[Call to Order] [00:00:03] TEST TEST TEST TEST >> AT THIS POINT I WOULD LIKE YOU TO STAND FOR THE OPENING PRAYER AND THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. FATHER, WE ASK YOU TO GUIDE THE BOARD WITH YOUR WISDOM TODAY. LET THEIR DECISIONS BE FAIR TO THE RESIDENTS OF FORT PIERCE AND THE UTILITY'S AUTHORITY. WE ASK YOU TO BLESS THE BOARD AS THEY SEEK YOUR GUIDANCE AND KEEP ALL EMPLOYEES IN YOUR CARE IN JESUS NAME WE PRAY AMEN. >> (PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE). >> WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. >> (ROLL CALL). >> IS THERE A MOTION TO SET THE AGENDA? >> I SO MOVE, MADAM CHAIR. >> SECOND. >> PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. >> (ROLL CALL). >>. [Item B] >> IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES. >> SO MOVED. >> WE SHOULD APPROVE THEM ONE AT A TIME DIFFERENT SETS OF MINUTES. >> AM SORRY. YOU ARE RIGHT. >> I SECOND THAT MOTION ON THE FIRST ONE. >> COULD YOU PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. >>. >> IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE REGULAR MEETING. >>. >> ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC [Item C] ? >>. >> LAST NIGHT MR. COMPAQ GAVE A PRESENTATION TO THE COMMISSION REGARDING SOME OF THE THINGS HE WELL ARE GOING TO DO TO MITIGATE ISSUES WITH THE RATE PAYERS. AND I THINK TWICE I WENT BACK AND LISTENED. THERE WAS A COMMENT THAT WAS MADE REGARDING THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE NOT PAID DURING THIS TIME. AND I THINK TWICE A STATEMENT WAS MADE THAT THERE ARE SOME THAT DIDN'T PAY BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T PAY BUT THEY DIDN'T PAY. I'M HERE BOTH AS THE OWNER OF A BUSINESS AND ALSO AS A MEMBER AND EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE NAACP. AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT AS OF YESTERDAY IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE NAACP, WE PROVIDED 20,000 MEALS TO OUR COMMUNITY. AND I -- MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS HAVE BEEN HANDS-ON AND HANDING OUT THOSE MEALS. I WAS BORN AND RAISED HERE. I KNOW THIS COMMUNITY. AND I THINK WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL, NOT ONLY OF OUR RESIDENTS RIGHT NOW IN OUR RATEPAYERS, OUR COMMERCIAL ACCOUNTS, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK -- I THINK PRESENTLY THERE ARE ABOUT 1500. I WOULD BE VERY CAREFUL TO MAKE A STATEMENT. I DON'T THINK IT WAS MADE IN A BAD WAY, BUT I DON'T THINK IT WAS MADE WITH CLEAR THOUGHT. I THINK WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL BEFORE WE JUDGE ANY OF OUR RATEPAYERS. I AM SURE IN THAT NUMBER THERE ARE SOME THAT WOULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE SITUATION. BUT THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE THAT TODAY THESE ARE CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICH NONE OF US HAVE EVER SEEN. AND I KNOW AS A BUSINESS OWNER I KEPT MY 19 EMPLOYEES EMPLOYED THE WHOLE TIME WITH NO ASSISTANCE OR NO HELP FROM ANYBODY DURING THIS TIME. BUT I WAS MANDATED BY THE GOVERNMENT TO SHUT MY BUSINESS DOWN. THEREFORE, I JUST THINK THAT WE NEED TO AIR ON THE SIDE OF CAUTION AND TO UNDERSTAND WHAT EACH FAMILY AND EACH BUSINESS HAS GONE THROUGH DURING THIS TIME. WE ARE IN UNCHARTED TERRITORY. LET'S NOT JUDGE. LET'S TRY TO HELP WHERE [00:05:06] WE CAN. >> THANK YOU. >> GOOD AFTERNOON BOARD. MY NAME IS ALICIA DICTIONDIXON. 11 DIXON WAY JENSEN BEACH ORDER.. I'M HERE TODAY TO PETITION THE BOARD FOR LENIENCY. I PURCHASED IT PROPERTY HERE MARCH 30 OF THIS YEAR. I DID NOT USE A TITLE COMPANY. THE OWNER OF THE HOME HAD PERISHED ABOUT 15 YEARS AGO AND I BOUGHT IT FROM HIS FAMILY BECAUSE WAS GETTING READY TO BE AUCTIONED OFF. TO KEEP IT IN THE FORT PIERCE AREA, OWNED BY FORT PIERCE RESIDENTS, I'M NOT A RESIDENT OF FORT PIERCE, BUT I OWN MY PRIMARY RESIDENT WAS HERE IN FORT PIERCE, WHICH WAS 106 BEDFORD DRIVE INSURED AND PLAZA. I'VE ALWAYS PAID MY BILL WHEN I WAS HERE. I KNOW THAT SOMETIMES IT WAS HIGH, BUT I WAS MADE THE EFFORT TO MAKE SURE THAT MY BILLS WERE PAID. WHEN I WENT TO HAVE THE LIGHTS TURNED ON AT THIS RESIDENCY I WAS TOLD BY FPUA THAT HE HAD A LIEN ON IT FOR FPUA OF $5000. THAT I WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT LIEN. I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH FPUA POLICIES WHEN IT COMES TO PROPERTIES AND LIENS BECAUSE OF UNPAID BILLS FROM PREVIOUS RESIDENCE, BUT IN DOING SOME RESEARCH, THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WAS NOT JUST THE PASTOR BILL, AT THE ASSESSMENT EVERY MONTH OF $49 AS IT GOES UP. THIS INDIVIDUAL HAS BEEN DEAD 15 YEARS. I'M NOT ASKING FOR A FAVOR. I'M ASKING FOR LENIENCY. I HAVE NO PROBLEM PAYING THE PASTOR BILL THAT HE HAD WHEN HE PERISHED, BUT TO BE ASSESSED EVERY MONTH $45 IS EXTREME. AND I FEEL AS THOUGH IF I BRING THIS PROPERTY BACK UP AND MAKE IT MORE VIABLE TO THE COMMUNITY, THAT SHE WILL SEE THAT A BILL WILL NEVER GET LIKE THAT. NEVER AGAIN. BUT I REALLY DO NEED THE LENIENCY OF THE FPUA BOARD ON THIS MATTER. THANK YOU AND HAVE A BLESSED DAY. >> WILL MAKE A COMMENT ON PUBLIC BUT I DO BELIEVE FOR THE RECORDS WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT PROPERTY WHERE THEY ARE THE ADDRESS. >> IT IS 1508 N. 21ST STREET FORT PIERCE FLORIDA. IT WAS PREVIOUSLY OWNED BY MR. FREDDIE WILLIAMS. HE WAS A RESIDENT HERE FOR MANY YEARS. HE USED TO DRIVE TAXI. A FAMILIAR WITH THE FAMILY EVENT CLOSE TO THEM FOR MANY YEARS AND I KNEW MR. WILLIAMS AS WELL. >> OKAY. THANK YOU. >> IS A PUBLIC COMMENT? >> GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS MARIO WILCOX. I AM A RESIDENT OF FORT PIERCE RETIRED VETERAN OF FORT PIERCE. >> I NEED YOUR ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD. >> FOR THE RECORD MY ADDRESS IS 5227 OAKLAND LAKE CIRCLE FORT PIERCE FLORIDA 34951. I HAD A CHANCE TO WATCH THE COMMISSION MEETING LAST NIGHT. AND I HEARD THE STATEMENTS THAT WAS BEING MADE. I DO FEEL THAT THE STATEMENTS THAT WERE BEING MADE, IT WAS NOT A LINE. AND THEY WERE UNWARRANTED. BECAUSE WHEN YOU'RE FACING -- THIS IS ALL OF YOU GUYS FIRST TIME FACING A PANDEMIC SUCH AS THIS. WHEN THE SWINE FLU CAME OUT I WAS IN EUROPE. AND I FACED THE WORST LOCKDOWN IN THIS AND I HAD A CHANCE TO SEE WHERE THOSE RESIDENTS WENT THROUGH. THE EUROPEAN RESIDENTS. THEY PAID [00:10:02] UTILITIES OVER THERE, TOO. I HAD A CHANCE TO ATTEND THEIR TOWN: CITY HALL MEETINGS, TOO. NOT AT ONE TIME DID THEY CHARGE THE RESIDENCE THE WAY THAT THEY DID. WHEN THE PANDEMIC WAS OVER, THEY WERE ON A CLEAN SLATE. IT WENT BACK TO BUSINESS AS USUAL. WHAT CONCERNS ME IS WHEN YOU ALLOW THEM NOT TO PAY THEIR BILLS BECAUSE THE STIMULUS CHECK AND I ASSUME THE COMMENT WAS MADE BECAUSE OF THAT. FIRST OFF EVEN THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES JOKE WAS THAT STIMULUS CHECK WAS NOT ENOUGH, THE FIRST ROUND. THERE'S ANOTHER ROUND COMING DOWN PARTY LINES. IT'S NOT ENOUGH FOR YOU TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE DEPENDENCY AND EVERYTHING ELSE THE KEYS THE PRICES OF THE FOOD THE SUPPLY AND DEMAND. IT'S MICRO AND MACRO ECONOMICS 101. BUT TO ASSUME SOMEONE COULD HAVE PAID THEIR BILL AND DID NOT, AND THEN EVEN SUGGEST THAT IN JULY THEY HAVE TO PAY THE FULL AMOUNT OUTRIGHT THAT'S ABSURD I DID RESEARCH ON THE PERSON MADE THE STATEMENT. THIS PERSON DOESN'T EVEN RESIDE IN FORT PIERCE. DOESN'T PAY UTILITY BILL. I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO PAY UTILITY BILLS THROUGHOUT PUA REGARDLESS OF WHETHER I MOVE I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE. I KNOW THE CONSTRAINTS. I KNOW THE BUDGETS I HAD TO HAVE UNDERGONE. AND EACH OF YOU NOW. AND I SAY EACH OF YOU DO NOT CLOSE YOUR VOWS OF SYMPATHY TO THE PEOPLE. MR. BAY, YOU KNOW. I REMEMBER ONCE UPON A TIME YOU HAD A SOUL. DON'T LET THIS HAPPEN MR. BAY, MR. MATTHEWS, MAYOR HUDSON, ALL OF YOU PROFESS FAITH. THANK YOU. >> GEORGE COLLINS,. MY ADDRESS IS 7203 -- (INDISCERNIBLE) -- FORT PIERCE FLORIDA. GOOD AFTERNOON. YOU KNOW, I ATTENDED THE MEETING AND I KNOW EVERYTHING THAT IS SAID IS NOT ALWAYS WHAT IT SEEMS. BUT THE SCRIPTURE TELL YOU WE HAVE TO WATCH HER TONGUE AND WHAT WE SAY CONCERNING PEOPLE BECAUSE THESE ARE NOT JUST