PIONEER COMMUNITY ENERGY
GOVERNING BOARD
MINUTES
January 16, 2025
REGULAR MEETING & PUBLIC HEARING
Entry No. 1
Heard General Administrative Functions - Part I
Call to Order
Pioneer Community Energy Governing Board met in regular session at 3:03 PM on January 16, 2025. 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; for viewer participation on the Zoom platform at the following link: httos://us06web.zoom.us/i/89020017279 ; and, was live streamed for viewing on the Pioneer website at: httos://pioneercommunityenergy.orq/about-us/meetings-and-agendas/.
Roll Call
Present: City of Auburn (Dowd in Calvillo), City of Colfax (Lomen), County of El Dorado (Parlin), City of Grass Valley (Ivy), City of Lincoln (Pearl), Town of Loomis (Ring), Nevada City (Petersen), County of Placer (DeMattei), City of Placerville (Carter), City of Rocklin (Janda).
Absent: County of Placer (Jones).
Chair Dowdin Calvillo presided over the meeting.
Public Report of Closed Session
No reportable action was taken in the matter of Conference with Legal Counsel - Existing Litigation (Government Code §54956.9(d)(l)).
Selection of Chair of the Pioneer Community Energy Governing Board for 2025 Director Ivy nominated Director Dowdin Calvillo to serve as Board Chair for one year.
Director Dowdin Calvillo accepted the nomination.
Director Jc:inda nominated Director Ivy to serve as Board Chair for 2025.
Director Ivy declined the nomination.
MOTION by Director Ivy to elect Director Dowd in Calvillo to serve as Chair of the Pioneer Community Energy Governing Board for one year, effective immediately.
ROLL CALL: Carter, DeMattei, Dowdin Calvillo, Ivy, Janda, Lomen, Parlin, Pearl, Petersen, Ring.
No/Abstain: None.
Absent: Jones.
Vote: 10:0:1
Selection of Vice Chair of the Pioneer Community Energy Governing Board for 2025 Director Ivy nominated Director Janda to serve as Board Vice Chair.
Director Janda accepted the nomination.
There no other nominations .
January 16, 2025 - page 2
MOTION by Director Ivy to elect Director Janda to serve as Vice Chair of the Pioneer Community Energy Governing Board for 2025, effective immediately.
ROLL CALL: Carter, DeMattei, Dowdin Calvillo, Ivy, Janda, Lomen, Parlin, Pearl, Petersen, Ring.
No/Abstain: None.
Absent: Jones.
Vote: 10:0:1
Agenda Review
Reviewed and made no revision to the meeting agenda for January 16, 2025.
Public Comment
There were no comments from members of the public on items not listed on this agenda.
Entry No. 2
Prior to consideration of the Consent Agenda, Board Chair Dowdin Calvillo read aloud the Statutory Disclaimer per Government Code 54953 (c)(3):
Before we move on to taking action on the consent calendar, we need to orally report a summary of the proposed action on our Chief Executive Officer's compensation under the Brown Act. Before the Board, this afternoon, under agenda Item II(l)(d), is a recommendation to approve the fifth amendment to the CEO's
Employment Agreement. This amendment would increase the CEO's salary by 6% effective on January 1, 2025, as a result of the CEO's 2024 performance review. The Amendment makes no other changes to his Agreement.
Acted on the Consent Agenda as follows:
Approved the minutes of the December 19, 2024 meeting.
Received Fiscal Year 2024-25 Draft Financial Reports through November 2024.
Adopted Resolution 2025-1 approving the 2025 Governing Board Meeting Schedule through January 2026.
Adopted Resolution 2025-2 approving Amendment No. 5 to the Employment Agreement for Chief Executive Officer, Donald Eckert.
MOTION: Petersen/Janda. Vote: 10:0:1
ROLL CALL: Carter, DeMattei, Dowdin Calvillo, Ivy, Janda, Lomen, Parlin, Pearl, Petersen, Ring.
No/Abstain: None.
Absent: Jones.
Entry No. 3
Financial Audit Report from Pisenti & Brinker, LLP
Received the Year-End Financial Statements and the Independent Auditor's Report for the Fiscal Year 2023-
24. Found that the audit had been completed with an unmodified opinion and reported that the financial statements are materially accurate with no significant deficiencies or material weakness in internal control noted.
