6.1a EMRUSR 10-08-2024Ji
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Municipal Utilities UTILITIES COMMISSION MEETING
TO:
FROM:
ERMU Commission
Mark Hanson —General Manager
MEETING DATE:
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER:
October 8, 2024
6.1a
SUBJECT:
Staff Update
ACTION REQUESTED:
None
DISCUSSION:
• Settlement negotiations with RJM Construction for closing out the Field Services
Building project continue. Our most recent proposal was sent to RJM on Tuesday,
September 24. We have not received a response from RJM. Once a response has been
received, I will work with our attorneys to plan appropriate next steps.
• The Wage and Benefits Committee held its first meeting of the year on Monday,
September 23. A second meeting was scheduled for October 8. The following agenda
items took place at the September 23 meeting:
o Staff's wage and benefits request: only one item was requested, an annual wage
adjustment of 3.67%, calculated as the average adjustment for the seven metro
average communities.
o We reviewed the merits of a possible standard practice of using the Metro
Average to compute a recommended annual wage adjustment.
o We reviewed several possible changes/updates to the Utilities Performance
Metric Incentive Compensation scorecard. I incorporated the feedback received
into a proposed scorecard for discussion at the October 8 meeting.
o We reviewed our Purchased Vacation Time program and whether it was still
needed given recent time -off -related changes.
• 1 had a good conversation with the same architectural company that designed and
managed Owatonna Public Utilities' project to convert their generation plant into
administrative offices. They are excited to work with us in developing a high-level
concept review of what it would take to convert our plant into a history/education
center. I will also have them evaluate the costs to demo the building. This way we'll
have comparative data for the two options to bring back to the Commission for planning
possible next steps.
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• The Minnesota Municipal Power Agency (MMPA) Board of Directors met September 24,
at Chaska City Hall in Chaska, Minnesota and via videoconference. Commissioner
Stewart and I attended. The public summary follows:
o The Board reviewed the Agency's operating and financial performance for
August 2024.
o Clean Energy Choice program participation increased to 5.8%.
o The Board discussed the status of renewable projects the Agency is pursuing.
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