All right. So, being 6 o'clock on March 24th, we'll go ahead and call this meeting to of the board of commissioners to order. >> Okay. We'll call the cabinet to order. >> Okay. Um, this meeting is being audio
recorded, held remotely on Zoom and in person and livereamed on RCTV. The board of commissioners recognizes the importance of hearing public comment at the discretion of the chair on items on the official agenda. Once recognized, all persons agenda addressing the board shall state their name and address prior
to speaking and it's the role of the chair to maintain order. I do not see any remote participants. I don't see anybody in public who wants to um make a comment. Uh so we'll move to liaison. I
don't see any liaison here, but any any new information from any of them? >> Um the only >> Yeah, the only thing I have in this category is the charter is up for uh the reading charter is up for um as a part of the warrant and the coming election
and there was no change of language governing commissioners. So >> that's uh that's the only otherwise I don't have any other news in any other projects that we've we've done. >> Okay. Thank you. Um policy committee updates. >> Yeah, we met about a couple weeks ago
and uh some good um approaches from Jason and Erica which I think we'll I talked to Erica T. We'll meet in a couple weeks and sit down and try to work them into red lines and bring something back to the committee at our April. What is it 20 Eric? When's the
what did we set? Is it April 29th for the There's a meeting at the end of April. It's our next meeting. So by then we >> So it'll come back to the board or to the committee >> to the committee. >> Oh, okay. >> Because it'll only be the third it'll be the first time the committee's looked at some red lines. >> Okay. >> Because to now we've just kind of discussed,
>> you know, kind of in general what the process is and >> give Jason the first cut at it and that would be the first time that that the committee would see any red lines and then we at some point we would vote them out too. >> Okay. Yeah. >> Wait, like is that a May June thing?
>> Not to you guys. I would say probably June if not. Yeah, May certainly, but May more likely June. That would be two more meetings. >> Okay, >> Jason, that sound reasonable. >> Yes, probably. >> Yeah, there's no like burning burdens. >> Great.
And I think that's it. Just policy committee, right? No other active committees. Correct. All right. So, we'll move to procurement requests for approval. >> Okay. Um on I'll just this is a bid for mailing services for the municipal
electric bills. On February 4th of 2026, the IFB was issued for that and um the selected vendor will provide all materials and services required to print and mail the RML electric bills. Um we issue approximately 20,000 bills per month across eight mailings uh with
individual quantities ranging from 60 to 6,000 bills. Uh this bid was conducted in accordance with uh chapter 30B and it's being awarded to the lowest total three-year price from the responsive and responsible bidder. Uh the bid was sent to 25 vendors and we received two sealed
bids uh with data integrators being the lowest responsive bidder um for a total of a three-year price of $14,400. Um they are a current vendor. They've been that since 2016 and the pricing has not changed since uh 2019.
>> Questions? >> Um so this includes the cost of postage and yes >> all of that. Okay. Um is it >> I think I think it's Yeah, I have to remember what the bid was but it's postage is part of it but it might be a separate
>> postage we getting a different separate. >> Yeah. Yeah. The postage is just a pass through I believe. >> Okay. So 104 is just the ser is the service and the printing and things but not postage. Okay. >> Um is it a fixed rate or is it a based on volume per month or per quarter?
>> We it's always been fixed. >> Okay. Yeah. >> It's a fixed rate no matter the volume. >> Yes. >> I think so. Yeah. >> Are we seeing uh customers do more online? I assume that we are if if they're an online only or e invoice
only. It's not part of this >> service. Right. >> Right. I don't know if the numbers are how those numbers are working, but we did get that opinion too. >> Just wondering like over time, do we potentially see a reduction in printing more online and would that reduce this
cost? >> I have to go back to look at how the bid was worded, but >> okay. It may just be I don't know if it's too late, but it may just be worth looking at that and just making sure there's options for flexibility if people more
and more go to e invoice or e bills. >> I have a quick question just about this is just sort of a a little bit higher level question for my own understanding, but when do you decide to send invitations for bids as opposed to open bids?
