[This transcript was generated automatically from audio using AI and hasn't been reviewed by a person -- it can contain mistakes, including plausible-sounding sentences that were never actually said. Treat it as a starting point, not a verbatim record.]

[0:00] Council, any reporting help?
[0:04] No, thank you, President. Members of board members of the public window, close session under items 10B and 10C.
[0:12] For both of those items, council has given direction was received. There is no further report of election at this time.
[0:17] Okay, so we'll go to 14 information items, we did 14A, 14B, center basin potable, and
[0:29] recycled water to deliver some rings.
[0:31] President, if I may, we have item 12A. Is that something that we're not going to be discussing?
[0:41] Yes, we're not going to be discussing.
[0:43] Okay, so that item going to be pulled from the agenda?
[0:47] Should we pull the item and to a date uncertain the time be?
[0:53] We just let it die.
[0:54] We just let it die.
[0:56] You can, you good?
[1:01] Okay, we're going to be working on that, right?
[1:04] That's all.
[1:05] There's a motion to refer to committees.
[1:07] There is second.
[1:08] Second.
[1:09] Second, by Mr. Garza to refer to Alve to committee.
[1:12] Second, take all the wrong.
[1:15] Director Ochoa?
[1:16] Yes.
[1:17] Director Crawford?
[1:19] Yes.
[1:20] Director Garza?
[1:21] All right.
[1:21] Director Vasquez Wilson?
[1:24] Director Choco and I believe is absent.
[1:27] Director Marino?
[1:29] Absent and President Aminus?
[1:31] Aye.
[1:32] Motion passes.
[1:34] 502.
[1:35] One.
[1:35] No.
[1:36] No.
[1:36] 14b.
[1:37] Do I see the agenda at this place?
[1:40] What do you mean?
[1:49] President, I misplaced my agenda. Can you repeat the item here?
[1:54] 14B. Yes, so that's the order. That's it's on ongoing table that we have in the summaries, each and every single board meeting, so that our stakeholders and
[2:03] Proveurs can see that at all times, and they will have access to that information every single month. So that's 14B information only. Okay. Thank you. No questions. 14D letter of support.
[2:16] I'm sorry, 14c, part of all the recycling water connections.
[2:19] So in this case, similar to 14b, it's an ongoing summary
[2:23] that identifies the connections each of our providers has access to.
[2:28] One, what they have access on the portable site and two,
[2:31] what they have access on the recycled water site.
[2:33] So if there's any question of which cities or providers have access to,
[2:36] this will always be published each month
[2:38] that's information item, in case there's any questions.
[2:40] So I remember seeing a map that showed that, right?
[2:44] That's somewhere.
[2:47] Yeah, and that's something that we'll work on.
[2:49] I have requested a map for metropolitan to see where our service connections are relative to the feeders.
[2:56] But ultimately, that's a milestone we'd like to get to a map that shows each per layer
[3:00] and a connection relative to the per layer that it serves.
[3:05] For TV?
[3:07] Chairman, just a quick take.
[3:08] Thank you.
[3:10] To my knowledge, that's, if I understand correctly, that's sensitive information.
[3:13] in terms of exactly where things are located due to security issues so I think if there's
[3:20] any point in time to meet one of the discussion board, just pull the board.
[3:26] Well, we can have you, I'll say, uh, NDA, right?
[3:30] Is that NDA?
[3:32] Oh, do not resound you.
[3:34] Do not resound you.
[3:35] That's NDA.
[3:40] Okay.
[3:42] 14D letter support. So this is just a copy that we provide to the board when the general manager and president signing a support letter at the following board meeting will report it and show it as information item.
[3:58] Okay, questions, the questions.
[4:02] We put it in our legislative packet to show members that we love our pervellers, right?
[4:10] So that we sure did.
[4:11] 14 east into the water presentations.
[4:14] Well, we're for the Dr. Ranger on the schedule for those presentations.
[4:18] Thank you, President.
[4:19] And board, so I'm happy to report.
[4:22] We have a state of the water presentation coming up with
[4:26] Senate-Face Spring, September 1st, with President Mendes.
[4:32] And then we also have Bell Gardens, October 26, with the President.
[4:40] And those are both heavedine.
[4:43] So hopefully we'll get a lot of good vibes and good
[4:48] positive feedback, but those are the first two, that are scheduled.
[4:53] So we'd like to encourage directors to consider...
[5:00] One of their cities or their purveurs.
[5:05] So we need to do that, and at least one.
[5:09] So we're trying to, we're trying to assign one presentation per month.
[5:16] It says, there's been a lot of delay. I'm just hogging them out.
[5:19] How can them also?
[5:21] I don't think you want to.
[5:23] Let's do it.
[5:26] Let's do it.
[5:26] Let's do it. Downey?
[5:28] Downey, oh yeah.
