HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008-06-04 Min - Board REGULAR MEETING
June 4, 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 6:02 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: Steve Hollabaugh, Mary Chapman, Kathy Neus, Sanna Schlosser,
Neil Kaufman, Bob Mescher, Joe Horvath, Ian Fitzgerald, Michael Holley and Barbara Cahill
CONSULTANTS PRESENT: Steve Gross and Tom Unke
OTHERS PRESENT: Juanita Schneider and Cameron Hollabaugh
CHANGES TO THE AGENDA
General Manager Michael D. Holley asked to remove agenda item No. 17: Approve the Resolution for
Revisions to District Code, Title 3 Finance &Accounting
PUBLIC INPUT
There was no public input.
DIRECTOR UPDATE
There were no updates or requests.
PUBLIC HEARING
At 6:00 PM or as soon thereafter as possible a public hearing will be held for the purpose of
receiving written and or oral comments from members of the public regarding the revision to
the Net Metering Rate schedule.
There was no public comment.
ACTION ITEM
APPROVE THE ORDINANCE TO UPDATE NET METERING This item involves updating the Net
Metering Rate schedule to conform to Assembly Bill 58.
Director Thomason moved, and Director Sutton seconded, that the Board adopt Schedule NM- Net
Metering and approve the Ordinance No. 2008-06 rescinding Ordinance No. 2000-01
ROLL CALL: All Directors aye, by voice vote. SO MOVED.
1 Minutes: June 4, 2008
WORKSHOP
DISCUSSION OF WATER AND ELECTRIC STANDBY CHARGES
Neil Kaufman gave a presentation:
• Purpose of standby charges
o Property owners (even vacant properties) benefit from the availability of electric and water
service in proximity to their property
o Owners should contribute to operation and maintenance of the electric and water systems
o Owners of vacant land do not pay monthly bills. Therefore, a separate charge is needed
• Electric and Water Standby Charges Implemented in 1975
• In 1991, Water Standby Charge was changed to $80 per parcel regardless of parcel size
based upon Engineer's Report by Sauers Engineering
• Current charges
o Electric: 1 acre or larger$20 and smaller than 1 acre $10
o Water: $80 regardless of parcel size
Board discussion:
• Look at this next year- is there merit to continue.
• This just routine
• Feel Mr. Godon does not understand what standby charges are all about
• Concerned about the amount of water fee that dates back to a 1991 study
• Could have established a different rate for size and zoning
• Board exempted Donner Lake and Glenshire- makes inequitable for the rest of the community
• Have another engineering study done next year and include all District vacant parcels
• An Engineering study would cost money- is it worth it.
• This is not a big ticket item- readjust the dollars at budget time
• System is in front of the property; system may not be equitable; not going to raise the fee
• How much has the District generated from standby since 1975?
Counsel Gross stated that the 1991 ordinance contained a map that did not include Donner Lake and
Glenshire.
PUBLIC HEARING
At 7:00 PM or as soon thereafter as possible a public hearing will be held for the purpose of
receiving written and or oral comments from members of the public regarding adoption of
resolutions setting standby charges on vacant parcels for the 2008-2009 fiscal year.
The following email was received from Rolf Godon on June 3, 2008:
Please distribute this to the board members for the upcoming meeting. It is regarding the agenda
item pertaining to STANDY FEES. Please read into the minutes.
For many years, I have found the Standby Fee to sit badly in my mind every time I pay my
property taxes. I find the fee to be extremely usury; that is; collecting money for the coffers and
providing NO service for that, just because you can. I was understandably pleased when that expired
and now understandably irritated that it is again being considered. I have a 25' empty lot adjacent to
my residence. It requires no services, there is nothing on it that might burn and it is on Riverside Dr.
where there are existing structures receiving services all along the street. If I decide to build on the lot
then I will have to pay all sorts of connection and other fees to get service. I should absolutely not be
subject to fees with no service.
2 Minutes: June 4, 2008
Perhaps there are other empty parcels where a case could be made for the standby fee. I don't
know. It is clear to me that in my particular situation that is clearly not the case.
Please do not reinstate this usury fee unless there is a compelling logic for that.
