TO: Board of Directors
FROM: Steven Lederer - Manager
Upper Valley Waste Management Agency
REPORT BY: Steven Lederer - Manager
Upper Valley Waste Management Agency
SUBJECT: Manager's Report
RECOMMENDATION
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MANAGER'S REPORT
DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION: Manager to provide an update on the status of current activities and obtain Board direction on a process for use of available surplus funds.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Manager to provide an update on the status of current activities.
FISCAL & STRATEGIC PLAN IMPACT
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Is there a Fiscal Impact? |
No |
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION: The proposed action is not a project as defined by 14 California Code of Regulations 15378 (State CEQA Guidelines) and therefore CEQA is not applicable.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
The Company submitted an Extraordinary Rate Increase request on May 1, which requested a 5% rate increase in addition to the 10.9% they are entitled to per the Board’s action of June, 2021. The request has subsequently been withdrawn. The 10.9% increase took effect as scheduled on July 1.
Monthly Financial Report: The most recent financial report is attached.
Communications from the community regarding provision of services: The manager received one call asking for additional information on the rate increase.
Agency Insurance: The Agency obtained insurance coverage through the Golden State Risk Management Authority (GSRMA), which is “pooled risk” agency, meaning it writes policies for multiple government agencies and combines them to manage risk and premium costs. Coverage commenced on 8/18/2022, concurrent with the expiration of our previous policy. As such the Agency was never without insurance coverage. The certificate of coverage is attached. As this coverage is some 25% higher in cost than our old coverage, and counting the cost of staff time to obtain the new coverage, the actions of the person(s) who filed the previous frivolous lawsuit against the Agency have thus far cost the rate payers (including the residents of St. Helena), about $10,000.
Of note, a small group of (intentionally or unintentionally) uninformed persons have made comments that “the landfill was operating without insurance based on the discussion at the Agency’s June meeting”. To be clear, the Agency was discussing insurance for the Agency, not for UVDS or CFL. That insurance is the responsibility of the Company, is in place (see attached certificate), and was never a part of this discussion.