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HomeMy WebLinkAboutWater Board - Minutes - 12/17/2020 WATER BOARD REGULAR MEETING December 17, 2020, 5:30-8:00 p.m. online via Zoom 1 2 /1 7 /2020 – MINUTES Page 1 1. CALL TO ORDER 5:32 p.m. 2. ROLL CALL • Board Members Present: Steve Malers (Chairperson), Kent Bruxvoort (Vice Chairperson), Michael C. Brown, Jr., Randy Kenyon, Phyllis Ortman, Nicole Ng, John Primsky, Jason Tarry • Board Members Absent-Excused: Cibi Vishnu Chinnasamy, Jim Kuiken, Greg Steed • Staff Members Present: Theresa Connor, Mark Kempton, Matt Fater, Katherine Martinez, John Song, Donnie Dustin, Eileen Dornfest, Susan Strong, Jamie Gaskill, Lisa Schroers, Matt Zoccali • Members of the Public: Allison Song 3. AGENDA REVIEW Chairperson Malers briefly reviewed agenda items. He noted a Cameron Peak Fire update is not on the agenda but mentioned burn severity data has been released and asked Water Resources Donnie Dustin to speak on this topic during the Water Resources Monthly Update under Staff Reports. He also commented on the sprinkler audit annual report and challenges associated with COVID-19, as well as interest in estimates of the impact, such as how water use data from the billing system can be used for such estimates. 4. COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION None 5. STATEMENT BY CHAIRPERSON STEVE MALERS Chairperson Steve Malers is retiring from the Water Board this month due to term limits. He thanked the Water Board, staff, and community members, and summarized highlights from his 10 years of service. See complete statement at the end of these meeting minutes. 6. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: NOVEMBER 12, NOVEMBER 19, DECEMBER 3 Chairperson Malers asked for comments on the draft minutes; there were none. Board Member Brown moved to approve the November 12 special meeting minutes. Board Member Kenyon seconded the motion. Vote on the motion: it passed unanimously, 8-0 WATER BOARD REGULAR MEETING 1 2 /17 /2020 – MINUTES Page 2 of 7 Board Member Brown moved to approve the November 19 regular meeting minutes. Board Member Tarry seconded the motion. Vote on the motion: it passed unanimously, 8-0 Board Member Ortman moved to approve the December 3 special meeting minutes. Board Member Brown seconded the motion Vote on the motion: it passed unanimously, 8-0 7. NEW BUSINESS a. Staff Reports (Attachments available upon request) i. Financial Monthly Report (meeting packet only) A board member commented on the report’s verbose footnotes, accounting corrections, and the fact that finances will be challenging over the next couple of months due to pandemic and wildfire impacts. ii. 2020 Sprinkler Audit Program Annual Report (meeting packet only; no presentation) No discussion iii. Water Resources Monthly Report Water Resources Manager Donnie Dustin provided an overview. weather has been warmer and drier, and water demand will be a bit below projections. Northern Water manages the Colorado-Big Thompson water supply; it recently hosted an aftermath work session to discuss impacts on the Western Slope, and will meet with City of Fort Collins in January. Regarding the other half of the City’s water supply, the Poudre River: City of Greeley is leading a lot of recovery discussions. Good news: much of the fire occurred at the 8,000 to 10,000 foot level; storms aren’t as bad at those levels which will result in less of the “black sludge” seen after the 2013 High Park Fire but impact won’t be known until storms occur. Mr. Dustin met with Water Treatment Facility team to discuss steps to improve water treatment during storm season. The City will probably require some level of water restrictions in 2021. Discussion Highlights Board members commented on or inquired about various related topics including the news that Vail Resorts will not engage in cloud- WATER BOARD REGULAR MEETING 1 2 /17 /2020 – MINUTES Page 3 of 7 seeding this year due to budget cutbacks during the pandemic; Northern Water received funding for airplanes to fly over and monitor snowpack, which costs about $100,000 each time; clarity of Grand Lake including concerns about sediment, algal growth, and water quality, and how wildfire runoff complicates that project; municipal water supplies. Mr. Dustin mentioned City of Fort Collins is fortunate to have senior water rights; C-BT system is at 120% of average at this time of year, whereas during the High Park Fire it was only at 80%. iv. Halligan Water Supply Project Quarterly Update Special Projects Manager Eileen Dornfest summarized highlights in the update and answered board members’ questions: Good news that the Final Environmental