1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:04,400 Okay, it is nine o'clock and we have a quorum, 2 00:00:04,400 --> 00:00:10,760 so we'll call to order the Public Utilities Board for the City of Denton for July 25th, 2022. 3 00:00:10,760 --> 00:00:14,040 The first item is presentations from members of the public. 4 00:00:14,040 --> 00:00:17,760 Is there anyone from the public who wishes to address us? 5 00:00:17,760 --> 00:00:21,600 Seeing none, we'll move on to consent agenda. 6 00:00:21,600 --> 00:00:26,480 Does any board member wish to pull item A, B, or C? 7 00:00:26,480 --> 00:00:32,000 Okay, seeing none, do we have a motion to approve the consent agenda? 8 00:00:32,000 --> 00:00:39,840 Okay. I didn't catch who was seconding, but okay, Barbara. 9 00:00:39,840 --> 00:00:42,360 All right. All in favor say aye. 10 00:00:42,360 --> 00:00:43,140 Aye. 11 00:00:43,140 --> 00:00:45,680 Opposed? Motion carries. 12 00:00:45,680 --> 00:00:50,420 Next item is consider approval of the July 11th, 2022 minutes. 13 00:00:50,420 --> 00:00:52,720 Do we have a motion to approve the minutes? 14 00:00:52,720 --> 00:00:56,240 Larry's moving. Do we have a second? 15 00:00:56,240 --> 00:00:57,200 Second. 16 00:00:57,200 --> 00:00:59,840 Billy's second. All in favor say aye. 17 00:00:59,840 --> 00:01:00,680 Aye. 18 00:01:00,680 --> 00:01:04,120 Carries. The next items are the approval of 19 00:01:04,120 --> 00:01:07,840 the budgets and their presentations are available if anybody has questions. 20 00:01:07,840 --> 00:01:11,240 Otherwise, we'll just go through and approve each item. 21 00:01:11,240 --> 00:01:17,320 The first one is the approval of the solid waste fiscal year 2022-2023 operating budget. 22 00:01:17,320 --> 00:01:21,520 Does any board members have questions on the solid waste? 23 00:01:21,520 --> 00:01:24,640 All right. Do we have a motion to approve? 24 00:01:24,640 --> 00:01:26,600 Ben is motioning to approve. 25 00:01:26,600 --> 00:01:29,320 Lee is seconding. All in favor say aye. 26 00:01:29,320 --> 00:01:30,160 Aye. 27 00:01:30,160 --> 00:01:31,800 Did you have a question, Lee? 28 00:01:31,800 --> 00:01:34,320 I had a question, but I'm too late. 29 00:01:34,320 --> 00:01:36,880 No, that's fine. We can go back, can't we? 30 00:01:36,880 --> 00:01:37,400 Yeah. 31 00:01:37,400 --> 00:01:38,240 Okay. Thank you. 32 00:01:38,240 --> 00:01:41,040 Go ahead. I thought you were seconding. 33 00:01:41,040 --> 00:01:42,840 No, I was trying to get my hand up. 34 00:01:42,840 --> 00:01:43,960 Okay. 35 00:01:43,960 --> 00:01:50,480 My question is, has anything changed in this budget presentation since we last saw it? 36 00:01:50,480 --> 00:01:52,400 No, sir. Nothing has changed. 37 00:01:52,400 --> 00:01:54,720 It's 100 percent same as it was. 38 00:01:54,720 --> 00:01:57,280 Yes. Let me back up. 39 00:01:57,280 --> 00:01:59,520 Danielle Stanford and her own budget manager. 40 00:01:59,520 --> 00:02:03,840 The only thing Mr. Rybeck that has changed is we did adjust the supplemental requests. 41 00:02:03,840 --> 00:02:08,320 We were double counting 630,000. 42 00:02:08,320 --> 00:02:15,920 We reduced the supplemental requests to accurately reflect what is moving forward as a recurring cost. 43 00:02:15,920 --> 00:02:17,840 Okay. What was that amount? 44 00:02:17,840 --> 00:02:19,760 What's the new amount? 45 00:02:19,760 --> 00:02:34,640 The recurring cost is $620,065. 46 00:02:34,640 --> 00:02:36,640 It was 1.2 million. 47 00:02:36,640 --> 00:02:38,080 That was previously 130? 