Board of Directors Meeting Minutes
Wharfinger Building, Bay Room (downstairs)
1 Marina Way, Eureka, CA 95501
Thursday, October 23 2025
3:30 PM
Attendance
Present
Natalie Arroyo Scott Bauer, Chair (arrived 3:41 p.m.) Carlos Diaz Michael Gerace Skip Jorgensen Heidi Moore-Guynup, Alt. Dir.
Sarah Schaefer (arrived 3:40 p.m.) Frank Wilson Sheri Woo, Vice Chair Absent
Jason Ramos Elise Scafani Jack Tuttle
Staff and Others Present
Name Title
Ken Beals IT Technician
Elizabeth Burks Executive Director
Ronnie Chaussé Acting Finance Manager
Nancy Diamond RCEA Legal Counsel
Richard Engel Power Resources Director
Jocelyn Gwynn Senior Power Resources Manager
Mikael Jakobsson CADEMO Director, Cierco Chairman and Founder Louis Langlois Renewable Properties Director of Origination Lori Taketa Board Clerk
Eileen Verbeck Deputy Executive Director
10/23/25
RCEA Board of Directors Minutes
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Open Session
Vice Chair Woo called a meeting of the Board of Directors of the Redwood Coast Energy Authority to order at the above location and date at 3:38 p.m. Meeting notices were posted on October 17, 2025.
Reports from Member Entities
Director Arroyo thanked staff for their work on the Foster Avenue solar and battery storage project, the ribbon cutting for which she attended. Director Moore-Guynup reported Blue Lake Rancheria meetings with California Energy Commission and California Public Utilities Commission representatives, and on the Rancheria’s application for a National Renewable Energy Laboratory vehicle-to-grid fast-charger grant.
Consent Calendar
4.1. Approve Minutes of September 25, 2025.
4.2. Accept Disbursement Report for August 2025, and Financial Reports for This Fiscal Year Through August 2025.
4.3. Receive Federal Activity Report.
4.4. Receive Regulatory and Legislative Platform Engagement Report.
Chair Bauer began facilitating the meeting. No items were removed from the Consent Calendar.
M/S: Arroyo, Moore-Guynup: Approve Consent Calendar Items.
The motion passed with a unanimous vote. Ayes: Arroyo, Bauer, Diaz, Gerace, Jorgensen, Moore-Guynup, Schaefer, Wilson, Woo. Noes: None. Absent: Scafani, Tuttle. Abstain: None.
Old Business
6.1. CADEMO Central California Offshore Wind Project Loan Term Modifications Executive Director Burks described the CADEMO offshore wind pilot project and RCEA’s loan to keep the project viable while seeking alternate funding. Staff described RCEA loan conditions, repayment timelines, and State of California loans committed during the 2025-26 budget process. CADEMO Director Mikael Jakobsson explained challenges faced by the project company, the project’s budget, timelines and deliverables. The directors inquired about additional funding needed and benefits to area Native American tribes and discussed potential local alternatives for needed research vessels and benefits of funding mechanisms available to Native American tribal corporations. There was no public comment on this item.
M/S: Arroyo, Bauer: Authorize the ad hoc Board CADEMO Loan Subcommittee comprised of members Bauer, Gerace, Scafani, and Woo, to approve revised terms of the Loan Agreement with the CADEMO Corporation (originally executed on July 22, 2025), terms which must continue to ensure to the maximum extent practicable, refundability and security of RCEA funds, and may include revisions to the vehicle for transfer and deposit of funds, duration of loan agreement, and other minor changes that do not impact the refundability or security of the loan.
10/23/25
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Authorize the Executive Director to execute the final, revised, agreement with the CADEMO Corporation.
The motion passed with a unanimous vote: Arroyo, Bauer, Diaz, Gerace, Jorgensen, Moore-Guynup, Schaefer, Wilson, Woo. Noes: None. Absent: Scafani, Tuttle. Abstain: None.
New Business
7.1. Hatchery Road Solar and Storage Power Purchase Agreement Senior Power Resources Manager Gwynn described the renewable energy project in the Blue Lake area which was previously enrolled in RCEA’s Feed-In Tariff program as four separate facilities. Due to a very large and unexpected increase in costs related to electrical grid interconnection, the project developers withdrew from the FIT program. After PG&E performed the costly upgrades, the developer reapplied to provide power to RCEA under a different solicitation. Renewable Properties’ Louis Langlois described the project and the project site’s continued agricultural uses and pollinator habitat benefits. Staff and the developer could not confirm whether grazing would be possible around the solar array. The directors inquired about the project’s above-market power costs, its reliability contribution, the value of long-term contract above-market prices and RCEA’s goal to include locally-generated power in its energy portfolio.
There was no public comment on this item.
Director Moore-Guynup recused herself from the discussion at 4:38 p.m. due to her family’s ownership of the project site.
M/S: Woo, Gerace: Approve Resolution 2025-6 Approving the Form of and Authorizing Execution of the Power Purchase Agreement with RPCA Solar 5 LLC.
The motion passed with a unanimous roll call vote: Arroyo, Bauer, Diaz, Gerace, Jorgensen, Schaefer, Wilson, Woo. Noes: None. Absent: Scafani, Tuttle. Abstain: None. Recused: Moore-Guynup.
Director Moore-Guynup rejoined the meeting at 4:51 p.m.
Staff Reports
8.1. Executive Director’s Report
Executive Director Burks reported on RCEA’s many community outreach efforts and participation in in-person meetings during the past month. The California Community Choice Association will focus on the Power Cost Indifference Adjustment in 2026. The Northern Rural Energy Network members worked on the 2028 business plan which is due early next year. The County of Yolo asked to join NREN. The California Community Power Board is focusing on new technologies like offshore wind and hard to find resources such as geothermal in their joint procurement. Deputy Executive Director Verbeck reported that the Tribal Energy Resilience and Sovereignty project members have not yet been officially notified of their grant termination by the Department of Energy. TERAS partners have agreed to continue project work and are strategizing alternate funding sources. There were no public comments on this agenda item.
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Closed Session
10.1. Conference with Legal Counsel - Pending Litigation Pursuant to Government Code Section 54956.9, Electric Rule 30 (CPUC A.24-11-007).
10.2. Real Property Negotiations Pursuant to Government Code § 54956.8 in re: APN 001-135-007; RCEA negotiator: Executive Director; Owner’s negotiating party: Wells Commercial; Under negotiation: price and terms.
10.3. Public Employee Performance Evaluation, pursuant to Government Code § 54957: Executive Director.
There was no public comment for these closed session items.
Reconvene to Open Session
The RCEA Board of Directors reconvened in open session at 6:02 p.m.
Closed Session Report
Executive Director Burks reported that the Board of Directors authorized the real property negotiations described in closed session item 10.2.
Adjournment
Chair Bauer adjourned the meeting at 6:03 p.m.
Lori Taketa
Board Clerk