1 CITY OF RIALTO
REGULAR MEETING OF THE WATER SUBCOMMITTEE
July 24, 2025 - 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 Monday, July 24, 2025. o0o
CALL TO ORDER Call to order at 10:00 A.M.
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ROLL CALL Senior Administrative Analyst Nicole Hemmans took the roll call.
Subcommittee Members / City Staff:
Mayor Joe Baca
Mayor Pro Tem Ed Scott
Tanya Williams, City Manager
Robert Khuu, Assistant City Attorney
Nicole Hemmans, Senior Administrative Analyst
Additional Attendees:
Stephen Dopudja, Dopudja & Wells Consulting, Inc.
Peter Luchetti, RWS/Table Rock
Megan Matson, RWS/Table Rock
Evan Kominski, Ullico
Nick Desimpelare, Ullico
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CLOSED SESSION
WS-25-0494 – Conference with Legal
Counsel – Anticipated Litigation.
Closed session started at 10:01 AM. The following attendees exited the meeting prior to the closed session discussion: Peter Luchetti, Megan Matson, Evan Kominski, and Nick Desimpelare.
Conference with Legal Counsel – Anticipated Litigation Pursuant to Government Code section 54956.9(d)(2) Significant Exposure to Litigation Number of Matters: one (1).
OPEN SESSION
Closed session concluded at 10:34 AM.
Open session resumed at 10:35 AM. The following attendees returned to the regular meeting: Peter Luchetti, Megan Matson, Evan Kominski, and Nick Desimpelare.
PUBLIC COMMENTS Public comment received on July 24, 2025:
2 None.
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APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Mayor Baca asked if there were any comments pertaining to the minutes.
Nicole Hemmans corrected the date on the Utilities Director’s staff report to July 24, 2024.
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NEW BUSINESS ITEMS
WS-25-0479 – Update on t he Rialto
Biosolids Handling Upgrade s Project
at the Wastewater Treatment Plant.
(ACTION)
Update on the Rialto Biosolids Handling Upgrade s Project at the Wastewater Treatment Plant provided by RWS/Veolia. (ACTION)
Questions & Comments
Peter Luchetti and Megan Matson with RWS/Table Rock distributed an updated PowerPoint presentation on the Biosolids project.
Mayor Baca inquired about the funding sources for the costs associated with the new technology.
o Stephen Dopudja advised that it is included in the project cost.
Mayor Pro Tem Scott stated he will support the biosolids project moving forward, based on the updated FCWA totaling $35,598,387, but will not support Veolia earning more than 10%.
Mayor Baca inquired about the projected timeline for the project's completion.
o Megan stated the project should be completed by the end of 2027.
Mayor Baca asked if there will be a Project Labor Agreement (PLA) in place?
o Megan Matson confirms that there will be a PLA in place, the same as the S1 project.
Mayor Pro Tem Scott mentioned that he met with Mr. Luchetti and Sonia regarding PLAs, and it was very clear that PLAs should be in place, even for small projects. He further expressed frustration upon 3 learning about a $5 million project without a PLA, despite claims that union wages were paid.
Mayor Pro Tem Scott advised that it was established that anything over $170,000 would require a PLA.
Mr. Luchetti stated he will introduce the City Manager , Tanya Williams, to the City’s new representative with the San Bernardino Building Trades Council.
Ms. Matson suggested that there would be savings if the City were to apply the unused allocation of a prior FCWA to this project.
City Manager Williams suggested that it is more straightforward to issue a new FCWA, instead of combining the projects, as the available funds for the prior FCWA are unknown.
Mayor Pro Tem Scott clarified that, citywide, unused funds of a FCWA do not automatically revert to the fund balance.
Mr. Dopudja provided two options on recognizing the unused portion of a prior FCWA:
o Option one – Issue a credit for the unused portion of the previous FCWA against the new FCWA, offering a savings.
However, consider the accounting challenges.
o Option two – Issue a FCWA for the total project cost and cancel the previous authorizations.
Mayor Baca inquired if the unused portion of a FCWA can be allocated to a fund designated for other city projects.
Mayor Pro Tem advised that it should roll back into the budget.
Mayor Baca asked if the cost of the entire project is an estimate?
o City Manager Williams advised that the Guaranteed
Maximum Price (GMP) is the contractual amount and that
there will not be any increases to the cost.
Mayor Baca asked if the project cost would increase with the cost of construction.
o Mr. Dopudja advised that the GMP will not increase.
Ms. Matson requested that an unused portion of a previous FCWA for Digester 1 & 2, totaling $300,000, be reallocated to the Biosolids project before canceling the Digester 1 & 2 FCWA authorization. 4 Mr. Luchetti suggested a Project Cost Accounting reconciliation to the FCWA’s under the Rialto Utility Authority.
o City Manager Williams commented that it is part of a previous discussion that we need to get a better
understanding of the financial management.
