Carson Reclamation Authority Meeting (Monday 10/5/2026 4PM)

The Carson Reclamation Authority met on October 5, 2026. In closed session, the board voted 5–0 to appoint Dr. Robert Lennox as chief operating officer, effective upon approval of his employee agreement (agenda item 9); the agreement included a compensation adjustment, but the transcript does not provide the amounts. The consent calendar was approved. The board also reviewed reserve cash: approximately $13.52 million was reported for August 31, with discussion of investment options and a request for a clearer, consolidated monthly report of deposits and expenditures. No reserve investment action was taken, and staff was asked to return with more information.

The main procurement and capital-project discussion concerned the Lonardo construction project. Staff reported total project costs of about $75.9 million, against roughly $70 million in funds counted toward the current gap calculation, leaving an estimated shortfall of about $5.7 million (approximately $6 million). Funding sources discussed included city bond proceeds, a $12.5 million developer impact fee, and a Metro grant agreement scheduled for City Council consideration the following day; a nominal $7.5 million Costco-related account was excluded from the gap calculation because its available balance had been drawn down. Staff cited about $5 million in net change orders and another $5.8 million in potential or not-yet-incorporated changes. The board discussed electrical-utility delays, weather risks, and a schedule targeting substantial completion by August 2, 2027. No project budget or change-order vote was taken; staff agreed to provide milestone updates. Another agenda item was continued to the next meeting due to the anticipated loss of quorum.