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Minutes - CAC - 2021-09-08COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT MINUTES OF THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING SEPTEMBER 08, 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 Jeff Arbour, Daniel Baume, Cindy Brenneman, Dickie Fernandez, Judy Gielow, Seth Greiner, Sue Lester, Phil Marsh CAC Members absent Mike Corcoran, Elodie Katz Board Members present Bob Ooten, Art Perry, Mike Scheafer Staff present Scott Carroll (General Manager), Noelani Middenway (District Clerk & Public Information Officer), Mark Esquer (District Engineer), Gina Terraneo (Management Analyst II), Nabila Guzman (Management Analyst I) Others present Timothy McLarney, True North Research Susan Eaton Meeting called to order at 6:00 P.M. A. OPENING ITEMS Procedural: 1. Call to Order COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT PAGE 2 MINUTES OF THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING HELD SEPTEMBER 08, 2021 Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) Vice Chair Lester called the meeting to order at 6:00 P.M. Procedural: 2. Roll Call District Clerk & Public Information Officer, Noelani Middenway, conducted roll call. She noted that CAC Members Arbour, Baume, Brenneman, Fernandez, Gielow, Greiner, Lester, and Marsh were present, while CAC Members Corcoran and Katz were not present. 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 Vice Chair Lester opened public comments. Ms. Middenway stated that no members of the public have requested to submit a public comment. Hearing no members of the public wishing to speak, CAC Vice Chair Lester closed public comments. B. ITEMS Action: 1. Approve the Citizens Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes of July 14, 2021 Recommendation: That the Citizens Advisory Committee approves the meeting minutes as presented. CAC Vice Chair Lester presented the CAC meeting minutes of July 14, 2021. Motion: To approve the Citizens Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes of July 14, 2021 as presented. Motion by Seth Greiner, second by Daniel Baume. Final Resolution: Motion carries 8-0-0-2 Ayes: Jeff Arbour, Daniel Baume, Cindy Brenneman, Dickie Fernandez, Judy Gielow, Seth Greiner, Sue Lester, Phil Marsh No: None Abstain: None COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT PAGE 3 MINUTES OF THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING HELD SEPTEMBER 08, 2021 Not Present: Mike Corcoran, Elodie Katz There was no further discussion. Discussion: 2. Provide Comments and Questions for the 2021 Community -wide Citizen Survey Recommendation: That the Citizens Advisory Committee provides comments and questions for the 2021 Community -wide Citizen Survey. CAC Vice Chair Lester introduced the item. General Manager, Scott Carroll, presented report details and introduced the President of True North Research, Dr. Timothy McLarney. Dr. McLarney provided an overview of the surveying process. He discussed survey requirements, including validity, reliability, and sample representation. He explained the research approach, including the method of sampling, recruiting participation, and data collection. He also noted the anticipated timeline and project stages. CAC Vice Chair Lester stated that a large section of the District's service area are not trash customers. She inquired if the survey will only be targeting District trash customers. Dr. McLarney stated that the survey will be tailored to the customer's services. He added that if the participant is a trash customer, then they will receive trash -related questions. CAC Vice Chair Lester commented that the City of Costa Mesa is behind the curve on working with other trash haulers. She noted that she does not receive the District's trash services. She added that most people who are not serviced by the District for trash disposal are oblivious to how trash services operate in the City. She stated that she is concerned that the District will be spending their time and effort on educating its customers, while non - customers will not be receiving the same type of relevant information from the City. Dr. McLarney stated that the survey will not be asking the respondent to provide the name of their service provider. He added that they will be COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT PAGE 4 MINUTES OF THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING HELD SEPTEMBER 08, 2021 working with the District's database to determine each respondent's service level. He noted that the survey will not be relying on the customer to know their waste hauler. He continued his presentation and discussed the questionnaire from the 2019 Citizen Survey. He noted that questions related to the two -cart versus three -cart system will be added to the upcoming survey. He asked the CAC to provide any ideas or questions regarding the survey. CAC Member Arbour asked if the primary goal of the survey is to assess customer's feelings about a three -cart system. Mr. Carroll stated that the goal of the survey is to engage with residents on their satisfaction level with District services (customer service, staff interaction, special collection programs), similar to the 2019 Citizen Survey. He explained that another goal is to add new questions regarding the two - cart system versus a three -cart system. He added that the results of the survey will determine the District's level of public education and outreach. He shared that, prior to implementing the District's Organics Recycling Program, the District hosted eight town hall meetings