winter-spring 2012 mckinleyville community services district newsletter

8/2/2019 Winter-Spring 2012 McKinleyville Community Services District Newsletter

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Department in McKinleyville.

Thanks to the Mad River Rotary Club, we have a facil-

ity, and thanks to MCSD working with the Sheriff De-

partment the facility is well maintainted. MCSD staff

maintains the facility and in exchange, the Sheriff De-

partment provides a Sheriff Work Alternative Program

(SWAP) crew each Saturday to help our parks staff

maintain our parks and facilities. This partnership cre-

ates another signicant benet to our community, re-

sulting in over $30,000 in cost savings per year.

Our staff has also developed a partnership with the

CalWORKS Welfare to Work program. This program

not only benets MCSD, it also provides on the job

training to individuals seeking employment. In the last

year, we have placed CalWORKS clients in the Parks

Department and in the MCSD Ofce. Cost savings

from this program alone exceeded $165,000 in labor

last year alone.

MCSD and

the Mad River

Rotary Club

have a long

history of part-

nering in order

to benet the

McKinleyville

community. In

recent years,

Rotary has do-

nated bleach-

ers for Hiller

Sports Com-

plex, roller skates and a sound system at the McKin-

leyville Activity Center, matched funding to

PartnershipsAs I reect back on the year 2011, I cant help but to

think how fortunate the community of McKinleyville is.

McKinleyville residents are friendly and they seem to

appreciate the importance of maintaining and enjoying

the high quality of life we experience in McKinleyville.

As I have said

before, I am a

big fan of people

working togeth-

er to achieve

goals. Wikipe-

dia denes a

partnership as

an arrangement

where parties

agree to cooper-

ate to advance

their mutual in-

terests. The

staff at McKinleyville Community Services District

(MCSD) takes great pride in creating partnerships.

We feel that working together with other agencies and

organizations creates a huge benet to our commu-

nity.

One partnership I am particularly proud of is with

the California Conservation Corps (CCC). By work-

ing with the CCC, MCSD receives more than ve (5)

weeks of work crews to assist our staff in maintaining

our parks and open space zones, and removing inva-

sive and non-native plants and vegetation. Annually,

this amounts to over $25,000 in cost savings.

Other partnerships I am proud of include the Humboldt

County Sheriff Department. Many residents feel it is

important to have the presence of the Sheriffs

NewsletterWater - Sewer - Streetlights - Parks - Recreation - Library

McKINLEYVILLE Community Services District

BOARD OF DIRECTORS:Dennis MayoPresident

David CouchVice-President

John CorbettDirector

Helen EdwardsDirector

Bill WennerholmDirector

Norman ShopayGeneral Manager

IN THIS ISSUE:

Message from the

General Manager

Message from the Parks &

Recreation Director

20-Year Facilities Plan

Teen & Community Center

Treatment Plant Field Trips

Round Up for RecreationLibrary Conference Room

Emergency Response

Employee of the Year

Land Acquisition

Disc Golf basket

Recreation Activity Guide

FEBRUARY 2012

NewsletterWater - Sewer - Streetlights - Parks - Recreation - Library

McKINLEYVILLE Community Services District

MESSAGE FROM THE GENERAL MANAGER

For over ve years the Depart-ment of Health and Human

Services CalWORKs program

has worked with MCSD in

helping parents gain new work

skills, experience and employ-

ment. MCSD is a valued part-

ner in assisting families in be-

coming self-sufcient.

Katherine Young, Directorof Social Services.


2/7

Message from the General Manager (Continued):

construct two (2) bocce ball courts at

Pierson Park, trees to the Parks Depart-

ment, along with many other things. Our

staff is thankful for the continuous sup-

port shown by the Mad River Rotary

Club.

MCSD also has a close relationship with

the Kiwanis Club of McKinleyville. Their

club has supported many of our special

events, has purchased play equipment

at Hiller Park, and currently sponsors our

Youth Driven drop in program for youth

in 6th through 12th grades on Saturday

nights at the McKin-

leyville Activity Center.

MCSD has a very ex-

citing year ahead of us.

Our staff will be busy

working with schools,

organizations, teens,

and community mem-

bers to build the newTeen & Community

Center at Pierson Park.

This is in part thanks to

property owners who

supported Measure B

last year. I would like

to thank the McKin-

leyville community for

its support.

Please Note.

