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Home My WebLink AboutAgenda Packet - Legislative & Public Outreach Committee - 02/12/2026LEGISLATIVE & PUBLIC OUTREACH COMMITTEE FEBRUARY 12, 2026 East Valley Water District was formed in 1954 and provides water and wastewater services to 108,000 residents within the cities of San Bernardino and Highland, and portions of San Bernardino County. EVWD operates under the direction of a 5member elected Board. COMMITTEE MEMBERS James Morales Jr. Governing Board Member Ronald L. Coats Governing Board Member Legislative & Public Outreach Committee Meeting February 12, 2026 12:00 PM 31111 Greenspot Road, Highland, CA 92346 www.eastvalleywater.gov PLEASE NOTE: Materials related to an item on this agenda submitted to the Board after distribution of the agenda packet are available for public inspection in the District’s office located at 31111 Greenspot Rd., Highland, during normal business hours. Also, such documents are available on the District’s website at eastvalley.org and are subject to staff’s ability to post the documents before the meeting. Pursuant to Government Code Section 54954.2(a), any request for a disabilityrelated 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) 8854900 at least 72 hours prior to said meeting. CALL TO ORDER PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE ROLL CALL OF BOARD MEMBERS PUBLIC COMMENTS Any person wishing to speak to the Board of Directors is asked to complete a Speaker Card and submit it to the District Clerk prior to the start of the meeting. Each speaker is limited to three (3) minutes, unless waived by the Chairman of the Board. Under the State of California Brown Act, the Board of Directors is prohibited from discussing or taking action on any item not listed on the posted agenda. The matter will automatically be referred to staff for an appropriate response or action and may appear on the agenda at a future meeting. APPROVAL OF CONSENT CALENDAR All matters listed under the Consent Calendar are considered by the Board of Directors to be routine and will be enacted in one motion. There will be no discussion of these items prior to the time the board considers the motion unless members of the board, the administrative staff, or the public request specific items to be discussed and/or removed from the Consent Calendar. 1.Approve the October 9, 2025 Legislative & Public Outreach Committee meeting minutes INFORMATIONAL ITEMS 2.Legislative Update 3.Outreach Update 4.Conservation Update DISCUSSION ITEMS 5.Set day and time to hold recurring meetings REPORTS 6.Public Affairs/Conservation Activities ADJOURN LEGISLATIVE & PUBLIC OUTREACH COMMITTEEFEBRUARY 12, 2026East Valley Water District was formed in 1954 and provides water and wastewater services to108,000 residents within the cities of San Bernardino and Highland, and portions of SanBernardino County.EVWD operates under the direction of a 5member elected Board.COMMITTEE MEMBERS James Morales Jr. Governing Board Member Ronald L. Coats Governing Board Member Legislative & Public Outreach Committee Meeting February 12, 2026 12:00 PM 31111 Greenspot Road, Highland, CA 92346 www.eastvalleywater.gov PLEASE NOTE: Materials related to an item on this agenda submitted to the Board after distribution of the agenda packet are available for public inspection in the District’s office located at 31111 Greenspot Rd., Highland, during normal business hours. Also, such documents are available on the District’s website at eastvalley.org and are subject to staff’s ability to post the documents before the meeting. Pursuant to Government Code Section 54954.2(a), any request for a disabilityrelated 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) 8854900 at least 72 hours prior to said meeting. CALL TO ORDER PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE ROLL CALL OF BOARD MEMBERS PUBLIC COMMENTS Any person wishing to speak to the Board of Directors is asked to complete a Speaker Card and submit it to the District Clerk prior to the start of the meeting. Each speaker is limited to three (3) minutes, unless waived by the Chairman of the Board. Under the State of California Brown Act, the Board of Directors is prohibited from discussing or taking action on any item not listed on the posted agenda. The matter will automatically be referred to staff for an appropriate response or action and may appear on the agenda at a future meeting. APPROVAL OF CONSENT CALENDAR All matters listed under the Consent Calendar are considered by the Board of Directors to be routine and will be enacted in one motion. There will be no discussion of these items prior to the time the board considers the motion unless members of the board, the administrative staff, or the public request specific items to be discussed and/or removed from the Consent Calendar. 