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HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 2412-39502.Purpose & Duties of the Utilities Advisory Commission (UAC) with Key Staff Roles & Responsibilities (Discussion 6:45 PM – 7:45 PM) Staff: Kiely Nose and Alan Kurotori Item No. 2. Page 1 of 1 Utilities Advisory Commission Staff Report From: Alan Kurotori, Utilities Chief Operating Officer Lead Department: Utilities Meeting Date: January 7, 2025 Report #: 2412-3950 TITLE Purpose & Duties of the Utilities Advisory Commission (UAC) with Key Staff Roles & Responsibilities RECOMMENDATION This is a study session with the Utilities Advisory Commission (UAC). No action is required. BACKGROUND The Palo Alto City Council created a Utilities Advisory Commission composed of seven members who shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the city council, but who shall not be council members, officers or employees of the city. Each member of the commission shall be a utility customer or the authorized representative of a utility customer. Six members of the commission shall at all times be residents of the city. (Ord. 5047 § 1 (part), 2009: Ord. 4027 § 1 (part), 1991) This is a study session with the Utilities Advisory Commission about purposes, duties, core responsibilities, stewardship of Utilities Department functions, and update on Utilities Department executive leadership staff. ATTACHMENTS Attachment A: Presentation AUTHOR/TITLE: Alan Kurotori, Utilities Chief Operating Officer JANUARY 7, 2025 www.cityofpaloalto.org/utilities UTILITIES ADVISORY COMMISSION (UAC) STUDY SESSION: Purpose & Duties of the UAC, Key Staff Roles & Responsibilities 2 City of Palo Alto Municipal Code Chapter 2.23 2.23.050 Purposes and duties. (a)The purpose of the utilities advisory commission shall be to advise the city council on present and prospective long-range planning and policy and major program and project matters relating to the electric utility, gas utility, water utility, wastewater collection utility, fiber optics utility and recycled water matters, excluding daily operations. PURPOSE OF THE UAC 3 City of Palo Alto Municipal Code Chapter 2.23 (1)Advise the city council on long-range planning and policy matters pertaining to: (A)Development of the electric utility, gas utility, water utility, wastewater collection utility, fiber optics utility, and the recycled water resource; Examples: - Electric Grid Modernization Project - Fiber-to-the-Premises - One Water Plan - Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) PURPOSE OF THE UAC 4 City of Palo Alto Municipal Code Chapter 2.23 (B)Joint action projects with other public or private entities which involve, affect or impact the utility; Examples: - Agreement with Valley Water for Advanced Recycled Water Treatment Facility - Northern California Power Agency (NCPA) programs and services master agreement (C)Environmental aspects and attributes of the utility; (D)Water and energy conservation, energy efficiency, and demand side management; Examples: - Demand Side Management (DSM) programs, WaterSmart Home Water Reports PURPOSE OF THE UAC 5 City of Palo Alto Municipal Code Chapter 2.23 (2)Review and make recommendations to the city council on the consistency with adopted and approved plans, policies, and programs of any major electric utility, gas utility, water utility, wastewater collection utility, fiber optics utility, or the recycled water resource; Examples: - Time-of-Use Rates - Carbon Neutral Energy Portfolio and Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) - Tier 2 Water Allocation - Wildfire Mitigation Plan - UAC Workplan PURPOSE OF THE UAC 6 City of Palo Alto Municipal Code Chapter 2.23 (3)Formulate and review legislative proposals regarding the utility; (4)Review the utility capital improvement programs, operating budgets and related reserves, and rates, and thereafter forward any comments and recommendations to the finance committee or its successor; Examples: - Large Capital Improvement Programs, Budget and Schedules - Utilities Financial Plans and Rates - Residential Billing Discounts - Fiber Rates and Packages (5)Provide advice upon such other matters as the city council may from time-to-time