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03/23/1998 - Minutes TIGARD WATER DISTRICT BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS MEETING MARCH 23, 1998 Members Present: Gretchen Buehner, Bev Froude, John Haunsperger, Norman Penner, David Strauss. Staff Present: Mike Miller, Michelle Wareing. Visitors: None 1. Call to Order: The meeting of the Tigard Water Board of Commissioners was called to order by Chair John Haunsperger at 7:00 pm. 2. Roll Call: All members were present. 3. Approval of Minutes: The minutes for the January 26, 1998 meeting were approved. MSP 4. Willamette River Newsletter Discussion: Mike Miller stated that the Commissioners should have received a copy of the Willamette River Newsletter that was sent out to all Tigard Water District customers and property owners. Mike stated that a series of five newsletters will be sent out over the rest of the year. Mike reported that the April issue will contain information on treatment issues and the preliminary engineering report. The May issue will have an update on the preliminary and discuss construction options. The November issue will contain the final engineering report. The final issue sent out in December will give a total cost for the project and what it will mean to rate customers. Mike reported that the information and education kit for staff, Council, Commissioners and IWB is currently in draft form. The kit will include fact sheets and glossary of terms. The target audience for the kit is the leaders of the community and homeowners. Mike stated that the City of Tigard has chosen not to battle The Oregonian about the quality of the Willamette River. The City plans on educating the public about water treatment plans and the need for Tigard to have its own water source. Mike reported that Ed Wegner and representatives from Murray, Smith &Associates and Tualatin Valley met with the Editor-in- Chief of the Times to discuss the facts of the project. The focus of the City is to have an effective educational program and incorporate the findings of the Governor's Task Force. Commissioner Buehner asked if the steelhead is named an endangered species how will that affect Bull Run? Also, will the steelhead issue be included in the educational program. Mike stated that the water agencies have known about the steelhead issue for sometime. If the steelhead are named endangered then Portland will have to increase the height of the dams and build storage. Commissioner Penner expressed concern that the newsletter did not answer the question of why the Tigard Water District needs its own water supply. The newsletter did not address the possibility of the surplus water supply being cut off. The newsletter used too much water terminology and seemed like a PR piece. 1 Commissioners Buehner, Penner and Haunsperger all expressed concern that the newsletter did not address the issue of how Tigard currently gets its water. All the water Tigard purchases is considered surplus water and comes from the City of Portland and Lake Oswego. In the future, surplus water might not be available for Tigard to purchase. Water customers need to know that there is a possibility that Tigard might not be able to meet the demands for water. The Commissioners agreed that the history of Tigard's water supply needs to discussed and revisited frequently, so customers understand why Tigard needs its own water supply. Mike reported that the Tigard's Citizen Involvement Team (CIT) meeting will include discussions about the water supply. The meeting is scheduled for April 2 at 7:00pm at the Senior Center. A public information meeting will be held at the end of April to discuss the Willamette River project. Commissioner Buehner asked how people were going to be notified about the public meeting in April. She asked if there was money in the budget to send out flyers advertising the meeting. Mike stated that notices for public meetings are published in the local newspapers, posted in the library and city buildings. Mike noted that several TV programs regarding the Willamette River have been scheduled. On March 22, Kevin Hanway from Tualatin Valley was on KPDX 49. On April 7, Channel 8 is showing a half hour documentary on the Governor's Willamette Basin Task Force findings. The documentary will be followed by a live Town Hall meeting from Salem. Attendance at the Town Hall meeting was by invitation only. A representative from Montgomery Watson and Tualatin Valley Water District will be at the meeting to represent the Willamette Water Supply project. Commissioner Froude asked if anyone at the City had received any comments/concerns from the public regarding the project. Mike reported that he has received very few calls from citizens. Mike stated that he discussed water treatment options and non-filtered versus filtered water differences. Everyone that he talked to felt reassured. 5. Budget Discussion: Mike Miller stated the Board needed to start thinking about their budget and setting up a budget committee. Mike reported that Ed Wegner, Public Works Director, wanted the Board to return to even month meetings. Mike stated that he would check with Wayne Lowry, Finance Director, about meeting in April to discuss the budget process. Commissioner Buehner asked how the Tigard Water District Board budgets for new customers. Commissioner Froude responded that the Board's budget is only concerned with administrative costs. The Board receives 1% of water sales revenues. The Board has a good budget, but doesn't spend most of the money allocated to it. Chairman Haunsperger stated that the Board needed to appoint a budget officer. Chairman Haunsperger nominated Commissioner Strauss. Commissioner Penner seconded the motion. Commissioner Strauss was appointed as budget officer. MSP 2 Chairman Haunsperger stated that he would get the list of the five people who served on last year's budget committee and give the list to Commissioner Strauss. Mike stated that the Board needed to meet in April and then again in June as part of the budget process. The City of Tigard's budget must be approved by June 30. The Board agreed to meet on April 27. A budget meeting will be held at 6:00pm and then the regular meeting will follow at 7:00pm. The Board will meet again on June 1 at 7:00pm for a second budget meeting. 