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Home My WebLink About2007-07-23 Min - Board SPECIAL MEETING July 23, 2007 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 special meeting of the Board of Directors of the Truckee Donner Public Utility District was called to order at 7:00 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: Mary Chapman and Barbara Cahill CONSULTANTS PRESENT: Steve Gross OTHERS PRESENT: Pat Waite, Frank and Juanita Schneider and Brian Woody PUBLIC INPUT There was no public input. INTERVIEW OF THREE APPLICANTS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN SERVING AS INTERIM GENERAL MANAGER MR. ELDON A. COTTON 6:00 PM Mr. Cotton: • Believes in public power and the concept • Has Dealt in organizations with interim General Managers and as the Interim General Manager • When an organization loses a long term respected manager- it sets up anxiety, change and uncertainty • There is always a transition period- an opportunity to reflect on good times and what made them good • Background is in civil engineering and was a manager • Became a consultant when he retired • Interim general manager of NCPA in 2000- priorities were to complete a power agreement with WAPA, debt restructure and recruitment of new GM • Other consulting: So. California-old power plant to a new one and Placer County Water Agency to resolve issues with PG&E Board discussion: • Interim GM's value to an organization: invest in a healthy transition; bring a collaborative interchange and constructive presence. • This job relates to operational/the micro side. • TDPUD is a small utility, not a large organization-- a different approach is needed. • Act as contract employee without benefits • The Interim GM would take orders from the Board- priorities, delegate authority, budget, support GM search firm. The PUD is a small district- knowledge and needs of the PUD are important. What does the team feel is helpful and what are the priorities. • Time needed to be here at the office? • Compensation is based on what? 1 Minutes: Special, July 23, 2007 • Management style sounds straight forward, collaborative, give and take, open, and don't always agree. • Union - be fair; keep perspective of a win/win for everyone. • Budget -review staff budget preparation, consistency- budget on web site is very thorough • Utility districts are partners on water and energy conservation with customers- part of our lives. MR. JOHN L. ULRICH 6:45 PM Mr. Ulrich: • Energy education in large utilities • Customer service activities: engineering, support, ways to conserve • Went through the energy crisis- balancing act • Managed organization, department of transportation, labor relations agreement, worker compensation • Key factors: Positive relationship with employees and good place to work • City of Palo Alto- public environment: staff reports, utility advisory commission, learned to modify a solution, do what community wants to do, learned about water and telecommunication. Board discussion: • Interim GM position may require more than 1 or 2 days per week- whatever it takes to do the job • Involved in budget preparation, water issues (metering), supply • Consider Board expectations • Need to understand District challenges • Make a seamless transition from current GM to new GM- no blip to staff or customers • City of Palo Alto had fiber broadband installed 10 years ago for electric scada and controls. • Broadband: legal & legislative process and make work financially • Important aspects of Interim GM relationship to staff: background, expectations, here to handle situations Interim GM is the glue to hold the District together- keep all the loose ends together • Take on all responsibilities of the current GM- not interject all new ideas- transition to person selected permanently • Management style sounds like a listen and accommodate, understand how others operate and provide a comfortable environment. Direct at times/other times-spend time- want people to perform Experience with a union- Human Resources did the negotiations at City of Palo Alto MR. DAN WARREN 7:30 PM Mr. Warren: • Have skills to manage people- interaction with staff is to help not interfere • Interim GM helps staff to keep on course with Boards direction- act as intermediary • Would rely on staff to help him become familiar with utility operations —plus research on line. • Familiar with District business as have attended meetings for almost a year • Dedicated- whatever it takes to do the job • Am interested in the permanent GM position if the interim works smoothly and the Board is satisfied • There are opportunities to teach Truckee about conservation Board discussion: • Interim GM has value in keeping good interaction from Board to staff • There needs to be enough general knowledge of the working of the PUD- day to day operations. • Good idea to put employee with better knowledge in a role to use their resource • Time needed for the position depends on what the Board has scheduled for staff 2 Minutes: Special, July 23, 2007 • Budget can be a hard process • There is no experience with board packets, but has had budget experience • Management style sounds direct, decisions procedures & policies are carried out, get feedback • No union experience or familiarity with utility regulatory agencies • How would the public react to Board choosing someone with no utility experience • Water and energy conservation awareness ACTION ITEM CONSIDERATION OF SELECTING AN APPLICANT TO SERVE AS INTERIM GENERAL MANAGER, POSSIBLE ACTION. a. This item involves the selection of a person from among those expressing an interest in serving as interim General Manager and authorizing the Board President to negotiate a contract related thereto. President Taylor read an email from Rolf Godon: It has come to my attention that recently help was hired for Steve Hollabaugh so that he could manage all the work necessary. It is also my perception that other agencies in our community, who have recently lost managers, are having the asst. managers fill in till a new manager is hired. Furthermore, the district has spent a huge sum of money buying out electric contracts, broadband issues and probably more. I suspect that hiring a temporary manager will cost us rate payers another $200,000 to $500,000 in addition to the monies being paid to Steve's new assistant. So, I question the necessity of an interim manager in its broad context and really feel that it is an inefficient use of rate payers money. Given the entire picture as I have delineated it above I strongly suggest that an interim manager is at best a luxury and perhaps unnecessary and that the PUD has capable people in administration who can easily keep us moving along smoothly till a permanent manager is selected. I implore you to con- sider this very seriously as I believe it is an unnecessary expense as well as a move not in rate payer interest. Director Sutton moved and Director Hemig seconded, a motion to add an action item on the July 25 special meeting agenda regarding the Interim General Manager position and post an amended agenda. ROLL CALL: All Directors, aye. SO MOVED. Director Hemig moved and Director Aguera seconded, a motion for the President of the Board to begin discussions with John Ulrich regarding the possibility of engaging him as the Interim General Manager. ROLL CALL: All Directors, aye. SO MOVED. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business before the Board, the meeting was adjourned at 8:35 PM. TRUCKEE D PUBLIC UTILITY DISTRICT Tim F. Taylor, President Prepared by Barbara Cahi , Deputy District Clerk 3 Minutes: Special, July 23, 2007