South Coast Air Quality Management District

Administrative Committee

SYNOPSIS: 

The Administrative Committee met Friday, August 10, 2001, and reviewed the proposed agenda for the September 21, 2001, Board meeting. The Committee also discussed various issues detailed in the Committee report. The next Administrative Committee meeting is Friday, September 14, 2001, at 9:30 a.m. in Conference Room CC-8.

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Receive and file.

Norma J. Glover, Chair
Administrative Committee

Attendance: Present were Vice Chair Norma Glover, Board Members Beatrice LaPisto-Kirtley and Ron Loveridge. Absent were Chairman Burke and Board Members Roy Wilson and Hal Bernson.

DISCUSSION ITEMS:

1. Board Member Concerns: There was extensive discussion regarding the Special Meeting of the Administrative Committee scheduled for August 16 relative to interviews being conducted to select three firms to perform ethnic community outreach services. Mr. Loveridge inquired as to which Committee members would be in attendance, and Tania Christman responded that Supervisor Wilson (via videoteleconference), Dr. Burke, and Mrs. Glover would attend. Dr. Wallerstein stated that if a quorum was not present, the meeting would be canceled. He described how the process included a preliminary panel review of the 23 proposals submitted, which narrowed the list to 8 firms. A special meeting of the Administrative Committee on August 16 will conduct interviews to recommend award of the contracts. Funding of $1.5 million is available from the AES Settlement Fund, to be allocated in the amount of $250,000 per year for each of the three targeted communities. After contracts have been initiated, specific task orders (to be approved by the Governing Board) will be issued to ensure AQMD is receiving good value in return of the investment being made. The Board would be able to decide whether to continue the contract with each firm.
   
   Ms. LaPisto-Kirtley expressed concern on how the task orders are to be determined when the goals for this effort have not yet been specified. Dr. Wallerstein stated that those firms selected to initiate the outreach program will have their performance monitored by the Governing Board. Mr. Loveridge asked why the emphasis was to split the contract amount equally among three ethnic groups and requested a public opinion survey of South Coast Basin be conducted to relate gender, ethnicity, age, geographic location, and awareness of air quality issues. Dr. Wallerstein stated the Governing Board decided to allocate equal amounts of contract money to initiate this type of aggressive outreach and that monthly town hall meetings were implemented to maintain contact with community members.
   
   Mr. Loveridge asked how the success of the program will be determined, and Oscar Abarca, Assistant DEO/Public Affairs & Transportation Programs, stated that public opinion surveys of all three ethnic groups will be conducted to determine the level of awareness of constituents regarding air quality related issues and of AQMD. He continued that at the end of the process, an additional survey will be conducted to determine how effective the outreach programs have been. Mr. Abarca stated it will up to the Board’s discretion to determine how the polling will be conducted—individually or as a group. Mr. Loveridge requested a baseline survey be conducted.
   
   Mr. Abarca stated that one of the stipulations in the RFP asks that firms performing outreach include leadership groups, who can serve as advocates for AQMD programs. Ms. LaPisto-Kirtley requested safeguards be placed regarding this outreach, and Dr. Wallerstein stated that task orders would resolve this concern. Mrs. Glover requested Mr. Abarca bring the first survey to the September 14 Administrative Committee meeting, and Dr. Wallerstein agreed.
   
   
2. Chairman’s Report of Approved Travel: Dr. Wallerstein reported that Chairman Burke approved the following travel: Mrs. Glover’s and Cynthia Verdugo-Peralta’s attendance at the International Future Transportation Technology Conference to be held in Costa Mesa on August 20-22. Moved by LaPisto-Kirtley, seconded by Glover, and unanimously recommended for approval.
   
   
3. Approval of Compensation for Board Member Assistant(s): None.
   
   
4. Out-of-Country Travel: Dr. Wallerstein stated that Dr. Chung Liu would be attending the Seventh Grove Fuel Cell Symposium in London, England on September 11-13; he further reported Dr. Burke’s attendance at the 18^th International Electric Vehicle Symposium in Berlin, Germany on October 20-24. Moved by Glover, seconded by LaPisto-Kirtley, and unanimously recommended for approval.
   
