[bouldercouncilhotline] Hotline: FW: some comments on franchise

[kohls at bouldercolorado.gov]

Sender: Lisa Morzel

From: lisa morzel [mailto:lisamorzel at gmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, June 07, 2011 8:58 AM
To: Council; Morzel, Lisa
Subject: some comments on franchise

Comments on putting a franchise agreement on November's ballot:

Tonight Xcel will bring to light its proposal for a 20-yr franchise with the city of Boulder.  First, I thank Xcel for making the decision to allow sunshine on its proposal so the public and the Council can engage in a full discussion of the merits of the proposal.

Some comments:

1.     while I appreciate the sudden openness of Xcel to discuss its proposal, I find the proposal arrival date a bit too late to discuss thoroughly for a few days

2.     Last summer, the Council was pretty unanimous in its decision not to go for a 20-yr franchise arguing that rapidly changing technologies demanded a shorter period to provide the customer (Boulder) real options which may come on the market.  Nothing has changed.  20 years is too long.

3.     Since I first became interested in looking at Boulder becoming a municipal utility in 1997, my first reason was to have the city have control on its energy sources and future.  The second reason was the economic generation potential of owning our own utility and diversifying our revenue portfolio.  Today Xcel takes away $12-14M in profit annually from the city of Boulder.  We would not be profit driven but could use those revenues for services, etc.
More later - have to go to chaeck volcanoes-more to come

Lisa

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please note that my e-mail address has changed to lisamorzel at gmail.com<mailto:lisamorzel at gmail.com>