Ad Hoc Committee Meeting
September 11, 2007
Attendees:
Douglas Athas, Chairman
Larry Jeffus, Committee Member
Laura Perkins Cox, Committee Member
Rick Williams, Committee Member
UAB Members:
Lowell Hyatt
Wayne Dalton
Staff:
Ray Schwertner
Glen Smith
Carol Bentzlin
Brad Neighbor
1. Chairman Douglas Athas called the Meeting to order at 6:23 P.M. Start of this meeting was delayed by a required City Council Meeting.
2. Approval of the minutes from August 17, 2007 as amended.
Motion made to approve the Minutes by Laura Perkins Cox, Second made by Rick Williams. The motion was approved.
3. Chairperson Douglas Athas said tonight’s meeting objective was to obtain input from staff. Input from other experts, the UAB and citizens would be obtained at future meetings.
4. Examples of boards:
With the initiation of Senate Bill 7, some wording for utility boards has changed. Most cities have created their board to fit their specific needs.
City of Greenville:
Glen Smith presented insight into the development of Greenville’s autonomous Utility Board. Citizens requested a solution to deterioration of electric service and no CIP direction from City Council. After a 2 year study, Council retained control of TMPA matters; however a Utility Board was created to direct the utility business resulting in good service with reasonable rates.
City of Bryan:
Consultant’s completed a utility board study and recommended a tailored board “with a long term business perspective rather than a political perspective” in competition with other utilities, retaining its own competitiveness and as a business that benefits the city.
5. Important Issues of authority to be determined
a. Eminent Domain
b. Right to set rates
c. Fund Transfers
6. Membership on a Utility Board
Requirements vary according to the model: Greenville has citizen members from all walks of life represented. Bryant requires citizens with business expertise and experience. San Antonio has representatives from different city quadrants.
7. Observations of GP&L Staff
Boards wasted staff and citizen time with long meetings.
Business needs and city needs must be met.
Boards must be allowed to contribute productively and meaningfully.
8. Business Accountability
GP&L Staff has the ability to make business decisions and emergency provisions; however there is much communication with the various city departments. And the GP&L Director reports weekly to the City Manager and the Sr. Management Staff.
A utility board operates differently than City Council by reviewing revenue, expenditures and business in a professional way in monthly meetings of 4 to 5 hours. Members with financial background understand the challenges of the business and must also be able to communicate this to the citizens.
9. Ordinance
City Attorney Brad Neighbor drew various flow charts of the COG utility boards over the years and how the current ordinance and new unapproved ordinance fit these diagrams.
10. Recommendations
Chairman Douglas Athas said that if the meeting schedule is acceptable to the committee, the next meeting would be September 25th. Mark Zion of TPPA and Dan Wilkerson from City of Bryan will present examples of different utility boards at that meeting.
John Davidson, a lawyer, has experience with ordinance and bylaws of six different systems and is available to advise the committee on legal issues.
This committee will meet twice in October and will report to Council and the citizens in a judicious manner.
At the end of October, this committee may request more time to meet or make a recommendation that a more detailed study is required.
11. Adjourned
Chairman Athas adjourned the meeting at 6:59 P.M.
Submitted by: Carol Bentzlin
Approved by: Douglas Athas on 9/25/07