Our Board Meeting Dates Have Changed!

The MCSD Board now meets the frst

Wednesday o each month.

Do you have a teenager 13 years old or older who

is looking for something to do this summer? McKin-

leyville Parks & Recreation has a great opportunity

for teens to get them started building work experi-

ence, job skills and leadership abilities. The Leaderin Training (LIT) Program is a volunteer program

within our Kids Camp Summer Day Camp program.

LITs volunteer at Kids Camp assisting our Recre-

ation Leaders with program activities such as group

games, sports, arts, crafts, song circles, drama and more. The LIT program

provides practical work experience in a fun and supportive atmosphere.

Leaders-in-Training are assigned to work directly with a Recreation Leader

who serves as a mentor and assists in the development of skills related to

working in a summer day camp and recreation program setting. Typical

duties include assisting in planning and implementing group activities such

as sports, games, arts, crafts, etc; leading and teaching assigned activi-

ties to a group of up to twelve children while under the supervision of the

Recreation Leader; and assisting the Recreation Leader with supervision

of participants.

Shifts are variable and assigned according to Leader-in-Training availabil-

ity. Assignments require a minimum commitment of three- full weeks, Mon-

day through Friday (weeks do not need to be consecutive). Camp runs

June 18-August 17, 2012. There are three options for shift scheduling, Half

day mornings, Half day afternoons or Full day shifts. Half day shifts are ap-

proximately 5 hours per day and Full day shifts are 8 hours per day.

Leaders-in-Training must be at least 13 years of age and must complete the

Application packet in full in order to be considered for a volunteer position.

Application packets will be available at the MCSD Parks & Recreation ofce

as well as on the MCSD website (www.mckinleyvillecsd.com) on Monday,

April 2, 2012. Applications must be turned in no later than Friday, May 18,

2012. Late applications will not be accepted.

Leader In Training

SHN presented the Administrative Draft of the Facilities Plan for the MCSD

Wastewater Management Facility (WWMF) to the MCSD Board on October

19, 2011 and held a public workshop on November 7, 2011 for the public

to ask questions and provide comments. The Facilities Plan identies a

recommended alternative

for upgrading the existing

treatment system to meet

current and future regula-

tory requirements as well as

address projected growth

needs in the community.

20-Year Facilities Plan

Placement of the crew in McKin-

leyville enables the CCC to ac-

cess projects in northern Hum-

boldt County more efciently and

effectively. MCSDs willingness

to accept crew work in lieu of a

cash payment greatly reduces the

strain on our small State budget

allocation. In addition, the McKin-leyville-focused project work al-

lows the CCC to contribute to the

development and beautication of

one of our fastest growing family

communities.

Michelle Rankin

California Conservation Corps


3/7

We asked a few teens...

Do you think building a Teen/Community Center in

McKinleyville is a good idea?Cecelia Ferreira, 5th grade at Morris: Yes, so teens

can hang out and have fun together with friends.

Liane Millerbis, 5th grade at Morris: Yes, so teens

can hang out and not worry about getting in trouble for

being somewhere theyre not supposed to be.

Anonymous, 7th grade at MMS: Yes, because this

town is so small and it gets boring. Kids start doing

things theyre not supposed to do.

Trevor Siegr, 7th grade at MMS: Yes, it gives us

something to do because there isnt much to do in thistown.

And what do parents think?

Celina Ferreira, mother of a 5th grader at Morris:

Yes, because teens have nowhere to go in McKin-

leyville to get together with their friends.

Shore McLeod, mother of 10 & 12 year olds in Trini-

dad: This is an awesome idea because its centrally

located in the Northern Humboldt area. When kids

dont have anything to do they get in trouble. It is goodto have a positive and safe place where kids like to get

together with their friends.

Our staff has been working on a prelimi-

nary design of the Teen/Family Center.

The new facility will be located adjacent to

the McKinleyville Activity Center on Gwin

Road. The facility will include a multipur-

pose room, computer/game room, class-

rooms, lobby and lounge, commercial

kitchen, and covered outdoor area. Con-

struction is slated to begin in 2013.

Funding for the construction of the new Teen/Community Center is made possible from

property owners who recently passed Measure

B - Renewal Vote for Parks, Open Space, and

Recreational Facilities.

We are extremely excited to build this new

state of the art facility, which will give our youth

a safe and exciting atmosphere to spend time

after school and on weekends.

