HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-15-2026 Minutes1950
SOUTH TAHOE PUBLIC UTILITY DISTRICT
Joel Henderson, Director BOARD MEMBERS Kelly Sheehan, Director
Nick Haven, Vice President Shane Romsos, President Nick Exline, Director
Paul Hughes, General Manager Andrea Salazar, Chief Financial Officer
REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
SOUTH TAHOE PUBLIC UTILITY DISTRICT
January 15, 2026
MINUTES
The South Tahoe Public Utility District Board of Directors met in a regular session, 2:00 p.m., at the
District Office, located at 1275 Meadow Crest Drive, South Lake Tahoe, California.
ROLL CALL: Board of Directors: President Romsos, Directors Haven, Henderson, Sheehan, Exline
Staff: Paul Hughes, Andrea Salazar, Ryan Jones, Melonie Guttry, Shannon Chandler, Vincent
Stagnaro, Chris Skelly, Greg Dupree, Star Glaze, Shelly Thomsen, Mark Seelos, Ryan Lee, Kilty Devine,
Taylor Bradshaw, Lauren Benefield, Trevor Coolidge, Donielle Morse, Adrian Combes, Carrie Bauwens,
Maddie Chavarria, Laura Hendrickson, Chelsea Block
Guests: Dane Wadle, California Special Districts Association
1. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE:
2. COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC: None
3. CORRECTIONS TO THE AGENDA OR CONSENT CALENDAR: None
4. ADOPTION OF CONSENT CALENDAR:
Moved Sheehan/Second Exline/Henderson Yes/Haven Yes/Romsos Yes/Sheehan Yes/Exline Yes
to approve the Consent Calendar as presented.
a. WASHOAN PRESSURE REDUCING VALVE STATION PROJECT
(Laura Hendrickson, Associate Engineer)
1) Approved Change Order No. 1 to White Rock Construction, Inc. in the amount of ($2,300);
and 2) Authorized the General Manager to execute Change Order No. 1.
b. RECEIVE AND FILE PAYMENT OF CLAIMS (Greg Dupree, Accounting Manager)
Received and filed Payment of Claims in the amount of $5,573,404.43
c. REGULAR BOARD MEETING MINUTES: December 18, 2025
(Melonie Guttry, Executive Services Manager/Clerk of the Board)
Approved December 18, 2025, Minutes
REGULAR BOARD MEETING MINUTES: January 15, 2026 PAGE - 2
5. CONSENT ITEMS BROUGHT FORWARD FOR SEPARATE DISCUSSION/ACTION: None
6. PRESENTATION: Dane Wadle presented the Certified Special District General Manager award to
Chris Skelly. Chris Skelly thanked the District for their support of his training efforts.
President Romsos acknowledged the Finance Department for the Government Finance Officers
Association Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting and the Board
acknowledged the Finance Department for their efforts.
7. ITEMS FOR BOARD ACTION:
a. Capital Outlay Rollover Accounts (Greg Dupree, Accounting Manager) — Greg Dupree provided
details regarding the Capital Outlay Rollover Accounts and addressed questions from the
Board. Paul Huqhes added that this item has been delayed a bit to clean up the budget to
ensure that what is rolled over will truly be spent. The Board acknowledged this work. Andrea
Salazar added that the Engineering Department also stringently reviewed their rollover
amounts.
Moved Haven/Second Sheehan/Henderson Yes/Haven Yes/Romsos Yes/Sheehan Yes/Exline
Yes to authorize staff to direct rollover funds budgeted in 2024/2025 fiscal year to the
2025/2026 fiscal year.
b. 2025 Test Well Project (Mark Seelos, Water Resources Manager) — Mark Seelos provided details
regarding the 2025 Test Well Project and addressed questions from the Board.
Moved Sheehan/Second Henderson/Henderson Yes/Haven Yes/Romsos Yes/Sheehan
Yes/Exline Yes to (1) Approve Final Change Order No. 2 for Gregg Drilling, Inc. in the amount
of $97,570.09; and (2) Authorize the General Manager to Execute the Change Order No. 2
c. Bijou 1 Waterline Replacement Project (Laura Hendrickson, Associate Engineer) — Laura Hendrickson
provided details regarding the Bijou 1 Waterline Replacement Project and addressed
questions from the Board.
