By: Libi Uremovic | Original Article at patch.com
Mayor Brenda Knight, Elizabeth Gibbs-Urtiaga, and Hisam Baqai address Board.
Transcript from the Santa Ana Regional Quality Control Board Meeting July 24, 2015
Brenda Knight, Mayor of Beaumont: I do have a Technical Degree from Cal State Sacramento in Water Treatment. I’m actually classified as a ‘Water Treatment Plant Operations Specialist”.
Knight: Last week I had the opportunity, July 13th, of witnessing the State of California was there at our treatment plant and they were testing for our Title 22 Compliance. We are very hopeful that all is well there. They’ve done a lot. We have a lot of Staff here today from our City Manager to anyone you want to ask questions to, if you have questions, we’re here and ready to answer those. Our City supports the NPDES Permit in its present form. You know; science speaks for itself. If approved, the City will comply with the Permit and continue its efforts to maximize the beneficial use for water in the Region. We’re all struggling with this water issue; all of us. More than any time we need help to bring more water. Our community needs this water. We’ve had pipes for years that need to be filled with recycled water and frankly if we’re not in compliance – I want us to be in compliance. I want to do what we need to do. From my perspective; we will be there, we will support what you ask, and work very hard to supply what our needs to our important communities. And it’s not just our City, it’s others also.
Board Chair Ruh: Mayor, would you please have your Staff stand up.
Knight: On the far left is Elizabeth Urtiaga-Gibbs our acting City Manager. We have Kyle Warsinsk, he is our Development Analyst. There are others connected to our City; Mr. Hisam Baqai, we have Keran McKernan back there that works off and on – I mean that has contracts with our City. These people are here, you can ask questions to.
Hisam Baqai with the City of Beaumont: I am here to respond to any technical questions. I would like to say for the record. Some of the comments said earlier by Mrs. Bingham and Libi have already been addressed by Staff in writing. I wouldn’t want to take your time to go over the comments again. But if you have other questions I’d be glad to respond. I’ve had the pleasure of working with this Board for many years and the Report that has been produced by your Staff is excellent. I want to commend your Executive Officer and all of your Staff for doing such a good job and you for overseeing all of this work.
[no questions asked]
Blasingame: We’ve had a couple meetings where citizens have come and expressed grave reservations about the ability of the City to perform under these Permits. I think it would be helpful if someone from the City could address the specific concern brought up by these citizens so we can get their side of the story in terms of technical capabilities and if there’s any issues with outside Staff.
Beaumont Acting City Manager Elizabeth Gibbs-Urtiaga: About the comments made by the Citizens of Beaumont; these are ongoing comments that hear at every Council Meeting. I can speak to the issues of Staff. We are in the process of hiring a City Engineer. We have bids out. The reason HR Green turned down the Contract after it was brought to City Council was for business reasons, nothing to do with the City of Beaumont. We have a Finance Director starting Monday morning at 8:00. She comes highly recommended. We have a Budget in process. We did a continuing Resolution on the Budget. We do have some fiscal concerns, however; we are working through those. As far as the D.A. Investigation; it is not an FBI Investigation. I’m unable to speak to that. We have not been contacted by the D.A.to date since April 22nd.
Board: What’s the population of Beaumont?
Urtiaga: 40,000
Board: And growing, I suppose.
Urtiaga: Yes.
Blasingame: Does your City have a credit rating?
Urtiaga: I don’t know what it is today.
Blasingame: Does it have debt?
Urtiaga: Yes it does.