Board of Public Utilities
Regular MeetingTulare, CA · June 15, 2017
Minutes
Page 3059
ACTION MINUTES OF
BOARD OF PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSIONERS
CITY OF TULARE
June 15, 2017
A regular session meeting of the Board of Public Utilities Commissioners, City of
Tulare, was held on Thursday, June 15, 2017, at 7:00 p.m., in the Tulare Public
Library & Council Chambers.
BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: James Pennington, Howard Stroman, Gregory
Blevins, Thomas Griesbach, Erica Cubas
STAFF PRESENT: Joe Carlini, Sarah Tobias, Trisha Whitfield, Darlene Thompson,
Michael Miller, Jason Bowling, Tim Doyle, Nick Bartsch, Melissa Hermann
I. CALL TO ORDER:
President Pennington called the regular meeting to order at 7:02 p.m.
II. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE:
Board Member Blevins led the Pledge of Allegiance and an invocation was given by
Vice President Stroman.
III. CITIZEN’S REQUEST OR COMMENTS:
President Pennington advised that comments from the public are for items within the
jurisdiction of the Board. Speakers will be allowed three minutes.
There were no citizen comments presented.
IV. COMMUNICATIONS:
There were no items for this section on the agenda.
V. CONSENT CALENDAR:
It was moved by Board Member Blevins, seconded by Board Member Griesbach,
and unanimously carried that the items on the Consent Calendar be approved
as presented with the exception of items 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7.
(1) Approve minutes of June 1, 2017 regular meeting(s).
(2) Receive the Public Works performance reports for May 2017. Board
Member Blevins pulled this item to inquire about the measurement used on the
Water Conservation dashboard. City Manager Joe Carlini, Water Utility
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Supervisor Tim Doyle, and Interim Public Works Director Jason Bowling provided
a response thereto. Board Member Blevins inquired about the water waste
tickets issued. City Manager Joe Carlini, Water Utility Supervisor Tim Doyle,
Interim Public Works Director Jason Bowling, and Finance Director Darlene
Thompson provided a response thereto. Board Member Blevins inquired about
the amount paid to Hydros Agritech in June. A copy of the invoice was provided
to the Board. City Manager Joe Carlini provided a response thereto. Patrick
McLafferty of Hydros Agritech provided additional information in regard to
questions asked by the Board.
Following a lengthy discussion, it was moved by Board Member Blevins,
seconded by Vice President Stroman, and unanimously carried to accept the
item as presented.
(3) Accept Public Works Monthly Water System Report. Board Member
Griesbach pulled this item to inquire about the number of connections for May
2017. City Manager Joe Carlini and Interim Community and Economic
Development Director Michael Miller provided a response thereto.
Following discussion, it was moved by Vice President Stroman, seconded by
Board Member Griesbach, and unanimously carried to accept the item as
presented.
(4) Water System Development Program update. Board Member Blevins pulled
this item to inquire about the length of time for constructing wells and whether or
not that time can be shortened. Project Manager Trisha Whitfield provided a
response thereto. Interim Community and Economic Development Director
Michael Miller provided additional information in regard to the questions asked by
the Board.
Following discussion, it was moved by Board Member Blevins, seconded by
Board Member Griesbach, and unanimously carried to accept the item as
presented.
(5) Accept as complete the contract with Anthony J. Prieto Water Well Drilling,
Inc. of Selma, California on Project WT0027 – Construction of a well at 333
S. I Street; authorize the City Project Manager to sign the Notice of
Completion; and direct the City Clerk to file the Notice of Completion with
the Tulare County Recorder’s Office. Board Member Blevins pulled this item
to inquire about the change order and reimbursement for sewer overflow that
was referenced on the staff report. Project Manager Trisha Whitfield provided a
response thereto.
With no further discussion, it was moved by Board Member Blevins, seconded by
Board Member Cubas, and unanimously carried to accept the item as presented.
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(6) Receive an update, project budget and design proposal for the Cartmill
Corridor Improvements project located on Cartmill Avenue between the
Cartmill Avenue Interchange at Highway 99 and De La Vina St. It is
recognized that the scope of this project includes the expansion of the
water and sewer system infrastructure, but because the funding required
for this project does not impact the budgets under the purview of the Board
of Public Utilities, this is being provided as an informational item only.
Board Member Cubas recused herself from this item stating a possible
professional conflict of interest.
It was moved by Vice President Stroman, seconded by Board Member
Griesbach, and unanimously carried 4-0 (Board Member Cubas recused) to
accept the item as presented.
(7) Receive updates to Administrative Policy 15-01 Transportation System
Planning Policy. Board Member Blevins pulled this item to inquire if the policy
provided is the most recent. Senior Project Manager Nick Bartsch provided a
response thereto. Vice President Stroman inquired about cash flow and
contingency reverse reduction. Senior Project Manager Nick Bartsch provided a
response thereto. President Pennington and Board Member Griesbach inquired
about the minimum Pavement Condition Indexes (PCI). Senior Project Manager
Nick Bartsch and Interim Community and Economic Development Director
Michael Miller provided a response thereto.
Following discussion, it was moved by Board Member Griesbach, seconded by
Vice President Stroman, and unanimously carried to accept the item as
presented.
(8) Accept Financial Status Report.
VI. GENERAL BUSINESS:
Comments related to General Business Items are limited to three minutes per
speaker for a maximum of 30 minutes per item unless otherwise extended by the
Board.