to receive public input. Discussion followed regarding survey questions related to a three -cart system. CAC Member Greiner asked what the District learned from the 2019 survey data that will impact the new survey. Dr. McLarney stated that he has reviewed the questions and results of the 2019 survey and found some questions that are no longer applicable. He noted that there were some good questions assessing performance measures that will be included in the new survey to compare results over time. He shared that they are currently in the information stage of the survey process. He added that the next phase will include a draft of the 2021 Citizen Survey. CAC Member Baume asked if the 2019 Citizen Survey included apartment residents. Mr. Carroll confirmed that apartment residents were included. He stated that the 2021 Citizen Survey will be targeting single family households. He COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT PAGE 5 MINUTES OF THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING HELD SEPTEMBER 08, 2021 noted that the 2019 Citizen Survey included about 30% multifamily residents. CAC Vice Chair Lester shared that CAC Chair Katz submitted written comments regarding this item. On behalf of CAC Chair Katz, CAC Vice Chair Lester asked if the surveyor will notify respondents that the District is responsible for the survey. Dr. McLarney confirmed that they will be sharing that information with the respondents. CAC Vice Chair Lester stated that CAC Chair Katz recommended including questions related to CR&R's performance and respondents' familiarity with District programs and outreach methods. She noted that CAC Chair Katz wants to include questions related to Senate Bill (SB) 1383. Dr. McLarney expressed recognition for CAC Chair Katz's suggestions and stated that her comments will be taken into consideration. He noted that information regarding SB 1383 can be included in the education section of the survey and will be useful in shaping how people feel about the two -cart versus three -cart system. CAC Vice Chair Lester shared other comments submitted by CAC Chair Katz regarding customers' understanding of the District's two -cart system, recycling green waste, how many Organics Recycling Carts each customer has, and if customers would like the option of paying less for producing less trash rather than a flat rate billing system. She noted that the District has many households that produce minimal waste, yet everyone is charged the same rate. She shared another question by CAC Chair Katz regarding the frequency of trash collection. She stated that CAC Chair Katz suggested working with the District's communications consultant, Tripepi Smith, prior to finalizing the survey for their suggestions related to social media campaigns. She expressed appreciation for CAC Chair Katz's input and comments. Dr. McLarney stated that he has a copy of CAC Chair Katz's questions and comments and noted that they will be considered when drafting the questionnaire. COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT PAGE 6 MINUTES OF THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING HELD SEPTEMBER 08, 2021 President Ooten stated that SB 1383 requires a significant amount of education. He added that the District can be fined by the state if they do not ensure that their customers are separating their waste correctly. He shared that the District has spent a lot of money on educational videos. He recommended that the survey evaluates the individual program videos to determine their effectiveness. CAC Member Greiner shared that he is constructing an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) at his property and recommended including information regarding other District services in the survey and how the District is separate from the City of Costa Mesa. CAC Member Brenneman asked if the 2019 Citizen Survey is available for review and if the CAC will be able to provide additional suggestions after the draft survey is produced. Mr. Carroll stated that the survey is on the District's website and attached to the staff report. He noted that the CAC has two weeks to submit their suggestions. Vice President Scheafer stated that, since there are three Board members present at the meeting, he will be saving his survey questions and comments for the September Study Session. CAC Vice Chair Lester added that the Board will be discussing this item at the next Study Session, which will be open to the public. Mr. Carroll instructed the CAC to submit their additional questions to Ms. Middenway. There was no further discussion. Discussion, Receive and File: 3. Provide Comments Regarding CMSD's Artificial Intelligence Manhole Management Program Recommendation: That the Citizens Advisory Committee provides comments regarding CMSD's Artificial Intelligence Manhole Management Program. CAC Vice Chair Lester introduced the item. COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT PAGE 7 MINUTES OF THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING HELD SEPTEMBER 08, 2021 Mr. Carroll described the program and noted that the prior manhole inspection program was manual, time consuming, and dangerous. He stated that for the current program, the District installed a GoPro camera on the Code Enforcement vehicle to record video of the streets within the District's service area. He reported that the program's computer model rates the condition of each manhole recorded. He noted that the District is able to inspect all manholes within two weeks and that the process no longer risks staffs safety. He stated that the program is