LMUD board lowers rates by ½ cent

At the Lassen Municipal Utility District’s Friday, May 29 meeting, the board of directors voted 4-0 to lower the rate paid by residential customers by ½ cent.

According to a Facebook post by the publicly owned utility district, “The Lassen MUD Board of Directors has voted to decrease rates by 2.5 percent, reducing the residential rate from 19.5 cents to 19 cents per kilowatt hour. Customers will see the decrease reflected in their next billing cycle. This rate decrease will be applied to all rate classes. If you have any questions regarding the rate change, please call us at (530) 257-4174.

Directors Fred Nagel, Jess Urionaguena, Daren Hagata and David Ernaga voted to reduce the rate. Director Charity Moore was absent.

Local resident Jim Chapman said rather than waiting another quarter before reviewing the Power and Delivery Cost Analysis, the board should bring the matter back again next month. While he said he was pleased the board is reducing it rates by ½ cent, he said the numbers support another 1 ½ cent reduction.

The board did not respond to Chapman’s comment.

Other actions
Minutes
By a 3-0-1 vote the board approved the minutes of its April 28 meeting. Nagel abstained since he did not attend meeting.

Updated job descriptions
The board unanimously approved updated job descriptions for the executive assistant and board secretary positions.

The board also unanimously approved modified job descriptions that modified the reporting structure for the electrical superintendent, planning/engineering technician, project coordinator and administrative assistant positions.

Organizational chart
The board unanimously approved an update to the district’s organizational chart.

Proposed special meeting
The board unanimously approved scheduling a special board meeting/budget workshop for 3 p.m. Wednesday, June 3.

Closed session
The board discussed a number of legal issues with its attorney including existing litigation (LMUD v. William Butler, et al; William R Butler and Peggy L. Butler v. Lassen Municipal Utility District, et al (Lassen County Superior Court); William R Butler and Peggy L. Butler v. Lassen Municipal Utility District, et al (Eastern District Court)); potential litigation (three cases); and anticipated litigation (two cases).

The board’s next regularly scheduled meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 23.