HomeMy WebLinkAboutMemo - Mail Packet - 3/14/2017 - Memorandum From Peter M. Oneill Re: Energy Board�S Request For Additional Duties And FunctionsUtilities – Energy Board
700 Wood St.
PO Box 580
Fort Collins, CO 80522
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fcgov.com
M E M O R A N D U M
DATE: March 3, 2017
TO: Councilmember Ross Cunniff
Cc: Darin Atteberry, Kevin Gertig
FROM: Peter M. O’Neill, Energy Board Chairperson
RE: Energy Board’s request for addition duties and functions
Following up on the intention we stated in our 2017 work plan, the Energy Board is requesting
an ordinance by City Council to expand the board’s duties and functions, as stated in our
founding Ordinance Number 098, 2011 to additionally:
1. Engage in educational and outreach activities, in collaboration with City staff and
external organizations, to build broader community understanding of and support for City
policies within the purview of the Energy Board. This could be added as Item (9) of Sec.
2-233 of the ordinance.
2. Collaborate with other regional boards and commissions regarding energy issues. This
could be added by following “City” with “and regional” in Item (5) of Sec. 2-233 of the
ordinance.
Though Ordinance Number 098 appropriately acknowledged that energy is broader in scope than
electricity and that city policies dealing with energy are complex and evolving rapidly, it
neglected the regional nature of Fort Collins’ energy solutions and the need to educate our
citizens to understand this rapid evolution.
The Board foresees a series of energy-related issues that citizens may not be able to appreciate
without some background. These issues include time-of-use electric rates, increased distributed
and renewable generation sources, energy storage, and demand response devices and rates.
Similar to the Air Quality Advisory Board’s charter "to promote citizen participation and public
education on city-wide air quality issues” and its history of hosting public forums on air quality,
the Energy Board would like to occasionally hold forums or other educational activities to help
citizens participate in the development of city energy-related policies and to build understanding
of adopted city policies.
Our energy generation sources and energy consumption behaviors are regional. Fort Collins’
electricity is generated by a four-city joint action agency, Platte River Power Authority, which
also administers conservation programs across these cities. As a regional employment and
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commercial hub, much of Fort Collins traffic originates outside our city; conversely, many Fort
Collins residents commute to jobs outside our city. Realizing this, the Energy Board initiated a
successful special joint work session with the City of Loveland Utilities Commission on October
16, 2016. Our current charter, however, restricts us from holding this meeting annually as
members of both groups suggested. We wish to be able to work with and influence neighboring
cities and agencies as opportunities arise.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the Energy Board,
Peter M. O’Neill, Chairperson
Energy Board
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