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HomeMy WebLinkAboutWater Commission - Minutes - 10/19/2023 WATER COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING Oct. 19, 2023, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Hybrid in person at 222 LaPorte Ave and online via Zoom 10/19/2023 – MINUTES Page 1 The Water Commission advises City Council regarding water, wastewater, and stormwater policy issues such as water rights, planning, acquisition and management, conservation and public education, floodplain regulations, storm drainage, and development criteria. Read more at https://www.fcgov.com/cityclerk/boards/water. 1. CALL TO ORDER 5:30 p.m. 1. ROLL CALL • Commissioners Present In Person: Jordan Radin (Chairperson), Paul Herman (Vice Chairperson), Kent Bruxvoort, Rick Kahn, Jason Tarry • Commissioners Present via Zoom: Tyler Eldridge, Greg Steed • Commissioners Absent - Excused: James Bishop, John Primsky • Staff Members Present In Person: Jason Graham, Katherine Martinez, Jeremy Woolf, Randy Reuscher, Lance Smith, Kendall Minor, Jill Oropeza, Heather Young • Staff Members Present via Zoom: Katie Collins • Members of the Public: None 2. AGENDA REVIEW • Chairperson Jordan Radin briefly summarized items on the agenda 3. COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION: None 4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Chairperson Radin asked for comments and revisions on the draft Aug. 17 minutes. Vice Chairperson Herman moved to approve the Aug.17 minutes. Commissioner Bruxvoort seconded the motion. Vote on the motion: it passed unanimously, 7-0 5. UNFINISHED BUSINESS Memo: Follow Up on Council Priority #19 including Larimer County Urban Area Street Standards (LCUASS) updates in the current proposal. Discussion Highlights Commissioners commented on the City’s responsibility to mention total cost. WATER COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING 10/19/2023 – MINUTES Page 2 6. NEW BUSINESS a. Staff Reports i. Memo: Cache la Poudre Water Quality Seasonal Update No discussion ii. Floodplain Management Public Information Committee Annual Report No discussion iii. Financial Monthly Report Discussion Highlights Commissioners commented on or inquired about various related topics including about horizontal bar chart (reflects revenue from monthly service but not total) on revenue and expense numbers; tables show complete revenues. iv. Memo: Hill Pond Feasibility Study Project Update Mr. Graham summarized the memo: Hill Pond is privately owned by Arthur Ditch Company and located off Shields Street; not open to the public, but from the trail, property owners on north side can access it; high use by community members using trail on south side of pond; recreational and environmental habitat use; two home owners associations (HOAs) involved: one reached out to a City Councilmember about erosion; City staff assessed whether City has a role to play; gate controlled by ditch company; HOA would like it to be controlled in such a way that it doesn’t cause erosion; however, no water storage agreement exists between ditch company and HOA, so ditch company can run the water as they want; ditch company is protecting its right to run the water the way it chooses to; other entities have a legal obligation for environmental concerns; City’s issue is how to best manage the water; community review through Budgeting for Outcomes (BFO) process and money was provided (half of $60,000 to Utilities and half to Parks). Discussion Highlights Commissioners commented on or inquired about various related topics including question about City spending public funds for a private benefit (south portion is public City trail access); bike trail interest; interest in the sense of community asset by trail users. b. Regular Items i. 2024 Utilities Rates and Fees Lead Analyst-Utility Rate Randy Reuscher presented on the proposed rates WATER COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING 10/19/2023 – MINUTES Page 3 and answered questions along with Community Engagement Manager Heather Young and Utilities Strategic Finance Director Lance Smith. This item was rescheduled from the Sept. 21 meeting that was cancelled due to technical difficulties. Staff presented this item to City Council on Oct. 17 (Council approved the proposed rates on first reading of the ordinance) and seek Water Commissioners’ recommendation to Council to approve the proposed 2024 Utility Rates and Fees before the second reading on Nov. 21. This agenda item is related to Strategic Outcome “Economic Health 3.5 Invest in and maintain utility infrastructure and services while ensuring predictable utility rates.” 2024 proposed increases are 5% for Electric, 4% for Water, 4% for Wastewater, and 3% for Stormwater. Ms. Young summarized the assistance provided to income-qualified community members (emergency assistance, efficiency upgrades, and seasonal & monthly assistance). Discussion Highlights Commissioners commented on or inquired about various related topics including whether infrastructure replacement is funded by development fees or operations budget (Mr. Reuscher replied that replacements and improvements are funded by operations budget); observation that Utilities is falling short on linear replacement (due to budget restrictions); rate increases will help support rising cost of infrastructure replacement; big infrastructure projects and related upcoming costs (capital improvement projects); Capital Improvement Plan and budget process address the most critical infrastructure improvements first; replacement schedule; majority of capital projects are funded through Utilities rates (Halligan Water Supply Project and other projects are funded by debt issuance/government bonds). Vice Chairperson Herman moved that the Water Commission recommend City Council adopt the proposed changes to the Utility water, wastewater and stormwater rates as presented. Commissioner Bruxvoort seconded the motion. Vote on the Motion: it passed unanimously, 7-0 ii. Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) Priorities and Methodology Senior Director of Integrated Water Operations Jeremy Woolf summarized Water Utility staff’s process for ranking capital improvement projects in the WATER COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING 10/19/2023 – MINUTES Page 4 CIP including scoring using the following factors: regulatory mandate, safety/security, reliability, economic benefit, equity (Title IA schools, ethnically diverse communities within the City of Fort Collins), One Water approach (all water has value), and strategic outcome alignment. Future state: continuous improvement by evaluating previous levels of success, increase community engagement, alignment with One Water strategy, development of projects in alignment with One Water, utilization of technology and improved data; process modification and automation. Conclusion: Prioritization process provides a starting point from which to rank capital projects; the process is flexible; future process will incorporate lessons learned from 2025-2026 Budgeting For Outcomes (BFO) process. Next step: Staff will forward priorities to Utilities Finance for the BFO process. Commissioners will have the opportunity to weigh in on priorities before the next budget cycle. Discussion Highlights Commissioners commented on or inquired about various related topics including request for practical example of negative impacts of a project (related to the Equity Opportunity Assessment Map)(Mr. Woolf responded: anything that would contribute to air pollution that is adjacent to one of the vulnerable communities); how staff evaluates new infrastructure versus replacement of current infrastructure; Maximo asset management software; inefficiencies of emergency repairs versus replacement program (capital improvement plan); the importance of staff “marketing” priorities within the BFO process; initial vision of the One Water staff structure to prevent competition within the Water Utility for funding; suggestion to provide higher visibility of priorities; stormwater: is floodplain management and risk management part of safety and security criteria: yes; good work by staff on this prioritization process: provides more clarity into the process; impressive tool developed; staff desire for digital twins in the entire system; Maximo implemented six years ago, and still need comprehensive data of all assets listed, plus confidence in accuracy of that data, culture shift needed to provide the data and understanding of the benefit; about 60% of all Utilities assets are currently in Maximo. 7. COMMISSIONER REPORTS a. Summary of Sept. 28 Halligan Water Supply Project Tour Project info: https://www.fcgov.com/halligan/ WATER COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING 10/19/2023 – MINUTES Page 5 Community Engagement Specialist Honora Thompson and Halligan Project Manager Darren Parkin led the tour attended by commissioners and AECOM consulting firm representatives. Dam was built in 1909 and is owned by City; water is owned by North Poudre Irrigation Company (NPIC); complex construction required for the new dam to be built downstream of existing dam. Discussion Highlights Commissioners commented on or inquired about various related topics including being impressed by Mr. Parkin and level of knowledge he’s acquired since becoming project manager in April; possibility of nesting raptor near construction site; appreciation of staff time and effort in coordinating the tour. Mr. Graham answered a commissioner’s question during tour: no restrictions on how we can release water except for ramp up and ramp down process. 8. OTHER BUSINESS a. Boards & Commissions Inputs to 2024 City of Fort Collins Strategic Plan Budget Office has requested optional inputs on the 2024 Strategic Plan and how best to achieve outcomes. Staff will review feedback in November. Discussion Highlights City Strategic Plan Outcomes associated with Water Utilities are Environmental Health, Safe Community, and High Performing Government. Importance to the Budgeting For Outcomes (BFO) process: i.e. staff budget offers that are related to three Outcomes have a better chance of being funded than offers that are related to only one Outcome. As Water Utility develops a One Water strategy: affordable housing, development, nexus of water plan and urban development plan. Outcome 1: Environmental Health: Water safety/conservation/storm and flood management: front and center. Outcome 2: Safe Community: front and center. Culture, Recreation, Economic Health overlap Outcome 3: High Performing Government: Managing existing assets well, WATER COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING 10/19/2023 – MINUTES Page 6 maintaining services; to see the value of what we have and value of maintaining it (e.g. Parks Department challenge of building new parks but not having the money to maintain them); strong agreement by other commissioners. Outcome 4: Economic Health: Water plays a part of this in Fort Collins; has influence and effect on economic health; value of water, development, tap fees; rate increases: are we spending money efficiently? Outcome 5: Neighborhood Livability and Social Health. Next steps: Budget Office staff will evaluate all Boards and Commissions inputs in November. Staff Liaison will update Water Commissioners. b. Ex Officio Member City Council will discuss the topic of ex officio members at its Oct. 24 work session. Does the Water Commission wish to keep City Code as is, or remove the ex officio member if commissioners don’t believe one if necessary? Discussion Highlights: Commissioners inquired “Does Larimer County believe it’s critical? If so, why has it never acted on it?” Commissioners agreed they would welcome a county representative attending Water Commission meetings. c. 2024 Water Commission Work Plan i. Discuss ideas for draft 2024 Work Plan. Commissioners will vote to approve the plan on Nov. 16 Chairperson Radin will share revised draft for commissioners to review before the next meeting. d. Commissioners Bruxvoort and Tarry’s terms will end in March 2024. e. One Water Summit: Water Utilities Executive Director Jason Graham, Senior Director-Integrated Water Operations Jeremy Woolf, and Senior Director-Integrated Water Sciences & Planning Jill Oropeza will attend. Acting Staff Liaison for Nov. 16 meeting to be announced. 9. ADJOURNMENT: 7:27 p.m. These minutes were approved by the Water Commission on Nov. 16, 2023.