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HomeMy WebLinkAboutWater Commission - Minutes - 06/16/2022 WATER COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING June 16, 2022, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Hybrid in person at 222 LaPorte Ave and online via Zoom 06/16/202 2 – MINUTES Page 1 1. CALL TO ORDER 5:36 p.m. 2. ROLL CALL • Commissioners Present: Jason Tarry (Chairperson), Greg Steed (Vice Chairperson), John Primsky, Paul Herman, Rick Kahn, Tyler Eldridge, Randy Kenyon • Commissioners Absent - Excused: Jordan Radin, Kent Bruxvoort • Staff Members Present: Theresa Connor, Katherine Martinez, Donnie Dustin, Jen Dial • Members of the Public: None 3. AGENDA REVIEW • Chairperson Jason Tarry briefly summarized items on the agenda 4. COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION • None 5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Chairperson Tarry asked for comments and revisions on the May 19 minutes. There were none. Commissioner Eldridge moved to approve the May 19 minutes. Commissioner Steed seconded the motion. Vote on the motion: it passed unanimously, 7-0. 6. NEW BUSINESS a. Staff Reports (Attachments available upon request) i. Financial Monthly Report (meeting packet only; no staff presentation) Discussion highlights: A Commissioner commented that the Utilities hasn’t built up reserves as it has in the past. ii. Water Resources Monthly Report (meeting packet only; no staff presentation) WATER COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING 06/16/2022 – MINUTES Page 2 Discussion highlights: A Commissioner asked if there was anything unusual for this time of year. Water Resources Engineer Donnie Dustin stated no, we have more than enough supplies to meet our needs. A Commissioner asked if Northern Water increased the CBT quota; Mr. Dustin replied yes from 70% to 80%. b. Regular Items (Attachments available upon request) i. Halligan Water Supply Project Quarterly Update (Discussion and Action: 40 minutes) Theresa Connor, Interim Deputy Director, Water Resources & Treatment Discussion Highlights Ms. Connor shared a presentation and facilitated a focus group with the commissioners to answer the following questions (information will be submitted to the communications team): What are your biggest questions about the project? What is your perception of the project? Do you know the difference between Halligan and Northern Integrated Supply Project (NISP)? When you think of Halligan, what are the top three things that come to mind? Sampling of questions and comments by commissioners: What are your biggest questions about the project? Commissioner comments: Who from the City is running the project now that the project manager has left? Is having a single FTE (full-time equivalent) employee for the City the best way to manage the project? (Commissioner comments: It’s bigger than one person, which means hiring consultants and dispersing tasks. For a City project manager: anxiety and potential for burnout. ) What is a realistic timeframe for completion of the project? Are you anticipating any major issues or changes? Is there a price point for the City where you would consider an alternative? The nonprofit Save the Poudre River is preparing litigation. What is your perception of the project? specifically for new development in the GMA (growth management area); sensible water security with least environmental impact and best cost benefit. Do you know the difference between Halligan and NISP? Yes, but parts of the general public don’t know. City determined it would be best to go with Halligan reservoir enlargement. What are the top three things that come to mind? Commissioner comments: WATER COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING 06/16/2022 – MINUTES Page 3 Expensive but with value, in comparison with alternatives. Will yields on north fork be sustainable? Water security; protracted: taking forever. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers scheduled to make a final decision in 2025 or 2026; what is preventing them from making a decision? Delegations of City officials and staff have visited Washington, D.C., so it’s not for lack of effort. Insight/Answer on the Corps: They are spending as much money on endangered species as they are on infrastructure, which has driven Corps to examine environmental impact and mitigation. Ms. Connor asked for reaction to draft communication and marketing messages such as, “What is your reaction to the following statement? Storage is important to the City’s water supply system. We are currently dependent on storage in the Colorado Big Thompson system which will be impacted by the continuing drought on the Colorado River…” Commissioner comments: It’s not our water; it comes through the mountains. Storage is a concept that commissioners and staff understand…for the public, talking about batteries is getting the concept across to people. Need to say gallons, not acre-feet, because the public understands gallons. Highlights of final questions and comments: The project’s critical path is through the state permitting process, not the Corps. To fill the expanded Halligan reservoir, it would take only a year if it’s an average flow off the north fork, which is 70,000 acre-feet per year. The reservoir is 7,000 acre-feet. In comparison, NISP will have big fluctuations; in a drought year, the level will go way down. Fifty percent of the City’s water supply is from the Colorado River. When, not if, drought occurs, we’ll be in trouble if we don’t have more storage. 7. COMMISSIONER REPORTS None 8. OTHER BUSINESS A. Introduction of New Water Resources Manager Jen Dial Ms. Dial comes from City of Greeley. Her start date was June 13. She was selected from a very talented and skilled pool of candidates. Ms. Dial has a B.S. and M.A in Geography with which she focused on Snow Hydrology. At the City of Greeley, she worked in the Water Resources Division for more than 10 years administrating and accounting for the City's water rights, managing the water supply, and assisting with long-term planning for increased growth. She has been a member on multiple ditch WATER COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING 06/16/2022 – MINUTES Page 4 boards, non-profits, and other organizations that deeply value water and taught her the importance of bringing different perspectives together to help have more meaningful conversations about the future of our region's complex water resources. B. Water Commission and Council Priorities Discussion (Attachment available upon request) Discussion Highlights Commissioners commented on various related topics including: the goal was to identify no more than five priorities and ask staff to provide presentations. City employee burnout: Is City Council concerned? Commissioners have requested a presentation by Human Resources. The commission agreed on the following priorities: (1) Halligan Water Supply Project (2) Infrastructure, prioritization, and financing (3) Water supply protection and basin restoration (4) City Utilities Department workforce development and retention (5) water conservation C. Draft Memo on Graywater to City Council (Attachment available upon request) Discussion Highlights Commissioners commented on various related topics including: City Council priorities bypass the BFO (Budgeting for Outcomes) and allocation process that most other projects have to go through. Graywater is not a good use of resources. Other municipalities agree. The public isn’t interested. Proud of the job we do using raw water at parks; much more effective than trying to use graywater. Water Commission message to Council is that this was an unproductive effort. Water Commission Chairperson Jason Tarry will meet with Mayor Jeni Arndt. Commissioner Kahn moved to approve the memo, as revised during the meeting, from Water Commission to City Council on the Graywater ordinance. Commissioner Eldridge seconded the motion. Vote on the Motion: It passed unanimously, 7-0. 9. ADJOURNMENT 7:17 p.m. These minutes were approved by the Water Commission on July 21, 2022.