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Good

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afternoon. Now I'll tap. Do I have to say one, two, three?

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I call this meeting to order. Thank you very much for coming. Tuesday, January 21st. At this time, I will ask for the invocation and pledge of allegiance. We have invocation is Father Morning here.

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Psalm 46.

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be still and know that I am God. Let us pray.

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God, please help us to be still and

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recognize that you are the Lord, supreme among the nations, supreme on the

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earth. May we have malice toward none, charity for all, furnace in the right as

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you give us to see justice and right. In your wisdom you set human kinds to

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care for creation. Give our local leaders here present wisdom and concern for the common

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good. Send wisdom from heaven to all here present to be with us that we may know what is right

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and know what your designs are.

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Please God bless our community. You are the God in whom we trust

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who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen.

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I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of

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America and to your public for which it stands on the nation under God, indivisible with liberty

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and justice for all.

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Thank you very much.

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Do we have any changes to the agenda?

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Madam Chair, I do have a request to add an item of urgency. It would be an item four to the

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closed session agenda under conference with legal counsel, existing litigation, pursuant

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to government code 54956.9, Taylor versus IID, case number ECU, 003914 and Imperial

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County Superior Court. This issue came to the attention of the district after the posting

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of the agenda and there is a sense of urgency in discussing this.

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This would require an emotion to add and a for-fist vote in the affirmative.

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Second,

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if I could move to amend your motion, or if you could entertain this, which is

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moving item 2 under consent to after item number 7 in action, we have a presentation on

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that.

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Okay, so I have a motion.

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Do I have a motion then to amend that?

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I'll make the motion with the amendment.

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Second.

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Okay.

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So before we vote on that, just for clarification, we are adding to the closed session agenda.

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And then in addition to that, we are moving item number two in consent, and that will go before the public rate hearing.

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I

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know this is an important board meeting so I want to just reiterate because I know we have a sensitive topic before we go to public comments.

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The very beginning will be on general topics.

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And then the public comments regarding the public rate hearing will then be heard later before the public rate hearing.

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If that makes sense just because I don't want you to think that you are not going to be heard.

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Also, I would like to entertain a motion from the board if it is a sports pleasure.

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Not for general comments, but when we do get to the public rate hearing.

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I would like to strictly state, strictly enforce the three-minute rule.

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However, we also have a 20-minute cap that we normally impose.

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At this point in time, I hope it is our pleasure to hear everybody that has something

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to say.

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Do away with that 20-minute cap and let everybody speak that wishes to speak, however,

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staying within that three-minute allotment for each person.

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So moved.

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Second.

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Thank you.

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All those in favor?

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Hi.

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Hi.

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Hi.

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Okay, that carries.

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At this time, public comments, Mr. Holbrook?

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Thank you, we have a few public comments and our general public comments.

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The first is for Mr. Peter Rodriguez.

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Be nice to meet Peter, this is my first meeting up here as chairwoman.

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Good afternoon, board.

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Good afternoon chair, Madam Chair.

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Well, of course, I'd be nice to meet you. Congratulations for being Madam Chair. Happy New Year to you as well.

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My comment, our public comment is pretty brief and simple.

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It's about the ECA and the plan to establish ECA that you guys over-collected in the plan to re-establish, to give it back to the brake pairs.

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At the last meeting we have for the proposed rate, the time frame of two to three years was given.

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I found that inappropriate and not sympathetic to our rate pairs.

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You have the ability to collect as the bill is charged.

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You have the ability to give it back, you should not take two to three years.

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I believe the form that you gave me was the numbers were not accurate, I believe there's more funding to it.

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and I'll put a number to it and you guys can correct it if I'm wrong, it's probably about 200 to 250 million, but there's another thing that's more important.

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In our constitution, we're allowed to have freedom of speech three weeks ago.

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One of your board members called me and warned me about my comments and speech.

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Since that time I've had several members in public review my public comments to see if I've been out of line.

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I mean, the seven people that I selected, none of them gave me any negative feedback

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of comments regardless and I could tell you right now Madam Chair is not you, is not

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the director of your annual and obviously he's not the director of a check-all.

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I ask that you as a board take this matter seriously.

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All of us here as public and citizens are allowed to get up here and make their public comment.

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We may agree and disagree, but we are allowed to make comments about being pressured to say, do not speak anymore.

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That is my comment to you.

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Thank you.

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Thank you, Mr. Rodriguez.

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The next public comment is for Mr. Skye, Ainsworth.

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Good afternoon, Mr. Ainsworth.

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Good afternoon.

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My name is Skye Ainsworth.

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I'm a resident of El Centro.

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I'm an Army veteran, also a member of the electricians union here, Local 569.

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I've also done work with the local Democratic Committee.

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I'm coming to you today to speak or ask, who is this individual Peter Rodriguez?

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Because my first encounter with Mr. Rodriguez was a couple years ago with a group project Lindsey Dale

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was running with the registrar of the voters for voter outreach around 2018.

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He emailed the group, insulting Mrs. Dale.

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I demand an apology, none was given.

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Later, I attended County Supervisor and IED meetings

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and watched Mr. Rodriguez come to public comments

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and make statements about that sounded since here at first.

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Then reference random news stories until he would add in things

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like someone could come in here with a gun or a bomb.

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And reference to security measures for both meetings.

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He would insult members of the board.

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He would assault people in the community, including me.

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I became concerned about Mr. Rodriguez's behavior

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and then saw that he was posting on Facebook

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to the Ransom Raids Imperial counting group,

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hosted by Michael D.C.

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No one knows his identity, stating around 2013,

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and in the Ransom Raids group started allowing people

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to, basically, material that's sexist, racist,

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bigot in some cases, I tried to reach out to say

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that potentially he's saying things that could get him put on a police watch list.

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No action was taken.

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Later on, I spoke to Marcia Cardinist Singh about Mr. Rodriguez's behavior, how it's a little

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embarrassing to his family, no action was taken.

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About a month ago, I was informed that Mr. Rodriguez has been emailing female people in the

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community, hinting at trying to be a wealthy person and offering financial support to them.

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My general question is, what is going on with Mr. Rodriguez?

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Is he mentally unwell?

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Are we supposed to ignore his behavior?

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Does his family not care about him and allows him to go out in public unsupervised, saying random things and sometimes threatening statements?

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Is behavioral health aware of him and advising law enforcement and security personnel on how to handle him?

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Should members of the public be made aware of him before he messages under the random woman offering financial support?

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Thank you.

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The

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next comment is from Ms. Mary Helen McCombs.

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Can you please, only because we do have a camera and everybody that's on Zoom.

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You know, I have millions of followers, they're listening.

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Okay, maybe not millions.

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I don't think we have that many people in the Imperial County.

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My question is to the maintenance situation.

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We need to be self-sustaining and totally independent as a county.

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from pursuit, from any of the other electric companies that may be out there.

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And in order to be self-sustaining, is there a list of repairs and maintenance projects with estimated costs

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and done in the order of importance, and is it possible to have a copy of that and view it?

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With a reference to particularly the power projects, the central plant that needs a tremendous

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amount of maintenance, the Yucca plant and Yuma, the hydroelectric drops that provide much

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of our power, and the K-line and the R-line, just to begin looking at how can we, as a utility,

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be totally self-sustaining and independent from other entities if it became necessary to

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turn the switch off.

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So that we have power for air conditioning in the summer or heating in the winter.

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That's my question.

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And I'd like someone to call me and at least give me some kind of an answer to that question.

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And I think everyone needs to know what are we?

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That $1.3 billion, I understand, and I think it's valid that we absolutely must do something to become very much self-sustaining and independent.

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And we don't need to be wasting any money, we've already wasted enough and put things off that should have been taken care of a long time ago.

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Thank you.

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Thank you very much for comments before you leave. Can you just one more time state your name for the record?

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Mary Helen McCombs.

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Thank you very much.

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And the final speaker for this portion of public comment is Mr. Nate Fairman.

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Good afternoon, Nate.

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Hello. Nate Fairman from IBW Local 465. I represent 900 frontline workers at the IED.

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I'm also rate payer at our Imperial Valley office.

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Three quick things today. I'd like to start off by saying congratulations to chairwoman Gina

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and a doc-steader, congratulations to the new director,

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Mr. Pacheco.

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We look forward to working with you

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to meet the needs of your employees and our communities.

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Number two, I wanted to follow up on the meter tech issue

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I brought up last month in La Quinta.

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There was a 5% shortfall on their desk audit.

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When we look at their pay, it is clear that the duties

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that have been added merit the additional 5%.

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Just so we're clear, they've already been awarded a 5%,

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but the additional duties we believe it should be 10%.

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We filed a grievance for trying to settle the grievance.

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It's my first grievance in 10 years that I filed against IED, so I think there's there is merit there.

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And finally, number three, I want to talk about your treatment crews. After talking to the

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group, it's clear there's a lot of frustration there, a little background about the line clearance

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treatment crews. Back in 2019, the IBW helped pass a bill centered by, authored by Senator Bill

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Dodd, it was called SB247. That bill did a lot of work to create a statewide wildfire insurance fund,

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but it also tied the wages of our line clearance

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street trimmers in the state to that of a first step

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apprentice lineman.

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When that bill was signed into law,

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the entire industry in the state was transformed.

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The thousands of line clearance street trimmers

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in the state got access to new safety training,

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new higher pay, new retirement benefits.

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Our members at UTS and Davy Trees saw their increases

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and pay about to 40%.

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That was more in line with their actual hazards

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and the job skills that they require to do their job.

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And that is at a time, 2019, so I don't think any of these board members were here.

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The IEDs that decided to fire all of your contract tree trimming crews and bring them

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in house.

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Well you brought those workers in house at 50% lower pay than the industry standard, which

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we believe is wrong.

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We've been trying to rectify that issue for about since 2019, so about six years now.

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But we do believe that by paying your line clearance tree trimming crews about 50% lower

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than industry standard is wrong, and we'd like you to look at that.

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You've done things like red circle alignment wages, do off-cycle inequities, you've done

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stuff like that when you see a glaring issue about worker retention and we're afraid

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that the line clearance true trimming crews is the next one that you're going to see

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a mass exodus.

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So please, these skilled workers were tied to the wages in the California state law for

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a reason for that of apprentice alignment, first step apprentice alignment.

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That's because these line clearance crews were close to high voltage power lines.

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these line clearance true true trimming crews are exposed to high voltage work

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environments every single day. They go through extensive training. They made a

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presentation, they requested a desk on it and they were denied. So that's wrong.

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We'd like you to look at them, red circle them, bring their pay up to industry

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standard. We believe you need to do this or you're going to lose these workers.

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They're holding on hoping that they're going to get looked at but we can't hold on

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for much longer and I don't want to see the district be without line clearance

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street treatment workers. Thank you. Thank you.

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So anymore. Chair doxdator, I think we're having a

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problem with technology. I think we're not live streaming. We've received a complaint. We take

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just a really quick break and make sure that that's assessed and rectified. Yes, thank you very

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much. Appreciate it. I'm in again, so I can get on the ground.

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Your selfie will have to suffice

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expect there. Sorry.

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It's you and you're ready. Let us know.

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Is there a second set of?

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Yes, I have you specifically.

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I think you put in for the right hearing.

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So.

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We.

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The.

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We

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see that.

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You're very welcome.

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All right. Let's bring it back.

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Thank you very much for your patience. We do want to be truly transparent. Moving on, can

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I have a motion to approve the consent agenda?

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Second. All those in favor?

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Aye.

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Okay, thank you so much. Once again, before we move on, three minute time limit. Please, no

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personal attacks. We do want to hear what you have to say. So, before we move to the public

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great hearing? Do we have any public comments?

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Yes, we have a number of comments related to this item.

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I first want to note that the district has received a number of written comments. I want to go

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through them and note that they will be made a part of the record for this hearing. We received comments

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from Philip Bencourt, Anthony Godina's Greenette, Bill Collins, Ciri Kirtan Fluk, the city of

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Clexico Resolution, comments from an e-mail of D-I-E-G-U-I-N-H-O-015 at hotmail.com,

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and no name provided. Priscilla Ariano, Bill Caldwell, in-person comments at the hearing.

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Martha

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Alex, our whole knee plus a letter received today from the leadership council for justice

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and accountability.

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So those have been received, and will be made part of the record.

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We have a number of public comments for today, and first we have Ms. Joana, or Joana,

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Clark.

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Hello, and good afternoon.

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Let's see.

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00:29:33,530 --> 00:29:34,490
Okay.

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It's foregone that the IID will vote on this increase for the energy or for the wattage.

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And they'll probably vote yes.

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And as residents, our only option is to request a formal audit from our elected leaders so that

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we could find exactly where our funds will be distributed and how they've been distributed.

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That's all I have to say.

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00:30:00,340 --> 00:30:05,340
Thank you very much. Next, we have Ms. Mary Helen Dolente.

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00:30:14,310 --> 00:30:16,070
Good morning. Mary Helen Dolente,

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hopefully resident. I'm here in regard of course to this electric rate. I don't feel I feel

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that we should postpone this issue and not take a vote on it or take any action on it. This the

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The study is, you know, everything was done over the holidays.

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People weren't well informed.

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I think it was Mr. Pacheco here that led a topic or a town hall meeting regarding this

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in Calexico and not many people or board members were available to participate in that meeting

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of correct on that Mr. Pacheco.

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So this is something that I feel all of us should be all of you board members should be going out to the public and letting them know this is hard.

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This is going to be hard, especially on us, we tired people.

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I mean, this is this is to me. It's a study that is completely flawed.

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00:31:16,240 --> 00:31:22,860
the rates seem to be invalid because they have not sufficiently established the actual cost

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00:31:23,460 --> 00:31:30,640
of service or shown that the allocation to residential customers is just justified

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and does not include any cost that should be allocated to other customer classes.

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00:31:36,800 --> 00:31:41,280
So what I'm here to say today, again, is that I feel

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Well, action or postponement needs to be taken place and not take a vote on it today.

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00:31:49,040 --> 00:31:50,940
We need to get more public input.

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This is a public entity.

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We are the rate payers.

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We are the ones that put you there in those.

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We are the constituents, your voting constituents, and I don't know what you might think about

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00:32:03,860 --> 00:32:04,880
the upcoming elections.

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Many of you are going to possibly run for re-election or for seats that will be open

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Then think about what your constituents feel about you and how this is going about.

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00:32:18,840 --> 00:32:22,840
Again, rate increase to us retirees, it's a hard thing.

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00:32:23,820 --> 00:32:31,520
And maybe, excuse me, maybe we also need to adjust, like the, for instance, the rates

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00:32:31,520 --> 00:32:40,020
that when you qualify for a lower electrical charge, when looking at our bills, we pay more

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00:32:40,020 --> 00:32:44,780
for this electric rate than we do for our usage.

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00:32:45,960 --> 00:32:47,480
I mean, my bill this last time,

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I mean, I'm super conservative.

284
00:32:49,220 --> 00:32:51,540
You can ask my children, it's like,

285
00:32:51,920 --> 00:32:53,620
there's a fan right there, it's sit down,

286
00:32:53,960 --> 00:32:54,860
that's where you're staying.

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00:32:55,620 --> 00:32:58,380
I'm very good about always keeping everything shut

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in the summertime, keeping the house as dark

289
00:33:01,040 --> 00:33:04,320
as I can in the winter time, put on those blankets.

290
00:33:05,060 --> 00:33:07,940
But it really for the retirees in this county,

291
00:33:07,940 --> 00:33:15,560
It's going to be hard for us, and yet we have the most power, let's see, availability.

292
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We have hydroelectricity as the best.

293
00:33:17,960 --> 00:33:20,160
I appreciate your comments, Mrs. Dillentier, I really do.

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I know your family.

295
00:33:21,600 --> 00:33:23,700
I appreciate your comments, but you're three minutes is that.

296
00:33:24,140 --> 00:33:24,700
Oh my God.

297
00:33:26,060 --> 00:33:29,760
No, I said, we weren't going to cap it at 20 minutes.

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We were going to have everybody have their say, so you get three minutes.

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00:33:36,100 --> 00:33:37,280
Next,

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we have Ms. Diana Nuri-Kumball.

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00:34:06,010 --> 00:34:06,930
Good afternoon.

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00:34:08,040 --> 00:34:11,790
Board members, Mayor Nuri-Kumball, City of Calexico.

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00:34:13,290 --> 00:34:18,230
First and foremost, I'd like to thank the general manager for responding to our city's

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00:34:18,230 --> 00:34:20,010
resolution promptly.

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00:34:20,590 --> 00:34:26,770
I just wanted to address some of the items that she addressed on in her response.

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We were requesting a workshop for our citizens mainly because a lot of our citizens are Spanish speakers and we were willing to put a location and translation to ensure that our citizens are aware about what's going on.

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00:34:47,750 --> 00:34:57,390
But so the public workshops that were made, what was in La Quinta, so that's 83 miles away, so that's inconvenient.

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00:34:58,430 --> 00:35:10,470
There was one in El Centro, and then the one at, in Collex ago, I want to note that that workshop was made on a holiday.

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Today, January 9th, President Carter's, it was a day of morning that was issued by the

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00:35:18,490 --> 00:35:26,490
previous president, and also it was announced for seniors at 2 p.m. So people were told

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that they were going to receive a separate workshop for the people that work, but it looks

312
00:35:33,230 --> 00:35:38,530
like that's not going to happen. So I would request that you postpone the voting until that

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00:35:38,530 --> 00:35:49,750
does happen. I also wanted to ask because I was here, the meeting of the 16th. So I did

314
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ask about the federal grants receipt. And I have more information now. I was told

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that not all of the 319 million were for energy. But I do know that 45.17 million was. And I want

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00:36:05,090 --> 00:36:13,370
to know because I did read the executive summary of the study and it does not include the 45.17 million

317
00:36:13,370 --> 00:36:18,230
in that study. At least I didn't see it there and if it is, that's the reason why we want to have

318
00:36:18,230 --> 00:36:18,850
these workshops.

319
00:36:21,840 --> 00:36:31,690
In addition, I do want to make a quick example. So 2025 it's going to be an 8.5% increase

320
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So that would be $108 approximately, 2026, 8.5, that's 117, 2027, 7.5, that's 126.

321
00:36:42,710 --> 00:36:45,470
And then in 2028, that ECA comes back.

322
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If I add the ECA, say 10%, that's 139.

323
00:36:50,590 --> 00:36:54,070
So the actual rate increase would be 39%.

324
00:36:54,350 --> 00:36:59,570
And that's going to affect those directors that are going to be up for election in 2028.

325
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That's particular and happy, thank you.

326
00:37:06,020 --> 00:37:09,680
Our next public speaker is Mr. Nate Fairman.

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00:37:17,460 --> 00:37:20,160
Hello, Nate Fairman from IBW Local 465.

328
00:37:20,460 --> 00:37:22,460
I represent 1,000 workers here at the IID,

329
00:37:22,720 --> 00:37:25,400
and I'm here also as a rate payer for our business office

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and Imperial.

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Look, my members are frustrated too.

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We've been frustrated for a long time.

333
00:37:30,560 --> 00:37:33,160
I've been representing workers and negotiating contracts out here

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for about 10 years, and I've been yelling from the rooftops

335
00:37:35,960 --> 00:37:38,700
in the paper and at the negotiation table for IID

336
00:37:38,700 --> 00:37:42,600
to step up and deliver for your employees and for your communities.

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00:37:43,320 --> 00:37:47,800
And when we ask the IID quote, why is our pay 30% lower than industry standard?

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00:37:48,180 --> 00:37:50,860
The IID responds, we don't have the money to invest in workers.

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00:37:51,440 --> 00:37:54,380
When we ask the IID, why does our employee retirement suck?

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00:37:54,860 --> 00:37:58,900
The IID responds, we don't have the resources to invest in retirement security.

341
00:37:59,360 --> 00:38:03,360
When we ask why when old wooden poles blow down every damn year,

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00:38:03,800 --> 00:38:07,680
why are alignment putting out wooden poles that are going to blow down the next year?

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00:38:07,680 --> 00:38:10,760
Why aren't we putting storm-resistant steel poles in the ground?

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And the IED answers, we don't have the money to put steel poles in the ground.

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00:38:15,500 --> 00:38:20,620
When we ask why are canal bridges and linings crumbling and why are sanheros getting hurt falling?

346
00:38:21,540 --> 00:38:24,680
The IED responds, we don't have the money to invest in fixing our canals.

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00:38:25,300 --> 00:38:31,300
When we ask why in the time of peak load demand, are we not spinning all our drop hydro generators

348
00:38:31,300 --> 00:38:36,700
to generate electricity? And the IED responds, we don't have the money to maintain our aging turbines

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and many of them need maintenance.

350
00:38:39,220 --> 00:38:41,160
Look, I know this is not a popular idea.

351
00:38:41,420 --> 00:38:44,540
Actually, this is a very unpopular idea.

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But often what is needed is not what is wanted

353
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and not what is popular.

354
00:38:50,480 --> 00:38:54,340
So I often, in times like this, I believe we need leaders

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that have the courage to act.

356
00:38:56,300 --> 00:38:58,060
We need leaders who can make tough decisions

357
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in times that we really need them to be made.

358
00:39:00,800 --> 00:39:03,060
And that's the reason, you know, there's a reason

359
00:39:03,060 --> 00:39:05,440
that it takes days to restore power

360
00:39:05,440 --> 00:39:08,140
or when other utilities it takes minutes, right?

361
00:39:08,220 --> 00:39:11,240
You don't have the resources to have an adequate staff workforce

362
00:39:11,240 --> 00:39:13,960
and you don't have the resources to respond

363
00:39:13,960 --> 00:39:15,220
to these types of emergencies.

364
00:39:16,060 --> 00:39:18,800
There's a reason that dozens of workers are leaving the IID,

365
00:39:19,100 --> 00:39:20,880
uprooting their families and leaving the valley.

366
00:39:21,320 --> 00:39:24,180
It's because you don't have the resources to pay them

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00:39:24,180 --> 00:39:25,460
or invest in their benefits.

368
00:39:26,480 --> 00:39:28,940
Your employees are some of the lowest paid utility workers

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in the entire country.

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00:39:30,820 --> 00:39:32,560
There's a reason your communities are mad

371
00:39:32,560 --> 00:39:34,680
about constant outages and broken promises.

372
00:39:34,680 --> 00:39:38,620
That's because you don't have the resources to address these issues head on.

373
00:39:39,060 --> 00:39:42,300
I actually want to applaud you five brothers and sisters up there.

374
00:39:42,500 --> 00:39:44,740
You are taking needed action where other set idle.

375
00:39:45,280 --> 00:39:49,160
You are making needed investments to ensure IED will continue to provide reliable power

376
00:39:49,160 --> 00:39:52,940
for the next hundred years because that's is what is on the line here.

377
00:39:53,460 --> 00:39:56,160
If we don't act, if we fail to act, we will all fail.

378
00:39:56,700 --> 00:40:01,500
If we fail, the likelihood of Sempero or Edison coming here and taking over is very high

379
00:40:01,500 --> 00:40:02,280
and we don't want that.

380
00:40:02,280 --> 00:40:07,780
If we do not act, if we do not make these needed investments in our grid, in our workers, in our systems,

381
00:40:07,780 --> 00:40:10,640
that's exactly what will happen, and rates could triple.

382
00:40:11,260 --> 00:40:16,420
So again, I applaud you for your courage to do what's needed, what's unpopular, but we'll help us all.

383
00:40:16,700 --> 00:40:17,380
Thank you very much.

384
00:40:20,640 --> 00:40:23,200
Our next speaker is Mr. Eric Taylor.

385
00:40:25,340 --> 00:40:30,800
Mr. Holbrook, just for clarity, are we subject to any litigation on the part of Mr. Taylor at this point in time?

386
00:40:32,380 --> 00:40:38,700
Director Cardinist, we are, Mr. Taylor still has a right to provide public comment, but

387
00:40:38,700 --> 00:40:40,700
anything related to that litigation.

388
00:40:41,140 --> 00:40:46,800
My recommendation is for the board members to not engage in any comments or discussions.

389
00:40:47,280 --> 00:40:47,620
Thank you, sir.

390
00:40:49,820 --> 00:40:50,520
That's okay.

391
00:40:50,980 --> 00:40:51,500
I'm not going to be.

392
00:40:51,700 --> 00:40:52,740
I'm just making a statement.

393
00:40:53,640 --> 00:40:56,820
Good afternoon, board members, Adam Chair, congratulations.

394
00:40:57,740 --> 00:41:02,040
My name is Eric Taylor and I reside in the Imperial Valley.

395
00:41:02,600 --> 00:41:06,220
I'm here today because this vote should not happen.

