Fifty.
Very, very, very.
Andrew.
All means order.
This is the August 28th.
Fourth, are you a board lady?
West Fish Minister, Florida.
And this is what time we will.
It's a quorum, would you please call the roll?
Yes, Mr. President, Director Gloria Gray.
Director.
Director Tommy Favai. Here. Director Desi Alvarez. Here.
Director Scott Houston. Here. President John Deere. Here. Mr. President,
we do have a quorum. It is worth noting that Director Gloria
Gray was on the phone, so we'll work with her to get her patched
back in.
There's no associates, Pat.
Very much.
Good.
Go on our birthday boy for the pledge of allegiance to Scott. All right, well,
let's salute our nation's flag for everyone who can stand and join me.
Put your right hand over your heart and let us begin.
I pledge allegiance to the flag.
of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands,
one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
Your vote, please be seated.
Public comment. I do believe we need at least one person
on the phone. Yes, Mr. President, we did receive one request for public
comment that is joining us virtually. It's worth noting that this meeting is
being held both in person and virtually. If there are any additional members of
the public that would like to speak on a public comment,
please indicate so by raising your virtual hand.
And Mr. President, I do not see any additional requests,
so I'll have our board secretary introduce the first public speaker. Okay.
Thank you. Public speaker today, we have Mr. Richard Fielding.
Fielding? Yes, Richard Fielding.
Later on.
Good afternoon. Thank you for the opportunity to address
the board.
Hello?
Hello!
Mr. Fielding, would you wait one moment while we
connect with our board members phoning in?
Director Gray, are you there?
Yes, I'm here. I'm sorry, I'm here now. Thank you.
I have the record show Director Gray is here. We have a full quorum,
all five members of the board, and we'll go back now to public comment
Thank you.
and we have Mr. Fielding who answers.
Thank you. Thank you for the opportunity to address
Yeah.
the board. My name is Rich Fielding. I own Upcycle Products in Morris,
Illinois. I wanted to recap you for a minute on
what I presented to the Public Information and Education Committee.
We are a rain barrel manufacturer based out of Morris, Illinois.
Yeah.
We've been of...
Providers of yours from 2014 to 2019, we've bid this project several times
since. The reason I went into the Public
Information Education Committee was
I wanted to express our company and our employees, our employees.
are paid at or above the fair living wage law.
We provide our employees with benefits.
such as vacation, holiday, sick pay. We do flex scheduling.
We have a couple of employees that have single parent homes that we're able to
flex schedule around our schools. We also have another employee of ours
whose spouse has Ms. and so it has to be her total caregivers.
Two.
We flex schedule around them.
We offer an employee package with education and retirement benefits also.
Yeah.
Okay.
We've been in business since 1997. We're just a few months short of 30 years.
We're SPE certified by San Diego County Water.
Is it?
And I could provide a list. I did when I talked to the Education
Committee, but I did want to log in and just take an
exception to a couple of comments from the
public report protest that was presented. Our company has no major design issues
with our rain barrels. We've been inspected, certified,
and actually
recommended by several vector and mosquito controls in the country.
We've done work all over the United States. In fact,
San Gabriel Vector Control and Los Angeles County Mosquito Vector Control
gave us good grades on our product line. I want to make sure that you're aware
that we don't have issues. In fact, when you go to your website under the
rain barrels and information section, it talks about draining the water down in
the barrels if it accumulates it.
to lift. I don't want to belittle or bedraggle
that whole concept. I just want you to know that we don't
have issues with our products. We have a Made American policy,
and I know you guys have for the last few years, too. So saying that,
I'll tell you that
Price may be slightly higher, and I appreciate you reviewing us,
but I'll guarantee you that 100% of the money will remain within our within
America. We always source American products in our
in our.
production. Not only that, if you're going to be guaranteed at least
1500 less barrels are going to be dropped into landfills across the US.
That being said, thank you for your time, and I'll just call.
And, Mister President, that concludes public comment. OK.
In comments from our directors.
Okay, we'll go on then to...
Where are we? Over under presentation. Are there any presentations?
Staff has no presentations today.
We are going to go into a...
Ohh.
Closed session at this time, I guess some of the board members have to
leave early and we want them to be able to attend the entire closed session,
so we will be trying to, we will.
At the very end of the closed session, there was going to be one special
presentation. Okay. So we now adjourn to your closed session.
