City Council Regular Session – August 24, 2021

Video Description:
City Council Regular Session – August 24, 2021

Note: The following is the output of transcribing from a video recording. Although the transcription, which was done with software, is largely accurate, in some cases it is incomplete or inaccurate due to inaudible passages or [software] transcription errors. It is posted as an aid to understanding the proceedings at the meeting, but should not be treated as an authoritative record.

Read along below, or follow along here: https://otter.ai/u/hpZnpX6Ap4y_-kuhx1faxDn7qR8

Unknown Speaker 0:15
Alright, Hello, everybody. Let’s go ahead and call this meeting to order.

Unknown Speaker 0:20
Welcome. Let’s go ahead and I’m supposed to bang the gavel. Alright, now that we’re called to order, let’s go ahead and have a roll call.

Unknown Speaker 0:28
Mayor Bagley councilmembers. Christiansen

Unknown Speaker 0:31
fairing here. Martin. Peck, Rodriguez, waters here, Mary have a quorum. All right, let’s go ahead and have the pledge.

Unknown Speaker 0:44
I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty.

Unknown Speaker 0:58
All right, let’s go ahead. And just a quick reminder, anyone wishing to speak at first call public invited to be heard, will need to add their name to this list. Is there anybody here who arrived since I picked it up that wants their name on?

Unknown Speaker 1:12
All right, we’ll go ahead and close that then. Can we have a motion to approve the minutes of August 10 2021?

Unknown Speaker 1:19
All right. It’s been moved by Councilman waters. It’s been seconded by Councilmember Peck All in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed say nay. All right, the Motion carries unanimously. Next, do we have any agenda revisions?

Unknown Speaker 1:32
No, Mayor, we do not I booked Dr. Waters. Did you not want to talk and put on the agenda? The review for the city manager I do want Hold on one second.

Unknown Speaker 1:49
Huh, why is that not working?

Unknown Speaker 1:54
Okay, try it. Since the city manager’s case came from I was asked, Did I want to make a comment or move, make an offer a motion to make certain we address performance reviews. And I was about to say I spoke with the city manager and he was gonna bring it up. So

Unknown Speaker 2:12
Harold, you want a performance review?

Unknown Speaker 2:15
You do? It was a yes. So Eugene do want a performance review. All right. So technically, city, Mayor City Council, we do not hire anyone on staff other than our city manager and our city attorney. And we do need to do that. So Harold nugee, could you can we get that done before November for the election and this council will take care of it please, that’s what I was gonna bring up is we need to get this done before the transition and councils. So as soon as as soon as you too can find a spot on the calendar, set it up for an executive session. And let’s go ahead and meet with each of you.

Unknown Speaker 2:47
Separate Tuesday’s would probably be best suited to doing both at once. And so whoever’s doing a worse job, I would recommend you go last.

Unknown Speaker 2:58
So you guys just figure it out. All right.

Unknown Speaker 3:02
city manager’s report update on COVID-19.

Unknown Speaker 3:05
Mayor, I’m trying to

Unknown Speaker 3:08
bring this up as we speak on my computer so I can

Unknown Speaker 3:13
have.

Unknown Speaker 3:21
So when we talk about the cases,

Unknown Speaker 3:24
obviously, we can see that this is the data that the health department’s given us as we crossed the 53. That’s where they talk about limited epidemiological capacity. What that really means is the ability to track cases are moving forward. I think the big takeaway on this as you can continue to see the growth

Unknown Speaker 3:42
in the cases over the last few weeks.

Unknown Speaker 3:46
This, this chart actually talks about the seven day average in the number of new cases, and this is by age range, and they’re really focusing on zero to five, six to 1112 to 17.

Unknown Speaker 3:59
And what you can see is a seven day average for six to 11 is moved up in the 12 to 17 has moved up, it looks like zero to five is stabilizing a little bit in this chart. This chart actually was the one that I think is pretty interesting to look at when you look at the number of cases and what it looks like. So this is really comparing 2020 to 2021. And you can see june of 2020, where we had that peak.

Unknown Speaker 4:27
And then it dropped and sort of leveled out. But when you look at where we are today, this time of the year versus in 2021 versus 2020, you can see that there’s actually more cases being reported. What this means is that we’re still in the high transmission category as defined by the CDC.

Unknown Speaker 4:46
And then this gives you a look at what the state looks like in this case.

Unknown Speaker 4:51
These are case rates per 100,000. And I think as you can see in this chart, Boulder is the lowest at 115. But you’re seeing those no

Unknown Speaker 5:00
numbers really starting to move up for some of the other counties.

Unknown Speaker 5:06
Here’s the trends, again by age group, and you can see the different age groups. So you saw a movement upwards in 75 Plus, but when you look at that 10 to 17 category, you can see the one that’s picking up and then 55 to 64, has also been picking up recently, in terms of the number of cases.

Unknown Speaker 5:27
This one is a comparison from 2020 to 2021. And you can see that the dotted lines are 2021. And the solid lines are 20.

Unknown Speaker 5:37
Again,

Unknown Speaker 5:39
more cases at this time last year than we had in the year before.

Unknown Speaker 5:45
This is what it’s showing in terms of cases that they’re seeing Boulder County residents in Boulder County residents affiliated with cu, they’re starting to show this again as schools coming into session. Because that, as you know, when school started last year, we started seeing the cu associated cases go up. What’s interesting this year is that believe cu and CSU both required incoming

Unknown Speaker 6:12
students to be vaccinated. And and I think they also have put a masking requirement in that’s a little bit different than some of the other universities I took my daughter to school and they actually didn’t require the vaccination, nor masking at that university. So that is a bit of a difference. We’ll see you in CSU.

Unknown Speaker 6:33
When you look at the cases, again, this is broken down by race and ethnicity. If you look back to five,

Unknown Speaker 6:41
May of 21, you can see that there was still that disparity, not matching the demographics within the county, and then it really started to match and once again, you’re seeing that

Unknown Speaker 6:54
in terms of the race

Unknown Speaker 6:57
component of this Sorry, I’m working two computers here. At the same time.

Unknown Speaker 7:03
33% of the cases in this last data set was actually associated with Longmont the time before we had 32% of the cases.

Unknown Speaker 7:15
And you can see that we’re still following that trend. But we are seeing more cases with other municipalities and unincorporated Boulder County and then Lafayette Lewisville in superior they’re their bigger component than they have been in when we were originally moving into this.

Unknown Speaker 7:33
When we look at hospitalizations, the one thing I wanted to talk about in this is I think that’s really been the crux of the conversation. When we look at why people are looking at the issues today and and why this is so concerning, and it really is about once again hospitalizations being the key to the conversation. And you can see that hospitalizations have began to have continued to trend upward. You can see that the

Unknown Speaker 8:01
brown component Are those the COVID-19 persons under investigation and then confirm COVID-19 being as part of the case loads in this. This is

Unknown Speaker 8:15
hospitalizations have been rising since July remains steady week to week with 42 hospitalizations reported within Boulder County. So when we talk about how Boulder County has performed better than many other counties in our state, and frankly many counties in the nation, you can obviously see what the trend is that they’ve been experiencing here within the hospitals in our county.

Unknown Speaker 8:38
This is a different look. So if you remember the blue line was really the line that they were talking about in terms of

Unknown Speaker 8:44
when the state was going to consider additional ACC actions. And we’re below that line. You can see the dark red is how boulder County’s trending. And you can see how the metro areas trending. So it’s still performing better than those areas. But also, you’re still seeing the same upward tick in number of cases.

Unknown Speaker 9:04
So we’ve had 13 deaths so far in the second and third quarters of 2021. You can see in this chart that

Unknown Speaker 9:12
we’ve seen more since April as it continues to

Unknown Speaker 9:16
progress with

Unknown Speaker 9:18
Delta variant.

Unknown Speaker 9:22
Seven, the positivity rate is stable. I think what’s really interesting in this is when you look at June 19, we were at about point 6% positivity, right, we’re now at 4%. Again, it’s just mimicking the data that we’re seeing, as this has continued to move forward.

Unknown Speaker 9:42
In terms of vaccination, they’re now reporting the data in two different ways. So if you see in the first section when they talk about percent of eligible population, it’s 81.3%. And then they talk about percent of total population which is 72%. The reason why they say

Unknown Speaker 10:00
started doing this is because as they were looking at the numbers, I think they felt that it wasn’t accurately representing how many were vaccinated based on the population because there are a number of people within Boulder County who don’t qualify for the vaccination because of age. And then there’s also people who can’t get the vaccination because of autoimmune issues. So they’re given us both looks at that. I will say that when you look at the in compare ourselves on the statement, and then nation, this is a really high vaccination, right compared rate compared to some other places where I dropped my daughter off in school, I believe it was 44%. To give you a sense of, of what that looks like,

Unknown Speaker 10:43
or 46%.

Unknown Speaker 10:47
Again, this is how much they’re administering, again, you can see that it started to dip, but then you can see an upward movement in this in terms of those that have the full course but also those getting the first dose of the vaccine.

Unknown Speaker 11:01
When we talk about I want to kind of go back a little bit when we talked about the hospitalization piece on this. The data is not in this one. But I think the thing that’s also in play when they talk about hospitalizations, and we’re in these admin calls is really that the longer the virus continues to spread and evolve as viruses do, that’s what they do naturally. What you’re hearing is more of the concerns of what these other variants are going to do. And is there a potential for variant to develop that could potentially be vaccine resistant. I know there were a couple that they were monitoring in the laboratory setting that were showing that that was in the national news, but I haven’t heard anything since. So

Unknown Speaker 11:45
allowing the virus to continue to propagate and evolve in hospitalizations are really driving many of the conversations. I’ve gotten a ryka here, in case I miss anything she was in the meeting today. This gives you a look at vaccination by age in Boulder County. And you can see that we’re doing really well 70 Plus, really most of the categories until you get into the 12 to 29 age group.

Unknown Speaker 12:14
And we’re continuing to work to try to create opportunities for people to get vaccinated.

Unknown Speaker 12:22
This is relative risk of not being vaccinated by race and ethnicity. And this is an interesting chart where it talks about the percent of the bipoc vaccinated and what the relative risk is in the disparity that they’re seeing. I wasn’t on the call today. So I had some questions about this chart that I’ll follow up on later.

Unknown Speaker 12:47
This is what the vaccinated population looks like in the metro area. And so you can obviously see that Broomfield and Boulder County are above the the other communities with

Unknown Speaker 13:02
I can’t see what the top one is.

Unknown Speaker 13:06
The blue one, Adams

Unknown Speaker 13:09
being lower. And this is what it looks like in terms of Boulder County. In terms of that over 50%, if you remember we were

Unknown Speaker 13:21
talking about there, you know, when you look at the the light blue, it’s 50 to 75%. If you remember, we were targeting that early last year where we weren’t even in that range. And so that’s a good sign. We’re still doing a lot of work

Unknown Speaker 13:36
with cultural brokers and engaging in the community. In talking to Carmen about this issue, what I can say is, we’re also wearing people out at this point in terms of the work that they’re doing. So I just wanted to say at this point, we really appreciate our cultural brokers and what they’ve been doing and helping us engage within the community.

Unknown Speaker 13:57
As we look at this, this is where the the virus is continuing to move. What I would say to you all, is there still a lot of conversations occurring about what is the future going to look like for us? And is there going to be another maskeen order in place and what that’s going to look like at this point, we were thinking that we would see something this week, but it looks like if anything’s going to happen, it may happen that next week, and there’s going to be conversations about that. The one thing I did want to talk to counsel about is is how you want to handle these meetings. So if there is a masking order that comes out whether it’s state county or some point where we have to wear a mask indoors regardless of vaccination.

Unknown Speaker 14:49
When we went into this before, what counsel indicated to us is that they would rather not have to be on the Dyess and wear a mask. And then when we asked questions, I think there were some folks

Unknown Speaker 15:00
It’s a Well, yeah, we can wear a mask and we can be in here.

Unknown Speaker 15:05
I really want to know from from you all, how do you want to if something changes? And if there’s a requirement to wear a mask indoors, regardless of vaccination status? Do we want to continue to have the meetings in here and wear a mask? Or do we want to go online like we did before, and not wear a mask? I’m going to I’m going to say something real quick, I guess, then, Ivan actually proposed that we go back to if that happens, I don’t want to be present in wearing masks primarily because I wear glasses now. And I’ve got to read and write and look at a computer screen, and my glasses will be foggy non stop.

Unknown Speaker 15:44
So I’d prefer to go back to zoom. I’m just going to sit here with my mask off like this all night. And I can’t see anybody. I like looking at faces. and body language is important if we’re talking about stuff. And I’d like to see how people are feeling and I can’t do that when masks are on. I’m not saying that we should say no to the masking odor. I’m just saying I would like to. I would like to go back to zoom until it until it’s lifted if it occurs.

Unknown Speaker 16:13
Not I was I’ll make it a motion. I actually moved that we go back to zoom. So we can see each other rather than come with masks. If there’s a if there is an order of seconds. All right. There’s a motion on the floor. I made it Councillor water seconded it. Let’s go ahead and go down the row. Seat seven, which is Councilmember Martin.

Unknown Speaker 16:35
I will a

Unknown Speaker 16:39
well don’t know what it means you have a comment? Are you gonna? That’s great to vote. Yeah, I appreciate the support. I feel solid. Thank you filled in love. But what do you want to say? Well, I, for one thing, I had a question about the presentation that we sort of blew over. But

Unknown Speaker 16:56
you know, my preference is that we should be like a restaurant. So everybody has to wear masks except when they’re sitting at the table.

Unknown Speaker 17:04
But if that is not possible, then I agree we should go back to zoom.

Unknown Speaker 17:10
All right, Councilmember Peck.

Unknown Speaker 17:16
Thank you.

Unknown Speaker 17:18
The problem for me with zoom is that that excludes the public. And we just finally got back to having in person public invited to be heard.

Unknown Speaker 17:29
So I would say let’s try everybody being masked first, before we go, the final step to a full zoom. However, if there are if there are

Unknown Speaker 17:40
residents who refuse to wear a mask, because it’s against whatever, and it becomes an issue that I say we just go to full zoom.

Unknown Speaker 17:50
But I would like to keep the public. The public are invited to be heard.

Unknown Speaker 17:57
Councilmember Councilmember Naugle fairing

Unknown Speaker 18:01
they Thank you. I’m actually going to speak in opposition of this as a school teacher. I’m sorry, sorry, sorry. Sorry. Oh, hi. I was trying to turn off Councilmember Martens sorry, hold on, click that button again.

Unknown Speaker 18:15
Alright, speaking opposition is my favorite soon as i said that

Unknown Speaker 18:20
cameras off, it’s so actually I do wear a mask every day all day long in the presence of students, it can be done and I do wear glasses and teach and

Unknown Speaker 18:33
run around the classroom. You know, I would be happy to purchase or set people up with little nose guard that keeps it in place. I have a really awesome mask right here that I wear all day every day.

