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HomeMy WebLinkAboutWater Board - Minutes - 11/16/20171 Water Board Minutes November 16, 2017 Fort Collins Utilities Water Board Minutes Thursday, November 16, 2017 Water Board Chairperson City Council Liaison Brett Bovee, 970-889-0469 Wade Troxell, 970-219-8940 Water Board Vice Chairperson Staff Liaison Kent Bruxvoort, 970-219-2832 Carol Webb, 970-221-6231 ROLL CALL Board Present: Chairperson Brett Bovee and Board Members Steve Malers, Jim Kuiken, Phyllis Ortman, Michael Brown, John Primsky, Lori Brunswig, Andrew McKinley, Rebecca Hill, and Jason Tarry Board Absent: Vice Chairperson Kent Bruxvoort and Board Member Rebecca Hill. OTHERS PRESENT Staff: Carol Webb, Katherine Martinez, Kevin Gertig, Liesel Hans, Jill Oropeza, Jared Heath, Richard Thorp, Mike Beckstead, Matt Fater, and Ken Sampley. Members of the Public: None Meeting Convened Chairperson Bovee called the meeting to order at 5:16 p.m. Boxelder Basin Regional Stormwater Authority (BBRSA) Update (Attachments available upon request) The authority was formed in 2009 to resolve stormwater issues within the multi-jurisdictional Boxelder Basin. Its three major projects are Coal Creek/Clark Reservoir, Larimer Weld Canal, and East Side Detention Facility. Chief Financial Officer Mike Beckstead summarized the issues under review and the work of the three-member Technical Fee Team (made up of representatives from the Town of Wellington, Larimer County, and the City of Fort Collins), which was tasked with researching billing, long- term asset maintenance, and other issues. The team will send a report to the BBRSA in the next few weeks. An intergovernmental agreement will be presented to City Council on December 5. Discussion Highlights Board members commented on or inquired about various related topics including finances, major projects, loan payoff, and the $66 fee per residence. 2 Water Board Minutes November 16, 2017 Public Comment None. Approval of October 19, 2017 Board Meeting Minutes Board Member Steve Malers moved to approve the October 19, 2017 meeting minutes Board Member Phyllis Ortman seconded the motion. Vote on the motion: It passed unanimously 9-0 with 1 abstention. Board Member Jason Tarry abstained due to his absence at the October meeting. Executive Director Quarterly Update Utilities Executive Director Kevin Gertig announced that City of Fort Collins has been chosen as a 2017 recipient of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the only presidential award for performance excellence and innovation. This is the second time the City applied for the award. More than 400 employees were interviewed as part of the rigorous assessment process. Mr. Gertig also provided details and updates on 2017 Utilities Priorities: culture of safety, water future, development review, asset management, Climate Action Plan, renewable energy/Advanced Meter Infrastructure, and broadband. He also shared key results on measures and supporting initiatives, and updates on projects such as the Labs Master Plan, Biogas to Cogen Project, and Household Hazardous Waste collection events. Discussion Highlights Board members commented on or inquired about various related topics including plans to add wind energy to the City’s energy portfolio, the Climate Action Plan, and funding options and cost effectiveness of the Biogas to Cogen Project. Overview of Budgeting for Outcomes (BFO) and Strategic Planning Process (Attachments available upon request) Water Resources and Treatment Operations Manager Carol Webb provided a summary of the City’s leadership system, key outcome areas (high-performing government, economic health, safe community, etc.), strategic objectives, Budgeting for Outcomes (BFO) initiatives, Utilities Planning Process (master planning, capital improvement planning, and strategic financial planning), prioritization of projects, and the City Strategic Plan. Staff will present BFO offers to Water Board in June. Discussion Highlights Board members commented on or inquired about various related topics including how much of the planning work is done by staff and consultants (staff hires consultants who work closely with staff), whether Utilities has policies guiding financial planning (yes; guidelines and principles); impact of broadband on water utilities (staff will keep Water Board updated on broadband issues). 3 Water Board Minutes November 16, 2017 Staff Reports Water Conservation Update (Attachments available upon request) Water Conservation Manager Liesel Hans provided a summary of water use to date and updates on Water Conservation programs, such as Xeriscape Incentive Program, the new Garden in a Box program (professionally designed xeric garden kit), sprinkler audits expanded to customers of Fort Collins-Loveland Water District (FCLWD) and East Larimer County Water District (ELCO), home water reports, and continuous consumption monitoring and notifications. Discussion Highlights Board members commented on or inquired about various related topics including sprinkler audits for FCLWD and ELCO customers (a fee was charged); “Control Your Controller” sprinkler system on-site training for customers as part of sprinkler audits; excess water surcharges for commercial customers; suggestion for including maps in future reports to show general impacts of programs. Financial Report The financial report will be presented at a future meeting. Upper Cache la Poudre Seasonal Water Quality Updates (Attachments available upon request) Watershed Specialist Jared Heath provided a summary of the Utilities Watershed Program and monitoring objectives, and the reasons for spring/summer/fall seasonal water quality updates. The Watershed Program is guided by policy and the 2016 Strategic Plan Environmental Health; the mission is “Monitoring water quality for the protection of our raw drinking water supplies.” Fort Collins source watersheds consist of the Colorado-Big Thompson and Cache la Poudre watersheds. Water Quality Services Manager Jill Oropeza introduced new Watershed Program Manager Richard Thorp. Discussion Highlights Board members commented on or inquired about various related topics including data and quality assurance; data requirements (Clean Water Act standards; Ms. Oropeza commented that total organic carbon (TOC), for example, is a seasonal trend that the Water Quality Lab monitors); how fire events affect readings (staff implemented a monitoring program for after storm and fire events focusing on turbidity, nutrients, etc.); temperature data; collaboration with staff on the Water Supply Vulnerability Study; timing of sampling for water quality monitoring; whether staff monitors and samples further down the river (City staff does monitor near the Mulberry Water Reclamation Facility, and the Lower Poudre Monitoring Alliance monitors as far as Greeley); and publication of all reports for public .