Mayor Pro Tem Scott noted that there has been ongoing discussion regarding the need to place greater emphasis on the financial aspects. He acknowledged that the department has a qualified financial expert, Nicole Hemmans, whose expertise has not yet been fully utilized for this purpose. The conversation on this matter continues.
Mayor Pro Tem asked if this item will be presented at the next City Council meeting?
City Manager Williams advises that it can be presented at the next meeting, just as long as the staff report is prepared no later than August 6, 2025.
Mayor Pro Tem stated he would like to see it happen on August 12, 2025 City Council meeting.
Mayor Baca and Mayor Pro Tem Scott requested that staff report include that this item was reviewed b y the Water subcommittee and they recommended that it be brought to the council.
The Water Subcommittee’s feedback on their review of the project was to move forward with presenting this item to the City Council for recommendation at the FCWA amount of $35,598,387, and to disclose that there may be a cost saving from reallocating unused funding from a prior FCWA.
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WS-25-0499 – Request for Feedback
Regarding the Proposed Water and
Wastewater/Sewer Rate Study Schedule.
(ACTION)
Staff requested Feedback Regarding the Proposed Water and Wastewater/Sewer Rate Study Schedule.
(ACTION)
Questions & Comments
Mayor Baca asked what the rate increase would be?
o Mr. Dopudja said that we do not know and that would be determined in the rate study process.
Mayor Pro Tem Scott said he approves of the rate study but wants it to include eliminating the annual lease payment to the City and keeping those funds in the water and wastewater fund.
5 City Manager Williams asked Assistant City Legal, Robert Khuu, whether Prop 218 hearings can be held during a Special Meeting, as the staff report shows the planned hearing date is to be scheduled for November 18, 2025. This is considered a Special Meeting because the regular meeting scheduled for November 11th was canceled due to Veterans Day, and the second regular meeting in November was canceled because it falls on the week of Thanksgiving.
o Mr. Kuu advised that he will confirm.
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WS-25-0502 – Request for Feedback
Regarding Amendment with Soto
Resources for the Preparation of the
Cal OES Hazard Mitigation Grant
Program (HMGP).
(ACTION)
Staff requested that the Water Subcommittee provide feedback on a contract amendment with Soto Resources in the amount of $62,100 for the preparation of the Cal OES Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP).
(ACTION)
Questions & Comments
Mayor Baca asked which agency the City intends to apply for generator grant funds.
o City Manager Williams advised that this grant is through the Cal OES Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP).
City Manager Williams advised that the total cost of this project increases the project agreement above $100,000, which is why this item will need recommendation from the Water Subcommittee to be taken to the council for approval.
Mayor Pro Tem commented that we have been discussing this matter for years and asked how West Valley Water District (WVWD) obtained their generators already.
o Staff will confirm how WVWD generators were funded
and provide an update to the Water Subcommittee.
Mayor Baca expressed the need for staff to have a more aggressive approach in actively seeking out, identifying, and applying for grant opportunities.
The Water Subcommittee’s feedback was to move this item forward for recommendation to the City Council.
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6 WS-25-0483 – Utilities Director
Update.
Utilities Director Update:
1. Future Extraterritorial Agreements:
a. 19010 Valley Blvd., Bloomington, CA - Single Family
Residence
b. 9330 S. Linden Ave., Bloomington, CA - Single Family Residence
c. 10701 Cedar Ave., Bloomington, CA - Mobile Home Park
2. Update on Electric Rate Savings Analysis.
3. Update on Total Maximum Daily Limit (TMDL) Water Sampling at the Rialto Wastewater Treatment Plant.
4. Veolia’s Monthly Operations Reports (MOR): July 2025 (reporting period May 2025)
Questions & Comments
Future Extraterritorial Agreements
Mayor Pro Tem Scott requested a more accurate report on contaminants in the City of Rialto’s water supply, by well site location. He expressed that he was not satisfied with the presentation on the Public Health Goals report. Additionally, MPT mentioned he disagrees with RWS, stating that we are blending water to get rid of arsenic. We should be looking for a treatment system as opposed to stating we’re blending water . Mayor Pro Tem requested an update and would like a discussion item on this matter.
Mr. Luchetti brought to the attention of the Water Subcommittee that a reconciliation is needed on the Extraterritorial Agreements for two specific reasons:
1. ETA Revenue collection.
2. Liability purposes. If RWS/Veolia is responsible for a location, they need to be made aware.
Mayor Pro Tem Scott requested an update on the status of the ETA reconciliation.
Mayor Pro Tem Scott requested an update on the project located at 2245 Valley Blvd.
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7 UPCOMING MEETINGS/OTHER
DISCUSSION ITEMS
The next Water Subcommittee meeting is scheduled for
Thursday, August 28, 2025.
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ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 11:24 AM.