HomeMy WebLinkAboutD-2 Staff Report - Utility Board Meeting OptionsSCHEDULED ITEM
D-2
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
VIA: SERGIO GONZALEZ, CITY MANAGER
FROM: MANNY ROBLEDO, DIRECTOR OF UTILITIES
DATE: OCTOBER 5, 2020
SUBJECT: DISCUSS AND PROVIDE DIRECTION REGARDING UTILITY BOARD MEETING
OPTIONS
BACKGROUND
The Utility Board was established by City Council by Ordinance on May 21, 2001 to serve as the
governing and rate-making body to oversee the electric and water utility enterprise fund operations,
including budget approval, procurement, financing, rates, programs, services, and regulations. Pursuant
to the direction received at the September 21, 2020 City Council meeting, Staff has prepared three
options for the regular Utility Board meetings going forward, which address the transparency and time
efficiency concerns raised at the meeting.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that City Council provide direction regarding the regular time and place of monthly
Utility Board meetings.
ANALYSIS
Pursuant to Resolution 01-C97, on September 17, 2001, the City Council established that the regular
meeting of the Utility Board be held on the fourth Monday of each month at 6:30 PM at the Light &
Water Department administration building, located at 729 N. Azusa Avenue.
The Water and Electric enterprise funds together comprise a $60 million annual budget and complex
operations, which are subject to State, Federal, and utility grid regulations. As such, a separate Utility
Board meeting provides the requisite time and attention for the policy makers to effectively act as
regulators for water and electric utilities. Also, complex items such as rate making, bond financing, and
long-term resource procurement, require workshop discussion and input from subject matter experts that
are best done at a time-certain meeting separate from regular City Council meetings.
APPROVED
CITY COUNCIL
10/5/2020Option 1 approved
Regular Utility Board Meeting Options
October 5, 2020
Page 2
To preserve the positive attributes of a separate Utility Board meeting, and address the concerns raised at
the September 21st City Council meeting, Staff has prepared the following Utility Board meeting options
for consideration by City Council:
UTILITY BOARD MEETING OPTIONS
Option Location Date Time Transparency Action
Required
1 Light & Water 4th Monday 6:30 PM Recorded Video Motion Vote
2 Civic Auditorium 4th Monday 6:30 PM Live Broadcast Resolution No.
2020-C52
3 Civic Auditorium 3rd Monday 6:00 PM Live Broadcast Resolution No.
2020-C53
Option 1: Continue the current time and place of the Utility Board meeting on the 4th Monday of each
month at 6:30 PM at the Light & Water administration building and add transparency by recording the
meetings and promptly posting the video on the City website for public review. This would continue to
provide adequate time to accommodate long Utility Board meetings.
Option 2: Keep the meeting at the same time, 4th Monday at 6:30, but move it to the Civic Auditorium
and broadcast the meeting live via streaming and Channel 3 for transparency. This would continue to
provide adequate time to accommodate long Utility Board meetings with immediate transparency.
Option 3: Change the regular meeting date to the 3rd Monday of each month at 6:00 PM at the Civic
Auditorium. This would provide 30 minutes and often times would be enough to complete the business
at-hand. The Utility Board meeting would start prior to the start of the regular City Council meeting at
6:30 PM. Longer Utility Board meetings would recess at 6:30 PM and continue the same evening after
the completion of the City Council meeting. Immediate transparency would be provided by live broadcast
via live streaming and Channel 3.
All three options would provide the separation and attention needed to effectively govern the water and
electric utilities and provide added transparency in government.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is not fiscal impact to changing the regular meeting of the Utility Board.
