BOARD MEETING DATE: September 11, 1998 AGENDA NO. 27
REPORT:
Administrative Committee
SYNOPSIS:
The Administrative Committee met Friday, August 28, 1998, and reviewed the proposed agenda for the September 11, 1998 Board meeting. The Committee also discussed various issues detailed in the Committee report. The next Administrative Committee meeting is Friday, September 18, 1998, at 9:30 a.m., in Conference Room CC-8.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Receive and file this report.
Norma J. Glover, Chairman
Administrative Committee
Attendance: Present were Committee Members Nell Soto, Richard Alarcón, 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 Committee Chair Norma Glover, Vice Chairman James Silva, and Mee Hae Lee.
DISCUSSION ITEMS:
Local Government & Small Business Assistance Advisory Group Report: Deputy Executive Officer of Public Affairs and Local Government Assistance Lupe Valdez briefed the Committee on the activities of the LG&SBA Advisory Group. The Advisory Group has been reviewing permit streamlining, the AB 2766 Guidebook, and BACT/LAER. The next meeting is scheduled for Friday, September 4, when they will develop goals and objectives for 1999. When Ms. Valdez next reports on the Advisory Group’s activities, she will provide the Committee with the proposed goals and objectives.
(Supervisor Wilson departed at 9:10 a.m.)
Chairman’s Report of Approved Travel: Dr. Barry Wallerstein, Acting Executive Officer, informed the Committee that Chairman William Burke has approved the travel of Councilmember Richard Alarcón to Washington, DC to meet with Vice President Gore and various other officials regarding legislative advocacy on behalf of AQMD.
(Supervisor Wilson returned at 9:13 a.m.)
Approval of Compensation for Board Member Assistant(s): The Committee considered and recommended approval of the proposed compensation and contract for Councilmember Alarcón’s Board Member Consultant Réut Ness. Ms. Ness’s compensation was confirmed at $45 per hour as a Board Member Consultant (employee status) to a maximum this Fiscal Year of $16,000 with current Board Member Consultant Mark Dierking’s contract to be reduced by that sum. Moved (Wilson), seconded (Soto) and unanimously recommended for approval.
Out-of-Country Travel: There was no out-of-country travel to report.
(Supervisor Wilson departed at 9:14 a.m.)
SEPTEMBER AGENDA ITEMS:
Appropriate Funds from Undesignated Fund Balance to Stationary Source Compliance to Reinstate Amount Temporarily Reallocated to Fund Permit Streamlining Study: Dr. Wallerstein explained that the cost of the contract to conduct a comprehensive permit streamlining study that the Board had approved the previous month was not included in the 1998-99 Budget. Reallocation of the contract amount was required and this recommendation is to replace the reallocated funds back to the Stationary Source Compliance FY 1998-99 Permit Processing/Engineering Services line item from the Undesignated Fund Balance. Moved (Soto), seconded (Alarcón), and unanimously recommended for approval.
Execute Contract for Biennial Audit for Motor Vehicle Registration Revenues for Fiscal Years 1995-96 and 1996-97: Financial Analyst Lily Kapur briefed the Committee regarding the proposals in response to the RFP to conduct the biennial audit of expenditures of AB 2766 Motor Vehicle Registration revenues for FYs 1995-96 and 1996-97. The cost for AQMD’s portion of the audit is $6,795. Local governments and MSRC will pay for the cost of their portions of the audit in the amounts of $72,100 and $21,060 respectively.
Ms. Kapur explained that the evaluation panel recommended awarding the contract to Thompson, Cobb, Bazilio & Associates (TCBA), ranked second in the composite score, as they determined the firm represented the best value in technical skills and cost as authorized by the Procurement Policy. The firm of Simpson & Simpson offered a substantial discount which resulted in its ranking of number one on the composite score.
Dr. Wallerstein advised the Committee that the panel is recommending that we depart from normal contracting procedures by awarding the contract to a firm (TCBA) that had not submitted the highest-scoring bid. Further, the work previously done by Simpson & Simpson had been acceptable.
Public Comment: Mr. Alan T. Bowser, representing the Automobile Club of California, said that be believed the RFP was flawed in that the auditor is not required to examine whether there have been emission reductions as a result of the programs or projects that have been funded. Mr. Bowser recommended selecting Simpson & Simpson, thereby saving approximately $30,000, and using that savings to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the programs in reducing emissions. Mr. Bowser stressed the importance of providing the State Legislature data regarding tailpipe emission reductions.
(Supervisor Wilson returned at 9:25 a.m.)
