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[CALL MEETING TO ORDER]
ARE YOU READY TO START THE MEETING? YES, WE'RE READY WHEN Y'ALL ARE.I CALLED TO ORDER THIS VIRTUAL MEETING OF THE ELECTRIC UTILITY COMMISSION.
IT'S MARCH EIGHT, 2021 AT 1:11 PM.
UM, QUICK ROLL CALL FOR RECORDS.
WE'VE GOT COMMISSIONER TUTTLE, COMMISSIONER HOPKINS, COMMISSIONER TRUSSEL, COMMISSIONER WELDON, COMMISSIONER, COMMISSIONER
UM, UH, AT THE OUTSET, I'D LIKE TO NOTE THAT THE RNC ASKED TO HOLD A JOINT MEETING WITH US, UH, REGARDING THE FEBRUARY WINTER STORM EVENT.
AND WE WORKED TO ACCOMMODATE THAT REQUEST.
SO WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO HAVE A JOINT MEETING WITH RMC AT ONE 30, WHICH, UH, DUE TO SOME TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES, WE IS NOW LIKE 15 MINUTES AWAY.
SO WE'VE GOT JUST A COUPLE OF OTHER BUSINESSES THAT, UM, WOULD LIKE TO TRY TO RUN THROUGH VERY QUICKLY.
[CITIZEN COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
COMMUNICATION FROM MR. ROBBINS.CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU.
MY ONLY PURPOSE IS TO TELL YOU THAT IF YOU TAKE UP ITEM NINE TODAY ON THE BROKEN CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, I'M HERE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS.
UH, OTHER THAN THAT, I YIELD MY TIME.
[1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – Approve minutes of the February 8, 2021 regular meeting. (Part 1 of 2) ]
OF BUSINESS IS THE APPROVAL OF THE FEBRUARY 8TH MINUTES.ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS HEARING? NONE.
I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE FEBRUARY 8TH MINUTES.
SO MOVED SECOND AND ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.
AND OPPOSED HEARING NUTS AND FEBRUARY 8TH MINUTES ARE APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY THEN MOVING ON TO
[NEW BUSINESS – CONSENT ]
NEW BUSINESS.ARE THERE ANY ITEMS THAT COMMISSIONERS WOULD LIKE PULLED FOR DISCUSSION? I HAVE A, UH, JUST A QUICK QUESTION ABOUT NUMBER FOUR.
ANYBODY ELSE? ALL RIGHT, SO ITEMS NUMBER TWO, THREE, FIVE, SIX, SEVEN, AND EIGHT ARE CONSENTED.
[4. (4/8) [Purchasing] Authorize negotiation and execution of a multi-term contract with Asplundh Tree Expert LLC, or the other qualified offeror to Request for Proposals 1100 EAL3013, to provide vegetation management services on transmission energized lines, for up to five years for a total contract amount not to exceed $17,500,000. ]
AM NUMBER FOUR.IS THERE SOMEONE FROM CITY, UH, UH, AUSTIN ENERGY STAFF HERE THAT CAN ANSWER A QUESTION ON ITEM NUMBER FOUR.
THIS IS ELTON RICHARD, TWICE PRESIDENT OF PHIL OPERATIONS.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU.
UM, IN LIGHT OF THE, UH, CIRCUIT OUTAGES THAT HAVE HAD ATTRIBUTED TO VEGETATION, UM, UH, ISSUES DURING BOTH THE JANUARY 10TH AND 11TH SNOW STORM AND DURING THE POLAR VORTEX, UH, I'M WONDERING IF, UH, A E HAS EVALUATED THE WORK OF, UH, THIS PROVIDER OR THIS CONTRACTOR, UH, AS PLANNED TREE EXPERTS, UH, TO DETERMINE IF THEY ARE, UH, ADEQUATELY KEEPING UP WITH VEGETATION MANAGEMENT OR IF IT'S THE PROBLEM IS THIS, WE ARE NOT, UH, THE UTILITY IS NOT ORDERING THEM OUT, UH, ON A SCHEDULE THAT WOULD HAVE HELPED PREVENT SOME OF THE, UH, OUTAGES FROM EXPERIENCED.
AND I APPRECIATE THE QUESTION, BUT SPECIFICALLY PER ITEM FOUR, THIS IS ON THE TRANSMISSION LINE WHERE WE DID NOT HAVE VEGETATION MANAGEMENT ISSUES.
THE VEGETATION MANAGEMENT ISSUES WERE ON THE DISTRIBUTION LINES.
THIS ONE IS SPECIFICALLY FOR TRANSMISSION.
