HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008-04-16 Min - Board REGULAR MEETING
April 16, 2008
in accordance with District Code Section 2.08.010, the TDPUD minutes are action only
minutes. All Board meetings are recorded on audio tapes which are preserved perpetually and
made available for listening 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 6:00 PM in the TDPUD Board room by President Taylor.
ROLL CALL: Directors Joe Aguera, Ron Hemig, Patricia Sutton, Tim Taylor and Bill Thomason were
present.
EMPLOYEES PRESENT: Kathy Neus, Mary Chapman, Neil Kaufman, Steve Hollabaugh, Scott
Terrell, Ian Fitzgerald, Nancy Waters, Michael Holley and Barbara Cahill
CONSULTANTS PRESENT: Jill Vacchina
OTHERS PRESENT: Juanita Schneider, Dan Warren and two other members of the public.
CHANGES TO THE AGENDA
There were no changes to the agenda.
PUBLIC INPUT
There was no public input.
DIRECTOR UPDATE
Director Thomason asked for an update on Glenshire dollars accumulated from the rate component
assessment and the balance due from the water system improvements.
Director Sutton asked for an agenda item to update the Board on the Geothermal project (Rye Patch).
ACTION ITEMS
AWARD OF A CONTRACT TO PERFORM CONSERVATION MARKETING SERVICES This item
concerns the potential to enter into a contract for services to promote District conservation
projects.
Director Thomason recused himself as he has done work for Switchback Marketing.
Director Aguera moved and Director Hemig seconded, a motion to award a marketing contract to
Switchback Marketing in the amount of $28,000 for conservation marketing services through the end
of 2008. ROLL CALL: Director Thomason, recused; All other Directors, aye. SO MOVED.
1 Minutes: April 16, 2008
AWARD STREAMING VIDEO SERVICES AND BROADCAST SERVICES FOR DISTRICT BOARD
MEETINGS This item concerns the potential to enter into a contract with TTCTV for video
services.
Director Aguera moved and Director Hemig seconded, a motion to approve a contract with TTCTV to
provide streaming video and television broadcast services (including an on-site Camera Operator) in
an annual amount no to exceed $18,000. ROLL CALL: All Directors, aye. SO MOVED.
APPOINT A DISTRICT NEGOTIATOR FOR TRUCKEE RIVER LEGACY TRAIL EASEMENTS This
item involves the appointment of a negotiator to represent the District for District owned land.
Director Aguera moved and Director Hemig seconded, a motion to appoint the General Manager
Michael D. Holley as the District negotiator to negotiate with the Town of Truckee concerning Nevada
county APN's 19-450-45, 19-450-53 and 19-450 54. ROLL CALL: All Directors, aye. SO MOVED.
WORKSHOPS
DISCUSSION OF A CONSENT CALENDAR This item involves a discussion of using a Consent
Calendar on future Board agendas.
General Manager Michael Holley gave a presentation:
• Government agencies use a consent calendar to approve routine and non-controversial
agenda items
• One of the following conditions need to be met for an item to be on a consent calendar
o No known opposition on the Board
o Routine in nature: minutes, treasurer's report, staff activity
o Item previously discussed during a workshop
• How a consent calendar would operate
o Act at a group or pulled from the calendar at request of a Board member
o No formal staff presentation, but staff could answer questions
o If an item is pulled, staff would be prepared for a presentation
Public input:
• Like the idea
• Want to see that the audience is able to pull an item from the consent calendar
Board discussion:
• Support this concept
• Have tried over the years - have never been able to make work consistently
• Have tried before
• Any staff, board member or public can request an item be pulled from the consent calendar
• How would staff know if there is opposition to an item?
• A workshop does not express a decision formally-how does this become a criteria?
• How many question scan be on a consent item?
• With minutes, treasurers report, staff reports on consent agenda, they would receive less at-
tention- this may be ok to try these items on the consent calendar.
• Have other agencies been contacted to see if they have a policy?
• Disbursements will be on the consent calendar.
• Great idea- hope can move this forward
2 Minutes: April 16, 2008
• Want staff to go back to the last four board meetings and determine what items would have
been consent calendar.
DISCUSSION OF THE PROPOSED REVISIONS TO DISTRICT CODE, TITLE 4 PERSONNEL This
involves the revisions to Title 4 of the District Code.
Nancy Waters, Human Resources, gave a presentation:
• From the March 19 meeting, Board directive and changes have been incorporated
• Employees will review the new policies and changes
• New policies include:
o Workplace violence
o Cell phone use
o Tobacco-free workplace
Board discussion:
• Cell phones while driving- will the district have to purchase new phones that are Blue Tooth
capable?
• Need to provide people with a place to smoke
• Excellent document- proud of it
• Board/Nepotism- within organization with employee- all employees and Board
• Page 14,Compensation Plan- need to change word prepare to update/revise
• Donation of accrued vacation leave- has this been in the policy before?
• Moving expense reimbursement- is this open ended? Need to state a limit.
• Page 33, Reduction in Pay- stoppage of income- what does this mean?
• Page 37, Injury & Illness Prevention- it should read District's goal- not management's goal
• Does the District honor Nevada State Driver's licenses?
• Skelly hearing- Board not involved now- that is good
• Page 11, Recruitment- why is there an even number on the interview panel? And why not 3
people from the outside?
• Aren't the background and reference checks done before the interview?
• What about accommodating for physical disabilities?
• Probation period is 6 months- and able to discharge without cause or appeal- employee
should know along the way they are not performing the way expected. Change the word re-
jected to discharged.
• Is the evaluation process new and imposed by management?
• There are new things in here that were not called at attention.
• Page 8, Harassment- there are missing words at the end- please clarify.
• In section for future benefits for employees, it would be prudent to set the parameters for what
the Board does not qualify for in future benefits.
• Every three years or when there is a new MOU- the benefits section will have to be updated.
• Is the vehicle use report new?
• In the retirement plan, are there no changes from the established policy- no tweaks- does this
apply to all employees?
• Pagel 5, 7.1- can clarify by saying "all employees unless covered under the Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU)"- language should be all encompassing and clarify union employees.
• Page 24 refers to 2.52- does this mean Title 2- make sure the cross references are clear and
correct. Page 46 refers to IV-E- what does this reference? Page 56 states 4.47.080- where is
this.
• Thought the moving expenses were at the discretion of the General Manager as to limit
• Page 33, #4 Reduction of Pay- could the time frame needs to be defined- is it at the discretion
of the General Manager?
3 Minutes: April 16, 2008
• Unusual to see affects of drugs on page 61
• Have Steve Gross and Jill Vacchina of Porter Simon reviewed the document?
• Violations- is there the distinction as to on their time or District time and in District vehicles-
needs to be clear
• Disability leave- not 100% capable of doing normal work- reassign- be sure consistent with
State Fund regulations. Did State Fund review the wording? Broaden the language- relates to
insurance coverage- need to be consistent.
PUBLIC OUTREACH DURING CONSTRUCTION PROJECTSV This item is a discussion of the
public outreach procedures for construction projects.
Neil Kaufman, Water system Engineer told the board what types of notification is done for projects:
• Newsletter articles
• TDPUD website
• Printed door hanger notices- one week prior
• Actual outages, door hanger notice tow days in advance
• Written notice mailed to account holder tow weeks prior to construction
• Point of contact is always Water system Engineer
Dan Warren, General Manager of the Glenshire Homeowners Association, said Mr. Kaufman supplied
him with information about any Glenshire projects so he could inform the residents.
Board discussion:
• Good effort and review
• Thanks
METERING OF RESIDENTIAL WATER SERVICES This item is a presentation and discussion of
various options regarding residential metering.
Neil Kaufman, Water system Engineer, gave a presentation:
• Relevant Regulations
o SB 229 -Water Measurement Law
■ Houses constructed since January 1, 1992 must have a water meter installed
■ Does not require meters be read and does not require volumetric pricing
■ The District has complied with this law
0 AB 2572
■ Requires a water purveyor to install water meters on all municipal and industrial service
connections located within its service area on or before January 1, 2025.
■ Requires a water purveyor to charge each customer that has a service connection for
which a water meter has been installed, based on the actual volume of deliveries, as
measured by the water meter, beginning on or before January 1, 2010.
■ Allows a water purveyor to delay, for one annual seasonal cycle of water use, the use
of meter-based charges for service connections that are being converted from non-
volume-based billing to volume-based billing.
• Regulatory Timeline
o 2010: Read existing meters. Send sample bills to those customers
o 2011: Volumetric billing of metered customers
o 2025: Retrofit all customers with meters and begin volumetric billing
• TDPUD existing Residential Meters
0 11,726 total residential accounts
0 5,387 accounts are equipped with meters. About 30% have visual read registers. The
remainder cannot currently be read
4 Minutes: April 16, 2008
0 2,205 older properties do not have meters but have upgraded meter boxes
0 4,134 older properties do not have meters or upgraded meter boxes
• Automated Meter Read (AMR) System
o Existing system was implemented in 1997, covers all electric meters and functions ade-
quately, and covers 394 of 651 commercial water meters and has poor performance
o Current AMR Technologies have drive-by & fixed base systems, improved radio signal
strength, improved customer service capabilities, leak detection, data logging and many
other features
• Implementation Alternatives
o AB 2572 compliance
■ Phase 1 — Pilot Program: up to 400 residential meters and 100 commercial meters on
new AMR system in Fall 2008 $266,000
■ Phase 2 — AB 2572 Compliance: Deploy AMR system on existing meters (4,987 resi-
dential and 551 commercial meters); complete by Fall 2009 $1,700,000
■ Phase 3 — Retrofit Remaining Customers: install and upgrade meter boxes where nec-
essary 2020 through 2022; install 6,339 meters during 2023 and 2024; must be com-
plete by Fall 2024 $6,800,000
o Full implementation
■ Phase 1 — Pilot Program: 400 residential meters and 100 commercial meters on new
AMR system in Fall 2008 $266,000
■ Phase 2 —AB 2572 Compliance: deploy AMR system on existing meters: install meters
on those customers with upgraded meter boxes (7,200 residential and 551 commercial
meters); complete by Fall 2009 $2,300,000
1 ■ Phase 3 — Full Implementation: install 4,134 meters; install and upgrade meter boxes
where necessary; completed by Fall 2018 $6,200,000
• Pilot program will:
o Gather data regarding actual customer water usage, refine cost estimates for full imple-
mentation and validate AMR technology selection
o Help to develop rate structures as current customer usage data is aggregated
o Read up to 400 residential customers: permanent vs. part time residents, different geo-
graphic areas, different lot sizes, different house sizes, newer vs. older residences
o Use a new AMR system is planned- test during winter 2008-2009
o If has a satisfactory performance, proceed to implementation in Summer 2009
• Fiscal Impact
o $265,823 is included in FY 2008 budget for a Residential Water Meter Study.
