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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 10b - Casting Votes for San Gabriel WQA BoardResolution No. 7390 – Casting Votes for San Gabriel WQA Board December 7, 2021 Page 1 of 3 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 Page 2 of 3 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 Page 3 of 3 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. 1 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 2