396
00:41:08,270 --> 00:41:15,010
I filed a lawsuit against IID in Scappa for fraud, financial mismanagement, and soul-sourcing

397
00:41:15,010 --> 00:41:18,090
contracts that have harmed ratepayers.

398
00:41:19,110 --> 00:41:26,750
I'm also in the process of filing an X-part A injunction to stop this vote before irreversible

399
00:41:26,750 --> 00:41:35,050
damage is done. Here's what you need to know. Analysis Corporation, a state-approved

400
00:41:35,050 --> 00:41:40,610
energy efficiency company saved rate payers millions, but IID cut its program

401
00:41:40,610 --> 00:41:48,030
short. Left 1.6 million unpaid to local HVAC contractors, vendors, and then

402
00:41:48,030 --> 00:41:56,630
buried the results. For six years IID and SCAPA have sole source contracts, block

403
00:41:56,630 --> 00:42:01,710
talking proven cost-saving technologies while over-billing ratepayers.

404
00:42:02,890 --> 00:42:11,250
You're voting on a 22% rate hike today, but the financial mismanagement behind it is

405
00:42:11,250 --> 00:42:12,790
now under legal challenge.

406
00:42:14,410 --> 00:42:17,770
This isn't just about numbers, it's about trust.

407
00:42:19,330 --> 00:42:22,570
This board has the power to do the right thing.

408
00:42:23,690 --> 00:42:33,910
Not to rush a vote while a lawsuit is pending, not to ignore the concerns of ratepayers, and not to raise cost without full transparency.

409
00:42:35,510 --> 00:42:45,490
Vote no today, let the legal process play out, protect the integrity of this board, and the people you serve.

410
00:42:46,130 --> 00:42:46,550
Thank you.

411
00:42:55,540 --> 00:43:01,650
The next person for public comment is Mr. Peter Rodriguez.

412
00:43:12,690 --> 00:43:17,970
the last two weeks I've been going to Le Quinta. I went to the Le Quinta meeting to hear the

413
00:43:17,970 --> 00:43:24,030
presentation which was done well, a job well done by staff. Jamie was there, Berlin was there,

414
00:43:24,130 --> 00:43:24,990
you guys did a great job.

415
00:43:28,240 --> 00:43:33,580
And I've been seeing the infrastructure over there for the two weeks.

416
00:43:35,200 --> 00:43:42,840
The second week I took someone I know very well and the question is how come that area cannot look

417
00:43:42,840 --> 00:43:48,280
like here. Great question. You should really ask those who are elected in IED.

418
00:43:50,980 --> 00:43:51,960
Pretty obvious,

419
00:43:52,740 --> 00:43:58,900
very beautiful in the Quinta area and it's not as beautiful as it is as it could be in Imperial

420
00:43:58,900 --> 00:44:04,580
County and you got to ask us where's the difference. I am against the pay rate for various reasons.

421
00:44:05,460 --> 00:44:12,820
It was done right during the holidays. You get to notice right day before Christmas Eve. We're

422
00:44:12,820 --> 00:44:20,600
And getting Chris bad timing is like you gave people coal in their stockings your five elected board members

423
00:44:21,160 --> 00:44:27,000
You were elected by the people for the people and of the people and right now to vote yes, and this is

424
00:44:27,000 --> 00:44:30,200
Turning your back on the people that put you back in office

425
00:44:31,140 --> 00:44:32,880
So many heavy elections coming up

426
00:44:33,880 --> 00:44:37,040
Elections cycle has changed. It's 2018. I've been an election observer

427
00:44:38,680 --> 00:44:40,320
The last election I observed

428
00:44:40,320 --> 00:44:48,020
I can tell you the old ways of running election and doing election and winning election are over more incumbents and ever have lost.

429
00:44:48,740 --> 00:44:52,200
I dealt with 6,500 provisional ballots.

430
00:44:53,100 --> 00:44:57,900
Oh, you won't know the numbers my numbers my system came out to be correct.

431
00:45:00,530 --> 00:45:29,390
I saw the director's handby wrote his article because it's a chronicle. You already made your vote known to the public. But yet, in 2020, you had campaign pledge, rate-payer protection. I would reduce my salary to a dollar. Where's your dollar now? Where's your cheerleading? Are you going to put it before the five up here for others? I really seriously doubt that we're just not going to do it because that was just an election ploy. And to me, that's BS.

432
00:45:29,390 --> 00:45:33,250
Yes, be a man, do it right, you can delay this.

433
00:45:33,810 --> 00:45:39,610
I have a correspondence with Councilman Wainman Firm from Indio who suggests that a one,

434
00:45:39,810 --> 00:45:47,850
two, one, every odd year is one, every even year, a two percent, an option to consider.

435
00:45:48,710 --> 00:45:53,870
You don't have to do it all of this overnight, and you don't have to be stubborn.

436
00:45:55,190 --> 00:45:58,030
Ask yourself, those are running up for years, can you win?

437
00:45:58,770 --> 00:46:06,710
Now, once, but ten times, if you vote yes, I can tell you, save your money, don't run for office, you'll be hard-broken.

438
00:46:07,470 --> 00:46:07,830
Thank you.

439
00:46:13,450 --> 00:46:16,190
The next public comment is from Mr. Eric Reyes.

440
00:46:29,340 --> 00:46:30,840
Good afternoon, Mr. Reyes.

441
00:46:31,020 --> 00:46:31,340
Afternoon.

442
00:46:31,840 --> 00:46:38,680
Congratulations, Mr. Daxler and Mr. Pacheco, for sending to me my old friend from Calexo, the administrator.

443
00:46:38,880 --> 00:46:41,460
I was a teacher at Calexo line and he didn't know that before.

444
00:46:41,460 --> 00:46:41,540
more.

445
00:46:43,600 --> 00:46:48,040
The pleasantries are over. This is a difficult situation. We all know that we've

446
00:46:48,040 --> 00:46:52,360
been here as, you know, I've been very active with you on this for years and yes, other

447
00:46:54,400 --> 00:46:59,840
elected kicked it down the road, including see you there, Mr. Cardinal six years on the

448
00:46:59,840 --> 00:47:05,280
road. So he kicked it for six years, right? And before four years, right? So yeah. And

449
00:47:05,280 --> 00:47:09,900
20 years before that. So you're all part of it. At this point though, you are hurting people.

450
00:47:09,900 --> 00:47:15,120
there are people who are going to already hurting economically and many other ways and they make

451
00:47:15,120 --> 00:47:21,640
choices and it's true. I know we work with them and we're not getting the word out of the money

452
00:47:21,640 --> 00:47:26,700
you have available to them that you can help the lower income. We have a new PR that you company

453
00:47:26,700 --> 00:47:31,340
outreach at a million dollars really have not seen much effectiveness of them getting those people

454
00:47:31,340 --> 00:47:36,920
signed up. You need to quantify what that million dollar PR company is doing your your staffers

455
00:47:36,920 --> 00:47:44,680
And results of getting these people that cost benefit money that they can go into reap and get and we do it and

456
00:47:44,680 --> 00:47:51,980
We do it voluntarily, but let's do it. Let's all get together and get this done together. We can all want to make this work together for people

457
00:47:53,340 --> 00:47:57,360
But people are going to be hurt and you're going to pay the price. So you have some options

458
00:47:58,440 --> 00:48:04,700
You have some options. You have money that you over collected. You don't need to then put in a full 23% at this time

459
00:48:04,700 --> 00:48:10,600
you can defer that with the money over collected and still put it in over five to seven years.

460
00:48:11,200 --> 00:48:17,120
That makes more sense of what you're doing now at such a harsh rate beginning. If you have such

461
00:48:17,120 --> 00:48:22,680
a hard on for what you want to put out there and infrastructure and so on, you can use that to get

462
00:48:22,680 --> 00:48:28,360
that going at this point without spiking people already who are already being spiked. I know you

463
00:48:28,360 --> 00:48:33,500
need to do it because you don't want to do ECA. Again, for clarification, a lot of people in a public

464
00:48:33,500 --> 00:48:39,020
forget that if they do not raise a rate, you will have the ECA killing you in the summer again, right?

465
00:48:40,120 --> 00:48:46,140
And that's fact. We've lived through it. It's going to continue. So we can't kick it down the

466
00:48:46,140 --> 00:48:51,180
road you said, but you can't help people who are hurting. And that's what a public agency like

467
00:48:51,180 --> 00:48:57,260
Diane, they must do. And if you do not do that, beyond your fiduciary responsibility, you have an

468
00:48:57,260 --> 00:49:03,260
ethical responsibility as a nonprofit public utility to help the people who have come here or

469
00:49:03,260 --> 00:49:07,400
are hurting who you know are hurting and you cannot be arrogant about it as you have

470
00:49:07,400 --> 00:49:11,440
been as people tell us what's wrong with them. I said yeah I agree with you. You have

471
00:49:11,440 --> 00:49:18,060
to be and have empathy and put your vast resources to work for our community which you have

472
00:49:18,060 --> 00:49:19,840
not done correctly. Thank you.

473
00:49:23,310 --> 00:49:26,530
Next we have Mr. Jason Castellano.

474
00:49:31,390 --> 00:49:32,950
Hello board my name is

475
00:49:32,950 --> 00:49:39,450
in Castelano, the CEO of Helio Gold Solar. We're the largest solar contractor here in Imperial Valley,

476
00:49:39,450 --> 00:49:42,690
we're the only solar contractor that's been headquartered here in the last couple of years.

477
00:49:43,630 --> 00:49:48,810
We have one thing here that most people don't have, an abundancy of sun, and it seems like every

478
00:49:48,810 --> 00:49:53,870
different way we can we're being attacked by IID. Let me give you a couple examples. If you go to

479
00:49:53,870 --> 00:49:58,910
UMA and you Google Solar next time you guys are in UMA, you'll find 15 contractors with phenomenal

480
00:49:58,910 --> 00:50:05,550
rates and reviews online. I started in San Diego back in 2011, company started in 2016. We have

481
00:50:05,550 --> 00:50:12,290
over 3,000 installs in a phenomenal reputation. But here, there's nobody. And why is that? When I

482
00:50:12,290 --> 00:50:16,950
talk to the bigger companies, the bigger banks, the bigger manufacturers about investing in IID,

483
00:50:17,330 --> 00:50:22,770
they don't want to do it because it takes anywhere between 90 and 150 days to get the system turned

484
00:50:22,770 --> 00:50:28,690
on what's it installed. I would love to see a coherent policy and help. How can we

485
00:50:28,690 --> 00:50:34,250
get together and help people have an actual choice by harnessing what is abundant, which

486
00:50:34,250 --> 00:50:38,710
is the sun, right? We know they're going to use a ton of power, and I disagree with

487
00:50:38,710 --> 00:50:43,930
some of some of the constituents. I know how much you guys need to raise the rates. I get

488
00:50:43,930 --> 00:50:47,670
it. I've been studying utilities and working with utilities all over California in different

489
00:50:47,670 --> 00:50:51,790
states for a long time, right? You have to raise the rates and I anticipate it's going to

490
00:50:51,790 --> 00:50:57,250
be a unanimous vote to do so today, right? But what can we do to make sure that the people

491
00:50:57,250 --> 00:51:00,970
actually have the ability to go solar? Let me give you a couple things that are going

492
00:51:00,970 --> 00:51:05,270
to happen next week. Next week, some small old lady is going to have somebody knock

493
00:51:05,270 --> 00:51:09,450
on her door, not from my company. And they're going to put a solar system on the house that's

494
00:51:09,450 --> 00:51:13,250
never going to get turned on. Do you know that right now, some of the biggest companies

495
00:51:13,250 --> 00:51:18,210
that come into IID from Torrance or Sacramento or wherever and send down door knockers that

496
00:51:18,210 --> 00:51:22,410
know nothing about solar, they put solar on people's houses and they never turn them

497
00:51:22,410 --> 00:51:27,910
on. Why? Because they install without permit and IID doesn't care. There's a ton of

498
00:51:27,910 --> 00:51:31,830
systems right now going on roofs that aren't permitted. I had to run a commercial here

499
00:51:32,230 --> 00:51:37,050
that basically said, do not go solar unless you have a signed permit and permission from

500
00:51:37,050 --> 00:51:41,870
IID to do so. But there's no department, right? The department is so small that you can't

501
00:51:41,870 --> 00:51:46,570
seem to help. So let me give you a couple of ways that you could help. If you have a solar

502
00:51:46,570 --> 00:51:51,530
contractor that says has, let's say, a hundred installs here in IID that you've approved

503
00:51:51,530 --> 00:51:56,490
that has a sign permit. Why not allow us to take pictures, videos, things that would

504
00:51:56,490 --> 00:52:01,070
save you money so you don't have to send people out there. We can show, hey, this was installed

505
00:52:01,070 --> 00:52:06,710
to your guys' specifications. That would save you money. That would give the people the

506
00:52:06,710 --> 00:52:11,550
ability to turn a system on earlier. I believe that the longer you guys shun residential

507
00:52:12,210 --> 00:52:17,050
the worst off everybody is, and the policies of IID are the worst in the state,

508
00:52:17,170 --> 00:52:20,570
which is why it's so hard for us to get any help from banks.

509
00:52:20,850 --> 00:52:23,330
All the banks that come in, I have to bring them in, right?

510
00:52:23,550 --> 00:52:25,850
So please, I thank you, by the way, for setting a meeting.

511
00:52:26,330 --> 00:52:27,210
I appreciate that.

512
00:52:27,290 --> 00:52:29,550
Lauren Silva reached out, and I'm looking forward to meeting with you guys.

513
00:52:30,150 --> 00:52:33,990
Please help me give a fair alternative to the people for solar.

514
00:52:34,470 --> 00:52:35,070
Thank you.

515
00:52:36,750 --> 00:52:40,290
Our next speaker is Ms. Crystal Utworth.

516
00:52:40,290 --> 00:52:41,170
Good

517
00:52:54,930 --> 00:52:55,170
afternoon.

518
00:52:55,510 --> 00:52:56,750
Good afternoon, directors.

519
00:52:56,930 --> 00:52:57,890
My name is Crystal Ottworth.

520
00:52:58,490 --> 00:53:00,790
I work with Leadership Council for Justice and Accountability.

521
00:53:01,070 --> 00:53:04,630
We work collaboratively closely with Eastern Codilla Valley residents.

522
00:53:05,310 --> 00:53:10,070
And I'm here today to express my deep concern over the proposed rate increases, particularly

523
00:53:10,070 --> 00:53:12,610
the steep pikes for residential and master meter customers.

524
00:53:13,210 --> 00:53:17,430
And I urge the board to reconsider the extent of these increases, especially in light of the

525
00:53:17,430 --> 00:53:20,450
significant financial burdens that were placed on residential customers.

526
00:53:20,450 --> 00:53:32,330
First, while we understand the need to address the utility's revenue shortfall and need to invest in critical infrastructure, the proposed increases far exceed the 15.3% needed to address the annual shortfall.

527
00:53:32,650 --> 00:53:45,650
According to the report, the total system-wide increase will actually reach 26.6% from 2024 to 2028, an additional 11%, which is a staggering increase that will place undue strain on already vulnerable ratepayers.

528
00:53:45,650 --> 00:54:00,770
by 20, for example, by 2027, residential rates are projected to increase by 39.2% pushing monthly bills if you estimate the average of the consumption up to $86, which is over $1,000 a year.

529
00:54:01,250 --> 00:54:03,710
And that's even more concerning for vulnerable populations.

530
00:54:03,710 --> 00:54:08,010
And so while we are aware that base rates have not been increased in the past 10 years,

531
00:54:08,150 --> 00:54:16,010
the proposal to implement rapid and steep rate hikes over the next three years will have a devastating impact on families already facing economic hardship.

532
00:54:16,430 --> 00:54:23,190
This sudden increase will only drive many households deeper into financial insecurity, pushing them to the brink of energy poverty.

533
00:54:23,630 --> 00:54:30,590
We understand that these adjustments aren't necessary, but the current plan is irresponsible and fails to recognize the financial realities of the community.

534
00:54:31,310 --> 00:54:34,510
Residents should not be punished for the failure to address these issues sooner.

535
00:54:34,930 --> 00:54:39,230
Instead, phasing these increases more gradually would allow customers to better absorb the

536
00:54:39,230 --> 00:54:41,130
cost and adjust to the new rates over time.

537
00:54:42,110 --> 00:54:48,410
And lastly, I do want to take the opportunity to discuss the rate assistance programs.

538
00:54:49,070 --> 00:54:51,610
And so I'd like to emphasize the need for those improvements.

539
00:54:51,830 --> 00:54:56,890
One significant issue is the average billing system, which newly enrolled customers are required

540
00:54:56,890 --> 00:55:01,350
to use. Under this system, customers are billed based on the average of the previous year's

541
00:55:01,350 --> 00:55:06,710
charges, not their actual current usage. While the program offers a 20 to 30 percent rate

542
00:55:06,710 --> 00:55:11,310
discount for eligible customers, this discount is applied only to the actual charge, not the amount

543
00:55:11,310 --> 00:55:16,610
due, which is based on the previous year's higher rates. As a result, families may receive bills

544
00:55:16,610 --> 00:55:20,770
that reflect the average amount from the prior year, even though their actual charges are lower.

545
00:55:20,770 --> 00:55:27,370
This means that families are often required to pay more forward than are actually do at the time.

546
00:55:27,890 --> 00:55:34,530
As IID considers these rate increases, it is essential to address these billing challenges that prevent customers from fully accessing benefits.

547
00:55:35,150 --> 00:55:40,470
This structure is not only confusing, but also places unnecessary financial strain on families who are already struggling.

548
00:55:41,170 --> 00:55:42,530
Thank you for your time and consideration.

549
00:55:43,350 --> 00:55:44,270
Thank you, Crystal.

550
00:55:44,490 --> 00:55:46,390
That was a lot of information in three minutes.

551
00:55:46,390 --> 00:55:54,490
I have no other speaker slips, is there anyone else from the public who intended to provide comment, but has not yet filled out a slip.

552
00:55:56,580 --> 00:55:58,460
Chair Doc said there's no further public comment.

553
00:56:01,360 --> 00:56:02,380
Thank you very much.

554
00:56:04,630 --> 00:56:07,310
So do we get to hear now from thank you, Willen?

555
00:56:08,050 --> 00:56:18,450
So we do have Tony George's from New Gen Strategies, the consultant that performed the cost of service assessment and Ms. Valensweil will initiate it and Tony will fill in.

556
00:56:19,030 --> 00:56:19,490
Thank you.

557
00:56:19,490 --> 00:56:20,310
Good

558
00:56:24,630 --> 00:56:27,310
afternoon, Board of Directors and Public.

559
00:56:28,030 --> 00:56:29,750
I'm just waiting for the, oh, there's a presentation.

560
00:56:29,750 --> 00:56:35,770
So I'm just going to go over some of the things that we've discussed in the past

561
00:56:35,770 --> 00:56:43,450
and kind of why the proposed rate update is needed.

562
00:56:44,770 --> 00:56:53,100
So just to start off, it has been since ten years, since 2015, the last base rate increase

563
00:56:53,100 --> 00:56:57,280
increased was implemented, was on January 1, 2015.

564
00:56:58,080 --> 00:57:02,880
And as I go through the presentation, one of the things I would like everybody to

565
00:57:02,880 --> 00:57:09,580
note is, I think it was the following that year, 2016, you had an ECA rate at zero and

566
00:57:09,580 --> 00:57:11,520
at times even crediting.

567
00:57:12,000 --> 00:57:19,560
Well since then, up to now, you've got an ECA that's gone from zero, that fluctuates

568
00:57:19,560 --> 00:57:27,380
anywhere from 6 to 10 cents per kilowatt hour, just in that 10-year period and what's important

569
00:57:27,380 --> 00:57:31,880
about that is we're not the only one that has an energy cost adjustment rate factor.

570
00:57:32,800 --> 00:57:39,680
Other, most utilities do is Tony will bring up to you and a lot of times when that gets up to

571
00:57:39,680 --> 00:57:45,460
about 2 cents, that's kind of when you start looking at your rate structure that there's an imbalance

572
00:57:45,460 --> 00:57:51,020
between it. So I just wanted to kind of set up to set that out. And some of the reason why we're

573
00:57:51,020 --> 00:57:56,240
are here today and we kind of have, this has not been completely addressed is because when we

574
00:57:56,240 --> 00:58:04,700
were looking at it, we did have COVID start in 2019 and then continue through 2020. So there's been

575
00:58:04,700 --> 00:58:09,560
a lot of things that have happened in the last five years that I think that we all need to kind of

576
00:58:09,560 --> 00:58:10,800
keep note of, too.

577
00:58:12,140 --> 00:58:14,160
So, I'll get started now.

578
00:58:14,520 --> 00:58:17,320
The electric cost of service study has been performed

579
00:58:17,320 --> 00:58:18,640
by new gen strategies.

580
00:58:19,460 --> 00:58:20,980
I will introduce Tony.

581
00:58:21,120 --> 00:58:27,860
Tony's got over 25 years of energy and economic analysis experience.

582
00:58:28,100 --> 00:58:32,840
He's a partner at managing partner at new gen.

583
00:58:33,080 --> 00:58:35,720
He's done lots of rate hearings with water,

584
00:58:36,540 --> 00:58:41,200
electric as well as wastewater and when I turn it over to him, I just wanted you guys to kind of

585
00:58:41,200 --> 00:58:49,580
his background. So this presentation was given to the board on December 17th since then there was

586
00:58:49,580 --> 00:58:54,440
and at that same time there was a rate hearing set. Now, we've had a couple since then as well as

587
00:58:54,440 --> 00:59:04,600
some public meetings. But just to kind of summarize, the current rate structure is, you'll see it's

588
00:59:04,600 --> 00:59:11,780
It's estimated last year, in 2023, actually under-collected about $129 million in that year.

589
00:59:12,320 --> 00:59:15,800
And you can see it's continued to under-recover.

590
00:59:16,260 --> 00:59:22,780
But it is estimated to continue to under-cover an average of about 100 million per year over the next five years.

591
00:59:23,980 --> 00:59:33,060
With this under-recovering, it continues to drop the reserves below levels that are acceptable for

592
00:59:33,060 --> 00:59:38,120
the current district's rating of a AA minus and why that is important is that is what

593
00:59:38,120 --> 00:59:43,500
they use to go out and invest so you get to low borrowing costs, which is a big savings

594
00:59:43,500 --> 00:59:48,540
to your rate payers, being able to go out and borrow for that infrastructure at 3% versus

595
00:59:48,540 --> 00:59:52,460
at 6% when you're talking a billion dollars, it's a lot of money.

596
00:59:54,080 --> 00:59:59,600
It does not support the current identified 1.3 billion of capital investments.

597
01:00:00,000 --> 01:00:06,660
They're needed for the aging infrastructure. The current rates do not support that. And if we continue,

598
01:00:06,960 --> 01:00:15,160
they'll result in continued deferred maintenance. Large volatile swings in an energy cost adjustment

599
01:00:15,160 --> 01:00:22,220
factors. Like I mentioned, I think we're in January. We've seen it everywhere from, like I said,

600
01:00:22,220 --> 01:00:29,500
that last 10 years go from zero to up to 10 cents per kilowatt hour and it just does not

601
01:00:29,500 --> 01:00:33,600
support the regional growth. We all need to remember down here in our community that

602
01:00:33,600 --> 01:00:37,740
it's just we're not on the island. We're interconnected with the rest of California

603
01:00:37,740 --> 01:00:45,380
with Arizona, with the rest of the state. So we do have a legal obligation to be stewards

604
01:00:45,380 --> 01:00:51,780
of our infrastructure to have reserves, all of that cost, you know, that cost money.

605
01:00:52,500 --> 01:00:57,140
And without that, without a rate increase that can support this infrastructure,

606
01:00:57,400 --> 01:00:59,200
you do weaken the local control.

607
01:00:59,840 --> 01:01:02,580
I think one of the rate pairs brought up is a very good point.

608
01:01:03,160 --> 01:01:05,700
You know, we are very lucky to be a public agency.

609
01:01:05,840 --> 01:01:08,420
We're very lucky to have a board that we can elect in.

610
01:01:09,060 --> 01:01:13,300
And that hears us versus a PG&E and SDG&E.

611
01:01:13,880 --> 01:01:21,860
They don't get this kind of support from a Board of Directors, I just want to kind of keep that in mind.

612
01:01:24,880 --> 01:01:28,200
So, here is the IID's electric cost to service.

613
01:01:28,560 --> 01:01:33,860
Right now, cost to serve requires about $755 million per year.

614
01:01:34,620 --> 01:01:40,500
We are at our current rate structure, we're at about $655 million.

