County of Monterey  
Cayenne Room  
1441 Schilling Place  
Salinas Ca. 93901  
Meeting Agenda - Final  
Cayenne Conference Room  
1441 Schilling Place, Salinas, CA 93901  
Monday, August 17, 2026  
12:00 PM  
Water Resources Agency Board of Directors  
Matt Simis – Chair  
Jason Smith – Vice-Chair  
Mike LeBarre  
Mark Gonzalez  
Deidre Sullivan  
Ken Ekelund  
Mike Scattini  
John Baillie  
Jon Conatser  
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Note: All numbered agenda titles related to agenda are live web links. Click on the link to be  
directed to corresponding item.  
Call to Order at 12:00 P.M.  
Roll Call  
Public Comments on Closed Session Items  
Recess to Closed Session  
Closed Session  
Closed Session under Government Code section 54950, relating to the following  
items:  
1.  
a. Pursuant to Government Code section 54956.9(d)(1), the Board will confer with  
legal counsel regarding existing litigation:  
i. Mario Gonzalez, et al. v. State of California, et al., Monterey County  
Superior Court Case No. 23CV004194 (as lead coordinated case, including  
subordinate Monterey County cases: 24CV000215; 24CV000421; 24CVOOO428;  
24CV000904; 24CV001269; 25CV004183; and Santa Cruz case: 23CV03022)  
ii. Nacimiento Regional Water Management Advisory Committee v.  
Monterey County Water Resources Agency, et al., San Luis Obispo Superior Court  
Case No. 19CVP-0010  
b. Pursuant to Government Code section 54956.9(d)(4), the Board of Directors will  
confer with legal counsel regarding potential initiation of litigation.  
Reconvene Meeting at 1:00 P.M.  
Pledge of Allegiance  
Additions and Corrections by Clerk:  
The Clerk of the Board will announce agenda corrections and proposed additions, which may be  
acted by the Board as provided in Sections 54954.2 of the California Government Code,  
Public Comment  
Consent Calendar  
Approve the Action Minutes of the Board of Directors meeting held on June 15,  
2026.  
2.  
Attachments:  
Recommend that the Monterey County Water Resources Agency Board of  
Supervisors:  
3.  
a) Ratify and approve Amendment No. 3 to the Memorandum of Understanding with  
the Salinas Valley Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency previously executed by  
the General Manager of the Monterey County Water Resources Agency to extend the  
term of the MOU to June 30, 2029;  
b) Revise the contact information for the Parties to the MOU;  
c) Revise the description of anticipated services; and  
d) Update the rate structure for the Monterey County Water Resources Agency.  
(Staff: Amy Woodrow)  
Attachments:  
Recommend the Monterey County Water Resources Agency Board of Supervisors:  
a) Approve a Grazing Lease Agreement with Heartland Mark LLC in the amount of  
$28,672 for year one increasing annually by 2.5-percent, from November 1, 2026,  
through October 31, 2036, for grazing lands located at the Nacimiento 5 lease area;  
and  
4.  
b) Authorize the General Manager of the Agency to execute the lease agreement,  
subject to approval as to form by the County Counsel’s Office. (Staff: Shaunna  
Murray)  
Attachments:  
a) Approve a Professional Services Agreement with GEI Consultants, Inc. for a  
total contract amount not to exceed $939,541 for environmental consulting  
services work related to the San Antonio Dam Spillway Replacement Project  
and the Nacimiento Dam Plunge Pool Erosion Control Project; and  
b) Authorize the General Manager to execute the agreement and amendments up  
to the total dollar amount. (Staff: Shaunna Murray)  
5.  
Attachments:  
Receive the Monterey County Water Resources Agency FY 2025-26 Financial  
Status Report through June 30, 2026, Accounting Period 12.  
6.  
Attachments:  
Action Items  
Consider approving Amendment No. 1 to the Professional Services Agreement with  
Hollenbeck consulting to increase the dollar amount by 250,000 for a total contract  
amount not-to-exceed of $500,000, to continue to provide project management and  
engineering services for the Nacimiento Dam and authorize the General Manager to  
execute the agreement. (Staff: Mark Foxworthy)  
7.  
Attachments:  
Key Information and Calendar of Events  
August 2026 Calendar  
8.  
September 2026 Calendar  
Attachments:  
General Manager's Report  
1. Personnel  
2. Annual Assessment Roll Preparation  
3. Groundwater Monitoring Program  
4. Salinas Valley Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency  
5. Castroville Seawater Intrusion Program  
6. Grazing Lease Program  
7. Mussel Prevention Program  
Attachments:  
Committee Reports  
Committee Agenda's for July and August 2026.  
9.  
Attachments:  
Information Items  
Reservoir Storage and Release Update. (Staff: Joseph Klein)  
10.  
11.  
12.  
Attachments:  
Update on staff's participation in the Salinas Valley Basin Groundwater Sustainability  
Agency's Advisory Committee  
Attachments:  
Salinas Valley Water Conditions report: Third Quarter of Water Year 2025-2026  
(Staff: Amy Woodrow)  
Attachments:  
Correspondence  
Email Correspondence dated July 8, 2026, to Ara Azhderian, General Manager,  
13.  
Monterey County Water Resources Agency.  
From Bill Lipe, Public Member  
Re: General Public Comment Submission for MCWRA Board of Directors Strategic  
Plan Workshop  
Email Correspondence dated July 8, 2026, to Ara Azhderian, General Manager,  
Shaunna Murray Deputy General Manger, Monterey County Water Resources  
Agency.  
From Bill Lipe, Public Member  
Re: Vision Statement Brainstorming- Public Comment  
Email Correspondence dated August 5, 2026 to Ara Azhderian, General Manager,  
Shaunna Murray, Deputy General Manager, Board of Directors Monterey County  
Water Resources Agency  
From Bill Lipe, Public Member  
RE: Public Comment Submission- MCWRA 2026 Strategic Plan Update  
Attachments:  
Board of Directors Comments  
Adjournment