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Minutes - CAC - 2021-07-14COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT MINUTES OF THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING JULY 14, 2021 (TELECONFERENCE MEETING VIA ZOOM) NOTE: THIS MEETING WAS CONDUCTED UTILIZING TELECONFERENCING PURSUANT TO GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 54952.2 AND THE GOVERNOR'S EXECUTIVE ORDERS IN EFFECT WAIVING SOME OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF THAT SECTION. CAC Members present Mike Corcoran, Dickie Fernandez, Judy Gielow, Seth Greiner, Elodie Katz, Sue Lester, Phil Marsh CAC Members absent Jeff Arbour, Cindy Brenneman, Daniel Baume, Andrew Nielson Board Members present None Staff present Scott Carroll (General Manager), Noelani Middenway (District Clerk & Public Information Officer), Mark Esquer (District Engineer), Gina Terraneo (Management Analyst II) Others present Joe Jenkins, EEC Environmental Meeting called to order at 6:04 P.M. A. OPENING ITEMS Procedural: 1. Call to Order COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT PAGE 2 MINUTES OF THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING HELD JULY 14, 2021 Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) Chair Katz called the meeting to order at 6:04 P.M. Procedural: 2. Roll Call District Clerk & Public Information Officer, Noelani Middenway, conducted roll call. She noted that CAC Members Corcoran, Ferndndez, Greiner, Katz, Lester, and Marsh were present while CAC Members Arbour, Baume, Brenneman, Gielow, and Nielson were not present. CAC Member Gielow joined the meeting at 7:02 p.m. Procedural: 3. Public Comments - Speakers will be limited to three minutes. The three minutes per speaker time allotted may be extended for good cause by a majority vote of the committee. CAC Chair Katz opened public comments. Ms. Middenway stated that no written comments were received for the CAC to review and that no members of the public have requested to submit a public comment. CAC Member Corcoran stated that he has comments to share under Committee Comments. Hearing no members of the public wishing to speak, CAC Chair Katz closed public comments. B. ITEMS Action: 1. Approve the Citizens Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes of May 12, 2021 Recommendation: That the Citizens Advisory Committee approves the meeting minutes as presented. CAC Chair Katz presented the CAC meeting minutes of May 12, 2021. Motion: To approve the Citizens Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes of May 12, 2021 as presented. Motion by Sue Lester, second by Elodie Katz. COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT PAGE 3 MINUTES OF THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING HELD JURY 14, 2021 Final Resolution: Motion carries 6-0-0-5 Ayes: Mike Corcoran, Dickie Ferndndez, Seth Greiner, Elodie Katz, Sue Lester, Phil Marsh No: None Abstain: None Not Present: Jeff Arbour, Daniel Baume, Cindy Brenneman, Judy Gielow, Andrew Nielson There was no further discussion. Action: 2. Consider Approving 2021-22 Goals and Objectives Schedule Recommendation: That the Citizens Advisory Committee approves the 2021-22 Goals and Objective Schedule. CAC Chair Katz introduced the item. General Manager, Scott Carroll, presented report details. He stated that, according to the CAC Handbook, the CAC Chair meets with the General Manager and Board President to discuss the CAC's workplan for the upcoming year. He shared that CAC Chair Katz met with him and President Ooten on June 25, 2021 and developed the attached plan. He asked the CAC to provide their edits and recommendations. He noted that the workplan is not finalized and that the timeline can be adjusted. He stated that the Citizen Survey feedback will be presented to the CAC in November 2021. He shared that the request for proposals (RFP) for that item was issued today. He added that the District is hoping to have the Citizen Survey consultant engage with the CAC regarding survey questions in the next few months. He noted that the Board has reviewed this item and did not provide any comments or suggestions. CAC Vice Chair Lester stated that no events are currently scheduled due to the COVID-19 pandemic but that the District usually participates in community events. She inquired about any anticipated events. She suggested including these items to the schedule so that the CAC will be involved. Mr. Carroll stated that he is unsure about any upcoming events. He shared that the City of Costa Mesa is hosting a concert in the park at the end of July 2021 and that it is not sponsored by the Costa Mesa Foundation. He noted COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT PAGE 4 MINUTES OF THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING HELD JULY 14, 2021 that the City is looking for sponsors