HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 10b - Casting Votes for San Gabriel WQA BoardResolution No. 7390 – Casting Votes for San Gabriel WQA Board
December 7, 2021
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DATE: December 7, 2021
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: Paul Cranmer, Public Works Services Director
By: Carmen Masud, Senior Management Analyst
SUBJECT: RESOLUTION NO. 7390 CASTING ITS VOTES FOR COVINA COUNCIL
MEMBER JORGE MARQUEZ TO REPRESENT CITIES WITH
PRESCRIPTIVE PUMPING RIGHTS ON THE BOARD OF THE SAN
GABRIEL BASIN WATER QUALITY AUTHORITY
Recommendation: Adopt
SUMMARY
The State Legislature under Senate Bill (“SB”) 1679 established the San Gabriel Basin
Water Quality Authority (“SGBWQA”) to plan, finance, and implement groundwater
treatment programs within the San Gabriel Valley. The SGVWQA is under the direction
and leadership of a seven-member board. There is currently one vacancy for a Board
Member up for election on December 15, 2021. The City may cast its votes for one of the
nominated candidates who will represent the interest of cities with prescriptive pumping
rights, including Arcadia.
It is recommended that the City Council adopt Resolution No. 7390 casting its six votes
for Covina Council Member Jorge Marquez to represent Arcadia and other cities with
prescriptive pumping rights as a Board Member on the SGBWQA.
BACKGROUND
The purpose of the SGBWQA is to plan, finance, and implement groundwater remediation
activities to clean up contaminated groundwater in the San Gabriel Valley. The Board of
the SGBWQA is composed of seven members with three appointed members from each
of the three municipal water districts, one elected city council person from cities in the
San Gabriel Basin with prescriptive pumping rights, one elected city council person from
cities in the San Gabriel Basin without prescriptive pumping rights, and two appointed
members representing water produces in the San Gabriel Basin. There is currently one
vacancy on the Board, which represents cities with prescriptive pumping rights. On
October 15, 2021, Council Member Robert Gonzalez from the City of Azusa and Council
Member Jorge Marquez of the City of Covina were nominated.
Resolution No. 7390 – Casting Votes for San Gabriel WQA Board
December 7, 2021
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DISCUSSION
Each City has one vote for each 10,000 residents or majority thereof, as determined by
the 2010 U.S. Census data. The City of Arcadia has six votes that may be cast for one
candidate who will best represent cities with prescriptive pumping rights. Votes will be
counted during the WQA’s regular meeting on Wednesday, December 15, 2021. The
following two candidates were nominated to represent cities with prescriptive pumping
rights.
1. Council Member Robert Gonzalez has served on the Azusa City Council since
2007. Council Member Gonzalez is also a Board Member of the Azusa Light and
Water Board. In his seat on the Azusa Light and Water Board, he was instrumental
in joining with 12 other publicly-owned utilities to complete construction on a state-
of-the art natural gas fueled power plant outside Lodi, California. Council Member
Gonzalez is actively involved in his community.
2. Council Member Jorge Marquez was elected to the Covina City Council in 2013.
He has served as a Chairman of the SGBWQA since 2017 and has overseen
groundwater quality management programs to remediate groundwater
contamination. Council Member Jorge Marquez currently serves as Regional
Councilmember for the 33rd District for the Southern California Association of
Governments (“SCAG”) and Chairman of SCAG’s Community, Economic and
Human Development Committee. Council Member Jorge Marquez worked as a
Senior Field Deputy for the California State Legislature and was responsible for
handling a wide variety of issues, including public safety, water, transportation,
elections, entertainment, and housing.
Based on the experience Council Member Marquez provides and that he is currently
holding the position as a Chairman of the SGBWQA Board, it is recommended that the
City Council adopt Resolution No. 7390 casting its six votes for Council Member Jorge
Marquez to represent Arcadia and other cities with prescriptive pumping rights as a Board
Member on the SGBWQA.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS
The proposed action does not constitute a project under the California Environmental
Quality Act (“CEQA”), and it can be seen with certainty that it will have no impact on the
environment. Thus, this matter is exempt under CEQA.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no cost associated with electing a Council Member for the Board of the SGBWQA
to represents cities with prescriptive pumping rights.
Resolution No. 7390 – Casting Votes for San Gabriel WQA Board
December 7, 2021
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RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council determine that this action does not constitute a
project and is therefore, exempt under, the California Environmental Quality Act
(“CEQA”); and adopt Resolution No. 7390 casting its votes for Covina Council Member
Jorge Marquez to represent cities with prescriptive pumping rights on the Board of San
Gabriel Basin Water Quality Authority.
Attachment: Resolution No. 7390
RESOLUTION NO. 7390
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ARCADIA,
CALIFORNIA, CASTING ITS VOTES FOR COVINA COUNCIL
MEMBER JORGE MARQUEZ TO REPRESENT CITIES WITH
PRESCRIPTIVE PUMPING RIGHTS ON THE BOARD OF THE SAN
GABRIEL BASIN WATER QUALITY AUTHORITY
WHEREAS, on September 22, 1992, Senate Bill 1679 was signed into law by
Governor Pete Wilson authorizing the creation of the San Gabriel Basin Water Quality
Authority; and
WHEREAS, the Board of the San Gabriel Basin Water Quality Authority is
comprised of seven members with three appointed Members from each of the three
municipal water districts, one elected city council person from cities in the San Gabriel
Basin with prescriptive pumping rights, one elected city council person from cities in the
San Gabriel Basin without prescriptive pumping rights, and two appointed Members
representing water producers in the San Gabriel Basin; and
WHEREAS, the City of Arcadia is one of the cities in the San Gabriel Basin with
prescriptive pumping rights; and
WHEREAS, the City of Arcadia must cast its votes for only one of the official
nominees provided by the San Gabriel Basin Water Quality Authority; and
WHEREAS, the City of Arcadia must cast its vote(s) by resolution of the City
Council; and
WHEREAS, the resolution of the City of Arcadia casting its votes must be received
by the San Gabriel Basin Water Quality Authority no later than December 14, 2021, at
12:00 p.m. with signature required.
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NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ARCADIA,
CALIFORNIA, DOES FIND, DETERMINE AND RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. The City Council of the City of Arcadia casts its full votes for
Covina Council Member Jorge Marquez as the representative for cities in the San Gabriel
Basin with prescriptive pumping rights.
SECTION 2. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this Resolution.
Passed, approved and adopted this 7th day of December, 2021.
ATTEST:
City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
�r�
Stephen P. Deitsch
City Attorney
Mayor of the City of Arcadia
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