Lakeland Regional Sewer District – October 15, 2025 Regular Meeting Minutes
CALL MEETING TO ORDER / REPORT OF MEETING NOTICE PROVIDED
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, Cullen Reece, Mark Koehler, Jack Bonewits, Rosa Ritchie
Absent: Bob Hookman
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD
None
APPROVAL OF PREVIOUS GENERAL MEETING MINUTES
A draft of the September 17, 2025 regular meeting minutes was submitted to all Board members via email on September 19, 2025. The final version was posted on Boardable on September 30, 2025.
Motion by Jim Haney to approve the September 17, 2025, Board Meeting Minutes; second by Rosa Ritchie.
Motion carried by voice vote of: 5 Yeas; 0 Nays; 1 Abstains
EASEMENT VARIANCE REQUEST – 3633 N SR 13
The Marshalls, the property owners of 3633 N SR 13, would like to add a concrete apron in front of their garage. The apron would be just over one foot from the grinder station lid. Aaron Burris of Astbury has reviewed the site and confirmed the apron would not impede the curb stop and has no objection to the concrete apron.
Motion by Jim Haney to approve the Easement Variance Request for 3633 N SR 13 as submitted; second by Mark Koehler.
Motion carried by voice vote of: 6 Yeas; 0 Nays; 0 Abstains
TREASURER’S REPORT AND OTHER FINANCIAL MATTERS
Mike Dewald overviewed the Cash and Funds Balance Matrix – September 30, 2025 denoting the funds grand total of $2,599,594.
Mike overviewed the Management Cash Budget of January 1, 2025 through September 30, 2025.
The following September 2025 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 by Mike DeWald to approve the financials as presented; second by Jack Bonewits.
Motion carried by voice vote of: 6 Yeas; 0 Nays; 0 Abstains
The Monthly Claims Approval form of September 2025 was reviewed by Lichelle Parker.
Motion to approve the payment of monthly claims grand total of $166,996.74 by Jim Haney with second by Cullen Reece.
Motion carried by voice vote of: 6 Yeas; 0 Nays; 0 Abstains
Board members affixed their signature approval to the Monthly Claim Approval Form.
Mike overviewed a draft of the 2026 Budget which indicates a $147,000 deficit. Mike, along with some help from Lichelle and Matt Rippey, has been working to update the Asset Management Worksheet which lists pumps, control panels, lift station pumps and other items. At the time the worksheet was created three years ago, the assumption was made that grinder station pumps would have a life expectancy of 20 years. Astbury’s recommendation now based on some published life expectancies from the EPA as well as experience, is that the pump life expectancy should be 15 years. When the Asset Management spreadsheet was created, the intent was to set aside $355,000 per year towards these anticipated expenses, however, the District has been unable to do that without increasing the customers’ monthly rates. Updating the pump life expectancy, along with adjusting the other costs for inflation, increases that annual number to $486,000. Mike and Jim have discussed in length what cost to include in the budget for the total maintenance and repairs line item and Jim presented three options between $355,000 and $565,000 for discussion. At the end of 2026, the District will have fulfilled the USDA’s requirement to set aside 10% Debt Service and the $79,000 the District has been setting aside the last nine years can be diverted to the maintenance and repairs – which is represented in option #3 and is Mike and Jim’s recommended option to utilize and budget $486,000 for 2026. Jim suggests that after we have the final 2025 numbers put together, that the District would engage Baker Tilly to do a rate study for a potential rate increase, to be implemented no later than 1/1/2027. During the remainder of 2025, Jim would also like to task the Independent Contractor Committee along with Matt and Lichelle to scrub the numbers on the Asset Management worksheet to have as much confidence as possible in the costs being used. Jim also suggested trying to think of other cost savings ideas including a long-term contract with Crane, purchasing efficiencies through quantities or perhaps even with other Districts, different type of pumps, etc.
Motion by Jim Haney to approve the 2026 budget as presented assuming the maintenance and repairs cost will be $486,000 and recognizing that represents a projected deficit of $147,470 and based upon that that the District will engage Baker Tilly to perform a rate study during the course of 2026 with a potential rate increase based upon that study that will go into effect no later than January 1, 2027; second by Mark Koehler.
Motion carried by voice vote of: 6 Yeas; 0 Nays; 0 Abstains
ASTBURY MONTHLY REPORT
PUMP/PANEL INVENTORY, CUSTOMER PROTOCOL REMINDER
The LRSD Treatment System Operations Treatment System Operations Report of October 12, 2025, was emailed to Board members by Astbury Water Technology, Inc. Matt Rippey reviewed key aspects of the report and provided clarifications to Board members’ inquiries.
Jim noticed that one of the work orders in the report indicated that a customer’s grinder station had excessive grease and he questioned if they were sent a warning letter. Lichelle confirmed that a letter was sent that warned that the costs associated with any additional callouts related to grease would be passed along to the customer.
Matt also clarified that with normal operations, most of the parts of a float tree are salvaged to be reused and in most cases the floats are the only parts not reused. In some cases, the original cast iron brackets are unable to be reused and these are replaced with stainless steel brackets.
Jim noticed that we have a high level of inventory of power cords and questioned if the most recent pumps were ordered with power cords. Lichelle confirmed that they were and that they are included with the pump purchase. He suggested checking to see if we could get a discount in the future if we order pumps without the power cords.
Matt stated that the guys performing the GIS mapping for the District will be finishing another project next week and starting with Lakeland’s project after that.
OPEN BIDS TO SELL LAB EQUIPMENT
The District posted Notice of Sales in two local papers on October 1 & 8, 2025, regarding the intent to sell a couple pieces of Hach lab equipment. The District received one bid from Core & Main for $14,512.70 (which includes shipping).
Motion by Jim Haney to accept the Core & Main bid for $14,512.70 and the product will be shipped once the District receives the funds, and they will be responsible for any freight cost; second by Mike DeWald.
Cullen pointed out that the bid stated it included shipping and questioned if the motion needed to be revised.
Jim Haney revised his motion to accept Core & Main’s bid, which includes shipping, for $14,512.70, (and does not include any applicable sales tax). The District will ensure that it has the funds in hand before shipping the equipment; second by Cullen Reece.
Motion carried by voice vote of: 6 Yeas; 0 Nays; 0 Abstains
Andy Boxberger (Carson LLP) stated he would draft a bid acceptance letter which would clarify sales tax being the purchaser’s responsibility.
INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR COMMITTEE
Nothing to report.
ENGINEERING UPDATE
Nothing to report.
PURCHASING UPDATE
As of October 10, 2025, there were three open POs:
PO 202528 to Gasvoda for three Type II Control Panels
PO 202530 to Astbury for the GIS Mapping/Grinder Station Inspection Project
PO 202531 to Astbury for the 2026 PM of the four generators (3 lift stations & WWTP)
This week there have been three additional POs issued to Astbury for:
A check valve replacement (PO 202532)
UV lamps (PO 202533)
2025 PM of the four generators (due to billing error, Astbury just recently received this invoice from EvaPar)
FINANCE COMMITTEE
Nothing to report.
PROPERTY OWNER CONNECTION STATUS
Lichelle reviewed the Property Owner Connection Status report, updated through October 10, 2025.
OTHER ITEMS THAT MAY COME BEFORE THE BOARD
None
ADJOURNMENT
Motion to adjourn meeting was made at 7:00 PM by Jim Haney with second by Cullen Reece.
Motion carried by voice vote of: 6 Yeas; 0 Nays; 0 Abstains
Submitted to Board by Lichelle Parker, District Administrator
Reviewed by Board Secretary, Rosa Ritchie