November 1, 2010
MONDAY 6:00 PM
Water and Light Office
The meeting duly noticed and warned was called to order at 6:00 PM.
PRESENT:
Trustees: Ed DeBor, Wallace Reeve, Peter Bourne, Dana Wildes (by telephone) and Tim Sargent
Staff: Craig Myotte, Jim Fontaine, Penny Jones, and Linda Osgood
GUEST: Jim Mahoney
1) PUBLIC MEETING:
No members of the public were in attendance.
7) EXECUTIVE SESSION:
At 6:01 PM, on a motion by Trustee Reeve, seconded by Trustee Bourne and unanimously approved, the Board went into Executive Session to discuss contracts.
At 7:00, on a motion by Trustee Bourne, seconded by Trustee Sargent and unanimously approved, the Board came out of Executive Session.
2) CURRENT PRIORITY PROJECTS:
The Board reviewed the list of current priority projects.
3) MANAGEMENT REPORT:
Penny spent most of the last two weeks speaking with the Department about specific “problem customers”. The Department received a complaint about us disconnecting a business and then requesting a new deposit which has been resolved. One discussion with the Board has led to the fact that we must change our billing cycles. Currently everyone has the same due date regardless of billing date. This is leading to some customers getting 60 days before disconnection and some getting 70 days. This will mean a complete change of our billing cycle and disconnection cycles. Penny is also working with VPPSA on changing our Terms & Conditions which we hope to file by November 15th. Penny hopes to have a clean version for the Board by the end of this week so that they can verbally approve, we can submit on the 15th, and they can formally approve that night at their regular November 15meeting. Penny is trying to change deposit requirements from 2 months to 2 ½ months. E-Care (paying bills online) is a minimum $25,000 upgrade to our software.
The line crews are finished replacing a broken transmission pole in the Cady’s Falls area. Concept II has finished installing a 20.4 MW solar installation and are just waiting for their CPG. Efficiency Vermont completed an energy audit of the office and the WWTF. We cannot get an answer from the Board as to whether the new LED street lights have been approved for funding. The design of the headworks has begun and we hope to purchase the material through MW&L in December so the bid will only include the work, not the material. We hope to get the request for bids out in January or February. The line crews will be working for Johnson Electric for the next month. October was a good month for generation.
4) APPROVE MINUTES OF MEETING HELD OCTOBER 18, 2010:
On a motion by Trustee Sargent, seconded by Trustee Bourne and unanimously approved, the Board approved the minutes of the October 18, 2010, regular meeting.
5) DISCUSS POWER SUPPLY ISSUES:
The Board reviewed the August summary showing we are $54,000 under-budget for the month and $154,000 under-budget y-t-d. The Board received an explanation of congestion charges (bottlenecks in transmission). On the hydro improvements, the goal is to get the RFP out by the end of this week and initiate the design work by year-end as engineering is not weather dependent. Some type of hydraulic crest control is envisioned but it may not be a “rubber dam”. The new Hydro Quebec contracts still have a lot of approval processes to go through. VPPSA is reviewing a number of projects for its members. If we can get certified by the “Low Impact Hydro Institute”, our renewable energy credits can be worth considerably more in the New England Class 1 REC market. VPPSA has just starting the budgeting process for 2011-2015. The Trustees reviewed a chart of MW&L’s energy sources through 2017. The chart shows 15,000,000 kwhs uncovered. Craig stated the unreserved will be reduced by increase generation from our hydro units, additional Planned Purchases and one or more projects that VPPSA is evaluating.
6) OTHER BUSINESS:
Craig & Jim met with Dan Lindley about sewer services extending to the industrial park. Dan is under the impression the Town should take the lead on this project by securing funds and building the infrastructure. The Town was proposing a sewer district. Craig sees this as a role the Village should take over. In the end Dan stated he doesn’t care how it gets done as long as it gets done. If the Town does it, the Town will want to recoup their money before turning over ownership to the Village. The Trustees discussed the pros and cons of the Village taking the lead in the project. It makes the most sense for the Village to take the lead since we will do billing and administer the line extension tariff. We’d have to secure funding but that could be recouped through a surcharge. Penny mentioned that the WWTF actually has $50,000 left over in ARRA money in addition to allocation fees. It was agreed the Village should take the lead. Craig and Jim will prepare a presentation for the Selectboard for their November 15 meeting.
On the Friedman issue, the customer sent an e-mail looking for more from MW&L. Trustee Bourne asked if we were in our ROW. Jim pointed out there is no ROW, only permission for us to be there. We have not been able to complete all the work we promised to do because the land is too wet to access.
The Board reviewed the State’s infiltration calculation. You have to account for infiltration but you do not have to charge for it. Trustee Wildes pointed out that customers don’t have a problem paying the infiltration fee as long as the money stays in the system. Item tabled.
Hydro relicensing – tabled.
8) ADJOURNMENT:
At 8:20 PM, on a motion by Trustee Bourne, seconded by Trustee Sargent and unanimously approved, the Board adjourned the meeting.
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Wallace Reeve, Clerk