Back

BOARD MEETING DATE: April 9, 1999 AGENDA NO. 26

REPORT:

Administrative Committee

SYNOPSIS:

The Administrative Committee met Friday, March 19, 1999, and reviewed the proposed agenda for the April 9, 1999 Board meeting. The Committee also discussed various issues detailed in the Committee report. The next Administrative Committee meeting is Friday, April 23, 1999, at 9:30 a.m., in Conference Room CC-8.

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Receive and file.

Norma J. Glover, Chair
Administrative Committee

Attendance:
Present were Committee Chair Norma Glover; Committee Members Beatrice LaPisto-Kirtley; and Roy Wilson (via videoteleconference). Absent were Committee Members Hal Bernson, Cynthia Coad and Mee H. Lee. Committee Chair Glover appointed Dr. William Burke (participating via videoteleconference) as ad hoc Administrative Committee member for the meeting of March 19, 1999 only.

DISCUSSION ITEMS:

1. Chairman’s Report of Approved Travel: Referring to the Report on Board Member Travel Authorized by the Chairman, Executive Officer Dr. Barry Wallerstein reported that in addition to the trips listed, staff will be requesting approval for Board Member travel to Sacramento in support of legislation for TAO reauthorization over the next few months. Moved (LaPisto-Kirtley), seconded (Wilson), and unanimously recommended for approval. (See end of report for detail.)

2. Approval of Compensation for Board Member Assistant(s): The Committee considered and recommended approval of the proposed compensation for Board Member Cynthia Coad’s Consultant, Richard C. Alexander. Mr. Alexander’s compensation was confirmed at $45 per hour as a Consultant (independent contractor status) not to exceed $27,000 in this fiscal year. Moved (LaPisto-Kirtley), seconded (Glover) and unanimously recommended for approval.

3. Out-of-Country Travel: None. Dr. Burke commented that, in the past, there had been significant out-of-country travel for Board Members to attend symposiums and conferences on alternative fuels and other air quality issues; however, recently there has been no participation at these events. Dr. Burke expressed his concern that, as a result, AQMD may not be keeping in touch with the worldwide picture. He requested that staff provide information regarding the international conferences that have been attended by Board Members in the past, and information on upcoming conferences that may be of interest to Board Members. This information should be faxed to the full Board. Committee Chair Glover concurred, adding that the Board should be kept informed on the latest technologies that would be presented at worldwide conferences.

4. Status Report on Implementation of Inland Empire Initiatives: Dr. Wallerstein provided the Committee with a brief update on the progress of the implementation of the seven initiatives recommended by the Ad Hoc Inland Empire Committee. Several initiatives have been fully implemented, including:

• Board Members now receive faxed notice of Stage 1 Advisories when they occur;
• The report on the near-term analysis of 1998 Stage 1 episodes in the Eastern Basin has been submitted to the Board;
• Pagers to provide real-time air quality information have been distributed and are in use;
• The clean air fair commitment is being fulfilled through AQMD’s major sponsorship and showcase at the 13th Annual Inland Empire Environmental Expo scheduled for Saturday, April 24, 1999, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Cal State University, San Bernardino, expected to draw 10,000 student and community attendees;
• School site selection is in process for field testing of the air-conditioner-bound catalyst system to reduce ozone;
• A comprehensive funding request has been submitted to U.S. EPA to expand the District’s upper air wind profiler system;
• Geographically based strategies and impacts are being evaluated as part of the ongoing 2000 AQMP development.

In addition, to co-sponsoring the April 24 Inland Empire Environmental Expo, staff is looking into other outreach opportunities to promote the clean air message. Supervisor Wilson, Ad Hoc Inland Empire Committee Chair, commented that staff has done an excellent job following through on the recommendations.

1. Local Government and Small Business Assistance Advisory Group – Goals and Objectives: Lupe Valdez, Deputy Executive Officer of Public Affairs and Transportation Programs, advised that the goals and objectives were not yet available; however, the remaining issues are expected to be resolved at the Advisory Group’s meeting next month. Ms. Valdez provided highlights of the Group’s last meeting.

2. On-Hold Messages and Music: Tom Eichhorn, Director of Communications, explained the proposal to allow staff to offer clean air messages and music to callers who have to be placed on "hold." The District receives approximately 300,000 telephone calls each year, 200,000 of which come in on the toll-free, 1-800-CUT-SMOG information line. These callers may be put on "hold" and, currently when this happens, there is silence on the line. On-hold messages and music provide an opportunity to offer clean air messages to educate the public. The initial cost is $2,500 per year with an approximate $1,000 per year update. The system will be applied to all incoming calls. Mr. Eichhorn confirmed that a message regarding diesel emissions will be included. Ms. LaPisto-Kirtley suggested adding the following wording to public service announcements about the toll-free line: "Or press #-S-M-O-G if you are a cell phone user."
   
   Public Comment: Mr. Curtis Coleman, representing the California Manufacturers Association, suggested including a message which identifies who the caller has reached, explains the individual is busy taking another call, and include periodic messages, for example: "Please don’t hang up. Your call is important to us."
   
   Moved (Wilson), seconded (LaPisto-Kirtley) and unanimously recommended for approval.

