Board Approves $126K in Procurements, Celebrates New Tank Milestone

The Coastside County Water District Board of Directors wrapped three unanimous procurement votes, celebrated a signature infrastructure achievement, and got its first look at the candidates who may fill President Bob Feldman's seat when he retires.

• $126K in infrastructure spending clears the board — a fleet truck, treatment-plant pumps, and fire-safety tree work all pass unanimously
• Over 90 turn out for new water tank ribbon cutting, earning proclamations from a congressman, a county supervisor, and the mayor
• Director reports optimism after private talks with BAWSCA's CEO on a negotiated water-supply settlement
• Two community members step forward to run for the board seat President Feldman is vacating
• Board awards $50K sole-source tree contract with raptor nesting compliance still to be verified

---

Fire-Safety Tree Work Gets Green Light Near New Water Tank

The board unanimously awarded a $50,000 sole-source contract to Brush Hog Tree Care Inc. for targeted tree maintenance and hazardous tree removal on the hillside surrounding the new Half Moon Bay Tank 1 — the same facility the district celebrated with a ribbon cutting just weeks ago.

Why it matters: A full year of tree maintenance was skipped during tank construction, leaving overgrown canopy that the fire department has flagged as a wildfire risk to critical water infrastructure.

Where things stand: Staff explained that specialized crane equipment will reach from the newly paved areas created during tank construction to cut back trees on district property, avoiding the need to fell trees directly onto one another.

"We're bringing in specialized equipment that has a crane that will reach out from the paved areas that we just created with the building of the new tank, so they can get in there and reach and cut back the trees that are on our property without having to put guys in there to fell the trees right on top of other trees," said Ed, staff.

Director Ken Coverdell raised the question of whether the work would comply with raptor nesting season restrictions: "Are we out of the raptor nesting time period to have someone evaluate that for the permission to do this work?" Staff confirmed the nesting period typically ends in late July and committed to verifying compliance before any work begins.

Vice President John Miller seconded the motion and stressed the importance of supporting local firms. Director Chris Mickelsen moved the item.

Decisions: The contract was approved 5-0 under sole-source procurement Resolution 2025-07. (For: Coverdell, Dixon, Mickelsen, Miller, Feldman; Against: none; Absent: none.)

What's next: Staff must confirm raptor nesting season compliance before tree work begins.

---

Ribbon Cutting Draws 90-Plus, Three Government Proclamations

General Manager Mary Rogren reported that the ribbon cutting for the district's new water tank was an overwhelming success, drawing more than 90 attendees from across the Coastside's network of government partners.

"Three of our directors were here at the event. We had over 90 people attend, largely made up of staff from the city of Half Moon Bay, the county, the fire. We had our regulators from the state even come," said Rogren.

The district received proclamations from three levels of government: Congressman Ricardo's office, Supervisor Mueller's office, and Mayor Reddick of the City of Half Moon Bay. SFPUC's Steve Ritchie also attended.

Vice President Miller reflected on the long road to completion: "We'll never forget that amazing day. How many years and how many dollars it's taken to get that thing put together."

President Feldman framed the event in broader terms: "This is an affirmation of all the efforts of all the people — the management, the staff, the board of directors, and the public who participated in making this happen."

Director Mickelsen called the event "flawless." Rogren thanked all staff members for their contributions.

---

Aging Pumps Replaced at Denniston Treatment Plant

The board approved approximately $33,000 for four Watson Marlow peristaltic pumps to replace hypochlorite chemical feed infrastructure at the Denniston Water Treatment Plant.

The basics: Hypochlorite — the chlorine-based disinfectant used in water treatment — is highly corrosive. The existing pump skids were installed during the 2013 Denniston upgrade and have exceeded the typical five-to-ten-year lifespan for this type of equipment.

Why it matters: The new peristaltic design allows operators to swap pump heads quickly without direct exposure to the chemical, a meaningful safety improvement. Staff selected Watson Marlow based on successful experience replacing permanganate pumps the previous year, citing improved SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) integration.

"This new wave design allows us to just take off the pump head and swap it out and really keep us away from the chemical itself," said Ed, staff.

Four pumps are needed because peristaltic pumps have lower individual output than the style being replaced. A director asked about the manufacturer's location; the vendor is local, though Watson Marlow is an international manufacturer.

Decisions: Passed 5-0. (For: Coverdell, Dixon, Mickelsen, Miller, Feldman; Against: none; Absent: none.)

---

Two Candidates Step Forward as Feldman Retirement Nears

Before the board entered closed session, Director Coverdell took time to welcome two community members who are running for the seat President Feldman plans to vacate. Coverdell praised the district's culture, calling it "an amazingly well-balanced budget, which is unusual on the coast side." He provided brief backgrounds on current board members and encouraged the candidates to learn from the experience.

President Feldman connected the moment to his June retirement announcement: "When I discussed my plan to retire, my closing remark was I was sure we would find within the community some people who are interested in providing public service and working with an organization like this."

The board then entered closed session regarding a public employee appointment under California Government Code Section 54957.

---

Director Reports Optimism on BAWSCA Water-Supply Talks

During the meetings-attended portion of the agenda, Director Mickelsen shared that he had a productive one-on-one meeting with Tom Smigel, CEO of BAWSCA (Bay Area Water Supply and Conservation Agency). General Manager Rogren also attended.

"I had a meeting with Tom Smigel, the CEO of BAWSCA. I think it was a very productive meeting, actually a little room for optimism on the negotiated settlement moving forward," said Mickelsen.

Why it matters: BAWSCA negotiations directly affect the district's long-term wholesale water supply agreements with SFPUC — a critical issue for Coastside ratepayers. A negotiated settlement could shape water costs and supply reliability for years.

---

Minor Items

• Consent calendar approved — monthly accounts payable and prior-month expenses passed unanimously. (For: 4; Against: 0; Absent: 1.)
• Fleet truck purchase authorized — the board approved buying a 2027 Ford F-150 4x4 standard cab pickup from Town Ford for $43,619 as part of the annual vehicle replacement program in the FY 2026-27 capital improvement budget. Staff solicited quotes from three dealerships; two responded, and one declined. (For: 4; Against: 0; Absent: 1.)
• PG&E well testing expected to finish this month; staff said the project should be ready to go next month.
• El Granada Tank 3 — the new residual control system is operational and staff has been trained.
• Denniston treatment plant maintenance — floc basin drained and cleaned (done annually); settling basin cleaned (every four to six months). A new hurricane blower was installed atop the new concrete tank to aid in TTHM (total trihalomethane) removal, and the Tank 3 mixer was replaced.
• Hydrant replacements at Amesport Landing — two wet-barrel fire hydrants replaced with dry-barrel units. Vice President Miller thanked staff for resolving a hydrant-numbering confusion issue with the fire district.