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ALL RIGHT.[1. CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL]
AND WELCOME TO THE DECEMBER 14TH MEETING OF THE, UH, MERCED SUBBASE AND GSA, UH, CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER.UM, I'LL DO PUBLIC COMMENT FOR CLOSED SESSION ITEMS. OKAY.
[2. CLOSED SESSIONS]
YOU WANT TO READ OUR CLOSED SESSION ITEMS, PLEASE? DANIEL? THE CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL.GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 4 9 5 6 0.9 FLYING H PARTNERS AT LV MERCED SUB BASE SUB BASIN GROUNDWATER SUSTAINABILITY D AGENCY, MERCED COUNTY, CASE NUMBER 23 CV DASH 0 1 9 78.
CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL.
POTENTIAL LITIGATION SUBDIVISION B OF GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 4 9 5 6 0.92 POTENTIAL CASES.
OKAY, NOW I'LL OPEN UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
SEEING NONE, WE'LL ADJOURN INTO CLOSED SESSION.
UH, WELCOME TO THE DECEMBER 14TH MEETING OF THE MERCED COUNTY, UM, OR THE MERCED SUB-BASIN.
GSA, UH, WE JUST HELD A CLOSED SESSION AND STAFF WAS, UH, GIVEN DIRECTION.
AT THIS TIME, WE'LL DO THE, UH, PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
MIKE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO LEAD US? READY, BEGIN.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, AND LIBERTY.
AND, UH, JUST FOR THE RECORD, UM, UH, DIRECTOR RETTI, UH, MEDICINE, CLOSED SESSION AND PARTICIPATED.
[4. PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD]
AT THIS TIME I'LL OPEN UP FOR, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT.UH, THIS IS THE PUBLIC'S OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON ANY MATTER OF PUBLIC INTEREST WITHIN THE BOARD'S JURISDICTION THAT IS NOT ON THE AGENDA.
UM, YOU'LL HAVE, UH, THREE MINUTES.
IF YOU'RE ONLINE, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND AND WE WILL, UH, RECOGNIZE YOU, UM, UH, IN A MOMENT.
I'M DAVE RAVINA FROM STEVENSON ANALYZE.
THANK YOU GUYS AGAIN FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK.
AND IT'S A BIG PROJECT AND I'M VERY SUPPORTIVE AND ALWAYS HAVE BEEN.
IN FACT, YOU KNOW, I WAS AN ALTERNATE AT ONE POINT, SO, UM, I UNDERSTAND WE ALL WANNA ACCOMPLISH WHAT WE'RE OUT TO ACCOMPLISH, BUT AS YOU KNOW, IN, YOU COULD CALL STEVENSON A DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITY.
WE THINK TACO TRUCK'S A RESTAURANT, YOU KNOW, SO, UM, WE'VE NEVER REALLY BEEN A PROBLEM WITH THE OVERDRAFT.
IT'S NOT AN ISSUE THAT HAS OCCURRED IN STEVENSON, BUT, UM, WE'RE, WE'RE A UNIQUE SITUATION WHERE THE MAJORITY OF OUR IRRIGATION WATER IS SURFACE WATER.
AND OUR GOAL IS THE 2015 WATER GROUND LEVEL.
AND THAT'S NEVER BEEN AN ISSUE THERE.
IN FACT, WE'RE THERE, UH, IT SEEMS OUR EAGERNESS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE GSA HAS ONLY PUT A BURDEN ON OUR COMMUNITY WITH FEES AND CONTRIBUTIONS, WITHOUT ANY BENEFITS.
ALL THE PROJECTS AND GRANTS DON'T SEEM TO GO OUR WAY.
EXAMPLES, REPURPOSING, WE DON'T REALLY QUALIFY OR IT DOESN'T WORK FOR US.
'CAUSE WE HAVE THE SURFACE WATER, AND I UNDERSTAND IT NEEDS TO GO OTHER AREAS, UH, YOU KNOW, WE WANNA PUT THESE FUNDS AND THINGS WHERE THEY'LL DO THE MOST BENEFIT TO ACCOMPLISH WHAT WE'RE ALL HERE.
AND THAT'S TO KEEP THE GOVERNMENT OFF OUR BACK, THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA OUT OF OUR AREA.
SO WE LOOK TO THE FUTURE WITH PUMPING ALLOCATIONS AND MORE FEES WITH NO BENEFIT IN STEVENSON.
WE'RE JUST HELPING OTHER AREAS RESOLVE THEIR PROBLEMS AT OUR EXPENSE.
WE'RE A UNICORN IN THIS PROCESS.
WE HAVE SURFACE WATER AND WE ARE BEING PUNISHED FOR IT.
THIS ISN'T REALLY EQUITABLE AND NEEDS TO CHANGE.
SO I'M THE, UH, GENERAL MANAGER OF STEVENSON WATER DISTRICT.
AND I'VE GOT, UM, A COUPLE POINTS I'D LIKE TO ASK, UH, THAT ARE NOT ON THE AGENDA FOR, TO ASK ABOUT CLARIFICATION.
AND THESE, UH, HAVE TO DO WITH THE TWO 18 ASSESSMENT AND, UM, THE INVOLVEMENT THAT THE GSA HAS AN
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IDS APPLICATION FOR LONG-TERM WATER.AND THEN THEIR APPLICATION FOR A, A TEMPORARY 180 DAY WATER, RIGHT.
THAT THEY'VE JUST RECENTLY SUBMITTED.
UM, FIRST WITH RESPECT TO THE APPLICATION FOR THE PERMANENT WATER, RIGHT? UH, IS IT CORRECT IN, OR AM I CORRECT IN ASSUMING THAT THAT STEVENSON LANDS ARE BEING ASSESSED FOR, UM, TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE MSGS A'S PARTICIPATION IN THAT WATER RIGHT.
APPLICATION? AND THE, THE SECOND QUESTION HAS TO DO WITH THE TEMPORARY WATER RIGHT APPLICATION.
AND THERE, ALTHOUGH THE APPLICATION'S BEEN SUBMITTED AND, AND PREPARED BY MID, UH, MUCH OF THE LAND THAT BENEFITS AND THAT COULD DIVERT WATER UNDER THIS, UH, APPLICATION OF DIVERT FLOOD WATER FOR RECHARGE LIES WITHIN THE M-S-G-S-A.