Unknown Speaker 18:48
changing it out of course. But you know, I feel like we need to be trying to keep a sense of normality as much as possible. And if we can be in person and have that connection with our constituents and do our weekly business here in Council I’d say let’s let’s do it you know I think it can be done and

Unknown Speaker 19:15
and you know just the zoom it did it really cut a lot of people out I feel very disconnected. And I think that we can I would like to see us continue in person with masks.

Unknown Speaker 19:28
And and it can be done our kids or my all my students are masked. And they’re eight they can do it. I think we can as adults we can I think we should set set a good role model

Unknown Speaker 19:46
calcifer or sorry Caspar Christiansen

Unknown Speaker 19:51
Oh, okay. I also disagree. I I agree with you that I would like to see people’s faces. I don’t care who

Unknown Speaker 20:00
You are want to see your face. And even though half of our faces have been explored for about a year, it’s so much better for us to be gathered, even if we have to sit six feet apart.

Unknown Speaker 20:14
I found that the last year of zoom meetings were really did exclude a lot of people from participating. And that’s who we serve is all of you. And I,

Unknown Speaker 20:27
even if we have to wear masks, I think it’s far better for us to be meeting like this. And we have to serve as an example. And we’re, we’re going to move we’re going to get out of this. And we’re going to move forward. And we’re going to figure out ways to deal with it. But I don’t, it feels like going backward.

Unknown Speaker 20:47
By going to zoom and I

Unknown Speaker 20:50
it’s also extremely hard if you’re hard of hearing, which many people are in this city, including me to hear people on zoom, when you can’t see what they’re you can’t see their face, you can’t hear them as nearly as well. So even though somebody is masking at the podium, I can hear them better than I can hear them on the telephone.

Unknown Speaker 21:15
And I would just prefer for us to try to move forward instead of going back to zoom.

Unknown Speaker 21:28
And Councillor Martin.

Unknown Speaker 21:33
I was just getting back in the queue. So I could ask my question about the data. But let’s, let’s hold on then. If you don’t mind, but don’t forget me. Okay. Council Member waters. Yeah, thanks. Mayor Begley, I, you know, I’ll do whatever.

Unknown Speaker 21:47
We can adjust and adapt the masks. I don’t. For me, the question is, can we mask? Certainly we can. And we could have a productive meaning I just in terms of as I think about the example, you know, what kind of example we said, I’m not certain what’s the best example to set whether it’s to be in here without being able to control the space and risk the confrontation that would come if someone decides they’re going to make a point or set the example of doing what we need to do in the interest of health and safety and and go to zoom for as long as we need to. I don’t like it either. I’d much rather be in in person just for for all the reasons they’ve been said. But it is example settings are concerned about and so I’ll you know, I’ll roll with it. I you know, I seconded the motion. I’m gonna vote for the motion. Not because I want to go back to zoom but because I do would like I would like to set the example that I think we need to set thanks. And I guess I guess all I would say is love you to death. Councilmember Duggal fairing but I’m not eight. I’m almost 50. And, like you, I’m used to wearing masks. I go to court, and I’m, I’ve tried several and my glasses get fogged. I don’t know why some don’t mind do. But

Unknown Speaker 22:58
to me, I mean, if you guys want to meet here with masks, let’s give it a shot. I’m just telling you you’ll I mean, I’m going to be foggy, and I won’t be able to see and I’ll probably be mad and you guys probably won’t be able to tell so it doesn’t really matter. All right. So the there’s motion on the floor for us to go to zoom if there is a mask mandate. All in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed say nay.

Unknown Speaker 23:21
Alright, so they’ll get the motion fails with Councilmember Jago fairing, Mayor Pro Tem Rodriguez, Councilmember Peck and Councilmember Christiansen voting against all right, do I have another motion?

Unknown Speaker 23:35
All we have we have to decide this right cost per pack. One.

Unknown Speaker 23:42
Thank you very badly. I move that we continue the meetings in person massed with everybody in the

Unknown Speaker 23:52
in the council chambers massed as well.

Unknown Speaker 23:56
When it becomes

Unknown Speaker 23:59
pertinent or when we have to do that when the data says that we need to be masked.

Unknown Speaker 24:07
Alright.

Unknown Speaker 24:09
Lack of Second. All right, so counselor Beck made a motion Councillor Christiansen seconded it.

Unknown Speaker 24:15
Any other comments? Do you want to say anything before we vote? Councillor Christiansen? I see you’re in the queue.

Unknown Speaker 24:22
Marsha, do you want in the queue on this issue? Do you want to wait?

Unknown Speaker 24:26
Go ahead.

Unknown Speaker 24:30
Go ahead. Thank you.

Unknown Speaker 24:33
I think that it lasts they closed the restaurants back down being unmasked on the Dyess and nowhere else could be a possibility. So I would, I would be willing to take that risk and put my mask on every time I stand up. If somebody wants to consider that obviously we have to do one or the other if there are no exceptions, but as long as we stand

Unknown Speaker 25:00
No, I’d rather consider the third option. As we learned, though, as I agree with you, but as we learned, oftentimes it’s the governor and the county health department that tells us what to do. So if we have that option, I’m all for it. But we’ll see.

Unknown Speaker 25:15
Um, Councilmember waters. Yeah. Thanks, everybody. I just want to clarify that the motion is if the data and I can I just translate that into if the Boulder County Health Department

Unknown Speaker 25:28
if that’s the order, yeah. So if the powers that be the governor of the Boulder, Boulder County Health Department, tell us that we need everybody needs to wear a mask indoors, we will continue meeting in person and wear the mask. Okay. That’s the motion. That’s just to clarify. Alright. So there’s motion All in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed say nay. All right, Motion carries unanimously. You have your direction Herald mascot, if necessary. Okay. All right. Let’s go on to Oh, sorry. Councilmember Martin has a question.

Unknown Speaker 26:00
Thank you. Thank you.

Unknown Speaker 26:04
My question is that there were some deaths associated.

Unknown Speaker 26:09
I was talking to her about something. I’m out of order talking during your statements.

Unknown Speaker 26:15
There were there were some deaths associated with all care facilities. And it to me, it seems to make a difference, especially in the current situation of transmissibility by to end by vaccinated versus unvaccinated people. Were the deaths associated with elder care facilities, deaths of elders? Or were they deaths of carriers? moroka are you there?

Unknown Speaker 26:54
We can we can find out.

Unknown Speaker 26:59
We’ll ask if they can we don’t they prepare this versus so we’ll ask for them to do that. I think one of the issues and Mikey might want to stay up here. And I don’t know if the numbers have changed that much. But last week, when we had a presentation, I believe,

Unknown Speaker 27:16
somewhere in the neighborhood of if you look at the number of cases that and I’m going to talk in general percentage points and rank if I’m wrong, tell me

Unknown Speaker 27:25
the number of cases where individuals tested positive and were unvaccinated It was about 80% of the cases is that correct? maraca?

Unknown Speaker 27:34
Pardon?

Unknown Speaker 27:36
82%. So 18% were were vaccinated. When we looked at the number of hospitalizations, that was what 80 80% marker. And so 12% of the people that were hospital aided, hospitalized, were vaccinated. And then when we looked at the deaths, I believe it was 93% of those deaths were unvaccinated. 7% that correct? Micah 7% were vaccinated. So you know that I think the point about that was as they are seeing breakthrough cases, and then dependent on many factors. It determines what what’s happening with folks. And but the the data still clearly showing that if you are vaccinated, you’re less likely to have a big breakthrough case and less likely to have these other components but they are seeing breakthrough cases. I did not want to skip over that.

Unknown Speaker 28:34
That Mike place in the cases of fatalities and hospitalizations that we are seeing as part of the breakthrough cases. Typically, those are happening to people who have who are either elderly 18 above or who are immunocompromised or have other complications already pre existing other conditions.

Unknown Speaker 28:54
All right, thank you.

Unknown Speaker 28:56
Okay.

Unknown Speaker 28:58
in the hopes that someone in the media will pick up what I have to say, Harold, thank you. The whole point. I mean, the only difference between me and everybody else is I was probably the first one to reach my limit with with lockdowns, which is like two seconds into it.

Unknown Speaker 29:12
But the the importance of getting vaccinated is because you are less likely to carry and you’re less likely to get sick. And it’s not that there is a fear necessarily in any one individual that you’re going to die of COVID. The problem is they’re going to go to the hospital then when one of us has a motorcycle accident or a heart attack or some other emergency, we can’t get treated. So even though it is three to 5% of the flu deaths, it’s just enough to tax our medical system. So vaccinations and masks are really about just keeping the system open. So that those of us who are hurt for other reasons can actually get get get treated. So I get that about right arrow. All right. So I’m open the paper will pick that up and we need

Unknown Speaker 30:00
People get vaccinated. So all right. And then I apologize, but I moved on to quickly from agenda revisions and, and motions to direct the city manager to add future agenda items as Councilmember Peck pointed out. So Councillor Peck, do you have something that?

Unknown Speaker 30:16
I do? Thank you for going back to this.

Unknown Speaker 30:20
In on July 27, we had a presentation from the citizens climate lobby to bring before Council, the energy innovation and carbon dividend act or otherwise, a carbon pricing bill. We got the presentation, but we didn’t move they were asking for an endorsement.

Unknown Speaker 30:42
And we didn’t move on that this bill is going is before Congress. So there is some expediting, need for it expedition of this.

Unknown Speaker 30:53
So therefore, because we need to have a discussion on Council on whether we are going to approve the resolution that was brought forth by the climate, citizens climate lobby, I’m going to move to direct staff to put on a September agenda, the energy innovation and carbon dividend Act, which is the carbon pricing bill resolution, and the resolution. And I do think that I asked Don to send that resolution to all the council members. I’m not sure if you got it yet, but it gives you time to read it before it’s on the agenda. So Do I have a second?

Unknown Speaker 31:36
Alright, Harold, is that is that possible?

Unknown Speaker 31:40
All right. So it’s been Moved by Councillor pack that we bring back the carbon tax

Unknown Speaker 31:47
ordinance there the the law that is currently being is at a state or federal issue. All right, we’re just expanding our horizons slowly. All right. And then that was second by Councilman they’re all Iago fairing

Unknown Speaker 31:59
All in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed say nay nay.

Unknown Speaker 32:04
But passes six to one with only me and the dissent. And I was only because it’s a federal issue and we have a lot of things to do local. Alright, um, so we’ll see that sometime in September please, Harold. All right. Okay, let’s go on to first call public invited to be heard. Let’s go ahead. If when you come down, if you can approach, say your name, your address, and then you’re limited to three minutes, but we’ll listen. Whatever you have to say. All right, so let’s start with Greg Harris.

Unknown Speaker 32:48
Good evening, Mayor city council members, staff and guests. My name is Craig Harris 4023 Linden Street. Thank you for the opportunity to address the council today on this first reading of the proposed healthy beverages for children meal in order and ordinance. I recognize the length of your agenda tonight and will keep my remarks brief. While it is great to encourage healthy eating. This is not the responsibility of the city council. I oppose ordinances that infringe on citizens and businesses to make decisions for themselves. There’s no logical OR sensible reason for the City Council to attempt to abuse this power like this. Good Intentions do not justify government overreach. regulating restaurant menus is far outside the proper scope of municipal government. longwan City Council does not need to be involved in this expenditure of my tax money on frivolous nonsense.

Unknown Speaker 33:41
We shouldn’t micromanage restaurants. This is just a ridiculous ordinance to make restaurant owners do one more thing. We asked more of restaurant owners who had managed to keep their businesses despite the pandemic. The city council should be supporting small businesses not enacting appropriate ordinances. restaurants have had a very rough time recently they do not need more restrictions on how they operate.

Unknown Speaker 34:06
We should also trust parents to make decisions for their own children. This is not a parent. This is a parental issue, not a government issue. It is the role of parents to guide their children to make healthy choices. In summary, good intentions do not justify government overreach, don’t micromanage restaurants and trust parents to make decisions for their own kids. I think this proposed ordinance is a waste of time and energy. There are so many more important things for our local government to be spending their time on infrastructure, attainable housing, supporting the police and economic development. Let parents choose what to give their children allow people to make their own choices. let them choose to be better. I ask that you vote no on this proposed ordinance. Thank you for taking the time to hear my views. And glad to answer any questions you might have.

Unknown Speaker 34:59
We don’t ask questions.

Unknown Speaker 35:00
But we do appreciate your time. Thank you, Mr. Harris. All right, Steve Altschuler.

Unknown Speaker 35:12
If you could hit that button, Mr. Walsh ruler, thank you. You have to hold it down. Well, I don’t think so.

Unknown Speaker 35:19
My name is Steven Altschuler. I live at 1555. Taylor mountain. Get right up there. Sorry. My name is Steve Altschuler. I live at 1555. Taylor drive. I want to say that I actually agree that kids get too much sugar. But so do adults. Kids also get too little exercise. Adults are also very lacking in exercise. Are we going to stop allowing adults to consume sugar?

Unknown Speaker 35:45
That would help decrease diabetes. People also eat too fast. Are we going to force restaurants to provide counters to sit at each person’s table and count how many two’s they do before they swallow?

Unknown Speaker 35:59
So we disallow all fast food restaurants for being unhealthy.

Unknown Speaker 36:05
These are actually many good ideas. The problem is that these ideas are the definition of socialism. The government deciding what we can and cannot do, or what we should or should not do. If the city council wants to reduce sugar and help Americans be healthier, and take all sugar chips and candy out of cell city buildings and schools.

Unknown Speaker 36:29
Telling parents and businesses what to do is total overreach. To me, you are here to help businesses succeed, to maintain roads and support police as they work to keep us safe. I believe in the free market. People will decide what businesses to support and what to eat. Thank you.

Unknown Speaker 36:50
Thank you Mr. Schiller. All right, I believe it’s Michael Baka.

Unknown Speaker 37:03
Still on, still on. Alrighty. So I’m here today to redress my grievances against the Longmont police department in regards to the license plate scandal as well as their complaint process. I’ll stick to the known facts. Officer Steven scholtes acquired a license plate out of evidence belonging to Deborah Romero, he racked up nearly 16 $100 and toll fees on this tag causing the original owner a woman in her 50s to lose her license. Deborah also battled a stress depression and struggled to make medical appointments as the issue was ignored or neglected by our government. This monumental failure was only addressed after the story gathered media attention. If it did not, I’m sure Deborah would still be dealing with it. As is typical with government fingers were pointed to whose fault it was a meaningless apology was offered and not a single person was held responsible. Myself and many other members of the public find this unacceptable of our government. Someone should be disciplined as would happen within any branch of the private sector.

