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HomeMy WebLinkAboutLight Comm. 07/02/2019Mansfield Municipal Electric Department Minutes of Light Commissioners Meeting July 2, 2019 RECEIVED TOWN CLERKS OFFICE 2Ulq SEP 2b A 8& 28 Present: Chair Neil Rhein, Vice Chair Frank Delvecchio, Clerk Steve Schoonvj4Aj-jSFIFLD Commissioner Jess Aptowitz and Light Department Manager Joseph Sollecito MIA S S A C H U S E T T S The meeting was held at the Mansfield Town Hall Room 3AB and called to order at 6:03 PM followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. Chair Rhein stated that this meeting is being televised and taped for future broadcast and asked if anyone in the audience was intending to record the meeting to please state their intentions. No one did so. A complete copy of the Board packet containing all documents that are referenced in the minutes is on file at the Mansfield Municipal Electric Department office. Citizens Comments- none Motion: To approve the minutes from the April 29, 2019 and June 5, 2019 Light Commissioners meetings (Delvecchio/Aptowitz) Passes 310 Wireless Attachment Policy — Manager Sollecito read his memo to the Board regarding 5G wireless attachments and the need for the Board to establish a policy. He explained that this documentation includes construction practices as well as practices allowed. For example, MMED would want to do all of the work and if they were not able, they would hire someone to do it. He also explained that MMED would not be responsible for any of the equipment. Manager Sollecito noted that MMED would require electrical restoration as a priority over everything if there was ever an outage. At 6:10 Clerk Schoonveld joined the meeting. Commissioner Aptowitz questioned the aesthetics. He didn't want to be locked into something if the Board didn't like the way it looked just because it did fit the specifications. Manager Sollecito said they would have to meet the construction standards stated. Commissioner Aptowitz asked about the downside of these attachments. Manager Sollecito answered that some have radiation issues but that nothing is proven and noted that this is the way technology is going. Clerk Schoonveld questioned the poles. Manager Sollecito explained that MMED and Verizon are joint owners of the poles. He also added that no one should be operating in the power space without the authorization of MMED for regulatory and safety reasons. Cleric Schoonveld pointed out how horrible some of the examples of the wireless attachments look in the pictures that was provided to the Board. He thinks having a four foot box on every other pole is unacceptable. Commissioner Aptowitz believes they want to adopt something to have in place. Manager Sollecito said that if a wireless carrier comes with an application for ,< i wireless attachment, we could inform them that the Board has not given authorization. However, that would be a very drawn out legal process. Cleric Schoonveld said if they allow someone to put something on their poles then they need to indemnify MMED. He believes they should wait on this and not be one of the first. He thinks they should wait until technology improves and the boxes get smaller. Vice Chair Delvecchio commented that the Board is concerned with aesthetics and also questioned how bad the poles would look. Chair Rhein voiced his concerns about the radiation. He would like more information about it and thinks the Board should know what they are getting into before malting a decision. Manager Sollecito said that the non -thermal effects have never been studied so he too has questions. However, he added that a lot of radiation already comes from our cell phones and other electronics. Chair Rhein questioned some of the wording in the proposed policy such as the wom "prefers". Manager Sollecito assured him there are safeguards for interpretation in the policy. Vice Chair Delvecchio questioned what would happen if they do not have a policy in place and MMED is approached by a wireless carrier. Manager Sollecito said that based on FCC regulations, the Town or MMED would only have sixty days to respond. However, there are significant legal conflicts between the FCC regulation and how Massachusetts laws protect Municipal owned infrastructure of publically owned utilities. Chair Rhein would like to wait until the next meeting to vote on this. Manager Sollecito offered to provide more information and it was decided to table this. MMED Outage Management Map — Manager Sollecito presented an example of an outage management map. He said that based on the storm that occurred in March 2018, getting information out to customers is important. His latest capital request ties into the software that MMED purchased last year and allows outage information to be seen on a map which residents can view on their ipads or phones. Chair Rhein questioned how people would know where to find this information and believed they would probably still be on their phones calling MMED. He noted that power outages are rare in Mansfield and wondered if this was something MMED really needed. Manager Sollecito believes it is very