48 00:02:38,080 --> 00:02:38,800 Yes, sir. 49 00:02:38,800 --> 00:02:40,160 Okay. Thank you very much. 50 00:02:40,160 --> 00:02:40,800 No problem. 51 00:02:40,800 --> 00:02:42,560 I have no further questions. Thank you. 52 00:02:42,560 --> 00:02:44,800 Do we need to re-approve it, Marcella? 53 00:02:44,800 --> 00:02:53,200 Okay. Do we have a motion to approve the fiscal year 2022-2023 solid waste budget? 54 00:02:53,200 --> 00:02:54,240 Okay. 55 00:02:54,240 --> 00:02:55,040 Second. 56 00:02:55,040 --> 00:02:57,840 And Lee's seconding. All in favor this time? 57 00:02:57,840 --> 00:02:58,960 Aye. 58 00:02:58,960 --> 00:03:00,000 Okay. It carries. 59 00:03:00,000 --> 00:03:06,640 Next item is considered the approval of the water fiscal year 2022-2023 operating and capital budget. 60 00:03:06,640 --> 00:03:09,840 Okay. This one, Mr. Beck has questions. 61 00:03:10,800 --> 00:03:17,440 I notice you say no rate increase, which is good, but considering the serious warm weather we've had, 62 00:03:17,440 --> 00:03:22,560 the drought weather, are we capable of doing that? 63 00:03:22,560 --> 00:03:31,440 I noticed there was a surplus of about $24 million from last year or this last fiscal year. 64 00:03:31,440 --> 00:03:36,000 Is that the reason we're able to hold rate increases steady? 65 00:03:37,360 --> 00:03:42,000 I'm concerned that the dry weather, the drought weather we've had, 66 00:03:42,000 --> 00:03:49,920 is that susceptible to change that prognosis of no rate increases? 67 00:03:49,920 --> 00:03:51,760 I'm actually going to let Nick help me with that one. 68 00:03:51,760 --> 00:03:52,000 Okay. 69 00:03:52,000 --> 00:03:58,480 One comment I'll make is when we do have drought weather, we sell more water. 70 00:03:58,480 --> 00:03:58,960 Yeah. 71 00:03:58,960 --> 00:04:00,880 So we usually have a surplus of sales. 72 00:04:02,720 --> 00:04:08,960 Okay. But if we're using more water, then we're depleting our resources quicker too. 73 00:04:08,960 --> 00:04:11,200 So I guess that's where I was going with that. 74 00:04:11,200 --> 00:04:14,960 This projection takes all that into account? 75 00:04:14,960 --> 00:04:18,400 Good morning. Nick Vinson, Assistant Director of Finance. 76 00:04:18,400 --> 00:04:23,200 Mr. Beck, you're exactly correct. This forecast does take that into account. 77 00:04:23,200 --> 00:04:26,480 So a couple of the major projects in water and wastewater for this fiscal year 78 00:04:26,480 --> 00:04:30,880 is replacement of the existing infrastructure, that aging infrastructure. 79 00:04:30,880 --> 00:04:35,280 So I think to your point, the more water we use, the more demand on that infrastructure. 80 00:04:35,280 --> 00:04:39,920 Yeah. Okay. But we're okay. No rate increases this fiscal year. 81 00:04:39,920 --> 00:04:42,960 For water, correct. No rate increases. That is correct. 82 00:04:42,960 --> 00:04:43,760 Right. Thank you. 83 00:04:43,760 --> 00:04:50,800 All right. Do we have a motion to approve the water operating capital? 84 00:04:50,800 --> 00:04:53,280 Yes. Mr. Beck is moving. 85 00:04:53,280 --> 00:04:57,920 And do we have a second? Okay. Ben's seconding. 86 00:04:57,920 --> 00:04:59,360 All in favor say aye. 87 00:04:59,360 --> 00:04:59,860 Aye. 88 00:05:00,560 --> 00:05:08,240 Carries. Next one is consider recommending the approval of the waste water fiscal year 2022-2023 89 00:05:08,240 --> 00:05:11,840 operating and capital budget. Are there questions on this budget? 