Unknown Speaker 38:03
Now for my story, I’ll be brief is I don’t have a lot of time. I tried to go to the police station and make a complaint. I was calm and respectful the entire time. Originally, dispatch insisted there are no police officers at the station, and that no one can get me a complaint form. I had to firmly push the issue to get them to agree to have someone come out. When I didn’t see anyone for 15 minutes I called to check on an ETA and was hung up on I called back to speak to a supervisor who said it was okay that they hung up on me. Finally a sergeant came out and gave me the wrong form. I came back an hour later and called again, dispatch stated police that there were no police officers there, they would not have a sergeant come out and talk to me and then hung up on me again when I refuse to forfeit my fourth amendment rights. I had to call back again and speak with the woman who originally hung up on me this time to get somebody to come out. When the sergeant came out. He told me the lpd does not have complaint forms for the public to fill out.

Unknown Speaker 38:58
He then of course confirmed that dispatch had repeatedly lied to me and that police officers are of course the police station. I’m appalled I was lied to hung up on and treated rudely for trying to redress a grievance with my government, myself and many others are ashamed of the Longmont police department. Have complaint forms available and willingly give them out. Treat the public with respect and compassion, discipline those responsible for bad policies and inappropriate actions that are continuous you are in further divide between the police and the public. We the People are pissed the fuck off.

Unknown Speaker 39:32
I will take responsibility and I will resign as of November 8.

Unknown Speaker 39:38
All right, Jeffrey justice, though. Just kidding. Just kidding. Back up. All right, Jeffrey. Justice

Unknown Speaker 39:53
Geoffrey Justice 1402 Emory court long month. I came tonight to speak

Unknown Speaker 40:00
against the sugary drink issue. I was hoping that the contingent that was here, the last time I was here was here. But they’re not. And we had two gentlemen speak that really made most of the points that I was going to make.

Unknown Speaker 40:16
Before I get into that, I enjoyed the presentation that Harold just gave about the CB 19 cases. But maybe I wasn’t paying attention. I didn’t see the hospitalization. On that fancy chart, I could have missed it. I follow it every day. You know, because I’m interested in it and the hospitalizations right now are extremely low, like

Unknown Speaker 40:44
that low. And I think that should be taken in consideration. With all the information we’re given that, at least in Boulder County,

Unknown Speaker 40:53
the hospitalizations are very, very low. So it seems like everyone’s doing a great job. Congratulations. And I just wish we would stop all this fear and going back to zoom meetings and mask indoors, hospitalizations are way down. So we’re doing great. So anyway, that sugary drinks. I don’t I don’t drink sugary drinks. I think they’re bad. I don’t think anyone should drink sugary drinks. I don’t eat sugary food. I’ve been in been health conscious my whole life. But I don’t think it’s my job or City Council’s job to make an ordinance about this education. Great. Parents can teach their kids restaurants if they want to. They can offer a healthy menu. Maybe that’ll give them better business. I know it. It affects me if I know a place has natural ingredients, things all go there. So I’m just opposed to the sugary drink ordinance. 100% opposed. And the other guys said enough, so I’ll just leave it at that. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Justice. All right. Jana Watson.

Unknown Speaker 42:00
There’s so much I think there’s somebody else along with you. Or No.

Unknown Speaker 42:07
Oh, Watson caps. Sorry.

Unknown Speaker 42:11
You can correct me at the podium. Thank you.

Unknown Speaker 42:15
I am Jana Watson caps. I’m at 1530 Harlequin drive.

Unknown Speaker 42:20
And thank you for the opportunity. Excuse me to speak to you this evening. My 15 year resident of Longmont. I’m not an atmospheric scientist, but I do hold a PhD in biology. I’ve worked in the sciences for two decades. Also a mother of two children, homeowner entrepreneur, and I care deeply about the community of Longmont, a place I’ve chosen to call home. I’m here this evening to let the Longmont city council now of my concerns for worsening air quality this year near union reservoir. I live less than a mile from the reservoir. I also spend time out there one to three times a week rolling on the water. It’s beautiful. I walk my kids to school every day to Fall River elementary which is just a mile or so west of the reservoir. This year I’ve periodically felt ill after rolling and I’ve recently started looking at the air quality measures posted on bold air calm. I’m concerned by the particulates the benzene and the to the to Liam gas peaks that occur regularly at Union reservoir, especially in the morning. Really, my symptoms include headache, fatigue and upset stomach throughout the rest of the day after I wrote there.

Unknown Speaker 43:26
I’d like the city of Longmont to pay closer attention to where these air pollutants could be coming from, such as the new fracking site to the north of union reservoir, and also help protect Longmont residents from the long term effects of these carcinogens. This includes people who recreate at the reservoir like us for hours, those of us who live right nearby, or kids who go to fall wrote river elementary and trail Ridge middle school right nearby to thank you.

Unknown Speaker 43:52
Thank you Miss Watson caps

Unknown Speaker 43:54
by Joe linhof. I’m sorry, Dr. Alright, doesn’t say.

Unknown Speaker 44:00
Joe went off.

Unknown Speaker 44:09
Hello, Thank you, counsel. My name is Joe linhof. My wife and I and six month old baby girl, at least live at 819 South prep Parkway just down the street. We’re concerned about the air quality.

Unknown Speaker 44:23
Every morning I take at least down to the creek for a walk. We like the water we like being out near the water. But we also watch the air quality the aq II site whenever it’s over 100 we don’t go outside and that’s happened kind of frequently in the last couple of weeks. It’s been too bad.

Unknown Speaker 44:44
So for the past five years, I’ve been rowing most every morning at Union reservoir. It’s just an wonderful place it’s it used to be is beautiful and peaceful quiet you see Eagles you don’t see Eagles anymore. It’s kind of

Unknown Speaker 45:00
I recently kind of turned slightly terrifying. We see smoke plumes here like jet engine fans, and smell diesel coming out of what I think is that night wellsite that john just mentioned.

Unknown Speaker 45:14
And I just know that that wall is contributing something to the reason like at least I can’t go on walk in the morning. And also I’m really super concerned, concerned about the voc is in some of the chemicals.

Unknown Speaker 45:25
You know, I checked the air site, the bowl, their website, at Union. It’s great. It’s there. It’s good information. But I don’t know what some of the levels mean. I see the benzene and Ptolemy and methane, ethane, spike, I don’t know what to do, I have felt sick the same way. After I wrote a couple times.

Unknown Speaker 45:44
We were on that North Side by the Reza by the you know that the new night site is up, and that comes down. And I worry that some of the gases might come down into the reservoir. I just wonder if it’s safe. And I’m kind of a little bit

Unknown Speaker 45:59
scared, Matt, we love it here. And, you know, we really need good air for both me lease and our family. I hope this council can commit to doing what it can to monitor and come up with a way to let me let us know in the community when it’s unsafe to go out and recreate. Thank you. job title you wish me to refer to as our Thank you, Mr. Ill enough. All right, Keith James.

Unknown Speaker 46:33
Good afternoon, mayor and city council. First thing I’d like to address is the COVID. I think that whole thing is bullshit. Because that map and graph shows nothing the graph has missing our hospital capacity, and what we’re currently at, because shows nothing to me. We’re testing no homeless. That’s one of our biggest problems. And what’s our current timeframe for the test results? What are we doing for public health surveillance, I worked on the COVID case for since beginning opened up the first field hospital in Santa Clara, California. Before COVID first started, I tested every single homeless person in Las Vegas. I tested every single undocumented person in California. So if we want to talk about us being safe, Russ doing the correct thing. Let’s really do it in Longmont.

Unknown Speaker 47:30
Second thing that I’m going to bring up

Unknown Speaker 47:34
is being adults. You guys just all set it. City Council I was gonna run. I don’t want to run with you guys. You guys are a bunch of silly people that act like kids.

Unknown Speaker 47:48
Furthermore, the International Association of Chiefs of Police code of ethics is state, I recognize a badge of my office as a symbol of public faith. And I accept it as a public trust to be held so long. As I’m true to the ethics of police service. I will never engage in acts of corruption or bribery, nor will I condone such acts by other police officers. I will cooperate with all legally authorized agencies and their representation in the pursuit of justice. Sergeant Stephen Schultz wrote this code and many others when he used stolen license plates for his unmarked police vehicle. Not only did he break the code of ethics, he broke the public’s already radical trust and law enforcement.

Unknown Speaker 48:42
That’s something huge. Right now. We have one of the biggest issues in America

Unknown Speaker 48:50
is trust. The masks

Unknown Speaker 48:55
that’s a huge trust issue. You said it yourself in there.

Unknown Speaker 48:59
Two seconds. You were done with a lockdown. If we go back into a lockdown, how much is that trust going to be broken again. This police officer that was a sergeant in charge of the aquatics department

Unknown Speaker 49:13
broke our trust, and then you guys let the bill be paid.

Unknown Speaker 49:18
Wow, that is crazy. I can’t even believe that I wanted to call Longmont my home. And then I really wanted to run for city council. Wow.

Unknown Speaker 49:31
These that’s that’s a serious matter in itself. So these men or women are frontlines. And as an army veteran being in the front line, look at Afghanistan. by three minutes are done. It is but thank you very much. We appreciate you coming in. I hope you guys look at this issue. Thanks, Mr. James. All right, Virginia, black

Unknown Speaker 50:09
Good evening mayor and council members. My name is Virginia black, and I live at 2609 Elmhurst circle.

Unknown Speaker 50:18
I’m here with a group of people representing Longmont citizens climate lobby. Can you people are doing this they really want to hear from Okay. Sorry. Thank you. Yes, I can. Okay, there we go.

Unknown Speaker 50:30
Better. Okay. So I’m here with a group from that is representing Lomond citizens climate lobby. And I will be very brief, we would like to thank you very much for placing the resolution for support of the energy innovation and carbon dividend act on the council agenda. We look forward to the ensuing discussion, and hope that you will approve and sign the resolution, which we know will be fast and effective in reducing carbon emissions, and will have an impact on air quality within just a few months. So it’s going to be good for long not in many ways.

Unknown Speaker 51:15
But we also look at this as an opportunity to learn from you as how we can be better advocates. So thank you very much for your consideration of a resolution that give us black. All right, let’s go with Jerry Schmidt.

Unknown Speaker 51:39
Hello, my name is Jerry Schmidt and I live at 56 Springdale place. Recently, there was a lot of questions raised about the police department and its policies. Although there was a Times called news article that seemingly absorbed Sergeant shoals of wrongdoing, there are still a lot of important questions to be asked. Like, what why was there a policy that wasn’t contrary to state policy for 15 years of the 130 license plates? This was from the Longmont leader by the way of the 130 license plates in evidence that have been or will be destroyed. How many were used for undercover operations? How many were properly issued for undercover operations by the DMV? Did we have proper tracking and accountability of all those undercover lock plates at all times? They were being used. In addition, why was the narcotics unit a team we desperately need and have had success with in Longmont disbanded? How much public? And most importantly, I think, how much public accountability should the lpd have

Unknown Speaker 52:45
to report policy or personnel issues?

Unknown Speaker 52:50
Ultimately, I would like the long lat to have more account accountability and transparency in their organization. And I would like them to have more proactive public communication, especially when it comes to policy or personnel issues. It would go a long way to earn public trust. So we don’t that would go a long way to earn public trust. So we don’t have to rely on news articles or public outrage to get things like information or answers. Also, I would like I would like city council to support transparency by continuing to hold police accountable, asking critical questions and exposing issues in our departments. Thank you.

Unknown Speaker 53:30
Thank you, Miss Schmidt. All right, Mr. Strider Benson.

Unknown Speaker 53:40
Oh, thanks, sir.

Unknown Speaker 53:43
Strider bench stun 951, West seven teeth.

Unknown Speaker 53:48
Afghanistan is some 40 years ago that was suppressed term. That meant something was too far away, and too different to be relevant. Or to have any meaning. 20 years ago,

Unknown Speaker 54:04
Donald Rumsfeld and Cheney and well, wolf blitzer decided to make the whole country a bombing target.

Unknown Speaker 54:14
And then Rumsfeld said there are no targets left in Afghanistan. So let’s go invade Iraq, and and do our bombing stare ’em up.

Unknown Speaker 54:28
We started demonstrating against the war 20 years ago and October

Unknown Speaker 54:37
demonstrating for democracy peace, human rights and to save the planet and its water. We’re still there. john lewis, Congressman friend of mine was asked not long ago before he died. Do you have any regrets in Congress? He said my major regret is that that did

Unknown Speaker 55:00
Not vote with Barbara lay against the first war in Afghanistan.

Unknown Speaker 55:07
The

Unknown Speaker 55:10
President Biden

Unknown Speaker 55:13
gave the old definition to the word spin, before the Trump regime made everything into blatant lies. It’s like, take something you don’t like and give it the best possible image that you can have said it would always be chaos to leave. Well, why did they close down their Bagram Air Force Base? Well, Stephen Miller, Trump’s major Nazi advisor, blocked all the SI V’s. And how did Afghans get visas to the United States that should be approved within nine months, he made it becomes six years. So there’s all these people that could have been coming for months or years, and they got blocked. And

Unknown Speaker 56:05
and that’s what we’re dealing with now. And Stephen Miller, and Trump had no plan, whatever, to rescue any of our allies in Afghanistan. But what the basic thing is corruption. You cannot buy an army, you cannot buy a government, and you cannot buy a country forever. It’s good that we’re getting out. It’s terrible, the process that we’re doing it, and we need to learn something about what the heck is going on in the world. And as Lord Acton or who was said, American philosopher, said, if you don’t learn history, you’re going to repeat it. We’ve repeated Vietnam, and Afghanistan. Alright, thank you. Alright, great. Before we move on, I just want I’ve done this, I’ve done this only, I usually don’t comment after first call public invited to be heard, but we have done it. I’ve done it when certain members of staff have been attacked. And I just want to clarify a few things because there’s plenty of people here who talked about Steve scholtes.

Unknown Speaker 57:10
The

Unknown Speaker 57:14
mayor gigs, a hobby, right? for 10 years has been a hobby, these guys get paid 1000 bucks, I get paid 1500 as mayor in November, it’s been 10 years. Thank you, Longmont. It’s been a prevalent privilege. But, but it’s been an honor also to work for 10 years with city staff.

Unknown Speaker 57:32
I’ve had the opportunity to work with Steve scholtes, Sergeant Schultz also as an attorney, a lot of my criminal defense attorney clients have trusted me to go to sergeant Schultz, and I put my own life in danger with them, meaning they’ve ratted out the cartels. He’s never betrayed me, ever.

Unknown Speaker 57:51
And in this particular instance, I was aware of the license plate issue almost a year ago.

Unknown Speaker 57:58
You’ve got three choices as an undercover officer, you can either use your own plate, use plates for the DMV, or use ghost plates, or ghost plates or just old plates that don’t go anywhere. So you’ve got an evidence locker full of old plates that nobody’s using to go nowhere to save themselves from having their heads chopped off killed tract. These are bad guys. These are not like high school students that are, you know, selling a little Mali or selling a little bit of marijuana in the halls. These are bad guys. And they don’t want to get caught. So they put license plates on their car when they’re undercover. Steve scholtes would drive down to the DEA, DEA, the Capitol,

Unknown Speaker 58:39
various neighboring jurisdictions in order to do his job. Before we got the license plate, the license plates were stolen. They were used by other cars by thieves. That’s how we got the license plates. Steve scholtes. And other officers would go in and grab plates while they were doing their job. Now might have been a bad policy. We have changed it. Right. It’s changed, but Sergeant Schultz could have been anybody could have been anybody. I know Sergeant Schultz, you might say he’s hard as nails. You might say he’s loud mouth. They’re stubborn, but he’s not dishonest. And he wasn’t stealing from the city. And so the 16 $100 in tolls, someone’s got to pay it. Unfortunately, it went to this woman who the state said nope, plates are clear. But the toll the toll people. They weren’t connected.

