HomeMy WebLinkAbout1989-11-30 Min - Board SPECIAL MEETING
October 30, 1989
The special meeting of the Board of Directors of the Truckee Donner
Public Utility District was called to order by President Maass at
7 : 07 P.M. in the TDPUD Board Room.
ROLL CALL: Directors Joe Aguera, John Corbett, Pat Sutton and Jim
Maass were present. Director Karen White was called to her new
position in Columbus, Ohio and unable to attend.
EMPLOYEES PRESENT: Debi Black, Tom Buckhouse, Mary Chapman, Andy
Hyde, Peter Holzmeister and Susan Craig.
CONSULTANTS PRESENT: Counsel John M. Phelps.
OTHERS PRESENT: Among those present in the audience were Dustin
Reynolds, Scott Whittier, Mike Taylor, Jack Stillens, Scott
Brandos, Karen Zirbel, Shelby Seeker, Shannon Day, Todd Nelson,
Richard Curran, Shannon Kuhlemier, Jennifer Reynolds, Joanne
Meschery, Grace Kissinger, Don McKechnie, Phil Dolan, Hope Austin,
Kristine Holmes, Doug Kennedy, Dan Cooley, Silver Dutnell, Chris
Specht, Clare Aguera, Paul Tilton, Steve Randall and Ron White.
INTERVIEWS WITH PROSPECTIVE BOARD MEMBERS
. Eight individuals requested that they be considered for appointment
to the seat which will be vacated by Director White on October 31,
1989 - Scott Brandos, Dan Cooley, Richard Curran, Don McKechnie,
Joanne Meschery, Steve Randall, Jack Stillens and Karen Zirbel .
Copies of all letters of interest received have been attached to
these minutes.
Prior to the meeting Mr. Randall (Manager of the Recreation and
Park District) spoke with the Chairman and withdrew his letter of
interest. He stated he is concerned regarding possible conflicts
on issues that may face both the Park District and the PUD; his
loyalty, he said, would lie with the Park District.
The candidates names were picked at random for interview. Dan
Cooley was selected first. He read a prepared statement announcing
his intention to withdraw his name from consideration; he noted he
submitted his letter of interest as a courtesy gesture to the
community. He said his campaign is based upon unseating the
incumbents and for him to consider appointment at this time would
be contrary to the reasons he' s running for election.
Chairman Maass noted that he viewed Mr. Cooley' s application for
the vacant seat and his candidacy for election with great concern.
He said Mr. Cooley' s recent attacks against the District, its
Directors, management and staff smack of politics in their lowest
form. A copy of the statement read by the Chairman into the record
. has been attached to these minutes.
Candidate Joanne Meschery, a long-time Truckee resident and
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published author, was interviewed next. She said she doesn't know
a lot about the District, but said she believes in the process,
would represent the community and would seek to find goodwill. She
indicated an interest in natural resources, and said she believes
conservation is an energy source that can be better used. Mrs.
Meschery went on to say she thinks sometimes the most innovative
thinking really is common sense. Growth and incorporation were
issues addressed by nearly all the applicants, and Mrs. Meschery
said incorporation may be a viable alternative for Truckee to
consider, but admitted she would like to investigate further. She
said the PUD should embrace and participate in Truckee's growth.
If appointed, Mrs. Meschery said she would serve not the Board of
Directors, but the community; she believes in the democratic
process of decision-making, and admitted she would be willing to
take a stand that might be unpopular if such a decision became
necessary.
Don McKechnie, a member of the Board of the Truckee Donner
Recreation and Park District since 1984 , said he applied for the
vacancy because it is another opportunity to serve the community.
He is a laboratory supervisor and safety officer at Tahoe Truckee
Sanitation Agency, an active volunteer in youth sports and a
volunteer fireman. The likelihood of a conflict between his duties
as a Board member on two different public districts was discussed.
Regarding incorporation, Mr. McKechnie said he would be in favor
of incorporation if the special districts were included in the new
. city. He called himself a limited growth person.
Scott Brandos was the next individual selected for interview. The
Chairman noted that Mr. Brandos' application for the vacant
position and his submission of comments and statements to the Board
which appeared in last week' s issue of the Sierra Sun, will give
the voting public an opportunity to examine the challenger's
position as well as the rebuttal from the District on many of the
issues he has raised. Chairman Maass read a statement addressing
accusations made by Mr. Brandos, including allegedly irresponsible
real estate deals, that electricity in the District is overpriced,
that electricity and water are unreliable and of questionable
quality and that maintenance and improvements have been lacking.
