MOUNTAIN PARKS ELECTRIC, INC.
Regular Meeting of the Board of Directors
Granby, Colorado
March 13, 2020
8:00 A.M.
Attendance
Present: Jeff Hauck, Justin Fosha, Carl Trick, Mark Volt, Liz McIntyre, Richard Zieff, Mark Johnston, Scott Simmons, Rich Trostel, Stacie Dellamano, Rob Taylor, Michelle Kloss, and Bryson Fredregill. Kristen Taddonio joined the meeting via teleconference.
Call to Order
President Jeff Hauck called the meeting to order at 8:04 a.m.
Determination of Quorum
A quorum was declared.
Public Comment
There was no public comment
Minutes
The Board reviewed minutes from the February 13, 2020 meeting.
MOTION: It was properly moved, seconded, and carried to approve the minutes as presented.
Attorney Summary Fees Report
The Board reviewed Attorney Williamson’s fees summary report for February 2020. The board discussed the possibility of having remote meetings during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Manager’s Report
The General Manager’s Report as prepared by Mark Johnston was reviewed. Johnston reported on a program that staff is developing to provide loans for energy efficiency under the RESP program, where eligible applicants can use capital credits for the down payment. The details will be presented at the April 2020 meeting.
Executive Session
MOTION: It was properly moved, seconded, and carried to go into executive session for confidential discussion regarding MPEI’s health benefits, COVID-19 response plan, potential renewable energy projects, personnel matters and to receive attorney-client privileged advice regarding legal matters from Attorney Fredregill, with the following in attendance: All directors present at the meeting, Mark Johnston, Michelle Kloss and Attorney Fredregill. All staff present at the meeting were present during the topic of MPEI’s health benefits. Director Taddonio exited the meeting at 9:00 a.m. and re-entered during discussion of MPEI’s health benefits. Jessica Rahn entered the meeting via teleconference for the topic of MPEI’s health benefits and exited prior to discussion of any other topic. Frank Stichter entered the meeting for the topic of MPEI’s health benefits and exited prior to discussion of any other topic. It was properly moved, seconded, and carried come out of executive session.
MOTION: It was properly moved, seconded, and carried to switch MPEI’s employee health plan to the plan presented by Strategic Health Plan Consulting LLC.
President Hauck recessed the meeting at 12:03 p.m. and reconvened the meeting at 12:34 p.m.
Discussion/Action Item A: Policy B-9 Identity Theft and Red Flag Provision
Mark Johnston presented policy B-9. Johnston explained that MPEI is not subject to the law necessitating Policy B-9 and that legal counsel has recommended deletion of the policy.
MOTION: It was properly moved, seconded, and carried to delete Policy B-9.
Discussion/Action Item B: Policy B-10 Interconnection of Distributed Generation
The Board reviewed Policy B-10. Further discussion of the policy was tabled until the April meeting.
Discussion/Action Item C: Strategic Plan Summary
Mark Johnston presented a summary of the January 2020 Strategic Planning Session. Johnston reviewed the sample action plan, goals, and objectives. Staff will bring back an action plan in 90 days
MOTION: It was properly moved, seconded, and carried to approve the strategic plan as presented.
Discussion/Action Item D: Scholarships
The board reviewed the proposed 2020 scholarship recipients. It was noted that the Vocation/Technical Scholarship should be revised to provide $2,000.00 in the first year and $1,500.00 in the second year. Staff proposed adding 4 additional scholarships of $1,000.00 each.
MOTION: It was properly moved, seconded, and carried to approve the scholarship allocation as revised with an additional $4,000.00 to be allocated amongst the twenty-four presented scholarship recipients at staff’s discretion.
Discussion/Action Item E: Policy D-8 Contested Director Elections
Mark Johnston presented a revised Policy D-8.
MOTION: It was properly moved, seconded, and carried to approve Policy D-8 as presented.
Discussion/Action Item F: Unclaimed Capital Credits
Mark Johnston led a discussion of potential uses for MPEI’s unclaimed capital credits. Attorney Fredregill noted that the Article VII, Section2(h) of the MPEI Bylaws should be amended to change references to a “special trust” to “special fund”. The board directed legal counsel to draft a resolution for said amendment.