AND, AND WE'RE JUST CURIOUS TO KNOW WHETHER THERE'S ANY KIND OF FINANCIAL INVOLVEMENT OR STAFF PARTICIPATION TO HELP OR THAT HAS HELPED, UH, MID IN, UH, PREPARING AND SUBMITTING THAT APPLICATION.
SO, SO THIS IS PUBLIC COMMENT.
UM, WE'LL FIGURE OUT A WAY TO GET YOU THE ANSWERS YOU NEED.
ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT IN THE ROOM? ALRIGHT.
THEN I WILL, UH, CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT.
[5. CONSENT CALENDAR]
WE'LL MOVE ON TO, UH, ITEM NUMBER FIVE, WHICH IS OUR CONSENT CALENDAR.DID ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE MINUTES OR THE INVOICES IS NO, WHAT'S YOUR PLEASURE? I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR.
I HAVE A MOTION BY DIRECTOR MARTINI, A SECOND BY DIRECTOR GALLO.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
[6. POTENTIAL FORMATION OF ADDITIONAL GROUNDWATER SUSTAINABILITY AGENCY]
ALL RIGHT.SO WE'LL MOVE ON TO, UH, ITEM SIX.
UM, AND I'LL TURN IT, WHICH IS, UH, POTENTIAL FORMATION OF ADDITIONAL GROUNDWATER SUSTAINABLE AGENCY.
AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO LACY MCBRIDE.
THIS ITEM IS TO PROVIDE THE BOARD THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS, UH, THE POTENTIAL FOR NEW GROUNDWATER SUSTAINABILITY AGENCIES TO BE FORMED IN THE MERCED SUB-BASIN.
THE MERCED SUB BASIN GSA IS THE EXCLUSIVE GSA FOR ITS JURISDICTION.
HOWEVER, WE HAVE HEARD THAT THERE ARE LANDOWNERS WITHIN THE MERCED SUB BASIN, GSA, WHO ARE CONSIDERING FORMING THEIR OWN WATER DISTRICTS IN ORDER TO FORM THEIR OWN GROUNDWATER SUSTAINABILITY AGENCY.
WHILE THE MERCED SUB BASIN GSA CAN COMMENT ON THE PROCESS TO FORM WATER DISTRICTS THROUGH THE LAFCO PROCESS, THE MERCED BASIN GSA DOES HAVE MORE OPTIONS WHEN IT COMES TO DISTRICTS FORMING GSAS WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF THE MS GSA.
AND AT THIS TIME, I'LL ASK LEGAL COUNSEL JEANNIE LESI TO DISCUSS THE POSSIBLE IMPACTS AND OPTIONS THAT THE MERCED SUB BASIN GSA HAS WHEN CONSIDERING NEW GSAS.
UM, YES, A AS LACEY MENTIONED, UM, THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY THAT, UH, ENTITIES OR INDIVIDUALS WITHIN THE M-S-G-S-A MAY WISH TO FORM A GSA SS GMA IS PRETTY SPECIFIC ON THIS.
WHILE THE LAW IS NEW AND THERE'S NOT A LOT OF INTERPRETATION, THE STATUTE ITSELF PROVIDES THAT THE MERCED SUBBASE AND GSA IS THE EXCLUSIVE GSA WITHIN THE BASIN WITHIN ITS BOUNDARIES, WHICH MEANS IT'S THE SOLE GSA WITH THIS JURISDICTION OVER THE AREA OF THE BASIN THAT THE LOCAL AGENCY IS MANAGING.
THAT IS WITHIN THE SERVICE AREA OF THE LOCAL AGENCY.
AND THAT'S WATER CODE SECTION 1 0 7 2 3 0.8 D AND DWR STATES IN ITS FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS.
ONCE A GSA BECOMES EXCLUSIVE, DWR WILL NOT POST ANOTHER GSA FORMATION NOTIFICATION THAT COVERS ANY PORTION OF AN EXCLUSIVE AREA.
AND AGAIN, THAT'S IN THE WATER CODE.
NOW, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU CANNOT MAKE CHANGES.
UH, CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
SIGMA DOES NOT PRECLUDE A GSA TO MAKING CHANGES TO ITS ORGAN ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE.
BUT THE EXCLUSIVE GSA MUST CONSENT TO THE CHANGES.
SO YOU CAN AGREE TO CHANGE YOUR BOUNDARIES UPON NEGOTIATION WITH SOMEONE ELSE WHO WANTS TO FORM A GSA, BUT DWR WILL NOT DO
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THAT.UM, OUR JPA AGREEMENT REFLECTS THAT UNDERSTANDING, UH, THE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT CREATING THE GSA ALLOWS A MEMBER TO UNILATERALLY WITHDRAW WITHOUT TERMINATING THE AGREEMENT.
SO THE AGREEMENT STAYS IN PLACE AND IT IMPOSES UPON THE WITHDRAWING MEMBER THE OBLIGATION TO COMPLY WITH SIGMA.
IN ADDITION, THE WITHDRAWING MEMBER MUST REMAIN SUBJECT TO THE TERMS OF THE GSP UNLESS A MUTUALLY AGREED UPON RESOLUTION IS REACHED BETWEEN THE AGENCY DWR AND THE WITHDRAWING MEMBER.
SO AGAIN, IF YOU HAVE AGREEMENT, YOU CAN MAKE THE CHANGES WITHOUT THAT AGREEMENT.
THEY ARE SUBJECT TO THE EXISTING JPA AND TO THE EXISTING BOUNDARIES.
AND THESE OBLIGATIONS SET FORTH IN THE JPA SURVIVE WITHDRAWING FROM THE AGREEMENT FOR THE EXPRESS BENEFIT OF THE REMAINING MEMBERS AND IS SUBJECT TO THE INDEMNIFICATION PROVISIONS OF THE AGREEMENT.
SO YOUR JPA AGREEMENT REFLECTS SIGMA LAW THAT THERE IS AN EXCLUSIVE J UH, GSA BOUNDARY, AND THAT THAT CAN MAKE BE CHANGED WITH AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE GSA, THE NEW FORMING ENTITY AND DWR.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE KNOW NOW UNDER SIGMA.
