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
- Jim Haney noted that the June 16, 2021 regular meeting minutes were previously circulated via email by Bob Marcuccilli. Mike DeWald made a motion to approve as submitted. The motion was seconded by Sue Ann Mitchell and was carried by the voice vote of:
- 5 Yeas
- 0 Nays
- 1 Abstain
Treasurers Report and Other Financial Matters
- Mike DeWald reviewed the financial reports. Mike noted the following:
- Nothing unusual in this month’s report.
- Approximately $33K in liens were received this month.
- The District is currently 60% ahead of budget after 6 months, so Mike is confident that the District will be within budget projections for the full year.
- Legal Fees are over budget, as a result of multiple legal issues.
- There will be a payment on August 1 to the USDA for approximately $394K.
- The ending balance for the month was $ 2,151,995.
- 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 Parke Smith and was carried by the voice vote of:
- 6 Yeas
- 0 Nays
- 0 Abstain
- Mike also presented the monthly claims report. Jim Haney made a motion to approve the July monthly claims report in the amount of $48,037.85. The motion was seconded by Sue Ann Mitchell and was carried by the voice vote of:
- 6 Yeas
- 0 Nays
- 0 Abstain
- Mike also noted that there are several items on the report that do not require board approval and are part of regular operational costs, such as utilities and office manager wages.
- Mike Dewald reported that the Barbee Lakes Property Owners Association (BLPOA) has requested that LRSD provide them with access to the list of LRSD customers names and addresses (with redacted financial information) so that they can communicate to their constituents more accurately. Sue Hyatt was in attendance representing BLPOA and noted that they currently do not have an efficient way to gather that information and keep it current. Sue also noted that the BLPOA would be willing to pay for any costs incurred for this activity. Jim Haney made a motion for LRSD to provide a customer list to the BLPOA that contains name, physical address, and mailing address only, and that any costs associated with the activity would be borne by BLPOA. The motion was seconded by Mike DeWald and was carried by the voice vote of:
- 6 Yeas
- 0 Nays
- 0 Abstain
- Mike DeWald noted that LRSD has been using the Notary Services of Greg Gear for district business that requires notarization. Greg has recently renewed his Notary license at his own personal expense and the board discussed the possibility of paying Greg Gear for those services going forward. After some discussion about typical rates and types of documents, Mike DeWald made a motion for LRSD to pay Greg Gear $5.00 per document that requires notarization as of July 22, 2021. The motion was seconded by Bob Marcuccilli 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 why there were no actions in the Corrective Maintenance Log after June 25. Donn responded that the cut date to process the report in time for the regular board meeting occurs before the end of the month. Any items after June 25 will appear on the report next month.
- Mike DeWald noted an increase in callouts this month. Donn acknowledged that there was an increase this month, particularly over the July 4 Holiday. Donn stated that part of the issue may be attributable to a typical pattern in lake region sewer districts with seasonal residents. In these areas, the system often is under-utilized for periods of time and then experiences heavy usage, which can cause strain on the system. As a preventative action going forward, Astbury intends to flush particularly susceptible lines on a quarterly basis to attempt to mitigate some of the issues that may occur from this pattern.
- Jim Haney stated that he wished to commend Astbury for the recent excellent report from IDEM.
