Thread by @shayshinecastle

Next: Second reading of repurposing the UOT. This will now become our meatiest item, since Macy's got moved. Presentation: www-static.bouldercolorado.gov/docs/Item_3E_-…

This is actually about partnering with Xcel, which is the second part of this. As you'll recall, voters passed both 2C and 2D last month.

The UOT repurposing will be used to replay the $1.4M in loans the muni took from the city's general fund. Then it will go toward clean energy projects and utility assistance for lower-income residents.

The more interesting part of tonight's discussion is: What happens next? Voters approved the franchise; council passed it into being, and now state regulators have to OK it.

That should happen early next year. It's usually fairly routine but intervenors may trigger a hearing process

“Franchise filings do not typically generate a full evidentiary hearing, which can take up to 240 days to complete after the Commission deems the application complete. Franchises typically are approved without a hearing, but that is not guaranteed.”

That's from council's packet, btw.

Steve Catanach going over what it will take to "close out" the muni project. They have a few things to do, such as archiving all the documentation in case Boulder resumes the muni in the future.

There are about $3.7M left in outstanding muni expenses

The other part is figuring out how Xcel and Boulder will work together on distribution planning, pilot projects, etc.

Three groups need to be put together:
An executive team
A project oversight team
And an advisory panel

Exec team will be city manager and Colorado president of Xcel as well as "other designated staff," Catanach says.

It will meet quarterly for first 2 years, semi-annually after that; responsible for keeping project on track

The project oversight team will evaluate “feasibility, value and requirements” of programs and/or proposals; made up of subject matter experts from Xcel and the city

They're already working on some stuff, including
revising solar policies (including rules related to interconnection of solar projects and shared investment in neighborhood projects)
Alpine-Balsam (planning for local generation)
Streetlighting (upgrading those to LED)

Also:
Distribution planning
Undergrounding
Data sharing

Those are new "high-priority items" that are in the v beginning stages

"This is a real opportunity for us to have some say-so on activities taking place in Boulder," Catanach says.

I realize I should define undergrounding for you: That's the burying of power lines, which makes them more reliable (cuz you don't have trees and shit falling on them)

Here's a glossary of muni terms for you: boulderbeat.news/2020/09/11/mun…

Gonna take one tweet to just say how freaking please I am with the Beat's 101 pieces. Can't wait to do more! Worth the price of your subscription, I hope

OK, back to tonight's discussion. Last group that needs put together is the Advisory Panel: 6-15 ppl from Xcel, Boulder (residents, biz ppl, CU); will meet quarterly; will be seated by February 2021

Catanach says council will have more detail on picking the advisory panel by January; March, they'll have a budget for closing out municipalization and starting the Xcel partnership

None of the climate initiatives staff are going anywhere, according to info I got before the election. They'll simply shift to working with Xcel. boulderbeat.news/2020/10/20/bou…

City council is going to have a study session in May RE: the next steps of working with Xcel and a post-mortem on the muni

Well, I guess post-mortem isn't entirely accurate, bc it could rise again. And you best believe I will refer to it as a zombie if that happens.

Council set that precedent, btw. I would never have thought to refer to an important initiative as a zombie, bc I'm not a dillhole. boulderbeat.news/2019/07/17/to-…

To be fair to zombies, comparing them to city of Boulder issues is a gross injustice. Zombies are exciting and not entirely predictable. And they aren't nearly as exclusive.

Back to the business at hand: Weaver says "what we're really after" with the pilot projects Boulder pursues with Xcel isn't energy, per se — it's carbon reduction. So carbon sequestration can be part of that.

Carr clarified in an email (responding to Young) and right now that the ordinance says the projects have to further the city's climate goals, which can include carbon sequestration.

Three people for the public hearing. The usual suspects.

Leslie Glustrom asks that the ordinance language match the ballot measure. Carr says it's extremely unnecessary bc "we always go back to the ballot language" in deciding how money can be spent.

It doesn't add anything to change the language, Carr says.

That was in response to Friend asking if it would "cost anything" to change the ordinance language. No, Carr answers; it will just have to go to a third reading.

Wondering what a third reading is? Here's a glossary! boulderbeat.news/boulder-101/bo…

On-the-fly adjustments to the ordinance language. Mark your bingo cards!

"I have many regrets, Mary," Carr says to Young, RE: changing the ordinance language, "but I don't know that I will regret this."

That's as good a place as any to end this thread. @threadreaderapp please unroll. Thank you!