Water Commission (now under Utilities Commission)

CITY OF LONG BEACH THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2020 WATER COMMISSION VIA TELECONFERENCE, 9:00 AM MINUTES Harry Saltzgaver, President Robert Shannon, Commissioner Frank Martinez, Vice President Gloria Cordero, Commissioner Arthur Levine, Secretary Christopher J. Garner, General Manager Richard Anthony, Deputy City Attorney FINISHED AGENDA & FINAL MINUTES BOARD OF WATER COMMISSION MEETING VIA TELECONFERENCE PURSUANT TO EXECUTIVE ORDER N-25-29 ISSUED BY GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM The Water Commission minutes are prepared and ordered to correspond to the Water Commission agenda. Agenda items can be taken out of order during the meeting. The agenda items were considered in the order presented. CALL TO ORDER The Board of Water Commission regular meeting was called to order by President Saltzgaver at 9:00 A.M. This meeting was held via teleconference pursuant to Executive Order N-25-29 issued by Governor Gavin Newsom. ROLL CALL Executive Assistant to the Board, Sandra Fox took the roll call and confirmed a quorum. Also present: Christopher J. Garner, General Manager; B. Anatole Falagan, Assistant General Manager; Tai Tseng, Assistant General Manager - Operations; Sean Crumby, Deputy General Manager - Engineering; Sandra Fox, Executive Assistant to the Board. Commissioners Harry Saltzgaver, Frank Martinez, Art Levine, Robert Shannon Present: and Gloria Cordero Page 1 of 8 CITY OF LONG BEACH THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2020 WATER COMMISSION VIA TELECONFERENCE, 9:00 AM MINUTES 1. 20-069WA APRIL 30, 2020 BOARD OF WATER COMMISSION MEETING PUBLIC COMMENTS President Saltzgaver asked if any written public comment had been received for this meeting. Ms. Fox responded no. PRESIDENT'S REPORT President Saltzgaver noted that this meeting had started at 9:00 A.M. rather than the 8:00 A.M. time discussed at the last Board meeting for a Finance Standing Committee of the Whole to be scheduled. He noted he had had lengthy discussions with staff regarding the budget. He noted it only made sense to schedule a separate meeting to discuss the budget. He called for a special meeting to be held May 7, 2020 at 9:00 A.M. via teleconference. He noted no action would be taken, this would be a budget workshop. President Saltzgaver advised that Mr. Garner had declined the 2% salary increase the Board had approved for him. He noted this would be effective April 1, 2020. He noted that there will probably be additional salary discussions for city staff in the coming weeks. He thanked Mr. Garner for being proactive regarding this issue. GENERAL MANAGER'S REPORT Mr. Garner announced that an e-mail had been sent out on April 29, 2020 from the City Manager to all City employees (including the Water Department employees) that Covid-19 testing was now available through Los Angeles County for front-line, essential employees, and any citizen who might be experiencing any Covid-related symptoms. He reported the EPA had issued 160,000 cloth masks to the State of California. He noted that LBWD had been tasked with distributing these to District 1 (San Luis Obispo to San Diego). He advised water agencies from these various cities would be picking up the masks from LBWD. He advised 500 of these masks had been reserved for LBWD and would be distributed to staff. He thanked Mr. Bott and Ms. Gutierrez for taking the lead on the mask distribution. Page 2 of 8 CITY OF LONG BEACH THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2020 WATER COMMISSION VIA TELECONFERENCE, 9:00 AM MINUTES Commissioner Levine inquired how the mask distribution for LBWD would be handled. Mr. Garner advised that the department had approximately 250 employees, so each employee would be eligible to receive two masks which they could pick up from the warehouse staff. REGULAR AGENDA 2. 20-070WA Recommendation to approve January 9, 2020 Regular Board Meeting minutes & January 9, 2020 Special Meeting Minutes for Federal and State Legislative Advocacy Issues President Saltzgaver called for a motion to approve the January 9, 2020 and January 9, 2020 Special Meeting - Federal and State Advocacy Issues meetings. A motion was made by Commissioner Levine, seconded by Commissioner Shannon, to approve recommendation. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 5 - Harry Saltzgaver, Frank Martinez, Art Levine, Robert Shannon and Gloria Cordero 3. 20-071WA Recommendation to approve Consent Calendar for April 30, 2020 a. Approval of Transfer of Funds by Journal Entry dated April 30, 2020 BUREAU: Business - Finance President Saltzgaver introduced the consent calendar item - Transfer of Funds Journal entry dated April 30, 2020. He asked the Board to specifically review items 67, 68 and 69; and items 111, 112 and 113. Commissioner Shannon asked Mr. Garner if these transfers represented a previously approved commitment. Mr. Garner advised these transfers represented 3/4 of the city transfer previously approved. President Salztzgaver confirmed that these transfers had been approved Page 3 of 8 CITY OF LONG BEACH THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2020 WATER COMMISSION VIA TELECONFERENCE, 9:00 AM MINUTES through the budget process in FY 2020. President Saltzgaver called for a motion. He then called for any public comment. Hearing none he called for a roll call vote. The motion carried unanimously. A motion was made by Commissioner Shannon, seconded by Commissioner Cordero, to approve recommendation. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 5 - Harry Saltzgaver, Frank Martinez, Art Levine, Robert Shannon and Gloria Cordero 4. 20-072WA Recommendation to authorize the General Manager to renew an agreement with Pacifica Services, Inc. to provide On-Call Project Labor Agreement Administration and Compliance Monitoring Services for current and future projects in the total amount not-to-exceed $725,000, for one (1) additional one-year period. BUREAU: Engineering Mr. Pincherli provided the staff report. Commissioner Cordero inquired if this was the same company used by the City. Mr. Pincherli responded yes this was one of the companies the city uses. President Saltzgaver asked if the Gas Department uses the city's vendors for PLA. Mr. Crumby responded yes, the Gas Department uses the City's various vendors for their PLA. A motion was made by Commissioner Martinez, seconded by Commissioner Cordero, to approve recommendation. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 5 - Harry Saltzgaver, Frank Martinez, Art Levine, Robert Shannon and Gloria Cordero Page 4 of 8 CITY OF LONG BEACH THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2020 WATER COMMISSION VIA TELECONFERENCE, 9:00 AM MINUTES 5. 20-073WA Verbal Presentation - Project Labor Agreement Annual Update BUREAU: Engineering Mr. Pincherli provided the annual update of the Project Labor Agreement, and reviewed a PowerPoint presentation with the Board. President Saltzgaver inquired if the estimated construction start dates of June 20 for the future PLA projects might be changed. Mr. Pincherli responded. He noted the Daisy Avenue Main Conversion project may be postponed since this is one of the items being reviewed during the budget discussions. Commissioner Cordero commented on meeting the tier goals of the PLA. She also inquired if Long Beach residents are assisted through partnerships like Gateway and LBCC to participate in PLA projects. Mr. Garner responded. 6. 20-074WA Receive the first half of the 2020 Long Beach Water Department Legislative Platform and provide comments and direction to staff if necessary. BUREAU: Legislation & Grants Ms. Croci reviewed the first section draft of the 2020 Long Beach Water Department Legislative Platform. She advised the Board that she welcomed any questions or additions to this platform. Commissioner Cordero inquired if staff had considered breaking out the items between state, federal and local issues. Ms. Croci responded. Mr. Falagan made comments regarding the draft legislative platform. President Saltzgaver advised he had always looked at the platform as a policy statement, rather than specific action items. Page 5 of 8 CITY OF LONG BEACH THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2020 WATER COMMISSION VIA TELECONFERENCE, 9:00 AM MINUTES INFORMATIONAL ITEM: WATER REPLENISHMENT DISTRICT LEO J. VANDER LANS WATER TREATMENT FACILITY RECLAIMED WATER SUPPLY AGREEMENT Mr. Wang provided an update regarding the Water Replenishment District/Long Beach Water Department Leo J. Vander Lans water treatment facility reclaimed water supply agreement. President Saltzgaver spoke. Commissioner Martinez requested that at a future agenda that an update be scheduled regarding the Duck Pond project. Mr. Garner advised that LBWD staff, Public Works staff and Health Department staff are continuing to work on the logistics for the Duck Pond project. He noted however, that construction of this project would probably not occur for another one or two fiscal years due to the financial situation caused by the Covid crisis. CONSIDER STANDING COMMITTEE REFERRALS President Saltzgaver called for any Standing Committee referrals. Hearing none he moved on in the agenda. NEW BUSINESS President Saltzgaver noted that Redondo Avenue is now fully open to traffic after the completion of the emergency cistern project. ADJOURNMENT President Saltzgaver read the closed session language into the record and called for any public comment. Closed Session: 1. Diana Lejins and Angela Kimball v. City of Long Beach et al., Los Angeles Superior Court Case No.: 18STCP02628. Hearing no public comment, he adjourned the Board to the closed session at 9:47 A.M. At 9:54 A.M. the closed session was called to order. Page 6 of 8 CITY OF LONG BEACH THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2020 WATER COMMISSION VIA TELECONFERENCE, 9:00 AM MINUTES President Saltzgaver called the Board meeting back in session at 10:10 A.M. He reported he had nothing to report from the closed session. He adjourned the regular meeting at 10:10 A.M. to the next special meeting of May 7, 2020. Page 7 of 8 CITY OF LONG BEACH THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2020 WATER COMMISSION VIA TELECONFERENCE, 9:00 AM MINUTES NOTE: If written language translation of the Commission agenda and minutes for non-English speaking persons is desired, please make your request by phone to the Office of the City Clerk at (562) 570-6101, 72 business hours prior to the Commission meeting. Kung nais ang pagsasalin ng nakasulat na wika ng agenda ng Komisyon at ang minutes para sa mga taong hindi nagsasalita ng Ingles, mangyaring isagawa ang iyong hiling sa pamamagitan ng telepono sa Opisina ng Clerk ng Lungsod sa (562) 570-6101, 72 oras ng negosyo bago ang pagpupulong ng Commission. Si desea obtener la traducción escrita en otro idioma de la agenda y actas de la comisión para personas que no hablan inglés, haga su solicitud por teléfono a la Oficina de la Secretaría Municipal al (562) 570-6101, 72 horas hábiles antes de la reunión de la comisión. Page 8 of 8