PEOPLE. YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE THAT ARE YOUR CUSTOMERS, THEIR YOUR CLIENTS. YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH THEM EVERY DAY. IF NOT YOU SOMEONE WHO WORKS WITH YOU. YOU HAVE TO HAVE EMPATHY FOR WAS GOING ON. DON'T COME IN WITH THE PRESUMED KNOWLEDGE OF WHETHER PEOPLE CAN PAY OR NOT PAY. THAT WAY, WHATEVER YOU DO IS GOING TO SEEM SKEWED OR OUT OF ORDER. SO COME IN WITH A CLEAN SLATE. THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME OF THOSE THAT ARE GOING TO STEAL. WE KNOW THAT. ANYTIME YOU DEAL WITH HUMAN MAN ACCOUNTABILITY IS GOING TO HAVE TO BE FORCED. IT'S NOT TO BE GIVEN MOST OF THE TIME. I UNDERSTAND THAT. BUT LET'S BE CONSIDERATE. THAT'S ALL INSANE. STAND ON YOUR MORALS AND DO THE BEST BY THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE ALL THE PEOPLE THAT YOU CAUSE TO NOT BE ABLE TO PAY AND GET KICKED OUT OF THEIR HOME THAT'S A CLIENT YOU'RE LOSING. I WOULD SEE HOW YOU THINK YOU CAN RECOVER IF YOU GET RID OF YOUR POPULATION IS PAYING INTO YOUR SYSTEM. YOU'VE GOT TO TRY TO SAVE AS MANY AS YOU CAN. THE BEST WAY THAT YOU CAN. AS FAR AS COMING IN WITH A CLEAN SLATE I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT WOULD WORK BUT I KNOW ONE THING, THERE SHOULD BE ANSWERS BECAUSE YOU KNOW THAT PEOPLE ARE NOT GOING TO IMMEDIATELY ASK THE PRESENT, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SAID, IT'S NOT GONNA BE LIKE A LIGHT SWITCH. YOU CAN'T TURN IT ON AND WERE BACK WHERE WE WERE. WERE GOING TO HAVE TO WORK AT IT. AND I THINK YOU. >> THANK YOU. ANY FURTHER COMMENTS? >> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS MR. KARAS I RESIDED -- MY ADDRESS WILL BE 117 ORANGE AVENUE AND I'M A MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY. HELLO, BOARD. I KNOW EVERYBODY HERE. >> SIGNING ON A TABLET. >> THIS? OKAY. FIRST, I WANT TO THANK THE FPUA BOARD AND EVERYBODY HERE. YOU'VE DONE AN EXCEPTIONAL JOB OF BEING FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE. I TOOK A VIEW AT SOME OF THE UTILITIES COMPANIES AROUND THE COUNTRY [00:15:10] AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY HAVE DONE TO HELP THE COMMUNITY. I THINK THAT THERE IS SOME RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE UTILITIES COMPANY TO FIGURE OUT A MIDDLE GROUND. AND EVERYBODY KNOWS FPUA AND EVERYBODY KNOWS FLORIDA POWER AND LIGHT IS IN THIS AREA. THAT IS A GOOD BAROMETER FOR US TO USE POSITIVE GUIDELINES. FLORIDA POWER AND LIGHT CHOSE TO DO 25 PERCENT OFF THE BILL FOR MONTH. AND THAT MIGHT BE A NICE SOLUTION FOR THE BOARD TO REVIEW BECAUSE THAT'S COMPARABLE UTILITIES COMPANY AND IT'S A MIDDLE GROUND TO OFFER IF THERE ARE BACK DUES TO PROVIDE THAT DISCOUNT AND ALLOW PEOPLE THAT DID PAY THE SAME DISCOUNT WHEN THEY CHOOSE TO USE IT WITHIN THE NEXT SIX MONTHS WHICH OTHER PEOPLE MIGHT NEED IT LATER. AND THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO DO THE SAME THING OF THE UTILITIES COMPANIES HAVE DONE WHILE STILL BEING FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE, FINANCIALLY TO THE ORGANIZATION YOU REPRESENTED TO THE RESIDENCE. THIS IS JUST A SUGGESTION THAT WE CAN DO, WHICH HAS BEEN USED IN MAY BY FLORIDA POWER AND LIGHT AND IT DOES ALLOW THE PEOPLE THAT ARE BEHIND SOME LENIENCY AND A DISCOUNT. THEY CAN CHOOSE WHATEVER MONTH THEY WANT FROM WHEN IT STARTED TO LET'S SAY NOVEMBER, OCTOBER. AND IN THAT WAY THE PEOPLE THAT PAID ALSO DO NOT GET PUNISHED FOR PAYING. THEY STILL HAVE THAT MONTH WHERE THEY CAN USE THEIR DISCOUNT AND PEOPLE THAT ONLY MONEY CAN PICK THE WORST MONTH. THAT'S IT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> ANY FURTHER COMMENTS? >>. >> I'M REBECCA DO MANUAL. 3268 LAKESHORE DRIVE FORT PIERCE. >> IF YOU WILL SIGNING, PLEASE? >> I'M HERE TO REPRESENT MY BUSINESS IN OTHER BUSINESSES, I GUESS, DOWNTOWN. WE HAVE BEEN HIT HARD. WE ARE LOOKING FOR ANY KIND OF RESOURCE HELP WE CAN GET. I KNOW A NUMBER OF US HAVE APPLIED AND FILLED OUT THE APPLICATION FOR THE GRANT AND SO ON. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT LOANS AND SO ON. NOT MUCH IS COMING THROUGH. AND I'VE BEEN DOWN HERE FOR SEVEN YEARS AND MANAGED TO TURN IT INTO A NICE LITTLE BUSINESS. BUT I, FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY YEARS ARE CONCERNED THAT I AM NOT GOING TO MAKE IT. AND ANYTHING THAT THIS CITY CAN DO TO ENCOURAGE -- WHETHER IT'S THE UTILITY COMPANIES WERE ANYWHERE THAT YOU CAN HELP US TO STAY IN BUSINESS TO KEEP THIS LITTLE DOWNTOWN ALIVE BECAUSE BELIEVE ME, WHEN THE RETAIL SHOPS AND RESTAURANTS ARE CLOSING DOWN, PEOPLE ARE NOT GOING TO COME ANYMORE. IT'S A BEAUTIFUL CITY. IT DESERVES ALL THE ACCOLADES THAT WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN IN THE PAST. I'D LIKE TO SEE MORE IN THE FUTURE. SO ANYTHING YOU CAN DO TO HELP US BUSINESSES WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. THANK YOU. >> ANY FURTHER COMMENTS? >>. >> MAY I COMMENT? >> YES. >> -- (INDISCERNIBLE) ARTICLE. >> I BELIEVE. >> (INDISCERNIBLE). >> UNFORTUNATELY, BECAUSE YOU HAVE ALREADY SPOKEN, I THINK THAT THAT DOES BREAK OUR PROTOCOL. THANK YOU, THOUGH. >> ANY FURTHER COMMENTS OKAY. [Consent Agenda] SEEING NONE, GOING TO MOVE ON TO THE CONSENT AGENDA AND ASK IF THERE IS A MOTION TO APPROVE. >> MADAM CHAIR? >> ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. >> IS THERE A SECOND? >> PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. >> (ROLL CALL). [Item E] >> THE NEXT ITEM OF THE LETTERS OF APPRECIATION. A CUSTOMER SERVICE COMMENT CARD WAS RECEIVED FROM DESIREE ROBBINS FOR BEING HELPFUL AND KIND IN MAKING SURE THAT THEY COULD HAVE POWER ON THE PROPERTY DURING THIS DIFFICULT TIME. CUSTOMER SERVICE COMMENT CARD [00:20:05] WAS RECEIVED FROM FRANK RIZZUTO LOVE THANKING SHEILA FOR HER WONDERFUL FRIENDLY AND KNOWLEDGEABLE SERVICE AND HELPING THEM ESTABLISH SERVICE IN THE BUILDING. A LETTER WAS RECEIVED FROM DEBORAH LOMBROSO FORT PIERCE THANKING KEVIN PARRISH, BRIAN COLLIER MAURICE BACON CHUCK ELFORD AND CURTIS STRAND OF FOR THEIR PROFESSIONAL MANNER. QUICK [Item G1] SUMMARY. AMIDST NEW BUSINESS. MR. TOM PECK. >> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I WANTED TO GIVE THE BOARD A BRIEF UPDATE ON CURRENT EVENTS ASSOCIATED WITH OF 19 AND APOLOGIZED TO THE MAYOR AND MR. MATTHEWS BECAUSE OF YOUR SOME OF THE SAME THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT LAST NIGHT WITH THE CITY COMMISSION. I DO NOT WANT TO GO THROUGH THE DETAILS OF THE TIMELINE, BUT JUST TO REFRESH EVERYONE'S MEMORY, WE STARTED UP JAMIE THE PLAN IN EARLY MARCH WE CLOSE THE CUSTOMER LOBBY ON THE 18TH AND SUSPENDED SERVICE DISCONNECTIONS ON THAT DATE. WE STARTED TELECOMMUTING OUR EMPLOYEES ON THE 23RD IN ANTICIPATION OF THE SAVIOR AT HOME ORDER VERY IMPORTANTLY, WE ISOLATED OUR CONTROL ROOM PERSONNEL ON THE 23RD AS WELL. WE STARTED IMPLEMENTATION OF THE FF CRA ON APRIL 1 THE FAMILY FIRST CORONA RECOVERY ACT. AND WE STARTED SCREENING OUR EMPLOYEES ARE OFFICE LOCATIONS ON 13 APRIL. AND ON MAY 4, WE WENT AHEAD AND STARTED BRINGING BACK EMPLOYEES. AND WE ARE CONTINUING TO RING BACK EMPLOYEES ON A STAGGERED BASIS THROUGH JUNE 8 AND WE'VE ASKED OUR EMPLOYEES TO SELL SCREEN BEFORE COMING TO WORK IN JUST FOR LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND WE HAD APPROXIMATELY HUNDRED 40 EMPLOYEES WHICH ARE WORKING FROM HOME. WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE THE STRICT ISOLATION OF THE CONTROL ROOMS AS I EXPLAINED LAST NIGHT. WE HAVE A LIMITED NUMBER OF CONTROL ROOM OPERATORS AND WE CANNOT AFFORD A BUNCH OF THEM TO GET SICK SO WE ARE ISOLATING OUR CONTROL ROOMS AND THAT APPLIES TO DISPATCH, WATER TREATMENT PLANT WATER RECLAMATION FACILITY IN TREASURE COAST ENERGY CENTER SPECIFICALLY. TOMORROW MORNING WE ARE GOING TO REOPEN THE CUSTOMER SERVICE LOBBY. WE'VE MADE SOME PHYSICAL CHANGE THEY ARE. WE'VE ADDED PLEXIGLASS, PARTITIONS TO PROTECT THE CUSTOMERS AND EMPLOYEES. WE'VE MADE MODIFICATIONS TO THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM. AND WE'VE GOT SOME NEW PROTOCOLS ON HANDLING CUSTOMERS AS THEY GO THROUGH THE LOBBY. A LITTLE WORRIED BECAUSE THE LOBBY IS NOT VERY LARGE AND WE ARE GOING TO TRY TO RESTRICT 4 TO 6 PEOPLE AT THE MOST BUT DEPENDING UPON THE SIZE OF THE CROWD, WE MAY