Impact Statement and two state processes for the fish and wildlife plan are scheduled to be completed in 2021 or early 2022; preliminary design activities began this year and are scheduled to be completed by early 2022; preliminary design field work was conducted this summer and indications are that the dam is in good shape; staff looks forward to achieving a couple of milestones next year. Discussion Highlights Board members commented on and inquired about various related topics including the project length over many years and the fact that it’s still not completed; land access and challenges with some landowners; how COVID-19 has impacted the project (Ms. Dornfest responded that it hasn’t; agencies have fewer distractions). v. Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System Permit (MS4) Annual Update The City operates under a Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment MS4 Permit, which requires implementation of comprehensive programs designed to prevent or minimize discharge of pollutants to the storm sewer system and local water bodies. Senior Environmental Regulatory Specialist Susan Strong provided an overview of program implementation along with accomplishments and challenges. Programs include public education and outreach, illicit discharge detection and elimination, construction sites, post- construction stormwater management, municipal operations. 2020 accomplishments included bacteriological source study; third party audit; collaborated with Human Resources Department to create online staff training (trained 600 employees); Stormwater Quality Engineer WATER BOARD REGULAR MEETING 1 2 /17 /2020 – MINUTES Page 4 of 7 Basil Hamdan is collaborating with Colorado State University on the Poudre River monitoring network; erosion control inspection fees implemented; education and outreach strategic planning. Discussion Highlights Water Board members commented on and inquired about various related topics including e. coli study; extent of permit; boundaries served by permit (City limits); permit crossover with other entities (City’s permit does not cover structures or institutions that have their own permit, such as Utilities’ Drake Water Reclamation Facility (industrial stormwater permit), Colorado State University, and Colorado Department of Transportation); indoor pollutants. vi. Utilities Affordability Programs (UAP) Update Program Specialist Supervisor Jamie Gaskill and Affordability Program Specialist Lisa Schroers provided a summary and update of the various programs (discounted rate programs, one-time assistance, retrofits) and answered board members’ questions. Staff also discussed how UAP were impacted by and responded to COVID-19. Discussion Highlights Board members commented on or inquired about various related topics including the Payment Assistance Program; customers attitudes toward employees coming into their homes (appreciative); COVID-19 precautions (in-home inspections postponed); disconnects (for bills past due by 60 days); late fees (Utilities continues to waive); reasons for at least one residential customer’s $4,000 bill (past due for a long time and used a lot); unprecedented number of customers requiring help this year (staff processed more than 1,000 applications); advertising and promotion of programs (bill inserts, online donations, recurring monthly donations to Payment Assistance Fund; during campaign drive: social media, Channel 14, etc.); CARES Act tax benefit up to $300. 8. BOARD MEMBER REPORTS None 9. OTHER BUSINESS Chairperson Malers requested Staff Liaison Matt Fater provide an update on Water Board applicants to fill the three upcoming vacancies. Mr. Fater reported that City Council will interview the six applicants next week and will appoint new WATER BOARD REGULAR MEETING 1 2 /17 /2020 – MINUTES Page 5 of 7 and returning boards and commissions members at its January 5 meeting. 10. RECOGNITION OF OUTGOING WATER BOARD MEMBERS Water Board members and staff expressed appreciation for Chairperson Steve Malers (2011-2020), and Board Members Jim Kuiken (2017-2020) and Nicole Ng (2020). Board Member Ortman stated that in her 30 years in the water industry, she has worked with hundreds of board members, and that Chairperson Malers is among the best. 11. ADJOURNMENT 7:10 pm These minutes were approved by Chairperson Kent Bruxvoort and the Water Board on January 21, 2021. *** Fort Collins Water Board Exit Thoughts Steve Malers This is my last meeting on the Water Board and I’d like to make a few comments. 