Title
Consider receiving a report on the September 19, 2019 workshop with the Monterey County Water Resources Agency Board of Supervisors and Board of Directors related to funding for Water Resources Agency projects and programs; and approving staff’s recommendation to seek funding on deferred maintenance at Nacimiento and San Antonio Reservoirs, including rehabilitation of the San Antonio spillway.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Monterey County Water Resources Agency Board of Supervisors:
Receive a report on the September 19, 2019 workshop with the Monterey County Water Resources Agency Board of Supervisors and Board of Directors related to funding for Water Resources Agency projects and programs; and approve staff’s recommendation to seek funding on deferred maintenance at Nacimiento and San Antonio Reservoirs, including rehabilitation of the San Antonio spillway.
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
On April 26, 2019, the Water Resources Agency Board of Directors held a special workshop where staff presented an overview of 40 projects and 21 programs that were identified as either unfunded and/or underfunded. The aggregate total costs of these projects and programs were approximately $85 million. At the same workshop, the County Counsel’s Office presented an overview of possible funding mechanisms the Agency can pursue to fund the project and program costs. At the workshop, attendants were broken into groups and addressed four questions related to how the Agency should fund these projects/programs.
On September 19, 2019, a follow-up workshop was held via a joint meeting between the Water Resources Agency Board of Supervisors and the Water Resources Agency Board of Directors. Staff brought back the recommendations from the April 26, 2019 workshop and further examined the costs of the projects/programs to a revised total of approximately $145 million. During this workshop, the Agency provided an overview of the steps taken since the April workshop, in addition to providing a revised list of funding alternatives. At the end of the presentation, participants were once again asked three questions on how the Agency should fund these projects/programs. The consensus was that the Agency should focus on funding deferred maintenance at the San Antonio and Nacimiento Reservoirs due to deadlines set by the Division of Safety of Dams (DSOD) to rehabilitate the spillway at San Antonio, and conduct a Proposition 218 special assessment election to obtain funding for this work.
Staff recommends that the Agency proceed with the consensus expressed at the September workshop to fund deferred maintenance at the Nacimiento and San Antonio Reservoirs through a Proposition 218 special assessment. The goal would be to hold a special assessment election in the spring of 2020 to include these new assessments in the 2020-21 Tax Roll, if approved. To ensure inclusion of the new assessments, assuming approval by property owners, the Agency will need to work diligently over the next few months. Staff seeks approval of the Board to continue with the recommendation and hire Wallace Group to assist with the process of preparing an Engineer’s Report, providing public outreach, and holding the special assessment election. Additionally, the Agency will need to engage County Counsel to review legal requirements related to the process.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
This item was presented to and supported by the Water Resources Agency Board of Directors on October 21, 2019.
FINANCING:
There is no financial impact for receiving this report.
Prepared by: Fabricio Chombo, Finance Manager II, (831) 755-4860
Approved by: _________________________________________________
Brent Buche, General Manager, (831) 755-4860
Attachments:
1. Program Projects from April 26, 2019 Workshop
2. Workshop Notes April 26, 2019
3. Nacimiento and San Antonio Projects form September 19, 2019 Workshop
4. Workshop Notes September 19, 2019 Workshop