Water Policy Committee (3-16-2021)

PARTICIPATION EXCLUSIVELY THROUGH ZOOM 

Notice

Notice is hereby given that a regular meeting of the Water Policy Committee of the Board of Directors of Westlands Water District will be held on March 16, 2021 at 11:00 a.m.

In accordance with the Governor’s Executive Order N-29-20, issued pursuant to the Governor’s State of Emergency proclamation, and in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, this meeting will occur exclusively through Zoom.

Join the meeting from a computer, tablet or smartphone:

Join Zoom Meeting

Meeting ID: 915 1757 3392
Passcode: 3130

Dial by your location
+1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose)

Meeting ID: 915 1757 3392
Passcode: 3130

After You Join, Please Mute Your Line.

If you have problems using the Zoom prior to the start of the meeting, please contact the District’s IT staff at 559-224-1523 or itstaff@wwd.ca.gov.  Requests for assistance made during the meeting may not be responded to timely.

At the beginning of the meeting, the Chair of the Committee will provide instructions on how members of the public will be able to participate in the meeting. 

COMMITTEE MEMBERS

• Todd Neves, Chair
• Jim Anderson
• Ryan Ferguson
• Dan Errotabere

Public Comment – Any member of the public may address the Board concerning any matter on the agenda before or during its consideration of that matter. Public comment is limited to three minutes per person and no more than fifteen minutes per topic. For good cause, the Board President may waive these limitations.

Agenda

1. Call to Order.
2. Committee to Consider Corrections or Additions to the Agenda of Items, as authorized by Government Code Section 54950 et seq.
3. Committee to Consider Approval of the Minutes of the Regular Meeting of February 16, 2021.
4. Committee to Consider Recommendation that the Board of Directors Authorizes Execution of an Agreement for Permittees Selecting Participation in the Prioritization and Optimization Study for Alternative Salinity Permitting Approach with the Central Valley Salinity Coalition, Submission of the Notice of Intent to the California Regional Water Quality Control Board, Central Valley Region, and Related Actions
5. Committee to Consider Recommendation that the Board of Directors Authorizes Execution of a Water Transfer Agreement Between Westlands Water District and the City of Coalinga and Related Actions.
6. Committee to Receive Report on Past, Present, and Projected Water Supply and Use and Central Valley Project/State Water Project Operations.
7. Committee to Consider Board of Directors March 16, 2021 Agenda Items:
   1. Item 9a – Consider Recommendation that the Board of Directors Authorizes Execution of a Water Transfer Agreement Between Westlands Water District and the City of Coalinga and Related Actions.
8. Public Comment – Any member of the public may address the Committee concerning any matter not on the agenda but within the Committee’s jurisdiction.  Public comment is limited to three minutes per person and no more than fifteen minutes per topic.  For good cause, the Committee Chairperson may waive these limitations.
9. Closed Session – The Committee will meet in closed session pursuant to the Government Code section noted to discuss the following:
   1. CONFERENCE WITH REAL PROPERTY NEGOTIATORS (Pursuant to Cal. Gov. Code section 54956.8)
      1. Property: Up to 6,000 acres of District owned land, described as follows:
         1. Sections 33 and 34 in T.12S., R.13E., M.D.B.&M.
         2. Sections 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 10, 11,15, 16 in T.13S., R.13E., M.D.B.&M.
            Agency Negotiator: General Manager or designee
            Negotiating Parties: Golden State Solar North, LLC
            Under Negotiation: Price and terms of payment
      2. Property: Up to 5,010 acres of District owned land, described as follows:
         1. Sections 23 and 24 in T.16S., R.16E., M.D.B.&M.
         2. Section17 in T.15S., R.15E., M.D.B.&M.
         3. Sections 4,10,22 and 23 in T.14S., R.14E., M.D.B.&M.
         4. Sections 28, 34 and 35 in T.16S., R.16E., M.D.B.&M.
            Agency Negotiator: General Manager or designee
            Negotiating Parties: Samsung Solar Energy 2, LLC, LLC
            Under Negotiation: Price and terms of payment
      3. Property: Water Supply
         Agency Negotiator: General Manager or designee
         Negotiating Parties: TBD
         Under Negotiation: Price and terms of payment
10. Report from Closed Session, if any, Required by Government Code Section 54957.1.
11. Golden State Solar North, LLC on up to 6,000 acres of District Owned Land for Lease in Sections  33 and 34 in T.12S., R.13E., M.D.B.&M. and Sections 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 10, 11,15 and 16 in T. 13S., R.13E., M.D.B.&M.
12. Committee to Consider Recommendation that the Board of Directors Authorizes the General Manager or Designee to Execute an Option Agreement  with Samsung Solar Energy 2, LLC., on up to 5,010 acres of District Owned Land for Lease in  Sections 23 and 24 in T.16S., R.16E., M.D.B.&M., Section 17 in T.15S., R.15E., M.D.B.&M., Sections 4,10, 22 and 23 in T.14S., R.14E., M.D.B.&M. and Sections 28, 34 and 35 in T.16S., R.16E., M.D.B.&M.
13. ADJOURNMENT

Order of Business

The order of business reflected in this Notice and Agenda is subject to change.

Accessibility

A person with a qualifying disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 may request the District provide a disability-related modification or accommodation in order to facilitate that person’s participation in any public meeting of the District.  Such assistance includes appropriate alternative formats for the agendas and agenda packets used for any public meetings of the District.  Requests for such assistance may be made in person at the District’s Fresno office, which is located at 3130 N. Fresno St., Fresno, California, by telephone (559-224-1523), facsimile (559-241-6277), or written correspondence addressed to Westlands Water District, Attn: Karen Clark, P.O. Box 6056, Fresno, California 93703.  Notifications of at least 48 hours prior to the meeting will assist staff in assuring that reasonable arrangements can be made.

Document Availability

Written material related to an item on this agenda that is distributed less than 72 hours prior to this meeting to at least a majority of the members of the legislative body will be available for inspection during normal business hours at the District’s Fresno office, which is located at 3130 N. Fresno St., Fresno, California.

Written material distributed during a public meeting will be available for public inspection at the meeting, if prepared by the local agency or a member of its legislative body, or after the meeting if prepared by some other person.

“I, Original Signed by District Secretary, declare that the foregoing agenda for March 16, 2021 meeting of the Westlands Water District’s Water Policy Committee was posted on  March 11, 2021, at the District’s Fresno Office, 3130 N. Fresno Street, Fresno, CA 93703, at the District’s Five Points Field Office, 23050 W. Mt. Whitney Avenue, Five Points, CA 93624, and on the Meeting Information Page of the District’s Website and was available for public inspection.”