Virtual Meeting - See Agenda

for Participation Information

City of Santa Rosa

Subregional Wastewater Technical

Advisory Committee

Meeting Minutes - Final

Thursday, March 10, 2022

8:00 AM

1. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL

Jennifer Burke, Chair, called the meeting to order at 8:01 a.m.

Present: (5) Jennifer Burke, Craig Scott, Mary Grace Pawson, Ryan Crawford and

Michael Thompson

Absent: (0)

City Staff Present:

Nick Harvey

Peter Martin

Sean McNeil

Joe Schiavone

John Stinson

Emma Walton

Kimberly Zunino

Roberta Atha

Public Present:

Eydie Tacata

2. ADOPT RESOLUTION FINDING PROCLAIMED STATE OF EMERGENCY AND

THAT MEETING IN PERSON WOULD PRESENT IMMINENT RISKS TO THE

HEALTH OR SAFETY OF ATTENDEES AND AUTHORIZING MEETINGS BY

TELECONFERENCE OF LEGISLATIVE BODIES

2.1

PRESENTATION - RESOLUTION OF THE SUBREGIONAL TECHNICAL

ADVISORY COMMITTEE FINDING PROCLAIMED STATE OF EMERGENCY

AND THAT MEETING IN PERSON WOULD PRESENT IMMINENT RISKS TO THE

HEALTH OR SAFETY OF ATTENDEES, AND AUTHORIZING MEETINGS BY

TELECONFERENCE OF LEGISLATIVE BODIES

Moved by City of Rohnert Park (Pawson), seconded by City of

Cotati (Scott). Approved by City of Santa Rosa, City of Cotati, City of

Rohnert Park, City of Sebastopol and Sonoma Water.

3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES

February 10, 2022 - Regular Meeting Minutes.

3.1

The minutes for February 10, 2022, were accepted as submitted.

4. PUBLIC COMMENTS

None.

5. NEW BUSINESS

PRESENTATION - FY 2022/23 REGIONAL CIP PROJECT FUNDING

5.1

Emma Walton, Deputy Director - Water Reuse, provided an

overview of Regional CIP projects that are underway or in design

and highlighted the status and projected construction timeline for

several CIP projects within the Treatment Plant and other locations

within the Regional system. Deputy Director Walton gave further

details on two projects. The Electrical Infrastructure Replacement

project includes $20 million worth of improvements that are

recommended within the next five years with additional mid- and

long-term needs. The Aeration Basin Assessment and

Rehabilitation project was recently approved by the Board of Public

Utilities and includes installation of a bypass pumping system to

dewater, clean and inspect the channels with construction

anticipated in 2025.

5.2

PRESENTATION - REVIEW OF PRELIMINARY FY 2022/23 OPERATIONS AND

MAINTENANCE, DEBT SERVICE AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT BUDGETS

AND ALLOCATIONS

Nick Harvey, Administrative Analyst, presented the proposed

Regional O&M and CIP budget and Regional partner allocations for

FY 2022/23. Significant increases in the budget include salaries and

benefits, professional services and O&M projects. Miscellaneous

Revenues are up due in part to increases in high strength tipping

charges. Mr. Harvey reviewed the Regional Fund Summary and the

Refund Reserve Summary. The proposed total allocations assume

applied fund balance to reduce the increase to approximately 6% for

each of the Regional partners.

Craig Scott, City of Cotati, and Mary Grace Pawson, City of Rohnert

Park, asked staff to provide a long-term financial model to assist

with future planning for allocations, budgeting and utilization of

refund reserves.

Jennifer Burke, City of Santa Rosa, stated the partners have the

option to adjust the application of the refund reserve for its

allocation. Kimberly Zunino, Deputy Director - Administration, will

send the most recent water and wastewater rate study along with the

allocation calculation to the partners. A final decision on the

application of refund reserve by each partner is needed by March

28, 2022.

PRESENTATION - REGIONAL OPERATIONS DIVISION UPDATE

5.3

Emma Walton, Deputy Director - Water Reuse, provided an update

for the Regional Operations Division. Recycled water production has

dropped to summertime flows and is lower than last year at this time.

Recycled water storage is higher than last year at this time and

allocations totaling 900 million gallons were sent to recycled water

users in January. The October 2021 storms increased flows to 92

million gallons/day to the Plant and under-treated, non-spec water

needed to be diverted to storage ponds. The process to return the

water (300 million gallons) to the Plant for re-treatment was

completed on February 22. Deputy Director Walton gave an update

on the Belt Press Rehabilitation project and provided information on

the upcoming Geysers annual maintenance shutdown which is

anticipated to last four weeks.

PRESENTATION - ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES DIVISION UPDATE

5.4

Sean McNeil, Deputy Director - Environmental Services, provided

information regarding COVID-19 monitoring in wastewater. The virus

does not survive in sewer, but dead viruses leave RNA traces that

can be detected and analyzed. The Plant participated in a previous

study that saw a large increase in replicants per liter during a

10-week timeframe due to the Delta variant. The Plant is part of a

new study and sends samples to two companies for analysis. A

dramatic decrease occurred in March 2022. Sonoma County Public

Health is interested in collaborating with the Plant to monitor

wastewater as it can be a more effective method than COVID

testing services.

6. ADJOURNMENT