615
01:01:40,500 --> 01:01:46,720
So that's where we are under that rate is under recovering about $100 million per year.

616
01:01:49,740 --> 01:01:55,700
Here is the breakdown of that $100 million based on every single customer class,

617
01:01:56,620 --> 01:02:03,160
what makes up that $100 million. And this is what's kind of used to say where the increases

618
01:02:03,160 --> 01:02:04,580
are needed per rate category.

619
01:02:07,420 --> 01:02:12,360
So let's talk about the aging infrastructure. IED has a lot of assets

620
01:02:12,360 --> 01:02:14,820
that have exceeded their useful life.

621
01:02:14,820 --> 01:02:16,220
I'm just going to go through some pictures.

622
01:02:16,760 --> 01:02:19,180
Usually the useful life of a generation plant,

623
01:02:19,560 --> 01:02:22,500
transmission line, some of those poles is 30 years.

624
01:02:22,660 --> 01:02:24,000
You're going to see we've got infrastructure

625
01:02:24,000 --> 01:02:26,060
that's over 60 years old.

626
01:02:26,680 --> 01:02:29,440
We've got drops that haven't even pulled out of the ground

627
01:02:30,000 --> 01:02:32,180
since they were actually put in the ground.

628
01:02:33,800 --> 01:02:37,600
So here, this is the El Centro Generations Station.

629
01:02:37,980 --> 01:02:40,580
It was started in 1968.

630
01:02:40,580 --> 01:02:48,460
it's 57 years old. You've got unit 4 on unit 2 in there, unit 4. I think it's

631
01:02:48,460 --> 01:02:58,040
been out on a unit 4 is not currently running right now as well as there's

632
01:02:58,040 --> 01:03:04,560
upgrades that need to happen. I will ask to please let her finish her

633
01:03:04,560 --> 01:03:05,340
presentation.

634
01:03:08,930 --> 01:03:11,710
It needs to come again to the board.

635
01:03:11,710 --> 01:03:20,350
So I would appreciate it if you could please and please be in compliance.

636
01:03:20,650 --> 01:03:24,690
If you are not in compliance, I will give a warning and I will ask you to leave.

637
01:03:26,840 --> 01:03:27,240
Thank you, Bill.

638
01:03:27,340 --> 01:03:28,980
Thank you.

639
01:03:29,460 --> 01:03:31,780
And this is our Yucca plant which is,

640
01:03:36,910 --> 01:03:40,870
this is a Yucca plant which start year was 1959.

641
01:03:41,050 --> 01:03:43,330
It's over 65 years old as well.

642
01:03:43,430 --> 01:03:44,950
It's been a work course for the district.

643
01:03:44,950 --> 01:03:49,510
It's also currently not working as well.

644
01:03:49,630 --> 01:03:54,050
There's some big maintenance that needs to be done to this as well, this plan.

645
01:03:54,850 --> 01:04:01,350
If I may, just briefly, one of the things that we did take time to highlight on Thursday evening,

646
01:04:01,350 --> 01:04:04,590
because there were a number of complaints that the board members were not here.

647
01:04:04,910 --> 01:04:06,150
Those are public workshops.

648
01:04:06,890 --> 01:04:09,090
Those are for the public to see this information.

649
01:04:09,230 --> 01:04:14,430
And I was very clear to tell you that there was no foregone conclusion about what direction

650
01:04:14,430 --> 01:04:19,490
and the IED Board would go, they're receiving this information in an effort to be informed

651
01:04:19,490 --> 01:04:24,850
and to make decisions based on staff's recommendation. So I understand there's a level of frustration

652
01:04:24,850 --> 01:04:29,050
and you may feel that this is a bit redundant, but it's important that the Board see this and

653
01:04:29,050 --> 01:04:33,730
that the public, the remaining public that was not here Thursday also have the opportunity.

654
01:04:33,730 --> 01:04:35,170
So I appreciate your patience.

655
01:04:37,640 --> 01:04:41,680
Thank you. And these are our small hydros that deliver,

656
01:04:41,680 --> 01:04:43,720
I think a little bit over 35 megawatts.

657
01:04:44,160 --> 01:04:48,700
They have start years ranging from 1941 to 1984.

658
01:04:51,020 --> 01:04:54,940
They're anywhere from 41 years to 84 years old.

659
01:04:55,960 --> 01:05:00,320
And Mr. Smelser can tell you that if they do have to take one out, it's about a $2 million

660
01:05:01,400 --> 01:05:03,560
just to repair, just to get it out of the ground.

661
01:05:03,840 --> 01:05:06,460
This is why I was talking about a lot of these haven't even ever been taken out of the ground

662
01:05:06,460 --> 01:05:07,500
since they've been put in.

663
01:05:07,500 --> 01:05:08,440
And

664
01:05:10,520 --> 01:05:18,980
then here is the R line and the K line, so the R lines polls are on average 38 years old with the oldest one being 101 years old.

665
01:05:19,340 --> 01:05:30,880
It has a record installation date, a poll out there of 1924, you have a K line with an average poll life of 27 years old with the oldest poll being 65 years old.

666
01:05:31,360 --> 01:05:34,380
So it's got an installation date of 1960.

667
01:05:34,380 --> 01:05:40,420
So I know that's another thing that's very important to the energy department is a pull replacement plan to that also

668
01:05:41,800 --> 01:05:46,560
can reinforce the transmission structure and the distribution structure.

669
01:05:48,800 --> 01:05:51,540
Now this is the net purchase power and fuel cost.

670
01:05:51,760 --> 01:05:56,580
This is what is so important because this is what drives those energy cost adjustment factors.

671
01:05:57,220 --> 01:06:03,040
As you can see since 2015 through 2024, just in those costs alone,

672
01:06:03,040 --> 01:06:09,780
it's gone up 69%. And I would just like to point out that it was after the year

673
01:06:09,780 --> 01:06:16,560
2020, around 2021, that you really started to see the volatility and that

674
01:06:16,560 --> 01:06:17,420
really jump up.

675
01:06:22,660 --> 01:06:28,160
Here are the ECA factors. Like I mentioned, they were relatively

676
01:06:28,160 --> 01:06:33,940
after we had the last rate increase, we were able to relatively flatten them out

677
01:06:33,940 --> 01:06:41,460
until about 2021 and then you just saw it just go just really get volatile and goes and go

678
01:06:41,460 --> 01:06:46,140
high from like I mentioned zero to about on average eight sets per kilowatt hour.

679
01:06:48,930 --> 01:06:55,530
And then here is your base rate revenues versus their expenditures and you can see they have been

680
01:06:56,550 --> 01:07:03,210
it has been under recovering for the last six years but it's been really getting bad this last

681
01:07:03,210 --> 01:07:05,090
in back in 2023.

682
01:07:09,100 --> 01:07:12,640
And with that being said, your reserve levels because of that under

683
01:07:12,640 --> 01:07:18,600
recovery are now down. So, like I mentioned, a AA minus really should be between 150, 180

684
01:07:19,160 --> 01:07:24,640
days of operating days cash. We do get a little bit of credit because the rate stabilization

685
01:07:24,640 --> 01:07:31,200
funds, but that should really be about 180 days for the AA minus. And we have seen it decline.

686
01:07:32,680 --> 01:07:37,700
and September 23rd. We got down to about 95 days. We were able to pop that back up by

687
01:07:37,700 --> 01:07:43,940
going out for some borrowing just to get it up, but it's still as below the recommended level for

688
01:07:43,940 --> 01:07:44,700
a AA minus.

689
01:07:48,150 --> 01:07:53,050
So just to recapture the current rate structure, it's going to continue to undercollect if

690
01:07:53,050 --> 01:08:01,970
we don't do anything. And our reserve levels will continue to erode as well as we will not be able,

691
01:08:01,970 --> 01:08:09,410
I mean, the district won't be able to support the $1.3 billion of capital investment that's been identified by the energy department for some of that aging infrastructure.

692
01:08:10,090 --> 01:08:22,910
And you will see the ECAs continue to be volatile and to go up, which then, like I mentioned, you know, kind of weakens us with our regional growth as well as at the local control.

693
01:08:23,430 --> 01:08:28,790
And I will now turn it over to Tony, who can go over his analysis.

694
01:08:30,510 --> 01:08:31,350
Thank you, Belen.

695
01:08:37,880 --> 01:08:38,680
Thank you, Belen.

696
01:08:39,300 --> 01:08:40,680
Again, my name is Tony Georgeus.

697
01:08:40,880 --> 01:08:42,520
I'm with New Jen Strays and Solutions.

698
01:08:42,800 --> 01:08:45,460
We perform the electric cost of service study.

699
01:08:45,940 --> 01:08:46,820
I've got a few slides here.

700
01:08:51,770 --> 01:08:52,870
Yes, that's the correct one.

701
01:08:53,350 --> 01:08:55,430
So, Belen talked about a number of the issues.

702
01:08:55,430 --> 01:08:59,110
And actually there's a couple slides in here that are repeated from the outset just to reground

703
01:08:59,110 --> 01:09:02,230
us in the total cost to operate the electric system.

704
01:09:02,930 --> 01:09:06,130
She mentioned that $755 million number.

705
01:09:06,130 --> 01:09:10,730
that is what we call the revenue requirement. That's the total costs on average for the five

706
01:09:10,730 --> 01:09:17,030
year window that we looked at for ID to operate the system. So that's the total costs for ID to

707
01:09:17,030 --> 01:09:22,030
deliver electric service to all residential or retail, not residential retail customers.

708
01:09:22,650 --> 01:09:28,970
That breakdown of the $785 million is shown here just in the different operations of the utility.

709
01:09:28,970 --> 01:09:34,070
As you can see here, power supply makes up 55% of that total number.

710
01:09:34,290 --> 01:09:40,370
That's just costs of purchasing natural gas, power supply on the market, renewable energy,

711
01:09:40,750 --> 01:09:45,430
just the cost to actually procure or generate the power for the utility.

712
01:09:46,250 --> 01:09:50,050
The next bucket there is ONM, that's operating in maintenance expenses.

713
01:09:50,970 --> 01:09:55,990
Those are costs, labor costs, that's actual maintenance costs, so maintaining the distribution

714
01:09:55,990 --> 01:10:01,570
transmission system, the transmission system, the generation system, that my ID has.

715
01:10:02,520 --> 01:10:07,350
The next two are related to capital and assets, debt service and cash funded capital.

716
01:10:08,130 --> 01:10:10,630
Those two together are 24%.

717
01:10:11,380 --> 01:10:15,950
That's all related to either financing of the assets that are expected over the five-year

718
01:10:15,950 --> 01:10:20,430
period and existing debt service investments that have been made in addition to future cash

719
01:10:20,430 --> 01:10:22,090
funded capital on an ongoing basis.

720
01:10:22,750 --> 01:10:29,850
There are other income streams to the utility, such as the OAT, or other revenues that the

721
01:10:29,850 --> 01:10:35,410
ID does receive, that we then reduce the total cost for the utility that equates to almost

722
01:10:35,410 --> 01:10:35,990
$50 million.

723
01:10:37,290 --> 01:10:42,850
We do have a contribution to reserves as Belen was highlighting for the financial health

724
01:10:42,850 --> 01:10:44,630
of the utility and sustainability of the utility.

725
01:10:45,190 --> 01:10:49,550
We need to target a day's cash-on-hand number, that's DCOH, which we'll see in a subsequent

726
01:10:49,550 --> 01:10:58,150
slide here, and that amount is about $22 million a year to get to the $755 on average for

727
01:10:58,150 --> 01:10:58,830
the five-year period.

728
01:11:01,640 --> 01:11:04,360
This slide I think was shown previously at the outset as well.

729
01:11:04,540 --> 01:11:09,340
This is just simply that same snapshot. We've identified and calculated the total cost

730
01:11:09,340 --> 01:11:14,420
to deliver electricity to all the retail customers. We then look at the revenues under current

731
01:11:14,420 --> 01:11:19,200
rates and see how that matches up. That then gives us that $100 million a year on average

732
01:11:19,200 --> 01:11:22,060
under recovery under the current rate structure.

733
01:11:25,500 --> 01:11:32,200
This is that same $750 million, $755 million on an annual average and rather than looking

734
01:11:32,200 --> 01:11:35,120
at the power supply or O&M or different operations of the utility.

735
01:11:35,740 --> 01:11:40,880
We now are taking that $755 million and we then allocate that to each of the customer

736
01:11:40,880 --> 01:11:42,280
classes that are provided service.

737
01:11:43,180 --> 01:11:49,020
This allocation is based upon analysis we do on each customer class, how they contribute

738
01:11:49,020 --> 01:11:56,220
to the cost of the system, how they peak on the system and the costs operate and deliver electricity to each customer class.

739
01:11:56,800 --> 01:12:02,260
You can see here each customer class here on the left side of this table from residential down through lighting.

740
01:12:03,160 --> 01:12:07,600
You can see the cost of service in the first column equates to $755 million.

741
01:12:08,500 --> 01:12:17,240
The next column to the right is the projected revenues by class showing you at the bottom line there that under recovery of $100 million.

742
01:12:17,240 --> 01:12:22,000
dollars and then on the far right you can see the difference in dollars on an annualized

743
01:12:22,000 --> 01:12:28,400
average basis and also buy a snapshot of a percentage basis on if they're at above or

744
01:12:28,400 --> 01:12:29,980
below the cost of service.

745
01:12:30,160 --> 01:12:38,200
You can see those ranges go from 25.6 percent below the cost of service up to lighting being

746
01:12:38,200 --> 01:12:41,000
36 percent over the cost of service.

747
01:12:43,560 --> 01:12:48,080
This next slide is simply a snapshot just showing you a little bit different metric that we

748
01:12:48,080 --> 01:13:00,040
calculate with the cost of service. So those similar numbers that we saw, those similar percentages for each customer class are represented in this yellow, yellow line here in the bubbles that go up and down across the customer classes.

749
01:13:00,860 --> 01:13:13,120
The y-axis here on the left is what we call an average or an effective rate. So this is just simply if you took your bill and divided it by the total kilowatt hours you had for that period on a monthly or annual basis.

750
01:13:13,120 --> 01:13:17,480
You took the dollars by the kilowatt hours you get a sense per kilowatt hour number.

751
01:13:18,040 --> 01:13:21,880
And this shows you on the blue bar the current effective rates.

752
01:13:22,140 --> 01:13:25,560
So what is the effective rate of the current rates, the average rate of the current rates,

753
01:13:25,560 --> 01:13:29,320
and the orange bar being the cost of service effective rate.

754
01:13:29,480 --> 01:13:34,900
Again, just showing you that differential rather than in dollars and aggregate dollars is showing you an effective rate.

755
01:13:35,540 --> 01:13:42,040
You see there in residential, again, that 26% under recovery there with the orange bar being higher than the blue or

756
01:13:42,040 --> 01:13:46,040
the current rates, and you can see similar differences across the board.

757
01:13:46,620 --> 01:13:53,420
The dotted yellow line that is across all the bars there is simply the system average

758
01:13:53,420 --> 01:13:56,960
rate being just above 15 percent there.

759
01:13:58,440 --> 01:13:59,860
Again, this is a snapshot.

760
01:14:00,360 --> 01:14:05,480
This isn't a one-time rate increase or this would be if you implemented the rate increase and

761
01:14:05,480 --> 01:14:06,660
the rate changes all at one time.

762
01:14:06,800 --> 01:14:09,140
This is what would have to be done to get to the cost of service.

763
01:14:09,140 --> 01:14:11,440
That's obviously not what has been recommended.

764
01:14:13,890 --> 01:14:18,650
So now we look at what is recommended and this shows you the financial results of those

765
01:14:18,650 --> 01:14:19,330
recommendations.

766
01:14:19,930 --> 01:14:27,090
This table simply showing you 2025 through 2028, the top line being the revenues under the

767
01:14:27,090 --> 01:14:32,090
recommended rates, and the second line being the expenses on an annual basis, and then the

768
01:14:32,090 --> 01:14:36,170
over under collection, DCOH is days cash on hand.

769
01:14:36,290 --> 01:14:38,970
That's simply the electric utility savings account.

770
01:14:38,970 --> 01:14:44,530
What cash they have in reserve, DCSR is debt service coverage ratio.

771
01:14:45,050 --> 01:14:50,690
That is a metric of the net revenues divided by expenses and what remains to pay the debt.

772
01:14:51,430 --> 01:14:56,630
These two metrics are the two key metrics that the rating agencies look at to give a rating

773
01:14:56,630 --> 01:14:59,770
to the debt as BLEN alluded to, that rating then.

774
01:15:00,000 --> 01:15:29,980
So, this is the cost of debt for the utility, higher the rating, the lower cost of debt. You can see there, over time with the recommended rates, we maintain a day's cash on hand or the cash balances at 180 days. You see the debt service coverage started at 3.9 but decline over time. However, it is still at a healthy level at 2.0 or above, which is a target. There are also bond covenants. As you wish you debt that you are required to maintain a certain debt service coverage ratio over time.

775
01:15:29,980 --> 01:15:36,160
time. Otherwise, those bonds become culpable. In the recommendations below, on the second

776
01:15:36,160 --> 01:15:40,420
half of that table, simply show that first line says system base rate, that's a system

777
01:15:40,420 --> 01:15:46,620
base rate change year over year. And then the proposed total base rate is that next line.

778
01:15:47,240 --> 01:15:53,040
Currently, or just at the end of last year, in 2024, that effective rate or average rate

779
01:15:53,040 --> 01:16:03,380
was 18.14 cents. You can see there the proposed base rate in 2025 is 19.68. The next year at 21.36,

780
01:16:03,880 --> 01:16:08,720
these are on a system average basis and that row above you can see the change year over year of

781
01:16:08,720 --> 01:16:14,860
about a cent and a half per year on average for the entire system. You also see the ECA rate

782
01:16:14,860 --> 01:16:20,500
below that going to zero for those for those years. Again, as we do the cost of service study,

783
01:16:20,500 --> 01:16:22,060
and we project those costs over time.

784
01:16:22,300 --> 01:16:25,840
We embed the ECA and those expected costs in the rates.

785
01:16:26,660 --> 01:16:28,820
So if everything hits as expected in the forecast

786
01:16:28,820 --> 01:16:30,580
with the power supply cost of the market,

787
01:16:31,060 --> 01:16:32,400
there is no ECA pass-through.

788
01:16:33,460 --> 01:16:36,060
The final row there is simply the debt issuance.

789
01:16:36,660 --> 01:16:40,320
You can see to fund the $1 billion plus

790
01:16:40,320 --> 01:16:44,200
of capital investments in infrastructure investments for ID.

791
01:16:44,780 --> 01:16:49,380
You can see the bond issuances there of $265 to $127 million,

792
01:16:49,380 --> 01:16:50,600
dollars depending on the year.

793
01:16:54,700 --> 01:16:58,060
This is simply that system average base rate shown to you in a

794
01:16:58,060 --> 01:17:03,920
graphical format at a bar chart currently the 18.14 cents or at the end of 2024 excuse me

795
01:17:04,780 --> 01:17:10,700
and then showing the rate changes over time as recommended you can see it to go to just under

796
01:17:10,700 --> 01:17:18,360
20 cents and then 21.36 and so on there is a slight there the numbers for 2037 to 2028 are the same

797
01:17:18,360 --> 01:17:21,200
2020-27 will be the last year of the base rate changes.

798
01:17:27,190 --> 01:17:31,790
Following that path of the effective rates or the average rates, this then cascades that

799
01:17:31,790 --> 01:17:33,970
system average rate to each of the customer classes.

800
01:17:34,650 --> 01:17:39,830
So as we saw in the cost of service, which showed the impacts on the system that each customer

801
01:17:39,830 --> 01:17:44,890
class was having, these rates then follow that trend and align with those cost of service

802
01:17:44,890 --> 01:17:45,210
results.

803
01:17:45,210 --> 01:17:47,210
We implemented though over a three-year period.

804
01:17:47,770 --> 01:17:49,310
You can see the residential rates there.

805
01:17:49,310 --> 01:17:53,270
the first year at 2025, being 20.68 cents,

806
01:17:54,130 --> 01:17:57,550
escalating into 2027 at the final year of the rate changes.

807
01:17:58,290 --> 01:18:00,230
You can see that for each of the subsequent classes,

808
01:18:00,410 --> 01:18:02,070
general service being the commercial class,

809
01:18:02,430 --> 01:18:04,250
large general service being commercial class

810
01:18:04,250 --> 01:18:06,050
and some of the ag, master metered in others.

811
01:18:07,150 --> 01:18:10,290
In 2027, like I said, is the final year of the rate changes.

812
01:18:11,270 --> 01:18:13,710
2028 is likely to see some changes over time.

813
01:18:13,770 --> 01:18:16,090
The ECA will come back based upon forecasts

814
01:18:16,090 --> 01:18:18,470
that's a slight change as far as how the market

815
01:18:18,470 --> 01:18:20,630
get in fuel costs or fluctuating at that point in time.

816
01:18:21,570 --> 01:18:23,570
The expectation under current information

817
01:18:23,570 --> 01:18:26,970
is that that ECA would be very small at that point in time,

818
01:18:27,050 --> 01:18:28,710
but there will be some ECA change

819
01:18:28,710 --> 01:18:30,810
in those final years as we have completed

820
01:18:30,810 --> 01:18:32,690
the base rate changes in 2027.

821
01:18:34,740 --> 01:18:36,260
Mr. Chairman, I wanted to speak to that,

822
01:18:36,280 --> 01:18:39,100
sorry, for the interruption in terms of any proposed changes

823
01:18:39,100 --> 01:18:42,000
to the ECA and what position ultimately this board

824
01:18:42,000 --> 01:18:45,760
would serve as the authority in terms of us having

825
01:18:45,760 --> 01:18:50,580
that discussion post-2028 should an ECA factor come back into play.

826
01:18:51,260 --> 01:18:55,700
I guess my question is ultimately that authority falls with this board. Is that an accurate statement?

827
01:18:56,220 --> 01:19:02,580
That is an accurate statement and I think that Mr. George, this is very quick to advise the public

828
01:19:02,580 --> 01:19:08,740
that energy cost adjustment factors are risk management tools and it's very common in the utility

829
01:19:08,740 --> 01:19:14,900
business. Now what I will say is that going forward the way the new governance structure is and

830
01:19:16,140 --> 01:19:21,180
strategic directives and frankly directives to the general managers that will be doing a study

831
01:19:21,180 --> 01:19:26,160
on a much more frequent basis so that if adjustments need to be made up or down,

832
01:19:26,320 --> 01:19:30,580
that will provide a form for this board to take action at the appropriate time and in the

833
01:19:30,580 --> 01:19:37,620
appropriate manner based on data and information. I would reiterate yet, an ECA mechanism,

834
01:19:37,880 --> 01:19:41,880
while it may be called something else, you know, energy cost adjustment, power cost adjustment,

835
01:19:41,880 --> 01:19:44,080
and almost all utilities have them.

836
01:19:44,220 --> 01:19:46,500
If they do not, they are changing rates every year

837
01:19:46,500 --> 01:19:48,600
in turn with what's happening in the market.

838
01:19:49,320 --> 01:19:52,000
And so it's just this mechanism to match

839
01:19:52,000 --> 01:19:54,140
what's going on in the market with natural gas prices,

840
01:19:54,400 --> 01:19:56,000
power supply prices, things like that.

841
01:19:56,320 --> 01:19:58,680
As those prices go up, the ECA would match it.

842
01:19:58,820 --> 01:20:01,220
As those prices go down, the ECA would match along with it.

843
01:20:02,120 --> 01:20:02,700
Thank you.

844
01:20:03,020 --> 01:20:04,580
Another question I have for you, Tony.

845
01:20:04,780 --> 01:20:06,860
Just, this is more for the general public,

846
01:20:07,060 --> 01:20:10,820
but how many months did it take you to get the information

847
01:20:10,820 --> 01:20:14,860
and to complete the, I mean, it's quite a lengthy process.

848
01:20:15,440 --> 01:20:20,640
Yeah, cost of service processes, whether it's ID or others are typically a six to nine-month process,

849
01:20:21,440 --> 01:20:26,060
whether a lot of data that we do gather, we rely on an audited financials, financial forecasts,

850
01:20:26,600 --> 01:20:31,840
a data on the system, capital plans, things of that nature, which are all included in the report.

851
01:20:32,520 --> 01:20:38,060
Thank you. And I would like to point out that ID annually has its financials audited by an

852
01:20:38,060 --> 01:20:42,460
independent third party, they do come in and go through pretty much everything and it's a relatively

853
01:20:42,460 --> 01:20:47,500
onerous exercise for us so that the public has some comfort as do the rating agencies

854
01:20:47,500 --> 01:20:52,500
that what we're offering is information in terms of revenue and expenditures are accurate.

