City of Columbia, Missouri  
Meeting Minutes  
Water and Light Advisory Board  
701 E Broadway  
Conference Room  
1A/1B  
Wednesday, September 11, 2024  
8:00 AM  
Regular  
I. CALL TO ORDER  
Mr. Fracica called the meeting to order at 8:01 a.m.  
Staff: Sarah Talbert, Assistant Director Utilities-Rates and Fiscal Planning; David  
Sorrell, Utilities Director; Erin Keys, Acting Assistant Director-Electric; Todd  
McVicker, Acting Utility Services Manager; Steve Hunt, Assistant Director-Water;  
Matt Nestor, Public Information Specialist; Earl Krauss, Assistant City Counselor;  
Ron Wyble, Electric Production Superintendent; Deepayan Debnath, Economist  
Supervisor; Leslie Nguyen, Fellow from Federal Department of Energy; Christina  
Weaver, Assistant Technician II  
Public: Jim Windsor, Mike Murphy  
5 - Thomas Jensen, David Switzer, Gregg Coffin, Philip Fracica and Jennifer Coleman  
Present:  
II. INTRODUCTIONS  
A round robin was done for introductions.  
III. APPROVAL OF AGENDA  
Mr. Philip Fracica made a motion to approve the agenda as submitted with a  
second by Mr. Tom Jensen. Motion passed unanimously.  
IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES  
The August 14, 2024 meeting minutes were approved as submitted with a motion  
by Mr. Phillip Fracica and a second by Mr. Tom Jensen. Motion passed  
unanimously.  
Attachments: Meeting Minutes Draft 08 14 24  
V. FINANCIAL REPORTS as available  
a) Financial Reports  
Ms. Talbert explained that overall electric revenue in the month of July 2024 was up  
due to the monthly billed usage being higher (~2.6%) compared to July 2023. Overall  
revenues through the month of July 2024 were up due to the electric rate increase that  
was approved and effective in July 2023 (3 months of fiscal year). Revenues were  
higher due to the Power Cost Adjustment (PCA) rate implemented in October 2023.  
Salaries and wages were higher due to wage increases that the City Manager  
proposed with the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 budget and compression pay adjustments  
in June 2024. Materials, supplies and power purchase were higher due to additional  
transmission expenses that were being paid to Sikeston and a large weekly payment  
(~$2.8 million) that was made to MISO for the week of the cold snap. July 2024  
represents 83.33% of the budget year. Electric operating revenues were currently  
83.63% of the budget. Same time last year at 84.65% of the budget. Electric  
operating expenses were currently at 73.77% of budget. Same time last year at  
68.14% of the budget.  
Overall water revenues in the month of July 2024 were down due to the monthly  
billed usage being lower (~7%) compared to July 2023. Overall revenues through the  
month of July 2024 were up due to the water base fee increase that took effect  
November 1, 2023. Salaries and wages were higher due to wage increases that the  
City Manager proposed with the FY 2024 budget and compression pay adjustments  
in June 2024. Services and miscellaneous were higher due to increased sludge hauling  
and street repairs (contractual) for water main breaks. July 2024 represents 83.33%  
of the budget year. Water operating revenues were currently at 80.29% of budget.  
Same time last year at 79.91% of the budget. Water operating expenses were  
currently at 66.70% of budget same time last year at 71.91% of the budget.  
Attachments: Monthly financial statement comments -July 2024  
Electric Statements-July 2024  
Water Statements-July 2024  
Summary Change in Billed usage for Water and Electric  
VI. DIRECTOR'S REPORTS  
a) Monthly Power Cost Adjustment (PCA) Report  
Ms. Talbert explained that staff was forecasting an increase of $6,908,830 power  
cost over the forecasted FY24 (October 2023) level. This was mainly due to  
additional transmission costs that had occurred for Sikeston and would continue  
through the remainder of the fiscal year, until May 2025. The purchase power costs  
continue to increase compared to the costs that were forecasted due to Locational  
Marginal Pricing (LMP) prices in MISO being lower than anticipated. As of June  
2024, energy sales in FY24 were forecasedt to be 36,146,779 kWh less than the  
October 2023 forecast. Mild temperatures in October through June resulted in less  
energy sold for the first half of the fiscal year. The PCA in October and November  
2023 were credited to utility customer bills; however, starting in December and for  
each month since the utility customers had been seeing a charge to recover the  
transmission costs for Sikeston for the entire fiscal year that were originally only in the  
forecast through December 2023, along with recouping larger than forecasted  
purchase power expenses due to LMP prices in MISO being lower.  
