Aug 07, 2024 Water and Wastewater Commission

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UH,

[CALL TO ORDER]

IT IS, UH, AUGUST 7TH AND, UM, I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND CALL ROLL.

UM, TODAY ONLINE WE HAVE SABRINA RECHART AND WILLIAM MORTY.

AND IN PERSON WE HAVE, UM, THE WRONG WAY AROUND.

UH, COMMISSIONER MAXWELL GAINES.

COMMISSIONER MARCELLA SION.

UM, COMMISSIONER PEN, DUREN, COMMISSIONER MUSGROVE AND COMMISSIONER NARIO WITH WHO'S ABSENT? YES.

UH, COMMISSIONER PENN AND COMMISSIONER REYES, OR ABSENT? I GET EVERYBODY? YES.

ALL RIGHT, WONDERFUL.

UM, DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMUNICATION? NO, UH, WITH NO PUBLIC COMMUNICATION.

WE WILL MOVE TO, UM, SHOULD WE DO ITEM ONE FIRST OR JUST DO THE CONSENT? UM, ITEM ONE.

OKAY.

LET'S GO

[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]

[DISCUSSION AND ACTION ]

I'LL JUST CALL EVERYBODY OUT AND WE CAN DO, UM, RECUSALS AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

UM, COMMISSIONER NAVARRO, ANY QUESTIONS OR RECUSALS? NO QUESTIONS.

NO.

RECUSALS COMMISSIONER MAXWELL GAINES? NO QUESTIONS? NO.

RECUSALS ASIDE FROM A TECHNICAL QUESTION ON THE AGENDA.

WHAT NUMBER? NO, JUST, I WANNA CLEAR THIS UP, LIKE NOT BEING PRESENT AT THE LAST MEETING.

CAN I VOTE TO APPROVE THE MINUTES? YES.

OKAY.

BECAUSE I'VE REVIEWED 'EM, BUT JUST NOT PHYSICALLY BEING HERE.

YOU ARE, YOU ARE ELIGIBLE TO, UH, VOTE ON THE OKAY.

FINAL.

NEVER ASK THAT QUESTION AGAIN.

I JUST WANTED TO CLEAR.

YOU MAY ASK IT AS MANY TIMES AS YOU NEED .

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

IT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

UM, COMMISSIONER SION, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR RECUSALS? NO QUESTIONS.

NO.

RECUSALS UH, COMMISSIONER MUSGROVE? NO QUESTIONS? NO.

RECUSALS, UH, COMMISSIONER PAN PANDER ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS.

I'M RECUSING FROM SIX AND SEVEN.

MY FIRM IS THE DESIGN ENGINEER ON BOTH OF THE PROJECTS.

RECUSALS ON SIX AND SEVEN.

WONDERFUL.

COMMISSIONER REIHART? NO QUESTIONS.

NO RECUSALS COMMISSIONER MURTY RECUSING ON ITEM FOUR? NO QUESTIONS.

NO QUESTIONS.

WONDERFUL.

ALL RIGHT, COMMISSIONERS, UH, GOING THROUGH THE AGENDA FOR CONSENT, WE HAVE ITEMS 1, 2, 3, 5, AND THAT'S IT.

UM, DO I HAVE A RECOMMENDATION FOR CONSENT FOR THOSE ITEMS? I MOVE TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.

I'LL SECOND IT.

GREAT.

SO MOVED BY COMMISSIONER MAXWELL GAINES AND SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MUSGROVE.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

I HAVE A TECHNICAL QUESTION.

I RECUSED FROM SIX AND SEVEN.

CAN I STILL RAISE MY HAND ON THIS? YES.

'CAUSE I PULLED SIX AND SEVEN FROM THE AGENDA.

UH, AND THAT IS UNANIMOUS.

UH, CONSENT.

UH, AGENDA PASSES.

ALRIGHT, MOVING ON TO ITEM

[4. Recommend approval to execute a contract for sewer pipe smoke testing, flow monitoring, and lateral closedcircuit television inspection with Interra Hydro, Inc., for up to five years for a total contract amount not to exceed $1,750,000]

UH, RECOMMENDED APPROVAL TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT FOR SEWER PIPE SMOKE TESTING, FLOW MONITORING, AND LATERAL CLOSED CIRCUIT TELEVISION INSPECTION WITH INTER HYDRO INC.

FOR UP TO FIVE YEARS FOR A TOTAL CONTRACT AMOUNT, NOT TO EXCEED A HUN ONE POINT $751.75 MILLION.

AND I HAD RECUSAL ON THAT ITEM.

DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? UH, AND COMMISSIONER MORIARTY, UH, CAN YOU PLEASE STATE THE REASON FOR YOUR RECUSAL? I DID SOME WORK FOR ONE OF THE RESPONDENTS, BUT NOT THE SUCCESSFUL RESPONDENT.

