HomeMy WebLinkAboutEconomic Advisory Commission - Minutes - 05/20/2015MINUTES
CITY OF FORT COLLINS
ECONOMIC ADVISORY COMMISSION
Date: Wednesday, May 20, 2015
Location: Training Room, 300 Laporte Ave., Building B
Time: 11:00am–1:30pm
For Reference
Wade Troxell, Mayor & Council Liaison
Josh Birks, Staff Liaison 221-6324
Dianne Tjalkens, Minutes 221-6734
Commission Members Present Commission Members Absent
Sam Solt, Chair Michael Kulisheck (resigned)
Kim Dale Denny Otsuga
Linda Stanley
Glen Colton
Ted Settle
Ann Hutchison
Staff Present Staff Absent
Josh Birks, Economic Health Director
Dianne Tjalkens, Admin/Board Support
Lisa Rosintoski, Utilities Customer Connections Manager
John Phelan, Energy Services Manager
Guests
Peter O’Neill, Energy Board Chair
Dale Adamy, citizen
Meeting called to order at 11:06am.
Agenda Review—no changes.
Review and Approval of Minutes
Linda moved and Ted seconded a motion to approve the April minutes as presented.
Motion passed unanimously, 6-0-0.
Public Comment—Dale Adamy discussed interconnectedness of boards and commissions. He attended
Council Finance Committee (CFC). City debt capacity was on agenda. He thinks EAC would appreciate
attending these meetings. If the City retains Triple A rating, might have bonding capacity for larger
projects. Three Council members attend that meeting; EAC should be available to answer
questions/provide input. Human Relations Commission has formed subcommittees for various topics.
EAC could have a subcommittee to Finance. Finance listed large projects such as CAP, parking
structures, funding retirement system, etc. Critical information.
• Discussed liability and supplementing retirement system. On payment plan to fill gap.
Councilmembers asked what it would take to close the gap.
• Board has previously discussed liaison-ships to various boards.
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• Josh attends Council Finance Committee meetings that have topics relevant to his work.
• Ann and Glen agreed to attend CFC meetings.
Commission Member Updates—
• Sam attended Women’s Commission breakfast this week. No take aways to share.
• UniverCity Connections Future Forum (CSU event)?
o Chamber member attended. Presentations are available online. Ann will send to group.
o June 10 Josh will be presenting about future job needs and context of labor market at
forum. Series is Ted-style talks with opportunity for conversation among attendees.
o Series information available at univercityconnections.org
Narrow focus on pre-determined direction: how to provide housing and jobs for
more people.
• Summit on Aging?
o Ann attended. Presentations available online. Speaker: Elizabeth Gardner. Older people
in the area are aging in place, not influx of retirees. Other speakers encouraged attendees
to think about how the community is aging-friendly (transportation, areas to rest, etc.).
Hosted by collaboration of northern Colorado groups interested in aging.
In the past people have left Colorado as they retired. New trend of staying.
Early choice to move here, before retirement, then staying.
Aging healthier, so easier to stay.
o Social Sustainability will continue to look at aspects of aging in their strategic plan. Will
present to EAC this year.
FOAlarimer.org for videos and presentations.
• Mike Rechnitz and Michael Kulisheck have both resigned from the board.
o Application with Council review and appointment. Had one alternate during last process.
B&C coordinator in City Clerk’s Office is asking Council liaison if can appoint alternate,
or if both open seats must go through application process.
o What is quorum with vacancies?
Josh will determine and let board know. Important to RSVP to meetings. Will
also get status on participating electronically. Let Dianne know if need to Skype
in advance of the meeting.
o Need to elect new Vice Chair.
• Woodward rebates vote: Council rebating capital improvement and use tax fees. $2M. No dispute
on rebating money, but difference of opinion on where funds should come from. Original
agreement to rebate from general fund. Developer pays into street oversizing, parks, police, fire,
etc. Leave those whole. Change: staff recommended taking from individual fund reserves.
Concerned that those funds paid into by developers are dedicated to that purpose. Gives assurance
to developers those dollars available for needed infrastructure upgrades. Rebates should come
from general funds. Council decided to take $221K out of capital funds. Cleaner to keep separate.
o Street oversizing fund is never enough anyway.
AGENDA ITEM 1—Draft Energy Policy, Pete O’Neill and Lisa Rosintoski
Lisa and Peter presented revisions to the Energy Policy. Revision must keep in mind City Plan, Climate
Action Plan (CAP), Green Building Program, Transportation Master Plan, and previous Energy Policy.
Looks out 10 years. Energy Policy looking at CAP strategy areas: buildings, transportation, energy
supply, Road to Zero Waste (RZW), and carbon sequestration. Goals center around efficient built
environment, energy supply and distribution, and transportation and land use. Implementation principles
take into consideration partnerships, community economics, information and education, and privacy and
security. Focused on 2020 with proposed policies around ramping up building efficiency targets, overall
and local renewable targets, supply diversification objectives (more wind, solar and gas, with less coal),
demand response objectives, and reliability objectives. Emphasizes reducing VMT and fossil fuel use per
VMT. The policy proposes development of metrics for VMT tools, energy impact for development
projects, multi-modal transportation, and how CAFÉ standards affect the local fleet. It also includes
implementation principles for electricity pricing, affordability, and local economic health. Want pricing
changes to be gradual, purposeful and well communicated including the “why.” Paying particular
attention to affordability for lower income residents. Hope people use less electricity as prices increase.
