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DOCUMENT and REMOTE ATTENDANCE LINK. The Bench Trial will continue on Tuesday, August 12th, 2025 at 9:00am with Judge Julia Alloggiamento, Department #9. Half Moon Bay (plaintiff) vs Grananda Community Services District (GCSD) and Montara Water and Sanitary District (MWSD): Court No. 17CV316927. Remote attendance link and directions below.
Quoted text originate from the Trial Minute Orders that can be at the link (with directions) below.
DAY 1: Monday, July 14th, 2025 at 1:30pm with Judge Alloggiamento. The meeting lasted 5 minutes where lawyers submitted their boxes (11 binders) of case materials to the newly appointed judge. “Counsel have stipulated for this matter to proceed via a Bench Trial with no live witnesses.”
DAY 2: Judge Alloggiamento scheduled pre-trial organization to Friday, July 25th, 2025 at 9:00am. At that time, the Judge decided that the trial will have two phases. “The Court indicates that evidence should be presented as to whether it is an issue of maintenance or an issue of construction, which will be considered as ‘Phase 1’. Based on the Court’s decision in Phase 1, the Court’s decision will determine whether trial will go into Phase II” (which will address benefit). “Counsel shall meet and confer on a joint exhibit list regarding exhibits that are stipulated to as to their admission of evidence. The exhibit list shall be provided to the court at the next court date. Counsel shal present, hi-light and narrow issues for the Court, proving whether the issue is of maintenance or of construction.”
DAYS 3-5: NOTE: Remote attendance was approved by the Judge. There was no remote attendance for Days 1 and 2 until Coastside Buzz requested remote attendance. Once requested in writing, remote attendance was approved.
On Tuesday, July 29th at 1:30pm Half Moon Bay presented their oral argument for Phase 1. Granada to present in the morning 7/30/2025 at 9:00am and Montara to at 1:30pm
On Wednesday, July 30th at 9:00am Granada Community Services District and Montara Water and Sanitary District present their oral arguments. “The Court is inclined to give an oral ruling on Phase 1 once evidence is concluded and will ask the prevailing party to prepare a proposed statement of decision. The Court will also address the request for declaratory relief from both sides tomorrow.”
On Thursday, July 31st, at 9:00am Half Moon Bay (plaintiff) present their rebuttal argument. Judge Alloggiamento asked clarifying questions. “Counsel shall submit an updated joint exhibit list and email it to Dept. 9 email. Additional exhibits that were referenced during the presentation shall be included as ‘next in order’ exhibits to be agreed by counsel. The list should detail the description of each exhibit and the exact location of each exhibit within the binders.”
DAY 6: The Bench Trial will continue on Tuesday, August 12th, 2025 at 9:00am with Judge Julia Alloggiamento, Department #9.
Remote Attendance Link. The Sewer Authority Mid-Coastside Joint Powers Authority will be back in the Superior Court of California in the County of Santa Clara on August 12th, 2025. Case name: City of Half Moon Bay v. Granada Community Services District, et al (Montara Water and Sanitary District) Santa Clara County Superior Court No. 17CV316927. Court Remote Attendance link.
You can follow the progress of the lawsuit at this link. The link will take you to the Superior Court of California, Santa Clara Civil Case Index. In the first paragraph, there is a link for the “Case Information Portal”. Click on that and then enter Case #17CV316927. There you will find the Case Info, Parties, Events and Hearings.
The Joint Powers IPS Map (Inter-tie Pipeline System)
History of the SAM Lawsuit on Coastside Buzz
Joint Powers Agreement (JPA) was created in 1976 between City of Half Moon Bay (HMB), Granada Community Services District (GCSD) and Montara Water and Sanitary District (MWSD)
Original JPA 1976.
After 8 amendments and Consolidated Agreement was created in 2011.
All JPA Documents.
Timeline
2015. Mediation took place in San Jose under the supervision of a retired superior court judge.
2/2022. Santa Clara Superior Court (Judge Rudy) Summary Judgement ~ HMB responsible for repairs
10/2023. California 6th Circuit Court of Appeals Summary Judgement: reversed Judge Rudy’s decision – “We conclude the agreement is ambiguous and capable of multiple reasonable interpretations regarding what constitutes “maintenance” or a “project,” and that the extrinsic evidence is conflicting, thereby creating a triable issue of material fact precluding summary judgment. Accordingly, we reverse and remand with directions to enter a new order denying all parties’ motions for summary judgment.”
