San Francisco Public Utilities Commission Meeting - January 10, 2023
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San Francisco Public Utilities Commission Meeting - January 10, 2023
The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) held a regular meeting on January 10, 2023, via teleconference due to the ongoing COVID-19 health emergency. The meeting included reports on drought conditions, capital improvement projects, and approval of several contracts and rate schedules. Commissioners also heard extensive public comment on the recent decision to move general public comment to the end of the agenda and ultimately decided to continue a proposed memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the San Francisco Local Agency Formation Commission (SF LAFCO) for further discussion.
Consent Calendar
- Item 6: Consent calendar approved unanimously (5-0). Items included routine approvals and actions.
Public Comments & Testimony
- On Item 4 (Approval of Minutes): Multiple callers expressed concerns about the December 13, 2022 minutes, specifically regarding the decision to move general public comment later in the agenda. Callers requested more detail in the minutes and argued the change was a substantive shift that hindered public participation.
- On Item 5a (Drought Update): Public comments urged the commission to take a year off the drought designation, drop litigation against the state water board, and increase flows in the Tuolumne River to protect endangered fish. Peter Dreckmeyer (Tuolumne River Trust) noted that SFPUC had captured enough water in one month to last a year and that storage could last five years. Heinrich Elbert (Sierra Club) criticized the commission for being risk-averse regarding human water use but willing to take high risks to the ecosystem. Catherine Gere (Cal Alto) urged goodwill and removal of the drought designation.
- On Item 5c (Wastewater Enterprise): Peter Dreckmeyer commented on rising wastewater costs and the coming financial crisis, urging a deep dive into budget discussions.
- On Item 10 (MOU with SF LAFCO): Public commenters criticized the proposed $800,000 expenditure, calling it a waste of ratepayer money and questioning the value of the studies.
- On Item 13 (General Public Comment): A large number of callers (Dave Warner, John Rose Pepe, Mary Butterwick, Lawrence Abbott, Molly Colton, John McManus, Elizabeth Dockerty, and others) strongly objected to moving general public comment to the end of the meeting. They argued it reduces accessibility, disproportionately affects hourly workers and those with limited time, and undermines democratic participation. Some suggested setting a fixed time for general comment as a compromise.
- On Item 15 (Closed Session): One caller urged the commission to use the closed session to discuss transparency regarding denial of public records requests.
Discussion Items
- Item 3 - Hybrid Meeting Findings: Commissioners adopted renewed findings under state urgency legislation to allow hybrid in-person meetings during the COVID-19 emergency. Passed 5-0.
- Item 5 - General Manager's Report:
- 5a - Drought Update: Steve Ritchie reported that as of January 10, 2023, SFPUC reservoir storage on the Tuolumne system was 465,000 acre-feet (AF) and increasing. Calaveras Reservoir began spilling for the first time since the new dam was completed in 2019. Precipitation in December 2022 was nearly three times the average (14.26 inches vs 4.35 inches average). Snowpack reached 100% of the April 1st median. Water available to the city increased from 200,000 AF on January 3 to 250,000 AF on January 9. The drought is not declared over due to ecosystem and groundwater recovery needs.
- 5b - Hetch Hetchy Capital Improvement: Katie Miller reported 17 projects in the program, 9 in pre-construction, 7 in construction, with 26% completion ($196 million spent). The Moccasin Powerhouse generator rewind was delayed one year due to contractor procurement and staffing issues; compensation will be negotiated. The mountain tunnel shutdown was delayed from January 3 to at least January 17 due to high turbidity.
- 5c - Wastewater Enterprise: Steve Robinson reported on the Sewer System Improvement Program (SSIP) with 70 projects totaling $4.4 billion. The Southeast Community Center at 1550 Evans reached substantial completion in October 2022. The Wawona stormwater project is already providing flood relief. The biosolids and headworks projects have cost increases captured in the new budget.
- 5d - Activities: General Manager Herrera commended staff for emergency response during the atmospheric river events, noting coordination with DPW and other agencies.
- Item 8 - CDD Campus Design: Awarded contract to Mark Cavanero Associates for $27.8 million over 5 years for design of the new City Distribution Division campus at 2000 Marin. The contract was advertised three times due to responsive proposal issues. Passed 5-0.
- Item 9 - Elevator Maintenance: Awarded sole-source contract to Otis Elevator Company for $950,000 over 8 years for proprietary elevator maintenance at 525 Golden Gate Ave. Commissioners expressed hope for future competition. Passed 5-0.