CONSENT CALENDAR
Director Sutton asked to remove two agenda items from the consent calendar: No. 11:_.Approve and
Execute UAMPS Pooling Appendix Concerning Payson Natural Gas Generation and No. 12: Approve
General Election Resolutions for November 4, 2008.
APPROVE NCPA POWER MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT AMENDMENT NO.1 This Amendment
between NCPA and TDPUD extends the term of the Power Management Agreement for
Scheduling services to June 30, 2009.
ADOPT A RESOLUTION EXEMPTING VARIOUS DONNER LAKE PARCEL FROM
ASSESSMENTS This item involves the waiver or change of certain Donner Lake assessments.
EXTEND THE CONTRACT FOR COLDWELL BANKER This item involves the continuation of an
existing contract for real estate sales and marketing.
Director Thomason moved, and Director Sutton seconded, that the Board approve the items on the
consent calendar.
ROLL CALL: All Directors aye, by voice vote. SO MOVED.
ACTION ITEMS
APPROVE AND EXECUTE UAMPS POOLING APPENDIX CONCERNING PAYSON NATURAL
GAS GENERATION This item concerns the pooling appendix giving Truckee Donner 3.6765%
entitlement share of the Payson Natural Gas Plant.
Director Hemig moved, and Director Sutton seconded, that the Board approve and authorize the
President of the Board to execute the UAMPS pooling appendix concerning the transfer of 3.6765%
Entitlement share of the Payson Project from the City of Payson to Truckee Donner PUD.
ROLL CALL: All Directors aye, by voice vote. SO MOVED.
APPROVE GENERAL ELECTION RESOLUTIONS FOR NOVEMBER 4, 2008 This involves
adoption of resolutions to request election services from Nevada and Placer Counties.
Director Hemig moved, and Director Sutton seconded, that the Board approve the resolutions to
conduct the District's November election: Notice of Governing Board Member Election and/or Notice
to Submit Measure(s) to a Vote of the Voters (Placer County) and Calling General District Election
(Nevada County). ROLL CALL: All Directors aye, by voice vote. SO MOVED.
REVIEW AND ADOPTION OF THE DRAFT AUDIT REPORTS FOR 2007 This item relates to a
presentation by the District's auditors regarding their findings in conducting the audit for the
District's 2007 financial statements.
Director Thomason moved, and Director Hemig seconded, that the Board adopt the draft Audit
Reports for 2007. ROLL CALL: All Directors aye, by voice vote. SO MOVED.
3 Minutes: June 4, 2008
APPROVAL OF THE WATER AND ELECTRIC STANDBY RESOLUTIONS This item relates to
placing water and electric standby charges on Placer and Nevada County tax rolls.
Director Hemig moved and Director Aguera seconded, a motion to adopt the four resolutions setting
the water and electric standby charges and requesting Nevada and Placer Counties to collect the
charges:
1. Resolution Continuing and Fixing Water Standby Charges for Fiscal Year 2008-2009
2. Resolution Continuing and Fixing Electric Standby Charges for Fiscal Year 2008-2009
3. Resolution Fixing and Placing Electric and Water Standby Charges on District Tax Roll for
Collection by the County of Nevada
4. Resolution Requesting Collection of Electric and Water Standby Charges on Placer County Tax
Roll
ROLL CALL: All Directors, aye. SO MOVED.
APPROVE THE RESOLUTION FOR REVISIONS TO DISTRICT CODE, TITLE 3 FINANCE &
ACCOUNTING This item involves approval of a resolution to adopt the revisions to District
Code, Title 3, Finance and Accounting.
Item removed from the agenda.
CONSIDERATION OF INCREASING THE DISTRICT'S DIFFERENCE IN CONDITIONS
(EARTHQUAKE) INSURANCE FROM $5,000,000 TO $10,000,000 The item concerns increasing
the insurance limits on the District's Difference in Conditions (Earthquake) insurance from
F
$5 million dollars to $10 million dollars.
Director Thomason moved, and Director Sutton seconded, that the Board add an additional $5 million
in Difference in Conditions (Earthquake) insurance coverage over the previously approved $5 million
in coverage though Essex Special Property Division with a premium of $23,203.13.
