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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Packet - Legislative & Public Outreach Committee - 08/12/2021LEGISLATIVE AND PUBLIC OUTREACH COMMIT TEE VIA TELECONFERENCE August 12, 2021 - 2:00 PM31111 Greenspot Road, Highland, CA 92346 In an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and in accordance with Governor Newsom's Executive Order N-25-20 and N-29-20, this meeting is being conducted via teleconference. There will be no public location for attending this meeting in person. Members of the public may listen and provide public comment telephonically. Anyone wishing to join the meeting may do so using the following information: DIAL: 1-209-425-5876 and enter CONFERENCE ID: 320 504 521# You may also join by clicking HERE to join the meeting via Microsoft Teams. AGENDA CALL TO ORDER PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE PUBLIC COMMENTS NEW BUSINESS 1.Conservation Update 2.Redesign of the Current Monthly Bill 3.Drone Program Update 4.Outreach Update 5.Director's Comments 6.Staff's Comments ADJOURN PLEASE NO TE: Pursuant to Government Code Section 54954.2(a), any request for a disability-related modification or accommodation, including auxiliary aids or services, that is sought in order to participate in the above- agendized public meeting should be directed to the District Clerk at (909) 885-4900 at least 72 hours prior to said meeting. S TAF F R E P ORT Agenda Item #1. Meeting Date: Augus t 12, 2021 To: LEG I S LAT I VE AND P UB LI C O UT R E AC H C O MMI T T E E From: G eneral Manager/C E O S ubject: C o ns ervation Upd ate R E COMME N D AT IO N: T his item is for info rmatio n p urp o s es o nly. B AC KG R O UN D / AN ALYS IS : East Valley Water Dis trict has d eveloped an extensive C o ns ervatio n program to engage with community members , repo rt o ut to the state and p ro tect this p recious natural res o urce. With mo re than 88 % o f the s tate exp eriencing extreme drought c o nditio ns , the Dis trict will continue its lo c al and regional effo rts to encourage c usto mers and partners to c o ns erve water. T he S tate’s water sup ply c o ntinues to b e impac ted by extreme heat and lo w water levels in res ervo irs and s treams . In respons e to the developing d ro ught, a p roc lamatio n was iss ued dec laring a d ro ught s tate o f emergency in 50 counties, not inc luding S an Bernardino , triggering mand ato ry water restric tions in the d ec lared c o unties . G o vernor Newsom als o issued an exec utive o rder c alling on all C alifo rnians to voluntarily reduc e their us age b y 15% c o mpared to 2020 levels. T he S tate Water R esourc es C ontro l Bo ard will be mo nitoring p ro gres s o n the vo luntary cons ervation and will determine whether ad d itional d ro ught res pons e actio ns are need ed . Due to the investments mad e b y regional agenc ies , inc lud ing the District, the Bunker Hill Bas in is in a s tro ng p ositio n in this dry year. T he Distric t is c urrently operating in S tage 1 of the Water S ho rtage C o ntingency P lan. Und er this stage, cus tomers are encouraged to use water wis ely to prevent waste and unreasonab le use o f water. S ho uld d ro ught c ond itions c ontinue, and the G overno r dec lare a Dro ught Emergency for S an Bernardino C ounty, the Dis trict will mo ve into S tage 2 to reduc e water us age ac ro s s all c us tomer c atego ries. T he Dis tric t continues to engage cus tomers in c o nservatio n p ro grams and enc ourage water effic ienc y efforts . In F isc al Year 2020-2021, more than 340 c us tomers p artic ipated in o ne o f s even rebate programs o ffered . 113 irrigation contro llers were upgrad ed to the weather-bas ed irrigation c ontroller thro ugh the direc t ins tallation p rogram, helping the Dis trict s ave mo re than 1.6 millio n gallons o f water, eq ual to the amount need ed for one year of water fo r 21 ho us ehold s . S taff will be monitoring the Dis trict’s progress o n voluntary reduc tions , c o ntinue to enc o urage cus tomers to us e water effic iently, and be ac tive p artic ipates in the s teward s hip of our water res ourc es . AGE N C Y GOALS AN D OB J E C T IVE S: G oal and O b jec tives I I - Maintain a C o mmitment to S us tainab ility, Trans p arency, and Ac countability R espec tfully s ubmitted : Kelly Malloy Direc tor of S trategic S ervices G oal and O b jec tives I I - Maintain a C o mmitment to S us tainab ility, Trans p arency, and Ac countability b) U tilize E ffective C ommunication M ethods d) P ro vid e Q uality Info rmatio n to Encourage C ommunity Engagement F IS CAL IMPAC T T here is no fis cal imp ac t as s oc iated with this agend a item. ATTAC H M E NTS: Description Type Conservation P resentation P resentation August 12, 2021 CONSERVATION AND DROUGHT UPDATE TABLE OF CONTENTS 2 3 DROUGHT SNAPSHOT •April 21, 2021 •Emergency Drought Proclamation for Mendocino and Sonoma counties •May 10, 2021 •Emergency Drought Proclamation for 39 additional counties •July 8, 2021 •Emergency Drought Proclamation for a