but is not allowing community organizations like the District to participate for free. He added that the District is working on another virtual Citizens Environmental Protection Academy (CEPA) event for this year. He stated that the District is considering a hybrid approach for this event with a virtual segment and in -person tours. CAC Chair Katz recommended revisiting the topic of events once places begin to reopen to the public. Mr. Carroll confirmed that the 2021-22 Goals and Objectives Schedule is a working document intended to provide guidance for the upcoming year. Motion: To approve the 2021-22 Goals and Objectives Schedule. Motion by Sue Lester, second by Elodie Katz. Final Resolution: Motion carries 6-0-0-5 Ayes: Mike Corcoran, Dickie Fernandez, Seth Greiner, Elodie Katz, Sue Lester, Phil Marsh No: None Abstain: None Not Present: Jeff Arbour, Daniel Baume, Cindy Brenneman, Judy Gielow, Andrew Nielson There was no discussion. Discussion: 3. CMSD Fats Oil Grease (FOG) Annual Assessment Recommendation: That the Citizens Advisory Committee receives presentation from Joe Jenkins, of EEC Environmental, about the District's FOG Program and provides input to staff. Mr. Carroll introduced this item. He stated that the State of California requires wastewater agencies that manage a sewer system of one mile or more to have a waste discharge permit. He added that the permit requires agencies to implement a Fats, Oils, and Grease (FOG) control program. Specifically, he noted that this program is aimed at controlling the amount of grease discharged by restaurants that enters the District's sewer system. He stated that FOG can clog the sewer system and cause sanitary sewer overflows (SSO). He shared that the District contracts with EEC Environmental to manage their FOG control program and he introduced Joe Jenkins of EEC Environmental. COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT PAGE 5 MINUTES OF THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING HELD JURY 14, 2021 Mr. Jenkins stated that EEC Environmental provides an annual assessment of the District's FOG program for review and improvement. He discussed the elements of the FOG program: conduct risk -based food service establishment (FSE) inspections, FOG program education and outreach, enforcement coordination, data management, plan review, source characterization, and enhanced maintenance locations (EML). He explained the elements of FSE inventory management, inspection frequency criteria and modifications, EML reduction, FOG discharge mitigation, key program trends, and program recommendations. CAC Member Greiner inquired about the trend chart and asked if EEC Environmental has any indications regarding how successful their interventions and trainings have been in relation to the trend. Mr. Jenkins stated that more people were eating at home in 2019-2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in an increase in residential FOG. He stated that it is challenging to significantly impact residential communities from a FOG outreach standpoint. He shared that FOG outreach material is available, but that it is typically provided after a specific issue is identified. He noted that EEC assesses if certain trends are isolated incidents or recurring issues. He discussed contributing factors, such as educating FSEs and proactive cleaning by the District's Wastewater Department. CAC Member Greiner recommended providing a chart that shows non- residential versus residential FOG trends. Mr. Jenkins stated that, generally, these programs have more success with businesses rather than residential areas. He noted that it is more difficult to change people's behavior regarding FOG waste. Mr. Carroll shared that, this past year, the District published a series of public service announcements (PSA) on how to properly dispose of FOG at home. He added that this information was included in the District's bilingual newsletter. He stated that the District has a partnership with Orange Coast College to accept FOG for recycling. He noted that this partnership is more heavily promoted during the holiday season. COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT PAGE 6 MINUTES OF THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING HELD JULY 14, 2021 CAC Vice Chair Lester inquired if the District regulates or oversees the FOG waste produced by the Orange County Fair at the Fairgrounds. Mr. Jenkins stated that all areas that permanently connect to the District's sewer system are in EEC's database. He noted that EEC does not necessarily inspect the Fairgrounds during the OC Fair. He explained that if the OC Fair was identified as an issue area, then EEC would inspect it. CAC Member Fernandez discussed the trend chart and asked about the volume of the largest SSO. Mr. Jenkins stated that he does not have that information readily