FROM: James D. Herberg, General Manager
SUBJECT:
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PUBLIC AFFAIRS UPDATE FOR THE MONTHS OF NOVEMBER 2020 THROUGH JANUARY 2021
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GENERAL MANAGER'S RECOMMENDATION
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RECOMMENDATION:
Receive and file the Public Affairs Update for the months of November 2020 through January 2021.
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BACKGROUND
Staff will provide an update on recent public affairs activities.
RELEVANT STANDARDS
• Maintain influential legislative advocacy and a public outreach program
• Build brand, trust, and support with policy makers and community leaders
• Maintain collaborative and cooperative relationships with regulators, stakeholders, and neighboring communities
• Listen to and seriously consider community input on environmental concerns
PROBLEM
The Orange County Sanitation District (Sanitation District) is well-recognized within the water/wastewater industry; however, as a regional provider without direct access to our customers there is opportunity to always expand knowledge or awareness within our service area of the important work we do to protect public health and the environment and the part they can have to protect our sewer lines, our treatment plants, and the quality of water we supply for the Groundwater Replenishment System.
PROPOSED SOLUTION
By providing tours, community outreach, education, and general communication via the Sanitation District’s website, social media outlets, and direct mailings, we have the ability to educate the community, local agencies, and businesses on our messaging such as the What2Flush program, energy production, water recycling, biosolids, and our source control program. This, in turn, helps improve the quality of wastewater that is recycled or released to the ocean.
TIMING CONCERNS
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RAMIFICATIONS OF NOT TAKING ACTION
If we do not educate the community, local agencies, and area businesses about the Sanitation District, we may not have the support necessary to deliver our mission.
PRIOR COMMITTEE/BOARD ACTIONS
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Current activities for the months of November 2020 through January 2021:
Virtual Tours
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, our in-person Plant tours are temporarily suspended. To continue engaging with the community and our stakeholders, staff conducts virtual tours of the Plant which has allowed participants an opportunity to remotely visit the Sanitation District and learn how we protect public health and the environment. For this reporting period, we held five virtual tours reaching over 200 people.
Plant No. 2 Neighborhood Newsletter Distributed
As part of the ongoing outreach efforts to keep our Plant No. 2 neighbors informed and engaged, the Fall issue of the Neighborhood Connection Newsletter was distributed in November. Over 1,400 residents in Huntington Beach, Costa Mesa, and Newport Beach receive this publication. The newsletter includes updates on the ongoing construction of the low flow pump station, the final expansion of the Groundwater Replenishment System, and the future construction of the new temperature-phased anaerobic digester facility. The current and previous issues are available on our website at www.ocsd.com/plant2.
Transition from OCSD to OC San
The rollout of the new logo and new name has begun. We anticipate the entire transition to be a two-year process. This will allow time to utilize the existing inventory of OCSD material that is in stock and only replacing items as the inventory is depleted or scheduled for replacement. The following are updates that have occurred:
• Updated signature block
• Electronic letterhead
• Updated templates
• New PowerPoint template
• Social media campaign
• Ocsan.gov website secured
• Updates to website
• Ocean Monitoring Vessel, Nerissa, branded
• Streetlight poles at Plant Nos.1 and 2
Awards:
• The Headquarters Complex received an award in the Unbuilt Green Category for the Architects Newspaper Awards. This is the first time we’ve received this award.
• For the 13th consecutive year, the Sanitation District has been awarded the Municipal Information Systems Association of California (MISAC) award. This award signifies that the Sanitation District met or exceeded MISAC standards.
Media Coverage:
Director of Engineering Kathy Millea and Dan Bunce with Brown and Caldwell were interviewed on the Sanitation District’s Temperature Phased Anaerobic Digestion (TPAD) facility. A link to the article is in the Outreach Summary Report.
ATTACHMENTS
The following attachment(s) may be viewed on-line at the OC San website (www.ocsan.gov) with the complete agenda package:
• Outreach and Media Summary Report November 2020 through January 2021
• Presentation