STAFF REPORT
Meeting Date: May 24, 2022
To: Honorable Mayor & City Council
From: Shana Epstein, Director of Public Works
Subject: Consideration of the Metropolitan Water District Director Appointment as Prescribed by Resolution as Adopted on August 22, 2017
Attachments: 1. Resolution 17-R-13153
2. Letter from Barry D. Pressman
INTRODUCTION
In August of 2017, the original Metropolitan Water District (MWD) Director Interview panel made the recommendation to appoint Barry D. Pressman for a five-year term (October 6, 2017 – October 5, 2022) to be followed by Jeff Wolfe for another five-year term, with the understanding that this decision would be discussed again six months prior to the end of the first five-year term. Today’s meeting is meant to host the described discussion.
DISCUSSION
The City originally established term limits of 2-4 year terms for the MWD Director prior to the appointment of now-City Council Member Wunderlich. Then his appointment was extended due to his leadership at the MWD Board. During Director Pressman’s term, he chaired the Integrated Water Resources Plan Committee and served on the Executive Committee. Attached is a letter from Director Pressman expressing his interest in extending his term.
Mr. Wolfe completed his six years as a Public Works Commissioner on December 31, 2019. He has remained interested in the MWD Director appointment that was originally scheduled to begin on October 6, 2022.
If the decision from 2017 is reconsidered, staff will prepare, with the City Attorney’s office, the necessary resolution and ordinance.
FISCAL IMPACT
No fiscal impact.
BEVERLY
HILLS
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Meeting Date: May 24, 2022
RECOMMENDATION
Staff is present to support City Council’s discussion on this item.
Shana E Epstein, Director of Public Works
Approved By
Attachment 1
RESOLUTION NO. 17-R- 13153
RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
BEVERLY HILLS APPOINTING REPRESENTATIVES
TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE
METRO POLIT AN WATER DISTRICT OF SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA (BARRY PRESSMAN AND JEFF WOLFE)
The Council of the City of Beverly Hills does hereby resolve as follows:
Section 1. The following individuals are hereby designated by the City Council of the City of Beverly Hills to be the City's representative to the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California for the term indicated.
Name
Barry Pressman
Jeff Wolfe
Address
806 N. Camden Drive
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
206 S. Stanley Drive
Beverly Hills, CA 90211
Term
5 Year Term
(October 6, 2017 - October 5, 2022)
5 Year Term
(October 6, 2022 - October 5, 2027)
Section 2. At least six (6) months prior to the expiration of the first five-year term, the City Council will review and confirm the appointment for the next five-year term.
Section 3. This Resolution shall take effect upon the effectiveness of the Ordinance entitled "AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF BEYERL Y HILLS AMENDING THE
BEYERL Y HILLS MUNICIPAL CODE REGARDING THE TERM OF THE METROPOLITAN WATER DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE."
Section 4. The City Clerk shall testify to the passage and adoption of this Resolution and enter it into the Book of Resolutions of the City.
80785-0001\2105966v I .doc
Adopted: August 22, 2017
Mayor of the City of Beverly Hills, California
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
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LAURENCE S. WIENER
City Attorney
B0785-000J \2105966vl .doc
-2-
Attachment 2
The Honorable Mayor Bosse
City of Beverly Hills
Beverly Hills, CA
Dear Mayor Bosse:
I am writing to ask for the council’s consideration to extend my term as the Beverly Hills Metropolitan Water District director. My initial five-year appointment ends in October of 2022.
I am pleased and proud to report that in my four and half years of service, I have become a highly respected and effective senior member of the board as evidenced by the following accomplishments: Election to the executive committee twice, the first time less than six months after joining the board. Appointed vice-chair of the Metropolitan Bay-Delta committee in my first six months on the board. Appointed chair of the quintennial Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) special committee which is charged with performing a 25-year forward study of the gap between water resources and water demand, with tremendous implications for future District actions. The committee successfully completed its work very recently after two years of a complex process requiring constant negotiation and compromise. The first ever IRP unanimous committee vote in favor of the report was a reflection of my efforts. I have developed excellent relationships with the present and past chairpersons. The present chairwoman, Gloria Gray, would be pleased to discuss my performance with you. Her phone number is, 310 217 2411 and her email is [email protected]. The new general manager and I worked hand in hand to accomplish the IRP successful vote My recent appointment to chair of the finance committee, as we look to revamp our price structure, has tremendous implications for Beverly Hills. (Note: ratification by the board of all chair appointments has been delayed due to internal strife within the board's structure). I have represented Beverly Hills on the Bay-Delta committee, the Conservation and Local Resources committee and the Water Planning and Stewardship Committees since joining the board and have thereby developed a reputation of being well versed in water issues by the other directors. My efforts and approach were instrumental in preventing a method of charging for demand management which would have been based on appraised value in each district and, accordingly, would have cost Beverly Hills an additional $800,000 per annum for MWD water deliveries. I continue to give regular reports in person/virtually to the Public Works Commission.
Going forward, I am well positioned to represent Beverly Hills at the highest levels of leadership on the MWD board. This is especially critical during this time of board turmoil. Further, I have an opportunity to run for Chairman of the board and/or be appointed a vice-chair. In order to do so, I will need at least four more years of service to be a serious candidate since the term is two years with a second two-year term available. I would point out that most districts' directors serve for well over five years. In addition, I had a productive conversation concerning the MWD and the Beverly Hills director position, with Mr. Jeff Wolfe. We have agreed that if my term is extended, we will work closely to prepare him to be my successor should a future council choose to appoint him to that position.
I would welcome the opportunity to discuss this with you.
Sincerely,
Barry D. Pressman, M.D., FACR