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Home My WebLink About2013-09-09 - Public Affairs-Communications-Technology Committee Meeting Agenda PacketYorba Linda Water District AGENDA YORBA LINDA WATER DISTRICT PUB AFFAIRS - COMMUNICATIONS -TECH COMMITTEE MEETING Monday, September 9, 2013, 4:00 PM 1717 E Miraloma Ave, Placentia CA 92870 1. CALL TO ORDER 2. ROLL CALL COMMITTEE STAFF Director Michael J. Beverage, Chair Steve Conklin, Acting General Manager Director Ric Collett Art Vega, Acting IT Manager Damon Micalizzi, Public Information Officer 3. PUBLIC COMMENTS Any individual wishing to address the committee is requested to identify themselves and state the matter on which they wish to comment. If the matter is on this agenda, the committee Chair will recognize the individual for their comment when the item is considered. No action will be taken on matters not listed on this agenda. Comments are limited to matters of public interest and matters within the jurisdiction of the Water District. Comments are limited to five minutes. 4. DISCUSSION ITEMS This portion of the agenda is for matters such as technical presentations, drafts of proposed policies, or similar items for which staff is seeking the advice and counsel of the Committee members. This portion of the agenda may also include items for information only. 4.1. Review Proof of District Information Brochure (To be provided at meeting.) 4.2. Draft Fall Newsletter (To be provided at the meeting.) 4.3. Status of Promotional Items (Verbal Report) 4.4. Future Outreach and Press Relations (Verbal Report) 4.5. Future Agenda Items and Staff Tasks 5. ADJOURNMENT 5.1. The next Public Affairs - Communications - Technology Committee meeting is scheduled to be held Monday, October 7, 2013 at 4:00 p.m. Items Distributed to the Committee Less Than 72 Hours Prior to the Meeting Pursuant to Government Code section 54957.5, non - exempt public records that relate to open session agenda items and are distributed to a majority of the Committee less than seventy -two (72) hours prior to the meeting will be available for public inspection in the lobby of the District's business office located at 1717 E. Miraloma Avenue, Placentia, CA 92870, during regular business hours. When practical, these public records will also be made available on the District's internet website accessible at http: / /www.ylwd.com /. Accommodations for the Disabled Any person may make a request for a disability - related modification or accommodation needed for that person to be able to participate in the public meeting by telephoning the Executive Secretary at 714 - 701 -3020, or writing to Yorba Linda Water District, P.O. Box 309, Yorba Linda, CA 92885 -0309. Requests must specify the nature of the disability and the type of accommodation requested. A telephone number or other contact information should be included so the District staff may discuss appropriate arrangements. Persons requesting a disability - related accommodation should make the request with adequate time before the meeting for the District to provide the requested accommodation. ITEM NO. 4.1 AGENDA REPORT Meeting Date: September 9, 2013 Subject: Review Proof of District Information Brochure (To be provided at meeting.) ATTACHMENTS: Description: Type: Backup Material Distributed Less Than 72 Hours Prior to CitizensGrp Brochure.pdf Backup Material the Meeting Nr Independent.TrulteG a Reliable Service for more than 700 Years •� . AT YORBA LINDA WATER DISTRICT OUR MISSION Vorba Linda Water District will provide reliable, high qualitywater and sewer services in an environmentally responsible manner, while maintaining an economical cost and unparalleled customer service to our community. OUR VISION Vorba Linda Water District will become the leading, innovative and efficient source for high quality reliable services. CORE VALUES The Vorba Linda Water District Board of Directors and staff are guided in everything we do by the following core values: INTEGRITY - We demonstrate integrity every day by practicing the highest ethical standards and by ensuring that our actions follow our words. ACCOUNTABILITY - We acknowledge that both the Board and staff of the District are accountable to the publicthat we serve, as well as to each other. RESPONSIBILITY - We take full responsibility for our actions- both our successes and our opportunities for growth. We maintain a commitment of PP 9 courtesy, assessment and resolution with all customer concerns. TRANSPARENCY - We promote a culture where we actively listen to our customers and