MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS' MEETING
Feb. 21, 2006
1. Call to Order/ Roll call – determination of a Quorum.
Chairman Bond called the Special Board meeting to order at 9:25 a.m. Director Dixon led the salute to the flag. Clerk of the Board Lore called roll. Directors present were Bond, Brammell, Croucher, Dixon, Haddad, Irvin, Johnson, Knutson, Lewanski, Lewinger, Linden, Martin, Morrison, Parker, Quist, Rogers, Saunders, Steiner, Sundram, Thompson, Tu, Watton, and Williams. Directors absent were Bowersox, Broomell, Dailey, Ferguson, Lewis, Loveland, Muir, Pocklington, Price, Rhinerson, and Representative Slater-Price. Staff present was General Manager Stapleton, General Counsel Hentschke, Deputy General Manager Lanspery, Assistant General Manager Cushman, and others.
1-A Clerk of the Board Lore announced Director Morrison would be the proxy for Director Pocklington.
2. Governor’s Bond and Water Resources Investment Fund proposal.
Presentation by Mike Chrisman, Secretary for Resources with the State of California .
Mr. Chrisman explained Governor Schwarzenegger had released a Strategic
Growth Plan that included a significant section on water supply and flood control. The governor proposed to spend $35 billion over the next ten years on these plans. Of the $35 billion, $16 billion would come from local project funding, $5 billion from the federal government, $9 billion from general obligation bond measures this year, and in 2010,
$5 billion from the proposed Water Resources Investment Fund.
3. Questions and discussion by the Board members and agency managers.
Mr. Chrisman invited feedback from the Directors. Director Irvin expressed concern that only fifty percent of the funds collected in each region would be returned to those respective regions to plan and carry out integrated regional water management. Director Lewinger stated the fee would be unfair since it would charge homeowners far more than apartment dwellers and agricultural users. Director Lewinger also expressed concern regarding the lack of language in the legislation providing safeguards against the Legislature and Governor diverting WRIF funds for purposes unrelated to water. General Manager Arant also expressed concern and stated when times get tough, money gets borrowed or diverted. Several Directors criticized the overall water infrastructure plans for being vague and not containing specific descriptions about the projects on which the $35 billion would be spent. Director Thompson suggested that rather than the
State collecting the funds and forming an agency to give fifty percent of the funds back, that the local entity keep the fifty percent to avoid additional bureaucracy.
There being no further business to come before the Board, Chair Bond adjourned the meeting at 10:18 a.m.
__________________________________
James H. Bond
Chairman
_______________________________
Claude A. Lewis
Secretary
________________________________
Doria F. Lore, Clerk of the Board
|
