WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.929 Go ahead and call the February 12th 2018 Public Utilities 00:00:05.929 --> 00:00:09.439 Board meeting to order. 00:00:09.439 --> 00:00:13.359 First on the agenda we have a work session and the first 00:00:13.359 --> 00:00:14.939 item in that work session is 00:00:14.939 --> 00:00:18.440 to receive a report, hold a discussion and give staff 00:00:18.440 --> 00:00:20.460 direction regarding the solid waste 00:00:20.460 --> 00:00:24.969 departments landfill vegetative buffer and maximum landfill 00:00:24.969 --> 00:00:27.260 heights proposed in the permit 00:00:27.260 --> 00:00:28.260 amendment. 00:00:28.260 --> 00:00:30.920 Good morning. 00:00:30.920 --> 00:00:33.619 My name is Ethan Cox, I'm the director of solid waste for 00:00:33.619 --> 00:00:34.719 the city of Denton. 00:00:34.719 --> 00:00:37.450 So this morning's presentation as posted is about the 00:00:37.450 --> 00:00:39.560 proposed landfill height and a permit 00:00:39.560 --> 00:00:42.520 that we're currently pursuing with the TCEQ as well as some 00:00:42.520 --> 00:00:44.340 of the landscaping and vegetative 00:00:44.340 --> 00:00:48.479 buffer in the area surrounding the landfill. 00:00:48.479 --> 00:00:50.479 These are being brought to the forefront because of various 00:00:50.479 --> 00:00:51.759 citizen concerns have been brought 00:00:51.759 --> 00:00:54.679 up with the council over the last six to eight months. 00:00:54.679 --> 00:00:56.789 We really want to use this as just an opportunity to 00:00:56.789 --> 00:00:58.600 educate the board and we'll be educating 00:00:58.600 --> 00:01:01.679 the council next week as well. 00:01:01.679 --> 00:01:03.729 Not any action required at this stage, we just want to give 00:01:03.729 --> 00:01:04.640 you an update on where we 00:01:04.640 --> 00:01:07.159 are with both of these items. 00:01:07.159 --> 00:01:10.420 In regards to landfill height, that's really a product of 00:01:10.420 --> 00:01:12.239 direction that the department 00:01:12.239 --> 00:01:16.340 received from the city council in the 2006-2007 timeframe 00:01:16.340 --> 00:01:18.519 which was to pursue landfill expansion 00:01:18.519 --> 00:01:22.230 with the hopes of procuring or securing enough capacity to 00:01:22.230 --> 00:01:24.439 allow waste disposal for an extra 00:01:24.439 --> 00:01:25.439 50 years. 00:01:25.439 --> 00:01:29.879 And the way you achieve that expansion or that capacity in 00:01:29.879 --> 00:01:31.760 solid waste is through new 00:01:31.760 --> 00:01:35.469 land development but also airspace which is vertical 00:01:35.469 --> 00:01:38.000 construction for waste disposal. 00:01:38.000 --> 00:01:40.930 Planning began in earnest on this expansion project in 2008 00:01:40.930 --> 00:01:41.040 . 00:01:41.040 --> 00:01:44.010 There were a series of land acquisitions and the permit 00:01:44.010 --> 00:01:45.760 process has run for the last few 00:01:45.760 --> 00:01:46.760 years. 00:01:46.760 --> 00:01:49.719 We are very close to the finish line with the TCEQ on this. 00:01:49.719 --> 00:01:52.760 I'll give you an update on the timeline in just a few 00:01:52.760 --> 00:01:53.480 slides. 00:01:53.480 --> 00:01:55.709 In terms of the buffer zone, just briefly, this is 00:01:55.709 --> 00:01:57.599 something that came up fairly recently, 00:01:57.599 --> 00:01:59.200 last six to eight months. 00:01:59.200 --> 00:02:01.920 We did provide a staff report to council in the September 00:02:01.920 --> 00:02:03.640 2017 timeframe and I'll just 00:02:03.640 --> 00:02:06.340 kind of hit the highlights of that with you as we go 00:02:06.340 --> 00:02:07.879 through today's presentation. 00:02:07.879 --> 00:02:10.590 So I'm going to take these things in order first beginning 00:02:10.590 --> 00:02:11.919 with the landfill height. 00:02:11.919 --> 00:02:14.849 There's a few things here that I want to try to kind of 00:02:14.849 --> 00:02:16.099 separate for you. 00:02:16.099 --> 00:02:18.460 There's our existing height, there are some restrictions 00:02:18.460 --> 00:02:19.759 that we have currently and then 00:02:19.759 --> 00:02:23.000 there's what's going to be proposed in our pending permit. 00:02:23.000 --> 00:02:25.599 So right now the tallest point, the tallest cell that we 00:02:25.599 --> 00:02:27.120 have on the landfill currently 00:02:27.120 --> 00:02:30.960 is 53 feet above ground level. 00:02:30.960 --> 00:02:33.750 In terms of our current permit, which is titled 1590A, 00:02:33.750 --> 00:02:35.639 again that's issued by the Texas Commission 00:02:35.639 --> 00:02:39.500 on Environmental Quality, they limit our height to 80 feet 00:02:39.500 --> 00:02:40.879 above ground level. 00:02:40.879 --> 00:02:44.759 And so we are still currently underneath that restriction. 00:02:44.759 --> 00:02:47.750 In addition, there's also a specific use permit that was 00:02:47.750 --> 00:02:49.400 approved by the city a few years 00:02:49.400 --> 00:02:52.800 ago that also has that same restriction. 00:02:52.800 --> 00:02:56.560 Even if we were to alter that specific use permit and get a 00:02:56.560 --> 00:02:58.319 height adjustment by the 00:02:58.319 --> 00:03:01.370 TCEQ, there's also a settlement agreement with some of the 00:03:01.370 --> 00:03:03.000 surrounding landowners that 00:03:03.000 --> 00:03:06.870 limit our height to no greater than 95 feet until at least 00:03:06.870 --> 00:03:08.080 2028. 00:03:08.080 --> 00:03:10.240 At that time that settlement agreement expires and we can 00:03:10.240 --> 00:03:11.520 exceed that height if we choose 00:03:11.520 --> 00:03:12.699 to do so. 00:03:12.699 --> 00:03:15.949 You would just need a new permit and a new specific use 00:03:15.949 --> 00:03:17.080 permit to do so. 00:03:17.080 --> 00:03:20.020 So currently the permit that we have queued up with TCEQ is 00:03:20.020 --> 00:03:22.039 titled 1590B and the height 00:03:22.039 --> 00:03:24.349 that's proposed in that that's been brought to the 00:03:24.349 --> 00:03:26.240 forefront for council by some citizens 00:03:26.240 --> 00:03:30.120 is that it's proposed at 213 and a half feet above ground 00:03:30.120 --> 00:03:32.120 level, which is a significant 00:03:32.120 --> 00:03:34.039 increase over what we have right now. 00:03:34.039 --> 00:03:36.419 And so what I want to kind of walk you through over the 00:03:36.419 --> 00:03:38.139 next few slides is kind of what that 00:03:38.139 --> 00:03:42.430 looks like and understanding that there's no impetus for us 00:03:42.430 --> 00:03:44.439 to get up to that height. 00:03:44.439 --> 00:03:46.979 That's really a decision for the community and the council 00:03:46.979 --> 00:03:48.400 and the board as we move forward 00:03:48.400 --> 00:03:50.340 in these out years. 00:03:50.340 --> 00:03:53.270 So what would that look like if we did achieve that max 00:03:53.270 --> 00:03:54.520 height immediately? 00:03:54.520 --> 00:03:57.770 This is kind of a visual representation of what that would 00:03:57.770 --> 00:03:58.599 look like. 00:03:58.599 --> 00:04:01.439 Thank you to our engineering firm PSC. 00:04:01.439 --> 00:04:05.000 Frank Pugsley is here today if you want to question him on 00:04:05.000 --> 00:04:07.240 his artistic renderings here. 00:04:07.240 --> 00:04:10.479 So this is a picture of Mayhill over here on the right. 00:04:10.479 --> 00:04:14.319 This is heading from the north side down to the south side. 00:04:14.319 --> 00:04:16.939 Over here on the left is our landfill operation, a few of 00:04:16.939 --> 00:04:18.160 the buildings there. 00:04:18.160 --> 00:04:21.089 This bright green representation right here is actually our 00:04:21.089 --> 00:04:22.399 current landfill height. 00:04:22.399 --> 00:04:25.509 And so if you're driving along Mayhill, that's about how 00:04:25.509 --> 00:04:26.639 high we would be. 00:04:26.639 --> 00:04:29.790 And this dark green area right here is what would be the 00:04:29.790 --> 00:04:31.639 final cover would look like if 00:04:31.639 --> 00:04:34.759 we went up to that 213.5 feet. 00:04:34.759 --> 00:04:36.879 A couple of things that I would want to put out there for 00:04:36.879 --> 00:04:38.120 everyone to kind of consider 00:04:38.120 --> 00:04:42.560 is in terms of height and expansion, like I mentioned 00:04:42.560 --> 00:04:45.720 earlier, in terms of landfill expansion, 00:04:45.720 --> 00:04:49.139 it's really a matter of new cell development but also 00:04:49.139 --> 00:04:51.279 vertical expansion as well. 00:04:51.279 --> 00:04:54.810 Operationally, we could delay increasing our height from 00:04:54.810 --> 00:04:57.600 that 80 feet for another 20, 30 00:04:57.600 --> 00:04:58.920 years if we chose to do so. 00:04:58.920 --> 00:05:02.980 We have about 11 new cells that are proposed in permit 1590 00:05:02.980 --> 00:05:03.319 B. 00:05:03.319 --> 00:05:05.920 And so technically, depending on how we phase that up, we 00:05:05.920 --> 00:05:07.360 may not need to make a decision 00:05:07.360 --> 00:05:10.540 on any further vertical expansion for another 20, 30 years, 00:05:10.540 --> 00:05:11.920 depending on how we sequence 00:05:11.920 --> 00:05:12.920 that. 00:05:12.920 --> 00:05:13.920 Does that make sense? 00:05:13.920 --> 00:05:17.680 So another visual just to kind of give you a comparison of 00:05:17.680 --> 00:05:19.480 what our height looks like 00:05:19.480 --> 00:05:23.360 for other landmarks and other landfills in the area. 00:05:23.360 --> 00:05:26.170 So right here on the right-hand side is our current height, 00:05:26.170 --> 00:05:27.560 our current restriction at 00:05:27.560 --> 00:05:29.319 95 feet. 00:05:29.319 --> 00:05:31.389 The city of Irving landfill as well as the city of Dallas 00:05:31.389 --> 00:05:32.959 landfill are already above that 00:05:32.959 --> 00:05:36.600 at 129 and 139 feet respectively. 00:05:36.600 --> 00:05:40.310 We have a couple of landmarks that we plugged into this as 00:05:40.310 --> 00:05:40.920 well. 00:05:40.920 --> 00:05:43.480 I think all of these are TWA buildings as a matter of fact. 00:05:43.480 --> 00:05:46.410 And so you can see those two landfills are already pretty 00:05:46.410 --> 00:05:48.079 much on par with those buildings 00:05:48.079 --> 00:05:49.759 right there. 00:05:49.759 --> 00:05:52.519 The max proposed height would obviously be a substantial 00:05:52.519 --> 00:05:54.040 increase over what we have now 00:05:54.040 --> 00:06:00.360 and would be pretty noticeable in terms of the landscape as 00:06:00.360 --> 00:06:01.319 well. 00:06:01.319 --> 00:06:05.069 Anytime we look at the height of a landfill cell, it really 00:06:05.069 --> 00:06:06.759 comes with a trade-off is 00:06:06.759 --> 00:06:08.920 what is the impact to the surrounding area, to the 00:06:08.920 --> 00:06:11.000 community in terms of visual aesthetics? 00:06:11.000 --> 00:06:13.930 But it's also a matter of how much capacity would we be 00:06:13.930 --> 00:06:15.759 losing if we chose to reduce that? 00:06:15.759 --> 00:06:18.149 And again, we're not asking for the board or the council to 00:06:18.149 --> 00:06:19.160 take any action on this 00:06:19.160 --> 00:06:20.160 now. 00:06:20.160 --> 00:06:22.600 It's just something I want to plant the seed for you to 00:06:22.600 --> 00:06:24.000 consider as maybe a decision 00:06:24.000 --> 00:06:27.480 does need to be made in the future months and years ahead. 00:06:27.480 --> 00:06:31.269 So right now, again, we're at about 80 feet in terms of 00:06:31.269 --> 00:06:32.560 maximum height. 00:06:32.560 --> 00:06:35.399 The estimated landfill life for that is 2048. 00:06:35.399 --> 00:06:38.519 And so about 30 more years in essence. 00:06:38.519 --> 00:06:40.529 And again, that's about the time that you'd really be 00:06:40.529 --> 00:06:42.199 pressed to make a decision on increasing 00:06:42.199 --> 00:06:43.199 height. 00:06:43.199 --> 00:06:46.160 The maximum height that we are proposing is 213. 00:06:46.160 --> 00:06:48.439 So we kind of rounded that off to 200. 00:06:48.439 --> 00:06:51.779 You see that the estimated landfill life achieves that 50 00:06:51.779 --> 00:06:53.839 plus years that was set out by council. 00:06:53.839 --> 00:06:57.399 That would be closure of the full site at 2087. 00:06:57.399 --> 00:07:00.110 You drop 40 feet off of that, you lose about 10% of your 00:07:00.110 --> 00:07:01.480 capacity, and you lose about seven 00:07:01.480 --> 00:07:03.560 years of landfill life. 00:07:03.560 --> 00:07:06.949 Another 40 feet because these are slopes, so the further 00:07:06.949 --> 00:07:08.600 you cut, the deeper the loss 00:07:08.600 --> 00:07:13.199 in terms of capacity, you'd lose about 26.2% and you'd be 00:07:13.199 --> 00:07:15.120 closing 2068. 00:07:15.120 --> 00:07:17.680 And then again, this is our current high right here. 00:07:17.680 --> 00:07:19.560 And so again, no action today. 00:07:19.560 --> 00:07:21.160 Just wanted to kind of plant the seed is these are the 00:07:21.160 --> 00:07:22.480 trade offs that you'd really be looking 00:07:22.480 --> 00:07:25.240 at in terms of what does the community need in terms of 00:07:25.240 --> 00:07:26.360 waste capacity? 00:07:26.360 --> 00:07:30.149 And what do we need in terms of visual aesthetics for the 00:07:30.149 --> 00:07:30.959 height? 00:07:30.959 --> 00:07:31.959 Any questions on landfill? 00:07:31.959 --> 00:07:35.759 Question on that. 00:07:35.759 --> 00:07:40.560 So these are these with all 11 the 11 cells developed? 