>> To you mean to when we open the bid? Well, no, like just a a broad invitation. Yeah, you that for 20 >> and it this is a broad open, but we also so it gets posted in combis and all those. >> Okay. So, it's also >> it's also open and we also notify uh
>> Okay. 20. Yep. Okay. Got it. So, >> it's also posted on the website, right? It's posted. >> Yes, it's posted on the website. posted in >> very broad it's posted in the newspaper and then >> um and then if you have >> uh people that you want to notify you notify them that gets posted which is
that 25 >> great >> yeah to master general >> right >> so this is 35,000 bills times 12 times three years basically >> yeah I did the math earlier yeah
>> I think you said 20 20,000 20,000 bills per month. >> It's 20 uh it's 1,900 per month. So it's 2,900 * 12 * 3 is 104. Okay. >> Any other discussion? Ready for vote?
>> Oh, sorry. Yes. >> Yeah. Move it according to 30B as the lowest responsive responsible bidder on the recommendation of the general manager. >> Second. >> All those in favor
or nothing. Finance update. Oh. So, I'm going to be reporting for year ending uh 2025. Um, it is already March, but we're uh just now closing, well, we finished
closing the books. We've been very busy getting ready for the audit. Um CBIZ, which is our financial audit, is uh coming on site on April 6th and um we have an audit committee meeting scheduled for um May 19th.
The preliminary requests uh from CBIS have been um extensive and they've been collecting things since uh February 11th. And uh we've been submitting everything on the portal which is very convenient way to upload many documents.
So I asked um Andrew the lead um because this is not typical to get all this stuff ahead of time and but we could expect when he comes and he confirmed that the time on the premises will be less than less time than usual. So
um you have in your packet the December financials and there are pending annual standard audit adjustments. Usually these adjustments are for the uh actuarial for pension and OPED. Uh when we get the reports uh the auditors
analyze them and give us entries to make the um close. Right after the audit's done, we'll be doing the DPU report. We'll be completing it in April because we have to have it done to file for the PTF RNS filing that we do annually. And this is
a credit that we get for having a PTF uh facility which station 4 is part of the pool transmission facility. Um and we get a credit uh annually for that.
Staffing wise, we uh just added a new staff accountant uh with an internal candidate and that's working out great. And our current staff accountant was recently promoted to senior accountant and he's learning all kinds of things including um cross trainining on payroll
so that we have a backup happening. It worked earlier. Erin, >> just have a quick uh question. >> Yeah, >> you don't uh how much does RMLD get for being a P from the PTF payment, right? That comes from the ISO,
>> right? We get between the normal thing is between 300 and 400,000 a year. I thought someone would ask that. Okay, so here are the highlights, the financial highlights for 2025.
Net plant increased by u almost 21 million which is 20% and that's uh mostly well 14 and a half% I mean 14.5 million was for the Wilmington substation and that includes the transformers that we had to buy for the
state. um kilowatt hour sales were flat versus 2024. Um operating revenue was up 9.4% versus 2024
and power supply expense was 8% down and power supply expense versus budget was up 2%. And the revenue versus budget was down 3.7%. uh purchase power fuel expense exceeded purchase power fuel revenue by 4.8
million and that's basically due to supply and demand. Um the supply was affected by um the hydro there was a uh there's been a drought and uh also one of the hydro facilities was shut down in
May. it's offline and the demand was is your normal seasonal demands. Uh the cash net cash from the beginning of the year to the end of the year is down 1.8 million, but that's not too bad
since we put so much money into our capital. >> Ask a question about the um fuel expense versus fuel revenue. So the fuel expense is not a pass through. So, how did we end up where the revenue
is less than the cost? >> Well, we um we have a a reserve that we, you know, try not to spike the rates too much. So, when something goes up a lot, you know, we try to keep it balanced and we dip into the reserve.