   
5. Report on AQMD Performance Audit for FY Ending June 2000: Mr. Loveridge voiced his concurrence that public agencies, such as AQMD, should conduct performance audits regularly to obtain expert evaluation regarding their activities. He requested Thompson, Cobb, Bazilio & Associates, who conducted the audit, make a presentation at the next Administrative Committee meeting. Mrs. Glover suggested this item, therefore, be continued to the September 14 Administrative Committee meeting and the September 21 Board meeting.
   
   
6. Execute Contract for Redesign of Permit Application Forms: Mohsen Nazemi, Assistant DEO/Engineering and Compliance, explained that this recommendation is a result of the Permit Streamlining Task Force meetings previously held. A contract for award is being recommended to Civic Resources Group to redesign AQMD’s permit application forms which will be more user friendly. Civic Resources Group received higher technical points and lower costs than the other companies who responded. Mr. Loveridge asked if Mr. Nazemi was comfortable with the recommended contractor, and Mr. Nazemi answered affirmatively. Moved by LaPisto-Kirtley, seconded by Loveridge, and unanimously recommended for approval.

SEPTEMBER AGENDA ITEMS

7. Report of RFPs and RFQs Scheduled for Release in September: Mr. Pearce stated that two RFPs –Hire Outside Liability Counsel and Treasury Management Operations—are being recommended for approval. Mr. Loveridge requested that the name of the publication titled Riverside Press Enterprise be changed to Press Enterprise for future RFPs and asked how the list of newspapers was established. Mr. Pearce answered that the Governing Board requested this list be established four to five years ago when outreach for advertising was being initiated. Dr. Wallerstein stated staff will brief the Administrative Committee at their next meeting regarding the publications being used and their circulation. Ms. LaPisto-Kirtley stated that there could be duplication of coverage of some publications and she would like to review the geographical areas targeted. Moved by LaPisto-Kirtley, seconded by Loveridge, and unanimously recommended for approval.
   
   
8. Review September 21, 2001, Governing Board Agenda: Moved by Glover, seconded by LaPisto-Kirtley, and unanimously recommended for approval.
   
   
9. Other Business: Mrs. Glover requested Dr. Liu provide the Administrative Committee with a two-page assessment of fuel cell technology at its October meeting. Mr. Loveridge requested Board Members provide reports regarding their attendance at conferences, and Dr. Wallerstein stated that such reports are provided to Governing Board Members when their travel is out of the country.
   
   Mr. Abarca and Mrs. Christman were presented with their 10-year pins by Dr. Wallerstein.
   
   
10. Public Comment: None.

Meeting adjourned at 10:25 a.m.

A special meeting of the Administrative Committee was held on August 16. Present were Chairman William Burke, Committee Chair Norma Glover, and Board Members Cynthia Verdugo-Peralta and Roy Wilson (via videoteleconference). Absent were Board Members Bea LaPisto-Kirtley and Hal Bernson.
Action Items/Recommendations to the Governing Board:

1. Authorize Additional Funding from AES Settlement Fund for Installation of MicroTurbine Equipment: Dr. Chung Liu stated that an additional $100,000 is being requested to install microturbines, which will be obtained from the interest earned from the AES settlement. Moved by Wilson, seconded by Glover, and unanimously recommended for approval.
   
   
2. Interviews for Community Outreach Program Assistance Contracts: Interviews were conducted to select three firms to perform ethnic community outreach services. The Committee recommends the following firms be awarded two-year contracts: Strategy Workshops, Inc. and Imada Wong $500,000 combined (moved by Glover, seconded by Burke, and unanimously recommended for approval); Oralia Michel for $500,000 (moved by Verdugo-Peralta, seconded by Burke, and unanimously recommended for approval); and RCA Associates for $500,000 (moved by Burke, seconded by Verdugo-Peralta, and unanimously recommended for approval). Mrs. Glover requested that the contractor’s performance be monitored on a task basis by the Governing Board. Dr. Burke requested a monthly report be provided by Mr. Abarca to the Board regarding the status of the program.

This meeting ended at approximately 3:30 p.m.

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