00:07:40.560 --> 00:07:42.819 They are and there's also the height addition on our 00:07:42.819 --> 00:07:44.560 current operation as well. 00:07:44.560 --> 00:07:45.560 Okay. 00:07:45.560 --> 00:07:47.480 So that's not just the sales we have now. 00:07:47.480 --> 00:07:48.480 Exactly. 00:07:48.480 --> 00:07:51.819 That's gonna be in addition to the 11 other cells to 00:07:51.819 --> 00:07:52.480 develop. 00:07:52.480 --> 00:07:55.410 Mr. Robinson, a good way to look at that is if we did not 00:07:55.410 --> 00:07:56.920 increase our height on any of 00:07:56.920 --> 00:07:59.910 the side, then these 11 cells are going to buy us about 00:07:59.910 --> 00:08:01.759 another 16 years right now. 00:08:01.759 --> 00:08:06.000 Our closure date for our existing operation is about 2032. 00:08:06.000 --> 00:08:11.290 So those 11 cells without any height additions would give 00:08:11.290 --> 00:08:14.720 us 16 years of additional capacity. 00:08:14.720 --> 00:08:20.839 Question so can these the do these two issues the issue of 00:08:20.839 --> 00:08:24.839 citizens concerns about the buffer 00:08:24.839 --> 00:08:29.310 and making the buffer greener putting more trees in there 00:08:29.310 --> 00:08:31.519 and the issue of maximizing 00:08:31.519 --> 00:08:34.919 the height capacity? 00:08:34.919 --> 00:08:37.159 Could these two theoretically be uncoupled? 00:08:37.159 --> 00:08:40.090 In other words, I understand you're presenting them 00:08:40.090 --> 00:08:42.159 together, but because the one seems to 00:08:42.159 --> 00:08:47.440 me to be a present concern about the way things are present 00:08:47.440 --> 00:08:50.240 and the other one about height 00:08:50.240 --> 00:08:53.440 is is is future oriented. 00:08:53.440 --> 00:08:54.440 You certainly can. 00:08:54.440 --> 00:08:56.620 The reason why we're presenting these together is they've 00:08:56.620 --> 00:08:58.000 been brought up together by citizen 00:08:58.000 --> 00:08:59.000 concerns. 00:08:59.000 --> 00:09:01.480 The other thing that I would say is typically landfill 00:09:01.480 --> 00:09:02.879 height, the buffer zone. 00:09:02.879 --> 00:09:04.980 These are issues that are discussed during the TCEQ perm 00:09:04.980 --> 00:09:05.799 itting process. 00:09:05.799 --> 00:09:08.399 I'll get into that on the next slide. 00:09:08.399 --> 00:09:10.639 It's also something that both of these affect the visual 00:09:10.639 --> 00:09:12.279 aesthetics of the surrounding area. 00:09:12.279 --> 00:09:14.559 There's a lot of activity going on out there. 00:09:14.559 --> 00:09:17.899 And so the vegetative buffer serves to kind of shield our 00:09:17.899 --> 00:09:19.879 operation from public view. 00:09:19.879 --> 00:09:23.559 And obviously, landfill height has a hand in that as well. 00:09:23.559 --> 00:09:28.000 So just to clarify, so I understand we're not taking action 00:09:28.000 --> 00:09:29.919 today, but when it comes 00:09:29.919 --> 00:09:35.190 to taking action at some point in the future, could it be 00:09:35.190 --> 00:09:38.240 decided to currently increase 00:09:38.240 --> 00:09:44.809 the trees and make the buffer larger and greener and to 00:09:44.809 --> 00:09:49.440 postpone applying for the new permit 00:09:49.440 --> 00:09:51.139 to some future point? 00:09:51.139 --> 00:09:54.779 If I might, I can answer that with my next slide. 00:09:54.779 --> 00:09:56.440 Any other questions on this? 00:09:56.440 --> 00:09:57.440 All right. 00:09:57.440 --> 00:10:01.879 So to that point, we do have a few remaining steps with our 00:10:01.879 --> 00:10:03.759 permit with the agency. 00:10:03.759 --> 00:10:07.679 We estimate that the process will be complete in about four 00:10:07.679 --> 00:10:08.960 to five months. 00:10:08.960 --> 00:10:11.570 First up, the first step that needs to take place is the 00:10:11.570 --> 00:10:13.120 agency needs to declare the permit 00:10:13.120 --> 00:10:15.879 technically complete, which basically means that they don't 00:10:15.879 --> 00:10:17.000 have any issues that we need 00:10:17.000 --> 00:10:18.240 to go back and address. 00:10:18.240 --> 00:10:20.929 There's kind of a back and forth nature of this is we found 00:10:20.929 --> 00:10:22.159 an issue on this page. 00:10:22.159 --> 00:10:23.519 Can you go back and cure that? 00:10:23.519 --> 00:10:25.639 And we're working through that right now. 00:10:25.639 --> 00:10:27.679 The next step up is public comment period. 00:10:27.679 --> 00:10:30.690 There will be a mailing out to a variety of citizens that 00:10:30.690 --> 00:10:32.440 they can speak directly to the 00:10:32.440 --> 00:10:35.000 agency and provide their concerns. 00:10:35.000 --> 00:10:36.950 It's not unusual as you go through this process for some of 00:10:36.950 --> 00:10:38.120 the things that we've submitted 00:10:38.120 --> 00:10:40.399 or proposed to actually change. 00:10:40.399 --> 00:10:43.000 As a matter of fact, when our original permit was approved, 00:10:43.000 --> 00:10:44.279 that actually took place. 00:10:44.279 --> 00:10:45.279 We reduced the height. 00:10:45.279 --> 00:10:49.360 There were a number of changes to the buffer, things like 00:10:49.360 --> 00:10:50.799 that took place. 00:10:50.799 --> 00:10:54.559 Once we work through that, then the TCEQ issues the permit. 00:10:54.559 --> 00:10:57.340 And our recommendation would be to your point, Ms. Arment 00:10:57.340 --> 00:10:58.860 ier, would be we would come back 00:10:58.860 --> 00:11:01.090 to both the PUB as well as the city council at the 00:11:01.090 --> 00:11:02.320 conclusion of that. 00:11:02.320 --> 00:11:06.029 So here's kind of here we here's how we ended up with the 00:11:06.029 --> 00:11:06.759 permit. 00:11:06.759 --> 00:11:09.730 And if we want to, we can do another specific use permit 00:11:09.730 --> 00:11:11.559 that tweaks that a little bit. 00:11:11.559 --> 00:11:14.490 In other words, if let's say, for instance, the agency says 00:11:14.490 --> 00:11:16.240 , yes, 213 feet is fine for 00:11:16.240 --> 00:11:19.809 height, but the board and the council says we want to limit 00:11:19.809 --> 00:11:20.399 that. 00:11:20.399 --> 00:11:23.120 We don't want to go up to that for a number of years. 00:11:23.120 --> 00:11:25.840 Then you can issue a specific use permit that limits us 00:11:25.840 --> 00:11:27.240 locally as an operation. 00:11:27.240 --> 00:11:29.320 And you can do the same thing with the buffer. 00:11:29.320 --> 00:11:32.350 You can have more prescriptive elements for the buffer in 00:11:32.350 --> 00:11:34.039 an SUP than the agency will. 00:11:34.039 --> 00:11:35.720 And on my next slide, I'll point that out. 00:11:35.720 --> 00:11:39.120 The agency typically does not prescribe trees or landsca 00:11:39.120 --> 00:11:41.399 ping, things like that, in a buffer 00:11:41.399 --> 00:11:42.399 zone. 00:11:42.399 --> 00:11:44.269 They're more concerned about just making sure there's space 00:11:44.269 --> 00:11:45.840 between public use and the private 00:11:45.840 --> 00:11:46.840 property. 00:11:46.840 --> 00:11:47.840 I'm sorry. 00:11:47.840 --> 00:11:48.840 Go ahead, Charlie. 00:11:48.840 --> 00:11:52.820 Do you have any idea in the timing of these things, 00:11:52.820 --> 00:11:56.440 particularly the public comment period? 00:11:56.440 --> 00:11:59.149 I'm hoping that we get the technically complete designation 00:11:59.149 --> 00:12:00.360 within the next two months. 00:12:00.360 --> 00:12:03.120 I mean, maybe sooner than that, quite frankly. 00:12:03.120 --> 00:12:05.830 And so once that happens, when we enter the public comment 00:12:05.830 --> 00:12:07.120 period, it should go pretty 00:12:07.120 --> 00:12:08.120 quickly. 00:12:08.120 --> 00:12:10.879 And if we have a contested case, which I believe is what 00:12:10.879 --> 00:12:12.559 happened with the last permit, that 00:12:12.559 --> 00:12:14.360 could drag on a little bit. 00:12:14.360 --> 00:12:16.899 But really, what we're hoping is that we're through with 00:12:16.899 --> 00:12:18.440 all of this by the end of spring, 00:12:18.440 --> 00:12:20.940 and then we're looking to get our permit within the summer 00:12:20.940 --> 00:12:21.639 time frame. 00:12:21.639 --> 00:12:24.159 Does that help? 00:12:24.159 --> 00:12:26.159 Yes, sir. 00:12:26.159 --> 00:12:27.159 Question. 00:12:27.159 --> 00:12:28.159 Brendan? 00:12:28.159 --> 00:12:31.500 When we talk about the buffer, is this buffer just along 00:12:31.500 --> 00:12:32.519 May Hill there? 00:12:32.519 --> 00:12:39.019 Or is there a buffer prescribed around the entire perimeter 00:12:39.019 --> 00:12:40.600 of the land? 00:12:40.600 --> 00:12:43.659 I'll actually hit that in the next couple of slides, if 00:12:43.659 --> 00:12:44.600 that's okay. 00:12:44.600 --> 00:12:45.600 Great. 00:12:45.600 --> 00:12:46.600 Thank you. 00:12:46.600 --> 00:12:47.600 I had a question. 00:12:47.600 --> 00:12:52.419 The TCEQ permit process, when did we start that, and how 00:12:52.419 --> 00:12:54.840 long does it typically take 00:12:54.840 --> 00:12:57.720 to go through that entire process? 00:12:57.720 --> 00:12:58.720 Frank Pugley's here. 00:12:58.720 --> 00:13:00.200 I'm going to ask him to answer that. 00:13:00.200 --> 00:13:02.200 I don't have all the history on it. 00:13:02.200 --> 00:13:04.080 He's been through all the battles. 00:13:04.080 --> 00:13:05.080 I don't need an exact number. 00:13:05.080 --> 00:13:06.080 I'll just... 00:13:06.080 --> 00:13:07.080 Come on over here. 00:13:07.080 --> 00:13:10.440 Yeah, please. 00:13:10.440 --> 00:13:14.019 In general, for a landfill permit amendment like this, it 00:13:14.019 --> 00:13:15.679 takes what we budget for is 00:13:15.679 --> 00:13:18.610 about two years from the time we submit to the time it's 00:13:18.610 --> 00:13:19.360 approved. 00:13:19.360 --> 00:13:21.039 We'd like it to be shorter. 00:13:21.039 --> 00:13:24.840 We submitted this permit to the agency in early 2017. 00:13:24.840 --> 00:13:28.039 I believe it was January, February of 2017. 00:13:28.039 --> 00:13:29.519 So here we are. 00:13:29.519 --> 00:13:33.019 One year later, we've gone through already three rounds of 00:13:33.019 --> 00:13:34.720 comments with the agency, 00:13:34.720 --> 00:13:39.159 and we are completing our last and fourth round of comments 00:13:39.159 --> 00:13:39.360 . 00:13:39.360 --> 00:13:41.809 Following that, what Ethan said was they'll issue the 00:13:41.809 --> 00:13:43.519 public notice that gives the public 00:13:43.519 --> 00:13:46.250 28 days to submit written comments and request a public 00:13:46.250 --> 00:13:46.840 meeting. 00:13:46.840 --> 00:13:50.279 I would imagine we'd probably end up with at least a public 00:13:50.279 --> 00:13:51.879 meeting on this permit, 00:13:51.879 --> 00:13:54.440 and that usually occurs within another month after that. 00:13:54.440 --> 00:13:56.409 So that kind of fits within that four to five months 00:13:56.409 --> 00:13:57.600 remaining that we've got. 00:13:57.600 --> 00:14:01.039 So we're looking at a total of maybe 18 to 20 months of 00:14:01.039 --> 00:14:03.159 time for this permit amendment. 00:14:03.159 --> 00:14:08.159 And that process is... 00:14:08.159 --> 00:14:09.159 We hire consultants. 00:14:09.159 --> 00:14:10.159 Yes, sir. 00:14:10.159 --> 00:14:11.159 That's my job. 00:14:11.159 --> 00:14:12.159 Okay. 00:14:12.159 --> 00:14:13.159 Non-consultant, sorry. 00:14:13.159 --> 00:14:16.860 Well, I'm not going to ask you how much we paid you because 00:14:16.860 --> 00:14:18.639 I don't want to embarrass 00:14:18.639 --> 00:14:19.639 you. 00:14:19.639 --> 00:14:24.149 But the point being the TCEQ permit, time consuming and 00:14:24.149 --> 00:14:26.519 expensive, and I don't know 00:14:26.519 --> 00:14:28.919 that... 00:14:28.919 --> 00:14:32.490 I think the height is going to be hashed out during the 00:14:32.490 --> 00:14:35.440 local public comment period and 00:14:35.440 --> 00:14:37.360 the SEP, really. 00:14:37.360 --> 00:14:42.909 And so that's my only comment is we've got to look at what 00:14:42.909 --> 00:14:45.659 's going to get us the capacity 00:14:45.659 --> 00:14:50.320 to get us down the road as much as we can. 00:14:50.320 --> 00:14:54.759 And so we'll leave it up to somebody who probably hadn't 00:14:54.759 --> 00:14:57.279 even been born yet to determine how 00:14:57.279 --> 00:15:00.480 high it's going to be because certainly I don't know if any 00:15:00.480 --> 00:15:01.840 of us will be, at least 00:15:01.840 --> 00:15:04.879 not on this board, but at that point in time. 00:15:04.879 --> 00:15:06.679 But anyway, thank you. 00:15:06.679 --> 00:15:07.679 I appreciate it. 00:15:07.679 --> 00:15:08.679 Yes, sir. 00:15:08.679 --> 00:15:10.679 Just for clarification, we're going to go for the max. 00:15:10.679 --> 00:15:13.039 It doesn't mean we're going to go to that height. 00:15:13.039 --> 00:15:14.039 Correct. 00:15:14.039 --> 00:15:15.039 Correct. 00:15:15.039 --> 00:15:17.860 Usually what we'd like to do is ask for as much as we think 00:15:17.860 --> 00:15:19.379 we can, knowing that at some 00:15:19.379 --> 00:15:24.429 point in time we may have to negotiate that back a little 00:15:24.429 --> 00:15:27.080 bit because it's kind of a factor 00:15:27.080 --> 00:15:28.080 of scale there. 00:15:28.080 --> 00:15:31.230 The more you ask for, the more you get per dollar that you 00:15:31.230 --> 00:15:32.279 're spending. 00:15:32.279 --> 00:15:33.279 Okay. 00:15:33.279 --> 00:15:35.279 Any other questions? 