1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:05,000 - Okay, it's 9.09 and now we do have a quorum. 2 00:00:05,000 --> 00:00:11,060 So I'll call to order the public utilities board meeting 3 00:00:11,060 --> 00:00:15,240 for the city of Denton on Monday, September 11th, 2023. 4 00:00:15,240 --> 00:00:17,520 The first item is presentations from the public 5 00:00:17,520 --> 00:00:19,280 and no one has registered to comment. 6 00:00:19,280 --> 00:00:22,640 So we'll move past that. 7 00:00:22,640 --> 00:00:24,880 The next item is consent agenda. 8 00:00:24,880 --> 00:00:28,720 Does any board member wish to pull on item A through E? 9 00:00:31,000 --> 00:00:33,080 - I'll save you guys. 10 00:00:33,080 --> 00:00:36,720 I'd like to drill some stuff, but I'm not going to. 11 00:00:36,720 --> 00:00:38,040 (laughing) 12 00:00:38,040 --> 00:00:39,000 - So you're not gonna pull on it? 13 00:00:39,000 --> 00:00:39,960 - No, I'm not gonna pull on it. 14 00:00:39,960 --> 00:00:41,920 - All right, so do we have a motion 15 00:00:41,920 --> 00:00:44,940 to approve the consent agenda items A through E? 16 00:00:44,940 --> 00:00:46,960 - So moved. 17 00:00:46,960 --> 00:00:50,000 - Mr. A, okay, and Barbara second. 18 00:00:50,000 --> 00:00:51,440 All in favor say aye. 19 00:00:51,440 --> 00:00:52,280 - Aye. - Aye. 20 00:00:52,280 --> 00:00:55,640 - All right, next item is approval 21 00:00:55,640 --> 00:00:59,560 of the August 28th, 2023 minutes. 22 00:00:59,560 --> 00:01:01,500 Were there any changes or corrections? 23 00:01:01,500 --> 00:01:03,880 - See you guys. 24 00:01:03,880 --> 00:01:05,040 - See you guys. 25 00:01:05,040 --> 00:01:06,340 - You owe me one, okay? 26 00:01:06,340 --> 00:01:08,480 (laughing) 27 00:01:08,480 --> 00:01:12,020 - Seeing none, do we have a motion to approve the minutes? 28 00:01:12,020 --> 00:01:16,400 - So moved. 29 00:01:16,400 --> 00:01:17,240 - And a second? 30 00:01:17,240 --> 00:01:18,060 - Second. 31 00:01:18,060 --> 00:01:18,900 - All in favor say aye. 32 00:01:18,900 --> 00:01:20,560 - Aye. - Aye. 33 00:01:20,560 --> 00:01:21,900 - Management reports. 34 00:01:21,900 --> 00:01:26,740 - Madam Chair, members of PB, we have three memos 35 00:01:26,740 --> 00:01:30,320 that we've provided to the board follow-ups 36 00:01:30,320 --> 00:01:31,440 to questions that we had. 37 00:01:31,440 --> 00:01:35,920 One was related to the Gibbons Creek power station. 38 00:01:35,920 --> 00:01:40,920 The other one was information on solar for commercial. 39 00:01:40,920 --> 00:01:44,120 And then the last one was some telecom issues 40 00:01:44,120 --> 00:01:45,120 that we've tried to address. 41 00:01:45,120 --> 00:01:47,920 So if anyone has any questions on any of those three, 42 00:01:47,920 --> 00:01:50,260 happy to try to respond. 43 00:01:50,260 --> 00:01:54,320 Mr. Ryback. 44 00:01:54,320 --> 00:01:58,000 - I had a question on the large rooftop PPA memo. 45 00:01:58,000 --> 00:01:58,840 - Yes, sir. 46 00:01:58,840 --> 00:02:03,000 - It's more of a question of how the system operates 47 00:02:03,000 --> 00:02:05,300 and how DME interacts with it. 48 00:02:05,300 --> 00:02:07,160 I thought you guys brought up a really good point 49 00:02:07,160 --> 00:02:10,840 about what happens when this building is, you know, 50 00:02:10,840 --> 00:02:15,080 abandoned or sold or the stops being occupied 51 00:02:15,080 --> 00:02:16,480 for some period of time. 52 00:02:16,480 --> 00:02:18,520 The solar is still there, it's still working, 53 00:02:18,520 --> 00:02:20,280 it's still feeding into the system. 