[5:29] We do it together because we both are grounded and we'd like to do a Downey and a join
[5:36] Like in Linoever, I mean I mean like the second half after because there was an election this year
[5:43] In early November, so we can just do it like after
[5:46] Okay, I will see
[5:48] If that's possible. Yeah, because there's also Thanksgiving sometimes for them
[5:52] that's right. So we'd be done for the year. Yeah, Jennifer, we're sorry. I'll all ask, and then give you the options,
[6:00] and then see what we can do and what works for you. Okay, that's good. So it's a great January early February.
[6:08] Yeah, it's better. Yeah. So we're off on January. Yeah. So staff is going to continue to try to schedule out.
[6:16] So if you don't start speaking up, I'm going to take the ball. Then I'm going to start encroaching in your area.
[6:23] Well, that's what I do in the presentation. They're going to say,
[6:25] I have to put a cut-out next to me.
[6:32] So I'm going to join you in Bellgarden's and...
[6:35] It's kind of a great school.
[6:36] Yeah, appreciate that.
[6:38] It's just a check-out.
[6:39] Yeah, of course.
[6:40] Okay, so legal cost summary?
[6:42] Once again, it's a standard summary that we have at each board meeting, so that's available
[6:48] for the public to see.
[6:52] Finance Director, Staffany, you're a good man.
[6:56] I'll go ahead and pass that on to Dr. Granger.
[7:00] So thank you, President and Board.
[7:02] I'm very excited to be giving the report of our staffing and recruitment.
[7:09] And we do have some updates.
[7:13] So first, I want to give a little historical,
[7:18] because this was asked before.
[7:23] The management and other position did close.
[7:27] We had 119 submissions, 119 submissions.
[7:33] We had nine interviews.
[7:39] There was one no show a day.
[7:43] We had a panelist from a city of LA,
[7:48] but actually he was sick on the day.
[7:50] A panelist from the city of Monobello.
[7:54] And then another panelist bowed out.
[7:57] So that was replaced on the day by our HR analyst.
[8:02] But we had three finalists, and they were all one, and we interviewed two of them.
[8:11] One of the finalists dropped out.
[8:15] The other two, they were very skilled, but it was determined they didn't quite fit.
[8:20] We kind of have the central basins, needs are very unique.
[8:27] So, you know, so we, we, while we, we acknowledge a very skilled individuals, very talented, this is, it's not the, so we.
[8:41] I'm sorry.
[8:41] I want to chime in because I conducted the final and last interview of the last available candidate that was presented to me.
[8:48] And unfortunately the candidate felt very short of my expectations, even as an entry level for the management analyst.
[8:57] And so I made the determination that we'd need to retry this all over again.
[9:02] And I respect the process, staff taking the lead, but the final candidate was quite short of my expectations as it relates to the work and functions that we have for the district.
[9:14] So number one, is our salary competitive?
[9:21] That makes me nervous.
[9:23] So the salary was done in, I think, 2025.
[9:27] It goes to the board and the board voted on the salary schedule.
[9:31] So the next time, according to our code, it comes out in 2020.
[9:36] I don't know that we're not competitive.
[9:40] I think our percentile is pretty decent.
[9:46] So I don't know that was the reason we did advertise on LinkedIn and government jobs.com.
[9:56] But I think we have in the next...
[10:00] I'm going to talk about what we have kind of expanded our outreach. So I'll speak to that next.
[10:07] So all last to the question is, I have not dug into the competitiveness of the salary survey that was conducted, even though it's been a year or two ago.
[10:16] I would, I'll make it a priority to look into that. And the reason I say that is, we need to make sure we have comparable classifications with comparable salaries in our industry.
[10:27] And what I mean by that is we have WSD, West Facing, Upper District, City of Long Beach,
[10:33] Metropolitan that are highly competitive in salaries and when we start selecting cities around
[10:39] us and try to make oranges and apples merge and we've got to make sure the data set is consistent.
[10:46] What a management analyst might be to a city, maybe different to the water industry.
[10:51] It's a lot more sophisticated, it's a lot more advanced in the expectations and so
[10:56] I do have a lot of experience in that area recruiting in the water industry, so it might be, you know, I know the ceiling on this one's about $115,000 a year, that may not compete with the rest of the water industry, and so one step towards recruitment in very specific categories such as water resources might be a relook at the salary survey and also look at the essential functions.
[11:22] I read the job description, and I kind of look at the salary, and you're saying we want
[11:31] somebody more specific with certain talents.
[11:36] What I'm saying is that our classification and job description relative to water agencies
[11:43] at the wholesale level, there might be a major difference in the salary ranges, and that's
[11:48] something I haven't taken the time to look at.
[11:50] If I see that, what I'll find because the person that I interviewed last had five years of
[11:58] clerical experience and a few months of what they considered water at the city level, not even
[12:04] close to real water experience. And that was concerning because what we're looking for is someone
[12:10] that's ready and available to take on the metropolitan administered program among other duties and assignments
[12:18] that require more extensive experience and being able to work alone in our short-step environment.
