CITY OF SAN MATEO
City Council Special Meeting
April 4, 2022
5:30 PM
COUNCIL MEMBERS
Rick Bonilla, Mayor
Diane Papan, Deputy Mayor
Joe Goethals
Amourence Lee
Eric Rodriguez
AGENDA
DUE TO THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA’S DECLARATION OF EMERGENCY – THIS MEETING IS BEING HELD PURSUANT TO AUTHORIZATION FROM GOVERNMENT CODE 54943(b)(3) / AB 361 (2021) – CITY COUNCIL AND COMMISSION MEETINGS ARE NO LONGER OPEN TO IN-PERSON ATTENDANCE.
ANYONE CAN WATCH AND PROVIDE COMMENTS REMOTELY IN THE WAYS DESCRIBED AT THE END OF THE AGENDA.
To join via Zoom – click here: April 4, 2022 Zoom Meeting To join via telephone: (408) 638-0968
Conference ID: 861 7741 0232 Passcode: 188772
CALL TO ORDER
Roll Call
STUDY SESSION
The public will have an opportunity to comment during the consideration of these items.
1. Sewer Rate Study – Initial Findings
Receive information and provide direction on setting future sewer rates and increasing staffing levels for the Wastewater Treatment Plant.
2. Diversity Equity and Inclusion Task Force – Updates
Receive an update on the formation of the Diversity and Equity Task Force and provide guidance on the development of a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Strategic Plan for City operations.
CLOSED SESSION
The public will have an opportunity to comment before the consideration of these items. Following the meeting a report of action from Closed Session will be provided if required.
3. Conference with Legal Counsel – Anticipated Litigation Initiation of litigation pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (d) of Section 54956.9: One case
ADJOURNMENT
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ AGENDAS: Agendas and material are posted on the City’s website on the Friday preceding each Council Meeting and can be viewed on the City's website at www.cityofsanmateo.org . Any supplemental material distributed to the Council after the posting of the agenda will be made part of the official record.
WATCHING A MEETING ON TV: City Council meetings are broadcast live on Comcast/channel 27, Wave/channel 26, or AT&T/channel 99. 1 of 7
For transmission problems during the broadcast, please call (650) 522-7099.
For all other broadcast comments, call (650) 522-7040, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
WATCHING A MEETING ON A COMPUTER: There are three ways to stream. 1) Public Meeting Portal www.cityofsanmateo.org/publicmeetings 2) City YouTube channel and stream it on YouTube: http://youtube.com/CityofSanMateo 3) Watch TV live stream: https://www.cityofsanmateo.org/193/Channel-San-Mateo-Live-Stream PUBLIC COMMENTS – Can be received in the following ways (Time limits will apply) :
Prior to the meeting in writing: Send comments to: [email protected] until 4 p.m. the day of the meeting.
During the meeting by computer: Click the link at the top of the agenda and you’ll be added to the meeting. All attendees are muted by default.
When the item of interest is open for consideration, select the “Raise Your Hand” icon and you will be called on at the appropriate time.
During the meeting by telephone: Call (408) 638-0968 and enter the conference ID found at the top of the meeting agenda. When the item of interest is open for consideration, select *9 to raise your hand. When called upon, press *6 to unmute, state your name and provide your comments.
ACCESSIBILITY: In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, those with disabilities requiring special accommodations to participate in this meeting may contact the City Clerk’s Office at (650) 522-7040 or [email protected]. Notification 48 hours prior to the meeting will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility to this meeting. 2 of 7
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Agenda Report
City Hall
330 W. 20th Avenue
San Mateo CA 94403
www.cityofsanmateo.org
Agenda Number: 1 Section Name: STUDY SESSION File ID: 22-5915 TO: City Council
FROM: Drew Corbett, City Manager
PREPARED BY: Public Works Department
MEETING DATE: April 04, 2022
SUBJECT:
Sewer Rate Study – Initial Findings
RECOMMENDATION:
Receive information and provide direction on setting future sewer rates and increasing staffing levels for the Wastewater Treatment Plant.
