HomeMy WebLinkAbout08142023 LAYDOWN from Bruce Jaffa Laydown from Bruce Jaffa at 811412023 meeting.
Seward Mayor, Council, August 13, 2023
Business calls me away to Fairbanks and I cannot speak directly as I had hoped. I
am primarily disturbed with Council's attempt to change the City Code adopted in
1960, and to somehow encourage an end run to win a battle that was defeated
under the rules.
After I first initially opposed the sale to anyone, I supported the sale after
regarding it as the only deal on the table. If 60% of the owners wanted to sell
that's the way it is. I no longer support the sale in current form using an incorrect
and deficient method of "Request for Proposals". I did not earlier realize that the
decision by the Council was built on such flimsy and inaccurate data. There is little
reason beyond the message of the former Utility Manager to believe that Seward
Electic Department cannot continue to provide necessary services with local
personnel and administration. There is no Crisis.
Action Memo, 2023-011 states it is a "formal list" and it is meant to explain or
justify Council action on the Electric sale Both 2023-011 and 2023-012 can easily
be shown as incomplete and inaccurate. Both should be tabled until a real
public work session can be called.
No where in 2023-011 is a discussion of the massive revenue that has been
generated by the Utility and utilized by the City. No explanation of how HEA will
continue gas purchases. No where is there a real discusssion of economics by
independent consultants or long time Loyal City personel. No where are the
results from any open Council Work Session or the incorporation of voluteer
accounting (in lieu of the missing Finance Director) showing the health of the SES.
No where is the discussion of added yearly costs for city offices, shops that now
are serviced by SES. There is no Crisis.
Clearly I do not understand the inclusion of the letter that praises former
Manager Montgomery. It clearly shows respect for Mr. Montgomery, but has
nothing to do with the issue at hand. Council should not be overly influenced by
those who are currently or soon will be from outside the City. The role played by
Mr Montgomery, with the Railbelt utilities has been sucessfully and positively
filled by others in the Seward community and can and will be again.
Action Memo 2023-012
• The body suggests that this is a list of Pros and Cons but only HEA Pros are
included in the list. Rates for HEA are significantly higher than CEA and even
with the projected CEA increase HEA will remain far higher than CEA.
• The early offer by HEA suggested a freeze on rates that voters likely relied
on. The freeze then changed to be in effect after the SES increase. The
current hurried rate study should have been ordered the deferred
maintence and upgrade projects were budgeted.
• CEA, as a sophisticated COOP has at least equal Resources as HEA.
• CEA already maintains Power Transmission and Distribution to the East
Pennisula.
• CEA has been active on the Kenai Pennisula for decades. Improvements to
transmissiom and underbuild equipment has been ongoing.
• All utilities will comply with State rules for Cybersecurity so that is neither a
Pro nor a Con. Both have the depth and abiltiy to expand services to
Seward.
• Suggestions that HEA has unique programs in place and that CEA does not,
is clearly false.
• The complete exclusion of consideration of the neighboring communities,
and how this sale will impact them, or how the combined East Pennisula
could easily become a strong voting block is an example of the errors in this
evaluation.
• And as for future innovation and programs, CEAs website shows many
programs available to Coop members. (See Page 3)
Bruce Jaffa
Attached from CEA Web Site
Learn what Chugach is doi n :
CARBON REDUCTICN GOAL AND ROADMAP
In 2022, the Strategic flan identified a goal of reducing Chugacti's carbon intensity,from a 2012
baseline year, by at least 3S% by 203f]_and by at least 50% by 2040, provided there is not a negalive
material impact to elet,7ric vales.
At lire end of 2022, Chugach decreased its carbon intensity by 28''k from Lhe 2012 baseline year.
Our Decarbonization Road map
RENEWABLE ENERGY GOAL AND PROGRAMS
Chugach has a goal of adding a proved ur projects that quill produce 100,000 megawalt hours of
reviewable generation by the end al the first quarter of 2025-
Our Renewable Energy Plan
As part 4f Our net-melering program, mem hers are also tiweicOme W install their own renewable energy
generation on their homes and bursinesses to ofisel monthly usage and sell excess power Chugach-
Our Net Metering Prrigram
BENEFICIAL ELECTRIFICATION INCEVnVES
Chugach supports lowering communMyr carbon emissions and offers incenlive programs to promote the
adop4ion of berelicial elleotrilicaliun. Members grill see reduced energy coals as a result from sim4ching
from ran-rile fossil fuel to electric powered tools and devr..es-
OUr Member Incentives
ENERGY EFFICIENCY EFFORTS ANC TIPS
Cfwgacfi educaLes members about energy use and the advantages of energy conservation and
efficiency. Member energy effrcrency efforts have proven Lu be successful and are a large contributor Lo
Chugach's average'aad decline of one percent per year-
OUr E nerg y Eff iciency Resources