54 00:02:20,280 --> 00:02:25,280 Is there any way that DME has to control that flow of power 55 00:02:25,280 --> 00:02:29,960 or regulate it or does the system have to be decommissioned 56 00:02:29,960 --> 00:02:31,200 for that to stop happening? 57 00:02:31,200 --> 00:02:32,200 How does that work? 58 00:02:32,200 --> 00:02:34,680 - Yeah, so generally speaking, 59 00:02:34,680 --> 00:02:39,580 if the business goes out of business and it shuts down, 60 00:02:39,580 --> 00:02:42,320 all the utilities are cut off and we remove the meter. 61 00:02:42,320 --> 00:02:44,200 So that disables the system. 62 00:02:44,200 --> 00:02:46,260 Again, just like with residential, 63 00:02:46,260 --> 00:02:48,320 it is a net metering process. 64 00:02:48,320 --> 00:02:50,760 So we don't have two separate meters. 65 00:02:50,760 --> 00:02:53,800 So the system doesn't maintain. 66 00:02:53,800 --> 00:02:58,800 I think what Bill really intended was if there's a holiday 67 00:02:58,800 --> 00:03:02,500 or there's some type of shutdown in the business, 68 00:03:02,500 --> 00:03:04,020 the business is not out of business, 69 00:03:04,020 --> 00:03:05,940 they've just shut down for a few hours, 70 00:03:05,940 --> 00:03:08,720 the system continues to produce electricity. 71 00:03:08,720 --> 00:03:10,080 And in that situation, 72 00:03:10,080 --> 00:03:12,280 we could end up with a net positive, right? 73 00:03:12,280 --> 00:03:15,160 So we could end up with more power coming 74 00:03:15,160 --> 00:03:18,680 into our distribution system versus it being used up 75 00:03:18,680 --> 00:03:19,520 by the business. 76 00:03:19,520 --> 00:03:21,360 I think that's what he intended to mean. 77 00:03:21,360 --> 00:03:26,360 Not that the system remains after the business is closed. 78 00:03:26,360 --> 00:03:28,920 - Okay, but even under those circumstances, 79 00:03:28,920 --> 00:03:33,920 whether it closed or shut down, the solar is active, right? 80 00:03:33,920 --> 00:03:36,860 It's still producing DC power. 81 00:03:36,860 --> 00:03:38,160 So what happens to that? 82 00:03:38,160 --> 00:03:40,920 - Yeah, I would imagine that the system is disabled 83 00:03:40,920 --> 00:03:44,000 at that point if the building is completely vacated 84 00:03:44,000 --> 00:03:45,760 and there's no tenant there. 85 00:03:45,760 --> 00:03:48,240 But again, the fact that we removed the meter, 86 00:03:48,240 --> 00:03:50,480 there won't be anything flowing back to us. 87 00:03:50,480 --> 00:03:52,740 - Okay, so it's no longer a risk for DME. 88 00:03:52,740 --> 00:03:53,580 - That's correct. 89 00:03:53,580 --> 00:03:55,120 - 'Cause that thought occurred to me reading your report 90 00:03:55,120 --> 00:03:57,840 and I was like, well, what happens to that power 91 00:03:57,840 --> 00:03:59,640 because the DC doesn't turn itself off. 92 00:03:59,640 --> 00:04:02,240 - Yeah, I would imagine that the business, 93 00:04:02,240 --> 00:04:04,040 whoever vacated that property 94 00:04:04,040 --> 00:04:05,840 should have disconnected the system as well, 95 00:04:05,840 --> 00:04:08,000 disabled the system so that it's not producing 96 00:04:08,000 --> 00:04:09,040 any more power. 97 00:04:09,040 --> 00:04:09,880 - Okay, thank you. 98 00:04:09,880 --> 00:04:10,880 - Yes, sir. 99 00:04:10,880 --> 00:04:14,760 - So back up, the Gibbons Creek item, 100 00:04:14,760 --> 00:04:16,800 did anybody have any questions about that at all? 101 00:04:16,800 --> 00:04:17,640 I'm sorry. 