2 - Minutes, January 22, 2007
CITY OF BOULDER,COLORADO
BOARDS AND COMMISSIONSMEETING SUMMARY FORM
NAME OF BOARD/COMMISSION:
Water ResourcesAdvisory Board
DATE OF MEETING:
January 22, 2007
NAME/TELEPHONE OF PERSON PREPARING SUMMARY:
Jennifer Gray,303-441-4073
NAMESOFMEMBERS,COUNCIL, STAFF, AND INVITED GUESTS PRESENT:
BOARD MEMBERS–
KenWilson,Jim Knopf, RobinByers, Bart Miller, Kelly DiNatale
STAFF –
NedWilliams, BobHarberg, Joanna Crean, CarolLinn, Randy Earley, Floyd Bebler, Carter
Coolidge (intern),Jennifer Gray-Secretary
WHAT TYPE OF MEETING (BOLDONE)[REGULAR]
[SPECIAL][QUASI-JUDICIAL]
Agenda Item1– Call to Order
The meeting was called to order at7:03p.m.
AgendaItem 2 – Meeting Minutes –December 18, 2006
Motion:Motionto accept the meetingminutes with corrections by DiNatale
Seconded:Knopf
Vote: 5-0 infavor, Passed
Agenda Item3– Public participationand comment.
Lawrence Budd, waterauditorfrom Fort Collins
: I have concerns about thewater budget
program. The singlefamily budgets are welldone. I am very concerned about the commercial and
multifamily properties. There are some properties thathave beengivenway too muchwater
allocation andothers that are notgiven enough.Ifpeople are getting too much water, they are not
going to contact the City ofBoulder to change that,so we are not promoting conservation.I think
the City of Boulder should look into thisfurther.
Public Participation was closed.
Agenda Item 4–Update on Utility Financial Reserves / Rate StabilizationReserve
Linn
presented on the Utility Financial Reserves and RateStabilization Reserve. Shepresented theboard
with summaryresultsof a survey of 10other communities as well as where Boulder stands in this analysis.
RedOak Consulting(JohnGallagher andAndrew Rheem) alsopresented informationon their report.Linn
asked the Boardforfeedback.
WRAB questionsand comment:
DiNataleLinn
:Whenwould the capital reservebe used?:It could be usedwhen there is an
unexpected capitalcost or a revenue shortfall.
Wilson:Linn
Why didn’t we use thelarge reserves duringthe drought?: We did reduce our
reserve that year, in addition toreducingoperating and capital costs as a way to save money.
Williams
:Wewere going into anunpredictable situation and duration and the prudent thingwas
tosavemoney since we didn’tknow howlong we wouldbe inthe drought.
Wilson:
Whatwehave reserves for is not consistentWhywould we changewhatwehave a
Harberg
reserve for?.: Updates in technology and such can change whatwehave reserves for.
Wilson
: What happens when the operating reserveskeepsgrowing? I think we shouldmake an
effort to adjustthe rate increases so thatwe are close to theamounts thatwe may need.
DiNataleWilliams
: How can you get thesefunds?: If the fundshavebeen appropriated, a
conversation betweenstaff, myself and the FinanceDepartment or City Manager’s office is
DiNatale
prudent inorder to access thefunds.:Would the capital reservesbe appropriated?
Williams
:No, not unless we changed our normalprocessto havethe funds appropriated during
the annual budget process.
ByersDiNatale
: Would you userate reservesfor demandhardening?: No, since reserves are for
temporaryissues, not on-going revenuereductions
Byers
: For theentities reviewed,whichones are TABOR enterprises andwhich are not?Would
Consultant
therebe constraints due to TABORregulations onreservefunds?: The surveyed
DiNatale
Colorado communities are similar to Boulder.:Boulderutilities meet the TABOR
Williams
definitionof an enterprise and are thereforeexempt from TABORregulations.: We will
check on this.
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Byers
:Why isn’t there any community fromthe west slope and whyuse Arizona, Texas, etc?
Williams
: I wanted togo outside Colorado to see otherplaces thathad water conservation
ByersWilliams
programs.:Why not California,Highlands Ranchor Centennial?: We felt we had
enough communities closer than Californiafor a goodrepresentation..
