District Drops Labor Negotiations Training Over Recording Dispute

The Central Contra Costa Sanitary District Board breezed through a short meeting Thursday but not before a notable standoff: a state mediator tapped to lead negotiations training refused to participate if the session was recorded, and the Board chose transparency over preparation, pulling the item entirely. The remainder of the six-minute meeting saw a consent calendar sail through with a significant outside-counsel rate hike tucked inside.

• Board cancels negotiations training after state mediator balks at being recorded

• Consent calendar locks in 30% rate increase for outside labor counsel, to $560/hour

• New district salary schedule for all job classifications takes effect immediately

• Public hearing set for Aug. 20 on Alamo sewer reimbursement fee ordinance

Transparency Trumps Training

The Board removed two agenda items before taking up any regular business — its negotiations training session and a related closed session on labor talks — after a dispute over recording.

Why it matters: The District signaled that its policy of recording all public proceedings is non-negotiable, even when it means delaying preparation for labor negotiations with its own workforce.

Where things stand: District Counsel explained that the facilitator from State Mediation and Conciliation Services had been arranged to lead the Board through negotiations training. But days before the meeting, the facilitator raised objections.

"This week the facilitator expressed discomfort about conducting the training if it were to be recorded. And we expressed discomfort with not recording the meeting consistent with our standard transparency practices," said District Counsel. "And so we determined the best thing to do would be to remove the training from the agenda."

The closed session for labor negotiations under Government Code Section 54957.6 — Item 14 — was also pulled.

Decisions: The Board voted 4-0 to approve the amended agenda (For: Board President Florence Wedington, Board Member Jean Kuznik, Board Member Barbara Hockett, Board Member Michael McGill; Absent: Board Member Tad Pilecki).

What's next: The District will need to find a facilitator willing to work under its recording policy or negotiate alternative arrangements before rescheduling the training. In the meantime, labor negotiations preparation is on hold.

Minor Items

• Consent calendar approved 4-0-1 (Pilecki absent) with no items pulled. Includes: approval of June 18 meeting minutes; confirmation of Ordinance No. 347 summary publication; an updated salary schedule for all district job classifications effective July 2; and revisions to Board Policy BP 011 on rate-setting procedures for Prop 218 and AB 2257 compliance.

• Legal services contract extended: The Board authorized the General Manager to extend the contract with Hanson Bridgett LLP and principal counsel Gilbert J. Tsai, Esq. for labor and employment legal services, with the hourly rate rising from $430 to $560 — a 30% increase — through June 30, 2028.

• Public hearing set for Aug. 20 at 2:30 p.m. on a proposed ordinance establishing a reimbursement fee for Alamo parcels that could connect to the Pine Tree Drive sewer line (Job 6667).

• Financial reports received without discussion: Expenditures for May 1 through June 4, 2026, and a budget-to-actual overview through May 2026 were accepted with no questions from board members.

• Committee minutes received from the Real Estate, Environmental and Planning (REAP), Administration and Finance committees — all without discussion.

• Board Member Michael McGill reported attending an Orinda Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting, two COCATAX meetings and an Orinda Chamber Board meeting, including a COCATAX Board session with State Senator Steve Glaser.

• McGill requested that water reuse conferences be listed generically on the District's pre-approved conference attendance list rather than by specific dates, noting the topic appears at many different venues. The Secretary of the District indicated the change could be added to the October agenda when conference approvals are typically updated.

• Schedule note: The District is closed July 3. The REAP Committee meeting (July 15) and Administration Committee meeting (July 21) are both canceled. The next Board meeting is a special session on July 22 at 12:30 p.m., preceded by a Finance Committee meeting at 9 a.m.