Moved Romsos/Second Haven/Henderson Yes/Haven Yes/Romsos Yes/Sheehan Yes/Exline
Yes to 1) Approve Change Order No. 3 to Vinciguerra Construction, Inc. in the amount of
(173,651); and 2) Authorize the General Manager to execute Change Order No. 3.
d. 2025 Asphalt Patching and Trench Paving Services Contract (Adrian Combes, Director of Operations)
- Adrian Combes provided details regarding the 2025 Asphalt Patching and Trench Paving
Services Contract and addressed questions from the Board. He commended Information
Technology staff for their help in creating a program to track the patching.
Moved Romsos/Second Henderson/Henderson Yes/Haven Yes/Romsos Yes/Sheehan
Yes/Exline Yes to 1) Approve Change Order No. 4 in the amount of ($105,441.37) to Alcorn
General Engineering and 2) Authorize the General Manager to execute Change Order No. 4.
e. 2026 Patch Paving Service Contract - Adrian Combes provided details regarding the 2026
Patch Paving Service Contract and addressed questions from the Board.
Moved Sheehan/Second Exline/Henderson Yes/Haven Yes/Romsos Yes/Sheehan Yes/Exline
Yes to authorize staff to advertise for construction bids for the 2026 Patch Paving Contract.
REGULAR BOARD MEETING MINUTES: January 15, 2026 PAGE - 3
8. STANDING AND AD -HOC COMMITTEES AND LIAISON REPORTS:
Director Exline reported that the System Efficiency and Sustainability Committee meeting was
held on January 7, 2026, and that Trevor Coolidge reported at the meeting that a portion of the
Solar Project went active before the end of the year. The committee also discussed the Strategic
Asset Management Program supporting the District's efforts to be a data driven agency.
President Romsos added that the committee is working on a policy that will focus on Levels of
Service Targets, etc.
Director Sheehan reported that the January 6, 2026, Operations Committee meeting was
cancelled. She will be attending a successor agency meeting, formally called Redevelopment,
which is scheduled for January 29.
Director Haven thanked Director Sheehan for attending the El Dorado Water Agency meeting
yesterday on his behalf. They are beginning to discuss Tahoe issues to prioritize the Tahoe side of El
Dorado County.
9. BOARD MEMBER REPORTS: Nothing to report
10. STAFF/ATTORNEY REPORTS:
Lauren Benefield provided a Year in Review Water Efficiency Program Presentation and
addressed questions from the Board.
Shelly Thomsen provided a report that the House of Congress and Senate passed their budgets
which includes $1.5 million in funding for the Park Avenue Project. This Project will upsize
approximately 1,500 linear feet of waterline that would not have been possible without
Congressman Kiley's support, which has been ongoing for the past three years. There is additional
funding through the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act which appropriates funds for water for fire
suppression infrastructure through the Forest Service who selects where the funds are allocated.
There is definitive language for District waterline projects next year. This funding would not be
possible without Congressman Amodei.
Melonie Guttry reported that the Form 700 emails have gone out from the Fair Political Practices
Commission (FPPC) on Monday and that these are due no later than April 1, 2026. The FPPC will
fine if you file late, so please don't delay. She further reported that regular Form 700's will be
emailed by her in mid -February, which require an original, wet signature returned via hard copy.
11. GENERAL MANAGER REPORT:
Paul Hughes announced that there is a Celebration of Life for Scott Glaze on January 23, located
at the Carson Valley Inn with doors opening at noon and service to begin around 1:00 p.m.
12. NOTICE OF PAST AND FUTURE MEETINGS/EVENTS
13. BREAK AND ADJOURN TO CLOSED SESSION: 3:13 p.m.
RECONVENE TO OPEN SESSION: 3:21 p.m.
a. Pursuant to Section 54956.9(d) (1) of the California Government code, Closed Session may be
held for conference with legal counsel regarding existing litigation: Yolo County Superior Court
Case CV 2021-1686, Alpine County vs. South Tahoe Public Utility District; et al.
No reportable Board Action
ADJOURNMENT: 3:22 p.m.
REGULAR BOARD MEETING MINUTES: January 15, 2026 PAGE - 4
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Shane Romsos, Board President
South Tahoe Public Utility District
Melonio G'Off,y,.-Executiv Services Manager/
Clerk --of the Board
Soutts Tahoe Public Utility District