Discussion/Action Item G: Electric Food Service Van
Rob Taylor presented a member request seeking financial support to purchase an electric food service van, which will be used for food delivery in the East Grand School District. The approximate cost of the van would be $113,000.00 plus taxes. The board discussed possibly using some of the unused money allocated for electric school buses. The board directed the staff to investigate using the funds for driver’s education vehicles.
Discussion/Action Item H: Fraser Franchise Agreement
Mark Johnston presented the Fraser Franchise Agreement.
MOTION: It was properly moved, seconded, and carried to approve the Fraser Franchise Agreement as presented as of February 28, 2020.
Engineering Report
The Engineering Report as prepared by Simmons was reviewed. Simmons reported on a problem with an inverter at the Mettler Solar Site. Simmons reported on an upcoming kickoff meeting for construction management of Phase 1 of the fiber backbone project.
Operations & Safety Report
The Operations and Safety Report as prepared by Trostel was reviewed. He updated the board on lineman recruiting. He reported on challenges in getting SAIDI numbers due to the conversion to NISC. He reported on the outage at the Blue Valley Substation. He updated the board on right-of-way clearance operations on Rabbit Ears Pass. MPEI employees have worked 347,150 hours without a lost time accident.
MOTION: It was properly moved, seconded, and carried to approve the Safety Report as presented.
Finance Report
The Finance Report as prepared by Dellamano was reviewed. Dellamano presented financials through January 2020. Dellamano reported on steps MPEI is taking to save money, save time, and increase efficiencies, including use of interactive voice response, a new delinquency process, month-end accounting closing, audit efficiencies, tariff changes for late fees, deposits, and a new net metering refund process.
Director Taddonio exited the meeting.
Dellamano also presented the comparative ratio dashboard, margin comparison, Form 7, and the Customer, Sales, and Revenue Data. She presented a proposed capital credit retirement of 1993 Tri-State Capital Credits and 1998 MPEI capital credits in approximate amounts of $1,296,421.83 and $378,443.50, respectively.
MOTION: It was properly moved, seconded, and carried to approve the capital credit retirement as recommended by Dellamano.
Dellamano reported that RUS has approved MPEI’s deferred revenue request. She also presented the financials for the Education Fund, Green Power Fund, and Mountain Parks Services, Inc.
Information Technology Report
The Information Technology Report as prepared by Joe Palmer was reviewed. Adam Walker discussed security for MPEI e-mails. He updated the board on the process for connecting SCADA to the NISC outage management system.
Human Resources and Administration Report
The Human Resources and Administration Report as prepared by Jessica Rahn was reviewed. Kloss updated the board on changes to the Granby office hours. She also reported on the Home-Grown Talent Initiative.
Member Relations and Communications Report
The Member Relations and Communications Report as prepared by Rob Taylor was reviewed. Taylor guided the board through a tour of the new website. He discussed MPEI’s social media advertising campaign and member engagement at the annual meeting.
Bills for Payment
The Board reviewed the list of cash disbursements for February 2020.
Board Open Forum
McIntyre reported on Green Power Committee matters. The committee is looking at reducing rebate amounts. McIntyre discussed the status of EV charging in Colorado.
Dick Zieff reported on Western United matters. Western United is doing well financially, but it is not clear what effect COVID-19 will have on its business.
Carl Trick reported on his attendance at the regular meeting of the board of directors of Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, Inc. The Tri-State Board received the audit report. There will be new audit procedures under FERC.
Mark Johnston reported on his attendance at the meeting of the Tri-State Contract Committee. He discussed the presentation by Tri-State’s New Gen consultant. Tri-State has requested that La Plata and United suspend PUC litigation until the Tri-State Contract Committee has completed its analysis.
Director Trick discussed the long-term debt forecast and anticipated lower margins. He reported that the WAPA contracts will stay in place.
Jeff Hauck reported on his attendance at the regular meeting of the board of directors of the Colorado Rural Electric Association. The Colorado Legislature is suspending the current legislative session. Hauck provided an update of legislation under consideration.
Executive Session
MOTION: It was properly moved, seconded, and carried to go into executive session for confidential discussion regarding a personnel matter, with the following in attendance: All directors present at the meeting, Mark Johnston and Attorney Fredregill. It was properly moved, seconded, and carried come out of executive session.
Old Business
None.
New Business
None.