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Home My WebLink About1.22.2018 WRAB Minutes Signed CITY OF BOULDER, COLORADO BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS MEETING MINUTES Name of Board/Commission: Water Resources Advisory Board Date of Meeting: 22 January,2018 Contact Information for Person Preparing Minutes: Katherine Aug, 303-441-3208 Board Members Present: Kate Ryan,Kirk Vincent,Lesley Smith,Ted Rose,Mark Squillace Board Members Absent:none Staff Present: Jeff Arthur,Director of Public Works for Utilities Ken Baird,Financial Manager,Public Works Ward Bauscher,Utilities Maintenance Manager Douglas Sullivan, Acting Principal Engineer—Water, Wastewater and Stormwater Laila Parker,Public Works Project Coordinator Bronwyn Weygandt,Billing Services Supervisor D'Anne Koblick, Customer Information System Technical Support Specialist Jody Jacobson,Administrative Services Manager Katherine Aug,Board Secretary Consultants Present: none Agenda Item 1 —Call to Order 6:01 .m. Agenda Item 2—Approval of the 6 November 2017 Meeting Minutes [6:02 p.m.] Motion to approve minutes from 18 December 2018 as amended. Moved by: Rose Seconded by: Smith Vote: 5.0 Agenda Item 3—Public Participation and Comment 16:03 p.m.1 Public Comment: none Agenda Item 4—Information Item—2017 Utilities Year in Review 16:04 p.in.I Laila Parker presented this item This memo is intended to provide the WRAB with a broad overview of Utilities accomplishments and challenges in 2017,including highlights of major infrastructure and policy initiatives. It also outlines significant work efforts anticipated for 2018. While WRAB is primarily responsible for making recommendations regarding the capital improvement program and significant policy issues,information about day-to-day operations,maintenance,construction and administration may provide relevant context to inform those decisions. In 2017,as in recent years,maintenance,rehabilitation and replacement of aging infrastructure was a major focus for Utilities.A related theme in 2017 and moving into 2018 is the need to consider increased investment in stormwater collection system improvements and flood mitigation projects along major drainageways. Identified needs in these areas significantly exceed current funding levels. Emergency management also remained a focus area in 2017. In 2016,the Cold Springs fire threatened operations at Betasso Water Treatment Plant(WTP). In March 2017,the Sunshine fire began burning in the foothills west of Boulder.As a precautionary measure, Betasso WTP staff sheltered in place and deployed a recently acquired emergency fire sprinkler system.The Sunshine Hydroelectric facility was within a few feet of the eastern edge of the fire boundary and the 101 Pearl pressure reducing station was within a few hundred feet of the fire. Fortunately,neither facility sustained damage.The new Source Water Protection Plan identifies post-wildfire erosion,along with stormwater,to have the highest potential to impact water quality. WRAB Board Discussion Included: • Questions regarding ro'ected revenue from rate structure changes. WRAB Minutes 1/22/2018 Page No. 1 • Comments concerning notification procedures for Boulder County residents,specifically regarding the Boulder Canyon construction project. • Questions around Boulder Creek water quality sampling locations. • Inquiry regarding Boulder Creek E. coli levels. Interest was expressed in a future presentation regarding this monitoring project. • Questions concerning the removal of biogas and possible funding options for future projects. • Encouragement given around accomplishments by the city in 2017. • Discussion around lessons learned from the 2017 water quality infraction. • Questions regarding South Boulder Creek restoration and Denver Water funding. • Inquiry around the South Boulder Creek instream flow program. Agenda Item 5—Information Item—Utility Billing Portal Upgrade 16:26 p.m.I Bronwyn Weygandt and D'Anne Koblick presented this item. This Information Item does not require Water Resource Advisory Board(WRAB)action but is intended as a verbal update on the roll-out of a new online customer portal in 2018.This system offers several improvements to the customer experience,including: • Customers no longer need to maintain logins to two separate websites to retrieve bill information and pay a bill online. • Customers can customize the information they receive,such as displaying content in Spanish or receiving email or text notifications about bills or continuous use flags. WRAB Board Discussion Included: • Questions regarding how residents,property managers or home owners receive notifications through the new Utility Billing portal. • Questions concerning how the portal targets and encourages water conservation for households which exceed allotted water budgets. • Recommendations made to encourage users to conserve resources through multiple strategies; including games,competitions and incentives. • Questions regarding when the portal will be available to the public. Agenda Item 6-Matters from Board: 17:01 p.m.J • Public hearing and board discussion on WRAB Bylaws and Guidelines for Board Member Engagement. Public Comment on Guidelines for Engagement: None Motion: Move to approve proposed changes to the WRAB Guidelines for Engagement. Moved By: Vincent Seconded By: Ryan Vote: 5.0 Agenda Item 7—Matters from Staff: [7:10 p.m.] • The WRAB letter to City Council was assigned to the Mayor to present at the council retreat. The Mayor requested clarification from staff on anticipated council action related to CIP needs and regarding the likely level of public engagement around updates to the comprehensive flood and stormwater masterplan update. • South Boulder Creek flood mitigation, including potential mitigation on the Hogan Pancost property,were discussed during the council retreat. Agenda Item 8—Future Schedule 17:23 p.m.] • February 26,2018(Revised Date due to Presidents' Day Holiday) o Information Item—Citywide Public Process Efforts(Huntley) o Information Item—Utilities Communications/Outreach(Wilson/Nason) • Staff will provide a tour of the water meter repair and testing facility following adjournment. WRAB Minutes 1/22/2018 Page No.2 Adjournment 17:24 p.m.1 There being no further business to come before the Board at this time,by motion regularly adopted,the meeting was adjourned at 7:24 p.m. Motion to adjourn by: Ryan Seconded by: Rose Motion Passes 5:0 Date,Time,and Location of Next Meeting: The next WRAB meeting will be Monday,February 26tH,2018 at 6:00 p.m.,at the City's Municipal Services Center,5050 Pearl St.,Boulder,CO 80301 APPROVED BY: ATTESTED BY: D / Board Cha R Board Secretary: �e� �L Date: ;Vag /a01 y Date: 1 /�/�14 An audio recording of the full meeting for which these minutes are a summary is available on the Water Resources Advisory Board web page. https:Hbouldercolorado.gov/boards-commissions/water-resources-advisory-board-next-meetinp,-agenda-and-packet f I i WRAB Minutes 1/22/2018 Page No. 3