FAIR ENOUGH.

[00:05:02]

I'LL SECOND IT.

UH, COMMISSIONER TUON SION MOVES AND COMMISSIONER MUSGROVE SECONDS.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

AND THAT IS A HUNDRED PERCENT APPROVAL.

WELL, COMMISSIONER MORIARTY CANNOT, UH, VOTE ON THAT ONE.

SO HE'S RECUSING ON, ON THAT ITEM.

SO HIS HAND GOES DOWN? YES.

OKAY.

SO EVERYBODY BUT COMMISSIONER MORIARTY APPROVES, UM, ITEM NUMBER FOUR.

ITEM NUMBER SIX,

[6. Recommend approval to execute a contract for construction services for the Northwest Area Lift Station Improvements Great Hills Lift Station project with Cedar Hills Construction, LLC, in the amount of $8,346,340 plus a $834,634 contingency for a total contract amount not to exceed $9,180,974. (District 6) ]

THIS IS IN DISTRICT 10 COMMISSIONERS.

DO I HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON ITEM NUMBER SIX? DO I HAVE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER SIX? IT WAS DISTRICT SIX, RIGHT? YES.

OKAY.

I MOVE TO APPROVE.

DO I HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND THAT MOTION.

ALL RIGHT.

SO I HAVE APPROVAL BY COMMISSIONER MAXWELL GAINES AND A SECOND TIE .

UM, ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

I'M SORRY, WHO WAS THE SEC? UH, THE SECOND, UH, DO I HAVE TO HAVE SOMEBODY OFFICIALLY? YES.

OKAY.

UM, COMMISSIONER MUSGROVE SECOND.

UM, UM, , THOSE WHO APPROVE, PLEASE SHOW BY RAISING YOUR HAND.

AND WE HAVE EVERYBODY EXCEPT FOR COMMISSIONER PANDER PAN DURRANI, WHO IS RECUSING FROM THIS ITEM, AND SO IT PASSES.

ALL RIGHT.

ITEM NUMBER SEVEN,

[7. Recommend approval a contract for construction services for the Four Points Lift Station project with Texas Gas Service (Texas Gas), in the amount of $126,000 plus a $12,600 contingency, for a total contract amount not to exceed $138,600. (District 10)]

THIS TAKES PLACE IN DISTRICT 10 COMMISSIONERS.

DO I HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON ITEM NUMBER SEVEN? AND DO I HAVE A MOTION I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE ITEM SEVEN.

I HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER MUSGROVE SECOND, AND I HAVE A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER SCION.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SHOW BY RAISING YOUR HAND.

AND AGAIN, IT'S UNANIMOUS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF COMMISSIONER PANANG WHO IS RECUSING FROM THIS ITEM.

ALL RIGHT.

THAT WAS EASY.

AND NOW THE MINUTES, WE WE DID IT, WE DID IT ON CONSENT.

OH, OKAY.

AND EVERYBODY, SO I THINK OKAY.

I CAN DO IT AGAIN IF YOU'RE CONCERNED.

OKAY.

ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU.

BECAUSE WE DON'T WANNA HAVE TO COME BACK FOR THAT .

ALL RIGHT.

UM, COMMISSIONERS.

MOVING TO THE NEXT ITEM OF THE AGENDA

[8. Update from the Austin Integrated Water Resource Planning Community Task Force meeting regarding Water Forward Plan implementation and progress on plan updates – Commissioner William Moriarty]

COMMISSIONER MORTY, DO YOU HAVE AN UPDATE FOR US TODAY? I DO.

CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY? YES, WE, WE CAN.

THANK YOU.

UM, WE HAVE NOT HAD A MEETING SINCE OUR LAST WATER WASTEWATER COMMISSION MEETING, BUT WE ARE MEETING NEXT WEEK.

AND, UM, THE, UH, COMMITTEE AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS DRIVING TOWARDS A COMPLETION OF THE 2024 UPDATE OF THE WATER FORWARD PLAN.

OF COURSE, THE, THE ORIGINAL PLAN WAS PUBLISHED IN 2018, SO THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND THE AUSTIN WATER DEPARTMENT COMMITTED TO UPDATING THE PLAN EVERY FIVE YEARS.

SO THIS IS THE FIVE YEAR UPDATE.

WHAT IS, UH, MOST, UH, INTERESTING ABOUT THIS COMING MEETING, WHICH I BELIEVE IS THIS COMING TUESDAY, IS THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND THE AUSTIN WATER DEPARTMENT'S GONNA ENTERTAIN 72 RECOMMENDATIONS FROM MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE WHO, UH, WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THE WATER CONSERVATION PLAN THAT CITY SUBMITTED TO, UH, THE TEXAS WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD BACK IN MAY.

