EWEB Board of Commissioners — April 7, 2026

0:01 For the record, I just want to note that John Barsky is attending um remotely. Uh and uh with that then the first agenda item is the agenda check. Is there anybody have anything uh to want to do about the agenda this evening? If not, then we'll move to items from board members and the general manager. Mindy, >> nothing. >> John B. [snorts] Uh thank you. Um, I just wanted to say thank you to Frank and staff for the memo regarding the uh equipment replacement scheduling that we talked about last last month. I appreciate the memo and it looks like we're sitting in good shape on that. So, thank you for the work on that.

0:55 >> Right. Well, I do have something very special tonight. Uh so uh Frank was recognized by the Lane Council of Governments um for his leadership and service and was unfortunately not able to accept the award. So I uh contacted Brenda from Elco and asked her to give me her lovely speech. So I'm going to read it really quickly and then present you with the award if that's all right with >> Absolutely. >> All right. So, some careers are measured in years, others are measured in impact. Tonight, we recognize a leader whose public service has strengthened not only an organization, but an entire community, Frank Lawson. Frank will retire in the spring of 26 after decade as CEO and

1:40 general manager of the Eugene Water and Electric Board, Oregon's largest customer-owned electric utility, and more than 30 years of technical and management leadership spanning engineering, operations, finance, customer service, and strategic planning. Since becoming general manager in 2016, Frank has led an organization of approximately 500 employees serving nearly 200,000 people with electricity and water across Eugene metropolitan area and the lower Mackenzie River Valley. Utilities are not abstract institutions. They are the lights in our homes, the water from our taps, and the infrastructure that quietly sustains daily life. That responsibility requires both precision and heart. Frank has carried it with steadiness, integrity, and deep technical excellence. A registered professional

2:26 engineer and graduate of Oregon State University with an MBA to complement his engineering background, Frank brings both the analytical rigor and thoughtful leadership to his role. What truly distinguishes him, however, is his ability to bridge worlds, to speak the language of field crews, engineers, finance professionals, elected officials, and customers with equal clarity and respect. Colleagues describe his open communication style and his willingness to ask difficult questions not to challenge for the sake of it but to improve. He has taken process improvement and cultural evolution as personal in personal commitments helping guide a more more than 100-year-old municipal utility forward while honoring its legacy. Under his leadership, EW

3:11 Webb has strengthened infrastructure planning, enhanced system reliability, upheld strong financial stewardship, and maintained the public's trust. His tenure reflects careful guardianship of both resources and relationships. And as Frank prepares for his next chapter in retirement, we know that while he may step away from the daily demands of leading a major public utility, the impact of his leadership will continue in the systems he strengthened, the culture he shaped, and the people he mentored along the way. Outstanding public career is about more than achievement. It's about commitment. It's about service that leaves something better than you found it. Frank Lawson has done exactly that. On behalf of our board and our region, it is my honor to present the outstanding public career

3:57 award to Frank Los. Thank you for your decades of leadership, your integrity, and your unwavering service to this community. We thank you. So, please join us in saying thank you and show the award. I had to laugh a little bit because it looks like a crystal ball and we joked a lot about uh forecasting and future. So, We'll get maybe get a picture at a break later, but bring this over to you now. >> That's it for me. Thanks. >> That it. Okay, I'll jump in. Um the only thing I have is I'm going to attend the Cal Young Neighborhood Association by

4:42 invitation um tomorrow night. Um they were going to give me some questions, but hasn't happened yet. So maybe I'll get them tomorrow at 5, you know. Um, so with that then I'll pass it to Frank. Do you have anything for >> Yeah. Uh, President Brown, commissioners, good evening. Um, uh, really that was a very long, you know, I I thought it was going to be about my sense of humor. Um, but but it wasn't. So, thank you. I I actually, uh, when when I heard about it, I really thought that it was a really, u good reflection of Eb. You know, I think EW Webb has done a great job and and our staff works very well with Elco, City of Eugene, City of Springfield, Lane County. Um, and a lot of good relationships have been built and and I'm really just taking this as a reflection of how staff

5:28 work so well with these other organizations for really important causes. So, thank you very much. Um the couple of items that I had um I'll I'll be um somewhat brief because I know we have a number of correspondence items to go through as well. U one of them I I wanted to just mention that um I did meet with John Haristen a few weeks ago. So we're kicking off uh transitionary discussions and uh staff has been responding to some of his areas of interest and so uh we'll continue that. I'll actually see him again next week at an event. And so, um, that transition is starting to happen behind the scenes and and transfer a lot of of information and ideas. And then the second thing I had just in in information was um, EWB was

6:15 given an award by the largest uh, user group, the SAP user group uh, for the uh, digital cloud transformation project of the year. And this has to do with our uh new customer system and new finance system and how we approached that. Moving from a legacy system that was put in the last millennia actually back in the 1900s. That sounds very old. Um um and uh awarded by an independent panel. So it's not a a vendor uh giving you an award for spending money with them. This was an independent um group of industry experts and leaders and u we I guess beat out people like Whimo if you know them they automatic which I don't know

7:02 if you'd want to write in those but um they're they're pretty exciting. So I just wanted to congratulate the team in particular um [clears throat] Travis Kabe and Julie McGee and and uh Deborah Hart for their work on that. So that was that was my final item. Okay, thank you. And that will wrap that up. Next agenda item is correspondence. >> There were a number of pieces of correspondence and so I just wanted to take um just just a couple minutes to run run through those just at a high level. Um the first item was an annual compliance report. This is driven by uh SD8 which is our trading and compliance for power trading report that we do uh

7:47 for the uh for the board just to ensure that the direction um uh is being set through through the policy and through how we're operating. Uh the second uh was a combination of a couple of different items kind of a part one part two uh looking at uh resource adequacy across the region. uh this particular memo f focused mostly on some of the challenges of of the region and ultimately what that is going to lead to as far as reg regulatory constraints that we'll have to operate under and what e webb's role in is is in that and then a second part having to do with the um opportunities to use local generation

8:32 to help with meet some of those regulatory requirements specifically some of the questions around why we're studying the the performance and impacts of the UFO generator and what we're looking for out of that. And so that was kind of a two-part uh series there. Um and then um the Oh, you want to advance the slide please? The the other correspondence items um one of them was a an annual report related to another board policy. Uh it's written in the in the policy itself that we will provide uh an annual update to the board on uh resiliency work that is taking place uh in uh several different areas not just infrastructure which you would think about but also uh finance resiliency

9:19 workforce and community involvement in that resiliency. Uh the fourth item of correspondence uh Jason Huer uh provided an end of session uh update on uh various um house bills and senate bills that we were following uh throughout the the session and kind of where those uh landed. And then the final update is uh just u kind of an ongoing uh when there's something noteworthy on the progress of the WAMIT treatment plant. Um we we did ha have have made progress on land use and and also environmental per permitting and then the design is progressing uh toward uh an important

10:06 board meeting coming up in July where more details will be shared with the board. And so I think that was the correspondence item. Um, President Brown, if anybody had any questions or comments, um, we'd be happy to to answer them either myself or through staff in the room. >> Questions or comments from anybody? >> Jim. >> Yeah, thank you. Uh, President Brown, um, I, uh, I was waiting for the, um, the Boiler Project study to come out. It sounds like that that's not going to be an agenda item, but I do have significant concern with our involvement with that project um and the UO boiler system. Um and just to be brief, um that there was a recommendation from the thermal energy task force at the

10:52 University of Oregon about three or four years ago that recommended to change the boiler system and then that was pocketed into a desk and not addressed since. And now, uh, EW Webb's involvement in this from a certain lens can look like it's attempting to legitimize the usage of these boiler systems. Once again, um, these boilers make up 72% of the greenhouse gas emissions at the university and are one of the significant contributors of greenhouse gas emissions in our community. And so there are concerns that I have as a commissioner about how they are affecting how our community is is addressing climate change and addressing our climate goals. And so um I have uh a future board agenda at the end of our

11:38 meeting to recommend to follow through on this, but I wanted to mention that uh that I just as an individual commissioner have some significant concerns about this pilot project. >> Thank you. >> Any other comments? Well, >> um John B. Yeah, thank you. Um, and thank you for the correspondence. I was especially uh interested or intrigued by the uh what would happen if there were a rolling blackout type of thing. Uh learning about, you know, where we would do that, how it would roll out. Uh, I think that that's something that our communications team might want to think about figuring

12:24 out how we can get that out there to the public beforehand so that if at some point we do have to, I hate to say it, do rolling blackouts or brownouts, um, it's not a total shock to our to our customers. Um, but again, I don't want to put a fear factor out there as well, but I thought it was very interesting, you know, that we're we have plans in place to make sure that the infrastructure that is most needed, our police, fire, hospitals, uh, water treatment plants and stuff like that are all planned for, uh, resiliency, but that there may be neighborhoods that might be out for hours at a time in CA in the case of a

13:11 shortage. So, I was uh intrigued by that and I don't know if that's something that we want to think about, but it was uh nice for me to see that and I don't know if our customers would like to see that as well. >> Thank you. Um, I I'll chime in and and I'll just kind of respond to Commissioner Morris's concern about the I'm I'll look forward to the discussion because I too am concerned about when we have power shortages are out and we have resource adequacy demands to be met and we're not going to run this thing. If if if the study shows that it's it's a good thing. If we don't have power there, then we have to buy it on the market and it's a lot dirtier and it creates more greenhouse gas emissions and maybe not in our community, but in other communities. So, you know, I don't think there's going to be a lot of balancing

13:56 and talking, but if we we don't even know if we if we acquired that resource if we'd even run it. So, I mean, this is going to be a great discussion to have to the pose the cons and the costs and things such as that and and the reliability. So, um I do have a question on Wamtt. Where are we on the up rail negotiations crossing the rail line? looking for my my Chris my line of sight to Chris to make sure I don't mess this up. But right now they're um we have they haven't exactly started to my knowledge. We're looking at whether we would open cut or or bore as far as a plan goes. That correct Chris? >> Yeah. >> So I would just give words of caution in my years of working when like helping

14:41 the UFO get an underpass under the main line at the research park. It takes years and and we know why the Chambers Connector overpass has been delayed two years in construction because somebody didn't get the proper permits just to work above the rail line. They're very challenging to work with and I give all my [clears throat] advice is to start that dialogue sooner than later because if they say we can't go under that rail line, we can't go under that rail line. I mean it it I don't I don't want it to be a problem, but I'm just giving a word of caution. So, thank you very much. Any other things about correspondence? Frank? >> Yeah. Um, President Brown, just just one comment and part of the reason what to tie the particular u memos together regarding resource adequacy and the UFO project is that um all of the studies

15:26 are indicating that there's there's going to be challenges at peak times um in the in the region and as a member who operates uh in the region as part of the grid, Eb will be subject to certain regulatory requirements around resource adequacy. and having reserve capacity available whether we use it or not we will have to have it available if we don't understand and prudently evaluate this as an option we will have to go out and look for other options this will not be a choice for e webb uh in a couple years from now um and so uh the reason for the study is to prudently evaluate it evaluate its performance um if it is used for a resource adequacy option uh

16:14 whether it's run for 1 hour or zero hours or 12 hours a year, we have to have quantified its performance so that it can be registered as a valid qualified resource. Those are the reasons for the study and um it would be um I would say it would be a really poor move not to evaluate it. >> Thank you. Other comments or questions? All right, the next agenda item, excuse me. The next agenda item is public input and I know that we're scheduled for 6:20. So, we'll start the public input. We'll go and if we're done by then back at 6:20 again, I'll ask if anybody else has signed up. So, I'll read the preamble and I'll see um EW is a public not for-profit organization whose charters deliver drinking water and electricity to our community. Although

17:00 this forum is not used for an open back and forth dialogue, commissioners and staff value hearing a diverse perspectives and receiving community input. Speakers are asked to keep their testimony relevant to e web business and request that everyone share their comments in a productive and respectful manner. Should speakers or audience members become disruptive, they may be muted and or removed from the meeting. Option optional uh at this time we have I think three callers and one inerson speaker signed up to provide testimony. When your name is called you'll have up to three minutes to provide your comments. And uh the public session is now open. And the first on the phone is um Doug Myers followed by Dylan Palmer. Members, members of the board and e webbership, I am Doug Meyers. I pay for e webb

17:45 services where I reside in Bethl in ward 6. I have several points in response to your choice to oppose ballot measure 20-373. First, your action has caused considerable reputational harm to my evaluation of e webb leadership for the reasons that follow. Second, action by EWB was not required. It chose opposition to the measure. Third, opposition to the measure by EW web leadership was not narrowly tailored and therefore exceeded your purview by condemning efforts to protect watersheds in Lane County which do not serve EWB. Fourth, embracing the sufficiency of existing watershed laws and regulations cited by EW web leadership

18:31 rings hollow as I fully expect EW Webb opposed each of those for the same reasons when they were historically proposed. It's not in the nature of corporate council to embrace additional compliance burdens even when those target bad actors. Fifth opposition to the measure by e webb leadership cites the possibility of increased compliance and litigation costs to e webb and therefore to rate payers. What e webb is apparently not evaluated or perhaps ignored is the counterveiling potential for increased cost to e webb and rate payers from harm to the watersheds by bad actors that the measure could have prevented. which harm EWB can neither regulate nor

19:16 prevent, but that could increase costs to EW and rateayers. Six. Having monitored the multi-year development of this measure, EW Webb leadership was apparently so uninvested in the objective of the measure that it simply threw up its hands, utterly failing to pursue parallel drafting of a robust, detailed Lane County safe harbor ordinance that could have addressed and still can address the supposed ambiguity of the measure. Surely, EW must have known of yet disregarded the safe harbor tool. Seventh, e webb leadership will neither reconsider its opposition to the measure, will not address this or other criticism nor even engage further. As I read the deeply disappointing board rules of conduct that enforce group

20:01 think once a decision has been made. It is the rejection of real engagement that eventually provokes citizens to take action that e webb has criticized without leaning into the lessons to be learned. Ballot measures and litigation against good organizations happen when they stop listening. To paraphrase MLK for this e-web customer, my stridident objection against wrong is just as much an obligation as my support and cooperation with the right. You are late and wrong. I truly hope you're listening. I'd glad to respond to any questions. Thank you. >> Thank you. Next speaker is Dylan Plamer.

