City Council Chamber  
City of Santa Rosa  
100 Santa Rosa Avenue  
Board of Public Utilities  
Meeting Minutes - Final  
Thursday, May 20, 2021  
1:30 PM  
1. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL  
Chair Galvin called the meeting to order at approximately 1:30 p.m.  
4 -  
Present  
Chair Daniel Galvin III, Board Member Mark Walsh, Board Member  
Mary Watts, and Board Member Glen Wright  
3 -  
Absent  
Vice Chair William Arnone Jr., Board Member Lisa Badenfort, and  
Board Member Christopher Grabill  
Chair Galvin announced the agenda would be re-ordered due to availability  
issues for some Board Members.  
2. STATEMENTS OF ABSTENTION BY BOARD MEMBERS  
There were no Statements of Abstention from Board Members.  
3. STUDY SESSION - NONE.  
4. MINUTES APPROVAL  
May 6, 2021 - Regular Meeting Minutes.  
4.1  
May 6, 2021 - Regular Meeting Minutes  
Attachments:  
The minutes for May 6, 2021 were received and accepted as  
submitted.  
6. CONSENT ITEMS  
6.1  
MOTION - APPROVAL OF VECTOR CONTROL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH  
MARIN/SONOMA MOSQUITO & VECTOR CONTROL DISTRICT  
RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended by Santa Rosa Water that the Board of  
Public Utilities, by motion, approve a four-year agreement with Marin/Sonoma  
Mosquito & Vector Control District, Cotati, CA, for vector control services for a total  
not to exceed amount of $280,000.  
Staff Report  
Attachments:  
Attachment 1_Agreement  
A motion was made by Board Member Wright, seconded by Board Member  
Walsh, to approve a four-year agreement with Marin/Sonoma Mosquito &  
Vector Control District, Cotati, CA, for vector control services for a total not  
to exceed amount of $280,000. The motion carried by the following vote:  
4 -  
Yes:  
Chair Galvin III, Board Member Walsh, Board Member Watts and  
Board Member Wright  
3 -  
Absent:  
Vice Chair Arnone Jr., Board Member Badenfort and Board Member  
Grabill  
6.2  
MOTION - PROJECT WORK ORDER APPROVAL - PROFESSIONAL  
ENGINEERING DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT, CONSTRUCTION  
INSPECTION, AND ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES FOR THE KELLY FARM  
MITIGATION BANK DEVELOPMENT PROJECT  
RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended by the Board of Public Utilities Contract  
Review Subcommittee and Santa Rosa Water that the Board of Public Utilities, by  
motion, approve a Project Work Order under the Master Professional Services  
Agreement with GHD of Santa Rosa, CA, to provide professional design,  
construction management, construction inspection, and environmental services for  
the Kelly Farm Mitigation Bank Development in the amount not to exceed  
$1,160,368.  
Staff Report  
Attachments:  
Attachment 1_Project Work Order  
A motion was made by Board Member Wright, seconded by Board Member  
Walsh, to approve a Project Work Order under the Master Professional  
Services Agreement with GHD of Santa Rosa, CA, to provide professional  
design, construction management, construction inspection, and  
environmental services for the Kelly Farm Mitigation Bank Development in  
the amount not to exceed $1,160,368. The motion carried by the following  
vote:  
4 -  
Yes:  
Chair Galvin III, Board Member Walsh, Board Member Watts and  
Board Member Wright  
3 -  
Absent:  
Vice Chair Arnone Jr., Board Member Badenfort and Board Member  
Grabill  
6.3  
RESOLUTION - SOLE SOURCE CONTRACT SPECIFICATION FOR  
ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT FOR LAGUNA TREATMENT  
PLANT DISINFECTION IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT  
RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended by the Transportation and Public Works  
Department and Santa Rosa Water that the Board of Public Utilities, by resolution,  
approve a sole source specification for electrical and mechanical equipment for  
construction contract C00284 - Laguna Treatment Plant Disinfection Improvements  
Project.  