While Measure B funding will pay for the construction of the building, our staff is also

looking at creative ways to furnish

the facility with a sound system,

electronics, computers, games,

and appliances for the com-

mercial kitchen. In the coming

months, individuals, businesses

and organizations will have an

opportunity to be a part of his-

tory in McKinleyville. Our staff

is currently in the process of es-

tablishing a Memorial Brick Do-

nation Program. Bricks will besold at a reasonable price and

placed in a memorial at the en-

trance of the Teen/Community

Center.

Our staff will soon be conducting community outreach meetings to

gather input from adults and teens. Our goal is to provide safe and healthy leisure and

recreation programming once the facility is built. If you would like to become involved,

please contact the friendly folks in the Parks and Recreation Administrative Ofce at

839-9003.

Above left: Liane Millerbis, 5th grader @ Morris.Above right: Cecelia Ferreira, 5th grader @ Morris.

Backgound of photo below is the site

of the new Teen/Community Center.

New Teen & Community Center coming to McKinleyville!

We also asked a few individuals the following question,

When the facility is built, what kinds of things would

you like to do there?

Cecelia Ferreira (5th grade, Morris): I would just love

to be able to go to a teen center. Having a food court

would be cool.

Liane Millerbis (5th grade, Morris): I would like to see

arcade games, a food court, lots of different games and

a dance room.

Trevor Siegr (7th grade, McKinleyville Middle School):

Play football, Par 4, Xbox 360, ride bikes, skate, and

hang out with friends.


4/7

The MCSD Board of Directors held a Special Board Meeting that included a tour of the Willits Wastewater Treatment Plant on Wednesday, December 14,

2011. The Willits facility is very similar to the one that MCSD is considering building on behalf of residents here in McKinleyville. MCSD Board members and

district staff participated in the trip. Members of the public were also encouraged to attend.

Norman Shopay, General Manager stated Since MCSD is considering signicant upgrades to

our system that will cost the District and ultimately ratepayers a very large amount of money I

wanted our Board members to see a similar facility that is under construction rst hand. This will

ultimately be a major decision for our MCSD Board of Directors and I wanted to provide each of

them with all the information to help them with their decision. Not only did they have an oppor-

tunity to see the facility, rst hand, they were also able to determine if any odor or noise issues

were a concern. They also had an opportunity to directly talk to the operator of the facility. This

trip was very informative and worthwhile.

The inspection and tour was designed so that those present would be able to inspect and toura sewage treatment plant from the ground up. This facility is currently under construction and

there were a lot of activities going on at the site.

Dr. Bill Wennerholm, a member of the MCSD Board of Directors attended the eld trip and said,

The trip to the Willits Wastewater Treatment Plant allowed me to see rsthand and to put into

perspective all the different variables with this plan so our Board can make a decision and allow us to have the greatest exibility to meet the demands of the

community and also the Regional Water Board. I think this was a great decision on the part of our General Manager, Norman Shopay, for having the insight

and plan this trip for the MCSD Board of Directors.

Helen Edwards, MCSD Board President also attended the eld trip and said, TheMCSD Board is responsible for such a signicant amount of funding as an invest-

ment. By seeing the process and having a better understanding, we can see

how our plant can be improved as needed incrementally in the future. We want

the most exible plan at a reasonable cost for the expected needs of the future.

Dennis Mayo, Vice President of the MCSD Board of Directors said, I found the

trip to Willits to be amazingly informative, especially the way the one operation

works compared to the other. We can already see that their operation is working

and it makes me realize that there are other operations close by that we need to

look at as well.

David Couch, a member of the MCSD Board of Directors said, The trip was a

good idea because it gave our Board an opportunity to see what type of treatment

plant the engineers had selected as the preferred option for McKinleyville. I was initially

concerned about potential smell and noise problems, but I didnt notice anything that would

be a problem at our site.

John Corbett, a member of the MCSD Board of Directors said, This is the largest capital

investment this District is going to make. I do not think it is unreasonable to go with the engi-

neer and look at this system, and I dont think its unreasonable to question how to actuallyoperate this system and how to interface this with the regulatory system that were going to

have to live with for the next twenty years.

Greg Orsini, Operations Director said, I thought it was a good idea to take the Directors to

Willits to allow the Board a chance to see an extended aeration plant in operation allowiing

them to make an informed decision on the 20-year facility plan and visualize what they are

voting on.

