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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-01-28 Minutes of the Public Hearing for the Power Cost ChargeMINUTES WATER BOARD PUBLIC HEARING ON THE PROPOSED NEW COST OF POWER ADJUSTMENT CLAUSE January 28, 2025 West Hawai‘i Civic Center, Building G, 74-5044 Ane Keohokālole Hwy. Kailua-Kona, Hawai‘i PRESENT: Mr. Stephen Kawena Lopez, Chairperson, Dist.8 Mr. Michael Pono Kekela, Vice-Chairperson, Dist. 4 Mr. Michael Bell, Water Board Member, Dist. 7 Mr. James Kimo Lee, Water Board Member, District 2 (came in later) Mr. Benjamin Ney, Water Board Member, Dist. 9 (came in later) Ms. Emily Taaroa, Water Board Member, Dist. 5 (via video conference, came in later) Mr. Keith Unger, Water Board Member, Dist. 6 Mr. Keith K. Okamoto, Manager-Chief Engineer, Department of Water Supply (ex-officio member) OTHERS PRESENT: Ms. Diana Mellon-Lacey, Deputy Corporation Counsel DEPARTMENT OF WATER SUPPLY STAFF: Mr. Kawika Uyehara, Deputy Mr. Kurt Inaba, Engineering Division Head Ms. Candace Gray, Waterworks Controller Mr. Gregory Goodale, Chief of Operations Mr. Alvin Inouye, Water Operations Superintendent Mr. Warren Ching, Energy Management Analyst (via videoconference) Ms. Nora Avenue, Recording Secretary (Chairperson Lopez called the meeting to order at 9:45 a.m.) CHR. LOPEZ: Good morning. Will the public hearing of the Water Board on the proposed new cost of Power Adjustment Clause please come to order? I am Stephen “Kawena” Lopez, Chairperson of the Water Board; and I would like to take this opportunity to have the Secretary take a roll call for who is in attendance from the Board. MS. AVENUE: Good morning. Mr. Bell? MR. BELL: Present. MS. AVENUE: Mr. Kekela? MR. KEKELA: Eō. MS. AVENUE: Mr. Unger? MR. UNGER: Eō. MS. AVENUE: Chair Lopez? Page 2 of 3 January 28, 2025, Minutes of the Public Hearing on the Power Cost Charge CHR. LOPEZ: Here. MS. AVENUE: Chair, we have four members present. CHR. LOPEZ: Thank you very much. Notice of the public hearing was published in the Hawai‘i Tribune-Herald and in the West Hawai‘i Today on January 6, 2025. The Department of Water Supply is operated and controlled by this Water Board as provided by the Hawai‘i County Charter. Section 63 of Part III, Chapter 54, Hawai‘i Revised Statutes, reads as follows: “The Board of Water Supply may fix and adjust rates and charges for the furnishing of water and for water services so that the revenues derived therefrom shall be sufficient to make the waterworks and water systems self-supporting and to meet all expenditures authorized by this part; the Board may establish variable rates among the several districts of the County, or among the areas served by the individual water systems within the County, for the purpose of establishing charges as closely as possible to the necessary amount required for the maintenance and operation of the particular individual water systems; provided no rates and charges shall be fixed or adjusted prior to the holding by the Board of a public hearing, public notice of which shall have been given not less than twenty days before the date set for the hearing. The notice shall state the time and place for the hearing and the proposed rates and charges to be considered thereat. The time within which the notice shall be given shall be computed by including the first day (the day of notice) and excluding the last day.” We are here to receive comments or testimony on the proposed amendment to the Power Cost Charge. The Department recommends decreasing the Power Cost Charge from $3.04 to $2.32 per thousand gallons to reflect the increase in power costs. As stated in the hearing notice, all comments or testimony were to be filed in writing before the time of the hearing or register to have testimony included via web conference application. We would like to follow this format as closely as possible; however, because there may be some of you who do not have any written statements but would like to testify or comment, we would like to afford you this opportunity to do so but would like to limit such presentations to three minutes because of the time limit. The hearing is now open for comments from the floor. Secretary, is there anyone registered to provide oral testimony or is there any written testimony? MS. AVENUE: Chair, there are none. CHR. LOPEZ: At this time, I would like to entertain a motion that this public hearing be closed. MR. UNGER: So moved. MR. KEKELA: Second, Pono. Page 3 of 3 January 28, 2025, Minutes of the Public Hearing on the Power Cost Charge CHR. LOPEZ: It has been moved and seconded the public hearing be closed. All those in favor say “aye.” (Board Members: Unanimous Ayes) Any opposed? (None) Motion is carried. Thank you. (Public Hearing adjourned at 9:48 a.m.) ___________________________ Recording Secretary APPROVED BY WATER BOARD (February 25, 2025)