Entry No. 1
PIONEER COMMUNITY ENERGY
GOVERNING BOARD
July 20, 2023
Minutes
Heard General Administration Functions, Part I.
Call to Order
Pioneer Community Energy Governing Board met in open session at 3:00 PM on July 20, 2023. The Members convened in person and the meeting was accessible to the public at Pioneer Community Energy, 2510 Warren Drive, Suite B, Rocklin, California, 95677; at El Dorado County Board of Supervisors Department Meeting Room, 330 Fair Lane, Building A, Placerville, CA 95667; was accessible for viewer participation on the Zoom platform at the following link: https://us06web.zoom.us/i/89967227073 ; and, was live streamed for viewing on the Pioneer website at: https://pioneercommunityenerqy.orq/about-us/meetings-and-agendas/ .
Roll Call
p A Agency Primary Member
X City of Auburn X Chair
Alice Dowdin Calvillo
X County of El Dorado Vice Chair
John Hidahl
X City of Colfax X Sean Lomen
X City of Grass Valley X Tom Ivy
X City of Lincoln X Holly Andreatta
X Town of Loomis X Amanda Cortez
X Nevada City X Gary Petersen
X County of Placer Jim Holmes
X County of Placer Suzanne Jones
X City of Placerville X David Yarbrough
X City of Rocklin Greg Janda
Chair Dowdin Calvillo presided over the meeting.
Agenda Review
or
X
X
X
Reviewed and made no revision to the meeting agenda for July 20, 2023.
Public Comment
Alternate Member
Rachel Radell-Harris
Lori Parlin
Kim Douglass
Jan Arbuckle
Dan Karleskint
Danny Cartwright
vacant
Bonnie Gore
John Clerici
David Bass
There were no comments from members of the public on items not listed on this agenda.
Entry No. 2
Acted on the Consent Agenda as follows:
Approved minutes of the June 15, 2023 regular meeting.
Received Quarterly Financial Reports through May 31, 2023.
Adopted Resolution 2023-19 authorizing the Executive Director to execute an agreement with JSR Strategies, LLC for an amount not to exceed $1,106,360, and authorizing a Fiscal Year 2023-24 budget increase of $350,860 to the Marketing Division.
Adopted Resolution 2023-20 approving the revised Debt Management Policy.
Minutes
July 20, 2023
Received update on Joint Rate Mailer, plans for distribution, and samples of the digital and printed versions.
Appointed Director Petersen to Pioneer Community Energy's Audit & Finance Committee to fill the vacancy created with the departure of Director Heathcock from the Governing Board.
MOTION: Cortez/Andreatta. Vote: 9:0:2.
ROLL CALL: Andreatta, Bass, Cortez, Dowdin Calvillo, Gore, Ivy, Lomen, Petersen, Yarbrough.
No/Abstain: None.
Absent: Jones, Parlin.
Alternate Director Parlin joined the meeting during presentation of Item 2, Partnership with Electrum.
Entry No. 3
Partnership with Electrum
Discussed and provided direction to staff about introducing Electrum to Pioneer Community Energy's customers with the goal of streamlining the decision process in the selection of sustainable technologies for their home or business.
Executive Director introduced Paige Garcia as Pioneer Community Energy Programs Manager.
Heard a presentation from Kyle Cherrick, Electrum.
Executive Director Eckert informed the Board that the next step will be to provide a demonstration to the Community Advisory Committee on July 26, 2023, and then move forward with implementation by January 2024.
The Board approved implementation of the partnership with Electrum by the following vote; and requested staff to provide update once the contract has been executed.
MOTION: Petersen/Andreatta. Vote: 10:0:1.
ROLL CALL: Andreatta, Bass, Cortez, Dowdin Calvillo, Gore, Ivy, Lomen, Parlin, Petersen, Yarbrough.
No/Abstain: None.
Absent: Jones.
Entry No. 4
Communications Plan for Nevada City and City of Grass Valley Received an update on the communications plan for the residents and businesses of Nevada City and City of Grass Valley who will be served by Pioneer Community Energy beginning January 1, 2024.
