Minutes of the Board of Trustees – Wednesday, February 9, 2011.
1. Roll Call:
Present: President, Evan Long; Secretary, Belen Gomez; Richard Phillips; Bette George and Rosemary Hellwig.
Absent: Larry Roberts, Dinuba
Staff: Manager, Michael Alburn.
Others: Monique Miron and Jerry Lemus, CM Construction Services, Inc.
Oath of Office:
Trustee, Rosemary Hellwig took the Oath of Office administered by Michael Alburn, Manager.
2. Approval of January Minutes:
It was moved by Belen Gomez, seconded by Bette George and unanimously carried that the Minutes of the January meeting be approved as mailed.
3. Approval of January Bills:
Following discussion, it was moved by Belen Gomez, seconded by Richard Phillips, and unanimously carried that the January Bills be approved as submitted. See: Board Order to disburse funds No. 15, Exhibit I.
4. Approval of February Payroll:
Following discussion, it was moved by Bette George, seconded by Belen Gomez, and unanimously carried that the February Payroll be approved as submitted. See: Board Order to disburse funds No. 16, Exhibit II.
5. Public Forum:
None.
6. Operational Report:
The Manager reported the District will hire 12 Technicians this season; all will be returnees, with a staggered start/ finish beginning the first Monday in April (Weed – 2 Tech; Larval/ Domestic – 1 Tech; House Mosquito – 8 Tech; Lab – 2 Tech).
Growers Letter has been sent. A select few have been identified for follow up to reduce treatment costs this season.
Pre emergent herbicide has been applied, currently performing spot treatments through 9/30.
The staff attended the opening day of the World Ag Expo; paying own way, on District time.
Source reduction work ongoing (ST. Johns, Kaweah, McCain’s) except for Kings River, water too high. Evaluating opportunities as work is to be completed by March 1.
Vehicle / Equipment maintenance complete. Calibration is underway.
Continuing Education March 1 – Heritage Center, World Ag Expo
Central Life Sciences – Wellmark rebated $894 for purchases made last season.
7. Building Project Report:
The Manager introduced Monique Miron, CM Construction Services, Project Manager and Jerry Lemus, CM Construction Services.
Monique reported that the Permit Set was submitted to NAFFA by the City of Visalia for review. CMCS reviewed the comments and forwarded them to Hayashida for corrections. Resubmission should occur mid month.
Fees due the District outweigh the fees the City of Visalia and Visalia Unified require. We will ask the City to drop their fees, but we will come out ahead in the end.
Utilities are on-line with the project, but will still require to be put on the calendar.
Several local contractors are interested in bidding the project, we expect to have the marketing done and fees finalized with project out for bid by the March 9, 2011 Board meeting.
Discussion on when to hold a Ground Breaking ceremony resulted in direction of the Board to return with calendars open at the end of March for determination of an appropriate date for the event.
8. Irrevocable Offer of Dedication in Fee Interest:
The Board considered a request by the City of Visalia to dedicate an 8’ wide strip off of Houston Ave. frontage to the City of Visalia. Following discussion, it was moved by Bette George, seconded by Richard Phillips and unanimously carried to make the Irrevocable Offer of Dedication in Fee Interest to the City of Visalia, retaining, however, a continuing and perpetual right of access for ingress and egress onto Houston Ave. to and from Lot 4, in, on and over the said 8 foot wide area. Michael Alburn is to be signatory to the agreement.
9. State Controller Report:
The Manager reported that the State Controller, John Chang has unveiled a website showing the salary, pension benefits and other employee compensation for several hundred local transit, waste disposal, and fire and police districts. Last October, the Controller collected and posted wage information for more than 600,000 city and county employees. He has ordered Special Districts across the state to report the same information.
The District will be required to input information beginning February 28, due by April 4 so it can be posted on the website June 11. We will meet the directive.
The Manager requested, in light of the requirement, if he could forgo the salary survey the Board had requested last June, due March, and use the information on the State Controller site. The data will be available in time for the June meeting when the Manager will be evaluated. The Draft Budget will be presented in July and the Final in August, leaving adequate time for further research, questions to be investigated and/ or acted upon. It was without dissent that the schedule was accepted.
