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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - July 31, 1963/ i a"ZI QITY COUNCIL, CITY OF LODI CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS JULY 31, 1963 An adjourned regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Lodi was held beginning at 6i00 p.m. of Wednesday, July 31, 1963- Councilmen Brown, Culbertson, DowjUllmann and Katzakian (Mayor) present. None absent. Also present: City Manager Glaves, Administrative Assistant Carlton, Director of Public Works Heckenlaible and City Attorney Mullen. AWARD - City Manager Claves presented a tabulation of bids CONCRETE PIPE received for concrete pipe, which totaled as follows: Spiekerman Conorete Pipe Company, $7,247; RES. NO. 2641 J. W. Mumbert Concrete Pipe Company, 37,035.50. ADOPTED He recommended that award be made to the low bidder. On motion of Councilman Brown, Dow second, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 2641 awarding the contract for the concrete pipe to J. W. Mumbert Concrete Pipe Company. ACCEPT STS A memorandum was read from the Engineering Depart - IN LAKE LAWN ment stating that certain streets in Lake Lawn AND WESTDALE and Westdale Subdivisions were ready for acceptance SUBDIVISIONS by the City. Councilman Dow moved the adoption of Resolution No. 2642 accepting Lake Street, RES. NO. 2642 Short Avenue, James Street, Loma Drive and Mille ADOPTED Avenue in the Lake Lawn Subdivision and Corbin Lane and Alto yay in the Westdale Subdivision. The motion was seconded by Councilman Brown and carried. MEETING WITH NSJ WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT BOARD Mayor Katmakian welcomed the following members of the Board of Directors of the North San Joaquin Water Conservation District: Chairman Robert L. Carter, Emil Bender, Ben Schaffer and H. T. Woodworth, and the District's consulting engineer, James F. Sorensen. Mr. Carter stated that Mr. Reuben Rott, the Distriot's attorney, was ill and had expressed his regrets in being unable to attend this meeting. Mr. Sorensen gave a short resume of the District's formation. He said that the District was started in 1948 and comprises approximately 52,000 acres including Lodi, being roughly from Dry Creek on the north to Eight Mile Road on the south and east of Jack Tone Road west to the Woodbridge Area. Originally the formation of the District was to obtain water from the Mokelumne River on a long- range basis, but the result of hearings conducted by State Engineers was to the effect that there was no unappropriQted water from the Mokelumne River for the District since East Bay Municipal Utility District, Woodbridge Irrigation District, and other interests had prior rights. Nevertheless, water from the Mokelumne has been available on an interim basis, but the District should not look to this river for its permanent water supply. The District would be able to divert surplus Mokelumne River water up to July 1 of each year, but the cost of storage would be more than the cost of using State or Federal. sources. - 1 - 441 Minutes of July 31, 1963 continued Six or eight years ago when plans were started for the Auburn Dam -Folsom South Canal this appeared to be the most feasible means of furnishing a supply of water which the District could use. The District had studies made to determine how facili- ties could be arranged to serve the District through the Auburn Dam -Folsom South Canal project. Water would be taken at various locations to serve the area and bring a balanced water supply to the entire District. Mr. Sorensen explained.how the ground water supply could be stabilized by such delivery of imported water. If one-third of the District were using such water, it would benefit the rest of the District using ground water since the area using the imported water would not be pumping and thus would serve to balance the ground water table. Three years ago the District had built a pipeline which would carry water from the Mokelumne River to the Bear Creek area. This had proved to be a successful operation ,and the line can be used for Folsom South Canal water when it becomes available. Hearings on a bill to authorize the Auburn Dam - Folsom South Canal project were held in 1962, but it was later decided that more water would be needed, requiring that new legislation on the project be introduced in the Congress this year. Hearings are expected to be held by the interior committees of both houses in August, but when the project will be authorized is a guess. When questioned, Mr. Sorensen said construction could possibly start within two years. Mayor Katzakian asked if 1968 was still the dead- line for contracting for the Federal water. Mr. Sorensen assumed the deadline would be extended. Mr. Carter said that application for water from the Auburn Dam -Folsom Soath Canal unit had been made to the Bureau of Reclamation, but the District had been discouraged from going any further regarding a contract until the water was available. Councilman Culbertson inquired about the cost for getting this water. Mr. Sorensen said that charges were $2.75 per acre for agricultural areas and $10 per acre for municipal and industrial. He said that several methods of assessment could be used: Individual improvement districts could be formed; the District could issue bonds for