[Call to Order]
[00:00:05]
>> WELCOME TO THE REGULAR MEETING FOR FORT PIERCE UTILITIES AUTHORITY ON MARCH 7, 223.
I ALMOST PUT US BACK IN 2013. PLEASE STAND FOR THE OPENING PRAYER AND THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
>> FATHER, WE COME TO YOU DAD AND WE JUST ASK YOU, FATHER, TO LEAD THIS BOARD AS THEY GOVERN FOR THE CITY OF THE FORT PIERCE RESIDENTS AND THEY GOVERN OVER ALL THE ACTIVE IS OF THE UTILITIES AUTHORITY. THE DUTY THAT THEY HAVE SA HUMBLING THING, TO BE IN SUCH LEADERSHIP.
FATHER, WE GIVE THAT TO YOU. WE ASK YOU TO PROVIDE THEM WITH YOUR WISDOM SO THEY ARE ABLE TO GOVERN IN A WAY THAT IS FAIR TO THE UTILITIES AUTHORITY AND THE CONSTITUENTS OF FORT PIERCE.
AND WE GIVE ENTIRE COMPANY TO YOU, LORD, THE GOD, THE WAY YOU WOULD WANT IT TO GO SO WE WILL DO THE THINGS THAT ARE GOOD FOR EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY. IN JESUS', NAME WE PRAY.
>> I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
>> THANK YOU. MS. CORTEZ, PLEASE CALL THE
[A. SET THE AGENDA]
>> WE HAVE THE AGENDA SET. DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY APPROVALS FOR THAT? GO AHEAD, I'M SORRY.
>> YES. I WOULD IMAGINE HE WILL BE HERE.
I TALKED TO HIM. I DO HAVE ONE ITEM THAT WE NEED TO ADD. WE ADDED A CONTRACTS UNDER 50 ON THE SECOND PAGE. DOES NOT REQUIRE A VOTE BY THEBOARD. WE ADDED AN AGREEMNT FOR THE CATHOLIC SCHOOL FOR DOING SOME WORK ON THEIR PROPERTY THAT THEY REQUIRED US TO SIGN. MR. FINKLEA HAS REVIEWED THE
THANK YOU. >> I MOVE APPROVAL OF THE
>> PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. >> MRS. BENNETT?
>> YES, MA'AM. >> MR. LAMMERS?
>> YES, MA'AM. >> MRS. GIBBONS?
[B. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
HAS EVERYBODY HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THE MINUTES? ANY CHANGES? OR MOVE FOR APPROVAL?
>> I APPROVE THE MINUTES. >> A SECOND.
>> PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. >> MRS. BENNETT?
>> YES, MA'AM. >> MR. LAMMERS?
>> YES, MA'AM. >> MAYOR HUDSON?
>> YES, MA'AM. >> MRS. GIBBONS?
ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC TODAY?
[D. CONSENT AGENDA]
DOESN'T LOOK LIKE IT. MOVING ON.CONSENT AGENDA. ANY QUESTIONS, ANYTHING WE NEED TO PULL? CAN I ENTERTAIN A MOTION?
>> I MOVE APPROVAL. >> SECOND.
>> PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. >> MRS. BENNETT?
>> YES, MA'AM. >> MR. LAMMERS?
>> YES, MA'AM. >> MAYOR HUDSON?
>> YES, MA'AM. >> MRS. GIBBONS?
SEEING AS WE HAVE NO RECOGNITION OF EXCELLENCE OR OLD BUSINESS,
[G.1. Power Cost Adjustment January 2023 – For Information Only]
WE WILL MOVE RIGHT INTO NEW BUSINESS.>> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
THE FIRST ITEM THIS AFTERNOON IS AN UPDATE ON THE ELECTRIC POWER COST ADJUSTMENT FOR JANUARY, 2023.
THIS PRESENTATION WILL ALSO INCLUDE A NEW APPROACH ON HOW WE HANDLE THE PCA FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR.
IN THE PAST, WE HAVE ON OCCASION, RAISED AND LOWERED THE PCA SHARPLY IN A SINGLE MONTH DUE TO NATURAL GAS PRICES.
OUR RECOMMENDATION WILL PARALLEL HOW WE ADDRESSED THE POWER COST ADJUSTMENT IN DECEMBER THROUGH FEBRUARY WITH SMALLER AMOUNTS TO HELP MINIMIZE THE IMPACTS TO CUSTOMERS.
IF YOU RECALL IN EARLY JANUARY, STAFF PROPOSED A PROJECTED DECREASE OF THE POWER COST ADJUSTMENT BY A $15 IN JUNE.
AND ANOTHER ONE IN OCTOBER WHICH I BELIEVE WAS $15.
TODAY WE ARE RECOMMENDING TO START REDUCING THE POWER COST ADJUSTMENT IN MAY. A LITTLE SOONER.
BY A SMALLER AMOUNT. THEN EACH MONTH AFTER THAT, FOR THE NEXT FIVE MONTHS, IT WOULD BE A DECREASE OF $5.
THE IDEA HERE IS TO PROVIDE THE BOARD WITH A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A FLEXIBILITY TO PIVOT IN THE EVENT NATURAL GAS MARKET MAKES A SHARP TURN UPWARD WITH. THAT BACKGROUND, THE DIRECTOR OF FINANCIAL ADMINISTRATION WILL PRESENT THIS ITEM.
>> THANK YOU, MR. CISNEROS. MADAM CHAIR AND BOARD MEMBERS, GOOD AFTERNOON. I HAVE THE UPDATED TABLES AND CHARTS FOR THE JANUARY POWER COST AND THE PROJECTION THAT IS ARE BASED ON FMPA'S FORECAST FOR THE NEXT 12 MONTHS.
[00:05:04]
THIS TABLE SHOWS THE QUARTERLY IMPACT OF THE POWER COST ADJUSTMENT AND THE CUMULATIVE BALANCE OF THE POWER COSTS THAT HAVE BEEN COLLECTED. OUR GOAL IS TO MAINTAIN A RESERVE TO ALLOW FOR FUTURE FLUCTUATIONS IN THE COST OF PURCHASE POWER. THE MINIMUM FOR THAT RESERVE IS SET AT $1 MILLION. DURING THE MONTH OF JANUARY, THE POWER COST ADJUSTMENT OF $35 PER MEGAWATT HOUR, FPUA HAD RECOVERED POWER COSTS FROM THE CUSTOMER IN THE AMOUNT OF $487,000. FOR THE THREE MONTHS INTO DECEMBER, WE UNDERCOVERRED $865,000.THIS BRINGS THE CUMULATIVE BALANCE OF THE POWER COST COLLECTED AT THE END OF JANUARY TO AN UNDERCOLLECTION OF $163,000. THE COST OF POWER PURCHASE FROM FMPA FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY WAS BILLED TO FPUA AT A BLENDED RATE OF $96.97 FOR 1,000 KILOWATT HOURS.
THIS WAS A $16.50 DECREASE WHEN COMPARED TO THE DECEMBER BILLING FROM FMPA. THIS CHART TRACKS THE CUMULATIVE MONTHLY BALANCE OF THE POWER COST RECOVERY IN RELATION TO THE APPROVED POWER COST ADJUSTMENT. THE AMOUNT IS REPRESENTED BY THE DARK BLUE LINE WHICH FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY WAS $35 FOR 1,000 KILOWATT HOURS. THE BARS IN THIS CHART REPRESENT THE LEVEL OR... OF THE OVER OR UNDER RECOVERY WITH THE BLUE BARS REPRESENTING ACTUAL MONTHLY BALANCES THAT WERE UNDER OR OVERCOLLECTED. AND THE ORANGE BAR SHOWING THE PROJECTED LEVEL OF THE RECOVERY, WHAT IT WOULD BE WITH THE CURRENT FORECASTED NUMBERS. THIS CHART INCLUDES INCREASES TO THE PCA THAT WERE IMPLEMENTED FOR BILLINGS IN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY. IN ADDITION, THE CURRENT RECOMMENDATION OF NO CHANGE UNTIL MAY OR JUNE.
IS SHOWN ON THOSE LINES. SINCE OUR LAST FORECAST, FMPA'S ESTIMATE OF THE COST OF PURCHASE POWER FOR THE UPCOMING 12 MONTHS HAS DECREASED BY ABOUT $2 MILLION OR 3.7%.
THE NEXT THREE MONTHS, THE FORECASTED COST OF POWER FOR 1,000 KILOWATT HOURS AVERAGE WILL BE ABOUT $104.
AS WE MOVE FORWARD, THE AVERAGE WILL GO DOWN TO $90 OR $91 BY JUNE OR JULY. THIS GRAPH IS WHAT MR. CISNEROS WAS REFERRING TO. THIS REPRESENTS A COMPARE SON OF THE CURRENT PROJECTION FOR JANUARY WITH TWO DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES FOR THE UPCOMING SUMMER MONTHS THROUGH THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR. THE RATE STABILIZATION FUND RANGE NOTED WITH THE BLUE DASHES LINE IS SET TO MAINTAIN BETWEEN $1 MILLION AND $5 MILLION. IT IS GREEN LINE... THE GREEN LINE REPRESENTS THE CURRENT PROPOSAL OF NO CHANGE NOW WITH THE SCENARIO THAT WE HAVE BEEN BRINGING TO YOU FOR THE PAST TWO PRESENTATIONS, AND THAT IS REDUCING THE PCA BY $15 IN JUNE TO $24. AND THEN ANOTHER $14 IN OCTOBER, BRINGING THE PCA TO $10 JUST BEFORE THE WINTER MONTHS COME UPON US. THE RED LINE SHOWS A MORE GRADUAL APPROACH TO REDUCING THE PCA.
WITH, AGAIN NO, CHANGE FOR APRIL.
BUT ALLOWING FOR FIVE MONTHLY REDUCTIONS FROM MAY THROUGH SEPTEMBER OF $5 EACH FOR EACH MONTH.
REDUCING THE PCA. I HAVE THE AMOUNTS THAT THE PCA WOULD BE BY THOSE $5. IT WOULD BE REDUCED TO 34.
AND TO KEEP THIS IN SYNCH WITH THE OTHER SCENARIO, THERE IS A $4 REDUCTION IN OCTOBER, BRINGING THAT TO THE $10.
