MOUNTAIN PARKS ELECTRIC, INC.
Regular Meeting of the Board of Directors
Granby, Colorado
July 13, 2023
8:00 A.M.
Attendance
Present: Liz McIntyre, Cray Healy, Mark Volt, Michael Sjobakken, Kristen Taddonio, Justin Fosha, Ty Wattenberg, Virginia Harman, Adam Paulson, Angie Wallace, Emily Meek, Joe Palmer, Tiffany Macchione, Aaron Street, and Attorney Levi Williamson attended in person.
Call to Order
President Liz McIntyre called the meeting to order at 8:00 a.m.
Determination of Quorum
A quorum was declared.
Public Comment
Andrew Wicker, Manager of Operations for Vistabeam, informed the Board that Vistabeam wants to build fiber to Jackson County. He would like to work with MPEI to bring internet to Jackson County. Wicker left the meeting.
The Board reviewed written comments and thank yous from members.
Attorney Report
The Board reviewed the Attorney Summary Fees Report as prepared by Attorney Levi Williamson.
Manager’s Report
Manager Harman presented the Manager’s Report. Harman reported on projects that she will be working on in July, including power supply, cost-of-service study, rate design, fiber construction, personnel matters, and community projects. Harman reported that Tri-State informed MPEI of the transmission assets to be “direct assigned” to MPEI starting in 2024. This direct assignment will result in an additional 2.6% increase in MPEI’s wholesale power cost in 2024.
ACTION ITEMS
Interconnection Tariff
The Board reviewed revised tariff sections 340 and 341. Section 340 will be deleted and Section 341 revised to comply with Colorado requirements regarding interconnection of distributed generation.
MOTION: It was properly moved, seconded, and carried to delete tariff section 340 and revise section 341 as presented.
Strategic Plan
Employees from the employee strategic plan committee entered the meeting. Manager Harman and the employees presented the employee strategic planning implementation tracking document and the employee goals, objectives, and tactics document. The Board discussed the documents with the employees.
MOTION: It was properly moved, seconded, and carried to approve the employee strategic plan documents as presented.
Kristen Taddonio entered the meeting at 9:00 a.m.
Standby Rate Tariff
The Board reviewed revised tariff sections 202.10, 202.12, and 203.00-203.03 and new tariff section 202.13 Standby Service Rate. Section 202.10 will be deleted and reserved. The page numbering in Sections 202.12 and 203.00-203.03 will be revised.
MOTION: It was properly moved, seconded, and carried to delete and leave as reserved section 202.10, approve revised tariff sections 202.12, and 203.00-203.03, and approve new tariff section 202.13 Standby Service Rate as presented.
Net Metering Rate
The Board reviewed revised tariff section 330 Net Metering for systems up to 25 kW. The rate is being revised to change the annual true-up date from December 31 to March 31. The credit to the consumer will be the avoided average cost of power to the Cooperative from its power supplier for the previous 12 months. Additional language regarding indemnification is also added.
MOTION: It was properly moved, seconded, and carried to approve revised tariff 330 Net Metering for systems up to 25 kW as presented.
Unclaimed Capital Credit Requests
The Board reviewed and discussed seven requests for donation of unclaimed capital credits.
President McIntyre recessed the meeting at 9:27 a.m. and reconvened the meeting at 9:35 a.m.
MOTION: It was properly moved and seconded to donate $20,000 from the unclaimed capital credit fund to Little Sprouts Learning Center. The motion failed 3-4.
President McIntyre created a committee to propose a plan to fund early learning centers in MPEI’s territory. McIntyre appointed Mike Sjobakken, Mark Volt, and Ty Wattenberg to serve on the committee.
MOTION: It was properly moved, seconded, and carried to donate $5,000 from the unclaimed capital credit fund to the Moffat Road Railroad Museum Association, with Mike Sjobakken, Ty Wattenberg, and Liz McIntyre voting no.
MOTION: It was properly moved, seconded, and carried to donate $10,000 from the unclaimed capital credit fund to the North Park Fire Rescue Authority, with Ty Wattenberg voting no.
MOTION: It was properly moved, seconded, and carried to donate $2,000 from the unclaimed capital credit fund to the Fire on the Mountain, Inc., with Ty Wattenberg voting no.
MOTION: It was properly moved, seconded, and carried to donate $5,078 from the unclaimed capital credit fund to the Town of Kremmling, with Ty Wattenberg voting no.
MOTION: It was properly moved, seconded, and carried to donate $1,000 from the unclaimed capital credit fund to the Middle Park High School, with Cray Healy and Mark Volt voting no.
President McIntyre recessed the meeting at 10:19 a.m. and reconvened the meeting at 10:30 a.m.
Operations and Engineering Report
Adam Paulson presented the Operations and Engineering Report. Paulson reported that the Highway 125 fire reconstruction project is complete. He reported on the status of the Trail Creek rebuild project. Paulson reviewed the focus on safety he has implemented with line crews. The joint use pole audit should be completed in November.
Finance Report
Emily Meek presented the Finance Report. Meek reported that, as of May 2023, MPEI’s margins are approximately 30% below budget. Meek expects the new third-party payment option to be available beginning with August bills.
Information Technology (IT) Report
Joe Palmer presented the IT Report. Palmer presented the May Managed Detection and Response Report. There were zero alerts in May. It is very uncommon to have zero alerts.
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 injuries in June.
Member Relations and Communications Report
Aaron Street presented the Member Relations and Communications Report. Street asked for Board input on whether to continue providing the Colorado Country Life magazine to MPEI members. He reviewed the cost to MPEI of providing the magazine and the estimated cost of generating a publication internally at MPEI. MPEI will give notice of non-renewal of the CCL for 2024. Street presented three options for an MPEI re-brand. Directors gave their opinions on the logos. Street presented results of the online member survey.
Board Open Forum and Associated Reports
Cray Healy reported on his attendance at the Colorado Rural Electric Association (CREA) Board of Directors meeting. The net-metering work shop with the Colorado Energy Office has begun. CREA is participating in an electrification project in Guatemala.
Mark Volt reported that there was no meeting of the Western United Board of Directors.
Liz McIntyre reported on her attendance at the regular meeting of the Tri-State Board of Directors meeting. She also reported on her attendance at the meeting of the MPEI Clean Power Committee. The committee is considering moving away from providing rebates and toward funding community minded projects.
New Business
No unnoticed new business
Old Business
At the December 8, 2022 regular meeting of the MPEI Board of Directors the Board passed the following motion under emergency business:
It was properly moved, seconded, and carried by majority to contribute $50,000.00 to the acquisition of the Granby Highland Trails conservation easement as presented contingent upon prior review of the final easement and recognition of MPEI’s participation. Director Trick voted against the motion. Director Healy abstained from the vote.
MOTION: It was properly moved, seconded, and carried to ratify the contribution of $50,000 as approved at the December 8, 2022 meeting, contingent upon prior review of the final easement and recognition of MPEI’s participation. Director Healy abstained from the vote.
Emergency Business
No emergency business.
Executive Session
MOTION: It was properly moved, seconded, and carried to go into Executive Session for consideration of power supply matters and legal matters. All directors present at the meeting, Harman, Meek, Paulson, and Williamson were present for the entirety of the executive session.
President McIntyre recessed the meeting at 11:42 a.m. and reconvened in executive session at 12:08 p.m.
MOTION: It was properly moved, seconded, and carried to exit executive session.
The Board did not take action while in executive session or after exiting executive session.
The meeting adjourned at 3:09 p.m.