The Board meets on the first and third Monday of each month. Meetings begin at 1:00 p.m. and are held in the department conference room at 65 Lafayette Ave, Littleton. Board meetings are open to the public and time is allotted for public comments at each meeting.
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The regularly scheduled Board of Commissioners (BOC) meeting began at 1:00 p.m. on Monday, November 18, 2019 in the Littleton Water and Light (LWL) conference room. Present were Commissioner Peter Cooper, Commissioner Schuyler Sweet, Commissioner Ralph Ross and Superintendent Thomas Considine.
MINUTES REVIEW:
The minutes of the November 4, 2019 regularly scheduled Commissioners meeting were reviewed. Commissioner Sweet made a motion to accept the minutes as presented, seconded by Commissioner Ross.
The vote was in favor of the motion 3-0-0
CUSTOMER AND PUBLIC CONCERNS:
Mr. Dana Fischer representing the Mitsubishi Electric Company discussed heat pumps with the BOC. Mr. Fischer stated that they will be providing Granite Plumbing Group with heat pump equipment and technical support. He claims that with the low electric rates that LWL provides its customers heat pumps could be an excellent alternative heating source to using fuel oil and propane. The home owner would save costs associated with heating their homes and LWL sales would increase as a direct result of heating pump operating on electricity.
The BOC stated that they could not recommend or endorse a certain brand or manufacture. Following some additional discussion Mr. Fischer exited the meeting.
SUPERINTENDENT/ GENERAL MANAGERS REPORT:
1. Preparations are being made for the annual LWL in-house Christmas luncheon and Yankee swap. The caterer has not confirmed their availability to provide the LWL luncheon though the week of December 16th is the most likely.
2. The BOC briefly reviewed and discussed the results of the overhead power line easement evaluation prepared by foresters from the Vermont Electric Company (VELCO). Four (4) foresters physically walked from LWL Pattenville grid tie point to Lafayette Ave and collected the information presented. Several cost estimates were included in the report for LWL to consider that would improve reliability by mitigating outage risk due to vegetation and tree contact with high voltage supply lines.
A proposal capital expenditure will be provided to the BOC for their consideration and inclusion in the 2020 Capital Improvement Plan.
3. Green Street Power provided answers to the questions submitted by LWL with regard to their development of a passive solar array on Mann’s Hill. Following some additional discussion the BOC agreed that before LWL makes a decision that Daymark Energy should provide their comments with regard to the Green Street answers as they have been involved in the evaluation process from the beginning.
4. The employment ad for a Director of Finance and Human Resources was recently posted on the Northeast Public Power Association (NEPPA) website. It is expected that a new employee will begin working early in February 2020 and be involved with the year ended financial account process.
5. A meeting is scheduled at the LWL on Tuesday, November 19, 2019 to review the preliminary design plans (30%) for the demolition of the dam and the restoration of the South Branch of the Gale River. This meeting is a critical phase of the design process as final design will be based on the ensuing discussions.
6. The asbestos demolition inspection was recently completed by GEM Enviro-Tech, Inc and the report was provided LWL. Asbestos was found only in the glazing compound of the windows in the pump house. These windows will be removed in accordance with the applicable waste classification mitigation standards.
GENERAL/ OTHER BUSINESS:
1. The pump test report with regard to the property at the end of Lafayette Avenue was conducted earlier this month, the results should be forth coming. If the results are acceptable with regard to quality and quantity for the development of a public drinking water supply the permitting process would then officially begin. LWL would need to engage the NHDES, NH Rails, and Town of Littleton to officially and fully develop the property.
2. Bid proposals were submitted by five (5) prospective wholesale power supply companies in response to the LWL solicitation for peaking resource in 2021 and 2022. The low bid for 2021 was Next Era Energy at $43.05 MW and Macquarie Energy Supply at $43.75 for 2022. No resources were acquired for 2023 as the hedge limit was reached.
3. Answers were provided to the Town of Littleton (town) and the NH Department of Revenue Administration (DRA) with regard to LWLs financial records and independent operating status separate from the town budgetary process. The questions were solicited by the DRA following a meeting with the town’s attorney and DRA.
4. The LWL preliminary operating budgets for 2020 were presented to the BOC for their review and comment. No action was taken.
ADJOURNMENT:
There being no further business to come before the board Commissioner Sweet made a motion to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Commissioner Ross.
The vote was in favor of the motion 3-0-0.
Meeting adjourned at 2:30 p.m.
The regularly scheduled Commissioner’s meeting is held twice monthly on the first and third Monday, at 1:00 p.m., in the Department’s conference room.