o Cost of water meter implementation is significant
■ Purchase and installation of a new meter with radio is about $250
■ Locations where a meter box does not exist, installation of meter box and meter could
cost up to $1,500 per customer
■ Pilot program will allow better definition of installation costs
• What Next?
o Board decision regarding Implementation Plan - April/May 2008
o Prepare RFP/Bid package for AMR system - May/June 2008
o Bidding & purchase of AMR system - June/July 2008
o Implement pilot program and bring AMR system on-line- Aug to Oct 2008
o Install AMR system on remaining meters for AB 2572 compliance - Summer 2009
o Develop alternative rate structures - Summer 2009 and finalize rate structure in conjunc-
tion with development of FY 2010 budget— Fall 2009
■ Should commodity charge be flat block or inclining block?
■ Should commodity charge be the same for residential and commercial customers?
■ Should rates be the same for permanent and part time customers?
■ Should District consider seasonal rates?
5 Minutes: April 16, 2008
o Discuss funding sources
o Discuss operational impact
o Other timelines:
• Begin sample billing based on meter reads - January 2010
■ Full implementation of metered billing - January 2011
■ Install meters on remaining customers—Summer 2010 through Summer 2018
Public input:
• What is Serene Lakes doing about having to put in water meters?
Board discussion:
• Full metering would cost$8.7 million
• $265,823 available to spend this year- $25,000 spent to date on what?
• What about the rate study?
• There are two economic scenarios- 7,000 meters could read quickly; 4,000 have no meters
• Why need eight years to implement?
• Political question- one neighbor metered and one not- bad situation.
• Does the state recognize this is overwhelming and change deadline or allow phasing?
• How can the District do this financially- borrow dollars for Phase 2?
• If we have to borrow, that would affect everyone.
• Do we have to be in compliance by 2010?
• Install radio meters in the ground- AMR
• How is state going to enforce- what is the penalty?
• The cost is a lot- how will we pay?
• Pilot program- how will you select customers and will you notify them?
• Will there be any imposition to the customer?
• Why not let the customer be aware of being part of the pilot program?
• This is a big deal.
• Good to do a pilot study
• Concern about stretching out too long to install meters
• Disparity if do not meter older homes until 2025
• Finance and get in a time frame
• Way to do this is to make everyone comfortable
• Board needs to understand options and be on the same page
4 to 5 years to get through the program and get done
• Let public know what the law is
• Costs could be 50% more than what is shown
• What are the dollars collected in the Reserve for Future Meters Fund?
• Earmark lots who have paid the meter fund fee. They should not have to finance the rest of the
system meters.
• Other areas have had news articles recently about water meters
ROUTINE BUSINESS
CONSIDERATION OF MINUTES FOR MARCH 19 AND APRIL 2, 2008.
Director Thomason moved, and Director Hemig seconded, that the Board approve the minutes of
March 19, and April 2, 2008.
ROLL CALL: All Directors aye, by voice vote. SO MOVED.
6 Minutes: April 16, 2008
STAFF REPORTS: ELECTRIC DEPARTMENT AND ADMINISTRATIVE DEPARTMENT
Director Hemig would like to have an update on the Sierra Pacific Transmission rate hearing.
There were no other Board comments.
CLOSED SESSION
CONFERENCE WITH REAL PROPERTY NEGOTIATOR PURSUANT TO SECTION 54956.8 OF
THE GOVERNMENT CODE. PROPERTY: 14630 GLENSHIRE DRIVE.
CONFERENCE WITH REAL PROPERTY NEGOTIATOR PURSUANT TO SECTION 54956.8 OF
THE GOVERNMENT CODE. PROPERTY: 19-450-45, 19-450-53 AND 19-450-54
RETURN TO OPEN SESSION
There was no reportable action.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the Board, the meeting was adjourned at 9:40 PM.
TRUCKEE DONNER PUBLIC UTILITY DISTRICT
Tim F. Taylor, ident
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Prepared by ,j �Jo �'�---
Barbara Cahill Deputy District Clerk
7 Minutes: April 16, 2008