10. NPDES Coalition/ SWRCB Permit:
The Statewide NPDES Permit for Residual Pesticide Discharges to Waters of the United States from Vector Control Applications which was scheduled to be heard by the State Water Resources Control Board on February 1, 2011, has been rescheduled for February 15, 2011.
In response to National Cotton Council of America v. EPA (6th Cir., 2009), the State Water Resources Control Board will be adopting an NPDES General Permit to cover the discharge of pesticides to waters of the United States resulting from adult and larval mosquito control. The General Permit will cover both adulticide and larvicide applications. MVCAC has determined that all or most member districts will be applying to the regional water quality control boards for coverage under the General Permit.
The General Permit will require those signatory to the permit to undertake specified monitoring and reporting in accordance with the General Permit’s monitoring and reporting program and related requirements. With respect to adulticide applications, the General Permit will allow the permit holder to choose between individual monitoring and reporting or participation in a statewide coalition monitoring and reporting program.
MVCAC has determined that it will implement, manage and administer the statewide coalition monitoring and reporting program under the General Permit. MVCAC monitoring and reporting will be limited to that related to the discharge of residual pesticides to waters of the United States resulting from adult mosquito spray applications.
MVCAC has undertaken some initial groundwork on possible test sites and prepared an initial matrix of products that will need to be tested. Each identified product must be tested six (6) times annually in three different settings (urban, agriculture, wetlands). This permit is limited to aerial application and it is not unusual for aerial spraying to occur in the dusk and evening hours. A water sample must be taken 24 hours prior to and post an aerial spraying event. A significant amount of time may be spent coordinating among MVCAC NPDES Coalition members on when an aerial spraying may or is going to occur; what product is being applied and what abatement methods were or are being used by neighboring districts which may have an impact on the water sample.
The report after the event has occurred should include the following items:
Methodology
Analytical methods
Sampling locations
Sampling methods
Sample Collection Timing
Water Quality Results
Quality Assurance and Control
Data Observation
Coalition billing is coming in April, following the project manager hiring. Interviews are to occur in Sacramento Feb. 23 (Finance Committee meeting at 2 pm same location). The Manager plans to attend, one day up and back.
Gov. Brown received a letter from the MVCAC requesting his help in amending the Clean Water Act to say “Pesticides identified as public health pesticides shall not be defined as pollutants when applied according to FIFRA labeling and shall not require NPDES permits.”
MVCAC suggests collaboration with Senator Boxer, current Chair of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, to offer the amendment and eliminate the undue financial burden that has been placed on public health agencies in California.
11. OPEB Actuarial Valuation Engagement Letter:
Katherine MacLoud, Bickmore Risk Services has offered an engagement letter to satisfy GASB 45 requirements for the Actuarial Valuation due June 30, 2011. Cost is $4,750. Bickmore has done both of our previous evaluations and we have the ongoing expectation to maintain the relationship, therefore, no solicitation for bids has occurred.
Following discussion, it was moved by Belen Gomez, seconded by Bette George and unanimously carried to accept the offer of services and direct the Manager to sign the engagement letter, entering into the contract.
12. VCJPA Annual Meeting March 2-4, Seaside Embassy Suites:
The Manager requested travel authorization for himself and Sheri Davis, Administrative Assistant to attend the meeting with our risk management administrator. It was moved by Richard Phillips, seconded by Belen Gomez and unanimously carried to approve the budgeted/ requested travel.
13. AMCA Annual Conference March 20-24, Anaheim Disneyland Hotel:
The Manager sought travel authorization for Yolanda Lourenco, Assistant Manager and Katherine Ramirez, Biologist to attend the annual meeting of the American Mosquito Control Association. The Manager explained that normally the District sends one individual to AMCA and one to SOVE but this year, in support of the MVCAC hosting the AMCA event, no representatives will attend SOVE (normally out of state). Following discussion, it was moved by Bette George, seconded by Belen Gomez and unanimously carried to approve the budgeted/ requested travel.
14. Rawhide:
The Manager sought direction regarding a family night at the baseball game this summer. Following discussion, direction was given to return to the next board meeting with three proposed dates for Board consideration.
15. Adjournment:
The meeting was adjourned at 8:10 p.m.
Board Minutes Approved on March 9, 2011.
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Michael W. Alburn, Recording Secretary