MW&L Commissioner Vacancy Information and Application

An Exciting Opportunity to Join the McMinnville Water & Light Commission

Released July 3, 2024; Deadline to apply is Tuesday, September 3, 2024, at 11:59 p.m.

Introduction

McMinnville Mayor Remy Drabkin is seeking letters of interest from residents interested in serving a 4-year term as a member of the McMinnville Water & Light Commission. Mayor Drabkin will review applicants and appoint a new commissioner whose term will begin Jan. 1, 2025, through Dec. 31, 2028.

MW&L commissioners serve a valuable role for the utility by making important budget and policy decisions related to the service of water and electricity to the community. You’ll have the opportunity to gain knowledge about the inner workings of McMinnville Water & Light. The role of a commissioner includes:

Represent the community to MW&L, and represent MW&L to the community
Determine and review the Mission, Vision, Policies and Strategic Goals of MW&L and approve staff’s plans to implement all of the above
Establish clarity around commission decisions
Delegate authority and responsibility to the general manager for utility operations
Assure accountability and measurement of success, on an ongoing basis

(No prior experience with utilities or serving on boards is required.)

About McMinnville Water & Light

The McMinnville Water and Light Department (MW&L) is a component unit of the City of McMinnville. It was established in 1889 as a municipal utility responsible for providing water and electric service for the City of McMinnville. Since 1905 McMinnville Water & Light has been governed under the city charter by a five-member commission. The mayor is an ex-officio member. The remaining four commissioners are appointed by the mayor and confirmed by the McMinnville City Council. The commission has generalized authority under City Charter Section 53 to conduct business; establish rates; and to make needed rules.

The MW&L Light Department serves approximately 17,250 electric customers and is committed to excellence, delivering reliable, low cost, electric power to the community. Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) supplies 97% of the Department’s electrical load (mostly hydro).

The MW&L Water Department serves approximately 12,150 water customers through a gravity-fed water system that begins with a 6,350-acre watershed located in the Coast Range that feeds two reservoirs located inside the watershed. They are the McGuire and Haskins Reservoirs and have a combined capacity of 3.5 billion gallons. The water from those reservoirs flows through the Department’s treatment plant and water transmission/distribution system to supply the City of McMinnville with an abundant source of high quality, low cost, drinking water.

Mission:

To provide our customers sustainable, high quality services that enhance the vitality of McMinnville.

Values:

Community: We value our customers and partnerships, recognizing our primary duty is to the people we serve. We strive to provide service beyond our customers’ expectations.
Resiliency: We value the continuous on-demand delivery of drinking water and electricity, and the dependability of our response to our customers.
People: Foster a culture of trust, communication, diversity, and innovation.
Fiscal Responsibility: We value the efficient and responsible management of our capital assets. We recognize the importance of securing affordable, long-term resources for our customers.
Safety: We value the health and safety of our workforce and the public.
Environmental Impact: We value the prudent and sustainable stewardship of natural resources.

Time Commitment

The MW&L Commission regularly meets at McMinnville Water & Light (855 NE Marsh Lane) on the third Tuesday of every month at 5 p.m. Commission meetings are held in a hybrid format, and commissioners attend either in person or via Zoom. Commissioners serve on a volunteer basis.

The approximate time needed to prepare for and attend meetings are:

Review materials to prepare for meetings: 4-6 hours/month
Monthly board meeting attendance: 2-4 hours/month
Special meetings: 2 hours per month
Joint City Council/ MW&L Commission meetings: 3 hours, twice a year

Onboarding: New commissioners will need additional time for onboarding and training. Suggested goals and the approximate time commitments are:

Orientation Day: 6 hours
Informational Meetings: 4 hours
Resource Book Review: 2 hours
Specific Training: 2 hours
Additional Training: 0 to 4 days

Monthly commission meetings typically last 2-4 hours. Commissioners should expect to dedicate a reasonable amount of time before each meeting reading the agenda and packet materials and researching upcoming topics/issues. Time commitment will be greater for new members as they complete training, onboarding and orientation and become familiar with the workings of McMinnville Water & Light, its history, and the commission’s scope of work. Additional time commitment is expected for semiannual work sessions with the McMinnville City Council and occasional MW&L subcommittee meetings.