>> Okay. So, how >> the gone down quite a bit. It started out at uh six million at the beginning of the year and it's down to two and a half million. So Megan's group will you know work on getting that back up to the desired amount which is what would he
say Jason? >> I think it was like between three and four million. >> Three and four million. >> Is that something we voted on? I don't I don't remember if that we voted on using that much of the reserve. >> I'm not sure how much of it but the idea was to avoid spiking. >> There's a slide
>> stabilizing rates. Okay. >> Balancing that. >> Yeah. Okay. >> We're going to bring it to the slide where it shows. >> Okay. Perfect. >> So the red line is the um is the balance in the reserve and then you can see the blue bars are whether if we overcolcted
or under collected on the fuel um revenue versus what we put the expenses. So in January we undercolcted by almost two million was like 1.7 >> that's just as an example January 25
>> of 25 >> January and December was like >> yeah because we had hash weather too >> but the rate stabilization transfer of 1.5 that's just a reference point or that's that was the decision that we made to move >> yes that was Yeah, you guys voted on
that last year in June to help >> stream out the cost, the power supply cost, the fuel cost over the summer. >> So that's why June looks like it was negative, but you can see the bar goes up. >> So that was the the difference. And then December was obviously a lot colder than anticipated.
So that actually um we collected less, but they do adjust the the rate the fuel rate each month by looking at all this data. >> So they Okay. So >> the fuel the fuel rate was um the average fuel rate from 2024 to 2025 is
about 0.005. >> So >> I just have a just to understand this a little bit. So the fuel expense sometimes you like the way that's figured sometimes you need to pull a
little bit money out of the rate stabilization fund and sometimes you're putting money into the rate stabilization fun or >> rate stabilization is actually separate from the fuel reserve. >> Okay. So how go ahead. Sorry. >> Yeah. So the fuel reserve is just the it's the overunder of whatever has been
collected revenue versus expenses. Okay. that's in its own reserve that we that we use to try to and we kind of keep it at around that we have to return but we try to keep it around 3 to four million. The rate stabilization fund is a is a fund that gets we transfer money from
usually cash right into it to fund it and then that would be we'd use it for the rainy day like we did in June. >> Yeah. So that point is not pointing to that red line. That's not the rate stabilization fund. That's saying that we transferred
1.5 into the fuel reserve from the rate stabilization. >> So the vote we took was around the rate stabilization, not the fuel >> last year. Correct. >> Yeah. >> How much is in the rate stabilization? Do you know? >> 6 million. >> Six million. And that's that was and that level was voted on
20,000. >> Keep it around 6 million. That's the >> Yeah, it was a target around six million. Um, and that was from like 2009 or 2003. >> Is there any reason to think that there's some structural changes that
need to change that amount or is that a >> yes >> an amount? >> Uh, right. Um though part of the policy review committee um we had proposed some uh a financial policy or new financial policy to that would specifically
probably look at those funds as one as and also like a number of days of cash on hand. Those are a couple things that we're going to suggest that we have in the policies to go forward that would come later. But and then as part of that, we'd look at those values to make sure that they're right and then provide
a mechanism to update them regularly or you know every so often so that um because right now the reation fund is documented in a vote from like 2003 or 2009. So this will give it a even more formal formality to it than what it's been. >> Maybe you could just show the cash
balance curve that would be that would be addressed in this way. Yeah. >> So, here are all our different cash accounts. As you can see, we ended the year with um our obviously the large majority in operating fund and um
construction fund and the um depreciation fund is where we transfer money back into the operating account as we spend on um capital projects. Anyone have any questions on any one of these? >> So, so, so you're saying even after
moving that 1.5 million, the cash in the rate stabilization fund is about 6 million today, right? >> Right. >> Okay. >> The only thing that changes that is when we transfer all and the interest that we earn on it. >> And the cash deferred fuel reserve is
like at 2.6 right now, you're saying, or at least in December it was at 2.6. And that was a low point because December was so negative, >> right? And yeah, they'll work on getting back to the desired target. >> Okay.