Unknown Speaker 59:31
Aren’t understanding. I get this getting my attention, what, six, seven months ago?

Unknown Speaker 59:35
How long ago? Did we decide? Just pay it?

Unknown Speaker 59:39
When did we first hear about it?

Unknown Speaker 59:41
when we when we handed it over to risk. I don’t want to get it wrong.

Unknown Speaker 59:46
Oh, it was approximately October of last year. Okay. So we’re glad to want to it was approximately October of last year when this came to the attention and based on the information that we obtained from the committee.

Unknown Speaker 1:00:02
I want to say it was October GG helped me remember this October 22.

Unknown Speaker 1:00:09
Master police officers shelties. And he was acting he’s not a sergeant. Okay, communicated to commander Hewitt, that there was an issue with the license plate. So he brought it up when he found it out. Correct. And somehow I got into the organization.

Unknown Speaker 1:00:23
The following day, Commander

Unknown Speaker 1:00:27
MPO scholtz contacted commander Hewlett talked about the issue on that was on the 23rd.

Unknown Speaker 1:00:34
They said we needed to go through risk and handle it as we were supposed to. The information was never sent to risk. Okay. And so, so somebody dropped the ball. Correct. But it wasn’t your question of honesty. And what I was told at that point, as it was relayed from Commander heliad to Acting Chief spinnler was that we were going to pay it we’re going to go through the risk process.

Unknown Speaker 1:00:57
The ball was dropped and it wasn’t paid. Okay. And risk never received the information on that. And we that’s what we put in information as we pull this together. We were notified Thursday, on this issue. My immediate comment was it was supposed to be paid.

Unknown Speaker 1:01:13
We then begin searching the individual, we can verify it and then we pay the bill. Okay, so So the reason I point that out is I want I mean, there were plenty of mistakes made. And on behalf of the City, I will apologize again to this poor woman who got charged that was the mistake, right? The policy might have been a mistake, right? The way we handled it with risk might have been a mistake that wasn’t but what wasn’t a mistake is poor MPO scholtz grabbing a plate and going off and protecting Mama. So at least that’s how I read it. Having seen it for the last year, if I can clarify since you’re bringing it up after they went through the process. Commander Hewlett did change the process in conjunction with everyone where they did grab those plates and put them in for destruction. They’re using the state plates and that was done after this was brought to everyone’s attention that policy was changed in so basically I’m making sure that the city is accepting responsibility rather than one guy if that makes sense.

Unknown Speaker 1:02:17
You can’t but you can talk to me after if that makes sense.

Unknown Speaker 1:02:23
Okay, okay, but Katya my number just call me we can we can talk. Alright, so let’s go on to consent agenda introduction reading by title The first reading of ordinances.

Unknown Speaker 1:02:36
Mayor item nine a is ordinance 2021 dash 42. A bill for an ordinance amending title nine and title two of the Longmont municipal code, unhealthy beverages for children’s meals. public hearing and second reading scheduled for September 14 2021. Nine B is resolution 2021 dash 92 a resolution of the Longmont city council approving the intergovernmental agreement between the city and Boulder County for its financial and housing counseling program. Nine C is resolution 2021 dash 93 a resolution of the Longmont city council approving an intergovernmental agreement with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment for grant funding for the Longmont composting cart expansion program. Nine D is resolution 2021 dash 94 a resolution of the Longmont city council approving the intergovernmental agreement between the city in the Colorado Department of Transportation for road maintenance for fiscal years 2022 to 2026 90 is resolution 2021 dash 95. a resolution of the Longmont city council approving the intergovernmental agreement between the city and Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment for grant funding for the Five Star State certification program. Nine F is resolution 2021 dash 96 a resolution of the Longmont city council approving the intergovernmental agreement between the city and the Colorado Department of Transportation for grant funding for high visibility impaired driving enforcement for the period of July 2021 to June 2022. Nine G is resolution 2021 dash 97 a resolution of Longmont city council approving an intergovernmental agreement with the Colorado Bureau of Investigation for the use of the criminal justice information system for fingerprint based background checks for certain city positions were mandated by law. And nine h approved three grant Capital Improvement Program amendments.

Unknown Speaker 1:04:18
Alright, thank you. Can we have a motion please?

Unknown Speaker 1:04:21
Councilmember Martin,

Unknown Speaker 1:04:24
I move the consent agenda. Does anyone want to take anything off?

Unknown Speaker 1:04:30
All right, nothing’s coming off. So all right. All in favor the consent agenda, say aye. Aye. Opposed say nay. All right, the consent agenda passes unanimously. Councilmember pack you’re in the queue. Do you want to say something that’s non related, or?

Unknown Speaker 1:04:46
No, I was going to pull something off but it doesn’t matter. Okay. You sure? Yep. All right. Thank you. Okay, let’s go on to ordinances on we don’t Okay, we’ve been here an hour. You guys. All right. One, five minutes. Yeah, actually, you don’t. Let’s take it. Let’s take a little break. You’re right.

Unknown Speaker 1:05:00
We have been here for

Unknown Speaker 1:05:03
two and a half and some of us so let’s take five minutes break

Unknown Speaker 1:14:47
Alright let’s jump back into it looks like we’re all back. Okay, let’s go on to ordinances on second reading and public hearings on these matters. Let’s go ahead and go on to 10 a public hearing to consider action on amendment 20

Unknown Speaker 1:15:00
dash oh three to the 2020 CDBG action plan. Are there any questions from council? I don’t see any let’s go ahead and open the public hearing for for consideration on the action. Anybody want to Scott and say anything?

Unknown Speaker 1:15:15
Alright, so now we’re going to close the public hearing staff would you like to say something?

Unknown Speaker 1:15:21
Sure.

Unknown Speaker 1:15:23
mayor and council Kathy fetlar Housing and Community Investment division manager,

Unknown Speaker 1:15:29
just so that the public knows this is a an amendment to our CDBG 2020 CDBG action plan that is just changing one activity from a grant to the Longmont housing authority for relocation expenses to a grant to the Longmont housing authority for

Unknown Speaker 1:15:47
a debt reduction payment when they convert the permanent loan for the asset meadows, senior apartments complex. This was a significant ri syndication and renovation on on that particular building. And I just wanted to take a few minutes to say that this was a pretty

Unknown Speaker 1:16:05
ambitious project to undertake during COVID. Moving every resident out of their unit or just about every resident out of their unit during COVID following all protocols having contractors and subcontractors within the building all following COVID protocols and

Unknown Speaker 1:16:26
doing it with a minimum of disruption. I won’t say a minimum of disrupt it was highly disruptive to the residents but a minimum of issues and concerns and no

Unknown Speaker 1:16:38
COVID

Unknown Speaker 1:16:40
issues at all.

Unknown Speaker 1:16:44
Our senior services staff particularly Teresa Sheltie, Michelle Wait, Amy pyin Elbaz and Veronica Garcia and Melissa leccino. As well as recreation staff, Sam Calhoun and Kristen rudisill. Were repurposed for this project. And they work directly with the residents getting them relocated, and, and back in tracking all of their belongings, making sure everything was put back hung up on walls and back where it needed to be.

Unknown Speaker 1:17:15
They did fabulous work

Unknown Speaker 1:17:17
during during this time period. And then Mani Molly O’Donnell, who has served as our project manager for the Aspen Meadows project. She’s works in my shop, but we repurposed her as well. She’s sitting right up there, she did an absolutely fabulous job. fabulous, fabulous, I can’t even begin to tell you how great of a job she did working with the the contractor who was also we were very lucky, really great contractor palace construction. But Molly managed that budget and worked with palace to make changes to stay on time. And under budget to the point where we got a lot of additional extra things done at that apartment complex that we would not ordinarily have been able to do so. Kudos to her the llj maintenance staff, particularly Randy Pavan and Dennis McGonigal and the lhsaa Community Manager staff Aaron Robinson kirrin, Lindsay and Lisa Eleanor also paid a lot played a large part, not only making sure that residents were safe and secure, and had their ongoing needs met, but also keeping the project well managed from the perspective of ongoing daily living within Aspen Meadows while construction was going on.

Unknown Speaker 1:18:38
And again, palace construction was fabulous. They worked with their subcontractors, they squeeze their subcontractors to make sure work got done correctly and on time. And and it really ended up being I think, a really great project. So making this change. So we were able to keep the relocation costs within the existing

Unknown Speaker 1:19:01
rehab budget, we thought we were going to need the extra money because of all the extra protocols. And we did not so allowing this principal reduction for when we go to the permanent loan closing will result in about a 70 $600 savings per year to the project which can go into the operating budget which helps the lsj and the Aspen Meadows senior apartments complex, accomplish other goals. So that I just wanted to for the public to know some of that information.

Unknown Speaker 1:19:33
That’s all I have. All right. We have a motion, please.

Unknown Speaker 1:19:38
Sure. I’m sorry. Actually, we have two people in I’m sorry. I didn’t see Councilmember Christiansen first and then we’re going to go with you, Doc. Sorry.

Unknown Speaker 1:19:49
Multiple. There’s lots more that I can’t see. We’ll get everybody in who wants to talk counsel for Christmas in your first. Okay. Kathy, I just want to thank you and staff for this remarkable job.

Unknown Speaker 1:20:00
It’s truly

Unknown Speaker 1:20:02
miraculous during COVID that this was accomplished with everybody from palace construction to all of the staff, especially Molly and you and Michelle, Wade, and Garcia, and everybody did a wonderful job and we actually saved money. This is miraculous. That’s it. It’s just a good example of, of the right direction that Elijah is headed in right now.

Unknown Speaker 1:20:30
Thanks to all of you, and the new direction. So thank you, because it’s always a terrific idea to pay down debt.

Unknown Speaker 1:20:40
Thanks.

Unknown Speaker 1:20:42
Alright, let’s go back to waters. Thanks for your begun. And just to clarify, the reason we can pay down the debt is because we saved that amount of money on relocation. Right, because the team. So I just think that’s an important if you I don’t think we can restate that.

Unknown Speaker 1:20:58
That it was that kind of efficiency that allows us to now to be more aggressive in terms of debt service. And I’ll just add, unrelated to this project, but related to a subsequent meeting with Aspen Meadows neighborhood.

Unknown Speaker 1:21:10
I was copied on some correspondence with Molly and how much they appreciated

Unknown Speaker 1:21:15
your work with them post project so thanks on their math

Unknown Speaker 1:21:22
catsburg Peck. I just want to echo what everyone else has said and also Move to approve amendment 20 2003.

Unknown Speaker 1:21:30
It’s been moved and seconded Moved by Councillor Pac seconded by Councillor Christiansen? Seeing nobody else in the queue? All in favor say aye. Aye.

Unknown Speaker 1:21:40
Opposed say nay. All right, passes unanimously.

Unknown Speaker 1:21:45
There is a cool little technology thing that we should be using, but it takes forever. All right. ordinance 10. b ordinance 20. I’m sorry, ordinance. 2021 dash 39.

Unknown Speaker 1:21:56
Okay, it doesn’t take forever.

Unknown Speaker 1:21:59
But I’d have to like do this and stuff.

Unknown Speaker 1:22:04
Can you see the vote? Does it come up?

Unknown Speaker 1:22:08
All right, we’re gonna start using that thing. All right, orders. 2021 days 39. A bill for an ordinance making additional appropriations for expenses and liabilities, the city of Walmart for the fiscal year beginning January 120 21.

Unknown Speaker 1:22:22
Is to golden

Unknown Speaker 1:22:26
Mayor Bagley members Council. I’m Jim golden Chief Financial Officer. I’m just gonna make a short comment. And then I’ll introduce Carrie Sheehan, who’s the project manager on the fire station projects. I did email you back after the last meeting. But I just wanted for the record to correct the information that I gave me a couple of weeks ago, the total amount of bond funds for these two fire station projects was $9,460,000. And then this appropriation you’re considering tonight has an amendment to increase that by 1.74 to $1,742,843. And that’s from the public improvement fund. So I’m gonna turn it over to Carrie, she

Unknown Speaker 1:23:12
thanks for being here, Carrie.

Unknown Speaker 1:23:15
Carrie Sheehan, Senior Project Manager, and I’m working on the two fire stations. And as Jim said, We are requesting the one approximately $1.7 million for this these two projects based on increased labor and materials cost. We continue to see challenges created by the unprecedented high demand for building materials and supply chain disruption. We’re also seeing a little bit of I guess, good news. And we were looking at about 24 hours that contractors are holding prices. And now we’re at about seven to 10 days. So we’re getting getting a little bit better. We did submit our plans to planning the station two went on July 28. Station four as August I’m sorry, station six with August 4. We are anticipating starting that you station station six on October 15. And then station two on November 15. And the delay in station two has to do with pre engineered metal building and material delays. So we just read set to push that out a little and that is barring any issues getting building permits. I anticipated completion dates if we start on those dates, station six is July 15. And then station two would be August 15.

Unknown Speaker 1:24:35
And contract pricing I’m getting from our contractor on September 3. So hopefully as soon as we get that we can review that and then go straight to contract. Like I said earlier, we’re looking at about a seven today, seven to 10 days that contract are sold in prices. So we’re anticipating getting that done right away.

Unknown Speaker 1:24:55
I think that’s all I have unless y’all have any questions. No, thank you very much. We appreciate that. Harold

Unknown Speaker 1:25:00
I did want to point out the the piece that Carrie talked about where contractors are holding prices for 24 hours, and now seven to 10. We saw it in this case, but it is something that we’re seeing in different places. And so I wanted to really point that out to you all to really re emphasize that the normal bidding process that we went through prior to this is not the same based on the cost. And so we could see this again on other projects is as we’re moving forward, so that’s why we wanted to really highlight those points. Okay, I don’t see Ben see anybody in the queue. So let’s go ahead and open up ordinance 2021 dash three, nine for our public hearing. Would anyone like to come and address this issue?

Unknown Speaker 1:25:42
All right. See, no one wants to go ahead and close the public hearing. Can we have a motion for ordinance? 2021 days 39, please.

Unknown Speaker 1:25:51
Alright, it’s been moved by Dr. waters and seconded by Councilmember Martin. heard somebody down there. All right. So let’s go ahead and vote.

Unknown Speaker 1:26:05
Forever.

Unknown Speaker 1:26:12
I feel like two years older now. I know it seriously passed unanimously. Thank you. Alright, let’s go on to ordinance 2021 dash 40. Item 10. See a bill for an ordinance authorizing the city Walmart to lease the Real Property known as Vance Bremen Municipal Airport hangar parcel 865. To Romeo, Charlie LLC.

