After months of work, the Turlock Irrigation District Board of Directors is scheduled to approve the district's 2014 budget on Tuesday.
The budget calls for essentially flat spending, and no base electric rate increases.
The proposed budget foresees $379 million in operating revenues and $334 million in expenses. A further $52 million in cash will be generated by operations, Rate Stabilization Fund transfers, and interest income. Debt service payments will tally $32.6 million, and revenue-financed capital projects will total $13.3 million. The district would deposit $6.1 million into reserves.
Despite a lack of base rate increases, customers will pay more for their electricity starting Jan. 1. The last of three previously-approved “environmental charge” increases will take effect that date, increasing customers' bills by a further 4 percent. In all, the environmental charge, linked directly to TID's costs to comply with state environmental legislation, will have raised customers' rates 12 percent over three years.
On Tuesday, the TID Board of Directors is also scheduled to:
• Adopt a resolution containing updated salaries and benefits for managerial, supervisory, professional, and confidential employees. The resolution includes a three percent wage increase for those employees.
• Consider authorizing Wes Monier, Strategic Issues and Planning Department Manager, John Perry, Utility Analyst-Energy Resources, and Jason Carkeet, Utility Analyst-Water Resources, to act as authorized agents on behalf of the district for all matters pertaining to state disaster assistance.
TID has been incurred approximately $26,000 in costs related to the Rim Fire, and may be eligible for partial reimbursement. An application for reimbursement has been submitted, but the final signature of these authorized agents is required to complete the application.
• Make minor adjustments to the District's investment policy.
• Limit the maximum electric panel size that a customer may install to 2,500 kilovolt-amperes, and eliminate the option for subsurface transformers to serve residential subdivisions.
• Appoint Directors and district staff to serve on a large number of committees.
• Add three new job classifications: Consumer Programs Specialist, Human Resources Coordinator, and Line Division Manager. Two job classifications will be revised: Human Resources Analyst I-II, and Human Resources Technician.
• Hear regular weekly updates on power generation and irrigation water availability.
• Cancel the TID board meetings of Dec. 17, 24, and 31, and authorize the payment of warrants through that time.
• Hear a report on the annual Association of California Water Agencies meeting, which was held this week.
• In closed session, discuss two cases of anticipated litigation.
• In closed session during a special, 8:30 a.m. meeting, discuss a case of existing litigation: Frank Sorrentino vs. Turlock Irrigation District, PG&E, et. al.
The TID Board of Directors will meet at 9 a.m. Tuesday in the board room of the TID Main Office Building, 333 E. Canal Dr. The meeting will be preceded by an 8:30 a.m. special closed session meeting.
Free access to community forum.
Mr. Monroe warned that electrical rates would increase come January 1st. The incumbents said that wasn’t going to happen? Now the Board raises it 4% calling it a environment charge! Sounds like “Big Governement” when they have taken so much that they have to come up with unique words to not upset the public but still squeeze a little more out of the “Turnip”! Mr. Monroe warned of the currupt back scratching between the board and management? Now management gets another 3% increase in there pay! How much more does management need!?? Or should I say how much more are the employees and rate payers going to take! Talk about TID trying to save pensions with outsourcing Lineman jobs, maybe they should contract out the Managers positions! Lets see how much that saves the District! Might astonish the public! TID is turning into a Curupt institution that is surviving off the rate payer, because when there bad decisions affect the bottom line, they simply raise it! Hince “The Rates”
If TID is corrupt, it’s corrupt by the people that make up TID. Starting with the linemen, the ditch tenders admin, secretaries and janitorial. So maybe they should out source all the jobs at TID and clean out all that corruption. Give TID an enema and clean out all that (*edited by tcn).
Did anyone read the bullet point Above? •Cancel the TID board meetings of Dec. 17, 24 and 31.
Really? The board members don’t want to show up to work for the entire month of Dec.? There will still be lots of other TID employees working those days! The best part is the board will still earn a pay-check, pension, and benefits. sounds just like “big government”!
Should I list all the paid holidays that TID employees get? Talk about low productivity. I wish I worked at TID. With their high pensions, days off and easy schedule. I don’t think any TID employee should be whining right now.