Temecula Valley Genealogical Society to host reception in honor of

TEMECULA – Temecula Valley Genealogical Society Scholarship Committee Chair Shaula Walko announced the winner of this year’s essay contest. Kevin Bender, a senior at Rancho Christian High School in Temecula, is this year’s winner. He will attend Claremont McKenna College this coming autumn where he will major in finance. There will be a reception to honor Bender at the next TVGS general meeting, where he will read his winning essay “What I Learned About My Roots” and receive the TVGS Scholarship Award of $500. The public is invited to attend the meeting, held at the Ronald H. Roberts Temecula Public Library on Paula Road Monday, June 12. The doors will open at 5:30 p.m.

Following the reception, guests are invited to stay for the meeting program presented by professional genealogist, speaker, and author Pam Vestal, entitled “How to Write Ancestral Stories Your Relatives Will Want to Read.” Her articles have appeared in the Association of Professional Genealogists Quarterly, FGS’s Forum magazine, and the National Genealogical Society Magazine, and her lectures take her from coast to coast. She specializes in conducting genealogical research and then transforming that information into illustrated stories that even non-genealogists can enjoy.

As part of their continuing outreach to the community, TVGS reinstated the popular program Family History Research Assistance, chaired by Lynne Kapryn. TVGS member-genealogists are now available to help individuals get started on their family history research. Contact Kapryn at TVGS. research.assist@gmail.com to schedule a free appointment with a volunteer. Appointments will take place at the Ronald H. Roberts Temecula Public Library.

Since its inception, Temecula Valley Genealogical Society has consistently focused on its mission to provide public education on matters related to genealogical science and to stimulate interest in family history research; this is done through monthly meeting programs, education classes, workshops, trips and tours, personal research assistance and special events. This year, TVGS celebrates its 25th anniversary with a special event: a 25th An- niversary Open House Saturday, Oct. 7, at the Ronald H. Roberts Temecula Public Library. The public is invited to attend. For more information on the Open House as well as the programs and resources offered, visit http://www.TVGS.net or email the president at tvgspresident@gmail. com. The monthly general meetings are held the second Monday of each month except August at the Ronald H. Roberts Temecula Public Library from 5:30-8 p.m. Guests are welcome.

Submitted by Temecula Valley Genealogical Society.

Joe Naiman Writer

The Eastern Municipal Water District will be rehabilitating its Romoland Feeder Transmission Pipeline and building a new Matthews Transmission Pipeline, and the May 17 EMWD board meeting included approval of a design contract for the two Menifee pipelines.

The board’s 4-0 vote, with Randy Record absent, approved a professional services agreement with CDM Smith Inc., for $2,544,878. The board action also authorized EMWD staff to initiate negotiations for the acquisition of necessary project-specific properties and easements and to open escrow on behalf of the district. It also authorized EMWD general manager Joe Mouawad or his designee to award contracts with necessary consultants and suppliers for engineering support. A total amount of $3,088,000 was appropriated to fund the project costs through the completion of the bid and award phase.

The Romoland Feeder Transmission Pipeline is approximately 24,000 linear feet in length and conveys potable water regionally in the Perris Valley 1627 baseline pressure zone. The pipeline is located off Interstate 215 between Nuevo Road and State Route 74 along Antelope and Dawson roads in the City of Menifee and unincorporated areas of the county. The sources of supply in the baseline 1627 zone allow the feeder to provide water service to both the north and the south. The feeder was constructed in 1956, and it has experienced recent leaks. EMWD staff deemed the current feeder to be nearing the end of its useful life.

EMWD staff also determined that consolidating the Romoland Feeder Transmission Pipeline replacement and the new Matthews Transmission Pipeline into a single design project would be more efficient and reduce administrative work. The two pipelines serve different purposes and will operate as separate systems. The planned Matthews Transmission Pipeline will provide conveyance capacity from the Perris Valley 1627 baseline pressure zone to the 1720L Longview Pressure Zone. The master-planned pipeline is associated with the proposed Romoland/ Matthews Booster Pump Station project. The pipeline would be approximately 10,000 linear feet and would be located in the City of Menifee between the Romoland/ Matthews Booster Pump Station and the Watson Booster Pump Station along Antelope Road and Watson Road. The Matthews Transmission Pipeline would support future demands associated with development in the Longview Pressure Zone. The schedule for the Matthews Transmission Pipeline will be based on new development, but the new pipeline is likely to be in operation by 2025.

The design work will investigate the condition of the Romoland feeder by utilizing available information and if necessary evaluate the best available technologies and best approach to assess the condition further by direct methods. Direct condition assessment activities could include exposing the exterior of the pipeline for visual inspection, electromagnetic tools to measure pipe wall thickness and visual inspection of the pipe interior. An access work plan will be prepared along with plans and specifications to access and enter the interior of the existing feeder pipeline. The work will then be advertised for bid, and EMWD staff will return to the board for approval of a contract to perform those services. The assessment will identify feeder segments which could remain in service, be rehabilitated, or be replaced to extend the feeder’s useful life.

On December 14, EMWD staff issued a request for proposals for preliminary and final design of the consolidated project. Five proposals were received by the Feb. 1 deadline. A selection panel ranked the proposals and recommended CDM Smith Inc. to perform the work.

The CDM Smith scope of services will include project management, data gathering, site reconnaissance, analysis, alignment evaluation, easement acquisition support, investigations (condition assessment, surveying, utility potholing, geotechnical and corrosion protection), preliminary and final design, contract documents including plans and specifications, permitting support, California Environmental Quality Act documentation support and services during bidding. CDM Smith has identified various subconsultants to perform some of those tasks. Cozad & Fox

Inc., of Hemet will perform the surveying. Converse Consultants Inc., of Monrovia will handle the geotechnical work. Underground Solutions Inc., of Escondido will be responsible for potholing. V&A Consulting Engineers of San Diego will be the corrosion protection subconsultant. RK Engineering of Newport Beach will undertake the traffic control activity. Epic Land Solutions Inc., of Riverside will be the easements subconsultant. The design work is expected to be completed within 21 months after issuance of the Notice to Proceed.

The appropriations approved May 17 will allow Eastern’s Real Property staff to conduct prepurchase evaluations and due diligence and to open escrow for any required easements. Staff will return to the board for approval of any related property or easement purchases prior to the closing of escrow.

A document meeting California Environmental Quality Act requirements will be prepared once enough information becomes available to identify potential impacts.