Redwood Coast Energy Authority
633 3rd Street, Eureka, CA 95501
Phone: (707) 269-1700 Toll-Free (800) 931-7232 Fax: (707) 269-1777 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.redwoodenergy.org
BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING MINUTES
March 24, 2022 - Thursday, 3:30 p.m.
Notice of this meeting was posted on March 19, 2022. Vice Chair Chris Curran called a regular meeting of the Board of Directors of the Redwood Coast Energy Authority to order on the above date at 3:34 p.m., stating that the teleconference meeting was being conducted pursuant to the AB 361 Brown Act open public meeting law revisions signed into law on September 16, 2021, and Governor Newsom’s State of Emergency Proclamation of March 4, 2020. Vice Chair Curran stated that the posted agenda contained public teleconference meeting participation instructions.
PRESENT: Chair Stephen Avis (arrived 3:43 p.m.), Scott Bauer, Vice Chair Chris Curran, Alternate Director Michelle Fuller, David Grover, Mike Losey, Sarah Schaefer, Frank Wilson (arrived 4:06 p.m.), Mike Wilson. ABSENT: Sheri Woo. STAFF AND OTHERS PRESENT:
Regulatory and Legislative Policy Manager Aisha Cissna, Demand Side Management Director Stephen Kullmann, Executive Director Matthew Marshall; Deputy Executive Director Eileen Verbeck, Account Services Manager Sally Regli; Community Strategies Manager Nancy Stephenson; Clerk of the Board Lori Taketa.
REPORTS FROM MEMBER ENTITIES
Director Grover reported that this was his last RCEA meeting and that an alternate would be appointed before this Board’s next meeting. Vice Chair Curran thanked Director Grover for his service.
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
Solar power developer and installer Ryan Pickering requested the Board and agency support PG&E’s sale of, and a new owner’s continued operation of the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant, which produces 20% of the electrons used on PG&E’s portion of the grid, as a non-fossil fuel grid stabilizing energy source. Mr. Pickering previously supported achieving 100% renewable energy but changed his position when learning that doing so requires overbuilding renewable sources to 600% of grid usage. Mr. Pickering cited two sections of Meredith Angwin’s book “Shorting the Grid,” which state that 1 MW of fossil fuel energy source installation is needed for every .88 MW of renewable energy generation installed to provide quick-reacting capacity and grid reliability.
Community Advisory Committee Chair Dennis Leonardi thanked the Board for reappointing CAC members at its last meeting, stating that he looked forward to working with the Board and CAC in the coming year. Chair Leonardi thanked the Board for including the CAC as part of the agency’s work process.
Vice Chair Curran closed the oral communications portion of the meeting.
CONSENT CALENDAR
3.1 Approve Minutes of February 24, 2022, Board Meeting.
RCEA March 24, 2022, Board of Directors Meeting Minutes
3.2 Approve Disbursements Report.
3.3 Accept Financial Reports.
3.4 Authorize extension of Resolution No. 2022-2 Ratifying Governor Newsom’s March 4, 2020, State of Emergency Proclamation and Authorizing Remote Teleconference Meetings of RCEA’s Legislative Bodies, for the Extension Period March 27, 2022, Through April 25, 2022, Pursuant to Brown Act Revisions of AB 361.
3.5 Approve Selection of Caselle Hosted Software to Provide Financial and Payroll Software to RCEA for an Amount Not to Exceed $22,045 for Purchase and Implementation and $23,868 Annually for Maintenance and Support. Authorize the Executive Director to Prepare and Execute a Professional Services Agreement with Caselle for These Services.
No member of the Board or public requested items to be removed from the consent calendar.
M/S: Losey, Grover: Approve the consent calendar items.
The motion passed with a unanimous roll call vote. Ayes: Bauer, Curran, Fuller, Grover, Losey, Schaefer, M. Wilson. Noes: None. Absent: Avis, F. Wilson. Abstain:
None.
Vice Chair Curran confirmed there was a quorum to conduct Community Choice Energy business.
OLD CCE BUSINESS
5.1 Demand Reduction Incentive Program Pilot Program Summary – Information only Account Services Manager Sally Regli reported on the Demand Reduction Incentive Program (DRIP) pilot program which enrolled four large business customers across the construction, grocery and entertainment sectors and encouraged them to reduce energy usage during peak energy use periods. The program goal was to reduce usage by 10% to contribute to grid stabilization. Enrolled businesses were offered a $0.25 bill credit for each kWh cut from normal usage rates.
