HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - March 22, 2021 - UBCITY OF AZUSA
MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING
OF THE AZUSA UTILITY BOARD
MONDAY, MARCH 22, 2021– 6:30 P.M.
Chairperson: Uriel E. Macias
Vice Chairperson: Jesse Avila
Board Member: Robert Gonzales
Board Member: Edward J. Alvarez
Board Member: Andrew Mendez
Secretary: Jeffrey Lawrence Cornejo, Jr.
The Utility Board/City Council of the City of Azusa met in regular session at the above date and time via Zoom virtual
meeting in accordance with Executive Order N-29-20.
Chairperson Macias called the meeting to order at 6:30 P.M.
ROLL CALL: Roll call was taken by Secretary Cornejo.
PRESENT: BOARD MEMBERS: MACIAS, AVILA, GONZALES, ALVAREZ, MENDEZ
ABSENT: BOARD MEMBERS: NONE
Pledge to the flag was led by Captain Grant.
ALSO PRESENT
Elected Officials: Secretary Cornejo
City Attorney: Jeff Ferre
Staff Members: Utilities Director Robledo, Assistant Director of Electric Operations Vuong, Assistant Director of
Water Operations Macias, Assistant Director of Customer Care & Solutions Holmes, Assistant Director of Resource
Management Torres, Senior Management Analyst Smith, City Manager Gonzalez, Deputy City Manager DeAnda-Scaia,
Captain Grant, Chief Deputy City Clerk Garcia
A. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
None
B. UTILITIES DIRECTOR COMMENTS
Utilities Director Robledo reported staff will not recommend defeasing the electric bonds as previously reported; Utility
Board elections will be held during the April meeting; the house around Well No. 7 should be complete in May;
landscaping with drought-tolerant plants around the booster station at 11th and Vernon was completed in February;
cleaning of the Rosedale Tank was completed in March; expansion of the Azusa Substation was completed in February;
and the line extension along Motor Avenue will be complete in April.
Assistant Director of Water Operations Macias responded to questions, stating Well No. 7 is located at 11th and Orange,
and the Rosedale Tank is located at the end of Camellia Way.
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C. UTILITY BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS
None
D. SCHEDULED ITEMS
None
E. CONSENT CALENDAR
Moved by Board Member Gonzales, seconded by Board Member Mendez, to approve the Consent Calendar by the
following vote of the Board:
AYES: BOARD MEMBERS: MENDEZ, ALVAREZ, GONZALES, AVILA, MACIAS
NOES: BOARD MEMBERS: NONE
ABSENT: BOARD MEMBERS: NONE
ABSTAIN: BOARD MEMBERS: NONE
1. The minutes of the February 22, 2021 meeting of the Utility Board were approved as written.
2. Miron Electric Construction Inc. was found to have completed the Azusa Substation Circuit Breaker Expansion in
accordance with plans and specifications for Project LD2020-CB-Construction; the Notice of Completion was
approved; the Mayor was authorized to execute the Notice of Completion on behalf of the City; and the City
Clerk was authorized to submit the Notice of Completion for recordation to the Office of the County Recorder of
Los Angeles County within ten days of the Utility Board approval as required by Section 3093 of the California
Civil Code.
3. A Maintenance Service Contract for painting the exterior walls of the Electric Operations Building in the not-to-
exceed amount of $27,900 was awarded to Raider Painting Company; and the Mayor was authorized to execute
the contract in a form acceptable to the City Attorney.
4. All bids for Project No. W-265B Water Main Replacement between Lark Ellen Avenue and Vincent Avenue were
rejected.
5. An annual Cost Effective Energy Conservation Program target of 0.47% of annual energy sales for fiscal years
2022-2031 as prescribed in Assembly Bill 2021 and defined in Figure 1. Net Incremental Market Potential by
Sector (MWH) and Percent of Sales was adopted.
6. A Purchase Order to AMR Installs, Inc. in a not-to-exceed amount of $39,211.75 plus an allowance of $3,921.17
for potential change orders was approved; and a Purchase Order to Lorex Technology, Inc. in a not-to-exceed
amount of $12,965.21 plus an allowance of $1,296.52 for potential change orders was approved.
F. STAFF REPORTS/COMMUNICATIONS
1. Senate Bill 1383 (Short-Lived Climate Pollutants) State Recycling Mandate
Utilities Director Robledo discussed SB 1383 that requires all customers to recycle organic wastes beginning in January
2022; short-lived climate pollutants; organic waste streams; enforcement beginning in 2024; a 75% reduction in landfilled
organic waste by 2025; a 20% increase in recovery of edible food that has been disposed; jurisdictions' responsibilities;
one, two, and three-container systems; automated residential collection; Tiers 1 and 2 of a mandatory organics recycling
ordinance; education and outreach; procurement of recycled content and recovered organic waste products; planning for
organic waste recycling and edible food recovery capacity; record keeping and reporting; and next steps.
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Utilities Director Robledo responded to questions, stating reports are due in April and October 2021 and annually in
August; CalRecycle conducts annual conference calls and site visits with staff; residents may continue to recycle materials
and obtain cash refunds; the purpose of SB 1383 is to remove organics from trash so that landfills do not produce
methane; if ALW could show that the procurement requirement is an unfunded mandate, the regulation would be invalid;
trash collection and handling will change; and businesses that use organic materials are required to utilize a separate
container for organics at a cost of approximately $100 per month.
Board Member Gonzales noted the Sanitation District is exploring the conversion of organic materials to energy.
2. Results of the California Air Resources Board's February 17, 2021 Auction of Greenhouse Gas Allowances
Utilities Director Robledo indicated the auction of ALW's greenhouse gas allowances was successful, and sale proceeds
will be used to further reduce greenhouse gases.
G. VERBAL COMMUNICATIONS
1. Power Supply Update
Utilities Director Robledo reported staff is preparing the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) Compliance report for
2017-2020; credits that exceed the obligation will be banked for the 2021-2024 compliance period; the Mesa Wind project
is on track to begin operations in April 2022; this facility will increase ALW's renewable energy from 35% to 80% by the
end of 2022; the annual summer readiness conference with the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) was
held on March 15, 2021; 2021 drought conditions will result in hydroelectric resources not generating power; and normal
temperatures and loads are anticipated in April and May 2021.
Utilities Director Robledo responded to a question, stating hydroelectric power is approximately 1% of ALW's portfolio.
2. Water Supply Update
Utilities Director Robledo related that the level of the groundwater basin is slowly falling but within the lower operating
range; rainfall is currently below average; ALW's allocation from the State Water Project is 10%; approximately 13,991
acre feet of water is stored at the Canyon Reservoir; the Metropolitan Water District (MWD) has a record amount of water
in storage; and water levels in reservoirs around the state are below average.
H. CLOSED SESSION
None.
I. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned by consensus of the Utility Board.
TIME OF ADJOURNMENT: 7:23 P.M.
__________________________________________
CITY CLERK/SECRETARY