20150831min.pdf

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IDAHO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION

MINUTES OF DECISION MEETING

August 31, 2015 – 1:30 P.M.

In attendance were Commissioners Paul Kjellander, Marsha Smith and Kristine Raper.
Commissioner Kjellander called the meeting to order.

The first order of business was APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM PREVIOUS MEETING
on Monday, August 24, 2015. The Commission voted unanimously to approve the minutes as
written.

The next order of business was approval of the CONSENT AGENDA:

2. Carolee Hall's August 25, 2015 Decision Memorandum re: Potlatch Telephone Company
("Potlatch") Requesting Commission Approval to Increase Rates on Its Safety Line and
Security Line Service Bundles, Advice 15-05.

3. Grace Seaman's August 25, 2015 Decision Memorandum re: Potlatch Telephone
Company dba TDS Telecom's 2014 Broadband Equipment Tax Credit Application, Case
No. POT-T-15-01.

4. Karl Klein's August 28, 2015 Decision Memorandum re: Avista's Annual PGA Filing,
Case No. AVU-G-15-02.

5. Mark Rogers's August 28, 2015 Decision Memorandum re: Avista Advice No. 15-03-E,
Residential and Small-Farm Energy Rate Adjustment Credit.

6. Neil Price's August 28, 2015 Decision Memorandum re: Application of Schweitzer Basin
Water LLC for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity -- Motion for Extension
to File Reply Comments, Case No. SCH-W-15-015.

There was no discussion and Commissioner Kjellander made a motion to approve Staff’s
recommendations for items 2 through 6 on the Consent Agenda. A vote was taken on the motion
and it carried unanimously.

The next order of business was MATTERS IN PROGRESS:

7. Grace Seaman's August 28, 2015 Decision Memorandum re: 2015 Idaho Universal
Service Fund Annual Report and Recommendations, Case No. GNR-T-15-07.

Ms. Seaman welcomed Alyson Anderson, Administrator of the Idaho Universal Service Fund
(USF) to the meeting. She noted that one of the USF companies had just filed a revised report
that caused some of the calculations to change slightly but it did not impact the statewide
averages or the Administrator’s or Staff’s recommendations. Ms. Seaman then reviewed her
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Decision Memo and commended Ms. Anderson for her work. Commissioner Smith confirmed
that the proposed decrease would leave a balance in the $300,000 range, which she felt was an
appropriate amount. She then made a motion to approve the Administrator’s report and select
option 3 to reduce the surcharge rates and maintain the disbursements to the companies as they
are now. Commissioner Kjellander asked about the amount that is disbursed from the USF each
year and Ms. Anderson confirmed that it is about $1.698 or $1.7 million. There was no further
discussion. A vote was taken on the motion and it carried unanimously. Commissioner
Kjellander thanked Ms. Anderson for her work and asked her to feel free to provide the
Commission with any future updates regarding the USF that might be useful to the Commission.

The final order of business was FULLY SUBMITTED MATTERS:

8. Deliberation re: RCLEC, Inc.'s Application for Certification as a Wholesale
Telecommunications Provider, Case No. RCL-T-15-01. [Brandon Karpen, Attorney]

9. Deliberation re: Application of Country Club Hills Utilities, Inc. for Cancellation of Its
Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity, Case No. CCH-W-15-01. [Neil Price,
Attorney]

Commissioner Kjellander stated that items 8 and 9 would be deliberated privately.

There was no further business before the Commission and Commissioner Kjellander adjourned
the meeting.

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COMMISSION SECRETARY DATE OF APPROVAL