90 00:05:11,840 --> 00:05:16,320 All right. I see no hands going up. Do we have a motion to... 91 00:05:16,320 --> 00:05:19,600 Oh, okay. Now I see a hand going up. Mr. Rybett, go ahead. 92 00:05:19,600 --> 00:05:23,920 Same question. Has anything changed in this budget from the prior presentation? 93 00:05:23,920 --> 00:05:27,040 No, sir. Nothing has changed from the prior presentation on wastewater. 94 00:05:27,040 --> 00:05:28,340 Thank you. 95 00:05:30,240 --> 00:05:31,520 Do we have a motion to approve? 96 00:05:31,520 --> 00:05:33,920 So moved. Mr. Rybett's moving. 97 00:05:33,920 --> 00:05:34,800 And do we have a second? 98 00:05:34,800 --> 00:05:38,720 Billy second. All in favor say aye. 99 00:05:38,720 --> 00:05:39,220 Aye. 100 00:05:39,220 --> 00:05:46,000 Consider recommending the approval of the electric fiscal year 2022-2023 operating and capital budget. 101 00:05:46,000 --> 00:05:49,280 Questions on this one? Mr. Beck. 102 00:05:49,280 --> 00:05:53,360 I'm not sure if it goes here, but going through all these reports, 103 00:05:53,360 --> 00:05:58,000 we had talked about in the past that we were going to hire new people and some of that's in here, 104 00:05:58,000 --> 00:06:03,520 but there was the gas well inspector. Would that fall under this domain? 105 00:06:03,520 --> 00:06:07,600 Yes, sir. I believe that's part of the water as sustainability. 106 00:06:07,600 --> 00:06:12,720 Okay. So there was a person in there that we intend on hiring for that purpose. 107 00:06:12,720 --> 00:06:13,860 Go ahead. 108 00:06:13,860 --> 00:06:20,320 So great question. That question actually came up last week with a council presentation. 109 00:06:20,320 --> 00:06:24,720 So that position, if I'm not mistaken, was actually scheduled to start today, 110 00:06:24,720 --> 00:06:29,520 it'll be their first day at the city. Okay. So I just missed it all. I'm just glad it's there. Thank you. 111 00:06:29,520 --> 00:06:32,800 All right. Other questions? 112 00:06:32,800 --> 00:06:37,040 Do we have a motion to approve the electric fiscal year budget? 113 00:06:37,040 --> 00:06:42,400 Billy's moved. And Mr. Rybett second. All in favor say aye. 114 00:06:42,400 --> 00:06:49,040 Aye. That carries. Consider recommending approval of the customer service fiscal year 2022-2023 115 00:06:49,040 --> 00:06:52,800 operating and capital budget. Are there questions on the customer service? 116 00:06:54,800 --> 00:06:55,520 Mr. Rybett. 117 00:06:55,520 --> 00:07:01,920 We had a very nice presentation on the customer service budget review previously, but I have a 118 00:07:01,920 --> 00:07:06,480 question that occurred to me afterwards, which is one of the things they wanted to do with this 119 00:07:06,480 --> 00:07:11,760 budget is to add personnel, but they're also pushing very hard to have everything done online. 120 00:07:11,760 --> 00:07:17,360 So I'm modestly confused about we're adding people, but we're trying to get everything automated. 121 00:07:17,360 --> 00:07:22,800 So I just thought I would pose that question before we go ahead and say to approve the budget. 122 00:07:22,800 --> 00:07:24,240 I don't know if you can answer that or not. 123 00:07:25,440 --> 00:07:30,240 That's a good question, Mr. Rybett. It doesn't look like someone from customer services here, 124 00:07:30,240 --> 00:07:34,560 but they do have metrics that support the need for additional personnel that I'll be happy to 125 00:07:34,560 --> 00:07:37,760 share with Kim to send to you all after the meeting. Thank you. 126 00:07:37,760 --> 00:07:43,280 Oh, and then Barbara. Thank you. 127 00:07:43,280 --> 00:07:47,200 I just wanted to say, I know customer service is getting busier and busier, 128 00:07:47,200 --> 00:07:53,440 so I think there is probably a need for an additional person along with automating because 129 00:07:53,440 --> 00:07:57,520 now if you're trying to get through, you have a considerable amount of weight. 