total of 50 counties •Governor called for voluntary statewide 15% reduction in water use •Indoor •High Efficiency Toilet •High Efficiency Showerhead •High Efficiency Washing Machine •Outdoor •High Efficiency Nozzles •Water Efficient Landscaping •Weather Based Irrigation Controller •Direct Installation Weather Based Irrigation Controller •Parkway Pilot Program 4 CONSERVATION REBATES S TAF F R E P ORT Agenda Item #2. Meeting Date: Augus t 12, 2021 To: LEG I S LAT I VE AND P UB LI C O UT R E AC H C O MMI T T E E From: G eneral Manager/C E O S ubject: R edesign of the C urrent Mo nthly Bill R E COMME N D AT IO N: T his item is for info rmatio nal purp o s es o nly, no ac tion is reques ted at this time. B AC KG R O UN D / AN ALYS IS : East Valley Water Dis trict’s mo nthly b ill is the mo s t c o ns tant fo rms o f c ommunicatio n between the Dis tric t and ratep ayers . T he d o cument p rovid es the oppo rtunity to inc reas e the res idents ’ awarenes s o f the Distric t’s b illing s truc ture, to tal c usto mer cons ump tion and it provides a c hannel fo r Dis tric t updates. Due to the imp ortanc e o f the mo nthly b ill, staff worked to mo d ernize the des ign and ad d elements into the bill to help the c us to mer further unders tand the operations of the Dis trict. P revio us ly updated in 2015, the c urrent water and s ewer b ill will be res truc tured to rep resent new s ervices while b eing consistent with the b rand standard s . T his p roc es s will p ro vid e a high degree o f c ohes iveness with the District’s P as t Due Notic e and No tic e o f Intent to Disc o nnec t S ervice. T he prop o s ed b ill des ign is antic ip ated to c o inc ide with the S NR C treating was tewater flows in 2022. As a rate-based and not-fo r-p rofit organizatio n, the Distric t is required b y law to o nly charge its c us tomers the c o s ts as soc iated with pro viding servic es . T he mo nthly utility b ill contributes to the Dis tric t’s effort of enhanc ing transparenc y in operations and s ervic e. In the red es igned utility b ill, ratep ayers will be provided with a comp rehensive breakdown of services includ ing water and sewer to rep resent the b undle o f s ervic es p ro viding: S treamlined options fo r paying their b illing s tatement Instruc tio ns o n ho w to ac ces s c o ns umptio n info rmatio n online and A c alculatio n o f how the Dis tric t d etermines residents ’ Tier 1 (indoor) and Tier 2 (outd o o r) water bud get. T he inclus io n of this calc ulation will as s is t c usto mers in estimating future mo nthly bud gets , promo te water use effic iency, and enhanc e trans parenc y b etween ratepayers and the District. S taff will continue wo rking with various d ep artments inc lud ing C usto mer S ervice and F inanc e to id entify additio nal areas of imp rovement and opportunities to further enhanc e and the information provided. AGE N C Y GOALS AN D OB J E C T IVE S: G oal and O b jec tives I I - Maintain a C o mmitment to S us tainab ility, Trans p arency, and Ac countability R espec tfully s ubmitted : Kelly Malloy Direc tor of S trategic S ervices G oal and O b jec tives I I - Maintain a C o mmitment to S us tainab ility, Trans p arency, and Ac countability b) Utilize Effective C ommunicatio n Metho ds d) P ro vid e Q uality Info rmatio n to Encourage C ommunity Engagement R E VIE W B Y O T HE R S : T his agend a item has been reviewed b y the exec utive management team. F IS CAL IMPAC T T here is no fis cal imp ac t as s oc iated with this agend a item. ATTAC H M E NTS: Description Type P resentation P resentation August 12, 2021 WATER AND WASTEWATER BILL REDESIGN 2 CURRENT DESIGN -FRONT PROPOSED DESIGN -FRONT 3 CURRENT DESIGN -BACK PROPOSED DESIGN -BACK REDESIGN ENHANCEMENTS 4 •Breakdown of Services •Historical Usage Data •Message Center Visibility •Streamlined Payment Coupon 5 BILL ENHANCEMENTS •Helpful Bill Information •District Service Policy Information •Payment Coupon 6 BACK OF THE BILL STAFF REPORT Agenda Item #3. Meeting Date: August 12, 2021 To: LEGISLATIVE AND PUBLIC OUTREACH COMMITTEE From: General Manager/CEO Subject: Drone Program Update RECOMMENDATION: This item is for informational purposes only. BACKGROUND / ANALYSIS: East Valley Water District began the development of the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Program to further the organizational objectives and strategic initiatives of the District. The new program will allow certified District employees to operate an aerial drone for plant/infrastructure inspections, capture CIP progress photos and develop outreach materials to help educate the community on District initiatives. To operate a drone on behalf of the District, select staff have enrolled in an aeronautical training course to prepare for their FAA Part 107 examination. The course, offered by UAS Center at the San Bernardino International Airport, is specifically tailored to provide training to public agencies and special districts for the safe operation of an UAV. Once completing the course, staff will take their certification examination