Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout16.b. Minutes-Administration Committee 11-06-18 Page 1 of 6 Item 16.b. CENTRALSAN CENTRAL CONTRA COSTA SANITARY DISTRICT November 15, 2018 TO: HONORABLE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FROM: KATIE YOUNG, SECRETARYOF THE DISTRICT SUBJECT: NOVEMBER 6, 2018 -ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE - CHAIR MCGILL AND MEMBER WILLIAMS Attached are minutes of the above Committee meeting. Strategic Plan re-In GOAL ONE: Provide Exceptional Customer Service Strategy 1 - Build external customer relationships and awareness ATTACHMENTS: 1. Administration Committee Minutes 11-06-18 November 15, 2018 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet- Page 249 of 254 Page 2 of 6 ol&)i Cwil ENTRAL SAN CONTRACENTRAL • IMHOFF PLACE, MARTINEZ, CA 9AS53-A392 REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS: CENTRAL CONTRA COSTA JAMES A.NEJEDLY SANITARY DISTRICT President ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE DAVIDWILLIAMS Presiddent Pro Tem PAUL H CA USEY MINUTES MICHAEL R.MCGILL TAD J PHECKI TuesdayNovember 6, 2018 PHONE: (925)222-9192 FAX.- (921)372-0192 8:30 a.m. www.centralsan.org Executive Conference Room 5019 Imhoff Place Martinez, California Committee: Chair Mike McGill Member David Williams Guest: W. Daniel Clinton, Esq., Principal Counsel, Hanson Bridgett LLP (left after Item 3.c.) Staff.- Roger S. Bailey, General Manager Katie Young, Secretary of the District Ann Sasaki, Deputy General Manager Phil Leiber, Director of Finance and Administration Danea Gemmell, Planning and Development Services Division Manager (left after Item 3.b.) Christina Gee, Management Analyst Suzette Crayton, Executive Assistant (left after Item 3.a.) Donna Anderson, Assistant to the Secretary of the District 1. Call Meeting to Order Chair McGill called the meeting to order at 8:32 a.m. 2. Public Comments None. November 15, 2018 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet- Page 250 of 254 Page 3 of 6 Administration Committee Minutes November 6, 2018 Page 2 3. Items for Committee Recommendation to Board a. Consider increasing the current $4,000 annual contribution to the Employee Activities Organization (EAO) to $6,000 per year This item was heard after Item 3.c., which was taken out of order. Mr. Bailey said that while this request is purely a discretionary decision on behalf of the Board, he believes there is value in having employees come together during the holidays but the cost of doing so has spiraled upward over the years. He supported the request and asked the Committee to recommend Board approval. Member Williams said he was comfortable recommending the increased annual contribution. Chair McGill said that when the IRS limited meal deductions some years ago, it was his recollection that holiday parties were exempted because even the IRS recognized the value of employee morale. (See also Item 5.a. below.) He said he would be interested in authorizing a higher annual contribution, perhaps up to $10,000 if that would be appropriate. Mr. Bailey suggested proceeding with the requested $6,000 when the item is presented to the full Board. COMMITTEE ACTION: Recommended Board approval as presented. b. Conduct biennial review of Board Policy No. BP 015 —Asset Management Ms. Young said staff had no recommended changes to the policy at this time. If the Committee concurred, it would be reviewed again in two years. COMMITTEE ACTION: Recommended no changes. C. Authorize the General Manager to execute a one-year extension to the contract for labor and employment related legal services with Hanson Bridgett LLP and Principal Counsel W. Daniel Clinton, Esq., effective January 1 through December 31 , 2019 This item was taken out of order, immediately after Public Comments. Chair McGill noted that the requested hourly increase was minimal. The subject of succession planning was raised by Member Williams. Chair McGill noted that a couple of years ago District Counsel Kent Alm had been asked to put together a succession plan for legal services provided by Meyers Nave. He wondered if it was appropriate to consider November 15, 2018 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet- Page 251 of 254 Page 4 of 6 Administration Committee Minutes November 6, 2018 Page 3 the same for Hanson Bridgett, to which Mr. Clinton agreed. It was suggested that this topic be agendized for discussion in March 2019. Another discussion took place on the merits of pursuing a request for proposal (RFP) for legal services. Mr. Clinton said RFPs for legal services are not uncommon among law firms and he would not be bothered at all to participate in that process. It was suggested that a further discussion be agendized at the next meeting as to whether or not Central San should pursue an RFP for labor counsel services. COMMITTEE ACTION: Recommended Board approval of the extension. Also recommended agendizing: (1) a discussion in March 2019 on succession planning with regard to labor counsel services; and (2) a discussion at the next Committee meeting on the possibility of pursuing an RFP for labor counsel services. 