00:15:35.279 --> 00:15:37.879 Well, thank you. 00:15:37.879 --> 00:15:39.279 All right. 00:15:39.279 --> 00:15:42.210 So if there's no more questions on landfill height, I am 00:15:42.210 --> 00:15:43.759 going to dive a little bit into 00:15:43.759 --> 00:15:44.759 the buffer. 00:15:44.759 --> 00:15:49.360 Like Ms. Armenter said, this is more of a pressing issue. 00:15:49.360 --> 00:15:50.360 Just a few quick clarifications. 00:15:50.360 --> 00:15:53.419 I'm not sure if anyone's dealt with the landfill buffer 00:15:53.419 --> 00:15:55.519 zone before, but there is actually 00:15:55.519 --> 00:15:58.769 a definition in our permit that describes what that buffer 00:15:58.769 --> 00:15:59.159 is. 00:15:59.159 --> 00:16:01.480 It's basically the distance between our permit boundary, 00:16:01.480 --> 00:16:02.799 which is where private property 00:16:02.799 --> 00:16:05.519 begins and the foot of our waste. 00:16:05.519 --> 00:16:08.070 And so the permit, I believe, and I'm just going to look 00:16:08.070 --> 00:16:09.519 for a nod of the head, is about 00:16:09.519 --> 00:16:13.460 50 feet between the foot of the waste to the permit 00:16:13.460 --> 00:16:14.519 boundary. 00:16:14.519 --> 00:16:15.519 It's 125. 00:16:15.519 --> 00:16:16.519 Oh, 125. 00:16:16.519 --> 00:16:17.519 Thank you. 00:16:17.519 --> 00:16:18.519 I'm glad you're here. 00:16:18.519 --> 00:16:22.519 So that's really about as prescriptive as the permit gets. 00:16:22.519 --> 00:16:25.009 Again, there's no landscaping requirements that are called 00:16:25.009 --> 00:16:26.120 out in our permit with the 00:16:26.120 --> 00:16:27.360 agency. 00:16:27.360 --> 00:16:30.519 That being said, whenever this permit was initially issued 00:16:30.519 --> 00:16:32.399 back in 1995, there was a 00:16:32.399 --> 00:16:35.480 specific use permit that coincided with that. 00:16:35.480 --> 00:16:37.440 Here's the ordinance number along with it. 00:16:37.440 --> 00:16:39.590 And Wade described our landscaping and basically said it 00:16:39.590 --> 00:16:41.000 needs to be sufficient landscaping 00:16:41.000 --> 00:16:43.440 and screening to ensure harmony and compatibility with 00:16:43.440 --> 00:16:44.480 adjacent property. 00:16:44.480 --> 00:16:47.639 And that's about as prescriptive as it got. 00:16:47.639 --> 00:16:50.980 Now that being said, there were a few other documents that 00:16:50.980 --> 00:16:52.679 went around with the Planning 00:16:52.679 --> 00:16:55.230 and Zoning Commission and also bundled with that ordinance 00:16:55.230 --> 00:16:56.519 that said, here's what we'd 00:16:56.519 --> 00:17:00.080 like to achieve or aspire to in terms of our landscaping. 00:17:00.080 --> 00:17:03.139 And so this is the visual I think the council's seen a 00:17:03.139 --> 00:17:04.359 couple of times. 00:17:04.359 --> 00:17:08.119 What this calls out is typical landscape buffer. 00:17:08.119 --> 00:17:13.369 This calls for about 20 trees per 100 linear feet, with 30% 00:17:13.369 --> 00:17:14.779 being evergreen. 00:17:14.779 --> 00:17:17.970 And it also calls for 115 feet wide along Mayhill Road and 00:17:17.970 --> 00:17:19.799 100 foot wide along Edwards 00:17:19.799 --> 00:17:20.799 Road. 00:17:20.799 --> 00:17:25.059 So Mr. Carroll, to answer your question, the buffer is 00:17:25.059 --> 00:17:27.960 really around the current operations 00:17:27.960 --> 00:17:29.519 is when the requirement goes in. 00:17:29.519 --> 00:17:31.319 And I'll show you an image in just a moment. 00:17:31.319 --> 00:17:34.200 It really runs along that Edwards Road up through Mayhill. 00:17:34.200 --> 00:17:37.680 And you'll see that in the next slide. 00:17:37.680 --> 00:17:40.829 In terms of our history here is my understanding is we did 00:17:40.829 --> 00:17:42.960 have a planning that occurs quickly 00:17:42.960 --> 00:17:47.140 following the permit approval that did meet that typical 00:17:47.140 --> 00:17:49.279 prescribed buffer as you see 00:17:49.279 --> 00:17:50.279 here. 00:17:50.279 --> 00:17:52.089 Unfortunately, a number of those trees have been lost to 00:17:52.089 --> 00:17:53.119 drought and disease over the 00:17:53.119 --> 00:17:54.119 years. 00:17:54.119 --> 00:17:57.210 There was also a lot of construction and utility work that 00:17:57.210 --> 00:17:58.680 's happened in the area. 00:17:58.680 --> 00:18:01.720 And where we stand today is we have about 217 of the 780 00:18:01.720 --> 00:18:03.319 recommended trees that we should 00:18:03.319 --> 00:18:05.160 have on site. 00:18:05.160 --> 00:18:07.440 So some of the comments that have been made to City Council 00:18:07.440 --> 00:18:08.480 is we need to be planning 00:18:08.480 --> 00:18:09.480 now. 00:18:09.480 --> 00:18:11.200 And we certainly understand that. 00:18:11.200 --> 00:18:14.329 So to that end, we have started taking some steps to get a 00:18:14.329 --> 00:18:15.359 design going. 00:18:15.359 --> 00:18:17.720 As you see these challenges down here, I'm going to call 00:18:17.720 --> 00:18:19.039 these out on these visuals on 00:18:19.039 --> 00:18:22.759 the next slide so you can kind of see them for yourself. 00:18:22.759 --> 00:18:24.930 So over here on the left-hand side, this is an aerial view 00:18:24.930 --> 00:18:25.759 of our landfill. 00:18:25.759 --> 00:18:29.170 If you follow my mouse, all of this is our landfill 00:18:29.170 --> 00:18:31.000 operation right here. 00:18:31.000 --> 00:18:33.940 This road right here, if you can make that out, is Mayhill 00:18:33.940 --> 00:18:35.319 running north to south or 00:18:35.319 --> 00:18:37.039 south to north, I should say. 00:18:37.039 --> 00:18:40.549 And each of these little boxes here represent 100 linear 00:18:40.549 --> 00:18:41.880 feet of buffer zone. 00:18:41.880 --> 00:18:45.359 And so the buffer zone wraps around Edwards Road, which is 00:18:45.359 --> 00:18:46.279 right here. 00:18:46.279 --> 00:18:48.640 Trailer Park right here is our neighbor. 00:18:48.640 --> 00:18:53.079 And then it runs south to north along Mayhill Road. 00:18:53.079 --> 00:18:56.220 So the colors that you have here, these are representations 00:18:56.220 --> 00:18:57.839 , our urban foresters as well 00:18:57.839 --> 00:19:00.769 as building inspections went out and did a survey of this 00:19:00.769 --> 00:19:02.200 just to kind of tell us, are 00:19:02.200 --> 00:19:06.259 we close to that typical landscape buffer or are we pretty 00:19:06.259 --> 00:19:07.319 far afield? 00:19:07.319 --> 00:19:10.880 So the red means that there is really no buffer or very 00:19:10.880 --> 00:19:12.839 minimal buffer in place. 00:19:12.839 --> 00:19:15.599 And so this number two here, if you'll follow me over to 00:19:15.599 --> 00:19:17.279 this picture, this is kind of what 00:19:17.279 --> 00:19:19.240 that looks like on the ground. 00:19:19.240 --> 00:19:22.440 And so we have our buffer wall that was installed a few 00:19:22.440 --> 00:19:23.319 years ago. 00:19:23.319 --> 00:19:25.160 You also have your overhead utility lines. 00:19:25.160 --> 00:19:27.980 And I understand that there's also underground utility 00:19:27.980 --> 00:19:29.920 lines in some of these areas as well. 00:19:29.920 --> 00:19:33.039 It's a very restricted area in terms of planting trees. 00:19:33.039 --> 00:19:35.799 Even if we went out there to plant them today, there may 00:19:35.799 --> 00:19:37.400 not be much we could do with the 00:19:37.400 --> 00:19:39.279 exception of maybe planting behind the wall. 00:19:39.279 --> 00:19:42.119 And you see that there are some trees up here. 00:19:42.119 --> 00:19:44.210 That's something that we want to explore with our landscape 00:19:44.210 --> 00:19:45.319 architect is when we run into 00:19:45.319 --> 00:19:48.309 these types of issues, can we build up the behind the wall 00:19:48.309 --> 00:19:50.079 area to provide that vegetative 00:19:50.079 --> 00:19:55.680 buffer? 00:19:55.680 --> 00:20:01.269 What the loss of trees to drought and some have to do with 00:20:01.269 --> 00:20:03.160 construction. 00:20:03.160 --> 00:20:06.869 I'm wondering, you know, looking back, was there any did 00:20:06.869 --> 00:20:09.039 anybody discover that, oh, there 00:20:09.039 --> 00:20:11.759 were certain kinds of trees that were planted that maybe in 00:20:11.759 --> 00:20:13.240 retrospect, there should have 00:20:13.240 --> 00:20:18.099 been hardier trees, you know, more drought tolerant trees 00:20:18.099 --> 00:20:20.519 or was it? 00:20:20.519 --> 00:20:24.160 I don't necessarily know the answer to what occurred. 00:20:24.160 --> 00:20:27.160 What I can say is that's going to be a key factor in terms 00:20:27.160 --> 00:20:28.920 of the recommendations from 00:20:28.920 --> 00:20:31.630 freezing Nichols, which is the landscape architect that we 00:20:31.630 --> 00:20:32.599 're working with. 00:20:32.599 --> 00:20:35.309 We don't want to plant any tree in terms of a mitigation 00:20:35.309 --> 00:20:36.599 effort here that doesn't have 00:20:36.599 --> 00:20:38.720 a good chance of surviving. 00:20:38.720 --> 00:20:39.720 That's really our goal. 00:20:39.720 --> 00:20:40.720 Yeah. 00:20:40.720 --> 00:20:44.690 So I take it they would also look at whatever specific tree 00:20:44.690 --> 00:20:46.799 diseases were were common to 00:20:46.799 --> 00:20:48.400 those trees and. 00:20:48.400 --> 00:20:49.400 Right. 00:20:49.400 --> 00:20:50.400 Yeah. 00:20:50.400 --> 00:20:52.210 And I do know in terms of drought and stuff, we had a lot 00:20:52.210 --> 00:20:53.359 of problems with an irrigation 00:20:53.359 --> 00:20:56.069 system that was installed with all of this utility work 00:20:56.069 --> 00:20:56.880 that was done. 00:20:56.880 --> 00:20:58.559 That's been replaced like three times. 00:20:58.559 --> 00:21:01.029 And so we certainly don't feel like that's a good use of 00:21:01.029 --> 00:21:02.680 dollars to install an irrigation 00:21:02.680 --> 00:21:05.839 system only to have it taken out and to redo the work. 00:21:05.839 --> 00:21:09.720 So that's something else we want to be mindful of. 00:21:09.720 --> 00:21:12.529 So the yellow area here means that we have what we call a 00:21:12.529 --> 00:21:13.920 substandard buffer. 00:21:13.920 --> 00:21:15.200 There's a couple of different areas. 00:21:15.200 --> 00:21:16.799 Number one and number four. 00:21:16.799 --> 00:21:19.720 So number one runs parallel with Mayhill Road right here. 00:21:19.720 --> 00:21:22.039 Again, you can see some overhead utility lines. 00:21:22.039 --> 00:21:23.680 You see the buffer wall. 00:21:23.680 --> 00:21:27.240 We do have some canopy trees here, however, just not as 00:21:27.240 --> 00:21:29.640 dense as prescribed by that typical 00:21:29.640 --> 00:21:30.640 buffer. 00:21:30.640 --> 00:21:33.160 That's the same case down here running along Edwards Road 00:21:33.160 --> 00:21:34.599 and picture number four, some 00:21:34.599 --> 00:21:39.039 trees in place, but not nearly the 20 trees per 100 linear 00:21:39.039 --> 00:21:40.400 feet that we need. 00:21:40.400 --> 00:21:43.420 And then the green shaded area down here near the corner of 00:21:43.420 --> 00:21:45.240 Mayhill and Edwards, we do have 00:21:45.240 --> 00:21:47.599 a buffer that's approaching standard. 00:21:47.599 --> 00:21:48.880 That's visual number three right here. 00:21:48.880 --> 00:21:51.599 We have some new plantings that have occurred. 00:21:51.599 --> 00:21:54.200 We have the buffer wall. 00:21:54.200 --> 00:21:58.000 So that area is fairly dense. 00:21:58.000 --> 00:22:00.759 In addition to our current challenges, one of the things 00:22:00.759 --> 00:22:02.299 that we partnered with Freeze 00:22:02.299 --> 00:22:05.319 and Nichols on is we wanted them to take into consideration 00:22:05.319 --> 00:22:07.200 some upcoming development that's 00:22:07.200 --> 00:22:08.200 happening. 00:22:08.200 --> 00:22:10.650 I'm sure the board is familiar that Mayhill Road is going 00:22:10.650 --> 00:22:12.079 to have some work done on it. 00:22:12.079 --> 00:22:15.640 There's going to be a realignment and some added lanes. 00:22:15.640 --> 00:22:18.569 There's also some transmission work for DME that's going to 00:22:18.569 --> 00:22:20.039 be done and some distribution 00:22:20.039 --> 00:22:21.039 as well. 00:22:21.039 --> 00:22:23.799 So this visual over here is from Freeze and Nichols. 00:22:23.799 --> 00:22:25.970 I'm going to zoom into this here in just a minute, but this 00:22:25.970 --> 00:22:27.119 is the same orientation that 00:22:27.119 --> 00:22:28.519 I showed you just a moment ago. 00:22:28.519 --> 00:22:32.960 If you follow my mouse, here's Edwards Road running right 00:22:32.960 --> 00:22:33.640 here. 00:22:33.640 --> 00:22:36.890 The existing Mayhill Road is underneath all of this color 00:22:36.890 --> 00:22:38.599 and all of this busyness that's 00:22:38.599 --> 00:22:40.480 happening right here. 00:22:40.480 --> 00:22:43.410 And the new Mayhill is actually these black lines running 00:22:43.410 --> 00:22:44.319 right up here. 00:22:44.319 --> 00:22:45.680 Landfill operations are right here. 00:22:45.680 --> 00:22:49.359 I'm going to actually exit out of this and kind of give you 00:22:49.359 --> 00:22:51.079 a better sense of what that 00:22:51.079 --> 00:22:52.079 looks like. 00:22:52.079 --> 00:22:55.880 Bear with me for just a moment. 