available, but that he believes that there were a few spills with a volume of 50,000 to 70,000 gallons. Mr. Carroll stated that the largest SSO occurred within the Elden Force Main inside the Mesa Bridge, which was about 7,100 gallons. CAC Member Fernandez stated that, relatively speaking, a spill of 7,100 gallons is not large. He shared that the recent spill by the Hyperion Water Reclamation Plant in Los Angeles was 17 million gallons. He noted that the agency will be receiving a fine in excess of $170 million from the State. He commented that the District is doing a great job with their FOG program. Discussion followed regarding the spill by the Hyperion Water Reclamation Plant and its impact on the agency. CAC Chair Katz asked if there is any protocol for recycling the grease from interceptors. Mr. Jenkins stated that grease interceptors usually collect "brown grease," which cannot always be recycled, unless it is taken to an Anaerobic Digestor (AD) facility. He added that some waste haulers will take this grease to the Orange County Sanitation District (OCSD) or different facilities. He stated that "yellow grease" from deep fryers is more likely to be recycled into biodiesel or animal feed. He also discussed "orange grease," which is sometimes mixed with "yellow grease" or recycled into a separate bin. COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT PAGE 7 MINUTES OF THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING HELD JURY 142 2021 ........._... Mr. Carroll stated that the AD technology that CR&R Environmental Services uses to collect the District's organic waste can also accept FOG and convert it into renewable natural gas. Mr. Jenkins stated that "orange grease" is a good commodity for grease -to - energy programs because it is cleaner than "brown grease." CAC Chair Katz asked if waste haulers are obligated to recycle yellow grease. Mr. Jenkins stated that they are not obligated to do so. CAC Chair Katz asked why some FSEs do not have a grease interceptor. She inquired if it is due to the cost or their inability to install one. Mr. Jenkins stated that some businesses do not have one due to the cost. He noted that they are very expensive to retrofit. CAC Chair Katz asked if there are programs to help businesses afford grease interceptors. Mr. Jenkins stated that there are no programs of that kind. He shared that the District looked into a grease interceptor assistance program, but there is a lot of liability that comes with it. He noted that businesses can get a business loan to purchase one. There was no further discussion, and the report was received. Discussion: 4. Review and Comment on Performance Measurement Benchmarks for CR&R Environmental Services Recommendation: That the Citizens Advisory Committee provides comments regarding the Performance Measurement Benchmarks for CR&R Environmental Services Mr. Carroll presented the item. He stated that, at the June Study Session, the Board denied CR&R's request for a rate adjustment, but decided to revisit the item in six months. He added that the Board directed District staff to develop benchmarks to assess if CR&R's performance improves. He noted that he presented this item to the Board yesterday, and they made some revisions to the report. He discussed the performance measurement benchmarks. COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT PAGE 8 MINUTES OF THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING HELD JURY 14, 2021 CAC Vice Chair Lester asked if there is anything related to when a customer's service is delayed and CR&R's timeframe for addressing a missed trash pickup. Mr. Carroll stated that, typically, CR&R will try to address missed trash pickups on the same day or the next day. He noted that if the missed pickup occurred on a Friday, then it may not be serviced until the following Monday. He reported that the District has after-hours contacts with CR&R so that drivers can provide service on Saturdays. He stated that the District's goal is to have missed pickups addressed within 24 hours. CAC Vice Chair Lester discussed trash service issues in her mother's neighborhood. She stated that CR&R has until 6:00 p.m. to pick up trash carts, but that if it is missed, then a customer cannot report it until the next day. She noted that this issue has been somewhat resolved, but it is usually the Organics Recycling Cart that is not serviced on time. Mr. Carroll shared that District staff and the Board discussed how to improve their communications with CR&R. CAC Member Corcoran stated that CR&R should address missed pickups in two or three hours rather than within two to three hours for clarification. He inquired about the reasoning for benchmark #1 regarding fleet age. Mr. Carroll stated that CR&R's fleet that services the District's community is outdated. He noted that the lifespan