Sweetwater Authority committee approves Jamavent bill adjustment, policy changes and insurance renewal

The Sweetwater Authority Finance and Administration Committee voted unanimously Jan. 6 to: grant a one-time $4,917.40 adjustment to the account of Jamavent LP; approve revisions to the authority’s one-time adjustment to customers’ water bills policy; recommend adoption of minor edits to board policies 501–509; and authorize payment of the authority’s annual auto and general liability insurance premium.

The one-time adjustment approved for Jamavent LP, which staff said resulted from an irrigation leak that has since been repaired, would credit the customer $4,917.40. Assistant General Manager (AGM) staff told the committee this was the account’s first adjustment request and that the requested amount exceeds the general manager’s approval limit under current policy. AGM staff described the agency’s existing calculation method as “subtracting the bimonthly average water usage for that year from the high usage that was experienced, providing a credit for the dollar amount of water at the wholesale rate.”

The committee approved staff’s recommendation after a motion and second. The roll call recorded Director Martinez, Director Morrison and Director Yamani voting aye; the motion passed unanimously.

The committee also approved a package of changes to the one-time adjustment policy that staff presented following prior board direction. As proposed, the policy will: charge excess water eligible for adjustment at the tier-1 single-family residential rate rather than the wholesale rate; allow one adjustment every 10 years per account (instead of one lifetime adjustment); add a short customer information request so staff can record the reason for high usage; and increase staff approval limits (raising the general manager’s approval limit from $1,500 to $2,000 and the customer service manager’s limit from $400 to $900). AGM staff said the intent of the changes is to provide relief to customers in eligible situations. Committee members discussed whether commercial accounts should be treated differently; staff noted commercial customers do not receive tier-1 residential rates in regular billing and explained how the new approach compares to the prior wholesale-rate calculation.

Separately, the committee reviewed and recommended approval of minor clarifications to board policies and procedures numbered 501 through 509. AGM staff said most edits were grammatical or terminology adjustments to reflect the authority’s updated name (removing references to “irrigation district” and adding “water”), and that legal counsel had reviewed the proposed language. Directors asked for clarification on appointment language and the role labeled “electors”; staff confirmed “electors” was clarified to mean voters and that the mayoral appointment language had been inserted as shown.

Finally, the committee authorized payment of the authority’s annual auto and general-liability insurance premium. AGM staff described the renewal as a single annual payment and said the funds are available within the operating budget. Staff reported the premium exceeded the general manager’s signing authority and that the committee’s approval was required to proceed. Directors voted unanimously to approve the payment.

The meeting packet and staff reports contain the full numbers and redline policy language. Committee members noted that Jamavent LP’s property is at 2530 Plaza Boulevard in National City and that staff verifies repairs by monitoring subsequent bills for a return to normal usage. The committee adjourned and set the next Finance and Administration Committee meeting for Feb. 3, 2025.