[12:26] So, something I can look at fairly quickly, I think the job description needs to be tailored
[12:32] for us and what people are getting into, what the expectations are, the salary, the benefits,
[12:40] the arithmetic of that, and then also the discredement who we are. But I'm getting an idea
[12:46] of some of our challenges, as I'm going to use the whole fishing analogy, is that I used
[12:54] to be a line fisherman from the ocean, and I used to put spam on it, and hope that I
[13:00] get a good fish, and I ended up with the bottom feeder.
[13:05] Until I just gave up and said, look, I want to go and hunt for the fish I want to eat, and
[13:11] I'm getting at is to jump in the ocean look for myself.
[13:16] So I'm starting to get a feeling here,
[13:19] especially after the second attempts on some of these things.
[13:23] Is that maybe we need to go on and look for these people.
[13:29] I mean, how else do you do it?
[13:30] I'm having to explain who we are and what this position is.
[13:35] Is when I call somebody to do BRD and say,
[13:37] We're like there's somebody, is there somebody ready for that next level at WRD?
[13:43] Is there somebody ready at the next level of metropolitan, west-facing, is I just don't
[13:49] see that there's that attracting somebody from the universe is going to always work?
[13:57] Now, I may, if I may comment President, that we did have a nice little string of successes,
[14:02] meeting or HR analyst Elizabeth Gerald as well and Dr. Granger. And so what I see this
[14:12] management analyst is an opportunity to take a look at a little closer because, again,
[14:17] we had a nice streak of hires with the staff, I just mentioned. So it's pausing, taking a look
[14:25] at the description and everything you're stating is spot on is the salary right or the central
[14:29] functions correct for the responsibilities that they have, and then also our network.
[14:34] Can we start making the calls and bring in some talent that can fill those roles?
[14:40] So we only have three positions left to fill with exception to the general manager, and that
[14:44] is the finance director, the engineering manager, and the management analyst.
[14:48] So taking a good look at those is what I'll prioritize my time on, and ensure that we have
[14:52] a good classification, good comps, and then before we go out again.
[14:58] Exactly, I read that and...
[15:00] You know, the description was like it went from that legislative knowledge to mapping knowledge, but I guess that means GIS has mapping knowledge.
[15:14] And so is that typical, is to find somebody in the water industry?
[15:19] In the water industry it is, but that's why the salary, what I see, and I agree with you, it's just the salary is not.
[15:33] So long story short as I think it's opportunity to revisit it and get ourselves a better pull.
[15:39] And once again, it's just a small pull of three FTEs that we need to fill with exception of the general manager.
[15:47] So the finance, we have a game plan for that, engineering, we can go out and revisit that
[15:54] to see what we can attract on the engineering front as well.
[15:57] My suggestion, no, it's just a suggestion, you don't have to respond now or take it under
[16:03] advice or whatever, but perhaps maybe adding for your consideration is calling GMs around the
[16:12] region and saying, look, is there somebody ready for the next level that has these skills?
[16:18] Maybe that's what it takes.
[16:20] It takes someone who's comfortable in air to who's good is to to draw them towards the
[16:25] same way.
[16:26] That's just a suggestion, but okay, I'm ready for that.
[16:32] So the next one is our finance director.
[16:35] This went opened on August 19th and it's going to close September 3rd.
[16:44] We currently have 12 applications that we received so far.
[16:49] And it was flown so at board suggestion, we kind of expanded where we traditionally had
[16:58] looked for folks.
[16:59] So, we did the government jobs.com, we're posted on LinkedIn.
[17:05] We contacted the surrounding water agencies, HR departments, to see if they might share,
[17:14] or as you say present, if they have someone ready for the next level.
[17:20] We also reached out and posted on ICMA, which is the International City County Management Association,
[17:28] which is a lot of finance directors or members of and also the MMAAC, which is the municipal
[17:38] management association of Southern California, which is all this very active in the LA area
[17:45] and also has quite a few finance directors. So we're hoping we still have another week and a half
[17:53] I guess, so we're still hoping to get more applicants,
[17:58] but I think we've pretty much hit our area,
[18:02] so with then driving distance, pretty much should know
[18:07] we're open.
[18:08] So.
[18:08] Come on, did I just had a question in regards to any requirements
[18:14] that we need to post job descriptions and salaries on
[18:17] website?
[18:18] And our website is at the case, do you know?
[18:20] we did post this
[18:23] not just saying just in general
[18:24] yes, so there is all of our
[18:28] classifications are posted with the job salaries
[18:31] yes, it is on the website
[18:33] and I don't know
[18:34] maybe we can bring that back
[18:36] you know for the board's review
[18:38] on an annual basis to that may prompt
[18:41] you know the need and
[18:43] update, you know some of the descriptions
[18:44] and maybe the people look at the salaries
[18:46] as well
[18:50] So specifically this is in the code, so I think maybe that's part of code revision we need to
[19:00] Because when this is brought back is actually in the code.