Unknown Speaker 1:26:30
We don’t have a report. So let’s go ahead and open this for public hearing on the matter. Anyone want to come down and address this issue?

Unknown Speaker 1:26:37
All right, seeing none. Let’s go ahead and close the public hearing. Can we have a motion please? For ordinance 2021 dash 40.

Unknown Speaker 1:26:46
It’s been Moved by Councillor ordinance 2021 dashboard has been Moved by Councillor Martin and it’s been seconded by Dr. Waters. And vote.

Unknown Speaker 1:26:56
Council so let’s hold off on the vote clear the vote clear the vote. Sorry. Councillor Christiansen? Go ahead. Okay, I would just like to know,

Unknown Speaker 1:27:05
I don’t see managers later here. But I’d like to know what business Romeo Charlie is in. Do they have a airplanes or are they a business?

Unknown Speaker 1:27:20
And if so, what kind? Mayor Begley and Councilmember Christensen I’d be happy to answer that. So these are personal air, airplane storage hangers. There is no business being operated out of either C or D. Okay, thank you.

Unknown Speaker 1:27:34
Okay, so we have motion on the table. And let’s go and vote on ordinance. 2021. desk 42. We get that back up.

Unknown Speaker 1:27:47
I’m just gonna say.

Unknown Speaker 1:27:51
All right, that Motion carries unanimously. All right, let’s go on to ordinance 2021 dash 41 bill for an ordinance authorizing the city of Longmont to lease the Real Property known as Vance brown Municipal Airport hangar parcel 866. To Romeo Charlie LLC.

Unknown Speaker 1:28:06
Can we have a motion please? Actually, let’s go and open the ordinance 2021 to 41. for public hearing.

Unknown Speaker 1:28:14
No one want to speak on this issue. Seeing none. Let’s go ahead and close the public hearing. Can we have a motion please?

Unknown Speaker 1:28:20
Councillor Peck has moved this matter. I will second it. It’s been moved and seconded. All in favor of ordinance 2021 dash 41. push some buttons. Or if you’re against it, push those buttons too.

Unknown Speaker 1:28:34
All right, the Motion carries unanimously. All right. No items were removed from the consent agenda. Let’s go on to general build general business. I’m going to move that we recess to the city council and convenience, the Board of Directors along with general Improvement District number one.

Unknown Speaker 1:28:50
All right. All in favor. Let’s go ahead and push the buttons.

Unknown Speaker 1:28:58
Motion carries.

Unknown Speaker 1:29:00
unanimously. All right. So now we are convened as the last month sorry, I’m sorry. We are convened as the board of directors the Longmont general Improvement District number one. Let’s go ahead and look at resolution LG ID 2021 dash o to a resolution to the Board of Directors the Longmont general Improvement District number one, enacting a supplemental budget making an additional appropriation for the expenses and liabilities of the district for the fiscal year beginning January 1 2021.

Unknown Speaker 1:29:27
No, there’s no staff presentation. We have a motion please.

Unknown Speaker 1:29:32
has been moved by Dr. Water seconded by Councilmember Peck. Let’s push some buttons.

Unknown Speaker 1:29:41
All right, the Motion carries unanimously. I’m going to move that we adjourn as long my general Improvement District number one board of directors and reconvene as the Longmont City Council,

Unknown Speaker 1:29:51
like though I’ve heard some motions there and some second and I was hardcore. I made the motion and Councilmember Christiansen came over the top for the second

Unknown Speaker 1:30:00
So let’s go ahead and vote on going back City Council. push your buttons, please.

Unknown Speaker 1:30:08
All right, the motion carries. And we are once again along with City Council. Let’s go on to our final agenda item which is 12. b, a rate study for the electric and storage and drainage rate proposal.

Unknown Speaker 1:30:22
Welcome Becky.

Unknown Speaker 1:30:24
sugarcoat this Come on.

Unknown Speaker 1:30:31
Can you turn on your mic, please?

Unknown Speaker 1:30:35
There we go. Hi, let’s try that again. Good evening, Mayor Bagley and members of council. And Becky Doyle, Assistant Director of Business Services for public works in natural resources. I’m going to talk exactly long enough so that Raven and Brian can get set up here. So this is the final presentation in a series of presentations that we’ve made over the course of this year, starting with April, when we talked about the current state of utility bills and the assistance programs were available to people struggling with financial situations due to the pandemic. Then we talked about the process of rate studies looking at the costs of the electric and storm drainage utilities, beginning with the operational costs. And then at the end of June, we talked about the capital programs required to keep those systems in good working order, manage the assets that are critical to the ongoing reliable operations. So tonight, we’re going to bring that all together and propose rates are you able to bring up the

Unknown Speaker 1:31:37
we are still on the wrong

Unknown Speaker 1:31:40
here.

Unknown Speaker 1:31:47
This one down here. See, I knew that I could talk long enough but can’t talk and bring up a PowerPoint. Hey, there we go.

Unknown Speaker 1:31:57
So tonight, we will bring together all that cost information and propose rates that will collect the cost of service required to continue to provide the reliable service that our residents and businesses depend on. So without further ado, I

Unknown Speaker 1:32:16
will turn it over to Raven and Brian. Miss Doyle. I just wanted to say your your timing is impeccable. Are you too ready? Wow. Fantastic.

Unknown Speaker 1:32:29
Good evening, Mayor Bagley members of council. My name is Brian McGill utility rate analyst with Longmont power and communications. And as Becky said, Raven and I are here for the final presentation in the rate study series for the electric instrum drainage utilities. Tonight, we will focus on the cost of service results. And the staff recommended rate proposals for the electric and storm drainage utilities, as well as the fee proposals for the electric community and investment fee fund.

Unknown Speaker 1:33:04
So here’s tonight’s agenda.

Unknown Speaker 1:33:07
So thank you, Becky, for that introduction. And then next I will focus.

Unknown Speaker 1:33:13
Yeah.

Unknown Speaker 1:33:15
So then I will be given a presentation on the electric costs, the service results as well as the staff recommended rate proposals for the electric utility, then I’ll follow that up with a brief discussion regarding the electric Community Investment fee Fund, and the proposed fee increases for that fund as well. Then Raven will present the cost of service results and two rate proposal options for the storm drainage utility. Hold on one second. Let’s go ahead. Okay, sorry.

Unknown Speaker 1:33:54
Then Raven will give an overview of the impact to Longmont resident utility bills from these rape proposals. Then she’ll follow that up with a discussion about the assistance programs that we offer to our utility billing customers. That includes insist assistance such as efficiency programs, as well as direct financial assistance programs, then Raven will finish up the presentation by talking about community outreach. This includes outreach in general about our utility bills, as well as outreach specific to the electric and structuring utilities, and also outreach to the community regarding these staff recommended rate proposals.

Unknown Speaker 1:34:43
Then after that, we’ll have time for council discussion and we will be asking for direction from council as how to move forward with these rate proposals.

Unknown Speaker 1:34:56
So I’m going to kick this off by talking about the electric utility. These are just some

Unknown Speaker 1:35:00
key things I want to talk about before actually getting into the staff recommended rate proposals. The first one is that staff is recommending a two year rate plan to set rates for the electric utility for 2022 and 2023. During this two year timeframe, the Am I project is scheduled to be completed. And we LPC will also start to roll out our distributed energy resources initiatives. And also by setting a two year rate schedule.

Unknown Speaker 1:35:37
It will allow staff to time to start to analyze and understand the increased usage data

Unknown Speaker 1:35:45
that’s going to be provided by the advanced meters. And also, it will allow staff time to research and plus potentially pilot new rate structures that will be available with the increased usage data we have from the AMI meters. And that could include rates such as time of use rate.

Unknown Speaker 1:36:08
Another key point is

Unknown Speaker 1:36:11
in these recommended electric rates, staff is recommending that we have no rate structure changes. And what I mean by that is the in 2019, when we proposed rates council directed us to set seasonal rates for all of our residential and commercial customers. So we’re proposing to continue those seasonal rates and and these rate proposals that we’re presenting tonight. And seasonal. What we did last time is that council directed us to set a four month summer season that includes June, July, August and September. And then also there’s a 10% differential between the non summer and the summer rates. So we’re proposing to continue that going forward. Another structure that we want to keep the same is the residential energy tiered rates.

Unknown Speaker 1:37:08
Council also directed us last time to keep the tear differential between tiers one and tier two at an 18% differential, but then to increase the tier differential between tiers two and tier three to 30%. And so these rate proposals, keep that rate structure with those tier differentials.

Unknown Speaker 1:37:31
So then the next item is, this is really staffs recommendation as far as the rate design philosophy. And so what staff is recommending is that we do not change the monthly customer charge for this two year rate plan, we leave that at the level it’s set at currently. And instead we put the entire increase into the usage rates that includes the kilowatt hour usage rate that all customer pays. And then also, the peak demand charges that some of our rate classes the demand rate classes pay as well. So by increasing just the usage charges, we are allowing our customers to have more control over the actual increase, they’ll see on a monthly basis, because we’re holding that fixed charge that they see in that monthly utility bill constant. And we would just be adjusting the usage rate. So the lower the lower a customer’s usage is the lower the actual percentage increase that they will see on a monthly bill. And so that’s why we’re proposing the rates that way.

Unknown Speaker 1:38:39
For those of you that are visual learners like me, I do have a slide later in the presentation that kind that details out and shows what I mean by that.

Unknown Speaker 1:38:51
Then the other thing I wanted to just reiterate is, in these rate proposals, there’s no rate and growth rate impact associated with the AMI project. When we set rates Last time, we set the rates for 2020 and 2021. At that time council directed us to include $2.5 million dollars per year for funding for the AMI project. And we’re just carrying that amount that $2.5 million annually forward to these rates as well. So that’s already built into the current rates. So there is no rate impact in our proposed rates for the AMI project.

Unknown Speaker 1:39:28
Then the final point is just that.

Unknown Speaker 1:39:32
re I mean sorry, staff is also proposing an increase to the monthly electric rebate that is part of the Longmont cares program. And Raven will talk about that more later in the presentation.

Unknown Speaker 1:39:49
Okay, so this chart shows the electric utilities revenue requirements out of the cost of service model. So this chart breaks it down by customer

Unknown Speaker 1:40:00
class.

Unknown Speaker 1:40:01
And so it also it does show the annual average revenue requirement, as well as the revenue projected under the current rates. And then also, the far two column showed the estimated percentage increase that’s needed to meet those revenue requirements by rate class. But I’d really like to start off by looking at the total line. So if you look at the total line, the total revenue requirement is at $2.6 million.

Unknown Speaker 1:40:33
And then the estimated revenue collected under project I mean, under existing rates is only $78.1 million. So that leaves a $4.5 million shortfall in the revenue that would be collected under existing rates compared to what the cost of service model said our revenue requirement would be.

Unknown Speaker 1:40:54
And so sorry.

Unknown Speaker 1:40:59
So that equates to a 4% annual increase that’s needed to meet that revenue requirement. However, when you look up at the individual rate classes, you don’t see that 4% for any of them. And the reason for that is because the cost of service model also helps us allocate those revenue requirements to the individual rate classes, based on how they actually use the system, and how they contribute to the peak. And also how, what at what level they participate in some of the programs we offer such as energy efficiency programs.

Unknown Speaker 1:41:35
So if we start up at the top the residential rate classes, the proposed rate increase for the residential rate classes is going to be 2.5% each year. And staff is also recommending that we smoothies re classes under these rate increases evenly over the two year timeframe.

Unknown Speaker 1:41:54
So then the next rate class is the commercial energy class. That’s our small commercial class. And staff is proposing a 5% annual increase for that rate class. The next two classes, the commercial demand, I mean, commercial demand, that’s our mid large size commercial customers. And then the commercial coincident demand. That’s our large industrial commercial customers.

Unknown Speaker 1:42:17
So staff is proposing a 5.6% annual increase for those two rate classes. Then the next rate class is the unmetered energy rate class. That’s a really small revenue rate class. What that basically is it’s unmetered energy that we provide people for the most part that security lighting and telecommunication nodes. And so the proposed rate increase there is 5% each year. And then the final rate classes are the general fund energy and demand rate classes. And per city code, those rates are set strictly to cover wholesale energy costs. And so that’s why you see that 3.2% annual increase there, because that’s what the projected increase from Platte River Power Authority is.

Unknown Speaker 1:43:09
So now, I’d like to talk about the major factors that are affecting the cost of service. So the first one is a $1 million contribution to reserves. Utility reserves are very helpful in maintaining the long term financial health and security of a utility.

Unknown Speaker 1:43:30
And also, reserves help provide rates stability for the utility. So like an example would be if we had a catastrophic infrastructure failure, we could use those reserves to actually pay for those repairs that need to be made. And then in future years, we could adjust rates to build that reserve back up to the level we needed to be at, rather than to come to emergency I mean, to come to Council for an emergency rate adjustment in order to make those repairs to the infrastructure

Unknown Speaker 1:44:06
or

Unknown Speaker 1:44:08
financial policy. The electric utilities reserve requirement is supposed to be 60 days of operating and maintenance, and 15% of the five year C IP.

Unknown Speaker 1:44:21
The electric utility has not made that reserve requirement for the past several years. And we’re not projecting to meet it this two year rate schedule as well. But this will help bring us closer to that reserve requirement.

Unknown Speaker 1:44:37
So the next major factor is a $1.4 million increase in capital improvement program projects. And again, this excludes ami because that’s already funded in the current rates set the two and a half million dollars and that’s what we’re going to carry forward.

Unknown Speaker 1:44:52
What this does include though, is some of those VIP programs that we talked to you about On the June

Unknown Speaker 1:45:00
29th meeting includes things like proactive replacement of aging infrastructure, grid modernization projects, as well as distributed energy resource projects.

Unknown Speaker 1:45:14
Then the next item is a $1.3 million increase in operating expenses other than wholesale energy. And so these were the operating expenses that we talked about at the June 1 meeting. They include things like personnel, professional contracted services, franchise fee, and transfers to the general fund to pay for services provided such as human resources, accounting and legal services.

Unknown Speaker 1:45:41
The next item is a $1.7 million increase in wholesale energy costs from trpa. Again, that’s the projected 3.2% increase that we have from them, then the final item is an actual, actually a decrease of $190,000 associated with the new customer information system, the majority of those expenses are already included in the current rate. And so we’re able to actually reduce those, that the effect on this year’s on this cost of service, because like I said, the majority that’s already been collected, and now we can reduce what we’re collecting going forward.

Unknown Speaker 1:46:23
Okay, so this chart is just a breakdown of how Platte River wholesale rates compared to the other regional providers.