AND THEN QUESTIONS, AND FOR MY, FOR MY COLLEAGUES UP HERE, UH, WE HAD A, A LARGE LANDOWNER, UH, INQUIRE ABOUT, UH, FORMING HIS OWN IRRIGATION DISTRICT AND THEN FORMING HIS OWN GSA.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO THIS ITEM TO BE PUT ON THE AGENDA SO WE COULD TALK ABOUT IT AND, UM, IF YOU HAD ANY CONCERNS OR QUESTIONS.
UM, SO ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS OR COMMENTS? WELL, IN ADDITION TO THAT, MR. CHAIRMAN, I THINK IT'S NO SECRET THAT, UM, MEKE COUNTY WATER DISTRICT AND STEVENSON WATER DISTRICT ARE TAKING ACTIONS THAT MIGHT LEAD TO US REQUESTING, UM, THE FORMATION OF AN INDEPENDENT, UM, GSA WITHIN THE MERCED SUBBASE AND GSA CURRENT LEGAL BOUNDARY.
UM, WE HAVE NOT TAKEN ANY STEPS YET TO FORMALLY REQUEST, UM, REMOVING OURSELVES FROM THE JPA AGREEMENT, BUT WE ARE TAKING ACTIONS THAT WOULD ALLOW IF WE CAN, UM, HAVE COOPERATION WITH THE MERCED SUBBASE AND GSA TO COMPLETE PROBABLY THE FORMATION OF A NEW GSA BY JULY OF 2024.
AND THAT WOULD ALLOW THE NEW, UH, FIVE YEAR REVISE OF THE GSP TO INCLUDE, UM, THOSE CHANGES.
AND WE DO FULLY UNDERSTAND THAT WE WOULD STILL HAVE TO ABIDE BY THE CURRENT GSP OR THE NEXT, UH, GSP REVISE, BUT, UM, WE WOULD LIKE TO WORK WITH THE MERCED SUBBASE GSA TO MOVE IN THAT DIRECTION.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? I WOULD SUGGEST THAT IF, IF, IF THAT'S THE CASE, THAT YOU OPEN UP DIALOGUE WITH US, UM, SO THAT WE, YOU KNOW, IF, IF WE, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU CAN'T COME TO US IN JULY AND SAY, HEY, WE WANNA BE OUT TODAY.
'CAUSE IT'S GONNA TAKE A LOT OF NEGOTIATION AND, AND, YOU KNOW, COLLABORATION, I GUESS TO, UH, TO ACCOMPLISH THAT, IF THAT'S IN CASE THE WAY IT GOES.
SO, SO WHO WOULD YOU SUGGEST WE INITIALLY CONTACT MR. CHAIRMAN? UM, I WOULD SAY PROBABLY OUR ATTORNEY.
DO YOU, DO YOU HAVE AN ATTORNEY REPRESENTING THE THIS GROUP? WE DO, YEAH.
ANYTHING ELSE? YEAH, ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM? I JUST WANNA SAY, OH, I'M SORRY.
I MEAN, THAT'S A, YEAH, IT'S A LOFTY GOAL, BUT YEAH.
IF YOU DON'T ASK, YOU DON'T GET, I GUESS, YOU KNOW.
WHAT IF, UH, AN ENTITY, ANOTHER ENTITY DOES GET FORMED OR THEY TRY TO FORM AND WE DECIDE NOT TO, UH, CAN'T COME TO A NEGOTIATION, RELEASE THE GROUND, WHAT, UH, WHAT HAPPENS THEN? OR DO YOU SEE THEN? IT DEPENDS.
IF THEY WITHDRAW FROM, UH, THE JPA AGREEMENT, THEY WOULD STILL BE BOUND.
YOU WOULD STILL HAVE POWER OVER THAT ENTITY.
THEY WOULD JUST NOT HAVE REPRESENTATION ON THE BOARD.
UM, IF THEY REMAIN IN, UH, THE GSA UNDER THE JPA, THEY WOULD CONTINUE TO HAVE A, A SEAT ON THE BOARD AND IT WOULD BE THE STATUS QUO.
WELL, THEY WOULD BE REPRESENTED BY THE COUNTY REPRESENTATIVES ON THE BOARD.
WOULD THE COUNTY ASSUME, WELL, IF THEY DID NOT WITHDRAW, THEY, THE, THE STEVENSON AND MERKIN, THE ONES THAT ARE CURRENTLY MEMBERS, THEY WOULD STILL HAVE REPRESENTATION ON THE BOARD UNDER THE JPA, BUT IF THEY GET OUT OF THE JPA, IF THEY WITHDRAW FROM THE JPA YES, THEY WOULD BE REPRESENTED
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BY THE COUNTY AREA.UH, AND ON THE FEES AND LIKE THE ADMINISTRATIVE PROP, UH, TWO 18, IF THEY, IF SOMEONE WITHDRAWS FROM THE JPA BUT IS STILL LEGALLY IN OUR GSA, UH, AREA, DO WE STILL COLLECT THOSE TWO 18 FEES? THAT'S CORRECT.
SO WE CAN STILL LEGALLY, AS A GSA COLLECTED THE COUNTY WOULD IMPOSE THE FEES ON THOSE AREAS? YES.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS UP HERE? ALRIGHT, I'LL GO OUT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
UM, I JUST WANT TO, TO KIND OF CONTINUE ON THE THREADS THAT, THAT ERIC, UH, MENTIONED.
UH, AND ALSO THAT DAVE NINO DISCUSSED THAT, THAT, UM, WE IN, IN MEKE AND IN STEVENSON REALLY ARE IN A DIFFERENT PHYSICAL SETTING THAN THE REST OF THE SUB-BASIN OR THE REST OF THE, THE GSA.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, WE DO RELY HEAVILY ON SURFACE WATER AND WE DO, UM, MEASURE REPORT THAT USAGE.
UM, AND WE ARE, UH, ALSO CLEARLY WITHIN THE, UH, MERCED SUB-BASIN, AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S TO OUR BENEFIT AND IS OUR OBLIGATION TO SUPPORT ATTAINMENT OF SUSTAINABILITY AND, UH, THROUGH IMPLEMENTATION OF THE, THE STANDING GSP.
ALTHOUGH IN OUR AREA, WE, WE REALLY HAVE CHECKED THE BOXES THAT, THAT CONSTITUTE SUSTAINABILITY IN TERMS OF, UH, GROUNDWATER LEVELS, IN TERMS OF WATER QUALITY, IN TERMS OF SUBSIDENCE.
