Lakeland Regional Sewer District – September 18, 2024 Regular Meeting Minutes
CALL MEETING TO ORDER / REPORT OF MEETING NOTICE PROVIDED
The Lakeland Regional Sewer District (LRSD) Board of Trustees met at the District’s Administration Office, 5002 East 100 North, Warsaw, Indiana. The monthly general meeting date and time were posted and advertised as required and was called to order at 6:00 PM by Jim Haney.
Present: Jim Haney, Mike DeWald, Joe Cleland, Cullen Reece, Mark Koehler, Jack Bonewits, Rosa Ritchie
Absent: n/a
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD
None
APPROVAL OF PREVIOUS GENERAL MEETING MINUTES
A draft of the August 21, 2024 regular meeting minutes was submitted to all Board members via email on August 26, 2024. The final version was posted on Boardable.
Motion to approve the August 21, 2024 meeting minutes by Joe Cleland with second by Jack Bonewits.
Motion carried by voice vote of: 7 Yeas; 0 Nays; 0 Abstains
TREASURER’S REPORT AND OTHER FINANCIAL MATTERS
Mike Dewald overviewed the Cash and Funds Balance Matrix – August 31, 2024 denoting the funds grand total of $2,279,165.
Mike DeWald overviewed: Management Cash Budget of January 1, 2024 through August 31, 2024
The following financial reports, prepared by Krohn & Associates, were presented by Mike DeWald: Unaudited Schedule of Cash Receipts and Disbursements; Monthly Analysis of Funds Balances; and Monthly Analysis of Cash and Investment Accounts.
Motion to approve by Jim Haney with second by Mark Koehler.
Motion carried by voice vote of: 7 Yeas; 0 Nays; 0 Abstains
Mike DeWald stated that the District was notified by their insurance carrier, Cincinnati Insurance, that they were not going to renew the District’s policy, so it will expire October 2024. The District’s broker USI is currently working to obtain a replacement, but Jim Haney also indicated he would be curious what carrier other districts use and wondered if Carson LLP could provide any assistance identifying potential vendors.
The Monthly Claims Approval form of September 2024 was reviewed by Lichelle Parker.
Motion to approve the payment of monthly claims grand total of $62,519.84 by Jim Haney with second by Mike DeWald.
Motion carried by voice vote of: 7 Yeas; 0 Nays;0 Abstains
Board members affixed their signature approval to the Monthly Claim Approval Form.
WRITE OFF UNCOLLECTABLE ACCOUNTS
Jim provided a list of properties which have sold but still have outstanding balances from the prior owners. Indiana Code requires the District to wait 180 days after final notice of payment is provided to these prior owners, to expense the balance as a bad debt.
Motion made by Jim Haney for approval to write-of the following accounts (which final notice was provided in August 2023) as bad debt:
(a) Monroe (260514) $69.95; (b) Morton (259319) $140.52; (c) Pavlick (260319) $57.10;
(d) Olson Rentals (337588) $ 325.86; and, (e) Randall (260400) $78.65 The total write-off these five accounts is $672.08. Second by Cullen Reece.
Motion carried by voice vote of: 7 Yeas; 0 Nays; 0 Abstains
Additional outstanding balances discussed:
Dill–passed away and estate is now closed; the property has been sold so unable to file lien. This one will be eligible for write-off in the future.
Christopher Nusbaum (Carson LLP) provided basic guidance for appropriate collection steps for prior owners who have passed.
Penrose, Biesemeyer, Duncan, Newrez LLC, and Sausaman: all sent final notice on 9/4/2024
Trier – Astbury directed to file lien
MCLP Asset & Wells Fargo Bank – Jim found different addresses which Astbury Billing will follow up to verify where the letter was sent previously and send out to these addresses if not sent previously
Jim questioned Christopher (Carson LLP), that if there is a property owner who the District has had to write off as bad debt in the past, but now has another property, does the District have any options to try to protect from being shorted again? Possibilities like a security deposit or adding back the amount written off previously to their new account? Christopher indicated he would need to review the State Board of Accounts for our options.
The lien process is set up to be done twice per year, timed to coordinate when the spring and fall property tax payments are due. Jim questioned if we should increase the frequency of lien filings to try to capture and collect outstanding balances before properties change hands and are unable to do so. Lien filing fees will be incurred by the District upon doing so, but will be added to the lien to cover the cost of filing.
Motion by Jim Haney to continue filing liens, no less than every six (6) months, but give the District Administrator the authority to file more frequently as necessary; second by Mark Koehler.
Motion carried by voice vote of: 7 Yeas; 0 Nays;0 Abstains
CORRECTION OF DRY WELLS – 4307 N SULLIVAN
It was recently brought to the District’s attention that the property at 4307 N Sullivan still had drywells which graywater from the kitchen, laundry, water softener, etc. was being discharged to. The District sent a notice to the property owner to update the plumbing so all wastewater is flowing to the sewer and to locate and abandon all drywells by October 15, 2024. The District was contacted by a plumber September 16, 2024 requesting access to the grinder station to visibly confirm that graywater is being correctly routed through the sewer. The property owner is to call for inspection when all corrections have been made.
