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Toledo Bend BI State Alliance
Meeting Minutes for Nov 27, 2000
The meeting was called to order by Larry Kelly.
Maurice Patterson led the group in prayer.
The meeting minutes for the last meeting were approved as provided on the Internet. The secretary was requested to bring the meeting minutes to the meeting from now on as not everyone has access to the Internet.
The Treasurers report was presented and approved. The balance is $2152.96.
The next region I water planning meeting will be held in Lufkin on Dec 14. The group has received comments on the plan as it had been presented. Over the next year differences between plans from the different regions will be resolved and a final plan prepared for the state. Planning for the next cycle is underway.
The DETDA meeting with the legislators is scheduled for Dec. 14 at the Crown Colony Country Club in Lufkin. Since the meeting the location has been rescheduled to Nacogdoches at the Fredonia Hotel. All TBBSA members are invited to attend.
There will be a SRA of Texas meeting in Tyler on Dec 13 and 14th. Larry Kelly will be attending.
Meetings will be scheduled with the newly elected officials to inform them of our interests.
Larry Kelly attended the conference of the SRA LA in Baton Rouge. They adopted 11 items to work on. The lake level project was number-one on their list. They emphasized that the SRA personnel take its direction from the SRA board. The board set aside $20,000 for an independent review of the contracts with the Energy Companies by a lawyer who has not been involved with the previous contracts. The purpose of this effort is to evaluate means of accomplishing the 168 level. Larry Kelly will have input into the review.
A water system is being looked at to deliver water from above the dam. This water system would provide approximately 50 Million gallons of water a day to areas in Louisiana south of the dam. Such a capability would provide a much greater and more stable income for the SRA. Larry Kelly pointed out that even the 600M gallons of water that Houston had been interested in some time ago only represents about 2 hours of power generation and raw water sells for much more than is received from the present contract for power generation with the energy companies. (Senate Bill 1 presently precludes sending water to Houston from Toledo Bend based upon the Junior Water Rights Provision of the law).
Larry received indications that we have support for the lake level project from the SRALA board members.
During the work sessions he was given the opportunity to speak as the need arose.
Larry Kelly has been appointed to a water management committee whose purpose is to develop water sales.
The LA SRA parks on the lake will need to be more self-sustaining. This can be a big problem. The Louisiana State Parks is still proceeding with the plans to build The South Toledo Bend State Park. The plan is to break ground for the park in April 2001. The Executive Director of the La. SRA still wants to see a golf course and a hotel built adjacent to the South Toledo Bend State Park. The building of a hotel or golf course will require funds from private investors, as the La. SRA has no funding available to support such a project.
The SRALA had the Power Sales Agreement and the Operating Guide Rule Curve placed on the agenda for the November meeting of the Joint Operating Board meeting.
Ken Freeman, Mayor of Many, La. and a member of the SRA of La Board of Commissioners submitted 22 questions to the Joint Board concerning the Power Sales Agreement. If they are to be answered correctly a thorough review of the Power Sales Agreement will be required.
The Power Sales Agreement and the Operating Guide Rule Curve were discussed in Executive Session. After the Executive Session the Joint Board authorized the staff to begin preliminary negotiations with the power companies for the next amendment to the Power Sales Agreement. The basic Power Sales Agreement does not expire until 2018.
The Texas A&M report of the economic impact of the lake has been completed. The report indicates that the lake contributes $38 M to the local economy. Louisiana receives $21M of that and Texas receives $17M. There is a web site version available. The report has been picked up by the news media across LA.
FERC has established a meeting to identify the stakeholders for future sessions with the SRA. The meeting will be in Leesville on Dec 5, 2000. This is a major breakthrough. It is critical that we have a good showing of the TBBSA.
A vote was taken to pay bills of $196.48.
The meeting was adjourned.
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