09/25/2000 - Minutes TIGARD WATER DISTRICT
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS MEETING
September 25, 2000
Members Present: Beverly Froude, David Strauss, George Rhine, and
Gretchen Buehner
Staff Present Mike Miller
Visitors Present None
1. Call to Order
Commissioner David Strauss called the regular meeting of the Tigard Water District
Board of Commissioners to order at 7:00 p.m.
2. Roll Call and Introductions
All present except one excused absence. Norman Penner was absent
3. Approval of Minutes
Commissioner George Rhine motioned to approve the minutes of the August 21,
2000, meeting. Commissioner Beverly Froude seconded the motion. The vote
was unanimously carried for approval of the minutes.
4. Visitor's Comments - None
5. Vacation of Easement— Eagle's View
Mr. Mike Miller explained the location of the Baggenstos/Venture Property, north of Beef
Bend Road and across from Woodhue. Currently the TWD is the holder of an easement
for a 12" water line that runs on the westerly end of the former Baggenstos property.
The line was installed in the late 1980's by a developer. It was placed in that location so
it would not interfere with the farming operations.
Venture Properties has purchased that property and they are putting in a lot of fill. The
water line would be extremely deep and we would not have access to the pressure
reducing station. The new owners have used their own funds to relocate the water line,
install a 16" water line, remove the old existing water line, and reconnect everything. We
agreed to vacate once everything was up and operational. The new easement will be
created when they record the plat.
The Board reviewed the Resolution to extinguish the water line easement for that
property. Mr. Miller explained that the Board could act on the Resolution and it would be
required that one of the board members would need to sign the Quick Claim Deed that
requires notarizing. He would make arrangements for a notary.
TWD Meeting Minutes - 1 - September 25,2000
Commissioner Gretchen Buehner motioned to approve Resolution 2000-02.
Commissioner Rhine seconded the motion. The board unanimously voted to
approve the Resolution.
6. Intergovernmental Water Board Update
Mike Miller reported in Commissioner Norm Penner's absence about the IWB meeting.
Paul Matthews (IUG) gave a presentation on the issues relating to the new proposed
Portland contract. The City of Portland came out with a new "straw-man" contract the
end of July. They did not provide any real cost allocation information for pricing. Mr.
Matthews' review made suggestions about new pricing; getting rid of some of the
penalties such as the peaking charges and going to more of a cost of service based
utility function instead of their present contract for pricing.
Mr. Miller attended another meeting last Thursday night with the TVWD where IUG
made a similar presentation, but went into more detail on the costing strategy. They
came up with a counter proposal for the City of Portland. He was not at liberty to
comment further on it because it was in an executive session that this information was
discussed.
Commissioner Buehner also attended the IWB meeting and commented that she got the
impression that Portland would not allow any of their Wholesale Customers to own
anything. She left the meeting feeling we were not in a very good bargaining position
and would be fighting a losing battle.
Mr. Miller said it would be interesting to see how Portland reacts to the costing proposals
that are included in the counter to what they suggested. Tigard, Tualatin, Tualatin
Valley, Rockwood, Gresham, and West Slope make up 90% of Portland's wholesale
sales. This definitely gives us some leverage.
Commissioner Rhine asked what would happen to Portland if they were to lose most of
its Wholesale Customers. Mr. Miller said that basically the Wholesalers represent
between $600,000,000 to $800,000,000 over the next 25 years to Portland.
Commissioner Buehner thought that amounted to about a third of their revenue that
came from the Wholesale Customer sales.
Commissioner Rhine asked what the average daily consumption of water was in Tigard.
Mr. Miller said it was about 6 mgd. Portland can produce 220 mgd maximum.
Mr. Miller continued his report about the JWC. They are just completing their facilities
and cost allocation study, which has Tigard included in it. Right now the JWC has
agreed to sell 1.5 mgd to Tigard. They directed staff to pursue looking at long term
contracts with Tigard. They are agreeable to a buy-back clause. They have also
directed staff to look for a new water source.
Mr. Miller indicated negotiations with the JWC and South Fork are picking up speed. He
thinks there will be progress with the negotiations in order to compare before contracts
need to be signed.
TWD Meeting Minutes -2- September 25,2000
Commissioner Buehner asked Mr. Miller what the ETA would be to connect piping with
South Fork. He estimated it would take about two years. A new river crossing is needed
and piping improvements in Lake Oswego.
South Fork is going ahead with a Memorandum of Understanding. It appears that
everyone will sign that Memorandum. Councilman Paul Hunt will be presenting it to the
Tigard City Council on October 10.
There was a brief discussion about candidates running for Council that are involved in
Citizens for Safe Water and how their issues might effect Council decisions should they
be elected.
7. Utility Manager's Report
Mr. Miller stated that there have been a lot of calls about colored water. Bull Run water
is being used. Portland was having trouble with the turbidity.
8. Non-Agenda Items
Commissioner Strauss reported receiving 72 responses from the newsletter survey.
Approximately 2,000 newsletters were distributed so TWD had received between 3-4%
response.
Mr. Miller informed the board that another 1,500 would also be distributed to the mobile
home courts.
Commissioner Strauss was pleased to report that 16 of those responses also indicated a
desire to help participate on an advisory panel or at neighborhood meetings. The survey
results are being compiled in a matrix and will be further discussion at the next meeting.
As a point of interest one of the comments received said he had been on the water
system here for seven years and he knew nothing about it until he received the
newsletter. Another comment felt he was well informed until he received the newsletter
and discovered he was not informed.
Of the responses received thus far:
37 people informed
29 not informed
6 unsure
It is the opinion that if 16 people are interested in participating, then we need to act right
now. At the next meeting Commissioner Strauss wants to discuss what can be done to
get those people together and let them start to work without any preconceived opinions.
Let them decided what should be done to study it further.
Commissioner Froude said the board should follow-up with a newsletter to further inform
the people of the water situation.
Several other comments from the survey were presented. All of the commissioners
were pleased with the results that they were receiving from the newsletter survey. This
topic will be discussed further at the next meeting.
TWD Meeting Minutes -3 - September 25,2000
9. Set Next Meeting Date
October 23, 2000, will be the next regularly scheduled meeting of the TWD.
10. Adjournment
Commissioner Rhine motioned to adjourn the meeting. Commissioner Buehner
seconded the motion. The Tigard Water District Board of Commissioners unanimously
voted approval to the adjournment of the meeting at 7:45 p.m.
TWD Meeting Minutes -4- September 25,2000