MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF COMMISSIONERS
November 17, 2015
The regular meeting of the Commissioners of Public Utility District No. 1 of Lewis
County was held in the Chehalis Office of the District on the above date at 10:00 a.m.
Those present were Dean Dahlin, Vice President and Ben Kostick, Secretary. Also
present were Robert Geddes, Manager; Rich Bauer, Treasurer; Brad Ford, Auditor; and Stacy
Davis, Executive Assistant. Additional staff present were Dan Kay, Chief Engineer; Mike Kohn,
Cowlitz Falls Project (CFP) Biologist, Lora Provolt, HR Manager; Chris Roden, Power
Manager; Matt Samuelson, Power Analyst; Corenne Moses, Administrative Assistant; Norm
Goodbla, Energy Services Manager; Jeff Baine, IS Manager; Luke Stanfield, Energy Services
Specialist; and Ryan Lane, Superintendent.
Commissioner Dahlin welcomed staff to the meeting.
The Minutes of the November 10, 2015 meeting was presented. Following review,
Commissioner Kostick moved to approve the Minutes as presented. The motion was seconded
by Commissioner Dahlin. Commissioner Dahlin supported the motion and it carried
unanimously.
Cowlitz Falls Project vouchers numbered 29417 to and including 29430 totaling
$8,225.96 and Electric System vouchers numbered 164279 to and including 164371 totaling
$314,811.69 were presented. Following examination and discussion, Commissioner Kostick
moved to approve the vouchers as presented. The motion was seconded by Commissioner
Dahlin. Following review and discussion, Commissioner Dahlin supported the motion and it
carried unanimously.
Work Order No. CF15-095 for the 2016 Biological Opinion Fish Studies totaling
$330,000.00 was presented. Commissioner Kostick moved to approve the work order as
presented. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Dahlin. Mr. Kohn detailed the
contributed funds of $160,000.00 to USGS for radio telemetry and $170,000.00 for radio tags
radio track juvenile salmon to evaluate survival at the Project. Mr. Kohn further noted that
several evaluation alternatives are being considered due to water conditions and temperatures.
Following discussion, Commissioner Dahlin supported the motion and it carried unanimously.
Resolution No. 2709, “A Resolution Authorizing Closure of the Offices of the District for
a Portion of the Afternoon on December 24, 2015” was presented. Commissioner Kostick
moved to approve Resolution No. 2709 as presented. The motion was seconded by
Commissioner Dahlin. Following discussion, Commissioner Dahlin supported the motion and it
carried unanimously.
Mr. Kay presented a recommendation to accept work as complete on Bid No. 15-05 for
replacement of the 230 kV bells awarded to Magnum Power. Mr. Kay reported that all work has
been completed to satisfaction. Commissioner Kostick moved to accept work as complete on
Bid No. 15-05 as presented. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Dahlin. Following
discussion, Commissioner Dahlin supported the motion and it carried unanimously.
Mr. Kay presented a recommendation to award Quote No. 15-32Q for the sale of
transformers, capacitors and regulators. Mr. Kay noted that Lot No. 1 included 23 pole mount
transformers and Lot No. 2 included 40 pole mount transformers, 20 pad mount transformers, 4
capacitors and 3 regulators. Mr. Kay recommended awarding Lot No. 1 to high bidder T&R
Electric totaling $2,840.00 and Lot No. 2 to high bidder Transformer Technologies in the amount
of $4,558.00. Commissioner Kostick moved to approve award of Quote No. 15-32Q Lots 1 and
2 to the high bidders as presented. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Dahlin.
Following discussion, Commissioner Dahlin supported the motion and it carried unanimously.
Ms. Provolt reported on the L&I experience factor and noted that it has been reduced by
about 25% from 2015. The 2016 claims saving for the District will be approximate $68,400.00
and saving each of the outside employees approximately $274.00 and each inside employees
approximately $87.00 in 2016. The Manager noted that the District contracted with Archbright
to assist with the management of the District’s L&I claims.
Ms. Davis requested travel authorization for Commissioner Kostick to attend the 2016
American Public Power Association (APPA) Legislative Rally in Washington DC March 7-9,
2016. Commissioner Dahlin moved to authorize travel to Commissioner Kostick as presented.
The motion was seconded by Commissioner Kostick. There was no further discussion.
Commissioner Dahlin supported the motion and it carried unanimously.
Mr. Goodbla presented a draft Conservation Potential Assessment (CPA) from EES
Consulting to comply with Initiative 937 (I-937). Mr. Goodbla stated I-937 requires that the
CPA be updated every two years and that I-937 requires that the District develop a ten year and
twenty year conservation potential and a two year target of achievable energy savings based on
the ten year potential. Mr. Goodbla stated that the Northwest Power and Conservation Council’s
(NWPPC) 6th Power Plan and the Regional Technical Forum (RTF) revised their measures. Mr.
Goodbla further noted that the draft report finds that based on the results of the base case
scenario the total ten year effective potential is 3.41 aMW and the two year potential is 0.63
aMW. The results are lower than previous assessments due to changes in market conditions,
code and standard changes, recent conservation achievements and revised savings values RTF
and the NWPPC’s measures. Following discussion, Commissioner Kostick moved to hold
public comment period on the 2015 CPA beginning on November 19, 2015 at the District’s
Chehalis Office for a thirty day comment. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Dahlin.
Following additional discussion, Commissioner Dahlin supported the motion and it carried
unanimously.
The Manager reported that he met with Pat McCarty from Tacoma Power regarding the
construction of the Northshore Collector. Additional discussion included contracting with
Tacoma Power for dam safety personnel and assistance with the control systems at Cowlitz Falls
and for the operations at the Cowlitz Falls Project. The Manager noted that the District is not
interested in Tacoma Power operating the District’s Project.
The Manager provided details of the meeting that he had with J. Vander Stoep regarding
the Governor’s Group relating to water retention facilities on the Upper Chehalis River Basin.
The Manager noted that the Quinault Indian Tribe is being considered to be added to the
Governor’s Group and Mr. Vander Stoep stated that if that were to happen, an additional
member would need to be added to balance the members and the Manager was asked to be a
possible added member.
The Manager and Mr. Roden reported on the Western Public Agencies Group (WPAG)
and noted that WPAG is supporting moving forward with a new market design. Mr. Roden
provided the differences between CCED and SCED and the pros and cons of each.
The Manager noted that Mr. Bauer will proceed with the draft 2016 proposed budget
including the reduction of the L&I savings, reduction of the advertising expenses and changes in
the vehicle budget. The Manager further discussed the rate stabilization account and how those
funds are expected to be used.
The Manager further noted that he met with David Hartz from the Renaissance
Committee and Norm Pfaff, architect, on the proposed park at the Main Street Substation
property ideas.
Commissioner Kostick noted that Mr. Canfield did a great job presenting at Sertoma
pertaining to the District’s conservation program.
There being no further business, Commissioner Kostick moved to adjourn. The motion
was seconded by Commissioner Dahlin. Commissioner Dahlin supported the motion and it
carried unanimously.
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Charles R. TenPas, President
ATTEST:
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Dean L. Dahlin, Vice President
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Ben M. Kostick, Secretary