FOR OCTOBER 1. BOTH SCENARIOS RECOMMEND NO CHANGE FOR APRIL. AND FOLLOW THE SAME PATH, BRINGING THE OVERRECOVERY TO THE CEILING OF THE RATE STABILIZATION FUND SOMETIME IN AUGUST.
TAKING A SLOWER, MORE GRADUAL APPROACH WILL NOT ONLY TAKE US TO-- ON A VERY SIMILAR PATH BUT IT WILL ALSO HELP US TO ROLL BACK THE PCA OVER THE SUMMER MONTHS.
WHILE REGAINING THAT RATE STABILIZATION FUND.
ACCOMPLISHING THE SAME THING. IT ALSO AVOIDS WHAT WE EXPERIENCED LAST YEAR. THE SHARP UP-AND-DOWN ADJUSTMENTS WE DEALT WITH LAST JULY, AUGUST, AND SEPTEMBER.
TO THE PCA. OUR STAFF MONITORS THE POWER COST ADJUSTMENTS AND THE IMPACT TO OUR COST REGULARLY.
SO WE CAN REPORT TO THE BOARD EVERY MONTH.
AND AT THIS TIME, WE ARE RECOMMENDING NO CHANGE TO THE PCA BUT ARE PRESENTING TWO THEIR JOES-- TWO SCENARIOS UP FOR
[00:10:01]
CONSIDERATION DOWN THE ROAD. THIS ITEM IS FOR YOUR INFORMATION ONLY. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LLBE HAPPY TO ADDRESS THEM. >> I WOULD BE CURIOUS.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FOR YOU. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS? MY THOUGHTS WERE IMMEDIATELY, HEY, WE ARE ONLY INCREASING IN SMALLER INCREMENTS. IT MAKES SENSE TO THEN BACK OUT OF IT THE SAME KIND OF WAY. SO THAT THERE IS NOT THAT SHARP DROP. EVEN THOUGH I THINK WE ALL WOULD LOVE TO GO HEY, LET'S JUST DROP IT DOWN.
IT FEELS LIKE IT MAY FEEL BETTER IN AUGUST THAN SEPTEMBER TO HAVE A LOWER RATE THERE. YOU KNOW? I JUST AM CURIOUS WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS ARE ON THAT.
NOT THAT WE ARE MAKING A DECISION TODAY.
JUST TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION. >> YOU KNOW, IN CONCEPT, REDUCING THE PCA WHEN YOU ARE IN THE HOTTER MONTHS WOULD BE SOME RELIEF TO OUR CUSTOMERS. THAT IS WHEN WE HAVE KIDS HOME.
THAT IS WHEN WE HAVE TEACHERS OUT OF WORK.
IF WE ARE ABLE TO GIVE RELIEF DURING THOSE MONTHS, I'M FOR IT.
ESPECIALLY SINCE IT LOOKS LIKE WE WILL BE ROUGHLY AROUND THE $6 MILLION, $7 MILLION MARK ANYWAYS.
WHEN WE COME INTO THAT NOVEMBER, OCTOBER, DECEMBER AREA.
WHICH IS AN AMOUNT WE PROBABLY NEED TO HAVE ON HAND SHOULD WE ENCOUNTER A SIGNIFICANT GAS SHORTAGE COMING IN THE NEXT YEAR OR SO. THAT GIVES US A LOT LONGER TIME TO SEE WHAT THE MARKET DOES BEFORE WE START TAKING DRASTIC ACTION SUCH AS INCREASING THE PCA AGAIN.
SO I'M WITH IT. I THINK MANAGEMENT, I THINK, HAS A PLAN FOR THIS. WHETHER WE DO IT WITH A DRASTIC LOWERING IN JULY AND OCTOBER, THAT CAN BE DONE.
I THINK PEOPLE WOULD BE HAPPIER TO HAVE RELIEF IN THE SUMMERTIME. WHEN WE ARE CRANKING THE A.C.
THE LONGEST. >> MADAM CHAIR, YES.
I 100% AGREE WITH THAT SENMENT. THAT YOU KNOW, IF WE CAN INSTEAD OF REDUCING THE PCA10% OVER THE NEXT THREE OR FOUR MONTHS, IF WE CAN REDUCE IT, YOU KNOW, 20% TO 30%, 40%, WHEN THE BILLS ARE GOING TO GO UP BY 30%, 40%. CONSUMPTION GOES UP BY THAT AMOUNT. I THINK THAT IS THE MORE BEN OFFICIAL... BENEFICIAL THING TO CUSTOMER.
NOT ONLY IS THE ELECTRIC USE SO HEAVILY WEATHER-DEPENDENT WHICH WE HAVE HOT SUMMERS, BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, THE FAMILIES HAVE THEIR KIDS HOME DURING IS THE SUMMER.
KIDS TEND TO LIKE IT COLDER. THEY CRANK THE A.C. DOWN WHEN PARENTS AREN'T WATCHING SO THEY CAN PLAY VIDEO GAMES.
AND SO I THINK I TOTALLY AGREE WITH MR. FEE.
THE BEST THING TO DO IS KIND OF HOLD OFF UNTIL WE ENTER THOSE WARM MONTHS. AND GIVE OUR CUSTOMER THE BEST
BENEFIT THEN. >> I AGREE ALSO BECAUSE I'M LOOKING AT IT WHEREAS A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE OUT OF WORK AT THAT TIME. YOU KNOW, SCHOOL IS OUT.
TEACHERS ARE OFF. THE WHOLE SCHOOL BOARD SYSTEM PRETTY MUCH SHUTS DOWN. SO THEY NEED THAT EXTRA INCOME AT THAT TIME. SO THEREFORE, I AGREE WITH THEM,
SOUNDS GOOD TO ME, TOO. ALTHOUGH IT IS KIND OF WARM RIGHT NOW. (LAUGHTER) GOSH.
PART OF IT IS WE ARE STILL HAVING A WARM-- EVERYBODY IS
HAVING A WARM WINTER. >> IT IS A MILD WINTER.
IT IS A CRAZY YEAR. I REALLY DO BELIEVE WE OUGHT TO DO THINGS GRADUALLY AND NOT BIG DROPS AND BIG INCREASES.
I THINK THAT IS IT. >> I'M GLAD WE ARE ON THE SAME
>> THAT IS GOOD. >> SO MAYBE WHAT WE COULD DO IS LOOK AT MAYBE A SMALLER DECREASE IN MAY.
AND THEN MAYBE A SLIGHTLY BIGGER ONE, THE $15 DECREASE.
WE CAN LOOK AT SOME OPTIONS. AND SEE WHERE IT FALLS.
MAYBE SMALLER ONES, CONTINUE TO DO SMALLER ONES OVER THE SUMMER.
AND MAYBE TRY TO GET TO THE OCTOBER RANGE TO BE-- ABOUT THE SAME. THE $10 MARK.
>> RIGHT. >> WE CAN LOOK AT THAT SCENARIO.
AND SEE IF THAT WOULD WORK. IT HAS BEEN HOT.
AND YOU KNOW, WE DO FEEL LIKE WEST WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY HERE BECAUSE THE GAS PRICES ARE BEING LOW.
TO BUILD UP THE RATE STABILIZATION FUND TO WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE. MRS. FEE WAS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
ONCE WE GET UP TO THAT HIGHER MARK, WE ARE GETTING INTO THE EARLY PART OF 2024 WHICH THERE ARE STILL A LOT OF UNKNOWNS.
[00:15:03]
PART OF THE ABILITY FOR US TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS IS WE DO HAVE LOCKED-IN GAS FOR 75%. THEN WE HAVE 50% FOR THE FOLLOWING YEAR. BECAUSE WE HAVE THAT, THIS GIVES US THE ABILITY TO LOOK AT THIS A LITTLE BIT MORE STRATEGIC.>> IT ACTUALLY MEANS MORE THAN JUST-- I MEAN, EVEN IF YOU LOOK AT THE EXPECTED VS. WHAT THE ACTUAL WAS FOR JANUARY, IT IS SO MUCH CLOSER THAN IT HAS BEEN TRENDING FOR THE LAST YEAR.
YOU KNOW? I MEAN, THEY ARE SO FAR OFF.
NOW WE HAVE A GOOD PULSE ON IT. >> BECAUSE WE ARE BEEN ABLE TO LOCK IN THOSE PRICES. WE DON'T LEAVE 25% TO THE MARKET. 75% IS LOCKED IN.
A SMALL PERCENTAGE IS LOCKED IN THE MARKET.
>> WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE WINTER OF '24 IS GOING TO BE.
>> NO. IF I KNEW THAT, I WOULD HAVE --
>> YOU WOULD HAVE A DIFFERENT JOB.
(LAUGHTER). >> I WANT TO ASK A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOR CLARIFICATION. ONE IS ARE THERE ANY OTHER DYNAMICS OTHER THAN HAVING A MILD WINTER UP NORTH THAT HAVE REDUCED THE PROJECTIONS OF NATURAL GAS COSTS? WE TALKED ABOUT A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT THINGS WHEN THEY FIRST STARTED GOING UP. ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS BEING INCREASED. THE WAR IN UKRAINE AND GAS PROVIDERS SHIPPING NATURAL GAS OVERSEAS.
I WOULD IMAGINE THOSE THINGS HAVEN'T CHANGED RECENTLY.
THE ONLY DYNAMIC THAT HAS POSSIBLY CHANGED IS THE PROJECTION FOR THE CONSUMPTION OF GAS UP NORTH, AND THAT HAS BEEN REDUCED BECAUSE OF THE MILD WINTER.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE WE NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO.
>> SO A COUPLE OF THINGS. THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, I HAVE BEEN SENDING TO THE BOARD MEMBERS, AN UPDATE FROM JACOB WILLIAMS. DISCUSSING SPECIFIC ITEMS. HE DOES PROVIDE A GOOD OVERVIEW. SO YOU SHOULD SEE THAT IN YOUR EMAIL. I'M GOING TO TRY TO MAKE SURE I SEND THAT TO BOARD MEMBERS EVERY WEEK OR EVERY COUPLE OF WEEKS.
WHENEVER HE SENDS OUT THOSE UPDATES.