[19:04] Yeah.
[19:04] Often is it in the code due to we know?
[19:06] I believe it's every three years.
[19:08] Okay.
[19:09] That's dead.
[19:10] Okay.
[19:11] Thank you for the clarification.
[19:13] Maybe we're at the end of that currently.
[19:15] We have the board just voted last year, so we have about another year and a half.
[19:26] Okay. All right, good. So we're good with that. Okay. So 14-H legislative visit.
[19:36] Would you like to speak to it, President?
[19:37] I don't know. You go ahead. Okay. So we had a legislative visit just a couple weeks ago.
[19:44] And I know, is it our LinkedIn that has the summary?
[19:49] We have a nice posted summary of the various visits.
[19:54] And I found it to be a successful visit.
[19:57] We're able to meet with two.
[20:01] 8 assembly members and senators. And I can go down the list if we choose to. So, start with the assembly member Shaday Al-Hawari. We had Senator Bob Archilera. Assembly member Mike Gibson. Assembly member Mark Gonzalez. Senator Lena Gonzalez. Assemblywoman Blanco Blanca Pacheco. Senator Maria Elena Durasso.
[20:27] And Assembly Member Jessica Kaloza, a very good list, and it was, we visited it.
[20:35] It was President Mendez, Director Crawford, and myself, that planned a whole day with, I mean,
[20:42] it was back to back.
[20:43] That was a winning team, no.
[20:44] That was good.
[20:45] We had a really good package that I think all board members will receive a copy, very informative
[20:50] package that cited our mission, our vision, and our service area.
[20:55] And we also had three specific targeted projects that we shared with each of the assembly members
[21:08] and senators.
[21:09] And that included our pump station upgrades, the results of a condition assessment, the
[21:14] need for funding there for existing rehab.
[21:17] The second was the Metro Relocation Project, the need for funding to help our disadvantaged
[21:22] communities with that large-scale project.
[21:24] And third was future expansion of our recycled water system into disadvantaged communities of color.
[21:31] Very well received, and I think it was a good start for what I believe had been at least five years.
[21:37] I could be wrong since we had a organized visit to Sacramento.
[21:42] I'll pause right there for any comments from Director Crawford President.
[21:44] Mr. Crawford?
[21:56] Let us say it again.
[22:12] Yeah, I mean, center of basin was on the yellow big road.
[22:17] You know, Jim, I got to thank you, Jim, for opening a lot of doors.
[22:23] I think eight visits was because of your, your, your context, you know, you and your
[22:29] color and open doors for us, and you know, we'd go in there, I kind of opened it up.
[22:36] I'd be Mr. Hart, and Ray with the technician with jump right in, and I said, Mr. Crawford
[22:47] knowing everybody and everybody wanting to know Mr. Crawford and Fondo, where I was very
[22:53] helpful.
[22:55] Oh,
[22:57] I can tell you, we'd be in the hallways, Ray, you could test by this, and I think it's
[23:03] not bad to say this.
[23:04] We'd be in the hallways and we'd hear,
[23:07] oh, Jim Crawford, he's here.
[23:11] And then we end up going to the office all of that.
[23:14] That was a bit of a, you can't pay for that.
[23:16] You can't pay for that. Well, you can't, but that's,
[23:19] you saved a lot of money by doing that.
[23:22] I think our legislative targets are talking points
[23:26] we're right on.
[23:27] I mean, we had our members just like right there,
[23:31] They didn't even think twice.
[23:34] We used key word to send managed communities of color, low income,
[23:40] and that had their attention that, you know, huh?
[23:43] What?
[23:44] And so they were their attention was grabbed.
[23:47] And just what we described on a very concise level,
[23:53] really peaked their interest.
[23:55] And, you know, Senator Archilera, I need to tell you,
[23:58] I'm so impressed with that, that gentleman, that senator, I've never seen him in action,
[24:05] and he reminds me of my former boss, Grace Tippoli, Tonnery, I told him that he knew Grace,
[24:10] and he says that's where I learned it from, because we went his office, we presented
[24:14] the issues, very concise, and he goes, okay, here's what I'm going to do.
[24:19] I'm going to an ABCD, and we're out, we're so shocked that to hear this feedback, and we'd
[24:27] another office and we give our spiel and say oh and at the end oh we also talk to
[24:33] Senator and our Chairman about this he's going to help us up oh well what is the
[24:38] Senator doing? I'm on board you just you just tell him to give me a call and
[24:42] tell him where I need to be and they'll be there so we really read I mean that's a
[24:48] huge benefit is get to get a legislator who's respected in the legislature and
[24:54] and have them join on board so we have an opportunity to sort it to follow up on this.