SO, UH, SO I THINK THOSE ARE, ARE A ELEMENTS THAT PROBABLY WE ALL AGREE ON.
NOW THAT SAID, WE, WE DON'T BELIEVE THAT THE M-S-G-S-A HAS HAS BEEN TREATING US FAIRLY WITH RESPECT TO, UH, THE PROP TWO 18.
UM, AND WE, WE, YOU KNOW, AS, AS IS WELL KNOWN, ARE TROUBLED BY THE FACT THAT, THAT OUR LANDOWNERS HAVE BEEN ASSESSED FOR, UH, ELEMENTS LIKE THE LAND REPURPOSING PROGRAM AND SUPPORT FOR THE, AT LEAST THE LONG TERM, UM, WATER RIGHTS, WHICH APPLICATION BY MID, WHICH I BELIEVE WERE BEING ASSESSED FOR, FOR BOTH OF THOSE, AND YET, YET REALLY CANNOT BENEFIT FROM, OR WOULD NOT BENEFIT FROM.
UM, AND, AND THOSE ELEMENTS RAISE CONCERNS ABOUT HOW THINGS MAY MOVE FORWARD IN THE FUTURE WITH RESPECT TO ALLOCATION OF GROUNDWATER, WITH RESPECT TO FUNDING OF PROJECTS AND MANAGEMENT ACTIONS IN OTHER PARTS OF THE GSA, WHERE, WHERE THEY ARE NECESSARY, AND, UH, WITH RESPECT TO HOW DEVELOPED SUPPLY WOULD BE VIEWED.
SO, SO WE HAVE THOSE CONCERNS.
AND, AND BECAUSE OF THOSE CONCERNS, WE THINK THAT THE CLEAREST WAY FOR US TO MANAGE OUR RESOURCES, BOTH TO MAINTAIN SUSTAINABILITY IN OUR AREA, TO PROMOTE, UH, ATTAINMENT OF SUSTAINABILITY THROUGHOUT THE MERCED SUB-BASIN AND TO SUPPORT OUR, OUR LANDOWNERS IS TO FORM, UH, AN INDEPENDENT GSA.
AND WE, WE UNDERSTAND THE OBLIGATIONS THAT THAT WOULD, WOULD, UH, BRING UPON US.
AND WE, WE DO WANT TO WORK WITH YOU ALL TO, UH, TO SATISFY THOSE OBLIGATIONS.
BUT, BUT OUR, OUR, THE PATH THAT WE HAVE LAID OUT, UH, WITH, WITH THE HELP OF THE, THE ATTORNEY WE'VE, UM, RETAINED IS, IS TO MOVE IN THAT DIRECTION.
AND IT'S A LONG PATH, AND IT WILL TAKE TIME AND THERE'LL BE TIME, AND I'M SURE PLENTY OF DISCUSSION GIVE YOU JUST A FINAL FEW SECONDS TO FI YOU'RE DONE.
THE COOP, THEY KNOW AGAIN, UM, I'M JUST THINKING THAT, UM, IF WE CAN'T WITHDRAW AND WE DO NOT WITHDRAW, ELECT TO WITHDRAW MY PROPOSAL SO THAT WE ALL ARE AMIABLE AND WORKING TOGETHER AND, YOU KNOW, CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER, IS FEES LIKE THE TWO 18 THAT WE PAY, UH, IF WE COULD CUT THAT OUT AND CUT IT INTO YOUR BOUNDARIES, WERE, YOU KNOW, UH, IF OUR TAXES ARE COLLECTED, WE COULD GET THAT MONEY AND USE IT IN OUR AREAS INSTEAD OF IT GOING ACROSS THE COUNTY TO SOMEBODY ELSE.
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I MEAN, WE'D BE A LOT MORE AMIABLE AND, AND EASY TO WORK WITH AND, AND, YOU KNOW, ENJOY PAYING THE TAXES.I'D SAY IF WE WERE GETTING THE BENEFIT DIRECTLY LOCALLY, IT'S PUTTING IT SOMEWHERE ELSE WHERE SOMEONE ELSE HAS DONE THE DAMAGE THAT REALLY MAKES IT HARD TO SWALLOW.
ANYONE ELSE? IS THERE ANYBODY ONLINE? NONE ONLINE.
ALRIGHT, I'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT.
UM, THAT WAS JUST A DISCUSSION ITEM.
[7. LAND REPURPOSING PROGRAM UPDATE]
SO WE'LL MOVE ON TO, UM, ITEM SEVEN, WHICH IS THE LAND, UH, REPURPOSING PROGRAM UPDATE OF, I NEED TO LEAVE THE MEETING.AND SO I'M GONNA TURN OVER, UH, THE MEETING OVER TO VICE CHAIR, UH, MARTINI AND HE WILL, UH, FINISH OUT.
ITEM SEVEN, THE LAMB REPURPOSING PROGRAM UPDATE.
CHRIS HEPNER WILL PROVIDE A REPORT.
CHRIS, ARE YOU THERE? HEY, HOLD ON.
UH, ALL RIGHT, GO AHEAD, CHRIS.
UM, SO I'LL BE PROVIDING AN UPDATE ON THE PHASE ONE LAND REPURPOSING PROGRAM, WHICH IS NOW ENTERING ITS SECOND YEAR.
UM, AND SO I'LL JUST KIND OF GIVE A SUMMARY OF WHERE IT GOT TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY AND, UH, CURRENT STATUS.
SO THE LAND PURPOSING PROGRAM WAS DEVELOPED IN 2022, UM, THROUGH A PROCESS INVOLVING THE, UH, THE BOARD AND, UM, DEMAND MANAGEMENT AD HOC COMMITTEE.
UM, AND IT REALLY KICKED OFF AND, AND GOT IMPLEMENTED STARTING, UH, ABOUT ONE YEAR AGO AT THE BEGINNING OF WATER YEAR 2023.
UM, THE FIRST OPEN PERIOD FOR APPLICATION OF THE PROGRAM OCCURRED IN THE FALL OF 2022, UM, AND SELECTED, UH, APPLICANTS AND APPLICATIONS WERE, UM, ACCEPTED BY THE GSA AND A SUBSET OF THOSE THAT WERE ACCEPTED EVENTUALLY, UH, ENDED UP EXECUTING AGREEMENTS, UM, TO DO LAND REPURPOSING ON THEIR LANDS.
