Date Submitted
2024-04-09
Name
Test
Party
Ontario
Question
Test
QUESTION ASKED REGARDING THE BUDGET:
Regarding Account No: Test
Date Submitted
2024-04-04
Name
Justin Scott-Coe
Party
Monte Vista Water District
Question
The Engineering Budget Summary mentions the potential use of carryover funds, but no carryover funds are identified in the Engineering Budget Tables for this item. Please explain/correct.
PARTY:
Monte Vista Water District
QUESTION ASKED REGARDING THE BUDGET:
Regarding Account No: S&RMP
The Engineering Budget Summary mentions the potential use of carryover funds, but no carryover funds are identified in the Engineering Budget Tables for this item. Please explain/correct.
During the development of the draft budget, it was not feasible to accurately estimate the carryover funding. As a result, we conservatively assumed there would be no carryover. However, this assumption will be revisited in a future budget proposal.
Date Submitted
2024-04-04
Name
Justin Scott-Coe
Party
Monte Vista Water District
Question
From the Engineering Budget Summary, it appears that the water duty method has been developed. Can this method not be implemented without the ongoing assistance of West Yost and Land IQ?
PARTY:
Monte Vista Water District
QUESTION ASKED REGARDING THE BUDGET:
Regarding Account No: Ag Product
From the Engineering Budget Summary, it appears that the water duty method has been developed. Can this method not be implemented without the ongoing assistance of West Yost and Land IQ?
The water duty method that Watermaster and Watermaster’s Engineer has developed is based on the data provided by Land IQ, which provides field-scale estimates of evapotranspiration, irrigation methods, and land use in the southern Chino Basin. The land use data provided by Land IQ also aids in the annual data collection and evaluation process to quantify changes in land use. In FY 2024/25, West Yost will support Watermaster’s execution of the agricultural well meter installation and calibration to assist in prioritizing wells for the program and incorporate the meter data to refine and/or validate the water duty method.
Date Submitted
2024-04-04
Name
Justin Scott-Coe
Party
Monte Vista Water District
Question
Watermaster is proposing to spend ~$800k on a mid-decade model evaluation of the Safe Yield. This seems extraordinarily expensive, especially as the Appropriative Pool continues to express concerns with Watermaster's approach to uncertainty analysis. Please provide alternative options for this process, including proposing to the Court a modification to its order to defer the use of uncertainty analysis in evaluating/establishing Safe Yield until the 2030 Safe Yield Reset.
PARTY:
Monte Vista Water District
QUESTION ASKED REGARDING THE BUDGET:
Regarding Account No: Safe Yield
Watermaster is proposing to spend ~$800k on a mid-decade model evaluation of the Safe Yield. This seems extraordinarily expensive, especially as the Appropriative Pool continues to express concerns with Watermaster's approach to uncertainty analysis. Please provide alternative options for this process, including proposing to the Court a modification to its order to defer the use of uncertainty analysis in evaluating/establishing Safe Yield until the 2030 Safe Yield Reset.
- The budget for the 2025 Safe Yield Reevaluation in FY 2024/25 is about $660,000. This is consistent with the total estimated cost for FY 2024/25 developed during the 2022 Safe Yield Reset Methodology (SYRM) Update, presented to the parties and documented in the 2022 SYRM Technical Memorandum.
- Watermaster's Engineer strives to make this a cost-effective process that meets the parties' needs while following the Court-ordered SYRM. All written comments during the development of the SYRM and during the 2025 Safe Yield Reevaluation have been responded to in writing. Several of the comments from the AP have resulted in reduced costs.
- This is required by court order, which was part of a negotiated settlement to the SY reset appeal.
- The uncertainty analysis was developed in response to and in coordination w/ the AP and part of an unopposed motion to the Court to approve a new SYRM.
- Staff/legal have no reason to propose a change in methodology or deviation from the process required by the Court's orders, and the Board has not directed staff/legal to pursue such a change.
- Parties can file challenges to the methodology at their own discretion.
- The tools and processes being developed during the 2025 Safe Yield Reevaluation will facilitate more efficient groundwater modeling investigations and reduce the cost of the 2030 Safe Yield Reset.
- Watermaster is currently working with the Appropriate Pool technical consultant and other stakeholders' technical experts to address feedback and concerns regarding the implementation of the Court ordered methodology including, but not limited to, the uncertainty analysis.
Date Submitted
2024-04-04
Name
Justin Scott-Coe
Party
Monte Vista Water District
Question
WQMP/ECP activities are inconsistent with the OBMP Implementation Plan. Please remove all budgeted items related to the WQMP/EMCP unless and until parties agree to amend the Peace Agreement or otherwise approve by consensus of these activities.
PARTY:
Monte Vista Water District
QUESTION ASKED REGARDING THE BUDGET:
Regarding Account No: WQMP/EMCP
WQMP/ECP activities are inconsistent with the OBMP Implementation Plan. Please remove all budgeted items related to the WQMP/EMCP unless and until parties agree to amend the Peace Agreement or otherwise approve by consensus of these activities.