00:22:55.880 --> 00:23:02.259 All right, so this is this busy little corner right down 00:23:02.259 --> 00:23:03.279 here. 00:23:03.279 --> 00:23:07.880 I'll pull that up and zoom into it for you. 00:23:07.880 --> 00:23:09.079 Everyone see that? 00:23:09.079 --> 00:23:11.519 All right, so a few things that are happening here. 00:23:11.519 --> 00:23:13.839 We have some color coding and I'll call these things out. 00:23:13.839 --> 00:23:16.400 We have DME transmission line buffer. 00:23:16.400 --> 00:23:18.940 There's actually a new substation that's going to be going 00:23:18.940 --> 00:23:19.900 in along Mayhill. 00:23:19.900 --> 00:23:22.400 These are transmission lines that would feed that. 00:23:22.400 --> 00:23:26.039 So as you can see, the easements for those are fairly wide. 00:23:26.039 --> 00:23:27.680 This is this color right here. 00:23:27.680 --> 00:23:30.609 And you can see if you follow my mouse, there's our buffer 00:23:30.609 --> 00:23:31.039 wall. 00:23:31.039 --> 00:23:33.680 It zigzags right through there. 00:23:33.680 --> 00:23:36.400 And these dark areas right here are actually our trees. 00:23:36.400 --> 00:23:39.109 So it's likely that as those transmission lines are 00:23:39.109 --> 00:23:40.480 installed, you can kind of see a 00:23:40.480 --> 00:23:43.190 pole right there, some of the existing trees are going to 00:23:43.190 --> 00:23:44.559 have to be removed as well. 00:23:44.559 --> 00:23:47.319 And so it's not just the trees that we've already lost. 00:23:47.319 --> 00:23:51.019 We're probably looking at mitigating some additional trees 00:23:51.019 --> 00:23:51.680 as well. 00:23:51.680 --> 00:23:53.819 In addition, you also have this yellow strip right here. 00:23:53.819 --> 00:23:57.000 Those are distribution lines for a DME project. 00:23:57.000 --> 00:23:59.740 And then in between there, you actually have about 40 feet 00:23:59.740 --> 00:24:01.000 of potential buffer that we 00:24:01.000 --> 00:24:04.920 could utilize for tree plantings if we chose to do so. 00:24:04.920 --> 00:24:06.849 Existing Mayhill roads there, so that may need to be milled 00:24:06.849 --> 00:24:09.119 up if we're going to take, 00:24:09.119 --> 00:24:10.519 if we're going to use that. 00:24:10.519 --> 00:24:12.559 But there is potential there. 00:24:12.559 --> 00:24:15.109 We also have an existing gas line easement for Atmos right 00:24:15.109 --> 00:24:15.519 here. 00:24:15.519 --> 00:24:17.799 This is a little blue shaded area. 00:24:17.799 --> 00:24:21.119 And so we could plant between there for about 31 feet. 00:24:21.119 --> 00:24:24.049 The upside to the Mayhill realignment is we do have a 00:24:24.049 --> 00:24:26.400 significant area here of about 115 00:24:26.400 --> 00:24:29.569 feet that we could use for new plantings once that 00:24:29.569 --> 00:24:31.279 construction is done. 00:24:31.279 --> 00:24:34.529 And so really what we're working with Frieze and Nichols on 00:24:34.529 --> 00:24:35.980 is let's figure out a plan 00:24:35.980 --> 00:24:38.930 or a path forward in terms of how do we want to mitigate 00:24:38.930 --> 00:24:40.680 the trees that have been lost 00:24:40.680 --> 00:24:41.680 already? 00:24:41.680 --> 00:24:43.230 How do we want to deal with some of the trees that are 00:24:43.230 --> 00:24:43.960 going to be lost? 00:24:43.960 --> 00:24:46.960 And what's the planning schedule look like? 00:24:46.960 --> 00:24:52.329 Planings behind the wall could technically occur right now 00:24:52.329 --> 00:24:54.319 if we chose to do so. 00:24:54.319 --> 00:24:56.660 Planning out here in the middle of all this construction, 00:24:56.660 --> 00:24:58.000 we think that it's best to let 00:24:58.000 --> 00:25:00.720 that all settle, let the dust settle both literally and 00:25:00.720 --> 00:25:01.680 figuratively. 00:25:01.680 --> 00:25:05.390 And then we'll come in, implement our irrigation system as 00:25:05.390 --> 00:25:07.299 well as new tree plantings. 00:25:07.299 --> 00:25:09.400 This visual is a little bit further up the road. 00:25:09.400 --> 00:25:12.960 Whoops, a little bit too zoomed in. 00:25:12.960 --> 00:25:15.319 So it does get a little bit less hectic as you move north. 00:25:15.319 --> 00:25:18.019 But again, you have transmission lines running straight 00:25:18.019 --> 00:25:19.319 down our existing buffer. 00:25:19.319 --> 00:25:22.400 All those trees in there are likely going to need to be 00:25:22.400 --> 00:25:23.140 removed. 00:25:23.140 --> 00:25:26.240 We do have opportunities to plant behind the wall right 00:25:26.240 --> 00:25:28.000 here if you follow my mouse. 00:25:28.000 --> 00:25:31.160 We also have about 60 feet wide in the buffer zone here in 00:25:31.160 --> 00:25:32.799 between the gas easement and 00:25:32.799 --> 00:25:35.039 the transmission line easement. 00:25:35.039 --> 00:25:37.839 So a few challenges that we're dealing with on this. 00:25:37.839 --> 00:25:39.400 It's not an ideal situation. 00:25:39.400 --> 00:25:44.269 A typical landscape buffer was meant to be 115 feet wide or 00:25:44.269 --> 00:25:46.160 100 feet wide. 00:25:46.160 --> 00:25:48.920 We're just not able to achieve that with the conditions 00:25:48.920 --> 00:25:50.200 that we have right now. 00:25:50.200 --> 00:25:52.960 Not in a continuous manner. 00:25:52.960 --> 00:25:55.960 It's really broken up by all these other easements. 00:25:55.960 --> 00:25:58.779 So again, what we're planning to do is plant behind the 00:25:58.779 --> 00:26:00.119 wall as soon as we can. 00:26:00.119 --> 00:26:02.529 We may have to do some earth work to build that up and then 00:26:02.529 --> 00:26:04.079 circle back once these projects 00:26:04.079 --> 00:26:13.640 are complete and plant in the buffer zone that remains. 00:26:13.640 --> 00:26:18.640 So here's just a highlight of what we just talked about. 00:26:18.640 --> 00:26:20.799 So Freezing Nickels, again, they're the landscape architect 00:26:20.799 --> 00:26:21.559 for this project. 00:26:21.559 --> 00:26:24.900 I mentioned earlier, survival of the trees is of the utmost 00:26:24.900 --> 00:26:25.839 importance. 00:26:25.839 --> 00:26:27.440 We know this is not ideal. 00:26:27.440 --> 00:26:29.559 We know that the buffer is not where it needs to be right 00:26:29.559 --> 00:26:29.960 now. 00:26:29.960 --> 00:26:32.279 And really our approach with Freezing Nickels is we need to 00:26:32.279 --> 00:26:33.480 do everything we can to make 00:26:33.480 --> 00:26:35.839 this right as quickly as possible. 00:26:35.839 --> 00:26:38.529 So what we've asked them to do is using the space available 00:26:38.529 --> 00:26:39.799 , make the trees as dense as 00:26:39.799 --> 00:26:42.299 possible with the right species, the right location, the 00:26:42.299 --> 00:26:43.680 right planning schedule to make 00:26:43.680 --> 00:26:48.119 sure that we're not having to redo this work again in a few 00:26:48.119 --> 00:26:48.839 years. 00:26:48.839 --> 00:26:50.920 We've also asked them to provide a design work for our 00:26:50.920 --> 00:26:52.279 irrigation system as well as a 00:26:52.279 --> 00:26:53.279 maintenance plan. 00:26:53.279 --> 00:26:56.079 So again, survival of the trees is of the utmost importance 00:26:56.079 --> 00:26:56.519 to us. 00:26:56.519 --> 00:27:00.640 And again, just to reiterate, here's our project timeline. 00:27:00.640 --> 00:27:02.569 Behind the wall, we think that we could hit the next 00:27:02.569 --> 00:27:04.000 planting season if all goes well. 00:27:04.000 --> 00:27:06.160 So that would be fall 2018. 00:27:06.160 --> 00:27:08.230 And then the outside of the wall planning is just really 00:27:08.230 --> 00:27:09.359 going to be dependent on the 00:27:09.359 --> 00:27:13.039 construction schedule. 00:27:13.039 --> 00:27:18.480 Questions on the buffer zone? 00:27:18.480 --> 00:27:22.640 So I live in a neighborhood that's heavily treed where 00:27:22.640 --> 00:27:25.359 recently there have been a couple 00:27:25.359 --> 00:27:30.859 issues with squirrels and power lines where there had been 00:27:30.859 --> 00:27:32.400 some outages. 00:27:32.400 --> 00:27:37.150 And I'm just wondering to what extent that'll be taken into 00:27:37.150 --> 00:27:39.519 account as the trees grow, what 00:27:39.519 --> 00:27:44.609 kinds of issues, what can be done to prevent that from 00:27:44.609 --> 00:27:46.480 being a problem. 00:27:46.480 --> 00:27:52.119 And also kind of hand in hand with that, I would hope that 00:27:52.119 --> 00:27:54.839 this planning will be done 00:27:54.839 --> 00:27:58.420 to some extent in consultation with DME to check on, okay, 00:27:58.420 --> 00:28:00.079 what kinds of maintenance 00:28:00.079 --> 00:28:04.839 will have to be done on these or might have to be done even 00:28:04.839 --> 00:28:07.319 on these power lines so that 00:28:07.319 --> 00:28:11.029 to avoid such problems with the irrigation system and et 00:28:11.029 --> 00:28:11.680 cetera. 00:28:11.680 --> 00:28:14.839 And that's been a key point of our work with Fries and Nich 00:28:14.839 --> 00:28:16.480 ols is we have been talking 00:28:16.480 --> 00:28:20.079 quite a bit with the engineering department, CIP, DME. 00:28:20.079 --> 00:28:22.680 There's a lot going on in that little corridor right there. 00:28:22.680 --> 00:28:24.920 And so we want to make sure that all that's taken into 00:28:24.920 --> 00:28:26.359 consideration that we're doing 00:28:26.359 --> 00:28:28.759 what's the best plan overall. 00:28:28.759 --> 00:28:31.150 And so what our goal is is again to mitigate as many of 00:28:31.150 --> 00:28:32.359 those trees as we can. 00:28:32.359 --> 00:28:36.069 It may not be exactly where it was prescribed back in 1995, 00:28:36.069 --> 00:28:37.599 but our goal is to have as many 00:28:37.599 --> 00:28:40.309 trees as we can that's still going to work well with the 00:28:40.309 --> 00:28:41.960 surrounding area, the surrounding 00:28:41.960 --> 00:28:48.200 utilities and also maintain the survival of those trees. 00:28:48.200 --> 00:28:50.900 And then when a tree does die, we're going to replace it, 00:28:50.900 --> 00:28:51.319 correct? 00:28:51.319 --> 00:28:52.319 That's correct. 00:28:52.319 --> 00:28:54.730 We do have a site operations manager in solid waste now and 00:28:54.730 --> 00:28:56.000 that's one of the things that 00:28:56.000 --> 00:28:59.079 is going to be top of mind for them is taking inventory of 00:28:59.079 --> 00:29:00.920 those trees on a regular basis. 00:29:00.920 --> 00:29:03.160 If we have one that's dying, let's get it out of the ground 00:29:03.160 --> 00:29:04.359 , let's get it replaced and 00:29:04.359 --> 00:29:07.559 let's do everything we can to stay on top of this. 00:29:07.559 --> 00:29:09.769 It's kind of like letting things slide for a number of 00:29:09.769 --> 00:29:10.240 years. 00:29:10.240 --> 00:29:12.279 This is kind of a painful process that we're going through 00:29:12.279 --> 00:29:12.839 right now. 00:29:12.839 --> 00:29:15.640 And I know it's been an impact on the neighbor, the 00:29:15.640 --> 00:29:17.839 neighbors in the area, but we want to 00:29:17.839 --> 00:29:20.839 stay on top of it moving forward once we get this in place. 00:29:20.839 --> 00:29:22.240 Thank you. 00:29:22.240 --> 00:29:28.990 Ethan, one of the areas that were there substandard or 00:29:28.990 --> 00:29:35.079 buffer was on the south side, yes, four, 00:29:35.079 --> 00:29:37.200 I think it is. 00:29:37.200 --> 00:29:39.769 Is there anything because it doesn't look I don't know is 00:29:39.769 --> 00:29:40.960 that going to be in the construction 00:29:40.960 --> 00:29:45.019 path or is there is there anything that could be done there 00:29:45.019 --> 00:29:45.599 now? 00:29:45.599 --> 00:29:48.529 Is it going to be behind the wall or can it be in front of 00:29:48.529 --> 00:29:50.079 the wall to kind of shore that 00:29:50.079 --> 00:29:51.079 up? 00:29:51.079 --> 00:29:54.329 I think we're likely looking at behind the wall because 00:29:54.329 --> 00:29:56.200 again on this right here, that 00:29:56.200 --> 00:29:58.910 yellow area on that previous slide is transmission lines 00:29:58.910 --> 00:30:00.700 are going to run right up Edwards Road 00:30:00.700 --> 00:30:01.700 as well. 00:30:01.700 --> 00:30:02.700 Okay. 00:30:02.700 --> 00:30:04.690 And so I think it's probably in our best interest to really 00:30:04.690 --> 00:30:05.920 just look exclusively behind the 00:30:05.920 --> 00:30:09.319 wall in terms of buffer with that the trailer park that's 00:30:09.319 --> 00:30:10.559 right next to us. 00:30:10.559 --> 00:30:14.759 We do have the wall on our side of Edwards Road. 00:30:14.759 --> 00:30:16.799 We recently installed a wall on their side as well. 00:30:16.799 --> 00:30:20.559 We had a lot of children running out into the right of way. 00:30:20.559 --> 00:30:22.960 And we also wanted to provide some additional screening and 00:30:22.960 --> 00:30:24.160 kind of noise reduction. 00:30:24.160 --> 00:30:26.859 So they do have a wall on their side, a wall on our side, 00:30:26.859 --> 00:30:28.599 and then we can plant trees behind 00:30:28.599 --> 00:30:29.599 it. 00:30:29.599 --> 00:30:30.599 Okay. 00:30:30.599 --> 00:30:35.109 All right, so we're talking about this buffer of what was 00:30:35.109 --> 00:30:38.200 it, 125 feet wide or something 00:30:38.200 --> 00:30:39.200 like that. 00:30:39.200 --> 00:30:43.309 Does that does that buffer width have to change when you 00:30:43.309 --> 00:30:46.039 increase the height of the landfill 00:30:46.039 --> 00:30:47.039 at all? 00:30:47.039 --> 00:30:48.799 I don't believe so in terms of what we propose. 