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Meeting Minutes
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Board of Water and Sewage Commissioners
Monday, July 11, 2005, 12:00 P.M.

PRESENT: Paul Adamski, Eugene Tubbs, Dave Eckholm, and John Wandrey.

ALSO PRESENT: Kim Halverson, Eric Niffenegger, Marla Cummings, Jaime Zdroik, and Roger Trzebiatowski - 7th District Alderperson.

EXCUSED ABSENCE: Ed Bancker

Index of these Minutes:

I. ADMINISTRATION
1. Approval of minutes of the June 7, 2005 meeting.
II. ACCOUNTING
2. Discussion and action on Water and Sewage Department audits.
3. Consideration of claims for the Water and Sewage Treatment Utilities.
III. WATER OPERATIONS
4. Report on water distribution operations.
5. Report on water supply operations.
6. Report on Well 4.
IV. SEWAGE TREATMENT OPERATIONS
7. Report on sewage treatment operations.
8. Consideration of Biosolids Contract Extension.
9. Report on WPDES Permit.
10. Adjourn into closed session at approximately 12:30 P.M. pursuant to Wisconsin Statues 19.85 (1)(d) to consider strategies for crime detection or prevention.
11. Reconvene into open session approximately 15 minutes after adjourning into closed session for possible action on crime detection or prevention.
V. ADJOURNMENT

I. ADMINISTRATION

1. Approval of minutes of the June 7, 2005 meeting.

Motion made by Eugene Tubbs, seconded by John Wandrey to approve the minutes of the
June 7, 2005 Water & Sewage Commission meeting.

Ayes all. Nays none. Motion carried.

I. ACCOUNTING

2. Discussion and action on Water and Sewage Department audits.

John Andres from Virchow Krause was present to explain the Water and Sewage Department audits, Internal Controls and the Executive Summary.

John stated the Water and Sewage Departments received an unqualified or "clean" opinion.

Virchow Krause would like to shorten the time delay between meter readings and billings. Staff takes time in between getting the readings and sending out the bills to try to resolve problems so the bills are correct when they are sent out. They feel with the efficiencies of the new billing system this process could be completed quicker. The Commissioners would like to know the actual cost of sending out a bill.

Virchow Krause is also conducting a rate review for both the Water & Sewage Departments.

No action was taken.

3. Consideration of claims for the Water and Sewage Treatment Utilities.

Paul Adamski presented the statement of claims for the Water Utility for June. The balance on hand after the June 7, 2005 meeting was $1,448,079.91; the bank deposits since the June 7, 2005 meeting is $389,133.61. Checks issued since the June 7, 2005 meeting numbered 37393 through 39507 were in the amount of $325,778.31. Checks numbered 39480 through 39402 for $48,520.24 were presented for action on July 11, 2005. The net balance on hand July 11, 2005 was $1,462,914.97.

Motion made by Dave Eckholm, seconded John Wandrey to approve the water utility claims for the month of June 2005 as audited and read.

Ayes all. Nays none. Motion carried.

Paul Adamski also presented the statement of claims for the Sewage Treatment Utility for June. The balance on hand after the June 7, 2005 meeting was $1,261,315.74; the bank deposits since the June 7, 2005 meetings were $165,451.76. Checks issued since the June 7, 2005 meeting numbered 24396 through 24429 were in the amount of $98,205.55. Checks numbered 24430 through 24441 for $27,239.65 were presented for action on July 11, 2005. The net balance on hand July 11, 2005 was $1,301,322.30.

Motion made by John Wandrey, seconded by Eugene Tubbs to approve the sewage utility claims for the month of June 2005 as audited and read.

Ayes all. Nays none. Motion carried.

II. WATER OPERATIONS

4. Report on water distribution operations.

The report was distributed.

A total of 37 valves were operated in June 2005.

A total of 11 business properties have been checked for backflow preventors in June 2005 for a total of 20 in 2005.

Kim stated the South Side Project is going very well. New mains will be installed this month last month involved a lot of concrete and sewer work.

The Pintail Project is also going on right now. Pintail is a new road going in by the new Holiday Inn.

5. Report on water supply operation.

Our pumpage in June was 255,602,000 gallons, a, increase of 18,896,000 gallons of water from June 2004.

6. Report on Well 4.

Kim stated Well 4 did rehab very well. We are still working on getting this well back on-line.

V. SEWAGE TREATMENT OPERATIONS

7. Report on sewage treatment operations.

B.O.D. (4.54 ppm), Phosphorus (0.796 ppm) and Suspended Solid (5.31 ppm), limits were met for the month of June 2005.

Eric stated Staab Construction got the bid for the influent screen replacement. A pre construction meeting is scheduled for tomorrow. The plant is running good. They have been doing summer maintenance so it is ready for the rest of the year. Flows are down due to not having any rain.

8. Consideration of Biosolids Contract Extension.

Synagro is requesting a new agreement. There was no increase in the last five years and Synagro has absorbed all the cost increases for fuel, so they are requesting an annual escalator of the CPI and a fuel price escalator as well.

There are a couple of other companies that do biosolids management but we have not had good experiences with them.

The Commissioners were concerned that there is no wording in the agreement giving us the opportunity to opt out.

The D.N.R. is not requiring wastewater plants to remove phosphorus from the biosolids but the federal government is requiring farmers to have a Nutrient Management Plant in which they have to watch the amount of phosphorus that is being applied to their land in order to receive federal grants. Our material is laden with phosphorus so we will either have to remove it; change the form of the biosolids so it could be spread thinner; or make it a Class A where there isn't any spreading.

Under this agreement, Synagro would arrange for the farm land to spread on and do land management as an option.

We have used Synagro for 10 to 15 years and have not had any problems.

Motion made by Paul Adamski, seconded by Eugene Tubbs to approve the new agreement with Synagro with an additional provision that we have the ability to opt out with a 12 month notice.

Ayes all. Nays none. Motion carried.

9. Report on WPDES Permit.

Kim explained that our WPDES Permit has been renewed through 2010. Kim and Eric will be meeting with Joe Behlen of the D.N.R. to go over the new WPDES Permit. There are a couple of changes on the WPDES Permit. One is ammonia monitoring. This will have to be sampled and monitored for one season and, if we are below the daily maximum limit of 40 mg/L then they might allow this to be removed from the permit. We will also have to do quarterly testing for Mercury. This test is very sensitive and it takes three people to do it.

10. Adjourn into closed session at approximately 12:30 P.M. pursuant to Wisconsin Statues 19.85 (1)(d) to consider strategies for crime detection or prevention.

Motion made by John Wandrey, seconded by Eugene Tubbs to adjourn into closed session.

Roll Call: Ayes: Paul Adamski, Dave Eckholm, Eugene Tubbs and John Wandrey.
Nays: None. Motion carried.

Discussion was held regarding building security issues.

11. Reconvene into open session approximately 15 minutes after adjourning into closed session for possible action on crime detection or prevention.

Motion made by Eugene Tubbs, seconded by John Wandrey to reconvene into open session.

Roll Call: Ayes: Paul Adamski, Dave Eckholm, