1. Call to order - 5:40 p.m.

2.  Roll Call-  See above.

SFPUC Staff present – Kenya Briggs, Tony Flores, Greg Meyer, Rosey Jencks, Tommy Moala
Members of the public – none

3. Minutes – September ‘08 Regular Meeting minutes have been approved (with two minor corrections, discussed and approved by the subcommittee).

4. Public Comment – no public comment

5. WWE Update on Operations & Maintenance Budget – by Tony Flores

Questions and Comments
* Asked how Operations and Maintenance are dividing the workload.
ANSWER: There has been some reorganization.
* Asked about biosolids disposal.
ANSWER: EPA wants it tracked.  Need separate contract for outfall.
* Asked to explain “Y Axis” in report.
 ANSWER:  It represents hours.
* Asked what the position vacancy buffer rate is?
ANSWER:  Does not recall.  Vacancy rate in WWE is 10%. We are aggressively pursuing to filling vacancies.
* Asked what does the WWE debt service dip down to after 2011?
ANSWER:  $23-$35 million, depending upon the year.  Manfred Wong can provide details.
* Asked about auditing procedures.
ANSWER:  Consultant will codify practices which will improve the way things are run.
* Asked if WWE uses the Maximo computer program.
ANSWER:  Yes.
* Asked about the Capital Improvement Master Plan.
ANSWER:  We are trying to make good repair and replacement decisions.  Hope it’ll make good progress.
* Asked when it will be appropriate to get a presentation on the Capital Improvement Master Plan.
ANSWER:  Anytime.
* Asked how much wastewater is pumped through CHS.
ANSWER:  About 65 million gallons in dry weather (~27 million North Slope, ~25 million Central Basin, ~14 million Bayview).
* Asked the percentage of waste from SEP.
ANSWER:  Greg Mayer will send exact figures.
* Commented – Concerned that it appears less than half the planned maintenance is being done. It appears to be backlogged by 4-5 positions per year, preventative maintenance only. Concerned that preventative maintenance can’t be backlogged because then you have an emergency repair.
ANSWER:  Figures show 60% of total work available (not that they’re only accomplishing 60% of total work).  The problem is really that most work is not being planned.
* Comment – Very concerned about state of repairs.
ANSWER:  Quite a bit of backlogged maintenance.
* Comment – Might have to replace parts because the maintenance wasn’t done.
ANSWER:  For a time there was one work order open for all preventative maintenance.  They’re still straightening things out from that.  Records were in bad shape – listing items that didn’t exist, and some new items were not listed.
* Asked if that was under control now.
ANSWER:  Yes.
* Asked how long it’ll take to work through the mess they’ve inherited.
ANSWER:  By the end of the fiscal year.
* Commented on how to handle all the preventative maintenance that’s been missed as well as all that still needs to be done.
* Asked how much FTE’s it will take to dig yourself out of this.
ANSWER:  We don’t have money to hire because of the hiring freeze.  But we have tried things such as sharing labor resources.
* Comment that SFPUC is making short-sighted decisions here and heading for disaster.
* Commented that they’re trying to fix it.
ANSWER: We’re better than we were.
* Comment that they need to talk about position freeze.  We’ll have new rates for the next fiscal year.
ANSWER:  We need 38 positions funded.  We’re prohibited from filling them due to the freeze.  New rates won’t help.
* Commented that there will be new supervisors in place in January.  We should tell them to unfreeze these positions.  These are public health and environmental issues.  It’s critical.
ANSWER:  Any help we can get will be greatly appreciated.  We get dealt a hand and we have to play that hand.
* Asked what needs to happen for frozen positions to be unfrozen.
ANSWER:  That’s the Mayor’s decision.
* Comment that Oceanside looks cool and SEP looks bad.  By end of fiscal year you’ll have a handle on things.
ANSWER:  Confident that the figures they have now are much clearer.  It does take time. It could use help; even freeing line positions will be a great help.  Greg’s group is down 6-7% Maintenance is down 15%.  Staff also has to help with the Biofuel Program, which does not have its own staffing at the plant.
* Asked if they can find qualified people to fill their jobs.
ANSWER:  Yes.
* Commented that we need to let the Mayor know this is urgent, and to let the Board of Supervisors know this should be a priority.  Jennifer will send Sean Elsbernd an email alerting him to the situation.
* Commented that the SFPUC can probably get things unfrozen if you let them back up.
* Commented that that was dangerous.

