The Administrative Committee met Friday, July 24, 1998, and reviewed the proposed agenda for the August 14, 1998 Board meeting. The Committee also discussed various issues detailed in the Committee report. The next Administrative Committee meeting is Friday, August 21, 1998, at 1:30 a.m., following the Inland Empire Economic Partnership Air Quality Summit at the Ontario Hilton Hotel, Ontario, California.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Receive and file this report.
Administrative Committee
Attendance: Present were Committee Chair Norma Glover, Committee Members Nell Soto, Mee Hae Lee (who arrived at 10:40 a.m.) and Roy Wilson (attending via teleconference from Larson Justice Center, 46200 Oasis Street, Suite 318 - Conference Room, Indio, CA 92201, a facility which is available to the public and at which location a copy of the agenda had previously been posted, in accordance with the Brown Act). Absent were Vice Chairman James Silva, and Richard Alarcón.
DISCUSSION ITEMS:
Chairman’s Report of Approved Travel: Dr. Barry Wallerstein, Acting Executive Officer, noted that the revised Report, which was included in the handouts, listed Nell Soto’s proposed travel to Sacramento on Monday, July 27, to discuss AB 2194, the Clean Fuels Reauthorization Bill, with members of the Latino Legislative Caucus. Moved (Glover), seconded (Wilson) and unanimously recommended for approval. (See end of report for detail.)
Approval of Compensation for Board Member Assistant(s): None
Out-of-Country Travel: Dr. Wallerstein said that there was no out-of-country travel to report that would be at the District’s expense. Dr. Wallerstein did advise the Committee, however, that the Economic Reform Committee of Zhejiang Province in China has invited Huasha Liu, Transportation Specialist, to speak at an international seminar on air quality and transportation issues; and the Republic of China (Taiwan) has invited Dr. Paul Liu, Air Quality Analysis and Compliance Supervisor, to participate in a roundtable discussion regarding air pollution control programs. The respective governments will cover all travel expenses and the employees will use their vacation time to attend these events, so there is no cost to the District.
Ms. Soto asked staff whether anyone from Transportation would be attending the American Public Transit Association Conference in Ontario, Canada. She commented that staff should be present at the annual event. Supervisor Wilson advised that he believed the event was the following day. Staff indicated they would look into this.
AUGUST AGENDA ITEMS:
Execute Contract for Consulting Services to Evaluate Permit System and Recommend Solutions for More Streamlined Process for Issuing Permits: Dr. Wallerstein introduced Mohsen Nazemi, Permit Streamlining Ombudsman, who briefed the Committee regarding the proposed contract. This contract is to conduct a comprehensive permit streamlining study intended to identify areas where improvements could potentially be made and recommend specific steps that could be taken to reduce the time to process and issue permits. The proposal evaluation panel, which consisted of both AQMD staff and Permit Streamlining Task Force representatives, evaluated the proposals received and recommended AeroVironment Environmental Services since it rated highest technically and had the lowest overall cost. Due to the abstention of Committee Member Nell Soto, less than a quorum was available to consider this item. Therefore, the other two Committee Members who were present, Mr. Wilson and Ms. Glover, communicated their concurrence.
Execute Contract for Security Guard Services at Diamond Bar Headquarters: Director of Administrative and Human Resources Joe Contaoi reported that 27 bids were received in response to the RFP to provide security guard services at Diamond Bar Headquarters. Eleven of those were determined to be responsive, qualified bids. Mr. Contaoi referred Committee Members to two lists prepared in order of lowest-to-highest bid one with "living wage" and one "without living wage" bids, in response to Board Member concerns about prevailing/living wage rates paid to employees of service contracts. Staff considered the "living wage" proposals, but the increased cost made these bids prohibitive. Although the first four lowest bidders listed "without the living wage rate" were qualified to perform the scope of work, the wage paid to their guards was either minimum wage and/or did not include co-payment for health benefits, factors which contribute to turnover and inexperienced personnel working night and off-hour duty. Staff is recommending the fifth lowest "non-living wage" bidder, Elite Security Services, which provides a higher than minimum wage of $6.25/hour to the guards, $7.25/hour for the Post Commander, and offers co-payment of health benefits. Moved (Glover), seconded (Soto) and unanimously recommended for approval.
Committee Chair Glover directed staff to develop a policy for the full Board’s consideration regarding the "living wage" and "without living wage" bids issue for future service-type contracts.
Establish Classification of Data Base Administrator and Add and Delete Positions: Moved (Soto), seconded (Wilson) and unanimously recommended for approval.
Amend Contracts with Cordoba Corporation, Majesco Software, Inc., and Sierra Cybernetics, Inc. to Provide Short- and Long-Term Systems Development and Maintenance Support: Due to the abstention of Committee Member Nell Soto, less than a quorum was available to consider this item. Therefore, the other two Committee Members who were present, Mr. Wilson and Ms. Glover, communicated their concurrence.
