MINUTES SENATE INTERIM COMMITTEE ON ELECTRIC UTILITY RESTRUCTURING Wednesday, March 25, 1998 9:30 am Grapevine, Texas ***** Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule 11.11, a public hearing of the Senate Interim Committee on Electric Utility Restructuring was held on Wednesday, March 25, 1998 in the Grapevine Convention Center, Grapevine, Texas. ***** MEMBERS PRESENT: MEMBERS ABSENT: Senator David Sibley None Senator Kenneth Armbrister Senator Gonzalo Barrientos Senator Teel Bivins Senator David Cain Senator Troy Fraser Senator Jane Nelson ***** The Chair called the meeting to order at 9:35 am. There being a quorum present, the following business was transacted. Chairman Sibley expressed his appreciation to Senator Nelson for hosting the Committee in Grapevine; Senator Nelson welcomed the Committee to her district and thanked the City of Grapevine for their assistance. The Chairman announced that 90 minutes had been set aside for each of the two panels to make their presentations and respond to members' questions. Chairman Sibley then called the first panel to address electric cooperative issues. The panelists were: Mike Williams, Texas Electric Cooperatives Edd Hargett, Houston County Electric Cooperative Libby Linebarger, Pedernales Electric Cooperative Debbie Robinson, Wood County Electric Cooperative Michael Moore, C. H. Guernsey & Co. Upon completion of the first panelists' testimony and response to members' questions, the Chairman convened the second panel to address municipal utility issues. The panelists were: Mark Zion, Texas Public Power Association Mark Rose, Lower Colorado River Authority Dan Wilkerson, Electric Utility Services, City of Bryan Bill Taylor, Kerrville Public Utility Board Ty Cooke, Mayor Pro-Tem, Lubbock At 1:00 p.m., following the second panelists' presentations and response to members' questions, Chairman Sibley recessed the hearing until 1:35 p.m. At 1:45 p.m., the Committee reconvened. The Chairman advised that public testimony would commence, and moved that each witness limit testimony to five minutes; without objection, it was so ordered. Chairman Sibley then called the first witness. All witnesses, including panelists, are listed in the order of their testimony. James Ratliff, Mayor, Garland, Texas Maurice Osborn, Mayor, Midlothian, Texas Kim Foutz, City Manager, Midlothian, Texas Sue Ann Harting, Mayor, Greenville, Texas John Wood, Mayor Pro-Tem, Brownsville, Texas Don Ouchley, General Manager, Public Utility Board, Brownsville, Texas Charles H. Whiteside, representing himself, Kilgore, Texas Calvin Ebner, representing himself, Deweyville, Texas Marcus W. Pridgeon, representing Gaudalupe Valley Electric Cooperative, Gonzales, Texas Dessie Goodson, representing herself, Denton, Texas Roy O. Baker, representing AARP State Legislative Committee, Greenville, Texas Emmett Payne, representing Central Texas Opportunities, Coleman, Texas Tom "Smitty" Smith, representing himself and Public Citizens members, Austin, Texas Paula C. Beck, representing West Texas Opportunities, Lamesa, Texas Frances Little representing Hill Country Community Action, San Saba, Texas Karen Swenson, representing Community Action agencies, Nacogdoches, Texas Kerrie Terk, representing herself, Colleyville, Texas Debra Bray, representing herself, Burleson, Texas David Flurry, representing himself, Blanket, Texas Kristi Hart, representing herself, Murchison, Texas Michael J. Marz, representing himself, Dallas, Texas, submitted written testimony and registered to testify but was unable to remain at the hearing until he was called. The following witnesses registered but did not wish to testify: Francis E. "Frank" Parks, City Manager, City of Weimar, Weimar, Texas Grady C. Singletary, Cherokee County REC, representing himself, Rusk, Texas Donald R. Postell, representing the City of Grand Prairie, Grand Prairie, Texas There being no further business, at 3:50 pm Chairman Sibley moved that the Committee stand recessed subject to the call of the Chairman. Without objection, it was so ordered. __________________________ Senator David Sibley, Chairman __________________________ Barbara Henderson, Clerk