Calvin Cho

The Engineering and Information Technology Committee meeting included introductions of newly hired staff members within the Engineering and Technology Services department, including the Chief Information Security Officer and several Development Services Technicians. A significant discussion topic was the update on the Dairy Avenue and H Street Main Renewal Project. The update noted that the project is nearing completion, with customer connections transferred and only minor punch list items remaining. Unique aspects highlighted involved coordination with a nearby high school to minimize traffic and student impact, and the use of temporary above-ground bypass pipes to maintain service during replacement. The committee anticipates requesting authorization for Change Order No. 1, a time extension, and project acceptance at the tentative February 2026 Board meeting. No formal recommendations were made during this informational meeting.

The agenda for this Board of Directors meeting includes a special presentation recognizing the 2021 WaterSense Award. The Consent Calendar covers the approval of minutes from previous meetings and ratification of payments for audited demands. The Action Calendar features several resolutions, including finding projects categorically exempt from CEQA for the Washington Booster Station Flowmeter Project and the Curtner Road Booster Station Upgrade Project, authorizations for agreements related to a Leak Detection and Monitoring System and Meter Shop Upgrades, awarding a contract for the Niles Cone Groundwater Basin Extraction Well Site Evaluation Project, and authorizing the continuation of virtual public meetings under AB 361 findings. A major item is a Public Hearing to receive input on transitioning from at-large to zone-based elections under the California Voting Rights Act. Closed session discussions are scheduled for anticipated litigation, real property negotiations concerning N3 Cattle Company, and labor negotiations.

The meeting covered several key agenda items including the fifth Public Hearing regarding the transition to Zone-Based Elections of Directors, involving a review of three draft plans (Plan 1 using major streets, Plan 2 using neighborhood boundaries, and Plan 3 using Elementary School Attendance Areas) and consideration of the suggested sequence of elections, culminating in a recommendation to adopt a final voting zone map and election sequence. Additionally, the board addressed the adoption of resolutions approving amendments to the Water Supply Agreement between the City and County of San Francisco and wholesale customers, which included approving a Minimum Purchase Transfer from the City of Mountain View to the City of East Palo Alto. Other discussions included a review of the Other Post-Employment Benefits Actuarial Valuation, a review of Niles Cone Groundwater Conditions and Survey Report with a staff recommendation on the Replenishment Assessment Rate, and the General Manager's Report on the ongoing drought conditions, including mandatory restrictions for water usage.

The board meeting included housekeeping remarks regarding public participation methods for the recorded session. Key discussion points involved the consent calendar, which was amended to include items 5.1 through 5.5. A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to taking formal action on the 2022 Water Systems Revenue Bond issuance, totaling approximately $70 million, with about $29 million being new money and the remainder a refinancing effort. Furthermore, the board adopted a resolution honoring Tracy Fong upon her retirement after over 15 years of service, acknowledging her contributions to streamlining processes, including the implementation of the SharePoint system, and her support across multiple departments. Board members and senior staff offered commendations and well wishes to Ms. Fong and her family.

The committee meeting focused on two primary discussion topics. The first involved a status update on the implementation of the Water Efficiency Master Plan (WEMP) for Fiscal Year 24-25, detailing water savings achievements (estimated 16,502 acre-feet lifetime savings at a low cost of $139/AF) and outlining current and future activities related to State Urban Water Use Objectives (UWUO). The second topic concerned the extension of the Yuba Accord Long-Term Water Transfer Program through 2050 and the potential for the District to join this program to secure a low-risk, routinely available dry-year water supply. Staff plans to present this Yuba Accord item to the February Board meeting for consideration.