ITEM:            ACTION ITEMS

 

15.       CONSIDER NEW BOARD MEETING LOCATION

 

Meeting Date:     December 15, 2003                      Budgeted: No

Program/Line Item No.: NA

Staff Contact: Rick Dickhaut                                    Cost Estimate: Variable

 

General Counsel Approval: NA

Committee Recommendation: The Administrative Committee reviewed this item on November 6, 2003 and recommended it be discussed by the full Board at its December 15, 2003 Board meeting to allow participation from the newly elected Board members.

CEQA Compliance: NA

 

SUMMARY:   The District has held its regularly scheduled Board meetings at the Seaside City Council Chambers since July 2002.  Prior to the selection of that location, District staff had prepared a matrix (Exhibit 15-A) that contained information on various potential Board meeting room locations.  As the matrix indicates, many of the locations are unacceptable due to limitations in scheduling, parking and available equipment.

 

Recently, several Board members have expressed concern about lighting, room temperature and safety related issues at the Seaside facility.  In response to these concerns, District staff has again investigated potential meeting sites for future Board meetings, including the conference room at the District office at 5 Harris Court and a return to the City of Monterey Council Chambers.  Two additional locations not previously investigated have also been identified.  An analysis of these four potential locations is presented below:

 

·        MPWMD Conference Room – In addition to tables for the Board members, General Counsel and General Manager, the conference room can seat approximately 40 people.  If necessary, an additional 30 – 40 people could be accommodated in the lobby using audio/video equipment. It is estimated that the cost for the equipment including a sound system (microphones, speakers, amplifiers, wiring, etc.), video cameras, television monitors, chairs and other miscellaneous equipment would be approximately $13,500.  If a projection system was used in place of television monitors, the cost would be approximately $3,000 more.  The addition of this equipment would allow Board meetings to be televised on a local public access channel.

 

·        Monterey Institute of International Studies – Irving Auditorium – The Irvine Auditorium at the Monterey Institute of International Studies seats 250 – 275 people.    The auditorium has theater type seating that looks down at the stage area where the Board of Directors would be seated.  It has been determined that the auditorium is generally available on Board meeting dates.  The basic rental fee is currently $80 per hour.  Initially District staff was told that there would be a minimal charge for use of audio/video equipment,  however, after additional research it now appears that rental of required equipment could range up to $1,000 per meeting.  Additionally, the existing screen to view video presentations cannot be used at the same time the Board of Directors are seated on the stage area.

·        Monterey Peninsula College – Library Boardroom – The recently completed library building has a lecture room that can also be set up to function as a boardroom.  District staff has been unable to view the room, but has been told that the room can accommodate 30 people in a classroom setting with desks or about 60 people with theatre type seating. Also, staff was told that the library building closes at 8:00 PM and that the room would not be available after that time.  Another problem with this location is that there is a charge for parking, and due to evening classes parking in close proximity to the library building may be difficult to find.

 

·        Monterey City Council Chambers – District staff checked with the City of Monterey and the fees and polices for the use of the facility, which has a capacity of 130 people, have not changed since they were initiated in July of 2002. The fees for use of the room, microphones at the dais and lectern, audio/visual equipment, and television broadcast cameras and equipment total approximately $500 per meeting.  The City requires that all public meetings be broadcast on the local government channel and that Access Monterey Peninsula (AMP) staff be utilized to operate the cameras and broadcast equipment.  District staff has contacted AMP regarding the cost to provide personnel to operate the cable casting equipment and was informed that the District would need to join AMP, at a cost to be determined, and that District personnel would then be trained to operate the equipment.

 

RECOMMENDATION:  District staff recommends that the Board of Directors provide direction as to the preferred location for future Board meetings.  The Administrative Committee discussed this item on November 6 and recommended it be discussed by the full Board at its December 15, 2003 Board meeting to allow participation from the newly elected Board members.

 

IMPACT ON RESOURCES:  Estimated costs per meeting for each of the potential meeting rooms (based on five hours of use per meeting) vary from $500, plus the cost of joining AMP and possible overtime for District personnel to operate the cable casting equipment, at the City of Monterey to approximately $1,000 at the Monterey Institute of International Studies.  The cost to utilize the District’s conference room would be limited to the variable costs of utilities, salaries, etc., plus the cost of obtaining equipment to broadcast the meetings in the lobby.  It is estimated that this would entail a one-time expenditure of approximately $13,500 to $16,500 depending on the quality of equipment desired.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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