AGENDA CORRESPONDENCE
RECEIVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL FOR
PUBLIC REVIEW PRIOR TO THE MEETING
AGENDA NO: 7.d
MEETING DATE: March 12, 2024
1 Heather Goodwin
From: Jeffrey Heller
Sent: Sunday, March 10, 2024 2:55 PM
To: Council
Subject: Agenda Correspondence - Item 7D - Report on CMANC trip CAUTION: This is an external email. Please take care when clicking links or opening attachments.
Dear council and staff
The report authored by City Manager Kimball on the CMANC trip is outstanding. I appreciate the level of detail reported. The dollar figures discussed really got my attention. As active residents---how can we best support the City's efforts to get the funding we need?
Thank you all for your efforts in Washington, D.C. on behalf of Morro Bay! Jeff and Kerry Heller
AGENDA CORRESPONDENCE
RECEIVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL FOR
PUBLIC REVIEW PRIOR TO THE MEETING
AGENDA NO: 7.g
MEETING DATE: March 12, 2024
1 Heather Goodwin
From: Yvonne Kimball
Sent: Sunday, March 10, 2024 7:30 PM
To: Jeffrey Heller; Council
Cc: Greg Kwolek
Subject: RE: Agenda Correspondence-Item 7.G - 3/12/24 Council Mtg Hi, Jeff,
Let me tempt to answer your questions. Greg and his team have detailed info and can correct me. Since Greg may not be available until Tuesday, here is mine to get started.
1. The $9.4 million is intended to cover design / environmental / project management (Soft cost) and construction, some close out (hard cost). however, this amount was based on estimates a few years ago. Even with some contingency built in, I won’t be surprised if other contingencies may happen that drive up the cost. additionally, we still are required to meet any permitting requirements for (new) recycled water operation and distribution by the state water board. My experience with the water board, permitting itself is a time consuming and labor intense process -which is part of the operation that city has to fund locally.
2. Water and sewer fund is enterprise fund. as you know, without grant and loans, ratepayers and or city general fund (with council approval) will need to pick up any difference.
3. I believe we are confident.
Yvonne Kimball
City Manager
City of Morro Bay
From: Jeffrey Heller
Sent: Sunday, March 10, 2024 2:32 PM
To: Council <[email protected]>
Subject: Agenda Correspondence-Item 7.G - 3/12/24 Council Mtg CAUTION: This is an external email. Please take care when clicking links or opening attachments.
Dear Council and staff
Thank you for the status update on the recycled water project. Apparently we have $9.424 budgeted and funded (?) for the work.
1. Will this amount be sufficient to complete construction of the project, or will it be used primarily to support the "soft costs" mentioned (Arch/Bio surveys, CEQA, Hydrological work, Issuance and process of RFP's)?
2. If our current funding is not sufficient to complete construction and closeout-how will we finance the balance needed?
3. How confident are we that the final project will actually generate the minimum 412.5 acre feet of water as required by the public agencies?
Thank you for all your hard work as we move closer to completing this challenging program.
Jeff and Kerry Heller
1 Heather Goodwin
From: Carole Truesdale
Sent: Sunday, March 10, 2024 1:44 PM
To: Council
Cc: Yvonne Kimball
Subject: March 12, 2024 Council Meeting - Agenda Item 7g CAUTION: This is an external email. Please take care when clicking links or opening attachments.
Dear Council,
Reading the November 23, 2023 and February 26, 2024, correspondence is really unsettling in numerous ways.
Many of the citizens, including myself and my husband, stood before the previous Council/City Manager/Public Works, and voiced our concerns about the reality of such a new water reclamation facility. The WRF was over-built, over-run costs etc., and the ability to provide the required recycled water per the requirements of the different funds that were given to the City of Morro Bay to complete this project is not happening. All of our efforts went on deaf ears and here we are!
The citizens have endured the financial burden of the increase in the cost of water/sewer/surcharges etc. Many of our people are on fixed incomes and looming in front of us is possibly another Prop 218 to cover the costs associated with the financial over-runs of the new WRF project.
If Greg cannot come forward with a viable, acceptable plan, what is going to happen? If we cannot get an extension to complete the recycled water project, and we are forced to return the funds to the various agencies, how are the coffers in the City of Morro Bay going to handle this situation? Will the citizens again need to step forward and foot the bill?
I have been a resident of Morro Bay since 1995 and a homeowner.
Kind regards,
Carole Truesdale
"Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food a ghost. United and well matched, they are as body and soul; living partners!" chef...Andre Simon (1877-1970)