Staff Report  
Attachments:  
Resolution No. 1256  
A motion was made by Board Member Wright, seconded by Board Member  
Walsh, to approve Item 6.3 - RESOLUTION NO. 1256 ENTITLED  
"RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF PUBLIC UTILITIES OF THE CITY OF  
SANTA ROSA APPROVING THE SOLE SOURCE SPECIFICATION FOR  
ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT FOR THE LAGUNA  
TREATMENT PLANT DISINFECTION IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT." The  
motion carried by the following vote:  
4 -  
Yes:  
Chair Galvin III, Board Member Walsh, Board Member Watts and  
Board Member Wright  
3 -  
Absent:  
Vice Chair Arnone Jr., Board Member Badenfort and Board Member  
Grabill  
6.4  
MOTION - APPROVAL OF A COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE  
CITY OF SANTA ROSA, THE SONOMA RESOURCE CONSERVATION  
DISTRICT AND THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, DEPARTMENT OF  
TRANSPORTATION TO INSTALL A RIPARIAN PLANTING ON GRAVENSTEIN  
CREEK, SERVING AS MITIGATION FOR IMPACTS DUE TO THE  
REPLACEMENT OF THE LAGUNA DE SANTA ROSA BRIDGE  
RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended by the Board of Public Utilities Contract  
Subcommittee and Santa Rosa Water that the Board, by motion, approve and  
authorize the Chair of the Board to sign the Cooperative Agreement with the  
California Department of Transportation (CALTRANS), the Sonoma Resource  
Conservation District (SRCD), and the City of Santa Rosa granting CALTRANS  
permission to contract to the SRCD to carry out the Gravenstein Creek Riparian  
Restoration project on City owned property known as Brown Farm.  
Staff Report  
Attachments:  
Attachment 1_CALTRANS Cooperative Agreement  
A motion was made by Board Member Wright, seconded by Board Member  
Walsh, to approve and authorize the Chair of the Board to sign the  
Cooperative Agreement with the California Department of Transportation  
(CALTRANS), the Sonoma Resource Conservation District (SRCD), and the  
City of Santa Rosa granting CALTRANS permission to contract to the  
SRCD to carry out the Gravenstein Creek Riparian Restoration project on  
City owned property known as Brown Farm. The motion carried by the  
following vote:  
4 -  
Yes:  
Chair Galvin III, Board Member Walsh, Board Member Watts and  
Board Member Wright  
3 -  
Absent:  
Vice Chair Arnone Jr., Board Member Badenfort and Board Member  
Grabill  
7. REPORT ITEMS  
7.1  
REPORT - 2020 URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN AND 2020 WATER  
SHORTAGE CONTINGENCY PLAN  
BACKGROUND: The Urban Water Management Planning Act (Act) requires every  
urban water supplier that provides water for municipal purposes to more than 3,000  
connections or supplying more than 3,000 acre-feet per year (AFY) of water to  
adopt and submit an Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP) to the California  
Department of Water Resources (DWR) every five years. The Act requires very  
specific information to be included in the UWMP and requires the urban water  
supplier to hold a public hearing to review and adopt the UWMP. The deadline for  
water suppliers to submit their 2020 UWMP to DWR is July 1, 2021.  
The City is an urban supplier of water for approximately 54,000 connections  
supplying approximately 19,000 AFY of water and is therefore required to comply  
with the Act. The City’s previous UWMP was the 2015 UWMP, which was adopted  
by the City Council in June 2016.  
The Act includes a requirement to prepare a Water Shortage Contingency Plan  
(Shortage Plan), which details how a water supplier plans to respond to water  
shortages ranging from up to 10 percent to over 50 percent. The City's Shortage  
Plan was initially adopted in 1992 and was most recently updated and adopted by  
City Council as part of the 2015 UWMP in June 2016. For 2020, the UWMP Act  
requires that the Shortage Plan be prepared as a stand-alone document. The Act  
also requires the urban water supplier to hold a public hearing to review and adopt  
the Shortage Plan. The deadline for water suppliers to submit their 2020 Shortage  
Plan to DWR is July 1, 2021.  
The Water Conservation Subcommittee of the Board of Public Utilities met three  
times from January through April 2021 to participate in the development of the  
2020 UWMP and the 2020 Shortage Plan. The Board of Public Utilities reviewed  
the 2020 UWMP and the 2020 Shortage Plan in a Study Session on April 15,  
2021. The Council reviewed the 2020 UWMP and the 2020 Shortage Plan in a  
Study Session on April 27, 2021.  
RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended by Santa Rosa Water that the Board of  
Public Utilities, by resolution, recommend that the City Council adopt the 2020  
Urban Water Management Plan and the 2020 Water Shortage Contingency Plan.  