HAVE TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND SEE HOW IT WORKS. SO WE ARE TRYING TO RETURN TO NORMAL WHILE OBSERVING ALL THE NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS. WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE AND I WILL GO BACK TO THE FACT THAT THE BOARD REDUCED THE PCA BY TWO DOLLARS EFFECTIVE MAY 1 AND OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT FIVE MONTHS, THAT WILL RETURN ABOUT $1.56 MILLION TO THE CUSTOMERS. AND AS YOU WILL RECALL, WE TALKED ABOUT A COUPLE OF OPTIONS THERE. ONE OF THE OPTIONS WAS SOMETHING SIMILAR TO WHAT FPL WAS DOING TO THE 20 OR $25 REDUCTION AND I THINK STAFF RECOMMENDED -- WE DID NOT KNOW THE LENGTH OR HOW LONG THIS COVID-19 CRISIS WAS GOING TO CONTINUE ON THAT IT MIGHT BE BETTER TO ADJUST THE PCA A LITTLE BIT AND GIVE US A LITTLE BIT MORE FLEXIBILITY LATER ON IF WE NEEDED SOMETHING ADDITIONAL. AND THAT HAS BEEN THE PHILOSOPHY MAYBE IN A MONTH OR TWO WE GET A FULL GRIP OF WHAT KIND OF PROBLEM WE HAVE ON OUR HANDS WE MAY BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING IN ADDITION. WE'VE GIVEN OURSELVES THE FLEXIBILITY TO DO THAT. WE SUSPENDED DISCONNECTIONS, WE ELIMINATED LATE FEES AND THAT NUMBERS ABOUT $150,000 AND GROWING. WE'VE ESTABLISHED AN INTEREST-FREE PAYMENT PROGRAM FOR CUSTOMERS OF BACK CHARGES. SO FAR THAT'S ONLY RESIDENTIAL WE ARE EXTENDING THAT TO COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS AS WELL. WE WORKED OUT A FINAL AGREEMENT ON A PROGRAM TO HELP CUSTOMERS THEIR OUTSTANDING CHARGES WITH ABOUT $100,000. AND AS I MENTIONED LAST NIGHT, I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE MADE -- THESE ARE THE INITIAL STEPS THAT WE HAVE TAKEN. WE RECOGNIZE THAT -- IT WAS MENTIONED HERE THAT WE HAVE NEVER GONE THROUGH THIS BEFORE. WE HAVEN'T EITHER. WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT WHERE WE ARE GOING TO BE IN TWO MONTHS, FOUR MONTHS, SIX MONTHS. IT IS DIFFICULT TO MAKE A PREDICTION OF WHAT THAT WILL LOOK LIKE. [00:25:02] ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK THAT WE ARE GOING TO NEED TO TALK ABOUT IN A MINUTE -- LET ME GO THROUGH THE COST BEFORE I MENTION IT. THE 1.6 MILLION OBVIOUSLY FOR THE PCA IS A COST THAT WILL COME OVER THE NEXT FIVE OR SIX MONTHS THE DELINQUENT FEES. WE SPENT ABOUT $40,000 IN SUPPLIES. WE MADE ABOUT HUNDRED $60,000 IN MODIFICATIONS, NOT ONLY TO THE ADMIN BUILDING, BUT TO OUR OTHER BUILDINGS IN THE CONTRIBUTIONS TO MUSTARD SEED OF $100,000. WE -- THE LAST TIME THAT WE HAD A MEETING, WE DID NOT HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF INFORMATION AVAILABLE, FINANCIAL INFORMATION TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON. I THINK WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE. WE'VE DONE A PAYMENT COLLECTIBLE ANALYSIS OF THE PERIOD FROM FEBRUARY 2 TO MAY 10 AND COMPARED WHAT KIND OF COLLECTIONS WE'VE GOTTEN THIS YEAR AS OPPOSED TO LAST YEAR. AND WE ARE RUNNING AT ABOUT 1.9 MILLION OR ABOUT 5.7 PERCENT BEHIND WE WERE LAST YEAR. AND I EXPECTED THAT I EXPECTED EVERYBODY EXPECTED THE COURSE OF THE QUESTION BECOMES HOW MUCH OF THOSE DELINQUENCIES ARE GOING TO BECOME UNCOLLECTIBLE'S AT SOME POINT IN TIME. THERE'S NO WAY TO PREDICT THAT. WE DID GO BACK AND TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED IN 2005 WITH FRANCIS AND JEAN AND ANNETTE YEAR WE HAD ABOUT $400,000 IN UNCOLLECTIBLE'S. I THINK THE SITUATION IS DIFFERENT BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE NOT OUT OF THEIR HOMES AS THEY WERE WITH FRANCIS IN JUNE. IT'S A HARD THING TO PREDICT. WE'VE TAKEN A LOOK AT THE ACCOUNTS ELIGIBLE FOR DISCONNECTION AND THAT HAS GROWN TO ABOUT 1565. I DON'T WANT THE PUBLIC TO MISINTERPRET SOME OF MY COMMENTS FROM LAST NIGHT. I SUSPECT THAT A GOOD MAJORITY OF THESE PEOPLE ARE PEOPLE THAT GENUINELY HAVE DIFFICULTY IN PAYING. AND WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO IS PART OF THE ONUS IN OPENING THE LOBBY IS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO GET THE PUBLIC IN TO MEET WITH OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE REPS. THEY CAN CALL FOR AN APPOINTMENT OR COME ON IN AND DISCUSS A PAYMENT PLAN. WE REALLY WANT TO UNDERSTAND HOW BIG A PROBLEM IT IS BECAUSE WE DO NOT KNOW. WE CANNOT TELL IF IT IS MORE LIKELY THAT THE PEOPLE HERE ARE PEOPLE THAT GENUINELY HAVE A PROBLEM PAYING AS OPPOSED TO ONES THAT JUST DON'T PAY BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT BEING DISCONNECTED. SO WE ARE NOT TRYING TO BE -- WE ARE NOT TRYING TO BE INSENSITIVE, TO THE FOLKS OUT THERE BECAUSE WE REALIZE THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM, BUT FINANCIALLY, I CANNOT TELL YOU HOW BIG THE PROBLEM IS YET AND I THINK THAT IS WHY WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE OUR CUSTOMERS TO COME IN AND TALK ABOUT A PAYMENT PLAN SO WE CAN UNDERSTAND HOW MANY ARE SUFFERING AND HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO MAKE THEIR PAYMENTS. AND I THINK THAT IS -- I THINK THE TOPIC THAT WE NEED -- OR I NEED, THE STAFF, NEED YOUR INPUT ON IS DISCONNECTIONS. WE -- I HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS THE TOPIC WITH KEY WEST, LAKE WORTH, NEW SMYRNA BEACH, JACKSONVILLE BEACH TO SEE WHAT THEIR PHILOSOPHY WAS ON HERE, ON THIS. AND WITH SOME MINOR VARIATIONS, THEY ARE IN THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING THE PROGRAM TO START DISCONNECTIONS AGAIN. IN MOST CASES JULY AUGUST TIMEFRAME. AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THE LAST THING I WANT TO DO IS DISCONNECT THE CUSTOMER. NOBODY WANTS TO PULL OUT THE CASH REGISTER. I DO NOT REALLY WANT TO DO THAT. ON THE OTHER HAND NEED TO GET SOME OF THE LOST REVENUE BACK INTO THE SYSTEM. SO OUR RECOMMENDATION, OUR STAFF RECOMMENDATION IS THAT WE STRONGLY ENCOURAGE OUR CUSTOMERS TO COME IN AND TALK ABOUT PAYMENT OPTIONS, STARTING TOMORROW. AND I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE THEM SOMEWHERE BETWEEN SIX AND EIGHT WEEKS I THINK IS REASONABLE FOR THEM TO COME IN AND DISCUSS IT WITH US. WE WILL SEE HOW THAT GOES AND WE WILL COME BACK TO THE BOARD PROBABLY THE FIRST OR SECOND MEETING IN JUNE, GIVE YOU A STATUS ON THAT AND WE CAN MAKE A DECISION ABOUT WHEN WE SHOULD START DISCONNECTING CUSTOMERS AGAIN. I WILL THROW THE SUBJECT OPEN FOR DISCUSSION. >> SO MADAM CHAIR, THE GOVERNOR'S ORDER RIGHT NOW EXTENDS TO JULY >> SO MADAM CHAIR, THE GOVERNOR'S ORDER RIGHT NOW EXTENDS TO JULY 7 I THINK. I [00:30:02] THINK AND THEN, WE DO NOT KNOW IF HE IS GOING TO EXTEND THAT OR IF THAT IS GOING TO BE THE DATE WHEN HE SAID AS THAT THAT DECLARATION OF EMERGENCY IS OVER. WE DO NOT KNOW ABOUT THAT. BUT I THINK THAT IS ONE TARGET TO THINK ABOUT AND FIND OUT WHAT THAT MEANS IF IT STAYS IN PLACE, FIND OUT WHAT THAT MEANS TO OUR COMMUNITY AND -- BECAUSE, THE IMPORTANT THING IS PEOPLE NEED TO GET BACK TO WORK IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO PAY THEIR BILLS. AND I THINK MOST PEOPLE WANT TO GET BACK TO WORK. AND I THINK WE WANT TO BE AS SUPPORTIVE AS WE CAN AND HELPING THEM SO THAT THIS IS NOT A WORRY IN A PAYMENT PLAN AND THE PROSPECT OF DISCONNECTION SHOULD BE BASED ON SOMETHING REASONABLE THAT ALLOWS THEM TO GET BACK TO WORK AND BE ABLE TO PAY SOMETHING SO THAT THEY FEEL THAT THEY CAN SUPPORT THEIR FAMILIES AND ALSO, AS WAS BROUGHT OUT LAST NIGHT, AND THE DISCONNECTIONS IN JULY AND AUGUST IN FLORIDA ARE PARTICULARLY, ACUTELY UNBEARABLE. SO I THINK WE ARE TO KEEP THAT IN MIND. I KNOW WE HAVE TO BE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHEN EVERYBODY IS GOING TO BE BACK TO WORK FOR THE MOST PART -- FOR THE MOST PART. AND I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE SEPTEMBER, MAYBE, I DON'T KNOW. SO, I WILL STOP TALKING AND LET SOMEBODY ELSE CHIME IN. >> ANYBODY ELSE HAVE COMMENTS? >> MADAM CHAIR? >> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS HARD FOR PEOPLE AND IT IS EASY FOR OTHERS THAT HAVE NEVER BEEN IN THE SHOES OF A POOR PERSON WORRY DISADVANTAGE PERSON, THEY DON'T FIT THE REALITIES OF WHAT IS GOING ON, FORT PIERCE HAS A HISTORY OF HAVING A HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT YOU LOOK AT ALL THE COUNTIES IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, WE