MOUNTAIN PARKS ELECTRIC, INC.
Regular Meeting of the Board of Directors
Granby, Colorado
November 09, 2023
8:00 A.M.
Attendance
Present: Liz McIntyre, Mark Volt, Ryan Zorn, Justin Fosha, Ty Wattenberg, Cray Healy, Virginia Harman, Adam Paulson, Angie Wallace, Emily Meek, Joe Palmer, Aaron Street, Jodi King, and Attorney Levi Williamson attended in person. Michael Sjobakken attended virtually.
Call to Order
President Liz McIntyre called the meeting to order at 8:00 a.m.
Determination of Quorum
A quorum was declared.
CONSENT AGENDA
The Consent Agenda contained the following items:
Minutes of October 12, 2023, Meeting of Board of Directors
Bills for Payment
MOTION: It was properly moved, seconded, and carried to approve the Consent Agenda as presented.
Attorney Report
Attorney Levi Williamson referred to his summary written report. He did not have anything else to report. There were no questions for Attorney Levi Williamson.
Manager’s Report
Manager Harman referred to her written report. Harman did not have anything else to report. There were no questions for Manager Harman.
Public Comment
Daniela Gosselova, Granby resident, addressed the board regarding concerns with upcoming rates and about work done by MPEI on her property.
New Business
Grand Beginnings Update
Katy Hale with Grand Beginnings presented an update on the use of MPEI grant funds. The grant was matched by Basin Electric and provided community tuition assistance for early childhood care and education to 45 families in Grand and Jackson Counties. Grand Beginnings will revisit community funding in March 2024. Hale left the meeting.
Scholarship Program Recommendation
Virginia Harman presented how the current scholarship program has worked, overarching goals, and how to keep the program sustainable. A survey will be sent out to board members prior to December’s board of directors meeting.
Action Items
2023 Cost of Service Study
Ben Bratrud with Power System Engineering presented the cost-of-service study via video conference. Ben went over the process used to conduct the cost-of-service study including the revenue requirements, class cost of service study outcome, and rate design.
Gosselova left the meeting.
MOTION: It was properly moved, seconded, and carried to go into executive session for confidential discussion regarding confidential cost-of-service information, 2024 operating budget, capital credit retirement, and capital budget with the following present: all directors and staff present at the meeting and attorney Williamson.
President McIntyre recessed the meeting at 10:13 a.m. and reconvened the meeting at 10:23 a.m.
MOTION: It was properly moved, seconded, and carried to exit executive session at 11:36 a.m.
The Board did not take action while in executive session.
MOTION: It was properly moved, seconded, and carried to amend the capital credit retirement budget for 2023 to $500,000.00.
MOTION: It was properly moved, seconded, and carried to approve the 2024 Operating Budget as presented in executive session.
MOTION: It was properly moved, seconded, and carried to approve the 2024 Capital Budget as presented at the October MPEI Board meeting.
Emily Meek explained that the 2023 capital credit retirement will come 100% from MPEI patronage and that none of MPEI’s Tri-State patronage will be retired in 2023.
MOTION: It was properly moved, seconded, and carried to approve the 2022 Form 990 as presented.
President McIntyre recessed the meeting at 11:42 a.m. and reconvened the meeting at 11:48 a.m.
Colorado Rural Electric Association (CREA) Update
Kent Singer, CREA Executive Director, presented an update of the CREA organization.
President McIntyre recessed the meeting at 12:15 p.m. and reconvened the meeting at 12:51 p.m.
MOTION: It was properly moved, seconded, and carried to go into executive session for confidential discussion regarding unclaimed capital credit funding requests with the following present: all directors and staff present at the meeting and attorney Williamson.
MOTION: It was properly moved, seconded, and carried to exit executive session.
The Board did not take any action while in executive session.
MOTION: It was properly moved, seconded, and carried to donate $2,000 from the unclaimed capital credit fund to Fraser Valley Coalition.
MOTION: It was properly moved, seconded, and carried to donate $5,000 from the unclaimed capital credit fund to North Park High/Middle School for a wrestling mat.
The board considered a request for funding of an EV supercharger project in Walden. No action was taken on this request, therefore the request was not funded.
Executive Session
MOTION: It was properly moved, seconded, and carried to go into executive session to discuss power supply and employee matters. All directors present at the meeting were present for the entire executive session. Virginia Harman was present for the power supply discussion and left for a portion of the executive session regarding her performance review. Attorney Williamson was present for the executive session except for the portion regarding legal advice from special counsel regarding power supply.
MOTION: It was properly moved, seconded, and carried to exit executive session.
Board Open Forum and Association Reports
Cray Healy reported on the CREA board meeting.
Mark Volt reported that Western United is still experiencing long lead times on transformers.
There were no board comments.
Operations and Engineering Report
Adam Paulson presented the Operations and Engineering Report. Paulson reported that they are wrapping up the end of construction season and that there is currently a shortage of elbows preventing the ability to complete jobs.
Finance Report
Emily Meek presented the Finance Report. Meek reported that, as of September 2023, MPEI’s margins are approximately 65% off budget. Most of the difference is in revenue and cost of power. Meek reported that the radon is still reporting high in some areas of the main building, and we will need a larger mitigation plan than originally anticipated.
Information Technology (IT) Report
Joe Palmer presented the IT Report. Palmer reported that the Bull Mountain repeater was repaired November 8. Palmer provided an update on the cyber event in October and that there is no data breach that requires any action from MPEI.
Human Resources, Safety, and Administration Report
Angie Wallace presented the Human Resources and Administration Report. She provided an update on staffing and filling open positions. She presented the Safety Report. There were no lost time accidents in October.
Member Relations and Communications Report
Aaron Street presented the Member Relations and Communications Report. Street reported that December will be the last Colorado Country Life MPEI participates in. A newsletter called Plugged In will launch in January.
Old Business
Compensation Strategy
Virgina Harman presented the Compensation Strategy to formalize the document.
MOTION: It was properly moved, seconded, and carried to approve the Compensation Strategy as presented.
Emergency Business
No emergency business.
The meeting adjourned at 2:49 p.m.