RPU BOARD MEETING MINUTES September 25, 2001

Members Present: Mr. Toulouse, Mr. Bourgeois, Mr. Landwehr, Mr. Carlson, Mr. Hunziker

Absent: None

Also Present: Mr. Adkins, City Attorney

 

Board President Toulouse called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m.

 

1. Mr. Toulouse announced that the Board would go into a closed session and recognized City Attorney Adkins. Mr. Adkins stated that the meeting was closing pursuant to Minnesota Statutes Chapter 13D.03 for purposes of discussing strategy for labor negotiations. Present during the closed session were Mr. Toulouse, Mr. Bouegeois, Mr. Landwehr, Mr. Carlson, Mr. Hunziker, Mr. Adkins, Ms. Gilsrud (Human Resources Director), Mr. Koshire (RPU General Manager), Mr. Lorber (RPU Director of Operations) and Mr. Kraft (RPU Director of Administration). The meeting was opened to the public at 4:48 p.m.

 

2. Mr. Carlson moved to approve the minutes of the August 28, 2001 meeting, seconded by Mr. Landwehr. All voting "AYE"

 

3. Mr. Bourgeois moved to approve the accounts payable report, seconded by Mr. Hunziker. All voting "AYE"

 

4a. Mr. Carlson moved to reject all bids for item 4 since it is not being purchased at this time, and to approve a purchase order agreement with Border States Electric for transmission conductor, seconded by Mr. Hunziker. All voting "AYE"

 

BE IT RESOLVED by the Public Utility Board of the City of Rochester, Minnesota, that the Common Council of the said City is requested to approve a purchase order agreement with Border States Electric Supply for transmission conductor.

 

Item # Description

1                                            Wire, ACSR, 555, 18/1, "Osprey"

2                                            Wire, ACSR, 795, 26/7, "Drake"'

3                                            Wire, ACSR, 477, 26/7, "Hawk"

 

The amount of the purchase order agreement to be ONE HUNDRED SEVENTY-ONE THOUSAND NINETY AND 56/100 DOLLARS ($171,090.56) and Border States Electric Supply being lowest responsible bidder.

 

4b. Introduced during the meeting was a resolution, bid tabulation and supporting documents for the Saint Marys concrete water tower restoration/repair. Staff discussed the scope of the repair work with the Board. The historical significance of the structure was also discussed. Only one bid was received for the project. Mr. Carlson moved to approve a purchase order agreement D. J. Graham Construction Company for the repair work, seconded by Mr. Bourgeois. All voting "AYE"

 

BE IT RESOLVED by the Public Utility Board of the City of Rochester, Minnesota, to request the Common Council of the said City to approve a purchase order agreement with D.J. Graham Construction Co. for Renovation of Reinforced Concrete Water Tower (904 4th Street SW, Rochester, Minnesota).

 

The amount of the agreement to be ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-SEVEN THOUSAND FOUR HUNDRED AND NO/100 DOLLARS ($137,400.00) and D.J. Graham Construction being the low and only bidder.

 

5.                  The proposed steam sale agreement between the City of Rochester, through its Utility Board, and the Franklin Heating Station (the Mayo Foundation) was discussed. Mr. Hunziker moved to approve the steam sale agreement, seconded by Mr. Bourgeois.

 

4 Voting "AYE" (Mr. Hunziker, Mr. Bourgeois, Mr. Carlson and Mr. Toulouse)

1 Abstain (Mr. Landwehr)

Motion Carried

 

BE IT RESOLVED by the Public Utility Board of the City of Rochester, Minnesota, that the Common Council of the said City is requested to approve a contract agreement with Franklin Heating Station and that the Common Council authorize the Mayor and the City Clerk to execute the agreement for steam sales. A twenty year agreement to become effective October 1, 2002, with variable volumes and pricing established by contract terms.

 

6.                  Mr. Carlson moved to approve a service agreement with Enviro-Logic Inc. to provide ash disposal services, seconded by Mr. Bourgeois. All voting "AYE"

 

BE IT RESOLVED by the Public Utility Board of the City of Rochester, Minnesota, that the Common Council of the said City is requested to approve a service agreement with Enviro-Logic, Inc. and that the Common Council authorize the Mayor and the City Clerk to execute the agreement for Ash Disposal Services. The amount of the agreement not to exceed $21 per ton for the removal of ash.

 

7. Mr. Koshire provided the following report to the Board:

a. Mr. Koshire stated that RPU has heightened its security procedures following the events of September 11 and created an internal security committee. RPU is also communicating with regional/national electric power pools as well as local law enforcement officials.

b. An open house is scheduled for October 6 at the power plant to celebrate Public Power Week.

c. Mr. Kraft, Director of Administration, reported that staff has been reviewing RPU's installation/access fees. RPU's last rate study was done in 1995 and currently RPU has been using its reserve funds for some of these expenses. Mr. Bourgeois said that letting the financial reserves get too low could precipitate rate increases in the future. Mr. Hunziker stated that the infrastructure costs for Rochester's significant growth over the past few years have been increasing rapidly. The Board requested staff to bring this topic to a future meeting for further discussion.

 

8. The management/financial reports were discussed.

 

9. Other Business:

a. Mr. Adkins informed the Board that the City Council approved RPU's requested revisions to the Rochester Home Rule Charter. The revisions authorize the RPU budget as a spending authorization document and raise the Board's approval level for expenditures from the current $30,000.00 to $100,000.00.

 

10. Mr. Bourgeois moved to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Mr. Carlson. All voting "AYE". The meeting was adjourned at 5:58 p.m.

 

Approved by the Board: October 30, 2001