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5.0 BUSINESS ACTION <br />5.1 Financial Report —February 2024 <br />Ms. Karpinski presented the financial report for February 2024. It showed that electric <br />usage was down 5% YTD and water was up 1% YTD. Ms. Karpinski made the observation <br />that in general residential electric usage is down with numbers similar to those from <br />January and February of 2018 through 2020. Electric is behind prior year but favorable to <br />budget. Water is ahead of prior year and favorable to budget mainly due to increased <br />usage and high connection fees in January. <br />Chair Dietz asked Mr. Ninow the source of January's connection fees. <br />Mr. Ninow stated there were a couple projects with Great River Energy that required a <br />connection. <br />Moved by Commissioner Westgaard and seconded by Commissioner Stewart to receive <br />the February 2024 Financial Report. Motion carried 5-0. <br />5.2 Private Line Repair Costs for AMI Project <br />Ms. Youngs presented the memo regarding private line repair costs for the Advanced <br />Metering Infrastructure (AMI) Project on Mr. Hanson's behalf, who was attending the <br />commission meeting remotely while out of state for the American Public Power Association's <br />(APPA) Lineworkers Rodeo. <br />Ms. Youngs stated the AMI installation contractor, Allegiant Utility Services, has informed <br />ERMU that some residential properties may require repairs to private utility infrastructure <br />before the meter can be replaced. For electric meter installation this may include the <br />repair or replacement of the meter box. For water meter installation this may include the <br />repair or replacement of the in -home shut off valve. <br />Ms. Youngs noted that according to Allegiant most utilities they have worked with view <br />these repairs as the "cost of doing business" when taking on a system -wide meter <br />replacement project such as AMI. Allegiant observed that the utilities who choose to <br />absorb the costs for these repairs have better scheduling response, fewer complaints, and <br />higher overall customer satisfaction throughout the project. <br />Ms. Youngs explained that to affirm Allegiant's recommendations staff contacted two <br />comparable municipal utilities that are undergoing AMI projects which are similar in size <br />and scope. Both utilities confirmed they chose to absorb the reasonable repair costs <br />related to residential electric and water meter replacements. They also confirmed <br />absorbing these costs resulted in fewer complaints and quicker resolution of issues so the <br />project could keep moving forward. <br />Elk River Municipal Utilities Commission Meeting Minutes <br />April 9, 2024 <br />Page 3 <br />