- Item 10 - MOU with SF LAFCO: Staff presented a proposed MOU for $800,000 over 3 years 5 months for studies on battery storage, natural gas decommissioning, EV adoption, and clean energy technologies. Commissioners expressed concerns about value, efficiency, and use of ratepayer funds. The item was continued (pulled) for further discussion after a motion by President Ajami.
- Item 11 - Electric Home (E-ELEC) Rate Schedule: Staff presented an opt-in time-of-use generation rate for customers with qualifying electric technologies (EV, storage, heat pumps). The rate was designed using PG&E's E-ELEC ratios applied to CleanPowerSF's E1 rate. The rate is expected to save customers approximately 3% on their total bill. Commissioners approved the rate 5-0.
Key Outcomes
- Item 3: Resolution adopting hybrid meeting findings passed (5-0).
- Item 4: Minutes of December 13, 2022 approved (5-0).
- Item 6: Consent calendar approved (5-0).
- Item 7: Amendment with CA Department of Fish and Wildlife approved (5-0).
- Item 8: Contract award for CDD Campus design approved (5-0).
- Item 9: Sole-source elevator maintenance contract approved (5-0).
- Item 10: MOU with SF LAFCO continued for further discussion; no vote taken.
- Item 11: E-ELEC rate schedule approved (5-0).
- Item 16 (Closed Session): Commission voted to assert attorney-client privilege and approved settlement in Andrea Cervantes v. City and County of San Francisco (Case No. CGC-20-586083) for $400,000, subject to Board of Supervisors approval. Commissioner Rivera recused herself from this item due to prior professional relationship with a defendant.
- The commission acknowledged public concerns about the relocation of general public comment and indicated willingness to revisit the policy if problematic.
Meeting Transcript
Madam Secretary, please uh call the roll. President Jami. Here. Vice President Maxwell. Commissioner Paulson. Here. Commissioner Stacy. And you have a quorum. Due to the ongoing COVID 19 health emergency, and given the public public health recommendations issued by the San Francisco Department of Public Public Health and the emergency orders of the Governor and the Mayor concerning social distancing and lifting the restrictions on teleconference. This meeting is being held via teleconference and is being televised by SFGTV. For those of you watching the live stream, please be aware that there is a brief time lag between the live meeting and what is being viewed on SFGTV. On behalf of the Commission, I would like to extend our thanks to SFGTV staff and SFPUC IT staff for their assistance during this meeting. If you wish to make public comment on an item, dial 1415 65501, meeting ID 2496 495 7376 Pound Pound. To raise your hand to speak, press star three. Please note that you must limit your comment to the topic of the agenda item being discussed, unless you are speaking under general public comment and remind you if you do not stay on the topic, the chair can interrupt and ask you to limit your comment to the agenda item. We ask that public comment be made in a civil and respectful manner and that you refrain from the use of profanity. Please address your remarks to the commission as a whole, not to individual commissioners or staff. If you've not already done so, please silence your electronic devices. Thank you. Before I call the next the first item, I would like to announce that San Francisco Public Utilities Commission acknowledges that it owns and are stewards of the land on ceded lands located within the ethnohistoric territory of the Moachma Alone tribe and other familial descendants of the historically historic federally recognized Mission San Jose Verona Band of Alameda County. The SFUC also recognizes that every citizen residing within the Great Bay Area, a greater Bay Area has and continues to benefit from the use and occupation of the Moachma Alone tribes of Aboriginal lands since before and after the San Francisco Public Utility Commission's founding in 1932. It is vitally important that we not only recognize the history of the tribal lands on which we reside, but also we acknowledge and honor the fact that the Mockma Alone people have established a working partnership with the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission and are productive and flourishing members within the many greater San Francisco Bay Area communities today. Madam Secretary, please read the first item. First item is item number three. Adopt renewed findings under state urgency legislation to allow hybrid in-person meetings during the COVID-19 emergency and direct the Commission Secretary to agendize a similar resolution at a commission meeting within the next 30 days. Could you please open public comments? Members of the public who wish to make two minutes of remote public comment on item number three. Please press star three to raise your hand to speak. Do we have any members of the public present to provide comment on item three? Seeing none, Mr. Moderator, do you have any callers with their hands raised for item number three? Madam Secretary, there are no callers. We should be recognized at this time. Thank you. Public comment on item three is closed. Colleagues, can I have a motion and second on item three? Move to approve. Second. Madam Secretary, please um roll call the roll. President Jamy. Yes. Vice President Maxwell. Yes. Commissioner Paulson. Commissioner Rivera. Commissioner Stacey. Aye. You have five eyes. Thank you. Item passes.
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