102 00:04:17,640 --> 00:04:22,320 - The question that came from Ms. Russell 103 00:04:22,320 --> 00:04:25,720 and she just wanted an update on where things were. 104 00:04:25,720 --> 00:04:27,640 We tried to put in some pictures 105 00:04:27,640 --> 00:04:30,620 to kind of show the story of where things are. 106 00:04:30,620 --> 00:04:32,160 I think generally speaking, 107 00:04:32,160 --> 00:04:35,920 and Billy, you can certainly say more if you need to, 108 00:04:35,920 --> 00:04:38,640 but things are progressing well. 109 00:04:38,640 --> 00:04:40,500 Everything's been demolished. 110 00:04:40,500 --> 00:04:42,300 There's just some minor cleanup here and there. 111 00:04:42,300 --> 00:04:44,760 There's a lot of monitoring that needs to happen 112 00:04:44,760 --> 00:04:48,440 from here on out for probably the next 20 or 30 years. 113 00:04:48,440 --> 00:04:52,540 All that rests on G-Serg who purchased the property. 114 00:04:52,540 --> 00:04:55,600 - Most of the property, 115 00:04:55,600 --> 00:04:57,160 there's still property out there for sale. 116 00:04:57,160 --> 00:04:59,800 I don't know if we can discuss that in open session or not. 117 00:04:59,800 --> 00:05:00,640 Is that right? 118 00:05:00,640 --> 00:05:02,600 - Well, the property that you're talking about 119 00:05:02,600 --> 00:05:04,200 is related to the mine. 120 00:05:04,200 --> 00:05:06,680 And the question here was specific to the generation only. 121 00:05:06,680 --> 00:05:07,520 - Okay. 122 00:05:07,520 --> 00:05:08,340 - Yeah. 123 00:05:08,340 --> 00:05:11,200 - And that's why I said in the memo, I did state that 124 00:05:11,200 --> 00:05:14,520 that any mine property or transmission assets 125 00:05:14,520 --> 00:05:16,120 were not part of the memo. 126 00:05:16,120 --> 00:05:19,600 We just concentrated just on the generation component. 127 00:05:19,600 --> 00:05:21,240 - Okay, I just wanna make sure that everybody knew 128 00:05:21,240 --> 00:05:22,680 that there was an issue out there. 129 00:05:22,680 --> 00:05:24,520 - About 10,000 acres. 130 00:05:24,520 --> 00:05:25,640 - 730? 131 00:05:25,640 --> 00:05:26,480 - Yeah. 132 00:05:26,480 --> 00:05:27,300 - 730. 133 00:05:27,300 --> 00:05:28,140 - Is that right? 134 00:05:28,140 --> 00:05:28,980 - Yeah, a majority of the mine property 135 00:05:28,980 --> 00:05:30,480 has also been sold already. 136 00:05:30,480 --> 00:05:32,800 - Yeah, but it's just, it's the ugly property. 137 00:05:32,800 --> 00:05:34,080 It's not the pretty property. 138 00:05:34,080 --> 00:05:36,040 Pretty property sold really quick. 139 00:05:36,040 --> 00:05:37,760 (laughing) 140 00:05:37,760 --> 00:05:39,080 - I was just wondering, there's still, 141 00:05:39,080 --> 00:05:42,460 if I understood the memo correctly, there's still a bond 142 00:05:42,460 --> 00:05:45,040 which the DME still has participation in. 143 00:05:45,040 --> 00:05:46,920 So how does that work? 144 00:05:46,920 --> 00:05:49,520 And once the bond is depleted and used, 145 00:05:49,520 --> 00:05:51,800 is there any further obligation from the utility? 146 00:05:51,800 --> 00:05:55,400 - So the bond isn't for DME, it's for TMPA, 147 00:05:55,400 --> 00:05:57,520 which DME is a member, 21%. 148 00:05:57,520 --> 00:05:59,480 - So just our portion therefore. 149 00:05:59,480 --> 00:06:04,480 - So as they do the remediation work, 150 00:06:04,480 --> 00:06:08,080 based on where they are, there is a release of that bond. 151 00:06:08,080 --> 00:06:11,160 And so it's a recognition that the risk 152 00:06:11,160 --> 00:06:14,600 that was protected on the bond has now been relieved. 