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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - October 28, 2013 - UB AZ LISA LIGHT & WATER CITY OF AZUSA MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE AZUSA UTILITY BOARD/CITY COUNCIL MONDAY,OCTOBER 28,2013—6:30 P.M. The Utility Board/City Council of the City of Azusa met in regular session, at the above date and time, at the Azusa Light and Water(AL&W) Conference Room, located at 729 N. Azusa Avenue, Azusa, California. Vice-Chairman Gonzales called the meeting to order. Call to Order Pledge to the flag was led by Boardmember Carrillo Flag Salute ROLL CALL Roll Call PRESENT: BOARD MEMBERS: GONZALES, CARRILLO,ALVAREZ,ROCHA ABSENT: BOARD MEMBERS: MACIAS STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT Staff Present City Attorney Ferre, City Manager Makshanoff, Director of Public Works/Assistant City Manager Haes, Utilities Director Morrow,Police Chief Gonzalez,Police Operations Captain Momot,Assistant Director of Electric Operations Langit, Assistant Director of Water Operations Anderson, Assistant Director of Customer Care & Solutions Kalscheuer, Assistant Director of Resource Management Lehr, Accounting Executive Analyst Reid, Utilities Administrative and Finance Service Manager Graham, Secretary/City Clerk Cornejo,Assistant/Deputy City Clerk Hernandez. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION Public Participation None was given UTILITIES DIRECTOR COMMENTS Director's Comments Utilities Director Morrow introduced new staff member Talika Graham, Utilities Administrative and Finance Service, and gave a brief history of her career/business background. UTILITIES BOARD MEMBERS COMMENTS Board Members Boardmember Rocha announced that,together with Boardmember Carrillo,City Manager Makshanoff and Comments Assistant City Manager Haes, that they attended the project kick off for the Metro GoldLine Foothill extension from Azusa to Montclair and provided information to the Board on the subject;he announced the Re-Grand Opening of Quality Material Handling, Inc., on November 1, 2013 at 3:30 p.m for which the Board agreed to present a certificate;and he thanked Police Chief Gonzalez for the updates that have been `� provided to the Board and Council. Vice-Chairman Gonzales addressed the meeting thanking Utilities Director Morrow for the successful shred-a-thon event held on October 26, 2013, and suggested holding the same event in April, 2014. The CONSENT CALENDAR consisting of Items D-1 through D-7, was approved by motion of Board Consent Member Alvarez, seconded by Board Member Rocha,and*carried,with the exception of items D-2 and Calendar D-3,which were handled under the Special Call portion of the agenda. 1.The minutes of regular meeting of September 23, 2013 were approved as written. Min Appvd 2. SPECIAL CALL ITEM Spec Call 3. SPECIAL CALL ITEM Spec Call 4.The three-year landscape and irrigation maintenance contract with E & L Landscape Services for the E&L upkeep of Azusa Light & Water 21 facilities, in the amount of$37,716 per year ($113,148 for three Landscape years) was approved; and the termination of the existing contract with Marina Landscape Inc. was Agreement approved. 5.The extension of the current three-year roofing maintenance contract with Midwest Roofing Company, Midwest Contr Inc. for an additional two years was approved. Extension 6.The revised(ED22)electric construction standards to be used as references,guidelines,and regulations Electric by customers and staff were adopted. Standards 7.The following Resolution No. 13-C82, was adopted and entitled: Reso Portfolio Standards A RESOLUTION OF THE UTILITY BOARD/CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF AZUSA ADOPTING AN AMENDED RENEWABLE PORTFOLIO STANDARD("RPS")PROCUREMENT PLAN IN COMPLIANCE WITH STATE LAW(SBX1 2). SPECIAL CALL ITEMS Spec Call Rejection of Recent Bids for Construction of a Pre-Engineered Shed for Protection of the Hydroexcavator Reject Bid, Trucks and Rebid the Project as Staff Determines Appropriate. Hydro- excavator Assistant Director of Water Operations Anderson responded to Boardmember Alvarez's question on the high bid submitted,stating that this is a truck that went out for bid,only one bid was received,which may be the reason for the high price that was three times higher than what staff estimated;staff has checked with other suppliers and found that staff's current estimate was accurate;this truck will be going out to re-bid. Moved by Boardmember Alvarez, seconded by Boardmember Carrillo and *carried to reject the bid received October 17, 2013, with staff to rebid, as appropriate, the construction of a pre-engineered steel shed for storage and protection of the hydroexcavator trucks.Prior to sending the project to rebid,staff will determine if there are acceptable alternatives to the project as previously bid. Approval of Purchase of a New 2014 Ford F-150 Pick Up Truck as Replacement Standby Truck for Purchase of Electric Division. New Truck Utilities Director Morrow responded to Boardmember Alvarez's question stating that due to the kind of use Discussion that is given to this particular truck, its less expensive to buy rather than lease,these are high