EXHIBIT 23-C
FINAL MINUTES
Water Demand Committee of the
Monterey Peninsula Water Management District
June 22, 2011
Call to Order
The meeting was called to order at 9:06 am in the conference room of the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District office.
Committee members present: Kristi Markey, Chair
Robert S. Brower, Sr.
Regina Doyle
Committee members absent: None
Staff members present: Darby Fuerst, General Manager
Comments from Public
No comments.
Action Items
1. Receive Minutes of May 10, 2011 Committee Meeting
On a motion by Brower and second of Doyle, the minutes were approved unanimously on a vote of 3 – 0. No public comment was directed to the committee on this item.
2. Provide
Direction to Staff on Rebate Program Amendments
The committee requested that at the next meeting, staff provide draft text of a rule that would increase the rebate for high-efficiency washing machines to $500. At that time the committee would discuss procedures for implementation of the rule, and how to avert fraud. Concerns expressed were as follows. (1) If a limit was set of one rebate for high-efficiency washers for each property, how would that affect apartment buildings that might replace multiple washers? (2) How could a rule be established that would prevent a person from receiving a rebate, then re-selling the washer? (3) Could a program be established that gave a high-efficiency washer to each household, with no charge to the recipient?
The committee requested that District staff prepare for review at the next meeting, a list of rebates that have been granted for lawn removal and installation of synthetic turf. The committee will discuss the possibility of reducing the cost of the rebate program through elimination of the lawn removal and/or synthetic turf replacement programs.
Discussion Items
3. Update on Amendments to Table 2 – Non-Residential Water Use Factors Update
The committee agreed that the District should do whatever is appropriate to negotiate a corrected/fair billing system for Cal-Am non-residential water users. During the discussion of this item, Pintar advised the committee that a study of the non-residential water use factors has been completed and is under review by District staff. The report was prepared to assess the accuracy of the factors utilized by the District to permit non-residential projects. Fuerst stated that the report concluded that the current factors are satisfactory for the District’s purposes, but should not be utilized by California-American Water for setting water rates. However, in 2010, Cal-Am implemented a tiered rate structure that estimates annual water use for non-residential customers based on the District’s factors. That amount is then divided over twelve months, based on the monthly use during the previous year, and the customer is charged accordingly in the up-coming year. At the end of the year, Cal-Am “trues-up” the consumption against the allotment and refunds the customer for any excess water they paid for. Some non-residential water users have expressed opposition to this billing method.
Set Next Meeting Date
The next meeting was scheduled for July 21, 2011 at 9 am.
Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 10 am.
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