ITEM: INFORMATIONAL
ITEMS/STAFF REPORTS
27. QUARTERLY
PUBLIC INFORMATION PROGRAM REPORT
Meeting Date: January
30, 2003 Budgeted: N/A
Program/Line Item No.: N/A
General Counsel Approval: N/A
Committee
Recommendation: N/A
CEQA Compliance: N/A
The purpose of the MPWMD Public Information Program is to more effectively communicate factual information about the District mission, its activities, and water issues to the public. The following paragraphs highlight activities in the October 2002 through early January 2003 period. The next quarterly report will be prepared for the April 2003 meeting.
Public Outreach/Communications Committee -- The current committee members are Directors Molly Erickson, Judi Lehman and David Pendergrass. The fiscal year 2002-2003 public outreach program assumed that four quarterly newsletters would be published. Consultants Richard Pitnick (writer) and Karen Morgan (graphic artist) were retained to work with staff and the committee to prepare newsletters. In this past quarter, the committee met with staff and consultants regarding preparation of the Fall 2002 newsletter, which was mailed in December 2002.
District Staff Action -- During this reporting period, District staff continued to write news releases on Board action and notable District activities, summarize major District activities each month, answer questions from the media and general public on a variety of subjects, maintain the District website, and other public outreach activities. Extensive community and media interest was generated about Measure B (an advisory measure approved by voters to dissolve the District), consideration of eminent domain proceedings to take over the Cal-Am water system, and adoption of Ordinance No. 105 to expand regulation of single-parcel water distribution systems. District staff is planning the third quarterly public update on the Water Supply Project EIR, tentatively scheduled for January 30, 2003. District staff continues to respond to many queries about water distribution system regulations (especially Ordinance No. 105), water availability in Hidden Hills, and other water-related issues through a variety of media (phone, e-mail, letter).
During this
reporting period, the General Manager met with managers of other local agencies
regarding cooperative management of the Fort Ord area and to address concerns
raised about Ordinance No. 105. Staff
reviewed draft presentation materials to be shown at a February 2003 forum to
be hosted by the Fort Ord Reuse Authority (FORA) and suggested corrections and
refinements.
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