MOUNTAIN PARKS ELECTRIC, INC.
Regular Meeting of the Board of Directors
Granby, Colorado
August 10, 2023
9:00 A.M.
Attendance
Present: Liz McIntyre, Cray Healy, Mark Volt, Michael Sjobakken, Ryan Zorn, Justin Fosha, Ty Wattenberg, Virginia Harman, Adam Paulson, Angie Wallace, Emily Meek, Joe Palmer, Aaron Street, and Attorney Levi Williamson attended in person.
Call to Order
President Liz McIntyre called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m.
Determination of Quorum
A quorum was declared.
Public Comment
Ryan Wilson entered the meeting. On behalf of KFFR, Fraser Radio, Wilson asked MPEI to partner with KFFR by providing access to MPEI’s facilities at the Grouse Mountain communications tower. Wilson left the meeting. Virginia Harman reported that staff is working with KFFR to provide access to MPE’s facilities.
Brian Shepherd, with Visionary Broadband, entered the meeting.
CONSENT AGENDA
The Consent Agenda contained the following items:
Minutes of July 13, 2023 Meeting of Board of Directors
Bills for Payment
MOTION: It was properly moved, seconded, and carried to approve the Consent Agenda as presented.
MOTION: It was properly moved, seconded, and carried to include the names of directors voting against motions only if the director requests that his/her name be reflected in the minutes. Director Healy voted no.
Attorney Report
The Board reviewed the Attorney Summary Fees Report as prepared by Attorney Levi Williamson.
MOTION: It was properly moved, seconded, and carried to go into executive session for legal advice regarding fiduciary duties, with the following in attendance: All directors present at the meeting, Virginia Harman, and Attorney Williamson. It was properly moved, seconded, and carried to exit executive session.
The Board did not take action while in executive session.
President McIntyre recessed the meeting at 10:25 a.m. and reconvened the meeting at 10:35 a.m.
Manager’s Report
Manager Harman presented the Manager’s Report. Harman reported on projects that she will be working on in August, including power supply, 2024 budget, fiber construction, personnel matters, and community projects.
New Business
Monthly Board Meeting Bulletin
Manager Harman presented a draft Board Meeting Bulletin to be published by Harman after each regular meeting of the Board of Directors. The Board supports Harman publishing this bulletin after each board meeting.
Fiber Strategy
Manager Harman presented written proposals from Conexon and Visionary Broadband. Both companies propose to own and operate last-mile fiber to serve customers in MPEI’s territory. The proposals include IRUs for last-mile fiber to MPEI’s use. MPEI would IRU MPEI owned fiber to the ISP as part of both proposals.
New Board Member Induction/Orientation
President McIntyre presented a proposed checklist for new directors. McIntyre asked the directors to review and provide feedback before the next regular meeting of the Board.
Trade Organizations
Manager Harman presented an analysis of MPEI trade organizations: NRECA, CREA, and WUE. The Board discussed the value of each and the associated costs. The consensus of the Board is to continue with all of the trade organizations.
President McIntyre recessed the meeting at 11:40 a.m. and reconvened the meeting at 11:54 a.m.
Action Items
Policy B-3
Emily Meek presented revised Board Policy B-3.
MOTION: It was properly moved, seconded, and carried to approve Policy B-3 as presented.
Policy B-5
Emily Meek presented revised Board Policy B-5.
MOTION: It was properly moved, seconded, and carried to approve Policy B-5 as presented.
2024 Retail Rates
Manager Harman and Emily Meek presented proposed rate increase for 2024. The Board discussed the proposed increase with staff.
MOTION: It was properly moved, seconded, and carried to approve the rate increase as presented.
President McIntyre recessed the meeting at 12:29 p.m. and reconvened the meeting at 12:50 p.m.
