Utilities Rate Advisory Commission Meeting on April 27, 2022: Storm Drainage Fee Ballot and Officer Elections
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Utilities Rate Advisory Commission Meeting – April 27, 2022
The Utilities Rate Advisory Commission (URAC) held a teleconference meeting on Wednesday, April 27, 2022, at 5:30 p.m. Five commissioners were present (Megan Fidell, Melissa Lee, Phillip Thomas, Jill Zito, Rae Vander Werf); Commissioners Connie Gutowsky and P. Anthony Thomas were absent. The meeting included approval of consent items, introduction of new commissioners, election of officers for 2022, and an update on the successful storm drainage property related fee ballot election. No public comments were received.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of March 23, 2022 Meeting Minutes (File ID: 2022-00765): Passed by motion.
- Teleconferencing Meetings During COVID-19 State of Emergency (30-Day Finding) (File ID: 2022-00915): Passed by motion to continue meeting by teleconference pursuant to California Government Code Section 54953(e) due to the ongoing pandemic and social distancing recommendations.
Public Comments & Testimony
- No public comments were submitted for any agenda item or for matters not on the agenda.
Discussion Items
- Item 3 – Introduction of New Commissioners: Staff announced that City Council reappointed Commissioner Gutowsky, Chair P. Anthony Thomas, and Vice Chair Rae Vander Werf on April 5, 2022. Two new commissioners (Phillip Thomas and Jill Zito) introduced themselves as Sacramento residents eager to contribute to the commission.
- Item 4 – Selection of Chair and Vice Chair for Calendar Year 2022: Following nominations, Commissioner Megan Fidell was elected Chair (motion by Commissioner Lee, second by Commissioner Vander Werf). Commissioner Rae Vander Werf was elected Vice Chair (motion by Commissioner Lee, second by Commissioner Fidell). Both elections were unanimous (5-0). The selections take effect at the next meeting.
- Item 5 – Storm Drainage Property Related Fee Ballot Election Update: Pravani Vandeyar (representing the Department of Utilities) reported that the storm drainage fee ballot was successful with 52.3% support. Out of 130,071 ballots mailed for 154,879 parcels, 42,407 ballots were returned (27% turnout). The fee is based on impervious surface area (best practice) and will fund capital projects to protect water quality, replace aging infrastructure, and create 600–700 jobs over 10 years. Residential customers (88% of total) are grouped into tiers; non-residential fees use state coefficients. The fee will be included in the Sacramento Utility Rate Assistance Program (SURA), which currently has 8,790 participants. A restructuring to a flat 37% discount for most participants is proposed. Quarterly updates on the fee fund will be provided. The item was received and filed.
Key Outcomes
- Consent Calendar adopted (minutes approved, teleconferencing finding reauthorized).
- Chair and Vice Chair elected for 2022: Megan Fidell (Chair) and Rae Vander Werf (Vice Chair), effective next meeting.
- Storm drainage fee update received and filed; staff will report quarterly and include appeal statistics.
- Meeting adjourned at 5:59 p.m.
Meeting Transcript
Vice Chair staff is ready when you are let's go ahead and get the meeting started then sorry good evening everyone and welcome to the April 27th 2022 utility rate advisory commission meeting. This meeting is now being called to order. Clerk, will you please establish quorum? Thank you, Vice Chair. Commissioners, please unmute and turn on your video. Commissioner Fidel. Commissioner Gutowski. Commissioner Lee. Here. Commissioner Thomas. Here. Commissioner Zito. Here. Vice Chair Vanderworf. Here. Chair Thomas will be absent tonight. Thank you. We have a quorum. Thank you so much. Um this meeting is the virtual via Zoom. For members of the public who wish to join us, please refer to the agenda for the Zoom link. Once you've joined the meeting and you wish to speak, you can press the raise hand option to provide public comment when the chair confirms the public comment speaking period for your desired item. If you're online, you can just click the raise hand bottom at the bottom of your screen. If you're on the mobile app, you can raise your hand by tapping the raise hand option in the more tab. And if you're on the telephone, you can use star nine. And then when you are called on to speak, you can use star six. We'll be calling speakers on the phone by using the last four digits of their phone number. Everyone will get two minutes to speak once you are called on. And that is how we and we will now proceed to today's agenda. Um please rise for the opening acknowledgments in honor of the Sacramento Indigenous Peoples Tribe uh people and tribal lands to the original people of this land, the Nissanon people, the Southern Maidu people, the Valley and Plains Mi Walk, the Pat Winwintu people, and the people of the Wilton Rancheria, Sacramento's only federally recognized tribe. May we acknowledge and honor the native people who've come before us and still walk beside us today on these ancestral lands by choosing to gather together today in an active practice of acknowledgement and appreciation for Sacramento's Indigenous People's History Contributions and lives. Thank you. Please join me in the Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, and liberty and justice for all. Thank you, everyone. If you did stand, you you can please be seated. Our first business today is approving of the consent calendar. Clerk, are there any public members who wish to speak on the consent calendar today? Thank you, Vice Chair. I have no speakers with their hand raised on this item. Thank you so much. Are there any commissioners who wish to speak on any consent items? Seeing none, um, Madam Clerk, will you please call the roll? Thank you, Vice Chair. Commissioners, please unmute and turn on your video for roll call vote. Commissioner Fidel. Um thank you. Commissioner Gutowski. Absent. Commissioner Lee.
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