RPU BOARD MEETING MINUTES May 28, 2002

 

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

Absent: Mr. Utz

Also Present: Mr. Goslee, Deputy City Attorney

 

Board President Landwehr called the meeting to order at 4:30 p.m.

 

1. Mr. Hunziker moved to approve the minutes of the April 30, 2002 meeting, seconded by Mr. Toulouse. All voting "AYE"

 

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

 

3. Mr. Hunziker moved to remove from the table the Systems Performance Agreement with Novaspect Inc. for Silver Lake Plant boiler controls, seconded by Mr. Toulouse. All voting "AYE"

 

Mr. Koshire stated that the City Attorney made some contract language changes to the previous agreement which were approved by Novaspect. Mr. Toulouse moved to approve a professional services agreement with Novaspect, Inc. at a cost of $104,829.33, seconded by Mr. Hunziker. All voting "AYE"

 

BE IT RESOLVED by the Public Utility Board of the City of Rochester, Minnesota, to approve a contract agreement with Novaspect, Inc. and that the Mayor and the City Clerk execute the agreement for

 

Novaspect Inc. System Performance Agreement

Silver Lake Plant Boiler Controls

 

The amount of the contract agreement to be ONE HUNDRED FOUR THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED TWENTY-NINE AND 33/100 DOLLARS ($104,829.33).

 

4. The pole attachment agreement with Qwest Corporation was discussed. It is the fourth agreement RPU has with telecommunications providers allowing them to attach their facilities to RPU's distribution poles. Mr. Hunziker moved to approve a pole attachment license agreement with Qwest Corporation, seconded by Mr. Toulouse. 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 contract agreement with Qwest Corporation and the Common Council authorize the Mayor and the City Clerk to execute the agreement for Joint Pole Attachment License Agreement The amount of the contract agreement to be based on unit pricing as established by the agreement.

 

5. The City Council's choice of Option #2, the northerly route, for the relocation of the transmission line at Cascade Lake was discussed. With construction to start by December 1 of this year, the anticipated expenditures will be approximately $125,000 greater than RPU budgeted. RPU staff recommended that the Board request the Council to approve a contract agreement for the engineering services required for the project as well as a revision to the 2002 RPU budget from $75,000 to $200,000 for the costs associated with the project. Mr. Landwehr asked if there were any legal issues involving the relocation of the transmission line. He was informed that RPU staff had checked with the State of Minnesota and was told that the re-routing was under local control. Mr. Toulouse moved to approve en bloc a resolution for a contract agreement with Ulteig Engineers, Inc. for professional engineering services and a resolution approving a revision to RPU's 2002 budget for the project, 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 contract agreement with Ulteig Engineers and that the Common Council authorize the Mayor and the City Clerk to execute the agreement for

 

Professional Engineering Services for

Transmission Line Q4 Relocation at Cascade Lake

 

The amount of the contract agreement not to exceed THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND FIVE AND 00/100 DOLLARS ($305,000.00).

 

BE IT RESOLVED by the Pubic Utility Board of the City of Rochester, Minnesota, that the Common Council of the said City is requested to approve a budget revision in the 2002 Rochester Public Utilities budget revising the budgeted amount for the

 

Transmission Line Q4 Relocation at Cascade Lake from $75,000 to $200,000

Based on a somewhat accelerated schedule.

 

6. Mr. Koshire explained to the Board that the electric rate increase and bond issue are necessary to allow the Utility to respond to the rapid community growth and projected depletion of reserves below the Board policy limits. Notice was provided to the public in accordance with Board policy. The proposed increase will result in approximately $1.50 per month for residential customers. Revised resolutions were distributed during the meeting to include the Purchased Power Adjustment Clause (PPAC) schedule. Mr. Toulouse moved to approve en bloc a resolution requesting the Council to authorize the 3% electric revenut increase and a resolution requesting the Board to authorize the revisions to the corresponding rate schedules, 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 3.0% increase electric rates effective June 4, 2002 to the following rate classes:

 

Residential Service (RES) Large Industrial Service (LIS)

Residential Service Dual Fuel (RES-DF) Interruptible Service (INTR)

Residential GeoExchange (RES-GX) Civil Defense Sirens (CDS)

General Service (GS) City Street Lighting (CSL)

General Service Time-Of-Use (GS-TOU) Traffic Signals (TS)

Medium General Service (MGS) Highway Lighting (HL)

Medium General Service Time-Of-Use (MGS-TOU) Security Lighting (SL)

Large General Service (LGS) Purchased Power Adjustment Clause

 

BE IT RESOLVED by the Public Utility Board of the City of Rochester, Minnesota, to approve the following rate schedules effective June 4, 2002.

 

Residential Service (RES) Large Industrial Service (LIS)

Residential Service Dual Fuel (RES-DF) Interruptible Service (INTR)

Residential GeoExchange (RES-GX) Civil Defense Sirens (CDS)

General Service (GS) City Street Lighting (CSL)

General Service Time-Of-Use (GS-TOU) Traffic Signals (TS)

Medium General Service (MGS) Highway Lighting (HL)

Medium General Service Time-Of-Use (MGS-TOU) Security Lighting (SL)

Large General Service (LGS) Purchased Power Adjustment Clause

 

7. The various bond issuance scenarios provided by Springsted, the City's financial advisor, were discussed. Staff recommended that the Board request the Council move to approve issuance of Electric Utility Revenue Bonds, Series 2002, for $10 million for 15 years. If approved by the Council, this item will be presented to the Board in July for its consent to the terms of the bond resolution and to the City Council for award of the bonds. Mr. Bourgeois moved to request that the Common Council approve the issuance of Electric Utility Revenue Bonds, Series 2002, for $10 million for 15 years, seconded by Mr. Toulouse. All voting "AYE"

 

8. Mr. Landwehr, Board President, said that the dedication ceremony for the new combustion turbine went very well and congratulated RPU staff for their efforts.

 

9. Mr. Koshire, General Manager, provided the following report:

a. Mr. Koshire also commended staff for the successful completion of the new combustion turbine and 161 KV conversion projects.

 

10. The management/financial reports were discussed.

 

11. Mr. Hunziker moved to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Mr. Bourgeois. All voting "AYE" The meeting was adjourned at 5:20 p.m.

 

Approved by the Board: June 25, 2002