Board Releases $1.75M for Critical Sewer Overhaul as Governance Clash Erupts

The Montara Water and Sanitary District board moved swiftly to advance a $16.5 million sewer force main replacement — the district's biggest infrastructure project in decades — while a sharp dispute over a dormant strategic planning committee revealed deepening tensions between board members and staff. With four of five directors present (Director Leah Champion absent), the Aug. 20 meeting featured a lengthy project briefing, three unanimous votes, and an exchange heated enough that General Manager Clemens Heldmaier briefly left the room.

• Board releases $1.751 million to SAM for 13,400-foot sewer force main replacement, locking in a $16.5M guaranteed maximum price and avoiding $4M in cost overruns

• Strategic plan committee dispute escalates after president confronts board member for critiquing a presentation he never watched; GM Heldmaier says he felt "intimidated" and leaves the room

• Director Slater-Carter to be sworn in as LAFCO special district representative, vowing to push back on unfunded state mandates she calls a "reverse tax"

• El Niño readiness confirmed by SAM leadership, though concerns persist about Half Moon Bay's lack of wet weather storage

$16.5M Pipeline, $4M in Savings, One Consent Decree

The board unanimously adopted a resolution releasing $1.751 million to the Sewer Authority Mid-Coastside for the Montara sewer force main replacement — a progressive design-build project to rip out and replace roughly 13,400 feet of aging ductile iron pipe that has been in continuous service for about 40 years.

Why it matters: The pipeline has suffered multiple failures and spills, triggering a consent decree from the Ecological Rights Foundation that originally required completion by June 2027. SAM negotiated a one-year extension to June 2028 after demonstrating the longer timeline would save approximately $4 million — bringing the guaranteed maximum price from $20.6 million down to $16.5 million — by avoiding costly winter overtime and locking in material prices before further escalation.

Where things stand: SAM General Manager Kishen Prathivadi walked the board through the project's 60% design status, Caltrans permits, and the shift from ductile iron to HDPE pipe. Material costs, he warned, are climbing roughly $100,000 per month.

"It is cheaper because when we start the project and have that long lead time, we would have already procured the materials," said Kishen. "The material cost is not going up. But it was expensive if you were to do it earlier because of the Super El Niño coming up."

Kishen said his team conducted a rigorous scientific risk assessment covering every portion of the pipeline to build the contingency budget, and that contractor McGuire and Hester is embedded in the progressive design-build process alongside the engineer and staff. President Scott Boyd praised the collaborative model: "Everybody gets in the same room and works through these problems together. And this is a very effective approach."

The other side: Director Bill Softky marveled at the permitting complexity: "I'm amazed at how many different kinds of permits and different administrative loopholes you've had to jump through." He asked whether ERF had formally confirmed the extension. Kishen responded that the foundation has given a positive signal: "We've got a very positive response from them. We are in the process of putting together the amendment. But yes, they have indicated that they're okay with that."

General Manager Heldmaier noted that not a single foot of the pipeline is actually located in Montara — despite the project's name — because it runs through Moss Beach, Granada and Half Moon Bay.

Decisions: The motion, made by Director Kathryn Slater-Carter and seconded by Director Softky, passed 4-0 (For: Boyd, Slater-Carter, Young, Softky; Absent: Champion). Softky voted with an "enthusiastic yes." MWSD's $1.751 million share represents the district's portion of an $8.5 million mid-year SAM budget amendment across all three member agencies. An additional $4.3 million is expected in the fiscal year 2027-28 budget. Director Slater-Carter noted that MWSD was the only member agency that planned ahead financially: "We of the three member agencies are the only one who planned ahead for this and we have the money ready."

What's next: The project is advancing toward a guaranteed maximum price, with full material procurement aimed at beating further price escalation. The formal ERF consent decree amendment is being finalized. Boyd said the strategic plan will be placed on a future agenda for proper discussion.