Would we enter? I mean, I know we haven't closed books or anything for the first quarter, but it continued to be pretty cold. So, would we expect it's going to be >> Yes. Yes, even lower by the end of it. >> Um, not entirely because they adjusted the
rate in January based with some December data. So, the rate was higher in January for fuel collection as well. So, if it was colder, they were also generating more revenue. >> Um, and then I pretty sure when they did the analysis again for February, the rate kind of lowered a little bit. >> Um, and they are trying they are trying
not to to move it too much money the other way so that we're way over collecting or way under collecting. We're trying to keep it kind of gradual and they and there's a lot that goes into it. It's a pretty big spreadsheet, but uh um so I would say that I think they're we're okay
where we are with the fuel. >> There any other questions? Did you want to see the other slides or >> uh I just have another question on the GNA expenses versus budget? The 16.8% reduction below the budget. Um
if you just >> you want to know couple what are the key drivers there. It's lower than expected. >> This is to budget. >> Yes. >> So GNA um >> it's on the highlight slide too I think.
Right. >> Oh yeah. But but you won't see the detail. Well, that's what I was asking. What what's underneath the 16.8? >> Yeah, >> it could be a followup, but >> yeah, >> have it here. >> Well, 17%. Yeah. So, trying to pick out
the things that um like we came in under on benefits, we came in under on energy conservation. Um that those are the two big ones. Another one um
the education contract practice. Those are the those are the big ones. >> Thank you. >> Question. >> Yeah. >> Kilowatt hours flat versus 2024. So,
we're not seeing a growth in kilowatt hours because of heat pumps and electric vehicle conversion. That's kind of just weather driven. And >> yeah, well, it's hard it's hard to say because even though we're probably, you know, have more kilowatt hour sales
because of all of that, there might be other factors that are keeping it down. Yeah, >> we it's hard to tell without some deep dive. Yeah. >> Yeah. Um, I I just had a quick question.
People who have been here longer probably understand this, but the 2024 carryover from the Wilmington substations pretty big. When you do your capital budgeting, is that I guess I'm curious to know why that carryover is so big. Is obviously the project's going to last a long time.
I understand that. Do you do your capital budgeting all in the initial year and then just put things in carryover if the project doesn't complete or not? Not not exactly. Um what happens is we if we're going to award a bid of like say larger equipment
purchases like the transformers or the switch gear in order to be able to award the bid we have to have it in the budget. >> Okay. So it already has to be banked. >> Yeah. We have to have that whatever the value of the equipment is in that year's budget to be able to award the bid. So and then obviously these are long wait time items. So they don't necessarily
always come in in that same year. So you end up with some carryover. >> That's great. That's helpful. Thanks. >> Yeah. the uh the one that stands out is the um yeah the construction but there are some projects that didn't get off the ground that we had in the budget
substantial amount of money of 23,500 battery energy and solar projects >> and and are those because of delivery delays or what's the main driver for them not getting >> well that is that we that the projects
never starts. >> Yeah, I think some of those projects that had some large dollars aside to was around um the in territory generation >> and 16 16 million um was for buying land that we didn't buy >> you didn't do.
>> And and how are the lead times now? Because at one time like lead times were really bad, right? Now lead times were like for substation equipment they might have come in a little bit but there were always kind of a longer lead time. um like distribution transformers have come back towards normal. They're not quite
where they were um like pre-COVID, but they're they're definitely manageable. They are we're seeing transformers coming in, you know, in >> the lead times are bad and the cost also like crazy, right? >> Yes. Um I think the last transformer bid was
done last fall. I don't remember exactly what it came in at, but >> yeah, we we paid for a lot of them this year. >> I mean 25. >> Yeah. >> So at one point they were saying like four year lead time for distribution transformers and then they they were
actually coming in like six to 10 months. So they've definitely come back in. >> Nice. >> Pricing is I may have come down a little bit but I don't think they've come down. Pricing might still be up there without having a current bid. It's hard
to say. It's another question on cost as uh we have attacked the nation of Iran and the straight of horses is closed impacting uh gas prices. What does that mean? >> Uh right now we're okay because at the
end spring we're hedged to just about 100%. So we don't have a lot of exposure on the market if any. Um we're we're going to be that way till probably hopefully through May if the hydro performs like it's supposed to. Um and then and starting in June we'll be open
a little bit to the market. Um it doesn't sound like even if that were to kind of resolve itself fairly soon. Um those prices are going to remain high for a while. Um so but
>> gas prices will be higher and gas prices are >> there will be some impacts >> uh coming uh around the summer months. >> Yeah. >> So from a revenue point of view we pass that fuel charge and
