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The Zone 7 Water Agency Board of Directors is set to consider approving a contract to repair the agency’s flood control facilities Wednesday night.
The facilities in question were significantly damaged in the storms of January and February 2017, staff said in a report. After a competitive bidding process, staff recommends that the contract for Phase 1 of construction repairs be awarded to Fanfa, Inc. for a bid price of just under $2.8 million.
Funding will come from Fund 200, Flood Protection Operations.
Last year, 208 sites on Zone 7-owned channels were identified as damaged. In March, the board approved the US Army Corps of Engineers’ rehabilitation assistance to repair 26 of these sites, with Zone 7 providing 20% of construction costs.
The agency has been seeking avenues to repair the other damages, and has identified a series of damaged locations to be prioritized as “Phase 1” repairs this year, including along Arroyo Mocho, Chabot Canal, Alamo Canal and South San Ramon Creek.
Zone 7 advertised for Phase 1 construction on April 3, and by April 26, received six bids. Fanfa, Inc. was the third lowest bidder, but won the contract recommendation after staff found that the lowest two bids didn’t meet project specifications.
The open session meeting is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Zone 7 administration building, 100 N. Canyons Pkwy. in Livermore. This will be the first board meeting for Valerie Pryor, the agency’s new general manager.
In other business
* Directors will consider how to best handle the board vacancy created after Director Jim McGrail died on April 29. McGrail’s term is due to expire after the June primary election.
Per government code, the board has 60 days to fill a vacancy — if they do not do so, then the Alameda County Board of Supervisors is authorized to fill the vacancy within the next 30 days. In both cases, the appointed director would only serve for the remainder of McGrail’s term, which expires June 30.
Considering the short term of any potential interim appointee, staff recommends doing nothing, saying that appointing a director for one single meeting isn’t worth the expenditure of staff time for recruitment.
As McGrail was not seeking re-election, his death does not affect the Zone 7 board election on June 5.
* Directors will consider approving the board’s updated investment policy.
* The board will hear a report on a study determining the feasibility of potable reuse, or purified recycled water.
The study found that potable reuse — which is being considered as a local and drought-resistant water supply — is feasible in the Tri-Valley. The study also projected that the use of potable reuse would add $10-$15 to the average household bill.
A community survey was conducted in January, and according to staff, “a majority of respondents supports supplementing water supplies with purified recycled water” and “would support a $5 monthly increase in their water bills.” Respondents who opposed the potable reuse cited cost as the biggest barrier.
* The board will consider authorizing Pryor to negotiate and execute two contracts for environmental vegetation technical services: one with Ecological Concerns, Inc. for as-needed services for an amount not-to-exceed $330,000 annually, and one with RECON Environmental, Inc. for existing projects at ADLL Verona and Arroyo Mocho Stanley Reach for an amount not-to-exceed $165,000.
Both contracts would be paid for through Fund 200 — Flood Protection Operations/Emergency, and would be for an initial three-year period with the option to extend the contracts and budgets for two additional one-year periods.
* The board will commemorate two Zone 7 affiliates who recently died. A moment of silence will be held for McGrail and directors will consider approving an official commendation for Zone 7 consultant Carl Morrison.
Along those lines, former general manager Mun Mar is another recent death for the agency.
* Four students who were recently awarded by Zone 7 for their water-related projects at the Alameda County Science and Engineering Fair will make short presentations.
The student awardees are Shreyas Kallingal from Amador Valley High School, Lakshmi Sajith from Harvest Park Middle School and a duo from Dublin’s Quarry Lane High School, Eesha Pamula and Ritika Peddamallu.
* During a closed session beginning at 6:30 p.m., the board will confer with labor negotiators for local bargaining units, and confer with legal counsel on existing and potential litigation.