Utility Advisory Committee

City Hall Meeting Minutes 601 4th Avenue E Olympia, WA 98501 Utility Advisory Committee Contact: Jesse Barham 360.753.8164 Thursday, August 3, 2023 5:30 PM City Hall, Room 207 1. WORK SESSION: Comprehensive Plan Update - Utilities Chapter (4:30 - 5:15 pm) Chair Bloom called the Work Session portion of the meeting to order. UAC member roll call for the Comprehensive Plan Work Session: Present: Chair Bloom, Vice Chair Lamson, Committee member Krug, Committee member Vernon, Committee member Schneider and Committee member Chilcutt Absent: Committee member Towne, Committee member Anderson and Committee member Clark Staff roll call for Work Session: Susan Clark, Jesse Barham, Fran Love, David Dunn, Ron Jones, Mike Vessey and Lindsay Walker. The UAC and staff reviewed the Comp Plan Utilities Chapter Goals and Policies. The UAC provided the following: · Since the work session time is limited to 45 minutes, UAC members will provide Susan Clark with editing suggestions via email. · Add information on how the increases to the municipal utility tax, which funds the general fund, impacts the utilities' ability to raise revenue needed to meet utility goals. Suggested adding this to Goal 2 which is about fees and rates. The UAC feels this is important to note for equity purposes. · Add more information on the potential to expand the Utility Assistance Programs. Also mention both programs, Helping Neighbors and Lifeline Rates. · Staff will email to the UAC the City’s new Climate and Equity framework documents. The UAC will discuss the Drinking Water utility at the next Comp Plan Work Session on September 7. Chair Bloom recessed the Work Session at 5:27 p.m. 23-0675 Utilities Chapter of the City of Olympia Comprehensive Plan Update Discussed and developed the draft Utilities Chapter goals and policies for further review and recommendation by the full Utility Advisory Committee. BREAK City of Olympia Page 1 Utility Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes August 3, 2023 2. CALL TO ORDER Chair Bloom called the regular UAC meeting to order. 3.A ROLL CALL Present: 6 - Chair Dennis Bloom, Vice Chair Kristin Lamson, Committee member Sherry Chilcutt, Committee member Donald Krug, Committee member Arland Schneider and Committee member Eleanor (Pat) Vernon Absent: 3 - Committee member JP Anderson, Committee member Dani Clark and Committee member Virginia Towne 3.B. STAFF PRESENT Water Resources Director/Staff Liaison Jesse Barham Drinking Water Utility Director Mike Vessey Waste ReSources Director Gary Franks Planning and Engineering Supervisor Susan Clark Stormwater Engineer Fran Love Wastewater Engineer David Dunn Administrative Specialist Lindsay Walker 4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA The agenda was approved. 5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 23-0619 Approval of June 1, 2023 UAC Meeting Minutes The minutes were approved. 6. PUBLIC COMMENT Mr. Helmuth Endler spoke. 7. ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM UAC AND STAFF Chair Bloom and Committee member Krug attended a utility tour on July 11. City staff provided a tour of a sewer lift station and also discussed sea level rise tide gates and gauges. The UAC is interested in a tour of the recycle facility in Tacoma. Mr. Franks will work on planning the tour in the fall. Utility staff is participating in the update of the regional Hazard Mitigation Plan, including Olympia’s “annex” to the regional plan. Having this plan finalized makes the City of Olympia Page 2 Utility Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes August 3, 2023 City eligible for FEMA funding for a drinking water project (seismic valves on the McAllister transmission main). The Thurston Regional Planning Council (TRPC) has a survey available on their website to provide feedback for the Hazard Mitigation Plan. The survey will close the end of August. Staff is working with the UAC Chair and Vice Chair to draft a letter of support for a GFC discount to build affordable housing. This item came before the UAC in June. Staff is asking the UAC to finalize the letter in September. The Sept/Oct Five Things will have an article about the UAC’s review of the 2024 utility rates and the Comp plan. The side panel will announce the City’s advisory committee recruitment and how to apply. Staff asked for ideas for the Five Things utility insert. Staff emailed the UAC answers to follow up questions regarding delinquency and shut offs. The handout was also distributed during the meeting. Staff received comments from the State Department of Health on the City's Water System Plan (WSP). Comments are minor in nature. Staff will come back to the UAC in September with the WSP for their recommendation before Council approval can occur. 8. BUSINESS ITEMS 23-0620 2024-2029 Preliminary Capital Facilities Plan Staff provided the briefing. Vice Chair Lamson requested any questions that the Olympia Planning Commission poses to utilities staff on the CFP, including staff's responses. The UAC asked some clarifying questions and had a discussion with staff. The UAC thanked staff for the briefing. The discussion was completed. 23-0621 Potential for Wastewater Irrigation Rate Discount Mr. Barham provided the briefing. The discussion was completed. 23-0622 Preliminary 2024 Utility Operating Budget Drivers and Trends Mr. Barham, Mr. Franks and Mr. Vessey provided the briefing. The City is a few weeks behind on the 2024 budget process. This potentially poses an issue with the timing of the September UAC meeting. We may need to have a special City of Olympia Page 3 Utility Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes August 3, 2023 UAC in mid/late September or present the entire budget in October. The discussion was completed. 23-0623 Utilities - 2nd Quarter Financial Update The report was received. 9. ADJOURNMENT Chair Bloom adjourned the meeting at 7:43 p.m. UPCOMING Next UAC meeting - September 7, 2023 Business Items: - 2024 Utility Operating Budgets, Rates, CFP and GFCs - Water System Plan Recommendation City of Olympia Page 4