>> so it depends on when we get a little closer we can do a little more analysis kind of see what it's kind of doing. um you know, the fuel rate will have to be adjusted, but also like last summer, we may want to um borrow from the rate stabilization fund a little bit to help
offset some of that cost. Um so, we're not fully jumping. Um but we'll have to continue to look at that. It's a little too early to see exactly what the recommendation would be on that, but >> And how long do you think the cost of
service study would take? So I I have an update in the GM update um if you want I but I'll talk I'll give you a little bit of update on that. U we do have a proposal that we're evaluating that if um the team's good with we can execute on and they're they're saying roughly 12
weeks from you know the issue of the PO to the you know from the kickoff of the project to having some some actual stuff to review and credit. So we're on target for around the summer that's like three months. So we're at
towards the end of March now. So you're looking at probably June or early July for that analysis >> and a stop gap strategy could be to use the rate stabilization fund to >> Yes. >> adjust the Thank you. >> So the rate stabilization fund there's
plenty for all of the things that we just sort of talked about the expensive gas for the we'd also adjust our lake too. It wouldn't just be it'd be probably a mixture of both like we >> just that creeps up just a little bit. >> So the rate will probably go up a little
bit but instead of having to raise it entirely to cover the entire cost of what it might be, we could buy a little bit from the rate stabilization fund to help offset that a little bit. >> Great.
>> Are there any other questions? >> Say we're probably going to ask about this every month for the foreseeable future. So maybe just plan to give us a brief update every month. Any other questions? >> No.
Thank you. Thank you. Okay. um union negotiations. >> Yes. So, uh for the union negotiations, this is for the the CT union. Um this
MOA is just around the 65back language to uh bring it in line with what um was approved with IDW that the board approved back in like December January time frame I think in the January meeting and that's just to um adjust like the the target for what what would
allow people to buy back time and it like I said I doesn't so it's pretty straightforward. >> Anybody want to read the motion >> or read it? >> Thank you. Move that the RMLD board of commissioners vote to approve the executed supplemental memorandum of
agreement between AFSCME clerical technical unit and reading municipal light department. >> Second. >> Any discussion? All those in favor or nothing? Thank you. Um okay, then we're moving on
to meeting minutes. approval. First is >> move that the RMLD citizens advisory board approved the following 2026 open session meeting minutes as presented on the recommendation of the general manager and the board secretary February
17th. >> Second. Okay. Thank you. Any discussion? All in favor? I >> I read motion. >> Sure. Move the RMLD board of
commissioners approve the the uh following 2026 open session meeting minutes as presented on the recommendation of the general manager and board secretary. February 17th would be the one set. >> Uh second. >> Any discussion on the notes?
Okay. All those in favor nothing. >> Yeah. This next item. >> Go ahead. >> Yeah. So, there's a bunch of old old executive session minutes from 10 10 or so years ago and 10, nine, eight years
ago on a variety of topics. >> And so, they've been through a legal review and some bits of it get cut out because it might be about real estate pricing or things like that. So, as board secretary, I looked them over and they all look good. So, I don't know if that's a vote or just an update.
>> So, we'll do that in the executive. >> Okay. Got it. So, that's what that's about. So, I don't know what what is what >> purpose is just the public. >> Let Yeah. Okay. So, that's what happened. That's the process. So, then we could So, to the public who may be listening,
if you're out there somewhere, we'll be going to executive session. will be approving ancient executive session minutes uh that are of not much consequence >> which some will be released >> some will be excuse me some will be released and some will be mildly redacted for to reflect things like real
estate prices or things >> okay >> thanks for helping me on the uh report I was supposed to be doing here >> okay training and travel So, as per uh what's required um for any
overnight stay um for training and travel, I have on here uh to get your approval to attend the NEPA rodeo conference. So, it's a a line workers rodeo uh and an associated engineering operations conference that's held two days after that. Uh Reading will have a
team competing in the rodeo. Um and then there's interesting engineering and operations presentations for a couple days. Um, I uh volunteer my time to be on the planning committee for this conference. So, between watching our guys compete and hopefully win um and attending the conference, I help plan
like to go. Um, great. >> Uh, give me a reading of the motion. Anyone ready? >> Move that the RMLD board of commissioners approve Jason Smalls travel to and attendance at the 2026 Northeast Public Power Association NEPA
Rodeo Rodeo Conference uh to take place on May 11th through May 14th, 2026 at the Lun Mountain Resort in Lincoln, New Hampshire. >> Second. >> All those in favor zero. >> Didn't we almost win that one year or
something? Uh yeah, we didn't have a team compete last year, but the year before we did and they came in second place. >> Yeah, >> goals first place. >> Feeling feeling good about it. >> Yes, hopefully. >> So I know I remember it.
