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HomeMy WebLinkAboutWater Board - Minutes - 07/16/2020 WATER BOARD REGULAR MEETING July 16, 2020, 5:30-7:30 p.m. online via Zoom 0 7 /1 6 /2020 – MINUTES Page 1 1. CALL TO ORDER 5:31 p.m. 2. ROLL CALL • Board Members Present: Steve Malers (Chairperson), Kent Bruxvoort (Vice Chairperson), Michael C. Brown, Jr., Cibi Vishnu Chinnasamy, Randy Kenyon, Nicole Ng, Phyllis Ortman, John Primsky, Jason Tarry • Board Members Absent - Excused: Jim Kuiken, Greg Steed • Staff Members Present: Theresa Connor, Matt Fater, Katherine Martinez, Jackie Darner, Jason Graham, Meagan Smith, Donnie Dustin, Alice Conovitz, Mark Kempton • Members of the Public: Sara Tarr 3. AGENDA REVIEW • No changes 4. COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION • None 5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Chairperson Malers asked for comments and revisions on the March 12 minutes other than those previously shared with staff regarding minor corrections. Vice Chairperson Bruxvoort moved to approve the March 12 minutes with minor revisions noted. Board Member Ortman seconded the motion. Vote on the motion: it passed unanimously, 8-0 (Due to a clerical error, Board Member Kenyon did not vote) WATER BOARD REGULAR MEETING 07/16/2020 – MINUTES Page 2 6. NEW BUSINESS Staff Reports (Attachments available upon request) i. Financial Monthly Report (meeting packet only; no presentation) Discussion Highlights Board members commented on or inquired about various related topics including surprise that COVID-19 has had less of a negative impact on Utilities enterprise funds than expected. Questions related to water supply and usage were later addressed during the Water Resources Monthly Report agenda item. ii. Water Supply and Demand Management Policy Update (meeting packet only; no presentation) Water Resources Engineer Meagan Smith stated highlights of the staff memo to City Council and answered board members’ questions. Staff is pausing the policy update and redirecting some resources to study the challenges and opportunities that arise from having multiple potable water providers in the Fort Collins Growth Management Area. Rationale includes a net savings of about $50,000 in the 2020 budget, which is in alignment with current cost- savings measures related to COVID-19. iii. Water Resources Monthly Report Water Resources Manager Donnie Dustin summarized highlights from the monthly report and answered board members’ questions. The staff memo to the Water Board provides water resources conditions for the month of June, such as: water demand for the month and for the calendar year are both 96% of projected demand. Mr. Dustin added that July usage is 110% of projected demand and staff is working closely with the Horsetooth Outlet Project team. Discussion Highlights Board members commented on or inquired about various related topics including runoff, river flow, and timing of the high point; Colorado-Big Thompson Project supplemental water supply; impact of Colorado State University students returning to their permanent homes in March due to COVID-19. WATER BOARD REGULAR MEETING 07/16/2020 – MINUTES Page 3 iv. Update on Horsetooth Outlet Project Water Production Manager Mark Kempton and Water Conservation Analyst Alice Conovitz summarized preparation for the project that is scheduled to begin in October and end in late November. Project owners are Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District and U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. Staff will continue to provide updates to the Water Board leading up to and during the project, which will involve public engagement efforts on water conservation and specific actions for community members to take, such as stopping outdoor water use by October 1. Discussion Highlights Board members commented on and inquired about various related topics including efficacy of messaging; idea of public service announcements; willingness of community members to conserve water (staff stated the public has been very responsive in the past); suggestions for signage in key areas, such as the Poudre River Whitewater Park to prevent public confusion related to river flow and different water sources (such as raw water used to irrigate parks); impact of CSU virtual classes on water usage. b. Regular Items i. Meadow Springs Ranch Grazing Lease 10-Year-Term Support The City owns the 26,000-acre Meadow Springs Ranch; Water Reclamation and Biosolids (WR&B) Division applies biosolids to the land and grazes cattle to maintain vegetation and environmental stewardship of the land. WR&B Manager Jason Graham summarized the lease. The Cattle Grazing Lease has recently been awarded to Natural Fort Grazing Association. As with previous lease terms and in alignment with current City Real Estate practices, this lease has a term of 10 consecutive one-year terms. Because the term duration is greater than five years, this lease term needs to be approved by City Council. Staff seeks a recommendation from the Water Board to support City Council approval. Discussion Highlights No discussion Board Member Kenyon moved to recommend that the Water Board recommend City Council approve an exception to municipal code sec 8-186 (a) by issuing an ordinance authorizing a lease term of (10) years for the grazing rights on MSR by Natural Fort Grazing Association. WATER BOARD REGULAR MEETING 07/16/2020 – MINUTES Page 4 Board Member Ortman seconded the motion. Vote on the Motion: it passed unanimously, 9-0 7. BOARD MEMBER REPORTS Chairperson Malers and Board Member Ortman summarized their participation in recent Our Climate Future public engagement meetings related to water supply this week, and encouraged Water Board members to register for upcoming sessions. 8. OTHER BUSINESS Board members discussed upcoming meetings and decided to cancel the August 7 work session and proceed with the August 20 regular meeting. The board discussed the possibility of a September special meeting if necessary. 9. ADJOURNMENT 7:40 p.m.