Unknown Speaker 1:46:32
As you can see, prps rates are lower than all the other regional providers. This helps us keep our cost to our customers low. Because if you remember, back at the June 1 meeting, our wholesale energy costs make up anywhere between 70 to 75% of our total revenue requirements. So by having a low wholesale cost from the RPA, we’re able to help keep our costs low as well. Nothing I just wanted to talk about on this slide is I’m sure some of you are aware that tri state is actually proposing a decrease in their wholesale rates. And I just wanted to make the note that they would have to decrease their rates by 18% to be able to match the rates that we’re receiving from PRP. And another difference between the two wholesale providers is that PRP does have a more aggressive renewable goal. prps goal is 100% renewable by 2023. Whereas tri state’s goal is only 80%. Renewable by 20. I’m sorry, 2030. Sorry.

Unknown Speaker 1:47:50
Okay, so now we’ll get into the actual rate proposals by rate class, we’ll start with the residential classes, there are three classes the residential energy,

Unknown Speaker 1:48:01
that this is our largest class, by far based on customer account. We currently have 39,000 residential energy customers, that accounts for 99% of our residential customers, and 92% of our total customer base. Next is the residential demand class. That’s a really small class. That’s for all electric homes. And then the final rate classes, the residential self generation, that’s our solar customers.

Unknown Speaker 1:48:33
Currently, that is our largest growing rate class based on percentage. We currently have 450, self generation residential customers. And that’s been growing by an average of 70 over the past three years, and we are on pace to increase that class by more than 70 in 2021.

Unknown Speaker 1:48:56
Okay, so then we’ll get to the actual rate proposals.

Unknown Speaker 1:49:02
As you went through your council communication, you saw charts in there that showed a breakdown of how each of the individual elements were being proposed to be increased. And so that includes the monthly customer charge, which we’re holding constant, and then the usage charges, that’s where we’re proposing the increases to be at. And so that would be the kilowatt hour charge, and then also a demand charge if for certain classes. But what I tried to do with these charts is to show it in a more visual way. And so if I can just go through some of the elements on this first one, there’ll be the same for all the individual Ray classes. So you’ll notice that blue bar on the bottom, that’s the monthly customer charge. So for the residential energy class, we’re proposing to keep that at $16.40 per month for the out years for the years 2022 and 2023. Then

Unknown Speaker 1:50:00
The orange bar shows the actual

Unknown Speaker 1:50:03
average monthly energy charged at this rate class C’s. And then the dollar amount above the charts shows the average monthly bill in total with the monthly customer charge and the usage charges added together. Then the other element to really take note of on these slides is the the green oval above the years 2022 and 2023. Those do show the percentage increase for the average customer in the rate class. So for the residential energy, those two proposed increases are 2.5% each year.

Unknown Speaker 1:50:45
So now before we move on to the other rate classes, I have put together a couple slides to address some questions that came up at the June 1 meeting. The first question was from Dr. Waters. He asked about

Unknown Speaker 1:51:00
how our rates compared to the communities around us. And Raven in her presentation will give an overview of the total utility bill. But what I wanted to do is show just the electric portion. And then also I’m trying to answer another question that came from Harold. Harold had asked, how would you How does a low user in Longmont compared to other providers, and then also an average user and a high user. And so that’s what this chart is representing. One note I do need to make about this, though, is all the different all the different electric providers, they all have different rate philosophies. So it’s a little hard to really compare. Because one utility might make a decision about what percentage of fixed costs to put in the monthly cart monthly customer charge, as compared to what percentage of those fixed costs to put into their usage charges. And then also everybody has different philosophies as far as seasonal rates, and then also whether or not to charge tier rates. But factoring in all those different possibilities, long months still compares very favorably to all of our surrounding electric providers at all three different usage levels. So for our low users long month would be second on the list second lowest. And then for average, and high users, long month is the lowest for these different usage levels.

Unknown Speaker 1:52:40
Okay, so then this chart, again, it’s broken down by usage level. And what I’m showing here, this is that visual representation of how by putting all of the rate increase in the usage.

Unknown Speaker 1:52:56
And actually, so you can see that a low user will actually only see a 1.9% monthly increase. And then the average user is going to see that two and a half percent rate increase, and then the high users will actually experience a larger 3% increase per month.

Unknown Speaker 1:53:20
Okay, so now we’ll just go back to going through the different rate classes. So this is the residential demand. And again, I think the thing to focus on is the blue bar, you can see that monthly customer charges remaining constant, and then the or, sorry, the green ovals above 2022 and 2023, show that proposed rate increases of two and a half percent each year for this class as well.

Unknown Speaker 1:53:48
And the final residential class is the residential self generation. This one is slightly different than the other two residential classes, because you’ll notice that the the orange section, the orange bars, it actually represents the usage charges, net of the generation credit that we pay back to our customers. So how that works is a solar customer, their panels are producing energy, anything their house isn’t using, gets pushed back onto the grid. And we actually purchase that energy that they push back onto the grid at the retail rate. And so that’s another rate structure that we’re proposing to leave currently as it is currently pay back at retail rate. And we’re proposing to continue to do that in this two year rate plan. And so you can see in the green ovals for the residential self generation class, we’re actually proposing a 2.3% increase in 2022 and a 2.4% increase in 2023.

Unknown Speaker 1:54:58
So now we’ll move on to the commercial rate.

Unknown Speaker 1:55:00
SS three classes here as well, commercial energy. Like I said before, that’s the small commercial customers. That’s the largest group based on customer count, then there’s a commercial demand. That’s the mid to large size commercial customers. That’s actually the largest group based on usage. And then the commercial coincident demand. That’s our industrial customers. And we currently have 13 of those.

Unknown Speaker 1:55:30
Okay, so this is the chart for the commercial energy rate class, we’ll just focus on the green bubbles. For this rate class, we’re proposing a 5% increase each of the next two years.

Unknown Speaker 1:55:46
Then commercial demand, again, focusing on the green bubbles 5.6% proposed increase for the next two years.

Unknown Speaker 1:55:56
And then the same for the

Unknown Speaker 1:55:59
commercial coincident demand that 5.6% annual increase for the next two years.

Unknown Speaker 1:56:07
Okay, then we’ll finish off the electric portion of this by talking about other rates. This is just the general fund energy general fund demand and the unmetered energy.

Unknown Speaker 1:56:17
So again, as I mentioned earlier, general fund those rates are set strictly to cover wholesale costs. And so down in the chart, that’s where you can see that 3.2% annual increase, which is just a straight pass through of the projected Platte River increases. Then unmetered energy. There are several rates in this rate class. And they’re all based on the wattage of the device that is unmetered.

Unknown Speaker 1:56:45
And like I said earlier, mostly This is security, lighting and telecommunication nodes. And down in the chart, you can see 5% annual increase for that rate class.

Unknown Speaker 1:56:58
Okay, so now briefly talk about the electric Community Investment fee Fund and the proposed fee increases for this fund.

Unknown Speaker 1:57:10
So the philosophy behind the electric Community Investment fee fund is that development will pay its own way. And so this fee was established, this fund was established in 1994. And the fees are set to recover from our developers. The cost to expand the infrastructure, the main feeder infrastructure, and also any capacity increases at our substation that are required to serve new development. And by charging that to developers as they come in, then we can avoid building those costs that into our rates where all the ratepayers would have to pay those.

Unknown Speaker 1:57:54
So this fee was last updated in 2017.

Unknown Speaker 1:57:59
When we did the current when we did the rate study this year, what we did is we use the current philosophy and cost the service model that we have. And next year in 2022, staff is planning to work with a consultant to review and potentially update the philosophy and cost of service model. So that way, we can make sure we’re including items such as beneficial electrification, distributed energy resources, and increased electric vehicle adoption by our residents.

Unknown Speaker 1:58:35
We just want to make sure that we have that that fee developed and set the appropriate way to make sure we encompass all of that all of those items.

Unknown Speaker 1:58:45
But so we did do cost a service this year. And based on that staff is proposing a one time rate increase of 9.5%. And this is to cover the increased cost of materials, equipment and labor associated with building that new infrastructure.

Unknown Speaker 1:59:06
And if council does want to see a breakdown of all the different rates, there’s their I’m sorry, the fees, all the different fees, there are a lot of them. I included that as an attachment to the council communication. But you will see in there that every single fee does have that one time increase of nine and a half percent.

Unknown Speaker 1:59:28
Okay, now I’m gonna pass it on the Raven.

Unknown Speaker 1:59:33
You guys have questions on that.

Unknown Speaker 1:59:38
So very good. All right. So my question is, do we want to wait till we’re done? I was planning on waiting to where we’re done with the presentations Before we take questions.

Unknown Speaker 1:59:51
Okay, let’s go anyone objected just taking a break and making our questions on the first half now. Alright, let’s go. Alright, let’s let’s go and ask questions now, but we

Unknown Speaker 2:00:00
You still also have another half the presentation to get through. So go ahead customer.

Unknown Speaker 2:00:05
Thank you. Um,

Unknown Speaker 2:00:08
so could you sort of just go back? And I’ll stop you when you’ve got a, a question.

Unknown Speaker 2:00:17
Okay, so on the ECF, just quickly,

Unknown Speaker 2:00:21
we had this is a pretty big surcharge. And we have

Unknown Speaker 2:00:29
an anticipated

Unknown Speaker 2:00:32
in the next two years, four or more groundbreakings from the Longmont Housing Authority.

Unknown Speaker 2:00:40
Has it been calculated how, how

Unknown Speaker 2:00:45
big a cost to the LA j projects this will be?

Unknown Speaker 2:00:52
Well, I think as we

Unknown Speaker 2:00:56
I guess, until we get into the design of the projects and understand what the impact is going to be, we don’t know what that’s going to look like.

Unknown Speaker 2:01:04
But I think the the answer to this question is,

Unknown Speaker 2:01:08
when you look at the structure on how this is built in the ECF, it really is paying for the infrastructure that associated with it. So if

Unknown Speaker 2:01:20
to put it in perspective, so if you didn’t do this, you would then have the electric fund covering the cost of the infrastructure for building the project of the housing authority. So I know I’m not answering your question. But so the first answer is no, we know what it is on the projects that have been designed today.

Unknown Speaker 2:01:39
In terms of future projects, we don’t know because they haven’t been designed. And we don’t know what that’s going to look like. The third piece is then the component of this is typical builder cost that’s associated with it in the construction of a project. So the answer in brief is yes, but there’s not much we can do about it. Correct. Okay. Let’s go on. And, and I would like to say, overall, these rates are really reasonable. Because I mean, our rate of inflation is higher than the rate increase for consumers. And

Unknown Speaker 2:02:17
you know, there are some unavoidable expenses, like wages are going up, and we have to keep up with them. So overall, I’m completely happy with this. I just think that there are some specific points that that speak to policy and or operational excellence that I’d like to tease out. So if you could go back, I think it’s two more slides. But let me go smell one.

Unknown Speaker 2:02:47
One more, one more. I wasn’t even close.

Unknown Speaker 2:02:53
So the commercial rates are above the rate of inflation.

Unknown Speaker 2:03:01
Is there a particular reason why the the commercial rates are are higher? Because we did that last time? We did that two years ago, we really added a lot to the to the commercial rates.

Unknown Speaker 2:03:16
Is is what what was the rationale on on deciding that the commercial rates would go up faster than inflation?

Unknown Speaker 2:03:26
Yeah, so council member Martin, I think it was just it’s the way that costs are allocated in the cost of service model, we continue those allocation methods that we use from last time

Unknown Speaker 2:03:40
where it was really based upon the energy usage by rate class. And so since these great classes use a lot of energy, more of the revenue requirement was allocated to them this time as well. So it’s kind of an incentive for conservation for those who are for load balancing or some good thing that they could do to lower their their costs. Okay, I’m happy with that answer. Go. Keep going back.

Unknown Speaker 2:04:12
Back,

Unknown Speaker 2:04:15
back, back. There we go. Okay. There have been a number of studies, and I can name two off the top of my head

Unknown Speaker 2:04:26
where it says that it’s a benefit to municipalities to increase the penetration of rooftop solar in their neighborhoods.

Unknown Speaker 2:04:40
And while I understand that there are places in Longmont, where, because of the age of the grid, that that’s not advisable at this point.

Unknown Speaker 2:04:52
You’re too high up penetration is not advisable at this point. But there are also plenty of neighborhoods around where it’s perfectly advisable

Unknown Speaker 2:05:00
To do that, and yet, we, we still have

Unknown Speaker 2:05:08
what at least looks like to the public a disincentive for solarization. And I asked this question every time I get a chance.

Unknown Speaker 2:05:18
But why

Unknown Speaker 2:05:20
can’t we

Unknown Speaker 2:05:24
make things more equitable? For

Unknown Speaker 2:05:28
people who would like to adopt solar because it will be a long term benefit for the city? If we do?

Unknown Speaker 2:05:39
Yeah, you didn’t really think you were gonna get away without answering this.

Unknown Speaker 2:05:45
So

Unknown Speaker 2:05:46
you turn your mic, please.

Unknown Speaker 2:05:49
Thank you.

Unknown Speaker 2:05:51
Good evening, Mayor Bagley and members, City Council, and high

Unknown Speaker 2:05:57
There you go. I’m Dave Hornbacher with LPC. So some good questions, I think, you know, at the last time that we had a rate discussion, we did spend quite a bit on this topic. And a lot of it really emanated around what the monthly charge was, and sort of the reason for that, in that this monthly charges just higher than a customer without solar, I think a lot of that discussion was is there are certain services that the grid is providing to these customers currently in the form of, let’s say, energy storage and bringing energy back. So the grid is still, while the solar customers are increasingly offsetting their usage, they’re offsetting it,

Unknown Speaker 2:06:42
the solar is running at different times of the day where they may not be using that energy. So it’s going into the grid, the grid or the utilities finding a home for it, and the same time when they need that energy. You know, in the evening, or especially in the wintertime, where, you know, it’s long since the peak of the day,

Unknown Speaker 2:07:00
the how we purchase energy and where we move energy around the greatest providing that type of support. And I that is sort of the philosophy behind that there is a a bit of a differential between just the base cost on that, as far as incentivizing.

Unknown Speaker 2:07:19
You know, since we do it as a net meter, and they’re actually getting a retail value, for what otherwise we purchase at a wholesale value with Platte River, it’s really a really what I would say is a strong incentive to go ahead and consider solar with your property and adoption. The one thing that I’m hopeful for is if you look more to our budget, and the distributed energy resources, is to start to develop programs that are also with energy storage. And so we start to pair the, you know, the production of energy with energy storage, where we really get the full benefit out there for customer at their individual site, or even for a neighborhood or more broadly. And so that’s the part that excites me, and I think will help drive solar and also allow us to

Unknown Speaker 2:08:10
look at it a little differently, and yet still keep equity between whether you’re a solar owner user or not.