855
01:20:53,120 --> 01:20:53,840
Thank you.

856
01:20:56,320 --> 01:21:00,080
And that concludes my portion of the presentation on the cost service and I think

857
01:21:00,080 --> 01:21:01,740
Belen has some additional slides.

858
01:21:08,260 --> 01:21:11,560
Yes, I just kind of wanted to wrap up how we're going to kind of get

859
01:21:11,560 --> 01:21:16,340
there. We're proposing how we would get there anyways. Like I said, Tony looks at it,

860
01:21:16,460 --> 01:21:23,520
if I'm a system, then breaks it down by rate category. So the overall three-year implementation

861
01:21:23,520 --> 01:21:31,900
would happen on three different portions of a customer's bill. And I'll start with the

862
01:21:33,440 --> 01:21:38,700
residential customers. I'll give that as an example, as they are over 80% of our customer base.

863
01:21:38,700 --> 01:21:47,180
But the first thing would be they're monthly charge, so currently they're paying $9.60 per month or a fixed charge.

864
01:21:47,480 --> 01:22:05,720
This would go up on average 90 cents per month per year, so you'd go from $9.60 to $10.50 in 2025 to $11.40 in 2006 and then up to $12.25 in 2007.

865
01:22:05,720 --> 01:22:09,480
would stay at that fixed rate.

866
01:22:11,720 --> 01:22:19,340
The next component is the energy base rate. So, this is a little

867
01:22:19,340 --> 01:22:28,120
bit misleading, currently, and there's not meant to be. But currently, the base rate is 11.69.1169

868
01:22:28,120 --> 01:22:36,540
per kilowatt hour. But what we are proposing to do is roll in those base ECA factors cost

869
01:22:36,540 --> 01:22:43,540
into this. So if you were to look at it that way, that's that 8.184 or 5 cents that we were

870
01:22:43,540 --> 01:22:50,120
talking about before. So really, on average, the customers paid almost $18.50 per kilowatt

871
01:22:50,120 --> 01:22:58,500
hour in 2024. In fact, the current rate right now, I think all in is a little bit over 20 cents.

872
01:22:58,500 --> 01:23:07,880
So, that would, the base rate then would become 1976 and 22 cents and then the 24th, 38 and 27.

873
01:23:11,940 --> 01:23:15,780
And then there's also a demand component that does not affect the residential customers.

874
01:23:15,780 --> 01:23:24,680
It's more for the general services, not the small commercial but more the large commercial as well as the larger general services.

875
01:23:25,840 --> 01:23:32,760
that would also go up, so they are currently, for instance, the large general services paying $6.75

876
01:23:33,200 --> 01:23:39,480
a kilowatt, that would go up to 11 to 13 and then 16. So those are just kind of periodic spikes

877
01:23:39,480 --> 01:23:45,740
that they use on their grid, so that demand would also go up for those customers.

878
01:23:49,420 --> 01:23:53,960
I did just kind of want to go over a little bit briefly on what we have heard back.

879
01:23:53,960 --> 01:23:58,660
I know our general counsel mentioned that he's got it on record, some of the comments,

880
01:23:58,840 --> 01:24:02,560
but I just wanted to go over what we've kind of also heard through our public, our

881
01:24:02,560 --> 01:24:03,740
right hearings and our workshop.

882
01:24:04,320 --> 01:24:10,220
We did have one January 8th in La Quinta, another one January 9th workshop in Calexico, as

883
01:24:10,220 --> 01:24:12,540
well as January 16th in El Centro.

884
01:24:14,040 --> 01:24:17,620
So here are some of the common questions that we did here.

885
01:24:18,060 --> 01:24:21,500
Does it propose new base rate include the ECA billing factor?

886
01:24:21,720 --> 01:24:22,040
Yes.

887
01:24:22,040 --> 01:24:26,660
Yes, the energy cost adjustment billing factor is included in the proposed base rate.

888
01:24:26,860 --> 01:24:31,620
So what that means is the ECA factors that have been fluctuating would be set to zero.

889
01:24:32,900 --> 01:24:36,660
How was the consolidated ECA and the new base rate calculated?

890
01:24:36,880 --> 01:24:43,640
It was based on purchase power and fuel cost and what we forecast them to be out in the next four to five years.

891
01:24:47,640 --> 01:24:52,840
And then when is the over collection of the ECA factors going to go back to the residents and business owners?

892
01:24:52,840 --> 01:25:06,180
So we are currently been working on a plan to work with and to go over with the board to see which ones give a recommendation of what we think is the most beneficial to the customer.

893
01:25:06,380 --> 01:25:08,860
So we are working on that plan to share with the board.

894
01:25:09,400 --> 01:25:12,280
And we will bring that back at the first meeting in February.

895
01:25:13,860 --> 01:25:22,100
And then we also had some questions from citizens in the city of India which also have the JPA funding.

896
01:25:22,580 --> 01:25:25,860
they wanted to know if this was going to be included in the cost of service.

897
01:25:26,080 --> 01:25:32,600
So just to make it clear, the City of India, JPA, is not included in the IID's cost of service.

898
01:25:32,600 --> 01:25:33,680
It's completely separate.

899
01:25:33,840 --> 01:25:37,520
It's a separate charge that is put on by the City of India.

900
01:25:37,760 --> 01:25:40,420
IID just helps the City of India collect that.

901
01:25:40,900 --> 01:25:45,580
And that is strictly for projects that are specific for the City of India.

902
01:25:45,580 --> 01:25:54,160
So those citizens are paying for strictly the projects that are specific for City of India.

903
01:25:58,060 --> 01:26:03,080
So, and I just wanted to kind of leave you with this, this is the residential bill comparison.

904
01:26:03,720 --> 01:26:12,480
After the proposed rate increase compared to the other agencies, so like just to point out that

905
01:26:12,480 --> 01:26:18,140
we would still be one of the lower energy providers in the state, as you can see.

906
01:26:18,140 --> 01:26:23,760
Our average would be about 248, and then I think Pasadena is like 270.

907
01:26:24,820 --> 01:26:29,680
And then you could see PG&E and SDG&E and as Edison's as well, they're still quite

908
01:26:29,680 --> 01:26:35,680
a bit more higher than what IED's average bill would be.

909
01:26:39,140 --> 01:26:46,580
So this is DAF's recommendation is to approve the retail rate resolution that's part of

910
01:26:46,580 --> 01:26:53,840
the board item which is recommending the rate update and changes as well as an opt-in

911
01:26:54,240 --> 01:26:55,880
time as you've used rate schedule.

912
01:26:56,460 --> 01:27:03,440
So I just wanted to mention that we are proposing the opt-in time of use that fits some of our

913
01:27:03,440 --> 01:27:08,360
customer's lifestyle that can see some savings there where they could pay consistently for

914
01:27:08,360 --> 01:27:13,960
like 19 hours a day, about 12 cents per kilowatt hour, if that fit their lifestyle.

915
01:27:13,960 --> 01:27:25,220
as well as another adoption of the Energy Cost Adjustment Resolution, which that's basically what that resolution is saying, is that we would be setting the Energy Cost Adjustment Billing Factor 2-0,

916
01:27:26,280 --> 01:27:38,060
and that we would be modifying the base energy cost kilowatt hour to include some of those the base energy cost that we have forecasted.

917
01:27:38,060 --> 01:27:46,040
As well as to discontinue the energy cost adjustment renewable billing factor, we are asking for that to be discontinued.

918
01:27:46,440 --> 01:27:57,840
That was a renewable factor that we had on the bill, just to kind of keep track of when California started with the renewable portfolio standards of 20%.

919
01:27:57,840 --> 01:28:03,360
We kind of wanted to see what we ought to show the rate here, what that initiative was costing.

920
01:28:03,360 --> 01:28:10,440
But really, as we get further into this and California is going towards being more aggressive and being 100% renewable.

921
01:28:11,240 --> 01:28:18,960
We did not find that this was necessary to have that renewable energy cost factor on the bill anymore.

922
01:28:19,420 --> 01:28:24,960
So those are the two resolutions that we would be asking from this board for approval.

923
01:28:27,840 --> 01:28:28,840
Thank you, Berlin.

924
01:28:31,120 --> 01:28:33,600
Do we have any comments from the members of this board?

925
01:28:33,600 --> 01:28:46,980
Yeah, I'll start, Madam Chair, if I may, first of all, I do want to acknowledge and recognize the efforts of our community in terms of reaching out to us and participating in the workshops.

926
01:28:47,000 --> 01:28:50,360
I do appreciate the comments that were made.

927
01:28:52,340 --> 01:29:00,520
Also appreciate our general manager kind of being the shepherd of this process is not an easy situation to discuss or even propose.

928
01:29:00,520 --> 01:29:13,920
But I do want to self disclose that I did learn a lot from our community especially their comments and what I've heard is that they're looking for purpose, they're looking for transparency and they're looking for accountability.

929
01:29:14,560 --> 01:29:26,580
It is a rate adjustment that we do need to consider, but we also need to be able to put an outreach plan that is able to hold these elected officials accountable.

930
01:29:26,580 --> 01:29:35,780
I speak to Mrs. Combs this comment earlier today about her request specifically what needs to be done in terms of where this money is going to be invested.

931
01:29:36,200 --> 01:29:43,460
I know there appears to be a pledge from this board to make an investment back into IID and us entertaining and making these decisions.

932
01:29:43,820 --> 01:29:53,300
But at the same time, we have to be able to share with our community where those costs and how that's going to benefit our ECA.

933
01:29:53,300 --> 01:29:59,960
My rate payers have stepped up, they have voiced their concerns, so I want to acknowledge the efforts on the part of the-

934
01:30:00,000 --> 01:30:26,240
The city of Calexico, not only did they say that, not only did they make these comments, they memorialize them comments in a resolution. It's a very interesting resolution, and I appreciate your response. The city of El Centro also has this item before in this evening. So again, the comments are being held loud and clear. I usually try to be on my toes, but I'm on my heels, the community kind of put me on my heels because they want purpose, they want transparency, and they want accountability.

935
01:30:26,780 --> 01:30:31,660
So, I do appreciate the fact that we are taking on the challenge of the ECA.

936
01:30:32,440 --> 01:30:41,040
My mother calls it Ika, so she calls the ECA Ika, and every time I come over she really holds me accountable to Ika and what's happening.

937
01:30:41,720 --> 01:30:47,240
But to be able to maybe consider baking this into a base rate, maybe provides a certainty that we're needed.

938
01:30:47,620 --> 01:30:54,820
But it's also a pledge on the part of this board to set that to zero, and then really start thinking about those conversations post-2028.

939
01:30:54,820 --> 01:31:04,540
So again, it's not an easy situation, but there is science, I don't believe there is subjectivity to the cost of service study.

940
01:31:05,240 --> 01:31:12,020
There are facts, there are science behind it, and I do respect the outcome of that.

941
01:31:12,580 --> 01:31:22,300
In regards to just the design of our billing or a new bill, Mr. Amy, can you speak a little bit to how these bills are going to look like in the future?

942
01:31:22,300 --> 01:31:28,020
and how and when will that be unveiled in terms of the bill redesign.

943
01:31:28,400 --> 01:31:34,780
So we are working on providing much more granularity in the billing process in terms of should

944
01:31:34,780 --> 01:31:40,160
our customers opt to go to average billing and we strongly encourage people to do that. I know

945
01:31:40,160 --> 01:31:46,120
give it a try. See if you if you like it. It'll provide you more information about your consumption

946
01:31:46,120 --> 01:31:51,180
where you are in terms of your collection versus your billing. We are also for the very first time

947
01:31:51,180 --> 01:31:52,920
and I'm sorry that it takes so long,

948
01:31:53,080 --> 01:31:55,280
but anything in our billing engine

949
01:31:55,740 --> 01:31:58,720
that requires modification requires an outside consultant,

950
01:31:58,920 --> 01:31:59,860
but for the very first time,

951
01:31:59,980 --> 01:32:01,600
IED will produce its billings

952
01:32:01,600 --> 01:32:03,680
and in Spanish language,

953
01:32:03,760 --> 01:32:05,520
which it always should have, and we did not.

954
01:32:05,940 --> 01:32:08,440
So I think we're moving towards trying to provide

955
01:32:09,080 --> 01:32:11,960
more information and make it make more sense.

956
01:32:11,960 --> 01:32:13,760
I know we did have a stakeholder that said,

957
01:32:13,940 --> 01:32:15,980
you guys, this makes no sense to us.

958
01:32:16,080 --> 01:32:17,960
We need it delivered in a different fashion,

959
01:32:18,160 --> 01:32:19,360
and I heard what she said,

960
01:32:19,360 --> 01:32:32,100
And that's going to be our goal as a utility to provide those educational opportunities and deliver it in a meaningful way to allow people to sort of take a little bit more control over over their consumption.

961
01:32:32,960 --> 01:32:35,160
But we are working on fixing our billing.

962
01:32:35,640 --> 01:32:37,700
Just a couple more comments, if I may, Madam Chair.

963
01:32:37,860 --> 01:32:46,280
I wanted to speak to our service territory, and you look at a service territory that has 170,000 meters over 7,000 square miles.

964
01:32:46,280 --> 01:32:49,800
I was obviously where the example of spraw

965
01:32:50,580 --> 01:32:54,460
and we heard from our IBEW members who have an incredible task

966
01:32:54,460 --> 01:32:55,940
in trying to keep the lights on,

967
01:32:56,060 --> 01:32:59,580
especially over such a vast area without the density.

968
01:33:00,420 --> 01:33:04,580
So I do acknowledge that that is an incredibly

969
01:33:04,580 --> 01:33:08,160
challenged situation, especially for public utility.

970
01:33:08,420 --> 01:33:11,960
So I do look forward to possibly addressing that

971
01:33:11,960 --> 01:33:14,460
and ensuring that there is reliability.

972
01:33:14,460 --> 01:33:17,300
And I know that that's what we really focused on is reliability.

973
01:33:17,940 --> 01:33:21,680
The fact that we haven't shed power in years with very limited resource and

974
01:33:21,680 --> 01:33:25,680
an aging asset is really a testament not only to IED, but

975
01:33:25,680 --> 01:33:30,740
to our IBW members who really turn lemons into lemonade all day long.

976
01:33:30,860 --> 01:33:33,620
But I do pride ourselves that we haven't been able to shed power.

977
01:33:34,060 --> 01:33:38,080
But we can't continue to roll the dice and I'm going to land this plane here in a little bit.

978
01:33:38,500 --> 01:33:41,380
With Jamie, I just I want to come up with the first aid kit.

979
01:33:41,380 --> 01:33:44,880
A first aid kit that allows for services.

980
01:33:44,900 --> 01:33:47,760
We heard from Mr. Reyes about us getting the word out.

981
01:33:47,880 --> 01:33:54,000
We got fund balances and great payer assistance, and I know this is a challenge, but at the

982
01:33:54,000 --> 01:34:01,100
same time, can we put together a first aid kit and get folks the support and the services

983
01:34:01,100 --> 01:34:07,760
that they need to curb this skyrocketing energy cost dilemma?

984
01:34:07,760 --> 01:34:14,720
So I know that before this board and later on in the agenda is a resolution to release

985
01:34:14,720 --> 01:34:19,220
some of the PBC fund balance, and I also know that Director Eugenio has been working

986
01:34:19,220 --> 01:34:22,980
on a concept as well that I think she wanted to speak to in today's meeting.

987
01:34:23,620 --> 01:34:25,220
So we are taking it seriously.

988
01:34:25,520 --> 01:34:26,280
We do get it.

989
01:34:26,540 --> 01:34:32,580
I'm continually, I hate to say amaze, but surprised and really disappointed that despite the fact

990
01:34:32,580 --> 01:34:36,660
that we get information out there, people out there that still don't get to take advantage

991
01:34:36,660 --> 01:34:37,020
of it.

992
01:34:37,020 --> 01:34:39,540
And that's what these dollars are for, and that's what we want.

993
01:34:40,300 --> 01:34:46,580
And I will also say that the Board has taken the step of forming a public benefits committee

994
01:34:47,000 --> 01:34:50,420
that will be meeting to look at the programs we do have and tweaking them.

995
01:34:50,580 --> 01:34:52,520
So with regard to rate assistance specifically,

996
01:34:52,760 --> 01:34:57,440
we're going to look at loosening the requirements so that we are more inclusive rather than less.

997
01:34:57,820 --> 01:35:01,660
I heard what Mr. Reyes and Mrs. Elise had to say and they're not wrong.

998
01:35:02,160 --> 01:35:03,920
So as a public agency,

999
01:35:03,920 --> 01:35:08,560
and see one of the tendencies to take input from your stakeholders and try and fix the problems that they've identified.

1000
01:35:08,560 --> 01:35:10,300
So we really need to do that.

1001
01:35:10,980 --> 01:35:14,220
Shaman, the last comment I have is in regards to energy efficiency.

1002
01:35:15,000 --> 01:35:21,380
And as we all know, that a kilowatt saved is better, it's less expensive than a kilowatt generated.

1003
01:35:22,120 --> 01:35:27,560
So in regards to our energy efficiency program, whether it's the installation of upgraded windows,

1004
01:35:27,560 --> 01:35:40,240
What do you see in the future, as far as providing these types of services so that we can adopt the strategy of conserving energy and saving energy as opposed to generating it?

1005
01:35:40,560 --> 01:35:46,900
I think that's one of the things that the Public Benefits Committee formed that includes directors, by Mr.

1006
01:35:46,980 --> 01:35:50,900
Hamby and Director Eugenio, is intending to look at Director Cardinus.

1007
01:35:50,900 --> 01:35:54,800
So I think that we've looked at what other public utilities,

1008
01:35:54,800 --> 01:35:56,480
publicly owned utilities,

1009
01:35:56,740 --> 01:36:00,220
municipalities in California are doing and to see if there are things that we could adopt.

1010
01:36:00,360 --> 01:36:04,080
We have a much more extreme weather situation here than others do.

1011
01:36:04,300 --> 01:36:09,640
So we're going to look at what we know works and sort of double down on that.

1012
01:36:09,820 --> 01:36:13,920
And then maybe you're less than some of the ones that are maybe not as effective

1013
01:36:13,920 --> 01:36:17,320
so that we can deploy those dollars back where they're most beneficial.

1014
01:36:17,320 --> 01:36:26,620
My final comment is to the community and I just wanted to say thank you for those well thought comments and action that was taken before us to believe that our community has spoken.

1015
01:36:27,380 --> 01:36:33,880
I hear you guys loud and clear and do not take transparency or accountability lightly.

1016
01:36:34,640 --> 01:36:43,220
And ask that you afford this board an opportunity to show that we can be your primary energy provider and do this in a very efficient and affordable way.

1017
01:36:43,580 --> 01:36:44,200
Thank you, Mr. Amy.

1018
01:36:47,290 --> 01:36:48,170
Anybody else?

1019
01:36:48,810 --> 01:36:55,930
A couple of comments if we could pull up the El Centro Generating Station slide that was in the slides that chose those photos.

1020
01:36:58,310 --> 01:37:05,010
We are a community owned utility and everyone who is an ID customer is a part of that.

1021
01:37:05,230 --> 01:37:13,770
We are all co-owners of these power plants, we're co-owners of each one of these poles, we're co-owners of each one of these miles of line that's up in the air.

1022
01:37:13,770 --> 01:37:18,870
there. Nobody wants to raise rates. That's why it's happened only once in the last 30 years.

1023
01:37:20,010 --> 01:37:24,430
But the reality is, right now we're living off of the investments that are great grandparents

1024
01:37:24,690 --> 01:37:28,550
and our grandparents made. This is not sustainable.

1025
01:37:30,930 --> 01:37:33,410
Moving forward, we're going to be undertaking

1026
01:37:33,410 --> 01:37:39,710
efforts, as Jamie mentioned, about taking this on every two years. So this is regular.

1027
01:37:43,190 --> 01:37:43,750
We're

1028
01:37:43,750 --> 01:37:49,030
So there's no surprises. Everyone knows exactly what we're doing. We're having to deal with and

1029
01:37:49,030 --> 01:37:55,430
clean up a lot of the damage that's been generated over decades time here. And that's not desirable,

1030
01:37:55,650 --> 01:38:00,770
but this is where we are. So moving forward, it's going to be better, but it's not a great situation

1031
01:38:00,770 --> 01:38:05,890
right now. And I recognize the variety of comments that we heard, the unhappiness from people all

1032
01:38:05,890 --> 01:38:12,590
around both from the point of view of customers, suffering with reliability, which we've talked a lot

1033
01:38:12,590 --> 01:38:16,370
about with our friends and partners in the Coachella Valley, and also employee safety.

1034
01:38:16,950 --> 01:38:22,250
We're not happy about that, but we're also not happy about having to pay more for a service

1035
01:38:22,250 --> 01:38:25,230
that we've been used to paying the same for for decades at a time.

1036
01:38:26,010 --> 01:38:31,950
We want to be able to have as much control in our lives as possible, but the reality is there

1037
01:38:31,950 --> 01:38:33,610
are things that are outside of our control.

1038
01:38:34,430 --> 01:38:38,610
State mandates, aging infrastructure, rising costs and inflation.

1039
01:38:39,250 --> 01:38:42,930
We cannot bury our heads in the sand and ignore these problems.

1040
01:38:43,390 --> 01:38:46,450
If we do, here's a question for everybody.

1041
01:38:46,630 --> 01:38:50,590
Do you want to rely on this summer, this plant up here on the screen?

1042
01:38:51,270 --> 01:38:55,010
We're turning the page to the next one to YECCA Power Plant.

1043
01:38:55,290 --> 01:38:58,930
These two plants are the district's work horses.

1044
01:38:59,510 --> 01:39:04,030
So when you're running your air conditioner at whatever temperature you want to pay for in the summertime,

1045
01:39:04,030 --> 01:39:10,410
time, whether it's 72 or something else. These are the plants that you're relying on.

1046
01:39:10,690 --> 01:39:17,350
This one's 65 years old. The other one is over 57 years old. And presently, sorry, to

1047
01:39:17,350 --> 01:39:23,330
correct that if you go back to the next one, this plant here is offline. This is I think

1048
01:39:23,330 --> 01:39:29,730
85 megawatts. So this is a massive part of IID's generation that we used to be able to deliver

1049
01:39:29,730 --> 01:39:31,010
or power to customers in the summertime.

1050
01:39:32,650 --> 01:39:35,350
So I correct my question, do we want to rely on this

1051
01:39:35,350 --> 01:39:35,810
in the summer?

1052
01:39:35,910 --> 01:39:37,750
No, because you can't, because it's offline.

1053
01:39:38,250 --> 01:39:41,390
So the ECA portion of your bill, where the base rate

1054
01:39:41,390 --> 01:39:44,490
can't hold it anymore and to be able to keep power running

1055
01:39:44,490 --> 01:39:46,750
to your house and your air conditioning running,

1056
01:39:47,510 --> 01:39:50,210
that is the consequence of the lack of investment

1057
01:39:50,210 --> 01:39:54,430
that we've had in our parents' generation and our generation.

1058
01:39:54,670 --> 01:39:56,710
And if we want this to be different moving forward,

1059
01:39:56,830 --> 01:39:57,830
we've got to do something different.

1060
01:39:57,830 --> 01:40:06,470
But one of the things we also have to do different and this is a new experience to be able to go through and undo the damage over several decades of time is communicate what we're doing.

1061
01:40:07,130 --> 01:40:20,850
There is as I've recognized and we've been undertaking efforts slower than I've wanted to see them happen to reconnect the community and the district together because fundamentally we're a community owned utility.

1062
01:40:20,850 --> 01:40:25,310
And there has been this lack of understanding, I think, on both sides.

1063
01:40:25,470 --> 01:40:28,830
The district's responsibility to its customers, and then the

1064
01:40:30,570 --> 01:40:36,010
customer's understanding of what the district does for them as the community owns this utility.

1065
01:40:36,750 --> 01:40:39,890
So we have a responsibility to communicate, to be transparent.

1066
01:40:40,170 --> 01:40:46,510
I think we've fallen short of what we could have done, but that doesn't mean that today is the end of this process, it's really the beginning.

1067
01:40:46,510 --> 01:40:50,750
This whole series of projects that we're going to have to undertake this first

1068
01:40:50,750 --> 01:40:54,570
tronture that we're looking for is really just the beginning of this whole process.