ROLL CALL: Director Hemig, no ($20,000 direct expense for a tiny gap of protection does not make
sense); All other Directors aye, by voice vote. SO MOVED.
AWARD OF ELECTRIC WIRE AND CABLE BID This item involves the annual purchase of wire
and cable for the Electric Department.
Director Aguera moved, and Director Hemig seconded, that the Board award Schedules A through H
to HD Supply with a total cost not to exceed $52,626.66 (tax not included).
ROLL CALL: Director Sutton, abstain (feels vulnerable as did not receive the comparative analysis of
bids); All other Directors aye, by voice vote. SO MOVED.
AWARD ELECTRIC SYSTEM MASTER PLAN CONTRACT This item concerns the award of a
contract for Professional Engineering Services for the Electric System Master Plan.
Director Hemig moved, and Director Aguera seconded, that the Board approve the selection of
Electrical Consultants Inc. to provide professional engineering services to the District for the Electric
System Master Plan study and authorize the Board President to sign the consulting services
agreement for an amount not to exceed $69,868 with the funding sources: Facilities Fees $51,914
and Rates $17,954.
ROLL CALL: Director Sutton, no (cost was a primary factor in the recommendation); All other
Directors aye, by voice vote. SO MOVED.
4 Minutes: June 4, 2008
WORKSHOPS
REVIEW OF TREE TRIMMING PROCEDURES This item is to briefly discuss past and present
tree trimming procedures implemented by the District.
Joe Horvath gave a presentation:
• There are 134 miles of overhead pole line facilities in the District
• Tree trimming goals: safety for crews and public, reduction of fire risks, prevention of outages
due to tree contacts, aesthetics
• District trims tree branches in excess of four feet
• Standards: G.O. 95, Public Resources Code Sections 4292 and 4293 and District practices
• Vegetation management program: tree trimming technical specification (contractor certification
and customer communications), annual budget and GIS mapping system
Board discussion:
• Good procedure proposal- more organized and formal
• Deal with property owners- if cannot obtain permission- what is the practical side.
• What if the property owner lives out of town?
• Have we had conflicts with property owners?
• What part does the GIS mapping play in this?
• Does the PUD get calls from customers when the customer is going to trim trees near their
lines?
°- • How long has a tree trimming policy been in effect?
• Does the District have a responsibility to avoid trees when we place overhead lines?
• Could the District enact an ordinance to prohibit planting trees near overhead lines to prevent
problems?
• Do the new procedures need Board approval?
• Great presentation
DISCUSSION OF THE 2007 CONSUMER CONFIDENCE REPORT (WATER QUALITY REPORT)
This item involves discussion of the requirement to send a notice to water customers annually
describing the District's water quality.
Neil Kaufman gave a presentation:
• District is required to prepare an annual Consumer Confidence Report for each water system
in accordance with Ca. Health and Safety Code.
• Report must be mailed to customers no later than July1
• Department of Public Health reviews the reports
• Truckee water supply system meets all MCLs (maximum containment level)
• District has installed arsenic removal system at Hirschdale system and treated water meets all
MCLs
Board discussion:
• Have seen in the newspapers about contamination of ground water by prescription drugs- do
we test for these?
• Nice job on the report
5 Minutes: June 4, 2008
ROUTINE BUSINESS
TREASURER'S REPORTS
Approval of the report: Director Thomason moved, and Director Hemig seconded, that the Board
approve the final Treasurer's report for the month ended December 30, 2007.
ROLL CALL: All Directors aye, by voice vote. SO MOVED
Approval of the report: Director Thomason moved, and Director Hemig seconded, that the Board
approve the month ended April 30, 2008.
ROLL CALL: All Directors aye, by voice vote. SO MOVED
Approval of disbursements: Director Hemig moved, and Director Thomason seconded, that the
Board approve the April 2008 disbursements report.
ROLL CALL: Director Sutton, no (feels the Board should approve the checks before they are mailed);
All other Directors, aye. SO MOVED.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the Board, the meeting was adjourned at 8:30 PM.
TRUCKEE DONNER PUBLIC UTILITY DISTRICT
A
Tim F. Taylor, Pr ent
Prepared by = z�t
Barbara Cahill,beputy District Clerk
6 Minutes: June 4, 2008