for a refuse truck is about 10 years. He added that refuse trucks that are 8-10 years old experience more breakdowns. He stated that CR&R has agreed to replace old vehicles servicing the District. CAC Member Greiner suggested for truck breakdowns to be included as a performance metric. He stated that the age of a truck fleet is a more indirect metric. Mr. Carroll stated that the District uses this because it is one of the metrics used in CR&R's audit. He commented that CR&R may not be honest about the number of breakdowns. He noted that District staff can explore that option. COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT PAGE 9 MINUTES OF THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING HELD JULY 14, 2021 CAC Member Greiner stated that an indirect metric may provide a false sense of security. CAC Member Corcoran suggested using mileage instead of years as the metric. Mr. Carroll stated that heavy-duty trucks are usually better assessed by their number of operational hours rather than mileage. CAC Vice Chair Lester inquired about recording CR&R requests. She asked if the GoCMSD application is the best tool for tracking service issues. Mr. Carroll confirmed that the District's GovOutreach application is the best tool for documenting CR&R requests and issues. CAC Vice Chair Lester inquired if the District documents issues and requests that are not submitted via the GoCMSD app. Mr. Carroll stated that District staff records phone requests and issues into the GovOutreach system also. CAC Chair Katz discussed benchmark #2. She asked if the phone number to call for missed pickups connects customers to CR&R or the District. She recommended including the District's GoCMSD app information on the website. Discussion followed the records used for developing benchmark #2. CAC Chair Katz asked how the District notifies the public about service delays. Mr. Carroll stated the District can use social media and email to notify customers of delays. He added that the District is exploring other options like NextDoor. He noted that NextDoor does not recognize special district as essential services. He shared that the California Special Districts Association (CSDA) is lobbying to have NextDoor include special districts. COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT PAGE 10 MINUTES OF THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING HELD JULY 14, 2021 CAC Vice Chair Lester asked if the benchmarks are the minimum measurement for CR&R to be considered for a Consumer Price Index (CPI) increase. Mr. Carroll stated that District staff considers these benchmarks to be the requirement for District staff to recommend a CPI increase to the Board. CAC Chair Katz asked if CR&R has updated their fleet to include only renewable natural gas (RNG) vehicles. Mr. Carroll stated that CR&R has resolved that matter and that each truck operates using RNG. CAC Member Gielow entered the meeting at 7:02 p.m. CAC Member Gielow stated that she is concerned about this topic from the financial perspective for the public. She asked if costs can be reduced for customers that wish to have their trash collected every other week. Mr. Carroll stated that he does not have an answer for that inquiry. He noted that the next item on the agenda regards the Solid Waste Ad Hoc Committee, which can explore a senior discount for trash services. He noted that he is unsure of how the District would implement that program. CAC Member Gielow stated that she only places her carts out for service every other week, but that she pays the same rate as other customers. Mr. Carroll stated that the District will explore that topic. CAC Member Greiner shared that landscaping companies sometimes service a company every other week to help their customers save money. He expressed support for exploring this topic. CAC Chair Katz suggested including this item as a survey question for the Citizen Survey. There was no further discussion. COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT PAGE 11 MINUTES OF THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING HELD JULY 14, 2021 Action: 5. Consider Appointing One Citizen Advisory Committee Member to Serve on the Solid Waste Ad Hoc Committee Recommendation: That the Citizens Advisory Committee appoints one member to serve on the Solid Waste Ad Hoc Committee. Mr. Carroll presented the item. He stated that the Solid Waste Ad Hoc Committee consists of two Board members and two CAC members. He shared that, in the past, CAC Chair Katz and CAC Member Fields represented the CAC. He noted that the District needs a new CAC member to replace CAC Member Fields, since he is no longer on the CAC. He added that the Solid Waste Ad Hoc Committee is scheduled to meet next week. He stated that the Committee decides the frequency of their meetings. He noted that he predicts the Committee