1.Approve the October 9, 2025 Legislative & Public Outreach Committee meeting minutes INFORMATIONAL ITEMS 2.Legislative Update 3.Outreach Update 4.Conservation Update DISCUSSION ITEMS 5.Set day and time to hold recurring meetings REPORTS 6.Public Affairs/Conservation Activities ADJOURN LEGISLATIVE & PUBLIC OUTREACH COMMITTEEFEBRUARY 12, 2026East Valley Water District was formed in 1954 and provides water and wastewater services to108,000 residents within the cities of San Bernardino and Highland, and portions of SanBernardino County.EVWD operates under the direction of a 5member elected Board.COMMITTEE MEMBERSJames Morales Jr.Governing Board Member Ronald L. CoatsGoverning Board MemberLegislative & Public Outreach Committee MeetingFebruary 12, 2026 12:00 PM31111 Greenspot Road, Highland, CA 92346www.eastvalleywater.govPLEASE NOTE:Materials related to an item on this agenda submitted to the Board after distribution of theagenda packet are available for public inspection in the District’s office located at 31111Greenspot Rd., Highland, during normal business hours. Also, such documents are availableon the District’s website at eastvalley.org and are subject to staff’s ability to post thedocuments before the meeting. Pursuant to Government Code Section 54954.2(a), any request for a disabilityrelated 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) 8854900 at least 72 hours prior to said meeting. CALL TO ORDER PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE ROLL CALL OF BOARD MEMBERS PUBLIC COMMENTS Any person wishing to speak to the Board of Directors is asked to complete a Speaker Card and submit it to the District Clerk prior to the start of the meeting. Each speaker is limited to three (3) minutes, unless waived by the Chairman of the Board. Under the State of California Brown Act, the Board of Directors is prohibited from discussing or taking action on any item not listed on the posted agenda. The matter will automatically be referred to staff for an appropriate response or action and may appear on the agenda at a future meeting. APPROVAL OF CONSENT CALENDAR All matters listed under the Consent Calendar are considered by the Board of Directors to be routine and will be enacted in one motion. There will be no discussion of these items prior to the time the board considers the motion unless members of the board, the administrative staff, or the public request specific items to be discussed and/or removed from the Consent Calendar. 1.Approve the October 9, 2025 Legislative & Public Outreach Committee meeting minutes INFORMATIONAL ITEMS 2.Legislative Update 3.Outreach Update 4.Conservation Update DISCUSSION ITEMS 5.Set day and time to hold recurring meetings REPORTS 6.Public Affairs/Conservation Activities ADJOURN Agenda Item #1 February 12, 20261 Meeting Date: February 12, 2026 Agenda Item #1 Consent Item Regular Meeting TO: Committee Members FROM: Director of External Affairs & Customer Experience SUBJECT: Approve the October 9, 2025 Legislative & Public Outreach Committee meeting minutes RECOMMENDATION That the Legislative & Public Outreach Committee approve the October 9, 2025 meeting minutes. DISTRICT PILLARS AND STRATEGIES V - Community Engagement, Advocacy, and Leadership a. Utilize Effective Communication Methods to Foster Exceptional Community Relations FISCAL IMPACT There is no fiscal impact associated with this agenda item. Respectfully submitted: ________________ William Ringland Director of External Affairs & Customer Experience ATTACHMENTS 10-09-2025 Draft Minutes 10-09-2025 cmc 2 5 8 1 Draft pending approval EAST VALLEY WATER DISTRICT October 9, 2025 LEGISLATIVE & PUBLIC OUTREACH COMMITTEE MINUTES PUBLIC COMMENTS APPROVAL OF THE AUGUST 21, 2025 COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES PUBLIC AFFAIRS UPDATE EAGLE ARIEL SOLUTIONS CONTRACT MODIFICATIONS 10-09-2025 cmc 2 5 8 1 The Public Affairs/Conservation Manager presented an amendment to the Eagle Ariel agreement for the use of the WaterView platform to assist with compliance in SB 606 and AB 1668, with the addition of the delineation for Dedicated Irrigation Meters (DIM) and special landscape areas. The presentation also included the District’s regulation driven, Commercial, Industrial, and Institutional (CII) focused conservation programs, including an overview of Mixed Use Meters (MUMS) and DIMs, development of conservation programs for commercial accounts, and continuing to adherence to state reporting requirements. Director Morales recommended moving the item forward to the Board, with concurrence from Director Coats. PUBLIC AFFAIRS/CONSERVATION ACTIVITIES December 11, 2025 The Public Affairs/Conservation Manager provided an update on department activities, including