For more information about the MW&L Commission, please review the Commissioner Onboarding Policy.

Term Length

Commissioners are appointed for a term of four years.

Minimum Qualification Requirements

(The following required qualifications are mandated by the McMinnville City Charter.)

A U.S. citizen
Resident of the City of McMinnville for at least one year
A legal voter
Commissioners shall not have a financial interest adverse to the interests of the City of McMinnville in any manner over which the McMinnville Water and Light Commission has jurisdiction

Conflicts of Interest

According to Oregon Government Ethics Law: a conflict of interest is when an official action by a public official could or would result in a financial benefit or detriment to the public official, a relative of the public official or a business with which either is associated.

A matter is a statutory conflict of interest when both of these conditions are met:

The official act will cause a personal monetary gain or monetary loss
The monetary gain or loss will be to the public official, a relative of the public official, or a business with which the public official or the relative is associated.

Example: Commissioner votes to award a contract to a company. The commissioner’s child works for the company. The commissioner would have an actual conflict of interest because the effect of their vote to award the contract would have a certain financial impact on the company, and since their child is employed there, it is a business with which the commissioner’s relative is associated.

In your interest letter, please list any conflicts of interest or potential conflicts you might have in serving in the capacity of McMinnville Water & Light Commissioner.

How to Apply for This Appointment

Please submit your answers to the questions in the form below, which will be sent to Mayor Remy Drabkin. Deadline to apply is Tuesday, September 3, 2024, at 11:59 p.m.

McMinnville Water & Light is committed to fostering an inclusive and accommodating environment to support participation on this board. If you have any questions, concerns or requests, please contact Commission Clerk Trena McManus at tdm@mc-power.com or 503-435-3113. Thank you for your interest in serving on the McMinnville Water & Light Commission.

MW&L Commission Application

Your Name(Required)

First Last

Your Address(Required)

Street Address City ZIP Code

Your Email Address(Required)

Phone Number(Required)

What are we looking for in a new commissioner?

• Applicants who have a variety of skill sets and experiences who will bring unique and diverse perspectives to the McMinnville Water & Light Commission.

• Applicants who strive to be a positive voice representing their fellow residents of McMinnville and who will bring creative visions, analytical suggestions and forward-thinking opinions to the table.

Application Questions

Please answer these questions, which will be submitted to Mayor Drabkin.

These minimum qualification requirements are mandated by the McMinnville City Charter: 1. A U.S. citizen; 2. Resident of the City of McMinnville for at least one year; 3. A legal voter; 4. Commissioners shall not have any interest adverse to the interests of the City of McMinnville in any manner over which the McMinnville Water and Light Commission has jurisdiction

1. Do you meet the above listed minimum qualification requirements?(Required)

Yes

2. Describe skills, knowledge, education and/or experience(s) that would contribute to your valuable input and feedback on the MW&L board.(Required)

3. Mayor Drabkin seeks applicants who value diverse representation in advisory or leadership roles in terms of race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, age, religion, and geographic identification. Please describe your experience or working with diverse groups, in a community setting, or in public service, and provide examples of how you contributed to or advanced the mission of the organization in a collaborative, multicultural or multilingual process.(Required)

4. Please give an example of your ability to listen to and consider perspectives that differ from your own.(Required)

5. What type of support would you need to effectively and successfully participate as a member of this board?(Required)

6. Please include some areas you have experience or strong interest:(Required)

For example: • Accounting/financial systems • Capital projects experience • Communications, outreach, community engagement • Construction management • Emergency preparedness • Engineering • Environmental science or conservation • Experience working in the trades • Group decision-making • Public health • Integrating equity – racial, income, and language – into decisions and processes • Legal experience • Nonprofit experience • Project management • Public administration • Small business operations/management/ownership • Sustainability • Urban planning • Water, electric, and fiber utility operations

If you have additional documents to submit, upload here:

Drop files here or

Max. file size: 10 GB, Max. files: 3.

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If you prefer, you may download and complete this packet (below) and deliver materials in person to Commission Clerk Trena McManus at:
855 NE Marsh Lane
McMinnville, OR 97128

or mail to:

Commission Clerk
P.O. Box 638
McMinnville, OR 97128

Download this entire packet (pdf) here:

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