HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES Light and Power Committee 1998-10-08n
BRADFORD PUBLISHING CO.RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
Light 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 (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 1/1Qt1 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
RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
Light and Power Committee -October 8,1998 -Page 2
deposit,the Committee recommends approval of all three additions to the
Manual,directing staff to present additional information on Item #4 during
the Committee meeting in November.
FALL RIVER HYDRO RESTORATION PROJECT -AUTHORIZATION TO EXECUTE PLANNING
GRANT CONTRACT.
Director Matzke and Ass’t.Mangelsen gave an overview of this grant:the
contract period is from October 21,1998 through October 31,1999;work
must be commenced within 60 days of the Contract beginning date (10/21/98);
and it must be completed no later than 30 days prior to the Contract ending
date (10/31/99).The grant budget request is $46,965,the Town’s match is
$25,000,and the total project budget is $71,965.The residential
dwellings,as well as the plant structure itself are being included in the
grant.The Town has provided a list of the proposed contractors to the
State and they have been approved.Staff intends to present the contract
agreements for the historic architect and conservator at the November
Committee meeting.The Committee recommends the Mayor be authorized to
execute the Historical Planning Grant Contract.
REPORTS.
Platte River Power Authority.Director Matzke has attended his first PRPA
Board meeting as a Board member.During the September meeting,the 1999
Budget was presented.PRPA’s financial status is very sound,the Board is
projecting lower operational costs,and the budget does not contain a rate
increase for its member cities.The Board received a presentation on Y2K
issues as they impact PRPA,and Mike Dahl will be presenting a similar
program to the Town Board at their meeting October 27th•General Manager
Thaine Michie has announced his retirement effective the end of 1998,and
Board members will recommend a recruiting firm at their next meeting.
Financial Report.The August Income Statement and graphs were reviewed.
Project Updates.Staff is planning project “walk-throughs”on the
Meadowdale Hills and Glen Haven Projects.The Automated Meter Reading
(ANR)Project is nearing implementation subject to resolution of various
computer obstacles.Over 100 such meters have been installed and the Town
will receive benefits as soon as the system is fully operational.Both
electric and water meters will be read by the ERT modules;this system will
eliminate individual water readouts for those meters..
All electronics have been delivered and installed at all sites,including
the Municipal Building,for fiber optics.This project is also nearing
completion.
The Estes Substation site survey has been completed,staff has met with
PRPA,and staff will be sending out the specifications for the transformer.
A shipping estimate for receipt of the transformer is approximately 40
weeks.
There being no further business,Chairman Hix adjourned the meeting at 8:29
a .m.
Vickie O’Connor,CMC/AAE,Town Clerk
PPRovED
OCT13 1998