MEETING MINUTES
BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2022
8:45 A.M.
___________________________________________________________ ****AB 361****
**RE CORONAVIRUS COVID-19**
CONSISTENT WITH THE PROVISIONS OF AB 361 WHICH SUSPENDED CERTAIN
REQUIREMENTS OF THE BROWN ACT, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS PARTICIPATED IN THE FEBRUARY 3, 2022, MEETING BY TELECONFERENCE.
CALL TO ORDER
Chair Bagby called the meeting to order at approximately 8:52 a.m.
Board Members present: Chair Bagby, Vice Chair King, and Directors Landman, Elward, Slayter, Fudge, Gjerde, and Hopkins. Director Peters was absent.
Directors Rogers and Felder were absent with prior notice.
Staff present: Geof Syphers, Chief Executive Officer; Michael Koszalka, Chief Operating Officer; Stephanie Reynolds, Director of Internal Operations; Neal Reardon, Director of Regulatory Affairs; Rebecca Simonson, Director of Programs; Claudia Sisomphou, Communications and Engagement Manager; and Joshua Nelson, Special Counsel.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS CONSENT CALENDAR
1. Approve January 6, 2022, Draft Board of Directors Meeting Minutes
2. Authorize Extension of SCP Resolution 2021-05 Permitting Remote Teleconference Meetings of the Board of Directors and Community Advisory Committee Pursuant to AB 361
3. Approve 3% Performance-Based Salary Increase for CEO Syphers to be Effective March 1, 2022
4. Delegate Authority to the CEO or His Designee to Execute a Legal Services Agreement with Best Best & Krieger LLP in the Amount Not-To-Exceed of $180,000
Public Comment: None
Vice Chair King asked for a correction to the January 6, 2022, Meeting Minutes, he asked that the spelling of his Alternate Director’s name be corrected to “McDonell.”
Motion to Approve the February 3, 2022, Board of Directors Consent Calendar as amended by Vice Chair King.
Second: Elward
Motion passed by roll call vote:
AYES: Bagby, Landman, King, Elward, Slayter, Fudge, Gjerde, Hopkins NAYES: None
ABSENT: Peters, Rogers, Felder
BOARD OF DIRECTORS REGULAR CALENDAR
5. Appointment of Chair and Vice Chair of the Board for One-Year Terms This Item was bifurcated, and a vote was taken separately on the Chair and Vice Chair positions.
Prior to taking nominations, Chair Bagby shared words of appreciation and highlights from her time as Chair of the Board the previous year.
Motion to Appoint Vice Chair King as Chair for a one-year term by Director Landman
Second: Gjerde
Public Comment: None
Motion passed by roll call vote:
AYES: Bagby, Landman, King, Elward, Slayter, Fudge, Gjerde, Hopkins NAYES: None
ABSENT: Peters, Rogers, Felder
Director Bagby passed Chair duties over to Chair King for the remainder of the meeting; Chair King opened the nominations for Vice Chair.
Motion to Appoint Director Fudge as Vice Chair for a one-year term by Director Hopkins
Second: Bagby
Public Comment: None
Motion passed by roll call vote:
AYES: Bagby, Landman, King, Elward, Slayter, Fudge, Gjerde, Hopkins NAYES: None
ABSENT: Peters, Rogers, Felder
Chair King offered gratitude to former-Chair Bagby, stated his intent to follow her example as Chair, and that he looks forward to working with Vice Chair Fudge and SCP staff going forward.
6. Receive Internal Operations and Monthly Financial Report and Provide Direction as Appropriate
Stephanie Reynolds, Director of Internal Operations, gave an update on the temporary Closure of the Advanced Energy Center (AEC) and clarified that the AEC is still giving private tours and tours can be scheduled. Director Reynolds expanded that the previous week the AEC hosted a tour with the Economic Development Board and stated that Center staff has been working on facility upgrades during the closure. She gave an update on the California Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Project (CalEVIP) and stated that the first charging stations will be opening in 2022.
Geof Syphers, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), touched on financials through November 2021. He stated that a key item in the financials is that SCP is still under collecting from customers, but the gap is closing.
Director Gjerde asked for a contact for SCP’s CalEVIP program.
Public Comment: None
7. Receive Legislative and Regulatory Updates and Provide Direction as Appropriate
Neal Reardon, Director of Regulatory Affairs, started by reminding the Board that the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) will vote on PG&E’s proposed rate changes on February 10, 2022. He explained that with this vote, PG&E’s bundled rates will go up significantly and the Power Charge Indifference (PCIA) exit fee will go down significantly. If the Proposed Decision is approved, PG&E will implement the new rates on March 1, 2022. In turn, SCP will expect to implement rate adjustments on April 1, 2022.
CEO Syphers discussed Governor Newsom’s budget proposal on climate related activities. He discussed Senator McGuire’s Climate Emergency Resolution and SCP filed a letter of support. He discussed Net Energy Metering (NEM) reform, expected to be voted on February 10, 2022 by the CPUC, which has been criticized for having a negative effect on rooftop solar installations. CEO Syphers continued that rooftop solar coalitions and homeowners have filed a state ballot initiative with the Secretary of State to have all solar compensated at retail.
Director Bagby acknowledged the hard work of SCP staff and requested that the Board address the NEM issue.
Director Landman requested that the Board discuss rooftop solar and take a position on the NEM proposal.