Unknown Speaker 2:08:20
Couple things I mean, the solar plus battery incentive

Unknown Speaker 2:08:27
was the suggestion last time we did this exercise. And so, you know, why not now, I mean, the price of home batteries has dropped, although not in the last few months because of supply chain issues. But it’s still lower than it was two years ago. And certainly, although you know, you’ve described the sink thinking Mr. Hornbacher that that

Unknown Speaker 2:08:52
long man has had

Unknown Speaker 2:08:58
there are other models that make sense to you so for example, for Collins net metering rate is is above retail, you know, it’s an actual incentive Not to mention the you know, the flat fee is not different, but

Unknown Speaker 2:09:15
you know, there this, at best is an equitable rate. And, again, not because we want to

Unknown Speaker 2:09:25
pay off rich people, but but because there is a long term advantage for a high rate of social penetration to Longmont. You know, why don’t we get that additional penetration going by making it

Unknown Speaker 2:09:44
a good deal? Because I I believe on a you know, we can ask whether that’s been computed or not, but for right now, the Platte River Power Authority

Unknown Speaker 2:09:58
still thinks the peak to

Unknown Speaker 2:10:00
And is is in the mid afternoon. And so there’s, you know, there’s the just playing solar adopters are already doing the right thing by doing, you know, contributing the most to the grid when demand is highest.

Unknown Speaker 2:10:16
So, again, I understand the, the philosophy that has been applied, but why not change the philosophy.

Unknown Speaker 2:10:28
So I think when you look at renewable energy, and you’re looking at solar in general, you’re seeing it at at multiple levels we’re seeing at the individual home level. And we’re seeing it certainly at you know, at the Platte River level, you know, with Platte River having a a power purchase agreement out there for additional 150 megawatts of solar. So, which just to compare and contrast, the city peak is near around 180 megawatts. So it’s a substantial project that they’re looking to move forward. One of the things that I’m very excited about too, is that city of Long mod is participating with seven other utilities nationwide, to look at community solar. So for you know, those plays those

Unknown Speaker 2:11:14
individuals or locations that they can’t put solar on their house, or they’re in, you know, apartment setting, or their others, but they still want to be part of this movement forward. And so we’re part of a study with the National Renewable Energy Lab, as well as the American public power Association. And so I think it’s going to be those three levels that are going to bring solar, you know, stronger penetration of solar, as far as council direction goes, you know, this is council direction. And, you know, if I think one of the things I’m hearing from you, Councilmember Martin, is you would like to see, staff come forward with a proposal that does involve batteries that, you know, council can look at, and we could move forward with to Well, that was council direction two years ago.

Unknown Speaker 2:12:03
You know, there were some other things about Council, you know, about the decisions we made two years ago. And counsel has not given any direction on this rate proposal yet, although it could.

Unknown Speaker 2:12:19
So,

Unknown Speaker 2:12:21
yeah, and I am asking, the reason I’m asking these questions is to, is to find out whether this is the best way for the next two years or not, because you can with, you know, regardless of existing council direction, you can propose other models.

Unknown Speaker 2:12:41
And you’re capable of doing that. So this is a continuation. And I want to make that clear, that that this is just a carry forward of the decision that was made two years ago. So okay, thank you. Correct. And if I can, if I can add something to that, I think part of it is you heard the discussion about the capital investment and some of the other issues. And I’ve talked about this with some of you, in terms of one of the things we hope to understand from the work we’re going to do with the AMI project is really the reliability of the distribution system in certain areas, in working carry, because I think, to the point you made earlier, some areas have the ability to carry in other areas may not have the ability to carry it. And I think, you know, as I’ve talked to Dale about this, you know, my thought would be, if you get too much of it adoption, then what does it do to the system? And what investments Do you need to make to the system? And so there’s a learning component in the in the work that we’re going to do with ami, that I think when we get that implemented, we can be more in tune to this.

Unknown Speaker 2:13:46
Also, I’ve talked about the component of is it just solar that you want to incentivize? Or is it solar and battery that you want to incentivize? Because there’s some nuances to that? And that’s what David’s talking about that we’re going to present in the budget? That correct, David, that’s going to be presented in the budget document in terms of as a study. I think I’m trying to Dave, you want to go over that. So in the budget, we have allocated, or we have proposed allocation to money to distribute energy resources, strategies and solutions. So you’ll see money budget, that area, some of that money will go to studies and potentially, maybe initial programs to try and develop those things. And so what we’re building is we’re trying to build the the financial element and then the backdrop to actually act on those elements. And so this next budget, we’ve allocated money into the Dr. strategies. Well, so

Unknown Speaker 2:14:48
last budget, I think, or or maybe at some other presentation point. The staff proposed, I believe for municipal D er projects, one

Unknown Speaker 2:15:00
Which was funded last year? Correct? Am I close?

Unknown Speaker 2:15:05
Becky’s nodding. Which one is

Unknown Speaker 2:15:09
wastewater treatment? That’s the one that’s funded. The other three are unfunded. So maybe this funding that you’re talking about is the other three, I hope. So they all looked like good projects to me.

Unknown Speaker 2:15:21
Or maybe you’re proposing Some even more. And, and that’s all great.

Unknown Speaker 2:15:27
The, the

Unknown Speaker 2:15:31
concern I have with

Unknown Speaker 2:15:35
the solar raises is, you know, solar plus battery. I mean, we’ve already we’ve we’ve been discussing as things have gone along

Unknown Speaker 2:15:45
some alternative models for solarization. So we, you know, we’ve we’ve, we have suggested, for example, incentivizing solar plus battery, but not solar only. We’ve suggested that maybe for equity purposes, if we’re going to increase our rooftop or solar plus battery incentives, we need to step up for equity purposes, a community solar garden so that other people could buy in, it would be great to see those proposals as alternatives in these rape cases.

Unknown Speaker 2:16:23
So, you know, again, that’s, I guess that’s what I’m getting to in my question about Why not now?

Unknown Speaker 2:16:29
Because, you know, we could say, No, we can just, you know, go with vanilla for another two years. But do we have to out think we have to wait for the AMI

Unknown Speaker 2:16:39
to do that. So, you know, my, my question is, you know, when we when, when this comes as a, you know,

Unknown Speaker 2:16:49
and appropriation in the budget, is this the only choice we’re going to have?

Unknown Speaker 2:16:56
Okay, so I’ve got one more question back here. And then and and I’m not sure whether it’s going to, it’s going to be a David question or whether it’s,

Unknown Speaker 2:17:05
but if you could go back one or two more slides just to trigger my memory.

Unknown Speaker 2:17:15
When you talk, you want to turn off your mic. I’m not saying it, because you’re bothering me. It’s just that at some point, you’re gonna say something you don’t want anybody to hear.

Unknown Speaker 2:17:24
So I figured I’d tell you before you say such statement, who’s got who loves you, buddy?

Unknown Speaker 2:17:31
Okay, so the last one is the capital expenditures on the AMI. And again, I’m very happy to see you that you know that we’re cool on the CIA on the

Unknown Speaker 2:17:45
customer information system on the CIS. But it will. And I could be wrong on this, because I, you know, I may have just made a

Unknown Speaker 2:17:56
stupid assumption about the expenditures associated with the AMI.

Unknown Speaker 2:18:04
But two years ago, I thought the deal was that that two years of subsidy at this this rate,

Unknown Speaker 2:18:14
we’re going to pay for the AMI, and that it would be rolled out about now or by the end of the year. And now we’re looking at continuing the capital, the capital investment

Unknown Speaker 2:18:27
in the consumer rates for another two years. So how does that work? How is that not an increase in the cost of the AMI?

Unknown Speaker 2:18:42
So yeah, we we had originally funded in the previous rates two and a half million dollars per year. So that would have been a total of $5 million collected for that project over those first two years. But really, the funding for the project was originally estimated at $16 million.

Unknown Speaker 2:19:03
Since we’ve actually gone out to contract we think that that cost will be lower than the $16 million, but it’s still going to be more than the 5 million, 5 million. So so that was me assuming that it was the whole payoff. And now you’re saying that it means that in fact, two more years, maybe the whole payoff

Unknown Speaker 2:19:24
could be Yeah, dependent. Yeah. Oh, yeah. Well, yeah, actual. So in and you should have bids by now, right? I mean, I know that you can’t tell us about them yet. Because I assume you haven’t made a selection.

Unknown Speaker 2:19:37
But it would be great to know, you know, where are in the ballpark?

Unknown Speaker 2:19:43
Those come out. Are we still in the cone of silence? We can’t talk about or we can’t talk about it at all. But I think what I would say to answer your question is when they’re saying there’s no impact on rates due to the AMI mean, they didn’t go up, means we didn’t have to add more because

Unknown Speaker 2:20:00
We thought it was going to cost more and so we’re able to do it within the existing rate structure that we have in the budget that we have. Okay, that’s really right. But this these are capital expenditures associated with the AMI. So at some point the AMI is going to be paid for correct correct. Okay, great. That’s what I wanted to know. Okay. Thank you.

Unknown Speaker 2:20:22
Ready to go on to storms? Alright, let’s somebody else has questions. Charles Murray Peck.

Unknown Speaker 2:20:29
Okay. Let’s go on to storm drainage.

Unknown Speaker 2:20:46
Good evening Mayor Bagley and members of council I am Raven Martin cis business analyst with pw onar Business Services. In previous presentations we have you know, what, can we just want to take a break before we go to the last half or No?

Unknown Speaker 2:21:04
Okay. All right. Let’s keep going. Sorry, Raven. It’s okay. Alright, let’s go and take a break. Yeah. Sorry. When when certain members of staff and counselor Danson we’re gonna we got to take a break. Sorry. I’d rather do it now then.

Unknown Speaker 2:32:10
Alright Raven, are you ready? I want to interrupt you at least for a few minutes

Unknown Speaker 2:32:17
Good evening Mayor Bagley and members of council I am Raven Martin cis business analyst with pw and our business services. In previous council presentations for the rate study for storm drainage. We provided information on the operating revenue and capital requirements related to the cost of service for storm drainage. pw nr is proposing a rate increase based on a three year rate schedule. This timeframe is concurrent with the storm drainage Master Plan, which will provide more detailed information about the system’s total needs. The storm drainage master plan will also include Asset Management components, which will address the aging infrastructure, which is in poor condition and is potentially dangerous. Although significant improvements have been made to floodplain protection, the city’s storm sewer assets have not been sufficiently updated. Therefore, I will be presenting to rate options for rate increases as well as information for rebates, which are available for qualifying residents.

Unknown Speaker 2:33:32
This slide represents the total proposed funding for the storm drainage fund for the years 2022 through 2024, including the operating that proposed that capital and reserve requirement. The total storm drainage fund requirement is over $78 million. However, several projects have been identified which have a high priority status and those projects total only $23 million.

Unknown Speaker 2:34:01
This rate increase would allow us to fund those high priority projects only. And in addition, unfortunately, the city of long line did not receive the FEMA grant totaling $15 million. So in order to assist funding for the resilient st brain project channel improvements to hoever Street and additional additional issuance of debt would be proposed. The storm drainage rate has not been increased since 2013. And so this rate increase would permit pw nr to continue work to improve and upgrade the city’s storm drainage system.

Unknown Speaker 2:34:47
For option number one, the rates will increase for all user classes by the same percentage as well this maintains the current rate structure. The monthly amount of increase for 2022 is $1.

Unknown Speaker 2:35:00
85 it will be $1.80 and 2080 2023 and $2.15 in 2024.

Unknown Speaker 2:35:11
For option number two, the cost will be divided among three user classes. This rate allocation, this rate structure allocates the cost based on user class averages for impervious surface areas as well as trip generation. The residential and commercial user classes will increase by the same percentage each year, while multifamily user class remains the same. The monthly amount of increase in 2022 will be $2.70 $2.50. In 2023, and $3.25 in 2024. There is a significant risk associated with delaying replacement of key storm drainage assets. Both option number one and option number two would generate sufficient revenue in order to fund those projects which have been identified with a high priority status and wish had been previously mentioned. We recommend rate option number one, as it provides a simple and predictable rate structure which users are already familiar with.

Unknown Speaker 2:36:23
We believe that long months utility bills are an excellent value. 2021 rates are low in comparison with other Front Range communities, and a range of reliable service services are provided.

Unknown Speaker 2:36:39
electric rates for example, are second lowest in the state of Colorado, and this contributes to the overall affordability of long months utility bills.

Unknown Speaker 2:36:53
This slide represents the projected 2022 average monthly residential utility bill which includes the rate increases for electric and storm drainage. This is storm drainage option number one, which has the

Unknown Speaker 2:37:08
increase

Unknown Speaker 2:37:10
equaling the same percentage for all user classes and the average monthly residential utility bill would remain comparable to other Front Range communities.

Unknown Speaker 2:37:23
This slide represents the projected 2022 average monthly residential utility bill for both the rate increases for storm drainage and electric. This is a great option number two for storm drainage in which the residential and commercial user classes increase at the same percentage while multifamily stays the same and similar. Similarly, the average monthly residential utility bill remains comparable to other Front Range communities.

Unknown Speaker 2:37:55
There are many opportunities for Longmont residents to lower their utility bills through efficient water and energy usage. Additionally, there are programs such as efficiency works, which assists homeowners and businesses with identifying energy efficient upgrades, as well as rebates and discounts that are available for energy efficient appliances. LPC is a participant in the Colorado of affordable residential energy program or care, which is available to income qualifying residents, which provides free home energy audits as well as energy upgrades in order to reduce usage and maintain a comfortable home.

Unknown Speaker 2:38:42
Additionally, there are other agencies which provide utility bill assistance. And on the federal level, the low income Energy Assistance Program or leap provides assistance on heating costs. And locally, the our center provides crisis assistance. Finally, the city of Longmont has an assistance program which provides its own rebates, which is the long one city assistance and rebate system, or Longmont cares.

Unknown Speaker 2:39:16
The long month chairs program provides rebates for the following items, sales tax, property tax or rent, parking, Greenway maintenance fee, electricity and water. The number of participants has significantly grown since this program began in 2019. And it continues to grow with community outreach efforts. In 2020, the number of participants was just over 700. However, we estimate that and that an estimated 1800 residents are also eligible to participate in this program. Therefore 1800 is the target participation number used in calculations in the following slide.

Unknown Speaker 2:40:01
For the electric rebate, the current refund amount is $8 per month for each month that a customer paid an electric bill in the previous year. LPC is proposing to increase this monthly rebate amount to $8.50 in 2022 and $9 in 2023, which amounts to a 5% increase each year. This table represents the financial impact for these increases in the total rebate amount for each program year.

Unknown Speaker 2:40:35
Storm drainage is not currently a part of the Longmont cares program. So pw nr style staff would like to extend the long month here is program to include a storm drainage rebate. Regardless of which rate increase option is potentially selected by the Council. The entire amount of the rebate would be the amount of the proposed increase. That means that for all residents that qualify for the Longmont cares program, any rate increase that they experienced on their bill would be offset by this rebate.

Unknown Speaker 2:41:15
There are also many opportunities for Longmont to engage with the public about utility bill information as well as ways to save money. For example, the sustainable sustainable business program hosted a webinar for how to read commercial utility bills as well as offering money saving tips. Earlier this year, they hosted a webinar entitled How to Read your and reduce your household utility bill which provided similar information about utility residential utility bills, and as well as offering money saving tips. In addition to the messaging that is offered throughout the year about utility bills. There is also information provided to the public regarding the reduction in pollution in stormwater through a collaboration with the keep it clean partnership.