>> Great. Okay, moving right along. Uh so we're moving to the GM goals vote and maybe we do a reading of the motion and let present. Um, sure. Move that the RLD board of commissioners approve the general
manager's 2026 goals as presented on the recommendation of the general manager. >> Second. >> Okay. Um, I'm not going to I don't plan on going through line by line because last month we did that and a lot of them are still the same, but u based on the
feedback that I received last month, the last month's meeting, I incorporated that in here. Um, I added a couple I made a couple of goals um were measurable. Um and then um hearing some of the feedback was that it was um
potentially aggressive. I took uh several goals and I made them uh stretch goals. So still trying to keep the focus on trying to hit those targets this year, but understanding that this might be a lot that um they might become stretch goals and then um they'd be ob obviously if they weren't attained,
they'd be right on the next year's goals um as a required goal. Um those are a couple of the minor changes. I did incorporate a safety goal. Um I know last month mentioned something around the incident rates and stuff like that but um the rates the rate and sometimes
you have some control of that or not but what I felt would be would provide a direct value to the safety of the organization was to perform an independent third party audit where we have an auditor come in for a couple days and go out with the guys and the crews and and uh and even in the office
see meet with engineering and office people and just kind of giving us some recommendations on how to improve safety. Um so I felt like that was um probably a better goal to attain and would provide direct value to safety. Um and then
uh the other ad was around um last month we talked about the rec retirement sales and kind of moving it to the fall. So that would be the the third goal in the increasingly non-carving and that's to perform an ongoing uh review of the recrement levels evaluate the cost
scenarios and define a balance strategy to increase non-carbon portfolio options uh without compromising cost reliability. So I added that back in um to make sure we stay on point this fall and come up with something that we use annually every year. So
want to open up to any comments or >> comments from questions. >> Appreciate it for >> I think this is Yeah, it's a lot. >> It's good. >> Good. Any comments questions? >> There's a lot here. Thank you. Um
>> yeah, >> the customer program recommendations you have for Q2. Does that mean like next month or the month after you'll have some recommendations? I'm hope hoping to. Yes. Yeah. We've already been working on some customer programs that um in Megan's team uh I think a couple are actually ready to pretty much go
like right away soon. So um yeah, sometime in quarter two I can present. I think that's what those are. >> Executive you said. >> No, in quarter two I can exactly what those Megan help present. >> I think if I could ask is that we have a a month where we look at them all and it's not like they're all there and we
vote the same night like in case there's any >> Yes, that's the Like I said, we have a couple right now. We're still going to a couple and I figured sometime in quarter two we can come back what we haven't >> right already. There might be another one that we might want to try to implement later in the year. But um >> I guess technically
this falls within your authority that we don't you don't have to ask us to change policies, right? Or programs. But >> still it would be nice to be able to take a look at them have feedback. >> Yep. and and have that be incorporated to the extent practical.
>> Yes. Yeah, we do plan on presenting to the board these program changes. >> This chart is very helpful. >> Yeah. >> This chart is very helpful because I think it it it should be helpful for you to work with your team so that they know
what they're responsible for. >> Yes. >> Thank you. >> Is it does this does it come to a vote though? We don't vote on those programs. Yeah. >> No, but we would present uh give you the facts, you know, the the details behind each of the programs and ask for put in
comments and >> if we have to make any changes, we won't. >> Okay. Just that opportunity in case one of us does have a halfway decent idea. >> Yes. >> And then I assume if there's cost associated with the program that we would address that through the budget process, >> right?