130 00:07:57,520 --> 00:08:03,840 And I will say those guys do a great job. Yes, ma'am. They do a wonderful job. And 131 00:08:03,840 --> 00:08:08,640 she does have a table provided in a different presentation that supports the need for additional 132 00:08:08,640 --> 00:08:12,800 staff. All right. Move approval. 133 00:08:12,800 --> 00:08:18,160 All right. Thank you, Barbara. Do we have a second? Mr. Beck, seconding. All in favor say, 134 00:08:18,160 --> 00:08:24,320 aye. Aye. That carries. Thank you. Thank you. Management reports. Christine. 135 00:08:24,320 --> 00:08:38,720 Okay. So on your, we don't have any items under the future public utility board agenda items, 136 00:08:38,720 --> 00:08:41,440 unless you'll have something you want us to look into and bring back to you. 137 00:08:41,440 --> 00:08:45,360 And then on our second attachment for the new business action items, 138 00:08:46,000 --> 00:08:51,280 we still have the item on there that Mr. Soph had requested back in 2020. I did meet with Tony 139 00:08:51,280 --> 00:08:56,320 prior to this meeting and he indicated he wanted to let you all know that DME anticipates taking 140 00:08:56,320 --> 00:09:01,440 that item to the sustainability committee in mid August. So they should have that information 141 00:09:01,440 --> 00:09:06,400 ready for public utilities board and an update after that. Okay. Thank you. Is there any other 142 00:09:06,400 --> 00:09:15,440 items we need to add or look into? Yes, sir. Yeah. So I know there's, we have the incentives for 143 00:09:16,400 --> 00:09:20,880 getting solar panels on your roof, which I know gets depleted very quickly. 144 00:09:20,880 --> 00:09:25,280 Has there been any thought to increasing that or removing it altogether or 145 00:09:25,280 --> 00:09:30,160 have we reconsidered anything with that recently? I'd be curious to know info on that. 146 00:09:30,160 --> 00:09:35,120 I will add that and bring that back. I do know that Michael Gagne, our sustainability director, 147 00:09:35,120 --> 00:09:39,920 has been working on that in conjunction with DME, looking at that program and what can we do 148 00:09:39,920 --> 00:09:44,400 additionally to either enhance that or what can we do? So we'll add that to our list and bring that 149 00:09:44,400 --> 00:09:52,400 back as an action item. Great. Thanks. All right, that brings us to concluding items. I think this 150 00:09:52,400 --> 00:10:00,720 is where I say I did get my absence approved for June 13th. So we can have that in the record. 151 00:10:00,720 --> 00:10:08,160 Does any board member wish to have anything else added or make any comments? Just want to make sure 152 00:10:08,160 --> 00:10:12,720 that everybody's going to be here because Susan and Barbara and both will miss the next meeting, 153 00:10:13,760 --> 00:10:19,120 which is the 8th. Everybody else ought to be here? Should be, yeah. Okay. I will be here on the 8th, 154 00:10:19,120 --> 00:10:24,800 but I will not be on the 22nd. Okay. And I will send an email to the secretary on that. 155 00:10:24,800 --> 00:10:37,360 And Barbara. Yes, yes. All right. Do we have a motion to adjourn? Okay, 910.