the original presentation was more academically inclined, while the updated presentation is COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT PAGE 2 MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS STUDY SESSION HELD JANUARY 12, 2016 more easily understood. Lastly, he added that the OC Register intends to write a story about the Organics Recycling Program. Vice President Perry requested to know how the OC Register became aware that the Organics Recycling Behavioral Study was complete. Mr. Carroll noted that the OC Register is a subscriber of the District's GovOutreach service, from which they receive notifications when each agenda packet is released. Sally Geislar, University of California Irvine, provided an overview of the results of the Organics Recycling Behavioral Study. She noted that overall, the program is a success and that the intervention resulted in increased participation in the program. Ms. Geislar explained that there were two focuses of the study: the effect of the program on the surveyed population and the test of whether a new set of tools would increase participation in the program. She noted that surveys were conducted in June, September, and December of 2015 and that about 350 people participated in all 3 surveys. Overall, Ms. Geislar noted that an 11% increase was seen in participation, support for the curbside program, and other waste prevention behaviors. She indicated that based on results from the December survey, 45% of respondents obtained a kitchen pail from the District. Additionally, she found that those who had kitchen pails were more likely to report separating food waste, although others reported improvising by using other various containers to separate and store food waste. Lastly, Ms. Geislar noted that the majority of respondents primarily recycled inedible foods such as expired food or vegetable scraps. Discussion followed regarding the relative meaning of "inedible foods" and the use of expiration dates to determine if food is edible. Vice President Perry requested to know how many kitchen pails have been distributed. Ms. Geislar noted that more people have kitchen pails than were reported in the study, since the study gathered feedback from a sample population. Mr. Carroll reported that the District has distributed about 2300 kitchen pails. Discussion followed regarding feedback about kitchen pails and compostable bags. Ms. Geislar shared that a small number of respondents were concerned with the cost and size availability of compostable bags. She noted that other concerns included household cooperation and sufficient space for food separation; however, concerns were reduced as the second and third surveys were collected. President Scheafer requested to know if residents shared concerns about coordinating organic recycling with their gardeners. COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT PAGE 3 MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS STUDY SESSION HELD JANUARY 12,2016 Ms. Geislar noted that some of the main challenges identified by respondents included the maintenance of organics carts, as well as odors and flies surrounding the organic waste. She added that many respondents were educated regarding the regular disposal of organic waste to maintain the cleanliness of the cart and kitchen pail, although there were not many survey questions related to yard waste. Director Ferryman requested to know if the survey included questions about grease disposal. Ms. Geislar indicated that the survey did not include questions about grease disposal, but she did receive questions about how to dispose of fats, oils, and grease (FOG). Discussion followed regarding a resident's ability to recycle FOG at the OCC Recycling Center or by placing it in their organics recycling carts. Ms. Geislar shared that many respondents indicated that they became more aware of how much food they were wasting and changed their shopping habits to prevent waste as a result of their participation in the organics program. She added that many people reported that they stopped using one of their regular mixed waste trash carts and replaced it with the organics cart. Ms. Geislar noted a key finding that residents were more likely to separate food waste if they believed that others in the community were participating in organics recycling also. Additionally, she noted that support for the organics program increased from 63% to 77% throughout the study. Assistant Secretary Schafer requested to know if Ms. Geislar indicated to respondents that organic recycling will eventually be mandatory. Ms. Geislar shared that a small number of respondents expressed concerns about the repercussions of not participating in the organics program. She noted that the community's participation in food separation has been relatively stable since October, but that further action may be needed to help the District achieve the 75% diversion mandate, such as kitchen pail distribution and expansion of the current communication of new food waste norms. Assistant Secretary Schafer indicated that she is concerned about residents who may be unable to obtain a kitchen pail due to the District's limited hours of operation. Ms. Geislar suggested that the District may want to explore other means of distributing kitchen pails by partnering with other organizations in the community. President Scheafer shared the idea of partnering with a local business to encourage residents to obtain a kitchen pail and purchase compostable bags. COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT PAGE 4 MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS STUDY SESSION HELD JANUARY 12, 2016 Secretary Ooten added that it is important to educate residents regarding the purpose of the kitchen pails and the organic recycling program in addition to providing the pails. Ms. Geislar noted that kitchen pails are not necessarily essential for program participation because the study shows that many residents have adapted other containers to use in the same way as kitchen pails. Mr. Carroll reported that the District still has many kitchen pails that have not been distributed. He shared that the newsletter could feature an interview with program participants to find out what they learned and any tips they may have for others. Lastly, Mr. Carroll noted that Channel 4 News would like to do a