[bouldercouncilhotline] Hotline: Some potential amendments to consider tonight

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Sender: Weaver, Sam

Fellow Council Members and HOTLINE followers,

There are three items that I would like to discuss further tonight, and I thought I would give notice on HOTLINE.


  1.  Item 4B_1, the Utility Occupation Tax ballot item.  I would support adding the following to staff's suggestion, underlined words are my additions: 'associated with a municipal electric utility that will support Boulder's clean energy goals and the community's commitment to the Paris climate agreement, improve system reliability and resilience, and create energy-related business opportunities, provided that if the City of Boulder decides not to proceed with a municipal electric utility, the tax shall expire after costs associated with the municipal utility effort are paid.
  2.  Item 4B_2, the Executive Sessions for Muni ballot item.  I would request that we consider the following language for Ordinance 8194, which adds underlined words to staff's suggestions.  'All meetings of the council or committees thereof shall be public. However, the council may meet in executive session exclusively for the purpose of obtaining and discussing legal advice, including negotiation strategy, with respect to the formation of Boulder's municipal electric utility enterprise; provided however, such sessions may not include legal advice or negotiation strategy relating to electric franchises or other settlement discussions that would terminate Boulder's effort to form an independent municipal electric utility.'
  3.  Item 4B_3, the Utility formation ballot language.  I would like to consider the following language as an option that presents the potential future formation as a positive action by the voters.  178. - Creation, purpose and intent. (a) The registered electors by adoption of this charter amendment establish a municipal electric utility as an electric utility enterprise under the authority in the state constitution and this charter. Only after approval of the registered electors at a regular or special election may the electric utility enterprise incur indebtedness to separate from the existing utility system to provide electricity to customers within the City. Prior to said election, the City will publicly provide its best available data and analysis on expected electricity rates, expected electrical system reliability, expected debt service coverage ratio, expected plans for procurement from renewable electricity sources and expected emissions from City-related electrical generation.
All the best,

Sam Weaver
Member of Boulder City Council
weavers at bouldercolorado.gov<mailto:weavers at bouldercolorado.gov>
Phone: 303-416-6130