Candidate for
Director; Sausalito-Marin City Sanitary District

Provide to residents and customers of Sausalito-Marin City Sanitary District (District) wastewater collection, treatment and disposal services at the highest levels at the lowest cost.

Ensuring the ability of the District to meet the needs of residents and customers in the years ahead by completion of the District's capital improvement projects to maintain, rehabilitate, upgrade, renew and replace, as necessary, the District's pipelines, pump stations, and treatment facilities and processes.

Protection of public health and the environment by reliable wastewater collection, treatment and disposal around the clock in compliance with the permit issued to the District by the Regional Water Quality Control Board that allows the discharge of treated wastewater into the San Francisco Bay.

MY SERVICE AS A DIRECTOR AND CONTINUING EMPHASIS

The District

The Sausalito-Marin City Sanitary District (District), an independent special district authorized by California law, was formed in 1950.  The District provides sewage collection, treatment and disposal services to Sausalito and unincorporated areas including Marin City, Tamalpais Community Services District (TCSD) (under a contract with the District), the National Park Service (Forts Baker, Barry and Cronkite) and Muir Woods (through TCSD).  The District treatment plant is located on Fort Baker.  In 1987 the facilities were expanded to provide secondary wastewater treatment before disposal into the San Francisco Bay.  The replacement value of the District's facilities may exceed $50 million.  The total number of people served by the District approximates 18,000.

The District is governed by an elected Board of Directors (Directors).  I have served the residents and customers of the District as a member of the Board for 10 years, the last four of which I was selected by the Directors to serve as Board President.

The obligation of the Board is that the District provide responsible wastewater collection, treatment and disposal services at a reasonable cost to the rate payers.  The Board takes its stewardship very seriously.  The members of the Board work together collegially.  During my time of service on the Board major decisions were reached with a consensus.  The Board is served by legal, accounting and auditing professionals.

Regular public meetings of the Board are held at the District offices in the evening of the first Monday of each month.  Special meetings may be held from time to time as required.  All Board meetings are noticed in accordance with legal requirements and minutes prepared.

The Board has standing committees that meet from time to time as required.  They are each composed of two Directors and the General Manager.  The committees report and submit recommendations to the entire Board for decision.  Committee meetings are also noticed and minutes prepared.  The standing committees are: Capital Projects and Construction; Finance, Insurance, Budget; Inflow/Infiltration; National Park Service; Personnel and Public Outreach/Information.

In addition ad hoc committees are occasionally formed in specific areas such as Local Agency Formation Commission matters, Tamalpais Community Services District matters, and codification of District rules, regulations and ordinances.

Each Director is authorized under California law to receive a fee of $160 per meeting attended, not to exceed one per day and six per month.

The District employs a General Manager - a professional engineer with extensive experience in the wastewater industry, operations, management and administration.  In addition the District has six full-time employees who have been with the District from 13 to 27 years.  They are professionals experienced in the operation and maintenance of the District's systems.  They ensure around-the-clock operations.  The staff also includes a very efficient District Secretary.

Through their dedication and capabilities the staff ensures reliable service to residents and customers and protects public health and the environment.  They have the Board's confidence and gratitude.  We are all conservationists and environmentalists.

The Clean Air Act, passed by Congress in 1972, was designed and intended to restore the chemical, physical and biological integrity to the nation's waters.  It also set the goal of eliminating the discharge of pollutants into navigable waters.  One of the primary mechanisms to that end is a permit system (National Pollution Discharge Elimination System) limiting to specified levels the discharge of various pollutants into waterways.  The permits contain conditions on the types and amounts of pollutants a permit holder can discharge.  They also require permit holders to collect and report information about pollutant discharges.  The District operates under such a permit issued by the San Francisco Regional Water Control Board.  The permit is for a limited period and is subject to review, modification and renewal.  Permit violations can be the subject of fines, abatement orders, citizen lawsuits and criminal prosecutions.  It is important that the District comply fully with the permit provisions.

District Infrastructure

For the ten years I have served on the Board there has been a focus on the needs of our infrastructure - some parts of which have been seriously aging.  Ensuring safe and reliable systems may require capital, rehabilitation, and replacement projects.  An example is the deteriorating force main that was located in the bay waters along the Sausalito shoreline.  It was replaced and relocated to a land route to the plant under city streets.  This project eliminated potential environmental risks and permit violations.

The current District capital improvement program was developed in consultations with recognized experts.  In fiscal year 2005-2006 projects planned for implementation involve expenditures of $2 to $3 million.  They include: odor control, access causeway repairs, treatment plant systems improvements, electronic information and control improvements, Locust Street pump station update, sludge dewatering process improvements and plant performance review study.  Over the next three years the District plans to invest approximately $5 million in the upgrade and renovations of our infrastructure.

The capital improvement program was a principal reason the District, in compliance with legal requirements, raised the sewer service charge after over seven years without change.  The increases were for three successive years beginning in 2003.  Prior monthly charges were $13.33 for a residence or dwelling unit.  The new monthly charges were as follows:  2002 - $16.42; 2003 - $20.17; 2004 - $24.83.  The District selected this pay-as-you-go approach rather than to incur the additional cost of borrowing or bond issues.

• Completion of the capital improvement program.


• Preparation for new regulatory requirements including those relating to sanitary sewer overflows and their prevention.


• Reduction of inflow and infiltration from collection systems due to breaches.  (Heavy rainfall and high tides may cause plant capacity to be exceeded and salt water can interfere with plant essential processes.)


• Collaboration with other sanitary agencies in Southern Marin County to explore potential savings and efficiencies that might be realized by all through voluntary cooperative arrangements.


• Exploration with Tamalpais Community Services District (TCSD) concerns about not having voting representative on the District Board.  (Currently a TCSD representative is able to attend and participate in Board meetings but unable to vote because TCSD is not a part of the District.)


• Expanding the District public outreach/information program including periodic newsletters.


• Policy guidance to and support of General Manager in preparation and refinements to a wide range of District plans, programs and manuals including Local Hazard Mitigation, Asset Management, Emergency Response, Injury and Illness Prevention, and Sewer Overflow and Response.

The District is a member of the California Association of Sanitation Agencies and the California Special Districts Association.  These are statewide professional organizations that provide valuable educational programs and conferences relevant and useful to the wastewater industry and special district governance.

In addition the District is a member of the California Sanitation Risk Management Authority (CSRMA), a joint powers authority composed of 39 California wastewater agencies.  The District arranges for insurance through CSRMA and is provided educational programs and materials relating to risk management and reduction.

For entertaining historical perspectives on wastewater collection, treatment and disposal from ancient to modern times look for the History Channel (A&E) network series Modern Marvels, program 'Sewers.'