WAS ALWAYS ONE THAT WAS HIGH. THEN WHEN YOU COME INTERNALLY INTO THE CITY, YOU'VE GOT PERSONS WHO ARE DISABLED, OR PERSONS WHO YOU KNOW THEY ARE HOMELESS, WHO WE THINK JUST BECAUSE THEY DO NOT -- IS COMPACT THAT WE HAVE THE MINORITY COMMUNITY WHO IS STRUGGLING BECAUSE HER NEW JOB. I THINK PERSONALLY, WHAT WE ARE TO DO AS A BOARD OF EMERGENCY WORKSHOP AND WE NEED TO DIVIDE THE CONVERSATION. WE HAD MS. REBECCA TO COME IN FROM THE SMALL BUSINESS PERSON JUST A MINUTE AGO, WHEN WE CAN DO WITH PEOPLE LIKE THAT. WE HAVE OTHER PERSONS WE HAVE MOST OF THEM HAVE CHILDREN WHAT WE CAN DO WITH THE RESIDENTS THAT ARE FACING THIS DILEMMA. WE HAVE ABOUT 29,000+ CUSTOMERS. THOSE WERE DOING OKAY. YOU PROBABLY NEVER HEAR. BUT WE NEED TO HAVE AN INTERNAL EMERGENCY WORKSHOP. I THINK THERE SHOULD BE A FOUR-WAY PLAN. I DON'T WANT TO OVER DISCUSS IT NOW, THE FIRST ONE FOLLOWS THE RULES AND REGULATIONS OF WHAT YOU SAY YOU'RE GOING TO DO WITH THE TWO DOLLAR REDUCTION IN ALL. I THINK WE NEED TO CERTAINLY TAKE THOSE 1500+ A LOOK AT WHETHER OR NOT A PAY PLAN WILL WORK. NUMBER THREE THINK WE NEED TO BE IN A POSITION TO DO EVEN WRITE OFF OR FORGIVE A CERTAIN NUMBER OF CUSTOMERS. HOW DO YOU CATCH UP WHETHER IT'S JUNE OR JULY AND AUGUST WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE IT? IN THE LAST, I THINK WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS TO PLACE A CREDIT LINE FOR SOME OF THESE CUSTOMERS SO THAT THEY CAN -- YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY THAT WILL BE ON THE UTILITIES FOR FIVE YEARS, WITH GOOD BEHAVIOR, THAT PERSON WOULD BE ELIGIBLE. SOMEONE WHO JUST COME TO TOWN, WE DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT THEM AND FOR FOUR OR FIVE MONTHS BUT WE CAN WORK IT OUT AMONG OURSELVES AS A BOARD. TO HELP AND EVERYBODY WILL GET PART OF THE BILL. THERE'S A CERTAIN AMOUNT YOU JUST TALK ABOUT 1.9, 1.7, THERE'S A CERTAIN AMOUNT IS GOING TO BE IN THE COLLECTIBLE CATEGORY. I'M NOT SAYING YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO PAY, BUT THE GOING TO BE DELINQUENT. AND ONE DAY THERE SOME LAW COME BECAUSE WE'VE GIVEN THEM A CHANCE BE PUSHED OVER THE HILL. IT'S LIKE A RAGGEDY CAR, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S UP WITH THE GOOD BATTERY, IT MIGHT LAST A LITTLE LONGER. WE DON'T RUN ANYBODY AWAY. IT'S NOT HARD TO RUN PEOPLE AWAY BECAUSE THEY ALWAYS COMPLAINING ABOUT HIGHLIGHT BILLS AND JOB [00:35:04] DISCRIMINATION EVERYTHING ELSE. LET'S BE BRAVE ENOUGH AND LOOK AT WHAT WE ARE WILLING TO FIT IN -- NOT A WRITE OFF, BUT I WAS OVERALL, YOU HAVE TO BE IN A COLLECTIVE RIGHT AWAY. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >> THE ONLY COMMENT I WOULD MAKE IS I KNOW LAST MONTH WE DID HEAR ABOUT THE $25 OR 25 PERCENT ON FPL. AT LEAST FOR RIGHT NOW, I THINK THE THOUGHT OF THE BOARD WAS THAT WE WOULD GO WITH THE PC REDUCTION IN OTHER WORDS THE REDUCTION OF RATE BECAUSE THAT CARRIES THROUGH THE SUMMER. IT IS NOT A ONE-TIME THING. SO ALL THROUGH THE SUMMER MONTHS, WHICH ARE HIGH MONTHS, WE WOULD HAVE THE REDUCTION IN RATES. SO THAT WAS ONE OF OUR THOUGHTS. I DO NOT KNOW HOW MUCH WORSE THIS MAY GET OR HOW MUCH BETTER THIS MIGHT GET BUT FOR RIGHT NOW, THE PCA WAS OUR FIRST STEP AND I THINK THE OTHER ITEMS WERE FOR A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE WERE HAVING SERIOUS PROBLEMS POLICE PEOPLE WHO HAVE FAMILIES, NOT COMMERCIAL, BUT WE ARE TRYING TO WORK WITH ORGANIZATIONS LIKE MUSTARD SEED THAT WILL GIVE THEM THE RELIEF THAT THEY NEED BECAUSE THEY DO PAY THEIR UTILITY BILL. AND ONE FINAL COMMENT. I HAVE ONLY FPL THING, THAT IS ONLY FOR ELECTRIC ONLY. THAT WOULD NOT BE FOR THEIR WATER OR SEWER WHICH OUR BILLS ARE COMBINED AND OUR GARBAGE IS ON THERE. WHERE AS THOSE ARE NOT -- YOUR TOTAL BILL, WHATEVER YOUR TOTAL BILL MAY BE, FPL'S PART WOULD ONLY BE THE $25 OR 25 PERCENT WHICHEVER ONE IT IS ASSUMING IT'S AROUND HUNDRED DOLLARS WHEREAS OURS REFLECTS WHOLE LOT OF OTHER UTILITY SERVICES THAT WE HAVE. SO, I KNOW WE CAN CONSIDER MORE OPTIONS AND I THINK THAT IS WHY WE ARE HERE AS A BOARD IS TO HELP OUR UTILITY AUTHORITY GUIDE WHAT WE THINK WILL BE IN THE BEST INTEREST. BUT I AGREE WITH MR. CHARLIE FRANK THAT WE NEED TO HAVE SOME CRITERIA AND MAY BE DIVIDED INTO SOME DIFFERENT SECTIONS THE END WE LOOK AT THOSE DIFFERENT SECTIONS AND SAY WHAT CAN WE DO FOR A FAMILY THAT HAS FOUR OR FIVE CHILDREN IN THERE AND THEY HAVE LOST THEIR JOB. I THINK SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE WHETHER WE STILL DO IT THROUGH MUSTARD SEED BECAUSE WERE NOT QUALIFIED OUR STAFF ISN'T QUALIFIED TO MAKE THAT JUDGMENT. ON THE COMMERCIAL AND, I DO NOT KNOW THAT WE HAVE DONE ANYTHING OTHER THAN THE PC REDUCTION. SO YES. WE WANT OUR BUSINESSES TO SURVIVE. AND WE MAY NEED TO DO MORE. >> THERE WILL BE A PRESS RELEASE TOMORROW MORNING ON THE COMMERCIAL SIDE. >> OKAY. THANK YOU. >> MADAME CHEROKEE. >> YES, SIR. >> I AGREE WITH YOU, MR. MATTHEWS. I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE WORK TOGETHER ON THIS. ONE OF MY MAIN CONCERNS IS THAT WE ARE NOT OUT OF THIS YET. AND WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT -- THE COUNTRY HAS BEEN TALKING ABOUT AS A RESULT OF REOPENING WHAT ARE SOME OF THE ISSUES ARE GOING TO BE WITH REINFECTION AND THAT SORT OF THING. SO, IT MAY BE THAT COME SEPTEMBER OR SO WE MAY BE LOOKING AT THE SAME THING AGAIN. SO I THINK WITH THAT IN LIGHT, WE NEED TO SIT DOWN AS A COMMUNITY AND LOOK AT BANDING TOGETHER WITH THE CHURCHES, THE MUSTARD SEED, I KNOW WE HAVE A WEATHERIZATION PROGRAM THAT THERE MAY BE MONEY AVAILABLE TO HELP. MY CONCERN IS THAT WE ARE MUNICIPAL UTILITY AUTHORITY. OUR RATEPAYERS OWN THIS COMPANY AND I THINK THAT THERE IS A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF RESPONSIBILITY. THAT WE OWE THEM AS RATEPAYERS TO KEEP THIS THING AFLOAT. BUT BY THE SAME TOKEN, I THINK WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE WHO CAN COME IN AND MAKE ARRANGEMENTS TO PAY THEIR BILLS, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN GET THAT DONE BECAUSE THAT IS A SIGN OF GOOD FAITH AND THAT HELPS US MOVE THIS THING FORWARD. I ALSO UNDERSTOOD THAT THERE WERE CHURCHES THAT WERE HELPING GET PARISHIONERS TOGETHER TO PAY THEIR BILLS. I THINK IT'S INCUMBENT UPON US ALL TO WORK TOGETHER AND FIGURE THIS OUT. >> THANK YOU. [00:40:03] >> I THINK EVERYBODY IS COVERING THE BROAD SPECTRUM. I THINK UNTIL WE KNOW THAT AMERICA'S GOING TO BE BACK TO WORK WHICH IS GOING TO BE SOMETIME AFTER JULY, AT LEAST IN JULY AND AUGUST THAT'S FAIR FOR EVERYBODY. >> THERE'S ANOTHER HIDDEN AGENDA THAT HAS NOT BEEN EVEN DISCUSSED AND THAT HIDDEN AGENDA, HURRICANE SEASON. ONCE HURRICANE SEASON KICKING -- WE NEED TO HAVE SOME TYPE OF WORKSHOP BECAUSE THAT'S ANOTHER IMPACT OF THE PROBLEM. WE STILL GOT A PROBLEM. ANOTHER PART OF THE HIDDEN AGENDA IS THAT DURING -- A PERSON WHO OWNS RESTAURANT KNOWS THIS BETTER THAN ANYBODY WE USED TO CALL IT THE THREE SYSTEM MONTHS. JUNE, JULY AND AUGUST. THEY AUTOMATICALLY HAD PROBLEMS EVEN TRYING TO MAINTAIN A CERTAIN LEVEL. WE ARE GETTING READY TO GO RIGHT INTO THAT LITTLE CIRCLE OF JUNE, JULY AND AUGUST BECAUSE OF THE THREE SUMMER MONTHS. >> THROUGH SEPTEMBER. >> THE BOARD SHOULD BE MOVING TO DO SOMETHING. THANK YOU MA'AM. >> ANYTHING ELSE? MR. TOM PAT, I BELIEVE WARREN YOU WITH MR. TOMPECK WERE WITH YOU. [Item G2] >> THE NEXT ITEM IS THE UPDATE. AND PAUL WILL MAKE THE RECOMMENDATION. WHILE IS COMING UP IF I COULD MENTION THAT I'LL GET BACK WITH YOU. WE ARE GOING TO GO BACK TO TWO MEETINGS STARTING IN JUNE AND I WILL TRY TO GET MORE INFORMATION ON THE DETAILS OF THE NUMBER OF DISCONNECTIONS THAT ARE POSSIBLE TO SEE IF WE CAN PULL DETAILS TO FIGURE OUT EXACTLY HOW BIG THE PROBLEM IS AND HOPEFULLY WILL HAVE TIME FOR CUSTOMERS TO COME IN TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS. WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THE MAGNITUDE OF THE ISSUE. >> AND MR. -- EXCUSE ME MADAM CHAIR. THAT'S A MOVING TARGET, RIGHT. EVERY DAY THE NUMBER IS DIFFERENT SO THAT'S JUST THE NUMBER TODAY SO I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAD TO KEEP IN MIND. YOU HAVE TO SEE WHAT THAT IS OVER THE NEXT TWO WEEKS BEFORE THE NEXT BOARD MEETING. THANKS. >> MADAM CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD I AM HAPPY TO PRESENT TO YOU THE MARCH 20 -- MARCH 2020 12 MONTH ROLLING AVERAGE FOR THE RELIABILITY OF OUR ELECTRIC SYSTEM. OUR SAFETY, WHICH IS THE ESTIMATE OF THE NUMBER OF INTERRUPTIONS THAT A CUSTOMER CAN EXPECT FROM THE DATA FROM THE PREVIOUS 12 MONTHS CREEPED UP A LITTLE BIT AT 1.06 NOT GET UP TO THAT A LITTLE BIT NEAR THE END OF THE PRESENTATION. IF YOU LOOK AT THIS AS COMPARED TO THE OTHER UTILITIES THAT PARTICIPATE IN THE FMP A PROGRAM WE ARE INTENT ON THE LIST ACCORDING TO THIS. WE ARE STILL ABOVE -- WE ARE LESS THAN THE AVERAGE FOR THE MEDIUM-SIZE UTILITIES WITHIN THE STATE. THE KATIE NUMBER, IF YOU REMEMBER IS THE ESTIMATE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCING AN OUTAGE HOW SOON YOUR POWER SHOULD BE RESTORED. THIS IS RUNNING AT 52.57 AND ACCORDING TO THE STATE WE ARE NINTH ON THE LIST FOR THIS. THE LAST NUMBER THAT WE LOOK AT IS SADIE. THIS NUMBER IS BASED ON OUR ENTIRE CUSTOMER BASE EVEN IF THEY DO NOT EXPERIENCE AN OUTAGE WE ARE RUNNING ABOUT 55.76. ONCE AGAIN, WE ARE NINTH IN THE STATE. THIS IS A NEW CHART THAT I HAVE UPDATED HERE. THIS IS THE 2019 COMPARISON FOR THE CALENDAR YEAR, NOT THE 12 MONTH ROLLING. AS YOU CAN SEE FPUA IS ON THE FAR RIGHT. WE AVERAGE 1.3 OUTAGES PER YEAR OR PER CUSTOMER. 53.9 FOR THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT THAT CUSTOMER COULD EXPERIENCE THOSE OUTAGES AT 55.9 FOR AN ENTIRE CUSTOMER BASE. IF YOU DO A COMPARISON WE ARE LESS THAN THE MUNICIPAL AVERAGE. WE ARE HIGHER THAN F P&L ON THE SAFETY WHICH IS THE NUMBER OF OUTAGES, BUT WE ARE BETTER ON THE RESTORATION TIME THAN F P&L AND WE CAN GO THROUGH THE REST OF THEM BUT I THINK IT IS SELF-EXPLANATORY LOOKING AT IT AS FAR AS HOW WE COMPARE. REMEMBER A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, WE CAME UP WITH METRICS THAT WE WANTED TO COMPARE OURSELVES TO. THE ONE [00:45:02] METRIC THAT WE HAVE IS OUR SAFETY. WE ARE A LITTLE OVER OUR ESTIMATED ONE. WE WANT TO GET THE AVERAGES DOWN TO ONE OUTAGE PER CUSTOMER OR LESS PER YEAR. OUR NUMBERS ARE GOOD. THE OTHER ONE, LIKE I SAID, THE SAFETY IS THERE. WHAT THIS SHOWS US IS THAT WE NEED TO MAINTAIN OUR VIGILANCE WITH OUR OUTAGES AND RELIABILITY. WE CANNOT JUST SAY WE HAD A GREAT MONTH LAST MONTH AND THEN SLOUGH OFF A LITTLE BIT. THE REASON THESE WENT UP NEAR THE END OF THE YEAR WAS WE HAD A COUPLE OF OUTAGES WHERE THE BREAKERS OPENED UP ON THE BEACH AND THAT'S 2000 CUSTOMERS RIGHT THERE THAT WERE OUT FOR ABOUT AN HOUR. IT WAS CAUSED BY A RACCOON GETTING INTO THE SUBSTATION. AS YOU CAN SEE ONE OUTAGE CAN NEGATIVELY AFFECT HER NUMBERS. WE'RE BEING VIGILANT AND WE ARE MAKING SURE THAT YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS THAT WE'VE HAD FOR THE FIRST THREE MONTHS, FOUR MONTHS OF THIS YEAR, THEY ARE GOOD. WE WANT TO KEEP THAT MOVING FORWARD TO GET THE NUMBER BACK DOWN UNDER NUMBER ONE AND IT'S GOING TO TAKE A COUPLE MONTHS FOR THAT TO BE AVERAGED OUT THROUGH THE ENTIRE SYSTEM AS WE MOVE FORWARD. WITH THAT I WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE. >> ANY QUESTIONS? >> MR. TOM PEGGY. [Item G3] >> NEXT ITEM IS THE FINANCIAL OPERATING RESULTS FOR FEBRUARY 2020 BARBARA MICHAEL WILL MAKE THE PRESENTATION. THANK YOU, MR. TOMPECK. MADAM CHAIR AND BOARD MEMBERS HAVE THE FINANCIAL OPERATING RESULTS FOR FEBRUARY, 2020. BARBARA, IF YOU CAN TALK INTO THE MIC. >> OH OKAY. IS THAT BETTER? >> WE HAD A YEAR TO DATE INCREASE IN OUR NET POSITION AFTER THE ADJUSTMENT FOR THE DISTRIBUTION TO THE CITY OF 1,243,000. WE HAD YEAR TO DATE OPERATING INCOME WHICH WAS DOWN FROM THE SAME PERIOD THE SAME FIVE MONTH PERIOD LAST YEAR UNDER THE 977,000. AND THEN IN 2019, WE HAD GUARANTEED REVENUE CHARGES THAT WERE COLLECTED IN EXCHANGE FOR CAPACITY REDUCTIONS THAT INCREASE THE OPERATING REVENUES LAST YEAR WE DID NOT EXPERIENCE IN THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR ANY OF THOSE REDUCTIONS OR NOT TO THAT EXTENT. AND SO THAT ACCOUNTS FOR ABOUT 900,000 OF THAT 1.9 MILLION. IN ADDITION WE HAD SOME EXPENSES THAT WERE A LITTLE BIT UP THIS YEAR FROM LAST YEAR INCLUDING SALARIES AND WAGES IN THOSE CORRESPONDING BENEFITS THAT EXTRAPOLATE OFF OF THE SALARIES AND WE HAD SOME ADDITIONAL MAINTENANCE AND SERVICE CONTRACTS THAT WE ARE ENGAGED WITHIN THIS YEAR THAT WE WERE PREVIOUSLY. THIS CHARGE, THIS SHOWS THE ELECTRIC OPERATING REVENUES LESS THE POWER COSTS AND THE CONSUMPTION COMPARISON. SO THIS IS REVENUES THAT OFFSET THE COST THAT WE CAN INFLUENCE. SO FISCAL YEAR 19, LEFT THE POWER COSTS THEY WERE UP TWO PERCENT FROM 2018. AND THE CORRESPONDING CONSUMPTION FROM 2018 WAS UP BY THREE PERCENT. YOU CAN SEE THAT THE BLACK LINE REPRESENTS CONSUMPTION. IN 2020 THE REVENUE LESS THE POWER COSTS WENT DOWN SIGNIFICANTLY FROM 2019 CORRESPONDINGLY, IT WAS DRIVEN BY CONSUMPTION. CONSUMPTION FELL BY THE SAME FOR TWO PERCENT IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR FROM 19 TO 20. OPERATING REVENUES AND CONSUMPTION FOR THESE FIVE MONTHS FISCAL YEAR 19 OPERATING REVENUES FOR 19 WERE UP 10 PERCENT FROM 2010 YOU CAN SEE HOW MUCH HIGHER THE BLUE BAR IS. THIS WAS A RESULT AS THE GUARANTEED REVENUE CHARGES THAT WE DISCUSSED IN THE EARLIER SCREEN THAT WERE HIT ON THE WATER SIDE IN 2019 THAT WERE NOT THERE IN 2018. THE CONSUMPTION WAS ALSO UP WHICH CORRESPONDS TO THE [00:50:06] INCREASING REVENUES BY SEVEN PERCENT. FISCAL YEAR 20, THE CURRENT YEAR AND CONSUMPTION WERE BOTH UP SLIGHTLY IN 2019 OPERATING REVENUES FOR 2020 WERE UP ABOUT ONE PERCENT AND THE CONSUMPTION WAS FLAT IT WAS 1/2 A PERCENT OF BUT IT WAS CONSISTENT WITH LAST YEAR. ON WASTEWATER OPERATING REVENUES AND IN THE GALLONS THAT WE HAVE BUILT, FISCAL YEAR 2019 OPERATING REVENUE SHOW A DECREASE OF FIVE PERCENT FROM CALENDAR YEAR AND THOSE ARE CAPACITY REDUCTIONS IN THE GALLONS BILLED WERE UP TWO PERCENT BUT UP FROM THE 2018 YEAR BEFORE. IN 2020 OPERATING REVENUES ARE DOWN BY 11 PERCENT AND THAT WAS DUE TO THE GUARANTEED REVENUE CHARGES PRESENTED IN THE FIRST SCREEN ABOUT 600,020 19 THAT WE DID NOT EXPERIENCE THIS YEAR. AND THEN THE GALLONS BILLED WERE PRETTY MUCH FLAT WITH LAST YEAR'S. NATURAL GAS REVENUES LESS THE GAS COST. CHARGED HERE IN FISCAL 19 THE REVENUES WERE UP TWO PERCENT IN 2018, WITH CONSUMPTION SLIGHTLY DOWN FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR BY ONE PERCENT IN 2020, WE SEE AN ADDITIONAL INCREASE OF REVENUES OF AN ADDITIONAL TWO PERCENT AND CONSUMPTION ALSO INCREASING BY FOUR PERCENT THE PREVIOUS YEAR. THE INCREASE IN 2020. THIS CHART SHOWS THE OPERATING INCOME AND OUR SERVICE COVERAGE. OUR DEBT SERVICE COVERAGE FOR THE 12 MONTHS ENDING FEBRUARY 29 FOR THE 12 MONTHS WAS 2.62 TIMES AND THIS IS DOWN SLIGHTLY FROM SEPTEMBER WHERE WE WERE AT 2.8. AT 2.6 WE ARE MORE THAN DOUBLE THE REQUIREMENT BY THE BOARD COVENANTS REQUIRE. THESE OPERATING RESULTS WERE PRESENTED FOR YOUR INFORMATION AND REQUIRES NO ACTION. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'D BE HAPPY TO ADDRESS THEM. ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU. >> BARBARA WILL CONTINUE WITH THE BILL COMPARISON FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH. [Item G4] >> THANK YOU AGAIN. MADAM CHAIR, BOARD MEMBERS, GOOD AFTERNOON. I AM PRESENTING TO YOU TODAY THE MONTHLY UPDATE ON THE COMPARISON OF THE MUNICIPAL ELECTRIC RATES IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA AND THE LOCAL TREASURE COAST UTILITY BILLS FOR MARCH 2020. IN THIS FIRST GRAPH, YOU WILL SEE THE COMPARISON OF THE RESIDENTIAL ELECTRIC RATES FOR 1000 KILOWATT HOURS OF CONSUMPTION FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH FOR THE 13 MUNICIPAL UTILITIES THAT ARE MEMBERS OF THE ALL REQUIREMENTS PROJECT. THEY ARE DISPLAYED AND RANKED ON THEIR BASE BILL AMOUNT. IN THE GRAPH WE CAN SEE WERE FPUA RANKS AMONG THE 13 UTILITIES IN THE PARTICIPANT AND REQUIREMENTS OUR RATES ARE AT 10 584 FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH. IT'S DEPICTED WITH THE YELLOW BAR. AND THAT RANKS WITH THE FOURTH LOWEST RATE OF THIS GROUP. THIS IS UNCHANGED SINCE FEBRUARY. THE BLUE BAR REPRESENTS TRUE CONTAINS RATE FOR THE MONTH OF MAY. WE ARE AT 10 384. THIS GRAPH DISPLAYS THE MARCH COMPARISON OF THE FLORIDA RESIDENTIAL ELECTRIC RATES FOR THAT SAME