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Minutes - Board - 2019-11-12COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT MINUTES OF BOARD OF DIRECTORS STUDY SESSION NOVEMBER 12, 2019 Members present Arlene Schafer, Art Perry, Bob Ooten, Mike Scheafer Members absent Jim Ferryman Staff present Rob Hamers (District Engineer), Gina Terraneo (Management Analyst II & Acting District Clerk), Nabila Guzman (Management Analyst 1), Edward Roberts (Code Enforcement Officer), Angela Colunga (Office Specialist) Others present Judith Gielow (Citizens Advisory Committee Member) Meeting called to order at 9:33 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.) Vice President Ooten called the meeting to order at 9:33 A.M. Management Analyst II and Acting District Clerk, Gina Terraneo, conducted roll call and noted that Vice President Ooten, Secretary Schafer, Director Scheafer and Director Perry were present. B. PUBLIC COMMENTS Procedural: 1. Public Comments Vice President Ooten opened public comments. Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) Member, Judith Gielow, shared a comment about fees and fairness. She suggested that the District evaluate how trash carts are being used and what types of cans residents are using. She noted that as she COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT PAGE 2 MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS STUDY SESSION HELD NOVEMBER 12, 2019 gets older, she produces less waste due to household downsizing. She shared that she currently has two larger sized carts that have now been grandfathered into her account. She suggested that residents should be charged according to the number of trash carts used rather than by the number of carts they have. Director Scheafer asked Management Analyst I, Nabila Guzman, if it is possible to assess what kinds of carts each property has. Ms. Guzman stated that it is possible to obtain that information, but it is not possible to charge each property accordingly. She explained that because the 5-year rate increase has already been approved, the District is not able to go back and change the rate increase. Ms. Guzman noted that the option to assess what types of carts each resident owns had been presented to the Board of Directors and the CAC, and both entities decided that there were too many unknowns to set rates based on cart usage. Director Scheafer requested that staff assist Ms. Gielow with switching her large sized carts to smaller carts. Ms. Gielow noted that she does not have a problem with the size of the carts, but rather, she is interested in having rates based on cart usage. She suggested that when increasing rates in the future, the District should research more fair ways to charge residents. She commented that she finds it unfair that she is paying the same rate as a resident who has a bigger household and produces substantially more waste than she does. Hearing no additional comments, Vice President Ooten closed public comments. C. ITEMS OF STUDY Action, Receive and File: 1. September 2019 Code Enforcement Officer Report Recommendation: That the Board of Directors receive and file this report. Code Enforcement Officer, Ed Roberts, presented his report to the Board. He reported that he conducted 5 investigations regarding scavenging. He noted that scavengers tend to conduct their activities in the early morning hours. Mr. Roberts noted that he adjusts his hours to contact repeat offenders, when necessary. Director Perry asked if Mr. Roberts had noticed a decrease in homelessness based on the City of Costa Mesa's recent efforts to address the issue. Mr. Roberts stated that he has not witnessed a decrease in homelessness. He explained that homeless individuals tend to gravitate towards coastal zones in colder months. He shared that he has received complaints about scavenging activity on 19t" Street, near Palace Avenue and Wallace. He noted that scavengers may not always be homeless or indigent. COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT PAGE 3 MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS STUDY SESSION HELD NOVEMBER 12, 2019 Mr. Roberts stated that his patrol routes follow the daily trash collection routes. He commented that he has not noticed a tremendous decrease in the homeless population. Director Perry asked Mr. Roberts to report back and to observe the City's efforts to address homelessness. Mr. Roberts noted that he will share an update at the next meeting. Secretary Schafer asked if Mr. Roberts has seen much change as a result of new developments in the city. Mr. Roberts responded that his enforcement strategy has not changed and that new residents are typically quick to comply with solid waste procedures. Secretary Schafer asked if CR&R helps bring new residents into compliance with the District's trash cart policies. Mr. Roberts noted that he does not work very closely with CR&R, but that they are very receptive when a problem or issue requires their assistance. Director Scheafer discussed the issue of homelessness in Sacramento in comparison with Costa Mesa. Mr. Roberts noted that he issued 130 notices for trash carts in