City of Goodyear
See meeting location below
Meeting Minutes
Water Planning Committee
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
6:30 PM
Goodyear Justice Center
14455 W. Van Buren St., Ste. B101
Goodyear, AZ 85338
Facilitator: Teresa Makinen, MakPro Services
1.
CALL TO ORDER
Facilitator Teresa Makinen of MakPro Services called the meeting to order at 6:32 p.m. and
provided some general opening comments.
Mayor Lord and Councilmembers Osborne, Campbell, Stipp and Hohman were in attendance
and thanked members of the Water Planning Committee for volunteering to serve on this
important committee.
2.
ROLL CALL
Present: 9 -
Excused: 2 -
Committee Member Battern, Committee Member Columbia, Committee
Member Minarik, Committee Member Paschen, Committee Member Scheid,
Committee Member Wilson, Committee Member Zednik, Alternate Pancrazi
and Alternate Zednik
Committee Member Sharp and Alternate Hinman
Staff Present: Deputy City Manager Bob Beckley, Finance Director Larry Lange, City Clerk
Maureen Scott, Water Resources Manager Mark Holmes, Environmental Services Manager
Mark Seamans, City Engineer David Ramirez, Utility Customer Service Supervisor Johnn
Gaio, Administrative Services Supervisor Anna Dizack, Water Resources Planning Advisor
Gretchen Erwin, Executive Management Assistant Mario Saldamando, Public Information
Officer Michael Sakal, Budget Analyst John Cassella and Water Conservation Specialist
Sandra Rode
3.
APPROVE MINUTES
None.
4.
CITIZENS COMMENTS/ APPEARANCES FROM THE FLOOR
None.
5.
OLD BUSINESS
None.
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Water Planning Committee
6.
NEW BUSINESS
6.1
Meeting Objectives and Administration
Meeting Minutes
October 14, 2014
Makinen discussed the objectives of the meeting, which included understanding the role and
schedule of the Water Planning Committee, learning basic information related to Goodyear
water and the broader communication plan, and to take action and elect a Chairman and Vice
Chairman.
6.2
Purpose and Role of the Water Planning Committee
Makinen outlined that the Committee is an advisory body to City staff and Council; their role is
to prepare for and to participate in scheduled meetings to learn about and review necessary
information related to Goodyear water, and they will make recommendations to the Council
regarding the utility rate structure. The Water Planning Committee will exist until the adoption
of the Goodyear water and sewer utility rate structure by the Council.
6.2.1
By-Laws
Makinen reviewed that attendance at the Water Planning Committee meetings is very
important, as two successive unexcused/unexplained absences or four total absences is grounds
for removal. The Committee cannot discuss or take action on any items from the agenda
without a quorum, which is five voting members. Proxy voting is not permitted and telephonic
participation is at the Chairman’s discretion. Sub-committees may be established if needed.
Meetings are open to the public.
6.2.2
Curriculum and Schedule
Makinen gave a brief update on the tentative schedule for the Committee:
• October 14, 2014 - WPC convening and orientation
• November 2014 - tours of water/wastewater facilities
• December 9, 2014 - Staff presentations
• January 13, 2015 - Utility rate study
• February 10, 2015 - Integrated Water Master Plan
• March 10, 2015 - Formulating recommendations
• April 14, 2015 - Proposed rates/recommendation
• May 2015 - Community meetings
• June 1, 2015 - Council work session
• June 26, 2015 - 60-day notice posted
• July 13, 2015 - Notice of intention adopted
• July 14 - August 16, 2015 - Council vacation
• Late August 2015 - Council adoption of utility rate plan
• January 1, 2016 - Utility rate plan effective
Possible November tour dates were discussed by Makinen and the Committee. Staff said
they’d need a half day for the tours (four hours) as the group would be visiting three sites. The
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Committee decided to hold the tour on Wednesday, November 19, 2014 from 12:00 p.m. to
4:00 p.m.
6.2.3
Desired Objectives
This item was discussed with a previous agenda item.
6.3
Meeting Process and Procedures
Makinen let the Water Planning Committee know that Dizack is the designated Secretary. Any
questions or information should go through her.