SO THIS COMPANY, I THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
UM, AND SO DO WE HAVE A SEPARATE CONTRACT FOR DISTRIBUTION, MINES, VEGETATION MANAGEMENT, OR DISTRIBUTION? THAT'S CORRECT.
WE HAVE, THEY ARE ONE OF THE THREE, I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG YOU'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD, BUT WE ACTUALLY INCREASED THE BUDGET BACK IN 2020 AND SECURED THREE OF THE INDIVIDUALS THAT HAD THE CAPACITY OR THE DISTRIBUTION.
AND SO NOW WE HAVE THREE CONTRACTORS THAT ARE, UH, WORKING, UH, OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS TO GET THE VEGETATION MANAGEMENT BACK TO THE INDUSTRY STANDARDS ON THE TRIM AND ASHLYN IS AN APPROVED COMPANY.
THEY ARE ACTUALLY A VERY GOOD COMPANY ON THE VEGETATION MANAGEMENT.
I DON'T WANT TO GO BEYOND THE SCOPE OF THIS FITBIT CONTRACT.
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THAT.MATT, IF YOU WANT TO SET SOMETHING UP SEPARATELY WITH ME, I CAN KIND OF GO OVER THE DISTRIBUTION STUFF WITH YOU.
I'M GLAD TO, UH, CATCH YOU UP ON THAT.
IF YOU'D LIKE A NUMBER OF US WOULD LIKE TO HEAR THAT IN THE DISTRIBUTION.
I SUPPOSE WE CAN GET INTO THAT IN OUR TALK ABOUT THAT.
IS THERE A SECOND, SECOND AND ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? THEY NONE ITEM NUMBER FOUR.
IT IS ALSO APPROVED, UM, NOW ON TO ITEMS, UH, FROM COMMISSIONERS.
[1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – Approve minutes of the February 8, 2021 regular meeting. (Part 2 of 2) ]
UM, CHAIR.I THINK MAY HAVE TO GO AHEAD AND REVOLT ON THE MINUTES BECAUSE COMMISSIONER FOR CHIL DROPPED OFF.
SO WE MAY NEED TO DO THE VOTE AGAIN IN REFERENCE TO THE MINUTES.
LET'S I'LL ENTERTAIN ANOTHER BOOK.
ALL THOSE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.
UNANIMOUS APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE FEBRUARY 8TH MEETING.
SO ITEMS FROM COMMISSIONERS, WE HAVE TWO, UH, ITEMS THAT I'M GLAD WE WERE ABLE TO REACH TODAY.
[9. Discussion and possible action regarding recommending the Austin City Auditor audit the Customer Assistance Program.]]
UH, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING THE, UH, REQUEST BY MR. ROBBINS TO ASK THE CITY AUDITOR, TO AUDIT THE CAP PROGRAM.AND, UH, THE AUSTIN ENERGY SENT AROUND SOME MATERIALS WITH THE MEETING AGENDA, ADDRESSING SOME ASPECTS OF THE CAP PROGRAM, UM, IN RESPONSE TO MR. ROBIN'S PRESENTATION ROBIN'S PRESENTATION LAST WEEK.
AND I HOPE EVERYONE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THAT MATERIAL.
AND I'LL JUST SAY THAT, THAT FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, UH, THIS IS KIND OF WHERE I AM ON, ON THIS.
I THINK THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE ARE VERY, VERY LUCKY TO HAVE MR. ROBBINS WHO IS, IS VERY DILIGENT AND, AND PERCEPTIVE AND DELIBERATE ABOUT, UH, YOU KNOW, WATCHING THE ART, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC POWER UTILITY AND, AND, AND REALLY, YOU KNOW, ISN'T AFRAID TO GET DOWN INTO THE WEEDS AND, AND, AND REALLY, UM, DEMANDS TRANSPARENCY FROM, FROM THE UTILITY.
AND I, AND I THINK THAT HIS EFFORTS, UH, CONTINUE TO IMPROVE AUSTIN ENERGY, UH, OVER, UH, I SUSPECT IT'S BEEN, IT'S BEEN, UH, SEVERAL YEARS, BUT AT LEAST SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE COMMISSION, UM, ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM FROM, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, THE CAP WORKING GROUP A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, UH, YOU KNOW, WORKED WITH AUSTIN ENERGY TO TRY TO EXPAND THE ENROLLMENT BECAUSE THERE WERE LOTS OF DOLLARS THAT WERE BEING UNUSED.
AND, AND, AND I THINK THAT WHILE IT MAY BE THAT SOME FOLKS ARE SLIPPING THROUGH THE CRACKS THAT SHOULDN'T BE IN THE PROGRAM.