The OBMP Implementation Plan expressly calls for development and implementation of a comprehensive monitoring program for surface and groundwater; laboratory analysis of samples is fundamental to implementation of a monitoring program. The activities described in the Implementation Plan to implement Program Elements 1, 6 and 7 encompass the preparation of the Water Quality Management Program (WQMP), including the Emerging Contaminants Monitoring Plan and Water Quality Committee (WQC). The OBMP Implementation Plan specifically provides that Watermaster will conduct an ongoing groundwater and surface water quality monitoring program, continue monitoring and coordination efforts with the Regional Board, update a priority list and clean-up schedule for all known water quality anomalies, and implement projects of mutual interest, among other activities, at least through 2050.
Date Submitted
2024-04-04
Name
Justin Scott-Coe
Party
Monte Vista Water District
Question
The OBMP Update did not amend the OBMP Implementation Plan, the Court did not order the OBMP Update to be implemented, and there is no such thing as an "OBMPU Implementation Plan." Additionally, parties have not requested Watermaster's assistance in addressing issues associated with potential amendments to the Peace Agreement. Please remove this item from the budget.
PARTY:
Monte Vista Water District
QUESTION ASKED REGARDING THE BUDGET:
Regarding Account No: OBMP Updat
The OBMP Update did not amend the OBMP Implementation Plan, the Court did not order the OBMP Update to be implemented, and there is no such thing as an "OBMPU Implementation Plan." Additionally, parties have not requested Watermaster's assistance in addressing issues associated with potential amendments to the Peace Agreement. Please remove this item from the budget.
For the reasons explained in the memo, we believe there may be requests for legal support – either directly from the parties, by staff to support them, or in order to support the Board itself – related to the timeframes for meet and confer and extension of the Peace Agreement.
Date Submitted
2024-04-04
Name
Justin Scott-Coe
Party
Monte Vista Water District
Question
Based on the memorandum descriptions, the following legal services budget items do not appear to be for specific activities anticipated to occur in 2024/25 - please consider removing these items in order to improve the affordability of this budget (if specific activities arise requiring legal services, there are sufficient funds available for transfer from other items or reserves):
* Archibald South Plume
* Chino Airport Plume
* Santa Ana River Habitat Conservation Plan
PARTY:
Monte Vista Water District
QUESTION ASKED REGARDING THE BUDGET:
Regarding Account No: Legal Serv
Based on the memorandum descriptions, the following legal services budget items do not appear to be for specific activities anticipated to occur in 2024/25 - please consider removing these items in order to improve the affordability of this budget (if specific activities arise requiring legal services, there are sufficient funds available for transfer from other items or reserves):
* Archibald South Plume
* Chino Airport Plume
* Santa Ana River Habitat Conservation Plan
We budget for these types of potential expenses for all the reasons explained in the memo. While parties are assessed in order to allow for potential services within these categories, if the services aren’t provided, then the funds are returned to the assessed parties. It is easier/more nimble to have budgeted ahead than to try to change budget/collect post hoc.
Date Submitted
2024-04-04
Name
Justin Scott-Coe
Party
Monte Vista Water District
Question
Please consider forgoing the following anticipated expenses in order to improve the affordability of this budget:
* Office Building Expense & Office Supplies and Equipment: Anticipated building interior renovations and office furniture purchases
* Contract Services: Accounting consulting services
* Conferences and Seminars: Increased conference attendance and employee training
* Board Briefings/Workshops: One to two briefings or workshops
* Rules and Regulations Rewrite
* Support for Implementation of Improved Data Collection and Development of Data Visualization
PARTY:
Monte Vista Water District
QUESTION ASKED REGARDING THE BUDGET:
Regarding Account No: Multiple A
Please consider forgoing the following anticipated expenses in order to improve the affordability of this budget:
* Office Building Expense & Office Supplies and Equipment: Anticipated building interior renovations and office furniture purchases
* Contract Services: Accounting consulting services
* Conferences and Seminars: Increased conference attendance and employee training
* Board Briefings/Workshops: One to two briefings or workshops
* Rules and Regulations Rewrite
* Support for Implementation of Improved Data Collection and Development of Data Visualization
Office Building Expense & Office Supplies and Equipment: Anticipated building interior renovations and office furniture purchases
- To continue offering a safe, comfortable, and practical environment for the Watermaster Stakeholders and Staff to conduct business this item has been budgeted at the anticipated level of expenses for the upcoming fiscal year.
Contract Services: Accounting consulting services
- The transition to the new Senior Accountant and onboarding of the new GM will require some support from our current Accounting consulting services. This item is being budgeted to reflect the anticipated effort to accomplish these tasks.
Conferences and Seminars: Increased conference attendance and employee training
- Training and conference attendance represent a vital part of the continuing education and continuous improvement of the Watermaster workforce. Watermaster will continue the efforts of developing staff skills and keeping up to date with the latest trends in the industry as many other agencies in the region do as well.
- The previous version of the budget showed a level of funding that was not intended and has since been corrected.
Board Briefings/Workshops: One to two briefings or workshops
- Briefings and workshops such as WM Academy and others are important tools of communication and education for incoming board members and stakeholders. We are budgeting at the anticipated level of expenses to continue with these efforts.