Action:  Jack will contact Sean Elsbernd regarding a resolution among the Board of Supervisors to unfreeze positions.

6. LID Update – by Rosey Jencks

Questions and Comments
* Asked what the requirements to put a green roof on an existing building are.
ANSWER:  Structural stability.  It must handle a load of up to 25 pounds.
*Asked if this could impact seismic stability.
ANSWER:  It might.
* Commented on how a building with a green roof might shake in an earthquake.
* Commented on implementing LID at Hunters Point Shipyard Development.
*Asked why Better Streets Plan isn’t “water neutral.”
ANSWER:  Sustainability is part of the plan.
* Asked if the Water Enterprise is involved.
ANSWER:  No, but they were invited to be involved.
* Asked how much water draught-tolerant plants need.
ANSWER:  More water in the first year, less thereafter.
* Commented that homeowners and renters should get involved.
* Asked what projects are included in the Green Building Ordinance.
ANSWER:  Everything occupyable over 5,000 square feet.
* Asked if pontoons will work in Mission Creek.
ANSWER:  Will clean nutrients.
* Asked what the monetary payoff for implementing LID is.
ANSWER:  Will take years to achieve payoff.
* Commented that this is fabulous.
* Asked about areas of the City where development is not happening.
ANSWER:  Houses that do add-ons will be included.  They are looking at a rate study to ID models for creating incentives.
* Asked how to get people interested in LID
ANSWER:  Get large projects to coordinate, which is one of the purposes of the Better Streets Plan.
* Asked if WWE will get money from SB2X1.
ANSWER:  Yes.

Tommy Moala provided an update on the Cesar Chavez Press Conference on October 9th.
* Asked if Cesar Chavez Street pilot program will put greening in the middle of the street in a way that is not helpful to pedestrians (and referenced problems on Alemany Street)
ANSWER:  That’s a cost-saving measure.  It costs money to widen sidewalks and move street lights.  They will do bulb-outs.

7. Staff Updates

Tommy Moala gave an update on the SF Sewer System Master Plan.

Questions and Comments
* Asked for update on the Master Plan.
ANSWER:  Still working on it.  We had first meeting on solids handling design.  We are establishing a team to work on it.  Jon needs $25 million.
* Asked about digester rebuild.
ANSWER:  This is part of the work Greg is doing.
* Asked about the timeline.
ANSWER:  Going to have bi-weekly meetings at first, then switch to monthly meetings.  They’re nine months away from selecting a process.
* Asked about public participation.
ANSWER:  That’s more site and design. They are looking more at technologies and possibilities for the footprint.  A lot of the design elements are already figured out.  We are spending over $1million to keep the digesters going for the next 6 months.
* Asked about TAC
ANSWER:  TAC is still there – the contract was renewed.
* Asked when the public process kicks in.
ANSWER:  Will talk with Sam about that.  It needs to happen before Thanksgiving.
* Asked about hi-speed rail along Mission Bay affecting drainage.
ANSWER:  Yes.  A majority already have our pipes underneath.  Tommy says he can return with more info.
* Comment – Concerned about amount of wastewater coming through CHS without treatment.
* Comment – Would like someone from the railway project come speak to CAC.
* Asked if we’ll do Big Blue Bucket again and possibly increasing compost giveaway.
ANSWER:  Yes.  Can do it at SEP and Oceanside.
* Comment – The Department heads met with the Mayor at the Oceanside Plant.  It went very well.

8. Comments, suggestions and requests for future agenda items by members of the Wastewater Subcommittee, staff and general public.

* Would like someone from the Mission Bay railway project to come speak at a future meeting.

9. Adjourned - 7:30 p.m.