Stephen J. Bonini

The meeting commenced with a roll call. During the public comment period, several water treatment supervisors and union representatives voiced concerns regarding an item on the agenda (Item Number Nine) concerning proposed equity adjustments for 12 managers. Speakers argued that these adjustments, including a 5% increase for highly compensated managers, were inequitable while unresolved long-standing equity negotiations for Water Treatment Supervisors and General Pipe Supervisors remained at an impasse, with some groups receiving zero or minimal increases. Public commenters requested the Board defer this item, make any adjustments prospective to FY27 instead of retroactive, and reconsider the supervisors' requests fairly. Committee reports included minutes from the February 10th Planning and Legislative and Human HR committees, and an update on the midyear budget and finance workshop which covered budget updates, financial projections, 2026 bond issuances, and Prop 218 rates. The Finance and Administration Committee received updates on January investment reports and approved fiscal year 2025 actuarial values and 2027 contribution rates for the employees' retirement system.

The community meeting focused on the Lafayette Reservoir Tower Safety Upgrade project, which is one of three major infrastructure efforts occurring between 2025 and 2031. Key discussion points included the history of the 1928 outlet tower, which currently stands approximately 40 feet higher than required for the current dam height. The main driver for the project is mandated safety upgrades to meet modern seismic standards, overseen by the California Division of Safety of Dams. The scope of work includes shortening the tower by 40 feet, upgrading outlet conduits, and performing necessary maintenance and equipment upgrades. Major construction is scheduled from spring 2026 through fall 2027. Visitors should anticipate construction traffic, staging areas, potential traffic delays of 15 to 20 minutes during specific phases (especially in March/April 2026 and during the final phase), and noise. Demolition of the existing tower is scheduled for June 2026. Peak construction activity, overlapping with wastewater system improvements, is expected between spring and fall of 2026. Park operations updates were also provided regarding managing public access during construction.

The meeting commenced with the board convening for the regular close session. Following roll call and confirmation of no public comments, the board moved to discuss closed session agenda items 1 and 2 before returning for the regular business meeting. Discussions during the regular meeting included committee reports from Planning (covering the Influent pump station resiliency project and maintenance/construction contracted services), Legislative Human Resource (receiving the 2025 EEO program report), Freeport Regional Water Authority (officer selection and updates on water supply, financial reports, and the levy project), and Dura (officer selection and authorizing agreements regarding seasonal wastewater diversion and a technical study). A comprehensive water supply update detailed recent dry conditions but noted the expectation of incoming rain and snow, impacting storage projections. The Education Program update covered youth education initiatives, including expanded field trips to the watershed and treatment plant, school assemblies, engagement in STEM nights and reverse science fairs, development of water conservation kits, and promotion of conservation media like the H2 flow music video. Updates also detailed education outreach in the McLorin watershed, including salmon in the classroom programs and access to reservoir field trips. Furthermore, the water walk program for FY26 prioritized infrastructure investment tours (like a Halloween zombie tour of the wastewater plant) and Spanish language tours, alongside continued Water Wednesday webinars and the acceptance of applications for the 2026 Community Water Academy.

The meeting convened following a brief delay as the President joined remotely due to caregiving needs. Key discussions included the approval of the 2026 committee assignments, which was approved by roll call vote with one abstention. A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to recognizing 103 employees for their longevity service milestones between October and December 2025, covering increments from five to over 35 years of service. Additionally, there was a presentation recognizing Black History Month 2026, focusing on the theme "A Century of Black History Commemorations," and detailing several events planned by the Black Employee Network (BEN) for February, including a collaboration with the African-American Quilters Guild of Oakland for an art exhibit.

The meeting commenced with a roll call and concluded the closed session portion before proceeding to the Brown Act briefing. Key discussion topics included an annual presentation on the board's ethics policy (Policy 6.04) revisions made the previous year, and updates to the Ralph M. Brown Act under Senate Bill 707, which introduced significant changes. The Brown Act revisions focus on new requirements to encourage and accommodate public participation, expanded rules for remote board member attendance, permanent prohibitions on social media use, and expansion of open session reporting for executive compensation. Specific focus was placed on new requirements for remote public access, including two-way telephonic service and audiovisual platforms, and the mandatory one-hour recess following any disruption of service. Further discussion covered required outreach efforts for eligible legislative bodies to invite underrepresented communities, including establishing systems for electronic agenda requests and maintaining accessible internet pages detailing meeting processes and public comment procedures.