story on the program, and the District will continue to circulate positive messaging surrounding the program. Discussion followed regarding CR&R's organics characterization report, the community's use of the organics carts, and the diversion rate. Ms. Geislar noted that the District is among the first agencies to integrate social science into the design of an organics program and the very first agency in Orange County to test the effects of communicating the new norms of food waste. She reiterated that communicating the new norms of food waste had a positive effect on program participation. Ms. Geislar added that the study falls in line with the recent executive order from President Obama to incorporate social science insights into policy design to increase effectiveness. She thanked the Board of Directors for the opportunity to conduct the study. Director Ferryman requested to know if the Organics Recycling Behavioral Study will be presented at any upcoming conferences. Mr. Carroll noted that information from the study will be presented on Thursday, January 16, 2016 at the OC Recycling Coordinators meeting in Santa Ana and possibly at the SWANA Conference. Jim Mosher, a member of the public, provided comments regarding the visibility of the District's logo on organics recycling carts. He suggested that the carts indicate more clearly the agency that has jurisdiction over the carts to avoid confusion with other jurisdictions that may also be serviced by CR&R. Discussion followed regarding the placement of the District's logo on the lid of the organics cart. The Board of Directors collectively thanked Ms. Geislar for her work on the Organics Recycling Behavioral Study. Ms. Geislar added that she will be submitting a final report regarding the study by COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT PAGE 5 MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS STUDY SESSION HELD JANUARY 12, 2016 the end of January. She noted that she will be presenting the study at the Urban Affairs Conference in San Diego in March of 2016 and the American Geographers Conference in San Francisco. Lastly, Ms. Geislar thanked the Board of Directors for allowing her to conduct the study. 2. Recycling & Waste Diversion Reports— December 2015 Recommendation: That the Board of Directors receive and file the report. Scott Carroll, General Manager, presented report details and welcomed questions from the Board of Directors. President Scheafer commented that the reported tonnages seem to be indicative of the season. Discussion followed regarding including the organic tonnage within the total tonnages. Mr. Carroll reported that the organic tonnages will be included in the total tonnages at the February 9, 2016 Study Session. He also noted that the February 9, 2016 Study Session will feature a report on the Christmas Tree Recycling Program. Jim Mosher, a member of the public, provided commentary regarding the format and data of the Recycling and Waste Diversion Reports. He shared that he believes the tonnage data to be statistically misleading because the tonnages are multiplied by a fixed number (drawn from CR&R's characterization study) that has been used for the last year and possibly longer. Additionally, he suggested that the report clarify which tonnages indicate collection from mixed waste carts and which tonnages indicate collection from organic carts. Lawrence Jones, CR&R, reported that the characterization was updated about 3 months ago. Additionally, he noted that green waste is included in the Recycling Report because some residents still dispose of green waste in their regular mixed waste carts. He identified the organic tonnage as it is reported on the third page of the report. Lastly, he noted that he will verify that the tables used in the reports have been updated to reflect the new characterization. 3. Code Enforcement Officer Report— December 2015 Recommendation: That the Board of Directors receive and file the report. Scott Carroll, General Manager, presented the report and welcomed questions from the Board of Directors. He reported that Ed Roberts, Code Enforcement Officer, shared that there has been an increase in early morning scavenging. Mr. Carroll indicated that Mr. Roberts' hours would periodically be scheduled earlier to accommodate those requests. COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT PAGE 6 MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS STUDY SESSION HELD JANUARY 12, 2016 Discussion followed regarding how Mr. Roberts should handle combative encounters and contact the Police Department if necessary. 4. State of the District Ad-Hoc Committee Update — Oral Report Recommendation: That the Board of Directors receive an oral report from President Scheafer. President Scheafer reported that the State of the District Ad-Hoc Committee discussed whether to hold a live event or to create a video, postcard, or newsletter for the State of the District. He noted that the committee will have their next meeting on Wednesday, January 20, 2016 and will have a better idea of the advantages, disadvantages, and costs for each option. President Scheafer added that these options will be presented at the February 9, 2016 Study Session. 5. Project No. 02-15 Closed Circuit Televising (CCTV) Services Request for Proposals Recommendation: That the Board of Directors receive and file the report. Scott Carroll, General Manager, provided report details. He shared that the last CCTV of the District's sewer system took place from 2006 to 2009 and the District was able to identify 255 Grade 5 pipe sections (indicating imminent failure) and 1600 Grade 4 pipe sections. Mr. Carroll explained that the District was then able to repair all of the Grade 5 areas. He reported that by industry standards, the District should CCN its system every 10 years. Mr. Carroll noted that the District created an RFP to CCTV the system and received 4 proposals, each with projected costs for a 1-year, 2-year, and 3-year CCTV plan. He indicated that Houston and Harris miscalculated the costs of their 2-year and 3-year proposals. Mr. Carroll noted that he, Rob Hamers, District Engineer, and Steve Cano, Wastewater Superintendent, reviewed the proposals and determined that Professional Pipe Services is the preliminary best value and lowest bid. He added that Professional Pipe Services has a fleet