153 00:06:14,600 --> 00:06:17,040 And so there's a sign-off to reduce that. 154 00:06:17,040 --> 00:06:21,040 At some point, all of it will be gone, 155 00:06:21,040 --> 00:06:23,040 but that's likely gonna take some time. 156 00:06:23,040 --> 00:06:26,720 - But there's no continuing liability 157 00:06:26,720 --> 00:06:30,000 for the utility in the city after the bond is depleted. 158 00:06:30,000 --> 00:06:31,360 - Our portion of it, yes. 159 00:06:31,360 --> 00:06:33,480 - Yeah, so there is, and that's what I'm saying. 160 00:06:33,480 --> 00:06:35,680 So it won't all be released. 161 00:06:35,680 --> 00:06:38,200 There's a 20 or 30 year worth of monitoring 162 00:06:38,200 --> 00:06:42,960 that has to happen that obviously GSERG is required 163 00:06:42,960 --> 00:06:46,120 to do that, but TMPA will continue to monitor 164 00:06:46,120 --> 00:06:47,800 to protect our best interest. 165 00:06:47,800 --> 00:06:48,640 - Okay, thank you. 166 00:06:48,640 --> 00:06:51,960 - It's, we've got a good, we have a good staff over there. 167 00:06:51,960 --> 00:06:54,360 We've got a good legal representation. 168 00:06:54,360 --> 00:06:56,800 We got Tony, who is on top of things, 169 00:06:56,800 --> 00:07:00,040 and he and his cohorts with the other cities. 170 00:07:00,040 --> 00:07:03,720 They're on it, they're doing well, Lee. 171 00:07:03,720 --> 00:07:06,320 So I feel very comfortable. 172 00:07:06,320 --> 00:07:11,120 And I want to hand over my presidency this week 173 00:07:11,120 --> 00:07:13,160 to Tom Jeffries out of Garland. 174 00:07:13,160 --> 00:07:17,160 And Tom is very capable and been around for 30 years 175 00:07:17,160 --> 00:07:19,360 and he's good dude. 176 00:07:19,360 --> 00:07:23,600 When I say good dude, usually that's my description 177 00:07:23,600 --> 00:07:27,640 of a person of any type, woman or man. 178 00:07:29,520 --> 00:07:32,720 - So those were the three memos that we had for you. 179 00:07:32,720 --> 00:07:34,960 And now going on to the new business action matrix, 180 00:07:34,960 --> 00:07:37,920 the items that we had outstanding. 181 00:07:37,920 --> 00:07:41,080 I think we've all, we have answered all of those already. 182 00:07:41,080 --> 00:07:41,920 Yes ma'am. 183 00:07:41,920 --> 00:07:46,480 - Could we go back to, I wanted to ask about the three 184 00:07:46,480 --> 00:07:48,040 telecom use of right of way. 185 00:07:48,040 --> 00:07:48,880 - Yes ma'am. 186 00:07:48,880 --> 00:07:54,800 - How do you know, how do you know if wires are wrapped 187 00:07:54,800 --> 00:07:58,840 around a branch that's fallen and you call the city 188 00:07:58,840 --> 00:08:00,920 and they say, it's not us. 189 00:08:00,920 --> 00:08:02,720 How do you know who to call? 190 00:08:02,720 --> 00:08:09,000 - So generally we get notified at DME more often than not. 191 00:08:09,000 --> 00:08:14,640 And so we roll a truck out and so our staff go out there 192 00:08:14,640 --> 00:08:17,160 and there's identification information on the cables 193 00:08:17,160 --> 00:08:20,800 themselves that we're able to identify who the owner 194 00:08:20,800 --> 00:08:22,200 of that cable is. 195 00:08:22,200 --> 00:08:25,840 And then our staff notify the company that there's an issue 196 00:08:25,840 --> 00:08:27,600 for them to come out. 197 00:08:27,600 --> 00:08:32,600 If it's a simple issue that our staff can handle safely, 198 00:08:32,600 --> 00:08:37,240 we generally will do that purely because at the end of the 199 00:08:37,240 --> 00:08:39,280 day, they're attached to our cable. 200 00:08:39,280 --> 00:08:41,680 There are customers, it's our community. 