EXHIBIT 19-B
FINAL MINUTES
Monterey Peninsula Water Management District
Public Outreach Committee
February 26, 2008
Call to Order
The meeting was called to order at 9:32 AM in the District conference room.
Committee members
present:
Kristi Markey
David Pendergrass
District staff members present: David Berger, General Manager
Rick Dickhaut, Chief Executive Officer/Administrative Services Manager
Comments from the Public
Dale Hekhuis read a statement dated February 26, 2008 that is on file at the District office. He suggested that the District reach out to the community and describe the how, why, what, when and where of the Draft Cease and Desist Order. He provided a list of ideas that should be communicated to the public.
Action Items
1. Receive
Minutes of October 23, 2007 Committee Meetings
On
a motion by Director Markey and second by Director Pendergrass, the minutes
were unanimously received on a vote of 3 - 0.
2. Review
Draft Text of 2007 MPWMD Annual Report
The committee members reviewed the draft text and suggested changes. They accepted the changes, asked that staff revise the text, and agreed that Director Doyle should review the revised text before it is submitted to the Board for the March 17, 2008 public hearing.
3. Review and Discussion
of Draft Pubic Outreach Plan
As part of the Public Outreach Plan, the committee discussed development of a plan to inform the public about the draft Cease and Desist Order (CDO) issued to California American Water (CAW) on January 15, 2008, by James Kassel, Assistant Deputy Director of the State Water Resources Control Board. The committee suggested that a letter could be sent to water users within the District that utilizes a bulleted text format to: (1) describe the draft CDO and how it will affect the community; (2) list the local SWRCB hearing date on the draft CDO; (3) suggest ways the public could influence a decision on the draft CDO; and (4) list contact numbers for agencies such as CAW, SWRCB and the Public Utilities Commission where more information could be found on the draft CDO. The committee also proposed that the letter could be published in a full-page ad in local newspapers, or a guest commentary could be written for publication in the Monterey County Herald. Further discussion of the Public Outreach Plan was deferred to the next meeting of the Public Outreach Committee
During the public comment period on this item, Mr. Hekhuis urged the committee to describe in the letter to the public, what would happen if the draft CDO were adopted by the SWRCB. He stated that the public should be advised of the consequences that would result from the water production cutbacks that are outlined in the draft CDO.
4. Consider
Conducting Public Outreach at the
Deferred to the March 6, 2008, committee meeting.
Oral Reports
Set Next Meeting Date
The committee agreed to meet on Thursday, March 6, 2008 at 9:30 AM, to discuss items 3 and 4 from the February 26, 2008 agenda that were deferred due to lack of time to fully review them.
Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at approximately 10:30 AM
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