THE MILD WINTER IS THE DRIVING FORCE.
ONE OF THE EXPORT STATIONS HAS BEEN OFF-LINE, AND IT HAS COME BACK ON-LINE MAYBE A WEEK AGO OR SO.
THAT IS CONTRIBUTING TO A HIGHER SURPLUS.
STORAGE NUMBERS ARE UP AS WELL. OBVIOUSLY, THAT LENDS ITSELF TO, YOU KNOW, SLIGHTLY LOWER PRICES. THERE IS STILL SOME UNKNOWNS.
WHEN THAT LNG STATION IS FULLY ON-LINE AND THE NEW ONE IS ON-LINE, THE ONE IN GEORGIA GOES ON-LINE LATER THIS YEAR, I MEAN, THAT COULD CHANGE THE PRICE. SO A MILDER WINTER...
LNG STATIONS OUT OF SERVICE. A STATION THAT SENDS GAS OVER TO EUROPE. STORAGE NUMBERS HAVE BEEN UP.
THOSE ARE DRIVING FORCES. >> I KNOW.
PRIOR TO THIS, WHEN WE HAD TO MAKE THOSE PCA ADJUSTMENTS, PART OF IT WAS THAT THERE WAS, YOU KNOW, A CUTOFF OF SOME OF THE FLOW FROM THE NORTH OR WHATEVER. THEY WEREN'T ACTUALLY REDUCING AS MUCH AND/OR SENDING IT ANYWHERE.
HAS THAT BEEN ALLEVIATED? >> YEAH.
WE DID, WE DID AT THE LAST BOARD MEETING, THEY DID TALK ABOUT THE PRODUCTION NUMBERS ARE STILL UP. THE PERCENTAGE OF WELL THAT IS ARE STILL OUT, IT IS STILL 30% BELOW THE NUMBERS THEY WERE IN 2018, 2019. BUT THERE HAVE BEEN MORE WELLS THAT HAVE BEEN COMING ON-LINE TO SUPPLEMENT THE DEMAND.
OR SUPPLY THE DEMAND. >> RIGHT.
>> NOT WHERE IT WAS PRE-COVID. >> WE ARE STILL THAT FAR OFF.
>> I HAVE A QUESTION. IS THERE A VISIBLE INCREASE IN OUR REVENUE BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN A WARM WINTER HERE? HAVE YOU NOTICED? HAVE YOU NOTICED THAT?
>> I DON'T THINK I CAN ANSWER THAT RIGHT NOW.
>> WE CAN GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT.
>> I WAS WONDERING. WE HAVE WINTER VISITORS HERE THAT ARE PROBABLY RUNNING THE A.C.
RIGHT? NORMALLY, THEY MIGHT NOT BE
DOING THAT THIS TIME OF YEAR. >> WE HAVE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE.
FORT PIERCE HAS BEEN VERY CROWDED FOR THE PAST WINTER.
YOU ARE RIGHT. WE CAN GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT.
>> ABSOLUTELY. >> A COUPLE MORE COMMENTS.
WHEN WE VOTE CA ADJUSTMENT, IT TAKES EFFECT THE NEXT MONTH.
>> YUP.% WE WOULD BE BRINGING THIS BACK TO YOU IN APRIL FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE OF MAY.
POTENTIALLY, MAY OR JUNE. WHATEVER SCENARIO YOU WOULD LIKE
>> OR IMPLEMENT. >> WE ARE NOT DOING ANYTHING
TODAY. >> WE ARE NOT DOING ANYTHING TODAY. ACTUALLY, THIS IS SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT. IN THE PAST, YOU MAY REMEMBER, THE BOARD MEETING BEFORE THE MONTH THAT WE IMPLEMENTED THE CHANGE IS USUALLY WHAT HAPPENED. TWO WEEKS, MAYBE MAX.
HERE WE ARE APPROXIMATELY TWO MONTHS OUT.
PROVIDING YOU WITH SOME OPPORTUNITY TO THINK ABOUT IT.
AND THEN BRING TO YOU AN OPTION TO VOTE ON IT.
[00:20:02]
SO THAT IT IS NOT A KNEE-JERK REACTION.LIKE WE HAD -- >> DEFINITELY APPRECIATE.
>> HAD SOME TIME TO THINK ABOUT IT AND-- RIGHT.
IT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL FOR ME AND I THINK STAFF USUALLY DOES A GOOD JOB OF IT ANYWAY, BUT IT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR ME TO SEE AT LEAST THAT LAST SUMMARY CHART OF THE LOCAL BILL COMPARISONS.
BEFORE WE MAKE A DECISION ON THE PCA ADJUSTMENT.
SOMETHING THAT WE TALKED ABOUT. DOING IT FOR, YOU KNOW, ELECTRIC IS ONLY THE BIG DISCUSSION TOPIC.
WE NEED TO INCLUDE WATER, WASTEWATER.
FPUA IS AN ALL-UTILITY PROVIDER. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE OTHER SER SERVICES, BUT WE DO FOCUS A LOT ON ELECTRIC.
IT IS THE BIG, YOU KNOW, THE BIG PORTION OF THE BILL.
I THINK YOU ARE RIGHT. WE NEED TO COMPARE OURSELVES TO A TOTAL BILL FOR OUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE COMPARE OURSELVES TO SEVERAL YOU TILLS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
>> AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE CUSTOMER SEES THAT FIGURE THAT
FROM A SINGLE UTILITY BILL. RIGHT.
[G.2. Natural Gas Rate Stabilization Fund Update – February 2023]
>> BARBARA? >> THANK YOU, BARBARA.
THE NEXT ITEM THIS AFTERNOON IS AN UPDATE ON THE NATURAL GAS RATE STABILIZATION FUND FOR THE NATURAL GAS DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM WHICH IS SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT THAN THE ELECTRIC.
THE PRIMARY SOURCE, A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND.
THE PRIMARY SOURCE FOR FPUA'S PURCHASE GAS COMES FROM ZONE # WHICH FEEDS INTO FLORIDA. THAT COMES FROM THE HE HENRY HUB WHICH IS OUT WEST. AND PART OF THE REQUEST TODAY IS AN ADJUSTMENT BECAUSE WE HAVE EXPERIENCED A HIGHER TRANSMISSION COST OVER THE PAST YEAR DUE TO MAINTENANCE.
AND ALSO DUE TO A HIGHER DEMAND FOR THIS AREA.
OUR SUPERINTENDENT OF GAS OPERATIONS WILL PRESENT THIS
ITEM. >> THANK YOU, MR. CISNEROS, MADAM CHAIR, AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
I BRING BEFORE YOU THE NATURAL GAS RATE SABLIZATION FUND UPDATE FOR FEBRUARY, 2023. STAFF HAS RERUN THE SENSITIVITY NUMBERS WHICH NOW INCLUDE DECEMBER'S ACTUALS AND PRELIMINARY DATA FOR JANUARY. NATURAL GAS PRICES AT THE HENRY HUB HAVE BEEN TRENDING DOWN SINCE THE BEGINNING OF DECEMBER.
THE PRICING OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS HAVE AVERAGED ABOUT $5.29 A DECK THERM THE AVERAGE RATE OF WITHDRAWAL IS 16% LOWER THAN THE FIVE-YEAR AVERAGE FOR THE WITHDRAWAL SEASON.
ALSO, THE RATE FOR A 6.9BCF DECREASE IN NATURAL GAS CONSUMPTION, THE LARGEST DROP FROM THE RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL SECTORS. THIS IS OUR-- THE JANUARY CURVE REFLECTS THE RECENT DECREASE OF 11 CENTS FROM 28 CENTS TO 17 CENTS. YOU CAN SEE THAT WE HAVE BEEN TRENDING DOWN SINCE DECEMBER. STAFF IS RECOMMENDING A RAISE TO THE PDA OF 7 CENTS TO 24 CENTS EFFECTIVE APRIL 1.
THIS WILL KEEP THE RSF FROM TOTAL DEPLETION.
THE 7 CENTS, IF YOU WILL NOTICE, WILL NOT BRING US UP TO THE OPERATING RANGE. IT IS GOING TO KEEP US DOWN AT THE BOTTOM. THIS IS OPTION TWO.
WOULD BE RISING THE RSF THREE CENTS UP TO 20 CENTS APRIL 1.
THEN WHEN YOU HAVE TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT AGAIN BACK IN AUGUST, WHEN IT STARTS TO DIP DOWN AGAIN, TO SEE WHAT WE WOULD HAVE TO DO. OPTION 3 WOULD BE TO MAKE NO CHANGE AT ALL AND SEE WHAT THE GAS MARKET DOES.
THE PROBLEM IS WITH THIS, THE PGA DOESN'T COME BACK, WE WILL HAVE TO ASK FOR A LARGER INCREASE LATER.
YOU WILL SEE THAT I HAVE THEM COLOR-CODED IN RED, BLACK, AND BLUE. THE NEXT SLIDE IS GOING TO BE A BILL COMPARISON WITH CITY GAS. I WILL SHOW YOU WHERE WE FALL IN WITH EACH ONE. YOU CAN SEE AT 17 CENTS, WE ARE
[00:25:07]
AT A LITTLE OVER A 6$66.50. AT 20 CENTS, WE ARE AT A LITTLE ABOVE $67.50. AT 24 CENTS, WE ARE A LITTLE BIT ABOVE $68.50. THAT IS FOR 30CCFS.CITY GAS IS SITTING A LITTLE BIT BELOW $69.
PART OF THE REASON ME AND MR. CRAWFORD WERE ON THE PHONE WITH FTU, AND PART OF THE REASON WHY WE ARE HAVING A PROBLEM IS THAT THE MONTH OF DECEMBER, IF YOU REMEMBER, WAS REALLY COLD THE WEEK OF CHRISTMAS. AND WE PURCHASED OUR GAS ONE DAY OUT OF THE MONTH. FTU PURCHASES IT FOR US.
UNFORTUNATELY, IT IS ALWAYS AT THE END OF THE MONTH.
NOT ALSO THAT. THE PEOPLE THAT USED THE GAS AT THE END OF THE MONTH, WE DID NOT GET BILLED UNTIL JANUARY, SO WE ARE BEHIND WITH THE BILLING ON THAT.