public view in September 2019 and that there were no notices issued for graffiti. Director Scheafer asked staff to remind residents about the trash cart placement policy and how to properly discard boxes in the upcoming newsletter. There was no further discussion and the report was received. Action, Receive and File: 2. October 2019 Code Enforcement Office Report Recommendation: That the Board of Directors receive and file this report. Mr. Roberts presented his report for October 2019. He noted that he issued 112 notices for trash carts in public view and that there were no notices issued for graffiti. There was no further discussion and the report was received. Action, Receive and File: 3. September and October 2019 Solid Waste Diversion Report Recommendation: That the Board of Directors receive and file this report. COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT PAGE 4 MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS STUDY SESSION HELD NOVEMBER 12, 2019 Ms. Guzman presented the Board of Directors with the standard monthly reports for September and October Solid Waste Diversion. She stated that she is available to answer any questions regarding the reports. Director Perry asked why Orange Coast College's (OCC) results were not listed in the report. Ms. Guzman stated that she has not received their results yet, and that these results might increase the overall diversion rate by approximately 0.1 %. She shared that OCC typically collects about 140 tons of recyclable material per month. There was no further discussion and the report was received. Action, Receive and File: 4. September and October 2019 Organics Tonnage Report Recommendation: That the Board of Directors receive and file this report. Ms. Guzman presented the Board of Directors with the September and October 2019 Organics Tonnage Reports. Director Scheafer noted that the organics tonnage will drop due to the winter season. Ms. Guzman agreed and shared that the rate decreases due to grass and other vegetation not growing as fast as it does in warmer months. There was no further discussion and the report was received. Action, Receive and File: 5. Quarterly Legislative Update — Calendar Year Quarter 4 Recommendation: That the Board of Directors receive and file this report. Ms. Terraneo presented the Board of Directors with the Quarterly Legislative Update report. She shared that there were a total of over 3,000 bills, constitutional amendments, and resolutions introduced to the State Assembly and State Senate for this legislative season. She noted that the report contains bills that were passed and vetoed by Governor Newsom, and a few that will continue as two-year bills. Ms. Terraneo discussed Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie -Norris' AB 65, which intends to address the impacts of climate change by requiring the State Coastal Conservancy to prioritize grant funding for projects that utilize natural infrastructure. She noted that these projects intend to reduce greenhouse gases, preserve coastal wetlands, and create recreational spaces. Secondly, Ms. Terraneo presented AB 614, which provides tax credits for the donation of food by farmers and manufactures and goes into effect in 2020. Thirdly, she presented AB 827, which requires businesses that produce over 4 cubic yards of solid waste or over 8 cubic yards of organic waste to provide clearly labeled recycling bins in their establishments. She noted that this bill applies to fast-food and fast -casual restaurants, but is not intended for sit-down, full -service restaurants. Ms. Terraneo stated that CalRecyle is responsible for developing model signage for these COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT PAGE 5 MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS STUDY SESSION HELD NOVEMBER 12, 2019 establishments. She commented that she hopes these new regulations will encourage people to separate their organic waste, and in turn help the District's Organics Recycling Program. Director Scheafer shared that he has visited restaurants that have the three different bins for waste. He commented that most people do not know which bin to place their trash in. He expressed that having pictures on the trash carts helps people figure out how to dispose of their waste correctly. Director Perry asked who will be picking up the organic waste from these establishments and when the bill goes into effect. Ms. Terraneo stated that various waste haulers collect commercial waste in Costa Mesa and she noted that the bill goes into effect in July 2020. Vice President Ooten noted that service to these establishments depends on jurisdiction and whether a separate truck will be necessary to pick up the organic waste. Discussion followed regarding how to service these establishments and which jurisdiction will be responsible. Director Perry suggested that General Manager, Scott Carroll, share this topic at the next Liaison Committee meeting. Ms. Terraneo recommended continuing this discussion at the first Solid Waste Ad Hoc Committee meeting. She presented AB 849, which requires cities and counties to adopt new voting districts for