6.3.1
Robert's Rules of Order
Makinen briefly reviewed that Robert’s Rules of Order will be followed during the Water
Planning Committee. During votes by the Committee, someone will make a motion, someone
seconds, and a vote will be taken. The Facilitator and Staff will assist the Committee during
the process.
6.3.2
Open Meeting Law and Ethics Training - Maureen Scott, City Clerk
Scott presented on the Open Meeting Law, including posting requirements and discussions
amongst Committee members. Committee members should let Dizack know if there may be a
quorum (five members) of Water Planning Committee members at any event so that the
quorum may be posted. During these events, no legal action may be discussed, proposed, or
taken and no business discussed.
Agendas must be posted 24 hours in advance of a meeting. Items can be added or revised on
agendas if done more than 24 hours in advance of a meeting. Agendas cannot be amended
within 24 hours of a meeting. Secretary Dizack will complete draft minutes after meetings
within 10 business days, which will be posted to the City’s website. Minutes are approved at
the following Water Planning Committee meeting. Committee Member Minarik asked who
sets the agenda if there’s a Chairman. Scott said that the Chairman will work with the
Facilitator on the agendas.
Scott also reviewed the public’s rights to speak and rules. During Calls to the Public,
Committee members may not discuss matters not on the agenda. If an item is not on the
agenda, the Water Planning Committee’s response is limited to directing staff to study the
matter, responding to criticism, or scheduling the matter for a future meeting.
Scott discussed that email communications are treated the same as any other form of
communication between Committee members. Emails exchanged among a quorum of the
Committee that involve discussions, deliberations, or taking legal action on matters that may
come before the Committee constitutes a “meeting” and, thus, violates the Open Meeting Law.
An email request for information from a board member to staff does not violate the Open
Meeting Law even if other Committee members are copied on the email. However, Committee
members may not engage in discussions or share opinions related to the information provided
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outside of a public meeting. Scott also provided resources to turn to for Open Meeting Law
information.
Committee Member Minarik asked if the Committee is operating under State law or City law,
and Scott said that they are operating under State law. Makinen let the Committee know that if
there was something they wanted to see on a future agenda they should let Staff know.
6.4
Goodyear Water Overview
6.4.1
Integrated Water Master Plan - Mark Holmes, Water Resources Manager
Holmes provided a high-level overview of the Integrated Water Master Plan (IWMP). The
IWMP is actually four complete master plans: Water Resources Master Plan, Water
Distribution and Treatment Master Plan, Wastewater Collections and Treatment Master Plan,
and Reclaimed Water Master Plan. Carollo Engineering was the firm selected to work on the
plans. Holmes reviewed steps for each of the components of the IWMP. The IWMP and its
five-year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) will drive the utility rate study and five-year utility
rate plan.
Committee Member Scheid asked if these plans are updates (building on existing plans) or if
they are starting from the ground up. Holmes said they are building on other plans. The City’s
current IWMP is eight years old.
Committee Member Battern asked if Carollo is going to give one “best” option in the IWMP or
are there going to be variations to build a plan from. Holmes said that the City will have them
provide a comprehensive list of all options, and this will be brought back to Water Planning
Committee for discussion on those components.
6.4.2
Utility Rate Study - Larry Lange, Finance Director
Lange provided an overview of the City’s current utility rate study. Water and wastewater
costs are increasing due to inflation, costs of service (chemicals, electricity, insurance, etc.),
capital improvement for repair and replacement of infrastructure, and acquisition of new water
resources. Capital improvements and acquisition of new water costs are the largest policy
questions the City is facing. Lange also reviewed how water and wastewater revenues are used
in the Fiscal Year 2015 (FY15) budget.
Committee Member Minarik said that there are two definitions of capital and asked if Lange
was talking about capital as a resource to produce other goods or capital as a financial
instrument. Lange said he was talking about capital as a financial instrument. Committee
Member Battern said that he wanted to be sure everyone understood that water and wastewater
are enterprise funds. Committee Member Battern said that the portion of water/wastewater
revenues going to reimburse the general fund is minimal, but we want to make sure that
expenditures from the enterprise funds were done wisely, as he has seen money sometimes get
moved. Lange said that the City does expect reimbursement from the enterprise funds, but
those costs are not considered a revenue generator for the City. The enterprise funds are
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considered a self-funded operation, which is a two-edged sword: some of the debt, when it was
created ten or more years ago, was paid for through general obligation (GO) bonds, which are
funded through property taxes. Since then, the City Council has made a very firm policy that
the enterprise funds should be self-sustained and not paid with GO bonds, as we have a portion
of Goodyear that is not on the City’s water system and, if they were paying property tax on that,
they would not feel that is equitable. Both perspectives are extremely important on this.