I have a question. How are we safety wise is like, you know, you said an audit like >> Oh, I curious. >> Well, actually, probably should put that in my GM update, but I'll talk about now. Um, as I've mentioned a couple times in my GM goals, um, there's APA does a lot of benchmarking services. Um,
so we did apply for the safety award for 2025 and we just received it last week and we got there's different levels, gold, platinum, and diamond. Diamond being the best and we were diamond rated safety. >> Makes great job. >> Good job to the whole team. Yeah,
>> that's >> Yeah, huge. >> Everybody goes home. That's a good thing. >> Yes, 10 toes. >> It's great. >> Any other discussion on the goals? >> Looks like you completed all the Q1
goals. So, congratulations. Q1 goal is to get this >> check. >> All right. Uh, ready for the vote then? >> Sure. >> Okay. All those in favor of approving >> or nothing. Thank you. >> Thanks for your work on that.
>> Thank you. >> GM update. So for uh the month of March um since we last met in February, we had two storms. We had one uh almost blizzard or sort of a blizzard back at February
23rd, 27 23rd. Um we had a few small outages and some calls, but all in all, we managed to straight through the storm um without too much going on. Um it was pretty pretty where we didn't have to do too much. And then last week, uh March 16th into the
17th, we had the windstorm and that was a little bit more involved. Um with those high winds over those two days, we had over 50 events that the team had to go out and and look at and and work on. Uh most of them were due to trees or tree limbs coming down. Uh we did have a
couple large outages in the Reading and Wilmington area. um a couple circuits that were out. So, there were between uh a thousand customers to 2,000 customers on each one of those circuits when they went out and they were out for a couple hours. Um and then we had a couple momentary outages
where the recloser, the breaker, it it's programmed to allow a temporary fault to clear so it opens up briefly and then closes back in. So, we had a couple of those that affected 1500 to 3,000 customers on on each of those circuits that were also renting them over. Um,
but overall it was a it was a pretty long uh day from Monday night into Tuesday night. Um, they were guys were here for almost 24 hours. So, um, it was a I'd say it was a moderate event, but um, everybody was back on the end of the
day and and nobody's out to walk. >> Just out of curiosity, do you guys bring your own chainsaws and everything to chop up stuff or >> The guys do have some chainsaws, but it' be more of the smaller stuff. any of the larger leaders or trees go to the We have tree crews >> that go with you. You call them out or
>> uh yeah, we uh they're a contractor that we use for our regular daily tree trimming for maintenance and then we bring them in on storms to assist. Last week or a couple weeks ago, um NEPA hosted a GM round table in Littleton at the NEPA facility. I attended there was
probably 15 to 20 GMs there and uh the main topic of conversation centered mostly around union negotiations. There was probably half dozen to 10 right now that their contracts are upper in the middle of negotiations. So that kind of luckily
for us we uh were able to get those done in December. So um but that was the bulk of the conversation. And then uh Mike Highland who's uh who runs NEPA, he gave an update on some of the training initiatives that he was trying to push forward. Some new training type opportunities.
>> And these are three-ear contracts. >> Yes, we have three. Yeah, we're in year one of three years. Um as you asked the cost of service study update, uh we did get a a proposal the team's currently reviewing. Hopefully that'll be I've asked for that to be reviewed by the end of this week
so we can move on that. And as I said, the proposal, the pricing is well is within our budget, what we budgeted for, and the timeline of 12 weeks to complete uh meets our timeline as well, the schedule needs. So um if everything's good, we'll proceed with that.
Um we also uh went through an S&P global rating um for our credit rating and uh we completed that over a course of a couple weeks and we maintained the uh our rating from last year which was a doublea negative which is good.
