Board Members present: Dorothy Anderson, Peter Bartel, Susie Smith, Patrick Lanning, and Sandra Bishop.
Others present: Randy Berggren, JoAnn Andersen, Tom Buckhouse, Marty Douglass, Dick Helgeson, Jean Meyers, Jim Origliosso, Lance Robertson, Dick Varner, Jim Wiley, and Krista Hince of the EWEB staff; Scott Maben, representing the Register-Guard; and members of the public.
AGENDA CHECK
President Anderson called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m.
General Manager Randy Berggren noted that Agenda Item No. 7, "Approval of offer to purchase property," had been removed from the agenda.
APPROVAL OF CONSENT CALENDAR
Ratification of Board Consultants
1. Ratification of Board Consultants for 2002
2. Telephone Services - Information Services - Corporate Services - $35,000 for Touch America; $30,900 for MCI Worldcom; and $209,315 for Qwest
3. Landslide Technology - Leaburg Canal Slide Management - Electric Division - Not to exceed $95,000
Vice President Bartel, seconded by Commissioner Lanning, moved to approve the items on the consent calendar.
Commissioner Bishop pulled Consent Calendar Item 1.
The remaining items on the consent calendar were approved unanimously.
ITEMS FROM BOARD MEMBERS
In response to a question from Commissioner Bishop regarding the status of land acquisition plans, Mr. Berggren said there was a site approved but noted that staff were holding off on acquisition.
CORRESPONDENCE
Mr. Berggren noted there was a joint meeting scheduled with the City Council on February 25 to be held at the City of Eugene's McNutt Room..
Commissioner Smith expressed a desire to know the topics on the agenda before the meeting.
Mr. Berggren distributed draft letters to Senators Wyden and Smith. He said they would be sent after President Anderson signed them.
Mr. Berggren noted that the Grant Relicensing Contract had been signed.
Mr. Berggren reported that he would be meeting with Liz Dooley to discuss a Business Service Agreement to complete Board Governance work.
Commissioner Bishop, seconded by Vice President Bartel, moved to direct staff to send out the order for equipment necessary to televise EWEB meetings on Metro TV.
Commissioner Bishop stressed the importance of reaching more of the public than those who were able to attend Board meetings.
The motion failed 2:3 with Commissioner Bishop and Vice President Bartel voting in favor.
Mr. Berggren said the next meeting would have an agenda item on groundwater development contracts.
ELECTION OF BOARD OFFICERS
Commissioner Smith expressed discomfort with having two Board members running against each other for the same seat when one of them was in the position of Board president. She suggested waiting on election of officers until the upcoming election was settled.
Commissioner Smith, seconded by Commissioner Bishop, moved to retain President Anderson and Vice President Bartel as Board President and Vice President, respectively, until elections were concluded.
Commissioner Lanning stressed the need for stability in the organization and raised concern over the idea of a mid-year change in Board officers.
Commissioner Smith expressed her desire to see Vice President Bartel take his turn at being Board President but reiterated her concern over having a person in that position running in an election for a Board seat in the same year.
Commissioner Lanning reiterated his concern over organizational stability.
The motion passed 4:1 with Commissioner Bishop voting in opposition.
Commissioner Bishop stated she was opposed because of concern over organizational stability and the section in the Board By-laws that called for an annual election of officers.
APPOINTMENTS OF COMMISSIONERS TO COMMITTEES
1. Representative to Lane Council of Governments (LCOG)
2. Representative to Western Generation Agency (WGA)
3. Representative to Northwest Energy Coalition (NEC)
4. Representative to McKenzie Watershed Management Council
5. Liaison to Special Districts
6. Board Liaison to Telecommunications Project
7. Representatives to Master Plan Site Review Subcommittee
Commissioner Lanning stressed the importance of newer Board members getting experience on committees.
There was general consensus to rename the position for representative to Master Plan Site Review Subcommittee to "Liaison to Master Plan Site Review."
Vice President Bartel, seconded by Commissioner Smith, moved to approve the appointments of Board members to committees. The motion passed unanimously.
CUSTOMER SURVEY RESULTS
Lance Robertson, Communications Coordinator and Rick Lindholm, Customer Survey Consultant, provided a presentation on customer survey results. The presentation included information on the following topics:
Mr. Robertson stressed that there had been no strong backlash from the recent rate increase. He added that there was little customer confusion between tiered rates and the rate increase itself. He said the survey had identified opportunities for EWEB to provide customers with more information about conservation programs.
Commissioner Smith commented that the results of the survey seemed encouraging but noted that there was no direct comparison for the results.
President Anderson said the survey could be done again in the future to test whether the reaction to tiered rates remained consistent.
Vice President Bartel expressed his pleasure to see relatively little confusion between implementation of tiered rates and the necessary rate increase.
In response to a question from Commissioner Lanning regarding when the survey would be done again, Mr. Robertson said late January or early February.
In response to a question from Vice President Bartel regarding whether there had been a disparity between income levels in answering the survey questions, Mr. Lindholm said it depended on the question but noted that higher income levels perceived tiered rates as less fair.
In response to a question from Vice President Bartel regarding whether there had been any answers unique to seniors, Mr. Lindholm remarked that the senior level had the highest number of people that felt tiered rates had been necessary.
ITEMS PULLED FROM CONSENT CALENDAR
In response to a question from Commissioner Bishop regarding the CPA appointment of the PricewaterhouseCoopers contract status, Mr. Origliosso said the contract was in the second of three years.
Vice President Bartel, seconded by Commissioner Lanning, moved to approve Consent Calendar Item 1. The motion passed unanimously.
The meeting adjourned at 9:30 p.m.
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Assistant Secretary President