Staff Report  
Attachments:  
Attachment 1_Draft 2020 UWMP  
Attachment 2_Draft 2020 WSCP  
Resolution No. 1257  
Presentation (added 5/19/2021)  
Presenter: Colin Close, Senior Water Resources Planner  
A motion was made by Board Member Walsh, seconded by Board Member  
Watts, to approve Item 7.1 - RESOLUTION NO. 1257 ENTITLED  
"RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF PUBLIC UTILITIES RECOMMENDING  
THAT THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA ROSA ADOPT THE 2020  
URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN AND THE 2020 URBAN WATER  
SHORTAGE CONTINGENCY PLAN." The motion carried by the following  
vote:  
4 -  
Yes:  
Chair Galvin III, Board Member Walsh, Board Member Watts and  
Board Member Wright  
3 -  
Absent:  
Vice Chair Arnone Jr., Board Member Badenfort and Board Member  
Grabill  
7.2  
REPORT - RECOMMENDED CHANGES TO THE SEWER CAP AND WATER  
CAP SETTING PERIOD FOR THE SEWER OR WATER CAP IN EFFECT FROM  
JULY 1, 2021 THROUGH JUNE 30, 2022  
BACKGROUND: Santa Rosa Water bills single-family residential and multi-family  
residential accounts that do not have a separate irrigation meter for landscaping for  
sewer usage based on a calculated sewer cap. Santa Rosa Water bills  
single-family residential accounts for water based on a two-tier water usage rate.  
For water-only customers that use City water for both indoor and irrigation use, a  
water cap is calculated to determine indoor water use. Water only customers are  
billed for water use up to the water cap at the first tier and all water use above the  
water cap is billed at the second tier.  
Sewer and water caps are calculated by the average winter water use for three  
complete billing periods of use beginning with the first meter reading on or after  
November 15th of each year and ending after three full billing periods have  
completed (“Winter Billing Period”). The sewer and water caps go into effect July  
1st of each year.  
During the most recent Winter Billing Period, Santa Rosa received less than  
average rainfall with the exception of the second billing period. Due to the lack of  
rainfall, there may have been a need to irrigate during portions of the Winter Billing  
Period. In order to be responsive to Santa Rosa Water customers, staff reviewed  
the cap setting months and determined the second billing period which began with  
reads on or after December 17, 2020 and ended before or on February 10, 2021  
did not require irrigation for landscaping based on an analysis of plant water needs.  
For some accounts the three-month average was less than the second billing  
period and therefore the lesser of the second billing period use or three-month  
average use is proposed.  
RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended by Santa Rosa Water and Finance  
Department staff that the Board of Public Utilities, by resolution, establish sewer  
and water caps effective for the period from July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022, by  
either averaging usage for three winter billing periods of November 2020 through  
March 2021 or based solely on the second billing period where irrigation was not  
required, whichever is lower.  
Staff Report  
Attachments:  
Resolution No. 1258  
Presentation (added 5/19/2021)  
Presenter: Alan Alton, Deputy Director - Finance  
A motion was made by Board Member Watts, seconded by Board Member  
Walsh, to approve Item 7.2 - RESOLUTION NO. 1258 ENTITLED  
"RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF PUBLIC UTILITIES ESTABLISHING  
THAT THE SEWER AND WATER CAPS EFFECTIVE FOR THE PERIOD  
FROM JULY 1, 2021 THROUGH JUNE 30, 2022, BE DETERMINED BY  
AVERAGING WATER USAGE FOR WINTER BILLING PERIODS OF  
NOVEMBER 2020 THROUGH MARCH 2021 OR BASED SOLELY ON THE  
SECOND WINTER BILLING PERIOD DURING THE WINTER BILLING  
PERIOD, WHICHEVER IS LOWER." The motion carried by the following  
vote:  
Yes:  
4 -  
3 -  
Chair Galvin III, Board Member Walsh, Board Member Watts and  
Board Member Wright  
Absent:  
Vice Chair Arnone Jr., Board Member Badenfort and Board Member  
Grabill  
7.3  
REPORT - 2021 DEMAND FEE UPDATE - RECOMMENDATION TO CITY  
COUNCIL  
BACKGROUND: Demand fees are the one-time fees charged for new service  
connections to the City’s water and wastewater systems or for an expansion of  
existing use. The fees are intended to recover costs attributable to new  
development. Water and wastewater demand fees were last calculated in 2014  
resulting in the 2014 Water and Wastewater Demand Study (2014 Study) and  
development of a new fee schedule that was adopted, with an annual inflationary  
adjustment.  
The proposed update to the 2014 Study incorporates the water and wastewater  
systems’ updated valuation including additions of assets, depreciation, changes in  
debt financing, and reserves designated for capital projects; some modifications to  
the various customer categories; as well as updated water use and sewer flow  
factors based on data collected over the past four years.  
