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Home My WebLink About2000-12-06 Min - Board REGULAR MEETING December 6, 2000 In accordance with District Code Section 2.08.010 the TDPUD minutes are action onl minutes. All Board meetings are recorded on audio tapes which are Preserved Derpetu- ally and made available for listenina to any interested party upon their request The regular meeting of the Board of Directors of the Truckee Donner Public Utility District was called to order at 7:08 PM in the TDPUD Board room by President Hemig. ROLL CALL: Directors Joe Aguera, James Maass, Patricia Sutton, Nelson VanGundy and Ron Hemig were present. EMPLOYEES PRESENT: Mary Chapman, Susan Craig, Ian Fitzgerald, Alan Harry, Steve Hol- labaugh, Peter Holzmeister, Neil Kaufman, Kathy Neus, Bob Quinn, Ed Taylor and Scott Terrell CONSULTANTS PRESENT: Attorneys Steve Gross and Andy Morris; Consulting Engineer Keith Knibb. OTHERS PRESENT: Among those present in the audience were Juanita and Frank Schneider, John Byrne, Lin Zucconi, Mike Ingram, Jim Cranmer and Roger Temeuzen. PUBLIC INPUT There was no public input. OATH OF OFFICE FOR DIRECTORS ELECTED IN NOVEMBER The District has received the Canvass and Statement of Results of the November 7, 2000 Elec- tion. Mr. Holzmeister administered the oaths of office to Joe Aguera, James Maass and Nelson VanGundy. ELECTION OF BOARD OFFICERS Director Van Gundy nominated Jame-s Maass for president of the Board. Director Sutton moved that Mr. Maass be elected by acclamation. SO MOVED. Director Sutton nominated Joe Aguera for Vice President and moved that he be elected by ac- clamation. SO MOVED. PUBLIC HEARING TO RECEIVE ORAL AND/OR WRITTEN COMMENTS FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC REGARDING THE DISTRICT'S INTENT TO ADOPT A BUDGET FOR THE YEAR 2001 The public hearing to receive oral and/or written comments from members of the public was opened at 7:13 PM. Mr. Holzmeister presented a budget overview. Staff is suggesting elimination of the electric rate discount and a $2.06 per month water rate increase. Operations have been essentially un- changed and discretionary capital items are not included. Donner Lake water system, broad- band services and Tahoe Donner water system problems were not included. 12/6/00 Page 1 Key budget programs in the electric department are the wholesale power contract, moderniza- tion of the billing system; master plan and facilities fees, geographic information system and service reliability. The major cost items total $9,270,383. In the water department key budget programs are development of a new well, master plan and facilities fees, geographic information system and relationship with neighbors. Water budget ma- jor cost items total $4,120,124. Mr. Holzmeister made revisions to the draft budget. Mr. Holzmeister reviewed several options for using or retaining the electric rate discount. His- torical and future power supply costs were compared. Power prices are going up because natu- ral gas prices are rising (the fuel of choice for most of the new generation plants); when natural gas prices go up, electricity prices go up. New generation is needed on the west coast. Staff noted that the District needs a strong rate stabilization fund. The Board was presented with a residential rate comparison of California and Nevada electric utilities for 1999/2000. It was noted that if the District eliminates the 11% wholesale energy credit, the TDPUD residential rates will still be 7% lower that a neighboring utility. Don MacCormack informed the Board that, in accordance with AB 2838, beginning in July the Districts will be sharing LAFCo's operating costs. He thought TDPUD's share would probably be about $5,000. Steve Hollabaugh answered Mrs. Schneider's question about the UAMPS generation bid. Lin Zucconi stated she thought waiting until April to remove the 11% electric credit would be a good idea; John Byrne agreed. There being no further public input, the public hearing was closed at 8:25 PUBLIC HEARING TO RECEIVE ORAL AND/OR WRITTEN COMMENTS FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC REGARDING THE DISTRICT'S INTENT TO ADOPT AN ORDINANCE IN- CREASING THE WATER RATES Manager Holzmeister presented and discussed with the Board a draft water rate increase ordi- nance that would raise residential rates by$2.06 monthly and add 5% to commercial bills. There was no public comment and the public hearing was closed at 8:32 PM. CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE APPROVAL OF THE 2001 BUDGET AND BUDGET OVERHEADS Director Hemig moved, and Director Van Gundy seconded, that the Board approve the 