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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES-08/10/1982-Adjourned1 COUNCIL..OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS, COLORA90 Council -Manager Form of Government August 10, 1982 Adjourned Meeting - 1:00 p.m. An adjourned meeting of the Council of the City of Fort Collins was held on Tuesday, August 10, 1982, at 1:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers in the City of Fort Collins City Hall. Roll call was answered by the following Council - members: Cassell, Clarke, Elliott, Horak, Knezovich, Reeves and Wilmarth. Absent: None. Staff Members Present: Arnold, Huisjen, Davis, Lewis, Meitl, and M. Smith Discussion of Poudre River Study ' Mayor Cassell stated that Councilmember Horak had requested this meeting be held for. Council to determine what, if any, official position the City should take at this time on the Poudre River Study.prior to the Colorado Water Conservation Board's public hearings to be held August 11 and August 16. He further stated that the Water Board had indicated at the earlier work session that it would not be making a recommendation to Council at this time. Councilmember Horak, a City representative to the Poudre Study Steering Committee, stated that Council might be able to give some direction to the Colorado Water Conservation Board on the study. He stated he would be presenting his individual views at the Board hearings, and suggested that he could also present any Council direction or position at that time. He summarized his comments concerning the study: (1) The scope of the study is not comprehensive enough, and it is not an answer to the problems that we have. (2) The alternatives proposed are not true choices and deal only with what dam should be built. (3) Fie questioned the use of a 100-year economic life, when in many other studies this is not done. (4) He stated that the use of a 7.5% interest rate could seriously impact cost/benefit ratios. -367- August 10, 1982 (5) He questioned the use of a 15% opportunity cost interest rate for producing power and a 10% opportunity cost interest rate for water supply, instead of using the same 7.5% interest rate figure. (6) Criteria used in the study are not standards, rules, or tests by which to judge whether the project should or should not be built. (7) There is no analysis or weighting of criteria and no statement of a preferred alternative. Councilmember Reeves asked for some clarification on the amount of new water that would be realized from any of the projects, and about peaking power. Specifically, she requested a comparison of this type of project to a project such as Rawhide II. Bill Green, representing the Colorado Water Conservation Board, stated that new water developed would amount to 11,000 to 16,000 acre-feet per year on an average annual basis. He also stated that hydropower is not the primary objective, although it is the primary benefit of the project. The objec- tive is to manage water resources and provide water storage to be released downstream on demand. Hydropower, as a primary benefit, would provide peaking power rather than baseload power as produced in other facilities. Hydroelectric generation would provide supplemental power during four to five hours of peak demand each day. Councilmember Clarke asked if there would be diminished ability to generate power in the winter. Mr. Green replied that the study used the concept of year-round operation. Councilmember Clarke asked about the costs of a new Seaman Reservoir, compared to Grey Mountain costs. Mr. Green replied that costs for Seaman might be less, but new water storage capacity might not be as much as Grey Mountain. Councilmember Clarke asked whether alternatives would need to be narrowed before new studies could be undertaken. Mr. Green stated that the decision on new studies would be made by the State Legislature. The Colorado Water Conservation Board will need on August 16th to discuss the next phase of the study. Councilmember Knezovich asked if the State had ever funded a project of this magnitude. IM August 10, 1982 Mr. Green stated there is a construction fund for loans for this type of project. Councilmember Horak stated that legislation has been recently passed to create a Water and Power Authority to fund large projects. Councilmember Clarke made a motion, seconded by Councilmember Reeves, to recommend that the Colorado Water Conservation Board continue to study the six proposed alternatives and look at other alternatives, and not to narrow the alternatives at this time in order to keep the scope of the study as broad as possible. Councilmember Wilmarth stated he does not support any of the six proposed alternatives and would not support the first part of the motion. Councilmember Clarke and Councilmember Reeves withdrew the motion. Councilmember Clarke made a motion, seconded by Councilmember Reeves, to recommend that the alternatives not be narrowed at this time, and to encourage expansion of the study to include other alternatives on a basin- ' wide basis and a study of other impacts. Councilmember Knezovich stated that he believed the motion to be mis- directed, since the State Legislature has already narrowed the study to above the mouth of the canyon. Councilmember Clarke stated that the City does not control the scope of the study and can only encourage a particular action. George Wallace, Water Board member, stated he would like Council to make it clear to the Legislature that more information is needed to look at the larger picture. This study is only one part of what needs to be done on a statewide planning basis. Mayor Cassell stated that he believed it to be premature to define the pro- blem, and no action is the best stance until more information is obtained. Councilmember Horak stated that comments should be made on this draft study, and that the study is intended to determine the justification for future funding. The vote on the motion as stated was as follows. Yeas: Councilmembers Clarke, Elliott, Horak, Reeves, and Wilmarth. Nays: Councilmembers Cassell and Knezovich. I THE MOTION CARRIED. -369- August 10, 1982 Other Business Councilmember Cassell made a motion, seconded by Councilmember Elliott, to adjourn into Executive Session for the purpose of discussing legal matters. Yeas: Councilmembers Cassell, Clarke, Elliott, Horak, and Reeves. Nays: Councilmembers Knezovich and Wilmarth. ' THE MOTION CARRIED. The meeting was reconvened following the Executive Session and was ad- journed at 1:35 p.m. Mayor ATTEST: City Clerk -370-