LEVEL OF CONSUMPTION AND INCLUDES ALL THE MUNICIPAL UTILITIES IN THE STATE OR THE DATA FOR ALL OF THESE GRAPHS HAS BEEN COMPILED BY FLORIDA MUNICIPAL ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION FPUA'S BILL FOR MARCH FOR THIS LEVEL OF CONSUMPTION AT 10 584 HAS SHIFTED ITS STANDING BY TO POSITION SINCE FEBRUARY TO THE 10TH LOWEST IN COMPARISON 1231 OF THE UTILITIES. SOME RATE CHANGES FOR SEVEN OF THOSE 13 REQUIREMENTS AND SINCE AND [00:55:14] SINCE FEBRUARY 3 OF THE REQUIREMENTS HAVE REDUCTIONS TO THEIR FUEL COST ADJUSTMENT IN EXCESS OF $15. IN MARCH. THE OVERALL IMPACT OF THOSE RATE ADJUSTMENTS ON THE AVERAGES IS SHOWN IN THIS GRAPH WAS A REDUCTION OF $4.11. FOR THE ARP AND A DOLLAR 70 ON THE TOTAL MUNICIPAL RATE. FPUA'S RATE REMAINS BELOW BOTH OF THOSE AVERAGES. SO WE ARE STILL BELOW THEM EVEN WITH THOSE REDUCTIONS. THIS GRAPH REPRESENTS A SIMILAR COMPARISON OF THE UTILITY BILLS WITHIN THE STATE OF FLORIDA FOR CONSUMPTION OF 2500 KILOWATT HOURS AND IN THIS CONSUMPTION, FORT PIERCE UTILITIES BILL 457 AND $0.30 WAS ALSO IMPACTED BY THE OTHER MUNICIPAL UTILITY RATE REDUCTIONS WITH THE SHIFT AND WE ARE NOW IN THE 16TH POSITION. SO WE ARE RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF ALL EVERYONE. WE HAVE THE 16TH LOWEST RATE AMONG THIS GROUP. WE STILL HAVE ANOTHER MONTH OF DATA TO COMMAND BUT WE CAN SEE WHERE THE BLUE BAR WHICH WOULD BE MAY PC REDUCTION WOULD TAKE INTO ACCOUNT HERE. WITH THAT BLUE BAR. THAT WAS IMPLEMENTED ON MAY 1. FORT PIERCE UTILITIES RATES FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH FALL BELOW THE MUNICIPAL AVERAGE AND THE INVESTOR-OWNED UTILITY FOR THIS LEVEL OF CONSUMPTION. IN THIS FINAL TABLE HERE, IS THE MARCH COMPARISON OF THE AVERAGE UTILITY BILLS ON THE TREASURE COAST. THE COMPARISON INCLUDES THE BILLS FOR ELECTRIC WATER AND WASTEWATER SERVICES THAT A RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER WITH AVERAGE CONSUMPTION WOULD HAVE EXPERIENCE IF THEY RESIDED ONE OF THESE TERRITORIES. THESE FIGURES INCLUDE ALL THE APPLICABLE TAXES AND FEES AND HAVE BEEN VERIFIED TO ACTUAL BILLS. IN THIS COMPARISON FOR ALL THREE SERVICES THAT ARE PROVIDING INSIDE LIMITS THAT SHOWN IN THE FIRST COLUMN AT 202 95. ALL OF THE OTHER BILLS IN THIS COMPARISON HAVE ELECTRIC SERVICES THAT ARE PROVIDED BY FNL AND WASTEWATER SERVICES BY THAT LOCALITY, THE LOCAL PROVIDER. MARCH BILLS FROM THESE MUNICIPALITIES WERE UNCHANGED SINCE FEBRUARY. THE CHART LOOKS EXACTLY AS IT DID IN FEBRUARY. THE TOTALS ARE THE SAME. FORT PIERCE UTILITIES BILLS FOR ALL THREE SERVICES INCLUDING TAXES AND FEES IS THE LOWEST AMONGST THOSE IN ST. LUCIE COUNTY. FORT PIERCE INSIDE THE CITY HAS THE LOWER BUILDING ST. LUCIE COUNTY. WE HAVE THE LOWEST BILL. FOR ALL THREE SERVICES. THIS ITEM HAS BEEN PRESENTED FOR YOUR INFORMATION AND REQUIRES NO ACTION HOWEVER IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS I'D BE HAPPY TO ADDRESS THEM. >> ANY QUESTIONS QUICKSET GOT ONE. WHEN WE LOOK AT THE CHART WE SEE VERO AND MARTIN COUNTY, THOSE IN MARTIN COUNTY'S HAVE A PARTICULARS TO IT AGAIN OR JUST THE WHOLE COUNTY. >> THE VERO BEACH I BELIEVE IS AN INSIDE CITY CUSTOMER. MARGIN COUNTY IS -- I DON'T THINK IT'S IN MARTIN COUNTY. IT'S NOT IN STUART. >> OKAY. THAT BILL IS REFLECTIVE OF MARTIN COUNTY MARTIN COUNTY UTILITIES ARE LIKE ST. LUCIE UTILITIES SAME THING. >> THE ELECTRIC IS ALL F P&L EXCEPT FOR THAT FIRST COLUMN WHICH IS US. INCLUDING FEES AND TAXES. >> THE CUSTOMER BASE IS ABOUT THE SAME WE TALK ABOUT VERO BEACH FOR BEING SERVED BY F P&L. >> MORE OF THE LOCALITY THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT. WERE LOOKING AT AN AVERAGE BILL COMPARED TO AN AVERAGE BILL. IT'S BASED UPON THE SAME AMOUNT OF CONSUMPTION FOR ELECTRIC. SO WERE LOOKING AT THE SAME AMOUNT OF CONSUMPTION. >> THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE HAS THE TAX I THINK THAT'S ON SOME YOUR DETAILS. >> THE DETAILED SHEETS SHOWS THE FEES AND TAXES. [01:00:06] >> ANYTHING FURTHER? >> OKAY. [Item G5] >> THE NEXT ITEM IS AN UPDATE ON THE ELECTRIC POWER COST ADJUSTMENT AND BARBARA WILL CARRY ON. >> OKAY. I AM HERE TODAY TO PROVIDE YOU THE INFORMATION ABOUT APRIL'S POWER COST AND UPDATED PROJECTIONS THROUGH APRIL 2021. THE POWER COST ADJUSTMENT IS THE MECHANISM BY WHICH FORT PIERCE UTILITIES RECOVERS POWER COSTS THAT ARE IN EXCESS OF THE $79.52 BASE POWER COST WHICH ARE INCLUDED IN OUR BASE RATE. THE COST OF POWER PURCHASE WAS BUILT TO FPUA AT A RATE OF $72.32 FOR 1000 KILOWATT HOURS. THIS WAS AN INCREASE OF $3.82 AS COMPARED TO THE PREVIOUS MONTH IN MARCH. IN APRIL, FPUA EXPERIENCED AND UNDER RECOVERY OF POWER COSTS OF $84,787. CUMULATIVE OVER RECOVERY AS OF APRIL 30 WAS 4.2, JUST UNDER 4.2 MILLION 4.167. IN THIS CHART, THE BARS DEPICT THE BALANCE OF THAT POWER COST ADJUSTMENT OVER RECOVERY. IN THE DARK BLUE LINE GOING ACROSS REPRESENTS THE PCA. THE PCA FOR APRIL WAS SET AT $-11 PER THOUSAND KILOWATT HOURS. THE BLUE BAR REPRESENTS ACTUAL AMOUNTS. THE BLUE BARS GOING UP AND DOWN ARE THE AMOUNTS THAT HAVE BEEN RECOVERED WHILE THE ORANGE BARS DEPICT WHAT THE RECOVERY WOULD BE IF THE PROJECTIONS ARE CORRECT. THESE PROJECTIONS HAVE BEEN PREPARED BY NAFTALIS FINANCIAL CONSULTANTS WHICH WERE BASED UPON PROJECTIONS THAT WERE PREPARED BY FLORIDA MUNICIPAL POWER AGENCY. SINCE THE MARCH FORECAST THE ESTIMATE OF THE COST OF PURCHASE POWER FOR THE UPCOMING 12 MONTHS HAS INCREASED BY 2.2 PERCENT. THIS CHART WAS REPLACED -- I HAD TO REDO THE CHART BUT THE SAME INFORMATION IS THERE. >> THIS GRAPH TAKES A LOOK AT THE PROJECTION OF THE POWER COST ADJUSTMENT TRENDING THROUGH SEPTEMBER 2021. IT TAKES INTO ACCOUNT THE TWO DOLLAR DECREASE IN THE PC EFFECTIVE MAY 1 THAT WENT FROM -11 TO -13. PER THOUSAND KILOWATT HOURS. WHILE THIS IS A LONG-RANGE LAW, WE CAN SEE THAT IN MAINE THE BARS STARTS GOING BELOW THE LINE. AND THROUGH THE LAST QUARTER OF THIS FISCL YEAR, THE PCA IS EXPECTED TO DECREASE. THIS IS A SAVINGS THAT'S PASSED WERE BILLS. OUR OVER COLLECTION GOES DOWN AND THE MONEY IS OFFSET N THE BILLS TO CUSTOMERS. IN THE MOST RECENT FOUR MONTHS, FROM DECEMBER THROUGH APRIL, WE HAVE EXPERIENCED UNDER RECOVERIES FROM OUR CUSTOMERS. IN THE TOTAL WAS IN EXCESS OF $1 MILLION. IN LIGHT OF THE REDUCTION THAT WAS IMPLEMENTED ON MAY 1, IS RECOMMENDED THAT PCA REMAIN UNCHANGED AT THIS TIME AS WE WAIT AND ANALYZE UPDATED PROJECTIONS TO THE COST OF PURCHASE POWER. WE WILL EVALUATE UPDATED PROJECTIONS AND REPORT TO THE BOARD EACH MONTH. THIS ITEM HAS BEEN PRESENTED FOR YOUR INFORMATION. I BE HAPPY TO ADDRESS QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS. DEL CITY QUESTIONS. >> OKAY, MR. TOPIC. >> THE NEXT ITEM IS A REQUEST [Item G6] FROM COMMISSIONER SESSIONS TO ADDRESS THE BOARD ON COVE 19 AND UTILITY RATES. >> YOU CAN HAND ME THAT IF YOU WANT. THAT WAY IT WILL NOT GET IN YOUR PAPERS. (LAUGHING). [01:05:12] >> GOOD EVENING. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, FIRST OF ALL, ON BEHALF OF THE -- LET ME INTRODUCE MYSELF. THE BACKUP. I LOOKED OVER AT THE MAYOR AND I STARTED REMINISCING. SHE GETS ON PEOPLE WHEN THEY GET IN FRONT OF THE MICROPHONE AND THEY DON'T GIVE THE NAME FOR THE RECORD. WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO HER, AND PROTOCOLS, MY NAME IS REGGIE SESSIONS. ON A RESIDENT OF THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE. I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS THIS BOARD THIS EVENING WITH REGARDS TO SOME ISSUES THAT I HEARD EARLIER. THE IMPACT OF COVE 19 AND WHAT IT HAS HAD UPON YOUR -- I WON'T SAY MONEY CITIZENS, BUT YOUR RATE PAYERS. SO I WANT TO START OFF BY MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE STANDING ON BEHALF OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHICH I'VE GOT NUMEROUS PHONE CALLS FROM AND A LOT OF YOU WERE HERE EARLIER. AS A MATTER OF FACT, GOD IS IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS I WANTED TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. ABOUT A MONTH AGO HE HAD A LETTER WRITTEN AND IT WAS BROUGHT OUT ON THE RECORD AND READ BY OUR CLERK WERE MR. TARA WAS PLAYING OUT FOR THE CITY FORT PIERCE FOR SOME HELP. DURING THESE TIMES AS FAR AS THE BUSINESS IS CONCERNED. THEY ARE GOING THROUGH SOME THINGS. AND HIS