THOSE AGREEMENTS RANGE IN DURATION FROM THREE TO FIVE YEARS, FIVE YEARS BEING THE MAXIMUM, UH, POSSIBLE, UM, FOR THESE YEAR ONE APPLICATIONS.
UM, THAT FIRST YEAR OF, UH, THOSE AGREEMENTS HAS BEEN COMPLETED, UM, AS OF SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2023.
UM, FOLLOWING THAT COMPLETION OF YEAR ONE, ANNUAL REPORTS WERE, UH, PROVIDED TO THE PARTICIPANTS AND, UH, THE INCENTIVE PAYMENTS THAT ARE CALLED FOR IN THE AGREEMENTS WERE MADE TO THOSE PARTICIPANTS.
UM, AT THAT TIME, THERE WAS ALSO AMENDMENTS TO THE YEAR ONE AGREEMENTS, UM, TO UPDATE THE CONSUMPTIVE USE, UH, CALCULATION METHODOLOGY.
UM, THE SECOND LRP APPLICATION PERIOD OCCURRED THIS PAST SUMMER 2023, UM, STEMMING FROM THAT OPEN APPLICATION PERIOD.
THERE WERE A NUMBER OF YEAR TWO, UM, APPLICANTS WHO WERE AGAIN, UH, ACCEPTED FOR ENROLLMENT IN THE PROGRAM, AND THEN A SUBSET OF THOSE, UM, ACCEPTED THAT EVENTUALLY, UM, EXECUTE AGREEMENTS.
UM, AND FOR THOSE YEAR TWO, UH, FOR THAT GROUP, THE, THE DURATIONS RANGE FROM THREE TO FOUR YEARS, UM, FOR BEING THE MAXIMUM THAT'S POSSIBLE, UM, STARTING IN THIS SECOND YEAR.
SO THIS TABLE HERE, UH, JUST PROVIDES A SUMMARY OF, UM, THE YEAR ONE AND THE YEAR TWO AND THE, AND THE GRAND TOTALS FOR, UM, THE ITEMS YOU SEE LISTED HERE.
SO, YOU KNOW, IN YEAR ONE, THERE WERE 26 APPLICATIONS WE RECEIVED 16 OF WHICH, UM, WERE, UH, SORT OF MET THE SCORING CRITERIA.
UM, OUT OF THOSE 16, THERE WERE 11 DRAFT AGREEMENTS.
UM, AND THE REASON THAT NUMBER'S, UH, LOWER THAN THE 16 IS THAT THERE WAS SOME, UM, CONSOLIDATION OF MULTIPLE APPLICATIONS FROM,
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FROM THE SAME APPLICANT, UM, INTO, YOU KNOW, A SINGLE AGREEMENT OUT OF THOSE 11 DRAFT AGREEMENTS, UM, EIGHT ENDED UP BEING EXECUTED.UM, THE REASON THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THOSE TWO NUMBERS IS THAT, UM, SEVERAL APPLICANTS, UM, DECIDED TO, YOU KNOW, PULL OUT OUT OF THE PROGRAM, UM, AT THE POINT, YOU KNOW, WHERE THEY HAD ALREADY BEEN ACCEPTED INTO THE PROGRAM BUT HAD NOT YET SIGNED AN AGREEMENT.
UM, SO THEY, UM, YOU KNOW, DECIDED NOT TO DO THAT.
UM, UNDER YEAR ONE, THE GRAND TOTAL OF ACREAGE, UM, UNDER AGREEMENT IS 2,353 REPRESENTING A WATER SAVINGS, UM, UNDER THE AGREEMENTS OF 3,755 ACRE FEET PER YEAR.
UM, AGAIN, THOSE DURATIONS VARY BETWEEN THREE AND FIVE YEARS.
SO SOME OF THOSE SAVINGS WILL LAST THREE YEARS, AND SOME OF THOSE SAVINGS WILL LAST FOUR OR FIVE YEARS.
UM, BASED ON THIS YEAR, ONE OF THE PROGRAM, THE ACTUAL WATER SAVINGS ACHIEVED, UH, SLIGHTLY HIGHER THAN THE AMOUNT UNDER THE AGREEMENTS.
SO 3,859, UM, AND THE INCENTIVE PAYMENTS ALL TOLD UNDER THOSE, UH, EIGHT YEAR ONE AGREEMENTS, UM, TOTALS APPROXIMATELY $1.23 MILLION IN YEAR TWO.
UM, SLIGHTLY LOWER NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS RECEIVED.
UM, AND BECAUSE SOME OF THE APPLICATIONS WERE, UM, YOU KNOW, NOT AS, UM, SCORING AS WELL, ACCORDING TO THE, THE SCORING CRITERIA TOTAL OF SIX WERE, UM, ACCEPTED BY THE, THE GSA, UM, AT ONE.
UH, YOU KNOW, AT THAT POINT, ONE OF THE APPLICA APPLICANTS, YOU KNOW, DECIDED TO DISCONTINUE OR, YOU KNOW, TO NOT GO FURTHER.
AND THEN TWO MORE, UM, ALSO MADE THAT DECISION.
SO GRAND TOTAL OF THREE, UM, YEAR TWO APPLICATIONS WERE, UH, YOU KNOW, SUBSEQUENTLY MADE INTO EXECUTED AGREEMENTS, UM, FOR A TOTAL OF 1,128 ACRES AND WATER SAVINGS APPROXIMATELY 1,549.
UM, IN YEAR ONE, OBVIOUS, WELL, WE HAVEN'T REALLY DONE YEAR ONE FOR, UH, THESE YEAR TWO, UM, SET OF APPLICANTS.
SO THERE'S A SORT OF NOT, NOT APPLICABLE FOR THAT METRIC.
UM, TOTAL INCENTIVE PAYMENTS UNDER THOSE, UM, NEW YEAR TWO AGREEMENTS IS $604,800.
AND THEN ON THE RIGHT SIDE, YOU CAN SEE THE GRAND TOTALS FOR YEARS ONE AND ONE AND TWO PUT TOGETHER.
