10.2 Cost of Living Salary Adjustment
Deputy Executive Director Verbeck described Gallagher Benefit Services’ current classification and compensation study, and the inclusion of the biennial salary survey in the vendor’s scope of work. Staff recommend a cost-of-living salary adjustment for all employees except for the Executive Director while waiting for Gallagher’s report in September. The increase will be factored into any recommended adjustments in that report. The $300,000/year cost is included in this year’s proposed budget. No member of the public commented on this item.
M/S: Wilson, Arroyo: Direct staff to pause completing an internal biennial salary survey until the results and recommendations of the classification and compensation study have been received from Gallagher Consulting.
Approve an update to the RCEA staff salary schedule including a 6% COLA salary adjustment effective July 1, 2025.
The motion passed with a unanimous vote. Ayes: Arroyo, Bauer, Gerace, Jorgensen, Scafani, Schaefer, Tuttle, Wilson, Woo. Noes: None. Absent: Diaz, Ramos. Abstain: None.
10.3 RCEA Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Budget
Executive Director Burks reviewed the coming year’s budget priorities and explained the Reserve Policy’s goal of 180 days of unrestricted cash on hand, which will reduce the agency’s operating expenses and risk. RCEA holds $23.4 million of unrestricted cash in reserves with a current goal of $33.1 million. The proposed budget would increase the reserve fund by $5 million. The directors expressed appreciation for the new, written budget narrative, which helps explain the work staff members perform. There were no public comments on this agenda item.
M/S: Schaefer, Bauer: Adopt the proposed RCEA Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Budget.
The motion passed with a unanimous vote. Ayes: Arroyo, Bauer, Gerace, Jorgensen, Scafani, Schaefer, Tuttle, Wilson, Woo. Noes: None. Absent: Diaz, Ramos. Abstain: None.
NEW BUSINESS
11.1 CADEMO Central California Offshore Wind Project
Executive Director Burks described RCEA’s interest and involvement in offshore wind to date.
Cierco Energy Founder and Managing Director Mikael Jakobsson introduced the CADEMO offshore wind project off Vandenburg Space Force Base and the project’s current, unique position among other American offshore wind projects. California Community Power’s Director of Origination, Philippe Gerretsen, described the community choice aggregator joint powers agency’s engagement with the CADEMO project. The directors discussed the project’s engagement with and the decision-making authority of the Santa Ynez Band of the Chumash Indians, in whose ancestral waters the project is located; required federal and state approval processes; and environmental community responses to the project. Potential costs to RCEA, financial risks, and internal budget categories funding the loan were clarified. Fortuna Mayor Mike Johnson, participating as a member of the public, requested Humboldt County resident August 20, 2025
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workforce development opportunities with the CADEMO project in consideration of RCEA’s loan and in anticipation of offshore wind deployment here. Chair Bauer, Vice Chair Woo, and Directors Gerace and Scafani volunteered to serve on an ad hoc committee to approve or decline the financial agreement. There were no comments from the public.
M/S: Woo, Jorgensen: Authorize an expenditure not to exceed $1,100,500 for the PG&E Second Interconnection Facilities Security Posting for the CADEMO Offshore Wind Project in central California.
And, to Create an ad hoc Board subcommittee to approve or decline:
The final terms of expenditure of a short-term agreement with the CADEMO Corporation, through December 12, 2025, to ensure to the maximum extent practicable, refundability and security of RCEA funds; The vehicle for transfer and deposit of funds; and Authorize ED to execute final short-term agreement with the CADEMO Corporation.
The motion passed with a unanimous vote. Ayes: Arroyo, Bauer, Gerace, Jorgensen, Scafani, Schaefer, Tuttle, Wilson, Woo. Noes: None. Absent: Diaz, Ramos. Abstain: None.
11.2 Northern Rural Energy Network Efficiency Program Implementation Contracts Executive Director Burks reported that NREN implementation contracts are nearing execution readiness and the current pre-launch contracts will expire on June 30. Implementation agreement material terms were reviewed. There were no public comments on this item.
M/S: Arroyo, Bauer: Approve the material terms for NREN Program Implementation Agreements with NREN General Partners through December 2027 with a not to exceed amount for task order services through December 2025 of $2,000,000 for Sierra Business Council, $350,000 for Lake Area Planning Council, and $350,000 for Mendocino Council of Governments; and authorize the Executive Director to execute all applicable documents pending Legal Counsel review.
The motion passed with a unanimous vote. Ayes: Arroyo, Bauer, Gerace, Jorgensen, Scafani, Schaefer, Tuttle, Wilson, Woo. Noes: None. Absent: Diaz, Ramos. Abstain: None.
11.3 RePower Local Procurement Goal
Senior Power Resources Manager Gwynn explained RCEA’s 100% local, net-zero-carbonemission renewable sources power mix by 2030 goal from the agency’s 2019 RePower Humboldt Strategic Plan. Local, renewable resources meet 22% of RCEA’s electricity load, but Humboldt Sawmill Company biomass power provides 18% of RCEA’s energy load through a contract ending in 2031. Other factors make achieving the 100% local goal financially unfeasible, including: the high cost of local renewable project development, resistance to local development; grid transmission constraints; a relative lack of local, skilled union labor; and the delay of offshore wind development. Staff requested amending RCEA’s strategic plan’s local goals to provide immediate power procurement guidance while the agency prepares for its next strategic plan update.
August 20, 2025
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Members of the public Martha Walden, Walter Paniak, and the Humboldt Coalition for Clean Energy submitted written comments requesting the addition of the word “clean” to RCEA’s 100% renewable by 2025 goal. The commenters defined clean as excluding local biomass power. It was clarified that staff’s proposed changes were to the 100% local, net-zero-carbon-emission renewable sources by 2030 goal, removing the restriction of only using local sources. The directors requested clarification of “clean” and state net-zero-carbon-emission renewable resources definitions when updating RCEA’s strategic plan and re-establishing a virtual power plant program to aggregate privately-owned battery storage as a local power resource. Chair Bauer closed the public comment period.
M/S: Arroyo, Gerace: Adopt Resolution 2025-4 Adopting the Target of a 100% Renewable Electricity Mix by 2030 and Addendum 2025-A to the RePower Humboldt Comprehensive Action Plan for Energy, amending the local procurement goal in RCEA’s Strategic Plan and removing “strive to” from the proposed local renewable energy development language.
The motion passed with a unanimous vote. Ayes: Arroyo, Bauer, Gerace, Jorgensen, Scafani, Schaefer, Tuttle, Wilson, Woo. Noes: None. Absent: Diaz, Ramos. Abstain: None.
STAFF REPORTS
12.1 Executive Director’s Report
Executive Director Burks reported that Ignite Energy’s Flycatcher Battery Energy Storage System and Renewable Properties’ Hatchery Road Solar and Storage projects made RCEA’s Local Distributed Energy Storage Resources solicitation shortlist. Each project’s location was shown.
RCEA and Schatz Energy Research Center’s Battery Energy Storage public workshop will be held on Wednesday, July 23, from 5:30 p.m. at Arcata’s D Street Neighborhood Center. There were no public comments on this report.
Chair Bauer adjourned the meeting at 6:11 p.m.
Lori Taketa
Board Clerk
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ADJOURN
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