PCWA Adopts $81.9 Million Budget

AUBURN --  Directors of the Placer County Water Agency took end-of-year actions at their meeting on Monday (Dec. 10).

The water agency board adopted a combined 2013 budget of $81.9 million, which represents a slight increase from the agency's $81.7 million 2012 budget. The combined budget includes a Water Division budget of $49.7 million, a Power Division budget of $26.6 million and an Agency Wide budget of $5.5 million.

Director of Financial Services Joseph Parker said the agency board basically held the Water Division Budget at near status quo levels and a fourth consecutive year with no rate increases for PCWA water users.  He said the agency's Power Division Budget and Agency Wide Budget have increased in staffing and other costs to meet new terms and conditions for marketing power and operating the agency's Middle Fork Hydroelectric Project.

The board also approved extending existing agreements with employee bargaining groups through December 2015.  The package includes no wage increase in 2013.  It does provide a cost of living adjustment to employees in 2014 and 2015.  All other aspects of the new agreements remain unchanged reported Director of Administrative Services Michael Willihnganz.

Board Chairman Gray Allen said, "both a stable agency budget and a fairly paid work force is key to the agency's longstanding success to provide outstanding public service, to maintain quality water and power delivery systems, and to protect the county's valuable water resources."

 In other business, PCWA directors:

  -  heard an update from Director of Strategic Affairs Einar Maisch on the agency's ongoing effort to renew its water rights on the Middle Fork American River Project.  He said the effort is becoming more difficult as the Bureau of Reclamation seeks more storage in downstream reservoirs and water exporters are seeking to bolster supplies in other parts of the state.
  - heard a report from Director of Power Generation Services Jay L'Estrange on a new dam safety program for the Middle Fork American River Project and authorized its submittal to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).

 The PCWA Board of Directors will next meet in a special session where they will review the agency's accomplishments of the past year and challenges seen for the coming year.  The meeting will be held at 2 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 17, at the PCWA Business Center, 144 Ferguson Road, in Auburn.  PCWA board meetings are open to the public.

 Information on PCWA board meetings may be obtained through the Clerk to the Board at (530) 823-4850 or (800) 464-0030.  PCWA information is also posted at www.pcwa.net.