05-26-2021 HUCMMINUTES
Regular Meeting — Hutchinson Utilities Commission
Wednesday, May 26, 2021
Call to carder— 3:00 p.m.
President Matt Cheney, called the meeting to order. Members present: President Matt
Cheney, Vice President Anthony Hanson; Secretary Don Martinez; Commissioner Monty
Morrow; Commissioner Robert Wenidorff; GM Jeremy Carter; Attorney Marc Sebora
1. Conflict oaf Interest
2. Approve Consent Agendq!
a. Approve Minutes
b. Ratify Payment of Bills
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Consent Agenda. Motion carried unanimously.
3. Approve Financial Statements
GM Carter presented the Financial Statements. Collections of past due accounts,
are trending in the right direction with the communication that has been sent out.
Electric Division net loss decreased by $109k due mostly to an increase in revenues,
overall year to date tracking consistent. Natural Gas Division net income increased
by $58k due mainly to increased customer revenue. Gas prices have been
consistent. Working on building the rate stabilization fund back up.
Motion, by, Commissioner Morrow, second by Commissioner Wendorff to approve
the financial statements. Motion carried unanimously.
4. Open Forurn
F. Communication
a�. City Administrator — Matthew Jailunichi — Absent
b. Divisions
i. Dan Lang, Engineering Services Manager — Absent
ii. Dave Hunstad, Electric Transmission/Distribution, Manager — Absent
Randy Bl�ake, Production Manager — Absent
iv. John Webster, Natural Gas Division Director — Absent
v. Jared Martig, Financial Manager- Absent
e. General Manager — Jeremy Carter
i. Projects are ramping up out in the field,
ii. Transformers are in place.
iii. Capacitor Baink has been moving forward'. GRE will be completing the
startup; mid -June is the goal. During this time, Staff has been updating
much of HUC's equipment.
iv. Sent out business, updates for the Commission.
1. Looking for a date to be set for Strategic planning in the Fall
2. Citizens Survey - Discussion was held on when the Citizen survey
should be completed by and the questions that should be asked.
GM Carter will work with the company to craft a survey.
Policies,
a. Review Policies
i. Section 5 of Exempt Handbook
Section 5 of on -Exempt Handbook
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7. Unfinished Business
a. Status of Governor's Salary Cap -
Mr. Sebora stated that the regular session is over and that a special session
will be starting in June. Would like to leave on agenda for 1 more month.
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Conversations, were held on transitioning ouit of COVID protocols and moving
black to pre-COVID meeting settings. The Commission is in favor of having
managers and other Staff back at the meetings.
GM Carter also requested of the Board to have theJune 30th meeting moved up
:tne week to June 23rd.
IT-Iotion by Commissioner Hanson, second by Commissioner Wendolrff to move
the June 30th meeting to June 231d. Motion carried unanimously.
GM Carter discussed the beginning steps of the Compensation Study. A meeiti�ng
was, held with Ann Antonse!n, Director of Bakertilly (Formally Springsted
Incorporated) to review the normal protocol of a Compensation Study. The
general scope would be a market review of salary and benefits, review of
classifications to ompliance with internal pay equity and
legal compliance with labor laws. Also, if managers felt job descriptions, needled
to be reviewed that would be done at this timei. The Compensation Study is
budgeted at $2,5k and looking to have the scope of the work completed in about 3
months. The oiriginail peer group consisted of 42 utilities, with a 50% success rate,
Bakertilly now has access to private d 'atabasesi so success rate should be higher
along with receiving more information from, the natural gas side. Commission
would llike to move forward with the Compensation Study.
9. Adjourn
There being no further business, a motion by Commissioner Hanson second by
Commissioner Morrow to, adjourn, the meeting at 3-46plm. Motion carried
unanimously,
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ATTEST:
IKAlatt Cheney, President
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