MCSD Board Visits Wastewater Treatment Plants


5/7

The Round Up for Recreation program gives MCSD customers the opportunity to round up their water and sewer payment

to the nearest dollar for the purpose of donating the extra amount to the McKinleyville Parks & Recreation Department.

The way it works is simple. If a customer voluntarily checks the Round Up for Recreation box on their water and sewer bill

and provides a payment that is more than the amount due, the additional amount will be donated to the Parks & Recreation

Department. For example, if the amount due for a customers water and sewer bill is $31.25 and they submit a payment

of $32.00, and check the Round Up for Recreation box on the payment stub, then $0.75 will be donated to the Parks &

Recreation Department.

All proceeds from the Round Up for Recreation program will be placed into the Parks and Recreation General Fund. The

funds will then be used to help pay for park maintenance and facility improvements, Youth Fee Reduction Fund, program

equipment, other and improvements. Remember, every penny counts!

Call us today at 839-9003 for more information

Wastewater Treatment Plant Tours (continued)

MCSD staff and Board members also attended tours of the Colusa and Willows Wastewater Treat-

ment Plants on Wednesday, January 18, 2012. Norman Shopay, MCSD General Manager stated: To

keep pace with future regulatory requirements and projected growth MCSD is considering signicant

upgrades to our waste water management facility that will cost the District and ultimately ratepayersa very large sum of money. This will be a major decision for our Board and I wanted to provide each

Board member another opportunity to visit similar types of facilities. Not only will they have an oppor-

tunity to see the facilities rst hand, they will also be able to determine if any odor or noise issues are

a concern, and talk directly to the operators of the

facility. You cannot get this information by simply

looking at a piece of paper or a computer screen.

Both facilities are similar to the recommended al-

ternative being considered in the MCSD 20-year

facility plan. The Colusa and Willows Plant areboth Title 22 designed water treatment plants, and meet current regulatory requirements. Colusa is a

Parkson Spiral screen, Biolac aeration system, circular clariers, disc lters and Trojan UV. Design ow

rate is 0.75 MGD. Startup was in 2009. Willows is a Parkson AquaGuard, Biolac, Parkson DynaSand

lters and chlorine disinfection. This plants design ow rate is 3 MGD. Startup was in 2005. Members of

the public were also encouraged to participate in the tours.

Are you an Interesting Person with a Special Skill and a Desire to Teach?

WE NEED YOU!

We are looking for instructors to teach a variety of classes such as:

Guitar and Music, Arts & Crafts, Cooking, Dance/Ballet, Gardening, &other Special Interest Classes.

Call our ofce at 839-9003 to inquire about teaching for your community TODAY!

Leisure Class Instructors Needed!

Round Up for Recreation Program:


6/7

Disc Golf - Practice your putting

Did you know that you can

practice your disc golf putting

right here in McKinleyville?

MCSD staff has installed a disc

golf basket in the eld behind

Umpqua Bank at Pierson Park.

Disc golf is a great activity for

families and people of all ages.

Emergency Response

Each year, MCSD employees

cast votes to determine who

they feel should be Employee

of the Year.

The employee of the year is a

person who has brought about

signicant positive change,

eliminates obstacles in achiev-

ing District goals and objec-

tives, brings new ideas and cost savings, is innovative, contributes con-

structively, exceeds expectations, inspires others, goes beyond the basic

job expectations, and proactively identies and resolves challenges. The

2011Employee of the Year award went to James Henry, Lead Person.

James was originally hired to help move irrigation pipe as a seasonal em-

ployee. Through his perseverance and an opening in the Operations De-

partment James was later selected from a pool of applicants and awarded

the position of Utility Person.

Through his willingness to work hard, eagerness to learn, and abilities to

achieve the certications required, James rose through the ranks. James

was eventually offered the position of Lead Person and he accepted it.

The Lead Person is an important eld position developing skills and knowl-

edge in directing and assisting eld personnel in the overall eld operations.

James duties include but are not limited to; directing and assisting in the

installation, construction, repair, maintenance and operation of the water,

sewer, and streetlight departments. In plain terms, James is the interface

between the maintenance schedules and the crews that facilitate the main-

tenance and repairs of all Operations Department Facilities.