1. In 10 years I’ve met many people and learned a lot. I hope that I’ve been able to pass on some insight and knowledge: a. I want to recognize Fort Collins Utilities staff, City staff, and citizens for the work done at a local level to make the community a great place to live. The reality is it takes much paid and volunteer time and there is always more to be done. b. I’ve met great people that have helped me in my professional and personal journey. I served with Reagan Waskom when I started. This month he is retiring as director of the Colorado Water Center. I’ve enjoyed working with every version of the Board. A former Board member (Liesel Hans) is now serving in a leadership role at Utilities. WATER BOARD REGULAR MEETING 1 2 /17 /2020 – MINUTES Page 6 of 7 c. I have also enjoyed the annual Boards and Commissions events, Tri- Cities meetings, Water Tables events at CSU, and City-sponsored field trips. I hope that these in person events can resume soon and I encourage the Water Board members to participate in these events, especially those that have not yet had the opportunity. d. When I started on the Water Board the water resources staff was pretty thin. Since then, Utilities has been able to hire additional water resources engineers, water attorney, and other staff to help manage and utilize an increasingly valuable water right portfolio. I also appreciate the emphasis on improved use of financial and other data to make decisions and I recognize the complexities of such efforts. e. I want to express my gratitude to previous and current Utilities directors including Brian Janonis and Kevin Gertig, who had very tough jobs. I appreciate the time they have given to the Water Board and in hearing our input. The Mayor and City Council have tough jobs and I appreciate the opportunity to inform them on complex water issues. f. I believe that any community effort is better when there are diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and voices. Collaboration and using a Socratic method for decision-making takes time and sometimes it feels slow, but we must have due diligence to understand issues and make decisions. The federal government seems to bicker and everything is a crisis that grinds to a political standstill. We cannot have that locally. We have to make decisions and deal with issues that impact the lives of citizens and our environment. I have learned from my time on the Water Board how local government works and that it is not enough to complain. You must get involved. 2. I have contributed to some changes in the Water Board: a. We have streamlined annual planning and reporting. b. We added work sessions to provide flexibility and improve efficiency. c. We now have access to electronic materials on the SharePoint site. d. We now meet in the new Utilities building. e. And, recently we have had to adapt and utilize virtual meetings. 3. As to the work of the Water Board and staff during the last 10 years. Collectively... a. We have dealt with fires, floods, and droughts, and now pandemics. I’m sure we’ll figure it out, and perhaps that is the biggest job... just working WATER BOARD REGULAR MEETING 1 2 /17 /2020 – MINUTES Page 7 of 7 together to figure things out as best we can. b. A milestone project was the Water Supply Vulnerability Study, which perhaps more than anything emphasized the connections in water resources and will help staff plan for a more resilient and sustainable future, while also strengthening regional collaboration. c. We spent a lot of money on capital projects and yet there is no end in sight. I wonder sometimes if the infrastructure that we are living in is only possible through efforts such as New Deal, civilian conservation corps, and similar. Are we at a point in time where we rise up from these challenging times? Or will we now be challenged just to maintain what we have? d. After 10 years, we still do not have an expanded Halligan Reservoir. This to me is disturbing. I work with technologies that are obsolete in less than five years. I have children that have grown up during the time that Halligan has been in permitting. This year, vaccines for COVID-19 have been developed in less than a year. If we cannot build needed water projects more quickly and at lower cost, it is going to be difficult to be create sustainable solutions and I fear that there are many less desirable impacts occurring as alternative solutions are implemented in the region. That being said, even though there are many challenges, there are many opportunities, whether related to energy and water use efficiencies, increased use of data and high speed communications, innovative technologies and policies, and collaborative solutions based on trust and transparency. I will continue to be involved in water issues in the community.