20:48 Can you hear me? >> Yes. >> Great. President Brown and EW Webb board members, my name is Dylan Plamer. I work with the Sierra Club as a campaign adviser for our national clean heat program and I live here in Eugene in Ward 2. I'm testifying tonight on behalf of the Sierra Club's thousands of members in E web service territory to voice our concern about the e webb and UO fossil gas pilot program. This pilot was pushed forward without any public notice or engagement and is taking the utility in the wrong direction. The University of Oregon's boiler system is currently the single largest source of emissions in the city of Eugene. According to DEEQ data, the pilot project is slated to dramatically increase these emissions. According to a statement from Steve Mal, the director of the University of Oregon's Office of Sustainability, on average January, the

21:33 system would increase gas use from 43,000 mm BTPU up to 72,000, the equivalent of burning over 4 million pounds of coal. This increase in fossil fuels is in direct conflict with the city of Eugene's climate recovery ordinance, which calls for a 50% reduction in fossil fuel use by 2030. It also conflicts with EW Webb's strategic direction policy 15, which sets the goal of 95% of electricity that the utility provides coming from carbon-f free sources by 2030. Instead of doubling down on polluting fossil fuel generation, EW must instead be making investments in local distributed energy resources, including community solar, micro grids, and behind the meter batteries along with investments in the demand response resources. I strongly urge the e-web board to cancel their misguided fossil fuel pilot project and

22:18 to work with other governments and public institutions in our community to create a plan to invest in proven approaches to reduce emissions and build grid resilience. Specifically, I urge the board to explore distributed energy resource pilot focused on establishing community solar and inbuilding battery storage on publicly owned buildings like our city hall or 4J school buildings. Thank you for your consideration and for your service to the community. Thank you very much. Next speaker is Jack Dodson. >> Do we have Jack? >> Can you hear me?

23:03 >> Yes, we can. Thank you. Go ahead. >> Okay. Yeah. Um, hello. I'm a an EAB customer in Ward 3. I'm also a University of Oregon student. Um I'm also here to voice my concern about the the CTG pilot project between the UFO and Eb. Um firstly, Eb needs to be making investments in low in local renewable energy generation. Uh I believe investing in more fossil fuel energy generation is taking us in the opposite direction. Um, I understand that there are concerns about um, you know, the potential for energy shortages and I think what better opportunity to, you know, increase the buildout of renewable energy. Um, also

23:50 before the public comment, you all were talking about the importance of this study. Well, the study would have to go into next winter anyway, so you might as well just use the time before then to increase the buildout of renewable energy. Um, if the utility is concerned about grid resilience, we should be incentivizing public institutions like the UO to be building out distributed energy resources such as solar um and behind the meter batteries. Um I'm also really concerned about the lack of public input and the lack of transparency around this project both from Eb and the university. Um frankly the university has continued to uh delay and obstruct climate action and there's currently a vote of no confidence

24:35 happening in our university president right now. Um and that just highlights how they are not they've proven that they're not going to act in good faith on climate and other issues. And so there's I don't know as a student it's hard for me to see there being any benefit to this sort of program that would raise campus tissues. Thank you. >> Thank you. And last speaker then President Andrew Sims. Hello. [clears throat] Hello. My name is Andrew Herman. I am a rape pair and

25:20 lifelong Eugene resident in Ward 7. I'm come before the board to discuss the e the e webb and university of Oregon pilot project on energy generation. From what I'm understanding, you're looking at studying this. Um my I guess a question I would have is are you studying other ways to meet the um demand that that this project is supposedly supposed to you know resolve or solve. Um, it seems to me like we should be also studying uh renewable energy um generation um and incentivizing public institutions to be building out distributed energy resources and uh energy storage systems

26:06 as well. Um we know also that our region has geothermal potential and that can provide a nice base load uh of clean energy uh potentially as well. Um I am concerned very much about the fossil fuel emissions um as a result of the project because of Eugene's um climate ordinances and climate action plan 2.0. Uh it's important that we reduce the burning of fossil fuels that create these uh toxic um emissions as well that would go right onto the greenway where I frequently ride my bicycle. Um

26:52 um also I'm concerned that there's been no public input or um outreach about this. Um considering that it sounds like the the whole community will be affected. Um I do like the idea of you know rate pairs being communicated to about potential blackouts or brownouts. And um part of that communication could also be you know demand side um um demand response I guess to incentivize people to use you know shift the the load of the energy when they when they use it as part of those communications so we can avoid

27:40 um blackouts during or brownouts during peak periods. So, I guess I would ask that um we we study other u carbon-f free ways to uh meet the peak needs um and not solely look at um something that's already uh there that's so polluting. As was mentioned, it's the largest greenhouse gas emissions in in this the city. So I um ask that we look to explore other um ways to meet that uh peak demand and u thank you for the opportunity to provide comment.

28:26 >> Thank you. Anybody else signed up? is not there. Say again. >> Issa maybe. >> Isa. Hi. I mean that's

29:11 >> Isa can you hear me? >> Yes. >> This is Issa. >> Okay. Thank you. Please proceed. >> All right. Thank you. I am also here to give comment on the UO e webb uh p bo bo bo bo bo bo bo bo bo bo bo bo bo bo bo bo bo bo bo bo bo bo bo bo bo bo bo bo bo bo bo bo bo bo bo bo bo bo bo boiler p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p pilot program. I am an e webb customer, a UD resident, and a University of Oregon student and I would like to urge my local public utility to put their time and resources towards making our grid truly resilient. And that means that it does not rely on outofdate and unsustainable power sources that harm our environment and communities. This means incentivizing public institutions like the University of Oregon to invest in distributed

29:58 energy resources such as solar and behind the meter batteries. And we should also be focused on demand response efforts to reduce peak loads. In general, the UO is being run as a for-profit institution and will take any opportunity to generate revenue. Eweb as another public institution should not enable and encourage them to incorporate more fossil fuel reliance into their revenue stream through the ULO pilot program. The program should have had more opportunities for public input. Please be a part of the just transition towards renewable energy. Thank you. >> Thank you very much. Anybody else? That's it. All right. Well, I'll close out the hearing and ask the commissioner comments. Um, Commissioner Schleser, Commissioner,

30:45 >> who gave public comment tonight? >> Commissioner Morris. >> Yeah. Uh, thank you, President M. Um, yeah, very similar. Thank you for everyone who who gave comment. A common theme that I heard this last month in particular was how difficult it is to get out this far. just maybe a conversation to LTD rather than EW Webb, but um also just how many other things are happening at the same exact time. So truly thank you for anyone who came out and provided comment. >> Commissioner Moroski, nothing. Mr. Carlson, >> I I also appreciate um the people coming out tonight and expressing their views. Um I take it all to heart and I I am very interested in what the outcome of this study is. I mean, we could also find out that it's more energy inefficient and we could decide that we don't want to do anything. It could actually validate your claims more that

31:32 it shouldn't be used. I mean, we don't know the outcome until we study it. So, for me, just being a data-driven person, I would like to know more about the resource in comparison to the other options that are available during peaking times. And that's really critical because our solar resources and wind resources, we would use those all day long if we could and they were available. The problem is that some of those are not available at the same same times. I also do want to note that we are doing demand response um look at that. I mean part of the reason that we did this whole huge overhaul of our um internal uh computer systems was so that we could do these more uh you know forward-looking uh demand response uh type systems. So it is in the works.

32:19 Those are long-term fixes. Also we can't employ new energy overnight. That takes land acquisition. It takes you know purchasing all those things. So I'm not saying that we are shouldn't do all those. I'm saying we are and we should continue to do them. And so I agree with you in that respect. But I also think that we need to be realistic about where we're at. And we also know that with climate change, our weather is wildly different than what we've had to um prepare in the past. And so being able to meet people, especially in times where we would use this in a very drastic situation, think about our ice storms. I mean, people can die when it's freezing cold out. So, um, for me, knowing that we have the resource

33:04 adequacy in case we needed to turn it on in life-saving measures, it might change my tune, but I'm I'm a hardcore environmental advocate and fully support not using natural gas wherever possible. So, um, I still want to know what the what the data says. So, thank you for coming out. I appreciate what you had to say. >> Anything else from everybody? Well, that'll do the commissioner comments then. So, the next agenda item is agenda number five is the public hearing and alternative procurement process using a CMGC. Uh Lisa,

33:52 good evening, commissioners. Uh, I'm Lisa Crren, uh, chief electric operations officer. Joining me tonight is Patty Bole, our Carmen Smith licensed deployment supervisor. Uh, we're here to discuss our request for an alternative procurement process. Before the public hearing is on the topic is opened. Patty will provide a brief summary. >> So, good evening, commissioners. As we said and mentioned, we're here this evening to conduct a public hearing and request the board's approval of an extension from the standard procurement processes in order to select a construction manager and general contractor. This would be for the three remaining large civil projects up the Carmen Smith hydroelectric project. Specifically, the CMDC will include the

34:37 license required upstream fish passage, downstream fish passage, and then the Smith spillway flow release and spillway expansion projects. Uh the construction manager and general contractor for the or or CMGC, we'll just shorten it to that approach integrates the construction planning phase with the general contractor phase of project delivery for efficient and continuous project construction management. The standard process uh would have contracting for construction begin on the with a general contractor. After the designs are complete and are ready for construction, we bring on a CMGC in order to maintain a continuous and smooth process through that project delivery. The CMGC contract that we have

35:24 uh approach that we have in place right now has worked very well for us for the past 15 years. That's in part because of the remote location and regulatory constraints and limited construction season we have at Carmen. And we expect that a highly qualified contractor will improve e webb's ability to plan for the construction of these projects with early participation in design value engineering efforts and regulatory requirement management for each of the projects. The CMGC process also allows EWB staff to focus on design and regulatory process management on a daily basis daily basis while the CMGC is responsible for the many construction contracts that must be put in place well as well as daily construction oversight.

36:12 Uh this CMGC contract will be procur pro procured through a competitive request for proposals to be issued in the next couple of weeks and proposers will be evaluated on relevant experience qualifications price and references from similar work. A selection will be made based on the best overall value to e webb and we'll return to the board for approval of the CMGC contract and that that approval is tenatively scheduled for July. In addition to approval of the contract, the board will be asked also be asked to approve construction planning task orders as well as the ex the ultimately the construction task orders for each of those three projects I mentioned.

36:58 Thank you. >> Questions [clears throat] or comments before I open the public hearing? >> I'd just like to comment. I'm familiar with this process and given the logistics of where that is and the weather window and knowing that workers just don't go home at 5. They got a three-hour commute back and forth every day and just the logistics and and you know getting a load of concrete up there is takes three times five times longer than it does locally. So, I understand why you're doing this and I think it's really a good move and I very appreciate it. So, thank you very much. Anything else? If not, then I'm going to open the public hearing on the CMGC contract uh procurement process. Is there anybody signed up to testify? Nope. Then I'll close.