assign. PURPOSE OF THE UAC 7 UTILITIES DEPARTMENT STAFF PHOTO AUGUST 2024 8 UTILITIES DEPARTMENT Department: 268 staff, 51 FTEs or 19% vacancies Administration •25 staff, 3 vacancies (12%) Customer Support Services •23 staff, 5 vacancies (22%) Resource Management •24 staff, 2 vacancies (8%) Electric-Fiber Utility •105 staff, 31 vacancies (30%) Water-Gas-Wastewater Utility •91 staff, 10 vacancies (11%) 9 Utilities Department Management Utilities Director Chief Operating Officer Alan Kurotori Strategic Business Manager Dave Yuan Customer Support Services Assistant Director Tom Auzenne Resource Management Assistant Director Karla Dailey (Acting) ElectricAssistant Director Jorge Silva Water-Gas-Wastewater Assistant Director Matthew Zucca Communications Manager Catherine Elvert (Acting) Fiber OpticsAssistant Director Darren Numoto 10 Utilities Director •City Hall Governance •Financial Planning and Oversight •Contract Administration •Advocacy •Human Resources •Legislative Affairs: Northern California Power Agency, California Municipal Utilities Association UTILITIES EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP Utilities Chief Operating Officer •Engineering and Operations •Capital Planning, Budgeting, Implementation •Regulatory and Technical Compliance •Utilities Safety and Emergency Response •Legislative Affairs: California Municipal Utilities Association Strategic Business Manager •Utilities Strategic Planning •Budget Management: Staffing •Technology and IT System Projects •Dark fiber optics & fiber internet services •MyCPAU online account platform •Advanced Metering Infrastructure •Outage Management System •Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP): Utilities Billing & SAP 11 Assistant Director, Resource Management •Electric, Gas, Water Supply and Transmission Portfolios •Carbon neutral energy, renewable energy •Water demand forecasting, One Water Plan •Financial Planning and Rates •Customer Programs for Environmental Sustainability •Demand side management, electrification •Legislative and Regulatory Affairs •Key Account Customer Relations •Electric demand load forecasting, customer support UTILITIES FINANCIAL & RESOURCE MANAGEMENT Ribbon cutting for a new utility-scale solar array as part of a power purchase agreement 12 UTILITIES ADMINISTRATION MANAGEMENT Assistant Director, Customer Support Services •Customer Service Call Center •Primary point of contact for customers by phone, email, online •Utility Billing •Account Management •MyCPAU online bill pay •Credit and Collections •Meter Reading Communications Manager •Public & Media Relations •Customer satisfaction, education, marketing •Internal Communications •Emergency & Crisis Communications •E.g.power outages & disruptions •Regulatory Compliance •Safety, public information sharing, public records •External Partners Coordination Utilities Customer Service Call Center Staff Attending Community Earth Day Festival 13 Assistant Director, Water-Gas-Wastewater Utilities •Engineering and Operations •Emergency Response •Water-Gas-Wastewater Collection System •Maintenance and construction •Capital improvement projects •System monitoring and operations •Customer Service (Field Visits) •Water and Gas Metering UTILITIES ENGINEERING AND OPERATIONS Water-Gas- Wastewater Crew showing water leak repair at the Municipal Services Center (MSC)Open House Assistant Director, Electric Utility •Engineering and Operations •Electric System •Grid Modernization Project •Maintenance and construction •Monitoring and operations •Outage Management System (OMS) & emergency response •Customer Service (Field Visits) •Electric Metering Electric Operations Linepersons demonstrating emergency response at the MSC Open House 14 •Utilities Financial Forecasts and Rate Changes •Electric Grid Modernization •Fiber-to-the-Premises •Fiber Rates/Packages •Advanced Metering Infrastructure •Tier 2 Water Allocation •One Water Plan •Wildfire Mitigation Plan •Technology Enhancements •Resiliency •Workforce Recruitment, Retention •Customer Programs Updates •Legislative Initiatives •Council Priorities UAC WORK PLAN – 12 MONTH CALENDAR Shiloh Wind Farm in Solano County, one of CPAU’s early renewable energy projects Questions and Answers, Discussion