Attachments: PCA Board Report -August 2024  
b) Utility Customer Survey Questions  
Utility Customer Survey Questions proposed by the Water and Light Advisory Board  
(WLAB) were discussed at length. Questions one, two, three, and seven had  
proposed edits to make the questions more understandable for the general public.  
Questions four and six had been removed from the list of proposed questions. Mr.  
David Switzer had a list of ideas for additional questions that he would send out via  
email. All of the questions still needed to be finalized. Ms. Talbert informed everyone  
that about 75 percent of the surveys would go to Residential locations and about 25  
percent would be sent to Commercial locations.  
Attachments: Draft Questions for Citizen Survey  
c) Council Item Update  
Ms. Talbert discussed items from the City Council Meeting that occurred on August  
19, 2024. Public Hearing 28-24 was continued to September 3, 2024. Council Bill  
168-24, Resolution 140-24, Resolution 146-24, Resolution 148-24, and Resolution  
149-24 were approved. Council Bill 179-24 went through a second read. Report  
56-24 and Report 58-24 were discussed with no conclusion. Ms. Talbert also  
discussed items from the September 3, 2024 City Council Meeting. Public Hearing  
28-24 and Council Bill 179-24 were continued from the August 19, 2024 Council  
meeting. There was a Public Hearing proposing addition of one (1) new 69 kV bus at  
the Bolstad Substation to provide for generation interconnection to the Boone  
Stephens solar facility. Two Council Bills were amended: Ordinance No. 025735 to  
correct a scrivener’s error as it related to the large commercial tier one summer water  
usage rate, and the FY 2024 Annual Budget for fourth quarter appropriation of funds.  
There were two outstanding items for council consideration: Renewable Ordinance  
Revisions and Transmission Line Discussion.  
Attachments: Council Item Updates - August 2024  
d) Future Training Opportunities  
There were future training opportunities with the American Public Power Association  
(APPA), most likely two trainings would be offered. This would be discussed more at  
the next meeting on October 9, 2024.  
Attachments: 2022-2023 APPA In-House Course Catalog  
VII. CHAIRMAN'S REPORTS  
a) Midwest Energy Initiative (MEI) Conference Update  
No update on the Midwest Energy Initiative Conference at this time.  
b) WLAB 2024/2025 Goals  
The FY24 WLAB Goals and Objectives would be finalized at the next meeting on  
October 9, 2024.  
Attachments: WLAB 2024 Goals Status 912024  
c) Rolling Calendar  
The WLAB unanimously agreed to change that the public meeting agenda will be  
drafted at the meeting on October 9, 2024.  
Attachments: WL Rolling Agenda September  
VIII. PUBLIC EMAIL COMMENTS  
None.  
IX. GENERAL COMMENTS BY PUBLIC, MEMBERS AND STAFF  
None.  
X. NEXT MEETING DATE  
October 9, 2024  
XI. ADJOURNMENT  
The meeting adjourned at 9:57 a.m. on a motion by Mr. Phillip Fracica and a  
second by Mr. Tom Jensen. Motion passed unanimously.  
To submit questions or comments to the Water & Light Advisory Board, please email  
wlabpublic@como.gov.  
All media inquiries should be submitted to Matt Nestor at Matthew.Nestor@como.gov.  
Members of the public may attend any open meeting. For requests for accommodations related to  
disability, please call 573-874-CITY (573-874-2489) or email CITY@CoMo.gov. In order to assist staff in  
making the appropriate arrangements for your accommodation, please make your request as far in  
advance of the posted meeting date as possible.  
USB DRIVES PROHIBITED: Due to cybersecurity concerns, flash drives and other media devices  
are no longer permitted for delivering files or presentation materials. A speaker who desires to  
display a presentation must upload the presentation, in advance, to the city network using an  
upload portal. To upload your files and learn more, visit CoMo.gov/upload. (Effective Jan. 1,  
2023)