1 CITY OF RIALTO
REGULAR MEETING OF THE WATER SUBCOMMITTEE
September 11, 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, September 11, 2024.
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CALL TO ORDER Call to order at 10:09 A.M.
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ROLL CALL Senior Administrative Analyst Nicole Hemmans took the roll call.
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
Colby Cataldi, Community Development Director
Steve Dopudja, DWC Consultant
Toyasha Sebbag, Assistant to the City Manager
Nicole Hemmans, Senior Administrative Analyst
Brenda Armento, Intern to Mayor Robertson (Excused from the meeting during closed session)
Additional Attendees:
Rolf Ohlemutz, RWS/Veolia
Dr. June Hayes, Resident (Excused from the meeting during closed session)
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CLOSED SESSION ♦ Closed Session started at 10:10 am.
♦ Closed Session ended at 10:51 pm.
CALL TO ORDER The public meeting resumed at 10:52 A.M.
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PUBLIC COMMENTS Public comment received on September 11, 2024:
2 ♦ None
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APPROVAL OF MINUTES
♦ None
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NEW BUSINESS ITEMS
WS-24-1693 – Request for Feedback
Regarding the El Rancho Verde Lift
Station and Sewer Deficiency
Mitigation.
(ACTION)
Stephen Dopudja provided an update on El Rancho Verde and requested that the Water Subcommittee provide feedback on the lift station and sewer deficiency mitigation.
(ACTION)
Questions & Comments
♦ Mr. Dopudja explained how the lift station was designed and constructed, resulting in the lift station pumping more water than was originally modeled, surcharging the existing gravity main, overflowing the sewer manhole, and creating a surface spill. A possible correction would be to extend the force main to Highland Avenue . The Developer would like to know if the re is culpability with the City to share the responsibility for addressing this issue, as the developers believe the City should have inspected and disclosed this issue to them during the plan check.
♦ Councilmember Scott asked if a City E ngineer had reviewed and agreed with the plans/inspections.
o Mr. Dopudja stated that he would confirm which
individuals from the City’s Public Works and Planning
departments approved the inspections.
♦ Mayor Robertson and Councilmember Scott advised staff to do a thorough review of the plans as they relate to the lift station and determine the true cause of the issue and who is responsible.
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WS-24-1690 –Request Feedback on
Authorizing Rialto Water Service to
Begin Contract Negotiations with a
Request that the Water Subcommittee provide feedback on Authorizing Rialto Water Service to Begin Contract Negotiations with a Vendor to Implement the Advanced Metering Infrastructure. (ACTION)
3 Vendor to Implement the Advanced
Metering Infrastructure. (ACTION)
Questions & Comments –
♦ Stephen Dopudja advised the Water Subcommittee that the initial intent of this tab item was to present the selected RFP vendor for the Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) and receive feedback on Authorizing Rialto Water Service (RWS) to begin contract negotiations. However, Mr. Dopudja advised that just before the meeting, staff received a notice that rebuts what RWS and the City had consensus on recommending Aqua-Metric over USG Water (USG), Pro Meters (PMI), and Zenner. RWS /Veolia believes that the selected vendor, Aqua-Metric, will be considerably higher and added that the estimated cost of unknowns was not considered during the selection process.
♦ Rolf Ohlemutz shared a document with the Water Subcommittee, revealing a labor cost of $1,022,400 for the time spent by RWS/Veolia’s corporate staff on the AMI project over the p ast 6 years.
♦ Mayor Robertson and Councilmember Scott requested that RWS/Veolia provide supporting documentation justifying the cost provided in the document shared by Mr. Ohlemutz.
♦ Due to the rebuttal notice received from RWS/Veolia, the Water Subcommittee will be unable to provide feedback on this tab item.
♦ Due to the timing of project completion for grant funds , Mayor Robertson suggested that staff keep the October meeting on the calendar and return this item for discussion on that date.
♦ Mayor Robertson advised that the City would proceed with the project even if there is an objection by RWS/Veolia.
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WS-24-1689 – Request for
Feedback on the California
Growing Water Smart Grant Update
for the Conceptual Landscape
Design of Plant Median Pallets.
(ACTION)
Toyasha Sebbag r equested that the Water Subcommittee provide feedback on the California Growing Water Smart Grant Update for the Conceptual Landscape Design of Plant Median Pallets. (Action)
Questions & Comments
♦ Mayor Robertson advised she will not be attending the Pet-A- Palooza event when the survey will be distributed to the public because she will be attending the US Conference of Mayors.
♦ Mayor Robertson stated that she liked the update and wanted this item to be returned for an update on the October 23, 2024, Water 4 Subcommittee meeting agenda, followed by a presentation to the City Council at the November 12, 2024, meeting.
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UPCOMING MEETINGS/OTHER
DISCUSSION ITEMS
♦ None
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ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 12:16 p.m.
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