The Salem Electric
Board of Directors met at 7:00 p.m. on October 27, 1998. Board members present
were Jim Dyer, Nancy Towslee, Bill Wolf, Jeff Anderson, Alicia Bonesteele, Curt
Culver and Murray McCreary. Bill Bradbury, the Executive Director of "For the Sake of the
Salmon" (4SOS), gave a presentation to the board about his non-profit
organization, which is dedicated to encouraging "salmon friendly" power and
providing funding for restoration of salmon habitats. He stressed from the
outset that the organization is not interested in lawsuits, breaching dams, or
taking positions in which one side is pitted against another. 4SOS prefers to
work with all sides to try to achieve a cooperative effort to enhance salmon
runs. Bradbury asked SE to consider joining the organization by
providing salmon friendly power to its customers and partaking in one or more
of the special programs they offer. These include: 1) a voluntary surcharge
that customers could add to the price of their power to directly support the
watershed; 2) encouragement of tax deductible gifts by businesses; 3) a program
in which local stores could give out coupons to consumers who buy salmon
friendly power; and 4) producing or distributing a newsletter to keep
subscribers informed.
SE will already qualify as having salmon friendly power because
15% of its power supply will come from wind power by the end of the year.
Customers who voluntarily subscribe to 4SOS would pay a higher kilowatt hour
rate. All of the surcharge collected would be forwarded directly to the
"Pacific Watershed Salmon Fund." This program is designed to help with
watershed-based habitat work. There are two important facts for the members to be aware of.
First, if the board decides to try this, it will not affect the rates of
customers who choose not to subscribe to the program. The cost to SE to
administer the program does not appear to be high. Second, by subscribing to
this program, members would not be purchasing additional salmon friendly power;
they would be paying a voluntary premium on the power SE already supplies.
The board had many questions and was interested in having staff
get together with 4SOS to answer questions and to make a determination of how
this would impact SE. Motion was made by Culver and seconded by Bonesteele to
have staff proceed with some work in regard to the issues raised and to come
back in 60 days with a report for the board's consideration. Manager Bob Speckman reported that the wind power being purchased
from BPA is scheduled to be delivered on December 15, 1998. A rate increase
will take place at that time. Speckman also reported on the progress of the
substation purchase. The contracts appear to be ready to sign within the month. Administrative Services Manager Jack Belleque presented the
Proposed 1999 Budget. He explained that this budget is a "bottoms-up" process
with all departments participating from early in the year. The budget that is
finally presented is a trimmed down, lean budget that is not padded in any
area. The board had numerous questions which Belleque answered. Belleque asked
the board to review the budget carefully and be prepared to act on it at the
November meeting. Meeting adjourned at 8:40 p.m. Secretary/Treasurer
December 1998
Minutes of the Meeting Held on:
October 27, 1998
For the Sake of the Salmon
Manager's Report
Budget
Bill Wolf