and then begin the ground school training. Utilization of drone technology will allow staff to enhance the District’s inspection and outreach efforts. As the program is developed, the District will adopt an operational policy guiding the safe operation of the UAVs to remain compliant with FAA guidelines. Furthermore, District will look for opportunities to incorporate the UAV Program into existing programs across the organization to leverage this new technology. AGENCY GOALS AND OBJECTIVES: Goal and Objectives I - Implement Effective Solutions Through Visionary Leadership b) Maximize Internal Capabilities through Ongoing Professional Development d) Encourage Performance Based Results Through Staff Empowerment FISCAL IMPACT There is no fiscal impact associated with this agenda item. Respectfully submitted: Kelly Malloy Director of Strategic Services STAFF REPORT Agenda Item #4. Meeting Date: August 12, 2021 To: LEGISLATIVE AND PUBLIC OUTREACH COMMITTEE From: Director of Strategic Services Subject: Outreach Update RECOMMENDATION: This item is for informational purposes only. BACKGROUND / ANALYSIS: In its drive to be a world-class organization, East Valley Water District actively engages with ratepayers, community members and partners through a dedicated public affairs program. The District continues to utilize multiple channels of communication to engage with the community and recent projects have included, but are not limited to: Capital Improvement Project Construction SNRC Updates Consumer Confidence Report FY2021-22 Budget Document Design Smart Irrigation Month Methods of communication vary depending on the project, but may include: Social Media Bill Inserts Direct Mailers Print Advertisements Press Releases Community Site visits Multiple distribution channels are available to the District in the form of Bill Inserts, Highland Community News ads, social media, etc. The District has shifted its strategic outreach approach to a campaign style focus for outreach and communication messaging compared to single stand-alone ads, designs and messages. The District will leverage multiple channels to maximize the reach and community engagement through consistent outreach material. Smart Irrigation Month was the first campaign which followed this approach and staff is continuing to monitor the outreach effectiveness, adjusting as needed. The District continues to actively utilize social media as part of its on-going outreach efforts. Through posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, the District provides the public with Sterling Natural Resource Center project benefits and progress, news updates, conservation tips, rebate program information, and services available to customers. Since April 2021, the @EastValleyWater Facebook page has received 650 organic reactions and Instagram had 1,300 organic engagements. Social media ads have been used to amplify the strategic messages for the District. Since April 2021, the District’s social media ads have reached over 12,000 community members. Finally, the District has started deploying public messaging to emails collected through eastvalley.org. This approach is part of the District’s strategic goals and objectives to utilize effective communication methods. AGENCY GOALS AND OBJECTIVES: Goal and Objectives II - Maintain a Commitment to Sustainability, Transparency, and Accountability b) Utilize Effective Communication Methods d) Provide Quality Information to Encourage Community Engagement FISCAL IMPACT There is no fiscal impact associated with this agenda item. Respectfully submitted: Kelly Malloy Director of Strategic Services ATTACHMENTS: Description Type Outreach Update Presentation Presentation August 12, 2021 East Valley Water District Outreach Update 2 OUTREACH UPDATE •District continues to take a strategic look at outreach tactics and channels •Through a process of review and refinement, the District will continue to remain relevant in the changing environment Strategic Outreach Campaigns 3 4 CAMPAIGN APPROACH •East Valley Water District recently concluded the Smart Irrigation Month campaign •Focused on providing steps to evaluate irrigation routine and preventing water overuse •The outreach used consistent messaging across the range of the District’s communication channels 55 CAMPAIGN MATERIAL Highland Community News Ads Bill Insert Social Post Email Instagram Update 6 77 INSTAGRAM REELS UPDATE •Instagram is an effective channel to engage the community, however posting requirements continue to change on the platform •Posting rules, promoting limitations and content subject requirements fluctuate from the parent company Facebook Email Platform 8 9 DISTRICT EMAILS •The District setup an email distribution platform and began sending emails to subscribers •Platform will be used for District updates, campaign messaging, press releases and general announcements •East Valley Water District has seen a strong response with a 47% open rate on the last email deployed compared to an industry average of 19.84% open rate 1010 DISTRICT EMAIL CONTENT