00:30:48.799 --> 00:30:57.160 Do you want to come up for a moment, Frank? 00:30:57.160 --> 00:30:59.079 And I didn't introduce myself last time. 00:30:59.079 --> 00:31:00.680 Frank Pugsley with Park Hill Smith and Cooper. 00:31:00.680 --> 00:31:03.400 I'm the consultant for the landfill permit amendment. 00:31:03.400 --> 00:31:06.329 But as far as buffer zone goes, when 1590A, the current 00:31:06.329 --> 00:31:08.119 landfill was permitted, the buffer 00:31:08.119 --> 00:31:10.119 zone requirement was 50 feet. 00:31:10.119 --> 00:31:14.119 And since then, the TCEQ has expanded that to 125 feet. 00:31:14.119 --> 00:31:16.940 Kind of what Ethan alluded to earlier is that what TCEQ is 00:31:16.940 --> 00:31:18.440 most concerned about in that 00:31:18.440 --> 00:31:22.539 125 feet is perimeter access for firefighting and 00:31:22.539 --> 00:31:26.400 maintenance, groundwater monitoring, landfill 00:31:26.400 --> 00:31:27.400 gas detection. 00:31:27.400 --> 00:31:31.619 So the TCEQ doesn't necessarily influence us one way or the 00:31:31.619 --> 00:31:33.400 other what we plant or how 00:31:33.400 --> 00:31:34.400 much we plant. 00:31:34.400 --> 00:31:37.650 So we are also trying to accommodate that vegetative buffer 00:31:37.650 --> 00:31:39.119 in that 125 feet. 00:31:39.119 --> 00:31:43.519 And additionally, even outside our prescriptive 125 feet. 00:31:43.519 --> 00:31:46.279 And you asked earlier if it encircles the entire landfill. 00:31:46.279 --> 00:31:49.990 Yes, we do have a 125 foot buffer around the entire waste 00:31:49.990 --> 00:31:51.839 footprint that we have to keep 00:31:51.839 --> 00:31:56.039 basically clear to some extent for site access and 00:31:56.039 --> 00:31:57.359 monitoring. 00:31:57.359 --> 00:32:00.150 Something I've noticed, touring the landfill a couple of 00:32:00.150 --> 00:32:01.680 times and throwing away waste 00:32:01.680 --> 00:32:06.809 is in that southeast corner, I believe, where we share kind 00:32:06.809 --> 00:32:09.279 of a property border with the 00:32:09.279 --> 00:32:13.569 creek and then I think it's the golf courses right there 00:32:13.569 --> 00:32:15.799 are tons of plastic bags. 00:32:15.799 --> 00:32:19.049 And I've noticed they build up along the fence there and we 00:32:19.049 --> 00:32:20.759 bring in staff to collect them 00:32:20.759 --> 00:32:21.960 from the fence. 00:32:21.960 --> 00:32:25.299 But inevitably, they make it beyond the fence and into the 00:32:25.299 --> 00:32:26.200 trees there. 00:32:26.200 --> 00:32:30.329 It seems like if you go higher with your landfill mound 00:32:30.329 --> 00:32:33.279 that those bags, which seem to be the 00:32:33.279 --> 00:32:37.299 most popular thing other than just dirt, those bags are 00:32:37.299 --> 00:32:39.839 going to make it over there easier. 00:32:39.839 --> 00:32:40.839 Right. 00:32:40.839 --> 00:32:41.839 That's a great point. 00:32:41.839 --> 00:32:44.029 And one of the things that we're looking at in our current 00:32:44.029 --> 00:32:45.200 CIP right now is actually a 00:32:45.200 --> 00:32:46.200 fence. 00:32:46.200 --> 00:32:48.200 It's kind of a wind fence that catches that. 00:32:48.200 --> 00:32:50.940 I mean, you really attack that one of two ways is staff and 00:32:50.940 --> 00:32:52.640 personnel, you know, climbing 00:32:52.640 --> 00:32:55.960 up into trees to retrieve paper bags or plastic bags. 00:32:55.960 --> 00:32:57.240 That's not the probably the best use. 00:32:57.240 --> 00:32:59.519 And so what we're doing right now is a cost benefit 00:32:59.519 --> 00:33:01.240 analysis to see would it make sense 00:33:01.240 --> 00:33:04.250 for us to build a windscreen fence that would kind of 00:33:04.250 --> 00:33:06.200 border all of our operations. 00:33:06.200 --> 00:33:08.000 It's not going to eliminate it. 00:33:08.000 --> 00:33:09.920 It's never going to knock it completely down. 00:33:09.920 --> 00:33:12.710 But it does prevent us from having the abundance that's out 00:33:12.710 --> 00:33:13.680 there right now. 00:33:13.680 --> 00:33:16.380 We were turning the other day with some consultants and it 00:33:16.380 --> 00:33:17.680 was pretty noticeable. 00:33:17.680 --> 00:33:20.200 So we are good neighbors with the golf course. 00:33:20.200 --> 00:33:21.920 They work with us pretty regularly. 00:33:21.920 --> 00:33:24.039 They allow us onto their land to clean it up. 00:33:24.039 --> 00:33:26.039 But we do have a number of those trees back there by that 00:33:26.039 --> 00:33:27.240 creek that can be problematic 00:33:27.240 --> 00:33:28.240 for us. 00:33:28.240 --> 00:33:32.099 What do you think is is it wind direction that makes it 00:33:32.099 --> 00:33:34.400 collect more in that area than 00:33:34.400 --> 00:33:35.400 out on Mayhill? 00:33:35.400 --> 00:33:38.740 I mean, because, you know, Mayhill doesn't isn't littered 00:33:38.740 --> 00:33:39.279 with bad. 00:33:39.279 --> 00:33:42.380 I think they're the prevailing winds do have an impact. 00:33:42.380 --> 00:33:44.509 That being said, it's it's easier for us to collect the 00:33:44.509 --> 00:33:45.920 ones blowing the other direction 00:33:45.920 --> 00:33:47.279 once they get up into those trees. 00:33:47.279 --> 00:33:49.980 It is a little bit more of an adventure trying to retrieve 00:33:49.980 --> 00:33:50.359 those. 00:33:50.359 --> 00:33:52.799 And so that's what makes it more noticeable. 00:33:52.799 --> 00:33:54.519 Thank you. 00:33:54.519 --> 00:33:58.400 Any other questions? 00:33:58.400 --> 00:33:59.400 No. 00:33:59.400 --> 00:34:01.920 Well, that's that's it for the presentation. 00:34:01.920 --> 00:34:04.630 Again, we will circle back with you once the permits 00:34:04.630 --> 00:34:06.240 completed and take your direction 00:34:06.240 --> 00:34:08.960 on whether we want to do a new specific use permit and also 00:34:08.960 --> 00:34:10.280 provide both the board and 00:34:10.280 --> 00:34:13.440 the council and update as we get into freezing nickels plan 00:34:13.440 --> 00:34:15.199 for planning and as those trees 00:34:15.199 --> 00:34:16.199 start going into the ground. 00:34:16.199 --> 00:34:18.480 Thank you for the time today. 00:34:18.480 --> 00:34:19.480 Thank you. 00:34:19.480 --> 00:34:26.789 Okay, next time we have is item B in the work session, 00:34:26.789 --> 00:34:31.039 which is to receive a report, hold 00:34:31.039 --> 00:34:34.409 a discussion, provide direction concerning a management 00:34:34.409 --> 00:34:36.360 study for water, wastewater and 00:34:36.360 --> 00:34:40.920 municipal electric. 00:34:40.920 --> 00:34:47.760 Good morning. 00:34:47.760 --> 00:34:48.760 My name is Kenny Banks. 00:34:48.760 --> 00:34:51.000 I'm the general manager of utilities. 00:34:51.000 --> 00:34:54.719 I wanted to give a brief presentation. 00:34:54.719 --> 00:34:58.059 This is a somewhat infrequent situation that we're 00:34:58.059 --> 00:35:00.880 encountered with here because our charter 00:35:00.880 --> 00:35:03.809 requires us once every 10 years to actually go through a 00:35:03.809 --> 00:35:05.679 management study for the water, 00:35:05.679 --> 00:35:09.360 wastewater and municipal electric utilities. 00:35:09.360 --> 00:35:13.340 And so I wanted to kind of give an overview of what that 00:35:13.340 --> 00:35:15.880 management study looks like and 00:35:15.880 --> 00:35:17.829 answer any questions that you might have and give you a 00:35:17.829 --> 00:35:19.320 general timeline of how we're looking 00:35:19.320 --> 00:35:22.159 at going through this management study. 00:35:22.159 --> 00:35:25.869 So as I said, charter requirement is to have a management 00:35:25.869 --> 00:35:27.800 study every 10 years. 00:35:27.800 --> 00:35:31.619 Last study was completed in 2008 and 2009. 00:35:31.619 --> 00:35:34.710 We have done situations where we have had water and 00:35:34.710 --> 00:35:37.239 wastewater combined within municipal 00:35:37.239 --> 00:35:38.239 electric. 00:35:38.239 --> 00:35:41.269 We've also had those done separately by individual 00:35:41.269 --> 00:35:42.300 consultants. 00:35:42.300 --> 00:35:46.889 We did release a request for proposal on January the 29th 00:35:46.889 --> 00:35:49.960 and responses are due by March 25th. 00:35:49.960 --> 00:35:53.670 And I provided a summary of major elements in your agenda 00:35:53.670 --> 00:35:55.079 information sheet. 00:35:55.079 --> 00:35:57.800 This is a very comprehensive study. 00:35:57.800 --> 00:35:59.760 There's a lot of components to it. 00:35:59.760 --> 00:36:01.920 It's kind of divided up into some general areas. 00:36:01.920 --> 00:36:05.269 I also provided some additional descriptions in the backup 00:36:05.269 --> 00:36:06.800 as exhibit two to give you a 00:36:06.800 --> 00:36:10.730 little bit more sense of what those individual topics look 00:36:10.730 --> 00:36:11.360 like. 00:36:11.360 --> 00:36:14.880 And so what I'd like to do today is just go through the 00:36:14.880 --> 00:36:17.280 very high pass the major elements 00:36:17.280 --> 00:36:20.960 and then answer any questions you might have. 00:36:20.960 --> 00:36:23.900 And also if there's any feedback that you'd like to provide 00:36:23.900 --> 00:36:25.480 staff, we've given a general 00:36:25.480 --> 00:36:26.920 outline to the consultants. 00:36:26.920 --> 00:36:28.929 But of course as we start working with them, if there are 00:36:28.929 --> 00:36:30.280 specific elements that you would 00:36:30.280 --> 00:36:33.210 like to see or have us emphasize, we'd like to hear about 00:36:33.210 --> 00:36:34.800 those so we can start rolling 00:36:34.800 --> 00:36:36.159 those in. 00:36:36.159 --> 00:36:39.500 So in terms of general management, one of our major 00:36:39.500 --> 00:36:41.840 elements, basically this is just 00:36:41.840 --> 00:36:46.530 a review of how the utility operations are conducted as it 00:36:46.530 --> 00:36:49.280 relates to the cost of providing 00:36:49.280 --> 00:36:51.159 that service. 00:36:51.159 --> 00:36:55.440 And so it looks at every individual aspect of that utility. 00:36:55.440 --> 00:36:58.960 And so I've tried to put a list in here and I apologize for 00:36:58.960 --> 00:37:01.199 it being a little bit of an 00:37:01.199 --> 00:37:04.449 exhaustive, but it includes governance, organizational 00:37:04.449 --> 00:37:06.480 structure, financial practices, development 00:37:06.480 --> 00:37:10.579 policies, all the support services, the franchise and cost 00:37:10.579 --> 00:37:12.960 of service transfers, our public 00:37:12.960 --> 00:37:16.670 communication, public relations, our planning and budget 00:37:16.670 --> 00:37:18.920 process, how we develop our rates, 00:37:18.920 --> 00:37:21.599 and then the overall administration of the organization. 00:37:21.599 --> 00:37:26.800 So a lot of elements there, a lot of things to look at. 00:37:26.800 --> 00:37:29.980 Active analysis of significant operational cost is the next 00:37:29.980 --> 00:37:31.360 major element that we had 00:37:31.360 --> 00:37:34.360 for the management study. 00:37:34.360 --> 00:37:38.070 We are basically examining the cost components of major 00:37:38.070 --> 00:37:40.400 utility services and subunits. 00:37:40.400 --> 00:37:42.630 So I've tried to divide these out by the individual 00:37:42.630 --> 00:37:43.320 utilities. 00:37:43.320 --> 00:37:47.070 For electric, this is mainly related to transmission and 00:37:47.070 --> 00:37:48.880 distribution services. 00:37:48.880 --> 00:37:51.929 For water, we will be looking at raw water supply, our 00:37:51.929 --> 00:37:55.039 treatment, storage and pumping, 00:37:55.039 --> 00:37:59.110 distribution, engineering, metering, and then our wholesale 00:37:59.110 --> 00:38:00.119 operations. 00:38:00.119 --> 00:38:02.900 On the wastewater side, collection, pumping, treatment, 00:38:02.900 --> 00:38:04.559 biosolids management, wholesale 00:38:04.559 --> 00:38:08.900 services for wastewater treatment and storm water. 00:38:08.900 --> 00:38:13.750 And then support services are the internal services that we 00:38:13.750 --> 00:38:16.000 receive as utilities, so 00:38:16.000 --> 00:38:19.860 customer service, accounting, purchasing, warehouse, legal 00:38:19.860 --> 00:38:21.840 information technology, human 00:38:21.840 --> 00:38:26.690 resources, finance, engineering, inspections, and then also 00:38:26.690 --> 00:38:28.280 fleet operations. 00:38:28.280 --> 00:38:32.719 In terms of outsourcing, that's an element that we included 00:38:32.719 --> 00:38:34.039 in this study. 00:38:34.039 --> 00:38:39.440 It was also looked at in the 97-98 study fairly extensively 00:38:39.440 --> 00:38:39.760 . 00:38:39.760 --> 00:38:42.110 Basically if the consultant finds that any function of the 00:38:42.110 --> 00:38:43.480 utility or city is now performed 00:38:43.480 --> 00:38:47.039 by its own personnel is not comparable or competitive and 00:38:47.039 --> 00:38:48.880 couldn't be made comparable 00:38:48.880 --> 00:38:51.809 or competitive within a reasonable timeframe through some 00:38:51.809 --> 00:38:53.559 adjustments, the consultant will 00:38:53.559 --> 00:38:57.420 present that issue involved with those functions as a part 00:38:57.420 --> 00:38:59.079 of our interim report. 00:38:59.079 --> 00:39:01.789 Generally, the way these go, there are several interim 00:39:01.789 --> 00:39:03.079 reports and I'll go into a little 00:39:03.079 --> 00:39:06.010 bit more detail about that, but this is definitely 00:39:06.010 --> 00:39:08.699 something that we wanted to target as a component 00:39:08.699 --> 00:39:11.510 of an interim report so that we could bring that 00:39:11.510 --> 00:39:13.960 information if it's discovered back to 00:39:13.960 --> 00:39:15.719 the board. 