>> IT IS PER OUR CONTRACT TO BUY IT AT THE END OF MONTH.
WE HAVE DON'T HAVE AN OPTION TO CHANGE IT.
THAT IS PART OF THE COMPLEXITY HERE.
>> SO BASICALLY, AT THE END OF DECEMBER, THE PRICE OF THE GAS WAS SO HIGH, BECAUSE OF THE-- RIGHT.
AND SO THEY HAD A POOR PURCHASING TIMELINE.
OKAY. BUT THEN IN JANUARY, AT THE END OF JANUARY, WE DON'T HAVE THOSE FIGURES YET?
>> OKAY. >> SO I KNOW THE COST OF GAS IS HEAVILY INFLUENCED BY COLD SNAPS UP NORTH.
DO WE SEE A SEASONAL CHANGE IN OUR CUSTOMERS USING GAS?
>> YES, WE DO. WHEN IT GETS COLDER DOWN HERE, THE PRICE ALSO GOES UP. BECAUSE LIKE JAVY WAS SAYING, WE GET OUR GAS RIGHT NOW FROM ZONE THREE.
UNFORTUNATELY, THERE HAS BEEN SO MUCH MAINTENANCE ON ZONE THREE AND EVERYTHING ELSE, THAT THE PRICE OF GAS ON THAT ZONE IS
HIGHER TO BEGIN WITH. >> SO OUR COST PER UNIT GOES UP, BUT DO WE SEE-- DO OUR CUSTOMERS HAVE A SWINGING CONSUMPTION,
DEPENDING ON THE SEASONS? >> OH, YES.
>> WE DO? >> THE BIG BUSINESSES WILL USE A LOT MORE WHEN IT IS COLDER. WHEN IT GETS SO COLD, PURSUIT BOATS AND MAVERICK BOATS, THEY HAVE TO KEEP THEIR MOLDS AT 70 DEGREES OR WARMER. WHEN IT GETS THAT COLD, THEIR
USAGE IS INCREDIBLE. >> I SEE.
>> THE SAME THING FOR RANGER-- YOU KNOW, THEY USE A LOT OF GAS.
THEY HAVE TO MAKE UP FOR THAT HEAT.
>> RANGER IS OUR BIGGEST USER WITH ASPHALT.
>> R ARE MOST OF THE GAS CUSTOMERS COMMERCIAL?
>> NO. MOST OF THE GAS CUSTOMERS ARE
IN NUMBER, WE HAVE MORE RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS THAN
COMMERCIAL. >> BUT OUR FEW LARGE COMMERCIAL
CUSTOMERS USE MOST OF THE GAS. >> RANGER AND WASTE PRO USE MORE GAS THAN THE ENTIRE SYSTEM TOGETHER.
>> WHAT IS YOUR RECOMMENDATION? >> TO RAISE IT 7 CENTS UP TO 24
CENTS. >> HOW WILL THAT IMPACT THEIR BILL? I MEAN, I DON'T HAVE GAS, SO UNFORTUNATELY,-- YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU RAISE 7 CENTS FOR THESE
LARGE CONSUMERS? >> IT WOULD RAISE IT FROM A LITTLE OVER $66.50. SO ABOUT $2.
>> NOW, BUT THAT IS $2 A MONTH? >> THAT IS IF THEY USE 30CC IFS.
GO AHEAD. WHAT IS THE AVERAGE THAT THEY
ARE TYPICALLY USING THIS. >> THE AVERAGE HOME OWNER DOWN HERE USES PROBABLY ABOUT 10CC IFS.
THIS BILL IS MY BILL. >> RIGHT.
HOW ABOUT THE -- >> EVERYTHING IN MY HOUSE IS
I'M WORRIED ABOUT HOW MUCH IT WILL IMPACT THEM.
IS IT A $10 INCREASE FOR THEM? >> MAYBE A DOLLAR A MONTH.
SEW TALL WOULD BE -- >> SEEMS LIKE A 4% INCREASE.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEIR BILL IS. 4% IS JUST A NUMBER.
>> CAN YOU GUESSTIMATE HOW MUCH GAS, LET'S SAY PURSUIT BOAT USES
IT DEPENDS ON THE WEATHER. >> ALL RIGHT.
LET'S ASSUME THE COLD SNAP IN DECEMBER.
WHAT DO YOU THINK THEY PROBABLY USED THEN?
[00:30:01]
>> I THINK THEIR BILL LAST MONTH WAS RIGHT AROUND $12,000.
USAGE. >> WITH THIS INCREASE, WHAT WOULD IT BE? FROM $12,000?
>> ALL RIGHT. IF THEY HAD A $10,000 BILL, THEIR INCREASE WOULD BE, LIKE $400.
>> RIGHT. IT WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY $400, $500. DEPENDING ON SOME OTHER SMALL CUSTOMER SERVICE FEES AND SOME OTHER STUFF LIKE THAT.
YES. FOR CONSUMPTION, IT WOULD BE-- YEAH. YOU ARE RIGHT.
>> I DON'T THINK IT IS ENOUGH TO RAISE EYEBROWS.
>> I DON'T EITHER. >> IT DOESN'T SEEM THAT WAY.
BUT -- >> TO THEM, IT MIGHT BE.
>> I'M SURE THEY CAN SELL AN EXTRA BOAT AND COVER IT.
>> BUT YES. FOR A BIG COMPANY, I THINK THAT
WOULD BE -- >> NOT THAT WE ARE NOT SYMPATHETIC TO THAT. IT IS A DECISION THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE TO KEEP THE STABILIZATION FUND.
>> IT SEEMS REASONABLE FOR YOUR AVERAGE CONSUMER.
$1 TO $2 IS NOT GOING TO BE-- FOR COMMERCIAL USERS, IT VERY WELL COULD BE SOMETHING SIGNIFICANT TO THEM.
BUT PUTTING EVERYTHING ON A BALANCE, AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE HAVE TO BE IN OUR OPERATING PARAMETERS.
AND SINCE THIS IS GOING TO BE, I THINK, FIEFNLT I FEEL BAD FOR OUR COMMERCIAL GUYS. IT IS GOING TO GO UP MAYBE $400.
THEY DON'T WANT TO PAY IT. BUT STILL RESIDENTIAL-WISE, I DON'T THINK WE WILL REALLY HURT ANYBODY THERE.
>> IS THIS SOMETHING THAT WILL LAST A WHILE?
IT WILL KEEP US GOING RIGHT AT THE BOTTOM OF --
>> I MEAN, THE PROJECTION. IF THIS IS NECESSARY, BUT I, I MEAN, WHAT DID YOU SAY, CONSTRUCTION OR WHATEVER IS GOING ON? IS THAT GOING TO LAST?
>> MAINTENANCE-- I MEAN, WE DON'T KNOW BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN DOING QUITE A BIT OF MAINTENANCE.
A COUPLE OF UNEXPECTED MAINTENANCE ITEMS CAME UP AT THE WORST TIME OF THE MONTH. THEN THERE IS A COUPLE OF SCHEDULED ITEMS THAT CAME UP. WE DON'T CONTROL --
>> I THINK MR. LAMMERS MENTIONED IT.
THIS IS ABOUT GETTING INTO THAT UPPER RANGE.
MR. FEE MENTIONED THE SAME THING.
ABOUT GETTING US BACK INTO THE OPERATING RANGE.
THAT IS PRETTY IMPORTANT FOR US AS A BUSINESS UNIT.
THAT IS THE RECOMMENDATION. THIS IS WHAT IT WOULD TAKE US TO GET INTO WHERE, YOU KNOW, WHERE WE NEED TO BE FOR THE UTILITY
RIGHT. >> WE ARE VERY SENSITIVE TO OUR CUSTOMERS, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS.
THEY WOULD SEE THE BIGGEST IMPACT.
RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS WOULD SEE A MUCH SMALLER, YOU KNOW, EFFECT TO THEIR BILL. IN A SMALLER AMOUNT.
THE LARGER CUSTOMERS ARE-- I MEAN, THEY WOULD SEE A $400 INCREASE. IT IS REALLY A SMALL NUMBER.
IN THEIR OPERATION. >> IN THEIR OPERATION.
>> THAT IS THE WORST-CASE SCENARIO.
THAT IS WHAT IT IS SOUNDING LIKE.
>> VERY LARGE CUSTOMER. RIGHT.
>> AGAIN, WE ARE RAISING IT 7%. >> 7 CENTS.
>> IS THERE A MOTION? >> I WILL MAKE A MOTION.
I WANT TO ASK ANOTHER QUESTION. IN THE SUMMER MONTHS, DOES THE PURSUIT BOAT'S CONSUMPTION GO UP IN GAS?
>> THEY GO WAY DOWN. >> WAY DOWN? IT IS REALLY ONLY GOING TO BE AN ISSUE WHEN WE ARE COLD.
>> YES, SIR. >> THAT IS NOT VERY OFTEN IN FLORIDA. I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE.
>> SECOND. >> PLEASE AL THE ROLL.
>> MRS. BENNETT? >> YES, MA'AM.
>> MR. LAMMERS? >> YES, MA'AM.
>> MAYOR HUDSON? >> YES, MA'AM.
>> MRS. GIBBONS? >> YES, MA'AM.
>> THANK YOU, FRED. >> THANK YOU.
[G.3. Approve the supply agreement with Meritage Homes of Florida, Inc. issuing a credit to the wastewater capacity improvement charges of $276,239.00 to upsize the offsite force main on S US Highway 1 from a 4" to an 8" diameter pipe.]
>> MADAM CHAIR, THE LAST ITEM THIS AFTERNOON IS A REQUEST TO APPROVE A SUPPLY AGREEMENT WITH MERITAGE "HOMES OF FLORIDA.
THE PROJECT IS LOCATED ON U.S. 1 SOUTH OF MIDWAY AND NORTH OF
EASY STREET. >> THANK YOU, MR. CISNEROS.
MADAM CHAIR, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF THE BOARD, LIKE MR CISNEROS SAID, THE TIDEWATER PUD IS A PROPOSED RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY CONSISTING OF 160 TOWNHOMES NEAR OUR SOUTHERN SERVICE TERRITORY ON SOUTH U.S. 1.