UM, I WON'T REPEAT ALL THOSE NUMBERS, UM, BUT YOU CAN BASICALLY SEE WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY 3,500 ACRES OF LAND, UM, UNDER, UNDER AGREEMENT, UH, ROUGHLY 5,300 ACRE FEET PER YEAR OF WATER SAVINGS, UM, UNDER THE AGREEMENTS.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE DO ANTICIPATE THAT AS YOU ADD BOTH OF THOSE SETS OF AGREEMENTS TOGETHER, WE'LL, WE'LL SEE WATER SAVINGS, UM, YOU KNOW, COMMENSURATE WITH, WITH WHAT'S UNDER THE AGREEMENTS.
UM, GRAND TOTAL INCENTIVE PAYMENTS UNDER THOSE AGREEMENTS IS, UH, $1.838 MILLION.
UM, AND SO THAT'S BASICALLY THE SUMMARY OF, OF YEAR ONE AND YEAR TWO AS IT CURRENTLY STANDS.
AND JUST A COUPLE OF COUPLE OF TAKEAWAYS, UM, TO SHARE.
UM, YOU KNOW, AS I, AS I MENTIONED IN BOTH YEARS, UM, WE HAD APPLICANTS WHO WENT THROUGH THE PROCESS OF APPLYING, THEY, YOU KNOW, HAD ACCESS TO THE, UH, TEMPLATE AGREEMENT AT THE TIME THAT THEY APPLIED, UM, AND THEY WERE SCORED AND RANKED AND APPROVED FOR ACCEPTANCE.
UM, BUT THEN AT, AT SOME POINT, THEY, YOU KNOW, CHANGED THEIR MINDS TO, UM, DECIDE NOT TO PARTICIPATE.
UM, YOU KNOW, THIS ISN'T IDEAL FROM THE GS A'S PERSPECTIVE JUST BECAUSE IT, YOU KNOW, POTENTIALLY NOT ONLY, UM, SHRINKS THE NUMBER OF PARTICIPATING ENTITIES, BUT IT, UM, YOU KNOW, IT, IT'S NOT EFFICIENT TO DO IT THAT WAY WHERE OR, UM, APPLICANTS ARE, UM, YOU KNOW, CHOOSING NOT TO GO THROUGH WITH IT.
UM, SO THAT'S ONE THING TO POINT OUT.
AND THEN THE SECOND ONE IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'VE SEEN IN SOME OF THE IMPLEMENTATION SO FAR IS THAT, UM, FOR SOME OF THE PROPERTIES WHERE THE REPURPOSED, UH, CONDITION OF THOSE LANDS WAS NOT, YOU KNOW, COMPLETELY, UM, CROP FREE, BUT RATHER IT WAS JUST CROPS THAT WERE LEFT IN PLACE ON IRRIGATED TREE CROPS SPECIFICALLY, UM, YOU KNOW, WE DID ACTUALLY SEE A FAIR AMOUNT OF, UH,
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WATER USE, UM, OF APPLE TRANSPIRATION IN THOSE, IN THOSE TREE CROPS.UM, YOU KNOW, THAT WATER WOULD PRESUMABLY OTHERWISE WOULD'VE, UM, PORTION THAT WOULD'VE RECHARGED THE BASIN.
AND IN THIS CASE IT WAS, YOU KNOW, SORT OF USED IN, USED BY THE VEGETATION, BY THE CROPS.
UM, SO THAT, YOU KNOW, REDUCE THE SAVINGS SOMEWHAT, UM, COMPARED TO THE ORIGINAL GOAL.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, IDEALLY IN THE, UH, AGREEMENTS GOING FORWARD, THE REPURPOSED CONDITION, UM, YOU KNOW, WOULD, WOULD HAVE, UH, NO, NO CROPS LEFT IN PLACE, UM, THAT WOULD HELP TO OPTIMIZE IT, UH, THE WATER USE SAVINGS.
SO THOSE ARE THE TWO KEY TAKEAWAYS AND, UM, HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.
THANK YOU, CHRIS, FOR THAT UPDATE.
IS THERE ANY, UH, DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? I HAVE A, I HAVE A QUESTION, AND THAT IS THE GOAL OF THIS PROGRAM WAS TO SAVE 15,000 ACRE FEET PER YEAR OF WATER BY THE END OF ITS IMPLEMENTATION.
AND SINCE WE'RE SIGNIFICANTLY FALLING SHORT OF THAT GOAL, I GUESS THE QUESTION WOULD BE IS WHAT CHANGES ARE BEING RECOMMENDED TO GO FORWARD TO REACH THE GOAL OF 15,000 ACRE FOOT PER YEAR OF, UH, GROUNDWATER SAVINGS? UH, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
ONE THAT WE NEED TO, UM, YOU KNOW, BRING, BRING TO THE, UH, YOU KNOW, AD HOC COMMITTEE AS WE PLAN FOR THE THIRD AND FINAL YEAR OF, UM, THE OPEN ENROLLMENT PERIOD.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE CAN AT THAT POINT DISCUSS, UH, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S ANY WAYS TO FURTHER INCENTIVIZE, UM, PARTICIPATION IN THE PROGRAM.
UM, AS WE'VE SAID ALL ALONG, YOU KNOW, THIS IS SORT OF A LIMITED TIME OPPORTUNITY FOR LANDOWNERS TO, UH, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF A OPPORTUNITY TO GET SOME COMPENSATION, UM, TO DO SOMETHING THAT, UM, SEVERAL YEARS FROM NOW, THEY MAY END UP HAVING TO, UM, SORT OF MAKE THAT DECISION WITHOUT ANY COMPENSATION, UM, UNDER, UNDER AN ALLOCATION PROGRAM.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY AS, AS WORD GETS OUT THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS WORKING FOR THOSE WHO HAVE SIGNED UP ALREADY, UM, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THAT WILL BE A WAY TO, UM, GET MORE PARTICIPATION IN IN YEAR THREE.
UM, BUT I MEAN, YES, IT'S A, IT'S A GOOD QUESTION AND SOMETHING THAT THE AD HOC COMMITTEE, I'M SURE WILL BE THINKING ABOUT AND DISCUSSING WAYS TO, UH, UH, IMPROVE THAT PARTICIPATION.
IF, IF I COULD ALSO ADD THE, UM, 15 YEAR, THE 15,000 ACRE FEET PER YEAR IS YOUR WATER YEAR 2025 TARGET.
