MPWMD BOARD MEETING--MARCH 20, 2006--FINAL MINUTES

FINAL MINUTES

Regular Meeting

Board of Directors

Monterey Peninsula Water Management District

March 20, 2006

The meeting was called to order at 7 PM in the Boardroom of the Monterey Regional Water Pollution Control Agency offices.

Board members present:

Michelle Knight, Chair – Division 3

Judi Lehman, Vice Chair – Division 2

Alvin Edwards – Division 1

Kristi Markey – Division 3 (arrived at 7:10 PM)

Larry Foy – Division 5

David Pendergrass – Mayoral Representative

David Potter – Monterey County Board of Supervisors

(arrived at 7:10 PM)

Board members absent: None

The assembly recited the Pledge of Allegiance.

No comments were directed to the Board.

On a motion by Director Pendergrass and second by Director Foy, the Consent Calendar items were approved on a unanimous vote of 5 to 0. Directors Edwards, Foy, Knight, Lehman and Pendergrass voted in favor of the motion. Directors Markey and Potter were not present for the vote.

Approved.

The report was presented by Andy Bell, Planning and Engineering Manager. A summary is on file at the District office and on the District’s web site. (Directors Markey and Potter arrived at the meeting during Mr. Bell’s report.) Mr. Bell announced that oral comments on the Draft EIR/EA on the Phase 1 Aquifer Storage and Recovery Project will be received at the April 17, 2006 Board meeting. During the question and answer period, staff advised the Board that the District has a permit to divert 650 acre-feet of water from the Carmel River for injection into the Seaside Basin as part of the test Aquifer Storage and Recovery project. It is likely that 350 to 400 acre-feet of water will be diverted because the high-flow season started later in the year than expected. Mr. Bell reported that he has not received information from Pajaro/Sunny Mesa Community Services District (P/SM) consultants related to the desalination project that P/SM has proposed. Mr. Bell hoped to meet with the consultants within two weeks.

General Manager Berger announced that this item would be deferred to the April 17, 2005 Board meeting due to the illness of David Dettman, Senior Fisheries Biologist, who was scheduled to present the report. In response to an inquiry from Director Potter, Mr. Berger stated that he and two other staff members planned to attend an upcoming meeting regarding Carmel River Lagoon management. Director Potter stated that he organized the meeting, and that more local participation would be needed to solve lagoon management issues.

The report was presented by Darby Fuerst, Senior Hydrologist. A summary is on file at the District office and on the District’s web site. Mr. Fuerst reported that as of March 16, 2006, California American Water (Cal Am) production from the Carmel River was 111 acre-feet below the limit established as a result of SWRCB Order 95-10.

The Closed Session was not conducted at 5:30 PM. It was convened at the close of the 7 PM session. Since no members of the public were present to hear Mr. Laredo’s report at the end of the Closed Session, he deferred the report to the March 23, 2006 Board Workshop.

Chair Knight announced that she would represent the District at the March 22, 2006 meeting of the Watermaster. Director Potter stated that Supervisor Jerry Smith would represent the County of Monterey at that meeting.

On a motion by Director Edwards and second by Director Foy, the April through June 2006 Quarterly Water Supply Strategy and Budget was unanimously adopted by the Board on a vote of 7 – 0. Director Edwards requested that the report be given at the Watermaster meeting. Chair Knight noted that there might be an appropriate place on the March 22, 2006 Watermaster agenda to present the report. No comments were directed to the Board during the public hearing on this item.

On a motion by Director Potter and second by Director Edwards, the Board agreed unanimously to submit the report to the Public Outreach Committee for further refinement before it is distributed to the public. The motion was approved on a vote of 7 – 0. No comments were directed to the Board during the public hearing on this item.

On a motion by Director Foy and second by Director Pendergrass, the Board voted unanimously to accept the staff recommendation to: (1) contract with the City of Monterey for a not-to-exceed amount of $250,000; (2) contract with the Carmel River Watershed Conservancy for a not-to-exceed amount of $15,368; (3) contract with the Big Sur Land Trust for a not-to-exceed amount of $25,000; (4) contract with RMC for a not-to-exceed amount of $146,485; and (5) contract with Padre and Associates for a not-to-exceed amount of $41,008. The motion was approved unanimously on a vote of 7 – 0.

The following comments were directed to the Board during the public comment period on this item. (1) Robert Greenwood, representing the Carmel Valley Association, urged the Board to fast-track completion of the Integrated Regional Water Management Plan (IRWMP). He expressed concern that if the Monterey Bay Regional Water Authority prepares a study of regional water supply projects, that would duplicate work to be completed on the IRWMP. (2) John Fischer, resident of Pacific Grove, spoke about the importance of the water quality testing proposed in the IRWMP to be conducted in the vicinity of storm water discharges in areas designated to have special biological significance in the Carmel Bay and Pacific Grove.

Director Potter offered a motion that was seconded by Director Foy to adopt the draft charge as presented with the following modifications: (1) delete paragraph No. 1 and add the replacement text shown on Exhibit 13-A; (2) amend the replacement text by deleting the words “guidance to the MPWMD staff and”; (3) delete the word “all” from section 4b; (4) section 4c shall remain in the charge; and (5) delete the words “designated by a majority of the Board or the District Board Chair” from item 4c and replace with the words “consistent with the Public Outreach Committee mission or charge.” The motion was adopted unanimously on a vote of 7 – 0.

During the public comment period on this item, Robert Greenwood, representing the Carmel Valley Association, expressed support for the committee charge as proposed by Director Knight.

There was no discussion of the Informational Items/Staff Reports.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:20 PM in memory of the recently deceased John Logan, an accomplished and respected hydrologist and long-time participant in community water issues.

CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

ORAL COMMUNICATIONS

CONSENT CALENDAR

1. Consider Adoption of Minutes of the February 22, 2006 Board Workshop and February 23, 2006 Regular Board Meeting

2. Receive and File Annual Mitigation Program Report for Reporting Year 2004-2005

3. Consider Authorization of Funds to Contract with Ventana Wildlife Society for Carmel River Avian Habitat Monitoring

4. Consider Adoption of Treasurer’s Report for January 2006

PRESENTATIONS

5. Water Supply Project Alternatives Update

6. 2005-06 Steelhead Rescue/Rearing Season Report

GENERAL MANAGER’S REPORT

7. Status Report on California-American Water Compliance with State Water Resources Control Board Order 95-10

ATTORNEY’S REPORT

8. Report on 5:30 PM Closed Session of the Board

DIRECTORS’ REPORTS

9. Oral Reports on Activities of County, Cities, Other Agencies/Committees/ Associations

PUBLIC HEARINGS

10. Consider Adoption of April through June 2006 Quarterly Water Supply Strategy and Budget

11. Receive Public Comment on Draft 2005 MPWMD Annual Report

ACTION ITEMS

12. Consider Authorization of Consultant Contracts and Sub-Grantee Agreements for Completion of the Proposition 50 Grant-Funded Integrated Regional Water Management Plan for the Monterey Peninsula, Carmel Bay and Southern Monterey Bay