APRIL AGENDA ITEMS:

3. Issue RFP for Management Firm to Operate Diamond Bar Headquarters Child Care Center: Eudora Tharp, Acting Director of Administrative and Human Resources Services, reported that the contract with the current firm that operates the child care center expires August 31, 1999, and staff is requesting authorization to issue an RFP to solicit bids for a new three-year contract for these services. Dr. Burke requested that staff provide him with information regarding the award situation when the current child care center firm was selected. Moved (Glover), seconded (Burke) and unanimously recommended for approval.

4. Amend Contract with Avnet Computer to Upgrade Business and Development Computers: Chris Marlia, Acting Director of Information Management, reported that it is staff’s recommendation to amend the current contract to exercise the upgrade option in the Technology Management Maintenance Service lease to increase storage, backup and processors. Dr. Wallerstein added there is a need to expand the capability of the business computer system, which supports programs such as CLASS, NSR, compliance, permits, and finance. Moved (Wilson), seconded (LaPisto-Kirtley) and unanimously recommended for approval.
   
   With regard to approving upgrades to the computer systems, Dr. Burke commented that the expectation had been that, with the new electronic technologies, there would be a decrease in the amount of hard copies generated. However, Committee members commented that has not been the case, and discussed the quantity of paper they receive from AQMD. Ms. LaPisto-Kirtley suggested E-mailing agendas and sending executive summaries rather than full reports. Dr. Burke stated that he wants a reduction in the amount of paper used at the AQMD and Dr. Wallerstein said that staff would evaluate ways to distribute documents and agendas in an electronic manner.

5. Revise Procurement Policy and Procedure: Rick Pearce, Chief Financial Officer, introduced Nancy Covey, Contracts Manager, who presented a brief overview of the proposed policy revisions, including:

• Changes to business practices approved in concept at the October 9, 1998 Board meeting;
• Addition of small business definition and evaluation preference;
• New evaluation scoring method for proposals; and
• Update to reflect organizational and procedural changes.

Ms. Covey explained that the small business definition will be the same as the State of California definition, except the AQMD will accept both State certification and self-certification and will not require that the principal office and officers be located in California. This is to meet federal funding requirements. Committee Chair Glover asked if the definition will be used uniformly throughout the agency, and Mr. Pearce responded this definition would be used only for procurement. Staff reviewed the proposed definition with the small business sub-committee of the Ethnic Community Advisory Group which did not reach consensus on a recommended definition of small business for procurement. All small business definitions that AQMD uses, and the purpose for which those definitions are applied, will be consolidated into a future revision of Rule 102 – Definition of Terms.

With regard to the method used for scoring points for research and development projects, staff is recommending emphasis on technical expertise; for non-technical services, a higher emphasis would be placed on cost.

Moved (Glover), seconded (LaPisto-Kirtley) and unanimously recommended for approval.

6. AQMD Fee Structure Study: Based upon the final report submitted by the accounting firm of Thompson, Cobb, Bazilio and Associates, Mr. Pearce provided Committee members with a summary of the study’s key findings. The study presented the following conclusions and recommendations:

• Better cost information system needs to be implemented;
• Fee categories assigned to certain BCAT/CCAT items need to be realigned within the existing Regulation III fee schedule;
• A simple "Air Quality Improvement Fee" should be instituted and the annual operating and annual emission fees eliminated;
• The fee system could be simplified and thus made easier for applicants to use by
  eliminating small business discounts and developing a one-page application form for high-frequency equipment and control devices; and
• Relatively minor adjustments to Title V should be made, and the need for Hearing Board fee adjustments should be considered.

Following discussion regarding various issues raised in the report, Committee Chair Glover inquired if the Administrative Committee was being asked to approve it. Mr. Pearce responded that the staff is requesting the Committee Receive and File the report and the Board letter will be revised to reflect that. In addition, Committee Chair Glover requested staff modify the letter to include the attendance records for the Fee Structure Study Advisory Committee meetings.

Moved (Glover), seconded (LaPisto-Kirtley) and unanimously recommended to receive and file the report

Public Comment: Mr. Lee Wallace, representing Sempra Energy, said that he served on the Advisory Committee and thanked the Board and Dr. Wallerstein for waiting on adoption of fee increases. Mr. Wallace also commented on reducing emission fees by lowering the threshold and the complexity of Regulation III.

At 10:45 a.m. Dr. Burke announced that he had to leave the meeting but, with regard to the establishment of the Code of Ethics Committee, he requested that the record show he has appointed Board Members Mee Lee and Hal Bernson to the Committee.

Review April 9, 1999 Governing Board Agenda: Dr. Wallerstein reported the following changes to the agenda:

Continue

• #1871 – Execute Contracts for AQIP Proposals Received During Third Quarter of 1998 -- Continued to June
• #1888 – Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee and Approve Motor Vehicle Registration Fees Report to California Air Resources Board for FY 1997-98 for the AB 2766 Discretionary Fund Portion – Continued to May

Addition to Consent Calendar

• Rule 2202 Emissions Equivalency Task Force Status Report

Addition to Board Calendar

• Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee

11. Other Business: None

12. Public Comment: None
    Committee Chair Glover adjourned the meeting at 10:55 a.m.

Report on Board Member Travel Authorized by the
Chairman (February 19 – March 19, 1999):

/ / /