(10:40 a.m. - Committee Member Mee Lee arrived.)
Issue RFP to Develop Additional Technologies to Monitor and Reduce Fugitive Emissions at Dry Cleaners: Jack Broadbent, Assistant Deputy Executive Officer of Stationary Source Compliance, informed the Committee that this RFP is to solicit proposals from which qualified contractors will be selected to develop new technologies to reduce fugitive emissions at dry cleaners and to simplify, reduce, or eliminate costly monitoring by dry cleaners. Councilmember Soto expressed concern with respect to the possible additional cost to the dry cleaners. Committee Chair Glover offered support for the issuance of the RFP and pointed out that new technologies will provide an opportunity to find new methods that would assist dry cleaners with compliance in the future. The monitors currently in use are too sensitive and, therefore, not effective. Mr. Broadbent assured the Committee that when the new technologies are defined and their cost is determined, that information will be brought to the Board for consideration. Moved (Wilson), seconded (Glover) and unanimously recommended for approval.
Adopt Resolution Authorizing the Execution of an Installment Sale Agreement for New Integrated Financial and Human Resources System: Moved (Soto), seconded (Lee) and unanimously recommended for approval.
Strategic Plan for Information Management: Committee Chair Glover made a motion, which was seconded by Committee Member Soto, asking staff to continue this item. Committee Chair Glover commented that Committee Members did not receive the Plan with sufficient time to review it.
Appropriate and Reallocate Funds for PAMS Program: Rudy Eden, Senior Manager of Laboratory Services in Applied Science and Technology, informed the Committee that staff is recommending taking allocations from the fourth, fifth, and sixth year PAMS EPA 103/105 Grants and reallocating the funds into the FY 1998-99 Budget for the PAMS program. This carry-over of grant funds, due primarily to AQMD’s efforts to maximize the value of sequencing annual PAMS funds, has been discussed with and accepted by EPA.
Regarding the status of the 103 Grant funds for the PM2.5 monitoring, Assistant Deputy Executive Officer of Technology Advancement Dr. Chung Liu explained there is an estimated $150,000 shortfall between the funds being provided in the next fiscal year and the actual cost of the work the District is expected to complete. Staff is preparing a letter to EPA with respect to the shortfall, a copy of which Committee Chair Glover directed be sent to David Howekamp, EPA Director of the Air Division, since he had assured the Finance Committee the District would receive the funds. Moved (Soto), seconded (Wilson) and unanimously recommended for approval.
Issue RFQ to Purchase Instruments for Automatic Gas Calibration Systems: Mr. Eden briefed the Committee regarding the need to replace aging gas calibration systems with modern, state-of-the-art equipment. The new equipment will save personnel time since they are remote control units and calibrations can be performed through a modem from a remote location. (Dr. Liu said that the shortfall discussed
during the review of the previous item is for the next fiscal year and is for the PM2.5 Program; therefore, it would not affect the funds for this request.) Moved (Lee), seconded (Soto) and unanimously recommended for approval.
Issue Blanket Purchase Order for the Purchase of Compressed Pure Gases and Cryogenic Liquids, and Establish List of Pre-qualified Vendors for the Purchase of Compressed Mixed Gases: Moved (Lee), seconded (Soto) and unanimously recommended for approval.
Review August 14, 1998 Governing Board Agenda: Dr. Barry Wallerstein confirmed that Item #1639, Strategic Plan for Information Management, will be continued to the September agenda pursuant to Committee Chair Glover’s earlier motion on this topic.
Other Business: Dr. Wallerstein informed the Committee that on August 21, 1998, the date of the next regularly scheduled Administrative Committee meeting, the Inland Empire Economic Partnership is holding an air quality conference from approximately 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., and a number of the Governing Board Members are planning to attend. Since Conference organizers have offered the use of their conference rooms at the conclusion of the Conference, Supervisor Wilson suggested the next Administrative Committee meeting be held at the Conference site in Ontario, at 1:30 p.m. on August 21, 1998. Committee Member Mee Lee indicated she will not be able to attend in Ontario and Dr. Wallerstein offered to see if videoteleconferencing could be arranged to enable her to attend.
Public Comment: None
Committee Chair Glover adjourned the meeting at 11:00 a.m.
Report on Board Member Travel Authorized by the
Chairman (June 19 – July 24, 1998):
DATE
TRAVELER
DESTINATION
PURPOSE
July 13, 1998
Norma Glover
Nell Soto
Sacramento, CA
AB 2194 – Senate Appropriations Committee
July 23-24, 1998
James Silva
Sacramento, CA
CARB Meeting
July 27, 1998
Nell Soto
Sacramento, CA
Meet with members of the Latino Legislative Caucus regarding
AB 2194
July 28-30, 1998
Norma Glover
Squaw Creek, CA
CCEEB Summer Issues Seminar
August 13-14, 1998
Leonard Paulitz
Sacramento, CA
League of California Cities Conference Committee on Environmental Quality