Lawsuit Posts in Chronological Order
City of Half Moon Bay Encourages Renewed Negotiation of Sewer Authority Lawsuit Issues, to Update the JPA, and to Avoid Court; February 8, 2024
6th Circuit Court of Appeal’s LIVE Oral Argument for the Lawsuit “Half Moon Bay vs Granada Sanitary District and Montara Water and Sanitary District”; October 5, 2023
Santa Clara Superior Court Sets 2024 Date for Appeal Review for Half Moon Bay vs GCSD and MWSD Sewer Lawsuit; July 13, 2023
SAM Board Continue to Disagree on 2023/2024 Budget as Staff Warns of Violations, Criminal Charges and Plant Closure; June 29, 2023
SAM Inter-tie Lawsuit Lumbers Along ~ Judge Currently Scheduled to Hear Oral Arguments in October with a Decision in 6 Months (4/2024); June 15, 2023
GCSD Chair, Nancy Marsh, Calls Out Mayor Penrose’s Sewer Inter-tie Op-Ed as Factually Incorrect and a Convenient Fallacy; May 22, 2023
Montara Water and Sanitary District Factually Rebuts Mayor Penrose’s Claim that Half Moon Bay Does Not Use the Inter-tie; May 22, 2023
Sewer Authority Mid-Coastside Attorney Warns of Contempt of Court and Receivership and GM Begs Board to Adopt a Budget; May 11, 2023
Amid HMB Lawsuit Protests, Sewer Authority Mid-Coastside Attorney Warns BOD that to Vote Against the General Budget will Violate 5C of the JPA; April 27, 2023
Sewer Authority Mid-Coastside (SAM) Directors from GCSD and MWSD Question HMB’s Budget Approval Under IPS Protest; May 19, 2022
HMB Sewer Lawsuit Dismissed, AGAIN?; April 28, 2022
Montara Water and Sanitary District (MWSD) Statement on Costs of City of Half Moon Bay’s Sewer Authority Mid-Coastside (SAM) Lawsuit; April 11, 2022
Three City Council Members Double-Down by Appealing Superior Court Summary Judgment Telling City to Pay for Shared Sewer Repairs; March 16, 2022
SAM sewer lawsuit … all over but the shouting?; February 10, 2022
Summary Judgment: Superior Court of California Finds HMB is Responsible for Repairs to Sewer;
City of Half Moon Bay Lawsuit Fails, Must Pay Its Share of Sewer Authority Mid-Coastside Costs; February 10, 2022
MWSD Statement on Preliminary Ruling ~ Half Moon Bay Must Pay Its Share of Sewer Authority Mid-Coastside Costs; January 19, 2022
HMB Floods Sewer Plant, and more…; January 13, 2022
Rush To Judgment… SAM Lawsuit Update; October 14, 2021
Coastside Water and Sewer Jurisdiction Map Comparison Study Session; September 1, 2021
Sewer: We Have Met The Enemy, and He Is Us.; August 19, 2021
Districts spent combined $700000 on sewer dispute; HMB Review, June 7th, 2021.
City of Half Moon Bay Responds to Midcoast Community Council’s Letter on the SAM Lawsuit; June 26, 2021
Fear and Loathing on the MidCoast; May 27, 2021
Anatomy of a Lawsuit: $6 million and counting; March 18, 2021
The History of the Relationship Between Montara Water and Sanitary District and Sewer Authority Mid-Coastside; December 16, 2020
To Protect its Ratepayers Granada Community Services District (GCSD) Rejects Tentative Lawsuit Settlement with Half Moon Bay; October 11, 2020
Montara Sanitary and Water District Responds to City of HMB’s Sewer Lawsuit; October 10, 2020
Sewer Authority Mid-Coastside (SAM) Meetings ~ 2nd & 4th Mondays @ 7:00pm
SAM Agendas and Zoom Links
Subscribe to Agendas. Watch remotely. Comments and questions by email.
SAM Meeting Videos via Pacific Coast TV
Where Does Your Poop Go ~ Virtual Video Tour!
Interactive “Story Map” Tour
Contact Us
Our regular office hours are 7:00 a.m. through 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. The Authority can be reached 24-hours a day at: (650) 726-0124.
Our Address is:
Sewer Authority Mid-Coastside
1000 Cabrillo Hwy N.
Half Moon Bay, CA 94019
SAM Board from left. Paul Nagengast (HMB), Nancy Marsh (GCSD), Scott Boyd (MWSD), Debbie Ruddock (HMB), Barbara Dye (GCSD), Kathryn Slater-Carter (MWSD).
The Sewer Authority Mid-Coastside (SAM) provides wastewater treatment services and contract collection maintenance services for a population of approximately 24,000 in the following areas:
- City of Half Moon Bay
- El Granada
- Miramar
- Montara
- Moss Beach
- Princeton by the Sea
SAM Directors
SAM is a joint powers authority (JPA) created by its three member agencies: City of Half Moon Bay (City), Granada Community Services District (GCSD), and the Montara Water and Sanitary District (MWSD).
The JPA is a separate, independent, public agency created by the member agencies to perform functions and share powers common to the member agencies. Those powers are outlined in a joint exercise of powers agreement (Agreement). The Agreement creating SAM can be found on the Documents page.
Each Agreement identifies how the independent agency will be governed. In the case of SAM, each member agency appoints two members from its governing board to represent it on the SAM Board of Directors, for a total of six directors.
The Agreement also establishes the weight of each director’s vote. The vote by each representatives from the City is given the weight of two votes. The vote by each representative from GCSD and MWSD is given the weight of one vote. The total number of possible votes is eight. A quorum is a minimum of five votes and resolutions require at least six votes to pass.
2025 SAM Directors
Deborah Ruddock ~ Chair, Representing the City of Half Moon Bay
Kathryn Slater-Carter ~ Vice Chair, Representing the Montara Water & Sanitary District
Nancy Marsh ~ Secretary/Treasurer, Representing the Granada Community Services District
Barbara Dye ~ Director, Representing the Granada Community Services District
Paul Nagengast ~ Director, Representing the City of Half Moon Bay
Scott Boyd ~ Director, Representing the Montara Water & Sanitary District
Author: mdrag
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