PUBLIC COMMENT Comment by Maria Capraun as to the agenda, items on the agenda and information included in the packet and given to the public. She would like items clarified as to a discussion item as opposed to an action item. If it is an action item there should be information included in the director’s packet and made available to the public with advanced notice according to the Brown Act. This is a task to be done by the Clerk of the Board (the General Manager). Potato Richardson, spoke to Ms Capraun’s statements and he said he agreed with everything she said. Jack Podsedly talked about hiring new workers at the 2.7% as opposed to the 2% the directors had voted on several months ago. Jack suggested telling the new employees when negotiations are complete the new workers would be at 2%, tell them in advance and make it retroactive. The GM stated this could not be done according to CalPers, Jack asked how it could be done when they gave the 2.7% from 2% and made it retroactive to management employees that had been there for 30 years. He also asked for an explanation as to the cost of the retrofit. He wanted to know how the cost changed and what documentation the state had provided to mandate a retrofit. (the cost for the retrofit has varied from 4 million to a firm figure of 8+ million) Podsedly commented there was not enough information for the public. CONSENT CALENDAR Non controversial items passed. PRESIDENT’S REPORT Director Ray Griffiths gave an explanation of the numbers curve of the bell shape which the Black Oak Mine Unified School District. He presented a picture that should a double normal curve to demonstrate the difference between the Divide and Cool. The study was done 20 years ago. It was a demonstration of the population of the school district and might demonstrate the type of double curves considered for GDPUD. He also discussed vegetation management and the control of under brush by fire. Fire was used to manage underbrush in the area until the 1930’s. Fire suppression was then implemented and equipment was used for fires. We now have an accumulation of fuel and if all indictors are correct we could be in danger of a huge fire. He had a video he would like to show at sometime. He feels we need to implement controlled burn. GENERAL MANAGER’S REPORT Report on various district projects. John Plymeir asked about the durability of the fiberglass septics. The GM said there had been some failures but that the district had found more durable replacements. Maria Capraun suggested the verbal report would be informational if statistics were placed in written form and made available to the public. PROPOSAL TO INSTALL A FLOW METER This is requested by the state to add another flow meter, which would be an initial cost and then a monthly cost for the satellite to read the meters. The contractor is ECORP. Director McLane commented on the letter from the state giving us a deadline to have the monitor in by January 2012, but there was no date on the letter from the state and she wondered when the letter was received. The GM had no answer about the undated letter. PRESENTATION BY PSOMAS OF THE RETROFIT PSOMAS requested an additional $2,662 to make a presentation to the public. There was discussion and the board decided Kelly Shivley had been working on this project for some 3 years and should be able to conduct the workshop on Wednesday February 22, 2012 to answer questions about the project for the board and public questions. The Public Hearing will be held Wednesday, April 11, 2012. These dates were chosen to enable the meetings to be held at Golden Sierra Activity Room in the evening at 6:00pm. For both meetings. John Plymeir was concerned about the lead-time and he wanted to have information about the meetings to circulate it to ALT. This notice missed their newspaper deadline. Director Norm Krizl said no one ever showed up at the public meetings that the public was tired of hearing about the retrofit and just wanted to get the job done. (Director Otermat and Director McLane had requested a workshop several months ago, Director McLane had asked several times the meeting be held in ALT at the community center, this is an 8 million dollar project the people will be paying for 40 years or more, shouldn’t the public get to see what they are paying for and get an explanation of the job?) EVALUTATION FORM FOR GENERAL MANAGER There was discussion on a formal written evaluation to have in the GM file, for future reference by the public or new directors. Here we have a GM whose salary has doubled in less than 10 years and not one written evaluation. Past boards have “traditionally” done evaluations verbally. Director Otermat had seen the GM file and stated there was no job application, resume, reference letter or job description. She suggested the GM write his job description to be presented next month along with draft forms of evaluations. This is to come back next month NOTIFICATION TO PROPERTY OWNER FOR MAINTENANCE There was discussion, no action. BOARD COMMENTS AND REQUEST FOR AGENDA ITEMS Director Bonnie McLane asked to have an agenda item placed on the agenda for March to abolish the surcharge implemented to hire a fulltime wastewater staff in 2007. Now that this person has retired and lab work sourced out it will be a much lower cost and this should be reflected in the elimination of the 134 CDS customers surcharge. CLOSED SESSION: Existing litigation case of Jean Lee Choo Leow vs GDPUD Negotiations with Management & Confidential Employees Association by Director Vice Chair Bonnie McLane, and Treasurer, Bonnie Neeley, GM and William Wright Esq. Conference with anticipated litigation by Larry and Korby Battenberg ADJOURN TO OPEN SESSION No action Meeting adjourned Condolences to the family of Kelly Kawashima. If you do not wish to receive this eblast, please notify sender Divide Citizens for Water is a PAC established in 2006 to monitor and support candidates for GDPUD that would be fiscally conservative, work to keep rates down, and create a program to replace, maintain and extend water service to residents on the Divide. The credit or blame is to go to the PAC not any one individual DIVIDE CITIZENS FOR WATER www.gd-pud.org http://flushthewaste.com General Meeting February 14, 2012 Board Members Present: Director Otermet, Director McLane, Director Griffiths, Director Krizl, and Director Neeley.
About Post Author
