HomeMy WebLinkAbout06.15.20 WRAB MinutesWRAB Minutes
06/15/2020
Page No. 1
CITY OF BOULDER, COLORADO
BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS MEETING MINUTES
Name of Board / Commission: Water Resources Advisory Board
Date of Meeting: 15 June 2020
Contact Information for Person Preparing Minutes: Karen Sheridan, 303-441-3208
Board Members Present: Kirk Vincent, Ted Rose, Trisha Oeth, Gordon McCurry, John Berggren
Board Members Absent:
Staff Present: Joe Taddeucci, Director of Utilities
Douglas Sullivan, Principal Utilities Engineer
Ken Baird, Senior Financial Manager
John Stoddard, Treatment Plant Supervisor
Tom Settle, Deputy Director of Public Works for Utilities
Stephen Grooters, Engineering Services Manager
Chris Douville, Wastewater Treatment Manager
Cole Sigmon, Engineering Project Manager, Acting Principal Engineer
Joanna Bloom, Utilities Business Relations Manager
Karen Sheridan, Board Secretary
Agenda Item 1 – Call to Order [6:05 p.m.]
Agenda Item 2 – Approval of 18 May 2020 Meeting Minutes [6:08 p.m.]
Motion to Approve:
Moved by: Rose Seconded by: McCurry
Vote: 5:0
Agenda Item 3 – Public Participation and Comment [6:12 p.m.]
Public Comment:
Ben Binder: Good evening. My name is Ben Bender. I would like to provide you with feedback on the
three times the WRAB made recommendations on the South Boulder Creek Flood Mitigation Project.
My comments are not applicable to the two new WRAB members. In 2015 WRAB recommended a
CH2M Hill Plan referred to as Alternative D, even though that plan had four obvious major flaws. I’ll
list two of them. It blocked flows in Viele channel, so they couldn't get past the dam. It included a
2500-foot groundwater cut-off wall that completely blocked northeasterly groundwater flows, increasing
groundwater levels upstream and cutting off groundwater that irrigated open space meadows
downstream of the highway. In 2018, WRAB rejected the previously approved plan because of all of its
flaws and recommended a new design referred to as Variant 2. Variant 2 involved constricting the size
of the US 36 bridge opening under South Boulder Creek, to the point that there is no freeboard to allow
for the passage of floating debris, and this is in violation of bridge engineering design standards that
have been in place since the days of the Romans. Variant 2 also blatantly violated CDOT bridge design
specifications. To sell the dangerously constricted Variant 2 to the WRAB, city staff and consultants
cited a study which they claimed was a study of bridges and culverts throughout the world. If instead of
rubber stamping the staff recommendations, you had taken time to read the study, you would have found
that it was a study of a single flood event in Wollongong, Australia. In 2019, CDOT made it perfectly
clear that it would not allow the Variant 2 flow constrictor anywhere in its right of way. And at your last
meeting on the South Boulder Creek flood mitigation you rubber stamped the staff recommendation for
Option 1, which would reduce protection from a 500-year flood to a 100-year flood. One stated reason
you recommended the 100-year option was because you did not believe it was equitable to provide
South Boulder residents with 500-year protection, which is higher than that provided to other
neighborhoods, but in the Option 1 you recommended, it included $10 million to fill CU’s tennis courts
area out of the 500-year flood plain and $5 million to demolish the tennis courts and rebuild them on top
of the fill. In effect, you approved a plan with $15 million to provide 500-year protection to tennis
courts, but you had only wanted to provide 100-year protection to residents downstream. I really wish
you would do a better job of reading and studying the details of the projects that are put forward to you
for your review. Thank you very much.
WRAB Response:
•Concerns about accuracy of speaker’s statements.
WRAB Minutes
06/15/2020
Page No. 2
Agenda Item 4 – Draft Proposed 2021 Capital Improvement Project [6:15 p.m.]
Ken Baird, Senior Financial Manager, and Douglas Sullivan, Principal Utilities Engineer, presented this
item.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
As part of the city’s annual budget process, Utilities develops a six-year planning budget, this year for
the time period of 2021 through 2026. The Water Resources Advisory Board (WRAB) role in this
process is defined in the Boulder Revised Code: “. . . to review all environmental assessments and
capital improvements conducted or proposed by the utilities division.” Utilities staff has formulated
initial revenue and expenditure projections for each of the three utility funds through the year 2026.
Within the budget process, City Council approves and appropriates funds only for the first year, 2021.
The focus of the Utilities CIP continues to be on rehabilitation or replacement of aging infrastructure
and meeting regulatory requirements. Deferring maintenance can result in higher costs when emergency
repairs are needed and could have an impact on providing services to customers. WRAB will be asked to
make a recommendation to City Council regarding the 2021-2026 CIP at its July meeting. The Planning
Board will review the complete city CIP, including utilities, in August. City Council will discuss the
recommended budget in September at a study session, and the overall budget is scheduled to be adopted
by City Council in October.
