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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019-03-20 Stormwater Management Oversight Committee Summary Minutes Storm Water Management Oversight Committee 1 MINUTES: Wednesday, March 20, 2019 Special Meeting Embarcadero Room, Rinconada Library 1:00 PM Committee Members Present: David Bower, Peter Drekmeier, Hal Mickelson, Dena Mossar, Bob Wenzlau, Richard Whaley Committee Members Absent: Marilyn Keller Staff Present: Michelle Austin, Maybo AuYeung, Phil Bobel, Holly Boyd (recently appointed Assistant Director of Public Works Engineering Services Division) Call to Order: 1:06pm by Chairperson Michelson Oral Communications Ron Owes, a Palo Alto Resident, Engineer, and member of the Save Palo Alto Groundwater group, was very interested in one water, water basin, and would like to be more involved with this Committee as well. Old Business 1. Minutes from the January 31, 2018 meeting was approved. New Business 2. Presentation of Proclamations to Committee Members Bobel presented the Proclamations to Committee Members Dena Mossar and Bob Wenzlau on behalf of the City to recognize the Committee Members’ contributions to the Committee and to the City of Palo Alto. 3. Staff Presentation on the Fiscal Year 2018 Fund Expenditures for the Storm Water Management Fund AuYeung presented the FY 2018 Fund Expenditures in detail, and explained the source of funding is mostly from Fee revenue which compose of 2 portions, base program portion does not sunset, but the infrastructure portion does. 2 March 20, 2019 4. Committee Discussion and Report to Council on Findings of the Fiscal Year 2018 Fund Expenditures for the Storm Water Management Fund • Bower suggested to add a carryforward column, AuYeung agreed to update the document before uploading. • Wenzlau: If budget was approved then the carried forward, do staff have the authority to decide how it is spent? What happen to funds that are unspent and uncommitted? AuYeung: All carry forward budget is fund that has already been earmarked or committed & were already approved, staff cannot spend the fund for a different purpose. Unspent and uncommitted will be returned to the reserve balance at the end of the fiscal year, the fund will not be combined with General Fund since this is an Enterprise Fund. • Wenzlau indicate interest in seeing the fund/reserve balance. Bobel stated per the current reserve policy is to keep at least 15% of revenue in reserves, and we are in a good position. • Wenzlau pointed out Innovative projects & Rebates budget were not fully spent, while this category was part of the Stormwater Campaign and would like to utilize fund to make an impact, instead of letting the budget return to the fund balance because it is not reappropriated. Phil mentioned we only received very few rebate applications, and suggested the committee to discuss recommendation to improve the general GSI, innovative projects, and the rebate programs. AuYeung reminded the Committee, with approval from the Committee, innovative project budget can be used for GSI related work, also staff plan on spending $50k from the Innovative projects to expand outreach for the rebate program. • Mossar moved to approve the draft memo to council, Whaley seconded; Wenzlau suggested added language to address the innovative project budget finding. • “The committee observed that the available funds for innovative green infrastructure were not fully expended. The committee encourages staff to adjust and promote the innovative programs to achieve the City’s goals for innovative green infrastructure” would be added to the final memo. • Report to Council on Findings of the Fiscal Year 2018 Fund Expenditures for the Storm Water Management Fund was approved unanimously. 3 March 20, 2019 5. Staff Presentation on the Proposed Fiscal Year 2020 Storm Water Management Fund Budget AuYeung presented the FY 2020 Fund Proposed Budget in detail, which included an increase to the Stormwater Management Fee from the monthly fee of $14.05 to $14.68, a 4.5% increase per the December 2018 CPI. This will increase the fee revenue for FY 2020 by over $320,000 and increase the fund revenue to approximately $7.4M. 6. Committee Discussion and Report to Council on Findings of the Proposed Fiscal Year 2020 Storm Water Management Fund Budget • Drekmeier asked what would be the maximum increase allowed. AuYeung referred to the ballot measure, which stated the maximum rate for the annual adjustment to the fee will be the lesser of CPI or 6%. • Drekmeier asked about the “Funding Needs & Strategy Analysis”. AuYeung explained this analysis, to be conducted by a consultant, is to determine funding opportunities and feasible fit specifically for Palo Alto by leveraging what County has already studied, including ballot measure (already pursued), grant funding opportunity, partnership with other agencies, development related fees, etc. • Wenzlau was concerned about the impact these documents would make when compared to create physical infrastructure, and suggested staff to instead spend budget to implement and test GSI features in the City and showcase them as demonstration sites. • Drekmeier suggested staff to do outreach on rebate programs at the Great Race for Saving Water & Earth Day Festival on April 13, and mentioned bioswales installed around the track and field at Hillview Middle School in Menlo Park on Santa Cruz Ave was a good GSI. • Bower understood why funds were being redirected to future planning and innovation, and commented it is currently the best way to use the budget as a one-time/ limited expenditure, with the understanding that the planning effort out of this may provide more opportunities for people to pursue the rebates. • Mossar suggested adding a similar comment in memo to address the innovative project budget and asked staff to focus on development and implementation of actual innovative programs. • “Because funds available for innovative projects are not being utilized fully, the committee supports efforts by staff to identify and promote new projects that meet the goals associated with the ballot measure as soon as possible.” would be added to the final memo. 4 March 20, 2019 • Report to Council on Findings of the Fiscal Year 2020 Storm Water Management Fund Budget was approved unanimously. Committee Member Comments and Announcements • Bower: The building permit application process seemed to be an opportunity to reach out to building owners, who control the finances of the development, instead of contractors or professional designers. • AuYeung: A public meeting was scheduled on March 26, 2019, 6:30pm at the Mitchell Park Community Center to discuss GSI Plan Draft, material was already presented to this committee, committee members’ presence and participation would be desirable but not required. Tentative Agenda Items for Future Meetings • AuYeung: Next meeting to include discussion on GSI plan comments, and discuss draft committee letter to Council. Drekmeier: To review and reference the letter/report that was submitted to Council by the SDBRC recommendations. • Wenzlau: Future meeting to invite GSI engineer/architect from Mexico City to give a presentation as an agenized item. • Mossar: Pre-schedule future meetings. Bower: Rinconada Library is a good meeting location Adjournment: 2:42pm by Chairperson Mickelson.