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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES Light and Power Committee 1998-11-120 0 RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS vLight and Power Committee November 12,1998 Committee:Chairman Hix,Trustees Barker and Jeffrey Attending:All Also Attending:Town Administrator Widmer,Director Matzke, Museum Director Kilsdonk,Fleet Supt.Mahany, Ass’t.to Light &Power Director Mangelsen, Clerk O’Connor Absent:None Chairman Hix called the meeting to order at 8:00 a.m. FALL RIVER HYDRO RESTORATION PROJECT -REQUEST AUTHORIZATION TO EXECUTE CONTRACT FOR PLANNING PHASE. The Town has received a State Historical Grant of $46,965 for planning the restoration of the Fall River Hydro Plant.The State Historical Society has approved the following firms for this project:Long Hoeft Architects (Historical Architect), Rocky Mountain Conservation Center (Conservator),and the National Resource Connection (Interpretive Specialist).Museum Director Kilsdonk described the work each firm will be performing,identifying their expertise in the field.Staff anticipates that a Master Plan will be developed that will be presented in Spring,1999.Following completion of the Master Plan,staff will apply to the Historical Society for funding to implement the Plan.An exhibit is planned at the Museum and the Municipal Building next spring.Ass’t.Mangelsen confirmed that existing base maps will suffice for the site survey. The 1998 Budget contains a total of $71,965 for this project, with $46,965 provided by the grant,and $25,000 by the Light and Power Department.The total cost of the contracts is $66,265. The Committee recommends approval of the following Contracts: Long Hoeft Architects $59,035,Rocky Mountain Conservation Center $1,880,and Natural Resource Connection $5,350 to provide services detailed in their proposals.The Committee applauded Town staff and the volunteers who have been working on this project. RADIO SYSTEM UPGRADE-AUTHORIZATION TO PURCHASE. Staff reported on the Town’s single radio channel shared by the Light and Power,Water,Streets,Parks,Community Development, Fleet and Fairgrounds Departments for office to vehicle and vehicle to vehicle communication.There is a base station in the Municipal Bldg.,a remote base station at the Light and Power Service Bldg.,and a transmitter on Prospect Mountain,connected by a lease line from U.S.West.This system has provided sufficient radio service for the Town,however,there are areas south and east of Estes Park where communication is poor or non existent.Since U.S.West replaced a portion of their system with fiber optic cable,performance of the remote base station at the service building has suffered. Staff began working with its radio service provider (now known as Wireless Advanced Communications (WAC)),in late 1997 to obtain C 0 RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Light and Power Committee -November 12,1998 -Page 2 FCC licensing for additional radio frequencies.Staff has obtained licenses which will allow the Town to install a repeater system for the Light and Power Dept.and later convert the original municipal channel to a repeater system as well. The Town has negotiated a proposal from WAC to furnish and install the equipment to provide a radio system which will provide extended radio coverage for crews working in remote areas of the service area,and will provide a clear channel for communication during construction,switching,and outages.This system will reduce radio traffic on the municipal channel, provide a single channel for Light &Power,and provide greater availability to the other departments. Fleet Supt.Mahany reviewed installation and equipment,re programming,etc.,and clarified access.There is some savings by the deletion of a telephone line.Staff reported the town was fortunate to obtain licenses due to the limited number of available radio frequencies,and they opted to obtain an additional Municipal channel for future use. The 1998 Light and Power Budget contains $22,000 to purchase the above—referenced system,and the WAC proposal is $22,076.50.The Committee recommends staff be authorized to upgrade the radio system from Wireless Advanced Communications at a cost of $22,076.50.The Committee expressed their appreciation to Fleet Supt.Mahany for his work on this project. REPORTS. System Outage.Director Matzke briefed the Committee on the one— hour±outage that affected the Estes Substation on Nov.7th• Affects of a wet snow storm caused a static line to contact a transmission line in Longmont.Several false trips occurred which in turn tripped the east bus at the Estes Power Plant Switchyard.This incident was the first live test to the recently installed new relaying system.WAPA and PRPA are studying the relaying settings to avoid reoccurrence,and the Dept.will pursue whether the Town’s duty personnel will be authorized to reset the relays in lieu of WAPA personnel.The Marys Lake Substation remained on—line throughout the outage which provided electricity for approximately 50%of the area. Trustee Jeffrey questioned whether staff could contact the Town Board when major outages occur.Staff