Truckee Donner Public Utility District

The meeting began with a roll call and pledge of allegiance. A change to the agenda was noted, specifically pulling workshop item number 17 for later discussion. The board moved through public comment, which had no submissions. Director updates included commentary on infrastructure criticality following recent major water and sewer main breaks in other regions, and positive developments in the renewable energy sector globally. Department updates covered electric reliability metrics for January 2026, showing significant positive change in outage frequency and duration compared to the previous year, though restoration time increased due to specific prolonged outages, including those related to customer-requested hot tub installations. Financial updates presented strong 2025 customer service scores, high issue resolution rates, and announced the receipt of the GFOA Certificate of Excellence award for the 2024 report. Facility updates mentioned ongoing bid processes for building security enhancements and asphalt replacement, and fleet maintenance, including a new studded tire program. Water utility updates addressed an elevated volume of leak reports attributed to snowmelt and thaw conditions. Human Resources recognized a staff member for demonstrating integrity by assisting a customer with a billing issue. The board then moved to consent calendar items 8 through 11.

The meeting included a public comment period where representatives for a property owner addressed the Board regarding securing water service and occupancy for a nearly five-acre parcel located near the Raley's project. They proposed offering bonds to secure the completion of outstanding water looping improvements, estimated at $1.2 million, alongside a direct payment of approximately $270,000 to the District for its portion of the improvement costs, contingent on receiving water service for closing the sale. A separate public hearing was held for the adoption of annual electric and water standby charges for the 2023-2024 fiscal year, confirming that rates remain unchanged, with estimated collections reaching nearly $119,000. The Board also addressed director updates, including expressions of gratitude for employee efforts during the winter season and philosophical discussions on hope, goals, and roadmaps. Finally, the Board unanimously approved the recommended resolutions related to the standby charges and proceeded to the consent calendar items.

The meeting commenced with roll call and the Pledge of Allegiance. Key agenda discussions involved changes to the meeting order, including pulling Department Updates from the main section and moving Workshop Item 17 (Emergency Response and Operation Plan update) to immediately follow the consent calendar. Action Item 12 regarding the development agreement with Tahoe Donner Ski Hill was pulled for later discussion. Public comment was taken on matters not on the agenda. Director updates included appreciation for staff preparing for summer operations and discussions regarding local district meetings on fire season preparedness and the presentation of the District's Greenhouse Gas Assessment to the Climate Transformation Alliance. Recognition of the District by the Town of Truckee for environmental stewardship efforts was also noted. The board then proceeded to approve the consent calendar (Items 8 through 11). The main workshop focused on presenting the proposed Emergency Operations Plan update, developed in contract with Howell Consulting, detailing its structure, compliance requirements under state and federal law, and coordination within the regional emergency management system involving Placer and Nevada Counties, and the Town of Truckee.

The meeting commenced with roll call, noting one director absent, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. Public comment was opened and closed with no speakers. Director updates included an explanation for an absence due to international travel, and positive observations regarding field utility work. Department updates covered significant activity in Sacramento regarding energy affordability, wildfire liability reform, and future energy goals stemming from the NCPA Strategic Issues Conference, as well as advocacy during the CMUA Capital Day. A core value recognition award was presented to Shannon Hoy for strong communication, and event recaps detailed staff wellness activities (meditation and mocktails) and a safety committee field tour of the Martis Valley substation rebuild. Additionally, updates were provided on the SCADA reliability improvement plan, Phase Six of which is going out to bid to expand fiber connectivity. The phone system modernization project, moving to a unified communications platform utilizing Microsoft Teams for telephony, was also detailed as a measure to simplify administration and reduce long-term operational costs. Finally, planning for the district's centennial celebration in 2027 was announced, inviting board member participation in internal planning committees. Updates from the General Manager's office concerned the UAMPS budget process for 2026-2027 and the necessary restructuring of the power pooling agreement, which requires board review by May 1st. The consent calendar items 8 through 12 were approved. Item 13, concerning engineering services for water storage tank rehabilitation projects, was pulled for discussion regarding the process for subsequent rehabilitation or rebuild actions following analysis results.

The regular meeting commenced with roll call and the Pledge of Allegiance. There were no changes to the agenda and no public comment on items not listed on the agenda. Director updates included congratulations to local high school athletes heading to state championships and appreciation for staff efforts during recent wind and construction seasons. Director Aguero shared insights gained from attending a course at Stanford. The main action item involved New Debt Issuance, specifically adopting resolutions for electric utility Certificates of Participation (COPs) and water utilities COPs. The Chief Financial Officer presented the proposed debt issuances, totaling approximately $6 million for electric and nearly $15 million for water, adjusted upwards due to inflation projections. Discussions focused on the timing of the issuance to mitigate interest rate risk, the expected debt service impact relative to historical levels, and compliance with the district's debt goals and rate plans. The first principal payment for the new debt is anticipated in November 2022.