Director Slayter requested information about what is coming from the Governor’s office regarding rooftop solar.
Director Hopkins asked SCP to take a side on the rooftop solar issue.
Vice Chair Fudge explained that the Town of Windsor has taken the rooftop solar issue on and asks the Board take up the issue.
Director Bagby advised staff to craft a letter regarding rooftop solar and requested the Chair and Vice Chair meet and confer to get the letter out.
Director Gjerde, Director Slayter, and Director Landman supported sending a letter opposing the current NEM reform proposal.
Chair King supported sending an opposition letter and added that at the January 24, 2022 Petaluma City Council Meeting, the Council sent an opposition letter.
Public Comment: Barry C. Lawrence submitted the written comment below:
“Dear Board Members:
I am an Evergreen, Drive EV, Grid Savvy, Net Green, EV-A customer with a home solar system including power wall-backup as well as an electric vehicle using a charger provided by SCP. The last two years I have sold SCP my solar excess electricity. We have a mutually beneficial relationship.
As a Sonoma Clean Power customer and a household, I am concerned about the Possible fact that PG&E thru the PUC wants to implement a $57/Month ($684/Yr.) penalty charge for solar ownership, cut solar credits for clean energy sent to the grid by 80% and roll back existing protections and agreements to solar users.
They incorrectly claim the current setup disallows low-income people from acquiring a solar system. This is absolutely wrong assumption.
I am a low-income Senior living on fixed income of less that $3,500/mo. income! I acquired my system thru Sonoma county’s Energy and sustainability Division. No credit check low interest rate and only two yearly payments paid thru one’s property tax and with some tax credits involved I was able to get a nice solar system installed.
This PUC proposal would increase my monthly bill to PG&E and would definitely affect my income.
Please use your influence with Governor Newsom and the PUC to stop these proposals and to work on measures that promote, support, and continue to encourage the deployment of clean solar energy. That’s what SCP is all about.
The PUC’s (PG&E’s) measures are short sighted, punitive, and regressive and go back on their 20-year agreement with us solar installers. We need clean progressive energy measures and legislation to save our environment. Not additional punitive extra monthly charges and changing already agreed upon protections.
Sincerely,
Barry C. Lawrence
Petaluma
Sonoma County has the highest solar installations per capita in the entire United States including a new one on Sonoma Mountain (mine). Sonoma Clean Power EverGreen is now 50% geothermal and 50% solar!”
8. Approve Parameters to Establish New Customer Rates for Implementation Following Certain Changes to Customer Exit Fees on or After March 1, 2022 CEO Syphers began with a recap of rate changes in the past and explained that the last several years SCP has had to adopt rates that are reactive because SCP does not have details about PG&E rate changes typically until the day they implement them. He explained that this year will likely be no different and we expect implementation of PG&E’s rate changes on March 1, 2022. He further stated that this year’s rate changes will include a dramatic decrease in the PCIA, but there will also be a significant increase in PG&E’s other rates including distribution, generation and a wildfire fund. CEO Syphers recommended establishing rates as soon after March 1, 2022 as possible, which for SCP would be April 1, 2022.
Director Landman stated that there is a difference between a 3% and a 5% rate change and that one of SCP’s goals was to provide clean energy at a lower price.
Director Slayter inquired if PG&E’s delivery costs are audited. Director Reardon replied that yes, they are through General Rate Case (GRC) applications.
At approximately 10:04 a.m., Director Rogers entered the meeting.
Public Comment: None
Director Bagby amended her motion to limit the changes to customer rates to be capped such that SCP customers would be limited to paying 3% above total bundled service bills.
Motion to Approve Parameters to Establish New Customer Rates for Implementation Following Certain Changes to Customer Exit Fees on or After March 1, 2022, as amended, by Director Bagby.
Second: Landman
Motion passed by roll call vote:
AYES: Bagby, Landman, King, Elward, Rogers, Slayter, Fudge, Gjerde, Hopkins
NAYES: None
ABSENT: Peters, Felder
9. Empower Update – Engaging Youth
Claudia Sisomphou, Communications and Engagement Manager, began with a background on Empower SCPs outreach program and introduced the fourth category “Engaging Youth.” She explained that topics for engaging youth include: climate change, education for students and their households, and she requested ideas from the Board.
Director Elward stated that elementary schools should be targeted.
Director Landman recommended bolstering some programs already in place, such as the Sonoma Water energy education partnership, and make equity a priority.
Director Bagby supported a video program with the youth and requested Sisomphou reach out to discuss programs in Northern Sonoma County.
Director Fudge asked SCP to reach out to the Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) and join their educational efforts.
Chair King requested more live events and field trips to the AEC.
Director Bagby suggested meeting the community where they are and suggested joining meetings from other organizations such as the Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition.
Director Hopkins requested outreach to West County activist clubs to gather student leaders. She inquired if we have Community Advisory Committee (CAC) youth members. CEO Syphers answered that while we do not, we do have younger members on the Committee now.
Public Comment:
Madge Strong inquired as to what was happening in Mendocino County.
Sisomphou said she would reach out and have a conversation offline.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEMBER ANNOUNCEMENTS
None
PUBLIC COMMENT ON MATTERS NOT LISTED ON THE AGENDA
Public Comment: None
ADJOURN
Chair King adjourned the meeting at approximately 10:34 a.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
Darin Bartow, J.D.
Clerk of the Board