BOARD MEETING DATE: April 2, 2010
AGENDA NO. 18
REPORT:
Administrative Committee
SYNOPSIS:
The Administrative Committee met on Friday, March 12, 2010. The Committee discussed various issues detailed in the Committee report. The next Administrative Committee meeting is scheduled for Friday, April 9, 2010, at 10:00 a.m. in Conference Room CC-8.
RECOMMENDED ACTIONS:
Receive and file.
Dr. William A. Burke, Chair
Administrative Committee
Attendance: Attending the March 12, 2010 meeting via videoconference were Committee Chair William Burke and Committee Member Ashley. Present at AQMD was Committee Member Josie Gonzales. Supervisor Loveridge and Mayor Yates were absent due to conflicts in their schedules.
ACTION/DISCUSSION ITEMS:
1. Board Members’ Concerns: None.
2. Chairman’s Report of Approved Travel: None.
3. Approval of Compensation for Board Member Assistant(s)/Consultant(s): None.
4. Report of Approved Out-of-Country Travel: None.
APRIL AGENDA ITEMS:
5. Issue Purchase Orders for Carbonyl Samplers and CNG Repair Vehicles: Deputy Executive Officer/Science & Technology Advancement Chung Liu reported on staff’s proposal to purchase eight carbonyl samplers and four CNG vehicles for use by monitoring staff, funded by PAMS authorizations. Staff proposes to spend $124,000 for eight carbonyl samplers for monitoring at two stations and $167,000 to purchase two CNG vans and two CNG pick-up trucks using the State of California’s General Services approved vendor and price list.
Moved by Ashley; seconded by Gonzales; unanimously approved.
6. Execute Contract to Install and Maintain Air Filtration Systems in Wilmington Schools: Dr. Liu briefed the Committee on staff’s recommendation to award a contract to IQAir to conduct the installation and maintenance of air filtration and HVAC systems in Wilmington schools from the $6 million TraPac Settlement under an RFP process in which two bidders responded. Chairman Burke expressed his concern that, in the current economic climate, the RFP for a $5.4 million contract received only two bids. Dr. Wallerstein noted that the RFP was advertised in the Los Angeles Times, the Orange County Register, the San Bernardino Sun, and the Riverside County Press Enterprise. Chairman Burke said he understood the RFP advertising effort undertaken in this matter, and asked whether the proposed selected firm had done preliminary work on AQMD’s previous study on school filtration. Dr. Wallerstein advised that AQMD funded and performed a preliminary study examining filtering options which placed filtering systems in schools for evaluation. Subsequently, the plaintiff groups in the TraPac settlement came to AQMD requesting staff administer the $6 million program to put additional filters in Wilmington schools; the AQMD did so, using its normal procedure for soliciting bids, with a four-member evaluation panel in this instance consisting of two AQMD staff members, an NRDC staff person representing the TraPac plaintiffs, and a manager from the CARB Research Division. Dr. Wallerstein further stated the selected contractor had previously done this type of work but was not involved in putting the RFP together nor involved with the request from the Port of Los Angeles or the plaintiffs. Supervisor Gonzales inquired whether there was a specific timeline associated with the proposal, and whether there are firms qualified to bid on this RFP within the geographic area in which the RFP was advertised. Dr. Liu responded that the RFP was advertised in all four counties, and that the settlement agreement requires completion of the project within two years. Dr. Wallerstein added that, should the Committee recommend the RFP be sent out for re-bid, there was adequate time available. Dr. Wallerstein reiterated the question of concern as being whether firms in this line of work look for government-RFP ads in these newspapers, or have they placed themselves on the direct-mailing list to receive such RFPs. Chairman Burke inquired whether, in the current economy, efforts should be expanded to advertise the RFP in order to obtain the broadest possible base of bidders and to secure the greatest economic benefit on behalf of the public benefiting from the contract. Supervisor Gonzales inquired of the potential cost to re-bid the contract, whereupon staff responded the nominal cost should not be a consideration in this matter. However, Dr. Wallerstein recommended that, in re-bidding the contract, the RFP be advertised in possible trade association publications and websites which perform this type of work. Therefore, Dr. Wallerstein offered to re-bid the RFP and gauge the resulting response; and noted that if re-bidding results in a contractor that does the same quality of work for less cost, more schools could receive filters under the program. The Committee concurred with that approach.
7. Adopt Resolution to Renew General Services Agreement with County of Los Angeles: Chief Financial Officer Rick Pearce reported this item comes before the Board every five years. The agreement, in place since 1977 and providing services such as treasury and financial services, including retirement administration of the few employees remaining under the County retirement system, was recommended for approval.
Moved by Gonzales; seconded by Ashley; unanimously approved.