communicate openly about our policies, processes and plans for the future. TEAMWORK - Success centers on all departments working together and sharing information and resources to achieve common goals. We are dedicated to ensuring that every voice of the District, from the Board to each individual employee is treated with dignity and respect, and that differences are valued and individual abilities and contributions are recognized. This brochure aims to provide a snapshot of the efforts championed by the Vorba Linda Water District to be socially responsible and our dedication to public service. We invite you to learn more about our community programs and citizenship initiatives by going to www.ylwd.com /community. YORBA LINDA WATER DISTRICT ,:..� -•.r -. FAST FACTS 3' • Vorba Linda Water District is an Independent Special District providing water and sewer service to the City of Vorba Linda, portions of Placentia, Brea, _} �: '�` �� Anaheim and neighboring unincorporated areas of Orange County - -'�r�' R _ • VLWD is governed by a Board of Directors elected at large from the District j -Asa Non - Profit Public Utility, VLWD can only charge a rate that covers the cost to provide service ___.' ;_._. - • The Board of Directors has maintained a fiscally conservative policy keeping YL t 1; rl�_��• water rates among the lowest in Orange County •VLWD's rates coincide with the budgeted expenses forthe currentfiscal year W1 while maintaining only nominal reserves •Due to the topography ofthe District,VLWD's unique system requires a great -�� deal of energy to deliver water from elevations of 230 feet to over 1,300 feet r • � � through what we call "pressure zones" • VLWD water comes from two sources - local groundwater, pumped from wells via the Ground Water Basin which is managed by the Orange County PHASE ' • 1 Water District (OCW D), and imported water purchased from the Metropolitan _ Water District of Southern California MWD $1,400-00 ' - 'F • Imported water is treated at MWD's Diemer Filtration Plant, located in the r r.' foothills above Vorba Linda ' 1 • VLWD is responsible fortmating the ground water pumped from ourwells 1 _ u • Because your water sources vary, you may notice a difference in the taste or hardness (mineral content) of the water at different times of year this does I not affect the quality and safety of your water ? �' • For more information visit us at v w ylwd.com /community - •- 8`��'1i �� (714)701 -3000 VORBA LINDA WATER DISTRICT 1717 E. Miraloma Ave., Placentia, CA 92870 .�. Pum�cArmi� zora ��' Nr Independent.TrulteG a Reliable Service for more than 700 Years •� . AT YORBA LINDA WATER DISTRICT OUR MISSION Vorba Linda Water District will provide reliable, high qualitywater and sewer services in an environmentally responsible manner, while maintaining an economical cost and unparalleled customer service to our community. OUR VISION Vorba Linda Water District will become the leading, innovative and efficient source for high quality reliable services. CORE VALUES The Vorba Linda Water District Board of Directors and staff are guided in everything we do by the following core values: INTEGRITY - We demonstrate integrity every day by practicing the highest ethical standards and by ensuring that our actions follow our words. ACCOUNTABILITY - We acknowledge that both the Board and staff of the District are accountable to the publicthat we serve, as well as to each other. RESPONSIBILITY - We take full responsibility for our actions- both our successes and our opportunities for growth. We maintain a commitment of PP 9 courtesy, assessment and resolution with all customer concerns. TRANSPARENCY - We promote a culture where we actively listen to our customers and communicate openly about our policies, processes and plans for the future. TEAMWORK - Success centers on all departments working together and sharing information and resources to achieve common goals. We are dedicated to ensuring that every voice of the District, from the Board to each individual employee is treated with dignity and respect, and that differences are valued and individual abilities and contributions are recognized. This brochure aims to provide a snapshot of the efforts championed by the Vorba Linda Water District to be socially responsible and our dedication to public service. We invite you to learn more about our community programs and citizenship initiatives by going to www.ylwd.com /community. The District builds a legacy of community involvement, outreach and eduratinn with our bottled water program. The first of its kind in our