6.5
Election of Chairman and Vice Chairman
Makinen reviewed the duties of the Chairman and Vice Chairman. Elections for Chair were
opened.
MOTION BY Alternate Pancrazi to APPOINT Committee Member Columbia as the
Water Planning Committee Chairman. The motion caried by the following vote:
Ayes:
7 - Committee Member Battern, Committee Member Columbia, Committee
Member Minarik, Committee Member Paschen, Committee Member Scheid,
Committee Member Wilson and Committee Member Zednik
Excused: 1 -
Committee Member Sharp
Election of Chairman and Vice Chairman
MOTION BY Committee Member Columbia to APPOINT Committee Member Paschen
as the Water Planning Committee Vice Chairman.
Committee Member Paschen declined the nomination.
Election of Chairman and Vice Chairman
MOTION BY Alternate Pancrazi to APPOINT Committee Member Battern as the Water
Planning Committee Vice Chairman. The motion carried by the following vote:
Ayes:
7 - Committee Member Battern, Committee Member Columbia, Committee
Member Minarik, Committee Member Paschen, Committee Member Scheid,
Committee Member Wilson and Committee Member Zednik
Excused: 1 6.6
Committee Member Sharp
Communication Plan - Anna Dizack, Administrative Services Supervisor
Dizack presented on the communications plan for the Water Planning Committee that was
created by the City’s Communication Division. Objectives, target audiences, messages and
tools were reviewed. Committee Member Zednik asked, in regards to the communication
plan’s focus on residents south of I-10, if this shouldn’t encompass Goodyear north of I-10
also. Holmes said that the City is involved with WESTCAPS (West Valley Central Arizona
Project Subcontractors), so we are separately looking at regional cooperation and water
demand, but for the utility rate study and IWMP, we are strictly looking at Goodyear and all the
resources we have for the City’s needs. Committee Member Zednik said we’re all citizens, so
he believed we should consider an overall Goodyear-type approach. Holmes said that the water
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management policy and discussion goes beyond the boundaries of the City, but private water
companies like Liberty Utilities are governed by the Arizona Corporation Commission. Dizack
said that most methods within the communications plan will reach all Goodyear residents, but
we’re focusing efforts on the customers of the utility system which are mainly south of the I-10.
Vice Chairman Battern thanked Dizack for her work as Secretary of the Water Planning
Committee.
7.
QUESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC
None.
8.
INFORMATION ITEMS
Committee Member Wilson gave a reminder that the General Plan is on the ballot this coming
election (Proposition 483). Committee Member Wilson brought along pamphlets on the
General Plan and said that information is also available on the website
www.goodyearconnects.com. The General Plan is the result of a two-year committee. This is
a mail-in only election.
Committee Member Minarik asked if the information Committee Member Wilson brought was
passed out to the residents. Committee Member Wilson said he believed so, through mailers.
Discussion followed on the details of the mail-only election and staff was directed to follow-up
on ballot questions.
Committee Member Zednik asked when the Committee would see more detail on information
presented by Mark Holmes and others. Dizack said that historical information can be posted to
the Water Planning Committee webpage (www.goodyearaz.gov/watercommittee), including
the current IWMP, utility rate study, and other documents. Committee members should let her
know if there is specific information they’d like to see posted.
Makinen said that, in December, staff will present issues to the Water Planning Committee.
Alternate Pancrazi said that she would not be able to attend the November 19, 2014 tour.
Dizack said staff would work to schedule an alternate date for her and others excused from the
meeting who might not be able to attend the November 19, 2014 tour date.
Committee Member Minarik said he would like to know email addresses for the Water
Planning Committee members, and Makinen said that Dizack would send them an email
address list.
9.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business to discuss, Facilitator Makinen adjourned the meeting at 7:57
p.m.
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Respectfully Submitted by:
__________________________
Anna Dizack, Administrative Services Supervisor
__________________________
Mario Columbia, Chairman
Date: _____________________
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October 14, 2014