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Continue to have affordable bills. Energy Board meeting open for public input: June 4. Work Session:
September 22. Draft available on website:
fcgov.com/cityclerk/pdf/draft_fort_collins_energy_policy_V12-2.pdf.
Discussion/Q & A:
• What is role of CSU? What is potential for partnering with FRCC? FRCC has program to prepare
students to work in energy industry.
o Partnership with CSU is FortZED and other activities CSU has done for R&D, etc. Not a
limited group. Expanding.
o CSU is large customer of utilities, so can partner with local generation, efficiencies and
R&D, implementation strategies, etc. FRCC can play into community economics: smart
grid tech, opening jobs, local energy independence.
• Why is Utilities under economics section?
o Low, stable rates, reliable and predictable energy is key to functioning economy. Also
large employer. Not relaxing reliability as move to distributed, low carbon portfolio.
o Pricing should be own category. It is what will change behavior.
June 4, discussing Time of Use pilot. Principle of economics in draft policy: rates
to reflect cost of use at that time and where you are. With advanced metering
structure, local generation, controlled demand response, can have people pay for
their own cost of service and get paid for contribution of generation, storage,
demand response, etc. Drives behavior: motivated to install storage, demand
response, co-generation, and solar panels.
o Has number of people complaining about privacy reduced as people understand?
Has gone down but only about 300 people who did not want Advanced Metering
Infrastructure (AMI). Will continue to be groups against information sharing.
Public should have input and be assured of level of privacy. As move to smart
grid, must be concerned with security of grid and personal information. Must
have robust policies that are made public.
• Information to those who have solar panels is limited. Will this improve?
o Working on it. Limitations with software vendor selected. Working with them to
accurately reflect use, cost, etc.
• How does % of renewables compare to other communities?
o 0.3% distributed renewables. At 2016 32% of Platte River portfolio production will be
renewables: large scale hydro is largest portion of renewables. Added two wind farms.
Have signed contract for 30MW of solar PV at Rawhide. Have modelled how to
economically add in gas combined cycle with more solar and wind. Must match loads to
sources.
• This board has been working on definition of economic health. Presentation uses this term. What
does it mean to you?
o Local economy is doing well on a per-person and per-business basis. Difference between
growth and rejuvenation. Not being stagnant does not mean getting bigger but having
equity in population. People thriving, and equity. Ought to be able to have most functions
necessary to run community done within community and paid fairly for work.
Rejuvenating.
o Technology and information change; need rejuvenation. Provide education. Should
provide job opportunities; fill positions with skilled people in/from Fort Collins (such as
FRCC students).
• Renewables: easy to picture Rawhide plant. 160 acres for 30MW, will be able to see it and
impacts. But general population doesn’t see other places where building roads, concrete, habitat
destruction to install renewables. How many wind turbines will we have? Where will they be?
Not completely environmentally friendly. People need to be able to see impact. All sources have
impacts. Rooftop solar less impactful.
o Solar farm at Riverside. Visible to public, as advertising. Can lease roof space on
commercial buildings to reduce impacts.
o Do try to hide lots of things to make community look green, sustainable, etc. If have to
feel and see impacts of distribution systems, power lines, etc. might move toward
distributed rooftop solar and efficiency.
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o Looking at rooftop and utility scale solar. ¼ of rooftops are suitable for solar. Utility
scale is more affordable. Can roll out faster, meet carbon goals faster. Many opportunities
for new business models.
o CAP is “all of the above” approach. Must maximize all strategies/tactics.
o 13% reduction in per capita electricity use in last five years, but negated by population
growth.
• Conversation on how policies will help with reliability of system. Important economic issue.
Businesses/manufacturers reliant on high quality affordable electricity. Diversification brings
opportunity for reliability, but what about quality?
o There is motivation to improve reliability in storage. Create islands to keep grid whole.
o Sensitivity modelling takes reliability into account.
AGENDA ITEM 2—Economic Health Definition, Ted Settle
Draft includes background, definition, and characteristics related to environment, social sustainability and
economics. EHO staff will use characteristics at staff retreat and have included in the Economic Health
Strategic Plan (EHSP). Community lacks understanding of definition of economic health.
Discussion/Q & A:
• Definition can be included on agenda. Making way into strategic plan.
o Concerned with those not in this room, including other City staff.
o Should send it to Council.
Josh can add cover memo and send.
o Request Clerk’s Office distribute to boards and commissions.
Start with Mayor Troxell, board liaison; informal initial roll out.
Ask Wade to attend EAC meeting for update.
o Distribute in advance to presenters.
