Minutes of the Board of Trustees – Wednesday, December 9, 2009.
1. Roll Call:
Present: President, Evan Long; Secretary, Belen Gomez; Bette George; and Bruce Myers.
Absent: Harold Dozier
Staff: Manager, Michael Alburn.
Consultants: John Bliss & Maria Garcia-Adarve, SCI.
2. SCI:
John Bliss, Vice President and Maria Garcia-Adarve, Consultant SCI Consulting Group presented the Survey and Opinion Research Findings of the questions:
· Evaluate property owners’ support, desires and priorities regarding the services provided by the Delta Vector Control District.
· Measure the level of support for a local funding measure to build a new laboratory facility and improve surveillance and testing for mosquito, vector and disease control throughout the District.
A survey testing two proposed annual rates:
· $5.71 per single family home (10 yr payoff).
· $9.72 per single family home (5 yr payoff).
· Tiered rates for other types of property.
Ten thousand property owners were sampled with an 11.9% return rate reflecting a margin of error of ± 2.67%. The results included all types of property owners and are adjusted to reflect the weighted ballot features of a benefit assessment. Overall property owner support for the $5.71 rate was 60.6% and for the $9.72 rate was 55%.
Following discussion, including costs for Phase III, IV and V ($97,600) it was moved by Bruce Myers, seconded by Bette George and unanimously carried that the Manager and SCI begin work to put the question before the property owners of the District at the $5.71 per single family home rate in time for the close of the election to coincide with the April 14, 2010 regular meeting of the Board.
3. Approval of November Minutes:
It was moved by Bruce Myers, seconded by Bette George, and unanimously carried that the Minutes of the November meeting be approved as mailed.
4. Approval of November Bills:
Following discussion, it was moved by Belen Gomez, seconded by Bruce Myers, and unanimously carried that the November Bills be approved as submitted. See: Board Order to disburse funds No. 11, Exhibit I.
5. Approval of December Payroll:
Following discussion, it was moved by Bette George, seconded by Belen Gomez, and unanimously carried that the December Payroll be approved as submitted. See: Board Order to disburse funds No. 12, Exhibit II.
6. Public Forum:
Mr. Richard Phillips was introduced to the Trustees as a guest. Mr. Phillips has been appointed to the Farmersville seat on the Board and was welcomed by all in attendance.
7. Operational Report:
The Manager reported:
The state certification testing has been completed and several of our people did well:
Eric Rabuse passed his cat. B test to earn his VC Tech III certificate.
Vincent Grjavila passed his category C test.
John Johnson passed his A & B tests.
Maintenance continues for vehicles and grounds.
Paper records are being gone through, a shredding company is being identified and a retention plan is being prepared.
Electronic records that need storage are being identified and a retention/ backup plan is also being prepared. The District will purchase a 1 TB USB Hard Drive for backup. Purchase will be $80 - $150. Not budgeted.
Staff is working on public relations campaign for 2010; details will come to board when complete.
Vacation time is being provided after a long season, many days with minimal staff.
Office will be open until noon on December 24. Staff will return on January 4, 2010. The Manager will be collecting mail and checking the phone, probably working with SCI a little between December 28 – 31.
8. Top Ten Mosquito Producers:
The Manager provided a list of invoices to Trustees identifying those mosquito growers who Delta spent $1,000 + in materials this year. Normally, the District will send letters asking for help in reducing breeding, but this is not appropriate for these higher material expenditures.
The Manager sought to have a letter sent to these individuals asking for them to contact the Superintendent in order to commit to a plan that reduces costs incurred by the District. He also proposed to publicly identify those who don’t commit to a cost reduction plan.
Failure to work toward solution will mean the grower will be facing abatement when treatment is required in 2010. The Manager indicated a desire to avoid bringing all of the named in for a hearing, so it is believed the list will be culled with this approach.
It was moved by Bette George, seconded by Bruce Myers and unanimously carried to authorized the Manager to use the means necessary to bring about compliance.
9. Argo:
The Manager reported that San Luis Obispo County Vector Control is disbanding its vector program; they have an Argo they purchased with state money and that they have offered it to us for free. The logistics are being worked out, but it appears that we will cancel our purchase agreement with Brian Passaro of Mosquito and Vector Management District of Santa Barbara County in order to accept this offer.
10. CalPERS:
On June 28, 2009 CalPERS anticipated a -28% investment return (actuarial valuation). On August 25, 2009 CalPERS notified agencies through a circular letter of the smoothing modifications the New Board had approved to mitigate the impact of market declines on employer contribution rates.
The circular letter described a 3 year phase in of the 08-09 investment loss to allow time for the economy to recover. Capital Weekly is reporting that CalPERS is delaying a contribution rate hike for local governments and schools for one year, pushing back the impact of investment losses in 08-09. CalPERS chief actuary has told the Board that what had been expected to be three years of roughly equal rate increases will now have little or no increase in the first year. The rate increases approved by the CalPERS board last June were based on an estimate that the investment losses during the fiscal year would be 29 percent, but the amount turned out to be 24 percent. There was 5 percent better performance than had been anticipated.
There will now be little or no change in the contribution rate for local government agencies on July 1, 2011 when the three year smoothing starts. It is due to a lag caused by reporting and the time needed for many actuarial calculations.
Delta VCD will pay an Employer Contribution Rate of 13.115 % for 2010-11. For 2009-10 the District paid, 12.481 %. Previous to the Capital Weekly announcement the (projected) 11-12 rate was 14.4% under the first of the three year phasing.
11. MVCAC Annual Conference, Sacramento, February 7 - 10:
The Manager requested travel authorization for Yolanda Lourenco, Assistant Manager/ Biologist; Katherine Ramirez, Biologist; Mark Dynge, Systems Administrator; and Paul Jobe, Superintendent. Due to the February Board Meeting and the need to have our attention focused on the assessment resolution including related documentation, the Manager will not attend.
Following discussion, it was moved by Belen Gomez, seconded by Bruce Myers and unanimously carried to approve the request.
12. Holiday Ham:
The Board following discussion, it was moved by Bruce Myers, seconded by Bette George and unanimously carried to extend an offer of a Holiday Ham in recognition of the hard work and dedication employees have put forth this year. All employees will have their W-2’s reflect the cost of the ham provided so as to prevent the distribution from qualifying as a gift of public funds.
13. Adjournment:
The meeting adjourned at 3:15 p.m.
Board Minutes Approved on January 13, 2010.
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Michael W. Alburn, Recording Secretary