James ability to manage a crew of nine over an

area of 27 square miles is only exceeded by his in-terpersonal skills and how he maintains a positive

personal relationship with all his subordinates. On

behalf of MCSD staff and the Board of Directors,

congratulations James!

Employee of the year - James Henry

Book your next party now!

At approximately 4:30 am on November 10th the on call person was

paged by the District SCADA automated system. The status of the

alarm was critical so the crew member responded in a timely manner

to Letz Sewer Lift Station. When the duty person arrived on scene at

4:40 am the area were the pump and motors are housed (dry well)

had been ooded due to a

broken PVC pipe tting con-

necting the discharge head-

er to a surge tank. Because

of the severity of the incident

the service man notied his

supervisors and by 5:00 am

a crew was dispatched to the site with spare motors to replace the

ones submerged and Steves Septic was dispatched to aid by shut-

ting raw sewage from the station to a nearby manhole. This allowed

the the crew more time to complete the necessary repairs without a

sewer spill. By 6:00 am the dry well was pumped dry and the process

of replacing the motors began. At 6:20 am one pump was back on line

and the sewer station was operational again. The second pump was

replaced shortly after that and the crew packed up the equipment used

for the emergency. The three motors damaged by water in the dry-

well were refurbished and placed back in operation or put on the shelf

as a spare. The broken PVC pipe was replaced with a more durable

material. This incident demonstrates the professionalism of the Op-

erations eld staff and its ability to cope with emergencies in a timely

manner and under adverse conditions. There was absolutely no sew-

er released to the environment during this incident and the operation

was conducted in a safe and timely

manner. As soon as the station was

operating normally Operations Staff

conducted a post incident brieng

and discussed the event. The result

of the meeting included new safe-

guards to the station that have beeninstituted to limit the potential of fu-

ture occurrences.

This event had the potential to cause a severe sewer spill that could

have adversely impacted the environment with the potential of large

regulatory nes.

The McKinleyville Activity Center is the perfect

place to host your next birthday party.

Private parties can be scheduled anytime the fa-

cility is not in use for other programs or activities.

Party themes include roller skating, basketball in-

door soccer, dodgeball, oor hockey, roller racers

and more! For more information, call the Parks &

Recreation Ofce at 839-9003.


7/7

MCSD has purchased approximately three (3) acres of property from the McKinleyville

Union School District. The property is located near the corner of School Road and

Washington Avenue. Our staff

has also submitted a grant appli-

cation to the State of California to

purchase the remaining seven (7)

acres and to build a local park. If

grant funding is received, the 3-acre

portion of the park would feature

two playgrounds including swing-

sets, an outdoor basketball court, a

par course (exercise course), cov-

ered picnic area with bbqs, restrooms, and a parking lot. The remaining seven (7)

acres would be set aside as open space until future park development occurs. If grant

funding is not secured, MCSD would provide access and utilize the 3-acres as open

space until park development would occur in the next few years. In this case, fund-

ing for park development would

come from Quimby Inland Park

Dedication Funds. The Quimby

Act requires that developers set

aside land, donate conservation

easements, or pay fees for park

improvements. Revenues gener-

ated through the Quimby Act can

be used for park development,

but cannot be used for the opera-

tion and maintenance of park fa-

cilities.

A message from the

Parks & Recreation

Director

Creating

Community

through

People, Parks

& Programs.

We are pleased to have

completed our January

2012 Recreation Activ-

ity Guide. Recognizing

the growing needs in our

community, McKinleyville

Parks & Recreation is

continually developing

new and exciting programs and events for residents of

all ages. Having fun is an important part of maintaining

a high quality of life, so check out our January Recre-

ation Activity Guide and discover great ways to play!

We take pride in Creating Community through People,

Parks & Programs. Our goal is to help you to nd pro-

grams that meet your individual and family needs. We

love to help people play! For more information about

local parks and recreation opportunities, please call

the friendly folks at McKinleyville Parks & Recreation

at 839-9003.

The new conference room at

the McKinleyville Library is

available for rent. The 720

square foot Wi Fi Conference

Room is a great place to hold

your next meeting. The room

includes a large table and

chairs, an overhead projector

and screen, and plenty of room

to work on your laptop comput-

ers. For more information on

reservations, please call 839-

9003.

This space is available for rent!

McKinleyville Library Conference Room

Land Acquisition - School Road and Washington Avenue

winter-spring 2012 mckinleyville community services district newsletter

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