to be very active as there are many solid waste topics to discuss. CAC Chair Katz welcomed volunteers. CAC Vice Chair Lester stated that she would like to serve on the Committee but that she accepted a contract job that requires her to work at night. She noted that she will be unable to participate for the next month but that she is interested in the Committee. Ms. Middenway noted that the next meeting is scheduled for 8:00 a.m. CAC Member Gielow asked if the meeting will be held via Zoom. Ms. Middenway stated that the meeting will be via Zoom on July 22, 2021. CAC Member Corcoran volunteered to serve on the Committee. Motion: To appoint CAC Member Mike Corcoran to serve on the Solid Waste Ad Hoc Committee. Motion by Elodie Katz, second by Sue Lester. Final Resolution: Motion carries 7-0-0-4 Ayes: Mike Corcoran, Dickie Fernandez, Judy Gielow, Seth Greiner, Elodie Katz, Sue Lester, Phil Marsh No: None Abstain: None Not Present: Jeff Arbour, Daniel Baume, Cindy Brenneman, Andrew Nielson COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT PAGE 12 MINUTES OF THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING HELD JURY 14, 2021 There was no discussion. Discussion: 6. Review and Comment on CMSD's Redesigned Website Recommendation: That the Citizens Advisory Committee provides feedback on the redesigned website. Mr. Carroll introduced the item. Management Analyst II, Gina Terraneo, provided a brief overview of the District's new website. She shared that the District worked with Revize LLC, an established municipal website designer that has been in business for over 20 years and has launched over 1,300 websites nationwide. She added that Revize has provided the most modern and user-friendly design while managing to provide services at the same cost as the District's previous vendor, which was about $6,000 per year. She reviewed the website's homepage and alert messaging function. She demonstrated the website's translation abilities. She reviewed the meetings, quick links, recent news, and social media sections of the homepage. She discussed the main menu tabs and how the public can contact the District. She reviewed the process for online service requests. She encouraged the CAC to explore the website and provide any feedback for improvements. CAC Vice Chair Lester expressed recognition for the new website and suggested including a tab under the Contact Us tab for "Missed Trash Pickups" that connects to the District's online service request system. CAC Chair Katz expressed recognition for the website and support for CAC Vice Chair Lester's suggestion. She asked if there is a webpage showcasing previous project bids. Ms. Terraneo stated that she believes that the District only saves the winning project bids. She presented the webpage for current bid opportunities and District records, which directs users to an outside website, Laserfiche, that stores all of the District's agreements and contracts. There was no further discussion. COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT PAGE 13 MINUTES OF THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING HELD JURY 14, 2021 C. CLOSING ITEMS Procedural: 1. Committee Member & Staff Comments CAC Member Corcoran shared an image showing how trash carts create a bike hazard on Victoria Street and Harbor Blvd. Mr. Carroll stated that this issue may be a question for the City of Costa Mesa. He asked CAC Member Corcoran to send the picture to the District Clerk. He noted that he will share this item with the City's Public Works Director. There was no further discussion. Procedural: 2. Board/Staff Comments CAC Chair Katz inquired about in -person meetings in September. Mr. Carroll shared that the District is undergoing a few audio/visual upgrades that will allow for hybrid meetings in the Boardroom at District Headquarters. He stated that the September CAC meeting will be in -person. He added that he needs to confirm with District Counsel that hybrid meetings are allowable under the Brown Act. He noted that he will be sending out a policy regarding face coverings. CAC Vice Chair Lester asked if CAC members are required to attend one Board meeting per year. Mr. Carroll confirmed that CAC members must attend at least one Board meeting per year. He noted that it will be easy to attend via teleconference. He announced that the Board has changed the start time of its Study Sessions to 8:00 a.m. He added that the regular Board meetings still occur at 4:30 p.m. There was no further discussion. Procedural: 3. Adjournment CAC Chair Katz adjourned the meeting at 7:27 P.M and stated that the next CAC meeting is scheduled for September 8, 2021. COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT PAGE 14 MINUTES OF THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING HELD JULY 142 2021 Elodie Katz Citizens Advisory Committee Chair