ASTBURY MONTHLY REPORT
PUMP/PANEL INVENTORY, CUSTOMER PROTOCOL REMINDER
The LRSD Treatment System Operations Treatment System Operations Report of September 13, 2024 was emailed to Board members by Astbury Water Technology, Inc. Thomas Astbury, Matt Rippey, and Aaron Burris reviewed key aspects of the report and provided clarifications to Board members’ inquiries.
Astbury recently purchased a chemical shower and created a portable station for it to be placed near the Ferric Chloride tank when deliveries are made. Jim questioned if this it is an OSHA requirement and Astbury confirmed that it was.
Questions on work orders included:
#244701 – Joe Cleland noticed that three houses were listed on the work order and questioned if they were all on one grinder. Astbury confirmed that they were and that there are a few situations like this in the system.
#244808 – On this work order it was noted that a Kesters pump was pulled and Joe wondered how long the rebuilt pump had lasted. Aaron stated that the homeowner said it had been three years. Pumps are only rebuilt once and scrapped if go bad after that.
Jim and Astbury provided clarification to Joe on who purchases repair pump parts and that invoices on the maintenance fund update which denote pump parts, may consist of several different parts on one invoice.
Astbury still owes the Board Members an organizational chart listing personnel relative to the District’s operations.
Costs to replace check valves were briefly discussed; Aaron is continuing to look for cost savings with this procedure, including new contractors.
Astbury is planning to use a different vendor to fill the Ferric Chloride tank. The cost per pound will be cheaper than the last fill.
When Weed, Inc. performed the ARV flushing this past summer, there were six which they were unable to properly flush. Aaron is proposing to purchase five ARVs at a total cost of $7192.50, and then have Astbury change these out. With the change out, he recommends changing the fittings to banjo style with cam locks. When Astbury changes out the ARV, the one pulled will be brought back to the shop, cleaned, and kept on hand to replace others in the future. This would be outside of Astbury’s normal services, so will need to determine what the appropriate cost to the District should be, but there is potential for savings to the District. Astbury confirmed that replacing the ARVs will not substitute flushing the ARVs every two years as part of the normal preventative maintenance.
Motion by Jim Haney to give Astbury authorization to purchase five ARVs, not to exceed $8000; second by Joe Cleland.
Motion carried by voice vote of: 7 Yeas; 0 Nays;0 Abstains
INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR COMMITTEE
Nothing to report
ENGINEERING UPDATE
Motion by Jim Haney to increase the 2024 Engineering services agreement with DLZ from $10,000 to $20,000; second by Joe Cleland
Motion carried by voice vote of: 7 Yeas; 0 Nays;0 Abstains
In 2025, the District plans to exclude the new connection plan review amounts from the engineering services agreement, since those can utilize a significant piece of the agreement amount.
PURCHASING UPDATE
Currently one open PO (#202416) with Gasvoda for (10) Float Tree Assemblies (3 Floats) – $4,110 (floats received 9/17/2024)
3924 N 700 E CONNECTION
On the north shore of Big Barbee, there is an area where there is no through road from B51A lane to B1A lane. The property that funnels down to the lake between the two roads was exempt from connecting at the time of the initial sewer connection project, and the District and the property owner at the time, developed an easement agreement to allow the District to run the force main through their property from B1A to B51A. This saved the District from running an extra 1200 feet of main line, and in exchange allowed the property owner the rights to install a grinder and a lateral for one connection. Since that agreement, the original property owner has sold the parcels and the parcel that was given the right to the one connection is inquiring about connecting in the near future. The District needs to research some options, develop a site plan, and obtain some estimates.
LAKELIFE GREASE SAMPLE RESULTS
The District has received the results of four oil and grease test samples taken from LakeLife since the last board meeting and all were within acceptable limits.
BARBEE HOTEL TESTING
Samples were missed being taken from Barbee Hotel in August; Jim talked to Aaron about ensuring one is taken in September and October.
The grinder station at the hotel was cleaned with a power washer in August because there was a significant amount of grease that had collected on the floats and equipment in the station.
PROPERTY OWNER CONNECTION STATUS
Lichelle Parker reviewed the Property Owner Connection Status report, updated through September 13, 2024.
OTHER ITEMS THAT MAY COME BEFORE THE BOARD
None
ADJOURNMENT
Motion to adjourn meeting was made at 7:48 PM by Cullen Reece with second by Jack Bonewits.
Motion carried by voice vote of: 7 Yeas; 0 Nays; 0 Abstains
Submitted to Board by Lichelle Parker, District Administrator
Reviewed by Board Secretary, Mark Koehler