efficient and economical. He shared that the District won the Innovative Project of the Year award from the California Special Districts Association (CSDA). Management Analyst I, Nabila Guzman, stated that SpringML developed the program's processes. She provided an overview of the District's Manhole Management map and website. CAC Member Fernandez congratulated the District on their program. He requested for a District staff member to present the program at his interagency committee meeting tomorrow morning. Mr. Carroll thanked CAC Member Fernandez for the invitation and suggested presenting the program at the committee's next meeting. CAC Member Marsh asked if all manholes are the same size. District Engineer, Mark Esquer, stated that most of the District's manholes measure 24-inches in diameter and that there are some that measure 36- inches in diameter. He shared that the District has an inventory of manholes, which includes framing covers. He noted that, if the field staff find damage that the camera missed, then they will report that information to the Wastewater Maintenance Superintendent. CAC Member Marsh inquired about the timeframe for repairing a defective manhole. Mr. Esquer stated that the repair timeframe depends on the status of the manhole. He noted that the District prefers to purchase framing covers in bulk, since it is more economical than purchasing them individually. There was no further discussion, and the report was received. COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT PAGE 8 MINUTES OF THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING HELD SEPTEMBER 08, 2021 Discussion: 4. Provide Comments Regarding CMSD's Sewer Siphon Evaluation Results - Project #311 Recommendation: That the Citizens Advisory Committee provides comments regarding CMSD's sewer siphon evaluation results - Project #311. CAC Vice Chair Lester introduced the item. Mr. Carroll provided a brief overview regarding the history of Project #311. Mr. Esquer provided a presentation of Project #311 details. He discussed inverted siphons and air jumpers. He shared the status of each sewer siphon, and the District's phases for repairs. He discussed the District's budget for siphon repairs. CAC Member Greiner asked about the effects of a damaged siphon. Mr. Esquer stated that the District will install a new pipeline for damaged siphons. He noted that the damage at the Bristol Street Sewer Siphon was caused by concrete dumped into the sewer system. He stated that there are many different factors that affect sewer siphons, including tree roots, cracks, holes, the age of the pipe, and the type of soils in the area. CAC Member Marsh asked if the District knows the age of each siphon. Mr. Esquer stated that he is unsure, but that some siphons are up to 40 years old. He noted that he can report back with actual ages of each siphon. CAC Member Marsh stated that the estimated age was sufficient. President Ooten asked which siphons will be repaired during phase one. Mr. Esquer stated that siphons 2, 3, and 4 on the list will be repaired during phase one. Discussion followed regarding the project's phase list. CAC Vice Chair Lester asked if the District expects the other siphons to have significant, unanticipated costs like the Bristol Street Sewer Siphon. COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT PAGE 9 MINUTES OF THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING HELD SEPTEMBER 08, 2021 Mr. Carroll stated that, due to the concrete dumped illegally near the Bristol Street Sewer Siphon, the cost for repairs were much bigger than anticipated. He stated that the cost was also exacerbated because cleaning hoses got stuck in the sewer line during the repair process. He noted that the District does not anticipate that the other siphon repairs will result in the same unanticipated costs. Mr. Esquer shared that the technology used to clean and remove concrete takes a considerable amount of time. He provided further clarification regarding the District's budget for siphon repairs. CAC Member Arbour inquired about whether routine maintenance can help improve the longevity of the siphons. Mr. Esquer stated that the Wastewater Department staff is scheduled to hydro -flush and clean the sewer siphons on a routine basis. There was no further discussion and the report was received. C. CLOSING ITEMS Procedural: 1. Committee Member Comments CAC Vice Chair Lester congratulated the District on their award for the Artificial Intelligence Manhole Management Program. Mr. Carroll recognized Management Analyst II, Gina Terraneo, for receiving the Staff Member of the Year award from CSDA. He shared that the District received the District of Distinction - Platinum award and the Transparency Certificate of Excellence. Ms. Middenway announced that CAC Member Nielson has stepped down from the CAC. She stated that he shares his gratitude to District staff, the Board of Directors, and the CAC. She noted that there is now one vacancy on the CAC. COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT PAGE 10 MINUTES OF THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING HELD SEPTEMBER 08, 2021 CAC Vice Chair Lester thanked CAC Member Nielson on behalf of the CAC. She shared that he was a member since the CAC's inception and has provided a lot of valuable input. There was no further discussion. Procedural: 2. Board/Staff Comments There was no discussion. Procedural: 3. Adjournment CAC Vice Chair Lester adjourned the meeting at 7:12 P.M. and stated that the next CAC meeting is scheduled for November 10, 2021. Elodie Katz Citizens Advisory Committee Chair