BACKGROUND:
City Council establishes rates and charges necessary to fund wastewater system maintenance and operation, debt service, and capital improvement expenses. The City’s wastewater system consists of over 260 miles of sanitary sewers, 27 pump stations, and a wastewater treatment plant. In addition to regular operations and maintenance of these facilities, the City established the Clean Water Program (CWP) to implement $991 million in capital improvements through 2026. The CWP projects will upgrade and replace aging infrastructure, increase system capacity, and meet regulatory requirements for wastewater treatment, including a Cease and Desist Order issued by the Regional Water Quality Control Board to prevent sanitary sewer overflows and discharges of untreated or partially treated wastewater.
In 2018, City Council adopted a five-year sewer rate structure for fiscal years 2018-19 through 2022-23 designed to provide sufficient revenue to fund ongoing operation and maintenance activities along with the CWP, including adequate debt service coverage for various financing mechanisms. A shift from a purely volumetric-based rate structure (i.e., based solely on a customer's winter water usage) to a 50/50 volumetric/fixed fee structure was also implemented, which helped address revenue reductions due to increased water conservation.
Staff is currently working with Bartle Wells to evaluate the current state of anticipated revenue and expenditures to determine appropriate sewer rates for 2023-24 and beyond. As part of this effort, staff identified future operational and capital expenditures associated with the wastewater system. Key among future expenditure issues are planning for the adequate maintenance of new equipment at the wastewater treatment plant (recognizing that the new facility will introduce thousands of new assets that staff will need to operate and maintain), increasing utility and chemical needs, and ensuring adequate staffing to operate and maintain the upgraded facility.
To assess the appropriate staffing levels, staff hired an organizational consultant to quantify the necessary operations, maintenance, laboratory, and administrative staff to manage the upgraded wastewater treatment plant, Dale Avenue Pump Station, and the new Underground Flow Equalization System (UFES). The analysis indicates a need for seven additional maintenance staff due to the significant increase in wastewater treatment plant and sewer system capacity assets that will need to be properly maintained. There are currently not sufficient maintenance staff at the facility to support the number of new pumps, valves, instruments, controls, mixers, tanks, membrane filters, etc. This would be partially offset with the permanent reduction in two shift supervisor positions on the operations side that have not been backfilled due to a change in the overall plant operations management approach, for a net staffing increase of five. 3 of 7
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In the study session, staff will review the wastewater treatment plant staffing assessment and present initial findings from the current sewer rate study and rate setting process for 2023-24 and beyond. Specifically, staff will seek direction on the following:
Whether there is support for additional staffing. Based on the feedback, staff would return to Council for the approval of the additional wastewater treatment plant maintenance positions and then begin to initiate the recruitment process. This effort will require the development of two new job classifications, meet and confer proceedings with the Service Employees International Union, and the actual recruitment / hiring processes. Staff would like to have increased staffing in place in advance of upcoming training sessions for the upgraded plant, which are anticipated to start in the spring of 2023 prior to the startup and commissioning of the wastewater treatment plant and UFES in the fall. Based on Bartle Wells’ preliminary analysis, there is sufficient existing sewer revenue to support increased staffing.
Recommended sewer rate increases for one year, three years, or five years. If the direction is to proceed with increases, the rate setting process for 2023-24 would be initiated in early in 2023.
BUDGET IMPACT:
There is no impact to the budget at this time. Input received from Council will be used to refine the final rate study parameters and guide the development of a specific rate structure proposal in preparation for a future sewer rate setting process for fiscal year 2023-24 and beyond.
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION:
This study session on sewer rates is not a project subject to CEQA because it is a government fiscal activity which does not involve any commitment to any specific project which may result in a potentially significant physical impact on the environment. (CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(4).)
NOTICE PROVIDED
All meeting noticing requirements were met.
ATTACHMENTS
None
STAFF CONTACT
Matt Fabry, Deputy Director
[email protected]
(650) 522-7309
Azalea Mitch, Director of Public Works
[email protected]
(650) 522-7303
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Agenda Report
City Hall
330 W. 20th Avenue
San Mateo CA 94403
www.cityofsanmateo.org
Agenda Number: 2 Section Name: STUDY SESSION File ID: 22-5898 TO: City Council
FROM: Drew Corbett, City Manager
PREPARED BY: City Manager's Office
MEETING DATE: April 04, 2022
SUBJECT:
Diversity Equity and Inclusion Task Force – Updates
RECOMMENDATION:
Receive an update on the formation of the Diversity and Equity Task Force and provide guidance on the development of a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Strategic Plan for City operations.
