CT Municipal Electric Energy Cooperative CMEEC

SPECIAL MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE CONNECTICUT MUNICIPAL ELECTRIC ENERGY COOPERATIVE February 26, 2018 A Special meeting of the Board of Directors (“Board”) of the Connecticut Municipal Electric Energy Cooperative (“CMEEC”) was held on Monday, February 26, 2018 at CMEEC, 30 Stott Avenue, Norwich, CT and via telephone. The meeting was legally noticed in compliance with Connecticut State law and all proceedings and actions hereafter recorded occurred during the publicly open portions of the meeting. Chairperson Kenneth Sullivan called the meeting to order at 4:33 p.m. and determined a quorum was present. The following Member Representatives/Alternate Member Representatives/Municipal Representatives participated via telephone: Norwich – John Bilda, Dr. Grace Jones, Stewart Peil Jewett City – Kenneth Sullivan, Louis Demicco, Richard Throwe Groton – Ronald Gaudet, Keith Hedrick, Mark Oefinger Bozrah Light and Power Company – David Collard, Ralph Winslow East Norwalk – Kevin Barber, Debora Goldstein, Pete Johnson South Norwalk – Paul Yatcko The following CMEEC staff participated: Drew Rankin, CMEEC Chief Executive Officer Robin Kipnis, CMEEC General Counsel Ellen Kachmar, CMEEC Office & Facility Manager Margaret Job, CMEEC Administrative Staff Other participants: Michael Boucher, Groton, CT Resident William Kowalski, Municipal Electric Consumer Advocate Stephanie Menders, Reporter, Norwich Bulletin Ms. Job Recorded. Standard Action Items (A) Public Attendee Comment Period Chairman Sullivan asked if there were any members of the public present who wished to make remarks to the CMEEC Board. No members of the public had any remarks. (B) Conduct Voting Roster / Roll Call Ms. Kachmar took roll call identifying who was eligible to vote at today’s meeting. (C) Resolution Withdrawing CMEEC Resolution 17-12-03 Ms. Kipnis explained that at its Regular meeting on February 22, 2018, the Board of Directors held a discussion in Executive Session related to and authorizing the withdrawal of CMEEC Resolution 17-12-03 appointing BlumShapiro to perform the requirements of Public Act 17-73. Ms. Kipnis read aloud the draft Resolution Withdrawing the Appointment of the Certified Independent Accounting Firm of BlumShapiro to Perform the Requirements of Public Act 17-73. Chairman Sullivan confirmed Ms. Kipnis completed her explanation of the draft resolution and entertained any questions for her. Member Representative David Collard stated that he felt there was some confusion between the second and third “whereas” clauses and noted that he felt they should be revised to reflect the appropriate chronological order of the events noted in those clauses. Municipal Representative Mark Oefinger suggested that the Board should first move and second the original resolution as written and presented at this meeting, then accept Member Representative Collard’s amendments. He stated he would move in favor of the resolution as originally proposed to which Member Representative Gaudet seconded such motion. Municipal Representative Oefinger stated that as a point of order the purpose of moving to accept the originally drafted resolution and having a second to that motion, puts the Board in a position to discuss that first resolution. Ms. Kipnis explained that the Board would move on the first resolution, second that motion and then discuss Member Representative Collard’s proposed amendments to that first resolution. Member Representative Collard proposed to amend the original resolution with his suggested amendment to organize the second and third “whereas” clause in appropriate chronological order. He added that his suggested amended language would create an additional “whereas” clause. Member Representative Collard then read aloud his suggested amended language. Alternate Member Representative Debora Goldstein suggested that the original language should be mirrored as close as possible if an amendment is going to be written. Municipal Representative Oefinger noted that the original resolution and Member Representative Collard’s suggested amendment states that on December 14, 2017 CMEEC notified the legislature of its selection of forensic auditor to perform the requirements of Public Act 17-73. He questioned what representative CMEEC governing body notified the legislature and who at the legislature was notified. He noted that clarification should be made as to who at the legislature was informed. Mr. Rankin explained that CMEEC received a letter from Senator Heather Somers requesting status on CMEEC’s movement on the forensic examination to which Ms. Kipnis provided a formal response. He added that Ms. Kipnis copied the same members of the legislature that Senator Somers had copied in her request letter. He suggested that the resolution state that CMEEC notified Senator Somers in response to her inquiry and also copied the individuals copied on Senator Somers’s letter to CMEEC. Alternate