explained their emergency procedure specifically pertaining to determining which agency is responsible (WAPA,PRPA,or Town),and the difficulties thereto in relaying information;however,when staff determines that there may be an extended outage,staff will attempt to notify the Town Board.Concerning the emergency generator,Administrator Widmer advised that an existing portable generator failed;with recent approval to purchase a new generator,emergency situations should be remedied. Platte River Power Authority.PRPA has hired Mycoff and Associates as the executive search firm to locate a general manager (existing Manager Mitchie will be retiring in December, 1998) 0 0 RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Light and Power Committee -November 12,1998 -Page 3 Through PRPA Solutions,their gas assets have been sold to ENSERCO.PRPA realized a 7%return on their 2—yr.investment. ENSERCO also agreed to hire two employees that were with PRPA. Financial Report.The September Income Statement was reviewed. Project Updates.The Pine Valley Three-Phase Project has been suspended as the Tree Trimming Contractor discovered that a portion of the line is located on private property and/or in heavily wooded areas.Due to clouded easements and affected customers desiring alternate routing,the contractor was suspended.The contract has confirmed that he will hold his bid price if the Town can engineer the line in question by Jan./Feb., 1999.Staff has since reviewed alternate routing,and they will verify exactly what easement rights exist.Staff may seek engineering funding in the future. A new cable and conduit product was installed at the Hwy.34 crossing.This product was successfully installed on the Glen Haven Underground Project,and advantages of this new product are decreased labor expenses,elimination of fitting 10’sections, and increased flexibility. Bids for the power transformers for the relocation of the Estes Substation are due 11/18,and delivery is expected in mid- September,1999. Installation of the fiber optics is essentially complete,and staff is now able to communicate with Shop facilities. Vince Grasek,an Environmental Management Consultant requested lie be placed on a bid list.Mr.Grasek was referred to Director Matzke. following completion of all agenda items,Chairman Hix adjourned the meeting at 8:47 a.m. k C1 LU fl 0 .4 /V Vickie O’Connor,CMC/AAE,Town Clerk RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 1ight and Power Committee October 8,1998 Committee:Chairman Hix,Trustees Barker and Jeffrey Attending:All Also Attending:Town Administrator Widmer,Director Matzke,Ass’t. Mangelsen,Clerk O’Connor Absent:None Chairman Hix called the meeting to order at 8:00 a.m. POLICY PROCEDURE MANUAL -PROPOSED ADDITIONS. Light &Power Director Matzke reported that the following additions to the Light and Power Policy/Procedure Manual are being requested by the Finance Dept.,and all revisions are more generous in nature than currently allowed: I.Third-Party Responsibility Form.Traditionally,the Town has accepted a third—party responsibility form in lieu of a residential deposit.Currently,there is no limit of liability for the party accepting responsibility for an electric account,nor a limit of term.Staff is proposing to limit the responsible party’s liability to twice the normally required residential deposit for that electric account.The responsible party would also set an expiration date for the agreement f on the revised form) II.Waiving a Commercial Electric Service Deposit.Currently, residential electric customers with a good payment history (for the past two years)are not required to pay a deposit when requesting a new residential service.Staff is recommending extending this practice to commercial customers as well.Policy guidelines for waiving a commercial electric service deposit include: 1.The responsible party must have at least five (5)years of good pay history for other commercial accounts.A good pay history is defined as two or less disconnect notices and/or two or less returned checks during this time period. 2.The responsible billing party’s name must be the same as the account referred to in Item #1 listed above. 3.The waiver of commercial deposits will only be allowed for accounts that would require a deposit of $1,000 or less. 4.Restaurants and lodging accounts will be excluded from this deposit waiver policy and be required to submit a deposit. 5.If two or more notices of discontinuance and/or returned checks are received on this account in any twelve—month period,the Town has the option to require a cash deposit. III.Budget Billing Plan/Commercial Customers.The Budget Billing Plan is currently available to residential customers,and staff is recommending the Plan be made available to commercial customers. Staff recommends changing the calculation of the monthly billing amount from /0th of the past twelve months total bills,to the monthly average of the past twelve months bills plus 5%. All three revisions/additions will be effective immediately upon approval of the Board of Trustees.Stating the Committee desires additional information/statistics on Item #4 related to waiving a commercial electric