SO, UH, WE AS COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND VOLUNTEERS HAVE OFFERED 72

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SO, UH, WE'RE HOPING TO, UH, ENCOURAGE, UH, VARIOUS WATER CONSERVATION MEASURES THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO OUR LONG-TERM SURVIVAL AS A CITY.

WITH THAT, I WOULD BE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.

DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR COMMISSIONER MURTY? AND SO THE, THE, THESE, UM, RECOMMENDATIONS ARE GONNA BE ADDRESSED AT YOUR NEXT MEETING NEXT WEEK? THAT IS WHAT WE ARE, UH, I BELIEVE WILL HAPPEN, YES.

OKAY, GREAT.

WELL, LOOKING FORWARD TO THE RESULTS AND THE NEW UPDATED PLAN.

THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT.

UH, MOVING FORWARD TO ITEM NUMBER NINE,

[9. Update from the Joint Sustainability Committee meeting regarding conservation and sustainability initiatives – Vice Chair Chris Maxwell-Gaines]

CHAIR MAXWELL GAINES, DO YOU HAVE AN UPDATE FOR US TODAY? I DO NOT HAVE AN UPDATE SINCE I, I DID NOT ATTEND THE LAST MEETING.

SO, UM, I GUESS THIS WILL ALSO, MAYBE WE CAN ROLL INTO DISCUSSION OF THE FUTURE ITEMS HERE BECAUSE, UH, THE JOINT SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE, I, I GUESS THIS CAN BE PART OF MY REPORT, UH, WAS ASKING FOR ALTERNATES FROM THE VARIOUS COMMISSIONS, UM, SO THAT WHENEVER THE MAIN, THE PRIMARY WAS NOT AVAILABLE, THAT THE ALTERNATE COULD BE AVAILABLE.

AND SO I BELIEVE THAT WE HAD IN THE PAST, UM, DISCUSSED AND MAYBE TALKED ABOUT IT, BUT I THINK FOR THE NEXT MEETING, WE SHOULD, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO PUT THAT ON THE AGENDA TO ASK FOR, UH, SOMEONE TO STEP UP AS AN ALTERNATIVE OR ALTERNATE MEMBER TO THE JSC.

UM, I WOULD STILL GLADLY BE THE PRIMARY, BUT JUST IN TIMES WHEN I'M NOT AVAILABLE.

SO, UM, IF WE CAN ADD THAT TO THE FUTURE AGENDA, UM, I THAT'S FINE WITH ME.

I THINK WE SHOULD, AND COMMISSIONERS, IF YOU'RE INTERESTED, UM, PLEASE LET MYSELF OR BIANCA KNOW, UH, HOW, UM, WHAT IS THE COMMITMENT ON THAT? DO THEY MEET MONTHLY OR? YES, IT'S JUST MONTHLY.

YOU KNOW, TYPICALLY IT'S THE, UH, THIRD OR FOURTH, UM, WE, UH, WEDNESDAY OF THE MONTH, UM, TYPICALLY WE MEET AT THE CHAMBERS.

UH, OCCASIONALLY WE'VE, UH, MET AT, UH, THE, UH, PERMIT DEVELOPMENT CENTER.

UM, BUT TYPICALLY IT'S DOWN IN THE CHAMBERS, SO IT'S DOWNTOWN.

UM, AND, AND SO FROM AN OUTSIDE, UH, STANDPOINT, UH, HOURS OR TIME, UM, NOT TOO MUCH, BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST WHAT YOU PUT INTO IT IN ORDER TO UNDERSTAND, UM, EVERYTHING THAT'S COMING IN FROM ALL THE OTHER COMMISSIONS BECAUSE WE HAVE UPDATES FROM ALL THE OTHER COMMISSIONS.

UM, IF THAT COMMISSIONER WANTS TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE, SO, YOU KNOW, AT ANY MEETING WE COULD HAVE FOUR TO FIVE DIFFERENT UPDATES FROM A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT COMMISSIONS.

AND SO, UM, YOU'RE TAKING THAT INFORMATION IN.

SO, YEAH.

SO IT'S JUST WHAT YOU PUT INTO IT, BUT, AND IT'S NOT A HUGE, UH, TIME EFFORT, SO.

YEP.

AND SO I WILL BE HAPPY TO PUT THIS ON THE FUTURE AGENDA, UM, BECAUSE ANY, UH, ANYONE WHO IS INTERESTED, UH, JUST KNOW THAT IT'LL BE ON A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM AND THERE CAN BE MORE DISCUSSION.

AND IF ANYONE WANTS TO BE APPOINTED AT THAT MEETING, UH, ACTION CAN BE TAKEN THERE SO THAT I CAN RECORD IT AND SUBMIT IT.

THAT SOUNDS GOOD.