a partial or over-all system; the District could go to the Federal Government for a loan; or the District could tax on a straight assessed value basis over a long period. The District is studying and planning to do more construction, considering facilities which can be used to transport Canal water. At the present time plans for a line in the Victor area are being made. Mr. Sorensen would like to have the thinking of the City as to whether it wishes to obtain surface water. Mayor Katzakian said the City had an ade- quate underground supply now and possibly for the foreseeable future. Mr. Sorensen stated that if the City continues to expand it will not change - 2 - 450 Minutes of July 31, 1963 continued the demand for water radically. He assumes the City will rely on ground water, but if it wants to buy water it would have to build up a contract and could not wait 30 or 35 years to contract for the water. Mr. Glaves said that the City may find -- itself needing water some day and needed insurance. There was further discussion concerning the cost of obtaining Canal water. Councilman Culbertson said it appears that the actual users should pay the portion which would benefit them by not having to use pumps, rather than having the whole District paying the same costs. Mr. Sorensen said that some basis for variation or adjustment on payment of costs could 'probably be worked out. Mr. Glaves said he was concerned with the view- point of the property owner in the City. The matter will have to be voted on and the people will need to know to what extent they will benefit. He said the City residents are paying 48% of the District's costs, and he wanted to know if the Board felt sufficient consideration hes been given to City water needs by the District. The City needs guidance concerning the City's needs and he wished to know if the District would supply the information required so the City would know where it stands. Mr. Carter said that it was the desire of the Board of Directors to establish a fair policy for the entire district, which included Lodi. He said he wished to emphasize that it was one district and that the study and planning was for the entire district. City Attorney Mullen stated that the City Manager had questioned whether the District was considering the City's needs and that Mr. Carter had answered yes; the District indicates that it will study the City's situation and come to the Council with recommendations and reasons therefor. Mr. Sorensen stated that some distinction should be made of the City's needs compared to that of agricultural interests. Mr. Glaves said that need has to be determined; the City should know when it is going to need water and how much. The City is paying $4.50 per acre to the District compared to 300 for agricultural land, and there was a problem as to equity. Mr. Sorensen said it was difficult to compare the benefit to -the domestic user to that of the agricultural• Mr- Glaves asked if the District considered itself responsible for determining and securing the future water supply for the City. Mr. Sorensen replied that the District would be happy to see if there is a wap to take care of the City if it is part of the problem. He said the District had a willingness and desire to see the problem worked out equitably. Mr. Sherwood Beckman, Director of the Woodbridge Irrigation District and a member of the Advisory Yater Commission for the County, said that plans for securing water should be made now and that the final Kennedy Report, a study of water con- ditions made for the County, was available for - 3 - MW 451 Minutes of July 31, 1963 continued study. He said the'Commission was also willing to meet with the different districts if they could be of any help. There was further discussion concerning lack of data and information on Lodi's water requirements and whether the District would get such information. The Directors seemed to feel that the District could supply the City with sufficient information. Mr. Sorensen assured the Council that the District had filed application for Auburn Dam -Folsom South Canal water on behalf -of the entire district and that there was no need for additional application by the City. Mr. Glaves explained his conver- sations with Mr. Rott left him with the impression that the City should file its own application for water from the Folsom South Canal and that the District had not secured enough water to meet future needs of the City. Without professional help he did'not know how much water would be needed or when. He said he was prepared to recom- mend that the City Council employ a water con- sultant to develop the necessary Information sad look after the City's interest in the event the Board felt it was not a responsibility of the District to perform this function for the residents of the City. Mr. Woodworth said that the District was the group to look after the water needs of the entire District, including Lodi. Mr. Sorensen said that -this meeting indicated that the problems of the City should be closely looked into, particularly in relation to the line being considered for the Victor area. Mayor Katzakian thanked the group for attending the meeting and expressed the hope that they could work more closely in the future. The meeting then adjourned. Attests BEATRICE GARIBALDI City Clerk - 4 -