necessary when a significant outage does occur and gives MMED the ability to get information out to customers. Request for Proposal Bid Specifications for Advanced Meter Reading Infrastructure — The other part of the capital request that Manager Sollecito is recommending is the Advanced Meter Reading system. He told the Board that MMED has meters already in place. He has also spoken to Lee Azinheira who is very interested as this could help him too. Clerk Schoonveld questioned the savings in regards to employee costs. Manager Sollecito stated that one meter reader became a lineman and is still on probation but appears to be doing well. He said that MMED will still hire someone to perform electric maintenance and facility maintenance duties as well as some meter reading duties. Commissioner Aptowitz stated that the bottom line is MMED will not have fewer employees. Motion: To approve MMED to solicit bid proposals, as drafted by the `Request for Proposal' bid specifications, to install an advanced meter reading infrastructure at an estimated preliminary budget of $250,000 (Schoonveld/Delvecchio) Passes 4/0 Financials May 2019 — Manager Sollecito told the Board that MMED's new accountant Joe Pereira is doing a great job then he reviewed the financials for May. He reported that the net operating income year-to-date through May is $1,736,363 while non -operating income is $280,218. MMED's operating cash position through May is $14,048,374. Regarding the customer credits, MMED is on track for the $2,000,000. Manager Sollecito said that energy sales are going up in every category. Commissioner Aptowitz asked for a list of both residential and commercial customers who are 90 days past due. Manager Sollecito said that he would send that to the Board the next day. Annual Review Process for General Manager — Commissioner Aptowitz said that Manager Sollecito's last evaluation was done in February 2019. At that time it was agreed they would revisit this on July 1 and that going forward the evaluation would be done in July. Commissioner Aptowitz told Chair Rhein to distribute the evaluation form to the rest of the Board then he would collect them; collate them and then they would have a discussion. Chair Rhein said he would pass out the forms the next day and it was agreed they would be returned by Friday, July 18. Comments from the Commissioners — Commissioner Aptowitz asked if MMED could please take a. look at burnt out streetlights. Manager Sollecito said that all streetlights have been retrofitted to LED and therefore have a much longer life. There shouldn't be any but to please let him know if anyone was aware of any. Commissioner Aptowitz also commented, in regards to the 5G issue, that he has safety concerns about cell phone calls being dropped as a lot of people no longer have house phones. Vice Chair Delvecchio suggested that the Board set some goals and objectives for the Light Department. He would also like to work on the evaluation format for Manager Sollecito. Clerk Schoonveld asked Manager Sollecito for a list of accomplishments like he submitted for his last review. Manager Sollecito said he would but that it would be short as it has only been six months since that review. Chair Rhein questioned the `Green Community' status and would like a more in depth conversation about it. He said he wasn't sure whether this should be addressed as the Light Commissioners or the Select Board. Manager Sollecito suggested discussing it at a Select Board meeting as Town Manager Kevin Dumas is involved. 1 Any Items Not Anticipated by the Chair 48 Hours Prior to this Meeting — Manager Sollecito stated that a public records request went out to all municipals regarding purchased power agreements. He said that the Board must determine whether they want to comply with the request. He noted that IMP Law did the research on this for North Attleboro Electric and they shared the information. Manager Sollecito said he feels the pricing in the contracts is confidential and they shouldn't be disclosing unless the other party in the contract agrees to it. Motion: To withhold the purchased power agreements as part of a public records request as purchased power agreements are proprietary information and therefore should not be disclosed (Schoonveld/Aptowitz) Passes 4/0 Motion: To enter into Executive Session for the following reasons and to return to open session as Select Board: 1) Pursuant to M.G.L. Ch. 164, Section 47D and M.G.L. Ch. 30A, Section 21, Exemption 3, to discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining if an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the bargaining position of the public body and the chair so declares. 2) Pursuant to M.G.L. Ch. 164, Section 47D and M.G.L. Ch. 30A, Section 21, Exemption 6, to consider the purchase, lease or value of real property if the chair declares that an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the negotiating position of the public body. (Schoonveld/Aptowitz) Passes 4/0 Roll Call Vote: Delvecchio-aye; Schoonveld-aye; Rhein -aye and Aptowitz-aye Respectfully submitted: Jacqueline Lee S nature of Clerk Date of Approval F.