The pilot program did not meet its load reduction and customer enrollment goals. An interdepartmental demand-response staff working group is investigating third-party, automated energy use reduction tools to make load reduction easier for customers, assessing which tools fit RCEA customers best and determining the necessity of an in-house program to provide these tools. Staff has set 2023 as a target date to reimplement a demand reduction incentive program that incorporates lessons learned from the pilot project. The directors discussed how the rising cost of electricity may be the biggest incentive for energy reduction and how a participant survey showed the program helped participating businesses focus more on their energy usage.
Chair Avis thanked Vice Chair Curran for facilitating the beginning of the meeting.
There were no responses from the public to Chair Avis’ invitation for comment. Chair Avis closed the public comment period.
RCEA March 24, 2022, Board of Directors Meeting Minutes
NEW BUSINESS
8.1.Regulatory and Legislative Policy Platform Adoption Regulatory and Legislative Policy Manager Aisha Cissna presented RCEA's inaugural 2022 policy platform. RCEA’s advocacy is primarily at the state level but is beginning to involve federal regulatory advocacy with the offshore wind project. The policy platform does not cover local regulatory or legislative advocacy. The purpose of the policy platform is to help achieve RCEA's RePower strategic plan goals, to maintain RCEA program operation, and to make advocacy more efficient. Manager Cissna highlighted different advocacy areas, citing examples of upcoming issues in which RCEA may want to engage. For regulatory matters, the Executive Director or designated staff would follow platform, strategic plan and mission guidelines when conducting agency advocacy. For legislative advocacy, the Board Chair and Vice-Chair would determine whether the action aligns with the platform, then authorize action.
The full Board would receive quarterly advocacy action reports and review and provide input on the policy platform annually. Actions not covered by the policy platform would be discussed by the full Board prior to action.
The directors discussed the process for approving legislative advocacy actions and inquired about establishing a government affairs committee to allow directors beyond the chair and vice-chair to consider agency advocacy. The challenge of responding quickly to bill changes through a standing committee subject to Brown Act open meeting laws was discussed. The directors expressed the need to join industry or government agency groups such as the Local Government Commission/CivicWell, and to stay abreast of California State Association of Counties and the League of California Cities’ policy platforms to monitor for opposing positions and lobby effectively as a group. It was noted that RCEA is a California Community Choice Association member and Executive Director Marshall’s current role as CalCCA Chair ensures RCEA’s perspective is considered despite the agency’s relatively small customer base. Much of CalCCA’s membership dues go toward legislative advocacy. Directors expressed confidence that Executive Director Marshall would inform Board directors of advocacy issues requiring full Board discussion should time allow. Directors may also provide feedback on this process as it moves forward.
Chair Avis invited public comment. There were no comments from the public. Chair Avis closed the public comment period.
M/S: Grover, Losey: Approve 2022 RCEA Policy Platform.
The motion passed with the following roll call vote. Ayes: Avis, Bauer, Curran, Fuller, Grover, Losey, Schaefer, M. Wilson. Noes: None. Absent: None. Abstain: F. Wilson.
STAFF REPORTS
9.1.Report from Executive Director Matthew Marshall
RCEA is planning a celebration of the CCE program’s fifth anniversary on Earth Day in April.
Details will be announced soon. Mr. Marshall inquired whether the directors would like the monthly agency reports to be sent to member agency clerks or other staff members to help them stay abreast of RCEA’s work. A sizeable Humboldt County contingent made up of Cal Poly Humboldt, Harbor District, County, local tribe and union representatives, will be participating in an offshore wind conference in San Francisco next week. Executive Director RCEA March 24, 2022, Board of Directors Meeting Minutes
Marshall will be on paternity leave starting in late April. Deputy Executive Director Eileen Verbeck will be the acting Executive Director in his absence.
There were no responses from the public to Chair Avis’ invitation for comment. Chair Avis closed the public comment period.
FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
There were no requests for future agenda items from the directors or the public. Executive Director Marshall informed the late-arriving directors of the public comment regarding support for the Diablo Canyon nuclear facility’s continued operation.
CLOSED SESSION
After receiving no public comment on the closed session agenda item, the directors adjourned to closed session at 4:29 p.m. to discuss:
13.1. Conference with real property negotiators pursuant to Government Code § 54956.8 in re: APN 001-115-007; RCEA negotiator: Executive Director; Owner’s negotiating party:
Disiere & Associates and Harris Plaza Properties; Under negotiation: price and terms.
The directors reconvened in open session at 4:43 p.m. Chair Avis stated that there was nothing to report out from closed session.
The meeting was adjourned at 4:44 p.m.
Lori Taketa
Clerk of the Board