CUAC Draft Minutes May 2024
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D R A F T MINUTES CITIZENS UTILITY ADVISORY COMMISSION OASIS WATER CAMPUS 7070 NORTHERN AVE. GLENDALE, ARIZONA 85303 MAY 1, 2024 6:00 P.M. 1. CALL TO ORDER Chair Berryhill called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. 2. ROLL CALL Present: Robin Berryhill, Chair Amber Ford, Vice Chair Dr. Kerry Duskin, Commissioner Srikanth Grandhi, Commissioner Dalaina Hand, Commissioner Scott Scherer, Commissioner Attendees: Ron Serio, P.E., Director, Water Services Katrina Alberty, Deputy Director, Water Services John Henny, Deputy Director, Water Services Mark Roye, Deputy Director, Water Services Megan Sheldon, Deputy Director, Water Services Lisa Esquivel, Administrator Department Support Services, Water Services Dan Hatch, Administrator Financial Programs, Water Services Joanne Toms, Administrator Environmental Programs, Water Services Drew Swieczkowski, Water Resources Program Manager, Water Services Alana Reid, Management Assistant, Water Services Michelle Woytenko, Director, Field Operations Michael Carr, Deputy Director, Field Operations Kimberly Mackert, Administrator Financial Programs, Field Operations Anna Guerrero, Account Specialist, Field Operations Stacy Mawhiney, Account Specialist, Field Operations 3. CITIZEN COMMENTS None 4. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES a. *Updated Citizen Utility Advisory Commission Minutes of February 7, 2024. Motioned by Commissioner Dr. Kerry Duskin, seconded by Commissioner Srikanth Grandhi to approve the minutes of the February 7, 2024, Citizens Utility Advisory Commission Meeting as written. [Because Commissioner Hand was not appointed until after the prior meeting, she did not vote on approving the minutes of the February 7, 2024, meeting.] AYE: Chair Robin Berryhill Vice Chair Amber Ford Commissioner Dr. Kerry Duskin Commissioner Srikanth Grandhi Commissioner Scott Scherer Other: Commissioner Dalaina Hand (ABSTAIN) Passed 5. WATER SERVICES FINANCIAL UPDATE a. Water Services Financial Update Mr. Hatch, Administrator Financial Programs, Water Services, gave a presentation on the Water Services Financial Update, which included information on the following: FY24 Revenues and Sources FY24 Expenses and Uses FY25 Operating Budget Request FY25 Capital Budget Request 6. SOLID WASTE/LANDFILL FINANCIAL UPDATE a. Solid Waste/Landfill Financial Update Mr. Carr, Deputy Director, Field Operations, gave a presentation on the Solid Waste/Landfill Financial Update, which included information on the following: FY23 Solid Waste 12-months YTD Actual FY24 Solid Waste 9-months YTD Actual FY23 Landfill 12-months YTD Actual FY24 Landfill 9-months YTD Actual Commissioner Dustin asked what are tipping fees. Mr. Carr replied they are fees that are charged at the landfill for disposing of the waste. 7. WATER RESOURCES UPDATE a. Water Resources Update Ms. Toms, Administrator Environmental Programs, Water Services, gave a presentation on Water Conservation Rebates, which included information on the following: Expanded Water Conservation Rebates Proposed new rebate program for non-residential water customers Commissioner Scherer asked if the non-residential rebate program was being moved into irrigation technology school-by-school or lump sum. Ms. Toms said her group could do a better job sending letters and emails to school districts and making a personal connection. Commissioner Duskin recommended getting on the school board meeting agendas to discuss the non-residential rebate to decrease costs. Ms. Toms thanked the commissioner for his recommendation. Commissioner Grandhi asked what the next steps for the non-residential pilot program are. Ms. Toms said the final report was submitted to the US Bureau of Reclamation at the end of April. Staff will propose to Council at the end of the month to start the non-residential irrigation technology as a regular rebate program. Commissioner Grandhi asked if the program was per fiscal year. Ms. Toms said the non-residential rebates can be applied multiple times. Chair Berryhill asked if the rebates could be used for irrigation through SRP. Ms. Toms stated that the irrigation technology rebate is for potable water and does not include flood irrigation or reclaimed water at this time. Mr. Drew Swieczkowski, Water Resources Program Manager, Water Services, gave a presentation on Water Resources Update, which included information on the following: 2023 Glendale Potable Water Use Conditions on the Salt River Project and Colorado River Systems Post-2026 Operation for the Colorado River Future Water Resource Supplies Next Steps Commissioner Grandhi thanked the department for being extremely