• Characteristics are possibilities, not requirements, so needs more framework for other audiences.
o Adjust formatting/language to make more clear.
• Document can become part of annual work plan.
• Can provide document to presenters.
AGENDA ITEM 3—Economic Health Strategic Plan, Josh Birks
Many suggested changes to the draft plan are addressed by the City’s broader vision, which may need to
be revisited in the near future. Living document; perfection is not the objective. Plan Fort Collins has 20
year horizon. Have many other interconnected plans: CAP, Transportation Master Plan, Recreational
Trail Master Plan, Utilities Strategic Plan, Economic Health Strategic Plan, and Social Sustainability
Master Plan. Josh presented a Venn diagram showing overlap between actions of SSA departments: how
organizational pieces interface. Shows what departments do, how they work together, what themes
Environmental Services and Social Sustainability strategic plans will work on. To Council June 2.
Discussion/Q & A:
• Will not be revisiting this all the time. Must draw a line and move forward.
o Has big goals, but individual actions require own review processes.
• Is intent a two-year plan?
o Three year. Benefit to revisiting before City updates its strategic plan (basis for budgeting
process). Will be looking at it internally prior to strategic planning process.
• City Plan update?
o Not funded for 2015/16. Bulk of work will be done in 2017.
• Are matrices complete?
o One matrix has five theme areas with goals, department role, and other City departments
that will be/are involved.
• Have any other boards viewed EHSP?
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o NRAB, AQAB have had presentations on previous draft. March draft went to all boards
and commissions for input. Land Conservation and Stewardship Board presentation was
in April. Energy Board has asked for presentation in August.
o Have listened, made good changes. Appropriate process would be for EAC to be able to
give more input, have public meeting/open house, have available online, then EAC can
have more thorough discussion before going to Council. Do not rush to Council.
Public outreach has been thorough: two open houses in January, draft has been
available online, flyer went in utility bill soliciting input. Due diligence done. If
was getting continuing input from different sources or different concerns, would
continue to do public outreach.
Resource allocation is only concern.
• Many goals and objectives, but limited staff to complete work.
• What is role of EAC in revisiting the plan?
o Series of data analysis, reviewed by EAC. Themes developed by EAC and stakeholders.
Many opportunities to review drafts. This process began as a “tweaking” of 2012 plan,
but ended up completely revising. Next time would like consultants to do market
analysis, more stakeholder input, and board could be steering committee for plan.
o Will EAC see this plan again during term? Want to check in on whether it is working.
Guiding document to EHO staff. Must demonstrate how work fits into context.
Staff is having a retreat to determine metrics.
• Draft has been improved. But still growth plan. City figuring out how to grow as quickly as
possible. It doesn’t meet today’s situation in which people are concerned there is too much
growth and economic activity. Not sustainable growth. Need plan that recognizes that.
Ted moved to recommend the Economic Health Strategic Plan as written. Ann seconded.
Motion passed, 4-1-1. Linda abstained. Glen does not support due to objections to emphasis on growth.
• Additional comments can be sent to Josh through next Tuesday.
AGENDA ITEM 4—Agenda Structure/Process, Josh Birks
Josh presented recommended schedule matrix. Other boards take a two-step approach: 1) listen and try to
clarify; 2) discuss and act (sometimes across two meetings). Gives opportunity for reflection before
action. Agendas will identify listening, clarifying, or action. Recommended schedule includes items from
Council 6-month agenda planning calendar. Idea is to see presentations two months before Council
action. Some presentations will be informational only. Booking meetings to two hours, with flexibility to
go to 2.5 hours. Parking lot for unscheduled items. Send additional ideas to Dianne.
Discussion/Q & A:
• Reminder for member updates would be helpful.
o When get packet, send updates to Dianne. She can forward or print for meeting.
• Should have recurring ideas to gain traction, and bring in items proactively for timely input.
• Code items as Work Session vs. Adoption
• Energy Policy is not ready for a recommendation as we have not yet seen actual policies.
• Like idea of time to reflect. Want to make sure there is time for dialogue. Can be more efficient if
have member updates electronically and have time for dialogue about them in meeting.
• Is middle of day right time to meet? Many boards meet in evening. Allows public to come listen,
allows for participation without interfering in work schedule, but also takes away from personal
time.
o Would be willing to reconsider time in December.
o Other members were not concerned about time and would be happy to move to evening
meeting.
• Parking lot: learn more about Social Sustainability and Environmental Services; meet new CSO;
presentation from CSU on how integrates into community; updates on how working with existing
companies.
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o Mountain Vista (June 9 Work Session): can invite to EAC if Council elects to do more
work on subject.
• Josh and Sam will collaborate on agendas monthly, with long-term perspective and Council 6-
month agenda planning calendar in mind.
• Operational updates quarterly, 30 minutes.
• Expand water topic from just storage to other related issues such as water districts as related to
GMA.
o More water topics on Council agenda.
o Mountain Vista.
• Revised version will come with next meeting packet.
Meeting Adjourned: 1:40pm
Next Meeting: June 17
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