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.