>> So so when RMLD borrowed money I thought we were getting like the reading rate right? >> We do get the reading if we borrow through the tower we get the reading rate. Um the only other way to kind of really bond is through Mwork and that's their rate. So but they still go through
and they they give every uh municipal a plant rating and you participate they give you the rating. >> So so we can get the town operating rate or the and if we go through MVC financing then >> yeah if we wanted then you need the S&P global rating. >> Uh I believe it's kind of would be Mwe
that's borrowing the money. So it's I think it's their rating. Okay. I don't know how exactly that works a little bit different but right now we're not currently planning on bonding any project but if we did or if we needed or if we needed our credit rank our credit rank as is good
>> well if you want to know more about MW borrowing um MLCA is having a uh discussion Thursday at 7 o'clock project financing by Mwick Tom Barry of MWC CEO will present pool loan program so
>> questions having that program on Thursday. Thanks for proting >> um and then uh the other big item was the W substation. Uh the switch gear was delivered a couple weeks ago. It's on site and the next slide actually shows a
couple pictures of that um where it was being lifted up onto the the foundation. And then the second picture on the right is is it sitting on its foundation. Um when it was delivered, they took a couple days to make it kind of watertight and sealed and welded. It comes in it came in five or six. Came in
a lot of parts, but they have to put it back together. So the that's done, but right now it's they're in the process of reconnecting all the wiring that's inside, which take takes a little bit. There's a lot of a lot of connections that I made. So that that's going to
ongo for a few weeks. Um and then so that's there and that's ready. The transformers are there. Uh so next up is making the connections from that switch gear to the transformers and from the switch gear out to the the distribution circuits in the field which that's
ongoing. Um and that hopefully we'll have that done by the end of the year. And then the only other thing piece left would be the transmission connection which national bridge is working on. So, so it's on its way. >> That's the GM update questions.
>> Questions? No. Okay. >> Uh, operating cadence, any updates to this one? >> We just made um minor modifications based on what we've done to date. This is um primarily for 2026, so it's some stuff has moved around a little bit. So, we made sure that we we put the
certificate review in in September. Um, and because Megan's going to be here, we shifted some of her other presentations so she can get them all done while she's here as opposed to hitting every month. So, there's a couple minor modifications like that. We just tweaked a couple things to make it um flow a little
better. >> So, just on the certificate retirement piece, I So, the presentation and the vote, it's both going to be in December. I see here September. certificate every time. >> Oh, I was seeing Yeah, I was seeing
customer >> I was trying to draw the line across. >> Um, so September, October, whatever, whatever the date is. Maybe we can just adjust that. But it would be great to do again the kind of update one month and then vote next month in case there's any
feedback. Okay. So, and we did have the vote scheduled for policies this month, but we're not expecting to do that until June. >> I would say June. So, >> okay. >> Okay.
>> Any other questions or comments on the plan? Okay, a record for the the meeting tonight. Um, okay. So, scheduling with the fourth grade art contest, best
night of the year, tomorrow night. We're going to take that. I can't wait. Um, and then any questions or concerns on any of our meeting schedules? Um, I thought you and I were going to
switch um October, November responsibilities for the AP warrant. >> Uh, we definitely can do that. I'm fine with that if we want to just >> because I will be >> You're going to be away >> halfway around the world. That's right. >> In Thailand,
>> um, Indonesia. >> I did. >> So, you want me to take AP in October, you will take payroll in November. >> Correct. >> Okay. That just puts as long as it's fine with you. I took you on AP two months in a row. >> As long as that's okay with you, it's fine with me.
>> I will make that edit. >> See this to the next agenda? >> Excellent. >> So, we're done. Uh we can go to adjournment or cab move that the RMLD citizens advisory board ad joint regular
session. Roll call vote required. >> Second second Charlie. >> Okay Bob Castle I >> Timai. Thank you. All right, we're going to go to executive session. That one
arm deep commissioners, excuse me, go into executive session pursuant to mass federal law 164 section 47B exemption from public records and open meeting requirements in certain instances for the approval and release of executive session minutes and return to regular session. Sole purpose
of adjournment. Ray got good clean sweep on the seconds this time around. >> Roll call vote required. >> Yes. >> Right. Order Ray. Yes. >> I guess I
>> Thank you. Thank go to