HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - July 24, 2023 - UBCITY OF AZUSA
MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING
OF THE AZUSA UTILITY BOARD
MONDAY, JULY 24, 2023– 6:30 P.M.
Chairperson: Dennis Beckwith
Vice Chairperson: Edward J. Alvarez
Board Member: Robert Gonzales
Board Member: Andrew N. Mendez
Board Member: Jesse Avila, Jr.
Secretary: Jeffrey Lawrence Cornejo, Jr.
The Utility Board of the City of Azusa met in regular session, at the above date and time, in the Azusa Light & Water
Building 1st Floor Conference Room located at 729 N. Azusa Avenue, Azusa, California.
Chairperson Beckwith 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, MENDEZ, BECKWITH
ABSENT: BOARD MEMBERS:
The pledge to the flag was led by Nicolas Mendez.
ALSO PRESENT
Elected Officials: Secretary Cornejo
City Attorney: Jeff Ferre
Staff Members: City Manager Gonzalez, General Manager Tikan Singh, Assistant General Manager of Electric
Operations Hien Vuong, Assistant General Manager Power Resources Richard Torres, Assistant General Manager Water
Operations Melissa Barbosa, Environmental Programs Manager Paul Reid, Senior Admin Technician Anthony
Hernandez, Chief of Police Rocky Wenrick, Chief Deputy City Clerk Adrian Garcia.
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
None
CLOSED SESSION
1. CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL – EXISTING LITIGATION
Paragraph (1) of Subdivision (d) of Government Code Section 54956.9
Name of Case: Carachure v. City of Azusa 22STCV31418
2. CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL – EXISTING LITIGATION
Paragraph (1) of Subdivision (d) of Government Code Section 54956.9
Name of Case: Carachure v. City of Azusa 22STCP03478
City Attorney Jeff Ferre reported the Utility Board met in closed session, and there were no action items to report.
PAGE 2 – 7/24/23
GENERAL MANAGER COMMENTS
General Manager Singh reported that the outage of July 15 was due to a failed underground cable. Power was restored
within 75 minutes. There is a new marquee in front of Azusa Light and Water. It looks great at night.
UTILITY BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS
Boardmember Gonzales commented regarding folks throwing away light bulbs and batteries, which they are not supposed
to do; and inquired about a program that could be started which would allow residents to turn those bulbs in for proper
disposal or possibly an education program that will educate people.
General Manager Singh explained the difference between e-waste, regular waste, and hazardous waste, and responded to
Board questions; he stated he would work on returning with information for the Board.
SCHEDULED ITEMS
None
CONSENT CALENDAR
Chair Beckwith asked if any Boardmembers wished to pull an item. Item 3 was pulled from the Calendar.
1. The Minutes of the Utility Board Meeting on June 26, 2023, were approved.
2. The SCPPA Task Order extension for Energy Education Program by Tinker, LLC at a cost not to exceed $100,000;
and authorization for the General Manager to execute the associated SCPPA Task Order in a form acceptable to the City
Attorney was approved.
3. Cancel the Utility Board’s meeting on August 28, 2023, was pulled from the Calendar.
4. Plan and specifications for the circuit breakers replacement Project LD2023-3; and authorize the advertisement and
solicitation of bids for the construction of LD2023-3, the Azusa Substation Circuit Breaker Replacement Project were
approved.
5. Waive the competitive purchase requirements pursuant to Section 2-521(a), Article VII, Chapter 2 of the Azusa
Municipal Code (Cooperative and Piggyback Purchasing); and the purchase of one (1) new 2025 Gasoline Backyard
Digger Derrick; and authorize the issuance of a Purchase Order to Altech Industries, Inc. in the amount not-to-exceed
$276,083.64 was approved.
6. Professional Services Agreement and Blanket Purchase Order for on-call professional water engineering services
with Lee+Ro Inc. for an annual not-to-exceed amount of $400,000; Professional Services Agreement and Blanket
Purchase Order for on-call professional water engineering services with Stetson Engineers Inc., for an annual not-to-
exceed amount of $400,000; Professional Services Agreement and Blanket Purchase Order for on-call professional water
engineering services with Civiltec Engineering Inc., for an annual not-to-exceed amount of $400,000; Professional
Services Agreement and Blanket Purchase Order for on-call professional water engineering services with TKE
Engineering Inc., for an annual not-to-exceed amount of $400,000; and authorize the Mayor to execute the four
agreements for water engineering services in a form acceptable to the City Attorney was approved.
7. A budget amendment to the Water Division’s Operation and Maintenance Fund in the total amount of $250,000 to
support legal fees was approved.
Board Member Gonzales moved, Board Member Mendez seconded by, to approve Items 1-2 and 4-7 of the Consent
Calendar: Unanimously passed 5-0.
PAGE 3 – 7/24/23
AYES: BOARD MEMBERS: AVILA Jr., ALVAREZ, GONZALES, MENDEZ, BECKWITH
NOES: BOARD MEMBERS: NONE
ABSENT: BOARD MEMBERS: NONE
ABSTAIN: BOARD MEMBERS: NONE
STAFF REPORTS/COMMUNICATIONS
None
VERBAL COMMUNICATIONS
1. Power Supply Update
Assistant General Manager Power Resources Richard Torres reported that renewable generated through June 2023 was
32% of retail load. The year’s target is 41.3%. The Mesa Wind turbines will bridge the gap. Mr. Torres stated that he
expects it to be between 42-44% of renewable energy by the end of the year. The California Independent System Operator
(CAISO) Summer Assessment showed their peak was 52,061 MW in the 2022 summer, the forecast for 2023 summer is
46,829 to 49,919 MW. They seem to be showing better planning for this year; however, the risk is still there for potential
wildfires. Turbine T6 is showing completed as of June 30 out of the eight in Mesa. They have moved the crane to T5 and
are waiting for a good weather window. The Mesa substation is now complete, and staff can move forward with the
metering telemetry setup, formal scheduling coordination letter agreements with CAISO, and working with the developer
to register wind facility for production of renewable credits, processing CAISO Generator Resource ID and scheduling of
test energy. They are on track to do the test run in November, possibly sooner.
2. Water Supply Update
Assistant General Manager of Water Operations Melissa Barbosa reported no rain for the month of July. Water is still
flowing in the San Gabriel River. The Key Well is about 230 feet, percolation rates have slowed down in the groundwater
basin. State Water Project (SWP) allocation as of April 2023 is at 100% for the first time since 2006. Water deliveries
across the State are being made and all the state reservoirs are still relatively full. ALW set up a water conservation booth
at the Summer Concerts in the park with conservation information and giveaways.
Azusa Light & Water staff answered Board Member questions.
ADJOURNMENT
The Regular meeting of the Utility Board was adjourned by consensus of the Utility Board.
TIME OF ADJOURNMENT: 7:23 P.M.
__________________________________________
CITY CLERK/SECRETARY