37:43 We're done. >> All right. >> Thank you very much. >> Thank you. >> Okay, Lisa. >> Yeah. Do they have to actually approve the alternative process? I have >> that as an I think >> there's something on the consent calendar. >> Next agenda item is as an action item is to uh to approve that. >> Thank you. >> So agenda item number six is approval of the uh alternative procurement process and which I would seek a motion to approve. >> Move to approve. >> Moved by Carlson, second by Schlashberg. Discussion. >> All those in favor signify by saying I. I. Opposed. Passes unanimously. Thank you very much. Next agenda item is consent calendar A. Assume everybody's read it. If there's

38:28 anybody wants to pull anything, that's great. If not, I'd entertain a motion. >> Move to approve. >> Second. Second by Schllasburger. Any discussion? All those in favor signify by saying I. I. >> Opposed. Passes unanimously. Next agenda item is approval of consent calendar B. I had a quick question about number seven, but I sure >> we can do it during I'll I'll move the approval of consent calendar B unless anybody had somebody else to or some an item to pull. >> Okay. Um move to approve consent calendar B. >> Discussion. All those in favor signify by saying I. >> Oh, one second. I just one quick question on it. Um, can you tell me what

39:14 the Dropbox services are that we're approve? It seems wildly different from bark mulch. Is that literally somebody ma like coming out and maintaining dropboxes where we do payments? I just wanted to know what the what the that service actually is. >> That's very good question and I honestly can't answer it. Okay. But I >> I don't think it's um maintaining the uh you know letters. I I would assume it's around >> maintaining um walls and such, but maybe somebody else. I was on vacation when this went through. I don't know Karen if you had any. >> Oh, I might know. I >> given its lane porest problem, it is likely Dropbox is related to landscape

39:59 materials, you know, material delivery, takeaway, uh scraps and other things. So, it's it's probably birectionally. It's not Dropbox like >> Dropbox. >> Yeah, that's what I was confused by. Okay. All right. That's fine. Thank you. Um Okay. >> You good with it? >> Okay. So, I'll call the question. All those in favor of um the consent calendar B signify by saying I >> I >> opposed. Passes unanimously. The next agenda item is the audited financial statements

40:57 Good evening, commissioners. This presentation really belongs to Keith uh Simovic at Baker Tilly. Uh, but I do have with me this evening uh Aaron Bulmer, financial services manager, and Matthew Miller, our general accounting and treasury supervisor. And I guess I did not say for the record, I am Deborah Hart, uh, the AGM and CFO. We'll be available to answer any questions, but Keith, it looks like you're there, so I'm going to hand it off to you. Thank you for that, Deborah. Hopefully you can all hear me. Okay. Good evening, commissioners. Uh always excited to be here at the at the end of this process, right? Because this means that that we're done with the audit at this point, right? So, we were able to kind of

41:43 finalize all of our procedures and and issue all of our final audit reports. So, that's the objective really for this evening is to kind of go through those those final results. Uh what did we find along the way? What are our different deliverables that we that we issued? um and uh do a quick introduction of some of the other folks uh of our team because it was much more than just myself that was involved in this process. And for the record again, I'm Keith Simovic uh principal with with Baker Tilly. And before I dive into I also just want to give a shout out to uh general manager Frank Lawson. Thank you for all of your years uh and engagement in working through this process and wish you best of luck on your your next endeavor. So uh thank you again for for all the years of assistance in in this process and your leadership. All right, we can go ahead and move

42:28 forward into the next slide. And I think this is where we kind of go through the different uh services and different deliverables that we provide as part of this process because there's there's a number of them here, right? Uh there's a number of different uh bullet points and each one of them means something a little bit different. So I want to kind of go through each one of those and what our final um kind of uh audit message is within each one of those. Um, so the the top bullet point there is probably the audit report that you might be the most familiar with. Uh, and that's really the audit report or the fairness and accuracy of your financial statements themselves. So this is always attached to that financial statement document once a year um that that we put at the front there to say through all the uh procedures that we do following all of our professional standards making sure

43:13 that we are uh uh doing all the the detailed testing and sampling and evaluations um and and interviews and and uh a look at your internal controls to get to the point where we've said, "Hey, we've got enough uh substantive evidence to support that what's been recorded in your general general ledger by your finance and accounting team and captured throughout the year through everyone kind of following through on uh internal control policies and procedures and getting to this point uh where you're ready for audit and we can get enough evidence to say yep things were recorded at the right amount in the right period classified in the appropriate accounts and that financial statement document itself uh really gives a a a good picture a clear complete and accurate picture of the financial statements of

43:58 eb as of December 31st 2025. five. That's that's the goal. At the end of the day, I can say within that report, we're giving what's known as an unmodified opinion, which is uh synonymous with a clean opinion. Exactly what you're looking for. Any third party that gets their hands on this, they want to see that you've gotten an audit done by an independent CPA firm that's qualified to do the work and they've given a clean opinion over your financial statements uh is a very very important thing. Second bullet point there, uh it's actually the same deliverable. It's within the same audit report, but we also mentioned that we're doing an audit over the fairness and accuracy of the e webbed trust. So, there's a separate set of financial statements within that same kind of financial reporting package, I'll call it. Uh, so you'll see a separate kind of

44:43 balance sheet and income statement for the OPE Trust. So, it's not kind of co-mingled in with e webb's balance sheet and income statement. It's a separate uh kind of um set of financial statements within that same reporting package. and we audit that as well to make sure that that is presented fairly and accurately in accordance with the accounting standards that you have to follow. So, we're also giving an un unmodified opinion on that piece of the audit. The third bullet point down uh has to do with what's called the single audit. This is a compliance audit that we have to do. Whenever you spend more than a million dollars in federal awards in a given year, that triggers this additional compliance audit uh that the federal government says, "Hey, auditor, if you're in there doing a financial statement audit," and the organization

45:28 spent more than a million dollars in federal funding in a given year, you also have to do this single audit, this test of compliance to make sure that those federal award dollars were spent in line with those underlying um award agreements, those federal grant agreements. And so those those are something this year you were over that threshold. Again, it's been a number of years now that you've kind of hit that threshold. So this isn't a brand new thing to e web, but it's not something that you necessarily have every single year. Uh and we have to note whether we uh have any instances of non-compliance with those underlying grant agreements that that we're testing. We did not have any instances of material non-compliance noted within those reports. So good news there as well. That's something that also gets filed with the the federal government. Fourth bullet point down there, we're doing the audit in accordance with

46:14 government auditing standards. That is required in any year and when you have that single audit, right? federal government says, "Hey, you got to make sure you're doing the audit in accordance with government auditing standards, which is very similar to the normal kind of corporate professional auditing standards we have to use." With a pretty much the main difference being an additional reporting requirement where we have to have this separate report which is also uh kind of attached to your single audit reporting package that gets rep filed with the federal government. And within that report, we have to note whether we had any instances of material weaknesses or significant deficiencies in your internal control environment. So, we're in there looking at uh uh your internal controls each and every year. This is something if we had material weaknesses or significant deficiencies in internal

46:59 controls, we'd still note that uh to the board of commissioners each and every year. Now because the audit's being uh performed in accordance with government auditing standards, you have a separate reporting requirement there where we have to note that attach that to your single audit and that gets filed with the federal government as well. Uh that final bullet point is the uh audit report that we have to do in accordance with Oregon municipal audit standards. So the state of Oregon says when a audit firm is in there doing a financial statement audit of an Oregon municipal corporation, we have to test compliance with certain Oregon revised statutes. And so there's a number of different things that you'll see in that report. It's attached to your financial statements. It's towards the back of that document and there's a bullet point list of the different things that they want us to take a look at each and every

47:44 year. Uh, I'd say most namely where we're spending the bulk of our time is going to be in the public procurement process. Pulling a sample of different uh examples of of the contracting process, the procurement process that you followed, making sure depending on the the size and type of procurement that you're following through on all those uh state statutes out there. But we also have to test and see where you're parking your your funds. Are those in uh depositories that are approved by the state treasury? Uh we'll have to take a look at uh the investments that you're getting into. Are those allowed for a local government in line with the Oregon revised statute? So, there's a number of different things in there. If we note any instances of non-compliance, we have to note that we did not have any instances of non-compliance noted within that um Oregon municipal audit standards report.

48:29 So, those are the different audit reports that that we issue. Kind of transitioning forward to this slide, uh kind of just give you a little bit more flavor as to kind of the audit process, the things that we're looking at. This is really kind of uh our areas of audit emphasis. So the areas where we're probably uh developing additional procedures, more procedures to get to the point where we feel comfortable at the end of the day and can issue our audit uh opinion to say hey how things have been recorded in these areas is is a fair and accurate representation of the transactions at e webb over the course of the last year. There's a reason that we're spending a bulk of our time in these areas. This isn't everything that we're looking at. By no means at all is this everything that we're looking at. Uh but these are the areas where we probably spend the bulk of our time. So the work order classification area, this is one uh where we spend a lot of time because of the dollars that are running through

49:15 that work order process and all the different sources of costs that come into a work order, whether it's through payroll charges, materials charges, overhead charges. You have a lot of moving pieces, a lot of things that need to happen, a lot of coordination and communication between different departments to get to the point where a work order is completed and you can place that into service and you can start that depreciation process on the accounting side in a timely manner. That that start of the of of capitalizing those work orders, placing them into service and starting the depreciation process is a very important uh piece on the accounting side and something that we look at very closely each and every year. So uh because of the number of of processes and policies and controls have to be in place, we spend a lot of time on that each and every year. Revenues

50:00 and expenses over power trading, it is another area that we're spending a lot of time on again because you've got a lot of moving pieces there to make sure that those are captured at the right amount and reported in the appropriate accounts and reflected accurately in your financial statements. There's a lot of policies to follow through on those types of transactions. a lot of internal controls that have to be working to make sure that that happens completely and accurately and those get reflected and captured in your in your general ledger. So we spend a lot of time in that area. The third item down there, management override of controls. Sounds a little bit scary, but that is not something unique to eb. That is something that we have to have as a key area of audit emphasis on every audit that we do. That is required by our professional standards. Now um and just to be uh

50:46 developing procedures each and every year to uh uh address the risk of management override of controls, right? Because management typically are are individuals that uh because of their uh significance and influence on on others that they supervise because of maybe the access they they have within the IT systems and in the internal control environment, right? Can lend itself to management override of controls. we have to perform a certain uh set of procedures each and every year to make sure that we don't see any evidence of that. And then finally, of course, because you have the single audit this year, that test of compliance, we're doing separate sampling there, testing those transactions for compliance uh because those federal award dollars that are getting spent each and every year. Go ahead and advance the slide.

51:32 This required communication slide, this is consistent with a separate letter that we issue as a deliverable. uh each and every year as part of the audit. So that letter is uh addressed to the board of commissioners and it's really just just for this body, right? The idea there is that we're giving you additional information in how the audit went. It's not just did you get a clean opinion or not? Did you have compliance findings or not? This tells you more information as to well did you run into issues along the way? Did you get all the information that you asked for? Uh was management responsive? Uh did you have any disagreements? Did you have any errors that you noted or internal control deficiencies? Those are the types of things that you'll see uh within this letter. And that's not attached to your financial statements, right? Again, because this is a letter that is addressed just to the the board

52:17 of commissioners. So, the different bullet points on here align with the different paragraphs you'll see within that letter. I'm not going to go through each and every one of these. Uh there's a lot of kind of standard language in there that is required by our professional standards that we have to note, you know, whether we found anything or had any issues or not. So, a lot of this uh you're going to see very po boilerplate language that we didn't find anything there which is which is definitely good news. But a few things that I like to call out each and every year. One that second bullet point for significant accounting policies. Uh this is something that we have to evaluate each and every year. What are the set of accounting policies that your team at Eb is is using and following. Is that aligning with the governmental accounting standards that that every government has to follow? Are we seeing that there's changes from year to year that your your team is uh employing and

53:05 changing kind of the rules that they're following last year versus this year? In general, we would not expect that to happen unless there's new accounting standards that every local government has to follow and that's what we identified this year. There weren't really any changes that uh that your team made, which is great. We wouldn't expect that uh other than adoption of a new accounting standard that everyone had to adopt and that was Gazby 102 related to certain risk disclosures. Uh this is a really disclosure only um um standard that came out in the current year that is only required in certain triggering type events when you have uh certain concentrations or constraints is what this standard speaks to. And so if you have certain kind of negative things happen uh related to those two items that will trigger certain types of disclosures. You didn't have anything

53:50 like that. So, this standard really didn't impact e webb's accounting or financial reporting for the current year, but your team did evaluate it uh and is aware of this kind of going forward if any of those triggering events uh happen in the future. Uh we also note if there were any audit adjustments. This would be anything if we note any material audit errors as we're going through and doing our testing. So, as we're conducting our testing, if we're finding anything where we pull the underlying evidence, and that evidence is pointing to the fact that, hey, this wasn't recorded at the right amount, wasn't recorded in the right period, wasn't recorded in the right account, or it doesn't follow the underlying governmental accounting standards that you have to follow. Those are the things that we have to evaluate on every piece of evidence that we're pulling and taking a look at when we're doing our our testing. We did have a few

54:35 items there and we're going to go through that here on the next slide in just a minute. I also like to note that we didn't have any disagreements with management or difficulties in performing the audit. Uh we were able to get all the information that we asked for from your from your team. Uh everyone was very engaged in this process, very responsive, transparent and helpful in our in our interactions with them. There's a lot of documentation that we're that we're asking for. your finance team and accounting team does the heavy lifting there. But really, it's a it's a it's a full team effort from EW, especially when we're doing our internal control evaluations because internal controls happen throughout the organization. So, we're talking to all kinds of different departments throughout EW each and every year as we go through this process and uh really appreciate kind of all the all the help and and hands-on deck approach that we got.

