Fernando Baez

The meeting began with the pledge of allegiance and a roll call confirming a quorum. Public comments were addressed, with a procedural decision made regarding a general manager's comment to be heard under the relevant agenda item. The agenda was modified to move item 8A4 forward due to guests from Los Virginus being present, and two consent items were pulled for separate discussion. The board received a presentation recognizing staff for receiving the Aqua JPIA President Special Recognition Award across general liability, property liability, and workers' compensation risk programs, reflecting a strong commitment to safety. The primary discussion item concerned setting a formal policy for extending the Salinity Management Pipeline (SMP) to dischargers, specifically addressing the connection for Amgen and the Los Virginus Triumph Joint Powers Authority (LVTWSD JPA) Pure Water Project. Staff recommended an agreement with the JPA to potentially upsize the downstream portion of their brine line, allowing Calleguas MWD to assume cost responsibility for that segment. A representative from Los Virginus spoke in support of the staff recommendation, emphasizing the strategic importance of the SMP in enabling local water supply projects and managing brine disposal for biotech economic engines like Amgen.

The meeting commenced with the Pledge of Allegiance and the confirmation of a quorum. A public comment period was held, during which no members of the public spoke. The agenda was reviewed, and action item 71 was moved forward for discussion: the renaming of the Wellfield Emergency Generators as the Steve Boyce Emergency Generators. A presentation detailed the extensive contributions of the late Director Steve Boyce to water community infrastructure and policy changes within the organization. The importance of the Wellfield Emergency Generators, which provide critical backup power to the Los Posos aquifer storage and recovery wellfields, was highlighted, referencing their crucial role during recent metropolitan outages and scheduled imported water outages. Following testimonials from board members and family regarding Director Boyce's legacy, the motion to rename the facility passed. The meeting concluded with the presentation regarding the promotion of Matt Gomez to Assistant Manager of Operations and Maintenance, who was selected through a competitive process.

The Board of Directors meeting covered several key items. Presentations included the promotion of Matt Gomez to Assistant Manager of Operations & Maintenance and recognition for Tricia Ferguson's completion of a Master's Degree. The Consent Calendar included approving the Minutes of the prior meeting, receiving and affirming the payment register for December 4, 2025, to January 7, 2026, adopting a resolution regarding intent to issue tax-exempt obligations, adopting proposed changes to the Administrative Code, adopting updated legislative priorities, and approving a capital project budget allocation for the Somis Farmworker Housing SMP Discharge Station. Action items involved discussions regarding renaming wellfield emergency generators after Steve Blois and reimbursing two mutual water companies for approved grant invoices in advance of DWR payment. Reports covered water use, sales, investment summaries, hydropower generation, and a discussion on establishing a formal policy for the Salinity Management Pipeline responsibility.

The board meeting commenced with the Pledge of Allegiance and roll call. Discussions covered public comments, though none were registered at the time. Agenda items included a significant presentation and discussion regarding the Wellfield Solar and Battery project (Project 613), which involves a $4.7 million capital budget allocation and professional services from TerraVerde Energy for procurement support and owner's representation throughout construction. The project aims to deliver reliable service, prevent outages at the wellfields' auxiliary loads, and improve infrastructure resilience against emergencies. The board also reviewed and addressed questions on the payment register for October 3 to November 5, 2025, including clarification on the total payment amount and expenditures for Cisco phone replacement due to end-of-service life and feature upgrades, and disaster recovery services. Furthermore, parcel tax payments for property located outside the district boundaries in Ventura County and Los Angeles County were discussed, as were fees related to groundwater management agency pumping assessments. A contribution of $10,000 was noted for the Los Virgenes and Eastern MWD joint Ocean Well Future Supply Action Study.

The Board of Directors meeting agenda included several key items for consideration and action. Consent Calendar items involved the award of contracts for maintenance services on hydroelectric power generators ($250,000 to TCB Industrial Inc.) and distribution pumps ($250,000 to General Pump Company). The Board was also set to approve a new capital project, allocating $20,000 for Phase 1 of the Lake Bard Water Filtration Plant Staff Housing replacement. Further actions included adopting proposed changes to the District's Administrative Code and adopting the District's Investment Policy and Fixed Asset Policy. Action items included discussions regarding setting a public hearing date to amend the water service rules ordinance, discussing an employee cost of living adjustment and salary schedule, and holding a public hearing regarding the necessity for easement acquisition related to the Calleguas-Ventura Interconnection, potentially leading to eminent domain proceedings.