201 00:08:41,680 --> 00:08:44,240 And so we do a lot of that work. 202 00:08:44,240 --> 00:08:48,640 Unfortunately, that's created some bad behavior with some 203 00:08:48,640 --> 00:08:50,880 companies out there and that they expect that, right? 204 00:08:50,880 --> 00:08:53,600 And so that's something that we're working towards 205 00:08:53,600 --> 00:08:56,560 is this enforcement that Jerry kind of mentioned 206 00:08:56,560 --> 00:09:00,560 and also looking at some of our ordinances so that when we 207 00:09:00,560 --> 00:09:03,720 expend those resources on behalf of someone else, 208 00:09:03,720 --> 00:09:07,040 that we can turn around and bill them for that as well, 209 00:09:07,040 --> 00:09:08,520 if they're not gonna do it themselves. 210 00:09:08,520 --> 00:09:11,960 And so while they should be self policing, 211 00:09:11,960 --> 00:09:13,320 we know that that's not happening. 212 00:09:13,320 --> 00:09:15,880 And so we're having to do that on their behalf. 213 00:09:15,880 --> 00:09:20,680 - So as a, I mean, this summer we've had so many live 214 00:09:20,680 --> 00:09:24,920 branches just fall unusual. 215 00:09:24,920 --> 00:09:29,280 And if we call and the city will take care of that, 216 00:09:29,280 --> 00:09:32,160 we don't have to hunt down the utility. 217 00:09:32,160 --> 00:09:33,000 - No, ma'am. 218 00:09:33,000 --> 00:09:38,000 If they contact our dispatch center at 940-349-7000, 219 00:09:38,000 --> 00:09:40,480 we generally will take care of all that. 220 00:09:40,480 --> 00:09:41,520 - Okay, all right. 221 00:09:41,520 --> 00:09:42,360 Thank you very much. 222 00:09:42,360 --> 00:09:43,200 - Yes, ma'am. 223 00:09:43,200 --> 00:09:48,800 The final item is just a feature agenda matrix. 224 00:09:48,800 --> 00:09:50,280 The one item that's down here, 225 00:09:50,280 --> 00:09:51,760 obviously there'll still be other items, 226 00:09:51,760 --> 00:09:55,160 but is the wastewater master plan 227 00:09:55,160 --> 00:09:58,160 that will be coming to you on October 9th. 228 00:09:58,160 --> 00:10:00,640 I don't believe that that's shifted out. 229 00:10:00,640 --> 00:10:03,680 I know that there was some movement on the council agenda, 230 00:10:03,680 --> 00:10:06,240 but I'll verify that, Kim, just to make sure. 231 00:10:06,240 --> 00:10:08,360 But it looks like October 9th is when they will be coming 232 00:10:08,360 --> 00:10:11,480 back to you with the wastewater master plan. 233 00:10:11,480 --> 00:10:13,080 So with that, that concludes my item, 234 00:10:13,080 --> 00:10:14,640 but happy to answer any questions that you may have. 235 00:10:14,640 --> 00:10:15,840 - Why is Brian still here? 236 00:10:15,840 --> 00:10:18,720 - Brian Borner. 237 00:10:18,720 --> 00:10:20,400 - Sitting in your company listening to this. 238 00:10:20,400 --> 00:10:22,040 (all laughing) 239 00:10:22,040 --> 00:10:22,880 - Good answer. 240 00:10:22,880 --> 00:10:27,040 - I kept looking for solid waste. 241 00:10:27,040 --> 00:10:28,760 (all laughing) 242 00:10:28,760 --> 00:10:30,760 Did he get a promotion and he's over everything now 243 00:10:30,760 --> 00:10:31,600 or something? 244 00:10:31,600 --> 00:10:34,680 He'd be good at it for sure. 245 00:10:34,680 --> 00:10:38,280 - All right, then that leads to concluding items. 246 00:10:38,280 --> 00:10:40,400 Does any board member wish to have something put 247 00:10:40,400 --> 00:10:43,920 on the agenda or have anything to say to the public? 248 00:10:43,920 --> 00:10:47,760 - I'd like to move from, we shut this thing down. 249 00:10:47,760 --> 00:10:49,560 - Okay, 920. 250 00:10:49,560 --> 00:10:50,400 - Where'd you turn? 251 00:10:50,400 --> 00:10:51,240 - Pretty good.