industry, since its inception in 2010, YLWD donated more than 100,000 bottles of water to various local charities and community events. Bottled from our own wells, YLWD brings portability to our fresh, high- quality water in support of local non - profit and community events. All water is provided free of charge on a first -come, first - served basis. Working hand in hand with the District's Water Education Program, the label features winning artwork from our annual Foaled wanr lahel contest. In an effort to better keep a finger on the pulse of the residents we serve, the District formed the Citizens Advisory Committee (CAQ in 2009. The CAC is integral to the District, offering feedback to staff and the Board and acting as inforrnal District liaisons to the Community. If is critical to embed environmental thinking into our daily decisions as we strive to protect the planet for tomorrow and encourage others to do the same. Artificial turf dons the yards- at YLWD', Administrative Offices. Along with native plants and landscape dressings that requires no water. In addition, 216 solar panels sit atop the roof conserving energy and sending power back to the grid on weekends. The building also utilizes waterless urinals, solar tube lighting and carpeting made from recycled fibers. YLWD frequently offers several msidir ial and commercial re.hate programs through the Nlunicipal Wafer District of Orange County INIWDCCI In help you conserve water, In YLW D's effort to ensure the highest quality and most reliable water service possible for our customers, nearly a decade ago, the District embarked on the "fast track" capital improvement program. The $95 million capital improvement programs are an infrastrucnral overhaul of our water system with an eye to the future, ensuring water reliability for our customers and to meet current and anticipated consumption and financial demands. The benefits of this are twofold. Once complete, the District will have access to an additional 4,000 -5,000 acre feet, per year of ground water, reducing the District's water costs by approximately $1 million /year starting in 2016 helping to sustain low rates and avoid any major unforeseen rate increases. Furthermore, we will be able to pump groundwater to all areas of the District enhancinq our ability to mitigate unexpected import water supply issues. AGENDA REPORT Meeting Date: September 9, 2013 Subject: Draft Fall Newsletter (To be provided at the meeting.) ATTACHMENTS: ITEM NO. 4.2 Description: Type: Backup Material Distributed Less Than 72 Hours Prior to Fall13 Newsletter.pdf Backup Material the Meeting ®Yorba Linda Water District Independent, Trusted and Reliable Service for more than 100 Years. 1717 E. M iraloma Ave., Placentia, CA 92870 (714) 701 -3000 1 www.YLWD.com E- DELIVERY OF THE NEWSLETTER Would you prefer receiving your copy of Water Lines via email? In an effort to be more environmentally friendly and save on postage, YLWD will offer electronic delivery of our newsletter beginning this winter. To sign up, visit www.ylwd.com and click on the link to subscribe. Your winter newsletter will then be delivered straight to your email inbox saving a stamp and a tree or two in the process. If you still want to receive a paper copy in their hands, we will continue to mail the print version to those who don't sign up for e- delivery. _1r5 11 YJIjrIIJT _"),rIrrTY October is Fire Prevention Month, a time when we should all be aware of ways to help learn fire safety and prevention. Yorba Linda Water District is responsible for maintenance of almost 4,000 fire hydrants that fire fighters use to protect our community. Help the Orange County Fire Authority and YLWD by following these simple tips to keep fire hydrants working properly and accessible when they are needed: • Keep cars, bikes, toys and other objects away from fire hydrants at all times. • Mow and trim grass or weeds around fire hydrants near your property. • Do not plant flowers or shrubs around fire hydrants. Backup Material Distributed Less BOARD OF DIRECTORS PRESIDENT Gary Melton VICE- PRESIDENT Bob Kiley DIRECTORS Michael J. Beverage Ric Collett Phil Hawkins WE WELCOME YOUR COMMENTS! A LOOKAT OUR BOOKS ... Recently, the OC Register published an article calling into question the unrestricted reserves of many special districts in contrast to those of Yorba Linda Water District due to our surprising low amount of unrestricted reserves. That article stirred up more than a few questions and comments from our customers. While several people thanked the District for our conservative