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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - May 31, 2022 - UB CITY OF AZUSA MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL MEETING OF THE AZUSA UTILITY BOARD MONDAY, MAY 31, 2022– 6:30 P.M. Chair person: Andrew Mendez Vice Chair person: Dennis Beckwith (remote via telephone) Board Member: Robert Gonzales Board M ember: Edward J. Alvarez Board Member: Jesse Avila, Jr. 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, in the Azusa Light & Water 1st Floor Conference Room located at 729 N. Azusa Avenue, Azusa, California. Chair person Andrew N. Mendez called the meeting to order at 6:30 P.M. ROLL CALL: Roll call was taken by Secretary Cornejo. PRESENT: BOARD MEMBERS: AVILA Jr., ALVAREZ, GONZALES, BECKWITH, MENDEZ ABSENT: BOARD MEMBERS: NONE Pledge to the flag was led by General Manager Singh. ALSO PRESENT Elected Officials: Secretary Cornejo City Attorney: Monica Castillo Staff Members: General Manager Singh, Assistant General Manager of Power Resources Torres, Interim Assistant General Manager of Water Operations Barbosa, Assistant General Manager of Customer Service Holmes, Assistant General Manager of Electric Operations Vuong, Environmental Programs Manager Reid, Administration and Finance Manager Smith, City Manager Gonzalez, Deputy City Manager De Anda -Scaia, Interim Chief Wenrick, Chief Deputy City Clerk Garcia . A. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION None B. GENERAL MANAGER COMMENTS General Manager Singh reported the Kirkwall Substation outage on May 17th affected 4,400 customers who lost power. The substation tripped during new relay testing. Customers south of Freeway 210 were impacted and power was restored within 25 minutes. The Sierra Madre Outage on May 19th affected 1,000 customers who lost power. Sierra Madre and 11th Street/East of Pasadena and the Northern half of Rosedale were affected. A contractor drilled into the underground line. Power was restored within an hour. The Rockvale outage was on May 30th and 768 customers were impacted in the area PAGE 2 – 5/31/2022 of 9th Street/ between Dalton and Pasadena, Rockvale between Foothill and Matchwood and part of APU campus and was caused by the mylar balloons in the line. Power was restored within two and a half hours for most customers. All customer’s power was restored within four hours. There will be a public outreach this week asking customers to please not release the mylar balloons during celebrations. Capital Improvement Plan North Reservoir Rehab project has been completed. This is the reservoir north of the old golf course. Pictures were shown for the difference between before and after the rehabilitation project. The reservoir life expectancy is expected to increase by 30-35 years by doing the updates. Hsu Water Treatment Plant hosted the 2022 Public Service Recognition Week earlier in May that was open to all City employees. There was a great turnout, with food and a tour of the treatment plant. Light and Water Building Maintenance – Fumigation for termites has been taken care of two weeks ago. The building was tented over the weekend. City Manager Gonzalez formally introduced General Manager Singh to the board and thanked Mr. Torres for stepping in during the interim. C. UTILITY BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS Board member Avila Jr. welcomed General Manager Singh and thanked Mr. Torres for all his hard work and questioned the fallen power cable that was reported by the Police Department on 9th street on May 30th, and the water leak on 200 E. Sierra Madre from the water reservoir overflow on the 29th. General Manager Singh commented that was related to the outage from the metallic balloons that got tangled in the lines. Interim Assistant General Manager of Water Operations Barbosa commented one of the water level transmitters went out. The level transmitter said the tank level was at one foot. Water Operations staff received the overflow warning which triggered the replacement. Board member Alverez commented he saw a gentleman in an Azusa Water & Light truck the morning of May 31st who was texting and driving and expressed concern and requested it be communicated to the drivers that is not allowed. Board member Gonzales welcomed General manager Singh and thanked Mr. Torres for his time as acting General manager during the interim. Vice-Chair Beckwith lost remote connection to the meeting. Chair Mendez welcomed General Manager Singh and commented he’s looking forward to working with him and thanked Mr. Torres for stepping up in the interim. D. SCHEDULED ITEMS None E. CONSENT CALENDAR Chair Mendez pulled Item Two. 1. The Minutes of the April 25, 2022, Utility Board meeting was approved. 2. The Budget Amendment to Water Division’s Operation and Maintenance Fund and Amendment of Related Blanket Purchase Orders to Support Operations for the Remainder of FY 2021-2022 was pulled from the Consent Calendar to be voted on separately. PAGE 3 – 5/31/2022 3. Notice of Completion for Capital Improvement Project W-356 for Rehabilitation of North Reservoir was approved. 4. Proposal for Water System Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System (SCADA) Membrane HMI Integration CIP at the Water Treatment Plant was approved. 5. Task order for Purchase of HVAC Early Replacement and Electrification Evaluation for Azusa Police Department from AESC, Inc. was approved. 