BACKGROUND:
The City of San Mateo prides itself on being a vibrant, diverse community that is committed to equity and inclusivity, and stands firmly against all forms of racism, anti-immigrant sentiment, xenophobia and implicit bias. Furthering this commitment, the City Council included the formation of a Diversity and Equity Task Force in their fiscal year 2021-22 Strategic Plan.
Staff obtained direction from the City Council on the proposed composition and initial focus of the task force during a study session on July 19, 2021. At the study session, the City Council directed staff to bring together representatives from a variety of local community organizations, including non-profits, neighborhood associations, faith-based coalitions, and partner government entities. The City Council chose to not make direct appointments to the task force and instead allowed for participating organizations to designate their own representatives. The City Council gave direction that they would like the task force to focus on building partnerships and sharing resources, diversifying City Board and Commissions, identifying ways to increase community participation and engagement in hard to reach sectors of the community, and providing feedback on a racial justice art project.
After completing extensive outreach to local community organizations, staff convened the task force in January 2022. The participating organizations include:
Peninsula Solidarity Cohort
San Mateo Pride Center
San Mateo High School Unified District
Samaritan House
PAL Board
Self Help for the Elderly
North Central (HANCSM)
Peninsula Family Services
Chamber of Commerce
Caminar
San Mateo Japanese American Community Center
College of San Mateo
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San Mateo Foster City School Board
Bay Area Community Health Advisory Council
The participating organizations designated a representative to sit on the task force on their behalf. Some additional organizations were invited to participate but did not identify someone available to attend. As a non-Brown Act body, the task force has the flexibility to invite additional organizations to join in the conversations as appropriate. The task force meets monthly and meetings are organized by City staff but led by a professional facilitator. Councilmembers Papan and Lee serve as liaisons to the task force to provide guidance but do not attend the meetings on a regular basis.
During the initial meeting of the task force, the participants emphasized the need to focus on topics where they can develop actionable recommendations to the City Council. They also expressed an interest in City Council providing clear direction on the intended goals and outcomes for the task force. As a starting point, the task force will be focusing their attention on the issue of increasing community engagement with hard to reach populations. In addition, the task force has stated an interest in assisting the City with the development of an internal Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Strategic Plan (as discussed further below).
During the special meeting for the fiscal year 2022-23 Strategic Plan development in January 2022, the City Council expressed an interest in having the Diversity and Equity task force play a role in overseeing the City’s police transparency efforts. This is a very important and sensitive topic that requires further thought on how to incorporate community involvement. The organizations convened for the Diversity and Equity task force may not be inclusive of all of the stakeholders needed to address this topic. The Police Department will be returning to Council for a study session to get more direction on how to meet Council’s interests.
Strategic Plan Development
During the initial task force meeting, members asked about the City’s strategic vision for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). Although the City has taken actions to express its commitment to DEI, including the formation of an internal staff committee and adoption of several resolutions in support of DEI principles, the City does not have a strategic vision for integrating DEI across City operations. As a result, each City Department has developed their own criteria on how to include DEI principles in their program and/or projects.
Staff recommends that the City develop a DEI Strategic Plan to provide a unified framework for how DEI principles should be incorporated into City operations. The Strategic Plan would articulate the City’s goals and vision and would establish criteria on how to apply a DEI lens to City operations and how to evaluate outcomes to ensure that intentions are met.
Staff recommends modeling the effort on Redwood City’s 2021 Redwood City Equity Plan.
The Strategic Plan is intended to be an internally-focused document that guides City’s operations. The plan would be developed in coordination with the City’s internal DEI committee and the executive team. The Diversity and Equity task force would be requested to review and comment on the draft plan in order to provide guidance on best practices. The Strategic Plan would then be brought forward for City Council review and approval. Staff is in the process of identifying consultants who can assist the City in developing this organizational strategy.
BUDGET IMPACT:
Approximately $50,000 is required to cover the costs of a professional facilitator to work with the task force, as well as for the development of the strategic plan. These funds will be budgeted for in the 2022-24 Business Plan.
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION:
The convening of a task force and the development of a DEI Strategic Plan to inform City operations are not projects subject to CEQA, because they are government administrative activities which do not involve any commitment to any specific project which may result in a potentially significant physical impact on the environment. (CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(5).)
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NOTICE PROVIDED
All meeting noticing requirements were met.
ATTACHMENTS
None
STAFF CONTACT
Kathy Kleinbaum, Assistant City Manager
[email protected]
(650) 522-7153
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