approach to managing the customer's money, the article left some with questions about the District's finances. In order to address these concerns, we have selected a few of the most commonly asked questions and brought them to the finance department for clarification. Could a lack of an abundance of unrestricted reserves leave the District vulnerable in the event of an emergency? No. The District's current Reserve Policy has established distinct Restricted Reserves that have particular definitions and purposes including: Emergency Reserves, Capital Replacement Reserves, and Debt Service Reserves. In short, in the event of an emergency; we have money in the bank and good credit to weather the storm. amass billio � n Wig: on" a� »na. "noway „a aaanronn cash ""' '�M�meresn curR "�"�hsP�o ",,,tl tlsercmrPe an wears. is wnPa,„a„rero 'wa99gng maAe entla'aaare n �wn„aem_a � etl0etl M^YO /Neve tlisMtts M1Peve eusbm mY�NenoMerNme fiwn N�eir 1 6 er ' M°mmnNiguel, Cuts Mega anJ grq g,�bn �M� 180Me Mltlway Ck/. c k9re qaa� tea. o„�,Nree haveamaaaan may,, mau,.aes wa/a, d;a Percent aatl aumiswan w,-.M Miea. mawaw,tlagam '"'�. an„eiwaen anN lnrre Noj cAesa��or Pe+e ana hro Jdte/ 179 Tha umWe "atl nin a �ie�m. enmurearconH��oc. cm'e nm naa eaem�P�,ea„we aamea an n9 re a orv>'b �I"`g' Mein °miOUS lnh im Mvesenema, and g,¢Y nee mrs /hat waierm '"re g am�E n�� nn�neaareaanine ; P ua� me acer�roo. n "a ero�mrre:o-ticaaa« YLWD PUBLIC AFFAIRS tla what is the difference between Restricted and Unrestricted Reserves? i Cash PublicAffairs@ylwd coin P Cows Restricted Reserve Funds are those earmarked for the purpose of funding The Orange County geglster anal g statements for local ted YZile e a financial p p p g cushions of 277 such items as new capital facilities, repair or replacement of existing percen tof c,t While cities had -3000 (714) 701 3000 s1P5 cash facilities, and operating reserves designated for a specific purpose by the districts avers pending' water and scorer ged 128 twitter.com/ylwd Y percent, Board of Directors. The Reserve Policy approved by the District Board provides the rules and guidelines for the use of established °a reserve funds. The other type of reserve funds are Unrestricted "ew " °- ry °PSCdI'P1 "fe " ""e` e�er� °t " "``WeV' ° " °`a" Reserves. These are reserves that can be used for most Board- reee e 'ePo' ^_ /o rra/ PavEreP owhe, /Po aePe h /,ergo ev approved purposes with no pre-defined restrictions. At the Yorba aw`edo 2 eedm "n d or�Em = = --nOrvoma �da w �bPefine reap ° ° Linda Water District, it is our fiduciary responsibility to identify any "o=`oanY`m eti�1do�� 1o� 09Paa otlr0 -1111— �=9 1 OUR MISSION go,er�a� and maintain the distinction between Restricted and Unrestricted Yorba Linda Water District will �tl M�a�tl " " "'aa "'�` °�ma re�'aa�'aae "" Reserves when preparing mandated financial statements. provide reliable, high quality Itaps earsrsh_,PPneen,,ghi,PaPhal=h,p, rers�a=ee�P,�rPgrers� �ah��ro�hY Why are YLWD's Unrestricted Reserves so low as compared to s' m "" °" a `rd,ngre'rs ,trre ° d,t water and sewer services in an .,h.a.r other agencies? Rather than build a robust source of Unrestricted environmentally responsible manner, while maintaining an eotl,harePem�mPnh,t,�,d,n,t,hare PreeLnd ,pr,I phY Reserves, it has been the overall philosophy and practice of the economical cost and unparalleled District to have rates that coincide with the budgeted expenses customer service to our community. for the current fiscal year. Each month, we at the District must pay our bills, including those to Southern California Gas & Edison Companies, and Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and Orange County Water District. If OUR VISION they increase their rates, we must determine if our current established rates will generate the water sales revenue to Yorba Linda Water District will meet our anticipated costs. If our long -term projections indicate costs exceeding what our revenue can support, we become the leading, innovative typically have to raise our rates. However, as much as possible, the District does its best to let you, our customers, and efficient source for high keep your money in your savings account, rather than in ours. quality reliable services. Backup Material Distributed Less Than 72 Hours Prior to the Meetin A. 0 IV 1 THE 11TH AN NUAL RELAY FOR LIFE of Yorba Linda raised $44,000 for the fight against cancer and YLWD was there keeping participants hydrated round the clock. ANN UAL DAY CAMP at the Yorba Linda Girl Scout Club House EAST LAKE EAGLE RAYS SWIM ALONG