UH, I DID HAVE ANOTHER,

[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]

AND IT WASN'T ME , EVEN THOUGH I WENT TO THE WRONG BUILDING, UM, THEY WERE WONDERING IF WE COULD INTERTI INTER ENTERTAIN SOMETHING DURING THE DAY.

AND SO I DON'T KNOW IF WE COULD BRING THAT UP ON THE NEXT WELL, UH, THE, THAT, UH, THE MEETING SCHEDULE IS AN AGENDA ITEM THAT IS VOTED ON, UH, TOWARDS THE END OF THE YEAR.

MM-HMM, .

MM-HMM.

.

SO I AM HAPPY TO LOOK INTO IT IF IT, IF IT'S FEASIBLE IN THE PAST.

UH, IT, IT HAS BEEN IN THE EVENING BECAUSE, UM, THERE THE AVAILABILITY OF, UH, RESOURCES TO GET FACILITIES AND RESERVE A ROOM.

SO I WILL BE HAPPY TO, UH, CHECK WHAT ALL, UH, OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE AND PRESENT THOSE TO, TO MEMBERS SO THAT IF, UH, AN AFTERNOON DURING, DURING THE DAY MEETING IS, IS AN

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MM-HMM.

.

AND IF WE DID MAKE A CHANGE, IT WOULD NOT HAPPEN TILL NEXT YEAR, I'M SURE, BECAUSE YOU'RE ALREADY YES.

IT, IT WOULD, YES.

OUR, OUR, UH, MEETINGS ARE ALREADY SET, UH, IN, IN SCHEDULE.

BUT IT, I WILL LOOK TO SEE AVAILABLE OPTIONS FOR AFTERNOON AND EVENING, UH, FOR THE, THE TIME WHEN THAT IS GENERALLY VOTED ON, WHICH IS, UM, LIKE NOVEMBER.

OKAY.

OKAY.

SO MAYBE WE CAN HAVE AN UPDATE IN NOVEMBER OR WELL, YEAH, OR DECEMBER, DEPENDING ON THERE, THERE'LL BE AN UPDATE, UH, PREVIOUS TO THE NOVEMBER AGENDA WHEN THE, THE DATES, UH, ARE CONSIDERED.

OKAY.

ALRIGHT.

WONDERFUL.

DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER ITEMS THAT WE'D LIKE TO DISCUSS AT FUTURE MEETINGS? COMMISSIONERS? UM, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S BEEN DISCUSSED.

I REMEMBER, UH, WE WERE SPEAKING IN PARTICULAR WITH THE WATER METERS AND TRYING TO GET AN UPDATE OF THE COMMERCIAL USERS.

I THINK I ASKED THAT QUESTION A WHILE BACK AND JUST WANTED TO SEE IF THERE'S AN UPDATE OF ALL THE, YOU KNOW, THE PERCENTAGES OF COMMERCIAL USERS THAT HAVE REGISTERED FOR WATER METERS.

UM, IF WE CAN JUST GET AN ANSWER ON SOME ON THAT, I AM SURE WE COULD.

UM, WE DO GET, GO AHEAD.

GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.

ANA BRIAN BORJA, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS SERVICES, UH, COMMISSIONER NAVARRO.

WE, WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO GET THAT INFORMATION, UM, FOR YOU AND FOR THE COMMISSION.

I JUST WANNA CLARIFY EXACTLY THE NATURE OF WHAT YOU'RE SEEKING.

UM, AND I APOLOGIZE 'CAUSE I RECOGNIZE YOU HAVE, UH, POSSIBLY RAISED THAT BEFORE AND I MIGHT NOT HAVE, UH, HEARD AT THE TIME, BUT IF YOU WANNA ELABORATE NOW OR WE CAN FOLLOW UP WITH YOU AFTER THE MEETING TO GET MORE SPECIFICS.

WELL, IT WAS, UH, JUST THE, THE COMMERCIAL USERS THAT HAD REGISTERED FOR THE WATER METERS THAT YOU GUYS WERE LAUNCHING, UH, FOR THE NEW MY A A TX WATER METERS.

MM-HMM.

.

YES.

OKAY.

I THINK WE CAN, UM, CERTAINLY PREPARE, UM, A BRIEF, UM, SUMMARY OF THAT AND SHARE IT WITH THE COMMISSIONERS VIA EMAIL, UH, PRIOR TO THE NEXT MEETING.

AND THEN IF THERE'S MORE INFORMATION NEEDED, WE COULD CERTAINLY DO THAT.

UM, BE HAPPY TO GET THAT FOR YOU.

SOUNDS GREAT.

THANK YOU.

OKAY, THANK YOU.

SO NO OTHER FUTURE ITEMS WITH ANY OF THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS.

ALL RIGHT.

AT SIX 20, THE MEETING IS ADJOURNED.

ROUND CLOUD, WHAT GOES UP MUST COME DOWN.