WITH THE PROJECT, THE DEVELOPER IS REQUIRED TO CONSTRUCT A FOUR-INCH FORCE MAIN FOR THE THEIR WASTE WEARS SERVICE.
TO PROVIDE CAPACITY TO THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS AREA, STAFF IS RESMING THE APPROVAL OF THE TIDEWATER SUPPLY AGREEMENT, GRANTING A CREDIT TO THE WASTEWATER CAPACITY CHARGES OF $276,239 TO UPSIZE THE FORCE MAIN FROM A FOUR-INCH TO AN
[00:35:05]
EIGHT-INCH DIAMETER. WITH THE EIGHT-INCH FORCE MAIN, THE DEVELOPER HAS AGREED TO INSTALL CONNECTION POINTS FOR THE PALM GARDENS AND WHITE CITY EXPANSION PROJECTS.WHICH WILL PREVENT FPUA FROM DOING ANY CONSTRUCTION IN THE D.O.T. RIGHT AWAY FOR THOSE TWO EXPANSION PROJECTS.
AT THIS TIME, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY
HAVE. >> THIS IS SOMETHING WE DID A LOT OF A COUPLE OF YEARS BACK. RIGHT?
YUP. WE HAVE DONE THIS BECAUSE OF THE DOLLAR AMOUNT THAT HAS TO GO BEFORE THE BOARD.
>> RIGHT, RIGHT, RIGHT, RIGHT. >> ONE OF THE QUESTIONS WAS TO INCLUDE A MAP. WE WILL MAKE SURE IN THE FUTURE THAT THESE KIND OF REQUESTS HAVE A MAP.
I TALKED TO SHANE ABOUT IT. WE ACTUALLY DID HAVE A MAP IN THE SYSTEM, AND WE WILL MAKE SURE WE ATTACH IT TO THE AGENDA
ITEM IN THE FUTURE. >> IS THIS IN ST. LUCIE COUNTY,
1200 FEET NORTH OF EASY STREET. VERY CLOSE TO OUR SOUTHERN
BOUNDARY. >> DO WE HAVE ANNEXATION
AGREEMENTS? >> THAT WOULD BE PART OF THIS,
YUP. >> THE AGREEMENT FOR THIS
DEVELOPMENT IS ALREADY IN PLACE. >> GREAT.
OKAY. >> THEY HAVE ALREADY CLEARED THE LAND. IF YOU GO JUST SOUTH OF THE DODGE/CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP, THEY HAVE CLEARED QUITE A BIT OF LAND. YOU WILL SEE MOVEMENT IS ALREADY
HAPPENING. >> THIS IS ON THE EAST SIDE OF
>> THERE IS A GUN SHOP. AND THE DEALERSHIP.
RIGHT THERE ON THE WEST SIDE. >> OKAY.
>> IT SAYS AFFORDABLE HOUSING. IS IT SNARMTS.
>> THE IDEA BEHIND UPSIZING THE FORCE MAIN IS THAT FOR THEIR U USE, THEY WOULD ONLY HAVE NEEDED A CERTAIN SIZE FORCE MAIN, FOUR INCHES. BECAUSE WE WANT TO ADD OTHER THINGS OR PLAN FOR THE FUTURE, WE ARE GOING TO SAY NO, INSTEAD OF INSTALLING FOUR-INCH FORCE MAIN TO MOVE THE SEWER.
WE ARE GOING TO INSTALL EIGHT-INCH.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT YOU SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE... SHOULDN'T BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT COST. WE WILL PAY THE ADDITIONAL COST ABOVE WHAT A FOURLE-INCH WOULD HAVE TAKEN.
>> WHICH IS THE CREDIT. CORRECT?
THAT IS EXACTLY IT. >> HE GOT IT RIGHT?
>> HE GOT IT. >> THAT IS THE CREDIT? RIGHT? .
>> THIS SPECIFICALLY IS HELPING US BECAUSE OF OUR TWO EXPANSION PROJECTS? SOUTH OF MIDWAY.
I WISH YOU WOULD HAVE SEEN THE MAP.
THEY ARE BOTH-- THE ONE HAS THE POTENTIAL OF-- WHAT IS IT? 120 CUSTOMERS. AND THE PALM GARDENS EXPANSION HAS THE POTENTIAL OF 160 CUSTOMERS.
THAT FOUR-INCH, IF WE CONNECTED THOSE, WOULD BE AT CAPACITY.
WHICH IS AROUND FIVE SIX YEARS FROM NOW.
>> OKAY. BUT THIS-- INSTALLING THE LARGER
SIZE HELPS YOU NOT -- >> THIS IS AT CAPACITY.
UP TO 1,100 SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES. >> GOOD DEAL.
>> WALREADY OPENING UP. >> SO THE TIDEWATER PUD IS ON SCHEDULE TO HAVE THE MODEL HOMES DONE BY DECEMBER.
SO THEN THE 160 HOMES WOULD BE COMING AFTER.
THAT EXPANSION PROJECTS ARE GOING TO DESIGN THIS YEAR.
I CAN'T SAY WHEN THOSE CONNECTIONS WILL BE MADE.
THAT IS OUR LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM. AND THOSE ARE KIND OF
CONNECTIONS AT WILL. >> AND SPEAKING OF EXPANSION PROJECTS, THERE IS THIS NEIGHBORHOOD IN NORTH FORT PIERCE CALLED PARADISE PARK. (LAUGHTER).
>> DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHEN WE MIGHT EXPAND INTO THAT?
>> HAVEN'T SEEN THAT ONE ON THE MAP YET.
(LAUGHTER STHSMED. >> MAYBE NEXT TIME, WE CAN SEE
YOU WILL BE ANNEXED INTO THE CITY.
>> WE WILL HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT ONE.
(LAUGHTER). >> CURIOUS MINDS WANT TO KNOW.
>> ABSOLUTELY. WE WILL MAKE SURE WE SEND YOU THE MAP OF THIS REQUEST. BY TOMORROW.
SO YOU CAN SEE THE OVERALL PICTURE.
I THINK REQUEST HERE IS TO APPLY THIS GRANT.
THAT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO FOR BUSINESS.
>> PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. >> MRS. BENNETT?
>> YES, MA'AM. >> MR. LAMMERS?
>> YES, MA'AM. >> MAYOR HUDSON?
>> YES, MA'AM. >> MRS. GIBBONS?
[J. DIRECTOR]
MOVING ON FROM NEW BUSINESS. WE'VE GOT THE DIRECTOR'S NOTES.>> YES, MA'AM. A COUPLE OF QUICK ITEMS. I HAVE RECEIVED A PROPOSAL FOR A FACILITATOR FOR OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSION, AND I REALIZED THAT WE WILL REQUIRE A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME THAN JUST A SINGLE DAY AS WE HAVE DISCUSSED AT THE BOARD LEVEL. IF WE WANT IT TO BE A GOOD SESSION. I HAVE PROVIDED A DRAFT PROPOSAL. WE ONLY HAVE ONE AS OF RIGHT NOW. IT DOES IDENTIFY THE SCOPE OF WORK THAT I'M LOOKING TO PUT TOGETHER.
AND IT IS VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT THE FMPA BOARD DID FOR THEIR STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSION. IT WAS MODIFIED TO FIT THE FPUA NEEDS. WE WILL LIKELY BRING A PROPOSAL TO THE NEXT BOARD MEETING FOR APPROVAL.
[00:40:01]
AND THEN WORK ON A TIMELINE. IT DOES LOOK LIKE MAYBE THE APRIL 26 DATE WILL BE OUR KICKOFF AS OPPOSED TO OUR-- THE END. YOU WILL SEE IF THE PROPOSAL.THERE IS SPECIFIC TASKS TO BE ACCOMPLISHED BY THE FACILITATOR WITH STAFF. AND THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, AND THEN PREPARE A SUMMARY FOR US TO BE ABLE TO USE IT AS A LIVING DOCUMENT. YOU WILL SEE MORE FROM THAT THE NEXT BOARD MEETING. THIS AFTERNOON, THEY DID DISTRIBUTE A HARD COPY OF THE SIX APPLICANTS THAT WE HAVE FOR THE FPUA BOARD ATTORNEY. THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED TO DATE.
AND I THINK MRS. GIVE GIBBONS WILL MENTION SOMETHING HERE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ONE OF THEM. MOVING ON, AS PART OF A RECENT DISCUSSION WITH MADAM CHAIR, SHE ASKED FOR A COPY OF THE CHARTER.
BECAUSE I GUESS WE HAVE NEVER REALLY REVIEWED IT TOGETHER.
IT IS ONLY EIGHT PAGES. IT IS A VERY POWERFUL DOCUMENT.
AND PROVIDED A HARD COPY FOR ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS AS REFRESHER TO LOOK AT. IT IS A GOOD REFERENCE.
AND THE LAST THING I HAVE IS SOMETHING THAT WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION, MADAM CHAIR. WE HAVE A SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUE WITH LARGER TRANSFORMERS. THIS CAME UP BECAUSE OF A PROJECT THAT IS SPECIFICALLY LOOKING TO MOVE.
WE TAPPED INTO OUR RESOURCES AT FMPA AND SOME OTHER MANUFACTURERS TO SEE IF WE COULD ACQUIRE SOME MATERIALS THAT ARE IN HIGH DEMAND TO FACILITATE THIS KIND OF DEVELOPMENT.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAVE NOT BEEN SUCCESSFUL, BUT WE WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE IN THAT DIRECTION TO SEE IF WE CAN FIND SOME RESOURCES.
IN THE MEANTIME, WE WILL TRY TO, IT SOUNDS LIKE WE FOUND A SOLUTION. WE WILL PUT SOME OVERHEAD TRANSFORMERS TEMPORARILY IN PLACE TO GET THE PROJECT MOVING.
IT IS MOVING AWAY FROM OUR CURRENT CONSTRUCTION STANDARD.
IT IS A TEMPORARY GAPSTOP UNTIL WE GET THE TRANSFORMERS WE NEED.
THE TRANSFORMERS ARE-- 52 WEEKLY TIME.
IT IS ALMOST A YEAR. IT IS REAL.
FOR NOT JUST FPUA. BUT MANY OTHER UTILITIES.