of 45 CCTV trucks, all of their technicians are National Association of Sewer Service Companies (NASSCO) certified, and they use the latest inspection software (WinCan and Pipelogix). Mr. Carroll noted that he, Mr. Hamers, and Mr. Cano will be meeting with representatives from Professional Pipe Services on January 13, 2016 to ask questions and view their CCTV truck. He indicated that staff will then bring an agreement recommendation to award a 2-year contract to Professional Pipe Services to the Board of Directors at the January 28, 2016 Board Meeting. Mr. Carroll reported that the services will cost $312,776.64 annually. He noted that the District has budgeted $70,000 for CCTV services during each fiscal year. As a result, he will be recommending the appropriation of $242,776.64 from the Facility Revolving Fund to fund the CCTV project. Lastly, Mr. Carroll welcomed questions from the Board of Directors. Assistant Secretary Schafer requested to know why the 2-year and 3-year costs were identical in Professional Pipe Services' proposal. COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT PAGE 7 MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS STUDY SESSION HELD JANUARY 12, 2016 Mr. Carroll replied that the projected costs are calculated by multiplying the cost of CCTV services per foot of sewer line. Mr. Hamers noted that based on this calculation, the cost of services per year would be the same whether the CCTV is done in 1, 2, or 3 years. Director Ferryman requested to know why the District budgeted $70,000 per fiscal year for the CCTV services. Mr. Carroll explained that the budget was originally based upon the City of Newport Beach's CCTV budget, but was misinterpreted because the City of Newport Beach has in-house CCTV services. Mr. Hamers noted that the City of Newport Beach budgeted for a small yearly amount, but budgeted for a longer term. Director Ferryman indicated that $242,776.64 is a large sum to appropriate. Mr. Carroll replied that Professional Pipe Services' proposal is less than the District anticipated. He noted that it was expected to cost approximately $1,000,000. Secretary Ooten requested clarification regarding the District's responsiveness to Grade 5 pipe sections. Mr. Hamers noted that the CCTV truck operators notify him and Scott immediately if a Grade 5 pipe section is identified and the District seeks to repair it right away. 6. 290 Paularino Avenue — Building Inspection Report Recommendation: That the Board of Directors receive the report and provide direction to staff. Scott Carroll, General Manager, provided report details. He noted that the District is currently in escrow for acquiring the property at 290 Paularino Avenue, Costa Mesa, and recently completed the building inspection. Mr. Carroll requested direction regarding how the Board of Directors would like to address the recommended improvements: having the seller make the improvements or having the seller subtract the estimated costs of repair from the selling price. He noted that there are two main areas of improvement needed: 5 of the 8 HVAC units on the building's roof need to be replaced and the roof is nearing the end of its life expectancy in 5-8 years. Lastly, Mr. Carroll added that the City of Costa Mesa will issue a minor conditional use permit, which will be brought to the Planning Commission in February as a consent item. Discussion followed regarding the amount of available parking spaces, the possible storage of the Code Enforcement vehicle, and the ability to store District Yard equipment at the property. COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT PAGE 8 MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS STUDY SESSION HELD JANUARY 12, 2016 Director Ferryman commented that the building inspection revealed fairly typical improvements. He recommended that the costs of improvement be subtracted from the selling price. President Scheafer indicated that he agreed with Director Ferryman. Mr. Carroll added that there is a Gas Company easement on the side of the property. 7. Adjourn to Closed Session A. Conference with Real Property Negotiators Property: 290 Paularino Avenue, Costa Mesa Agency Negotiators: Scott Carroll and Jack Faris Negotiating party (owner): William McFarland Under Negotiation: Price and terms of payment President Scheafer adjourned to closed session at 10:43 a.m. 8. Reconvene to Open Session President Scheafer reconvened to open session at 11:00 a.m. and noted that there was no reportable action taken. 9. Future Study Session Items Recommendation: That the Board of Directors provide staff with direction on items to be placed on future study session agendas. President Scheafer noted that Cal Recycle designated the City of Huntington Beach as a hub for recycling. He requested further information regarding this designation. Director Ferryman suggested that Mr. Hamers coordinate with the City of Costa Mesa regarding the bio-swale project on Arlington Drive in Costa Mesa. Discussion followed regarding the construction of a new Costa Mesa High School football stadium and its potential tie-in to the sewer system. Additionally, discussion followed regarding the effect of El Nino on power reliability. Mr. Carroll noted that the District was notified of power issues at the Gisler and Elden pump stations by the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system. Assistant Secretary Schafer requested clarification regarding the billing for the California Special Districts Association (CSDA) Conference accommodations and her Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) membership. COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT PAGE 9 MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS STUDY SESSION HELD JANUARY 12, 2016 President Scheafer requested that Mr. Carroll obtain the cost for Special District Risk Management Authority (SDRMA) to insure the new property at 290 Paularino Avenue, Costa Mesa. Director Ferryman requested the cost of origination or lenders fees. Mr. Carroll noted that District Treasurer, Marc Davis, will provide an update at the January 28, 2016 Board Meeting. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS-None ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to come before the Board, President Scheafer adjourned the meeting at 11:10 A.M. Robert Ooten ichaelScheaf-r Secretary President