1069
01:40:55,050 --> 01:40:58,850
There is a lot of work that needs to be undertaken over the next 15 years to get

1070
01:40:58,850 --> 01:41:03,910
the districts infrastructure that we all own back into a condition that we can rely on,

1071
01:41:04,250 --> 01:41:08,090
that we don't have to rely on other places, we don't have to rely on private contracts,

1072
01:41:08,590 --> 01:41:13,310
we can rely on our publicly owned community owned system, but it's going to take the investment

1073
01:41:13,310 --> 01:41:29,410
that we are going to have to make prior generations of the last one or the current one haven't made it, so it's on us to make that fix, but it's also on us to be able to communicate what we're doing because the community owns this system, the community has a stake in this, and they need to know what's going on.

1074
01:41:29,730 --> 01:41:38,210
Not just be asked to pay extra, but to have a clear understanding of what we're spending your money on. That's my number.

1075
01:41:38,690 --> 01:41:39,390
Thank you.

1076
01:41:41,700 --> 01:41:46,640
I'm trying to go last. Director Pacheco, you're up for a balanced authority.

1077
01:41:47,840 --> 01:41:53,260
We need to provide energy and increase the demand for it. We have to have it.

1078
01:41:54,740 --> 01:42:00,820
We have to meet those needs of the energy. That's the job. We need to have

1079
01:42:01,840 --> 01:42:07,200
power and if there's the demand for it, we have to match that. It's called a balanced authority.

1080
01:42:07,200 --> 01:42:09,400
We need to maintain that balance.

1081
01:42:09,980 --> 01:42:17,680
We are here to provide energy and water period.

1082
01:42:18,020 --> 01:42:22,440
That's the job of this agency, of this utility.

1083
01:42:24,080 --> 01:42:31,600
Nobody can support 10 years of business and not raise their rates in 10 years.

1084
01:42:32,200 --> 01:42:33,360
That's crazy.

1085
01:42:36,860 --> 01:42:42,200
If you want to rest work, you're not going to sell your meals at the same rate for 10

1086
01:42:42,200 --> 01:42:42,560
years.

1087
01:42:43,540 --> 01:42:48,160
You're going to have to go and pay material, pay cost, pay your labor.

1088
01:42:48,920 --> 01:42:50,880
It's just the normal thing to do.

1089
01:42:52,460 --> 01:42:55,260
We've been having our head in the sand for a long time.

1090
01:42:56,060 --> 01:42:58,980
We've been kicking the can down the road for a long time.

1091
01:42:59,740 --> 01:43:02,220
Now is the time to make that investment.

1092
01:43:02,220 --> 01:43:07,620
We don't need to go out in this summer and buy energy if we can produce our own energy.

1093
01:43:08,340 --> 01:43:09,660
That's the name of the game,

1094
01:43:11,790 --> 01:43:14,730
so that's it.

1095
01:43:15,150 --> 01:43:15,510
Thank you.

1096
01:43:17,890 --> 01:43:21,570
First off, I just want to thank everyone for being here today and for

1097
01:43:21,570 --> 01:43:26,790
speaking today and previously in attending the workshops that have been held for the general public.

1098
01:43:27,470 --> 01:43:32,050
I know how difficult hearing that rate increases may possibly happen.

1099
01:43:32,050 --> 01:43:35,930
be a guarantee that being up here and making this decision is even harder,

1100
01:43:38,850 --> 01:43:41,490
but we have looked

1101
01:43:41,490 --> 01:43:47,050
at this from every angle. We've spent the last year extensively visiting different sites

1102
01:43:47,050 --> 01:43:54,110
and talking to employees and everyone has agreed that our infrastructure is lacking in extraordinary

1103
01:43:54,110 --> 01:44:00,770
way. We need to become autonomous and not be at the mercy of the open market and stop relying on the

1104
01:44:00,770 --> 01:44:07,150
I can tell you that I have been consumed by empathy and emotion, and I know that what

1105
01:44:07,150 --> 01:44:10,970
we have to do, but getting people to understand has been beyond challenging.

1106
01:44:13,390 --> 01:44:18,030
Yesterday I spoke to an IED employee about this decision and how much it's weighed on me,

1107
01:44:18,570 --> 01:44:23,710
and she said, well, if you decide not to vote on it, we'll just keep making emergency purchases

1108
01:44:23,710 --> 01:44:28,210
and figuring out how to pay for it, which is what has been done for so long.

1109
01:44:29,110 --> 01:44:33,010
We can't continue to do that to ourselves or to our employees.

1110
01:44:36,370 --> 01:44:37,470
We are public servants.

1111
01:44:38,610 --> 01:44:40,330
We don't have IAD vehicles.

1112
01:44:40,770 --> 01:44:43,030
We don't make salaries over $100,000.

1113
01:44:43,410 --> 01:44:48,510
I myself am a single mom with four jobs, and I am just like you.

1114
01:44:48,610 --> 01:44:55,250
I have the same struggles that you do, and raising these rates is not an easy decision, but

1115
01:44:55,250 --> 01:44:57,610
it's something that we have not taken lightly.

1116
01:45:01,140 --> 01:45:31,120
And then lastly, I just wanted to comment on something that our general manager stated about resources that would become available after today and we have discussed putting together a roundtable of our first-day holders to discuss challenges that email would be experiencing in rising costs, not just to energy, but to water and to everything else. And so this roundtable with leaders would focus on getting to our most vulnerable

1117
01:45:31,120 --> 01:45:36,560
vulnerable populations, which has been the most challenging part of this process so far.

1118
01:45:37,260 --> 01:45:39,060
So thank you all for listening for being here.

1119
01:45:40,600 --> 01:45:45,360
Thank you very much, Director Eugenio. Obviously, you could hear the emotion in her voice.

1120
01:45:46,020 --> 01:45:52,240
We appreciate all the comments that you have given. We understand the community.

1121
01:45:53,140 --> 01:45:58,260
Thank you, Mrs. Delentay, for coming and giving your words. There are other rate pairs that

1122
01:45:58,260 --> 01:46:06,180
feel exactly the same way that you do. We appreciate your comments. I recognize that I was not elected

1123
01:46:06,180 --> 01:46:12,700
to raise your rates, but you deserve reliability. In the summertime, when you turn on your air

1124
01:46:12,700 --> 01:46:16,760
conditioner, you're going to want your air conditioner. You're going to want to turn that light switch

1125
01:46:16,760 --> 01:46:23,320
on, you're going to want the light to come on. And that is what our board is elected to do. I cannot

1126
01:46:23,320 --> 01:46:32,260
give that to you. I cannot give you that service without recovering the cost of service. So do

1127
01:46:32,260 --> 01:46:40,500
know that we take all this into account. And again, we realize we weren't elected. Every meeting

1128
01:46:40,500 --> 01:46:46,960
that I come to when we take money out of our O&M for something that has to be fixed right away,

1129
01:46:46,960 --> 01:46:52,820
Okay? This is not even a question. You have to vote yes. You have to change the budget.

1130
01:46:53,480 --> 01:46:59,400
I have made it a point in the last two years to just say briefly we're taking out of

1131
01:46:59,400 --> 01:47:06,880
O&M again and leave it at that because we're given no choice. So again, I appreciate all

1132
01:47:06,880 --> 01:47:13,860
the comments and I really understand I appreciate staff. It is a very difficult decision.

1133
01:47:15,520 --> 01:47:20,100
And the other thing, we can't continue with the ECA fluctuations like last summer.

1134
01:47:20,440 --> 01:47:22,280
We just can't continue this roller coaster.

1135
01:47:22,400 --> 01:47:23,880
We don't even know what you're going to pay.

1136
01:47:24,160 --> 01:47:25,440
You don't know what your bill is going to be.

1137
01:47:26,920 --> 01:47:29,800
We need to provide you a better level of service.

1138
01:47:30,540 --> 01:47:34,180
And the other thing that I did want to address is because everybody's saying, oh, the meeting

1139
01:47:34,180 --> 01:47:35,220
was at Christmas time.

1140
01:47:35,940 --> 01:47:38,800
We moved the meetings because we are now in January.

1141
01:47:38,800 --> 01:47:45,060
We are after the holidays, that was a point that we made to again be more transparent.

1142
01:47:45,800 --> 01:47:54,580
I appreciate Alex's and JB's comments, it is just so true, we have to fix our infrastructure.

1143
01:47:54,820 --> 01:47:56,140
We want to give you the reliability.

1144
01:47:57,620 --> 01:47:59,060
That's the end of my comments.

1145
01:48:00,540 --> 01:48:02,900
Unless anybody has always going to land the plane.

1146
01:48:03,080 --> 01:48:08,120
I'm not going to land the plane, but if there is no additional comments, Madam Chair, I'm prepared to make a motion.

1147
01:48:08,120 --> 01:48:10,560
I'm prepared to propose a motion.

1148
01:48:10,900 --> 01:48:12,320
You don't make motions, you propose them.

1149
01:48:12,960 --> 01:48:15,060
All right, you can make a motion.

1150
01:48:15,060 --> 01:48:15,900
How about you make a motion?

1151
01:48:16,140 --> 01:48:17,320
All right, you can make a motion.

1152
01:48:17,800 --> 01:48:20,500
Ms. Jamie, I have something for you.

1153
01:48:21,220 --> 01:48:22,220
You always do.

1154
01:48:22,560 --> 01:48:30,840
Okay, so I do, I would like to make a motion that we adopt staff's recommendations as outlined on page 36.

1155
01:48:31,440 --> 01:48:35,600
However, I would like to include the adoptions of resolution.

1156
01:48:35,600 --> 01:48:45,660
2-2025 and 3-2025, that's condition number one, condition number two.

1157
01:48:46,680 --> 01:48:57,720
I asked that we direct the general manager to bring forward a written plan of action to the next board meeting to inform,

1158
01:48:58,560 --> 01:49:04,380
educate and engage our communities on IID's power infrastructure plans.

1159
01:49:04,380 --> 01:49:05,460
I'm happy to do that.

1160
01:49:05,840 --> 01:49:26,580
It's condition number two, condition number three, condition number three, that we bring forward in March a plan to return any 2024 ECA over collections and that they be returned back to the rate pair within one year.

1161
01:49:28,420 --> 01:49:34,680
We were planning to bring that back at the first meeting in February, but if it's your preference that I wait till March, we can do that.

1162
01:49:34,680 --> 01:49:50,620
No, my preference would be that we move it to March, but to restate my condition number three is that we bring forward a plan to return any over collection of the ECA in 2024, in less than one year.

1163
01:49:51,600 --> 01:49:53,360
That is my motion, Madam Chair.

1164
01:49:53,800 --> 01:49:53,940
Second.

1165
01:49:56,280 --> 01:49:58,380
It has been moved and seconded.

1166
01:49:58,640 --> 01:50:01,980
This is a big vote, so I would appreciate a roll call vote.

1167
01:50:02,200 --> 01:50:02,580
Please, Raquel.

1168
01:50:02,580 --> 01:50:02,640
Praio

1169
01:50:06,030 --> 01:50:09,190
RojoEDo, Director Cardenas.

1170
01:50:09,310 --> 01:50:09,450
Yes.

1171
01:50:10,450 --> 01:50:14,370
Vice-C Chairman Hamney, Chairwoman Docsetter.

1172
01:50:14,590 --> 01:50:14,770
Aye.

1173
01:50:15,490 --> 01:50:16,510
Director Paceco.

1174
01:50:17,290 --> 01:50:17,450
Aye.

1175
01:50:18,010 --> 01:50:19,130
Director Yegina.

1176
01:50:19,450 --> 01:50:20,070
Yes.

1177
01:50:21,030 --> 01:50:21,450
Promotion.

1178
01:50:21,690 --> 01:50:24,450
the motion passed unanimously, thank you, 약ho.

1179
01:50:27,610 --> 01:50:29,050
Thank you, Board of Directors.

1180
01:50:29,810 --> 01:50:30,370
thank you Bullen.

1181
01:50:31,770 --> 01:50:34,510
Moving on, action Adopt resolution

1182
01:50:34,510 --> 01:50:35,710
regarding public benefits.

1183
01:50:35,710 --> 01:50:44,630
So Director Doc said our per this prior item acknowledge that any impacts that rates may cause by changing them.

1184
01:50:44,810 --> 01:50:48,510
Can I ask that we just take a quick 30 second break as people exit so I can hear you?

1185
01:50:48,770 --> 01:50:48,910
Sure.

1186
01:51:09,890 --> 01:51:14,730
Just the old G's say the old G's the state.

1187
01:51:15,190 --> 01:51:17,010
Just the people who want to hear good news.

1188
01:51:20,220 --> 01:51:25,600
So what we have included in the action calendar here is a resolution regarding public benefits.

1189
01:51:25,600 --> 01:51:32,300
That's the district collects money required by state law to be used for energy efficiency or for customer assistance programs.

1190
01:51:32,920 --> 01:51:37,580
As part of this resolution that director Eugenio and I have drafted in consultation with the general manager,

1191
01:51:37,940 --> 01:51:45,980
this would direct the $10 million of the public benefits fund that's been collected, be deployed as soon as possible for

1192
01:51:45,980 --> 01:51:49,700
those two purposes to deliver assistance and relief to customers.

1193
01:51:49,700 --> 01:51:53,600
A, for those who qualify for rate pair assistance programs, and

1194
01:51:53,600 --> 01:51:59,300
B, for energy efficiency programs, for all customers to be able to reduce their consumption and save on their bill.

1195
01:52:00,040 --> 01:52:01,380
Dr. Eugenio, anything from you?

1196
01:52:03,280 --> 01:52:08,280
Yeah, just what I would like to add that we have changed our re-qualifications.

1197
01:52:08,720 --> 01:52:17,160
I think last year we changed them from state to federal qualifications, which was a little bit more lenient that would allow more people to qualify for

1198
01:52:17,160 --> 01:52:21,520
these 30% discounts for people who qualify.

1199
01:52:21,780 --> 01:52:28,260
We also lowered the age last year from, I think, age 62 to 60 for senior citizens qualify for these benefits.

1200
01:52:28,480 --> 01:52:34,920
So we are doing everything within our power to make sure that people who need the most amount of help get the most amount of help.

1201
01:52:35,240 --> 01:52:39,580
And we know that, as I mentioned before, these are very difficult times for people.

1202
01:52:39,880 --> 01:52:45,260
So we are going to do whatever we can with this $10 million to make sure that it gets to the appropriate places.

1203
01:52:45,260 --> 01:52:47,060
So if

1204
01:52:50,070 --> 01:52:54,370
there's no comments, questions, or discussion, I'll move approval of the resolution

1205
01:52:54,370 --> 01:52:55,670
for adoption of the resolution.

1206
01:52:55,750 --> 01:52:56,490
I think it's fabulous.

1207
01:52:57,130 --> 01:52:57,810
I'll second.

1208
01:52:58,490 --> 01:52:58,710
Okay.

1209
01:52:58,910 --> 01:52:59,970
Is there motion and seconded?

1210
01:53:00,110 --> 01:53:00,790
All those in favor?

1211
01:53:01,470 --> 01:53:01,850
Aye.

1212
01:53:02,510 --> 01:53:03,330
All those opposed?

1213
01:53:04,070 --> 01:53:05,330
Motion carried, unanimously.

1214
01:53:06,730 --> 01:53:10,030
Seeing we have no information, we're going to move on to policy monitoring.

1215
01:53:10,230 --> 01:53:10,530
We have.

1216
01:53:10,650 --> 01:53:11,250
Oh, I lied.

1217
01:53:11,430 --> 01:53:11,710
Director.

1218
01:53:12,010 --> 01:53:13,310
We went out of order.

1219
01:53:13,310 --> 01:53:16,850
and plus Merlin's here. Welcome, Magic Harlan.

1220
01:53:19,690 --> 01:53:20,870
When's your 50th anniversary?

1221
01:53:21,530 --> 01:53:21,930
I wish you weren't happy.

1222
01:53:22,310 --> 01:53:23,350
With the end September.

1223
01:53:23,810 --> 01:53:24,270
September.

1224
01:53:24,770 --> 01:53:26,010
Half a century of service.

1225
01:53:26,330 --> 01:53:26,950
Thank you, sir.

1226
01:53:27,190 --> 01:53:27,530
Yes.

1227
01:53:28,030 --> 01:53:29,750
Well, we are talking about aging infrastructure.

1228
01:53:31,510 --> 01:53:32,450
Well, this is,

1229
01:53:33,710 --> 01:53:35,750
we want you to talk about that aging infrastructure.

1230
01:53:36,090 --> 01:53:36,590
Oh, okay.

1231
01:53:37,210 --> 01:53:38,610
You've held well, Merlin.

1232
01:53:38,830 --> 01:53:39,730
Thank you, Merlin.

1233
01:53:39,850 --> 01:53:40,430
Very durable.

1234
01:53:40,690 --> 01:53:41,030
Thank you.

1235
01:53:41,210 --> 01:53:41,390
I'm reliable.

1236
01:53:41,750 --> 01:53:42,050
Thank you.

1237
01:53:42,630 --> 01:53:43,670
Good afternoon, directors.

1238
01:53:43,670 --> 01:53:48,530
I'm Merlin Kidwell, I'm the Watermaster and Interim AAC superintendent.

1239
01:53:49,310 --> 01:53:53,170
I'll be presenting the All-American Sledgefight Project to you today.

1240
01:53:55,030 --> 01:54:01,650
That sounds kind of sledge, but this is actually very important and very neat thing that we need to talk about.

1241
01:54:02,930 --> 01:54:09,670
Normally Jorge Sanchez would be presenting this, but he had to go to the Imperial Dam Advisory Board meeting today.

1242
01:54:09,670 --> 01:54:11,830
So you get the second team on this.

1243
01:54:13,890 --> 01:54:23,770
So the project consists of replacing the sledge pipes inside two galleries at the decilting

1244
01:54:23,770 --> 01:54:25,830
basins at Imperial Dam.

1245
01:54:26,150 --> 01:54:31,370
There are three decilting basins and this will just replace them in the base number one.

1246
01:54:31,910 --> 01:54:39,230
Now, these pipes were originally commissioned back in 1937, so they're 88 years old,

1247
01:54:39,850 --> 01:54:45,070
and they've been serving as well for those 88 years, but they have reached the end of their

1248
01:54:45,070 --> 01:54:53,530
lifetime. The total cost of this project is $18,460,700. I'm sure there's some sense in there,

1249
01:54:53,610 --> 01:55:01,010
but I don't know what those are. This project is a shared cost project, so all four Imperial Dam,

1250
01:55:01,010 --> 01:55:08,610
entities that use the all-american will pay a share. But since the IID runs about 76 percent of

1251
01:55:08,610 --> 01:55:13,730
the water in the all-american, we pay about 76 percent of that cost.

1252
01:55:17,800 --> 01:55:19,160
So, just the background,

1253
01:55:19,520 --> 01:55:27,360
the sludge pipes carry the silt and sediment. They trap, there are silt traps, they trap the sediment,

1254
01:55:27,360 --> 01:55:37,340
and through a series of such pipes and from each pedestal that slurry is returned to the river,

1255
01:55:37,600 --> 01:55:42,480
removing about 90% of the sediment that's in the river at that point.

1256
01:55:43,660 --> 01:55:50,360
Now, about halfway through the lifespan of these pipes, because this is like liquid sandpaper flowing through these pipes.

1257
01:55:50,360 --> 01:55:57,440
types. So halfway through the process, the staff at Imperial Dam, they took and they

1258
01:55:57,440 --> 01:56:02,980
rotated these pipes 180 degrees so that the wear would just like rotating your tires,

1259
01:56:03,760 --> 01:56:10,920
the wear would be balanced. However, after 88 years, we've worn out most of that of the

1260
01:56:10,920 --> 01:56:12,320
threat on these tires.

1261
01:56:15,040 --> 01:56:16,820
So, this is,

1262
01:56:19,220 --> 01:56:21,900
you know, we've been in irrigation district for, you know,

1263
01:56:21,980 --> 01:56:29,080
over 100 years now, and a lot of our structures from our well 75 years, 80 years old out there,

1264
01:56:29,640 --> 01:56:34,020
and of course, in Imperial Damans, 88 years old. So, almost everything on the All-American

1265
01:56:34,020 --> 01:56:39,680
is at least that old. Now, if these pipes, these pipes serve an important purpose,

1266
01:56:39,680 --> 01:56:44,360
are the decilting basins, too, because removing that sediment from the

1267
01:56:44,360 --> 01:56:50,060
all-American prevents the upper all-American canal from reducing its

1268
01:56:50,060 --> 01:56:54,940
capacity from building up sediment and silt in it. So if you don't remove the

1269
01:56:54,940 --> 01:57:00,640
sediment, then that channel will choke off and you will reduce the capacity in the

1270
01:57:00,640 --> 01:57:05,180
all-American canal. As we have done, sometimes in the past.

1271
01:57:09,260 --> 01:57:10,240
So here's some

1272
01:57:10,240 --> 01:57:15,300
examples of got a little back feet there.

1273
01:57:17,600 --> 01:57:20,880
But of the erosion of these pipes have been

1274
01:57:20,880 --> 01:57:26,140
a lot more than if you could mute Colin, user one, they're on the left hand side if you

1275
01:57:26,140 --> 01:57:31,980
did it. Thank you, go ahead. Are we okay now? Yeah. Okay, that would be very annoying wouldn't it?

1276
01:57:32,680 --> 01:57:40,520
It was. So as you can see the Imperial Tams made this people, they do a fantastic job keeping these

1277
01:57:40,520 --> 01:57:42,940
seems going, but they're basically using

1278
01:57:42,940 --> 01:57:45,400
bailing wire and paper clips to put

1279
01:57:45,400 --> 01:57:46,340
this stuff together.

1280
01:57:46,580 --> 01:57:47,600
Merlin, I don't think you're supposed to

1281
01:57:47,600 --> 01:57:48,300
say that out loud.

1282
01:57:48,820 --> 01:57:49,560
Oh, keep going.

1283
01:57:51,800 --> 01:57:52,680
Open secrets.

1284
01:57:53,460 --> 01:57:54,340
Oh, that would work too.

1285
01:57:54,740 --> 01:57:56,680
Well, you know, they will, they're

1286
01:57:56,680 --> 01:57:57,260
very careful.

1287
01:57:57,340 --> 01:57:58,660
They don't, they don't just chip off

1288
01:57:58,660 --> 01:57:59,900
paint in here because they know

1289
01:57:59,900 --> 01:58:00,900
sure what's going to happen.

1290
01:58:03,060 --> 01:58:04,600
Here's a little bit of a closer

1291
01:58:04,600 --> 01:58:07,120
example of the erosion problems.

1292
01:58:07,140 --> 01:58:08,940
And this is the outside of the pipes.

1293
01:58:08,940 --> 01:58:10,620
I mean, it's just coming through.

1294
01:58:10,940 --> 01:58:13,820
I'm 88 years, how long can a pipe last?

1295
01:58:16,800 --> 01:58:19,740
So here, now this will show, these are the three basins

1296
01:58:19,740 --> 01:58:24,200
of the three basins, this I should point out here.

1297
01:58:24,740 --> 01:58:26,820
These are the three basins, one, two, and three.

1298
01:58:27,540 --> 01:58:31,540
And so here, this is the basin that we will be working on.

1299
01:58:32,160 --> 01:58:33,980
And here are where the pipelines run.

1300
01:58:34,420 --> 01:58:36,640
Now these pipelines run under the all-american

1301
01:58:36,640 --> 01:58:43,900
and deposit the sediment slurry over in the California channel of the Colorado River.

1302
01:58:44,680 --> 01:58:50,200
Now, it's a pretty complicated thing. I think this picture shows it a little bit better.

1303
01:58:50,340 --> 01:58:54,800
This is a standard one. You've seen it probably many, many times, but it really shows the whole

1304
01:58:54,800 --> 01:59:00,660
setup really well. So each one of these pedestals, these are pedestals with clarifying. You can see here

1305
01:59:00,660 --> 01:59:06,260
where this basin has been dewatered and so each one of these, the water will flow into

1306
01:59:06,260 --> 01:59:11,220
these basins and it settles out and then only the clear water will flow out and then the

1307
01:59:11,220 --> 01:59:19,700
sediment is directed to each pedestal. So there's 24 pedestals on each side of each gallery

1308
01:59:20,220 --> 01:59:25,480
but each one of these runs to a pipe that runs to a bigger pipe which goes to a bigger pipe

1309
01:59:25,480 --> 01:59:27,420
which goes underneath and dumps over here.

1310
01:59:28,880 --> 01:59:31,500
Now, this project replaces all of that.

1311
01:59:31,680 --> 01:59:34,600
It replaces everything from this pedestal,

1312
01:59:34,800 --> 01:59:36,980
all the way down to the bottom, all the way through this.

1313
01:59:37,220 --> 01:59:39,880
This will all be new, all the piping will be new,

1314
01:59:40,000 --> 01:59:43,460
all in this section, all the way to the deposit

1315
01:59:43,460 --> 01:59:44,780
into the Colorado River.

1316
01:59:47,360 --> 01:59:51,580
And here's some construction shots back when it was built

1317
01:59:51,580 --> 01:59:52,680
in 1936.

1318
01:59:53,340 --> 01:59:57,100
And if you've had the e-tour over at Imperial Dam,

1319
01:59:57,100 --> 01:59:59,280
You've got to go down into the gallery and see that.

1320
02:00:00,000 --> 02:00:29,900
That's a fun, nice, and cool, and the summer's over. Yes, it is. And really dark down at the end. And get smaller if you're close to phobic. Don't go there. That's not good. And that's that's basically in the presentation. This will be the first base on if you approve it. And it will be two more in the future. They all need to be done. Thank you, Merlin. If you could go back a slide so that you're replacing

1321
02:00:29,900 --> 02:00:35,600
the pipes. They're seeing the galleries, the whole, you know, subway tunnel thing that stays the

1322
02:00:35,600 --> 02:00:40,460
same. Is there more work being constructed, the entrances, all kinds of other things?

1323
02:00:42,120 --> 02:00:46,920
Do you know, Mike, I'm not sure about that. Are they going to redo that with the electrical

1324
02:00:46,920 --> 02:00:53,340
and the lighting has all been done already? So it's just really replacing the pipes itself and then the

1325
02:00:53,340 --> 02:00:59,280
air tubes that go up there. Yeah, they go to the top. So yeah.

1326
02:01:02,520 --> 02:01:05,840
Thanks. So yeah. So the reason we're

1327
02:01:05,840 --> 02:01:11,040
skipping like two years is to give the other agencies that are going to do them a share cause

1328
02:01:11,040 --> 02:01:16,840
some time to gather their funding so they can pay for their share of it. So that's why we're

1329
02:01:16,840 --> 02:01:20,240
going to skip every two years to do one. So it's going to take us six years.

1330
02:01:20,240 --> 02:01:26,590
I have a request if the board is willing.

1331
02:01:27,070 --> 02:01:31,630
What the reason I wanted this item pulled is because significant dollar figure, $18 million.

1332
02:01:31,790 --> 02:01:33,430
We're talking about aging infrastructure.

1333
02:01:33,430 --> 02:01:37,950
I think there's a value in the board being aware and appraised of what we're doing here.

1334
02:01:38,890 --> 02:01:39,890
And it's interesting.

1335
02:01:39,990 --> 02:01:47,310
And I think there's public value to people being aware of the projects that we do that for whatever reason.

1336
02:01:47,310 --> 02:01:52,010
Over the past number of years, we don't seem to highlight any of the work that's going on.

1337
02:01:52,130 --> 02:01:56,510
We just collect rates, which people aren't happy about, but we don't show them what we're doing with their money.

1338
02:01:57,310 --> 02:02:00,550
So my request would be this is a standing process moving forward.

1339
02:02:00,550 --> 02:02:07,250
Is any projects MWA, MWA, over $5 million, $5 million are over, that it come.

1340
02:02:07,550 --> 02:02:12,670
We have a great presentation like this one, Merlin and George, and Water Department helps set the standard here.

1341
02:02:12,670 --> 02:02:20,030
And tell a story of what these dollars are being used on and show us how this infrastructure works and connects to our mission.

1342
02:02:20,390 --> 02:02:26,450
So, in short, anything over $5 million we put on action and have a presentation like this one.

1343
02:02:26,730 --> 02:02:28,830
You have a lot of $4.9 million projects.

1344
02:02:29,750 --> 02:02:32,690
So can I just add and join that party and Mrs.

1345
02:02:33,470 --> 02:02:35,110
Ms. Holmes?

1346
02:02:36,570 --> 02:02:39,550
Okay, she's inspired me here.

1347
02:02:39,550 --> 02:02:45,710
I think not only through the presentation is changing, but if there could be some social media attention to it as well

1348
02:02:45,710 --> 02:02:51,770
I think it would also provide a tremendous amount of public benefit and I'm not sure how that would work.

1349
02:02:52,090 --> 02:02:55,710
Well, I'm nodding your head. I am nodding in a...

1350
02:02:56,390 --> 02:03:08,590
Oh, we're also planning a web page on the ID.com website that shows progress on those major projects, particularly those that are part of the 1.5 million dollar capital improvement plan.

1351
02:03:08,590 --> 02:03:13,750
We do want the public to see and let me tell you why because I have a very technical question, sir. Are you ready?

1352
02:03:14,370 --> 02:03:17,430
Probably not the goal. How many general managers have you

1353
02:03:18,190 --> 02:03:20,050
experienced over the last 50 years?

1354
02:03:20,710 --> 02:03:22,410
49 years right now. 49.

1355
02:03:29,490 --> 02:03:35,610
If you go and the J1 building and you go, I'd have to look there, but I think about, I think about

1356
02:03:36,890 --> 02:03:40,290
about eight or nine and who is your favorite?

1357
02:03:41,030 --> 02:03:46,630
you disclose this so he disclosed to

1358
02:03:46,630 --> 02:03:48,690
direct to Madam Chair docs that are

1359
02:03:48,690 --> 02:03:50,510
denied that his favorite general

1360
02:03:50,510 --> 02:03:53,250
manager Mrs. Asbury so round of

1361
02:03:53,250 --> 02:03:56,890
applause. I do want you to know that

1362
02:03:56,890 --> 02:03:59,190
we are all with having Merlin

1363
02:03:59,190 --> 02:04:01,250
present because Mr. Smeltzer would

1364
02:04:01,250 --> 02:04:03,270
like to be known as the power master

1365
02:04:03,270 --> 02:04:05,390
because Merlin just want to plan one

1366
02:04:05,390 --> 02:04:07,490
heck of a party for him in September

1367
02:04:07,490 --> 02:04:09,790
and he gets an honorary shirt that

1368
02:04:09,790 --> 02:04:11,770
that says half a century of service.

1369
02:04:12,130 --> 02:04:12,650
All right.

1370
02:04:13,950 --> 02:04:14,450
Thank you, sir.

1371
02:04:14,770 --> 02:04:16,090
You want a hoodie or you want a shirt?

1372
02:04:16,510 --> 02:04:17,510
I'll take the shirt.

1373
02:04:17,650 --> 02:04:18,090
Thank you.

1374
02:04:19,350 --> 02:04:19,950
Thank you.

1375
02:04:20,150 --> 02:04:20,430
Thank you.

1376
02:04:20,530 --> 02:04:20,730
Welcome.

1377
02:04:21,630 --> 02:04:22,510
Oh, sorry.

1378
02:04:22,910 --> 02:04:24,170
Can I have a motion for?

1379
02:04:24,490 --> 02:04:26,050
I'll move approval of the staff argumentation.

1380
02:04:26,350 --> 02:04:27,010
Can I have a second?

1381
02:04:27,330 --> 02:04:27,730
So move.

1382
02:04:28,230 --> 02:04:29,230
OK, all those in favor?

1383
02:04:29,770 --> 02:04:29,950
Hi.

1384
02:04:31,190 --> 02:04:32,010
Motion carries.

1385
02:04:32,490 --> 02:04:33,050
Thank you, sir.

1386
02:04:35,390 --> 02:04:37,310
Now let's move on to policy monitoring.

1387
02:04:38,190 --> 02:04:39,350
The brevity version, maybe.

1388
02:04:40,950 --> 02:04:42,930
I will be brief.

1389
02:04:43,450 --> 02:04:43,710
Sorry.

1390
02:04:44,910 --> 02:04:45,510
Greetings.

1391
02:04:46,150 --> 02:04:46,710
Good afternoon.

1392
02:04:47,050 --> 02:04:48,230
Chairwoman, members of the board.

1393
02:04:48,630 --> 02:04:50,350
I'm Tony Ortega, government affairs officer.

1394
02:04:50,750 --> 02:04:55,910
Also joining me here is Lee Hernandez, or your government affairs specialist.

1395
02:05:00,760 --> 02:05:02,080
So I will be brief.

1396
02:05:02,520 --> 02:05:08,780
I was here in July and provided a similar presentation, but for director Pacheco maybe who hasn't had

1397
02:05:08,780 --> 02:05:14,000
an opportunity to hear from me and the government affairs team other than through a monthly newsletter.

1398
02:05:14,000 --> 02:05:18,600
I want to just talk a little bit about the government affairs office, some of the work

1399
02:05:18,600 --> 02:05:24,380
that we do, not just in-house, but also with our outside team of federal and state lobbyists.

1400
02:05:24,600 --> 02:05:29,320
So very briefly, the government affairs office plays an essential role in formulating our

1401
02:05:29,320 --> 02:05:36,120
legislative policies, both regulatory, legislative, and also advancing the district's best interests

1402
02:05:36,120 --> 02:05:42,960
and safeguarding against any type of proposal, both at the legislative or regulatory environment

1403
02:05:42,960 --> 02:05:47,100
that may impact our ability to meet our customers needs

1404
02:05:47,100 --> 02:05:48,400
both water and power.

1405
02:05:49,900 --> 02:05:52,760
So again, I just introduced myself, you met Li Hernandez

1406
02:05:52,760 --> 02:05:55,320
but also our state and federal consultants.

1407
02:05:55,960 --> 02:05:58,640
We have two firms on retainer that's the office

1408
02:05:58,640 --> 02:06:00,820
or the firm of Manette, Phelps and Phillips

1409
02:06:00,820 --> 02:06:04,920
at the state level and the two primary lobbyists

1410
02:06:04,920 --> 02:06:07,880
on our account are Alfredo Medina and Ches Alinas

1411
02:06:08,400 --> 02:06:10,500
and then at the federal level we have the firm

1412
02:06:10,500 --> 02:06:14,400
of Massey Partners and, again, spearheading that team are

1413
02:06:14,900 --> 02:06:16,360
terrabilingsly and Elliott Howard.

1414
02:06:20,220 --> 02:06:22,380
So, IID, a couple years ago, formed.

1415
02:06:22,580 --> 02:06:28,820
Being on one second Antonio. So, Director Pacheco, you might want to go off of

1416
02:06:29,700 --> 02:06:33,760
Ruck Hell gave us a newer updated version and I'm only bringing that to attention

1417
02:06:33,760 --> 02:06:38,160
because I did get a phone call about some people that were missing out of our little packet.

1418
02:06:38,620 --> 02:06:42,180
So, people really look at our agenda which I love and it has been updated.

1419
02:06:42,840 --> 02:06:44,840
So I just want to make sure he's looking at the correct.

1420
02:06:45,160 --> 02:06:45,640
Thank you.

1421
02:06:46,060 --> 02:06:46,640
Thank you.

1422
02:06:47,260 --> 02:06:54,440
Yeah, so for the public, I can make sure that we are uploading the updated version, which includes all the slides.

1423
02:06:56,120 --> 02:07:01,180
So for the IID Federal and state legislative committees, we do meet once a month.

1424
02:07:01,300 --> 02:07:10,320
We proactively monitor, analyze and recommend positions on legislation as well as any type of regulatory proceedings on our state legislative committee.

1425
02:07:10,320 --> 02:07:16,300
We have Vice-Chairman Hamby, Director Eugenio, also attending those calls are the executive

1426
02:07:16,300 --> 02:07:21,880
management team as well as your government affairs staff and our federal and state consultants.

1427
02:07:22,520 --> 02:07:27,300
On the federal ledge committee, we have, again, Vice-Chairman Hamby, Director Cardinus

1428
02:07:27,300 --> 02:07:31,460
and the same other staff attend those meetings as well.

1429
02:07:33,630 --> 02:07:36,560
Supplementing our efforts are our membership associations.

1430
02:07:36,560 --> 02:07:42,340
We are members of various organizations, the ones that I've highlighted here are the ones

1431
02:07:42,340 --> 02:07:47,360
that are most prominent and have, I think, the largest presence when it comes to federal

1432
02:07:47,360 --> 02:07:48,360
and state policies.

1433
02:07:49,020 --> 02:07:55,220
And that's APPA, the American Public Power Association, Aqua Association of California Water

1434
02:07:55,220 --> 02:08:02,400
Agencies, CMUA, the Municipal Utilities Association, LPPC, large public power council,

1435
02:08:02,400 --> 02:08:07,380
and then SCAPA, which is a Southern California Public Power Authority.

1436
02:08:09,910 --> 02:08:14,910
In addition to, so just briefly before I move on that slide, in addition to staff,

1437
02:08:15,070 --> 02:08:19,230
though, also the board participates in some of these membership associations.

1438
02:08:19,630 --> 02:08:28,450
So, for example, APPA Director Cardinus was recently appointed to the Policy Makers Council,

1439
02:08:28,450 --> 02:08:36,110
So that is not only just IID participating, but also giving IID an opportunity to be a

1440
02:08:36,110 --> 02:08:43,510
little bit more in, to participate at a larger scale in terms of the policies that APPA

1441
02:08:43,510 --> 02:08:46,730
implements and the things that they advocate for.

1442
02:08:47,830 --> 02:08:53,090
Chairwoman Docsetter is one of our regional directors on the Aqua Region 9 board.

1443
02:08:53,090 --> 02:09:00,830
So again, in addition to our staff, we also have board members who participate in some of those associations.

1444
02:09:02,870 --> 02:09:11,130
So before I move on from this slide, also just make a note that part of our associations also include advocacy opportunities.

1445
02:09:11,690 --> 02:09:14,010
And we have upcoming two of those opportunities.

1446
02:09:14,010 --> 02:09:22,550
One of them, the first one on our calendar that's upcoming is the CMUA capital day that takes place every February in Sacramento.

1447
02:09:22,550 --> 02:09:30,150
I know this year it's happening on the 3rd of February, so we will have a team of IID staff and board members that will be attending.

1448
02:09:30,730 --> 02:09:43,630
We will be meeting with our legislators, but also with committee staff and others that we want to make sure that are aware of IID's priorities for our upcoming legislative year.

1449
02:09:43,630 --> 02:09:57,710
And then at the federal level we have our APPA legislative rally at the end of the month of February and then also aqua has an annual Washington DC rally where we will also be there and participate in both of those events.

1450
02:09:59,750 --> 02:10:11,670
So moving on. So government affairs is not just your staff and lobbyists. It's also you. It's also our management team, our executive team, being out in the community, engaging with our local state and federal officials.

1451
02:10:11,670 --> 02:10:17,450
So, again, it's not just staff that does this, it's done at every level of the organization.

1452
02:10:18,170 --> 02:10:23,030
So here, I just have a high level list of some of the key stakeholders that we engage

1453
02:10:23,030 --> 02:10:31,070
with, whether it's, again, through board direct relationship building and engagement or

1454
02:10:31,070 --> 02:10:31,770
through your staff.

1455
02:10:32,090 --> 02:10:36,190
So we have the City Councils, obviously, both in the Imperial Valley but also the Coachella

1456
02:10:36,190 --> 02:10:52,490
of Valley, tribal nations in both communities, the Coachella Valley Energy Commission, Association of Governments, the Riverside County Board of Supervisors, as well as the Imperial County Board of Supervisors and other agencies that are highlighted there.

1457
02:10:52,890 --> 02:10:54,630
And will Cali Pat mean the picture?

1458
02:10:54,930 --> 02:10:55,090
Yep.

1459
02:10:55,090 --> 02:10:56,490
So, comes up, Antonio.

1460
02:10:56,890 --> 02:10:59,710
State engagement, so this is a new year.

1461
02:10:59,830 --> 02:11:04,750
We have a new state legislature that just convened on January 6th.

1462
02:11:04,910 --> 02:11:10,410
So at the state level, we have currently the makeup is 60 Democrats, 90 Republicans.

1463
02:11:10,670 --> 02:11:15,530
There is one vacancy representing our values in the Imperial Anchorchella Valley.

1464
02:11:15,550 --> 02:11:21,770
We have a newly elected assembly member, Assemblymember Garcia, who represented our region for

1465
02:11:21,770 --> 02:11:23,350
10 years is no longer there.

1466
02:11:23,350 --> 02:11:31,810
And we do have a new representative that is Assemblymember Jeff Gonzalez, who we have met with him and spent a little bit of time with him.

1467
02:11:31,930 --> 02:11:39,710
He was actually in Washington, D.C. last week, with there to celebrate the signing of the Chukwala National Monument.

1468
02:11:40,350 --> 02:11:42,590
And this picture is right from that event.

1469
02:11:42,590 --> 02:11:46,390
And so for the record, the record, the Genio caught me out of it.

1470
02:11:46,790 --> 02:11:50,330
So director Eugenio and I had an opportunity to be with you.

1471
02:11:50,330 --> 02:11:55,790
I would have he wasn't there at that particular event, but I did crop him out of other pictures

1472
02:11:55,790 --> 02:11:57,350
and probably, probably.

1473
02:11:57,630 --> 02:12:01,450
So we did have an opportunity just to bend his ear for a little bit.

1474
02:12:01,650 --> 02:12:03,950
We will be seeing him at CMUA Capitol Day.

1475
02:12:04,790 --> 02:12:10,690
So again, he is new to our district, though, and we will have to bring him up to speed

1476
02:12:10,690 --> 02:12:14,950
on all of the things that we have in front of the state legislature.

1477
02:12:15,650 --> 02:12:20,590
Assemblymember Greg Wallace was re-elected, so he continues in that seat.

1478
02:12:21,270 --> 02:12:24,110
And he's also on the Energy Committee on the Assembly side.

1479
02:12:24,330 --> 02:12:29,970
So utilities and energy, Assemblymember Gonzalez was just appointed vice chair

1480
02:12:29,970 --> 02:12:35,170
of the Assembly Water Parks and Wildlife Committee, which is for us a very important committee.

1481
02:12:35,770 --> 02:12:38,950
So he just received that assignment very recently.

1482
02:12:38,950 --> 02:12:45,130
And then just a list of some of the other committee chairs that are committees of jurisdiction

1483
02:12:45,130 --> 02:12:46,190
for IID.

1484
02:12:47,990 --> 02:12:53,390
On the state senate, we have 30 Democrats and I Republicans, there is one vacancy.

1485
02:12:54,270 --> 02:12:59,770
Senator Steve Padilla from our district is the new chair of the government organization

1486
02:12:59,770 --> 02:13:00,330
committee.

1487
02:13:00,870 --> 02:13:05,230
I don't foresee us having many issues in front of his committee just because of the jurisdiction.

1488
02:13:05,790 --> 02:13:15,690
However, it is a new appointment for him and to the extent that we do need to engage with him through that committee, we will, in addition to other things.

1489
02:13:15,990 --> 02:13:20,630
What is government organization? Is there an equivalent in the assembly or they call it something else in the Senate?

1490
02:13:21,230 --> 02:13:28,290
They have a similar committee on the assembly side also geo, but it's mostly issues related to insurance.

1491
02:13:29,750 --> 02:13:37,730
other general government functions, so I don't have specific list in front of me, all the issues of jurisdiction,

1492
02:13:39,770 --> 02:13:47,490
but there may be some opportunities, again, depending on the various committees, where some bills that could impact the idea would go in front of that committee.

1493
02:13:49,760 --> 02:14:09,360
Senator Ochoa-Boh is newly elected to represent our area, although she has already served in the state senate, due to redistricting, Senate District 19 now covers a small portion of our service area in the Riverside County portion, which is the city of Lakinta.

1494
02:14:09,360 --> 02:14:18,360
So Senator Ochoa-Boh as of this year will be representing IID at least again a small portion

1495
02:14:18,360 --> 02:14:20,100
of our service area in Riverside County.

1496
02:14:22,540 --> 02:14:28,300
And then also just a list of the chairs of the committees of jurisdiction that IID cares

1497
02:14:28,300 --> 02:14:28,680
about.

1498
02:14:33,980 --> 02:14:37,840
So state engagement is not just with the legislative branch, it's also with the executive

1499
02:14:37,840 --> 02:14:39,940
branch and the governor's office.

1500
02:14:39,940 --> 02:14:46,960
So through that state engagement, I noted some agencies that we have more contact with

1501
02:14:46,960 --> 02:14:51,920
and others, and which are the ones that we track on a day-to-day basis, depending on activities

1502
02:14:51,920 --> 02:14:58,700
that they may have, and also the people that represent those agencies, for example, Secretary

1503
02:14:58,700 --> 02:14:59,720
area of natural resource.

1504
02:15:00,000 --> 02:15:06,820
He's a very familiar face to ID, but there are others. So, at Cal EPA, the Air Resources Board,

1505
02:15:07,520 --> 02:15:13,960
State Water Resources Control Board, and under CNRA, which is a very wide umbrella, you have the

1506
02:15:13,960 --> 02:15:17,100
various commissions there that are noted on your packet.

1507
02:15:19,480 --> 02:15:22,540
The picture there is of the new Assistant

1508
02:15:22,540 --> 02:15:29,520
Secretary for Salt and Sea Policy, Joe Shea. He was here in the district and our board and staff had

1509
02:15:29,520 --> 02:15:34,480
an opportunity to take him out on a tour of some of our water infrastructure.

1510
02:15:36,400 --> 02:15:38,980
If you were dated to Mr. Hamby, he looks a lot like him.

1511
02:15:39,920 --> 02:15:41,480
There's no relation at all.

1512
02:15:41,820 --> 02:15:44,120
I just count the similarities.

1513
02:15:44,560 --> 02:15:45,920
They're pretty good friends though.

1514
02:15:47,380 --> 02:15:50,600
All right, for federal engagement.

1515
02:15:51,100 --> 02:15:53,580
Well, are there any questions before I move on from state?

1516
02:15:55,480 --> 02:15:57,620
Okay, hearing none, let me get through this here.

1517
02:15:57,620 --> 02:16:00,700
federal engagement on the U.S. House of Representatives.

1518
02:16:01,200 --> 02:16:04,120
We have the makeup now is 220 Republicans,

1519
02:16:04,160 --> 02:16:08,860
215 Democrats representing IID in the Imperial and Coachella

1520
02:16:08,860 --> 02:16:09,220
valleys.

1521
02:16:09,360 --> 02:16:13,720
You have Congressman Dr. Raul Reese, who was re-elected,

1522
02:16:14,200 --> 02:16:17,260
as was Representative and Congressman Ken Calvert.

1523
02:16:18,040 --> 02:16:21,500
Congressman Calvert is in the Appropriations Committee,

1524
02:16:21,740 --> 02:16:23,580
and he continues with that appointment,

1525
02:16:23,580 --> 02:16:26,160
which is a very important assignment.

1526
02:16:26,160 --> 02:16:33,440
and he has been very good to IID and been very helpful to us over the years.

1527
02:16:34,080 --> 02:16:37,080
So we are glad to see that he's going to continue that assignment.

1528
02:16:37,940 --> 02:16:44,720
Congressman Rees was appointed to the House Energy Committee, House Energy and Natural Resources.

1529
02:16:45,520 --> 02:16:51,120
So he serves on that committee of jurisdiction, which is also very positive news for us

1530
02:16:51,120 --> 02:16:55,380
to have one of our Congress members in that committee as well.

1531
02:16:57,390 --> 02:17:06,010
On the Senate side, 53 Republicans, 45 Democrats, two independents, Senator Alex Padilla.

1532
02:17:06,430 --> 02:17:10,750
He was not up for reelection, so he continues to represent the state of California.

1533
02:17:11,270 --> 02:17:15,390
But we do have a new Senator in newly elected Senator Adam Schiff.

1534
02:17:16,010 --> 02:17:22,870
I wouldn't know that Senator Schiff has been appointed recently to the Senate Energy and

1535
02:17:22,870 --> 02:17:27,730
natural resources committee, and Senator Padilla was already on that committee.

1536
02:17:27,950 --> 02:17:34,090
So we actually have two, both of our senators in that committee, which is not common.

1537
02:17:34,290 --> 02:17:40,550
So that is quite uncommon to have your two state senators in one committee of jurisdiction,

1538
02:17:40,810 --> 02:17:42,230
especially one of this importance.

1539
02:17:42,510 --> 02:17:49,110
And we were struggling there, well, from a lower base in perspective because the only two that were on there were upper base.

1540
02:17:49,270 --> 02:17:50,930
Or two, I don't remember any.

1541
02:17:50,930 --> 02:17:51,310
Correct.

1542
02:17:54,120 --> 02:17:59,000
So, the others, again, I have just new Senate Majority Leader, right, Senator Thun.