[25:00] Soon, and really go to the legislature with a specific ask now. And we're talking about some of
[25:10] the ask is, is we might need three very specific projects that we, the first was our rehab program,
[25:20] which is the results of the condition assessment to help us with the short-term needs of upgrading
[25:25] our pumps and VFDs. The second was any type of assistance with the metro relocation, which
[25:32] is a little bit more of a long term, long lead, meaning we have at least three years to get
[25:37] that funding in place. And then the third one was expanding the existing system that we had,
[25:43] unfortunately we had lost a little bit of that prop one funding. But now with the transition
[25:48] and having a work plan and studies in place to help us with that is where we're headed so any type of funding that can help us with the expansion of the system was the third project that we started pitching them with.
[26:05] Yes, and Senator Archer that I want to help us with the city of Whittier and putting us together to resolve our issue with the lease, so that's very positive.
[26:16] And so that's a report.
[26:18] Any questions, concerns, anything we missed?
[26:28] Our list.
[26:29] Thank you.
[26:30] Thank you.
[26:31] Thank you for your efforts.
[26:33] Appreciate that.
[26:34] And hopefully goes a long way.
[26:36] And continue to build bridges on our behalf.
[26:39] Thank you very much.
[26:42] Yeah.
[26:42] Yeah.
[26:42] I feel like we hit the banana.
[26:43] We just did it.
[26:44] Pick up the candy.
[26:47] Okay.
[26:48] All right.
[26:48] So, let us say the positions.
[26:53] I'll have Dr. Greenger, provide the update.
[26:57] So, in the thank you president and board, I'll try to make this quick.
[27:04] So, the AB-35 was approved by the governor.
[27:09] The rest are still in movements.
[27:14] there was a lot of moments. Most of them went to another reading. I don't know if you want me
[27:19] to go through each one of them, but yeah, so I would say that we're still watching them, but
[27:27] they're kind of coming down to the wire and a lot of movement. But the list is attached and anyone
[27:34] in the public who wants to read it, it's available. Okay, great. We want to 15 reports from
[27:40] Mr. President, from Metropolitan Ball to Water District. Mr. Garza.
[27:45] Thank you, Chair. Jim, do you want to start his offer?
[27:48] I want me to start.
[27:49] No, go ahead. I was out. I was out of comment.
[27:52] Okay.
[27:54] No problem.
[27:54] I remember that.
[27:56] You were there the first day, so I thought maybe.
[27:58] I'll make this really quick.
[28:00] President and Director Crawford, please feel free to fill in anything I mean, miss.
[28:05] But just in the interest of time,
[28:08] I'm not sure if you saw the news over the last few weeks, but Lake Powell and Lake
[28:14] Mead are at their lowest levels ever since these dams got built, and these reservoirs
[28:22] are filled, and so it's pretty, we're living in unprecedented times when it comes to the
[28:28] Colorado River watershed, as you know, the Colorado River watershed is one of our two
[28:33] mean sources of water that we import water from.
[28:36] So when one of the two is in bad shape,
[28:39] and I'm not saying that the other is in great shape,
[28:42] but if we're living in unprecedented times, frankly.
[28:48] So there are lowest snowpack on record
[28:52] was recorded over this past winter period.
[28:56] So which leads me to the next segue, the second item
[28:58] I was going to share is that at last Friday,
[29:01] the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, Department of Interior, they released a record at its
[29:06] vision, and that essentially lays out how in light of these facts, in a light of the fact
[29:15] that the, we said, haven't come to an agreement on the use of water from the Colorado River,
[29:21] that the federal government decided to impose their operating guidelines as to how things
[29:27] going to go forward for the next two years. And so for the next two years out of the seven
[29:32] states, that get their water from the Colorado River, three of the seven are going to be
[29:39] mandated cuts in their water allocations. And so that includes California. So over the next three
[29:46] years, there's going to be a total loss of 3.25 million acre feet of water, which is incredible.
[29:53] It's a lot, I mean, metropolitan alone we, right now we're using around a million, three acre feet.
[30:00] So we're talking about almost three times the amount of water that we are metropolitan use, the state of California, Nevada and Arizona are going to lose.
[30:09] And so a lot, the good thing is that we as the lower basin states, that's what we're called, we did agree to a lot of these cuts ourselves. So we already have plans and the federal government is working with us on that.
[30:20] But if things grow worse, post those two years, it's going to be pretty impressive in it. So this is a short term solution. It's not a long term.
[30:31] And so long-term-wise, we still need it to continue to look at ways of developing new water.
[30:38] Like pure water is one of them which is going to be something that we consider later on.
[30:41] This year, early next year, as metropolitan, but so more to come on that.
[30:46] And then the last thing I have is, as you me know, I am the representative of metropolitan
[30:52] on the Delta Convenience project, they have an authority at Jim Pais Authority that oversees
[30:58] that project.
