Richard A. Hanger

The Board of Directors discussed several operational and financial matters. Key items included reports from the Fire Chief, District Engineer, and General Manager. Financial oversight involved the review and approval of interfund transfers, payment registers, payroll summaries, and journal entries. A significant business item was the approval of a budget amendment for the tank project, involving additional consulting services for an altitude valve change order. Additionally, the Board reviewed correspondence regarding director terms and public hearing notices.

The Board of Directors received reports from the Fire Chief regarding incident data, training, and safety. The District Engineer provided updates on the FEMA grant close-out process and ongoing discussions concerning the wastewater rate structure. The board reviewed and approved financial reports, including interfund transfers, invoice payments, payroll, general journal entries, mileage reimbursements, and credit card transactions.

The meeting commenced with committee reports, including the Fire Chief's report detailing November and December incident statistics, and the District Engineer's update confirming the new Anker Tank was scheduled to come online. The General Manager reported receiving and reviewing the draft of the 2025 audit. Key business actions included the election of board officers and committee appointments for the coming term, the filing of the updated roster of public officials, the adoption of the 2026 board meeting calendar, the formal adoption of Resolution 2025-02 concerning the 2025 Hazard Mitigation Plan, and authorization for the General Manager to apply for a Coast Central Credit Union Visa Card with a $5,000 limit. Financial reports covering interfund transfers, payments, payroll, and journal entries were approved under the consent agenda.

The agenda for this regular meeting includes standard preliminary items such as call to order, roll call, agenda modifications, and public comments. Reports are scheduled from the Fire Chief, covering call/incident summaries and training/safety updates, and the District Engineer, addressing construction/project updates and a rate study update. The General Manager and Directors will also provide reports. The Consent Agenda includes the approval of minutes from the January 27, 2026, regular board meeting, correspondence items including an Ordinance 16 and Domestic Water Use Report CY2025, and various financial reports covering interfund transfers, payments, payroll, general journal entries, mileage, a related party transaction, and Visa transactions. There are no scheduled action or information business items or public hearings for this session.

The meeting included reports from the Fire Chief regarding call volumes and a request from the District Engineer for a change order costing $83k to address operational tank levels, which was covered by the contingency budget. The Engineer also provided an update on the rate study. Business items included receiving and filing the 2025 audit report, approving quarterly financial reports and budget adjustments, approving the CA I Bank annual certification, and approving CPI wage adjustments. The Board held a closed session to confer with legal counsel regarding a potential settlement with the City of Arcata concerning underbilled wastewater services, followed by the approval of the settlement agreement.