At its July 20, 2009 meeting, the Board of Directors and staff reviewed proposals to operate and manage the District's new treatment plant, answered questions from the public and received public input.

At its July 27, 2009 meeting, the Board of Directors authorized District staff to negotiate an agreement with Veolia Water North America Operating Services to operate, manage, and maintain the District’s wastewater treatment facilities. The agreement will be based upon the finalized Request for Proposal Package (RFP and Addendums) and Veolia's submitted proposal and written clarifications.

The Board also approved CEQA findings and adoption of an Addendum regarding contracting for the operation and maintenance of the treatment facilities.

It is expected that an agreement will be finalized and presented for Board review and approval by late August / early September.

Next steps in the process include:

1. Finalization of draft service agreement contract for review and negotiations with Veolia
2. Negotiations with Veolia
3. Transition preparation to include employee decisions on MOA document
4. Finalized service agreement contract with Veolia
5. Board authorization of the Service Agreement contract
6. Initiation of formalized transfer of operations, maintenance, and management responsibilities and staff to Veolia

The District's new plant is due to begin partial operations by the end of 2009, and be completed by the end of 2010. Both the old and new plants will be operated simultaneously during the plant's transition and shakedown period. The new plant's complex operation and maintenance requirements call for a temporary upsurge in managerial staff and technical experts during the transition, as well as the need to maintain costly equipment warranties that demand new procedures, new skills, additional management oversight, and extensive staff training.

The District would continue to own and oversee the treatment facilities. The remainder of the District staff would continue to carry out all other aspects of utility operations, maintenance, management and administration related to its over 200 mile system of sewer pipes, 40 sewer pump stations, extensive (over 820 acres) of reclamation facilities, its garbage franchise, and its household hazardous waste collection and disposal services. Sewer service charges, rate setting responsibility and governance of the District would continue to remain with Novato Sanitary District's publicly elected Board of Directors.