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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAGENDA REPORT 2012 0718 CC REG ITEM 10C "sly Council WaRatinel ITEM 10.C. � 4- �- MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL Moorpark, California June 13 2012 A Special Meeting of the City Council of the City of Moorpark was held on June 13, 2012, in the Community Center of said City located at 799 Moorpark Avenue, Moorpark, California. 1. CALL TO ORDER: Mayor Parvin called the meeting to order at 7:14 p.m. 2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Teri Davis, Senior Management Analyst led the Pledge of Allegiance. 3. ROLL CALL: Present: Councilmembers Mikos, Millhouse, Pollock, Van Dam, and Mayor Parvin. Staff Present: Steven Kueny, City Manager; Deborah Traffenstedt, Deputy City Manager; Teri Davis, Senior Management Analyst; Captain Ron Nelson, Sheriff's Department, and Maureen Benson, City Clerk. 4. PUBLIC COMMENT: None. 5. PRESENTATION/ACTION/DISCUSSION: A. Consider Water Rate Increase Presentations by General Managers from Calleguas Municipal Water District and Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. Staff Recommendation: Hear the presentations and direct staff as deemed appropriate. Ms. Davis gave the staff report and explained the supplemental report (Attachment 1) entitled Comparison of Recent Base Water Rate Increases in Four Cites (Camarillo, Moorpark, Simi Valley and Thousand Oaks). Ms. Davis introduced Jeffrey Kightlinger, General Manager of Metropolitan Municipal Water District and Susan Mulligan, General Manager of Calleguas Municipal Water District. Mr. Kightlinger gave a presentation on: 1) Metropolitan's six-county distribution system; 2) Sources of water for Southern California; 3) Expenditure overview; 4) Location of Metropolitan facilities; 5) Capital 153 Minutes of the City Council Moorpark, California Page 2 June 13 2012 investment plan over a 20-year period; 6) Revenue overview; and 7) Historical and projected rate increase report. Ms. Mulligan gave a presentation on: 1) Calleguas service area; 2) Funding needed for capital improvement projects; 3) Investment in hydroelectric generation; 4) Pumping during off-peak periods to save on electricity costs; 5) Automation of processes to reduce staff; 6) Local supply of water from the Las Posas Basin ASR project; 6) Purpose of the salinity management pipeline and the continued search for grant funding for this pipeline; 7) Planning and construction of de-salters; and 8) Rate projections of 6% or less over the next 10 years. A discussion followed among the Councilmembers, Mr. Kightlinger, and Ms. Sullivan regarding: 1) Importation of 70% of the water used in Southern California; 2) Update on the efforts to fight legislation favoring the Delta Smelt; and an update on the Brine Line projects. Hugo Tamayo, a former Moorpark resident, spoke in opposition to the increase in water rates as they, along with the declining economy, make it difficult to afford to move back to Moorpark. Doris Meifer, a Moorpark resident, spoke in opposition to increases in water assessments as a burden to those on a fixed-income. Steve Shehyn, a Grimes Canyon avocado grower, spoke about conserving on water and yet paying increased fees; and the need for the State and these local water districts to find a solution. Alethea Espino, a local resident, encouraged individuals to make their state and federal representatives aware that people are more important than the Delta Smelt and citizens are suffering with higher water rates for an increasing population with a decreased supply of water. David Schwaubauer, a local grower serving on the Advisory Committee to the Ventura County Waterworks, thanked the Council for convening this meeting with representative of Metropolitan and Calleguas to bring out the issues and acknowledge the challenges. Ken Melban, representing the California Avocado Commission, spoke about unintended consequences of high water rates including the phasing out of agricultural land. A discussion followed among the Councilmembers, Mr. Kightlinger, Ms. Sullivan, and Reddy Pakala from Ventura County Waterworks District 1 concerning: 1) Lack of a rate structure for protecting agriculture; 2) Cost for agricultural water locally; 3) Policies of the state and federal government not consistent in subsidizing crops in Southern California; 4) 154 Minutes of the City Council Moorpark, California Page 3 June 13, 2012 Use of well-water and de-salted water for agriculture; 5) Possibility for building a bypass tunnel to work around the Delta Smelt problem; 6) Encouraging the public to write to legislatures; 7) Staffing levels at both water districts; 8) Administrative expenses at the water districts; 9) Potential communication piece from Metropolitan and Calleguas to keep the public informed about the issues; and 10) Acknowledgement that this is an arid environment with a high population demanding more water. 6. ADJOURNMENT: Mayor Parvin adjourned the meeting at 9:15 p.m. Janice S. Parvin, Mayor ATTEST: Maureen Benson, City Clerk 155