Dormant Committee, Live Wire

A routine director-reports segment turned volatile when Director Softky and Director Cid Young, both members of the strategic plan committee, reported that the committee had met for the first time in two years. Softky described plans to use AI-generated analysis and community input to identify deficiencies in a draft strategic plan that General Manager Heldmaier had presented at a prior meeting — a presentation Softky acknowledged he had not watched.

President Boyd did not let that pass. "Being judgmental about information that you have decided not to take in is an odd and unhelpful thing in my opinion," he said.

Softky pushed back, arguing that watching recorded meetings is an ineffective way to absorb information: "Watching videos is a waste of time according to every technical metric I know." He added that he had been trying to do productive committee work for two years without success: "I have been begging to do constructive homework for two years and it has not been possible."

Director Slater-Carter raised a broader objection, saying she did not believe the strategic plan should be developed by board members with personal agendas. "I don't think it should be done by members of the board with agendas," she said, calling instead for an outside facilitator.

Heldmaier grew visibly frustrated, clarifying that the prior presentation was a review of the existing plan — not an update — and that the committee had not engaged with that material. The exchange escalated until Heldmaier told the board he felt intimidated. "I feel very intimidated by this whole situation. I have to leave this room," he said, and briefly exited. Boyd ultimately directed that the strategic plan be placed on a future board agenda for a proper, structured discussion.

Why it matters: The committee's two-year dormancy and the sharp disagreement over basic process — who watches what, who leads planning, and whether board members should do the work themselves or hire a facilitator — signal governance friction that will likely shape how the district sets long-term priorities for infrastructure, rates and community engagement.

LAFCO Seat and the Mandate Squeeze

Director Slater-Carter announced she will be sworn in as the new LAFCO special district representative at the September meeting, filling a seat she said was won through years of advocacy by special districts in San Mateo County.

She used the report to frame a policy concern she plans to carry into the role: unfunded state mandates — particularly for affordable housing — that force enterprise districts to raise rates because they have no other revenue source. "They're making all of these demands and our only recourse, because they see us as enterprise districts, is to recoup the money through rate increase, which is a reverse tax on people," she said.

LAFCO is also interviewing two candidates for an alternate public member seat.

Minor Items

• Consent agenda: All 10 items approved unanimously 4-0 (Champion absent). No items were pulled for separate discussion.

• Employee wellness program: Board renewed authorization for up to $2,400 in annual spending — $25 per month per full-time employee for health or fitness expenses. The district received a $320 grant from ACWA-JPIA to partially offset costs. Approved 4-0.

• El Niño preparedness: Director Slater-Carter reported that SAM leadership confirmed the sewer system is well-prepared for the projected Super El Niño winter, citing improvements made since the 1982-83 storms. SAM will add storm preparedness as a September agenda item with tips for residents. Director Young cautioned that the sewer plant could still flood because Half Moon Bay has not addressed wet weather storage.

• Yard waste pickup: Director Young announced Montara's first-ever yard waste pickup event at Farallone View School this Saturday, sponsored by Cal Recycle, Recology and MWSD. She corrected a district newsletter error that had listed the wrong date.

• Coastside water tank: Director Young attended the ribbon cutting for Coastside County Water District's new 2.1 million-gallon water storage tank — 97-foot diameter, 44-foot wall height — built at a cost of $12.8 million by DN Built for the Future, the same contractor that built MWSD's tank.

• MCC leadership change: Chair Kimberly Williams resigned from the Midcoast Community Council following her father's death. Scott Bollinger has assumed the chair. The council has open seats.

• Election news: Director Softky announced he is running for re-election on a platform of transparency and community engagement. Jenny McShane filed candidacy papers for a neighboring Moss Beach Heights board seat.

• First Flush volunteer program: President Boyd promoted the San Mateo County Resource Conservation District's annual First Flush creek sampling program. Online volunteer training is scheduled for Aug. 26 at 6:30 p.m. MWSD has contributed funding to the program.