2001 budget, which includes removing the 11% electric credit on January 1, 2001 and also approve the budget overheads; further, that a rate stabilization fund be established. ROLL CALL: Sutton, no; all other Directors, aye. SO MOVED. CONSIDERATION OF AN ORDINANCE INCREASING WATER RATES Director Hemig moved, and Director Van Gundy seconded, that the Board approve Ordinance 2000-04 increasing water rates. ROLL CALL: all Directors, aye. SO ORDAINED. CONSIDERATION OF ADOPTING A STANDARD DATA EXCHANGE AGREEMENT FOR THE SHARING OF GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION WITH THIRD PARTIES 12/6/00 Page 2 The District is creating a highly accurate, precise land base of its service area. There have been ongoing talks with many public agencies to create a data consortium where agencies would share their information. TDPUD has, and will over the next year, put a lot of time, money and effort into developing a GIS that will be accurate information about facilities and customers. It will also give the District a competitive edge over other agencies in the area. Mr. Fitzgerald, GIS Coordinator, is recommending that measures be taken to maintain the GIS information's integ- rity and value, maintain a competitive edge and allow access to our information by public agen- cies, engineering firms and others. Counsel has been contacted regarding the validity of the TDPUD protecting its GIS information. There seems to be no precedent regarding GIS information within a public utility in California. The California statutes do protect a public agency's "mapping systems," a statute that fits the District's cause. Counsel has prepared an opinion and draft exchange license agreement for the Board's consideration. Mike Ingram and Jim Cranmer, present in the audience, explained the value of a having a com- plete GIS for the area. After some discussion, Director Hemig moved, and Director Van Gundy seconded, that the Board approve the data exchange license agreement allowing the District to readily exchange information with its partners without fear of losing the GIS information's integrity, value or com- petitive edge. ROLL CALL: all Directors, aye, with the exception of Director Sutton who voted no. SO MOVED. CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF SEPTEMBER 6 AND SPECIAL AND REGULAR MEETINGS OF SEPTEMBER 20, 2000 Director Van Gundy moved, and Director Hemig seconded, that the Board approve the minutes of September 6 and the special and regular meetings of September 20, 2000. ROLL CALL: all Directors, aye. SO MOVED. TREASURER'S REPORT — APPROVAL OF MONTHLY REPORT — APPROVAL OF DIS- BURSEMENTS Director Van Gundy moved, and Director Hemig seconded, that the Board approve the monthly Treasurer's report. All Directors, aye, by voice vote. SO MOVED. Director Van Gundy moved, and Director Hemig seconded, that the Board approve the dis- bursements. ROLL CALL: Sutton, no; all other Directors, aye. SO MOVED. WORKSHOP ITEMS Discussion of District owned land and a possible policy regarding sale of land and use of proceeds There was discussion about land owned by the District. All Directors are to be copied with the District's policy relating to the sale of land and use of proceeds. Directors Hemig and Van Gundy, both real estate salesmen, noted that they will not be involved in any personal way with the sale of any District property, but will share their knowledge in order to assist the District. This matter is to be placed on the agenda for the first meeting in January 2001. 12/6/00 Page 3 �. Discussion of risk mitigation plan relating to possible broadband business unit There was brief discussion of the risk mitigation plan relating to possible broadband business and staff was directed to bring back more detailed information at the first meeting in January 2001. CLOSED SESSION Conference with legal counsel—existing litigation pursuant to Government Code Section 54956.9(a), three cases: TDPUD vs. USA Media, USA Media vs. TDPUD and USA Media complaint filed at the Federal Communications Commission Conference with legal counsel—existing litigation pursuant to Government Code Section 54695.9(a), grievance of Local 1245 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers The Board adjourned to closed session at 10:07 PM. RETURN TO PUBLIC SESSION The Board returned to public session at approximately 10:45 PM. There was no action reported. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business before the Board, the meeting was adjourned at 10:46 PM. TRUCKEE DONNER PUBLIC UTILITY DISTRICT 4Jas:!A�. MZ ,ss �Pi5ent Prepared b . C Susan M. Craig, Deputy District Clerk smc 12/6/00 Page 4