SO IT ISN'T A TARGET SPECIFICALLY OUR, IT ISN'T A TARGET FOR LRP ALONE, BUT IT'S A TARGET FOR ALL OF YOUR ACTIVITIES, WHICH INCLUDE, UM, PURCHASING SURFACE WATER WHEN AVAILABLE AND TAKING FLOOD WATER AND, AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
AND SO, WHILE LRP IS NOT, UM, ACHIEVING THE 15,000 ACRE FEET, THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE GSA IS NOT GONNA ACHIEVE THAT BECAUSE ESPECIALLY OVER THIS LAST YEAR, UM, ENTITIES IN THE MERCED BASIN, GSA HAVE BEEN TAKING A LOT OF FLOOD WATERS AND REDUCING THEIR GROUNDWATER USE.
YEAH, THAT WAS A GOOD QUESTION, ERIC.
I MEAN, WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO? I MEAN, WE, I I MEAN WE'VE HAD, I'M ON THE COMMITTEE THAT PROVES WE'VE HAD PLENTY OF APPLICANTS.
IT'S JUST THE COST, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, AT WHAT POINT DO YOU DRAW A LINE? I MEAN, WE, I THINK WE ALREADY SPENT ENOUGH AS IT IS, AND I THINK WE'VE FOUND OUT THAT THERE'S GONNA BE BETTER WAYS TO, TO TO ENCOURAGE REDUCTION, RIGHT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD BEFORE I OPEN UP TO THE PUBLIC? OKAY, I'M GONNA OPEN UP TO THE PUBLIC.
HOLD ON, LET ME, I WAS GONNA DO IT.
WE, AT LEAST WE'RE ON THE FIRST NAME BASIS.
UM, I'M JUST CURIOUS, UM, THE TWO 18 WAS SORT OF SOLD AS HOPEFULLY THIS LAND REPURPOSING WOULD BE SUCCESSFUL.
UM, I'M CURIOUS WHAT OUR BUDGET WAS.
I DON'T RECALL IT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD AND HOW MUCH WE'VE, YOU KNOW, GOT LEFT.
IT WAS NICE TO SEE A REDUCTION IN OUR TAXES THIS YEAR BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T USE IT ALL.
AND I'M JUST WONDERING WITH THIS YEAR'S RESULT, UH, HOW OUR BUDGET'S GONNA WORK OUT FOR OUR TAX SEASON NEXT YEAR.
SO WE ALL SORT OF HAVE AN IDEA ON THAT.
I DON'T KNOW IF LACEY CAN, UH, UPDATE US ON WHAT'S LEFT OR IF WE'RE JUST GONNA TAKE THAT MONEY AND FIND ANOTHER WAY TO SPEND IT.
IT ACTUALLY IS DESIGNATED FOR LAND REPURPOSING, SO WE MAY END UP NOT UTILIZING IT ALL AS POSSIBLE.
[00:35:02]
SO THEN HOPEFULLY IT, IT'S SAD THOUGH THAT WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO ROLL IT OVER AND DO SOMETHING ELSE WITH IT THAT WOULD BE MORE INCENTIVIZING TO THESE PEOPLE.BUT WE ALSO SORT OF SAID AT THE BEGINNING, WHO'S GOING TO, YOU KNOW, GIVE UP THEIR LAND FOR THREE OR $400 AN ACRE, UM, AT THIS POINT, YOU KNOW, 20 YEARS FROM NOW OR 15 YEARS FROM NOW, YEAH.
YOU KNOW, YOU'RE NOT GONNA HAVE A CHOICE.
YOU MAY JUST BE NO MONEY AT ALL.
YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO STOP FARMING IT BECAUSE THERE IS NO WATER, WHATEVER GETS IMPLEMENTED.
SO I WOULD EXPECT OUR TAXES TO BE LESS NEXT YEAR AGAIN, AS THEY WERE THIS YEAR.
NOT THAT WE'RE HAPPY IT'S NOT SUCCEEDING.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC AT SOME POINT WE'LL HAVE ALL THAT INFORMATION, DAVE, WHICH IS, IT'D BE GOOD.
WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT, WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON.
[8. 2024 GOVERNING BOARD MEETING CALENDAR]
NEXT ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, 2024 GOVERNING BOARD, MEETING CALENDAR.SO WE'RE HERE, WE'RE LOOKING FOR AN ACTION TO PROVE THE 2024 BOARD MEETING SCHEDULE, RIGHT IS THE SECOND THURSDAY OF EACH MONTH AT 2:00 PM THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE, HERE, RIGHT? THIS IS, UH, THIS, THIS IS THE SAME ACTION THAT YOU TAKE EVERY YEAR TO APPROVE YOUR, UH, MONTHLY MEETING SCHEDULE.
UM, THE MEETING DATES ON THE SCREEN HERE AND IN YOUR AGENDA PACKET ARE THE SECOND THURSDAY OF EVERY MONTH AT 2:00 PM UH, NORMALLY THESE ARE ALL HELD IN THE MERCED COUNTY ADMINISTRATION BUILDING, BUT WE DO KNOW THAT THE MERCED COUNTY ADMINISTRATION BUILDING IS ANTICIPATING, UH, SOME MAINTENANCE PROJECTS IN 2024, WHICH IS GONNA MAKE THIS ROOM UNAVAILABLE FOR APPROXIMATELY THREE MONTHS, I BELIEVE.
AND SO FOR THOSE MONTHS, WE WILL FIND A DIFFERENT LOCATION, UM, IN ADVANCE AND MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S POSTED WITH THE AGENDA SO EVERYONE KNOWS WHERE THE NEW LOCATION IS.
WITH, WITH THAT, UH, THOSE CHANGES OR POSSIBLE CHANGES, UH, MOVE TO APPROVE THE MEETING DATE SCHEDULE.
I'LL SECOND THAT WITH THE LACEY.
THE INTENT OF LACEY SENDING OUT CALOR INVITES TO ALL OF US.
BEFORE WE DO THIS, SORRY, MAY I OPEN UP TO THE PUBLIC? PLEASE.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ON THIS MATTER? SUCH A HOT BUTTON? YOU SURE DAVE? OKAY.
I'M GONNA CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
WAS THAT A SECOND WITH A CONDITION? JUST CALENDAR INVITE PLEASE.
[9. STRATEGIC PLANNING AD HOC COMMITTEE REPORT]
OKAY, NOW WE'RE ON TO NINE STRATEGIC PLANNING AD HOC COMMITTEE REPORT.WHO ON THE COMMITTEE IS, IS, UM, CHARGED WITH THAT ASSIGNMENT OR IS THERE AN UPDATE FROM THE COMMITTEE? I GUESS LACEY'S LOOKING AT ME.