Rules and Regulations Rewrite
- Rewrite is not budgeted for 24-25, but baseline tracking of necessary updates for inclusion in update in 25-26.
Support for Implementation of Improved Data Collection and Development of Data Visualization
- Watermaster is implementing the SY Court Order in the most efficient way. By finding efficiencies in the Data Collection and Evaluation process, Watermaster working with West Yost, has already identified improvements that have resulted in cost savings for the parties.
Date Submitted
2024-04-04
Name
Justin Scott-Coe
Party
Monte Vista Water District
Question
MVWD appreciates the inclusion of projected ending actual expenses for FY 2023/24 in the proposed FY 2024/25 budget summary (budget document #1) and requests that projected ending actual expenses for FY 2023/24 also be included in the proposed budgets for legal and engineering services (budget documents #3 and #4). Additionally, MVWD appreciates the inclusion of projected carryover funding from 2023/24 in the proposed budget for engineering services (budget document #4) and requests that projected carryover funding from 2023/24 also be included in the proposed summary budget and the budget for legal services (budget documents #1 and #3). Finally, MVWD requests that Watermaster provide projected ending estimates of any anticipated cancelled carryover funds and/or excess reserve credits.
PARTY:
Monte Vista Water District
QUESTION ASKED REGARDING THE BUDGET:
Regarding Account No: General
MVWD appreciates the inclusion of projected ending actual expenses for FY 2023/24 in the proposed FY 2024/25 budget summary (budget document #1) and requests that projected ending actual expenses for FY 2023/24 also be included in the proposed budgets for legal and engineering services (budget documents #3 and #4). Additionally, MVWD appreciates the inclusion of projected carryover funding from 2023/24 in the proposed budget for engineering services (budget document #4) and requests that projected carryover funding from 2023/24 also be included in the proposed summary budget and the budget for legal services (budget documents #1 and #3). Finally, MVWD requests that Watermaster provide projected ending estimates of any anticipated cancelled carryover funds and/or excess reserve credits.
Please refer to Document #2 labeled Carryover Budget.
Date Submitted
2024-04-04
Name
Justin Scott-Coe
Party
Monte Vista Water District
Question
MVWD appreciates WM's zero-based approach to this year's proposed budget. That said, MVWD and other producers are experiencing severe inflationary cost pressures that directly impact the affordability of water service to our customers. The following are areas where we believe WM's proposed expenditures can be reduced without harming the Basin or negatively impacting WM's ability to administer the Judgment:
* Reduce meeting expenses by limiting legal/staff attendance at Pool/Advisory Committee meetings, providing informational presentations only at Advisory and Board meetings, and canceling meetings when there are no business items requiring action.
* Significantly reduce or eliminate miscellaneous, general and unanticipated expenses.
* Eliminate items where activity is unlikely to occur during the budget year. Wherever possible, limit or forgo activities that are not explicitly required by the Judgment/CAMA or requested by a consensus of the parties. Adopt a "less is more" approach.
PARTY:
Monte Vista Water District
QUESTION ASKED REGARDING THE BUDGET:
Regarding Account No: General
MVWD appreciates WM's zero-based approach to this year's proposed budget. That said, MVWD and other producers are experiencing severe inflationary cost pressures that directly impact the affordability of water service to our customers. The following are areas where we believe WM's proposed expenditures can be reduced without harming the Basin or negatively impacting WM's ability to administer the Judgment:
* Reduce meeting expenses by limiting legal/staff attendance at Pool/Advisory Committee meetings, providing informational presentations only at Advisory and Board meetings, and canceling meetings when there are no business items requiring action.
* Significantly reduce or eliminate miscellaneous, general and unanticipated expenses.
* Eliminate items where activity is unlikely to occur during the budget year. Wherever possible, limit or forgo activities that are not explicitly required by the Judgment/CAMA or requested by a consensus of the parties. Adopt a "less is more" approach.
Reduce meeting expenses by limiting legal/staff attendance at Pool/Advisory Committee meetings, providing informational presentations only at Advisory and Board meetings, and canceling meetings when there are no business items requiring action.
- Legal attendance serves two functions – to provide information to the Committees, but also to serve as the Board's eyes/ears at the meetings. Attendance of WM Board's legal counsel is within the Board's purview.
- Staff attendance at committee meetings does not entail additional costs.
- Providing informational presentations to only Advisory Committee and Board might result in some Pool Committee members missing those presentations.
- Historically, meetings have been cancelled, in consultation with Committee chairs, when prudent to do so.
- With the new General Manager on board, it seems likely that meetings will be expected to proceed and the Board may want to ensure full ordinary attendance at the outset of the General Manager's tenure.
Significantly reduce or eliminate miscellaneous, general and unanticipated expenses.
- Pertaining to Watermaster budget – we have reviewed and reduced/eliminated these expenses by approximately $37K to help maintain the affordability of the budget.
- Pertaining to the legal budget – these types of expenses are budgeted for all the reasons explained in the memo. While parties are assessed to allow for potential services within these categories, if the services are not provided, the funds are returned to them.