District Counsel Barbara Baird explained that the State Attorney General has opined that the audit is required to reflect a determination of the propriety of the expenditures, not the degree of efficacy in reducing air pollution. Councilmember Alarcón asked about the outcome of the previous audits and Ms. Kapur reported that the first, conducted by Simpson & Simpson, focused on primarily on procedural issues and the second, conducted by TCBA, focused more on substantive compliance related issues. Councilman Alarcón asked if the contract could be awarded to Simpson & Simpson with the clear understanding that the focus be on compliance related issues and Ms. Baird responded that could be included in the contract. Dr. Wallerstein also indicated that staff will confer with the MSRC and others administering these funds.
Based upon the foregoing discussion, it was moved (Wilson), seconded (Soto) and unanimously recommended for approval to award the contract, with the addition of language regarding focus on compliance related issues, to the firm of Simpson & Simpson.
Execute an Agreement with ARB and Amend Existing Contract with National Technical Systems for the Phase II Assessment Study of Architectural Coatings: Assistant Deputy Executive Officer of Stationary Source Compliance Jack Broadbent reported that the ARB has allocated $20,000 toward expanding the scope of the current contract with National Technical Systems, the firm conducting the Phase II Assessment Study of architectural coatings. ARB requests that the AQMD manage a cost-share project for an additional category in the assessment study to include stains and other materials.
This item is also included on the agenda of the August 28, 1998 Stationary Source Committee (SS Committee) meeting and Ms. Soto expressed concern regarding the Administrative Committee recommending approval of this item prior the SS Committee’s review and recommendation to approve. Moved (Wilson), seconded (Alarcón), and approved 2-1 (Soto, no) to recommend approval of the item contingent on the SS Committee’s recommended approval.
Authorize Purchase of Back Office Software and Maintenance: Dr. Vinita Mathur, Director of Information Management, reported to the Committee regarding the purchase of Back Office software and maintenance agreement for two years for $70,000, which will provide the latest version of Back Office software for all AQMD desktop computers and servers. Moved (Alarcón), seconded (Wilson), and unanimously recommended for approval.
Strategic Plan for Information Management: Dr. Mathur summarized the Strategic Plan for Information Management stating that the Plan was originally issued in 1996 and the Plan now being presented to the Board is a two-year update. The 1998 Plan emphasizes streamlining operations and looking at new technologies to perform manual, repetitive work. In developing the current Plan, staff has coordinated with the Permit Streamlining group regarding its efforts in relation to information management services. Moved (Soto), seconded (Alarcón) and unanimously recommended for approval.
Review September 11, 1998 Governing Board Agenda: Dr. Wallerstein requested that the Committee add an item to the agenda under Board Calendar regarding the workplan to implement recommendations submitted by the Board’s Ad Hoc Inland Empire Committee.
With respect to the Other Business item entitled "Appoint AQMD Executive Officer and Establish Compensation Package" and the Closed Session item regarding the Executive Officer position, Supervisor Wilson reported that Board Members recently received a memo which stated that the second round of interviews of the Executive Officer candidates had been deferred to November 18. Director of Administrative and Human Resources Services Joe Contaoi confirmed that he had issued the memo at Dr. Burke’s direction and confirmed that Chairman Burke requested that the items regarding the selection of the Executive Officer be removed from the September Board agenda. Supervisor Wilson requested an item be added to the September agenda under Closed Session to discuss the matter of appointment of an Executive Officer and receive an explanation of Chairman Burke’s reasoning for this recommendation.
(Board Member Jon Mikels arrived at 9:35 a.m. during the above discussion.)
Supervisor Mikels stated it is appropriate to put the item in both categories to provide the Board the opportunity to fully address the issue, both in closed session and, if desired or appropriate, in open session.
Ms. Baird stated the Board-adopted policy provides that any Board member may request that any item be placed on the agenda for the next regular Board meeting, provided that the request is made prior to or at the meeting of the Administrative Committee which discusses the agenda for that Board meeting.
Pursuant to Board Member Wilson’s and Mikels’ requests, discussion of the Executive Officer appointment process, and/or appointment of the Executive Officer was added to the September agenda as both a Closed Session item and under Other Business.
(Board Member Ronald Loveridge arrived at 9:52 a.m.)
Other Business: Catherine Wasikowski, Director of Transportation, was present at the meeting and Dr. Wallerstein informed the Committee she had tendered her resignation to accept another position in the Bay Area and that August 28 was her last day at AQMD. Dr. Wallerstein commended Ms. Wasikowki for the excellent job she has done for the Agency, adding that she will be sorely missed.
Public Comment: Mr.John Billheimer, representing the Small Business Coalition, expressed his support for the postponement of Item #1679, Best Available Control Technology Guidelines Update to October, 1998.
Ms. Soto adjourned the meeting at 9:56 a.m.
Report on Board Member Travel Authorized by the Chairman (July 24 – August 21, 1998):