(1) Authorize the Public Works Director or City Manager to execute a twenty
(20) year Gas Purchase Agreement with Fuel Cell Energy, Inc. of Danbury,
Connecticut (FCE) at a fixed minimum rate of $5.00 per MMBtu with the
potential of additional revenue if the BioMat tariff is revised upwards during
the term of this agreement subject to minor conforming and clarifying
changes acceptable to the City Attorney and City Manager. City Manager
Joe Carlini provided a report for the Board’s review and consideration. Patrick
McLafferty of Hydros Agritech provided the Board with additional information
regarding the background and current status of the project. Ben Tobey of Fuel
Cell Energy (FCE) provided the Board with information regarding the contract.
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The Board inquired about various areas of the contract. Ben Tobey provided
responses thereto.
Following a lengthy discussion, it was moved by Board Member Blevins,
seconded by Board Member Cubas, and unanimously carried to accept the item
as presented.
(2) Receive status update on Public Works CMMS implementation project. City
Manager Joe Carlini provided a report for the Board’s review and consideration.
Chris Ewers of Ewers Engineering provided a presentation to the Board
regarding the background and current status of the CMMS project. This item
was informational only.
VII. ITEMS OF BOARD INTERESTS (may include City Council and Planning Commission updates) –
GC 54954.2(3)
Items of Board interest were discussed among the Board and staff.
VIII. ADJOURN REGULAR MEETING
President Pennington the regular meeting at 9:05 p.m.
__________________________________
President of the Board of Public Utilities
Commissioners of the City of Tulare
ATTEST:
__________________________
Secretary of the Board of
Public Utilities Commissioners
Agenda
AGENDA
CITY OF TULARE
BOARD OF PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
Thursday, June 15, 2017
Regular Session 7:00 p.m.
TULARE PUBLIC LIBRARY & COUNCIL CHAMBERS
491 North “M” Street
MISSION STATEMENT
To promote a quality of life making Tulare the most desirable community in which
to live, learn, play, work, worship and prosper.
Meeting audio will be uploaded to the City’s website www.tulare.ca.gov no later than the Tuesday
following the meeting, barring any technical difficulties, accessible by selecting the appropriate meeting
date on the City Meeting Calendar page.
I. CALL TO ORDER
II. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND INVOCATION
III. CITIZEN COMMENTS - Comments from the public are limited to items listed on the
agenda (GC 54954.3a). Speakers will be allowed three minutes. Please begin your
comments by stating and spelling your name and providing your city of residence.
IV. COMMUNICATIONS
No action will be taken on matters listed under Communications; however, the Board
may direct staff to schedule issues raised during Communications for a future agenda.
V. CONSENT CALENDAR:
All Consent Calendar items are considered routine and will be enacted in one motion.
There will be no separate discussion of these matters unless a request is made, in
which event the item will be removed from the Consent Calendar to be discussed and
voted upon by a separate motion.
(1) Approve minutes of June 1, 2017 regular meeting(s).
(2) Receive the Public Works performance reports for May 2017.
(3) Accept Public Works Monthly Water System Report.
(4) Water System Development Program update.
(5) Accept as complete the contract with Anthony J. Prieto Water Well Drilling, Inc. of
Selma, California on Project WT0027 – Construction of a well at 333 S. I Street;
authorize the City Project Manager to sign the Notice of Completion; and direct
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Board of Public Utilities
June 15, 2017
the City Clerk to file the Notice of Completion with the Tulare County Recorder’s
Office.
(6) Receive an update, project budget and design proposal for the Cartmill Corridor
Improvements project located on Cartmill Avenue between the Cartmill Avenue
Interchange at Highway 99 and De La Vina St. It is recognized that the scope of
this project includes the expansion of the water and sewer system infrastructure,
but because the funding required for this project does not impact the budgets
under the purview of the Board of Public Utilities, this is being provided as an
informational item only.
(7) Receive updates to Administrative Policy 15-01 Transportation System Planning
Policy.
(8) Accept Financial Status Report.
VI. GENERAL BUSINESS:
Comments related to General Business Items are limited to three minutes per speaker
for a maximum of 30 minutes per item unless otherwise extended by the Board.
(1) Authorize the Public Works Director or City Manager to execute a twenty (20)
year Gas Purchase Agreement with Fuel Cell Energy, Inc. of Danbury,
Connecticut (FCE) at a fixed minimum rate of $5.00 per MMBtu with the potential
of additional revenue if the BioMat tariff is revised upwards during the term of this
agreement subject to minor conforming and clarifying changes acceptable to the
City Attorney and City Manager.
(2) Receive status update on Public Works CMMS implementation project.
VII. ITEMS OF BOARD INTEREST: (may include City Council and Planning Commission updates) –
GC 54954.2(3)
VIII. ADJOURN REGULAR MEETING
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Brown Act, if you need special assistance to participate
in this meeting, including the receipt of the agenda and documents in the agenda package in an alternate format, please
contact the City Manager’s Office at (559) 684-4200. Notification of 48 hours prior to the meeting will enable the
City to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility to this meeting (28 CFR 35.102-35, 104 ADA Title I),
and allow for the preparation of documents in the appropriate alternate format.
[Note: Pursuant to Government Code 54957.5 - Effective 7/1/08 Documents produced and distributed less than 72
hours prior to or during an open session of a regular meeting to a majority of the legislative body regarding any item
on the agenda will be made available for public inspection at the meeting and at the City Clerk’s Office at City Hall
located at 411 East Kern Avenue during normal business hours.]
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