1 CITY OF RIALTO
REGULAR MEETING OF THE WATER SUBCOMMITTEE
August 28, 2024 - 10:00 A.M.
MINUTES
The Regular meeting of the Water Subcommittee of the City of Rialto was held in the Civic Center Council Chambers located at 150 S. Palm Avenue, Rialto, California 92376, on Wednesday, August 28, 2024.
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CALL TO ORDER Call to order at 10:06 A.M.
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ROLL CALL The roll call was taken by Senior Administrative Analyst Nicole Hemmans.
Subcommittee Members / City Staff:
Mayor Deborah Robertson
Council Member Ed Scott
G. Michael Milhiser, Interim City Manager
Tanya Williams, Assistant City Manager
Robert Messinger, Deputy City Attorney
Steve Dopudja, DWC Consultant
Tim Sullivan, Director of Public Works
Toyasha Sebbag, Assistant to the City Manager
Nicole Hemmans, Senior Administrative Analyst
Additional Attendees:
Rolf Ohlemutz, RWS/Veolia
Dr. June Hayes, Resident
Peter Luchetti, RWS/Table Rock (virtual)
Ali Chehrehsaz, TerraVerde Energy, LLC
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PUBLIC COMMENTS Public comment received on August 28, 2024:
♦ None
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APPROVAL OF MINUTES-
Regular Meeting of July 24,2024
Minutes Prepared By: Nicole Hemmans, Sr. Administrative Analyst Meeting Date: July 24, 2024 - Minutes Approved.
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2 NEW BUSINESS ITEMS
A change to the order of discussion was requested at the beginning of New Business Items: Staff requested that Item #4: Utility Manager Update (File ID# WS-24-1662) be presented as the first item of discussion.
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WS-24-1662: Item #4
California Growing Water Smart
Grant Update for the Conceptual
Landscape Design of Plant Median
Pallets.
California Growing Water Smart Grant Update for the Conceptual Landscape Design of Plant Median Pallets. Stephen Dopudja introduced the item, which was then turned over to Tim Sullivan and Toyasha Sebbag for an update.
Questions & Comments
This item is to provide an update only and is not for discussion.
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WS-24-1660
Staff requested feedback on the Santa
Ana Watershed Project Authority
(SAWPA) Septic-to-Sewer Grant Funds.
Staff requested feedback on the Santa Ana Watershed Project Authority (SAWPA) Septic-to-Sewer Grant Funds.
Questions & Comments
♦ Council Member Scott inquired why County areas were prioritized over unconnected City residents for sewer conversion.
o Mr. Dopudja clarified that the properties listed are not in any particular ranking order. Properties on Valley were included because the staff was asked to explore potential properties in that area. The properties listed on Valley were found to be most suitable.
o Mayor Robertson suggested that staff have a discussion with San Bernardino County to fulfill their responsibilities of the Septic-to-Sewer conversions in the areas under county
jurisdiction. The entire community relies on septic systems; therefore, the county needs to contribute with their own resources.
♦ Councilmember Scott mentioned that the County of San Bernardino has received a signific ant windfall from property taxes due to the development in the City of Rialto communities and suggested that staff figure out how the City can a ccess a portion of that money for septic-to-sewer conversions.
♦ Mr. Dopudja advised that when selecting residential homes for the project, staff looked at a cluster of homes, rather than individual ones.
Area 3 on the exhibit presented a cluster of homes that is suitable for the project and would provide the best value for the money. ♦ Ms. Sebbag explained to the committee that the SAWPA grant is not guaranteed yet. The City of Rialto was reconsidered because one of 3 SAWPA’s Prop 1 Round 2 grant projects dropped out of the funding .
Therefore, SAWPA is considering the City’s septic -to-sewer conversion project as a replacement project.
♦ Mayor Robertson requested that staff provide the ordinance stating that the stand-by fee charges are to be held in a separate account .
She also requested the current balance in that account. o0o
WS-24-1662
UPCOMING MEETINGS/OTHER
DISCUSSION ITEMS
ADJOURNMENT
Utility Manager Updates:
1. River Ranch Sewer Lift Station Modifications.
2. Microgrid Project Update.
3. Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) Project.
4. California Growing Water Smart Grant Update.
5. RWS/Veolia Monthly Operations Report.
Questions & Comments –
♦ The Water Subcommittee explained to staff the purpose of the Utility Manager Update and discussion items and the difference between the two categories. Because items listed under Utiltiy Manager Update are not placed on the Agenda the Water
Subcommittee is unable to provide fee dback and does not feel comfortable discussing those items. Mr. Messinger agreed that items that the Water Subcommittee may want to discuss need to be placed on the Agenda and that the purpose of the Utility Manger Update is to provide a brief update of information. ♦ Mr. Messinger further advised that the Water Subcommittee Agenda should follow the same format as the City Council Agenda and that staff revise the Water Subcommittee Agenda prior to the next meeting.
♦ The Water Subcommit tee advised that items pl aced on the current Utility Manager Update be agendized and brought back as a discussion item at a future Water Subcommittee meeting.
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♦ None.
Meeting adjournment at 11:45 A.M.
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