MINUTES
OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING
OF THE CHOWCHILLA WATER DISTRICT
A regular meeting of the Board of Directors of the Chowchilla Water District was
held on Wednesday, November 12, 2009, at 1:30 p.m. at the District Office at
327 S. Chowchilla Blvd.
Attendance:
Directors: Maddalena, Mandala, Taylor, and Upton
CWD Staff: Welch, Tomlinson, and Beatty
Others: Gary Sawyers via telephone
CWD Employees: about 10 CWD employees were present during the
health insurance discussion along with Harriet Lawlor the AFSCME
representative
President Maddalena called the meeting to order at 1:32 p.m.
PUBLIC COMMENT: None
ADDITIONS TO THE AGENDA: M/S/C Taylor/Mandala to add item 4c Rail
Authority – discuss impact on the district, and item 4d Water Bond – discuss and
may take action on support or opposition to bond measure.
FINANCIAL REPORT: Lela Beatty reviewed the Treasurer’s Report for the
month ending October 31, 2009 and the warrant listing for November 12, 2009.
M/S/C Upton/Mandala to approve the Treasurer’s Report as presented. M/S/C
Mandala/Upton to approve payment of the bills listed on the disbursement journal
dated November 12, 2009.
RAIL AUTHORITY: M/S/C Upton/Mandala to convey to the Rail Authority that
CWD will work with the Rail Authority to ensure that the high speed rail creates
the minimum amount of disruption to land owners in the District and to District
facilities.
WATER BOND: M/S/C Upton/Mandala to oppose the water bond as written and
to recommend to ACWA not to support the water bond using general funds;
reasons of opposition will be included in correspondence to ACWA.
OPERATION & MAINTENANCE REPORT:
Brandon Tomlinson reviewed the
O&M Report. Items of interest included: Finished spraying CWD and Madera
Canal canals, began burning in various spots throughout the district; continued
p/l repairs; servicing meters; grading inside of canals; gate inspection; continued
Minutes
Board of Directors Meeting
November 12, 2009
Page 2
installing staff gages for SCADA; replaced turbo charger on 2006 dump truck; fall
well measurements indicate a 9.5 ft drop.
GENERAL MANAGER’S REPORT: GM Welch reported that Eastman Lake
storage is at 13,273 af, YTD inflow 22,246 af; MC release from Friant Dam is 525
cfs with CWD receiving 360 cfs; CWD will begin shutting down Friday 11/13 with
deliveries ending Saturday 11/14; 2009 water supply 100% class 1, 29.5% class
2, transferred in 1,680 af; MCWPA is generating 1818 kW = $3,272 day; Site
1302 still down with hydraulic leak; CWD finished spraying Arundo in Ash Slough
for Madera County; RWMG MOU changes are before Madera County Board of
Supervisors for review and approval; reviewed SJR Settlement interim flows,
residuals, canal capacity correction, and Hydraulic Model; spoke with Mike
Giersh regarding the Chowchilla Waste Water Treatment Plant water, the City
would have to build a plant to remove nitrates from the water if changes were to
be made to the existing use of their water.
MINUTES: M/S/C Mandala/Taylor to approve the minutes of October 2 and
October 7, 2009.
BUDGET COMPARISON: GM Welch reviewed the 2009 budget comparison with
the Board.
RIPARIAN WATER RIGHTS: Staff was directed to contact Cal Poly in obtaining
a cost estimate to update the Riparian Water Rights computer program.
AUDIT PROPOSAL: M/S/C Mandala/Upton to award the bid for 2009, 2010,
2011 auditing services to Bryant Jolley, CPA.
CWD COMPUTER AND INTERNET USAGE POLICY: Staff was directed to
work on the language in the proposed policy.
CALIFA LATERAL A REPAIRS: It was the consensus of the board that repairs
to Califa Lateral A be made for safety purposes only, not for water services.
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING FOR INTEGRATED REGIONAL
WATER MANAGEMENT IN THE MADERA REGION: No action taken.
Gary Sawyers joined the meeting at 3:21 p.m.
LITIGATION: President Maddalena called the meeting into closed session at
3:21 p.m. to conference with legal counsel on ongoing and anticipated litigation:
NRDC v. Rodgers, Madera County Farm Bureau v. Madera County (River Ranch
Estates), and NCWA/CVPWA v. SWRCB. President Maddalena called the
meeting out of closed session at 3:36
p.m.
and
stated
that
M/S/C
Minutes
Board of Directors Meeting
November 12, 2009
Page 3
Upton/Mandala that CWD request that Somach Simmons & Dunn file a petition
for reconsideration of State Water Resources Control Board Water Rights Fees
had taken place during the closed session.
HEALTH INSURANCE: Mr. Welch reported that he had met with the employees
to explain the proposed change to CWD’s Health Insurance Plan. He also
reported that the District’s employees had voted 9 in favor, 12 opposed to the
proposed change and Harriet Lawlor, the AFSCME representative, had informed
him that the union members had voted against the proposed change. M/S/C
Upton/Mandala to maintain the current health insurance program
DIRECTORS REPORTS: None
ADJOURNMENT: President Maddalena adjourned the meeting at 3:44 p.m.
Approved:
Dan Maddalena, President
Date Approved:
Attest:
Douglas Welch, Secretary