WE REESMED OUT TO TWO OR THREE OTHER UTILITIES THROUGH FMPA.
THOSE UTILITIES CAN'T AFFORD TO GIVE UP THE TRANSFORMERS THAT WE NEED. BECAUSE THEY ALSO HAVE PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN DEDICATED TO THOSE TRANSFORMERS.
SO WE WILL LIKELY BRING AN EMERGENCY PURCHASE REQUEST SIMILAR TO WHAT WE DID LAST YEAR.
LAST YEAR, THAT EMERGENCY REQUEST EXPIRED AT THE END OF THE YEAR. WE WILL BRING ANOTHER ONE BEFORE THE BOARD TO BE ABLE TO MAKE EMERGENCY PURCHASES BECAUSE WE NEED TO GET AHEAD OF IT AS BEST WE CAN WITH THE DEVELOPMENT THAT WE HAVE GOING ON. YOU WILL SEE THAT AT THE NEXT BOARD MEETING. THAT IS ALL I HAVE FOR THE CHAIR. FOR THE BOARD TODAY.
>> ALL RIGHT. >> DO THEY PLAN ON SEEING ANY
CHANGES WITHIN THE 52 WEEKS? >> IT IS HARD TO SAY BECAUSE A LOT OF THAT... THE TRANSFORMERS USE SPECIALTY MATERIAL.
COPPER AND MINERALS THAT ARE HARDER TO GET RIGHT NOW.
SO WE HAVEN'T SEEN ANY CHANGE N BEING ABLE TO GET THAT STUFF SOONER. SO WE ARE-- OUR ENGINEERING STAFF HAS GONE OUT TO THE SYSTEM TO LOOK AT WHAT TRANSFORMERS ARE POTENTIALLY UNDERUTILIZED TO TAKE THOSE OUT AND SEE IF WE CAN RESTOCK THOSE. WE ARE LOOKING AT REFURBISHED TRANSFORMERS. ALL THE OPTIONS POSSIBLE TO BE ABLE TO PUT OURSELVES IN A POSITION TO HELP SUPPORT
[K. ATTORNEY]
I'LL START WITH LAST WEEK I WAS IN WASHINGTON, D.C., AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE DO EACH YEAR THROUGH THE STATE TRADE ASSOCIATION, WE GO TO WASHINGTON, D.C., AND WE LOBBY ALL OF THE MEMBERS OF THE FLORIDA DELEGATION ON ISSUES THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO YOU. TRANSFORMERS WERE A PARTICULAR POINT OF INFORMATION LAST WEEK WITH THE MEMBERS OF CONGRESS.
WE WERE NOT ABLE TO MEET WITH BRIAN MAST.
WE HAVE MET WITH HIM A GOOD DEAL IN THE PAST.
WE HAVE MET WITH MOST ALL OF THE FLORIDA DELEGATION, AND LET THEM KNOW THAT THE SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES ARE STILL VERY REAL.
THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY IS IMPOSING NEW EFFICIENCY AND MATERIAL REQUIREMENTS ON TRANSFORMERS AT EXACTLY THE WRONG TIME, WHEN THERE IS ALREADY SHORT SUPPLY.
WE SHOULDN'T BE MAKING IT MORE DIFFICULT TO GET THINGS IN THE SUPPLY CHAIN. SO THAT WAS HEARD, AND I THINK IT WILL BE ACTED ON, INCLUDING POTENTIALLY, A LETTER FROM THE FLORIDA DELEGATION TO THE SECRETARY OF ENERGY ON THAT FOPPIC. ... TOPIC.
TURNING TO TALLAHASSEE, TODAY IS THE FIRST DAY OF THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION. IN TALLAHASSEE.
LAST WEEK, THERE WERE TWO BILLS FILED OF PARTICULAR IMPORTANCE TO YOU. SENATE BILL 1380 AND HOUSE BILL
[00:45:05]
1331. WHAT THEY SAY IN A NUTSHELL, IS THAT IF YOU HAVE-- IF YOU ARE A MUNICIPAL ELECTRIC UTILITY OR GAS UTILITY OR A WATER AND WASTEWATER UTILITY, AND YOU SERVE CUSTOMERS OUTSIDE OF YOUR CITY LIMITS, YOU WILL BE SUBJECT TO THE FULL REGULATORY JURISDICTION OF PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION. WHICH MEANS THAT THE RA RATE-SETTING THAT YOU DO TODAY HERE AT THE... IN FORT PIERCE WOULD BE SUBJECT TO APPROVE-- APPROVAL.RATE-EFFORT ISING WOULD BE DONE IN TALLAHASSEE BY THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION. THE OTHER THING IT SAYS, THESE BILLS SAY IS THAT IF YOU ARE SERVING OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS AND SUBJECT TO FULL PSE JURISDICTION, YOU ARE PROHIBITED FROM MAKING A TRANSFER OF UTILITY REVENUES TO THE GENERAL FUND UNLESS THOSE FUNDS ARE USED FOR UTILITY PURPOSES.
NOW, THAT IS TRULY A MISNOMER. YOU DON'T MAKE TRANSFERS TO THE GENERAL FUND FROM UTILITY REVENUES AND THEN PAY UTILITY EXPENSES OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND.
YOU PAY ALL THE EXPENSES FIRST AND THEN MAKE THE TRANSFER.
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF ISSUES GOING AROUND-- GOING ON AROUND THE STATE THAT HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THIS.
WHEN I PRESENTED ON BEHALF OF FMEA TO THE HOUSE ENERGY SUBCOMMITTEE A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, PARTICULARLY ADDRESSING MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE FROM GAINESVILLE WHO HAVE CONCERNS WITH THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON IN GAINSVILLE.
GAINESVILLE HAS THE SECOND HIGHEST RATES IN THE STATE.
RESIDENTIAL. AND THE HIGHEST COMMERCIAL RATES IN THE STATE. A LOFT THAT IS DRIVING THIS.
WHILE THESE BILLS ARE BAD IN TERMS OF THE AUTHORITY THEY TAKE AWAY FROM LOCAL GOVERNING BO BODIES, AND PART OF BEING A MUNICIPAL UTILITY, YOU ARE MAKING THE DECISIONS HERE LOCALLY FOR YOUR COMMUNITY. AND THIS WILL TAKE ALMOST ALL OF THAT AWAY. BUT WHILE THEY ARE BAD, IT IS A LONG SESSION. TODAY IS DAY ONE.
IT IS A 60-DAY SESSION. WE HAVE MEETINGS WITH SPONSORS TODAY AND TOMORROW, AND THEN WE ARE GOING TO BE GETTING-- THE LOBBYING TEAM WILL BE GETTING TOGETHER AND COMING UP WITH A STRATEGY TO WORK THESE BILLS. CERTAINLY, THERE WILL BE SOME ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT IN THE BILLS.
AND WE REALLY HAVE TO SEE EXACTLY WHAT THE IMPETUS IS BEHIND THE BILLS. INTERESTINGLY, BOTH BILLS WERE FILED BY FRESHMAN MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE.
ONE, THE SENATE BILL, IT WAS FILED BY SENATOR MARTIN FROM SARASOTA. I HAD TO LOOK UP WHO SENATOR MARTIN WAS. JUST GOT ELECTED.
THERE IS A LOT GOING ON HERE THAT WE ARE WORKING ON.
THERE WILL BE CALLS THROUGH THE TRADE ASSOCIATION THROUGH THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS TO GIVE YOU INFORMATION.
JAVIER AND WHOMEVER FROM FPUA, ABOUT HOW THINGS ARE GOING.
WHAT WE ARE GOING TO LEARN AND HOW WE WILL TAKE AN APPROACH TO THESE BAD PIECES OF POLICY. THIS IS PART OF A TREND.
RIGHT NOW IN THE LEGISLATURE, THERE ARE ANY NUMBER OF PREEMPTION BILLS THAT HAVE BEEN FILED, PREEMPTING BUILDING PERMITS, CONSTRUCTION, VACATION RENTALS, LOCAL ELECTIONS, NO MORE NONPARTISAN LOCAL ELEC ELECTIONS.
FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE, LAND USE REGULATIONS AND CONTRACTS.
SOLID WASTE, AND NEW HOMESTEAD PROPERTY TAX LIMITS.
THAT IS THE CURRENT AGENDA FOR THE LEGISLATURE IN TERMS OF PREEMPTING LOCAL GOVERNMENT. THE UTILITY ISSUES ARE JUST ONE OF A NUMBER OF ISSUES WHERE THEY, THE LEGISLATURE, WANTED TO DECIDE FOR YOU, THE LOCAL GOVERNING BODY HOW THINGS SHOULD BE DONE. SO WITH THAT,LY ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. WE CONTINUE TO MOVE ALL THE CONTRACTS ALONG. AND PROVIDE AS MUCH SUPPORT BETWEEN DAN AND MYSELF AS WE CAN FOR JAVIER AND THE STAFF.
AND OF COURSE, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR NEED ANY ASSIST ASE FROM US, WE ARE HAPPY TO WORK DIRECTLY WITH THE BOARD AS WELL.
>> SO I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THESE BILLS.
SO BASICALLY, THIS WOULD BE FOR ALL OF OUR RATES IF WE PROVIDE SERVICE OUTSIDE OF THE CITY LIMITS.
BUT IF WE ONLY SAVED THE IN THE CITY LIMITS, THEN WE WOULDN'T BE AT THIS. RIGHT?
>> THAT IS CORRECT. THERE IS A GROUP IN THE LEGISLATURE, AND THERE IS A GROUP OF CITIZENS IN VARIOUS COMMUNITIES AROUND THE STATE WHO SAY THAT IF YOU SERVE OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS, YOU ARE COLLECTING REVENUE FROM NONCITIZENS WHO CAN'T VOTE FOR YOU.
THEREFORE, IF YOU ARE SERVING OUTSIDE OF THE CITY LIMITS UNDER THIS BILL, YOU WOULD BE SUBJECTS TO THE RATE REGULATION.
[00:50:01]
YOU NO LONGER SET THE RATES HERE.THE PSC WOULD SET THE RATES FOR YOU.
>> INTERESTING. >> AND THAT IS A CUMBERSOME PROCESS. ISN'T IT?