MOTION: It was properly moved, seconded, and carried to go into executive session for confidential discussion regarding power supply with the following in attendance: all directors present at the meeting, Manager Harman, Attorney Williamson, Adam Paulson, Joe Palmer, and Emily Meek. In Executive session, the Board discussed power supply transition with the general manager of an electric cooperative. He left the meeting and Representatives from a potential power supplier entered the meeting. It was properly moved, seconded, and carried to exit executive session. The power supplier representatives left the meeting.
The Board did not take action while in executive session.
Michael Sjobakken left the meeting at 2:30 p.m.
Officer Election
MOTION: It was properly moved, seconded, and carried to elect the following officers by acclamation:
President: Liz McIntyre
Vice-President: Justin Fosha
Treasurer: Cray Healy
MOTION: It was properly moved, seconded, and carried to elect Cray Healy as Secretary by acclamation
Board Committees
Virginia Harman presented a proposal for committees of the MPEI Board of Directors.
MOTION: It was properly moved, seconded, and carried to establish three committees of the Board of Directors as presented. Ryan Zorn voted no.
Election of Board Representatives
President McIntyre asked if any directors are willing to serve as MPEI’s representative to the Tri-State Generation & Transmission Association, Inc. Board of Directors. No director is interested in serving at this time.
No MPEI directors are attending the NRECA Annual Meeting, and, therefore, MPEI will not send a voting delegate to the meeting.
MOTION: It was properly moved, seconded, and carried to appoint Cray Healy as MPEI’s representative to the CREA Board of Directors and Ryan Zorn as the alternate.
MOTION: It was properly moved, seconded, and carried to appoint Mark Volt as MPEI’s representative to the Western United Electric Board of Directors.
Liz McIntyre will continue as the MPEI Board of Directors’ representative on the Clean Power Committee.
MOTION: It was properly moved, seconded, and carried to appoint the following chairs and members of MPEI Board committees:
Finance Committee: Ryan Zorn, chair, and Ty Wattenberg, member.
Member Relations: Mark Volt, chair, and Michael Sjobakken, member.
Operations and Engineering Report
Adam Paulson presented the Operations and Engineering Report. Paulson commended MPEI’s employees for handling a planned outage. The fiber backbone construction is substantially complete. Paulson reported on the status of the Trail Creek project.
Finance Report
Emily Meek presented the Finance Report. Meek reported that, as of June 2023, MPEI’s margins are approximately $1.3M below budget. MPEI received $1.4M from FEMA for rebuild projects related to the East Troublesome Fire.
Information Technology (IT) Report
Joe Palmer presented the IT Report. Palmer reported on the status of the San Toy Tower repair project.
Human Resources, Safety, and Administration Report
Angie Wallace presented the Human Resources and Administration Report. She reported on the progress of filling open positions. There were no lost time accidents in July.
Member Relations and Communications Report
Aaron Street presented the Member Relations and Communications Report. Street reviewed the community event calendar. He reported on the status of the new MPEI logo launch and MPEI’s website. MPEI will resume using .pdfs on its website with NRECA’s assistance.
Board Open Forum and Associated Reports
Ty Wattenberg recommended that the meeting agenda include time slots for each item. He also recommended replacing the Board table with a semi-circle table so that staff and Board members face each other.
Executive Session
MOTION: It was properly moved, seconded, and carried to go into Executive Session for consideration of power supply matters, fiber, legal matters, and grant funding. All directors then present at the meeting, Harman, and Williamson were present for the entirety of the executive session. Meek, Paulson, and Palmer were present for discussion of power supply matters, fiber, and grant funding. It was properly moved, seconded, and carried to exit executive session.
The Board did not take action while in executive session.
MOTION: It was properly moved, seconded, and carried to authorize General Manager Harman to negotiate and execute a lease agreement and partnership for use of MPE’s middle mile fiber for the provision of fiber to the premises internet service.
MOTION: It was properly moved, seconded, and carried to authorize General Manager Harman to submit an LOI and potential application for New Era funding and to employ outside experts to facilitate these efforts.
Old Business
No old business.
Emergency Business
No emergency business.
The meeting adjourned at 5:55 p.m.