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HomeMy WebLinkAbout08.a.5) General Manager Written Announcements3-a- Board Meeting of September 1, 2011 Written Announcements: General Updates a) California Special Districts Association Election Results At the July 7, 2011 Board meeting, staff requested voting direction for candidates to fill positions at both the state and local levels of the California Special Districts Association (CSDA). At the state level, Stanley R. Caldwell (incumbent) and Kathryn Slater - Carter were nominated to represent Region 3, Seat C, for a three - year term. CCCSD Board supported Mr. Caldwell's re- appointment, and he was appointed to serve through 2014. At the Contra Costa Chapter of CSDA, the appointment would fill the vacant Member -at -Large position on the Executive Committee with one of the following nominees: Stanley R. Caldwell or David R. Williams. While CCCSD supported Board Member Williams for the position, the motion resulted in Mr. Caldwell's appointment. b) North American Hazardous Materials Management Association National Conference Attendance by Staff in Portland, Oregon — September 25 -29, 2011 Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Supervisor David Wyatt and Senior HHW Technician Jesse Folks will travel to Portland, Oregon from September 25 through September 29, 2011 to attend the North American Hazardous Materials Management Association's National Conference. The National Conference provides an excellent opportunity for staff to learn how other HHW programs across the country manage waste in order to improve efficiency and reduce District costs. It also allows staff to make and maintain valuable contacts with waste management professionals across the country, as well as stay abreast of emerging national and local product initiatives such as those associated with pharmaceuticals, batteries and fluorescent lamps. Costs for the conference were budgeted in the 2011 -2012 Household Hazardous Waste section budget. Written Announcements September 1, 2011 Page 2 of 4 c) Retirement of Plant Operations Division Manager Randy Grieb, Plant Operations Division Manager plans to retire on Septem- ber 16, 2011. While recruitment has started for Mr. Grieb's replacement, it is unlikely that the position will be filled before the end of the year. In addition to serving as the Plant Operations Division Manager, Mr. Grieb is invaluable in reviewing the operational impacts of new regulations and in troubleshooting equipment and control system failures. In addition, Mr. Grieb has unique knowledge that may be needed as the District updates and expands its plant standard operating procedures to facilitate the training of new operations staff. Due to Mr. Grieb's unique skill set, the amount of time necessary to fill his position, and the recent retirement of other long -term District employees in the plant, staff will need to utilize Mr. Grieb's services on an as needed hourly basis after his retirement to support Ms. Orr and the Plant Operations Department and to provide transition assistance for the new Division Manager. d) CCCSD Awarded $1,030,000 State Proposition 84 Grant For Concord Recycled Water Landscape Project The District has been awarded a $1,030,000 State Proposition 84 Implementa- tion Grant for its proposed Concord Recycled Water Landscape Project. This project would extend the District's existing recycled water distribution system from the Buchanan Fields Golf Course to the Willows area of Concord for landscape irrigation at businesses and landscape medians. The project would add 34 new landscape irrigation connections and would supply about 62 million gallons per year (190 -acre feet per year) of recycled water. The total estimated cost is approximately $4 million; the grant would provide funding for about 25% of the project costs. Proposition 84 grants are awarded by the State Department of Water Resources to projects that help meet the long -term water needs of the State and are part of an Integrated Regional Water Management Plan (IRWMP). The District's project is part of the Bay Area IRWMP, and grants will be administered locally by the Bay Area Clean Water Agencies ( BACWA). If the District chooses to accept the award and move forward with construction of the project, the District will need to enter into an agreement with BACWA by January 2012, and a decision will be needed by December 2011 to allow time to execute an agreement. Written Announcements September 1, 2011 Page 3 of 4 e) Whole Effluent Toxicity Policy The State Water Resources Control Board ( SWRCB) released a Draft Policy for Toxicity Assessment and Control in late October 2010 that made significant changes to the way toxicity assessments are conducted. The goal of the policy is to have more definitive methods for determining whether effluents are toxic such that a notice of violation can be issued. This goal is in response to a number of non - governmental organizations who feel that the current approach to toxicity control is ineffective. The wastewater community is concerned that the new policy is ill conceived and will result in many cases of effluents being characterized as toxic when they are not. District staff provided public comment in November 2010 at a workshop in Sacramento followed by written comments to the State Water Board in February 2010. In May 2011, a BACWA team, including District staff, met with individual State Water Board members. At that time, the State Water Board members directed State Water Board staff to meet with BACWA technical team members. In July, a team of BACWA representatives and Dr. Dan Gallagher, P.E., a professor hired from Virginia Tech, led a technical discussion with State Water Board policy writers and Dr. Deborah Denton, chief author of the policy from USEPA. Much of the discussion focused on the statistical error rate using the new method to evaluate results and the real world impact of the current proposed Statewide Toxicity Policy. On Monday, August 22, 2011 the State Water Board held a staff workshop to discuss the draft Policy. Margaret Orr and Dr. Gallagher presented technical comments during the session. To date, the State Water Board has not agreed to make any significant changes to the policy, which is very disappointing. One State Water Board member requested that the BACWA team come back to Sacramento on September 14, 2011 for further discussions. District staff and BACWA will continue to work with the SWRCB to try and influence this policy before it is adopted. f) Collection System Projects Meet All Interim Milestones Collection system construction projects are well under way in Walnut Creek, Lafayette, and Orinda. These projects are the Lafayette Pleasant Hill Road Trunk Sewer, Lafayette Sewer Renovations (Phase 7), Walnut Creek Sewer Renovations (Phase 8) and South Orinda Sewer Renovations (Phase 5). Pipeline construction was completed in advance of city and county paving projects within the same street in Lafayette and unincorporated areas of Walnut Creek. This project coordination reduced pavement restoration costs to the District and construction impacts to the public. In addition to this coordination, sewer construction within the vicinity of schools was completed before the school year openings at the Parkmead Intermediate School in Walnut Creek, and the following schools in Lafayette: Burton Valley Elementary School, Springhill Elementary School, Stanley Middle School, and Acalanes High School. Written Announcements September 1, 2011 Page 4 of 4 g) Human Resources Hosts "Tools and Technology for Healthy Living Brown Bag Seminar" — September 14, 2011 In an effort to encourage employees to take advantage of technology and promote healthy living, Human Resources staff, in conjunction with Kaiser Permanente, will present a brown bag seminar on September 14, 2011 from noon to 1 pm in the Multi- Purpose Room. The seminar will feature tips on health assessments, fitness programs, and how to maintain healthy lifestyles. With the increased use of technology, staff will also learn how to take advantage of the Internet to communicate with their doctor, order prescription refills, view lab results, and receive telephonic or Internet medical advice from physicians. These efficient practices will likely generate positive results, including reduced sick leave usage, lower healthcare costs, and a healthier workforce.