I THINK THE, UH, BENEFITS OF EXPANDING ENROLLMENT AND GETTING THESE DOLLARS OUT TO THOSE FOLKS THAT NEED IT, UM, OUTWEIGH THE OCCASIONAL, UM, PERSON WHO SLIPS THROUGH MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT AUSTIN ENERGY CONTINUES TO WORK, UH, TO IDENTIFY PEOPLE THAT SHOULDN'T BE IN THE PROGRAM.
AND, AND ALSO BASED ON THE MATERIALS THAT WERE PROVIDED LAST, UM, LAST WEEK, IT LOOKS LIKE THE CITY AUDITOR ACTUALLY DOES ROUTINE AUDITS OF, OF THE CAP PROGRAM.
AND THE LAST ONE, I WANT TO SAY IT WAS MAYBE 2018, DIDN'T IDENTIFY, UH, ANY ISSUES.
AND SO, UM, WHILE I, AGAIN REALLY APPRECIATE MR. ROBIN'S WORK, I THINK THAT MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE TO NOT, UH, RECOMMEND THAT COUNCIL ASKS THE CITY AUDITOR TO AUDIT THE CAP PROGRAM.
UM, UH, AND OF COURSE I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM EVERYBODY ELSE ON, ON THIS ISSUE.
WELL, WHEN IT WAS INITIALLY BROUGHT UP AT THE LAST MEETING, YOU KNOW, MY, MY INITIAL QUESTION WAS KIND OF ABOUT THE VOLUME OF THE PROGRAM AND HOW MANY, UH, ALL OF THOSE, AGAIN, I AGREE VERY DILIGENT AND I MUCH APPRECIATE THE EFFORT HE PUT IN IDENTIFYING SPECIFIC HOMES, BUT EVEN THAT QUANTITY RELATIVE TO THE PROGRAM AT A HALL AS A WHOLE WAS QUITE SMALL.
AND SO, UH, REVIEWING THE MATERIAL THAT AUSTIN ENERGY PROVIDED, I
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THINK IT, IT CAN SOUND FLIP AS IF WE'RE NOT PAYING ATTENTION THAT IT'S LIKE, OH, IT'S SUCH A SMALL AMOUNT OF MONEY.BUT SOMETIMES THAT IS AN ACCURATE ANSWER IN TERMS OF JUST UAP, LOOK AT THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT CAN BE SAVED VERSUS THE STAFF TIME REQUIRED TO DO IT.
UH, I DON'T, I THINK WE SHOULD EMBRACE THE FACT THAT THE CITY IS WILLING TO TAKE A BROAD AND, UH, INCLUSIVE DEFINITION TO TRY AND ASSURE THAT THIS MONEY THAT HAS BEEN SET ASIDE IS, IS, UH, WELL UTILIZED AND IS UTILIZED.
NO PAUL'S BEEN HEALTHY COMMUNITY FOR, FOR PROBABLY DECADES, NOT JUST YEARS.
SO WHENEVER HE TALKS ABOUT THESE THINGS, I LIKE TO TAKE IT VERY SERIOUSLY.
HE'S PUT HIS WORK AND DEDICATION INTO IT, BUT I'M JUST WONDERING IS HOW EFFECTIVE ARE THE SELF AUDITS? I'M NOT SAYING NECESSARILY GO ALL OUT WITH THE CITY AUDIT, BUT, YOU KNOW, ARE THERE CERTAIN INDICATORS THAT THEY COULD BE MORE EFFECTIVE, UM, IN ZOOMING IN TO TRY TO SEE IF THEY, THEY FIND THE OUTLIERS THAT MAYBE THEY SHOULD? SO THAT'S WHAT I READ CARRIE'S, UH, MEMO.
IT SEEMS LIKE THEY'VE GOT A PROVEN SET OF ACTIONS IN PLACE, BUT I THOUGHT THAT THE PROGRAM HAD 35,000 ENROLLEES.
AND SO HOW, HOW LONG, HOW CAN THEY FILTER THAT EFFECTIVELY? CAN THEY, IS IT FAIRLY EASY? YOU JUST LOOK AT CERTAIN AREAS, KNOW TO LOOK AT WEALTHIER HOUSES AND HAVE SOME, HAVE SOME OTHER FLAGS THAT ARE RAISED.
I DON'T KNOW IF PAUL'S ON WHERE HE COULD ANSWER QUESTIONS, BUT, UM, SO CAN YOU HEAR ME, HEY, CALL, UM, REALIZE YOU HAVE ANOTHER MEETING, I'LL BE AS BRIEF AS POSSIBLE.