Member Representative Goldstein suggested that certain members of the legislature be referenced on an Appendix A to the resolution and append CMEEC’s letter. Chairman Sullivan asked Municipal Representative Oefinger if the foregoing discussion satisfied his question to which he responded it had. Alternate Member Representative Goldstein added that perhaps her suggestion for an appendix to be added to the resolution in lieu of including proper names in the resolution be a friendly amendment to Member Representative Collard’s motion to amend the original proposed resolution. Chairmen Sullivan stated he would entertain a vote on the amendment. Municipal Representative Oefinger suggested that the record should note that Member Representative Collard and Member Representative Gaudet accept Alternate Member Representative Goldstein’s friendly amendment. Motion by Member Representative Collard, seconded by Member Representative Gaudet to accept Alternate Member Representative Goldstein’s friendly amendment to Member Representative Collard’s proposed amendment to the Resolution. Motion passed unanimously. (18-02-05) Motion by Member Representative Collard, seconded by Member Representative Grace Jones to accept Member Representative Collard’s proposed amendment to the Resolution. Motion passed unanimously. (18-02-06) Motion by Member Representative Collard, seconded by Member Representative Louis Demicco to accept the proposed resolution with Member Representative Collard’s proposed amendment. Motion passed unanimously. (18-02-07) Chairman Sullivan inquired if anyone had anything further to add to which Municipal Representative Oefinger requested that when the updated resolution is available that it be sent to everyone along with the attachment. Michael Boucher, resident of Groton, CT, asked that the original resolution and amended resolution be emailed to him at his personal email, which he announced at the call, but is not provided in these minutes. There being no further business to come before this Board, Chairman Sullivan entertained a motion to adjourn. Motion by Member Representative Gaudet, seconded by Member Representative Demicco to adjourn the meeting. There being no further business to come before this Board, the meeting was adjourned at 4:58 p.m.  CONNECTICUT MUNICIPAL ELECTRIC ENERGY COOPERATIVE AMENDED RESOLUTION 18-02-07 Resolution Withdrawing the Appointment of the Certified Independent Accounting Firm of Blum Shapiro to Perform the Requirements of Public Act 17-73 WHEREAS, On November 6, 2017, CMEEC issued a Request for Proposal (“RFP”) to seven (7) national and state level accounting firms for implementation of the forensic examination requirements of Public Act 17-73, and received only two (2) responses to the RFP, with one (1) firm subsequently withdrawing their response, leaving Blum Shapiro as the sole firm responding to the RFP; WHEREAS, in an effort to timely comply with the forensic examination required by Public Act 17-73 and upon determination that there was not an actual conflict of interest by the provisions of the AICPA Code of Professional Responsibility, the Audit Committee decided on November 28, 2017 to bring the vote forward to the CMEEC Board of Directors; WHEREAS, pursuant to a request from Senator Heather Somers for information from CMEEC including the status of the forensic examination required by Public Act 17-73, (a copy of which, together with CMEEC’s written response, is attached to this Resolution as Attachment 1.) CMEEC’s General Counsel, on December 14, 2017 provided the information requested to Senator Somers and the legislators copied on her letter to CMEEC; WHEREAS, On December 21, 2017 the CMEEC Board of Directors voted to adopt Resolution 17-12-03 to approve the selection and retention of Blum Shapiro to perform the forensic examination requirements of Public Act 17-73; WHEREAS, CMEEC was contacted by the Municipal Consumer Electric Advocate in January 2018 to review the selection of Blum Shapiro, starting a dialogue about the best manner in which to satisfy the requirements of Public Act 17-73 so as to avoid any perception that Blum Shapiro’s implementation of Public Act 17-73 would be questioned; WHEREAS, CMEEC General Counsel reached out to the Connecticut Consumer Counsel’s Office which agreed to offer its expertise in structuring an RFP for a forensic examination; WHEREAS, the CMEEC Board of Directors desires to utilize the resources made available to it by the Connecticut Consumer Counsel’s Office to develop an RFP that would result in additional responses; WHEREAS, Blum Shapiro has been supportive of CMEEC’s efforts to address the requirements of the statute in light of the difficulty in implementing the statute; WHEREAS, as a result, the CMEEC Board of Directors desires to withdraw Resolution 17-12- 03 in its entirety; NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the CMEEC Board of Directors approve the withdrawal of Resolution 17-12-03. Attachment 1