6. IBY Property Owner LLC Water Rate Adjustment, Effective June 1, 2022 was approved. 7. Extension of HVAC Evaluation and Retrofit Program from Proctor Engineering Group, Limited was approved. Moved by Board Member Gonzales , seconded by Board Member Avila Jr., to approve Items 1-2 and 4-7 of the Consent Calendar: Unanimously passed 4-0. AYES: BOARD MEMBERS: AVILA Jr., ALVAREZ, GONZALES, MENDEZ NOES: BOARD MEMBERS: NONE ABSENT: BOARD MEMBERS: BECKWITH ABSTAIN: BOARD MEMBERS: NONE SPECIAL CALL 2. The Budget Amendment to Water Division’s Operation and Maintenance Fund and Amendment of Related Blanket Purchase Orders to Support Operations for the Remainder of FY 2021-2022 was pulled from the Consent Calendar to be voted on separately. Board member Alvarez questioned the $300,000 increase to one of the purchase orders to support permanent asphalt and concrete restoration through June 30, 2022. Interim Assistant General Manager of Water Operations Barbosa explained an outside service company has been contracted to do asphalt repairs and final paving when repairing main leaks. Due to the increase in gas and oil costs, materials and the number of leaks in the service area, that amount is needed to close out the current invoices. There have been close to 600 leaks in the past year due to the aging of infrastructure and they are seeing close to a 50% increase in material costs. That increase would be seen regardless of the contractor used. Board member Gonzales commented if these repairs are going to be ongoing due to the age of infrastructure until the system has been completely updated, the City will need to address the costs of those repairs while the City has the funds to address those problems. Moved by Board Member Alvarez, seconded by Chair Mendez., to approve Items 2 of the Consent Calendar: Unanimously passed 4-0. AYES: BOARD MEMBERS: AVILA Jr., ALVAREZ , GONZALES, MENDEZ NOES: BOARD MEMBERS: NONE ABSENT: BOARD MEMBERS: BECKWITH ABSTAIN: BOARD MEMBERS: NONE F. STAFF REPORTS/COMMUNICATIONS 1. Receive and file Staff's report on results of the Fiscal Year 2021-2022 Third Quarter Budget Reports for Water and Electric Funds. General Manager Singh provided the Fiscal Year 2021-2022 Third Quarter Budget Report for Water and Electric Funds and answered Board member questions. PAGE 4 – 5/31/2022 Administration and Finance Manager Smith and City Manager Gonzalez provided information on meeting the operational debt services and raising rates to cover those expenses and not letting flotation bonds go into default and responded to Board member questions. 2. Receive and file Staff’s report setting 2-day watering restrictions effective June 1, 2022. Interim Assistant General Manager of Water Operations Barbosa provided the staff report for the 2-day water restrictions and answered Board member questions. June will be a month of educating customers, with an expected enforcement of the water restrictions to begin on July 1, 2022. Drip and hand watering will still be allowed any day. Public Works and the City will help to educate customers and spread the word. 3. Receive and file Annual SB 1037 Report. General Manager Singh provided the staff report for the Annual SB 1037 Report. G. VERBAL COMMUNICATIONS 1. Power Supply Update Assistant General Manager Power Resources Torres reported 2021 Renewable Energy Credits retired in WREGIS for the purpose of 2021 RPS reporting, Staff is in process to complete RPS 2021 by June 2022. There are enough rollover credits to cover any gaps. Progress thus far is attached for RPS 2022: 2022 Renewable Target 38.5%. Solar generation will pick up during the summer. Mesa RP30 Wind Images are a ttached in the Staff report. Monthly Update with Brookfield Renewable was May 10th. Grading is in progress , COD on schedule for Dec 2022. Construction financing is closed, Turbine deliveries expected 9/2022 and the Light and Water is planning for Utility Board site visit first week of October . 2. Water Supply Update Interim Assistant General Manager of Water Operations Barbosa reported the Main San Gabriel Basin key well historical high-water level was in 1983 at 295-feet. The historic low was in 2018 at 169.4-feet. Currently the basin is at 186.3-feet. There is one well within the main basin area, the rest of the City wells are in the upper aquifer. The State water storage reservoir levels are below targets and are within the drought level. There ha s been 15.5-inches of rain to date, which was heavily influenced by the 11-inches of rain that fell in December. March there was 1.8- inches of rain and in April there was a half inch of rain. Currently for May it’s at 3/10ths of an inch. San Gabriel Valley Municipal Pipeline (SGVM WD ) that brings water to Azusa’s upper spreading grounds will be out of service starting June 1, 2022 through September 1, 2022 for inspection/condition assessment and a 24-inch valve replacement. Board member Gonzales requested the SGVMWD and Upper District provide direct updates to the Utility Board at the next meeting or two. It would be helpful to get information on the condition of the water supply from the two districts. H. CLOSED SESSION None I. ADJOURNMENT The Special meeting of the Utility Board was adjourned by consensus of the Utility Board. PAGE 5 – 5/31/2022 TIME OF ADJOURNMENT: 7:14 P.M. __________________________________________ CITY CLERK/SECRETARY