the cancellation of the December 11, 2025 meeting, continued positive community engagement, and ongoing conservation efforts focused on regulatory compliance, CII outreach, and customer support. Information only. ADJOURN The meeting was adjourned at 2:11 p.m. ___________________________________ _______________________________________ Ronald Coats Chris Carrillo Director Director Agenda Item #2 February 12, 20261 Meeting Date: February 12, 2026 Agenda Item #2 Informational Item Regular Meeting TO: Committee Members FROM: Director of External Affairs & Customer Experience SUBJECT: Legislative Update RECOMMENDATION This agenda item is for informational purposes only, no action is required. DISTRICT PILLARS AND STRATEGIES V - Community Engagement, Advocacy, and Leadership c. Enhance Legislative Advocacy to Promote Water Security and Sustainability FISCAL IMPACT There is no fiscal impact associated with this agenda item. Respectfully submitted: ________________ William Ringland Director of External Affairs & Customer Experience ATTACHMENTS Presentation LEGISLATIVE UPDATE RESOLUTE / The Oñate Group February 12, 2026 THE TEAM 2 David Quintana Alfredo Arredondo Pilar Onate-Quintana KEY DATES 3 February 18TH EVWD Lobby Day February 20TH Bill Introduction Deadline April 24TH First Policy Committee Deadline June 2ND Primary Election August 31ST End of Legislative Session November 3RD Election Day CURRENT GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATES 4 •Xavier Becerra (D) •Ian Calderon (D) •Katie Porter (D) •Tom Steyer (D) •Eric Swalwell (D) •Tony Thurmond (D) •Antonio Villaraigosa (D) •Betty Yee (D) •Chad Bianco (R) •Steve Hilton (R) •Matt Mahan (D) 2026 BUDGET: VASTLY DIFFERENT VISIONS OF REALITY 5 •Stumbling Forward for Now on an AI High •Governor Newsom is counting on a recent surge of Artificial Intelligence (AI) fueled revenue to paint an optimistic picture of state taxes •Governor’s Revenue Forecast Dramatically Higher than Nonpartisan Estimate •Governor’s budget estimates that General Fund revenues will be $42 billion higher over the three years ending in 2026-27 compared to levels assumed in last summer’s enacted budget •In November 2025, the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) projected that General Fund revenues would exceed budgeted levels over the three-year window by $11 billion 2026 BUDGET: VASTLY DIFFERENT VISIONS OF REALITY (CONTINUED) 6 •Massive Deficits Projected for Years to Come •Governor claimed the General Fund deficit for 2026-27 would be $2.9 billion •LAO’s estimate is roughly six times higher at $18 billion •Significant Deficit Solutions Rely on Borrowing and Reserves •Governor’s budget includes several proposals totaling $9.5 billion to help paper over the 2026-27 budget deficit, but $8.4 billion of these consist of one-time actions •Governor’s Director of Finance indicated there would be additional proposals in the May Revision to address the 2027-28 deficit 2026 BUDGET: VASTLY DIFFERENT VISIONS OF REALITY (CONTINUED) 7 •Rapid Expenditure Growth Continues •General Fund expenditures under the Governor’s proposal would reach a revised total of nearly $238 billion in the current fiscal year, which is $9.3 billion above the level enacted seven months ago for the 2025-26 budget •Proposed General Fund expenditures would reach $248 billion in 2026-27, which is $20 billion above the enacted 2025-26 level 2026 BUDGET 8 SENATE NATURAL RESOURCES AND WATER COMMITTEE 9 •Allen, Benjamin •Becker, Josh (Chair) •Cabaldon, Christopher •Grove, Shannon •Laird, John •Seyarto, Kelly (Vice-Chair) •Stern, Henry Becker, Josh Seyarto, Kelly ASSEMBLY WATER, PARKS AND WILDLIFE COMMITTEE 10 •Alanis, Juan •Alvarez, David •Ávila Farías, Anamarie •Bains, Jasmeet Kaur •Bennett, Steve •Boerner, Tasha •Caloza, Jessica •Gallagher, James •Gonzalez, Jeff (Vice-Chair) •Hart, Gregg •Papan, Diane (Chair) •Rodriguez, Celeste •Rogers, Chris Papan, Diane Gonzalez, Jeff 2026 LEGISLATION: FOR STARTERS 11 •AB 35 (Alvarez) •Administrative Procedure Act Exemption for Proposition 4 (Climate Bond) Funds •Bill Introduction Deadline •February 20th DISCUSSION Agenda Item #3 February 12, 20261 Meeting Date: February 12, 2026 Agenda Item #3 Informational Item Regular Meeting TO: Committee Members FROM: Director of External Affairs & Customer Experience SUBJECT: Outreach Update RECOMMENDATION This agenda item is for informational purposes only, no action is required. DISTRICT PILLARS AND STRATEGIES V - Community Engagement, Advocacy, and Leadership a. Utilize Effective Communication Methods to Foster Exceptional Community Relations b. Cultivate and Strengthen Collaborative Partnerships within the Water Industry d. Provide Education Programming that Empowers the Community FISCAL IMPACT There is no fiscal impact associated with this