8. Approve Transfer of Monies from General Fund to Health Effects Research Fund: Dr. Wallerstein advised this action would approve a transfer of penalty monies into a health effects research fund, as a result of the Board-adopted policy that a 20% portion of the budgeted annual amount of penalty money exceeding
$4 million be set aside for health effects research.
Moved by Ashley; seconded by Gonzales; unanimously approved.
9. Execute Contracts with Rick Pearce and Eudora Tharp for Expert Technical Consulting Services and Approve Findings Supporting Contracts: In anticipation of the retirements of CFO Rick Pearce and ADEO Eudora Tharp, Dr. Wallerstein requested two small contracts of $20,000 each so that the incoming CFO and ADEO will have the benefit of some of Mr. Pearce and Ms. Tharp’s experience, if needed, to help with the transition and availability of corporate memory regarding past actions.
Moved by Gonzales; seconded by Ashley; unanimously approved.
10. Authorize Purchase of Maintenance and Support Services for Server Hardware and Software: ADEO/Information Management Chris Marlia advised this standard item is brought before the Committee every year for request to purchase maintenance and support for corporate servers in the amount of $85,000. In response to a question from Supervisor Gonzales relative to the previous number of servers compared to the cost, Mr. Marlia replied that more servers are included here for the price as a result of price reduction.
Moved by Gonzales; seconded by Ashley; unanimously approved.
11. Unfund Manager Position, Establish New Class, and Reclassify Supervisor Position: ADEO/Administrative & Human Resources Eudora Tharp reported that this recommended action takes advantage of upcoming staff retirements to restructure one of the units at a cost savings of $139,000, resulting in unfunding the position of Building Maintenance Manager to upgrade the Building Maintenance Supervisor position adding higher-level duties and having the position report to the Business Services Manager.
Moved by Gonzales; seconded by Ashley; unanimously approved.
12. Amend Regulation XXVII – Climate Change: Director of Strategic Initiatives/Climate Change & Socioeconomic Analysis Jill Whynot advised that this item would serve to update the Committee on changes to be brought before the Board in May and to prefund the emission bank. Ms. Whynot noted that at the last CARB Board Meeting a resolution was introduced withdrawing approval of protocols for voluntary greenhouse reductions, reportedly due to a threatened lawsuit for not having done a CEQA process on one of the protocols and in order to focus on a compliance-grade offset to be used in the upcoming cap-and-trade program, and, finally, because resources are not available for CARB technical review. Dr. Wallerstein briefed the Committee on his recent appearance testifying before the CARB Board and its Executive Officer on this item, i.e., AQMD has had a series of protocols before CARB for formal comment for a nine-month period, just as Placer County APCD has had a protocol before CARB for 12 months with no feedback. In addition, Dr. Wallerstein noted that in his testimony he had requested the CARB staff provide timely comments, and they responded that they simply don’t have the time or resources to do so; nevertheless, he noted, CARB requests assistance from AQMD on greenhouse gases with implementation of their programs. CARB Chair Nichols recommended a meeting between the agencies to review this issue, as well as a second issue raised with the CARB Board in which the CARB Board instructed its staff to allow local air district staff to be trained and tested for certification as official verifiers of emission reports of greenhouse emissions under the State mandatory reporting rule. AQMD sent staff to the training and to take the examination, at some travel expense and staff time, a number of staff passed the exam, and now the CARB Executive Officer is refusing approval of any air district staff verifiers. As a result, Dr. Wallerstein planned to draft a letter for Chairman Burke’s signature advising a meeting is appropriate to seek resolution of these issues in the spirit of partnership. Chairman Burke indicated his willingness to meet at the Board level but not before some of these issues are resolved, and encouraged a strongly worded letter to this effect be drafted for his signature. Ms. Whynot resumed her presentation, reporting the current rule has three protocols, for methane digesters, urban tree planting, and forestry. In addition, staff recommends adding a recently developed boiler process heater efficiency protocol, in which an economizer or oxygen trip system is added to an existing boiler or process heater, improving energy efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Staff further recommends prefunding a bank for Rule 2702 to fund projects under the rule. Projects would be initiated by AQMD, such as tree planting or boiler retrofits, or through an RFP process. The rule hearing will be set in April, and come before the Board in May.
13. Local Government & Small Business Advisory Group Minutes for January 15, 2010 Meeting: Public Advisor Anupom Ganguli advised that items 13 and 14 are informational items. The Committee had no questions for Mr. Ganguli on this item.
14. Draft Minutes of Environmental Justice Advisory Group for January 29, 2010 Meeting: The Committee had no questions for Mr. Ganguli on this item.
15. Review April 2, 2010 Governing Board Agenda: There was no comment on the April Board Agenda.
15. Other Business: None.
16. Public Comment: None.
Meeting adjourned at 10:40 a.m.
Attachment (DOC, 60k)
Minutes from the January 15, 2010 Local Government & Small Business Assistance Advisory Group meeting