use mileage vehicles with over 10,000 miles per year,staff plans to keep it for many years,the value in this case comes through ownership;this truck will replace an old truck that currently has 100,000 miles;this truck is also used by the standby person who takes it home with him if he is on-call duty. 10/28/2013 PAGE TWO Moved by Boardmember Alvarez,seconded by Boardmember Carrillo and*carried to approve,pursuant to Appv Purchase AMC Section 2-523 (e), Article VII Chapter 2, the purchase of a new standby truck for the Electric of Truck Division;and authorization was given for the issuance of a Purchase Order to National Auto Fleet Group of Watsonville, CA, in the amount not to exceed $27,306.78, including sales tax and delivery charges. SCHEDULED ITEMS Sched Items Approval of Letter Providing Direction to Athens Services on Destination Disposal Sites Following Closure Athens Letter of Puente Hills Landfill and Related Disposal Agreements. Give Direction to Athens of Utilities Director Morrow gave a background stating that Azusa has been using Puente Hills for 15 years, Destination of but it's due to close on October 31,2013;the agreement with Athens allows Azusa to direct where waste is Landfill to to be delivered;Athens was the successful bidder to operate in the San Bernardino County Landfill;Athens Dispose of presented a 10 year proposal with 10% across-the-board rate adjustment, CPI annual adjustment and Waste possible market adjustment every 3 years; staff evaluated the proposal using an expert to look at incremental transportation cost increase;staff sent a letter to Athens requesting that waste be delivered to G. Morrow Mid Valley Landfill and the yard waste to Recycled Wood Products, as those were more economically Presented the beneficial options;Athens responded that they were unwilling to deliver waste to Mid Valley Landfill,and item that they would not provide the City with the per ton rates Athens obtained from San Bernardino County; staff then looked at El Sobrante Landfill as an alternative and received a 10 year proposal from USA Waste; yard waste would be taken to another facility in Pomona; switching to El Sobrante would benefit Azusa ratepayers significantly over what Athens' requested in the form of a 10%across-the-board rate increase; staff requested the Board to consider the following:Approve a letter to Athens Services directing that they take solid waste to the El Sobrante Landfill,and continue to take landscape recycled products to Pomona; and formally request Athens Services to approve of the City's selection of a consultant to analyze the incremental transportation cost to haul waste to the more distant facilities;or consider allowing Athens to haul waste to the Mid Valley Landfill. In order to execute the first option,the Board would have to also approve a 10 year contract with USA Waste for use of El Sobrante Landfill, and a 5 year contract with Recycled Wood Products;should the Board decide to not consider any of these options,the agreement with Athens will continue and waste will be delivered to San Bernardino. Mr. Gary Clifford, Athens Representative, requested the Board to take the do nothing option; Athens G. Clifford believes it is a risk free option,they have been serving the community for over 20 years providing excellent Athens Rep service;as the Puente Hills Landfill closes,they have been talking to all cities for options,Azusa is unique Comments and he does not believe that this discussion would have happened with any other city;he understands that the contract allows the City to direct Athens where to take waste,and the option they offered is the lowest in cost;what city staff recommends will be the most costly;they have years of experience in hauling waste from their Materials Recovery Facilities("MRF")and have experience on pricing their service for less cost to the city; should the Board choose to change and then go back with Athens in the future,the process of negotiation will start from the beginning;green waste requires additional processing and Athens agreed that using the Pomona facility was the best approach for the city. Mr. Brent Anderson,a USA Waste Representative,requested the Board consider contracting El Sobrante; B. Anderson, he stated that they have given the city the best rate,and El Sobrante is one of the most reliable landfills in USA Waster, the area; he presented the following comparisons in services of the two proposed landfills: El Sobrante El Sobrante, Landfill:uninterrupted waste disposal since 1996,open during high wind conditions,offers cost protection Rep Comments while Athens faces a price increase every 3 years through a market area adjustment; USA Waste can guarantee the same price for the next 10 years subject to CPI;USA Waste can provide long term indemnity, and owns and operates landfill, open 24 hrs. 7 days a week trucks can circulate when there is no heavy traffic, capacity of 70,000 tons per week, will remain open until 2072, more air capacity, wild life preservation certified by the Wild Life Habitat Council,full time staff of 50 people with reliable expertise in their fields and customer satisfaction, operate own gas energy and produce 3.48 megawatts of energy 