UM, QUINTESSENTIAL ARGUMENT, UH, FOR PUSHBACK ON STAFF IS THAT THEY ONLY HAVE A SMALL NUMBER OF, UH, PEOPLE THAT ARE UNDESERVING.
ACTUALLY, I ONLY IDENTIFIED ONE SET OF PEOPLE THAT ARE UNDESERVING.
THERE COULD LITERALLY BE THOUSANDS.
AND THE ONLY THING THAT THEY IDENTIFIED FOR IS IMPROVEMENT VALUE OF HOMES.
AND IF, ALTHOUGH THIS DOESN'T SEEM TO BE PARTICULARLY EFFECTIVE.
AND IF SOME OF THESE PEOPLE OWN TWO OR MORE PROPERTIES, UH, THERE COULD BE MANY, MANY THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE HIGH INCOME OR HIGHER INCOME, BUT ARE NOT IDENTIFIED BECAUSE THEIR IMPROVEMENT VALUE IS HIGH OR BECAUSE THEY DON'T OWN PROPERTY.
THEY MAY OWN JEWELRY, LATE MODEL CARS.
THEY MAY HAVE A A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS OR $300,000 IN INCOME A YEAR, BUT WE WOULDN'T KNOW THAT BECAUSE THEY DON'T CHECK FOR, UH, INCOME QUALIFICATION.
UH, SO I, I APPRECIATE THE COMPLIMENTS THAT SEVERAL OF YOU HAVE DEALT WITH, UH, GIVEN ME, BUT, BUT I THINK YOU'RE KIND OF MISSING, UH, MY, UH, BIGGER POINT, WHICH IS THAT WE REALLY DON'T KNOW, UH, WHO MANY OF THESE PEOPLE THAT ARE GETTING, UH, RESA, UH, GETTING, UH, WRITE DOWNS ARE, UH, AND ADD TO THAT.
UH, SOME PEOPLE, UH, IT'S BEEN SAID, WELL, WE DON'T WANT TO GET INTO THE MINUTIA.
WELL, HOW HARD IS IT TO SCREEN FOR SOMEBODY THAT HAS A SWIMMING POOL? I MEAN, IT SEEMS PRETTY ACADEMIC TO ME THAT IF YOUR HOUSE HAS A LUXURY ITEM, LIKE A SWIMMING POOL, OR IS 3000 SQUARE FEET IN SIZE, WON'T MAYBE YOU DON'T NEED TO BE GETTING AUSTIN ENERGY'S ASSISTANCE.
UH, WOULD ALSO, I KNOW THAT THERE'S SEVERAL OTHER ITEMS THAT HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH PARTICIPANTS, BUT THEY HAVE, UH, LIKE GETTING 15% DISCOUNT, NO MATTER HOW MUCH YOU USE WHEN YOU COULD TURN AROUND AND GIVE THAT SAME MONEY TO EVERYBODY.
AND MOST PEOPLE WOULD GET A $60 INCREASE AND THE PEOPLE WASTING ENERGY WOULD NOT GET THE SAME 15% DISCOUNT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS, MR. ROBBINS.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE TIME TO REACH ITEM NUMBER 10.
WE'VE GOT JUST FIVE MINUTES NOW.
UH, SO I THINK I'D LIKE TO OPEN THE FLOOR FOR
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WHAT I'M GOING TO CALL A, A MOTION TO RECOMMEND TO COUNCIL, UH, THAT THE CITY AUDITOR AUDIT THE CAP PROGRAM.AND AT SOME POINT BE WILLING TO ENTERTAIN JUST DISCUSSION OF HOW THAT PROGRAM IS STRUCTURED.
THEN IF WE'RE WORRIED ABOUT WHO GETS TO INCLUDE AND WHO GETS TO MAKE THE JUDGMENT, THE MARRIAGE.
YEAH, I MEAN, I WOULD RATHER, I HEAR ALL THESE CONCERNS.
I HEAR THESE CONCERNS AND I, I WOULD LOVE FOR THIS PROGRAM TO BE AS HIGHLY FUNCTIONING AS POSSIBLE.
I'VE ALSO WORKED IN INCOME QUALIFICATION PROGRAMS. AND SO I UNDERSTAND THE RESISTANCE, UH, TO DOING THAT DIRECTLY.
UM, I'D LOVE TO JUST CONTINUE TO PUSH ON WAYS TO MAKE SURE THE CAP PROGRAM IS, UM, ACHIEVING IT'S SERVING THE MOST LOW INCOME AND THE GREATEST IN NEED POSSIBLE RATHER THAN SPEND THE DOLLARS ON AN AUDIT.