January 16, 2025 - page 3
Chief Executive Officer Eckert acknowledged and expressed his appreciation of Brad Koehn, Director of Finance & Administration, and team.
MOTION: Lomen/Ring. Vote: 10: 0: 1.
ROLL CALL: Carter, DeMattei, Dowdin Calvillo, Ivy, Janda, Lomen, Parlin, Pearl, Petersen, Ring.
No/Abstain: None.
Absent: Jones.
Entry No. 4
Public Hearing and Consideration of Adopting a Resolution Authorizing a Rate Adjustment in 2025
1) Received staff report and presentation; and, 2) Opened the public hearing. There were no written or verbal comments from members of the public. Closed the public hearing.
In December 2024, the Board took action to set rates for 2025 that achieved a 5% minimum discount to PG&E's generation rate based on the assumptions that if final rates released by PG&E resulted in a significant difference to financial projections, staff would bring the item back to the Board in January.
Adopted Resolution 2025-3 approving implementation of Pioneer Community Energy's rates to achieve a minimum 4% discount for 2025 effective March 1, 2025; and rescinding the December 19, 2024 action taken with adoption of Resolution 2024-25 setting a 5% discount.
MOTION: Petersen/Ring. Vote: 8:2: 1.
ROLL CALL: Carter, DeMattei, Dowdin Calvillo, Ivy, Janda, Pearl, Petersen, Ring.
No/Abstain: Lomen, Parlin.
Absent: Jones.
Director DeMattei excused himself from the meeting at 4:05 PM due to a scheduling conflict.
Entry No. 5
Low Carbon Fuel Standard Program
Received a presentation on the Low Carbon Fuel Standard Program and its potential benefits to Pioneer Community Energy's Member Agencies.
Found that the program works by allowing credit generator entities to sell the credits that their low- or zero-emission equipment generates to a deficit generator, such as oil and gas companies that generate deficits due to the emissions of their operations.
The Board directed staff to 1) continue working with FuSE to help support with brokering credits earned by Member Agencies which voluntarily participate in the program; 2) provide a list of specific information required by each jurisdiction; and, 3) to bring the item back to have each Member Agency confirm their participation.
Entry No. 6
Western Placer Waste Management Authority Biomass Project Received an update on Western Placer Waste Management Authority Biomass Project.
As the Pioneer Board of Directors has placed a high priority on developing biomass projects in its service territory to help decrease wildfire risk, provide reliable baseload electricity, and to create local jobs; January 16, 2025 - page 4
accordingly, it is in line with Pioneer's Vision Statement of being a community partner in reliable energy solutions and having a positive local impact, powering today and empowering tomorrow.
Biomass energy is also an important part of Pioneer's portfolio because of its baseload nature that provides energy on a 24/7 basis without interruptions from lack of sunshine or wind. Pioneer continues to work with Western Placer Waste Management Authority and other regional entities on Biomass projects.
Entry No. 7
Heard General Administrative Function - Part II
Board Member Communications
Committee Chair Janda reported that the Audit & Finance Committee met on January 9, 2025.
The Committee approved the meeting minutes of May 9, 2024; and, received a presentation of the Financial Audit from the independent auditor, Pisenti & Brinker; and, found that the audit had been completed with an unmodified opinion based on the independent audit, that the financial statements are materially accurate with no significant deficiencies or material weakness in internal control noted.
The Committee also considered and agreed with recommendation of proposed Procurement Policy Modifications that will be brought to the Board for consideration later; and received a report on the 2025 Rates with impact on Pioneer's contribution margin and discussed options; then, recommended the Minimum 4% Discount Option to the Governing Board.
Board Chair Dowdin Calvillo informed the Board regarding the revised 2025 Governing Board Meeting Schedule approved earlier on the Consent Agenda which included the date of February 27, 2025 for next month's meeting.
Chief Executive Officer Communications
CEO Eckert announced that in the coming months, a Board Workshop and a tour of the CAISO facility in Folsom will be scheduled; and expressed enthusiasm for a good start in 2025 with Pioneer's Programs, Rates, and Procurement .
Items for Information
Received the Glossary of Terms.
Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 4:35 PM.
ATTEST:
Minutes approved as presented by a majority vote
of the Governing Board on February 27, 2025.
Teresa Willock, Board Secretary