Camarillo City Council
AGENDA REPORT
Date: December 13, 2023
To: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers
From: Greg Ramirez, City Manager
Submitted by: Carmen Nichols, Assistant City Manager
Subject: Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) – Membership Recommendation
BACKGROUND
The City of Camarillo is actively involved in local and regional organizations that provide technical and informational support to ensure public agencies provide the best quality services available to all residents. The assistance provided by these associations also ensures the community’s interest is represented at all levels of government through legislative and regulatory advocacy.
The City is currently not a member of the Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA). The Policy Committee at their meeting on October 25, 2023, recommended ACWA membership.
DISCUSSION
The Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) was founded in 1910 and is the largest statewide coalition of public water agencies in the country, with more than 470 public agency members collectively responsible for 90 percent of water delivery across the state. ACWA’s mission statement is to “provide comprehensive leadership, advocacy and resources for California public water agencies to ensure a high quality and reliable water supply in an environmentally sustainable and fiscally responsible manner.” ACWA seeks to promote efficient means of providing water service by sharing scientific and technical information with its members, as well as tracking and shaping state and federal public policy to advocate for sound legislation and regulations. ACWA’s membership is organized into 10 hydrologic geographic regions, hoping to promote grassroots activism by uniting members around shared interests and challenges. The County of Ventura belongs to Region 8, which is shared with the County of Los Angeles.
ACWA – Membership Recommendation
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The organization’s governance is as follows:
•ACWA Board: a 37-member Board of Directors, comprised of the association’s president and vice president, the chair and vice chair of each of ACWA’s 10 regions, the chair of each ACWA standing committee, the immediate past president, and the vice president of the ACWA Joint Powers Insurance Authority.
Board members serve two-year terms. Meetings are generally held bimonthly on the last Friday of the month.
•ACWA Committees: 13 standing policy committees with a wide range of issues, including agriculture, business development, and legal affairs. Committees are structured to include representation from all 10 ACWA regions, and members are appointed for two-year terms that begin on January 1st of even-numbered years. •Regional Boards: comprised of five to seven members that serve two-year terms that begin on even numbered years, with regional elections taking place on odd numbered years.
•Outreach Task Force: tasked with guiding the organization’s outreach program, implementing new policies, and creating new programs. The task force is comprised of appointments made by each region, two at-large appointments, and two representatives from various committees.
ACWA develops a five-year strategic plan, which allows the organization to make long- term goals and guides the association’s actions and recommendations. The plan has six core elements that serve as guiding principles for ACWA:
•Advocacy: Advocate for member interests on legislation, regulations, and funding. •Connections: Build strong, lasting, and trusted partnerships that provide interconnectivity among all sectors of the water industry. •Education: Invest in California’s water future by providing opportunities through education, information, and professional development for ACWA members, staff and the public.
•Resources: Deliver high quality member services to support the mission of ACWA’s member agencies.
•Organizational Strength: Foster a collaborative and mutually respectful culture to ensure a positive experience for ACWA members and staff and continually invest in the financial health and organizational well-being of the association.
ACWA – Membership Recommendation
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•Innovation: Lead the industry on proactive advancements for the betterment of the communities, agricultural operations, and businesses that ACWA members serve.
Membership dues to ACWA are based on adjusted operations and maintenance expense for water, wastewater, electricity, land reclamation and levee maintenance, flood control and water conservation, and drainage. 2024 ACWA dues are based on the 2021-22 fiscal year. Members joining after October 1st will have their dues pro-rated for the current year and will be billed concurrently for the following year’s dues.
The City’s dues are quoted at $28,705 for calendar year 2024. ACWA is offering their Step-Up to Membership discount, which provides a 50 percent new member discount the first year of dues, and 25 percent off the second year. The full dues amount will not be invoiced until the third year of membership (2026). Additionally, all member applications must be approved by the Board of Directors, which meets next on February 2, 2024.
Therefore, the quote also includes a pro-rated amount with the City’s membership beginning February 2024.
After taking into account the discount and pro-rated amounts, the City’s total cost of membership dues for the periods between February 2024 and December 2024 will be $13,156.46. Subsequently, membership dues for calendar year 2025 are estimated to be $21,528.75, and dues for calendar year 2026 and beyond are estimated to be $28,705.
Estimates are based on adjusted operations and maintenance expenses, and subject to any membership rate increases that may be approved by ACWA’s Board of Directors.
If approved by City Council, staff will submit a complete application to ACWA’s Member Services Department for processing and submitting to the Board of Directors.
FISCAL IMPACT
Funds for the City’s membership to the Association of California Water Agency are included in the Water Utility Fund, Dues and Memberships Account No. 860-3601- 436.69-01.
RECOMMENDATION
Approve the City’s membership to the Association of California Water Agencies.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Association of California Water Agencies Five-Year Strategic Plan 2020-24.
2. Hydrologic Region Map
3. ACWA’s Membership Quote 2024
REFERENCE MATERIALS – AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW AT CITY HALL None