Unknown Speaker 2:42:10
Additional information is published through a variety of sources such as city line City Talk, the city’s own website and social media. LPC publishes information through the more power to you blog. in relationship to this rate study and potential rate increase. We have created a web page in both English and Spanish, which provides information about a potential increase as well as how it will impact their utility bill. Information is also provided to residents through community outreach events, as well as through city wide locations which have high contact with residents.

Unknown Speaker 2:42:53
Council is being asked to provide direction to LPC regarding the preparation of an electric rate ordinance as well as including the ECF rates, as well as whether to increase the electric rebate amount as part of the Longmont cares program. councils also being asked to provide direction to pw nr regarding the selection of a storm drainage rate option and preparation of a rate ordinance based on that selected up option. Additionally, we are city council to provide direction on the preparation of an ordinance to amend the Longmont cares rate section in order to include the storm drainage rebate as part of the Longmont cares program. Thank you very much for your time this evening. And if you have any questions, please let us know. Thank you.

Unknown Speaker 2:43:46
Alright, so basically, so I’ll customer back.

Unknown Speaker 2:43:52
Thank you, I’m gonna make a motion to prepare and I moved that we prepare an ordinance or direct staff to prepare an ordinance to amend the Longmont geres rate section to include the storm drainage v.

Unknown Speaker 2:44:09
All right, the

Unknown Speaker 2:44:13
Can you repeat that one more time?

Unknown Speaker 2:44:19
Oh, sorry.

Unknown Speaker 2:44:21
Go ahead. Okay, I moved to direct staff to prepare an ordinance to amend the Longmont cares rates section to include the storm drainage fee. So number four, right. Number four. All right. So the motion is been moved by Councilmember Peck and it was seconded by Councilmember Martin to go ahead and prepare an ordinance to amend the Longmont cares rate section.

Unknown Speaker 2:44:47
Because we’re Krishna, did you want to talk talk on this issue? Okay. All right. So let’s go ahead and vote conductor waters. Do you want to address the issue? All right. Yep, go ahead. Go ahead. Okay.

Unknown Speaker 2:45:00
So the this motion would both approve

Unknown Speaker 2:45:05
the rate increase

Unknown Speaker 2:45:08
and amend the the storm drainage, right. This simply amends the cares, just for Yep, we’re directing them for number four only to prepare an ordinance to amend the long one cares rate section, then we’ll go on with the other three at some point, I presume.

Unknown Speaker 2:45:26
Alright, it’s good vote.

Unknown Speaker 2:45:30
Again, we’re not increasing rates. We’re just directing staff to room back in order. And that may be

Unknown Speaker 2:45:36
the model that’s built for cares was built on a rate increase. And so we understand broker bring up I mean, a board is not voting to increase the rates tonight we’re voting to bring back an ordinance to vote on increasing the rates.

Unknown Speaker 2:45:50
No, no, no, you’re it’s a motion to to bring back an ordinance to bring it to a member all my cares rate section only know to include stormwater in Longmont cares. It’s just including it in the program. Alright, so what’s the difference that helped me understand then between what’s the difference between that and

Unknown Speaker 2:46:12
the storm drainage rate option, for example?

Unknown Speaker 2:46:16
So the storm drain and rate rate option is they presented two options to increase the storm drainage rate. That’s question two.

Unknown Speaker 2:46:26
Question four is if you do question two, do you want to include that in the cares program?

Unknown Speaker 2:46:33
Right. So my question is, I just wanna make sure I understand the motion. And so the motion i thought was prepare an ordinance to amend the law, my cares rate section, but it also includes what Councilmember pack.

Unknown Speaker 2:46:55
So number two’s select a storm drainage rate option. I’m assuming each option has a rate in it to correct so it does it we’re going to select a rate anyway. So that rate is going to be in the cares rate section.

Unknown Speaker 2:47:15
Okay. All right. Let’s vote.

Unknown Speaker 2:47:22
Thank you,

Unknown Speaker 2:47:31
Councilman pack in dark waters.

Unknown Speaker 2:47:58
Yeah. Councillor Peck? Is it. Okay, all in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed say nay. All right, the Motion carries unanimously.

Unknown Speaker 2:48:09
All right. Let’s go back to that. We have any other motions.

Unknown Speaker 2:48:13
Dr. waltz Dr. Waters. Yeah, I move we direct staff to prepare a storm drainage rate ordinance based on option one.

Unknown Speaker 2:48:25
Alright, guys, we’re Christiansen here in the UK. All in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed say nay.

Unknown Speaker 2:48:33
All right, Motion carries unanimously.

Unknown Speaker 2:48:35
All right. Any other motions regarding electric rates?

Unknown Speaker 2:48:42
I move that we prepare an electric rate ordinance including the ECF rates.

Unknown Speaker 2:48:50
Councillor Christiansen? Is this where you want to talk?

Unknown Speaker 2:48:54
Or no?

Unknown Speaker 2:48:56
Okay.

Unknown Speaker 2:48:58
Did we do number three? storm drainage rate ordinance based on number one? We did? Okay. Yeah, we just did. That was just that was just that was just it, then and we voted on that or not on one. So he selected we voted unanimously to prepare a storm drainage rate ordinance based on one option one. We also voted prepare an ordinance to amend allama cares rate section which would include

Unknown Speaker 2:49:26
storage drainage rates, and I just made a motion repair electric rate ordinance including the ECF rates. We should be everything right.

Unknown Speaker 2:49:35
I mean, at this point that covers everything you need. No,

Unknown Speaker 2:49:40
I don’t. The last one is prepare an ordinance to amend Longmont cares. Wait section two we did we did that.

Unknown Speaker 2:49:49
So we also need direction to include an increase to the electric rebate as well. Okay, but we we can do that next right? Okay, right. So there’s a mode I made a motion to prepare the

Unknown Speaker 2:50:00
Electric trade ordinance. You guys can they can hate on me for me, for me making the motion doc who wants to second that?

Unknown Speaker 2:50:08
Councilmember toggle fairing second to that motion? All right. See nobody in the queue? All in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed say nay. All right, that passes unanimously. We also need direction on what was that?

Unknown Speaker 2:50:23
electric rebates? electric rebates. Correct. All right. And so someone wanted to make a motion.

Unknown Speaker 2:50:29
I move that we direct staff to bring back an ordinance pertaining to electric rate rebates.

Unknown Speaker 2:50:35
All right. I made that motion. Councilmember waters seconded it. Seeing no one in queue. All in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed say nay. All right, that carries unanimously. Anything else you need as far as direction goes? You did. Great. Thank you.

Unknown Speaker 2:50:59
All right. rate increases just in general suck.

Unknown Speaker 2:51:07
Okay, let’s move on to last call. final call public invited to be heard. And remember the public want to come and talk?

Unknown Speaker 2:51:16
No. Okay. All right. Let’s go on to mayor and council comments. He almost got pressured by Christine and yell was dead. Almost no, no, no. All right, Marin council comments. Let’s go with seat seven counts. Mayor Martin.

Unknown Speaker 2:51:29
Thank you, Mayor Bagley. I just would like to

Unknown Speaker 2:51:34
commend the the thoroughness with which

Unknown Speaker 2:51:38
these rate options were were presented, I really do feel like we have a good understanding of of what we’re voting for. I would really like to have seen more options on the electric

Unknown Speaker 2:51:56
policy that is implied by the rates. And maybe the time to,

Unknown Speaker 2:52:01
you know, to take that up is

Unknown Speaker 2:52:05
well, we’ll talk to the city manager and Deputy city manager about when’s a good time to take that up. But I do think we would have been good to have more variations on the menu than we have.

Unknown Speaker 2:52:21
I also, you know, there seem to be council consensus, but I really feel like investment in the stormwater system is important. We know that this community cares about our

Unknown Speaker 2:52:38
our water quality and the rivers. And this is important for maintaining the health of the riparian corridor. And I also feel like with

Unknown Speaker 2:52:51
a push toward more urban density, we’re going to be stressing our older storm drains, and we may need to work on them harder sooner.

Unknown Speaker 2:53:03
So, you know, I hope we have an opportunity to push more capital at that somehow, in the future, because I am, I am a little concerned that we need to take more care of our stormwater systems then then this rate is going to allow so But otherwise, it’s been it was an excellent job, even if I did have 20 minutes of questions. And so I do appreciate the effort. So thanks, everybody.

Unknown Speaker 2:53:40
All right. Councillor Christiansen? I’m sorry, Dr. Waters, you’re in the queue. Then, Paul, thanks for your bags. I just I think the fear of failure here in the stormwater system would be catastrophic. So we simply cannot afford to let that happen. I’m just wondering, are we is that are we able to track the potential implications of the infrastructure bill that’s been passed by the Senate now sits in the house? And given all that we’ve talked about tonight in terms of re structure and and what that what that’s going to cost our taxpayer our taxpayers here, what kind of relief or options might be out there for the kinds of investments we’re making? So I know, when I was when I was out Peter and Sandy, they’re tracking and trying to assess what’s going to be there and I can work with them. And we can send you all an informational item, based on the research that they’ve done. I know they’ve, they’ve been digging into it, I haven’t had a chance in it. And I understand. It’s hard to know when that would happen. And it’s over eight years and how it gets, you know, time but at some point in time, it’ll really be helpful to know what the possibilities are in the context of our our calendar of decision making. Cripe, at what point would it It won’t be for this year, but at what point would it be considerations for

Unknown Speaker 2:55:00
The 2023 are, you know, are other budgets in terms of mitigating as we sit here and think about God that in addition to what we did tonight, right, another 9% increase in water. Right with right, which is baked into the rate structure now, but we haven’t talked about that. But that one’s coming to residence as well. So how do we think about any of this getting mitigated? Not reducing, but not increasing the increase? Right, or continuing to increase? In the out years? Yeah. How do you stabilize the rates in the future by offsetting the

Unknown Speaker 2:55:33
infrastructure work we need to do with these grant funds? And that’s, I know, there was a there was a big chat on this. And we were like, well, I passed it didn’t. But I know they’ve done that we will bring that back to you. Because we’re asking the same questions. Even with the ARPA funds. Yeah, is to really go How can you use in Sandy? I don’t know if you have an update on it.

Unknown Speaker 2:55:56
Hello, Mayor, members of council Sandy cedar assistant city manager, you know, it is stuck in the house, it still has not passed. So as soon as I know

Unknown Speaker 2:56:04
what happened. In the meantime, you know, NLC did a really nice summary, I’d be happy to go ahead and just send that great thinking about it. It’s my understanding that it will mostly be administered through states at this point, but it’s sort of it’s unclear how they’re going to get funds down to the localities. But it does, it does carve out some very specific categories around infrastructure, very heavy and transportation and broadband. And I don’t see the same restrictions, as ARPA has around, you know, kind of deteriorating infrastructure. So but I noticed he did a great job. So I’ll send it your way.

Unknown Speaker 2:56:37
And he had the answer.

Unknown Speaker 2:56:42
Councilmember Christiansen

Unknown Speaker 2:56:45
Thank you, Mayor, baby, I do think that we really need to educate people on what the storm waters is, I it’s not, you know, it’s not naturally something that people think about or even know, I’m at the end of a long block that heads gradually downhill. So I have and I’m also in a corner on an alley. So I actually have two stormwater drains. So the other night, the water was just pouring down my block, I guess it was like a river. And when I first moved in there, and I didn’t really understand what this was.

Unknown Speaker 2:57:26
I wouldn’t bother with it, you know. And then as a result, my basement started to saturate itself, quarter. But so now I go out there and I’m shoveling this stuff out. So that it can actually flow because otherwise, everything down the street, floods, my house floods, everything floods, this is what keeps us safe from having more problems with mold and problems with leaks and things like that. It’s, you know, it’s essential infrastructure, but I don’t think most people think about it or understand the difference between that and the sewage system. And so perhaps the time is call could do a little information about that. Because

Unknown Speaker 2:58:14
people need to know why their rates are increasing. I mean, we don’t, we really don’t want to increase anybody’s rates. But we have to keep our infrastructure sound. So that’s why, thanks.

Unknown Speaker 2:58:28
And council member, they’ll go fairing. Okay, thank you. So yes, the keywords being essential infrastructure, you know, we need to be creating, and I, and I think this council is doing a really good job staff is doing a great job at looking into the future. So we have to make sure that we have those infrastructure systems in place.

Unknown Speaker 2:58:50
You know, I hate the idea of rate increase just as much as everyone else’s we’re counting our pennies, but, but it’s something that needs to happen. You know, we, as we were we’ve lived through the flood and, and all these other

Unknown Speaker 2:59:07
catastrophic events that just seem to be increasing over time. It’s,

Unknown Speaker 2:59:13
we knew need to have that does, you know that not so pretty, or not so exciting infrastructure systems in place. So, you know, thank you, staff and for all your diligence and hard work and meeting with West one at a time to go over all the nuts and bolts, so I appreciate that. And the other thing I wanted to comment on, you know, I know that the healthy drinks ordinances kind of made its run through the newspaper, but I really wanted to express why I supported this. I’m a liaison for the youth council. And four of our members were part of this.

Unknown Speaker 2:59:51
This ordinance moving it forward. They did the research, the data collection, they assisted with interviewing and and it was really

Unknown Speaker 3:00:00
exciting to see, you know, as I’m sitting in the council meetings with them,

Unknown Speaker 3:00:05
how much they took the lead on this and really went through the whole legislative process to get this forward reach, you know, the outreach and, and education from their part. So, you know, it was really exciting to see that in looking at our future leaders. And so for me, it was, you know, supporting the youth trying to make a difference in their community.

Unknown Speaker 3:00:30
You know, I’ve been in restaurants where they already have that change, you know, McDonald’s already has, you know, they’ve been doing that for years with the milk and water option.

Unknown Speaker 3:00:40
So, you know, it’s not, it’s the children’s menu, and you still have the choice to get whatever kind of drink you want. You know, you might think about when my kids were little, and we would, you know, on the menu item, or the children’s menu, it didn’t have that Oreo shake with the cherry on top. But my son, no matter where we went, that was that was our default. And, you know, parents will still have the choice. It’s just not visually there for the kids on the kids menu to see. So, you know, I’m not quite sure you know, that that whole sensationalism and that idea that we’re taking control. I really wanted to support our youth and their leadership skills and, you know, their desire to make a difference in the community. So I just I just wanted to point that out and say why, why support this? Thanks. Alright. Thank you. Alright, see nobody else in the queue. Let’s go ahead and conclude. Mayor council comments. City Manager marks anything? No comments, Mayor council? All right. Thank you city attorney. Eugene. No comments. Mayor break. We have a motion to adjourn.

Unknown Speaker 3:01:49
Second, right. Council Member waters made that motion counselor Peck seconded it. All in favor of journeying, say aye. Aye. Opposed say nay. Motion carries unanimously. Thank you. See you next week, folks.