10/28/2013 PAGE THREE enough to power 6,000 homes.Mid Valley Landfill:closes certain times of the year due to high winds,it is owned by San Bernardino, no guarantee on indemnity, opens 7-5 p.m. trucks can only circulate during hours of operation, capacity of 45,000 tons a week, will remain open until 2033. Discussion was held regarding Athens 10 year contract, cost of disposing waste, distance of delivery and Discussion cost in terms of percentage increase of Mid Valley vs. El Sobrante, both companies having offered great service to the city,hiring an expert to analyze the agreement,working with Athens and following contract procedures, Athens to give assurance that the current rates will be effective during the 90 day analysis period,Athens being in violation of the contract as they need to find the least cost to the city,staff will look at what is the least expensive cost to the consumer. Staff proposed recommendations:(1)A Letter to Athens Services directing that they transfer all of Azusa's Staffs post-MRF municipal solid waste to the El Sobrante Landfill in Corona,CA,following closure of Puente Proposed Hills landfill; (2) An Agreement with USA Waste of California, Inc., dba El Sobrante Landfill, a Waste Actions Management company("USA Waste")for disposal of Azusa's waste at the El Sobrante Landfill in Corona, CA; and (3) An Agreement with the Recycled Wood Products facility located in Pomona, CA, for yard waste processing services. Moved by Boardmember Carrillo,seconded by Boardmember Rocha and*carried to approve item number Appv Agmnt 3 of the recommendation,an Agreement with the Recycled Wood Products facility located in Pomona,CA Woods for yard waste processing. Understanding was reached that Athens will transfer waste to Mid Valley Products Landfill in next 90 days,and City and Athens will study transportation cost increase to both Mid Valley and El Sobrante, in addition to Recycled Wood Products facility in Pomona. Resolution to Update the Public Benefit Charge(PBC)Program Rate Schedule. Resolution Updating Utilities Director Morrow stated that with AB 1890, utilities have to spend a certain amount of money on Public Benefits public benefits programs; in 1998 a fixed chart was adopted to spend 0.262 cents per kWh; revenue has Program increased over the past 15 years,and only 1.8% is being recovered;this is cutting into the electric surplus Schedule for electric programs that are provided,and is a set back as sales in revenues go up;staff has created a new PBC schedule to move up to the 2.85% needed; beginning July 1, 2014, this will be administratively adjusted based on revenue,this means a 1% increase rate. Discussion was held on the dollar amount of the increase,this being applied strictly on electricity,mostly the surplus is spent on energy efficiency programs. Boardmember Rocha offered a resolution entitled: A RESOLUTION OF THE UTILITY BOARD/CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF AZUSA AMENDING AZUSA LIGHT&WATER'S RULES AND REGULATIONS TO INCLUDE A PUBLIC BENEFIT CHARGE SCHEDULE FOR ELECTRIC UTILITY CUSTOMERS. Moved by Boardmember Rocha, seconded by Boardmember Carrilo, to waive further reading and adopt Resolution No. 13-C83, by the following vote of the Board/Council: AYES: BOARDMEMBERS: GONZALES, CARRILLO, ALVAREZ, ROCHA NOES: BOARDMEMBERS: NONE ABSENT: BOARDMEMBERS: MACIAS STAFF REPORTS/COMMUNICATIONS Water Supply Update Water Supply Update. 10/28/2013 PAGE FOUR Utilities Director Morrow gave an update stating that the Water Master has purchased expensive water to be delivered to the river from where some is being taken to supplement the water basins,the entire State is in a drought as all reservoirs are low including northern California, this year Azusa received only 30% allocation from the State for water projects, it may decrease to 15% next year if things don't improve; drought programs and communications with consumers will continue in Azusa. California Municipal Utilities Association(CMUA)Legislative Update. CMUA Legislative A report on the CMUA Legislative Update was included in the Boardmembers packets for their Update information. Morgan Meguire LLC Federal Legislative Update. LLC Federal Legislative A report on the LLC Legislative Update was included in the Boardmembers packets for their information. Update Presentation of Azusa CY2011 and CY 2012 Renewable Portfolio Standard Reports. Utilities Director Morrow informed the Board that the Power Resources Team led by Assistant Director of Resource Management Lehr,put together some reports required to be filed by law with the State regarding renewable procurement;the reports were included in the Boardmembers packets for their information. Assistant Director of Resource Management Lehr responded to Boardmember Carrillo question stating that the Garnet Wind Project has been operating,and much of it working depends on weather conditions,it has been successful; staff will have a report for the Board sometime in June, 2014. Adjourn Moved by Boardmember Carrillo,seconded by Boardmember Alvarez,and*carried to adjourn the meeting. TIME OF ADJOURNMENT: 7:40 P.M. 411111110 NEXT RESOLUTION NO. 2013-C84. *Indicates Chairman Macias Absent. 10/28/2013 PAGE FIVE