Agenda Item5–Update on the Wastewater Treatment Strategic Plan
Harberg and Earley presented the Wastewater Treatment Strategic Plan for the board’sreview and
comment. Earley asked for feedbackfrom the board.
WRAB questionsand comment:
Byers:
With the Countybeing more restrictive aboutseptic systems duringthe County permit
Harberg
process, will we get more applications for hookup to our sewer system?: Wehave
accounted for those areas in our planning process.
Miller:
Suggested severalformat changes regarding thepresentation of the plan.
Miller:Bebler
I thinkthe energy level issues are prevalent. Is fleet hauling efficient?: The
majority of the hauling isdone byprivate/outside contractors and we donot monitoror control
their fleet and fuel systems. The city’s Biosolids fleet is onthe older side and not as efficient as
newermodels. Weare notanticipating replacing the city fleet becausewe’rerelying on the
private haulers.
Byers:Williams
Is theUtilities department exempt from carbon tax?: No, the city departments
will pay the tax. But, the commercial rate is lower than the residential rate.
Miller:
Is there a way to anticipate if thisWWTP upgrade will help with our ratingofammonia?
Bebler
: That is a driving force and it will helpour treatment/removal ofammonia.
Miller:
It might be useful tothrow inhow citizens canhelpwith this.
DiNatale:
In thefuture, linking all of theseplans togetherwould be useful. Itwould alsobenice
to showhistorical flow data as well in thisplan.
Agenda Item 6- Update on the BenchmarkStudy to Evaluate Utility Performance
Coolidge, Crean and Harbergpresented on the Benchmark Study to Evaluate Utility Performance including
summary results of thestudyconductedon this subject as well as Boulder’sposition within this study.
WRAB questionsand comment:
Byers:
Why is the utilities information in the Benchmark Studyfrom the other communities
Coolidge
confidential?:Perhaps they are not forthcomingwith that information in casethey are
DiNatale:
not doing well.Also, it helps ingetting communities to respond to surveys if you tell
them the specific info/datawill onlybereleased in summary form. The data is public information
and is available from each community, but someone needsto expend a lot of time to get it.
Wilson:
Something seems wrong in the calculations sincewe are so muchhigher inwater
DiNatale &Harberg
distribution percentages.: That is becausewe are a mature community that
is more stableand able toput fundsforth for maintenance and thatvaries thedepreciation value
that goes into this calculation.
Wilson:
The theoretical value for the system renewal/replacement rate seems a bit high at $39
Harberg
million.:We will have to check that.
Wilson:DiNatale
There are issueswith some calculations,but it is good to look at. : A peergroup
survey would be great.
Agenda Item7-
Matters From Staff–
Williams
: There is anupcoming study sessionon ValmontButte for City Council on Jan. 30. I
alsohave updates the SouthPlatte RiverWells issue. Finally, Ihave a copy of thewaterbudget
Rules onhowwe calculatewater budgets that areoutfor thepublic review and comment right
now.
The City Council retreat is this Friday andSaturday if youare interested.There is no public
comment.
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There is a publicmeeting on thedental amalgammeeting this Thursday at the Municipal Services
Center.
South BoulderCreekflood study informationwill beon the Web and functioningby the first of
February, but we maynotbe ableto present thisatthe next meeting. We will knowaroundFeb.
17-20 if the South Boulder Creekflood study will be an agenda item on Feb.26.
Mattersfrom Board –
Knopf:Williams
On the water budgetbills, there seemed tobe a problem in the mailing system.:
Therewereabout 1,600bills thathadto be printed on old stationary because ofa delayina
shipment of new material.
Byers:
The County is changing landuse regulations,basically limiting house size and
development rate. It is in a legal battle.It could impact differentutility projects if it goes through.
AgendaItem 8 – Discussion of schedulefor future meetings.
Agenda Item9- Adjournment
Motion: Motion toadjourn by Byers
Seconded by Miller
Vote: 5-0 infavor, passed.
Meeting adjourned at 10:17PM
Date, Time, and Location of Next Meeting:
Thenext meeting will be Monday, Feb. 26–6p.m.,regularmeeting with a special, early time, Municipal
Services Center,5050 East Pearl Street unless otherwisedecidedby staff and theboard.
These are summaryminutes.Audio tapes are available through Central Recordsforfull record.
Minutes approved by:____________________
Date: ____________________
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