MINUTES
of the
UTILITY UNDERGROUNDING TASK FORCE
SPECIAL MEETING
Monday, June 20, at 4:00 p.m.
City Hall
1 Dr. Carlton Goodlett Place, Rm. 421
1. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL
Chair Chris Coghlan called the meeting to order at 4:10 p.m. New members include: Jane Martin, District 6 and Steve Currier, District 11.
Present: Steven Aronowitz Gino Graziani (Comcast)
John Bitterman Jimi Harris (PG&E)
John Brooke Jane Martin
Chris Coghlan John Newlin
Steve Currier Bob Pickard (SBC)
Lynn Fong (DPW) Dan Weaver
Absent: Marla Jurosek (PUC) Richard Millet
R. Warren Langley Jon Rubin
Robert Macray
2. APPROVAL OF TASK FORCE BY-LAWS
Dan Weaver moved to approve the By-Laws; seconded by John Bitterman, motion passed unanimously.
Utility Undergrounding Task Force
Minutes
June 20, 2005
Page 2
3. DEPARTMENT REPORTS
Dan McKenna, DPW, Street Use and Mapping: Best Practices Throughout US.
City of San Diego has taken a different approach: has charged all the ratepayers a surcharge to supplement and enhance the Rule 20A Program. Was done without a vote of the public. Have endorsement of the CPUC and the local Board of Supervisors, but opposition of the County Board of Supervisors.
1970 started a program and franchise fee was 3% of gross sales. Were only using Rule 20A funds, not making progress they thought they should and not getting into residential neighborhoods because of restrictions from Rule 20A.
In 2000, started with San Diego Gas & Electric Co. and placed a surcharge on all their rates of 3.35%; this realized $34 million that year, thus surcharge pays for everything. City conducts entire program: pays for all the conversions in residential neighborhood; pays for all services the program requires; replace all curb ramps; resurface the entire street, curb to curb; and put in new street trees. Monies available to underground all utilities in the districts they select. SD Gas and Electric is the lead agency; it has joint trenching with other utilities.
Entire city is surcharged; have supervisorial districts and mayor gets to pick a special district. Maintain Rule 20A program and city’s program supplements that. Total charge is 5.63% which includes embedded Rule 20A funds and the additional 3.35%. Comes through combined gas and electric fees.
Per CPUC, all utilities must provide yearly inventories of what still remains above ground; the city council must adopt an annual master plan; it also must adopt an annual allocation plan based on the formula it adopted; any project begun must be completed in 30 months; undergrounding can be conducted on any street within the city limits, although the city council did eliminate open space. City pays for the conversions and give homeowners option to utilize San Diego Gas & Electric to make conversion or opt out and pay a private contractor. Staff is required to do reports on a regular basis; and milestones are established for a schedule and fines are levied if not completed in time.
Utility Undergrounding Task Force
Minutes
June 20, 2005
Page 3
4. COMMITTEE REPORTS
a.Site Selection: Dan Weaver reported that the committee met but is not prepared to report
b.Resources: John Brooke reported that the committee met and requested information from Lynn Fong, DPW; looking at how much undergrounding costs per mile and hoping to reduce cost; looking at idea of raising funds.
c.Operations: John Bitterman reported that the committee could not agree on a time and consequently, did not meet.
d.Task Force reorganized some committees.
1)Communications and Outreach: Steven Aronowitz, Chris Coghlan, Lynn Fong, Jane Martin
2)Operations (4th Tues., 4:00 p.m.): John Bitterman, John Brooke, Gino Graziani, Marla Jurosek, Bob Macray, Jane Martin, Dan McKenna
3)Resources (4th Tues., 5:00 p.m.): John Brooke, John Newlin, Dan Weaver, Barbara Moy
4)Site Selection (4th Tues., 6:00 p.m.): Steve Currier, Lynn Fong, Bob Pickard, Jon Rubin, Dan Weaver.
5. TASK FORCE GOALS
Dan Weaver recommended that the Task Force adopt a mission statement. Mr. Bitterman suggested that mission statements take too long and that the Task Force focus on the goals set forth in the resolution establishing the Task Force; Mr. Coghlan stated that he believed that the Task Force is not ready to do that.
After some discussion, two members left the meeting at approximately 5:15, and the quorum was lost. Goals and objectives were discussed. Mr. Coghlan suggested that this become a permanent agenda item. Meeting ended.