These updates result in the recommended fees being higher per one thousand  
gallons for both water and wastewater but due to decreased water use and sewer  
flows of Santa Rosa customers, the combined total water and wastewater fees for  
residential uses are decreasing. Commercial usage factors are dependent on  
each type of use and the fees are calculated based on the estimated peak demand  
for the size and type of use of the commercial development.  
RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended by the Board of Public Utilities Budget  
Subcommittee and Santa Rosa Water Staff that the Board of Public Utilities, by  
resolution, recommend that, based on the 2021 Water and Wastewater Demand  
Fee Study, the City Council adopt the revised Demand Fees, re-adopt the annual  
escalator and make related revisions to the City Code.  
Staff Report  
Attachments:  
Attachment 1_Draft CC Resolution  
Attachment 2_Draft CC Ordinance  
Resolution No. 1259  
Presentation (added 5/19/2021)  
Presenters: Kimberly Zunino, Deputy Director - Administration and  
Bob Reed, The Reed Group, Inc.  
A motion was made by Board Member Walsh, seconded by Board Member  
Wright, to approve Item 7.3 - RESOLUTION NO. 1259 ENTITLED  
"RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF PUBLIC UTILITIES RECOMMENDING  
THAT THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA ROSA ADOPT A  
RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING A SCHEDULE OF DEMAND FEES FOR  
PROPERTIES TO BE SERVICED BY CONNECTION TO THE CITY WATER  
SYSTEM AND INTRODUCE AN ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING A SCHEDULE  
OF DEMAND FEES FOR PROPERTIES TO BE SERVICED BY CONNECTION  
TO THE CITY SEWER SYSTEM." The motion carried by the following vote:  
4 -  
Yes:  
Chair Galvin III, Board Member Walsh, Board Member Watts and  
Board Member Wright  
3 -  
Absent:  
Vice Chair Arnone Jr., Board Member Badenfort and Board Member  
Grabill  
Board Member Walsh left the meeting at 2:19 p.m. resulting in no quorum for  
the remainder of the meeting.  
5. STAFF BRIEFINGS  
5.2  
WATER AND RECYCLED WATER SUPPLY UPDATE  
Staff will update the Board on water and recycled water supply issues. The Board  
may discuss this item and give direction to staff.  
Presentation (added 5/19/2021)  
Attachments:  
Presenters: Peter Martin, Deputy Director - Water Resources and  
Emma Walton, Deputy Director - Water Reuse  
5.1  
OVERVIEW OF SUPPORT SERVICES/SAFETY & TRAINING  
Staff will present an overview of the functions and responsibilities of the teams. The  
Board may discuss this item and give direction to staff.  
Presentation (added 5/19/2021)  
Attachments:  
This agenda item was continued to the June 17, 2021 Board of  
Public Utilities meeting.  
8. PUBLIC COMMENTS ON NON-AGENDA MATTERS - NONE.  
9. REFERRALS - NONE.  
10. WRITTEN COMMUNICATION (AND POSSIBLE BOARD DISCUSSION) - NONE.  
11. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS  
Chair Galvin reported the Contract Review Subcommittee met on  
May 10, 2021. Staff provided information on a Project Work Order  
with GHD related to the Kelly Farm Mitigation Bank Development  
Project and a Cooperative Agreement between the City of Santa  
Rosa, the Sonoma Resource Conservation District and the State of  
California Department of Transportation related to a riparian planting  
on Gravenstein Creek. The subcommittee unanimously supported  
both items for presentation to the full Board.  
12. BOARD MEMBER REPORTS - NONE.  
13. DIRECTORS REPORTS  
Jennifer Burke, Director, reported that, after two and a half years of  
negotiations, Renewable Sonoma has decided to end negotiations  
with Zero Waste Sonoma on the potential development of a regional  
organics processing facility, and with the City for siting of the project  
on city-owned property adjacent to the Laguna Treatment Plant. She  
thanked City Council Member John Sawyer, Board Member Lisa  
Badenfort and City staff for the time they spent on the project, with a  
special thanks to Emma Walton, Deputy Director - Water Reuse  
Operations.  
14. ADJOURNMENT OF MEETING  
Chair Galvin adjourned the meeting at 2:42 p.m. The next regular  
meeting of the Board of Public Utilities is scheduled for June 17,  
2021.  
Approved on: June 17, 2021  
_________/S/_____________  
Roberta Atha, Recording Secretary