19960729_1.docx

MINUTES OF DECISION MEETING
July 29, 1996 - 1:30 p.m.
In attendance at this time were: Commissioners Ralph Nelson, Marsha H. Smith and Dennis Hansen and staff members: Don Howell, Weldon Stutzman, Scott Woodbury, Tonya Clark, Ron Law, Joe Cusick, Gary Richardson, Birdelle Brown, Keith Hessing, Jim Long, Lynn Anderson, Randy Lobb, Dave Schunke, Terri Carlock, Rick Sterling, Wayne Hart  and Myrna Walters.   Also in attendance were Mike McGrath and Byron Deffenbach of Intermountain Gas Company.
Items from the July 29, 1996 Agenda were discussed and acted upon as follows.
REGULATED CARRIER MATTERS
1. Amended Regulated Carrier Division Agenda dated July 29, 1996.
Commissioner Hansen made a motion to approved said amended agenda; Commissioner Smith seconded the motion; Commissioner Nelson concurred.
TARIFF ADVICES AND MATTERS IN PROGRESS
1. Scott Woodbury’s July 19, 1996 DecisionMemorandum re: Case No. TRH-W-95-1, Troy Hoffman Water Corp. Rate Case.
Scott Woodbury explained the filing. Said Company’s concern was they didn’t want to get into a heavily-litigated mater. They are prepared to adopt staff’s audit results but want to establish sinking fund that they can take care of themselves.
Commissioner Smith asked if staff’s revenue requirement took into account the $1,000 every 5 years expenditure? And what is the dollar amount between a 23% increase and a 30% increase?
Terri Carlock explained that the $1,000 was in staff’s figures.
Commissioner Smith asked if Commission wanted to give an interim increase? Since the application has been here for 11 months and staff agrees to the 23% increase, suggested interim rate relief. Suggested instituting an interim rate and set public hearing and see if Commission hears from anyone.
Commissioners agreed to a 23% interim rate increase, subject to refund.
2. Bill Eastlake’s July 19, 1996 Decision Memorandum re: Case No. GNR-T-97-3, IREC Revised Special Access Tariffs.
Staff recommendation was approved - Will be done by order rather than Minute Entry since the tariff was suspended by order.
3. Weldon Stutzman’s July 22, 1996 Decision Memorandum re: ATT-T-96-1, Additional Comments Regarding AT&T’s Application to Amend Its Certificate to Provide Local Exchange Services.
Commissioner Nelson said he thought it was time to grant the amendment of the certificate.
Commissioner Hansen made a motion to grant the application of AT&T to amend its certificate to provide local exchange services.  
Commissioner Smith agreed but thought the company should adjust the map to conform to their application. (To what they said the area was).
**Map needs to conform.
Commissioner Smith pointed out that they list areas that are part of the sales case that they said they would exclude.  
Weldon Stutzman, Attorney on the case was asked to make sure the map and certificate are correct.
Commissioners will then sign order granting amendment of certificate.
4. Weldon Stutzman’s July 23, 1996 Decision Memorandum re: Case No. USW-N-96-1, Comments Filed Regarding U S WEST Communication Inc.’s Filing of Tariff Advice No. 96-01-N.
After brief discussion, was decided to hold this filing pending the conclusion of the hearing for the southern Idaho Centrex Plus tariff advice.
5. Weldon Stutzman’s July 24, 1996 Decision Memorandum re: Case No. GNR-T-95-4, Proposed Amendment to Order No. 26194 Establishing Funding for Telecommunications Relay Services.
Commissioner Smith commented the TRS had no more business being called a surcharge than signs and ramps. **Need to be consistent in taking out the word “surcharge”.
6. Weldon Stutzman’s July 24, 1996 Decision Memorandum re: Case No. GTE-T-96-2, Comments Regarding GTE’s Tariff Advice 96-10 to Remove Resale Prohibition on Intralata Toll Services and Provide a 5% Discount for MTS.
Commissioner Hansen said he didn’t think GTE had provided sufficient information on the 5% discount. some of the others felt 5% was not adequate. It puts an obligation on GTE to justify the numbers. Couldn’t support the 5% at this time.
Commissioner Smith asked of what benefit it would be for an interim if everyone thinks the number is incorrect?
Weldon Stutzman suggested that since there is a prehearing on equal access, that a prehearing on this matter could be held at the same time.
Birdelle Brown commented that GTE is committed to this in November or December. We can then choose to accept or reject that. Explained GTE’s proposal.
**Decision was to hold prehearing. FCC order should be out by that time.
7. Scott Woodbury’s July 26, 1996 Decision Memorandum re: Case No. WWP-E-96-4, PCA (Rebate).
Commissioners approved the rate decrease.
8. Scott Woodbury’s July 26, 1996 Decision Memorandum re: Case No. INT-G-96-4, Demand Side Management Programs.
Commissioner Smith commented she thought the Commission was in favor of DSM programs.  
Dave Schunke said that this first same up about 2 years ago and other utilities also expressed a desire in participating in these programs. They are no longer interested and this has greatly changed the cost-effectiveness of the programs for IGC. Commented that two years ago high-flow shower heads were available, now they are not. Staff position has changed on these. Were supportive two years ago but now have concerns.
Commissioner Smith said the meeting she recalls is the one 3 months ago when the company brought in the shower heads. Want staff to be looking at these proposals on an on-going process, but wonder if we didn’t encourage the company and then changed our mind.  
Commissioner Nelson said if we are not going to do DSM, should take another look at integrated resource planning.
Mike McGrath of Intermountain Gas Company said company and staff were encouraged to get together and decide what was appropriate for integrated resource planning; so the direction is already there to do this re-evaluation and discussion is already there, to bring it back to the Commission for their review.
Commissioner Smith asked if she could ask Mike McGrath a question. Does the Company want to do shower heads?
Mike McGrath responded - it is different now. The true savings on programs like these is much less than people thought, so at this time they don’t feel that the facts support doing a program of this type at this time.
Scott Woodbury commented that the Company did think there should be a 60-day transition period.
Commissioners approved.
SECURITY ISSUANCES
1. Terri Carlock’s July 25, 1996 Decision Memorandum re: Case No. PAC-S-94-3, Pacificorp Short-term Debt Authority Amendment.
Commissioner Nelson said he agreed with staff recommendation.
Commissioner Hansen said he had a question of staff. How much has this increased over the last two years?
Terri Carlock responded - it was the Medium Term that was raised. this combines short-term and increases for many reasons, mainly the type of market there is, think that is the biggest reason to look at this. Makes the timing the same as their Mid-term. Don’t think the company anticipates using it.
Commissioners approved staff recommendation.
FULLY SUBMITTED MATTERS
1. UWI-W-95-2 Service Area Exchange Agreement (Garden City) Reconsideration.
Scott Woodbury explained that this was on the agenda to ask the Commissioners if they want to liberate this reconsideration, in private session? Decision is due by August 12. If commissioners want to deliberate privately, he will not do a decision memo by a deliberation memo.
Commissioners asked that it be handled in private deliberations.
Meeting adjourned.
Dated at Boise, Idaho, this 31st day of July, 1996.
Myrna J. Walters, Commission Secretary