1543
02:18:02,820 --> 02:18:08,200
So, briefly, on the executive branch at the federal level, we have the Department of Energy,

1544
02:18:08,440 --> 02:18:14,660
Department of Interior, which covers BLM, Bureau of Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife Service,

1545
02:18:14,660 --> 02:18:22,320
very important appointments and for IID, this is one of those agencies that we have probably

1546
02:18:22,320 --> 02:18:27,120
one of the closest relationships with. Now, we have a new president as of yesterday,

1547
02:18:27,440 --> 02:18:34,500
new president Donald Trump was sworn in, and some of his cabinet nominees actually last week had

1548
02:18:34,500 --> 02:18:41,760
already their hearings for their confirmation. Now, from these that I have mentioned, none have

1549
02:18:41,760 --> 02:18:48,840
been confirmed, but we do expect that possibly as early as next week, we could have confirmations

1550
02:18:48,840 --> 02:18:55,080
for the new Secretary of Interior, which is going to be all indications are Doug Bergham,

1551
02:18:55,700 --> 02:18:59,970
the Governor of North Dakota, and then on the Department of Energy, the Secretary of

1552
02:18:59,970 --> 02:19:11,970
energy Chris Wright. He may also be sworn in for Senate Ag Secretary and for federal emergency

1553
02:19:11,970 --> 02:19:18,070
management agency or FEMA. Those hearings are scheduled to happen next week. So once those

1554
02:19:18,070 --> 02:19:24,630
hearings occur then we would expect that hopefully one or two weeks after that there could be a full

1555
02:19:24,630 --> 02:19:27,190
vote of the Senate to confirm them.

1556
02:19:29,800 --> 02:19:34,880
So again, as you heard from me, right, it's no secret that we have a new president.

1557
02:19:35,280 --> 02:19:37,900
We have a new Congress.

1558
02:19:38,580 --> 02:19:40,800
You have a new majority on the Senate side.

1559
02:19:41,320 --> 02:19:48,280
So the federal priorities and the outlook, although we've outlined some here, I would say

1560
02:19:48,280 --> 02:19:54,240
that it's still maybe too early for us to identify which are going to be this administration's

1561
02:19:54,240 --> 02:19:54,700
priority.

1562
02:19:54,700 --> 02:20:02,600
Yesterday on his first day in office, President Trump rescinded about 80 prior executive orders

1563
02:20:02,600 --> 02:20:10,640
from the prior administration. He also signed over a dozen executive orders, one of them related

1564
02:20:10,640 --> 02:20:19,740
to energy, climate, EV. Some of those things could impact some of our policies in California.

1565
02:20:19,740 --> 02:20:25,000
So, I'm not going to try to guess what our priorities will be instead.

1566
02:20:25,540 --> 02:20:31,620
We've done our best job to highlight some themes in this slide here, both at the state

1567
02:20:31,620 --> 02:20:33,060
level and at the federal level.

1568
02:20:33,600 --> 02:20:40,760
But I would ask for some time before we can actually identify which of these will continue

1569
02:20:40,760 --> 02:20:45,480
to be on the list and which of these are going to completely be removed from the list.

1570
02:20:46,460 --> 02:20:50,380
That happens not just at the federal level, but even at the state level.

1571
02:20:51,180 --> 02:20:56,640
The first month is, the first two months of a new session are introduction of new bills.

1572
02:20:57,540 --> 02:21:02,940
So although bills have started to trickle in, usually members wait until the final deadline,

1573
02:21:02,940 --> 02:21:08,620
which is this year, it's February 20th, for bills to be introduced at the state level.

1574
02:21:08,620 --> 02:21:15,620
So, that is when I think we will have a better understanding and a better sense of which

1575
02:21:15,620 --> 02:21:23,920
of these energy water priorities are going to really take shape, and then we will start

1576
02:21:23,920 --> 02:21:30,180
engaging based on what's introduced both at the state and federal level.

1577
02:21:33,500 --> 02:21:36,660
Same thing on the regulatory priorities outlook.

1578
02:21:36,660 --> 02:22:05,660
There are different things some that have spilled over from last year that we expect to continue especially those at the state level on the federal level though again this could be a completely new list come next quarter so at this time rather than going through these I will just point them there for you they are there as a reference but know that your legislative committees and your staff will start to really look through all those policies and

1579
02:22:05,660 --> 02:22:12,000
And I think Q1 of every year, like we did last year, is when we'll start to really identify

1580
02:22:12,000 --> 02:22:16,880
which are priorities and which are direct impact, which are things that we just may want

1581
02:22:16,880 --> 02:22:17,480
to monitor.

1582
02:22:18,280 --> 02:22:23,520
But again, included here in your packet, we did do our best to guess where we're going to

1583
02:22:23,520 --> 02:22:26,060
go on some of these regulatory priorities.

1584
02:22:26,600 --> 02:22:32,660
And then finally, just some recent photos here of some of our activities at both the federal

1585
02:22:32,660 --> 02:22:33,580
and the state level.

1586
02:22:33,580 --> 02:22:40,280
I mentioned, and as you saw, on some of our social media, we shared President, well,

1587
02:22:40,460 --> 02:22:46,600
Director Cardinus and Director Eugenio and I had an opportunity to go to the White House

1588
02:22:46,600 --> 02:22:51,140
last week. We were there for the signing of the Chuck Wall and National Monument designation,

1589
02:22:51,680 --> 02:22:57,100
and there we had an opportunity to hear from the president himself, the prior president,

1590
02:22:57,780 --> 02:23:02,400
now former president, and also had an opportunity to meet with some other locals that were,

1591
02:23:02,400 --> 02:23:08,320
that flew into D.C. for that event. We met there at the Rayburn House Office Building.

1592
02:23:08,720 --> 02:23:15,160
Congressman Rees is on the bottom with Council Member from the City of India, also who joined

1593
02:23:15,160 --> 02:23:16,860
us for our picture there.

1594
02:23:17,260 --> 02:23:23,380
We missed you, Mr. Smelser. Sorry. And then just to hear a few other photos. We have a lot

1595
02:23:23,380 --> 02:23:28,200
of pictures. I mean, every week there's some kind of activity, whether it's at the board

1596
02:23:28,200 --> 02:23:33,960
level or at the executive management level. So it was very hard to pick some of these pictures,

1597
02:23:33,960 --> 02:23:40,520
but here's just an example or sample of some of those photos of the last six months.

1598
02:23:41,180 --> 02:23:47,860
I think the photo there in the center, where you have our state senator, our federal representatives,

1599
02:23:48,200 --> 02:23:56,100
that was at the Salton Sea, major, major milestone, and just having everybody there in that one photo.

1600
02:23:56,100 --> 02:23:59,580
I think that's probably the only photo I have in all the years I've been here where we

1601
02:23:59,580 --> 02:24:03,180
have both federal and state representatives with local representatives.

1602
02:24:04,120 --> 02:24:11,220
Some of our tours that we do are local engagement, former secretary, I'm sorry, former Bureau of

1603
02:24:11,220 --> 02:24:16,300
Right Commissioner Camille there on the bottom, Camille Tuen, and then just, and then the

1604
02:24:16,300 --> 02:24:21,700
photo on the top right, Director Docsett had an opportunity to meet with Assemblymember

1605
02:24:21,700 --> 02:24:24,380
Rivas, who is now the speaker of the assembly.

1606
02:24:25,480 --> 02:24:28,080
So we had an opportunity to meet with him at the salts

1607
02:24:28,080 --> 02:24:29,460
and see some time ago.

1608
02:24:31,800 --> 02:24:34,780
So with that, I will turn it over to our general manager

1609
02:24:35,500 --> 02:24:38,420
and see if she has any comments she would like to add.

1610
02:24:38,820 --> 02:24:40,100
And then also any questions.

1611
02:24:40,100 --> 02:24:40,480
Thank you, Senator.

1612
02:24:42,780 --> 02:24:43,760
You don't have any comments?

1613
02:24:43,960 --> 02:24:45,120
I have no comments ever, then.

1614
02:24:45,260 --> 02:24:47,040
I think Antonio did a very good job.

1615
02:24:47,060 --> 02:24:48,060
I don't believe there's any questions,

1616
02:24:48,220 --> 02:24:49,980
Madame Chair, because Antonio and his team

1617
02:24:49,980 --> 02:24:51,380
are bona fide rock stars.

1618
02:24:51,380 --> 02:25:01,940
But I do want to follow up with the motion before I make that motion. I do want to extend an invitation no conditional motion, but I do have no no points.

1619
02:25:02,600 --> 02:25:14,960
But I do want to extend an invitation to director Pacheco to possibly join us in Washington DC. Maybe even director dogsteader to charge the hill in terms of some ongoing issues.

1620
02:25:14,960 --> 02:25:22,640
maybe either. Okay and so if there's an opportunity I can't tell you how impressed I am with our

1621
02:25:22,640 --> 02:25:26,980
government affairs groups and everything that you've done in Tonyo especially with our lobbyist

1622
02:25:26,980 --> 02:25:34,940
both in DC and in Sacramento so congratulations to the entire team so but if there is an opportunity

1623
02:25:34,940 --> 02:25:41,660
Mr. Pacheco to join I would encourage that Miss Jamie your weekly reports are awesome if I could

1624
02:25:41,660 --> 02:25:48,300
If I could make a little recommendation that we include a legislative update there just so that

1625
02:25:49,080 --> 02:25:55,160
Maybe Mr. Bacheco in general can get some additional information on where we're going on the legislative side of it

1626
02:25:55,160 --> 02:25:56,240
I know that we do have

1627
02:25:56,240 --> 02:26:01,800
My items on the agenda, but if we can include maybe some some updates there a very small paragraph

1628
02:26:01,800 --> 02:26:04,660
I know it's already extensive your report. I think that might help

1629
02:26:04,660 --> 02:26:08,440
So madam chair if there is no additional comments or questions

1630
02:26:08,440 --> 02:26:20,660
I am prepared to make a non-conditional or unconditional motion that we find the district is substantially in compliance with the policy B-O-13.

1631
02:26:21,120 --> 02:26:21,260
Second.

1632
02:26:22,360 --> 02:26:24,520
Moved and seconded. All those in favor?

1633
02:26:25,220 --> 02:26:25,420
Aye.

1634
02:26:26,640 --> 02:26:28,240
Motion passes unanimously.

1635
02:26:28,820 --> 02:26:29,440
Thank you.

1636
02:26:30,690 --> 02:26:35,090
Thank you, Antonio. And I do appreciate your legislative report.

1637
02:26:37,600 --> 02:26:44,140
Generally, our board of directors reports are heard at the first regular, but we didn't really do that at our office site.

1638
02:26:46,420 --> 02:26:48,680
So we're going to have a doubly long next month.

1639
02:26:49,500 --> 02:26:51,220
Whatever you want next month.

1640
02:26:53,740 --> 02:26:57,200
Live and let live. Okay, excellent. Let's go to water department.

1641
02:26:57,200 --> 02:27:09,870
Good afternoon, a couple of quick updates. First, the board had asked to see a little bit more of what we're doing from a staff perspective out in the operations world.

1642
02:27:10,250 --> 02:27:19,950
And so you have a slide that we shared last week, the Colorado River Board. We're currently in the process of removing sediment from the Galiano and seeing reservoirs.

1643
02:27:19,950 --> 02:27:23,730
That's the great thing about this project is it's part of the

1644
02:27:23,730 --> 02:27:28,310
Matt Conservation Program, so they're funding it, so that makes it a much more

1645
02:27:28,310 --> 02:27:33,290
palatable project. These reservoirs have not had sediment removal in some time,

1646
02:27:33,510 --> 02:27:41,350
we're removing about 30,000 cubic yards of material to date. We still have to go

1647
02:27:41,350 --> 02:27:47,070
about 70,000 cubic yards and that will free up about 300 acre feet of capacity.

1648
02:27:47,070 --> 02:27:51,270
I think both reservoirs together have about 750 acre

1649
02:27:51,270 --> 02:27:54,990
of capacity, so it's a good chunk of the space in those

1650
02:27:54,990 --> 02:27:58,850
reservoirs and long overdue, so we'll look forward to putting

1651
02:27:58,850 --> 02:28:02,750
those back at operation. You can see one of the reservoir sites

1652
02:28:02,750 --> 02:28:07,130
and it's kind of a messy job, but again, it's removing that

1653
02:28:07,950 --> 02:28:10,490
film material that didn't make it out of the water

1654
02:28:10,490 --> 02:28:13,790
in this losing basin that Merlin was talking about that works

1655
02:28:13,790 --> 02:28:16,630
its way through our system and to the field level.

1656
02:28:16,630 --> 02:28:26,270
So quite the mucky experience to get that out, but it will free up some capacity and help those reservoirs provide the operational flexibility our growers need.

1657
02:28:27,110 --> 02:28:33,910
And it's about a $3.6 million project, so pretty significant, but amortize it over 30 years and not so bad.

1658
02:28:35,350 --> 02:28:44,310
Also in regards to water supply conditions, having done a hydrology report don't have a lot to report not the greatest year so far.

1659
02:28:44,310 --> 02:28:49,990
cross your fingers looks like the hydrology is running about 75 to 80% so not

1660
02:28:49,990 --> 02:28:54,650
shaping up to be that great of a year but we still have some time left before the

1661
02:28:54,650 --> 02:28:59,390
normal peak snow pack of April 1st to stay tuned. California is looking a little

1662
02:28:59,390 --> 02:29:03,730
better if they did a snow survey at the beginning of the year and it looks like

1663
02:29:03,730 --> 02:29:08,130
it's running about average so you'd like to see one system healthy if not the

1664
02:29:08,130 --> 02:29:11,330
other and both would be awesome but we'll take what we can get these days.

1665
02:29:13,810 --> 02:29:14,290
The

1666
02:29:14,290 --> 02:29:22,510
So that provides some level of higher certainty within the state and also that reduces draws on the Colorado River system.

1667
02:29:25,350 --> 02:29:30,030
The forecast, the Reclamation Post has not been updated for 2025 yet.

1668
02:29:30,030 --> 02:29:32,970
If you check their website, they have removed the 2024.

1669
02:29:33,630 --> 02:29:41,850
So I assume that means they're close to posting the authorized water orders and status report, but still early in the years, a loss to go.

1670
02:29:41,850 --> 02:29:47,890
So we're still in the process of finalizing the verification conservation from 2024 and

1671
02:29:47,890 --> 02:29:50,030
working through those numbers.

1672
02:29:50,030 --> 02:29:57,690
The last forecast posted had an under run of about 100 and I think it was 35,000 nm fee.

1673
02:29:57,690 --> 02:29:59,950
we expect that to drop a bit as we tell you.

1674
02:30:00,000 --> 02:30:26,300
We're on farm conservation from last year, and it looks to me like we're going to be running at about 110,000 acre feet of underrun. So far, cry from where we started last year, and certainly some of our additional conservation programs were helpful to minimizing that number in offsetting some of the market conditions. Also reclamation on their way out the door on Friday released an alternative report.

1675
02:30:26,300 --> 02:30:35,780
It has five post-2026 authorities that will be more fully analyzed as a part of the NEPA process.

1676
02:30:36,240 --> 02:30:41,340
There's the typical NO action. There's a federal authorities and a federal authorities with hybrid,

1677
02:30:41,380 --> 02:30:47,140
which means it's added in some additional new water conservation and storage opportunities.

1678
02:30:47,700 --> 02:30:52,320
There's a cooperative conservation proposal that some of the tribes and NGOs propose

1679
02:30:52,320 --> 02:30:57,860
that have more to do with pooling water and then there's a hybrid since neither the lower

1680
02:30:57,860 --> 02:31:04,320
basin or the upper basin proposals were independently analyzed. I don't know what that means

1681
02:31:04,320 --> 02:31:09,080
for a new administration. We don't have a commissioner named yet. I don't know if this, I think,

1682
02:31:09,540 --> 02:31:14,960
you know, as administrations change, Commissioner Tutton is hoping that this is where she leaves off and

1683
02:31:14,960 --> 02:31:21,720
they pick up and run but that still remains to be seen. None of these authorities and alternatives

1684
02:31:21,720 --> 02:31:30,020
are particularly exciting to IID, they don't have the lower base and proposal, they offer

1685
02:31:30,020 --> 02:31:35,600
some alternatives that are outside the priority system and have pro-radar reductions, they

1686
02:31:35,600 --> 02:31:42,440
also have significant lower base and reductions in flow that in some cases could be 4 million

1687
02:31:42,440 --> 02:31:47,720
acre feet of flow reductions to users. So they're not really palatable, I think what we need

1688
02:31:47,720 --> 02:31:50,880
to keep reminding ourselves is that these are bookends

1689
02:31:50,880 --> 02:31:53,760
that are being analyzed and as long as the Basin State

1690
02:31:53,760 --> 02:31:55,820
have come up with a proposal that is somewhere

1691
02:31:55,820 --> 02:31:58,200
and between those, then you have the NEPA coverage

1692
02:31:58,200 --> 02:31:59,100
for implementation.

1693
02:31:59,680 --> 02:32:02,040
I will also note that many of the alternatives

1694
02:32:02,040 --> 02:32:04,480
require additional federal authorities

1695
02:32:04,480 --> 02:32:06,020
and water user agreements.

1696
02:32:06,660 --> 02:32:08,620
And so nothing's going to move forward

1697
02:32:09,360 --> 02:32:11,720
without folks buying into it at the end of the day.

1698
02:32:12,240 --> 02:32:14,740
So we'll continue to work on that process.

1699
02:32:14,780 --> 02:32:16,600
Now that we have the elections over

1700
02:32:16,600 --> 02:32:21,480
the administration is changing. We hope to get some folks in place and restart the discussions.

1701
02:32:21,960 --> 02:32:27,520
There is a Basin States meeting later this week so folks are getting back together and I think

1702
02:32:27,520 --> 02:32:32,300
rolling up their sleeves and seeing what we can come up with as far as finding some common ground.

1703
02:32:33,920 --> 02:32:41,480
Happy to answer any questions. One last thing I will report you're aware in the 2022

1704
02:32:41,480 --> 02:32:47,180
commitment letter between Reclamation of the State of California. There was the $250 million in

1705
02:32:47,180 --> 02:32:53,580
grant fending for the Salt and Sea that included a $2 million grant for ID. We did get that executed.

1706
02:32:54,080 --> 02:33:02,000
That is a reimbursement grant for costs incurred as staff works on developing easements with the State

1707
02:33:02,000 --> 02:33:08,980
of California. It's going to cover the costs associated with our deficit irrigation program and

1708
02:33:08,980 --> 02:33:14,940
the ski, the monitoring of vegetation mapping costs and some additional staff time as well.

1709
02:33:15,260 --> 02:33:18,180
So I don't know that we'll be able to use the full $2 million.

1710
02:33:18,480 --> 02:33:25,260
We're going to try as best we can, but that funding was executed in addition to the other

1711
02:33:25,260 --> 02:33:26,380
grants we've talked about.

1712
02:33:26,580 --> 02:33:31,700
So there's also some new funding opportunities that came out on Friday, where uncertain how

1713
02:33:31,700 --> 02:33:32,520
they're going to progress.

1714
02:33:32,820 --> 02:33:36,460
But we need to spend some time analyzing them and talking to the Colorado River Committee

1715
02:33:36,460 --> 02:33:36,840
as well.

1716
02:33:36,980 --> 02:33:38,080
So we'll keep you posted on those.

1717
02:33:41,740 --> 02:33:52,440
Just one little note on this removal or sediment. We do use the sediment for like in that area for like concrete lining or any other issues.

1718
02:33:52,440 --> 02:33:55,200
So we kind of reuse that sediment.

1719
02:33:56,580 --> 02:33:58,240
So it's good stuff.

1720
02:33:59,540 --> 02:34:07,180
Now the only thing I wanted to mention to the board was so we have a leak in front of the hotel and imperial that we've been trying to fix.

1721
02:34:07,180 --> 02:34:14,000
And we're going to get with that staff and then the city of Imperial and try to get an outage.

1722
02:34:14,220 --> 02:34:20,100
We're going to have to dig up that pipeline there and replace it.

1723
02:34:20,260 --> 02:34:21,600
I think it's just an old pipeline.

1724
02:34:22,020 --> 02:34:25,200
So I don't know if you, when you drove in Gina to your event,

1725
02:34:25,200 --> 02:34:28,300
you saw a little bit of water standing there on the interest. That's what it is.

1726
02:34:28,620 --> 02:34:32,640
So we're working with them to work on that.

1727
02:34:32,740 --> 02:34:35,980
Just in case you guys get a call about that, I'm going to work with Paul

1728
02:34:35,980 --> 02:34:38,720
and then our staff to get everything lined up.

1729
02:34:39,300 --> 02:34:41,860
We're gonna replace the by 100 feet of new pipeline.

1730
02:34:42,460 --> 02:34:43,180
Thank you.

1731
02:34:43,280 --> 02:34:44,700
I've been watching every time I drive by.

1732
02:34:44,840 --> 02:34:47,240
I'm watching, checking on progress.

1733
02:34:48,820 --> 02:34:49,820
That's it, thank you.

1734
02:34:50,260 --> 02:34:50,580
Thank you.

1735
02:34:52,300 --> 02:34:54,960
Power department, right, Matt.

1736
02:34:55,460 --> 02:34:55,940
Yes, thank you.

1737
02:34:56,040 --> 02:34:57,660
So I have Joan footage.

1738
02:34:58,020 --> 02:34:59,880
I reported at a previous board meeting

1739
02:34:59,880 --> 02:35:01,920
that I was gonna bring this back.

1740
02:35:01,980 --> 02:35:04,100
So we had a transformer fail out as glamorous

1741
02:35:04,100 --> 02:35:06,920
and this was plan E or F that we were on.

1742
02:35:07,160 --> 02:35:09,420
We had troubles getting a current transformer

1743
02:35:09,420 --> 02:35:10,460
that we had across bridges.

1744
02:35:11,080 --> 02:35:12,920
So I just wanted to show this for the board

1745
02:35:12,920 --> 02:35:14,980
and had some cool ACDC music on it,

1746
02:35:14,980 --> 02:35:16,240
but I think the board wanted to hear that.

1747
02:35:16,620 --> 02:35:20,260
So while this is playing just a couple of other quick things,

1748
02:35:20,260 --> 02:35:23,400
obviously, everybody's very aware of the fires in LA.

1749
02:35:24,560 --> 02:35:26,560
I read the report this morning that one broke out

1750
02:35:26,560 --> 02:35:27,880
in Northern San Diego County.

1751
02:35:28,320 --> 02:35:29,740
So we're kind of keeping an eye on that.

1752
02:35:30,040 --> 02:35:32,860
We have been called by through SCAPA to assist

1753
02:35:32,860 --> 02:35:37,700
with some equipment, but have not had any line crews requested yet, but we are standing

1754
02:35:37,700 --> 02:35:42,900
by waiting for that if we do get it. I'm anticipating because they're still seeing upwards

1755
02:35:42,900 --> 02:35:48,320
of 80 to 100-mile-hour gusts tonight for the next few days for the Arctic blast. So we're

1756
02:35:48,320 --> 02:35:52,220
anticipating that they're probably waiting for that to subside somewhat and come up with

1757
02:35:52,220 --> 02:35:57,000
their engineering plan and then they'll call for mutual aid. So we're keeping an eye on that.

1758
02:35:57,000 --> 02:36:06,120
And also staff is working on evaluating some transformers for the thousand palms concept that will benefit some cities and as long as well as some developers.

1759
02:36:06,560 --> 02:36:10,340
So we're trying to get that pushed along, but happy to answer any questions while the video, please.

1760
02:36:12,860 --> 02:36:14,440
No, they're going to.

1761
02:36:15,280 --> 02:36:16,420
It's about a three minute.

1762
02:36:22,130 --> 02:36:23,050
Can you sing?

1763
02:36:24,750 --> 02:36:26,470
There's no budget for copyrighting.

1764
02:36:28,450 --> 02:36:30,010
Could give the shout out.

1765
02:36:34,540 --> 02:36:36,900
No, we have to actually go out and purchase this.

1766
02:36:37,360 --> 02:36:39,360
The one that we had in stock, we couldn't get across the bridges.

1767
02:36:40,060 --> 02:36:43,480
We looked at catapulting, training, everything possible.

1768
02:36:44,200 --> 02:36:45,280
This one worked out.

1769
02:36:45,980 --> 02:36:47,700
So we actually, that's what I was saying, is flat F.

1770
02:36:48,060 --> 02:36:51,360
We actually went out to the market and found this transformer

1771
02:36:51,360 --> 02:36:55,680
and were able to utilize it and get it across without any barriers to bridges.

1772
02:36:55,680 --> 02:37:06,340
But this is a drone. So we had we had all power staff pretty much involved in this was all hands on deck and a lot of help from water heavy equipment, general services.

1773
02:37:06,520 --> 02:37:17,640
It was kind of a really extensive project to get this going clearing roads. We had road issues. We had every issue you can imagine, but we had it done.