- Donn also reported an issue with the grinder at 121 EMS B48. Donn suspects that the issue is related to the check-valve, but he cannot replace the valve due to the unusual configuration of the hook-up. The initial connection for this grinder was in the area under contract by Selge. DLZ will check their records to provide any information possible as to the nature of the initial connection design. This particular grinder is located in very tight quarters and on a steep hill, which limits access and potential solutions. Donn believes that the best option may be to attempt to re-bore the line to access the grinder at a better angle. Jim Haney made a motion to authorize Astbury to immediately solicit 3 quotes and to proceed with repairs as soon as possible based on the lowest quote. The motion was seconded by Parke Smith and was carried by the voice vote of:
- 6 Yeas
- 0 Nays
- 0 Abstain
- Donn provided a quote from Astbury for the purchase of an Omni Beacon Telemetry Unit, supplies and materials, installation labor costs, and a 3-year pay-in-advance wireless service. After some discussion about the original estimate from a previous meeting and lack of clarity on additional costs, including cost of installation, Sue Ann Mitchell made a motion to table authorization of the purchase and installation until next month. The motion was seconded by Joe Cleland and was carried by the voice vote of:
- 6 Yeas
- 0 Nays
- 0 Abstain
Astbury Update: Drainage Issue at 45 EMS B48A and Lake Estates Generator
- For the property at 45 EMS B48, Donn Neff reported that the riser was acquired to resolve the standing water issue, and installation is anticipated for July 22. This will complete the district obligation to the issue and the property owner will be responsible for finish grading at the site.
- Donn Provided an update regarding the generator installation at Lake Estates. Donn reported that he had attempted to contact Ritter Electric for an update, but was unable to confirm any information, because Ritter is in the process of moving office locations and their systems are not functional during the move. Donn does not expect any additional delays to the previous timeline.
Rate Reduction Requests: Hoffert and Barbee Beach Resort
- Property owner Hoffert at 262 EMS B38 requested a rate reduction. Greg Gear reported that all requirements were met, the account is current, and all documentation has been signed to satisfy the ordinance. Jim Haney made a motion to approve the rate reduction as requested. The motion was seconded by Mike DeWald and was carried by the voice vote of:
- 6 Yeas
- 0 Nays
- 0 Abstain
- Property Owner Jeff Miller (Barbee Beach Resort) requested a rate elimination or reduction to result in payment obligations for a total of 26 EDU’s at Barbee Beach Resort. Based on information from the Kosciusko County Area Plan Commission, the property was originally assessed as 33 EDU’s in 2013, during the bond obligation planning stages of the project. Since that time, the previous owner requested and received LRSD approval for 8 rate reductions. The property is currently being assessed as 33 EDU’s with 8 EDU’s receiving partial reductions (paying debt service only). The property owner presented new information that he received from the Kosciusko Area Plan Commission that the property was limited to 31 spaces in 1995. Given the updated and correct information presented, Jim Haney made a motion to adjust the EDU’s and rate reductions totals to 31 EDU’s with 6 spaces approved for partial reductions (paying debt service only), effective May 28, 2021. The motion was seconded by Mike DeWald and was carried by the voice vote of:
- 6 Yeas
- 0 Nays
- 0 Abstain
- It was noted by several board members that, while LRSD appreciates the efforts of the new owners for the improvements made, the District is not willing to make any additional adjustments to remain consistent with previous similar requests throughout the District.
Property Owner Connection Status
- Greg Gear reported that the current number of properties that have yet to connect remains at 5. Greg noted that some of the liens have been paid by mortgage holders.
- Greg also reported that 1 new construction permit and 2 tear down/build permits have been issued.
Property Owner Responsibility to Maintain Electrical Service
Jim Haney stated that the board would like input from Donn Neff on this issue, unfortunately, Donn needed to leave the meeting prior to this agenda item. As a result, Jim suggested that this issue be tabled until next month.
Other Items That May Come Before the Board
- Jim Haney reported that the State of Indiana has passed recent legislation that allows Regional Sewer Districts to enact electronic meetings within specific parameters provided by the State. Andy Boxberger outlined the requirements, and after a brief discussion regarding the pros and cons, the board determined that there was no current need to create a policy of this nature. No action was taken.
- Joe Cleland raised the concern of the potential impact of inflation on the costs of work that the District needs to contract from time to time. After some discussion, it was determined that, while this is a concern, the District plans to continue to monitor and adjust the budget over time.
Public Q & A
- None
Adjournment
- Motion to adjourn the meeting at 7:51 was made by Jim Haney. The motion was seconded by Mike DeWald and was carried by the voice vote of:
- 6 Yeas
- 0 Nays
- 0 Abstain
Parke Smith, Secretary