00:39:15.719 --> 00:39:18.889 If outsourcing is an appropriate recommended action, the 00:39:18.889 --> 00:39:20.639 consultant may be requested to 00:39:20.639 --> 00:39:24.340 provide a detailed plan for outsourcing implementation and 00:39:24.340 --> 00:39:26.940 of course that's going to require approval 00:39:26.940 --> 00:39:30.510 by the city and that would result in an amendment to the 00:39:30.510 --> 00:39:32.699 consultant's base contract. 00:39:32.699 --> 00:39:35.420 So in terms of deliverables, it's anticipated that we're 00:39:35.420 --> 00:39:37.159 going to be completing this project 00:39:37.159 --> 00:39:38.159 in phases. 00:39:38.159 --> 00:39:40.760 It's a big undertaking. 00:39:40.760 --> 00:39:43.690 We expect to have interim draft reports on key issues with 00:39:43.690 --> 00:39:45.159 possible action items during 00:39:45.159 --> 00:39:47.639 the course of this study. 00:39:47.639 --> 00:39:50.900 Those will be prepared for review by the city. 00:39:50.900 --> 00:39:54.030 We will receive a final comprehensive document that 00:39:54.030 --> 00:39:56.320 includes all the interim reports and 00:39:56.320 --> 00:39:59.239 all the action items. 00:39:59.239 --> 00:40:03.139 We'll also have the cost of service and comparative 00:40:03.139 --> 00:40:06.960 relationship which is basically a benchmarking 00:40:06.960 --> 00:40:12.400 operation to other utilities of comparable size. 00:40:12.400 --> 00:40:15.780 So in terms of the schedule, basically we are looking to do 00:40:15.780 --> 00:40:17.440 the bulk of this work during 00:40:17.440 --> 00:40:18.440 2018. 00:40:18.440 --> 00:40:21.940 We'll be providing you as a board interim presentations 00:40:21.940 --> 00:40:23.880 based on the information that 00:40:23.880 --> 00:40:26.809 we get back from the consultant and we hope to have a final 00:40:26.809 --> 00:40:28.239 presentation to the public 00:40:28.239 --> 00:40:31.630 utility board for a recommendation and then on to the city 00:40:31.630 --> 00:40:33.559 council sometime in the spring 00:40:33.559 --> 00:40:36.079 of 2019. 00:40:36.079 --> 00:40:38.679 So I know that's a lot of information. 00:40:38.679 --> 00:40:41.849 I hopefully some of the information that was provided as 00:40:41.849 --> 00:40:43.920 backup was useful in kind of seeing 00:40:43.920 --> 00:40:45.960 the major elements of these studies. 00:40:45.960 --> 00:40:48.070 I'd be glad to answer any questions that you might have or 00:40:48.070 --> 00:40:49.239 if there's any feedback that 00:40:49.239 --> 00:40:52.679 you'd like me to take a look at, start incorporating. 00:40:52.679 --> 00:40:56.800 I will say that the way that we've released this proposal 00:40:56.800 --> 00:40:59.119 is basically the respondents 00:40:59.119 --> 00:41:02.900 have the opportunity to either respond in totality, meaning 00:41:02.900 --> 00:41:04.679 that they would do an entire 00:41:04.679 --> 00:41:08.630 study for municipal electric, water and wastewater or they 00:41:08.630 --> 00:41:11.719 have the opportunity to respond individually 00:41:11.719 --> 00:41:14.909 where one respondent could just choose to tackle water and 00:41:14.909 --> 00:41:16.960 wastewater and another respondent 00:41:16.960 --> 00:41:18.159 didn't municipal electric. 00:41:18.159 --> 00:41:20.869 We felt that that would give us a little bit more 00:41:20.869 --> 00:41:22.880 flexibility probably depending on the 00:41:22.880 --> 00:41:26.239 respondents that we get maybe a better product. 00:41:26.239 --> 00:41:28.079 So I'd be glad to answer any questions. 00:41:28.079 --> 00:41:29.440 I have a question. 00:41:29.440 --> 00:41:31.960 Yes sir. 00:41:31.960 --> 00:41:33.960 So it's done every 10 years. 00:41:33.960 --> 00:41:34.960 Correct. 00:41:34.960 --> 00:41:39.199 Is the assumption that this is obviously to control costs, 00:41:39.199 --> 00:41:41.639 be efficient, provide services 00:41:41.639 --> 00:41:45.880 based on today's demand and looking ahead in the future? 00:41:45.880 --> 00:41:46.880 Correct. 00:41:46.880 --> 00:41:50.789 Which relates to how is all that going to impact the rates 00:41:50.789 --> 00:41:52.199 to the citizens? 00:41:52.199 --> 00:41:53.199 Sure, yes. 00:41:53.199 --> 00:41:56.909 And so is this a 10 year projection out or does it go 00:41:56.909 --> 00:41:58.360 further than that? 00:41:58.360 --> 00:42:01.699 Well, what it's intended to do is look at the current 00:42:01.699 --> 00:42:03.719 operations and basically how they're 00:42:03.719 --> 00:42:07.190 managed and make recommendations where those operations 00:42:07.190 --> 00:42:09.400 could be made more efficient, more 00:42:09.400 --> 00:42:11.159 cost effective, et cetera. 00:42:11.159 --> 00:42:13.980 And then those recommendations are to be implemented going 00:42:13.980 --> 00:42:14.599 forward. 00:42:14.599 --> 00:42:17.920 So in a sense it is a forward looking study. 00:42:17.920 --> 00:42:20.960 Keep in mind that we also have cost of service analyses 00:42:20.960 --> 00:42:24.360 that occur at a more frequent basis. 00:42:24.360 --> 00:42:26.519 We're required to do those once every five years. 00:42:26.519 --> 00:42:29.699 So the way this has kind of happened in the past is that 00:42:29.699 --> 00:42:31.760 the management study has a whole 00:42:31.760 --> 00:42:35.619 series of recommendations, we begin implementing those 00:42:35.619 --> 00:42:37.760 during the -- as we go forward. 00:42:37.760 --> 00:42:42.849 And then we have a five year cost of service that would be 00:42:42.849 --> 00:42:44.239 in process. 00:42:44.239 --> 00:42:47.690 Actually depending on the timing with this, we'll actually 00:42:47.690 --> 00:42:49.519 have two cost of services before 00:42:49.519 --> 00:42:52.320 this one comes back again. 00:42:52.320 --> 00:42:53.320 Questions? 00:42:53.320 --> 00:42:54.320 Yes. 00:42:54.320 --> 00:43:00.369 Well, first of all, I'm excited that this is going to 00:43:00.369 --> 00:43:04.079 happen and I really like the idea 00:43:04.079 --> 00:43:10.940 about having each utility, you know, worked on separately 00:43:10.940 --> 00:43:14.239 as long as there's some, you 00:43:14.239 --> 00:43:19.039 know, coming together at the end. 00:43:19.039 --> 00:43:24.280 A couple interrelated suggestions, recommendations. 00:43:24.280 --> 00:43:27.309 One, and this is regarding the number six which says that 00:43:27.309 --> 00:43:28.880 the support service review 00:43:28.880 --> 00:43:35.599 shall include but may not be limited to utility billing, 00:43:35.599 --> 00:43:39.559 customer service, et cetera. 00:43:39.559 --> 00:43:45.059 One thing that I think would be worth considering is the 00:43:45.059 --> 00:43:48.639 way that customer service has in the 00:43:48.639 --> 00:43:52.099 past been relatively separate kind of the day to day 00:43:52.099 --> 00:43:54.360 operations of customer service 00:43:54.360 --> 00:43:59.190 has been separate from the day to day operations of the 00:43:59.190 --> 00:44:02.760 various utilities and the management 00:44:02.760 --> 00:44:04.559 of those utilities. 00:44:04.559 --> 00:44:09.570 And I would like to see the consultant consider, you know, 00:44:09.570 --> 00:44:12.159 what might be the pros and cons 00:44:12.159 --> 00:44:19.670 of having a more integrated management approach where, say, 00:44:19.670 --> 00:44:23.559 you know, the head of DME is involved 00:44:23.559 --> 00:44:30.599 in a more regular basis in, you know, decisions being made 00:44:30.599 --> 00:44:33.519 in customer service. 00:44:33.519 --> 00:44:36.860 And the reason why, and maybe it's obvious, but because, 00:44:36.860 --> 00:44:38.639 you know, when so many people 00:44:38.639 --> 00:44:42.719 in the public, they think about, say, you know, DME or any 00:44:42.719 --> 00:44:44.679 one of the utilities, often 00:44:44.679 --> 00:44:48.429 they're thinking about their bill and or, you know, a 00:44:48.429 --> 00:44:50.599 conversation they've had on the 00:44:50.599 --> 00:44:52.039 phone. 00:44:52.039 --> 00:44:54.510 And the things that people tend to take for granted are the 00:44:54.510 --> 00:44:55.800 fact that, you know, when 00:44:55.800 --> 00:44:58.880 they have, when there's a power outage, it gets turned 00:44:58.880 --> 00:45:00.719 right back on, you know, it comes 00:45:00.719 --> 00:45:04.059 back on relatively quickly, you know, and I mean, we know 00:45:04.059 --> 00:45:05.559 that those are, that that's 00:45:05.559 --> 00:45:09.260 what so much of DME is involved in, but for so many people, 00:45:09.260 --> 00:45:10.159 it's a bill. 00:45:10.159 --> 00:45:16.320 And so and then following on that on that same note with 00:45:16.320 --> 00:45:19.800 customer service, I think it 00:45:19.800 --> 00:45:22.989 would be a good thing for, you know, consultants to 00:45:22.989 --> 00:45:26.260 consider what might be, you know, the advantages 00:45:26.260 --> 00:45:28.519 of doing a customer service. 00:45:28.519 --> 00:45:31.650 I'm sorry, doing a customer satisfaction, taking some 00:45:31.650 --> 00:45:33.800 customer satisfaction assessment. 00:45:33.800 --> 00:45:35.909 This is something I had mentioned in the past, but not 00:45:35.909 --> 00:45:37.639 knowing that this 10 year assessment 00:45:37.639 --> 00:45:39.239 would come would be coming up. 00:45:39.239 --> 00:45:42.010 So that seems like something that could be really nicely 00:45:42.010 --> 00:45:43.559 integrated into that for each 00:45:43.559 --> 00:45:49.170 utility to see what people think about the the the the 00:45:49.170 --> 00:45:50.519 utility. 00:45:50.519 --> 00:45:57.239 And that, I think, would be really, really helpful. 00:45:57.239 --> 00:46:03.230 And then and then the final thing would be about billing, 00:46:03.230 --> 00:46:06.199 you know, in the past, when, 00:46:06.199 --> 00:46:10.059 you know, discussions of say, DME rates have come up, you 00:46:10.059 --> 00:46:12.400 know, we look at we compare to 00:46:12.400 --> 00:46:14.840 other similar cities. 00:46:14.840 --> 00:46:20.340 I would like for, you know, these consultants to at least 00:46:20.340 --> 00:46:23.480 consider the possibility of one 00:46:23.480 --> 00:46:29.219 focusing on comparing DME to co-serve, which is just again, 00:46:29.219 --> 00:46:31.840 on the same principle of the 00:46:31.840 --> 00:46:33.079 way the public sees it. 00:46:33.079 --> 00:46:36.199 You know, people around here generally, they're comparing 00:46:36.199 --> 00:46:37.880 people who are on, say, DME are 00:46:37.880 --> 00:46:42.320 comparing their bill to their sometimes literally their 00:46:42.320 --> 00:46:45.639 neighbor, you know, who has co-serve. 00:46:45.639 --> 00:46:48.750 So I see it as that's our main competitor, and that's what 00:46:48.750 --> 00:46:50.360 people are comparing to. 00:46:50.360 --> 00:46:53.800 So I think that would be the most useful comparison. 00:46:53.800 --> 00:46:58.239 And then secondly, to look at not just the rates, but the 00:46:58.239 --> 00:47:00.800 the cost of service adjustment. 00:47:00.800 --> 00:47:02.800 I mean, you know, you mentioned that before. 00:47:02.800 --> 00:47:05.900 And of course, that's something that's considered on a 00:47:05.900 --> 00:47:06.960 regular basis. 00:47:06.960 --> 00:47:10.389 But to consider the ways that customer that the that the 00:47:10.389 --> 00:47:12.760 cost of service adjustment combined 00:47:12.760 --> 00:47:16.099 with rates affects people's bills, which affects customer 00:47:16.099 --> 00:47:19.039 satisfaction, I'd like to see, you 00:47:19.039 --> 00:47:22.199 know, more integrated approach to that. 00:47:22.199 --> 00:47:23.199 So those are my recommendations. 00:47:23.199 --> 00:47:26.780 But I think it's it's great that that that this is coming 00:47:26.780 --> 00:47:27.280 up. 00:47:27.280 --> 00:47:29.360 It just seems like a really opportune time. 00:47:29.360 --> 00:47:30.360 Thanks. 00:47:30.360 --> 00:47:31.360 Thanks. 00:47:31.360 --> 00:47:32.360 Questions? 00:47:32.360 --> 00:47:33.360 No. 00:47:33.360 --> 00:47:34.360 Anything else? 00:47:34.360 --> 00:47:39.360 Anybody like to comment on in here? 00:47:39.360 --> 00:47:40.360 Okay. 00:47:40.360 --> 00:47:41.360 Thank you. 00:47:41.360 --> 00:47:53.519 Okay. 00:47:53.519 --> 00:48:00.460 At this time, we have a couple of items to be discussed in 00:48:00.460 --> 00:48:02.719 closed meeting. 00:48:02.719 --> 00:48:05.800 The Public Utilities Board will convene. 00:48:05.800 --> 00:48:16.349 Okay, we're back in open session at 1032 a.m. to go through 00:48:16.349 --> 00:48:17.840 the regular meeting portion 00:48:17.840 --> 00:48:19.519 of our agenda. 00:48:19.519 --> 00:48:24.610 First, we have the consent agenda, which we have two items 00:48:24.610 --> 00:48:26.519 on consent agenda. 00:48:26.519 --> 00:48:30.750 Is there any member who would like to pull either items A 00:48:30.750 --> 00:48:33.800 or B for individual consideration? 00:48:33.800 --> 00:48:39.539 I'd like to pull a A. I'd like to pull B. Okay, there we go 00:48:39.539 --> 00:48:39.960 . 00:48:39.960 --> 00:48:41.199 All right. 00:48:41.199 --> 00:48:44.780 So the first we'll move those then for individual 00:48:44.780 --> 00:48:47.159 individual consideration. 