[31:00] As you may know, that project right now is a $20 billion project, it's a largest water
[31:05] project in the state of California right now, and so I am, I gotta send it to be its representative
[31:11] and June, actually I've been the alternate on that since April, and June I got to be the primary
[31:18] representative, and at our board meeting last Thursday, so five days ago, I got
[31:26] a send it to be its chairman. So we never have had a representative, not only, we
[31:32] haven't had a representative since until Bayesian Beats Chair in its history, so it's a
[31:38] lot, a big, a tremendous amount of weight on my shoulders. The good thing is that I'm
[31:42] not alone. We have staff, we have diligent good staff at DCA, so I am not
[31:47] Now, I remember every third water board and it's leader now, so it's a humbling honor, and I will
[31:55] make sure to represent as well.
[31:58] So on that board, is it a north-south kind of anything?
[32:04] Yeah, yes, it's actually, so it has a total of seven board members.
[32:10] And two of the board members are from what are traditionally northern water agencies.
[32:14] So there be area and the other five are two of them are in Central Valley and in the balance
[32:21] are more southern like we have a couple out in the desert here in SoCal and so it tend to be
[32:28] a north south turn in terms of Chermyship and normally this would have been the north turn
[32:36] to be chair but the representative in the north I would have ascended to be Chermyn he actually
[32:44] the instruments at the end of this year, and so he didn't feel
[32:47] it appropriate to take the gavel, and considering the circumstances that
[32:55] we're fighting ourselves in, I think that leadership just found it appropriate
[32:58] for metropolitan to take the lead for this turn.
[33:03] And so, yeah, but that completes our report.
[33:06] Director Crawford, did I miss any of the anything else you want to add?
[33:12] That completes our report, sir.
[33:13] Okay, thank you. Okay, so next is governmental affairs.
[33:23] So Mr. Jakone and I were there and we had a kind of robust agenda and primarily information items is basically planning what we do from here.
[33:35] I think that legislative visit was really a home run, and so being able to learn off that and
[33:43] to take some lessons and what we need to do to move forward, and some of that is, again, developing
[33:50] our legislative plan, legislative visit plan. And looking at Lobby Day, since we had our first
[33:56] trying Sacramento, and it was successful, is what do we do for the national? Are there national
[34:02] association, I don't know, national water associations that we join their lobby
[34:07] day. I don't know that yet. And to look at what the state of
[34:11] associations have lobby days. I know that Aqua has a legislative briefing, and
[34:17] I know when I was up there for that, they didn't have a complimentary visits.
[34:23] I don't know how they planted that way or whatever, but we need to stay active in
[34:27] those areas. And let me tell you, I think Mr. Crawford made mentioned at
[34:31] is I think we did better as a team of three and it could be more. We did better than
[34:38] had we paid for that. We paid five to ten thousand dollars for someone to do
[34:43] that for us. I think we really did a good job. Okay so and so looking at next year
[34:49] what are we doing next year? What do we start neat? What lobby days do we
[34:53] start planning for? Besides our own individual is what state wants we need to
[34:59] work with.
[35:00] And so again, and the next item is the wider presentations, I think, getting information and the whole purpose of us doing that was for us to write our own just narrative on who we are, what we do and what direction we're taking.
[35:18] And I think being in control of that narrative will help us a lot.
[35:24] This little moot, we talked about having a GM reception whenever we get a GM is to start
[35:32] thinking about what would that look like?
[35:34] Does this sort of set a framework as whatever GM, when we bring the GM a new GM,
[35:45] is that
[35:47] perveres and residents and elected officials and appointed to meet the GM and start that relationship building.
[35:55] So, setting a framework and how that would look like.
[35:57] Talk to about interns.
[36:01] So, we're going to work it out, I guess, but Leo Council and how that would look like.
[36:05] But, you know, as we do more outreach, as we look for GIS interns,
[36:11] is that we'd have to set looking to some certain issues.
[36:16] We also just thought about what the cost benefit is
[36:21] about getting a governmental affairs consultant,
[36:27] is what's the cost benefit?
[36:28] Are we better off on our own?
[36:31] And that's the position.
[36:33] So that's basically it.
[36:34] That was a governmental affairs.
[36:35] So we'll go on to engineering operations, Mr. Crawford,
[36:38] and you reported an engineering operations?
[36:42] Yeah, we've had a really good meeting on lots of information coming across.
[36:46] We'll see the items that we're on here in general.
[36:48] We're on the order agenda today, which was the,
[36:51] I didn't under 23, basically, the Metropolitan Program was passed.
[36:56] The new report said the added to the engineering are now on our order agenda.
[37:01] And that would be the portable recyclable deliveries, the recycled connections,
[37:07] the Rioana Cup dates up and the conservation program up here. So, really good discussion, but I think we're getting a lot of information.