The Chairman presented district policy and a history of repairs and
improvements to rebuff each of Mr. Brandos ' claims. He also listed
some $9 million in scheduled long-range improvements. A copy of
Director Maass' statement has been attached to these minutes.
Throughout reading of the statement Mr. Brandos objected to being
confronted in such a manner and insisted he be allowed to address
the facts as presented by Mr. Maass. Mr. Brandos concluded by
saying the Chairman has a closed mind. He said, "he came to apply
for a position on the Board and was ambushed by Mr. Maass. "
Director Maass said that Scott Brandos attacked the PUD in his
election campaign rather than the incumbent candidates he is
running against and, as a result, he (Maass) was compelled to
respond in defense of the District.
• The next individual selected for interview was Richard Curran. Mr.
Curran has resided in Truckee for the past 14 years and currently
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works as a supervisor at the Truckee Sanitary District. He was
• previously employed by Edison Company, a utility supplier in Long
Beach, and by Pacific Gas and Electric. Mr. Curran said he intends
to retire within a few years and sees the TDPUD Board position as
an opportunity to continue to participate in the community. He
said he believes a board should set policy and allow managers to
manage. He admitted he didn't know much about incorporation. Mr.
Curran indicated he would be concerned with carefully maintaining
and upgrading the District's equipment, since all equipment and
facilities require close attention.
The next name selected was Karen Zirbel. Mrs. Zirbel has lived in
Truckee for 27 years and is presently employed by the Tahoe Donner
Association on their Environmental Control Committee. She was a
Director on the Truckee Donner Recreation and Park District Board
for 12 years, and indicated she left that Board because she felt
she had become stale and wanted to get new blood onto the Board.
She said her goal is to be the best Board member possible. She
admitted that she doesn't know how the PUD Board operates and
hasn't been to meetings, but said she is willing to learn. Mrs.
Zirbel stated that in the past she was against incorporation, but
would now look at incorporation more thoroughly. She said she
doesn't think growth is a major problem - "it' s not going to stop
and has to be planned for. "
Jack Stillens was the final applicant interviewed by the Board.
. He worked in management for IBM for 28 years in financial planning,
information systems and human resources and became a full-time
resident of Truckee in 1987 . He stated he believes his financial
management background would be an asset to the Board. Mr.
Stillens said he would be committed to providing the best possible
service and reliability at the lowest possible rates and believes
incorporation should be looked at from a hard financial point of
view.
The Board thanked all of the applicants for their interest and
noted that making a selection to fill Karen White' s seat will be
a difficult decision.
REVIEW OF 1990 INTERDEPARTMENTAL ALLOCATION FACTORS; POSSIBLE
ACTION
Manager Holzmeister noted that the current ratio of unassigned
costs, which is 80% to electric and 20% to water, needs to be
revised. At the October 16 Board meeting the Directors indicated
they would like to use a formula that incorporates both the number
of customers and revenues. Giving each factor a weight of 50%,
this ratio would be 71. 5% to electric and 28 . 5% to water.
After brief discussion, Director Corbett moved that the
interdepartmental allocation factors be 70% to electric and 30% to
water; seconded by Director Aguera. All Directors, aye, by voice
vote. SO MOVED.
WORKSHOP ON ASSEMBLY BILL 1600; POSSIBLE DIRECTION
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• Engineering Technician Black presented the revised proposed water
and electric facilities fee ordinance and procedures manual for
implementation and collection of the facilities fees and explained
the material in detail to the audience and Board.
Several amendments were requested with regards to the
administrative code - on Page 12, VIII A is to include language
that states the District will make developers aware of exemptions;
on Page 18, XI A and B, the word "review" is to be substituted for
"appeal. " (If the review by the District Engineer and General
Manager does not satisfy the applicant, then an appeal is to be
made to the Board of Directors. )
It was noted that the adoption of these documents will bring the
District into compliance with AB 1600.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the Board, Director Corbett
moved that the meeting be adjourned; seconded by Director Aguera.
SO MOVED by unanimous vote at 10: 02 P.M.
TRUCKEE DONNER PUBLIC UTILITY DISTRICT
J es A. Maass, Pre dent
• Prepared by
Susan M. Craig, Deputy District Clerk
smc
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