00:48:47.159 --> 00:48:51.639 So the first one is item A, which is to consider 00:48:51.639 --> 00:48:55.880 recommending approval for the purchase of 00:48:55.880 --> 00:49:02.679 one model LP873 vacuum excavator for the City of Denton 00:49:02.679 --> 00:49:05.519 drainage department. 00:49:05.519 --> 00:49:07.590 We go through the presentation or you just want to have a 00:49:07.590 --> 00:49:10.400 few questions you want to ask? 00:49:10.400 --> 00:49:14.159 I thought I read that we are this is a replacement, but we 00:49:14.159 --> 00:49:15.940 're not going to sell it. 00:49:15.940 --> 00:49:16.940 We're going to keep it. 00:49:16.940 --> 00:49:19.760 So why if it's a replacement, are we going to keep it? 00:49:19.760 --> 00:49:26.119 That's the next one question. 00:49:26.119 --> 00:49:29.460 It's actually this game was shared by two different 00:49:29.460 --> 00:49:31.960 departments, the streets department 00:49:31.960 --> 00:49:32.960 and the drainage department. 00:49:32.960 --> 00:49:33.960 And so the machine was purchased by streets. 00:49:33.960 --> 00:49:36.670 The original machine was purchased by streets with the 00:49:36.670 --> 00:49:38.159 agreement with drainage that they 00:49:38.159 --> 00:49:40.400 would do the maintenance cost on the machine. 00:49:40.400 --> 00:49:43.329 So drainage, I guess, figures they have enough work for 00:49:43.329 --> 00:49:45.239 that particular type of machine now 00:49:45.239 --> 00:49:48.880 that they would like to purchase one for themselves. 00:49:48.880 --> 00:49:50.599 The street department. 00:49:50.599 --> 00:49:54.599 Yeah, there you go. 00:49:54.599 --> 00:49:55.599 Yeah. 00:49:55.599 --> 00:49:57.800 Sorry about that. 00:49:57.800 --> 00:50:01.800 So the streets department is going to temporarily retain 00:50:01.800 --> 00:50:03.039 that machine. 00:50:03.039 --> 00:50:05.559 Now it still has a little bit of life left in it. 00:50:05.559 --> 00:50:07.239 So we're not going to auction it right at this time. 00:50:07.239 --> 00:50:11.230 But when they get ready to replace it, they may decide they 00:50:11.230 --> 00:50:13.039 don't need it anymore. 00:50:13.039 --> 00:50:15.730 I have a feeling the drainage department used it the most 00:50:15.730 --> 00:50:16.440 of the time. 00:50:16.440 --> 00:50:19.500 So that's why they're splitting it and they're going their 00:50:19.500 --> 00:50:20.719 separate ways now. 00:50:20.719 --> 00:50:21.719 Okay. 00:50:21.719 --> 00:50:22.719 Okay. 00:50:22.719 --> 00:50:23.719 Thank you. 00:50:23.719 --> 00:50:24.719 I'll move approval. 00:50:24.719 --> 00:50:28.980 Okay, we have a motion for approval of item A, which is is 00:50:28.980 --> 00:50:31.719 there a second? 00:50:31.719 --> 00:50:32.719 Second. 00:50:32.719 --> 00:50:37.519 And a second. 00:50:37.519 --> 00:50:38.519 Any discussion? 00:50:38.519 --> 00:50:40.719 All in favor say aye. 00:50:40.719 --> 00:50:41.719 Aye. 00:50:41.719 --> 00:50:42.719 Any opposed? 00:50:42.719 --> 00:50:43.719 Very good. 00:50:43.719 --> 00:50:45.159 Item A passes. 00:50:45.159 --> 00:50:47.920 Item B. Same thing. 00:50:47.920 --> 00:50:49.519 Charlie, you wanted that one pulled? 00:50:49.519 --> 00:50:51.800 Yes, I just have a question. 00:50:51.800 --> 00:50:57.000 And it's concerning the timeline laid out in the AIS. 00:50:57.000 --> 00:50:58.000 Yes, sir. 00:50:58.000 --> 00:51:00.000 It's really confusing to me. 00:51:00.000 --> 00:51:01.000 Okay. 00:51:01.000 --> 00:51:03.079 So these are actually fees that we should be paying from 00:51:03.079 --> 00:51:04.400 the start of the fiscal year. 00:51:04.400 --> 00:51:07.800 They're basically paid to the TCEQ on a per ton basis. 00:51:07.800 --> 00:51:09.880 It's 95 cents per ton. 00:51:09.880 --> 00:51:11.840 This is actually the first time the solid waste department 00:51:11.840 --> 00:51:12.920 has brought this to the PUB 00:51:12.920 --> 00:51:14.719 and the council for approval. 00:51:14.719 --> 00:51:17.650 And we ran into this whenever we were issuing a PO and 00:51:17.650 --> 00:51:19.760 found that, wow, we really should 00:51:19.760 --> 00:51:22.079 have been bringing this to the board and the council on a 00:51:22.079 --> 00:51:22.920 regular basis. 00:51:22.920 --> 00:51:26.260 And so we are running a little bit on an unusual timeframe 00:51:26.260 --> 00:51:27.000 right now. 00:51:27.000 --> 00:51:30.699 We're actually trying to pay our first quarter with the TCE 00:51:30.699 --> 00:51:33.360 Q, which is due March 1st, I believe. 00:51:33.360 --> 00:51:36.699 So once we complete this year's cycle of payments, we want 00:51:36.699 --> 00:51:38.920 to tee this up so that you all and 00:51:38.920 --> 00:51:41.630 the council are seeing this with the fiscal year 00:51:41.630 --> 00:51:42.239 information. 00:51:42.239 --> 00:51:44.639 So we'd be bringing that back in kind of the September, 00:51:44.639 --> 00:51:46.280 October timeframe and then issuing 00:51:46.280 --> 00:51:49.000 the PO, the purchase order shortly thereafter once you 00:51:49.000 --> 00:51:49.840 approve that. 00:51:49.840 --> 00:51:50.840 Does that make sense? 00:51:50.840 --> 00:51:53.769 So it'd be approved in advance for the year and you could 00:51:53.769 --> 00:51:55.000 just issue. 00:51:55.000 --> 00:51:56.159 That is absolutely correct. 00:51:56.159 --> 00:51:59.159 That's how we present this moving forward. 00:51:59.159 --> 00:52:00.159 Okay. 00:52:00.159 --> 00:52:02.159 Any other questions? 00:52:02.159 --> 00:52:03.159 No. 00:52:03.159 --> 00:52:05.920 Do we have a motion on item B? 00:52:05.920 --> 00:52:06.920 I recommend approval. 00:52:06.920 --> 00:52:08.719 A motion to approve. 00:52:08.719 --> 00:52:11.719 Is there a second? 00:52:11.719 --> 00:52:12.719 Thank you. 00:52:12.719 --> 00:52:13.719 Discussion? 00:52:13.719 --> 00:52:14.719 All in favor say aye. 00:52:14.719 --> 00:52:15.719 Aye. 00:52:15.719 --> 00:52:16.719 Any opposed? 00:52:16.719 --> 00:52:17.719 Item B passes. 00:52:17.719 --> 00:52:25.739 Next we have the item A, which is consideration of approval 00:52:25.739 --> 00:52:30.480 , consider approval of the public 00:52:30.480 --> 00:52:35.960 utilities board meeting minutes of January 22nd, 2018. 00:52:35.960 --> 00:52:44.769 Are there any changes, comments, questions about these as 00:52:44.769 --> 00:52:50.079 they were distributed in advance? 00:52:50.079 --> 00:52:52.079 Okay. 00:52:52.079 --> 00:52:58.960 Hearing none, we can consider those approved by acclamation 00:52:58.960 --> 00:52:59.960 then. 00:52:59.960 --> 00:53:03.710 Item B is to consider recommending adoption of an ordinance 00:53:03.710 --> 00:53:05.559 awarding a contract with Atmos 00:53:05.559 --> 00:53:09.099 pipeline, Texas, a division of Atmos energy, corporations 00:53:09.099 --> 00:53:11.760 to provide alternative fuel transportation 00:53:11.760 --> 00:53:17.010 services and to install a metering station for their 00:53:17.010 --> 00:53:20.719 alternative, too many descriptions 00:53:20.719 --> 00:53:24.639 here, alternate fuel filling station located at 1251 South 00:53:24.639 --> 00:53:25.639 May Hill Road. 00:53:25.639 --> 00:53:28.159 I have to say it three times fast. 00:53:28.159 --> 00:53:29.159 I know. 00:53:29.159 --> 00:53:30.159 Yeah. 00:53:30.159 --> 00:53:31.159 Thank you. 00:53:31.159 --> 00:53:32.159 All right. 00:53:32.159 --> 00:53:33.710 So members of the board, I do have a brief presentation for 00:53:33.710 --> 00:53:35.159 you and the public this morning. 00:53:35.159 --> 00:53:37.619 Just a little bit of a refresher in terms of where we've 00:53:37.619 --> 00:53:39.119 been with compressed natural 00:53:39.119 --> 00:53:42.239 gas as a fueling platform over the last few years. 00:53:42.239 --> 00:53:45.369 This is a topic that was raised in 2012 and revisited 00:53:45.369 --> 00:53:47.280 throughout those last few years. 00:53:47.280 --> 00:53:51.309 The solid waste department had invested in about 24 CNG- 00:53:51.309 --> 00:53:53.280 based vehicles in the recent 00:53:53.280 --> 00:53:56.239 past and in 2017, this summer, we brought that to your 00:53:56.239 --> 00:53:58.000 attention because we were utilizing 00:53:58.000 --> 00:54:01.429 a mobile fueling platform that had some very high cost with 00:54:01.429 --> 00:54:01.960 that. 00:54:01.960 --> 00:54:04.920 And as we ran our financial analysis, we found that it wasn 00:54:04.920 --> 00:54:06.800 't really going to have the financial 00:54:06.800 --> 00:54:09.500 benefit that we thought it would because of where diesel 00:54:09.500 --> 00:54:10.480 was in the market. 00:54:10.480 --> 00:54:13.570 And so we proposed an exit strategy, if you will, to age 00:54:13.570 --> 00:54:15.199 out our fleet and try to exit 00:54:15.199 --> 00:54:18.179 the fueling platform with the least amount of financial 00:54:18.179 --> 00:54:19.400 damage as we could. 00:54:19.400 --> 00:54:22.119 And so it was agreed by both the PUB and the council in 00:54:22.119 --> 00:54:24.599 August of 2017 that the best strategy 00:54:24.599 --> 00:54:29.079 was to construct a fueling station at the fuel island out 00:54:29.079 --> 00:54:31.659 at the solid waste landfill. 00:54:31.659 --> 00:54:34.610 There are a few agreements that are going to be involved in 00:54:34.610 --> 00:54:36.440 bringing this station online. 00:54:36.440 --> 00:54:38.980 We currently have an agreement with Zide Energy. 00:54:38.980 --> 00:54:41.679 They are there for station construction and maintenance. 00:54:41.679 --> 00:54:43.840 This was approved in 2016. 00:54:43.840 --> 00:54:46.630 And we are looking at construction being complete in the 00:54:46.630 --> 00:54:47.920 mid-March timeframe. 00:54:47.920 --> 00:54:51.380 The first additional agreement that we need to transact is 00:54:51.380 --> 00:54:52.880 with Atmos pipeline. 00:54:52.880 --> 00:54:55.960 That's for transportation and metering of natural gas. 00:54:55.960 --> 00:54:58.440 That's posted for consideration on your agenda today. 00:54:58.440 --> 00:55:01.260 When we do our calculations based on our volumes, we're 00:55:01.260 --> 00:55:03.559 looking at about 16 cents per gallon 00:55:03.559 --> 00:55:04.559 or per DGE. 00:55:04.559 --> 00:55:07.639 That stands for diesel gallon equivalent. 00:55:07.639 --> 00:55:10.650 In addition to that, once this is approved today, assuming 00:55:10.650 --> 00:55:12.119 that takes place, we'll also 00:55:12.119 --> 00:55:15.760 have a natural gas purchase, buying commodity, if you will. 00:55:15.760 --> 00:55:17.909 And that contract finalization will be contingent on today 00:55:17.909 --> 00:55:19.119 's vote because we need to have a 00:55:19.119 --> 00:55:22.960 metering station installed before we can purchase gas. 00:55:22.960 --> 00:55:25.659 Our projected costs there with what we've seen from the 00:55:25.659 --> 00:55:26.880 submission so far is about 50 00:55:26.880 --> 00:55:27.880 cents per gallon. 00:55:27.880 --> 00:55:31.590 And so our all-in cost on a per gallon basis is going to be 00:55:31.590 --> 00:55:33.760 right around 66 cents. 00:55:33.760 --> 00:55:36.469 That's a significant savings over what we're paying today, 00:55:36.469 --> 00:55:38.320 which is approximately $3.75 00:55:38.320 --> 00:55:39.639 a gallon. 00:55:39.639 --> 00:55:42.349 This is the annual fuel usage for our 24 vehicles in our 00:55:42.349 --> 00:55:42.840 fleet. 00:55:42.840 --> 00:55:47.920 And the annual savings come up to about $415,000 each year. 00:55:47.920 --> 00:55:50.630 Now as we mentioned, we are going to be aging out our 00:55:50.630 --> 00:55:52.179 investments in the CNG fleet. 00:55:52.179 --> 00:55:54.719 And so those numbers will come down in the out years. 00:55:54.719 --> 00:55:59.519 We plan to age out that fleet probably by 2023, 2024. 00:55:59.519 --> 00:56:03.230 With that, I will be happy to stand for any questions you 00:56:03.230 --> 00:56:04.159 might have. 00:56:04.159 --> 00:56:05.159 Questions? 00:56:05.159 --> 00:56:12.000 Well, I'll just say that's a lot. 00:56:12.000 --> 00:56:15.750 That's a great cost recovery, especially if you look at 00:56:15.750 --> 00:56:18.199 three to four years on that, you 00:56:18.199 --> 00:56:22.000 know, for what we're paying now. 00:56:22.000 --> 00:56:25.929 It's it feels good to have it presented whenever we're 00:56:25.929 --> 00:56:28.199 saving money over what we're doing now. 00:56:28.199 --> 00:56:30.579 It's going to feel real good when the gas turns on at the 00:56:30.579 --> 00:56:31.199 station. 00:56:31.199 --> 00:56:34.320 I would like to say a big thank you to Nick Vinson. 00:56:34.320 --> 00:56:36.480 He's been the project manager on this, done a lot of the 00:56:36.480 --> 00:56:37.920 financial work, terrific work 00:56:37.920 --> 00:56:38.920 all the way around. 00:56:38.920 --> 00:56:39.920 I'm really glad he's here. 00:56:39.920 --> 00:56:42.389 And I know he's going to be very relieved whenever the 00:56:42.389 --> 00:56:43.920 station comes online, too. 00:56:43.920 --> 00:56:44.920 Thanks, Matt. 00:56:44.920 --> 00:56:45.920 Very good. 00:56:45.920 --> 00:56:46.920 Yeah, I just want to add my voice to that. 00:56:46.920 --> 00:56:50.260 And, you know, thanking staff that worked so hard on this 00:56:50.260 --> 00:56:51.960 to save ratepayers money and 00:56:51.960 --> 00:56:54.909 make sure that we making sure that we're not sinking more 00:56:54.909 --> 00:56:56.280 more costs into this. 00:56:56.280 --> 00:57:00.000 This is really just excellent problem solving. 