At its regular meeting Tuesday, Benicia City Council heard reports on greenhouse gas emissions, Net Energy Metering income, and Benicia’s urban water management plan.
In addition, the council approved a motion to arbitrarily increase the agendized annual contract award of $100,000 to Benicia Main Street (BMS), opting to increase the proposed contract amount to $110,000 – without going through city staff and without notice to the public of their intent to do so.
Mayor Elizabeth Patterson raised objections, noting that policy would indicate that such a proposal should first go to staff, be recorded on the city’s next published agenda, and then be officially presented to the council at its next regular meeting for approval.
Councilmember Tom Campbell made the motion to re-allocate $10,000 away from Parks and Community Services and into the BMS contract; Vice Mayor Mark Hughes seconded the motion, and the council voted to approve the motion. Mayor Patterson’s was the sole “no” vote.
City Attorney Heather McLaughlin was present at the meeting but raised no objection. Councilmember Alan Schwartzman was not in attendance.

Greenhouse gas report
The numbers contained in the annual inventory and forecast report on greenhouse gas emissions were positive, indicating that the city is already exceeding levels of reduction that were set as goals for the year 2020.
There was discussion among council members and the presenting community development director as to Valero Benicia Refinery’s part in the reported totals. Council directed staff to add a footnote to the report indicating that levels from Valero are not included in the report.
Councilmember Campbell did offer that Valero is understood to contribute approximately 85 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions in the city.
Mayor Patterson concurred, stating, “When we first did the inventory, we identified that 85 percent of greenhouse gas emissions were attributed to Valero and (its) supporting industries, and that it was outside of our jurisdiction to address it (Valero’s contribution).”

Net Energy Metering (NEM)
The city of Benicia earned $113,238 in energy credit resulting from its first year contract with Marin Clean Energy. Council was ultimately unanimous in its approval of the motion to use 100 percent of those funds toward maintenance and operating expenses for the city’s solar panels, an expense category that was not previously created due to constraints necessitated by the recent recession on the city’s overall budget.
As described in the meeting agenda:
“When the City joined Marin Clean Energy, the City’s solar panels were added to the MCE NEM program. This allowed the City to take advantage of the ability to sell excess solar energy to MCE. After the first annual solar true-up, the first year’s NEM is $113,238.64. The Council needs to take action to allocate the funds to the appropriate account. Recommendation: Allocate the $113,238.64 NEM funds received from MCE to pay for ongoing operating and maintenance (O&M) and to create a replacement reserve for the solar facilities.”

Cool California Challenge award
As described in the agenda: “Benicia won 4th place in the Cool California Challenge. Two hundred sixty-four Benicia households participated in the Challenge, winning Benicia $11,709 for a community sustainability initiative. (In order to) receive the award, the City needs to identify a specific sustainable initiative. There is a maximum one-year time frame to expend the funds. Recommendation: Provide direction to staff for funding a sustainable initiative with the $11,709 Cool California Challenge award. Staff is recommending using the funds toward assisting local restaurants in modifying their equipment/practices to save water and money.”
Council concurred and the recommendation was approved by unanimous vote.

Urban Water Management Plan
Council heard a presentation by Benicia Water Treatment Plant Superintendent Scott Rovanpera on the 2015 urban water management plan. Rovanpera presented data supporting the contention that even in a worst-case scenario, for example in the event of any repeat of the 2014 allocation of only 5 percent of normal allotment from the State Water Project, Benicia would still have more than enough water to meet demand, if at possibly increased cost, through the year 2040.

More information
A complete copy of the Council’s agenda is available at the city’s web site at ci.benicia.ca.us or by contacting City Hall at 746-4200. Minutes from city council meetings are generally available about two weeks after the date of the meeting. A video transcript of the June 21 meeting is available now at the web site.
City Council meetings are held on the first, third and sometimes fourth Tuesdays of each month in the council chambers at City Hall, 250 East L Street at 7 p.m. The public is welcome and encouraged to attend, or to view proceedings streaming live from the city web site, on Comcast Channel 27, or on AT&T U-Verse Channel 99.

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