[37:15] That's what people can see what we're doing and what we're at and what we're doing. So, thank you, Ray. Really good job of getting information.
[37:21] Of course, every second water assessment was presented today. So, that was very, very thorough.
[37:27] Good information and a lot of lots of stuff just being shared. That completes my report on the 7th anniversary.
[37:34] No, thank you.
[37:36] Okay, Edmund and Finance, Mr. Garza?
[37:39] Chair, I was going to ask you, maybe one of the two gentlemen
[37:41] could take all right, it wasn't present at the last time
[37:43] when we're in a finance meeting.
[37:47] The interim, can maybe do that for us.
[37:51] And it's both of the items are on the agenda today.
[37:53] So we also had a good dialogue on what was presented today as well,
[37:58] which is a report on recruitment.
[38:01] And so that was presented for the management analyst as well.
[38:05] Mr. Ochoa, I appreciate the follow-ups. Definitely the items that we're discussed in A&F
[38:12] Kim, Kim agenda is in today's meeting and we're discussed. So thank you very much.
[38:19] We'll want to add how committees
[38:21] district legal counsel. I think that's pretty much
[38:27] Fulfilled it's purpose up to this point. It's um, so we're ready to maybe sense that that
[38:34] Now, many comments on that?
[38:38] No.
[38:39] I don't have any comments.
[38:40] Thank you.
[38:40] Here you go.
[38:41] Okay.
[38:42] Administrative Code.
[38:43] Well, we saw the product of months of efforts.
[38:48] And a lot of sweat and blooded tears.
[38:52] And so we're, hopefully, we'll get that first part.
[38:55] And Dr. Grajer, have anything to add on?
[38:59] No, just excited to move on to the next part.
[39:02] So, I think what we're going to do is for this first board by loss is we'll come back for the final reading.
[39:14] We want to go through it one more time to see if we missed anything and ask for any comments.
[39:20] And we'll bring the code back again, we'll all test the code.
[39:23] So if you have any, we want to do one more cleanup after final dodge, just this area.
[39:28] And then we'll look at what the next round is and that may be personal and maybe personal.
[39:36] He may resource.
[39:38] Yeah, the next if we don't skip it's human resources.
[39:42] Because it's been mentioned finance is looking at some code updates and finance.
[39:48] So we'll come back to you and you can choose.
[39:52] And, okay, gentlemen, management recruitment.
[39:57] Well, I think we've learned a lot from that.
[40:02] I was going to ask for any comments. Okay. All right. Rehunter pump station?
[40:11] Yes. We met was a Friday. We can have a go to go over the first
[40:17] ad hoc committee meeting of which we were able to go over the chronology of the VFD at the Rio Hondo pump station, breaking down.
[40:27] and then the steps that we've taken proactively to actually bring the
[40:32] consultation back up to operational where we're now serving
[40:35] Monobello Heights on a daily basis, especially with this heat wave.
[40:39] In addition to that, I presented a longer-term plan, which is to replace
[40:44] the two BFDs, the larger BFDs, or the larger pump
[40:48] brains, and the at-home committee
[40:54] confirmed that that was the right approach. So we're proceeding with that
[40:57] And I don't happen in the next three to four weeks where we'll come in and have a spare VFD available so that we have much more reliability at the Rio Honda pump station.
[41:09] So really good meeting and we'll probably meet in another month or so.
[41:13] Just one couple of items that I'll sit down with legal.
[41:19] Yes, it's on a couple of items that I'll sit down with legal to see if there was any exposure during that outreach and we'll talk about that offline.
[41:27] Yeah, I don't want to be too burdensome, but I wonder if it's possible to do a report.
[41:34] You can even talk to an AI and just let them do that for you.
[41:39] But just so that we could, I guess, take note that we've done this, is that so, in any case
[41:47] in the future, any board wants to see how we handled the issue that that could be found
[41:54] then it doesn't need to be reinvented.
[41:58] Yeah, okay.
[41:59] All right, so General Manager's report?
[42:02] Yeah, just I think the fact that we have a lot of ad hocs
[42:05] and the prior summaries really summarizes the activities
[42:09] that the districts is incurring.
[42:11] Number one is the legal search for legal counsel.
[42:14] Number two, the admin code reviews.
[42:17] Number three, General Manager recruitment, the pump station.
[42:20] And the fact that we have a ad hoc that thoroughly reviews
[42:22] that those are really good activities that are
[42:24] some very well there.
[42:26] In addition to that, we did have a nice thorough report
[42:28] on recruiting activities.
[42:30] So we've got that to the board.
[42:33] Don't think there's anything else I would add
[42:34] because this was a very informative meeting.
[42:37] And we had a lot of the agenda for a central basin.
[42:41] OK, director's report, we're going to start from the mine
[42:43] left.
[42:45] Is Baskis Wilson?
[42:49] I don't have any reports at the moment.
[42:51] I just continue doing all the meetings
[42:53] that are not all of them, but my meetings to the WOD, lots going on there, lots going
[43:00] on there,
[43:03] and the Southeastern Coalition, that's a good one.
[43:06] That's it.
[43:06] I'm happy.
[43:07] Thank you.
[43:07] Mr. Garza.
[43:10] Kind of same as Director Vessis Wilson, just a involvement in a lot of stuff with Metropolitan
[43:14] leadership there, and then now DCA, just a lot of meetings, a lot of meetings, but continue
[43:19] to serve.
[43:20] Thank you.
[43:20] Thank you. Mr. Ocho.
[43:23] I'm not very important.
[43:25] So I went to the Urban Water Institute conference.
[43:31] You know, they may be a little, they need work in the delivery,
[43:36] but it's great information.
[43:40] They're not like entertainers.
[43:44] But the information is so valuable.
[43:47] I mean, I've learned a significant amount.
[43:49] The networking, I'm certainly comfortable and start talking to people and, you know, I've been cautious
[43:58] Because at first conferences, I really kind of spilled my guts or I met and I've regretted a little bit
[44:06] So now I'm kind of tempering myself
[44:09] But I always ask questions at the table because I think that at least I need to benefit of these people's experiences
[44:17] You know, like I said, I sat with a human resource manager and water that's been in the industry for 20 years in HR.
[44:28] So I was able to ask her a question.
[44:30] I sat with a director who worked for the water to support 40 years, who was now on the board.
[44:39] So I was like, you know, I got to learn what her experience, oh my God, I couldn't tell her to stop.
[44:46] But anyway, that was good
[44:49] West basin
[44:50] You know, I think it was good to sit with somebody really I didn't even know he was on West basin Tommy. Do you know Tommy his name yeah, yeah. Yeah, he's he's out he's a leader with the
[45:01] And so I knew him before. I had no idea he was on a law board. Do you know that?
[45:05] He's recently appointed. Oh, okay, he's appointed. So, okay, oh, that's what it is, okay.
[45:11] But I learned a lot from him as well. So, anyway, these conferences are not, they're not a vacation.
[45:19] Don't get, don't get the wrong impression, because they started early too.
[45:23] And so anyway, I found that to be beneficial.
[45:27] And I'm looking forward to the Colorado River,
[45:31] because with all this news about the water flow
[45:36] and what's available, I'm really concerned about that.
[45:40] And so it's my confidence update.
[45:44] Really proud to that we've moved so far in some areas.
[45:51] and we still have some things that take care of.
[45:55] And part of that is, is looking for a GM.
[45:59] We were unsuccessful this last search,
[46:02] but I think we've learned a lot from these last two searches.
[46:06] And that is, is that we need to control our narrative.
[46:09] And as we need to go look for people that we would like to serve.
[46:14] And so there's nothing wrong with that.
[46:16] Other places still people, more than institution I was before.
[46:21] We pay for it. Everybody pay for it. Long be to come and take our person and make them
[46:26] a superintendent. They take the department with them, vice versa. And we all thought
[46:32] that was okay because it's all for the system. It's all for water and water districts.
[46:38] So anyway, that's my report. So now I need to direct your comments on future dentists.
[46:43] You want to see anything in the future? We do have the code review coming back. Anything
[46:50] I'd like to say a master calendar and maybe we could look at the code on some things that
[46:57] should happen in the first of the year when we do re-org and part of that re-org I think
[47:02] is a starting the master calendar where you could always just keep it attached as an information
[47:09] item that master calendar so we could see what it looks like in a hole that we don't have
[47:18] be searching through our emails for this and that,
[47:20] that it's all on one master calendar.
[47:24] OK, so.
[47:24] Chairman, I do have a request in the past.
[47:30] Central Basin has had a practice of every year.
[47:34] I'm not sure if it was in December, January,
[47:38] where we reviewed the meetings, the approved meetings,
[47:41] that we could attend, and conferences.
[47:45] Yeah, so I'd like to return to that practice.
[47:50] I think there are a lot of organizations that are not on that list, I think that should be on their like West Basin, and I think it'll be really helpful also for our staff to
[48:02] to be able to look at that list and, you know, either attend the meetings because I think
[48:09] we're, our staff is growing and we have a lot of really great people that, that are
[48:15] some of them may be new to water, but I think them really kind of developing and cultivating
[48:21] a relationship with our sister, agencies in the area would be very helpful to them as they do their job
[48:30] for us, so like I know that the general managers have a meeting in the area, the board
[48:37] secretaries get together for lunch with, you know, West Basin, W.R.D., Upper San
[48:43] Gabriel,
[48:46] and, you know, HR folks, and all of that, I think would be really helpful as we continue
[48:52] to grow and build relationships.
[48:56] Thank you.
[48:58] All right, so then if there's other comments, we are adjourned.
[49:04] Thank you.