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Big Bear City CSD approves shared AMI base-station MOU, accepts legal rate increase and reports no vacancies under AB 2561
Summary
The Big Bear City Community Services District Board on March 3 authorized a memorandum of understanding to share advanced meter infrastructure base-station capacity with Big Bear Lake DWP, approved a special-rate increase for outside counsel effective July 1, 2025 and directed an RFP, heard a required AB 2561 vacancy report (none), and referred a developer agreement back to committee.
The Big Bear City Community Services District Board of Directors met March 3, 2025, and unanimously authorized the General Manager to sign a Memorandum of Understanding to share Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) base-station capacity with the Big Bear Lake Department of Water and Power. General Manager Glenn Jacklin told the Board the shared use would reduce telemetry blind spots, remove the need for each agency to build an additional tower and permit meters to operate in a lower-power mode to extend device life.
The action was taken after Jacklin outlined manufacturer signal-propagation studies showing coverage gaps and after public comment. Director Bob Rowe moved the motion and Director Al Ziegler seconded; the vote was 5-0 in favor (B. Rowe, J. Rowe, Russo, Walsh, Ziegler voting aye).
The vote followed a unanimous consent calendar approval that included the February 3, 2025 minutes, the Treasurer’s report for the quarter ended Dec. 31, 2024, and cash disbursements for January 2025 totaling $3,025,149.91. Director Bob Rowe moved the consent motion, seconded by Director JoKay Rowe; the Board approved it 5-0.
On a separate item the Board accepted a requested increase in special-service rates from long-standing outside counsel Best, Best & Krieger LLP to better align special-services billing with the firm’s cost of service. General Manager Jacklin said the firm’s ongoing general counsel relationship dates to 2002 and that the contract currently allows annual CPI-based hourly adjustments. The Board accepted the rate adjustment as presented, effective July 1, 2025, and directed staff to issue a request for proposals for legal services. The motion (mover: Director Bob Rowe; seconder: Director Larry Walsh) passed 5-0.
Human Resources Manager and Board Secretary Morgan Szabad opened a noticed public hearing on Assembly Bill 2561 — the statute requiring annual public reporting on vacant local public-employee positions and recruitment efforts. Szabad reported, according to the minutes, “the District currently has no vacancies and is not recruiting staff to fill any vacant positions.” The Employees Association declined to present; no public comment was offered and the hearing closed at 5:07 p.m.
The Board also discussed a Water Facilities Construction Agreement for Tract 18806, including developer requests for allowances to standard terms affecting lots 1, 8, 10 and 18. After discussion and public comment, the Board, by consensus, directed staff to return the agreement to the Water Committee for further review rather than taking final action.
The meeting included a closed session at 6:12 p.m. to confer with legal counsel on existing litigation, Alejandro Soto v. Big Bear City Community Services District (San Bernardino Superior Court, CIVSB2437657), under the Government Code provision cited on the agenda. The Board reconvened at 6:44 p.m.; President John Russo reported there was no reportable action. The meeting adjourned at 6:44 p.m.
Meeting logistics: the session began at 5:00 p.m. and concluded at 6:44 p.m. The Board members present were President John Russo and Directors Bob Rowe, JoKay Rowe, Larry Walsh and Al Ziegler. District staff in attendance included General Manager Glenn Jacklin and Human Resources Manager/Board Secretary Morgan Szabad.
