The Idyllwild Water District (IWD) directors held a special meeting
Wednesday May 1, to discuss the status of the waste water treatment
plant (WWTP) replacement project. The firm doing the initial engineering
was expected to join the meeting by Zoom, but did not, instead providing
a six-page memo which did little to answer the board’s question. The
memo projected that most of the answers would come with the initial 30%
of the engineering, and projected June 28 as the probable delivery date
for that work.

Public comments began with David Hunt, who has been bringing the same
message to the last four meetings: That interim General Manager (GM)
Curt Sauer is doing a good job, but that big decisions, including hiring
and firing, should be made by a permanent GM, and the board should begin
posting for that position. The Crier notes that IWD has posted a call
for applicants this week. Hunt also repeated what he thought the board
should look for, including field experience and water operator
certifications.

Sauer shared a memorandum from Nathan Thomas of Specialized Utilities
Services Program Engineering (SUSP). It included written questions
submitted by the directors. It said that the firm “expected” to be able
to deliver the Preliminary Engineering Report by June 28, and IWD would
then have a month to review and comment on it. Cost estimates for
permits and the remaining design work will be included in the report.
IWD or its consultants will apply for permits. The cost for the overall
project have not been updated since 2021, with construction costs rising
steeply since then. The entire construction is expected to take more or
less two years.

The SUSP memo noted that the California Environmental Quality (CEQA)
Impact report is being updated to “incorporate the dialog with the
Cahuilla tribe” in which Sauer is currently engaged. Sauer said he
believes the tribe’s concerns will be addressed with a monitor during
earth-moving work, and also will walk tribal representatives through the
Strawberry Creek diversion project at the same time.

The contract with SUSP includes a single grant application, to the State
Clean Water Revolving Fund. Another application could, they said, be
submitted to the USDA Rural Utilities Service, but those grants require
matching funds. RUS also offers loans that could make up any “shortfall
of State awarded funds.” The memo declined to provide any estimates of
the funding levels that may be available. This is “determined by the
State via non-disclosed award metrics that are subject to change without
notice.”

The next steps SUSP will undertake include coordinating the 30-day
public review period for the CEQA report and submitting it to the state.
The initial drawings are being drafted, and the electrical engineer is
submitting the work they need to provide to “support” the design. The
Geotechnical report is complete.

Chief Financial Officer Hosny Shouman noted one unpleasant development:
The county has asked IWD for a third correction to the lot adjustment
documents. The acquisition of the additional land from Idyllwild Arts
Foundation was one of the first things that needed to be done, but was
only completed after the interim GM was hired. The lot adjustment is
essential to the project, and each time a correction is required, that
costs IWD $1,020, according to Shouman, who has contacted surveyor Brian
Fox to complete the corrections.

The board gave Sauer permission to contact SUSP Project Manager Nathan
Thomas’ supervisor to discuss the status of the work, and also formed an
ad hoc committee to communicate with the firm, consisting of Peter
Szabadi and Steve Kunkle. They will report to the board each future
meeting.

The board then went into closed session to discuss exposure to
litigation with legal counsel. The next regular meeting is 6 p.m.
Wednesday, May 15.