I THINK THERE ARE OTHER WAYS TO ACHIEVE THIS GOAL.
UM, I, I'M JUST NOT CONFIDENT THAT THE AUDIT IS GOING.
I THINK IT'S JUST GONNA PUSH THE PROBLEM DOWN THE LINE AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET, UM, RESULTS ANY FASTER THAN IF WE ASK TO HEAR BACK AND SEE IF THERE ARE WAYS TO FIX IT FROM THE PROGRAM MANAGERS TO ME.
UM, SINCE I HAVEN'T HEARD A MOTION, UM, I AM, I WILL MOVE ON TO, UH, ITEM NUMBER
[10. Discussion on possible change to evening time slot for Electric Utility Commission meetings. ]
10, WHICH IS DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE CHANGE TO THE EVENING TIME SLOT FOR THE ELECTRIC UTILITY COMMISSION MEETINGS GOING FORWARD.UM, IT, I THINK WITHIN THE LAST MONTH OR TWO, THE CITY HAS OPENED UP AN EVENING TIME SLOT.
THAT WOULD BE MORE CONSISTENT WITH WHAT, WHEN THE UTILITY COMMISSION USED TO MEET, UH, PRIOR TO PANDEMIC.
UM, I BELIEVE THAT'S, IT'S FROM SIX TO NINE.
UM, NATASHA, YOU MIGHT NEED TO CORRECT ME THERE, BUT, UH, I HAVE HAD A COUPLE OF REQUESTS FROM CO UH, COMMISSIONERS, INCLUDING MS. STONE AND STEFAN RAY, UH, ABOUT THE, UH, ASKING THE CITY TO MOVE US TO THE EVENING TIME SLOT, BECAUSE THAT IS, UH, WORKS BETTER FOR THEIR SCHEDULE, INCLUDING WORK CONFLICTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND THEN I KNOW, UM, IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS THAT THIS IS KAREN HAD, AND I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA AND WOULD OPEN THINGS UP FOR THE PUBLIC LEVEL BETTER AS WELL.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE REALLY NEED A MOTION ON THIS.
UH, SO I THINK I'LL JUST, CAN I JUST TAKE A POLL? I JUST WANT TO SAY, LIKE WHO'S IN SUPPORT OF EVENING MEETINGS.
SO I THINK THAT, THAT GIVES ME WHAT I NEED.
I WILL REQUEST FROM NATASHA OR JEFF, UH, TO ASK US TO ASK THE CITY, TO MOVE US THROUGH THE EVENING IF POSSIBLE, AND I WILL REPORT BACK.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING SO EFFICIENT IN YOUR TIME TODAY.
UH, I WILL, UM, OH, THE OTHER BUSINESS
[11. Report regarding City Council action on items previously reviewed by the EUC. ]
ITEM, NUMBER 11, THE REPORT REGARDING CITY COUNCIL ACTION ITEMS PREVIOUSLY REVIEWED BY THE AUC.AND IF THERE ARE NO COMMENTS ON THAT, I WILL ADJOURN THE MEETING, UH, TO BE JOINED BY OUR RMC COLLEAGUES AND MEET JOINTLY HERE AT ONE 30.
DO WE HAVE 30 SECONDS FOR CLARITY ON WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO REGARDING THE CAP PROGRAM? DIDN'T FOLLOW THE FINAL OUTCOME.
I THINK I ACTUALLY ADJOURNED THE MEETING.
LET'S, LET'S PUT IT ON THE, UM, AGENDA FOR NEXT MEETING AND, AND DISCUSS MAYBE NEXT STEPS.
AND CAN WE, OR DO WE HAVE TO LOG OFF AND GO ON TO ANOTHER? YES.
I MEAN, I THINK NATASHA IS GOING TO TELL US THAT RIGHT NOW THERE'S NO NEED TO LOG OFF.
WE'LL TAKE A SHORT RECESS TO MOVE EVERYONE OVER.
THANK YOU AND CHAIR, JUST TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, WE HAVE TO HAVE A CORUM ON BOTH SIDES, SO EUC AND RMC IN ORDER TO START THE JOINT MEETING.
I WOULD LIKE TO APOLOGIZE FOR MY LATE ATTENDANCE TODAY.
I WAS HAVING SERIOUS PROBLEMS WITH WEBEX.
IT DECIDED I DIDN'T HAVE IT ON MY COMPUTER WHEN IT'S ALWAYS BEEN THERE BEFORE.
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