their governing bodies after each decennial census. She noted that this bill does not yet apply to special districts. Director Perry asked when this bill goes into effect. Ms. Terraneo stated that it goes into effect in January 2020. Discussion followed regarding the bill's formation and implementation. Ms. Terraneo introduced AB 1162, which bans the usage of small plastic bottles for products like shampoo and lotion at hotels with 50 or more rooms by 2023. She noted that this bill will apply to smaller hotels by 2024 and that hotels will most likely have dispensers for these products. Ms. Terraneo presented AB 1486, which requires special districts to offer the right of first refusal for any surplus land to schools, affordable housing developers, and park agencies before entering any formal or informal negotiations to sell the land. She noted that the California Special Districts Association opposed the bill and made several amendments to the bill. She shared that it requires districts to notify the Department of Housing and Community Development before selling the land, and the Department must maintain a list of all the land for sale. She added that districts can specify COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT PAGE 6 MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS STUDY SESSION HELD NOVEMBER 12, 2019 restrictions on how the property may be used and she noted that this bill does not apply to renting or leasing land. Director Scheafer expressed that AB 1486 will mostly impact park and water districts because they are the two types of agencies that have the most land in their possession. He noted that park districts typically sell their land to developers because it is too costly for them to maintain. Lastly, Ms. Terraneo mentioned SB 200, which established the Safe and Affordable Drinking Water Fund that will be receiving an annual transfer of 5% of the proceeds from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund up to 130 million dollars. She noted that the State Water Resources Control Board is responsible for creating a plan to provide for the supply of drinking water in the future. Director Perry asked if this is the bill that will increase water fees. Vice President Ooten stated that AB 1486 is in lieu of that proposed bill. Director Scheafer mentioned a few bills that were discussed at the most recent Special District Risk Management Association (SDRMA) meeting. Secretary Schafer complimented Ms. Terraneo for her attention to bills that are tracked by the California Special Districts Association. There was no further discussion and the report was received. Action: 6. Inflow & Infiltration (1/1): Mendoza Pump Station Smoke Test Findings Recommendation: That the Board of Directors direct staff to bring this item back to the November 21, 2019 Regular Board of Directors meeting to consider the following action: 1. Direct staff to implement the recommendations, cited in the attached report; and 2. Direct staff to smoke test the remainder of the Mendoza Pump Station Tributary Area in FY 2021-21 District Engineer, Rob Hamers, presented the report to the Board of Directors. Mr. Hamers stated that Orange County Sanitation District's (OCSD) goal is to limit inflow and infiltration (1/1) into their system. He shared that the District is working toward helping OCSD achieve this goal by identifying how water gets into the system. He explained that the District does this by plugging and sealing manholes located in streets that tend to flood, or those located in low-lying areas. Mr. Hamers noted that the District has plugged and sealed 1,000 out of 5,000 manholes. He shared that another method of identifying 1/1 is smoke testing. He stated that the Mendoza tributary area feeds into the Mendoza pump station, and that this station experiences the most 1/1 when it rains. Mr. Hamers described how to conduct a smoke test. He noted that smoke is pushed into the main sewer line and it will come out anywhere there is an opening, such as manholes, home vents, and through illegal connections. He shared that if a backyard is connected to a District sewer line because it does not drain well, then smoke will go through the COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT PAGE 7 MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS STUDY SESSION HELD NOVEMBER 12, 2019 connection. He pointed out that within the area that the District tested, 6 illegal connections were found. He noted that a few of the connections are on the OC Fairgrounds property. Mr. Hamers noted that the report recommends placing a meter in the OC Fairgrounds' sewer line to determine if they are keeping their valves closed. He explained that the meter will track the dry and wet weather flow to determine if the OC Fairgrounds is contributing a substantial amount of water. Discussion followed regarding the types of wastewater entering the District's system from the OC Fairgrounds. Secretary Schafer inquired about the jurisdiction of the sewer lines surrounding the OC Fairgrounds. Mr. Hamers confirmed that the District has jurisdiction over its sewer lines surrounding the OC Fairgrounds. He