55:21 uh in terms of audit observations or recommendations. This is a letter where we would also note to you do we have any material weaknesses uh in in our evaluation of internal controls and then a material weakness would be something uh where a significant error uh could happen because of the lack of checks and balances in place. Uh we didn't have anything that rose to that level in the current year which is fantastic. We did have some best practice recommendations as we typically do each and every year uh that we share with management but nothing that rose to a a significant or material level. go ahead and move to the next slide. Okay, so I mentioned there were a few uh adjusting items that we identified in the current year. Uh these are items that uh because of the the amounts that we're talking about here, these aren't reflected in the 2025 financial statements. Uh but they are getting

56:07 updated in your 2026 uh records kind of going forward. So it's not that these things are never getting recorded, it's just uh the period with which they're getting recorded. Uh the first two items are are related. This has to do as I mentioned before an audit area of emphasis is always the timely closing of work orders and uh through the testing that we did there we noted a few items both on the water and electric side uh where there were certain projects that were were completed. The the underlying assets were being used for their intended purpose but they had not been kind of closed out and reflected as plant and service and started that depreciation process as of as of year end. And so that's something that we were proposing an adjustment to move that to assets and service as of year end. Again, this is happening in 2026, not reflected in the 2025 financial

56:52 statements. The last item there has to do with recording grant revenue. And so grant revenue, typically you want to record the revenue uh as you're incurring the related expense. And so there was a a certain instance where we noted a certain amount related to uh grant revenue on the water side where the expenditures had occurred uh but the grant revenue had not been accured for as of year end. So that revenue did get recorded just in 2026 instead of 2025. Uh those are the items that we kind of noted in in our testing process this year. Go ahead and advance the slide. Uh this is a snapshot not of our full team definitely a lot more involved in terms of our our staff and seniors that were assisting with conducting a lot of the actual uh on-site audit work. Uh but

57:39 this is kind of the core managerial group. In addition to myself, we had Laurel Buscho serving as our uh concurring reviewer or QC reviewer. Very key role that uh really someone that's not involved in in our audit team or or working with e webb at all. just kind of coming in with that cold reviewer uh kind of uh approach and making sure we're following all of our professional standards. Uh we're setting our our audit plan appropriately and then at the end that we followed through on that audit plan. Uh she's also of course reviewing the financial statements just like I do, making sure it includes all the bells and whistles that the governmental accounting standards requires. Ida Alvarado, she's been on these presentations in the past with me. She's not here tonight, but uh she was our audit senior manager this year. uh she's very involved in our power and utilities industry group and she helped me with uh overseeing our team and

58:25 helping with some of the review of our our audit files. So that's the the kind of core managerial uh portion of our team. All right, I think that's everything that that we had here for you tonight. The only other thing I wanted to say was just kind of another shout out to the uh to the the finance and accounting team uh for all the efforts that they put into this process. Um it's not it's not an easy process and I will say this is probably one of the quickest turnarounds that we have from when we finish our audit fieldwork. So, we spent about two weeks of on-site fieldwork, final fieldwork uh that we started in in kind of the February time frame and within two weeks of leaving the field, we were finalizing uh EW Webb's financial statements and all of our our audit reports, including the single audit, the

59:10 OPE audit, all of those things, right? and and we wouldn't be able to do that if it weren't for the team that you have, the level of organization that they have, the responsiveness uh that they've shown throughout this process. Um, and and really kind of taking this process seriously and working with us pretty uh collaboratively along the way to make sure, you know, we're we've got our team all aligned in terms of the audit requests when we're receiving things and and getting through the audit process timely so we can hit that twoe post fieldwork deadline. So, uh, pretty, uh, pretty fantastic overall. I would say this is probably the quickest one that I have from ending fieldwork to actually issuing our audit report. So, hats off to the team there. And with that, I'll open it up to any questions the commissioners might have.

59:55 >> Okay, open up to questions, comments. Um, I know we have one commissioner that loves audits and, uh, John Barski. Go ahead. >> Thank you. Um, thank you for the work. Thank you to finance staff. Um, couple of quick questions and then, uh, so one of the first questions I would have is, again, I'm going to ask this and I' I've already heard the answer, but tell me about working with our our finance staff and our crew. Did everything go smooth? And compare it to any other audits that you've done. >> Sure. Thanks for the question, Commissioner Broski. Um, so I would I

1:00:40 would say kind of re reiterate the the comments I made. Your team's very very organized and they take this process seriously. Uh, you're not seeing material weaknesses. You're not seeing material audit adjustments. Um, yeah, there's some small things that come up from time to time. Yeah, there's some best practice recommendations we pass along. Uh, but you're not seeing things that are that go, you know, unattended to and that they grow to bigger issues down the road. uh they take it seriously when we have recommendations they're implementing them. uh the audit the the conversation is going with them throughout the year as things come up uh to stay in contact and make sure as as new types of transactions that e webb is entering into new things that come up uh we're discussing those early on right so they're proactive in in reaching out and

1:01:25 kind of you utilizing the partnership with us to to uh make sure they understand well how are you going to audit this what are you going to need how does that impact the timeline right so we're able to kind of work through those things throughout the year and have that conversation Um, and then when we're setting up kind of the audit plan and everything, that's already kind of woven into kind of the audit request, they know what to expect. Um and I'd say that that was highlighted definitely um not uh every year but I would say a year ago uh with the SAP conversion right and going through the audit kind of the first time post SAP conversion uh lots of discussion of you know changes that are being made and you know want to get us in there early and looking at things and integrating kind of our our IT uh specialists that that play a big part in our um internal control evaluation and

1:02:12 bringing them into the conversation uh early on as you were implementing SAP. So just very collaborative uh very um uh you know proactive in this process and very engaged and like I said takes it takes it very seriously. >> Great. Then the second question I'm going to have is probably for internal staff and you you teed it up very well. Um this is second year using SAP. How have you found the integration of that coming along? Has that been helpful? Has the staff been able to utilize the tools that were implemented with the new SAP program and how's it working? >> Yeah, absolutely. Oh, go ahead. >> That's probably to Deborah.

1:02:58 >> Uh this is Aaron Balmer uh speaking on on that topic. Um it's been a learning curve and so uh we have found uh efficiencies this year. uh but certainly we have identified uh further steps that we can take to garner more efficiencies from that system. So um I I'd say we're uh stable in terms of the way that we're uh tackling transaction recording with the system, getting reporting out of the system. Uh but we uh we have a lot that we see that we want to do that we know we can do uh that we're just itching to do. So, it's going to get better. >> Great. Thank you. And then the last

1:03:43 portion is going to be uh you brought this up and this is the second possibly the third year in a row that uh the corrected and uh uh unreported mis misstatements has gone to closing work orders um both on the electric and the water side. I know we we touched on that last year. Um, and I thought that there was going to be a plan to do it. I know it's not a big deal, but that's the one thing that that has come up year after year after year in this audit report. It's the only It's the only negative check mark that that your team has. And I'm just wondering uh is there something that we're working on to to tighten that up?

1:04:35 You are correct. It is an area that we have struggled with since I've been at e webb. So I can only presume that it goes back beyond 15 years. Uh every year we make enhancements to uh the way in which we educate uh the folks who need to close those work orders and to our reaching out. So, when we see things like this, right after um I pull my hair out over it, uh we reflect back on our processes and ask ourselves what what changes we could make to the process to ensure that work orders do not slip through the cracks. So this year it's

1:05:21 part education and it's part a a broader sweep of what uh we will in accounting open up and delve deeper into. >> Perfect. Thank you. And by by no means let me take that as any sort of a negative reflection on the staff or anything like that. Um I think that this is this is a a good clean audit. Every audit that I've been involved with with the e webb has been a good clean audit and I just wanted to reiterate that you know this was a quite a few pages and something page audit that we went through and just just to let you know that there is that we do look at it. We

1:06:07 appreciate all the work that finance has to do to prepare this audit and that the accounting firm does. So I really appreciate your work on this Deborah and all your team. Thank you for all you're doing and know that it's not just being filed into a a a file that nobody reads. So, thank you for your work. >> Thank you. >> Okay, Commissioner Carl. >> I just wanted to uh note that this is one of the few times where calling something boring is the highest >> uh respect that we can give. And so, thank you for uh putting me to sleep. But no, it's it's it's really it's a wonderful uh situation to have it be

1:06:53 boring and thank you for that. It's one of the few things that we really have to do as an organization and as a board is to make sure that our financials are, you know, doing the things that they say they're supposed to be doing. So, um look forward to it and thank you for the long reading material. is always our goal to deliver a a very uninteresting uh not exciting audit report. So, thank you. We take that as a compliment. >> Any other comments by anybody? >> Right. >> Yeah. Commissioners, I I did want to just highlight a couple of things and it came up with um Commissioner Barovsky's

1:07:38 question about the work orders. Um there are always opportunities that we look at and I and I think over the last um at least five years every year we come away with some type of continuous improvement around work orders and and right now some of that is a manual process uh which we'll continue to work on. We do have some opportunities to take those lessons learned as we go into a new asset management system and work uh fieldwork management system here in a couple years when we do something similar that we did with the customer and finance system. And so we'll continue to do that. Some of those when you're when you're really thinking about that we we process thousands of work orders a year just for some context. um that sometimes when a a particular asset

1:08:25 is deemed inservice, there's different there can be different interpretations between engineering and finances to what exactly that means. And so uh there's obviously system and process uh improvements that um Deborah Hart mentioned. We'll continue to do that. Um but uh couldn't be more pleased with uh the fact that it's a half a billion dollars worth of boring, Commissioner Carlson. So, we're we're excited by the boringness of it as well. Um, because it wasn't that long ago, I think it was 2014 or so, we did not have a clean audit. We had some material weaknesses that, uh, were were very significant. And so, um, staff's come a long way. And I also wanted to thank Keith um for his uh

1:09:12 years worth of guidance um not not just in the audit process but we reached out to Baker Tilly when it came to the implementation of the new system and they provided a lot of really excellent guidance to our staff when it came to implementing the controls with the new system. So that that door swings both ways and and Keith we really appreciate that. >> Thank you. Well, no other comments or anything. Keith, thank you very much and thanks to your firm and your staff. I appreciate it every year. Um, and thank you for the clean audit. So, with that and I thank everybody here. So, we'll move on to the next agenda item, which is the watershed annual report.

1:09:58 >> President Brown, I was proposing that we just skip this this year. Why don't you try that? >> Nobody's interested in this one. >> Skip your retirement. >> Point taken. you in words. >> Yeah, I'll do that. >> Well, good evening, commissioners. Uh, President Brown, GM Lawson, others. Uh, Mike Masters, the water operations manager. Happy to be here tonight with Susan Fricky, our water resource and quality assurance supervisor to share and discuss some highlights of the 2025 state of the watershed report. First, I'd like to thank you for your continued commitment and investment in

1:10:43 the McKenzie watershed is currently our sole source of drinking water for the community and point out that this is the critical first step in our multi-arrier approach to ensure safe drinking water. Uh I'll kick us off by reminding us of our drinking water source protection goals and then pass it to Susan. First we have uh number one is work with partners to maintain source water quality. Uh prioritize benefits to water treatment and electric generation in the McKenzie watershed. And third to promote public awareness and stewardship and with that Susan can get into some of the details. >> Good evening.

