Council Chamber

City of Santa Rosa

100 Santa Rosa Avenue

Board of Public Utilities

Regular Meeting Minutes - Final

Thursday, August 17, 2023

1:30 PM

1. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL

Chair Galvin called the meeting to order at 1:31 p.m.

5 -

Present

Chair Daniel Galvin III, Vice Chair William Arnone Jr., Board Member

Lisa Badenfort, Board Member Robin Bartholow, and Board Member

Mark Walsh

1 - Board Member Glen Wright

Absent

2. STATEMENTS OF ABSTENTION BY BOARD MEMBERS

Board Member Bartholow recused herself from Item 5.4 to prevent

any actual or perceived conflict of interest due to her employment

with the Farm Bureau.

3. STUDY SESSION

3.1

STUDY RESULTS FOR THE WATER SUPPLY ALTERNATIVES PLAN

Santa Rosa Water wishes to diversify and increase its potable urban

water supply portfolio to enhance its resiliency during Sonoma Water

supply shortages (particularly during droughts) or service interruptions

that could occur in catastrophic events. With expertise and assistance

from Woodard & Curran, the project team has completed a study of 18

water supply sources to assess their feasibility as new supply options.

The team also developed four portfolio alternatives (mixes of the most

feasible water supply options). In separate meetings, the study results

and the draft portfolio alternatives were presented to the Water Team,

the external Stakeholder Group, and the community to seek their input.

The feasibility study Technical Memorandum and a narrative

description of the Draft Portfolios were revised to integrate the

comments received. Staff and the consulting team will present the study

findings and draft portfolios to the Board of Public Utilities to seek input

before developing a Draft Water Supply Alternatives Plan.

Colin Close, Senior Water Resources Planner, and Katie Cole,

Project Manger consultant from Woodard Curran, presented the

study results for the Water Supply Alternatives Plan.

Staff answered Board Member questions and received comments.

4. MINUTES APPROVAL

4.1

4.2

4.3

July 20, 2023 - Special Meeting Minutes - DRAFT.

The July 20, 2023 Special Meeting Minutes were approved as

submitted.

July 20, 2023 - Regular Meeting Minutes - DRAFT.

The July 20, 2023 Regular Meeting Minutes were approved as

submitted.

August 3, 2023 - Regular Meeting Minutes - DRAFT.

The August 3, 2023 Regular Meeting Minutes were approved as

submitted.

5. STAFF BRIEFINGS

5.1

CREEK WEEK 2023

The Storm Water & Creeks section of Santa Rosa Water participates in

the regional recognition of "Creek Week and Pollution Prevention

Week" as a way to celebrate and clean up our local waterways and

educate the public on ways to prevent creek pollution.

A proclamation will be presented at City Council on September 12,

2023, proclaiming September 16 - 23, 2023, as “Creek Week and

Pollution Prevention Week”. To celebrate Creek Week, staff is

coordinating a beginner’s nature journaling class, a guided nature walk,

four underground culvert tours, a Tour de Creek bike ride, and local

creek cleanups along Prince Memorial Greenway. The Board may

discuss this item and give direction to staff.

Claire Myers, Storm Water and Creeks Manager, presented.

Staff responded to Board Member comments and questions.

DISINFECTION SYSTEM UPGRADE PROJECT UPDATE

5.2

Staff will brief the Board on the Disinfection System Upgrade Project

currently underway at the Laguna Treatment Plant. The Board may

discuss this item and give direction to staff.

Mike Prinz, Deputy Director of Regional Water Reuse Operations,

presented.

Board Member Walsh left the meeting at 3:15 p.m.

WATER SUPPLY UPDATE

5.3

5.4

Staff will update the Board on water supply issues. The Board may

discuss this item and give direction to staff.

Peter Martin, Deputy Director of Water Resources, presented.

UPDATE ON RUSSIAN RIVER WATER FORUM AND POTTER

VALLEY PROJECT

Staff will provide an update on the Russian River Water Forum, which is

a grant funded collaborative effort to identify water supply resiliency

solutions in response to the planned license surrender and

decommissioning of Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E’s) Potter Valley

Hydroelectric Project, as well as the recent proposal to PG&E from the

Mendocino County Inland Water and Power Commission, the Round

Valley Indian Tribes, and the Sonoma County Water Agency, to create a

regional entity that would advance a regional solution for preserving

flows in the Russian River and improving Eel River fisheries. The

Board may discuss this item and give direction to staff.

Due to loss of quorum, this item was continued to the next regularly

scheduled Board of Public Utilities meeting.

6. CONSENT ITEMS

A motion was made by Vice Chair Arnone, Jr., seconded by Board Member

Badenfort, to approve Consent Item 6.1.

The motion carried by the following vote:

4 -

Yes:

Chair Galvin III, Vice Chair Arnone Jr., Board Member Badenfort and

Board Member Bartholow

2 - Board Member Walsh and Board Member Wright

Absent:

6.1

MOTION - MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN

SONOMA COUNTY WATER AGENCY, SANTA ROSA WATER,

NORTH MARIN WATER DISTRICT, VALLEY OF THE MOON WATER

DISTRICT AND THE CONSULATE GENERAL OF DENMARK IN

SILICON VALLEY TO STRENGTHEN COOPERATION AND

KNOWLEDGE SHARING RELATED TO CLIMATE RESILIENCE,

WATER MANAGEMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY

RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended by Santa Rosa Water that the

Board of Public Utilities (Board), by motion, approve the Memorandum

of Understanding Between Sonoma County Water Agency, Santa Rosa

Water, North Marin Water District, Valley of the Moon Water District,

and the Consulate General of Denmark in Silicon Valley to Strengthen

Cooperation and Knowledge Sharing Related to Climate Resilience,

Water Management and Environmental Policy (MOU) and authorize the

Board Chair to sign the MOU.

This Consent - Motion was approved.

7. REPORT ITEMS

None.

8. PUBLIC COMMENTS ON NON-AGENDA MATTERS

None.

9. REFERRALS

None.

10. WRITTEN COMMUNICATION (AND POSSIBLE BOARD DISCUSSION)

None.

11. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS

None.

12. BOARD MEMBER REPORTS

Board Member Bartholow thanked Director Burke and staff for the

tour of the Geysers.

13. DIRECTORS REPORTS

Director Burke reported: The City is in the process of finalizing our

pathogen special study. This study analyzed any potential

pathogens that may exist in our recycled water ponds. Santa Rosa

Water staff gathered samples weekly for five months, which enabled

staff to analyze the bacteria in the ponds. The study showed that the

recycled water ponds are not a source of pathogenic bacteria

running into local water bodies. This study will be finalized and

submitted to the Regional Water Board before the due date of July

2024. Santa Rosa Junior College Dormitory Building opened for

students last Friday, August 11, and is being served by City water

and sewer. The 5-story, 352-bed dormitory building consists of

traditional single- and double-bed dorm rooms, along with

semi-suites (with in-suite bathrooms) and apartment type units (with

bathrooms and a kitchen). Following last month's meeting, when the

BPU approved the Water Service Agreement with Wright

Elementary School District, our Local crews set up a hydrant meter

to provide City water to Wright Elementary School, while the

process of completing the permanent connection continues. The

School District will be making the temporary connection from the

hydrant meter to the school water distribution system in the near

future.

14. ADJOURNMENT OF MEETING

Chair Galvin adjourned the meeting at 3:30 p.m. The next Board of

Public Utilities Meeting is scheduled for September 7, 2023.

Approved on: September 21, 2023

___/S/________________________

Easter Ledesma

Recording Secretary