>> IT IS AN UNKNOWN PROCESS FOR YOU RIGHT NOW.
FOR BIG INVESTOR ON UTILITIES, IT IS EXTRAORDINARILY CUMBERSOME. THEIR RATE CASES GET FILED EVERY THREE OR FOUR YEARS. THEY TAKE EIGHT MONTHS TO A YEAR TO PROSECUTE. THEY ARE OFTEN FILED, YOU KNOW, A PETITION WILL BE $1,500 PAGES WITH SUPPORTING TESTIMONY OF PROBABLY 20 EXPERT WITNESSES. VERY INTENSE PROCESSES.
THE PSC HAS NO RULES TO ADDRESS THE UTILITIES.
>> WE WOULDN'T BE AS ABLE TO B BE-- MOVE AS QUICKLY AS WE.
CAN. >> THAT IS EXACTLY RIGHT.
YOUR ABILITY TO CHANGE AS CIRCUMSTANCES CHANGE WOULD BE TAKEN AWAY FROM YOU AND PUT IN THE HANDS OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE
COMMISSION IN TALL WHAT ISY. >> WE WOULD NO LONGER BE ABLE TO
>> AN EXAMPLE THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN LAST SUMMER.
WE NOTICED THINGS WERE GOING WRONG.
WE WOULD HAVE BEEN SEVERAL MONTHS OUT BEFORE WE COULD DO SOMETHING. THAT COULD HAVE DONE SOME SIGNIFICANT IRREPARABLE DAMAGE TO THE UTILITY BY THEN.
>> RIGHT. >> PROBABLY HALF A YEAR OUT BEFORE SOMETHING WOULD BE DONE BASED ON THE PROCESS.
>> NOT ONLY THAT. IT ALSO MEANS THAT IF THERE IS A TEMPORARY INFLUX IN OUR COST, AT NO POINT WILL WE EVER REDUCE IT.
>> THAT IS RIGHT. AT NO POINT, IF YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THAT TO INCREASE YOUR RATES, AT NO POINT WILL YOU SAY, I'M GOING TO REDUCE IT AND RISK HAVING TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THAT AGAIN. IF WE NEED TO.
>> THAT IS EXACTLY RIGHT. OBVIOUSLY, I'M BIASED.
I REPRESENT YOU AND ALL OF THE MEMBERS OF THE TRADE ASSOC ASSOCIATION. ALL 33 MUNICIPAL ELECTRIC UTILITIES IN THE STATE WHO ALSO SELL GAS AND WATER AND WASTEWATER. IT IS TERRIBLE POLICY.
IT IS DRIVEN BY SOME PARTICULAR CONCERNS.
WE ARE GOING TO TRY TO ADDRESS IT IN A MORE PARTICULAR WAY SO IT DOESN'T AFFECT EVERYBODY. THERE WILL BE MORE TO COME ON
DO YOU HAVE A FEEL AND MAYBE IT DOESN'T EVEN MATTER, TO HAVE A FEEL FOR IT. DO YOU HAVE A FEEL FOR WHAT KIND OF MOMENTUM THESE BILLS HAVE RIGHT NOW?
>> THE LEGISLATORS THAT ARE PUSHING THIS THE MOST VOCALLY, HAVE BEEN AGITATED ABOUT THIS ISSUE FOR YEARS.
AND AT LEAST ONE OF THEM IS VERY SENIOR IN HOUSE LEADERSHIP.
HE IS A SPEAKER PROTOMAYOR PRO TEM.
... HE IS A SPEAKER PRO TEM. I ALSO HAVE A LOT OF RESPECT FOR THEM. I THINK THEY ARE INTELLIGENT, THOUGHTFUL FOLKS. I THINK THAT IF WE CAN SIT DOWN AND HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THE GOAL IN MIND OF ADDRESSING THE REAL PROBLEM THEY HAVE AS OPPOSED TO JUST USING A SLEDGEHAMMER TO SWAT A FLY, THAT WE CAN PROBABLY MOVE THIS IN A FAIRLY SIGNIFICANT WAY TO YOUR BENEFIT.
>> THE FLORIDA LEAGUE OF CITIES HAS CHANGED ITS T GEORGE PATAKI TICK SOMEWHAT. WE USED TO BE IN THERE SAYING NO,. NO WE WERE ALWAYS NEGATIVE.
NOW OUR LOBBYING TEAM IN TALLAHASSEE IS MUCH MORE, HOW CAN WE MAKE THIS BAD BILL BETTER? I THINK THAT IS WHAT YOU ARE SAYING, TOO.
HOW CAN WE ADDRESS THE PROBLEM YOU ARE TRYING TO ADDRESS WITHOUT USING-- WITHOUT OVERKILL.
>> YEAH. WHEN YOU HAVE ONE PARTY THAT HAS SUPER MAJORITY IN BOTH HOUSES, AND EVERY LEGISLATOR WANTS THEIR OWN BILL TO BE HEARD BY ALL OF THE OTHER LEGISLATORS WHO ARE CHAIRS OF OTHER COMMITTEES, THEY ALL DEPEND ON EACH OTHER.
IT BECOMES A VERY TOP-DOWN ORIENTED PROCESS.
SO IF SOMEBODY SAYS THIS HAS TO GO, THEN IT GOES.
AND SO YEAH, TO YOUR POINT, MAYOR, OFTENTIMES, IN THAT KIND OF A SNARE JOE,... SCENARIO, YOU HAVE TO MAKE A BAD BILL BETTER.
AS OPPOSED TO TRYING TO KILL THE BILL.
>> THEN THERE IS EVERYBODY JOCKEYING FOR LEADERSHIP, TOO.
BECAUSE THERE IS TERM LIMITS. YOU HAVE ALL KINDS OF THINGS
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT.
[L. COMMENTS FROM BOARD MEMBERS]
SO MOVING ON TO COMMENS FROM THE BOARD.ANYBODY? >> I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE FPUA STAFF FOR PARTICIPATING IN THE GREAT AMERICAN CLEANUP. THEY COOKED LUNCH FOR US, AND IT
>> EVERYBODY. I APPRECIATE IT.
I KNOW IT WAS HOT, HARD WORK. IT WAS HARD WORK OUT THERE
[00:55:04]
CLEANING UP. >> WE HAD A LOT OF FUN.
WE HAD A GOOD GROUP OF EMPLOYEES.
>> APPRECIATE IT. >> YOU KNOW, THANK YOU TO THE
STAFF FOR VOLUNTEERING. >> I APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH.
>> SO AS MR. CISNEROS ALLUDED TO, TODAY WE INTERVIEWED A CANDIDATE THAT I THINK THAT YOU GUYS SHOULD ALSO INTERVIEW.
I HAVE GIVEN HIM DIRECTION TO CONTACT YOU GUYS AND TRY TO SET UP. I HAVE ALSO IN THIS PACKET, THERE IS ANOTHER CANDIDATE THAT I'M INTERESTED IN.
AND IF YOU GUYS CAN ALSO LOOK THROUGH THIS AND SEE IF THERE IS ANYBODY ELSE THAT YOU THINK YOU WOULD LIKE TO INTERVIEW, AND LET HIM KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO TELL YOU SO THAT MAYBE YOU GUYS CAN, YOU KNOW, YOU WILL HAVE A DIFFERENT OPINION THAN I DO.
IF YOU CAN LET HIM KNOW WHAT YOU THINK AND THEY CAN FACILITATE SOME OF THOSE. THE ONE THAT WE MET WITH TODAY SEEMS HIGHLY QUALIFIED, AND VERY GOOD PERSONALITY FOR WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR. SO...
>> IN THE INTEREST OF MOVING THIS ALONG, HOW WOULD YOU LIKE-- WOULD YOU LIKE BOARD MEMBERS TO LET JAVY KNOW BY A CERTAIN TIME IF THEY WANT TO INTERVIEW SOMEBODY?
>> YEAH. THAT WOULD BE GREAT, ACTUALLY.
I HAVE TOLD HIM TODAY, HOPEFULLY, WE CAN TRY TO SCHEDULE A DAY FOR THIS PERSON TO GET INTERVIEWED BY YOU GUYS.
SO THAT THEY ARE THERE. AND THEN THEY JUST KIND OF HAVE, YOU KNOW, INTERVIEW AFTER INTERVIEW.
SIMILAR TO HOW WE DID FOR THE DIRECTOR POSITION.
SO THAT WOULD BE FOR THAT. AND SO HOPEFULLY, AT THAT POINT, THEN, YOU CAN SAY, HEY, I WOULD LIKE TO INTERVIEW THIS PERSON, AND THEN WE CAN HAVE A LIST TOGETHER OF TWO OR THREE CANDIDATES UNLESS YOU WANT TO INTERVIEW ALL OF THEM.
. >> WILL WE HAVE THE QUESTIONS LIKE WE HAD LAST TIME? OR WE JUST INTERVIEW THEM?
>> I HAD MY OWN QUESTIONS. I DON'T REMEMBER.
>> WE CAN-- I THINK THERE WAS A LIST OF QUESTIONS.
I DIDN'T KNOW THEM AT THE TIME. I CAN SEE-- YEAH.
I CAN SEE IF WE CAN FIND THOSE QUESTIONS.
THEY MAY NOT NECESSARILY BE DIRECTLY RELATED TO-- THEY ARE MORE LEGAL. WE CAN WORK WITH JODY TO DEVELOP SOME QUESTIONS. I WILL WORK WITH JODY ON THAT.
YOU KNOW, THAT IS A GOOD APPROACH.
TO TRY TO INTERVIEW THEM IN ONE DAY.
WE COULD USE MY CONFERENCE ROOM. SCHEDULE MAYBE TWO IN THE AFTERNOON AND TWO IN THE AFTERNOON.
TO YOU KNOW, GIVE PLENTY OF TIME IN CASE THERE ARE SOME DELAYS.