1:11:29 So, as a reminder, we monitor water quality quarterly as part of our baseline monitoring. We also monitor for runoff events, which means we try to grab like the first flush in the fall, then in the Is that not coming? >> Sorry, >> that one. Oh, sorry about that. There. Is that better? Thank you, J John Brown. Um, so yeah, we monitor a handful of different ways for our water quality monitoring program. So, we do our baseline monitoring. We do the first flush in the fall. We try to do a spring event after the potentially pesticides have been been applied. We also monitor larger storms um baseline harmful algo monitoring blooms um for that one. And then that's on May to October. Um for

1:12:16 HABs this year, our harmful algo blooms, we saw no cyanotoxins in the system. Those are the toxins that the harmful algo blooms can produce. And that was at any of our monitoring locations for 2025, which is great news for our system. Baseline conditions were mostly typical across the sites. There were several low-level um PAS detections in the 52nd Street storm water system, but you know, that's that's not that unusual. But we had no PAS were detected in the McKenzie River. And as always, there was none detected in our raw or treated drinking water. And we also had some storms that came in. You can see a picture there at Gate Creek with a higher turbidity. So those

1:13:01 are the kind of things that we're looking like when we want to be out there sampling. For a reminder of why we're doing a little bit more of a special deep dive into or urban storm water monitoring. Um when we sampled in 2024, well, we were trying to get one of those spring flushes I was talking about in 2024, but it never really rained again. So, when we've got some rain in September, we went out and grabbed that water because those storm channels particularly had been sitting there with no water flushing through them for a while. And what we found was some rather high levels. Um, let's see. We finding two right here. Does that show up at all? >> Yeah, kind of. Here. You want to turn around and point for a second? >> We'll see how it goes. Okay. So, we're

1:13:47 seeing what's the best way to do for the pointer. >> No, it's working. Okay, great. Thank you all. Just disappeared. So, we went out in September and we grabbed that flush right there and we found these really high levels. Now, note that this is a log scale. So, we're finding things over a 100,000 on that. And that's those are pretty high for those conditions. We didn't know at the time if that was something we were just seeing because we normally don't sample for the bacteria in the storm water in September or if this is because those channels have been sitting stagnant for quite some time. Um so we kept doing this and we've talked to the board about this before. Uh we also looked at um the biomarkers for that for u microbial source tracking which could show us what the sources. We did this about 10 years ago. We saw that the dominant source was canine. So then

1:14:33 we worked with the city of Springfield on an education campaign to be able to um look at reducing pet waste into potentially into those storm water systems. So we kept sampling in 2025 and we saw that the results were significantly lower like an order of magnitude lower generally than what we had seen for those high results in 2024. And so we're not seeing the same response which is good. You know we don't want to have those very high levels. And then we're also seeing um you know what did we see for the biomarkers? We saw some human in 52nd. We saw dog. We saw aven we saw beaver. We do expect to have beaver in some of those lower systems. So, we didn't really see anything as a driving force across all of those systems. Um, also wanted to note for this stuff,

1:15:19 while we are seeing high levels, our treatment plant can process, they can treat for these levels of bacteria to keep our water safe. So, that's not a concern. We're looking at these sources to be able and the amount of bacteria to find ways to reduce the loading in the system. So, what could have happened? 12. Um, in conducting this bacteria study, we communicated closely with the city of Springfield, uh, with their environmental services division and we shared information back and forth as we always do. We had great communication with them throughout the year in 2025. Um, they had identified several issues since we started the study in 2024 that have been remediated and including they had a cross connection between sewer and storm water that was fixed. uh they had

1:16:04 clean and repaired infrastructure to reduce sewer overflow and blockages. And these could be part of why we're seeing less bacteria. So, I mean, those are great things. They're improving it. We're finding less bacteria. All these are wins for us. Moving on to uh other parts of our source water protection monitoring. We have these continuous monitoring networks that we do with USGS. Um for we've got the sons. Sorry, words right now. I'm working on this. Um as we wrap up the holiday farm fire monitoring, we are moving water quality data sons which are continuous water quality instruments. Those are the ones that take measurements every 15 minutes or like we can set it for 15 minutes, half

1:16:50 an hour, an hour, but they're taking water quality like temperature, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, all those kind of things. Um, we're removing those ones from the fire impacted areas as we kind of wrap up our holiday farm fire work. So, those are coming out of Bear and Martin Creek. Um, we worked with USGS to install some gauges up around Courtz Creek to look at the wershed restoration um that we're doing up there for that flood plane project. And you know these sons are very important because they're used by e webb departments including for a variety of departments including our treatment and generation as well as source water protection. Um we also wanted to talk about the pentacllora plume. We did move this meeting. Normally it was in March before we moved it to April now to make sure that we had all the data for you all in

1:17:35 2025 from the 2025 data from that to be able to talk with you guys about this. And most of the monitoring sites um for the wells were decreasing or non-detect which is good news. We've been tracking two well sites that were a little bit different. They've been variable in the past and what we've seen in the last few years is that those sites are stabilizing and or they have decreased. So, all good news all around for that. As far as spill preparedness, um what we do for that is we track incidences that occur where we could have fluids that go into the river. Um we had seven reported incidents that we tracked in the wershed last year. Um one of those is highlighted, you can see with the the box truck that wrecked right next to the

1:18:21 river. That one was carrying large pieces of styrofoam. Um the fluids I don't think got in the river for that one, correct, David? No, no fluids in the river. We did however have large pieces of styrofoam that got in the river and we had people go out in boats later um from other agencies went out and gathered that styrofoam up so that was able to be recovered. Um we had a great spill drill again. We did our annual spill drill at Trailbridge Campground last year and that was a beautiful location. It was a great drill. We had wonderful media coverage and an enthusiastic group of participants. And I'm excited to share this. Patty's not here anymore, but Patty Bole shared with me earlier that because I know people always ask, John Brovsky, I see you up there. Um May 1st is when the campgrounds are going to open up. At that point, they'll be first come, first serve. May 15th is the first

1:19:08 observable date on recre.gov and the ribbon cutting will be on May 29th. So, Trailbridge Campground and those campgrounds up there will be opened up for folks. They are beautiful up there as you can see. Like when we were there, the water was just absolutely gorgeous and blue and clear. It's a lovely time. This year we're hoping to do the drill at Hendricks Park, which is lower down in the watershed. And that might make it easier for people to access that too if we have folks from the board or staff that would like to join us. As far as our Pure Water partners, um what an amazing amount of work that they've done. Since 2021, we've planted almost 1 million trees and shrubs and worked with over 230 land owners. Such a huge success. Um, we have so many

1:19:53 partners that have worked diligently on this recovery project and this effort. Last summer is when we kind of wrapped up the holiday farmfire work for the Pure Water Partners or the PWP and we were pivoting and now returning to the original focus of the PWP, which is riparian protections. For septic assistance, we continued with our septic assistance programs for maintenance and zero interest loans, which has gone well. You can see the statistics there. And then for the septic septic grants program, we have distributed over $3 million since January of 2023 across 175 grants for septic repair or replacement and the holiday farm fire footprint. Special thanks to Nancy Toth who's here in the audience tonight and also especially

1:20:39 Misty Fischer for working on the septics program. It's just they've been such an amazing resource and this has provided such a great benefit for our community. Um one of the highlights for the septic program from last year is that Lane County added $1 million in 2025. Um and then another million dollars just last month we found out. So that's wonderful. And what was different about this funding is that it could be used for commercial properties and owners that bought their house after the fire. So that was what was adjusted for that before you had to own your house during the fire. Good stuff. And the catch with the funding for this is that the projects must be completed by September 1st of this year. So that is a tight timeline. There is no give on that. If you know anyone in the Holiday Farmire area that needs a septic repair

1:21:25 replacement, please have them go to the website. Misty is also happy to talk through people. We have had some special exceptions for the rule that we've been able to do [snorts] which is case dependent. As far as our flood plane restoration um along with our wonderful partners which included Mackenzie Watershed Council, Mackenzie River Trust and the US Forest Service, our floodplane restoration collaboration completed Ports Creek last summer. It's a 1.8 stream mile flood plane restoration project. This project along with our other middle McKenzie projects expect to have outcomes like we've talked about those wonderful co- benefits increasing fire resiliency, climate resiliency, infrastructure protection, high quality habitat for fisheries and wildlife and restoring natural river and ecosystem

1:22:10 function. We did have one acquisition last year and that was in Gate Creek and that's thanks to Ob for funding that entire acquisition and for Mackenzie River Trust for stewarding that property. Um, for this property, we have a FEMA grant, which is a HMGP, which is the hazard mitigation grant program. Um, we're working on a feasibility study for the floodplane restoration projects there for both Gate Creek and we also have a grant for Enis Creek. Um, once we get that feasibility study done and to at least a 30% design, we're hoping to apply for the brick funding um from Vimma. And so hopefully that would be next year. They did just release they're going to do brick funding again. Yay. And so hopefully we can be applying for that one next year for being doing

1:22:55 implementation for those projects. Let's talk about funding now. So this is from 2021 to 2025. Um the holiday farm fire as a reminder sunsets at the end of June this year. Um note that the expenditures were listed here are from the end of December of 2025. So these aren't end of 2026, these are at the end of December. And also as another note, we are going to come back to you in September and do kind of a wrap-up of the rate fee which will have more comprehensive and a deeper dive into that. We're going to work with finance on that. So we had four activity four buckets of activities that were funded. We had the biggest one you can see is our risk based investments. Those included erosion control, hazard tree

1:23:40 removal, fuels reduction, planting native trees and shrubs, invasive treatment, and our landowner outreach which was so important. Um, you know, we had the carbon sequestration, which was work at both High Banks and out at Ports Creek for looking at carbon sequestration on different kinds of property that are local to our area. Um, we also had the land acquisition which included strategic riparian acquisitions including some small smaller parcels but also ones that did restoration Benrock lower quartz and gate and then obviously the floodpoint restoration we talked about as well with projects like Finrock Courts Creek and then South Fork. There's been a handful of projects that's been wonderful source of funding to be able to get some great stuff done in there. Now looking specifically at

1:24:27 2025. Um when we look at these numbers, it looks like we have a huge net profit this year. And that's one of the one things I wanted to know about. But this is actually how you all planned and agreed to do this. What we did is we frontloaded a lot of this work. Um we used e webb investments to frontload the work that was going to be done. Plus we were spending more energy and more of our resources at the beginning right after the fire happened. Um and then we acred reimbursement dollars back from grants as well as leveraging funding through partners and bringing in the rate fee afterwards. So revenue includes things like from last year um the holiday farm fire rate fee from customers. O web has for PWP operations and the Gate Creek acquisition. Um US Forest Service had reimbursements as well for floodplane restoration projects

1:25:12 for moving wood around. And for expenses, you can see we had 1.7 million for expenses this year, and that was less than any of our years so far. That was like moving wood around. Again, we like to move wood all around for these projects. PWP ops. Um fuels reduction. We're working with both Mackenzie Fire Rescue and with ODF and W or ODF to be able to do some fuels reduction projects and strategic neighborhoods up the Mckenzie. And uh yeah, let's go. So, thank you. This is a beautiful picture taken by David Donaghhue, who's here in our crowd today. What I want to note about this is he took this picture last year in February 6th, says at the bottom. And so, the things that are notable about this is just the way our climate is adjusting right now. Um he

1:25:57 shouldn't have been, what he tells me is he shouldn't have been able to get to this part of the road because it should have been covered in snow. The trees should have been more covered in snow. And we're facing a similar condition this year as well. So that's why some of this monitoring is so important. That's why having these longerterm data sets are great. All that kind of wonderful stuff. Um, and I also just wanted to thank so much to our staff at EW Webb. They've worked so hard on these issues and as well as our external partners and our board and community for supporting this work. Um, is so what questions do you have for us? Thank you. >> Thank you very much. I'll open up to Q Mindy. Um, thank you for that report and it's really great to hear about what a healthy watershed we have and all the hard work that's being done up there. Um, I have a question. The wershed

1:26:43 recovery funding. So, does that mean that we have about a million dollars left over? >> So, that's something I actually am not ready to answer tonight, but I would love to answer when we however we come back to you all in September. Um, we have money that's out and we have money that's coming back in and it's kind of a little bit in flux right now and um, so that's something that we're going to work on that wrap-up. We also have expenditures. Like I said, that was only as of December 31st. The number kind of adjusts. We're working with Matthew and Aaron and those folks on this. Um, but we'll have better numbers too next time. >> It's too early really to >> It's too early to tell. We also have placeholders for some items as well. Um, for example, we worked with USGS on the

1:27:28 gauges. We have some agreements with them that we'll have money out that we're kind of holding for now that we'll have to pay out after that time. We also have things like we have an easement with Campbell Global for that upper part of Courtz Creek where the restoration project is. So, we're going to hold back some money as well to make sure that we can take care of that property. We have to make sure those trees are free to grow where we disturb the soil. Also, if someone comes by and dumps like a couch, we have to be able to help take care of it. So, we're we're trying to have that. >> Um, and then I just have one other question about the Pure Water Partners program. >> And so, I know that a lot of that has shifted to restoration after the the fire. And so, the opportunities going forward now that we're looking more about that riparian restoration, not so

1:28:14 much like the acute like fire. Um, is there uh I guess what is the feeling of of land owners up there or homeowners or people excited to get into that work? Is it going to have to like kind of start building again because our mission changed for a little bit? I think we have people that would be ready to work with us. The problem right now is we don't have any implementation funds to be able to work on people's properties. So, what we're doing right now is we're delivering resources to them. And we also do have our naturecaping program where you can go out and people can work to make your um area more fire resilient with just your planting and how you design the area right around your home. So I know we've applied for some grants. Nancy worked really hard to apply for at least a couple grants recently. So we're trying to see what those come back as.