I didn't say that. Okay. Thank you.
Like.
But.
Like, it was discussed in close session.
Yes. Yeah, but I'll report that there's no
reportable action taken during closed session. Very good. Thank you.
At this time, we have a special addition to the agenda.
And I hope there will be hundreds of people here,
but we are going to have a brief presentation on honoring one of our
colleagues on his birthday today.
Happy birthday. Happy birthday. Happy birthday. Thank you very, very much.
Appreciate that. We got a new. Yeah, is it today? It is. Today is my birthday.
No better way to celebrate. That is correct on.
We went yesterday. There you go.
That's easy to do. Do you want us to be? Yeah, yeah, sure, we're gonna see.
How do you want to do it? Right now. What's the procedure? OK. Ready everybody?
One, two, three. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you.
Happy Birthday!
I appreciate that.
In some ways, yes, some ways.
There, then. OK, we'll pause in the agenda while we... OK,
OK.
Thank you. Bye. Sorry.
Yeah.
To that.
Boxer.
Sorry.
She does.
I think they're cutting it right now.
You know, talk about it, so...
This is Gloria. Whose birthday is it?
Thank you.
Director Houston. My birthday, Director Greg.
Oh, happy birthday, Director Houston. Would you like me to say happy birthday
to you?
I think you should definitely say happy birthday. If you like on the phone,
Yeah.
I don't think so. What happy birthday, darling.
you can. Thank you.
Happy birthday and many more director Houston.
Thank you.
I.
Thank you, Director Gray.
Okay.
What was that about?
Yeah.
Play it.
I think that you would give those.
Thank you.
It's gotten it apparently, right? Yes, we are right.
So we'll quickly continue on with the meeting now this time.
That was the first of our presentations of any others. Thank you.
No other presentations. We'll go on to item 6.
And we have no items too late to be agendized. OK, item 7.
Set calendar.
This is Director Houston. I will move that we approve the full
consent calendar.
Is there a second to the motion? I will second that, Chair. Move to second.
Is there any discussion?
A chapter.
All right, please call the roll on the consent
calendar.
Director Gloria Gray.
I.
Director Tommy Fabai. Director Desi Alvarez.
I and all items except item 7B, the special board meeting of July 30th,
2026. I abstain, I was absent and no on 7C and 7D.
What are the last two? Seven C and seven D standard.
Director Scott Houston. And President Don Deere. Yes.
Motion passes and the consent calendar is approved.
Now on item 8, action count.
Yes, thank you, Mr. President. Item KA is adopted resolution number
08261240, supporting the Association of California
Water Agencies' Vision for Water Future Initiative.
This item was presented and approved by the Water Policy and Legislative
Committee earlier this month.
And for the presentation, we do have Augustine Hahn,
our Water Policy and Resources Development Analyst Two.
And the item begins on packet page 112.
Thank you, EJ. Directors of the board, like EJ mentioned,
the item was presented at the Water Policy Committee meeting this month.
I'm happy to skip to any questions that you may have or also give the
presentation very briefly.
Have any questions?
I have no questions. No, I'd like to actually just go ahead and
move the item. Mr. Chair. Do you want a presentation on the item?
No, thanks. No, thank you.
Did you want to move the item? OK. Yes. Or second to the motion? Second.
Any further discussion?
If you have to open, we will then we have a second to approve
the entire.
Got it, and...
Remember again here. It's item 8A.
So please call the roll. Yes, and let me read the recommendations.
That the board approves, adopts, and authorizes the president to sign the
resolution number 0821240, a resolution of the board of directors of
West Face Municipal Water District support of Aqua's vision.
for our water future initiative. I'll begin roll call.
Director Gloria Gray.
Yes.
Item 8A, Director Gray. I believe I heard a yes.
She indicated yes. Director Tommy Fevine. Yes. Director Desi Alvarez. Yes.
Yes, Director Scott Houston, yes, President Don Deere, yes.
Yeah.
The motion passes.
On my information calendar.
No, nothing on the agenda. I can.
And we have several items to receive in files or a motion.
I will move it. I will second.
No, the motion has been made and seconded to
approve item receiving file items 10A through J. Any discussion?
Sh.
Just call a roll. Director Gloria Gray.
I.
Director Tommy Favai. Director Desi Alvarez.
President Vice President Scott Houston? Yes. And President John Deere? Yes,
and the motion passes on to item 10.