reiterated that the District is working in conjunction with the State Water Resources Control Board and OCSD to prevent stormwater from entering the system. Mr. Hamers noted that these results, which were gathered from the smoke test of the southeastern half of the Mendoza tributary area, do not account for the amount of 1/1 that enters the District's system during storms. Therefore, he explained that staff supports the recommendations of the study and recommends budgeting to smoke test the northwest half of the Mendoza tributary area. He stressed that it is necessary to find the sources of 1/1 due to an excessive amount of water being collected in the system. Director Perry confirmed that the northwest half of the Mendoza tributary area includes Sonora School. Director Scheafer commented that the problem is likely to be the OC Fairgrounds. He recommended reaching out to the Board of the OC Fairgrounds to coordinate preparation for the rainy season. Mr. Hamers assured the Board that the flow meter will be installed before the rainy season. Vice President Ooten commented that he does not believe the problem is the valves, but rather people opening manholes in low-lying areas. He suggested that there may be somewhere else on the OC Fairgrounds property where manholes are being lifted. Mr. Harriers confirmed which manholes are owned by the District on the map, and which ones are owned by the OC Fairgrounds. Vice President Ooten expressed that this issue has been a historical problem, ever since he joined the Board of Directors. He indicated agreement with installing a flow meter, but he commented that if there is another drought, then the flow meter will have to remain for a few years until the area receives substantial rain. He COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT PAGE 8 MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS STUDY SESSION HELD NOVEMBER 12, 2019 commented that he does not find it necessary to install a flow meter in the other half of the Mendoza tributary area. Mr. Hamers noted that the tributary area map includes the flood channel. Vice President Ooten expressed support for installing a flow meter before the year ends. He verified that this level of flow occurs at Mendoza pump station every winter. Director Scheafer asked if the Mendoza pump station is the District's biggest problem. Mr. Hamers stated that Mendoza pump station has the biggest 1/1 problem, and that the Elden pump station experiences the second most 1/1. Secretary Schafer asked if the District has budgeted for the additional smoke testing. Mr. Hamers stated that staff recommends budgeting for this next fiscal year. Vice President Ooten recommended moving forward with the study's recommendations before budgeting for the other half of the study. He stated that the District is legally required to pursue whoever is violating the law. He noted that as the responsible agency, the District must find out where the flows are coming from. Secretary Schafer verified that this process has been documented by the engineers involved. Mr. Hamers indicated agreement with Vice President Ooten regarding looking further into the flow from the OC Fairgrounds. Vice President Ooten commented that the contractor will either find the culprit or continue smoke testing. Mr. Hamers suggested using the difference between the $40,000 that was budgeted and the $26,950 that the District has paid to further investigate the OC Fairgrounds, and then budget to continue the smoke testing in fiscal year 2020- 2021. Director Scheafer stated that he would be curious to see how much water the OC Fairgrounds uses on a monthly basis. Mr. Hamers commented that Mesa Water District would not release that information. COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT PAGE 9 MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS STUDY SESSION HELD NOVEMBER 12, 2019 Secretary Schafer recommended that this report be placed on the agenda for the regular Board Meeting. Vice President Ooten recommended that staff come back with an idea of how much a flow meter will cost. Director Perry indicated agreement with obtaining a cost for the flow meter by the next Board Meeting. The Board of Directors directed staff to place this item on the next Board Meeting agenda and obtain a cost for the installation of a flow meter. Mr. Hamers confirmed that he will bring back a cost for the flow meter and a potential schedule for its installation. There was no further discussion. D. CLOSING ITEMS Procedural: 1. Oral Communications and Director Comments Secretary Schafer asked if the Board agreed on establishing an Ad Hoc Committee to evaluate this year's progress and accomplishments. Director Scheafer recommended meeting with General Manager, Scott Carroll, before he presents his final report to the Board of Directors about the District's 2019 programs and accomplishments. Vice President Ooten recommended adding this discussion to the agenda for the next Board Meeting. There were no further comments. Procedural: 2. Adjournment Vice President Ooten adjourned the meeting at 10:36 A.M. A ne Schafer Secretary Jqf4es Ferryman P69ident