agenda item. Respectfully submitted: ________________ William Ringland Director of External Affairs & Customer Experience ATTACHMENTS Presentation OUTREACH UPDATE Roxana Morales, Public Affairs Supervisor February 12, 2026 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT 2 •Bill Insert Publication Name Refresh •February Bill Insert •Ways to Pay •District Offices •March Bill Insert •Sponsorship: City of Highland Citrus Harvest Festival •Student Art Contest •Contest ended January 16, 2026 •Staff will review submissions English Bill Insert Spanish Bill Insert New Publication Name COMMUNITY POP-UP EVENTS 3 •Upcoming Events •Albertsons in Highland •February 19, 2026, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. •Outreach Focused on District Services and Programs •Citrus Harvest Festival •Saturday, March 28, 2026 •Starting at 10:00 a.m. •Day in the Park •Saturday, April 11, 2026, from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. •Sterling Natural Resource Center CRISIS COMMUNICATION PLAN 4 CRISIS COMMUNICATION PLAN 5 •Document Initiated by Consultant •Staff is Developing Plan Sections to Address Possible Crisis Events •Safety Incidents •Natural Disaster, Active Shooter, Field Accident, Etc. •Sanitation Related Incident •Wastewater Overflow, Sewer Main Break, Etc. •Service Issue •Water Quality, System Outage, Water Main Break, Etc. •District Misstep •Personnel Matter, Communication Misstep, Protest, Etc. •Plan Completion Estimated for Late February SNRC FACILITY RENTAL 6 FACILITY RENTALS 7 •Facility Rentals Through 2026: 49 •Agencies Renting Facilities for Trainings, Professional Development, or Events •San Bernardino County Probation •San Bernardino City USD •San Bernardino County Sheriffs – Coroner and Central Detention Center Divisions •City of Highland •Tomorrow’s Talent •Multiple High School dances•Nonprofits •Highland Area Chamber of Commerce •Tomorrow’s Talent •San Bernardino Fatherhood •League of Women Voters •Highlanders Boxing Club •ASBCSD LOOKING FORWARD 8 PROJECT UPDATE 9 •Completed Projects •Plant 140 Tank Rehab Outreach •Home Assessment Mailer •2026 Outreach Campaign Calendar •Bill Insert Refresh •In Progress •Website Artificial Intelligence (AI) Enhancements •Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) •District Newsletter •SNRC Newsletter •Day in the Park Event Planning •District Annual Budget DISCUSSION Agenda Item #4 February 12, 20261 Meeting Date: February 12, 2026 Agenda Item #4 Informational Item Regular Meeting TO: Committee Members FROM: Director of External Affairs & Customer Experience SUBJECT: Conservation Update RECOMMENDATION This agenda item is for informational purposes only, no action is required. DISTRICT PILLARS AND STRATEGIES I - Effective Solutions a. Identify Opportunities to Optimize Natural Resources V - Community Engagement, Advocacy, and Leadership b. Cultivate and Strengthen Collaborative Partnerships within the Water Industry d. Provide Education Programming that Empowers the Community FISCAL IMPACT This item is funded in the current fiscal year budget. Respectfully submitted: ________________ William Ringland Director of External Affairs & Customer Experience ATTACHMENTS Presentation CONSERVATION UPDATE William Ringland, Director of External Affairs & Customer Experience February 12, 2026 REGULATORY REPORTING 2 •Submitted and complied with regulatory reporting •Urban Water Use Objective Report •CY 2024 Water Loss Audit PROGRAM ENHANCEMENT 3 •Free Home Water Assessment •Certified water use expert assessment of customer's home •Targeted outreach to Tier 3 customers •Direct mailer invitation to participate •Opportunity to engage and educate customers about resources and programs offered CONSERVATION WORKSHOPS 4 •Four workshops planned for 2026 •Designed to educate and engage with different sets of customers •Tree Care 101 •Tips and Salsa Garden (SNRC Neighbor Focused) •Nonfunctional Turf and Your HOA •Waterpalooza Festival STUDENT EDUCATION •Staff participate in school career days and STEAM events using Project WET •Scheduled schools: •Monterey Elementary School •Thompson Elementary School •Curtis Middle School •Exploring a pilot partnership with the Wyland Foundation for student assemblies 5 Nonfunctional Turf AB 1572 6 CALIFORNIA LAW (AB 1572) 7 •Prohibits use of potable water on nonfunctional turf •Applies to most CII properties and HOA- managed common areas NONFUNCTIONAL TURF 8 •Ornamental, irrigated lawn •Not used for recreation or gatherings •Found along sidewalks, building edges, fences •Unused areas near signs or entrances •Medians, roundabouts, parking lots •Sloped lawn areas COMPLIANCE TIMELINE 9 HOA Common Areas January 2029 Commercial & Industrial January 2028 Educational Institutions January 2027 Public Properties January 2027 DISCUSSION