UH, WE JUST, UH, WENT OVER, UH, THE FRAMEWORK POLICY, BUT WE STILL, UH, WE'RE STILL CHEWING THROUGH IT, SO WE DON'T REALLY HAVE MUCH TO GO OVER IN PUBLIC RIGHT NOW OVER IT.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE ANOTHER MEETING BEFORE OUR JANUARY MEETING TO KEEP ON, UH, WORKING ON IT.
SOME QUESTIONS WE HAD INTERNALLY.
BUT, UH, WE'RE JUST MOVING FORWARD WITH THE FRAMEWORK POLICY THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOR THE LAST FEW MONTHS.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD FROM THE COMMITTEE? NOTHING.
I'LL OPEN UP TO THE PUBLIC IF ANYONE'S GOT ANY QUESTIONS.
[10. STAFF REPORT]
UH, MOVING ON TO NUMBER 10, STAFF REPORT.ONE IS AN UPDATE ON THE MERCED COUNTY GROUNDWATER MINING AND EXPORT ORDINANCE.
THE MERCED COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ARE CONSIDERING AN AMENDMENT TO THE GROUNDWATER ORDINANCE.
UM, UNDER THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT, GSAS WILL HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DETERMINE WHETHER A PROPOSED EXPORT WITHIN THEIR JURISDICTION IS SUSTAINABLE AND CONSISTENT WITH THEIR GROUNDWATER SUSTAINABILITY PLAN.
THIS AMENDMENT IS VERY SIMILAR TO THE WELL CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS THAT WERE CHANGED IN THE ORDINANCE IN 2022.
UM, SO THE PROHIBITION TO EXPORT OUTSIDE OF A BASIN WOULD STAND WITH THE EXEMPTION THAT UNLESS A GSA WHERE THE EXPORT IS ORIGINATING AND THE GSA WHERE THE EXPORT IS GOING TO BOTH PROVIDE DETERMINATIONS THAT THE EXPORT IS CONSISTENT WITH THEIR GSP.
SO AS A REMINDER, UM, WHEN WELL APPLICATIONS COME IN, THE WELL APPLICATION COMES TO THE COUNTY WITH A DETERMINATION THAT
[00:40:01]
THAT WELL IS CONSISTENT WITH THE GSAS GS P.SO THIS WOULD BE A VERY SIMILAR CHANGE IF AN EXPORT APPLICATION CAME INTO THE COUNTY.
THAT EXPORT APPLICATION WOULD HAVE TO COME IN WITH A CONSISTENCY DETERMINATION THAT, THAT IT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE GSP OF THE ORIGINATING AND THE RECEIVING LOCATIONS FOR THE MERCED SUB-BASIN GSA, THIS MEANS THAT YOU'LL NEED TO HAVE A POLICY IN PLACE IN ORDER TO EVALUATE ANY PROPOSED EXPORTS, UM, UNDER THAT POLICY.
AND THIS IS IN LINE WITH HOW YOU APPROACHED THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE WELL PIECE WHERE YOU DEVELOPED WHAT IS NOW RULE ONE TO EVALUATE WELL, APPLICATIONS THAT COME TO THE GSA LOOKING FOR CONSISTENCY DETERMINATIONS.
AND THEN ANY POLICY WOULD BE DEVELOPED, OF COURSE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL'S GUIDANCE AS WELL.
THE SECOND ITEM, UM, I HAVE UNDER THE STAFF REPORT IS JUST A QUICK UPDATE ON THE MULTI-BENEFIT LAND REPURPOSING PROGRAM GRANT.
THIS IS THE $8.89 MILLION BLOCK GRANT THAT THE GSA RECEIVED EARLIER THIS FALL.
UM, WE'RE WORKING ON AGREEMENTS WITH THE PARTNERS TO BE ABLE TO START, UM, REIMBURSING THEM FOR THEIR TIME AND WORK UNDER THE GRANT AND STARTING TO WORK WITH THEM.
WE'RE ALSO WORKING ON DEVELOPING A RFP IN ORDER TO SELECT A PROJECT MANAGER TO HELP LEAD THE PROJECT.
AND WE'RE DOING THIS IN COORDINATION WITH THE EAST TURLOCK SUB BASIN, GSA, WHO'S ALSO AN MLRP BLOCK GRANT AWARDEE IN ORDER TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ANY SYNERGIES AND FINDING A CONSULTANT OR CONSULTANT TEAMS WHO MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN WORKING KIND OF IN MORE THAN ONE BASIN AND TAKING THAT EXPERTISE THAT MAYBE THEY'VE LEARNED IN ONE BASIN, BRINGING IT INTO OUR BASIN SO WE DON'T HAVE TO RECREATE THE WHEEL.
AND SO EXPECT SOME OF THOSE PARTNER AGREEMENTS TO COME BEFORE THE BOARD IN THE NEXT MONTH.
AND THEN THE RFP, UH, TO COME BEFORE THE BOARD TO BE RELEASED POTENTIALLY IN FEBRUARY.
[11. BOARD REPORTS]
MOVING ON.11 BOARD REPORTS TO START ON MY RIGHT.
WELL I'LL TAKE A STAB AT ONE, AT LEAST A, A REPORT, UM, TO PIGGYBACK ON, ON YOUR FIRST ITEM.
I THINK IT'S IMPERATIVE THAT THIS BOARD GETS OUT IN FRONT OF THIS, UM, CHANGE IN THE GROUNDWATER EXPORTATION ORDINANCE.
SO WHATEVER THAT MEANS, HOWEVER SPEEDY WE NEED TO ACT.
WE JUST NEED TO BE PREPARED FOR THIS AND GET OUT IN FRONT OF IT AND MAKE SURE IT'S CONSISTENT IN OUR ENTIRE BASIN.
SO I DUNNO IF THAT MEANS WE NEED TO WORK A LITTLE BIT ON THE CC ME CC LEVEL, JUST SO IT'S ALL, YEAH.
[12. NEXT MEETING]
MOVING ON.OUR NEXT MEETING IS, UH, SINCE WE JUST APPROVED IT.
AT 2:00 PM AND THAT WILL BE HERE, LACEY, THAT, THAT JANUARY WILL BE HERE.