In This Issue:

November 1st marks the 11-year anniversary of the completion of the Out-Valley project, which connected Kirkwood to the national electric grid. This project, which started in 2006 with a letter from community members to the KMPUD Board of Directors requesting that KMPUD evaluate the feasibility of providing more reliable electric service to the community, became a reality in 2013 when construction began. 

Out-Valley Stats

Miles of Underground Power Line: 24

Miles of Overhead Power Line: 2

Number of Substations: 2

Number of Construction Days: 270

Prior to November 1, 2014 , the Kirkwood community and ski resort were powered with diesel generators at the Powerhouse. After the Out-Valley project went live, the Powerhouse generators went into standby, providing backup power to the community in cases of grid outages. This has made a dramatic impact on the quality and up-time of power in Kirkwood. In 2012, there were 17 system-wide unplanned power outages and 2 localized unplanned power outages totaling over 13 hours without power for our customers. Compare that with 0 unplanned outages in 2024.

A special thank you to the community, staff and Board members who worked so hard to make the vision of a grid connected Kirkwood a reality! 

Thanks to the nearly 300 of you who replied to the October survey on our proposal for the future of fire and emergency services at Kirkwood! Responding property owners, after seeing exactly what their assessment (cost) would be, said yes by a 2-to-1 margin. The proposal is for Kirkwood to contract with Alpine County Fire to manage and staff our existing fire service (trucks, equipment, building and volunteer staff) with three professional firefighters such that there always be at least one certified firefighter in Kirkwood on 24/7 basis all year long. This is the proposal we've described in recent public meetings, HOA calls and last month's survey emails. You can read about it in our FAQ on the KMPUD website. 

Here are the survey results: 216 yes responses, 83 no responses. We had a 30% response rate from residential properties.  

With this level of support, KMPUD board voted this month to proceed with the Proposition 218 process, which California requires to approve a new tax assessment like this.

Because the Prop 218-compliant vote will be weighted based on assessment value, the votes from larger property owners like the commercial customers will have much more weight than those of single homeowners. This means that high residential voter turnout will be crucial for the proposal to succeed, depending how commercial customers vote. So if you are in favor of the proposal, it'll be important to get friends and neighbors to vote! 

Here's what comes next:

- Public meeting: A public meeting will be held during the holiday season, in person and on zoom, to discuss the 218 process and answer questions. You'll be notified as soon as a date is set. 

- Ballots will go out in the US mail in January. They'll be mailed to your address on file with the County Assessor's office - the same address where you receive your property tax statements.

- We expect the vote to be concluded by mid-February. At that point, if the vote is in favor of the proposal, KMPUD will finalize the contract with Alpine County. If the vote is no, KMPUD will likely start the process of winding down KVFD, which would impact fire and emergency services in Kirkwood. 

If you have KMPUD snow removal service for your driveway, notifying the District of your planned residency during snow removal season ensures our Staff knows when you plan to be in Kirkwood. To get started, log in to your KMPUD User Account, click on My Account, then select Manage Snow Removal, where you can enter your arrival and departure dates - or just click here to go directly to your snow removal management page. 

Make sure to input these dates at least 24 hours before your arrival.

If you don't have a KMPUD User Account yet, you can create one by following the instructions at this link: https://www.kmpud.com/register/ on the KMPUD website.

 

Snow Stakes

During severe snowstorms, it's essential to mark your vehicle with orange snow stakes, as it may completely be covered overnight. For District Snow Removal Customers, these stakes are available for purchase at the District office, while supplies last.

Contact the District office at (209) 258-4444 for more information.

The Snow Removal Crew plays an essential role in keeping our community safe and accessible during winter storms. Their dedication and hard work is focused on clearing roads as soon as feasible, allowing everyone to go about their day with ease and confidence.

For your safety, never approach the Snow Removal Equipment or attempt to stop or impede the operator for any reason.

If you need to speak with someone about snow removal services, please contact your HOA or your HOA Snow Removal Contact.

The snow removal operators are doing their best to serve you, and your cooperation is greatly appreciated as they navigate these demanding tasks. Together, we can ensure a safer environment for everyone.

With our first couple of snow falls over the area, signals the start of that familiar time filled with questions like "Will I need chains?" and "How cautious should I drive?" Skiers are reveling in the excitement, while the rest of us frantically search for last April's ice scraper.

Get ready, everyone - it's the gentle introduction to winter! Whether you're an experienced snow lover or someone just experiencing the beauty of winter for the first time, we have some helpful tips from the California Highway Patrol to guide you through the season

• Tire Check: If your tires look worn, it's time to upgrade. Think winter tires and carry chains. Come prepared!
• Slow Your Roll: Roads can get icy, and nobody wins a prize for slipping into a snowbank. Take it easy and give yourself plenty of time to get where you're going.
• Pack a Winter Survival Kit: Blankets, snacks, water &basically, pretend you're packing for a sleepover in your car. Because let's face it, that might happen if you're not careful or become stuck on the road due to snow conditions.
• Stay Updated: Follow @CHP and check Caltrans QuickMap for road conditions and travel advisories. And check these often.

The District, in partnership with Republic Services, offers an Ash Bin for the convenience of our customers who need to dispose of ashes from wood stoves and fireplaces safely. This initiative aims to mitigate the risk of fires in other dumpsters designated exclusively for regular household waste. Historically, the improper disposal of ashes has resulted in multiple fires at the dumpster pad, trash chute areas, and even in the dump truck. Such incidents represent a significant fire hazard to residences and may lead to wildfires.

The Ash Bin can be found next to the Wastewater Treatment Plant on Loop Road and is accessible 24 hours a day. This bin is designated solely for ashes. Please refrain from placing other items in this container, including any bags, boxes, or bins that might have been used to carry the ashes, as this can create a fire hazard. Additionally, it's important to make sure the Ash Bin is securely closed after use to prevent embers from spreading to nearby areas.

The KMPUD board held its monthly meeting on November 7. These are typically the first Friday of each month and open to the public, in person or on zoom. Along with the regular agenda items incl. financial and operational updates, the main topics of discussion were: 

-Future of the fire and emergency services, specifically the proposed contract with Alpine County and, the results of the October customer survey. The board voted 3-2 to proceed directly with the Prop 218-compliant process to conduct a vote of property owners, as described above. 

-The 2024 Power Source Disclosure and Power Content Label.  The board approved the annual disclosures detailing KMPUD's power sources.  Almost all of KMPUD's electricity (99%) comes from our long-distance connection to the CAISO grid, this power is classified as "unspecified."  The remaining power is generated at the KMPUD Powerhouse.  We provide 100% renewable electricity through the purchase of unbundled Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) to offset 100% of electricity sales as directed by KMPUD board in 2021. See FAQ for more information.  

 -Three current board members whose terms on the board expired this month (Bob Epstein, John Schroeder, Peter Dornbrook) were sworn in to start new four-year terms.

We encourage the community to watch the recent meeting at kmpud.com and read the Board packet. Look for communications from KMPUD on next steps to address the critical issues around KVFD.

Kirkwood is your District and your input and participation are valuable. Click here to view the Community Calendar of upcoming Board and Committee meetings. We encourage your participation at our meetings. Click here to learn about the agenda. And click here to access past Board of Directors meetings. 

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Kirkwood Meadows Public Utility District

209-258-4444 / info@kmpud.com / www.kmpud.com