1774
02:37:17,640 --> 02:37:25,480
And this outage, so it kind of does say when our infrastructure, this outage, even with us doing as much as we could, was over 30 days.

1775
02:37:26,920 --> 02:37:30,300
But we were able to get it done. So I commend staff. It was a great job.

1776
02:37:30,520 --> 02:37:32,360
And how much did it weigh, Matt? How much?

1777
02:37:32,760 --> 02:37:35,700
I can't remember the weight, but it was too heavy to get across any bridges.

1778
02:37:35,740 --> 02:37:35,920
Right.

1779
02:37:39,450 --> 02:37:46,590
I think this highlights as well, sort of the vastness of I.D. service territory and irrespective of where you are.

1780
02:37:46,590 --> 02:37:51,730
it's our obligation to serve and and so sometimes it's a little more challenging than others but we

1781
02:37:51,730 --> 02:37:55,570
did think it's important that the board and the public get to see this. Right and those roads

1782
02:37:55,570 --> 02:38:00,170
look new for a reason they went out there we had to make the roads come in some places it was

1783
02:38:00,970 --> 02:38:06,170
this has very dry we we have to accommodate everybody and this transform was old obviously we weren't

1784
02:38:06,170 --> 02:38:11,310
anticipating it to fail but it did and we responded. Those are then greater and do a good job of

1785
02:38:11,310 --> 02:38:15,030
building roads. Yep. And then one more time, that was 30 days, you said.

1786
02:38:15,530 --> 02:38:17,270
The outage was over 30 days. Yeah, it is.

1787
02:38:18,970 --> 02:38:25,190
Gold mine. It's past past climbers. If it feeds the mine out there.

1788
02:38:26,350 --> 02:38:28,790
We weren't looking. We were just trying to get power restored.

1789
02:38:29,950 --> 02:38:32,170
Watch out for the turtles. Yeah, of course.

1790
02:38:32,770 --> 02:38:39,370
Um, an observation, actually, a Sunday school lesser, if I can share it. So when I was

1791
02:38:39,370 --> 02:38:45,810
One of the Sunday school lessons that came to mind is that they had a candle and put a basket over it.

1792
02:38:45,890 --> 02:38:48,550
You're supposed to let your life shine, not hide it under a basket.

1793
02:38:48,810 --> 02:38:55,950
I feel that I, we've done a very good job of letting our light be hidden very darkly under a basket.

1794
02:38:56,230 --> 02:39:01,750
And we've got phenomenal work being produced by district employees and photography and all kinds of things.

1795
02:39:02,110 --> 02:39:03,710
And we should let our light shine.

1796
02:39:03,710 --> 02:39:17,430
So that's my observation, Ms. Asbury, if we can highlight this project in particular using our new found, you know, social media and other communications tools to highlight this.

1797
02:39:17,730 --> 02:39:19,530
And I think this is a healthy thing.

1798
02:39:19,730 --> 02:39:23,830
We saw with this in the Galliano, I understand there's a video coming soon on that one.

1799
02:39:23,930 --> 02:39:27,370
But I think what we need to communicate is what we do.

1800
02:39:27,730 --> 02:39:30,630
And people don't know what we do because we're not telling them.

1801
02:39:30,950 --> 02:39:31,910
So that will be helpful.

1802
02:39:31,910 --> 02:39:39,250
And my only admonition as long as it doesn't impact the bulk power system. We're happily we will happily share whatever. Thank you

1803
02:39:40,070 --> 02:39:41,350
At your discretion

1804
02:39:42,690 --> 02:39:47,810
Support departments. Yes, good afternoon madam chair. We don't have cool drone footage for you

1805
02:39:49,350 --> 02:39:51,090
Next time we're gonna

1806
02:39:51,830 --> 02:39:59,650
Kick it up a little bit, but we asked HR today and Pat is going to help us share some important changes to our

1807
02:40:00,190 --> 02:40:06,310
health plan as well as some of the latest changes regarding COVID regulations.

1808
02:40:06,370 --> 02:40:08,030
Believe it or not, COVID is not over yet.

1809
02:40:08,110 --> 02:40:09,130
We're not done with COVID.

1810
02:40:09,790 --> 02:40:14,350
So we're still some things that we need to mind, and Patty's going to bring us up to speed

1811
02:40:14,350 --> 02:40:14,650
with that.

1812
02:40:14,870 --> 02:40:15,790
So COVID's over.

1813
02:40:16,270 --> 02:40:17,190
No, it is not.

1814
02:40:18,490 --> 02:40:20,890
Good afternoon, Chairwoman.

1815
02:40:21,690 --> 02:40:22,450
Good afternoon.

1816
02:40:22,790 --> 02:40:23,350
Good afternoon.

1817
02:40:23,510 --> 02:40:23,990
How are you?

1818
02:40:24,850 --> 02:40:24,990
Good.

1819
02:40:25,470 --> 02:40:27,690
Vice Chair Hamby and members of the board.

1820
02:40:27,690 --> 02:40:32,970
So I'm here to talk about the health plan, something that I'm very passionate about.

1821
02:40:33,230 --> 02:40:37,390
I am passionate about the work I do, but the health plan is one thing I'm very passionate

1822
02:40:37,390 --> 02:40:37,810
about.

1823
02:40:39,850 --> 02:40:45,530
So you all are aware, we did change to a new third party administrator.

1824
02:40:46,070 --> 02:40:49,010
We went from health now administrative services to pinnacle.

1825
02:40:49,590 --> 02:40:56,290
We're on day 21 and things are running much better than they did when we transitioned from

1826
02:40:56,290 --> 02:41:06,790
the prior third party. We've had several different health and welfare services that I want to talk

1827
02:41:06,790 --> 02:41:12,990
about. We had the on-site wellness screenings in the fall. We did have an increase from last year

1828
02:41:12,990 --> 02:41:21,030
from 2023. These are some of the things that Mr. Kidoz has tasked staff to take wellness to the next

1829
02:41:21,030 --> 02:41:28,570
level. And it's not just the physical wellness but it's the preventative care and it's also the

1830
02:41:28,570 --> 02:41:35,390
financial wellness and believe it or not. We have a high issue of mental health issues in the

1831
02:41:35,390 --> 02:41:41,070
organization and I'll talk about some of those programs that we rolled out. So we currently rolled

1832
02:41:41,070 --> 02:41:48,850
out a wellness coaching program and it is on the third, it's going to be every second Monday of the

1833
02:41:48,850 --> 02:41:55,330
month. We started and we rolled out on the 13th. We had a lot of engagement. It's all virtual.

1834
02:41:56,250 --> 02:42:01,710
We did have our annual open enrollment for employees and retirees. So

1835
02:42:03,630 --> 02:42:09,970
Director Cardenas was gracious enough to show up. We had over 200 retirees. It's more

1836
02:42:09,970 --> 02:42:18,650
of a social gathering as you may have been they love to come together. But one thing I do

1837
02:42:18,650 --> 02:42:25,110
want to thank management for is for allowing me to make the open enrollment meetings for

1838
02:42:25,110 --> 02:42:30,990
the employees mandatory mandatory because there was a lot of information that needed

1839
02:42:30,990 --> 02:42:36,550
to be shared. Believe it or not, you still have employees out there that are not aware

1840
02:42:36,550 --> 02:42:45,510
of the gracious benefits that the district has for all of the employees. So we had 1150 employees

1841
02:42:45,510 --> 02:42:51,210
participate in the open enrollment meetings. We had the vendors here, we had pinnacle which

1842
02:42:51,210 --> 02:43:00,110
was a new third-party available for questions. We also began with financial wellness

1843
02:43:00,110 --> 02:43:09,490
educations. We've spoken about the retirement plan and 401k. We were challenged to increase

1844
02:43:09,490 --> 02:43:16,910
the participation in the 401k with an enrollment drive so that took staff out to all the different

1845
02:43:16,910 --> 02:43:26,390
work sites to increase the participation. So we are down now to of the 13 or 1400 employees,

1846
02:43:26,710 --> 02:43:34,630
we have 297 employees who still do not participate in the 401k. Interestingly enough,

1847
02:43:34,630 --> 02:43:41,570
Some of them just bottom line don't want to participate, so they are leaving that 1% match at the table.

1848
02:43:42,830 --> 02:43:51,210
Along with the financial wellness education, we are starting, there are two workshops that are being rolled out in the next couple of weeks.

1849
02:43:51,790 --> 02:44:01,630
And the goal is to bring different types of workshops relative to financial wellness savings, savings into the 401k,

1850
02:44:01,630 --> 02:44:06,230
in the 401A and then the deferred compensation plans that the district has.

1851
02:44:06,920 --> 02:44:19,510
We do have a significant issue with employees asking for loans in their 457.

1852
02:44:20,370 --> 02:44:27,120
So our goal is to bring some of those resources on site to drive some of that and

1853
02:44:27,120 --> 02:44:33,540
increase some event knowledge to help them get through this, these financial struggles

1854
02:44:33,540 --> 02:44:42,000
that they're encountering. Part of the financial wellness, we have, and resources for living

1855
02:44:42,000 --> 02:44:47,540
talk space in mind and head space. These are all mental health platforms that the district

1856
02:44:47,540 --> 02:44:54,720
has available. But aside from the mental health, they also provide financial guidance and

1857
02:44:54,720 --> 02:44:59,960
wellness, different resources for the employees.

1858
02:45:00,000 --> 02:45:29,980
So, these are something that we are driving the message to the home and district-wide to make employees aware of the different resources available. And I will share that for the first time in my 24 years here, mental health made the top 10 diagnosis for the district. So, when I-and staff partook of the open enrollments.

1859
02:45:29,980 --> 02:45:37,400
meetings, the message or the slogan I used is, you matter because each employee matters.

1860
02:45:38,000 --> 02:45:45,060
So I drove the message of the whole wellness, all the different resources that they have

1861
02:45:45,060 --> 02:45:45,640
available.

1862
02:45:46,180 --> 02:45:51,020
These platforms, people don't want to talk about mental health but it does exist.

1863
02:45:51,700 --> 02:45:56,920
And these resources are available and you don't have to do in person, you can do virtual.

1864
02:45:56,920 --> 02:46:02,760
So, all of these have different abilities 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

1865
02:46:03,460 --> 02:46:09,700
Some of the additional benefits that we added is a gallery cancer screening test.

1866
02:46:10,880 --> 02:46:13,520
Everyone should have received a flyer to the home.

1867
02:46:13,820 --> 02:46:18,020
And basically, this is something that the district rolled out for 2025.

1868
02:46:18,640 --> 02:46:20,280
I think it's the next slide, guys.

1869
02:46:21,320 --> 02:46:22,520
Sorry, that was me.

1870
02:46:22,820 --> 02:46:23,240
Oh, sorry.

1871
02:46:23,240 --> 02:46:34,280
So we've had 17 members enroll and basically what this test is it's for those 50 and over

1872
02:46:34,280 --> 02:46:41,980
and 40 to 49 if you have some underlying medical conditions or risk factors.

1873
02:46:42,980 --> 02:46:48,840
So basically it's a proactive breakthrough in cancer screening, again preventative.

1874
02:46:48,840 --> 02:46:52,960
we much rather have a preventative diagnosis

1875
02:46:52,960 --> 02:46:54,540
than a reactive diagnosis.

1876
02:46:55,360 --> 02:46:59,280
So this test is basically a platform

1877
02:46:59,280 --> 02:47:02,920
to fingerprint about 50 different types of cancers.

1878
02:47:03,500 --> 02:47:08,020
So basically what you do is you scan the QR code,

1879
02:47:08,640 --> 02:47:12,280
you request your kit, depending on your age,

1880
02:47:12,600 --> 02:47:16,260
you have to respond to those risk factor questions,

1881
02:47:16,260 --> 02:47:23,640
And then they send you your kit, basically you go into the quest diagnostics, they help

1882
02:47:23,640 --> 02:47:25,600
you swab and do that, you send it in.

1883
02:47:26,200 --> 02:47:32,520
So you either get a response that says everything's good or you get a response to say that

1884
02:47:32,520 --> 02:47:38,160
you have to do a follow-up and basically that follow-up, they guide you through the follow-up,

1885
02:47:38,260 --> 02:47:42,420
through the CAROM concierge type of benefit that we also have available.

1886
02:47:42,420 --> 02:47:50,880
So, it is available for employees and dependents as long as they're on the medical plan and they meet that age criteria.

1887
02:47:52,160 --> 02:48:02,900
Again, it's 100% at no cost to us as employees. Great benefit. Right way application, that's something that was rolled out as well.

1888
02:48:02,900 --> 02:48:09,260
It's a concierge platform that comes with the third-party administrator pinnacle and basically

1889
02:48:09,260 --> 02:48:14,420
what that is is that your fingerprints, your fingerprints, tips you have available,

1890
02:48:14,900 --> 02:48:17,700
the explanation of benefits.

1891
02:48:17,700 --> 02:48:27,080
If you have a question regarding the doctor charging you for something, so it's a chat-based

1892
02:48:27,080 --> 02:48:34,640
platform but it also has the ability to reach out and look for a specialist if you're looking for a

1893
02:48:34,640 --> 02:48:43,280
specialist and where is the best place to obtain different services that you may be challenging

1894
02:48:44,060 --> 02:48:50,540
or going through. So a little bit about the Anthem Blue Cross negotiations. We've all heard

1895
02:48:50,540 --> 02:49:14,040
For those of us that are patients of scripts, scripts, health network, or the scripts facility has been negotiating or has been in negotiations with Blue Cross, the network scripts is negotiating for more money and effective January 1st 2025.

1896
02:49:14,960 --> 02:49:22,500
We, as users of the Scripps facilities, have an option whether we seek services still

1897
02:49:22,500 --> 02:49:26,420
through there, they would fall under the Adda Network benefit.

1898
02:49:27,300 --> 02:49:34,180
If you are a Scripps user and you are going through a particular treatment, whether it

1899
02:49:34,180 --> 02:49:41,360
be chemo, radiation, there is a form that you can fill out and it's basically to continue

1900
02:49:41,360 --> 02:49:42,000
your care.

1901
02:49:42,000 --> 02:49:48,460
and it's a document that we did a communication to all district employees last week and it gives

1902
02:49:48,460 --> 02:49:54,520
you the steps and it's basically called the continuation of care. So it allows you to bridge

1903
02:49:54,520 --> 02:50:00,760
that treatment. Anthem is pretty, the updates that we're getting from the third party administrator.

1904
02:50:01,640 --> 02:50:09,860
Anthem is pretty sure and positive about the negotiations. Even those scripts is announced that

1905
02:50:09,860 --> 02:50:14,580
they are no longer part of the network, but Anthem will continue to negotiate in good faith.

1906
02:50:15,280 --> 02:50:24,140
Hopefully this has happened before and hopefully in the next 30 to 60 days we'd hear something

1907
02:50:24,140 --> 02:50:32,180
positive about that. COVID update. So we were currently, even though COVID doesn't exist,

1908
02:50:32,940 --> 02:50:35,960
We still have to comply as an employer.

1909
02:50:36,620 --> 02:50:42,160
We have to replace, to report workplace exposure.

1910
02:50:42,360 --> 02:50:44,680
And this is a calocia requirement.

1911
02:50:45,520 --> 02:50:52,420
So one of the things that we had been doing prior to up through February 3rd of 2025

1912
02:50:52,420 --> 02:50:57,720
was anyone with symptoms needed to report to the disability management team and then they

1913
02:50:57,720 --> 02:51:00,880
were given guidance as to what the next steps are.

1914
02:51:00,880 --> 02:51:07,840
One of the things that we're going to do moving forward, we still have to report work place exposures,

1915
02:51:08,220 --> 02:51:15,860
and we still have to cover the cost of those employees that were exposed at work, so we, the district, have to pay for the cost.

1916
02:51:16,720 --> 02:51:27,100
One of the things that we're going to send out a communication is advising employees that moving forward February 3rd and into the future until the regulation changes.

1917
02:51:28,500 --> 02:51:32,840
employees just need to report to us if they are COVID positive.

1918
02:51:33,680 --> 02:51:39,420
If they take a home test and it's a positive, a picture with the date stamp is going to suffice

1919
02:51:39,420 --> 02:51:43,700
and then we'll go through the protocols that are required for us to continue to follow.

1920
02:51:44,500 --> 02:51:45,780
Any questions with that?

1921
02:51:47,100 --> 02:51:52,060
No, just out of curiosity, so you have to report every single person that has COVID.

1922
02:51:52,060 --> 02:51:58,880
But it come smaller companies only had to do like if it was a percentage right three a month or five a month

1923
02:51:58,880 --> 02:52:07,100
Then you had to report so with with the district because of the size of employer. Yeah, any three or more three or more that particular

1924
02:52:07,100 --> 02:52:09,980
Work site have to be reported. Okay

1925
02:52:11,000 --> 02:52:16,420
Miss patty the the number of lives under our plan right now is still about 4,500. Yes

1926
02:52:17,080 --> 02:52:19,660
And then do you know how many are survivors only?

1927
02:52:20,320 --> 02:52:21,660
I don't have that number.

1928
02:52:22,100 --> 02:52:22,660
What do you think?

1929
02:52:25,110 --> 02:52:27,350
I'm going to take a guess under

1930
02:52:29,460 --> 02:52:30,020
200.

1931
02:52:30,440 --> 02:52:30,620
Yeah.

1932
02:52:30,880 --> 02:52:33,640
I did speak to a couple of survivors at the workshop.

1933
02:52:33,640 --> 02:52:37,620
And it's amazing that they are a part of our alumni and part of our family.

1934
02:52:37,880 --> 02:52:39,140
Very appreciative of our identity.

1935
02:52:39,140 --> 02:52:40,220
Very grateful, yes.

1936
02:52:40,460 --> 02:52:43,040
And so I do want to acknowledge and appreciate your leadership on them.

1937
02:52:43,160 --> 02:52:47,780
But the survivors of the health care plan are a very important part of our IAD family

1938
02:52:47,780 --> 02:52:50,600
and do welcome the fact that they're included

1939
02:52:50,600 --> 02:52:52,940
and they participate in these types of discussions.

1940
02:52:52,940 --> 02:52:53,840
The job well done.

1941
02:52:54,020 --> 02:52:56,160
That's essential for them to be part of it.

1942
02:52:56,580 --> 02:52:58,780
They are in the health plan, so they need to know.

1943
02:52:59,620 --> 02:53:00,400
Any other questions?

1944
02:53:01,680 --> 02:53:05,240
I know I was given three minutes, so I hope I stayed within my.

1945
02:53:05,700 --> 02:53:07,260
You didn't, but we appreciate that.

1946
02:53:07,760 --> 02:53:08,800
Nice job, Mr. Kiddles.

1947
02:53:09,140 --> 02:53:10,220
Thank you very much.

1948
02:53:11,460 --> 02:53:14,990
All right, guys, just kidding.

1949
02:53:16,050 --> 02:53:16,490
Okay.

1950
02:53:16,870 --> 02:53:17,290
Okay, Lisa.

1951
02:53:18,910 --> 02:53:20,410
Stealing my thunder roll there.

1952
02:53:20,870 --> 02:53:21,970
I'm trying to hurry me up.

1953
02:53:22,770 --> 02:53:23,470
Imagine that.

1954
02:53:23,750 --> 02:53:23,890
Yeah.

1955
02:53:24,310 --> 02:53:26,350
So I'm going to go through it very briefly.

1956
02:53:26,950 --> 02:53:29,270
I attended the farm water round table meeting,

1957
02:53:29,270 --> 02:53:32,170
which I have to confess to the board is one of my favorite things

1958
02:53:32,170 --> 02:53:34,930
to do irrespective of the things that we talk about there.

1959
02:53:35,110 --> 02:53:37,850
It's an interesting to get to know the water side of ideas.

1960
02:53:38,650 --> 02:53:40,190
And particularly our farmers.

1961
02:53:40,190 --> 02:53:41,410
I'm very appreciative of them.

1962
02:53:42,010 --> 02:53:45,330
I want the board to know we are ramping up social media postings

1963
02:53:45,330 --> 02:53:46,970
with regard to a number of things.

1964
02:53:46,970 --> 02:53:53,650
We'll start disseminating information about the capital improvement plan and resources and

1965
02:53:53,650 --> 02:53:59,510
we'll do as much as we can with as quickly as we can to make sure that rapiers get that

1966
02:53:59,510 --> 02:54:00,130
information.

1967
02:54:00,770 --> 02:54:04,290
I did attend all of the rate workshops with the exception of the one in Calexica.

1968
02:54:04,510 --> 02:54:05,870
I was not available for that one.

1969
02:54:06,550 --> 02:54:10,210
Tendent the reliability compliance steering committee meeting where we talked about a number

1970
02:54:10,210 --> 02:54:16,830
of issues, so I can maintain some level of assistance to the RCO in that initiative.

1971
02:54:17,870 --> 02:54:23,230
Had a nice conversation with the City of India and also the City of Lakinta with regard

1972
02:54:23,230 --> 02:54:28,730
to the joint powers authority, both the Indio-specific and the overall, I've had a number of conversations

1973
02:54:28,730 --> 02:54:34,950
with potential participants in the Coachella Valley JPA structure, met with the project

1974
02:54:34,950 --> 02:54:40,490
proponents for the North Healing Piro Valley to 500 KV transmission line. They have asked

1975
02:54:40,490 --> 02:54:44,830
Mr. Smeltzer and I to go with them to the ISO to have a conversation with regard to

1976
02:54:45,870 --> 02:54:51,110
potential, you know, synergies that we might be able to leverage on the geothermal resource

1977
02:54:51,610 --> 02:54:59,110
for both NGIV2 and the IV2 songs transmission. Mr. Smeltzer and I will also be going to

1978
02:54:59,110 --> 02:55:08,610
Lakinta this week to meet with the members of the Hyde away in the city of Lakinta, very high end, very large residential subdivision.

1979
02:55:08,750 --> 02:55:10,170
I think we have very good news for them.

1980
02:55:10,250 --> 02:55:18,090
We're very happy to go and deliver and it's also a nice opportunity to get to sort of talk to the constituency there or customers there.

1981
02:55:18,830 --> 02:55:25,330
Attended the public affairs workshop, attended the IVH2O function briefly because I had to another commitment.

1982
02:55:25,330 --> 02:55:30,650
but it was a nice networking opportunity, and I'm sorry, Mr. Kightlinger's presentation.

1983
02:55:31,470 --> 02:55:35,450
And then I also wanted to let the board know, in addition to the fire in Poway, there's also

1984
02:55:35,450 --> 02:55:43,130
one in Mission Valley near Friars Road. Someone let me know that I want to make sure that the public

1985
02:55:43,130 --> 02:55:49,190
is aware that once all of this restoration commences both for the policy, it's fire and the North

1986
02:55:49,190 --> 02:55:54,650
Carolina issues and the Florida issues, health and human safety is going to be prioritized

1987
02:55:54,650 --> 02:56:00,410
over economic development and other sort of opportunities for grid enhancements so I want to make

1988
02:56:00,410 --> 02:56:06,150
sure that we understand that moving as quickly as we can is going to be important to get ahead of

1989
02:56:06,150 --> 02:56:13,930
that so that we can get infrastructure in because I think that serving power in Imperial County in

1990
02:56:13,930 --> 02:56:18,150
the summer of time is also health and human safety issues so I want to make sure that we're all

1991
02:56:18,150 --> 02:56:22,850
sort of speaking the same language. Happy to take any questions that the board may have otherwise

1992
02:56:22,850 --> 02:56:26,870
I will defer to Director Cardinist as a grant, as I were to be brief.

1993
02:56:29,360 --> 02:56:30,160
Any comments?

1994
02:56:30,820 --> 02:56:31,960
Thank you very much.

1995
02:56:32,180 --> 02:56:33,300
We appreciate it.

1996
02:56:33,360 --> 02:56:34,380
I appreciate everything that you do.

1997
02:56:35,620 --> 02:56:39,560
At this time, let's convene in the closed session.

1998
02:56:40,040 --> 02:56:40,740
Not yet.

1999
02:56:41,060 --> 02:56:41,540
I think we have.

2000
02:56:41,900 --> 02:56:42,400
What do we have?

2001
02:56:42,620 --> 02:56:43,240
Maybe at the very end.

2002
02:56:43,240 --> 02:56:43,620
I thought you were done.

2003
02:56:44,200 --> 02:56:45,020
You're probably right.

2004
02:56:45,460 --> 02:56:45,720
You are.

2005
02:56:46,520 --> 02:56:47,160
Look at that.

2006
02:56:48,580 --> 02:56:49,480
I'm gonna hurry up.