4. Other Items a. Receive update on Leading Utilities of the World Membership Ms. Gee reviewed the presentation included with the agenda material, during which time she and Mr. Bailey responded to questions from the Committee Members. Chair McGill said this membership is a very powerful engagement for Central San. Member Williams said that he had not previously heard of the Global Water Leaders Group, which provides an opportunity for large water agencies of the world to come together and share ideas. He is a strong supporter of participating in industry organizations, and the types of interactions afforded by this membership are beneficial in terms of looking at water on a global basis. Chair McGill said it can be unclear what is allowed when conference travel expenses for an elected official and/or employee are paid by an outside organization, such as Mr. Bailey's were for the recent Global Water Summit in Paris. He said this topic was raised at a conference he recently attended. For that reason, Chair McGill suggested agendizing for discussion at a future meeting the idea of developing a Board policy governing what is and is not allowed when conference travel expenses for an elected official and/or employee are wholly or partially funded by an outside organization. He said legal advice would be appropriate. COMMITTEE ACTION: Received and provided input to staff. Also agreed to agendize for a future meeting the idea of developing a November 15, 2018 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet- Page 252 of 254 Page 5 of 6 Administration Committee Minutes November 6, 2018 Page 4 Board policy governing travel expenses paid by outside organizations for Central San elected officials and/or employees. b. Receive Fiscal Year 2017-18 Optimizations Annual Report and Optimizations Program Plan Ms. Gee reviewed the presentation included with the agenda material. In response to an inquiry from Member Williams, it was explained that the concept for the Optimizations Program was borne out of an assignment given as part of the Central San mentorship program. Mr. Bailey said from time to time he assigns projects that will benefit both the mentee and Central San as an organization. This assignment of capturing innovations and optimizations was given to Ms. Gee as part of her mentee rotation, and it has evolved into this report. Chair McGill said the report is outstanding; it helps him as a Board Member to see all that is being done at Central San. The question for him is how this information can be conveyed to the public. COMMITTEE ACTION: Received and provided input to staff. C. Receive Fiscal Year 2018-19 Strategic Plan Tracking Report — First Quarter Ms. Sasaki briefly reviewed the tracking reports, noting that most everything is on track. COMMITTEE ACTION: Received the report. d. Receive list of future agenda items Ms. Young mentioned several items appearing on the list have since been postponed to later meetings. COMMITTEE ACTION: Received the list. 5. Announcements a. Further to Chair McGill's comments earlier in the meeting about IRS rules governing meal deductions, Mr. Leiber did some quick research which confirmed that while there have been a number of tax law changes on the topic of fringe benefits, costs related to holiday parties are not among them. b. Member Williams recalled that Central San has conducted some sort of customer surveys in the past and the hope was to be able to gather November 15, 2018 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet- Page 253 of 254 Page 6 of 6 Administration Committee Minutes November 6, 2018 Page 5 trending data over time. He raised the question of what has been done in this regard. Mr. Bailey said a few years ago Central San conducted several focus groups and surveyed its customers with regard to rates, customer satisfaction, etc., with the intent to do so periodically. He said it may be time to agendize a discussion about conducting another survey. The Committee agreed and said consideration should be given to whether the concept of periodic customer surveys should be institutionalized in a Board policy. C. Mr. Bailey said he met with the Concord City Manager yesterday to touch base in advance of Central San's presentation to the City Council next week. d. Chair McGill said he has asked Ms. Young to find dates for the council reorganizations for his liaison cities. Both his cities will be getting new mayors so, once they are seated, it will be time to schedule meetings with them. 6. Future Scheduled Meetings a. Tuesday, November 20 at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, December 11, 2018 at 8:30 a.m. 7. Suggestions for Future Agenda Items a. Chair McGill referred to an article in today's edition of the East Bay Times with the heading, "$1B lawsuit over CaIPERS health care goes to trial." He said he would like to find out whether or not the lawsuit might have any impact on Central San. b. Chair McGill said he would like the Committee to consider a new Board policy on internal audit. C. See COMMITTEE ACTION section of Item 3.c. regarding labor counsel services. d. See COMMITTEE ACTION section of Item 4.a. regarding the idea of developing a Board policy governing travel expenses paid by outside organizations for Central San elected officials and/or employees. e. See Announcement in Item 5.b. regarding customer surveys. 8. Adjournment — at 10:14 a.m. November 15, 2018 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet- Page 254 of 254