2008-2009 Santa Clara County Civil Grand Jury Report Santa Clara Valley Water District - Part 4 Gold Street Education

Conclusions 4

• CL1 Page 4
  The Gold Street Education Center will not improve watersheds, streams or the natural resources therein. It is not an Environmental Enhancement as described in Board Policy E-3.2.
• CL2 Page 5
  The majority of Directors interviewed was unsure whether the Gold Street Education Center had been approved, and none knew the source of funding.
• CL3 Page 5
  The GSEC site is at the entrance to the Summerset Mobile Estates, a mobile home park that has been owned for many years by the family of the Board member from District 3. In June, 2006, the same Board member recused himself, upon advice of District Counsel, from participating in any manner on the GSEC because his family owns property near the site. He had failed to recuse himself from voting on the GSEC at earlier Board meetings.
• CL4 Page 3
  The Alviso Gold Street Education Center is not an Environmental Enhancement. Further, even if it were blessed by the District Act, and even if education were part of the District’s mission, the under-utilization of the two existing outdoor classrooms indicates this would be another poor use of District funds. The Alviso flooding story could better be integrated into the education presented by the Marina kiosks and the Don Edwards Center. 3 While Alviso historically has been neglected and underserved by San Jose, county and district agencies, the District is not within its charter to use funds to correct issues that go so far outside flood control and water management. Funds are needed for other flood control and infrastructure projects. The lack of financial support from the City of San Jose and Santa Clara County is an indication of lower priority relative to other public needs. It is admirable that the District looks for opportunities to educate and inform the public. That effort must be tied to specific District goals and the District should ensure that the results justify the expense. Need for Public Education on Water Topics The need for public education goes beyond school-age children. The District has conducted many polls of the public. The District’s 2008 Consumer Awareness and Perception Survey reported that only 2% thought that the District’s role was to prevent flooding, whereas 44% thought its role was to supply water to the county, and 24% did not know what the District’s role was. It also pointed out that the public’s perception has changed little in comparison with surveys done starting in 2002. The public would benefit from understanding the complete picture of how water is managed in Santa Clara County and not just what comes from their faucets. Findings and Recommendations Findings have been reviewed with the subject agency. Finding 1 The Gold Street Education Center will not improve watersheds, streams or the natural resources therein. It is not an Environmental Enhancement as described in Board Policy E-3.2. Recommendation 1 Educational efforts should no longer be masqueraded as Environmental Enhancements. Irrespective of educational goals, the District should communicate with the public as to its full purpose and mission beyond water supply. Finding 2a None of the Directors interviewed had knowledge of the effectiveness or use of the Coyote Creek Outdoor classroom. It was originally expected to be used 20 times per year, but is only used an average of six times a year. The Morley Park outdoor classroom is used as a classroom five times a year. 4 Recommendation 2a If the District’s goal is truly to educate the public, the educational content should be related to the District mission and Board policy should include clearly defined objectives and metrics. Finding 2b No estimates have been published as to how often the Gold Street Education Center would be used as a classroom. Recommendation 2b The District should consider more cost-effective and creative educational channels. For example, as an alternative to the Gold Street Education Center, the District should consider partnering with the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge and Environmental Education Center and the Santa Clara County Marina. It should also explore outreach activities that reach all of Santa Clara County as a whole such as the Orange County Annual Children’s Water Festival. Finding 3 The majority of Directors interviewed was unsure whether the Gold Street Education Center had been approved, and none knew the source of funding. Recommendation 3 The District should not expend further funds or resources on the Gold Street Education Center project. Finding 4 The GSEC site is at the entrance to the Summerset Mobile Estates, a mobile home park that has been owned for many years by the family of the Board member from District 3. In June, 2006, the same Board member recused himself, upon advice of District Counsel, from participating in any manner on the GSEC because his family owns property near the site. He had failed to recuse himself from voting on the GSEC at earlier Board meetings. Recommendation 4 No recommendation. 5 Appendix A Map of Gold Street Education Center Proposed Site (including County Marina and Don Edwards). 6 Appendix B District Act - Section 4 Purposes and Intent § 4. Purposes and intent Sec. 4. (a) The purposes of this act are to authorize the district to provide comprehensive water management for all beneficial uses and protection from flooding within Santa Clara County. (b) It is the intent of the Legislature that the district work collaboratively with other appropriate entities in Santa Clara County in carrying out the purposes of this act. (c) The district may take action to do all of the following: (1) Protect Santa Clara County from floodwater and stormwater of the district, including tidal floodwater and the floodwater and stormwater of streams that have their sources outside the district, but flow into the district. (2) Protect from that floodwater or stormwater the public highways, life and property in the district, and the watercourses and watersheds of streams flowing within the district. (3) Provide for the conservation and management of floodwater, stormwater, or recycled water, or other water from any sources within or outside the watershed in which the district is located for beneficial and useful purposes, including spreading, storing, retaining, and causing the waters to percolate into the soil within the district. (4) Protect, save, store, recycle, distribute, transfer, exchange, manage, and conserve in any manner any of the waters. (5) Increase and prevent the waste or diminution of the water supply in the district. (6) Obtain, retain, protect, and recycle drainage, stormwater, floodwater, or treated wastewater, or other water from any sources, within or outside the watershed in which the district is located for any beneficial uses within the district. (7) Enhance, protect, and restore streams, riparian corridors, and natural resources in connection with carrying out the purposes set forth in this section. (8) Preserve open space in Santa Clara County and support the county park system in a manner that is consistent with carrying out the powers granted by this section. 7 This report was PASSED and ADOPTED with a concurrence of at least 12 grand jurors on this 16th day of April, 2009. Don Kawashima Foreperson June Nishimoto Foreperson pro tem 8