proactive and said it was good to see the effects of water conservation on the potable water use from 2022 to 2023. Commissioner Grandhi asked if the gallon per capita per day was looked at and how did it improve. Mr. Swieczkowski said the department reports that information every year in the annual report and the City did go down. Commissioner Hand asked if it was the infrastructure that determined the SRP service area. Mr. Swieczkowski replied it was determined long ago when land was turned over for the canal to be constructed in the late 1800’s, early 1900’s. Commissioner Hand inquired if it was an option to expand the SRP service area to all of Glendale. Mr. Swieczkowski said it was not as the CAP canal serves the top zone of Glendale. Commissioner Hand said the City should be doing advanced water purification and figuring out how to use effluent instead of drinking water for man-made lakes. Commissioner Grandhi asked what would help people accept the concept of advanced water purification. Mr. Swieczkowski answered the City of Phoenix is going to be starting a large campaign for consumer education and the terminology from toilet to tap needs to be eliminated. Commissioner Scherer stated that Glendale has done an outstanding job of managing growth and the CAP cut. Vice Chair Ford recalled a CUAC presentation two years ago about advanced water purification and how it would probably never happen then to say today this it is going to happen. Mr. Swieczkowski responded advanced water purification is good technology, public education is the key to get acceptance, and the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality is developing the rules and dictating how we do this, what type of technologies we use, and the sampling and analytics. Commissioner Hand asked if there would be a point in time where it is not optional for non-residential facilities to participate in rebates. Ms. Sheldon responded the City is looking at code revisions or updates for water efficient fixtures in building and what building codes can provide in terms of giving people options on being more water efficient indoors and outdoors. 8. STAFF UPDATES Mr. Serio welcomed new Commissioner Hand and thanked the commissioners for their service. Mr. Serio gave the following update: Several staff won awards at the recent AZ Water Conference. Joanne Toms and her team won the Sustainability Program of the Year, a Water Treatment Plant Operator won Plant Operator of the Year, Compliance Lab Manager Linda won Lab Analyst of the Year, Principal Engineer Steve Acquafredda won Engineer of the Year, and several work groups received safety awards. Ms. Woytenko gave the following update: The Solid Waste Association of North America had their annual conference in Phoenix. Staff took the certification exam for Managing Municipal Solid Waste Collection, taught a portion of the Management of Landfill Operations presentation, and participated on a municipal landfill operations panel. There will be a proclamation on May 14th proclaiming Public Works week is May 19 – 26. Staff will participate in training and celebrating the work they do. 9. COMMISSIONER COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS Commissioner Grandhi complimented staff on the great presentations and congratulated the award winners. Commissioner Hand seconded the congratulations. Commissioner Hand learned at Glendale University that the City offers compost bins, but she had to dig deep for information and suggested citizens know more about the great work the departments do. Commissioner Scherer congratulated both departments on their awards and asked if success at the landfill was due to partnership with other agencies. Ms. Woytenko attributed the forty years of space to advanced planning, compaction, and staff’s management of the landfill. 10. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS Chair Berryhill announced the following: October 2, 2024 Chair and Vice Chair Recommendations Water Resources Update 11. NEXT MEETING The next regular meeting of the Citizens Utility Advisory Commission will be held on October 2, 2024, at 6:00 p.m., at the Oasis Water Campus, 7070 W. Northern Ave., Glendale, Arizona, 85303. 12. ADJOURNMENT Motioned by Commissioner Dalaina Hand, seconded by Commissioner Dr. Kerry Duskin to adjourn the meeting at 7:40 p.m. AYE: Chair Robin Berryhill Vice Chair Amber Ford Commissioner Dr. Kerry Duskin Commissioner Srikanth Grandhi Commissioner Dalaina Hand Commissioner Scott Scherer Passed The Citizens Utility Advisory Commission meeting minutes of May 1, 2024, were submitted and approved this ___ day of ________, 2024. ____________________________________ Lisa Esquivel Recording Secretary