6. Intergovernmental Water Board Update: Commissioner Froude gave a brief update. She stated that the Consortium voted on whether or not Tigard and TVWD have the right to pursue developing the Willamette River which was passed, but not unanimously. She reported that Ed Wegner, Public Works Director, gave an update on the Wilsonville prison site and the water treatment plant. Metro met with the Governor to discuss the prison. The PR program for the Willamette Water Supply Agency was discussed. The Regional Consortium meeting regarding regional water planning was also discussed. It was noted that 26 agencies belong to the Regional Consortium. Commissioner Buehner asked why there is a consortium and regional planning when Portland owns all the water and can cut other agencies'water supply off? Mike Miller responded that Consortium meets to discuss water usage as a region. Decide how to transport water and plan as a region, pipelines and connectivity. Portland has an obligation to continue water provision. The Consortium also addresses the issues of expanding Bull Run, the Willamette River and tapping into the Columbia River. Mike reported that the Consortium voted on whether or not Tigard and Tualatin Valley have the right to pursue its own water source. The Consortium agreed that they do. A lengthy discussion about the politics of water and the City of Portland ensued. Mike Miller noted that on May 5,1998 there is going to be a meeting about the Willamette Water Supply Agency (WWSA). Kevin Hanway and Joe Glicker from Montgomery Watson are going to give a presentation. Mike encouraged everyone to attend. Commissioner Buehner stated that she felt that there should be a political official representing the WWSA and not just the two engineers from Montgomery Watson. Commissioner Froude responded that the town hall meeting is not a political piece and is more about the Governor's Task Force report on the Willamette River. Commissioner Penner asked if any of the board members from the Intergovernmental Water Board were concerned with the politics of Portland? • Mike Miller responded that he was not aware of any concern. He noted that Ed Wegner had met with a reporter from The Oregonian to discuss the WWSA. 3 Commissioner Penner asked if anyone from the Tigard area was willing to take on the anit- Willamette coverage? He asked if members of the Tigard Water Board could write letters in response to issues covered in The Oregonian? He asked if members would be discouraged since the City of Tigard has taken a position of not fighting The Oregonian on the issue of the Willamette River? Mike Miller responded that the City is going to concentrate on educating the community and the need for Tigard to have its own water supply. The City will not be involved in the politics. Commissioner Buehner stated that City staff should not be involved in the politics of the Willamette River's suitability, but the elected officials should have a voice. A discussion regarding the need to inform the community about meetings in a timely manner ensued. Commissioner Buehner motioned for the Tigard Water Board to meet monthly instead of bi- monthly for the rest of the year. The motion was approved. MSP 7. Operation Manager's Report: Mike Miller reported that Murray Smith &Associates sent Ed Wegner a memo regarding the cost to Tigard, if the City of Portland decides to build up Bull Run. Mike stated that an entire renovation would cost approximately $800 million. The first option for a short-term solution would cost a total of$305 million and Tigard's portion would be $84 million. The second option would cost a total of$636 million and Tigard's portion would be $97 million. Mike noted that the total cost to Tigard for the Willamette River treatment plant is $40 million and would give Tigard its own water supply. Mike distributed a copy of the draft budget for the Tigard Water Board. Commissioner Buehner noted that the Utility Manager position was shown as 1/2 FTE and asked why that was? Mike Miller responded that his salary is billed 50% to water, 25% sanitary and 25% storm. Mike stated that the Water Department is going to use divers to clean the tanks again this year. Mike reported that the during the cleaning of the 280,000 gallon steel tank, which has a column in the middle of it, it was observed that the column had moved three inches from center. It is believed that the earthquake of 1993 caused the movement. Mike noted that the rate charged by Portland had decreased by 14%. The decrease is due to not peaking last summer. Mike stated that Tigard is only purchasing water from Bull Run right now. He is anticipating having to purchase water from Lake Oswego in May or June to meet water demands. The current daily usage rate is about 4.5 million gallons. Mike stated that he was interviewed by Channel 2 News about two weeks ago regarding a traffic accident in Tigard. A Ford Explorer crashed and rolled over onto a fire hydrant. 'Tigard sent the Explorer's owner a bill for$1,600 for the damage done to the hydrant. Mike stated that it is City policy to make people who damage hydrants or other City property pay for the cost of fixing them. The hydrant damaged by the Explorer had to be replaced because it was old and parts couldn't be found for it. Mike stated that the Explorer's owner went to Channel 2 News 4 about the bill. The owner's car insurance ended up paying the bill. Mike noted that the City has to replace about five hydrants a year due to car accidents. 8. Non-Agenda Items: Commissioner Froude stated that she went to the park dedication up by Menlor reservoir. She reported that there is about 25 acres of open green spaces on Bull Mountain now. Commissioner Penner asked if anyone new how old the Tigard Water District was? He stated that it was started in 1938 and is 60 years old. Commissioner Buehner stated that she felt a rebuttal is needed to be made to the opinion piece in The Oregonian regarding the Willamette River treatment plant. She stated that she would like to write a letter/opinion piece to refute it. She wanted to know if she could write the letter as a board member? Commissioner Strauss responded that he felt the letter should not come from the Board, but Commissioner Buehner should be able to write as an individual. Commissioner Penner stated that he felt that Commissioner Buehner should be able to say that she is a Board member, but that she is not writing on the Board's behalf. Commissioner Buehner and Commissioner Penner agreed to write a rebuttal together, but not on behalf of the Tigard Water Board. 9. Adjournment: The Tigard Water District Board Meeting was adjourned at 8:55 pm. 5