So, and received, going to 11.
Thank you very much, Mr. President. I have both sent an e-mail to all the
board of directors and provided a hard copy of the general manager's update.
You should have one there before you. I just wanted to highlight a couple of
things. One, last week, Director Tommy Favai and I had the
opportunity to attend the Urban Water Institute.
board meeting as well as the conference. The board meeting was pretty interesting
as far as talking about the future of the Urban Water Institute and their upcoming
events. Obviously, West Basin has been a significant
supporter and sponsor of those events.
So I want to thank the board of directors as well as the agency for all the support
for that organization. And then secondly, the California Water Reuse Association
began its annual conference this weekend. And I know that their committee meetings
are taking place today. Myself as well as some of our staff
members will be
for attending the rest of the conference, leaving this evening,
and then participating in the next couple of days.
It is worth noting that I have been nominated to serve on the California
Water Reuse Board of Directors. And I believe that that vote will be
taking place later this week. So I'm looking forward to working with
everybody.
California Water Reuse. I always remind people just the level of
activity that West Basin has been a part of at Water Reuse and just all the things
that we've been able to accomplish in and over the many years that we've been
involved. So again, I want to thank
West Basin's Board of Directors and our agency for all the support that they've
shown the California Water Reuse. She shows the respect that your
colleagues have for you too. Well, thank you. Yes.
And so I'm happy to answer any questions.
Persons.
No questions. Thank you, General Manager. Going to the General Council's report.
I have no report other than what we discussed in closed session.
13.
It was you, 1234 reporting compliant. Anyone wish to report?
I'll try my name still. OK. Anyone else?
Okay.
Fourteen Director's comments for future agenda items. Again,
happy birthday to you, Director. That's on the agenda.
I'll just say a word real quick. First of all,
thank you so much for your birthday wishes. I do appreciate it.
And it is actually my real birthday. It's not like it was the other day.
I want to say thanks to everyone for celebrating it with me.
I'm always happy to be here at the board, the work I get to do.
And I do want to say
as well as with our committee meetings. And you know,
you all get to see each of us throughout the month periodically.
We get to see you every day like you can do in our office.
But I just wanted to again say thank you so much for all the hard work.
Thank you for everything you do behind the scenes.
especially to make the board look good as you do.
But please note that it does not go unnoticed.
And I think we still have one of the best water districts in the state of
California. And that's personally my intent and
mission to keep it moving forward. But I also just want to say thanks.
Wonderful. Another year, another, by the way, another term.
I'm going to be moving on. You know, I did not have a competitor this cycle,
so I will be here next four years. And I'm very,
very grateful for that as well. I also look forward to the next year,
Yeah.
what that brings for our agency.
So thank you very much. Thank you, Mr. Chair. You're welcome. Chair. Tom.
I just wanted to add a couple of comments. You know,
the UPWI conference where me and EJ attended.
I think there was a couple of takeaways from the conference. AI came up.
A lot in the different panel discussions, data centers,
and I think with the data center.
discussion. There's a lot of unknowns about data
centers where a lot of the public don't really understand data centers.
And I think the more the more panel discussions that we have on data centers
is key to understanding how the technology works, right? Whether it's,
you know, water usage,
or, you know, electrical usage. There's a lot of...
Um...
fear mongering, different, different negativity on data centers.
And I think, you know, having, you know, good,
really good discussions and educating the public is key. So I think, you know,
that was one of the takeaways that I got that I think we can build upon.
having more discussions and more positive discussions on data centers and then AI
as well too. And I think EJ bring it up too,
I think on the Colorado River discussions. I think one of the board members was
there, right?
DJ, and he did mention a couple things, but it didn't really, you know,
it's the same information that we hear at every conference on the Colorado River
discussions, but it was good that they bring it up and
where the discussions are leading to.
Um, and hoping uh come to agreement there, so...
And they actually, the last speaker talking about the city
of Paradise and the fire responses and tie that into Don Ortega's kind of
presentation about the impacts of stuff like that. It's pretty impressive.
Thank you, Chair. Thank you. I assume that.
Always keep an eye on our director. Is he OK? He's gone.
He left? Yeah. He left out here. I'll get it to him. OK.
Make sure we want him to lose property. OK,
that's the end of our reports and the closed sessions have been held.
So go on to item 16, which is adjournment.
We are adjourned. Thank you very much. Thank you.