Locunity/Sewer Authority Mid-Coastside, CA·Water District
Board of Directors
SAM is a joint powers authority (JPA) created by its three member agencies: City of Half Moon Bay (HMB), Granada Community Services District (GCSD), and the Montara Water and Sanitary District (MWSD).
The JPA is a separate, independent, public agency created by the member agencies to perform functions and share powers common to the member agencies. Those powers are outlined in a joint exercise of powers agreement (Agreement). The Agreement creating SAM can be found on the Documents page.
Each Agreement identifies how the independent agency will be governed. In the case of SAM, each member agency appoints two members from its governing board to represent it on the SAM Board of Directors, for a total of six directors.
The Agreement also establishes the weight of each director’s vote. The vote by each representatives from the City is given the weight of two votes. The vote by each representative from GCSD and MWSD is given the weight of one vote. The total number of possible votes is eight. A quorum is a minimum of five votes and resolutions require at least six votes to pass.
Regular Board Meetings are on the 2nd and 4th Mondays of each month at 7:00pm.
Locunity is an independent informational service and is not an official government page for this commission. All information is sourced from public footage and an analysis of official agendas with the aid of responsible, fact-checked AI. to report an error or omission.
Army CorpsBoard of Directors27d agoSeptember 28, 2026
SAM Schedules Oct. 14 Special Meeting on Army Corps Project
At Director Ruddock's request, the board scheduled a special meeting for October 14 to hear from One Shoreline on an Army Corps project with a federal interest finding.
Why it matters: The project is tied to a pending federal appropriation and could require cost-sharing and in-kind participation from SAM and its member agencies; an agreement is sought soon.
Sewer Authority Mid-Coastside
Tripepi SmithBoard of Directors28d agoSeptember 28, 2026
SAM Board Leans Toward January Strategic Plan Restart
Tripepi Smith pitched a 10-week, $23,250 strategic planning process; directors split on timing and settled on staff returning with a proposal to start in January.
Why it matters: SAM's prior plan stalled during a decade-long lawsuit; a new plan would set shared goals and metrics for the GM and JPA ahead of possible board turnover and a LAFCO review.
Sewer Authority Mid-Coastside
Kastama Strategic ConsultingBoard of Directors28d agoSeptember 28, 2026
SAM Trims Force Main Outreach Contract From $75K to $40K
Board unanimously authorized a $40,000 outreach contract with Kastama Strategic Consulting, down from $75,000, after directors questioned the $325 hourly rate and add-on fees.
Why it matters: The 18-month pipeline job will run along Highway 1 shoulders; directors want proactive public information but also visible deliverables and tighter control of ratepayer spending on consultants.
Sewer Authority Mid-Coastside
$38 MillionBoard of Directors28d agoSeptember 28, 2026
Marsh Rebuts 'Aging Sewer' Claims, Cites $38M in Upgrades
Vice Chair Marsh said SAM has invested about $38 million in seven years, arguing the nearly 50-year-old plant's equipment is largely new.
Why it matters: The framing counters campaign rhetoric in member-agency races and ties ratepayer bills to storm readiness during the El Niño season.
Sewer Authority Mid-Coastside
El NiñoBoard of Directors28d agoSeptember 28, 2026
SAM Building Contractor Database Before El Niño King Tides
Responding to a call for a local tradespeople portal, the GM said staff will compile a qualified-vendor database by end of October ahead of El Niño king tides.
Why it matters: King tides fall the day before Thanksgiving and Christmas when vendors are scarce, and a director warned local contractors are already booking up, possibly forcing premium rates.
Sewer Authority Mid-Coastside
California Native American Indian Freedom Act Of 2026Board of Directors42d agoSeptember 14, 2026
SAM Attorney Warns Tribal Rights Bill Could Add Compliance Hurdles to Construction Projects
SAM's attorney flagged the California Native American Indian Freedom Act of 2026, which if signed would create a private right of action on state lands and could affect the Montara Force Main and future projects.
Why it matters: The bill's private right of action for tribal spiritual practices on state lands could introduce new planning delays and legal risk for SAM projects crossing or adjacent to state property.
Sewer Authority Mid-Coastside
Super El NiñoBoard of Directors42d agoSeptember 14, 2026
SAM Staff Maps Comprehensive El Niño Defenses Amid Warnings of Worst Storm Season on Record
Staff presented a detailed plant-wide and pump station preparedness plan for the predicted Super El Niño season from October 2026 through March 2027, covering upgraded equipment, storage capacity, and contractor standby plans.
Why it matters: San Mateo County emergency officials say the incoming El Niño could exceed any storm event since the 1950s, with 12-inch sea level rise plus king tides threatening a sewer system that flooded dramatically in a previous storm.
Sewer Authority Mid-Coastside
BKF EngineersBoard of Directors42d agoSeptember 14, 2026
Board Unanimously Approves $1.5M in Force Main Construction Subcontracts, Delays Outreach Deal
SAM Board approved three construction-phase subcontracts totaling $1.53 million for the Force Main Montara replacement project while deferring a $75K communications contract for more cost detail.
Why it matters: The force main replacement is SAM's largest capital project; these subcontracts lock in environmental, inspection, and testing support as construction begins this fall, and the delayed outreach contract signals board cost-consciousness.
Sewer Authority Mid-Coastside
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