FORM OF RELIEF IN HIS REQUEST THE UTILITIES BILL. SO IT DAWNED ON ME THAT THIS IS A TIME THAT I FOR ONE MA CITY COMMISSIONER, BUT I DO NOT HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO ADDRESS WHAT YOU ARE REQUESTING BECAUSE OF THIS BOARD. AND WE'LL KNOW THE HISTORY OF THIS BOARD. THIS BOARD WAS CREATED FOR THE MOST PART, ABOUT 25 YEARS AGO TO TAKE THE PRESSURE, THE POOR LITTLE THE POLITICAL PRESSURE OFF THE PEOPLE LIKE MYSELF. AND THAT'S WHY THIS BOARD WAS IMPLEMENTED. AND YOU ARE HERE TODAY AS RESULT OF THAT. BUT BE THAT AS IT MAY, THE SITUATION WARRANTS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, TODAY, SOME FORM OF RELIEF. THE BUSINESSES DOWNTOWN NEED RELIEF IN THE FORM OF COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES THAT COULD HELP ASSISTED THEM BY WAY OF PERHAPS IMPACT FEES WITH THE REDUCTION OF THOSE WHO ARE NEW BUSINESSES BY WAY OF ASSISTING THEM TO BE ABLE TO PAY THEIR EMPLOYEES WEAR THEIR EMPLOYEES AND SO MANY PEOPLE ARE SUFFERING RIGHT NOW FROM UNEMPLOYMENT. THE SMALL BUSINESSES CANNOT AFFORD TO PAY THEIR EMPLOYEES, THEIR INDIVIDUAL OUT ON FURLOUGH THOSE MOM-AND-POP BUSINESSES, DOWNTOWN, WHERE THERE IS ONLY ONE PERSON OPERATING IN THE GOING FROM MONTH TO MONTH FOR A BUSINESS SUCH AS DOWN DEEP SOUTH WE HAVE KEN DIXON WEAR HIS LIGHT BILL IS RUNNING ANYWHERE FROM EIGHT TO $10,000 THE FORM OF RELIEF. HE'D BE LOOKING FOR THAT OLD LADY OUT INSURED AND PLAZA, THAT'S GOING THROUGH SOMETHING RIGHT NOW, THAT IS A FORM OF RELIEF, IN THE FORM OF SOME MONEY. WHERE SHE HAS TO SUBSTITUTE SOMETIMES, HER LIGHT BILL MONEY. JUST TO PAY HER LIGHT BILL AND SUBSTITUTE HER MEDICAL BILL MONEY TO PAY THE LIGHT BILL. THESE ARE THE STORIES THAT I HEAR ALL THE TIME. AND YOU DON'T HEAR THEM IS MUCH AS I DO BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE STILL UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT WE RUN THE UTILITIES AUTHORITY. SO I AM HERE TO ADDRESS THOSE [01:10:07] THAT FOR THE MOST PART ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR IMPLEMENTING SOME FORM OF RELIEF THAT DATA RIGHT NOW. AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE ARE FACING A PANDEMIC WHERE IT HAS IMPACTED NOT JUST THE CITY IN THE STATE, NOT JUST THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA BUT THE GLOBE. AND IT HAS HAD AN IMPACT ON THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT I MENTIONED BEFOREHAND AND IT'S JUST IMPACTING US FINANCIALLY BEYOND MEASURES. BUT AS GUS POINTED OUT ABOUT A MONTH AGO IN HIS LETTER, WHAT WOULD BE A BIG HELP TO SO MANY INDIVIDUALS WOULD BE A REDUCTION IN THE UTILITY RATE. SO, WITH THESE CHALLENGES BEFORE US DURING THIS PANDEMIC, I WAS WONDERING, WHAT WAS I GOING TO SAY AND I WAS GOING TO TRY TO GET SOME INFORMATION WITH SIMILAR CITIES OF OUR SIZE AS MR. TOPIC ALWAYS COME FORWARD. I GOT TO GIVE HIM CREDIT. HE ALWAYS HAS AN ORGANIZATION OR CITY, RATHER, THAT IS SIMILAR TO US IN TERMS OF OUR BUDGET IN SIZE AND HE GIVES A FAIR COMPARISON. AND THEN HE MAKES HIS REQUEST. I HAVE A LOT OF RESPECT FOR HIM FOR THAT. BUT I WAS PONDERING TRYING TO FIND SOMETHING, SIMILAR NATURE, TO TRY TO CONVINCE YOU AS YOU WILL HOPEFULLY SIT DOWN AND HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM, I CAME UP AND I RAN UPON AN ARTICLE BY AN INDIVIDUAL THAT I HOPE YOU'LL HAVE A LOT OF RESPECT FOR AND I CANNOT THINK OF ANY BETTER PERSON OTHER THAN REGGIE SESSIONS TO OUTLINE TO YOU AND I'M GOING TO READ THE ARTICLE ITSELF. IN TERMS OF WHAT HE SAID. MR. JACOB WILLIAMS, GENERAL MANAGER AND CEO OF FLORIDA MUNICIPAL POWER AGENCY. THIS ARTICLE CAME OUT I BELIEVE IT WAS APRIL 20APRIL APRIL 23 OF 20/20. AND HE GOES ON TO SAY THAT RIGHT NOW, WE ARE FACING VERY SERIOUS FINANCIAL CHALLENGES DUE TO THE PANDEMIC. AND IN OUR ORLANDO-BASED WHOLESALE POWER SUPPLIER, WHAT WE MUST RECOGNIZE IS THAT THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE WITH WORKING WITH OUR MEMBER UTILITIES TO HELP THEM EVALUATE OPTIONS FOR KEEPING MONEY IN THE POCKETS OF THEIR CUSTOMERS. CITIES AND UTILITIES THAT HAVE ANNOUNCED PLANS INCLUDE ALL OF THE DIFFERENT CITIES. I THINK THERE ABOUT 34 VIEW IF I'M CORRECT. IN THIS AGENCY. HE OUTLINED ALL OF THEM. AND HE WENT ON TO SAY THAT IT IS INCUMBENT THAT WE HELP AND ASSIST THESE INDIVIDUALS AND NOT ALL CITIES WILL BE ABLE TO REDUCE THE RATES DUE TO VARIOUS FINANCIAL SITUATIONS. BUT HE SAID THAT LOWER POWER COSTS WILL HELP BRING THE SAVINGS FORWARD. MOST PWER GENERATION FLORIDA IS FUELED BY NATURAL GAS. AND THE PRICE OF NATURAL GAS IS A LONGTIME LOW. LIKE GASOLINE. THE LOWER-THAN-EXPECTED FUEL PRICES CREATES A SAVINGS THAT CAN BE PASSED ALONG TO THE CUSTOMERS. MANY CITIES THAT PLAN TO REDUCE BILLS PURCHASE THEIR WHOLESALE POWER FROM US FMP A. THE AGENCY POWER COSTS HAVE BEEN COMING DOWN FOR YEARS AND ARE NOW LOWER THAN THEY HAVE BEEN SINCE 2004. IN ADDITION, FMP A FUEL COSTS HAVE DECLINED IN 2020. SO, THE AGENCY EXPECTS THE POWER COST TO BE LOWERED THAT WAS ACTUALLY BEEN PROJECTED. WITH LOW POWER COST AND LOW NATURAL GAS PRICES, MANY OF FPM CITIES ARE IN A POSITION TO BRING THE SAVINGS FORWARD TO THE CUSTOMERS DURING THIS PANDEMIC. WHO, FROM YOUR [01:15:05] GENERAL MANAGER, QUOTE FROM YOUR GENERAL MANAGER ESTHER JACOB WILLIAMS. IN THAT ARTICLE. OW, AS MR. WILLIAMS RECOGNIZES THE NECESSITY AND THE NEED AND HE INDICATED THAT SOME MUNICIPAL OWNED AUTHORITIES, SUCH AS THEIR SELVES, SOME WILL BE ABLE TO AND SOME WON'T. IT IS GOING TO BE BASED ON THEIR PRESENT FINANCIAL SITUATION. I SUBMIT TO YOU BASED ON WHAT I HEARD LAST NIGHT FROM MR. CIAMPA, YOU ARE IN A POSITION TO DO SO. LAST NIGHT MR. TOPIC REPORTED THAT THE FPUA HAD OVER $30 MILLION IN UNRESTRICTED CASH AND INVESTMENTS. AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT YOUR CARE FOR THE I SAW THAT THERE WERE $18.7 MILLION OF THAT MONEY UNRESTRICTED. WITH NO APPROPRIATIONS. YOU HAVE FIVE-POINT JUDGMENT 457 Ã MAGGIO 5 ÃMAGGIO ÃMAGGIO $5,000,457 RESTRICTED FOR DEBT. IF 900 900,000 FOR EMERGENCIES AND CONTINGENCIES, 500 THOUSANDTHS FOR RENEWALS AND REPLACEMENTS AND I MIGHT ADD, WHICH IS WHAT I HEAR SO OFTEN, YOU HAVE THE MONEY BY YOUR BONDHOLDERS, THE REQUIREMENT WE HAVE 90 DAYS OF CASH. AT HAND. SO LADIES AND GENTLEMEN I PRESENT TO YOU THAT YOU ARE IN A POSITION TO DO SO. WHETHER OR NOT YOU DO IT LIES WITHIN OUR HELP. WHERE YOU ARE FROM BEING SYMPATHETIC TOWARDS THE PEOPLE THAT ARE CRYING RIGHT NOW FOR SOME ASSISTANCE. AND IT'S NOT ONLY FOR THAT OLD LADY AT THE BOTTOM OF THE TOTEM POLE, BUT IT'S A COMMERCIAL BUSINESS AS WELL. HEN I FIRST THOUGHT COME AND APPEAR, I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT WHAT FLORIDA POWER & LIGHT IS DOING AND THEY CUT DOWN AND ARE WE TO DO A 25 PERCENT REDUCTION FOR ONE MONTH. THAT'S THE GUIDELINE, WHETHER OR NOT YOU CAN DO SOMETHING SIMILAR, MORE OR LESS, IT REMAINS TO BE SEEN. BUT ON ONE AM REQUESTING IS THAT WE DO SOMETHING. AND YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO SO. I LOOKED AT YOUR BUDGET THIS MORNING. AND YOU ARE IN A POSITION TO DO SO. MS CALA COUNTY WITH ALL DUE RESPECT I UNDERSTAND THE REDUCTION WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO BUT THAT WAS GOING TO BE PASSED ALONG REGARDLESS. ALL OF THE MUNICIPAL AGENCIES RECOGNIZE WHAT YOU SAID. BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE HAVE AN ALL-TIME LOW IN TERMS OF THE PURCHASE OF FUEL, NATURAL GAS, THAT WAS ACKNOWLEDGED BY MR. WILLIAMS THAT SHOULD BE PASSED ALONG TO THE CUSTOMER, THE CUSTOMERS OF THE CITY, THE CUSTOMERS OF THE FORT PIERCE UTILITIES AUTHORITY. AND WHAT BETTER TIME THAN RIGHT NOW, WHEN WE ARE IN DIRE STRAITS? TO DO SO. SO, WITH THAT BEING SAID, I HOPE THAT, AGAIN, I THINK THAT WHAT IS FAIR IS IS THAT WE NOT ONLY TRY TO ASSIST INDIVIDUALS BUT COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES, TOO, BECAUSE THEY WERE IMPACTED AS WELL. >> AND BASED ON WHAT MR. TOPIC PRESENTED LAST NIGHT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, $100,000 TO MUSTARD SEED IS A DROP IN THE BUCKET. THIS ONLY A GRAIN COMPARED TO $30 MILLION THAT YOU HAVE UNRESTRICTED, 18.57 [01:20:02] MILLION OF THOSE DOLLARS APPROPRIATED. SO LET'S I AM TOLD OTHERWISE, UNLESS YOU CAN SHOW ME THAT YOU DON'T HAVE IT, WHICH I CAN SEE THAT YOU DO, PLEASE FIND