00:57:00.000 --> 00:57:02.449 And it's just great to see this going forward that, you 00:57:02.449 --> 00:57:04.159 know, I don't I don't see mistakes 00:57:04.159 --> 00:57:08.480 like this happening again. 00:57:08.480 --> 00:57:12.079 So it's great savings for ratepayers. 00:57:12.079 --> 00:57:13.079 So thank you. 00:57:13.079 --> 00:57:14.079 Okay, very good. 00:57:14.079 --> 00:57:21.199 Do we have a motion on item B then? 00:57:21.199 --> 00:57:22.199 Move approval. 00:57:22.199 --> 00:57:23.199 Second. 00:57:23.199 --> 00:57:24.199 Second. 00:57:24.199 --> 00:57:26.159 I have a motion to approve and a second. 00:57:26.159 --> 00:57:27.159 Further discussion. 00:57:27.159 --> 00:57:29.360 All in favor say aye. 00:57:29.360 --> 00:57:30.360 Aye. 00:57:30.360 --> 00:57:31.360 Any opposed? 00:57:31.360 --> 00:57:32.360 Very good. 00:57:32.360 --> 00:57:35.280 Item B passes. 00:57:35.280 --> 00:57:38.199 Item C is ACM update. 00:57:38.199 --> 00:57:41.539 PB members, I wanted to mention a few reports that we've 00:57:41.539 --> 00:57:43.280 included in your backup. 00:57:43.280 --> 00:57:46.000 The first is an informal staff report to answer some 00:57:46.000 --> 00:57:48.480 questions that we receive on credit collections 00:57:48.480 --> 00:57:51.730 and Tiffany Thompson is here from customer service if you 00:57:51.730 --> 00:57:53.480 have any follow up questions 00:57:53.480 --> 00:57:54.840 from her on that item. 00:57:54.840 --> 00:57:58.179 And the second item is for some operational and cost 00:57:58.179 --> 00:58:01.119 information related to Lake Ray Roberts. 00:58:01.119 --> 00:58:03.619 We have some folks from water that are here certainly they 00:58:03.619 --> 00:58:04.880 can answer questions if you 00:58:04.880 --> 00:58:08.360 have any detailed questions on them from them. 00:58:08.360 --> 00:58:11.619 And I also wanted to mention to you about the approach we 00:58:11.619 --> 00:58:13.199 're going to be taking for 00:58:13.199 --> 00:58:16.260 any kind of action items related to closed session 00:58:16.260 --> 00:58:17.360 discussions. 00:58:17.360 --> 00:58:20.769 Previously we've been able to have votes take place in 00:58:20.769 --> 00:58:22.920 closed session on time to time when 00:58:22.920 --> 00:58:25.159 the occasion required it. 00:58:25.159 --> 00:58:28.119 The direction we've received from council is in the future 00:58:28.119 --> 00:58:29.539 to have redacted copies of 00:58:29.539 --> 00:58:33.639 any kind of agreements or actions that are being taken in 00:58:33.639 --> 00:58:35.199 the open session. 00:58:35.199 --> 00:58:38.010 So we'll be doing that in the future and we've provided a 00:58:38.010 --> 00:58:40.239 short memo just to put that information 00:58:40.239 --> 00:58:43.320 back up for you so you can see that going forward. 00:58:43.320 --> 00:58:46.090 We also have the future item list and the new business 00:58:46.090 --> 00:58:47.679 matrix and be happy to answer 00:58:47.679 --> 00:58:52.380 any questions that you have on any of those items that are 00:58:52.380 --> 00:58:53.239 there. 00:58:53.239 --> 00:58:55.960 Any comments about any of the -- yes. 00:58:55.960 --> 00:59:01.510 I just want to thank Tiffany for putting together all that 00:59:01.510 --> 00:59:03.159 information. 00:59:03.159 --> 00:59:06.909 I really appreciated it and it's really good to see as far 00:59:06.909 --> 00:59:08.679 as the uncollectible debt by 00:59:08.679 --> 00:59:10.280 category goes. 00:59:10.280 --> 00:59:14.949 I hope that as we move into the future that this 00:59:14.949 --> 00:59:19.019 information is collected category by 00:59:19.019 --> 00:59:23.079 category so that all this work doesn't have to be done 00:59:23.079 --> 00:59:25.800 looking backwards and sorting that 00:59:25.800 --> 00:59:28.619 out so it's just kind of divided into those categories as 00:59:28.619 --> 00:59:29.079 we go. 00:59:29.079 --> 00:59:30.840 But this is extremely helpful. 00:59:30.840 --> 00:59:35.550 I just wanted you to know that this was read with -- that I 00:59:35.550 --> 00:59:38.239 read this carefully and, you 00:59:38.239 --> 00:59:41.380 know, be sharing what I learned from that and that I hope 00:59:41.380 --> 00:59:43.239 that I know that council decided 00:59:43.239 --> 00:59:45.559 to take a more incremental approach. 00:59:45.559 --> 00:59:53.150 I think that was the word that the mayor used in reforming 00:59:53.150 --> 00:59:57.760 the deposits policy because that 00:59:57.760 --> 01:00:00.690 was the context anyway in which this uncollectible debt was 01:00:00.690 --> 01:00:02.239 first presented to us as kind of 01:00:02.239 --> 01:00:04.980 -- this is how you can see, you know, how and to what 01:00:04.980 --> 01:00:06.880 extent the deposits are working. 01:00:06.880 --> 01:00:09.349 You know, it was interesting -- I'll just note for now that 01:00:09.349 --> 01:00:10.800 one thing that was interesting 01:00:10.800 --> 01:00:17.650 for me to see in these new figures, the breakdown year by 01:00:17.650 --> 01:00:23.400 year, was how the multifamily uncollectible 01:00:23.400 --> 01:00:30.670 debt decreases, you know, eventually decreases but then 01:00:30.670 --> 01:00:34.480 remained relatively constant and 01:00:34.480 --> 01:00:37.610 so, you know, without going into the weeds in that, that's 01:00:37.610 --> 01:00:39.119 something that I hope, you 01:00:39.119 --> 01:00:42.309 know, when we come to this next as PUB and council really 01:00:42.309 --> 01:00:44.079 gets considered but I really 01:00:44.079 --> 01:00:45.880 like the breakdown by category. 01:00:45.880 --> 01:00:48.989 And I wanted to say, you know, as far as the payment 01:00:48.989 --> 01:00:51.880 options, just for, you know, any public, 01:00:51.880 --> 01:00:55.590 you know, watching this, you know, I had raised concerns 01:00:55.590 --> 01:00:57.960 before because I had heard some people 01:00:57.960 --> 01:01:01.480 in the community mention that, you know, they had been 01:01:01.480 --> 01:01:03.719 charged additional fee for paying 01:01:03.719 --> 01:01:08.280 by phone and an additional fee for changing their credit 01:01:08.280 --> 01:01:10.880 card and, you know, what this 01:01:10.880 --> 01:01:16.440 tells -- this report prepared by staff just points out that 01:01:16.440 --> 01:01:19.199 those extra charges are only 01:01:19.199 --> 01:01:22.639 for commercial accounts and not for residential accounts. 01:01:22.639 --> 01:01:26.780 I just wanted to qualify that for the public that, you know 01:01:26.780 --> 01:01:28.760 , that if you did get those 01:01:28.760 --> 01:01:32.989 charges that that is policy, you know, across the board for 01:01:32.989 --> 01:01:35.199 commercial accounts and, of 01:01:35.199 --> 01:01:37.900 course, if anyone who has just a residential account finds 01:01:37.900 --> 01:01:39.039 themselves being charged those 01:01:39.039 --> 01:01:42.599 additional charges, then that means that that policy was 01:01:42.599 --> 01:01:44.719 wrongly applied and then you have 01:01:44.719 --> 01:01:48.869 something that you can point to to show that it was wrongly 01:01:48.869 --> 01:01:49.800 applied. 01:01:49.800 --> 01:01:52.239 But it's good for people to know that it's not just -- it's 01:01:52.239 --> 01:01:53.719 not arbitrary and it's definitely 01:01:53.719 --> 01:01:58.800 not universal. 01:01:58.800 --> 01:02:04.789 And I wanted to add about the closed meeting, the note here 01:02:04.789 --> 01:02:07.480 in the ACM update on closed 01:02:07.480 --> 01:02:08.480 sessions. 01:02:08.480 --> 01:02:14.469 I'm so happy with the new closed session policy that we're 01:02:14.469 --> 01:02:17.559 not going to be taking votes in 01:02:17.559 --> 01:02:21.630 closed session and I know that had been done in the past 01:02:21.630 --> 01:02:24.300 and, you know, justified under 01:02:24.300 --> 01:02:27.280 previous administration, but I really like the new 01:02:27.280 --> 01:02:29.639 direction of transparency in the new, 01:02:29.639 --> 01:02:30.960 you know, management and counsel. 01:02:30.960 --> 01:02:34.539 So just thank you to, you know, management and, you know, 01:02:34.539 --> 01:02:36.719 especially to counsel for deciding 01:02:36.719 --> 01:02:38.360 on that. 01:02:38.360 --> 01:02:41.940 And then final -- oh, no, yeah, so that's all about that 01:02:41.940 --> 01:02:43.559 and then I have a question 01:02:43.559 --> 01:02:48.039 that would -- sorry, that would go under concluding items. 01:02:48.039 --> 01:02:50.090 So that was all, but anyway, sorry, I realize that was a 01:02:50.090 --> 01:02:51.400 lot, but there were some really 01:02:51.400 --> 01:02:54.360 good updates there in that ACM update. 01:02:54.360 --> 01:02:56.429 I wanted to be sure to get that in that the public knows 01:02:56.429 --> 01:02:57.880 and that, you know, staff knows 01:02:57.880 --> 01:02:59.880 how much their work is appreciated. 01:02:59.880 --> 01:03:00.880 Okay. 01:03:00.880 --> 01:03:04.880 Go ahead, Susan. 01:03:04.880 --> 01:03:09.000 I have a comment on the collections too and I'm assuming 01:03:09.000 --> 01:03:11.400 that when we put in the new meters 01:03:11.400 --> 01:03:14.550 that maybe we'll see a trend a little bit on that multif 01:03:14.550 --> 01:03:15.159 amily. 01:03:15.159 --> 01:03:18.360 That's always a difficult area because of the transient 01:03:18.360 --> 01:03:20.039 nature of people moving out 01:03:20.039 --> 01:03:21.039 of apartments. 01:03:21.039 --> 01:03:23.920 So is that a goal of the new metering? 01:03:23.920 --> 01:03:25.559 That is a goal and thank you. 01:03:25.559 --> 01:03:27.469 I want to say that I just got through having a root canal 01:03:27.469 --> 01:03:28.559 so I'm not having a stroke. 01:03:28.559 --> 01:03:35.079 So if I start drilling, just go with it. 01:03:35.079 --> 01:03:38.050 With that, so yes, that's definitely the intention to be 01:03:38.050 --> 01:03:39.840 able to offer more services for our 01:03:39.840 --> 01:03:42.809 customers and hoping that with the debt it can go down 01:03:42.809 --> 01:03:44.639 because they'll be able to pay 01:03:44.639 --> 01:03:48.349 as they go and they'll never get into that bad debt option 01:03:48.349 --> 01:03:49.159 for them. 01:03:49.159 --> 01:03:51.409 That won't be an option for them because they'll pay as 01:03:51.409 --> 01:03:52.800 they go and we're hoping that's going 01:03:52.800 --> 01:03:57.250 to be again brought forth in May for the prepaid metering 01:03:57.250 --> 01:03:58.280 program. 01:03:58.280 --> 01:04:01.079 All right, thank you. 01:04:01.079 --> 01:04:04.420 And I also want to say that I like the new change on the 01:04:04.420 --> 01:04:06.480 voting on the closed sessions 01:04:06.480 --> 01:04:07.639 out in the open. 01:04:07.639 --> 01:04:12.170 I think Brenda and I both kind of went sometimes before but 01:04:12.170 --> 01:04:14.519 that's just the way it was. 01:04:14.519 --> 01:04:16.239 All right, very good. 01:04:16.239 --> 01:04:22.559 Any other comments about the ACM report? 01:04:22.559 --> 01:04:34.349 Okay so as a closing item, any board member who would like 01:04:34.349 --> 01:04:36.559 to look see future agenda items 01:04:36.559 --> 01:04:40.050 that we can place or anything to add to the matrix that we 01:04:40.050 --> 01:04:41.360 have published? 01:04:41.360 --> 01:04:42.360 Yes. 01:04:42.360 --> 01:04:48.010 Yeah, I would like staff to look into the possibility of 01:04:48.010 --> 01:04:51.000 lowering our reconnect fees 01:04:51.000 --> 01:04:55.659 now that all meters are going to be remote. 01:04:55.659 --> 01:05:00.909 Maybe that's not feasible for some reason that I don't 01:05:00.909 --> 01:05:04.119 understand but since presumably 01:05:04.119 --> 01:05:09.789 the fee was decided because there was manual labor involved 01:05:09.789 --> 01:05:12.559 in shutting off the power now 01:05:12.559 --> 01:05:19.139 that remote metering is going to be ubiquitous across the 01:05:19.139 --> 01:05:22.960 board, I myself don't see why the 01:05:22.960 --> 01:05:25.789 reconnect fee needs to remain constant, why there shouldn't 01:05:25.789 --> 01:05:27.559 be a drop in that as well. 01:05:27.559 --> 01:05:30.900 Again maybe there's some good answer but it seems to me 01:05:30.900 --> 01:05:32.320 worth discussing. 01:05:32.320 --> 01:05:33.320 Thank you. 01:05:33.320 --> 01:05:36.400 Yeah, I think I'd like to see the impact on the revenue 01:05:36.400 --> 01:05:38.519 side, what that would be as well 01:05:38.519 --> 01:05:41.949 because I don't know if that's a big number but obviously 01:05:41.949 --> 01:05:47.239 that's a cost of service issue. 01:05:47.239 --> 01:05:52.170 Maybe even be in our 10-year review part when they do that, 01:05:52.170 --> 01:05:54.159 I don't know if they're going 01:05:54.159 --> 01:05:58.159 to get that far down in the detail. 01:05:58.159 --> 01:06:01.159 Probably not. 01:06:01.159 --> 01:06:04.960 Yeah, I understand. 01:06:04.960 --> 01:06:09.320 Okay, any other comments, questions? 01:06:09.320 --> 01:06:16.639 Seeing none, is there a motion to adjourn? 01:06:16.639 --> 01:06:18.480 Thank you Brendan for that motion. 01:06:18.480 --> 01:06:19.480 Is there a second? 01:06:19.480 --> 01:06:20.480 Second. 01:06:20.480 --> 01:06:21.480 Charlie second. 01:06:21.480 --> 01:06:22.480 All in favor say aye. 01:06:22.480 --> 01:06:23.480 Aye. 01:06:23.480 --> 01:06:24.480 Any opposed? 01:06:24.480 --> 01:06:24.480 Okay.