Executive Director Eckert informed the Board that staff has conducted successful town hall meetings in Nevada City and City of Grass Valley; and introduced Jessica Rhodes of JSR Strategies to provide the Board with an update on communication activities over the next six months.
Heard presentation and discussed expansion activities.
Entry No. 5
Member Agency Approval of New Member(s)
Discussed and provided direction to staff regarding amending Pioneer Community Energy's Amended and Restated Joint Powers Agreement (JPA) to eliminate the requirement that each Member Agency adopt resolutions approving new members to the JPA.
Provided clarification that all amendments would require a 30-day Notice and Board vote; only certain items would also require the Member Agencies to adopt resolutions in approval. The action for consideration would be an action in September to approve a 30-day Notice for vote at the November 16, 2023 meeting. This process will require the Member Agencies to adopt resolutions in approval of the amendment.
There were no objections. The Board agreed by consensus to move forward.
Minutes
July 20, 2023
Entry No. 6
Special Event Sponsorship Policy and Authorizing a Fiscal Year 2023-24 budget increase of $50,000 to the Marketing Division
Adopted Resolution 2023-21 approving the Special Event Sponsorship Policy and authorizing a Fiscal Year 2023-24 budget increase of $50,000 to the Marketing Division as amended to have a cap of $5,000 per recipient; and requested staff to provide quarterly updates on Sponsorship activities.
MOTION: Cortez/Yarbrough. Vote: 10: 0: 1.
ROLL CALL: Andreatta, Bass, Cortez, Dowdin Calvillo, Gore, Ivy, Lomen, Parlin, Petersen, Yarbrough.
No/Abstain: None.
Absent: Jones.
Entry No. 7
Income-Based Fixed Charge
Received an update on the California Public Utilities Commission's (CPUC) proceeding that would impose an income-based fixed charge for investor-owned utilities (IOUs).
Legislative & Regulatory Manager Kolpitcke informed the Board that this charge will be adopted; and staff are watching how it will impact Pioneer customers' bills. Staff will be bringing a plan for customer messaging to the Board in November or December.
Executive Director Eckert informed the Board that CalCCA has not taken a position on this matter.
Legislative & Regulatory Manager Kolpitcke noted that CalCCA's current work sees nothing included for the generation side in the new fee.
Entry No. 8
Heard General Administration Functions, Part II.
Board Member Communications
Committee Vice Chair Dowdin Calvillo reported that on July 11, 2023, that she along with Committee Chair John Hidahl, Greg Janda, and Amanda Cortez attended the Ad Hoc Energy Procurement Review Committee.
Pioneer staff and support including Commercial Counsel, General Counsel and Technical Consultants were also in attendance.
The Committee reviewed, discussed, asked questions, and approved the Executive Director's execution of a long-term capacity contract with Calpine Energy Services that will help Pioneer meet its 2026-2035 resource adequacy requirements; and reviewed, discussed, asked questions, and approved the Executive Director's execution of a long-term capacity contract with Arclight Capital Partners that will help Pioneer meet its 2025- 2030 resource adequacy requirements.
Chair Dowdin Calvillo also reminded the Board that no meeting is scheduled for August; and requested that the September 21, 2023 meeting be moved to September 28, 2023 due to members attending the League of California Cities Conference during that week.
The Board agreed by consensus.
Executive Director Communications
Executive Director Eckert introduced Gina Stassi-Vanacore, Pioneer's new Community Outreach Manager, a resource in expansion activities.
Executive Director Eckert announced that Chair Dowdin Calvillo and Director Petersen will join staff in attending the August 8, 2023 Nevada County Board of Supervisors meeting; and that Pioneer will be celebrating its 5-year anniversary on November 1, 2023.
Minutes
July 20, 2023
Legislative & Regulatory Manager Kolpitcke provided an update on the Biomass Tour of Sierra Pacific Industries in Lincoln scheduled for 9:45 AM on August 30, 2023; and requested the Board confirm their attendance with the Board Clerk.
Informational Items
Received the Glossary of Terms.
Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 4:40 PM.
ATTEST:
Minutes approved as presented by a majority vote of
the Governing Board on September 28, 2023 .
Teresa Willock, Board Secretary