BOARD MEETING DATE: May 4, 2007
AGENDA NO. 21

REPORT:

Administrative Committee

SYNOPSIS:

The Administrative Committee met Friday, April 13, 2007, and reviewed the proposed agenda for the May 4, 2007, Board meeting. The Committee also discussed various issues detailed in the Committee report. The next Administrative Committee meeting is scheduled on Friday, June 8, 2007 at 9:00 a.m. in Conference Room CC-8.

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Receive and file.

S. Roy Wilson, Vice Chair
Administrative Committee

Attendance: Present at AQMD were Jane Carney and Ronald Loveridge. Committee Vice Chair Roy Wilson attended the meeting via videoconference. Chair William Burke and Dennis Yates Loveridge were absent.

ACTION/DISCUSSION ITEMS:

1. Board Members’ Concerns: None.
    
2. Chairman’s Report of Approved Travel: None.
    
3. Approval of Compensation for Board Member Assistant(s): None.
    
4. Report of Approved Out-of-Country Travel: Elaine Chang stated that Larry Watkins, Program Supervisor in the Technology Advancement Office, will be attending the Hydrogen & Fuel Cells 2007 Conference scheduled on April 28 - May 2, 2007 in Vancouver, BC. Jane Carney requested a report from staff on this Conference immediately following this travel, with the report provided to the Technology Committee and the Mobile Source Committee.

MAY AGENDA ITEMS:

5. Execute Contract for Media Relations Services: Sam Atwood, Media Relations Manager, presented this item. The Committee listened to the individual presentations of the top three firms out of the four firms selected by the evaluation panel. Each firm was given the opportunity to make a brief presentation on their history and account executives, as well as how they envisioned their firm assisting the AQMD with media campaigns and outreach opportunities. After a lengthy discussion on this item, it was suggested by the Committee that this item be continued to the May 11, 2007 Committee meeting, wherein the Committee would receive input from the Executive Officer and the Media Manager as to the AQMD’s proposed desired media approach and how each firm’s expertise and envisioned media campaigns match the AQMD’s perceived needs. Dr. Chang recommended that such media campaigns also tie-in the consumer AQMP measures.
    
6. Adopt Executive Officer’s FY 2007-08 AQMD Budget and Work Program: Rick Pearce, Chief Financial Officer, presented this item.

The Committee waived the discussion and deferred this item to the Board Budget Workshop scheduled for April 20, 2007.

7. Amend Regulation III – Fees: Laki Tisopulos, Assistant DEO/Planning, Rule Development & Areas Sources, presented this item.
   
   The Committee waived discussion and deferred this item to the Board Budget Workshop scheduled for April 20, 2007.

Agenda items 8-11, 13 and 14, were moved for approval without staff report by Jane Carney, and seconded by Ron Loveridge. These items have been summarized below, however the items were not reported on during the Committee meeting.

8. Transfer and Appropriate Funds for Litigation Defense and Authorize Contracts to Expend Such Funds: The AQMD is involved in several major litigations with the assistance of outside counsel. Despite District Counsel’s best effort to reduce costs in the litigation process, the fund has since been depleted. Staff is requesting the Board to authorize the transfer of funds in the amount of $250,000 from the BP/ARCO Settlement Fund to the District Counsel Professional and Special Services account to fund outside legal assistance. It is further requested that the Board authorize the Executive Officer to amend contracts with Shute, Mihaly & Winberger and Woodruff, Spradlin & Smart for additional work on litigations.
    
9. Issue RFQ to Acquire CNG Van to be Used for Service Station Vapor Recovery System Testing: Comprehensive testing is an important component of the service station compliance program. Due to testing required to fully assess the effectiveness of the vapor systems, AQMD is in the process of acquiring testing equipment that are heavy and oversized which will require larger specialized vehicles to transport the units to the testing sites. Staff is recommending an RFP be issued to acquire bids for a CNG-fueled van in an amount not to exceed $50,000.
    
10. Issue Purchase Orders Under U.S. EPA PAMS and National Air Toxics Trends Station Programs and Execute Contract Under U.S. EPA PAMS Program: Since February 1993, U.S. EPA promulgated the PAMS regulations for areas classified as serious, severe or non-attainment. Since the onset of the program, U.S. EPA has allocated Section 105 supplemental grant funds annually in support of this program. Since its inception, the program has expanded to conduct monitoring for toxic air contaminants at two sites in the South Coast Air Basin. Staff is requesting approval to issue purchase orders and award a contract to purchase laboratory and field equipment in an amount not to exceed $517,465. In addition, staff is requesting approval to amend an existing contract with Sonoma Technologies to support the PAMS Upper Air Meteorological Monitoring Network in an amount not to exceed $60,000 and to execute a new contract with the same firm for the development of air quality database management software at a cost not to exceed $149,944.
     
11. Amend Contract to Provide Short- and Long-Term Systems Development, Maintenance and Support Services: The Board authorized staff to initiate contracts for system development, maintenance and support services with regards to the AQMD’s permit application fee refund process. Staff is requesting an additional amount of $65,200 for systems development and maintenance efforts that are currently needed to implement the recommended changes to the CLASS Finance and Permitting systems.
     
12. Appoint Members to AQMD Hearing Board: Saundra McDaniel, Clerk of the Boards, presented this item. The terms of the Hearing Board Medical and Public Members and their Alternates expire June 30, 2006. Qualified applicants were evaluated and ranked by a Hearing Board Advisory Committee and narrowed down the candidates who were invited for interviews. The Committee proposes the reappointment, for the term of July 1, 2007 to June 30, 2010, of the Medical Member, the two Public Members, and their respective alternates.
    
    The Committee requested staff bring back at the next Committee meeting the discussion of term limits for Hearing Board Members. In addition, the Committee suggested that more extensive recruitment measures may be necessary in future, and requested information on advertising for this and previous recruitment efforts.
    
    Motion by Carney, seconded by Loveridge, and unanimously approved.
     
13. Report of RFPs and RFQs Scheduled for Release in May: Under the revised Procurement Policy, RFPs and RFQs for budgeted items over $50,000, which follow the standard evaluation criteria, no longer require individual Board approval. A monthly report of all RFPs and RFQs over $50,000 is included as part of the Board package.
    
14. Release RFP for Consultant for Program Management of BP/ARCO Settlement Funding Projects and Program Announcement for Pilot Technical Assistance Project for Community Groups:
    
    
15. Ethnic Community Advisory Group Minutes for January 10, 2007: Attached for information are the Ethnic Community Advisory Group minutes for the January 10, 2007 meeting.
    
    
16. Local Government & Small Business Assistance Advisory Group Minutes for January 19 and February 16, 2007: Attached for information are the Local Government & Small Business Assistance Advisory Group Minutes for January 19 and February 16, 2007.
     
17. Review May 4, 2007 Governing Board Agenda: Elaine Chang reviewed the agenda with the Committee.
    
    On the request of Mayor Loveridge, staff will add an item to the May agenda that will provide an oral report of Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) recent activities related to the 2007 AQMP.
     
18. Other Business: None.
     
19. Public Comment: None.

Meeting adjourned at 11:10 a.m.

Attachments (EXE 109kb)
Ethnic Community Advisory Group Minutes for February 14, 2007
Local Government & Small Business Assistance Advisory group Minutes for January 19 and February 16, 2007