1:29:01 >> Okay. >> But we're back to the world of where we have to apply for grants to be able to do the work because we don't just have the pot of money right now to be able to be on the landowner's property working. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Welcome. Other questions or comments? >> Um, Jim. [clears throat] >> Yeah, thank you, President. Um, great work with your team. You are all doing incredible things and also a lot of your work is um, unnoticed, I think, by our community, which is a good thing because if they do notice that everything's falling apart. So, thank you for staying on top of everything. Um, and then in particular, I mean, as an individual commissioner, I um, I think the very first few months I was with you, Susan, on Courts Creek, uh, and the I got to see personally the

1:29:46 before and after of that restoration project. And it's a an incredible and beautiful example of how EW is is engaging our community and really caring about how our environment is working and really um, just restoring all it was just it's it's one of my personal appreciations that I have as a commissioner. So, um, thank you for your your continued work in that and you and your team. Um, uh, I wanted to just ask and this is a question that I sort of come back to every now and then, but is there anything that you two want to specifically highlight or talk about or something that you wish we are asking that you wish to answer? Uh, >> I think just what I want to highlight for this, if I didn't already, is that this is a huge team effort. If we didn't have our community partners and our

1:30:32 external like colleagues that we worked with, this work wouldn't happen. We've had a lot of challenges with the federal like changeover with staff and we've had to reroute quite a lot. I think e webb staff have done a tremendous job. We have some folks that are working on design now that the forest service used to do. That's been just an amazing benefit to have and we already had those people in place. But that's definitely added a lot of challenges with the federal funding uncertainty and also with staffing availability as I think folks are very aware of. Mike, you had anything? >> Yeah, I I mean I guess I'd say no, Tim, because I think the board has consistently supported this work year after year and invested in it, has a pretty firm understanding of it and is really good about bringing forth concerns, questions so that we can stay

1:31:19 ahead of it. So that answers your question. >> Does. Yeah. Thank you so much. I look forward to uh the Wanet State of the Wershed coming up soon. So, thank you for your work. I appreciate it. >> And you also have a board float trip coming up on May 14th that we'll be taking you on as well. So, >> sold. >> Yes. >> Um John Bronzky, any questions? Go ahead. >> Yeah, thank you. Um not so much questions, just comments. Um thanks for all the hard work. Uh a good again a good clean report. Um, I just wanted to to put out there to the board and to the rest of the people how important e webb is as far as a player and a partner with the other agencies up river. Our nimleness to be able to come in and be a

1:32:07 funer or a bridge on some of these projects is so important to moving projects forward. being able to be the the agency that can shuttle the money through. You know, there's a lot of times you need a pass through entity where from some of the federal and and other grants and we've been very accommodating in that area. Um I know I sit on the McKenzie wershed council as a as a board member. Um, and just the number of times that we interact with other agencies and how appreciative they are of us is goes beyond what what I can even say here. Susan can talk to that. Um, but

1:32:56 the work that we do up river in areas that have to do directly with source water protection, but then finger out to so many other areas that the watershed isn't involved with is just incredible. So, I just want to say thank you and and acknowledge the work that we're doing up there and know that we're probably one of the best watersheds around. There's other ones, the San Die other watersheds that if if they had had an entity like Eb would have recovered much quicker than they are now. So, thank you for your work. >> Thank you so much, Commissioner Barovski. I think the way that Eb was

1:33:42 willing, the board was willing to frontload and also I just wanted to do a tremendous shout out to folks like Deborah's people in finance um and just across the organization contracts and everything. We have these people that can help with that and the fact that Eb leads that work with that kind of staffing level and those amazing staff um has put us at far ahead of the restoration as a lot of other places. Like it's it's just an amazing asset that we have in this community. So, thank you so much. >> Good job. I mean, you've had a lot of challenges and other things with environmental changes um around I am a

1:34:28 little bit curious, you know, since we are gettingounded on uh some other things out here. Can you talk a little bit about pesticides? You you talked a little bit about the testing of them, but >> Yes. >> Yeah. Can you just maybe elaborate on kind of the general trend with pesticides in the watershed area that needs our web water? >> I might phone a friend on this one to to David. Or >> I might phone a friend on this one, too. I know it's something that we definitely do track. That's one of the reasons why we try to gather those winter storms. We did have one in December that we didn't capture as much because we had logistics issues with. We don't always get everything, all the data that we want.

1:35:13 We had logistics because it was a holiday. Our lab didn't have the capacity. We couldn't get it to contract labs. So, we try to capture it all, but we don't. Do you have any overall trends about pesticides that you'd love to share? And maybe if you want to come up to the front table, is that okay? Is that all right? You step up there. Thank you, David. >> David Don, who is one of our wonderful staff in source protection that goes out in the middle of the night to do our monitoring and watches the storms with a interject. Page 23, item five, it talks about 13 pesticide detections and things. So, just for reference. >> Okay. Yes. Would you like to speak to that please? Thank you. >> Yeah. I would just probably give a bit

1:35:59 of um historical perspective too on our pesticide monitoring. We've been looking at pesticides. I mean, it really got us kicked off in probably 2004. And so, we really tried to look at different parts of the watershed and really be aggressive with our pesticide monitoring, forestry, rural, urban. Um, obviously the holiday farm fire kind of repositioned um our approach to that, but we've always kind of been looking at pesticides that entire time and we do get detections. Um, there's no doubt about it. But our pesticide monitoring currently, usually we're looking at a a spring um event when we know that pesticides have been applied and then, you know, runoff conditions and that

1:36:44 first fall flush event. sometimes a big storm event, but those two data points at either urban sites or upriver sites are really hard to trend on. We're we're really looking at it from the standpoint of like are we getting detections consistently for a particular pesticide. Are any of those levels during these worst case scenarios either a first fall flush or a spring event, are they exceeding any standards? Uh so while we do get detections and we kind of expect to get some detections um especially in our urban water interface um they're not they're not very consistent and we look at um hundreds of organic compounds during these events. So if we start

1:37:31 seeing that particular pesticide show up routinely, especially at a particular site, we're probably going to start looking at that site a little bit more closely to see if there is a pattern there and to see if we can determine are things getting better or worse. Um so yeah, that's that's kind of where we're at. Um there are some of the more commonly used pesticides. It's not surprising to see low-level detections, but all of the tech well all the pesticide detections we've had are pretty low level. >> Can you give a a sense of the scale of the pesticide detection versus like the regulatory limit? >> Oh my goodness. I'm gonna have to call Karen on that one. But for instance, glyphosate

1:38:16 um which is something that we look at routinely. Now Karen, you might have to back me up on this, but I want to say the um drinking water standard is probably 700 micrograms. It's it's high. We would typically see like one maybe two um micrograms per liter. So pretty low levels, well below any drinking water standard. However, we know that people we see people applying. we know that there are actually organizations that are applying um glyphosate. So, we know it's being used in the system. Um and that's why we kind of target those worst case scenarios when we expect those concentrations that

1:39:01 runoff to be collecting whatever pesticide applications there were and to see what what does that worst case scenario look like for >> case scenario is like that that one verse 700 range. Yeah. I hope I'm not off by a order of magnitude 70 or 700. >> Actually, let me >> 700. >> But also, let's keep in mind, so that is the drinking water standard. That's not what's hitting our raw water. >> That's what's Yeah, that intake. >> So, no, but not really there. That's not where we're finding Mackenzie. These aren't typic tributaries, urban storm water channels, those places where you know in the urban interface you expect to see, you know, low level. >> So what we would use to compare to that

1:39:46 is like the recreational drinking water standards like if you were there with your family swimming in the water, those are the recreational standards. Those are much higher than the drinking water standards. So drinking water standards would be what's coming out of the treatment plant. Um, so not like that's not the raw water, that's not what's going into the treatment plant at all. So we're not normally finding detectable levels of what's going into the treatment plant, I don't think. Correct. >> No. And that's why we're really fortunate in the McKenzie because we have this amazing source that dilutes a lot of your urban inputs. So it's it's very rare that we would see anything in the main stem. >> I know Karen has a thing. Sorry, I was trying to cover the comment from you. So go right. Go ahead. >> Yeah, I just want to weigh in. So when

1:40:31 you're when you're sampling drinking water, the finished drinking water, it the the requirement is once every three years. So you can imagine that people might be concerned. Well, it's fine every three years, but what is it like the rest of the time? So we look at what's the worst case scenario out in the environment. So checking it in multiple locations throughout the watershed, we're seeing very very low levels under worst case scenarios and at our intake we're finding nothing. But it's important for us to keep a lookout for it, see if something's changing. Uh we can respond to that before it gets to our treatment plan in that in those cases. So that's really the purpose of the monitoring that the team does. And then the response would be can we prevent it from getting into the water

1:41:17 at all if it does become levels of concern and how would we go about that? So we're monitoring it at the worst case scenario up river and then also through periodically throughout the year even though the regulation says once every 3 years we're regularly monitoring it when we would expect to see it in there. We're not cherry-picking times and we're like, "Well, we know it won't be here. We'll pick this out." I mean, we're we're actively looking for it for when it's the worst case scenario because we're a public utility and we care about the water that we all drink. >> Okay. >> That's correct. And uh you know, just just to reiterate, there is no requirement to sample the raw water in the wershed. We we preemptively do that

1:42:02 because we're concerned. We want to make sure that, you know, for rateayers and for public health both, it's less expensive for us to keep an eye on it and respond to it out in the environment than it is to add additional treatment to the water plant to take care of all situations. >> Excellent. Thank you. >> I'll go last. Um I, you know, when I started, I thought, gosh, I'm going to call on Sonia and there was 22 minutes left. I thought, okay, now I got 20 minutes. But anyhow, I won't do that to you. I have a thousand questions and I'll follow up with them, but some general questions and and that's that uh I continue to hear we're monitoring, but we're not doing anything about it. And and the majority of the problems are

1:42:47 down low. We just spent $17 million up above and we're not spending any money down low unless I'm missing something. And down low is where the problems are based on this report. the and how are we going to change the behavior of the Springfield residents to stop putting stuff in the storm system that's threatening our drinking water? That's my big my big macro question. And sometimes I guess I have to take a radical approach to get a moderate response. But I I want to know what we are going to do to change that behavior if anything because I said you know we I look at all the all the detects every one of them and it's all down low. That's all the 42nd, 52nd, and all the storm water and they're they're done. And I assume that Springfield's new

1:43:33 drinking water intake is is above all these outflows. And uh because you know, we're not getting any help there. But I'm I'm getting kind of a little bit radical on this because I want to see something done about the pollution or the increased problems that we have down low. You see even even when you talked about the pesticides, if you look at that, they're all coming in down in the storm water. They're not coming in above with the forest feed. It's the people down low that are doing it. And it's the storm water system that's to me is the biggest threat. I mean, the Pent Pentic plume, I'm glad that that's not much of a threat anymore, but what how can we get to we're monitoring to to what we're we're we're dealing with it. What's it going to take to make that move in in

1:44:18 the lower watershed to help protect it? >> I would love to address this issue and I had no idea you would ask such a question. I mean, yes, I knew you would ask this one and I would love to talk about this. Part of what my department's been doing is we've been focusing on holiday farm fire recovery and I've heard that the next thing that we're going to be working on is the urban area. We went out as a board a couple years ago to look at that area and see what priorities were. We've already been developing and working on collaborations with folks for this. Um we participate in a wonderful collaboration that includes Lane County, City of Eugene, City of Springfield, SUB, um Eb as well as a handful of nonprofits called the Urban Water Partnership, Urban Water Partners, Urban Water Program, one of

1:45:03 those lovely acronyms which is escaping right now, but UWP. and that's run through the long watershed council and that works with business owners that need to reduce their storm water runoff. Um we're working on a project that's right literally the property just upstream of the Hayden Bridge intake on that. That one's going to be I think we toured that one a couple years ago. That one's going to be implemented this summer. As we all know, permitting takes a while as does that. So those are some of the things that we're working on right now. I also think of it for the storm water. Yes, we do need less contaminants in there obviously, but also some of the things when David's sampling, you know, we're talking about amount of water that's like this much water. So, one of the things that we do have is those things do dilute once they go into the McKenzie. And while we do

