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HomeMy WebLinkAboutWater Board - Minutes - 10/15/2020 WATER BOARD REGULAR MEETING October 15, 2020, 5:30-7:30 p.m. online via Zoom 1 0 /1 5 /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, Jim Kuiken, Phyllis Ortman, Nicole Ng, John Primsky, Greg Steed, Jason Tarry • Staff Members Present: Theresa Connor, Mark Kempton, Matt Fater, Katherine Martinez, Alice Conovitz, Lance Smith, Mariel Miller, Liesel Hans, Andrew Gingerich, Allison Becker, Samantha Littleton, Mark Cassalia • Members of the Public: Beau Steinle, Vicky Chavez 3. AGENDA REVIEW Chairperson Malers briefly summarized items on the agenda. 4. COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION None 5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: September 17 Chairperson Malers asked for comments on the draft minutes; there were none. Board Member Kenyon moved to approve the September 17 minutes Board Member Steed seconded the motion Vote on the motion: it passed unanimously, 10-0 Board Member Ortman joined the meeting at 5:40 p.m. after the vote WATER BOARD REGULAR MEETING 1 0/15 /2020 – MINUTES Page 2 of 4 6. NEW BUSINESS a. Staff Reports (Attachments available upon request) i. Financial Monthly Report (meeting packet only; no presentation) Discussion Highlights A board member commented on the decrease in development fees and increase in residential water use due to people working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic, which will be an interesting trend to watch. ii. Water Resources Monthly Report (meeting packet only; no presentation) Discussion Highlights A board member commented on the hot and dry conditions noted in the report, as well as good water storage, and that if snowpack is down and next year is dry, this will impact water storage and is important to watch. They commented on the City and Colorado State University (CSU) collaboration on testing wastewater for COVID-19, and inquired about protections for employees who may come into contact with wastewater at the Drake Water Reclamation Facility; Interim Deputy Director-Water Resources & Treatment Operations Mark Kempton responded that employees have increased personal protective equipment (PPE) and sanitary practices; Interim Deputy Director-Water Engineering Matt Fater noted that COVID-19, once excreted, is not a live, contagious virus; the City and CSU are testing for evidence of the virus. iii. Cameron Peak Fire Update-Watershed Recovery Funding (meeting packet only; no presentation) iv. Cameron Peak Fire & Horsetooth Outlet Project (HOP) Updates Water Conservation Analyst Alice Conovitz and Interim Utilities Deputy Director Mark Kempton provided updates on HOP and the Cameron Peak Fire. HOP started today. The fire is at 165,000 acres and is the largest in Colorado recorded history. Information: www.fcgov.com/utilities/2020-wildfires WATER BOARD REGULAR MEETING 1 0/15 /2020 – MINUTES Page 3 of 4 Discussion Highlights Board members commented on or inquired about various related topics including tracking customer water usage; whether the fire has impacted water quality (Mr. Kempton replied that is has not; the only recent precipitation was a gentle rain over Labor Day weekend); water demand and revenue, a decrease from 19 million gallons per day (MGD) to 15 MGD during HOP, estimated at $10,000, which staff believes they can absorb in the budget; and the 2021 proposed rate increase. b. Regular Items (Attachments available upon request) 1. 2020 Utilities Fall Code Updates Interim Utilities Deputy Director & Water Field Operations Director Andrew Gingerich presented a summary of revisions, clarifications and additions to portions of City Code Chapter 26 pertaining to Utility Services: consolidation of appeals into one process; clean up of language in Utilities right-of-entry and corresponding rights of customers; clarify and revise pretreatment language that is no longer relevant and revise fees to septic haulers; process change to water and wastewater plant investment fee (PIF) when water allotment is increased, etc. Strategic Account Specialist Samantha Littleton summarized the PIF-related portion of the presentation. Discussion Highlights A board member inquired about whether the proposed PIF process change was to ensure alignment with recent water allotment-related updates (Ms. Littleton replied that it is not; it’s simply to ensure WATER BOARD REGULAR MEETING 1 0/15 /2020 – MINUTES Page 4 of 4 staff reviews a customer’s water usage and amount of associated PIF if they request an increased water allotment to determine if additional PIFs are necessary). Board Member Brown moved that the Water Board recommend City Council approve the proposed 2020 Utilities Fall Code Updates on Consent on first reading on November 4, 2020. Chairperson Malers suggested a friendly amendment to the motion to eliminate the details “…on Consent on first reading on November 4, 2020” in the event Council removes it from the consent agenda or reschedules the item. Board Member Brown accepted the friendly amendment. Board Member Ng seconded the motion. Vote on the Motion: it passed unanimously, 11-0. 7. BOARD MEMBER REPORTS None 8. OTHER BUSINESS 1. 2021 Water Board Work Plan Vice Chairperson Bruxvoort summarized the process for board members to provide comments via email on the 2021 Work Plan he will draft for the Water Board’s review; approval is scheduled for the November 19 regular meeting. 9. ADJOURNMENT 6:43 p.m. These minutes were approved by the Water Board and Chairperson Steve Malers on November 19, 2020.