WE COULD DO THAT, FACILITATE IT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
>> RIGHT. A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS THAT MR. CISNEROS AND I HAVE BEEN DISCUSSING IS THE STRATEGIC PLANNING. AS HE SAID, IT IS GOING TO BE PUSHED BACK A LITTLE BIT. IT SOUNDS LIKE IT IS GOING TO BE A GREAT SOLUTION FOR US. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING A GOOD FACILITATOR. A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I'M GOING TO JUST THROW OUT THERE THAT WOULD IMPACT FORECAST US DIRECTLY. SO MAYBE IT CAN KIND OF GET YOU GUYS THINKING FOR SOME TOPICS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS IN THIS MEETING. ONE THING THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT IS THE AGENDA. THE WAY THAT IT IS CURRENTLY LAID OUT. FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE OLD NEWS ON THERE. WE NEVER HAVE ANY OLD BUSINESS.
BUT IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE, FOR EXAMPLE, FOR TODAY'S, WE HAD SOME QUESTIONS FOR BARBARA THAT NEXT TIME THAT, COULD BE IN THE OLD NEWS SECTION. THE OLD BUSINESS SECTION.
SO WE COULD TETHER THOSE THINGS, AND WE HAVE A FORUM TO DISCUSS THE RESULTS OR WHATEVER IT WAS. ANOTHER THING THAT I WAS LOOKING AT WAS TRAINING FOR THE CHAIR. I MEAN, WE DON'T REALLY HAVE POSITION UP HERE. THAT LED ME INTO MAYBE HAVING SOME KIND OF A LITTLE-- SOME SORT OF DESCRIPTION OR EXPECTATION FOR WHAT EACH OF OUR SO THAT THERE IS NO-- NOBODY THAT IS FLYING BLIND OR WHENEVER WE DO HAVE A NEW PERSON, THERE IS SOME SORT OF LAID-OUT GUIDELINE FOR WHAT-- HOW MUCH THEY SHOULD BE INVOLVED, ET CETERA.
I FEEL LIKE WHEN I TOOK THIS, YOU KNOW, I'M MORE INVOLVED MAYBE THAN OTHERS. BUT THAT IS-- I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ELSE. YOU KNOW, I FEEL YOU GUYS ARE PROBABLY IN THE SAME BOAT. I THOUGHT THAT WOULD BE A NICE THING TO PRESENT FOR ALL OF US TO DISCUSS AND KIND OF FORMALIZE. AND THEN JUST MAYBE SOME OTHER, LIKE, BIG-PICTURE RESPONSIBILITIES.
HOW DO WE WANT TO LOOK AT THE FUTURE? HOW ARE WE GOING TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO LAY OUT NEW IDEAS
[01:00:01]
OR, YOU KNOW, AND GET SOME UPDATES FOR THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON IN THE UTILITY THAT MAYBE WE DON'T SEE AS FREQUENTLY. THOSE ARE JUST A COUPLE OF TOPICS THAT WE HAVE BEEN DISCUSSING.AND JUST TO GIVE YOU GUYS SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT.
>> MADAM CHAIR, MARK MCCAIN, WHO THIS PROPOSAL IS FROM HELPED US BEFORE WITH OUR STRATEGIC PLANS.
I WANT TO SAY THAT HE WAS QUITE GOOD.
THAT WAS-- I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY YEARS AGO.
>> IT WAS -- >> SEEMS LIKE A LIFETIME AGO.
>> IT WAS EIGHT-- IT HAS BEEN QUITE SOME TIME.
>> I THINK HE WILL BE GOOD FOR US.
>> YES. >> BECAUSE HE IS VERY, HE IS VERY GOOD AT, YOU KNOW, BRINGING PEOPLE OUT AND MAKING PEOPLE
YUP. >> YOU KNOW, HE DOESN'T DO IT WITH A HEAVY HAND. I MEAN, HE WANTS TO BRING IT FROM US. I WANTED TO KNOW, AND YOU WANT US TO READ THE CHARTER. IT MADE ME THINK OF SOMETHING.
THERE WAS A REASON WHY YOU WANTED THAT.
I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW. BUT WE HAD A CHARTER REVIEW
COMMISSION A FEW YEARS BACK. >> 2017.
>> RIGHT ARRANGE THAT RANGE. >> AND THEY ONLY REVIEWED THIS SECTION OF THE CHARTER. IF I REMEMBER RIGHTLY.
AND THERE WAS A LOT OF CONCENTRATION ON THE UTILITY.
>> YES. >> AND ON UTILITY-- THE UTILITY BOARD MEMBERS AND WHAT THEY EXPECT.
THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES THAT THE CITY COMMISSIONER HAS BEEN LESS THAN THRILLED WITH WHATEVER THE UTILITY HAS DONE OR HASN'T DONE.
SO I THINK THAT AT THAT TIME, THERE WAS SOMETHING DRAWN UP WITH AN EXPECTATION OF WHAT AN FPUA BOARD MEMBER SHOULD DO OR
SHOULD BE. >> I THINK THAT WAS NOT PART OF THE RESOLUTION, BUT IT WAS PART OF THE DISCOVERY DOCUMENT.
YOU ARE RIGHT. YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
I CAN SEE IF I CAN FIND THAT. >> YEAH.
THAT MIGHT BE A START. I'M NOT SAYING THAT IS THE END-ALL BE,-ALL. THE COMMISSION APPOINTS THIS BOARD, EXCEPT FOR ME. IT IS GOOD TO KNOW WHAT THE EXPECTATIONS ARE. AND SO I REMEMBER-- SO WE HAVE ONE DISTRICT ONE PERSON. YOU ARE APPOINTED BY THE DISTRICT ONE. WE HAVE ONE DISTRICT TWO PERSON.
AND THEN EVERYBODY ELSE THE AT LARGE.
AND THEN I GET ELECTED. MAYBE.
(LAUGHTER) SO I THINK IT IS A VERY GOOD IDEA TO KNOW-- TO REALLY KNOW WHAT'S EXPECTED OF US.
WHEN YOU COME ON THIS BOARD. AND WHAT-- SO DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING IN MIND? IN TERMS OF THE CHARTER?
>> SO WITH THE CHARTER, WE WERE DISCUSSING SOME OF THE ISSUES, ACTUALLY, WITH THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS CURRENTLY.
AND THAT IS-- WE ARE TETHERED TO SOME OF THE INFORMATION IN THIS CHARTER. SO I WAS, LIKE, YOU KNOW, YOU KEEP TALKING ABOUT THE CHARTER. I'M LIKE, I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE THIS THING SO I KNOW WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT.
>> I THINK, I'M NOT SURE: I THINK MOST OF THIS HAS BEEN
APPROVED BY REFERENDUM. >> OKAY.
>> SOME OF THE THINGS WE CAN'T CHANGE.
>> YES. YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
>> WHEN WE WERE DEALING WITH THIS WITH THE REVIEW COMMISSION, IF YOU WANTED TO CHANGE SOMETHING, YOU WOULD HAVE TO
TAKE IT TO THE VOTERS. >> RIGHT.
>> WELL, IF YOU START TAKING LITTLE PARTS TO THE VOTERS, THEN THE-- THE WHOLE THING IS OPEN. YUP.
>> SO THE COMMISSION HAS NEVER SEEN FIT TO TAKE IT TO THE
>> SO I THINK IT IS A GOOD IDEA FOR US TO READ IT.
TO KNOW WHAT THEY THOUGHT BECAUSE THIS CHARTER WAS-- IS
THIS 1972 DOCUMENT? >> IT IS A 1972 DOCUMENT DEVELOPED IN '69, '70. .
>> A LOT OF THINGS HAVE CHANGED. >> WE WILL HAVE TO SEE HOW IT
STOOD THE TEST OF TIME. >> YES.
FOR SURE. >> THERE ARE A COUPLE OF THINGS IN THERE. ONE THING THAT COMMISSIONER JOHNSON KEEPS BRINGING UP. WHICH IS I THINK IT SAYS IN HERE THAT WE ARE SUPPOSED TO, IF WE GO OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS, WE HAVE TO TAKE EVERY SINGLE NEW CUSTOMER TO THE CITY COMMISSION TO GET THEIR OKAY TO. GO OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS.
>> SO WE DO THAT THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS.
>> WE DO THAT THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS.
HE BRINGS IT UP A LOT. AS YOU KNOW.
>> THE REASON THAT WE DON'T TAKE EVERY SINGLE ONE IS WHEN THEY DID THAT AT FIRST, THE COMMISSION MEETING LASTED LONGER THAN THEY LAST NOW. YEAH.
>> YEAH. ANOTHER PART OF THAT, TO PROVIDE TRANSPARENCY, IS THAT THE ANNEXATION PROCESS IS MUCH MORE STREAMLINED NOW. THAT HAS BEEN ABLE TO HELP FEED
[01:05:02]
THE NEED FOR, YOU KNOW, EXPANSION OUTSIDE THE CITY.YOU KNOW, WITH OUR-- LIKE WE DID LAST YEAR WITH THE RATE WORKSHOP, WE HAD IDENTIFIED AREAS OUTSIDE THE CITY THAT WE WANTED TO EXPAND TO. WITH PART OF THE BOND FUNDING.
EVERY YEAR, WE BRING BACK ANY EXPANSION PROJECTS THAT WE DO.
LIKE, WHITE CITY HAS BEEN A PERFECT EXAMPLE.
THAT HAS BEEN PART OF THE BUDGET PROCESS FOR MANY YEARS.
YOU KNOW, IT IS A GOOD AREA OF THE CITY TO EXPAND INTO.
BECAUSE WATER-- THEY NEED WATER, WASTEWATER VERY MUCH.
WE DO THAT AS PART OF THE BUDGET PROCESS.
YOU KNOW, WE WILL CONTINUE TO SHOW THAT INFORMATION.
AND CONTINUE TO BE INVOLVED ACTIVELY IN THE ANNEXATION PROCESS. SO EVERYBODY IS IN THE KNOW.
>> YUP. WE HAVE MIGHT ALSO SHARE WITH THE BOARD THAT THE WORK THAT CAME OUT OF THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION, THE RESOLUTION WAS AN ORDINANCE.
OR RESOLUTION. WHATEVER IT WAS.
>> WELL, ACTUALLY, WE WILL BE ABLE TO SHARE BOTH OF THOSE WITH
THANK YOU. OTHER THAN THAT, I THINK THAT IS ALL I HAVE FOR TODAY. SO IF NOBODY HAS ANYTHING
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.