1:45:48 want them less by the time they move their way through wetlands and things like that or they move their way into the McKenzie, we're finding no detects with the water that's coming to the intake. Um, we're also working with International Paper. We're hoping that they're working on some improvement projects that we could overlap with to do um hopefully work on some increased wetland in Kaiser Slooh area. That's something that I'm hoping to turn my attention to now that we're wrapping up the um holiday farm firework this year. So, I'm excited and eager to make that shift as well and to really start working on those relationships and trying to see where we can have the best benefit. As I did say throughout the um presentation today, David and our staff have a wonderful relationship with the city of Springfield with the environmental services division. Um we

1:46:34 coordinate closely on that. So we have that feedback. We also work on a lot of different projects with sub as well. Um so you know it's great to have those partnerships and we hope to help maximize those. Uh the grant funding right now is a little challenging as we talked about too with some of the federal funding uncertainty. um that makes implementing these larger projects which keep costing more and more um makes it more challenging. So the fact that we had this guaranteed funding from e webb that could leverage and expand that funding so much all these years has been a wonderful benefit. Um so hopefully we can find some other creative ways to fund these sources too. Mike, do you have anything you'd like to add about what we're working on the urban? It's definitely my directive from both Karen and Mike that we are

1:47:19 switching to urban once we wrap up Holiday Farm. I just think to to restate and back to the pesticide uh thought if you know if David's measuring the two parts per million versus the 700 that's in a concentrated tributary or storm water channel before it's then put into the main stem McKenzie but diluted significantly and I don't mean to underplay the the our desire to keep those contaminants out but Um, you know, it it'd be a different story if we were getting those detections in the main stem even, I think. And, you know, talking with Susan and reading the report, you know, some of the stuff that we we feel like those

1:48:04 are big wins with the with the uh sewer improvements they've made and seeing the numbers go down there. So, I do feel like progress is happening and I know communication is happening and I think we're all looking forward to kind of prioritizing some more of that. We've got potential u investment opportunities with rice farms with upper lamament soil and water conservation district right there coming up. So all of those things but yes we don't we want to we want to keep that stuff out too and I think it's a matter that the the only way to do that is through partnership and communication and it's just a gradual process. I think I I don't know that we don't have the enforcement arm to force

1:48:50 any of that, right? So, we have to encourage and get buy in and and kind of create that change and it's just a long process. That that would be my perspective on it. >> Um then my last question is is that you know last year we toured the 42nd Street Bridge area and we saw that there's erosion. We're losing at least 20 to 30 feet of bank every year. the the it's migrating, it's going to take over and it's going to flood Springfield if somebody doesn't do something about it. That's also where the PCP plume is going. And so with the river migrating 20 to 30 feet a year towards 42nd Street into the plume area, is there a risk of that plume that the dynamic of that PCP plume getting into the watershed from

1:49:37 the migration of the river and the groundwater? >> I'm unsure about that one. I did not check in with City of Springfield, their emergency folks. They were the ones who are working with the core of engineer on the design element, trying to work on improving that levy as well as potentially helping keep the river from continuing to move over. And we did have that update last year. Um I have not checked in with them recently. They're supposed to start doing some um stakeholder engagement with select partners. I think it was supposed to be this winter. And it's a great reminder that I've not heard back from them yet. So, I'm guessing with some of the federal staffing switch up that might have adjusted. So, I'll check back in with that about it. >> Yeah, I definitely want to check in on that. >> I'd really appreciate that just to find out if that migration is is a it's

1:50:24 continuing. I know it is, but more importantly, is it is it increasing the risk of the PCP plume hitting the river? >> Have to check on that. Um, also one of the things I wanted to mention is you're like, how do we talk to our people like about putting less things in these systems potentially? How do we get people to clean up and do a little bit better? Um, I would say that our communications folks, we work with Adam Spencer here and one of the things I know anytime I'm sitting in a collaborative meeting is if we need to elevate somebody's messaging around, we have this cleanup thing available or pollute less or whatever it is, I know that I can hand that off to our communications team and then they'll help elevate that messaging either if it's through like the watershed Wednesdays that he's been doing or through our monthly newsletter that goes out to customers. But it's been really nice to have that as a resource at EW

1:51:09 Webb to help elevate the messaging. So that way it takes if we have one watershed council with that messaging, we can help spread it out to all of our customers as well. So I've just found that's been such a great benefit to reach a lot of different kinds of people. >> Okay. Thank you very much. Anything else from anybody else for the good of the order? >> Well, I'd just like to close with thank you. As you know, this is near and dear to my heart and thank you very much. And I know that I sometimes come off a little harsh, but you know, um, like I say, sometimes you have to take a radical approach to get a moderate response, but I know that your response is going to be the best you can get. So, I appreciate it. I'm going to look forward to the updates. >> I appreciate you. I appreciate you holding us accountable and also supporting us for this great work for our community. Thank you. >> You'll never run out of money. Um, thank you. >> See, thank God. >> Thank you, Commissioner. >> Thank you. Okay, shake. It's break time.

1:51:57 >> It's not me. >> Thank you. We'll come back in uh 10 minutes.

2:02:15 annual performance evaluation and merit compensation discussion. Okay, I'm going to take this lead. So, as you all know, we all met at executive session at the general manager and discussed um him. Um and then the function today is is we're going to summarize review of prior performance and deliberate on whether or not to approve or not approve merit award based upon the general manager's performance. So um anybody like to jump in and comment on Frank's performance over the last year, what your comments were or anything? Anybody want to start? John Broski, I know that you've got your mouth full of food, so >> yeah, thank you. Um yeah, I would just like to say kind of what John just said.

2:03:03 We did meet. We discussed it. Um I think that Frank has done an exemplary job of leading the organization, not only over this year, but over the tenure of his uh or at least over the tenure that I've been overseeing him for the last five and a half years. Um, I think he is handling the transition to the new general general manager well and when it becomes time, I would be uh honored to put a motion forward for compensation. >> Okay. Thank you. Other comments from other commissioners? Mindy, >> I just want to note that um the way that that this process worked, maybe already

2:03:48 said this, but that there was a um confidential survey that was sent out to various employees that that gathered feedback um with engagement skills, strategic skills. Um and then there were narrative responses to how people thought Frank did. So, this wasn't us just sitting around in a room saying, "So, how do you think Frank did?" So, um anyway, it was very strong all around, which is not surprising. And um I think that um over the 10 years, that's what you've been here, 10 years position. >> Yeah, in this position. Um just just seeing the the growth that um you've led EW Webb through is um really admirable

2:04:35 and um it is reflected in the surveys that we received the the feedback that we received from about you, >> Mr. Morris. >> Yeah. Thank you, President Brad. Um, yeah, I'll I'll just reiterate what I I shared in that meeting of uh I'm the newest commissioner, so I've I've had the shortest amount of time working with you, but um from my perspective and in talking with um you know, just you and the staff and executive staff um that there's been an intentional um diversification of perspective um particularly career-based perspective of of it's not just full of our whole team is not just engineers all the way down, but now it's uh folks who have different um ideas, different backgrounds,

2:05:20 different uh goals, different intentions and so and that's been um successful. So uh and I think that that's just reflected back to you as the general manager. I think you you reflect what the uh direction of the organization is and so um that that from my perspective is is is really appreciated and I think uh the right direction for this organization. So thank you >> Mr. Carlson. Well, I mean, I spoke for quite a while earlier reading somebody else's words, but uh I I did note when uh I accepted the award on your behalf that I'm going to particularly miss your uh wonderful metaphors. I think that there are very strong and help highlight

2:06:05 um you know this work is really complicated and sometimes we need things to just put it into perspective and I I constantly appreciate your ability to take really complex topics and help your staff also um be able to to take something that they're very deeply embedded in and make it so that we as lay people can actually feel good about decisions that we Um it's it's really challenging because we we don't live in this. We get a 250 page to 600 page packet that we have a week to read and then have to get up here and make decisions that are sometimes you know multi-million hundreds of millions of dollars. And so, you know, the the fact that you have led

2:06:50 a team and and in spite of the fact that I'm I don't know. I mean, the the in spite of the fact that I'm going to miss you and your leadership, I also feel really good about where we're at as as an organization and the team that you've built and the people that are supporting you. um I think will just help float the transition through and that speaks volumes to both you and the staff that you've helped cultivate and um saw you know wonderful talent in them and helped them come up and and thrive. And that that's what a good leader is is building a strong team around them. You're not

2:07:36 always the smartest person in the room. you're not always the person that is um you know take taking everything on. I mean you can't do that with an organization of this size. And so you know to that end um kudos. I appreciate what you do and anyway going to miss you. But to that end I'll I'll leave it to those to talk about compensation. I'm I got a lot of things I can say, but I'll probably save them for the last meeting. But I I appreciate your frankness. So, uh just a little metaphor there. But seriously, where you can take five lay people and that have varying backgrounds, but none of them in the expertise of what this organization does and get us to where we can make

2:08:23 decisions and provide input and give us that level of of uh background is amazing. And I I think it's it's a skill set that's unique. And I really appreciate your your approachability that that you know, you don't you kind of put your pants on one leg at a time. You're not above us and you're not below us. You're equal to us. And I I appreciate that. And and uh for me, I I I'm gonna hate to see you go and I'll cry at the next meeting, but not this one. So uh I'm I'm gonna do if somebody wants to make >> I get to say anything. >> You gota remember I've got the g you don't think. So, >> all right. >> You're still an employee, right? >> Yeah. >> No, if you'd like to say something, go ahead. >> I'd just like to Yeah, I would like to say a few things. So, um, first of all,

2:09:10 you know, I think Mindy described a little bit of the process, but I've always felt like a big part of the general manager's performance is is the performance of of staff and performance of the board. Um, and um, I have always been really appreciative of the board and and staff and in particular the the the group of people that I work with on a on a daily basis. Um, it's it's not it's interesting because it's not the best collection of individuals. I think this is, you know, where Commissioner Morris was going. It's not always the the collection of the best individuals. It's the best team that you put together. And so each and every person brings some something different. It's um it's complimentary. It's confrontational

2:09:56 at times. You get you get some good debates, but that's how you get better. And I uh am I'm really proud of of the team that that we have. Um and that we have had a number of individuals if you look around the region are people who have at one point or another passed um through e webb in the development of their career and so I really appreciate that. Um I will say I think there's there's some challenges that that we're facing. I I feel confident in the organization. Um I'll since it is my review I'll say one thing that that was a question that I was asked in my original interview which was what I thought the biggest challenge was for the utility and my response was we have too many good choices. Um and we have

2:10:43 too many good choices in an environment that hasn't been forced to make a lot of choices which is the utility industry. If you had one good choice and a bunch of bad ones, that would be easy. Or in the case of Leeberg, they were all bad, right, Carlson? But um uh I think that when you're successful as an organization, the challenge is going to be people are going to want more and more and more from eweb. And I think the challenge is going to be to really focus the organization and not try to become everything for everybody. And that's that's going to be a real challenge for us because it's a compliment in many in many ways. Um um but uh I look at my or my performance is based on the organization and the board. So thank you

2:11:36 compensation John B. >> Thank you. Um, I would like to make a motion to give the general manager, Frank Lawson, a 2.5% merit compensation bonus for the previous year's work of service. Uh, there's a second I can talk about. >> And so, just point of clarification, that's 2.5% of his base salary. Correct. >> Correct. At one time, not not an ongoing. >> Not accumulative. Okay. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Discussion. All those in favor signify by saying I. I. >> I. >> Opposed. >> Congratulations. It carries unanimously.

