HomeMy WebLinkAboutWater Board - Minutes - 11/19/2003City Council Liaison
David Roy
Staff Liaison
DeEtta Carr 221-6702
Fort Collins Utilities Water Board Minutes
Wednesday, November 19, 2003
Water Board Chairman Water Board Vice Chairman
Tom Sanders 491-5448 John Morris 491-0185
Secretary
Leslie Mooney 416-2703
Roll Call:
Board Present
John Bartholow, Ted Borstad, Tom Brown, Jim Finley, David Lauer, Bill Fischer, John Morris, Tom
Sanders, Robert Ward and Doug Yadon
Board Absent
Rami Naddy
Staff
Patty Bigner, Dennis Bode, DeEtta Carr, Steve Comstock, Carrie Daggett, Donnie Dustin, Matt Fater,
Kevin Gertig, Susan Hayes, Marsha Hilmes-Robinson, Jim Hibbard, Brian Janonis, Jeremiah Knuth,
Kevin McBride, Gale McGaha-Miller, Leslie Mooney, Bob Smith, Mike Smith, Dennis Sumner, Bill
Switzer, Ellen Switzer and Wendy Williams
Meetine Convened
Chairman Tom Sanders called the meeting to order at 3:12 p.m.
Appreciation for Years of Service on Water Board
Chairman Sanders and Utilities General Manager Mike Smith presented letters of appreciation and gift
certificates to retiring Board members John Morris, David Lauer and Robert Ward.
Approval of Minutes
Board member John Morris made a motion which was seconded by Board member David Lauer to
approve the minutes of the September 25, 2003 meeting. Board members Tom Brown and Jim Finley
abstained. The motion was adopted.
Water Rate Options — Bill Switzer
Mike Smith, Utilities General Manager, stated that some Council members and citizens are concerned
about the fairness of the tiered water rate. Staff will be providing City Council with four options at the
Study Session on December 9, 2003.
Utility Rate Analyst Bill Switzer presented an overview of the water rate options: continue with the
existing tiered rate, modify the tiered rate, a seasonal rate and a water budget rate. He explained that in
all three new options the fixed cost was raised from $12.00 to $15.57 and that the modified tiered rate
was reduced from five to three tiers with a reduced charge per thousand gallons. The seasonal rate
Water Board Meeting Minutes
November 19, 2003
Page 2
would vary between summer and winter use. The water budget rate is the most complex of the rate
options. It includes an indoor and outdoor allotment. The outdoor lot allotment is based on size and a
monthly evapotransporation rate.
The Board discussed whether or not it is appropriate to impose water conservation through rates when
the current water supply is adequate. Mike Smith stated that the Council is struggling with the concept of
whether they should keep the existing tiered rate structure or do something different.
Chairman Sanders stated he was concerned about the reasoning for continuing tiered water rates or a
water budget rate because there is no longer a serious water shortage. He stated he does not feel such
stringent measures are necessary and that tiered water rates and a water budget approach gives a message
to the public to not water their grass, thereby reducing a quality of life value that has been enjoyed in the
past. Board member Bill Fischer stated that he agreed.
Board member Tom Brown stated that he didn't see the logic of separate rates for outdoor use and
questioned the appropriateness of conservation rates for water that customers have already paid for.
Board member Doug Yadon suggested that the seasonal rate be adopted with no difference between
summer and winter usages but add on step 3 of the water budget rate as a penalty for consumption over
the lot allotment.
Chairman Sanders asked for a motion since there were many other items on the agenda.
Board member Tom Brown made a motion to amend the water budget approach by applying the same
rate to the indoor and outdoor allotments, and with a penalty tier after the customer surpasses their
monthly allotment. Robert Ward seconded the motion. Yeas: Board members Jim Finley, John Morris,
Robert Ward, Doug Yadon, Tom Brown, Ted Borstad; Nays: Board members Tom Sanders, John
Bartholow, David Lauer; Abstain: Board member Bill Fischer.
Midpoint Storage Easement — Steve Comstock
Steve Comstock, Water Reclamation and Biosolids Division Manager, stated that there is a storm water
easement across a piece of Utility property located off of Midpoint Drive in the Prospect Ponds area.
The property is owned by the Utility but managed by the Natural Resources Department. He requested a
recommendation from the Board to abandon the easement.
Board member John Bartholow made a motion, seconded by Board member David Lauer to recommend
City Council abandon the easement as requested. The motion was adopted unanimously.
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Kevin McBride, Senior Stormwater Engineer, presented the first annual review of Stormwater quality
programs to the Board. The Water Board's input on the Stormwater utility program is a requirement for
the Stormwater Utility's annual discharge permit. The minimum measures of the permit include public
education, public involvement, illicit discharges programs, construction site runoff control, post
development runoff control, and good housekeeping for municipal facilities. He explained each program
to the Board.
Water Board Meeting Minutes
November 19, 2003
Page 3
Update 2004 Work Plan
The Board briefly went through the 2003 Work plan and determined which items had been completed,
which needed to be carried over and what new goals should be added.
Treated Water Production Summary — Dennis Bode
Dennis Bode, Water Resources Division Manager, reported that the water use for the year was about
78% of the annual water projections. He noted that although precipitation for October was very low,
water supplies are considerably better than they were last year.
Update on Chronic Wastine Disease — Dave Meyer
Dave Meyer, Technical Services Supervisor, stated a citizen had contacted the Utility's staff regarding
concerns about Colorado State University's disposal of wild game with chronic wasting disease. The
concern was that wind blown dust from the disposal of animals would contaminate the water at the water
treatment facility next door. The concern also raised the concern of the effluent from the CSU facility
still being contagious. He said that Colorado State University is currently looking into other methods of
disposal. Dave stated that the effluent has had the most effective deactivation treatment possible but is
very high in BOD and uses significant capacity at the treatment facility. He stated that approximately
400 gallons of waste from the CSU facility translates into about one million gallons of municipal waste.
Chairman Sanders thanked Dave for the update. He reminded the Board that there would not be a
December meeting.
Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 5:25 p.m.
DeEtta Carr, Water Board Liaison