Call Meeting to Order
The meeting was called to order at 6:00 PM by Jim Haney.
Present: Jim Haney, Parke Smith, Mike DeWald, Sue Ann Mitchell, Bob Marcuccilli, Joe Cleland
Absent: Frank Kurth
Report of Meeting Notice
The meeting date and time were posted and advertised as required.
Approval of Previous Minutes
Parke Smith presented the July 21, 2021 regular meeting minutes and made a motion to approve as submitted. The motion was seconded by Mike DeWald and was carried by the voice vote of:
6 Yeas
0 Nays
0 Abstain
Treasurers Report and Other Financial Matters
Mike DeWald reviewed the financial reports. Mike noted the following:
Sewer collections were nearly on budget for the month but are running ahead for the year. Other revenue items are pretty much on budget for the YTD.
Excluding purchases for resale, expense items are almost exactly on budget YTD.
All required transfers have been made as scheduled.
Overall, the district is running about 50% ahead of budget.
Mike also added a section at the bottom of the report to recap operations.
Receipts are running about 3% better than budget, and expenses are about 1% better than budgeted. The district spent about $10k more than it has taken in for resale items. In the long run, this line item will “0” out.
The ending balance for the month was $ 2,240,888.
Mike DeWald made a motion to approve the Unaudited Schedule of Cash Receipts and Disbursements, the Monthly Analysis of Funds and Balances, and the Monthly Analysis of Cash Investment Accounts. The motion was seconded by Sue Ann Mitchell and was carried by the voice vote of:
6 Yeas
0 Nays
0 Abstain
Mike also presented the monthly claims report and made a motion to approve the August monthly claims report in the amount of $42,775.95. The motion was seconded by Sue Ann Mitchell and was carried by the voice vote of:
6 Yeas
0 Nays
0 Abstain
Approve Installation of Omni Beacon Telemetry at Lake Estates Grinder
Jim Haney reported that 2 additional quotes have been secured for approximately $1,200 for the district to contract this work directly. Jim made a motion for the board to authorize approval of the expenditure, not to exceed $1,500. The motion was seconded by Parke Smith and was carried by the voice vote of:
6 Yeas
0 Nays
0 Abstain
Astbury Monthly Report
Astbury provided a written report prior to the board meeting and Donn Neff was in attendance.
Jim Haney asked for an update on the drainage issue at 45 EMS B48.
Donn reported that he prepared for installation and the property owner stated that the extension was too tall and not acceptable. Donn explained that the defined need for the extension was a minimum of 10” but that a 10” cannot be purchased, so Donn opted for a 12” extension, which is available. At that point, Donn suspended installation and reported back to the board for guidance.
The board discussed potential options, including availability and expense. Jim Haney made a motion to notify the property owner of the unknown increased expense for a customized extension length and requested for the property owner to notify the board within 10 days of his preference to pay $275 for the 12” option or an unknown increased cost for a customized solution. The motion was seconded by Mike DeWald and was carried by the voice vote of:
6 Yeas
0 Nays
0 Abstain
Donn provided an update on the generator availability for Lake Estates and confirmed that delivery is still on schedule, but approximately 9-weeks out.
There was discussion on the issue of property owners disconnecting electrical services to grinder stations and the potential damage that may occur. Andy Boxberger informed the board that ordinances allow for the board to assess penalties for property owners who fail to provide power to their grinder station. The board supported the idea that the district provide notification to all property owners of their obligation to provide power. Jim Haney made a motion for Andy Boxberger to create a draft communication to address this issue. The motion was seconded by Bob Marcuccilli and was carried by the voice vote of:
6 Yeas
0 Nays
0 Abstain
Donn provided details as to the overflow issues at Lake Estates, and there was discussion as to whether or not to add another Omni-Beacon connected float to the grinder in question. The board directed Greg Gear to explore the cost for the additional float.
Jim Haney asked for an update on the repair of the plugged main. There was discussion about the cause of the plugged main and Donn suggested that a probable cause may be the accumulation of fats, oils, and greases (FOG) over such a long run of pipe. The board agreed that another communication would be helpful to property owners informing them of the damage that these types of materials may cause. Jim Haney made a motion for Andy Boxberger to create a draft communication to all property owners to address this issue for educational purposes and to include Donn Neff and Parke Smith in the process for feedback. The motion was seconded by Parke Smith and was carried by the voice vote of:
6 Yeas
0 Nays
0 Abstain
Jim Haney noted that it doesn’t appear as though Astbury included an invoice from Carey Excavating for their work on the plugged main. Donn noted that they are a direct bill to the district. The board also asked Donn to explore the possibilities of coordinating with other (larger) sewer districts for the potential use of their specialty equipment to address issues like the plugged main.
Property Owner Connection Status
Greg Gear reported that the current number of properties that have yet to connect remains at 5.
Greg also reported that 2 new construction permits were issued, and 1 tear down/build permit has been issued in August.
Other Items That May Come Before the Board
Jim Haney requested an update from Carson regarding the communication to be sent to Selge. Andy Boxberger indicated that he is awaiting final invoicing for repairs and will be taking the approach that this issue is a breach of contract issue and not warranty related.
Public Q & A
Joe Gallas (Irish Lake resident and new owner of the former Barbee Landing) was present and inquired as to the possibility of reducing, deferring, or eliminating some of his sewer district costs while the renovation of the Barbee Landing is taking place, and no sewage is being produced. The board informed Mr. Gallas that he could apply for a temporary rate reduction to provide some relief, but that he would still be obligated to pay the debt service portion of his monthly bill, even if a rate reduction was granted. The board directed Greg Gear to provide Mr. Gallas with the necessary documents, should he decide to apply.
Adjournment
Motion to adjourn the meeting at 7:25 was made by Mike DeWald. The motion was seconded by Bob Marcuccilli and was carried by the voice vote of:
6 Yeas
0 Nays
0 Abstain
Parke Smith, Secretary