IT WITHIN YOURSELF TO PASS IT BACK OVER TO THOSE THAT OWN THIS UTILITY COMPANY. IT'S NOT OWNED BY REGGIE SESSION. IT'S NOT OWNED BY CHARLIE FRANK. IT'S NOT OWNED BY THE FORT PIERCE UTILITIES AUTHORITY, IT'S OWNED BY THE CITIZENS OF THE CITY OF FORT PIERCE THAT ARE PATRONIZING AND SELLING A PRODUCT TO THE CUSTOMERS. THE FORT PIERCE UTILITIES AUTHORITY. AND IT'S ABOUT TIME THEY GET A RETURN ON THEIR INVESTMENT BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, THEY ARE IN DIRE STRAITS AND THEY NEEDED. SO I WON'T TAKE UP ANY MORE OF YOUR TIME. BUT I HOPE AGAIN, AS YOU PREPARE TO GO AND MEET AGAIN THAT PLEASE, $100,000 IS NOT GOING TO TOUCH IT. AND I APPRECIATE THE MORATORIUM WHERE YOU ARE NOT GOING TO CUT OFF THE BILLS, BUT ACCORDING TO WHAT HE SAYING NOW THAT THE MONTH OF JUNE, I BELIEVE, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO REVISIT THAT ISSUE. AND WHAT HE PRESENTED LAST NIGHT THAT I THINK IT WAS ABOUT 1438 INDIVIDUALS RIGHT NOW THAT QUALIFY TO HAVE THEIR LIGHTS TURNED OFF. CAN YOU IMAGINE? THE MAJOR DILEMMA THAT THAT WOULD HAVE ON THE IMPACT OF THIS CITY. 1400 PEOPLE WITH THEIR LIGHTS TURNED OFF? RIGHT NOW WE WERE TO GO BACK TO PROTOCOL AND START THINGS BACK UP IN JUNE, THAT'S GOT TO BE ADDRESSED. SO PLEASE, LET'S DIG DOWN AND FIND A LITTLE MORE THAN HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS. INTEREST-FREE, OVER 12 MONTHS, TO REPAY, THAT'S FINE. BUT PEOPLE NEED SOMETHING RIGHT NOW. AND THEY NEEDED TO IMPACT THEM DIRECTLY, NOT OVER A PERIOD OF MONTHS WITH REGARDS TO SAVINGS. THERE ARE PEOPLE OUT THERE, BUSINESSES NOW THAT ARE STARVING, BUSINESS IS GOING OUT OF BUSINESS. THEY NEED HELP. SO AGAIN HEY THE PRESSURE IS ON YOU. THAT'S WHY THE CHARTER NOW SAYS THAT YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE. PLEASE TAKE IT UPON YOURSELF TO ANSWER TO THE CALL OF THE PEOPLE AND THAT'S WHY I AM HERE TODAY TO CRY OUT TO YOU. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. >> MANAGER? WHAT EXISTS AT. >> I WOULD LIKE FOR MR. SESSION TO GIVE THE ARTICLE TO THE SECRETARY SO WE CAN REVIEW IT. I HAVE A REQUEST THAT -- I BELIEVE THAT -- LET THE DIRECTOR DUTCHMAN PUT CAMERAS ON ALL OF US AND SEE IF WE CAN HAVE AN HOUR, OR HIM FOR SPECIAL MEETING. I WOULD NOT WANT TO MAKE A DECISION JUST BECAUSE MR. SESSION HAS MADE A PRESENTATION OR APPEAL I WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT HOW WE CAN FUNCTION AND. >> THANK YOU. YOU'VE GOT THE REQUEST. >> I DO HAVE THAT REQUEST. THE ONLY THING I WOULD REQUEST IS I HAVE A LITTLE TIME TO GATHER SOME INFORMATION BECAUSE ONCE AGAIN WE ARE STILL STRUGGLING WITH HAVING ENOUGH DATA TO KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. MAYBE WE CAN DO IT IN PLACE OF A SECOND MEETING IN JUNE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT OR IN CONJUNCTION WITH IT. >> I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS. ON THESE DEBT SERVICE COVERAGE, THAT RATIO IS OPERATING IN TOTAL DEBT. OKAY. SO, -- IS OVER A 12 MONTH PERIOD. WE REALLY DON'T KNOW THE EFFECTS YET. I JUST WOULD LIKE TO SEE -- I KNOW WE HAD IT GREAT THROUGH FEBRUARY, BUT WE ARE NOW DROPPING FROM MARCH OBVIOUSLY ARE WE ARE GOING TO BE DROPPING. THAT'S HER FIRST QUESTION. NEXT QUESTION IS IS FOR MR. TOPIC AND BARBARA MIKA. ON THE JACOB WILLIAMS ARTICLE, WE -- WE PAY FOR OUR POWER BASED ON WHAT THEY ASSESS AS THE COST OF POWER. THAT'S WHAT YOU MENTIONED THE TWO PERCENT [01:25:06] INCREASE THAT WE HAD SO WE HAVE NOT SEEN A REDUCTION IN THE POWER COST FROM FM PA. >> I THINK WHAT'S CRITICAL TO UNDERSTAND IS THE POWER COST FROM FMP A HAS BEEN GOING DOWN FOR THE LAST 6 TO 8 MONTHS AND WE LOOK AT THAT AND WE ADJUST OUR POWER COST ADJUSTMENT BASED ON THAT. SO IT'S -- WE ARE ALWAYS FOLLOWING THAT AND DOING OUR BEST TO GET MONEY BACK TO THE CUSTOMERS AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN. NOT A CASE OF WHERE ALL THE SUDDEN WE HAVE TO CATCH UP BASED ON WHAT IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW. WE'VE BEEN CATCHING UP CONTINUOUSLY AS TIME GOES ON. >> BUT FROM -- WE DON'T HAVE THE ARTICLE. BUT FROM WHAT IT SOUNDED LIKE ALL OF A SUDDEN FM PA IS GOING TO HAVE A DRASTIC REDUCTION IN THE COST OF POWER TO US IN WHICH CASE OF COURSE, WE DO PASS THAT ALONG. IT PASSES ALONG WITH THE REDUCTION BUT WE HAVEN'T SEEN THAT YET CORRECT? >> WE'VE SEEN SOME REDUCTIONS. I DON'T THINK YOU CAN SEE A DRASTIC REDUCTION. I THINK WHAT JACOB WILLIAMS IS TELLING US IS THE SAME THING I'VE BEEN TELLING YOU. IS THAT THE PRICE OF NATURAL GAS IS AT HISTORIC LOWS. WE THINK IT'S GOING TO STAY LOW. I DON'T THINK IT WILL STAY AS LOW AS IT IS RIGHT NOW BUT FOR THEIR PROJECTIONS FOR THE NEXT 6 TO 8 MONTHS THEY EXPECT THE RATES TO BE REASONABLE AND LOW. >> WE ARE PASSING THAT ALONG. EVERY TIME WE DO A PC REDUCTION, WE PASS THAT ALONG. >> EXACTLY. BUT FROM WHAT THE TONE OF WHAT MR. SESSIONS WAS SAYING, WE SHOULD BE REDUCING BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO SEE THIS DRASTIC REDUCTION. THAT'S WHAT I GOT -- I DON'T HAVE THE ARTICLE. AS A RESULT OF THE PANDEMIC OR WHATEVER. SO MY POINT IS WE DO, ALREADY, REDUCE IT. WE'VE BEEN REDUCING IT FOR QUITE SOME TIME. LAST MONTH WHICH IS THE FIRST MONTH OF US HAVING TO SEE THIS. >> AM NOT SAYING THAT'S HOW IT SHOULD STAY AT THE TWO DOLLARS IT MIGHT GO TO A SIX DOLLAR REDUCTION. BUT GETTING A BIGGER REDUCTION IN THE SUMMER, I'VE ALWAYS FELT WAS THE BIGGEST BANG FOR YOUR BUCK FOR OUR CITIZENS. OKAY. BECAUSE IF WE DO A PCA ANNUAL USE 400 KILOWATT HOURS OF ELECTRIC, OKAY. YOU'RE LOOKING AT 50 CENT. OKAY? BUT IF YOU'RE DOING IT WHEN YOU'RE USING 2000 KILOWATT HOURS, THEN IT IS A BIGGER NUMBER. IF WE HAVE A -11, DURING A TIME WHEN YOU'RE USING 2000 KILOWATT HOURS, WHICH IS WHEN YOU RUN YOUR AIR CONDITIONER IN THE SUMMER, THAT WERE GETTING A BIGGER BANG FOR OUR BUCK. THAT HAS BEEN MY POINTDURING A TIME WHEN YOU'RE USING 2000 KILOWATT HOURS, WHICH IS WHEN YOU RUN YOUR AIR CONDITIONER IN THE SUMMER, THAT WERE GETTING A BIGGER BANG FOR OUR BUCK. THAT HAS BEEN MY .4 YEARS THAT I THOUGHT WE SHOULD TRY TO TIME THE PCA CUTS IN THE SUMMER BECAUSE THAT IS WHEN PEOPLE ARE HURTING THE MOST HERE ON THE ELECTRIC BILLS. >> AND YOU'RE RIGHT. AND THAT IS GOOD. AND WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO DO THAT. >> AS MUCH WE KNOW TO DO IT. >> BUT MY POINT IS IS THAT WE ARE STANDING ALL THE ABOVE WHICH IS GREAT. DESPERATE TIMES WARRANT DESPERATE MEASURES. >> I AGREE. >> AND AS THE OTHER 33 OF YOU ARE BEING CREATIVE, AND COMING UP WITH SOME FORM OF RELIEF TO THE CUSTOMERS, WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT WE, I FEEL, BASED ON YOUR FINANCIAL SITUATION THAT YOU ARE IN A POSITION, A FAVORABLE POSITION TO DO SO. NOW, THAT'S DEBATABLE. I'M NOT HERE TO DEBATE. ALL I WANT YOU TO DO IS HAVE THE SAME OBJECTIVE IN MIND THAT I HAVE AND LET'S ACCOMPLISH THE SAME MISSION. >> I AGREE WITH YOU THERE. >> I JUST TO HELP THOSE IN NEED. >> ANYBODY ELSE HAVE IN COMMON? OKAY. >> WILL WAIT A MINUTE. MR. [Items L & M] TOMPECK JEVITY DEL CITY WANT TO ADD? >> I DON'T. THANK YOU MANAGER. >> OKAY. THANK YOU. >> OKAY. ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM BOARD MEMBERS. >> MADAM CHAIR, THE SPEAKER EARLIER, MS. DIXON, I SAW THAT JUDGE CISNEROS WAS TALKING TO HER I WOULD LIKE TO FOLLOW-UP. >> WE'VE TALKED TO MS. DIXON SEVERAL TIMES. JEFF ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD. [01:30:01] >> THE PROBLEM HERE IS THAT THERE WAS A PREVIOUS LIEN ON THE PROPERTY. IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN TAKING CARE OF A CLOSING THE TITLE COMPANY OR LACK OF TITLE COMPANY WAS A PROBLEM AND SHE GOT STUCK WITH THE FORMER OWNERS LIEN. >> THAT'S NOT FAIR OR RIGHT. >> IS NOT FAIR OR RIGHT. >> WE HAVE TO FIGURE A WAY TO HELP HER. >> I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO IT. >> AND WAS IT $45 OR $49 THAT SHE MENTIONED. >> THE READINESS TO SEARCH CHARGE. >> IT'S MONTHLY. >> YES. THE SERVER SHOULD HAVE BEEN DISCONNECTED COMPLETELY. >> OKAY. SHE DID HAVE SHE SAID A GOOD CREDIT RATING SO SHE'S GOING TO BE ONE OF OUR GOOD CUSTOMERS. >> IT'S HARD TO. >> WE HAVE TO FIGURE IT OUT, RIGHT. >> ALL RIGHT. ANYTHING FURTHER? >>. >> MOVED TO ADJOURN. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.