Water Subcommittee Meeting Minutes
November 17, 2021
Mayor Pro Tem called meeting to order: 10:04 am
Subcommittee Members / City Staff:
Mayor Deborah Robertson – On Phone
Mayor Pro Tem Ed Scott
Marcus Fuller, City Manager
Robert Messinger, Assistant City Attorney
Tom Crowley, Utilities Manager
Angela Perry, Council & City Manager’s Executive Assistant Other Attendees
Steve Dopudja, Consultant
Rolf Ohlemutz, Table Rock
On phone – Peter Luchetti, Table Rock
On phone – Megan Matson, Table Rock
Public Comments: None
Minutes: October 27, 2021, minutes – Accepted for the record.
1. WS-21-0858 Water and Wastewater Grant Opportunities and Submittals Tom Crowley gave the presentation about the different grant applications they are submitting to fund Lake Rialto. A grant application is in the works for the Department of Water Resources to upgrade the well in the Lytle Creek Basin Area.
Committee Comments/Recommendations
Mayor Robertson asked where the well is located. Tom gave detailed information of its location. Mayor Robertson wants a layout of the Pros/Cons of the proposed changes to the well.
2. WS-21-0859 Lake Rialto Project Preliminary Design
Steve Dopudja gave the presentation with PowerPoint. He talked about elevating the grading and viable options for parking.
Steve named three major viable options to accommodate alternative parking as well as access. He explained the benefits, requirements, and challenges for each option; the first option is located on the north end of the existing treatment plant off east Santa Ana. Second option is located on Industrial Dr. over to the west. The third alternative option is off Agua Mansa.
He recommended third option, Agua Mansa for final design, and he mentioned the benefits and challenges for this alternative.
Steve mentioned that the driver for the final design consideration comes with the plants. The project will require unique native plants from a specific nursery company where a 6-12 month rolling period contract will be required.
Committee Comments/Recommendations
Mayor Robertson asked about the proximity and volume of parking, as well as connectivity to the Santa Ana River Trail. Mayor Robertson expressed safety concerns about people having to walk far distance to get to Lake Rialto. Steve said that all the options required to connect to the Santa Ana River require additional modifications to the existing bridges due to there being little to no sidewalk space.
Mayor Robertson asked about the number of plants needed for the project and the costs include. Presenter responded that landscaping architect already reached out to several commercial growers and obtained that information. This companies confirm that they will be able to provide the plants needed for the project.
3. WS-21-0872 Follow up on the Financial Review of Water and Wastewater Tom gave the presentation - this is a follow up from the Water/Wastewater Financials from last meeting.
Committee Comments/Recommendations
Tom covered, how do we meet stabilization over the next two years. He believes possibly using ARPA. Tom mentioned water fund returns for previous fiscal years. He stated that for 2021 fiscal year they sent over $2 million and they returned $1.8 million. In 2022 they sent over $1.4 million and they are yet to see how much of it will be returned. However, he believes the return for 2022 would not be high. Given this data information, he concluded that ARPA would be the best option for the next 2 years.
Marcus discussed what he plans to put on December 14th Agenda. Marcus replied by saying that some of the main points discussed for the next agenda are the estimate water funds deficit for the next few years and recommend council appropriate the balance of the funds.
Mayor Pro Tem Scott said his feelings on rate increases is not good and should use ARPA. Mayor Robertson agreed. She expressed her concerns about how critical would be to provide service to the community, and the time and costs involved.
Marcus said another option is to defer the lease payment to the general fund to help reduce the impact. He said that the improvement on sales tax is another fund option. Mayor Pro Tem Scott said he feels ARPA is better solution. Staff will proceed with ARPA.
4. WS-21-0865 Septic Systems in the City of Rialto
Tom gave the presentation. He mentioned that the presentations’ main objective is to think about how to target the issue for building the sewer system in the different areas of the city, and not only focusing on a large project. He suggested to break it down in smaller project areas. He also mentioned that the City of Bloomington is not included in the presentation, only the city limits and the 4 county pockets.
Committee Comments/Recommendations
Attacking how we build out the sewer systems throughout the city.
He put in different project areas and went through PowerPoint Mayor Pro Tem Scott asked if he had a total number of City and County.
Tom said that project No.1 MWD, right away area, are the parcels near Riverside Ave. and Linden Ave. The estimated project cost per parcel is the number of parcels divided by the cost. The total parcels are 15. He said it would be $100k. per parcel in the unincorporated areas within the city.
He explained that project area No. 2 is inside the city limits, between Locust St., Linden St. and Cedar Ave., these neighborhoods were developed without sewer lines. This area has 142 parcels in this area.
Project No. 3 is located on the north 210 frwy with only 12 parcels which would make it easy to extend the line up and make the sewer connection. Estimated $40k/ parcel.
Tom stated that the next project, located in Rancho Verde Country Club, it is within the county area with 506 parcels total. Estimate $44k/parcel. Total cost $22m.
He added that another county pocket area project with 254 parcels. Located North of the 210 but south of Riverside Ave.
He said the next project is in the county annex area, located on the south of the 210 frwy to the west of Cactus Ave to south Easton Ave. Total 223 parcels.
Tom then moved to project No. 8. Located in the corner or Acacia and Base Ln. There are 3 parcels that are not sewer. Tom said that these 3 parcels have not been assessed. Tom mentioned that this area has 10 parcels.
Mayor Pro Tem Scott said as he remembers Bloomington’s well was over 2 million dollars. Mayor Pro Tem Scott said if we took just the city do we have enough money, Tom said yes.
Tom responded to the question asked by Mayor Pro Tem regarding how many total parcels are included. Tom answer, a little over 1k parcels in the county area and the remaining portion are about 800 parcels within the city.
Tom discussed Rialto Parcels on Septic in Disadvantaged Community (census tract). He said the Shamrock Project Area is a severely disadvantage community and most projects south of Foothill and 10 freeway are also disadvantaged communities. The four county pockets and anything North of the 210 freeway is not a disadvantage community area according to the census tract information. He will be sending this information to everyone.
Mayor Pro Tem Scott said for County pockets, we first need to know how much the County will contribute. He said that he and Supervisor Baca talked about those pockets, and that there is possible funding, and that the projections for the Bloomington Project is close to 4 to 5 million. Mayor Pro Temp Scott says they should start tackling the city projects and then the county projects once they get county funding.
Mayor Pro Tem Scott said he thinks the 7,000 is low and may be closer to 10 to 15,000, and residents don’t have that kind of money and if they have to pay it, and we don’t help them finance they won’t connect. He believes that we fund the money and recoup through sewer fees. Mayor Robertson agreed with Mayor Pro Tem about the higher costs to residents.
Mayor Pro Tem Scott said that the County will pave a lot of the pockets so sewer should be put in prior to paving. Mayor Robertson added that the city needs to meet again. She asked Marcus if he is aware of public work staff meeting with the county. Marcus said that he is not aware.
UPDATES:
WS-21-0861 State Water Resources Control Board Arrearages Application (Verbal) Tom gave the presentation
Committee Comments/Recommendations
Submitted yesterday. Robert Lee and Tom put the application together and it was a little over $402,000 at 60 days and over. Hoping money will show up in a month. Notification will go out to each of those customers.
Next Water Subcommittee Meetings
January 26, 2021
Adjournment: 11:49 am.