1 VALLEY CLEAN ENERGY ALLIANCE
Staff Report – Item 4
TO: Board of Directors
FROM: Alisa Lembke, Board Clerk / Administrative Analyst SUBJECT: Approval of Minutes from special January 27, 2022 meeting DATE: February 10, 2022
RECOMMENDATION
Receive, review and approve the attached January 27, 2022 special meeting Minutes.
VCEA Minutes January 27, 2022 Board Special Meeting via Webinar Page 1 of 4
MINUTES OF THE VALLEY CLEAN ENERGY ALLIANCE
BOARD OF DIRECTORS SPECIAL MEETING
THURSDAY, JANUARY 27, 2022
The Board of Directors of the Valley Clean Energy Alliance duly noticed their special meeting scheduled for Thursday, January 27, 2022 at 5:00 p.m., to be held via Zoom webinar. Chair Carson established that there was a quorum present and began the meeting at 5:02 p.m.
Board Members Present: Dan Carson, Jesse Loren, Don Saylor, Gary Sandy, Wade Cowan, Lucas Frerichs
Members Absent: Mayra Vega, Tom Stallard
Welcome Chair Carson welcomed everyone.
Election of
Officers for 2022
Director Lucas Frerichs nominated Jesse Loren to serve as the 2022 Chair of the VCE Board, seconded by Director Wade Cowan. Motion passed with Directors Mayra Vega and Tom Stallard absent.
Motion made by Director Don Saylor nominating Mayra Vega as 2022 Vice Chair, seconded by Director Lucas Frerichs. After a brief discussion, motion was withdrawn.
Chair Jesse Loren nominated Tom Stallard to serve as the 2022 Vice Chair of the VCE Board, seconded by Director Dan Carson. Motion passed with Directors Mayra Vega and Tom Stallard absent.
Chair Jesse Loren read an honorary proclamation recognizing Dan Carson for his service as Chair.
Public Comment
– General and
Consent
Chair Loren opened the floor for public comment for items not listed on the agenda and items listed on the Consent Agenda.
Gerry Braun provided a verbal public comment on the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) considering proposed changes on the utility rates that apply to roof top solar equipment owners. Mr. Braun encourages VCE to do the same as the City Davis Council did on offering thoughtful and measurable input on the proposed changes and he asks that VCE do more. He encourages VCE to have active engagement with the retail solar industry and VCE’s customers.
VCEA Minutes January 27, 2022 Board Special Meeting via Webinar Page 2 of 4 Board Clerk informed those present that there were no written comments.
Approval of
Consent Agenda
(Resolutions
2022-001 through
2022-004)
Motion made by Director Lucas Frerichs to approve the consent agenda, seconded by Director Wade Cowan. Motion passed with Directors Vega and Stallard absent. The following items were approved, ratified, and/or received:
3. continue remote public meetings as authorized by Assembly Bill 361;
4. November 10, 2021 Board special meeting Minutes;
5. 2022 Long Range Calendar;
6. A) Financial Updates – October 31, 2021 and B) November 30, 2021 financials (unaudited) financial statements;
7. Legislative update;
8. January 19, 2022 Regulatory update provided by Keyes & Fox;
9. January 19, 2022 Customer Enrollment update;
10. Community Advisory Committee November 18, 2021 and December 16, 2021 meeting summaries;
11. Community Advisory Committee 2021 Year End Report;
12. Amendment 26 to the Sacramento Municipal Utilities District Task Order 2 to implement VCE 2022 rate configuration (Resolution 2022- 001);
13. copy of signed Amendment 3 to Jim Parks Consulting agreement extending term through June 30, 2022;
14. Near-term Procurement Directives and Delegations for 2022 Power Procurement Activities (Resolution 2022-002);
15. extension of credit agreement to February 28, 2022 with River City Bank (Resolution 2022-003);
16. 2022 Legislative Platform;
17. support of Senate Bill 833 (Dodd) Community Energy Resilience Act of 2022;
18. temporary use of up to $200,000 of the program reserve fund to initiate the Ag FIT (Flexible Irrigation Technology) dynamic pricing pilot; and,
19. GHG Free Attributes for 2022 accepting large hydro and rejecting nuclear (Resolution 2022-004).
Item 21: Receive
Marketing and
Outreach 2021
Interim General Manager Mitch Sears introduced this item. VCE Staff Rebecca Boyles provided a slide presentation summarizing marketing and outreach efforts in 2021.
VCEA Minutes January 27, 2022 Board Special Meeting via Webinar Page 3 of 4 year-in review
presentation.
(Informational)
The Board discussed: the need for targeted and specific outreach efforts to customers for each of VCE’s jurisdictions; increased engagement on social media to build brand awareness and opt ups, including efforts to have each jurisdiction opt up their (building) accounts.
There were no written or verbal public comments.
Item 22:
Overview of 2022
draft budget and
customer rates.
Mr. Sears provided an update on the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) filing process and the revised timeline for a decision on Power Charge Indifference Adjustment (PCIA) and PG&E rates. CPUC will be making a decision at their Commission meeting scheduled for February 10th, the same day as the Board’s next regular meeting. Mr.
Sears reviewed the background, 2022 customer rate and budget scenarios, Community Advisory Committee’s January 20, 2022 updated recommendation on this item, and next steps.
The Board briefly discussed: impacts to customers, rate structure clarification, timing of re-evaluation of rates, rebates, and programs, and outreach efforts to customers explaining increases.
There were no verbal or written public comments.
Item 23: Board
Member and
Staff
Announcements
Director Saylor provided the status on Yolo County’s SACOG projects and informed those present that contracts were signed for three (3) Yolo County buildings where electric vehicle charging stations will be installed.
Director Carson informed those present that the Davis City Council in response to local comments received, adopted a resolution asking that the proposed decision on Net Energy Metering (NEM) 3.0 be put on hold as more information and analysis is needed.
Director Saylor informed those present that Yolo County sent a letter also asking that the proposed decision on NEM 3.0 be placed on hold.
Chair Loren informed those present that the City of Winters installed electric vehicle (EV) charging stations with assistance from the SACOG grant. In addition, the city passed ordinances limiting the time an EV owner could use the charger. Lastly, she noted that users of the EV chargers are paying for the electric at the site.
VCEA Minutes January 27, 2022 Board Special Meeting via Webinar Page 4 of 4 Mr. Sears informed those present that Staff have been discussing and analyzing potential impacts to customers of NEM 3.0. Staff will continue to analyze impacts to VCE’s customers.
Mr. Sears informed those present that next week he will be attending the groundbreaking at the Aquamarine site, of which VCE has contracted for 50 Megawatts of energy.
Mr. Sears thanked VCE Staff Rebecca Boyles and Sierra Huffman for all of their work on the AgFIT program.
Adjournment Chair Loren announced that the Board’s next regular meeting is scheduled for Thursday, February 10, 2022 at 5 p.m. She announced that the Board will convene into Closed Session and that it is anticipated there will be nothing to report out of closed session. Chair Loren adjourned the regular Board meeting at 6:32 p.m. to go into Closed Session.
CLOSED SESSION:
Public Employee
Performance
Evaluation (Gov.
Code Section
54957)
The Board entered into Closed Session at 6:35 p.m. Closed session ended at 7:14 p.m.
Alisa M. Lembke
VCEA Board Secretary