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Directors of the Garberville Sanitary District considered a request for a wastewater hook-up from the Garberville Town Square, heard a progress report on the recycled water treatment improvement project, discussed an agreement with the Connick Creek subdivision, and elected officers at their first meeting of the new year on Jan. 26.
John Schmidt, chairman of the Garberville Town Square board, asked the GSD board if it would be possible to connect the Town Square to the wastewater system in spite of the moratorium imposed by the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board. Schmidt also requested a waiver of the connection fee.
GSD general manager Mark Bryant explained that GSD is currently under a cease and desist order until improvements to their recycled water treatment system are completed and evaluated. GSD is not allowed to add any new connections until the cease and desist is lifted.
”Timing is critical,” Bryant stated. If the project moves along as scheduled, GSD may be able to request permission for additional hook-ups by mid-summer.
Currently the only wastewater produced in the Town Square comes from the Hawaiian-style shaved ice booth that operates for six months in warm weather, Schmidt said. The owner of the booth now collects graywater in a small tank, which she pumps to a larger holding tank, and then into a third tank on her truck for disposal.
Although plans include a public bathroom, it will not be built until fall. The Town Square board hopes to set up a porta-potty in the square this summer as a test to determine usage and problems before installing a permanent bathroom.
The porta-potty will have a timer to keep it locked at night and will be screened, Schmidt added. It will be cleaned weekly by the leasing company.
The Town Square has currently taken a loan of $125,000 to complete the first phase of the project and is seeking grant funding for the balance of the work. Local volunteers have contributed labor and some material has been donated, but the square is on a tight budget.
In response to Schmidt’s request to waive GSD’s connection fee, board chair Herb Schwartz replied that since the district is a trustee for the ratepayers, they cannot waive the fee. Instead GSD could consider opening a connection of its own that the Town Square could use.
In hard economic times like these non-profits and government agencies need to work closely together for the public benefit, Schwartz added. He suggested that Schmidt get together with Bryant to crunch the numbers and then present a proposal to the board.
T & S Construction, contractors for the recycled water improvement project, began construction on Jan. 6, Bryant reported, but because of the weather they have worked only three days so far.
The first phase of the project includes construction of the chlorine contact chamber, followed by improvements to the wastewater collection pipes along Sprowel Creek, Sunnybank, and Riverview roads to reduce inflow and infiltration (I & I) reduction.
The new, state-of-the-art chlorine contact chamber will produce its own chlorine from a solution of water and rock salt. Effluent from the settling ponds will be disinfected by chlorine in two underground pipes 24 inches in diameter.
Producing its own chlorine will save the cost of chlorine gas and trucking, as well as virtually eliminating the hazards of handling chlorine. Placing the process underground blocks the sunlight that enables growth of harmful bacteria so that chlorine is used more efficiently.
When the weather improves, the contractors will go on to construction of the new 4.5 million gallon pond, in which wastewater will settle for the first stage of treatment.
All bills from LACO Engineering for the planning and design portion of the project are paid up to date, Bryant reported. The majority of the district’s cost has been reimbursed by grants from the state and the federal ARRA program.
The district must pay a little over 28 percent, approximately $222,000. As Bryant pointed out, the entire $3 million construction phase will be covered by grants, reducing GSD’s share of the overall project to less than 10 percent. “The community will be smiling,” Bryant said.
The year’s net loss for wastewater operations was $4,700, a “great improvement” over last year, Bryant added.
On the other side of district operations, the quest for funding for the water treatment plant improvement project continues, although GSD has received a commitment for at least $1 million in grant funds from the California Department of Water Resources and Department of Public Health.
”We’ve made four applications for funding in two years,” Bryant said, each application covering a different part of the project or coming from a different source. Now GSD is being asked to consolidate their applications into one package.
Additionally, the environmental document has been withdrawn because some of the reviewing agencies asked for changes. Bryant believes it is better to resubmit the entire document than to add amendments.
The overall financial situation for all district operations looks good, with modest increases in revenue over the same month last year on both water and wastewater. Expenses increased somewhat, but the district is operating in the black.
An amended service agreement with the Connick Creek subdivision was presented to the board for approval. GSD inherited the obligation to serve this small area on the west side of the Eel River when it acquired the Garberville Water Company from the Hurlbutt family.
Originally, the water company sent one bill to the association, which billed its members separately. Under the new agreement, each property will be separately metered and the landowners will be billed individually by GSD.
Director Peter Connolly, who lives in the Connick Creek subdivision, recused himself from discussion of the agreement.
Chair Schwartz felt the draft document, which has already been signed by the Connick Creek property owners, included too much confusing language, particularly in reference to provisions in the original agreement. He was concerned that this could lead to legal problems in the future.
Schwartz offered to draft language he believes will clarify the intentions of both GSD and the association. It will then be returned to the Connick Creek Association for their comments before GSD approves the agreement.
The current slate of officers was unanimously re-elected for 2010: Herb Schwartz, chairperson; Bill Stewart, vice chair; Peter Connolly, secretary; and Dennis Bourassa, treasurer.
Bryant reported on the upcoming Legislative Days in Sacramento, May 11-12, sponsored by the California Special Districts Association. Bryant was elected president of CSDA last fall.
During Legislative Days, board members of special districts have the opportunity to meet directly with their state senators and assemblypersons to inform them of district concerns. CSDA offers a day of training prior to the meetings.
The most critical issue this year is the probability that state government will once again try to “grab” property tax revenues that belong to local jurisdictions in order to soften the state’s projected budget shortfall.
Three initiatives are being circulated to create state constitutional amendments that would ban further revenue grabs, Bryant said.
Bryant is planning to arrange a meeting with the staffs of Assemblyman Wes Chesbro and State Senator Pat Wiggins in Garberville before the Legislative Days so that GSD and other interested local districts will have a chance to highlight their issues in advance of the Sacramento meetings.
Bryant strongly encouraged GSD and other local jurisdictions to participate in Legislative Days. “Effectiveness of communication [with legislators] comes directly from the districts,” he declared.
The next regular meeting of Garberville Sanitary District takes place on Tuesday, Feb. 23.