This packet contains the draft proposed 2021-2026 Utilities CIP. The fund financials (Attachment A)
have been updated to reflect actual revenues and expenditures for 2019. At this point 2019 financial
information is unaudited and may have some adjustments as fiscal year 2019 is closed out. The draft
proposed CIP spreadsheets for Water, Wastewater and Stormwater/Flood Management are included in
Attachment B. This memo provides information about the financial outlook of the three Utility funds,
including rate and bill impact implications and anticipated bonds. An overview of the three Utility CIPs
is also included, with discussion of changes from the previous CIP.
WRAB Discussion:
• Question if rate increases must be spread across all customers equally or if there is a more
equitable way.
• Comment that board might encourage another rate structure study.
• Question if drop in water enterprise fund due to project shifting or effort to keep rate increase
similar.
• Request to elaborate on the reason for the 12% increase in the stormwater/flood fund.
• Comment that an increase of stormwater/flood fund under 10% might be easier on customers
during a difficult financial time. Suggestion to consider increase at 9% then revisit yearly.
• Question what percentage of revenue is single-family residential.
• Question if there is a plan for increase in base charge per meter size.
• Comment that triple digits bills would get notable attention.
• Comment to consider ways to find middle ground, lessen the rate impact during the current
pandemic without loading all increases in 2024 or other year.
• Comment that presenting slide without stormwater data first, then a second slide stormwater
data added might be beneficial.
• Question if ending balance of water fund for this year is a concern.
• Question which number the rating agencies care about.
• Question if COVID-impact loss is revenue.
• Question risk of delaying Albion Dam repair project.
• Request to briefly describe the Gregory, Bluebell Canyon, and Kings Gulch projects, how they
tie into the CFS master plan, and whether there is advantage or disadvantage to holding projects
until CFS master plan is complete.
• Comment that holding some projects and lowering the rate increase could keep total billing
under $100.
• Question if Mile High is a funding source for Gregory Creek.
• Questions about notable changes to projected budgets, including line items for the water
treatment facilities, treated water distribution system, WRRF digester complex, and main
interceptor realignment.
WRAB Minutes
06/15/2020
Page No. 3
Agenda Item 5 – Matters from Board [7:32 p.m.]
•Board Member Vincent:
-Bureau of Reclamation has launched their water smart grant program. Maximum grant is
$750,000. Focus is on drought planning.
-National League of Cities in the Water Now group sent a letter to Congress asking to
broaden the stimulus package to include projects involving waterworks. Letter signed by
board member on city’s behalf.
-Sanitary sewer line replacement was witnessed to be going smoothly in front of the board
member’s home.
•Board Member Berggren: Encourage other members to join the Water Now Alliance. Free,
easy and great resource of water utility reports and case studies.
Agenda Item 6 – Matters from Staff [7:38 p.m.]
•Introduction of Jon Stoddard, Water Treatment Manager. John was promoted recently after
years as Water Treatment Supervisor.
•Tom Settle, previous Water Treatment Manager, has been promoted to Deputy Director.
•COVID-19 Update:
-More staffing changes announced.
-Conservative estimates of less revenue. Compared to sales tax and general fund
departments, Utilities are doing well. Experience is similar among neighboring
municipalities.
-Holding 13 Utilities positions open.
•SBC and CU South:
-Public Hearing at City Council June 16 meeting. Three and a half hours dedicated. Staff
to present feedback from boards and public engagement processes following the February
25 study session.
•Participation in COVID screening study in raw wastewater continues. Study attempts to
determine an effective and potentially quicker way of estimating occurrence of virus in the
community. Study complements public health data. Collaborating with statewide group
continues, with hope to develop a less expensive, quicker testing and analysis option so work
can be done in state.
Agenda Item 7 – Discussion of Future Schedule [7:45 p.m.]
•July: Public hearing and recommendation on Capital Improvement Program; Stormwater
Quality Program Update.
•August: Likely no meeting.
•September: If meeting in person, could consider onsite meeting at 63rd Water Treatment
Facility to observe Carter Lake Pipeline completion and solar project.
Agenda Item 9 – Adjournment [7:48 p.m.]
Motion to adjourn by: Rose Seconded by: Oeth
Motion Passes 5:0
Date, Time, and Location of Next Meeting:
The next WRAB meeting will be held online on Monday, July 20, 2020 at 6:00 p.m.
APPROVED BY: ATTESTED BY:
Board Chair: _________________________ Board Secretary: ____________________________
Date: _______________________________ Date:______________________________________
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://bouldercolorado.gov/boards-commissions/water-resources-advisory-board-next-meeting-agenda-and-packet
SEE NEXT PAGE FOR SIGNATURES