August 19, 2020
Dear Boulder City Council members,
RFP results are in! With only a few weeks to put together offers, companies responded with offers that meet Boulder’s RFP requirements for clean energy production and financing! This is terrific news!
PLEASE slow the process to review these offers and re-consider putting the XCEL Franchise, Settlement, and Partnership Agreements on the ballot this fall. Boulder could meet its goals and keep its budget whole without committing to expensive hobbling 20-year Agreements!
If that isn’t enough incentive to hold off on putting these Agreements on the ballot, then please look the following ten problems with the Agreement. BOULDER IS NOT GETTING A GOOD DEAL.
A huge concern is that right now, even before a decision about going to the ballot has been made, it appears that a lobbying firm has been hired and is paying people to call citizens to speak at Council in favor of the franchise. (http://www.seanwalshconsulting.com/). Please, ask Alice Jackson yourself, if Xcel or any person working for Xcel, hired this firm.
Thank you for your hard work and consideration,
Julie Zahniser
Boulder, CO
10 WAYS XCEL AGREEMENTS DON’T PROTECT BOULDER: (Explanations in attachment)
1) INADEQUATE ELECTION INTERFERENCE PROTECTIONS
2) COMMITTING TO A 20-YEAR FRANCHISE WITHOUT KNOWN COSTS OR COMPARISON WITH VIABLE CHOICES
3) BOULDER HAS ALMOST NO ROLE IN DECISION-MAKING
4) NO “PARTNER” COST-SHARING IN FINANCING PUC INTERVENTION
5) BOULDER HAS NO SAY IN RATES
6) WE DON’T KNOW WHAT WILL BE IN XCEL’S ENERGY SUPPLY
7) NO FUNDING FOR PROJECTS, NO COST-SHARING FOR PROJECTS
8) NO “PARTNER” COST SHARING ON PILOT PROJECTS XCEL IMPLEMENTS OR REIMBURSEMENT GUARANTEE FOR BOULDER EXPENDITURES
9) NO PUBLIC PROCESS https://bouldercolorado.gov/engage/engagement-101
10) BOULDER IS COMMITTING TO SUPPORT XCEL AS A “HEALTHY UTILITY”