MINUTES

February 26, 2007 at The Meadows, Solvang

President Jim Raggio called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. The attendees were introduced. All present recited the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag of the United States.

Approval of Minutes: Motion, second, unanimous, to approve the Minutes of January 22, 2007.

Website: Larry Meyer asked districts for articles for our chapter website. It can be a newsletter or other items of interest.

Treasurer’s Report: Chuck Arnold said the checking account has $4,349.46 and the savings account has $3,397.98 for a total of $7,747.44.

Meeting Location: George Emerson reported on research of alternative meeting locations because of the price increase at The Meadows. Alternatives include The Marriott which is higher for dinner, and Firestone Brewery.

Motion, second, unanimous, to stay at The Meadows with the new dinner price of $35.00. It was noted the next speaker will be Bob Braitman, followed by Mike Brown.

Guest Speaker: Rob Almy, Santa Barbara County Water Agency: Mr. Almy discussed the Integrated Regional Water Management Plan ("IRWMP") that county water purveyors are preparing for submission for Proposition 50 and Proposition 84 funding. Through this process we will retain local control over water management decisions. The process is also building long term relationships and is a forum for new alliances. Every special district and every city that either provides water or treats wastewater is a cooperative partner in the IRWMP. The key issues are aging infrastructure, minimizing the impact on sensitive habitats, and water quality issues. Long term priorities include water and wastewater reliability into the future and public safety. Types of projects include planning studies, habitat restoration, and water treatment and delivery upgrades. Currently there is a list of about 100 projects, with about 30 being more highly ranked. The cooperative partners will determine the projects we submit to the State for consideration.

It is expected the public draft of the IRWMP will be released about March 12^th with a four week public comment period. The plan will be adopted by each cooperative partner agency board during May-June 2007. The money through this process is "free" money with a matching percentage. There is no match for projects in disadvantaged communities.

Old Business: None.

New Business: None.

Adjournment President Raggio adjourned the meeting at 8:00 p.m. The next monthly Chapter meeting will be Monday, March 26, 2007 at The Meadows, Solvang, California.

Cathy Schlottmann