Prepared by: Reviewed and Approved:
Manny Robledo Sergio Gonzalez
Director of Utilities City Manager
Attachments:
1) Resolution 01-97: Current Utility Board Meeting Resolution
2) Option 2 Resolution No. 2020-C52 : Utility Board 4th Monday at 6:30 PM
3) Option 3 Resolution No. 2020-C53: Utility Board 3rd Monday at 6:00 PM
Attachment 1
OPTION 2
1
RESOLUTION NO. 2020-C52
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF AZUSA, CALIFORNIA, CHANGING THE TIME AND
LOCATION OF ONE OF THE MEETINGS OF THE CITY
COUNCIL
WHEREAS, pursuant to Resolution No. 01-C97, the City Council currently holds its
regularly scheduled meetings at 6:30 PM on the first and third Mondays of each month, meets on
the fourth Monday of each month at 6:30 PM to act in its capacity as the Board of Directors of
the Azusa Utility Board (Utility Board Meeting), and may meet on the second for workshops;
and
WHEREAS, to provide greater transparency in government, the City Council desires to
change the location of the meeting on the fourth Monday of each month from the Azusa Light &
Water administration building to the Civic Auditorium; and.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Azusa
does hereby find, determine and declare as follows:
SECTION 1. Resolution 01-C97 is hereby amended in its entirety with the language set
forth in Section 2 of this Resolution; and
SECTION 2. Changes Regarding Time, Type, and Location of Meetings. The time for
commencing the regular meetings of the Council shall be at the hour of 6:30 PM on the first and
third Mondays of each and every month. Between 6:30 PM and 7:30 PM the City Council may
meet to discuss closed session items, as deemed necessary by the City Manager. City Council
discussion and consideration of regular agenda business items shall commence at 7:30 PM. City
Council may meet on the second Monday of each month for workshops. In addition, City
Council shall meet on the fourth Monday of each month at 6:30 PM for a regular meeting in
which it may act in its capacity as the Board of Directors of the Azusa Utility Board. The
location of all regular meetings shall be at the Civic Auditorium.
PASSED, APPROVED and ADOPTED this 5th day of October, 2020.
___________________________________
Robert Gonzales
Mayor
Attachment 2
OPTION 2
2
ATTEST:
___________________________________
Jeffrey Lawrence Cornejo, Jr.
City Clerk
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ) ss.
CITY OF AZUSA )
I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing Resolution No. 2020-UB-03 was duly adopted
by the Utility Board/City Council of the City of Azusa at a regular meeting thereof, held on the
20th day of July, 2020, by the following vote of Council:
AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS:
NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS:
ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS:
___________________________________
Jeffrey Lawrence Cornejo, Jr.
City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
___________________________________
Best Best & Krieger, LLP
City Attorney
OPTION 2
1
RESOLUTION NO. 2020-C53
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF
AZUSA, CALIFORNIA, CHANGING THE TIME AND
LOCATION OF ONE OF THE MEETINGS OF THE CITY
COUNCIL
WHEREAS, pursuant to Resolution No. 01-C97, the City Council currently holds its
regularly scheduled meetings at 6:30 PM on the first and third Mondays of each month, meets on
the fourth Monday of each month at 6:30 PM to act in its capacity as the Board of Directors of
the Azusa Utility Board (Utility Board Meeting), and may meet on the second for workshops;
and
WHEREAS, to provide greater transparency in government, the City Council desires to
change the location of the meeting on the third Monday of each month from the Azusa Light &
Water administration building to the Civic Auditorium; and.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Azusa
does hereby find, determine and declare as follows:
SECTION 1. Resolution 01-C97 is hereby amended in its entirety with the language set
forth in Section 2 of this Resolution; and
SECTION 2. Changes Regarding Time, Type, and Location of Meetings. The time for
commencing the regular meetings of the Council shall be at the hour of 6:30 PM on the first and
third Mondays of each and every month. Between 6:30 PM and 7:30 PM the City Council may
meet to discuss closed session items, as deemed necessary by the City Manager. City Council
discussion and consideration of regular agenda business items shall commence at 7:30 PM. City
Council may meet on the second Monday of each month for workshops. In addition, City
Council shall meet on the third Monday of each month at 6:00 PM for a regular meeting in which
it may act in its capacity as the Board of Directors of the Azusa Utility Board. The location of all
regular meetings shall be at the Civic Auditorium.
PASSED, APPROVED and ADOPTED this 5th day of October, 2020.
___________________________________
Robert Gonzales
Mayor
Attachment 3
OPTION 2
2
ATTEST:
___________________________________
Jeffrey Lawrence Cornejo, Jr.
City Clerk
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ) ss.
CITY OF AZUSA )
I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing Resolution No. 2020-UB-03 was duly adopted
by the Utility Board/City Council of the City of Azusa at a regular meeting thereof, held on the
20th day of July, 2020, by the following vote of Council:
AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS:
NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS:
ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS:
___________________________________
Jeffrey Lawrence Cornejo, Jr.
City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
___________________________________
Best Best & Krieger, LLP
City Attorney