2:12:21 And Dedra, you got what you need from us about the economics of that? >> Yep. I got it. >> All right. Thank you very much. Okay. So, next agenda item is the city of Eugene liaison report. Sonia and I met with the city leadership on April 1st every day and uh and we had a really good long discussion. Actually went went over our time which is rare. Usually we get the you know you get yarded out of there 10 minutes before it's over but we stayed over. It was it was a fun discussion and son you want to take it off and I'll finish it up. I mean there was there was some discussion about um you know what we're interest in the um you know on their side interest in what we're doing with smart meters how that's helping the

2:13:06 utility what that's leading to in terms of you know demand response climate change response um connections there because you know I like like us they get similar questions so there was some you know time for education we talked about the um fire hydrant transition and a little bit around that and what um what their interests are, what we're uh researching and uh some of the I think the you know compensation and backlog of deferred maintenance that revolves around that. um chime in some other I those were some of the the big items that we spent a decent

2:13:52 chunk of time on >> basically they didn't when I posed a question to council leadership and the mayor I said well what do you want from us I mean what what would you like us to do I mean you know you ask us we're we're we we did 90% of the talking and uh and they just said basically we would like more collaboration on CR2 and and things like that and I don't know how to read that um you know we're we've done everything we said we were going to do and as far as if it's an economic ask and that's going to be a pretty big lift but that that wasn't what was said it was just more communication and co more communication in that context and uh so we we'll get more on that but there wasn't any anything specifically they they talked

2:14:38 about I mean to elaborate a little bit more on the fire hydrants we we said you know there could be up upwards of $2 million deferred maint maintenance and that's just a rate adjustment for us. You know, we have to, you know, we have to factor that into all our other rate adjustments. Our second source, we talked about our second source and we thanked them for their support on the land use approvals and things such as that and uh and going forward with that and then the importance of having that done and uh intergovernmental agreements with Springfield on and things such as that. But u generally speaking, that was about it. Frank, do you have any anything else to say about what we talked about? You know, I think the the comments around the smart meters were uh an opportunity for us to share that a smart meter is one of the building blocks

2:15:23 necessary to do some of the uh uh really beneficial programs around demand response, time of use. um some of these these puzzle pieces that will both have um an overall efficiency to them, but also uh ultimately if you're using power when it's the cleanest and not the dirtiest, there's there's um positive climate overall climate impacts there. And so it was opportunity to kind of go through that um and and talk a little bit about the puzzle pieces. uh they did talk about collaboration on the climate recovery climate action plan. Um and uh I know that that we and that may be an issue of really uh leadership not understanding all of what staff is

2:16:08 doing. Uh we do collaborate uh um our information that's covered in the climate action our our climate uh plan our climate guide book specifically. We're getting ready to release version 4.0 O of the with updated information in that um that is aligned u specifically with what the city needs to put into their uh climate action plan and so staff is collaborating on on things like that and it's it's in a particular format to work with the city. So I think that there's um just some some uh awareness within different levels of organization of how that how that's working. So, um, uh, I think we are both, um, in the upcoming years going to

2:16:53 continue to see some economic pressures. We know that the city has has some economic challenges in in their budget gap. We also have a number of indicators uh, relative to some of the large U projects that we have that will see continued upward pressure on on rates. um given some of the things that that we're seeing external uh to to the organization and so it's an opportunity to share that as well as some of the specifics around fire hydrants which our our staff members are working on some proposals for. >> Well, we did two other things that we we talked about the opt out fee that we're going to have and and how we anticipate that you know that that could be significant for some and and we probably have some public input about that and

2:17:39 also we talked about Clear Lake. you know, the city's has 11.1 million dollars for infrastructure and that includes water and sewer and but we have to provide electricity. So, we we we said, well, if we're going to have that discussion, let's have that discussion because we can't just spend millions and millions of dollars and have no revenue. And in Frank also reiterated it, you know, it's it's if we put big water lines out there and we don't serve anybody, then water becomes stagnant, then what happens? And so because there's a lot of hurdles to to get Clear Lake into the development ready, there's tons of wetlands and a lot of other challenges out there to to make that happen. But that's something that they've got some infrastructure funding for, but we need to collaborate better on communicating. We just made sure that they were aware of that. So, um, other

2:18:24 than that, I can't think of anything else that we talked about. >> Did you all talk about bonding? It seemed like you were talking about bonding capacity when I got there. that no >> no I mean we just talked about second source and how much it may cost we're talking about some of the financial hurdles we had we had Leeberg uh potentially Walter bill we've got the lawsuit we've got second source we've got lots of infrastructure needs and so impending you know hundreds and hundreds of millions of dollars of uh of costs that we have to figure out how we're going to pay for so >> I think the other thing that we mentioned in that part of the conversation was uh the the reason why we're seeing higher capital investments

2:19:09 um specifically on the electric side um over the next 10 to 15 years and that's because of Eugene's growth in the 60s and 70s and all of that buildout that EW went through in the 60s and 70s is now simultaneously aging and should be retired. Um I'd like to use that expression. Um um but we have a a pretty significant load of just um I'll say routine um infrastructure replacement on the electric side and we're we're really kind of in the initial sort of first 20% of of that large investment. So um all of those have have pressures on the organization and um and take staff

2:19:56 capacity as well. So when we want to evaluate that versus econ versus uh work that would be specifically geared toward economic development, we have to look at it on a on an opportunity cost as well as a as a payback cost a payback perspective. >> Vic, >> thank you. President [clears throat] Brown, um was there so I know the city of Eugene has a few climate related uh topics coming up in the summer. Um, were there any conversations from them of the home energy score or utility rightaway ordinance that they had been working on? >> No. >> Got it. >> No, we've I'm specifically [clears throat] asked I said, "Do you what you want from us? What do you want to tell us or anything?" >> Great. Got it. >> No, no specifics. Trust me. We We tried.

2:20:43 >> Got it. Okay. Just wanted to check in and confirm. Um the second thing uh we both agencies have a new incoming manager, general manager, city manager. Um are there any yeah are there changes of of approach? Is there any new conversation any >> um any difference of how we're operating currently to what we might be doing two months from now as new managers? I wouldn't anticipate it'll be a learning curve for the new new city manager as it will for our general manager and we also have to understand that you know it's the same dynamic with you know I've been trying to create a little bit more of a liazison with Springfield utility board. We have we've met with them once in 20 years once and we're going to get a new

2:21:29 general manager of both utilities and maybe it's time to see if we can do it twice in 20 years. And so uh um so there there's going to be all that kind of everybody's going to have to learn who they are and what they are and but they're going to have to learn their own you stay in their own kind of areas till they get a little bit more attuned about what's going on. I think trying to take on an understanding of e webb's operations and the city at the same time would probably be bit overwhelming. >> Thank you. >> Anything else? Well, if not then we're going to go to >> John. >> Oh John B. Sorry buddy. Go ahead. >> Thank you. Um and thank you for your work you guys uh meeting with those people. One of the things that I would hope that we can uh lean into in the

2:22:16 upcoming, you know, I don't know when the next one is scheduled for >> quarterly, >> but I think but I think that something that would be advantageous to both organizations is trying to get aligned with the legislative agendas that will be coming up for the next legislative uh you know next year. I think that there's going to be some things hopefully there'll be some work on I'm going to just call it I don't know what they'll call it these days but the capp and trade and maybe figuring out a way that we can have it so that Washington, Oregon, California all kind of are are the same thing there but working together to align our legislative agendas as much as possible to have a a

2:23:04 stronger voice in Salem on some of the issues that affect you know, the CRO and some of our issues. Um, and and leading into that early on so that their their uh lobbyists and Jason and everybody, we can be a united front up there on some of the issues that are important to all of us. So, I think that that would be something that I would want to put on the agenda for the next one so that we're ahead of the game, not waiting until next April, May, June to kind of figure out what those priorities. >> Thank you. We'll make sure we do that. I appreciate it. >> Anything else? He just froze. Uh oh, you're good. Okay, good. All

2:23:50 right. Well, thank you. Well, that just to conclude that agenda item. and I will go to future board agendas. >> Thank you. >> Uh this is this is a process that's just constantly updated. I think every time you see it, it probably moves around just a little bit. We've uh we've got some things come coming up uh relative to um drinking water and spec specifically in July and then again in September uh along with some of our standard uh items. Uh we also added something in in uh November related to some and and accelerated a couple of things um into this year. And I I'll give you an example. We we wanted to um as we go through our goals for 2027

2:24:38 um actually work with this board uh on developing what those goals are. Um, and some of that, um, relates to the the five-year themes, a little bit more strategic view of that, doing that, um, as well as policy review, um, as opposed to asking a new commissioner to come in and deal with policies that this board has been been working with for a while. So, there's a few things such as your policy review we pushed into um, November and December instead of January. um to uh leverage all of your knowledge and and expertise. So, um just a few things like that that we've we've moved around, but in in general, and then we have a raft trip um coming up on

2:25:26 uh May 14th, 14th, I believe, um where it's an opportunity for the the new general manager to to see the river and um meet u various uh people um uh typically um your contacts and local government officials. So that's that's an upcoming opportunity. >> What section of river have you decided to float? >> It's a good question. I'm not floating it actually. If you want to want unless you throw me in the river for some reason. Um um we're still what Ann do you know? >> Susan Fricky is working with Hellfrick and it's just about finalized. I don't

2:26:11 see that she's still here. So, I'll try and get an email out to you later this week with that itinerary >> coming soon. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Anything else? Okay. Well, then board wrap-up. I'll start with Mindy. >> Just want to acknowledge that this is your penultimate meeting, Frank. >> This is my what? >> Penultimate meeting. That right? >> I think so. >> Yeah. Um anyway um and my question is will John Haristen be at our next meeting or is he not >> I don't believe so. I believe he is starting officially on on the following Monday the 11th. >> Okay. >> And so I I would not expect him to be at

2:26:57 at the board meeting. >> Although uh when I see him next week I'll I'll ask him um for sure it would he might tune into it. Okay. But I don't think I don't think he will be here. >> Y that's it. >> Thank you, President Brown. Um I teed myself up at the beginning with correspondence to talk about a future board agenda that I'm hoping to have added. Um but I this is the impetus of this is from the UL boiler project conversation but I think um what I'm hoping to have is a backgrounder I think in how e webb is working with other entities or agencies on who have climate recovery goals or climate ordinances things that they're trying to attempt to

2:27:43 do. I'm I'm thinking, you know, the city of Eugene is one in particular that I've said that they may not meet their climate recovery goal in 2030, but also how are we coordinator working with 4J and Bethl school districts that have climate recovery um goals as well or um Lane County, things along those lines. So, I'm hoping to see a headnot if that is possible for my colleagues of a future board agenda of a background of how we're working with entities that have clever goals as well. >> I just have a question. Isn't Wouldn't that information be contained in our >> website? >> Yeah. >> Yeah. I will double check with um uh I'll just double check on that with Kelly Hail who's the the

2:28:31 climate advisor on that. Typically, it has shared information that is is designed to be use useful to other agencies or reference to other agencies and then in some cases it does mention specifically what we're what we're doing. Um we are in often often times we're supplying information and resources um recognizing that it's their goals. It's not our goals. Um but you know it should summarize to a certain extent what what that is. I do believe that's correspondence scheduled for May. Um and so there could be some additional time around that correspondence to have some additional discussion and questions.

2:29:16 >> Don't we have an agenda item in May or with Kelly? >> I I is it an actual agenda item? >> Yes, I believe it's by spawning. >> Okay. We we can do it a couple of ways, Commissioner. I'll either depending on the content of that and whether it meets um Commissioner Morris's request, we can either look to shift some into agenda time or we can just have it as correspondence with additional time for Q&A since that's where a lot of the the discussion comes from. >> We've got we've got time remaining on the agenda. And so maybe I mean I'm I'm trying to figure out where we can check your box and and make sure that we don't put something on there that we already have. Is is that is it a consensus with the group that that if if there's not

2:30:01 sufficient information in the existing documents and everything to meet your expectations then we could put a placeholder for maybe 15 or 15 minutes and just have staff try to explain that because I I do know we have been coordinating. I mean we did a solar project Howard Elementary with 4J and then we had to take it out and you know we we've been working with them. If it's information that's readily available in the climate guide book, then I would say it's probably appropriate to do something in May and we could do it as an agenda item. If not, I I don't know how much staff I don't think May would be practical. I think we'd have to get back to you on exactly how long it'll take and what kind of information we can pull together. >> We've got May time in June, too. >> Okay. >> So, if that works for you, Tim,

2:30:47 >> that does work. Uh just to be abundantly transparent as well, my goal is also to have information ready for our new incoming general manager as well. Um I know that we're going to very likely go over that as well. But uh that you know we are an integrated part of our community and integrated part of other organizations as well. Just having that on our agenda I think will will really >> spell that out. >> Good point. So our new general manager will not be here in May. not they're not paying attention but that's you know important that feel like they get that update and that connection it might be worth moving it to June I don't know that's just a thought that came to mind as as you were noting that that's the ultimate goal

2:31:33 that's one outcome I'm hoping for but not the yeah thank you >> I think it just it'll depend on what information specifically is in there around around the request and whether that's more likely in May or June. We could we could actually do a correspondence in May and a discussion in June. I mean, there's a there's a number of different ways that we can couch this to to meet the objective, I think. >> Good. All right, Sar. >> Nothing for me. Thank you for everybody. >> Well, thank you for accommodating us from the other side of the continent. So >> yeah, it's only 11:20. >> Yeah, I know. All right. Well, and I

2:32:19 have nothing. But uh other than that, then we'll adjourn the meeting and uh see you in >> Thank you. Do you ever get dinner?