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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2007-09-05 RMLD Strategic Planning Subcommittee MinutesReading Municipal Light Board of Commissioners i s L u j f Strategic Planning Subcommittee ? j': rl C G~'r September 5, 2007 S Start Time of Regular Session: 8:30 a.m. I R 21 ; 55, v End Time of Regular Session: 10:39 a.m. r¢tt Attendees: Subcommittee Members: Mses. Kearns and O'Neill Commissioner: Mr. Soli RMLD Staff: Mr. Cameron MGA, LLC: Mr. Goldsmith and Ms. Hamilton Discussion of the Strategic Planning Proposal Ms. Kearns brought the meeting to order at 8:30 a.m. Introductions were made all around. Ms. Kearns asked Ms. Hamilton if she had a resume since one was not included in the proposal. She said that she would send a resume to Ms. Kearns (attached hereto). Ms. Kearns then asked who would be dealing with the Board during the strategic planning process. Mr. Goldsmith answered that he would; however, Ms. Hamilton will be doing a lot of work behind the scenes resulting from the meetings. Mr. Goldsmith then described how he proposed the project to proceed. Discussion ensued. Ms. O'Neill stated that Mr. Cameron had a view of three things he thoughf'were important to the operations of the RMLD: Customer Service, Reliability and Competitive Rates, which he described as a RMLD triangle. Ms. O'Neill said that she believed "environmental stewardship" should be part of the operations and that would make a diamond. Both Mr. Goldsmith and Ms. Hamilton said they understood the concept of the diamond and the triangle. Ms. Kearns asked if the schedule he set out in the proposal was flexible. Mr. Goldsmith stated that it was based on need during the project. Ms. Kearns then asked how Mr. Goldsmith would get the RMLD Board to focus on the strategic planning process? Mr. Goldsmith said that he would begin the process by reading the RMLD Board package that would include three or four points that the Board should focus on with respect to a vision and a mission. Ms. O'Neill said that she would like to see some samples of Mr. Goldsmith's work. Mr. Goldsmith said that he could get some work samples to the Subcommittee. Ms. Kearns mentioned that the RMLD had a Citizen's Advisory Board (CAB) that is made up of representatives of the four towns the RMLD serves. Ms. Kearns explained that the CAB has recommendation responsibilities to the RMLD Board on certain issues. She said that the strategic planning process should consider the role of the CAB. Discussion ensued about the CAB and the Twenty-Year Agreement. Ms. Kearns then asked Mr. Goldsmith's position on handling tension between the environmental and economic impacts of purchasing green power. Mr. Goldsmith said that he understood the issue very well and had worked on it with recent clients in Connecticut. Ms. Kearns thanked Mr. Goldsmith and Ms. Hamilton for their time. Ms. O'Neill made a motion seconded by Ms. Kearns to recommend to the RMLD Board that it accept the proposal of Mark Goldsmith Associates, LLC to perform the Strategic Planning Study for the RMLD. Motion carried 2:0:0. Motion to Adjourn At 10:39 a.m. Ms. O'Neill made a motion seconded by Ms. Kearns to adjourn the meeting. Motion carried 2:0:0. Karen Hamilton, MGALLC, LLC Experience Highlights Karen Hamilton is a management consultant at MGALLC with an emphasis on the energy industry. She creates value for clients through specialized research and analysis for energy clients. • Prior to joining MGALLC, Karen Hamilton was a Senior Consultant at Arthur D. Little in the Technology and Innovation Management Practice in the Advanced Energy Systems Group. In this capacity, she participated in dozens of projects improving profitability in businesses working in the deregulated energy business environment. • Karen Hamilton worked as a managing consultant at RLW Analytics, a statistical consulting firm, on impact studies of conservation and load management programs. She also worked at Data Resources as an energy consultant, with responsibility for portions of DRI's econometric forecasting model. Selected Recent Projects • Confidential Client, USA - Participated in a project with Marc Goldsmith who worked with the Board of Directors of a bulk power cooperative to facilitate timely and cost effective decision-making by the Board. Helped executive staff to improve Board/ staff interaction and communication. • Confidential Client, USA - Assisted in a project that facilitated the teams developing competitive strategies for all seven of the unregulated companies of a major utility. Provided backup research to support multiple workshops conducted by Marc. Goldsmith who worked directly with leaders of each company to develop the strategic intent and subsequent plans to execute. Assisted in the preparation of plans for presentation to the Board of Directors. • Confidential Client, USA - Participated in an assessment of the long-term international LNG market to determine availability of LNG for US markets. • Confidential Client, USA - Participated in development of a new set of Board of Directors Committees and provided supporting materials that laid the ground work for the sale of the new organizational structure process to an existing Board. • Confidential Client, USA - Supported a project in which Marc Goldsmith worked with a CEO on the development of the corporate and business strategies. Provided analysis and research to support his role as a sounding board for personnel decisions and organizational actions. • Confidential Client, USA - Assisted in a project in which MGALLC surveyed 15 US investor-owned utilities to assess the state of Sarbanes-Oxley implementation. Participated in an assessment of the depth and breadth of implementation efforts from Board of Directors changes to Section 404 implementation. • TXU, Dallas, TX - Participated in a study assessing the financial implications of taking early action on Global Climate Change. Provided analysis used to help assess multiple actions and methods for addressing climate change reductions. • Confidential Client, USA - Provided supporting research and materials for workshops facilitated by Marc Goldsmith on the development of a renewable energy business. Assisted analysis used to help create the team and foundation for corporate approval of the business plan. • Confidential Client, USA - Participated in a project in which a Board of Directors of an electric grid operator was redesigned to improve Board operation through better member selection, streamlining, and greater Board diversity including the first independent members. • Select Energy Services, Inc, Natick, Massachusetts - Provided supporting analysis to assist Marc Goldsmith in a facilitated marketing strategy design for energy savings contracts and small generation development of this service provider. • TXU, Dallas, TX -Provided supporting analysis for Marc Goldsmith who facilitated a workshop and planning process for new business development for the Transmission Business Unit. Assisted in MGALLC work with over twenty transmission experts in the development of new technologies and business models.. Led a team of four experts. Education Pennsylvania State University 1983, M.A, econometrics. University of Maryland 1979, B.A., economics. Professional Affiliations American Evaluators Association Association of Energy Service Professionals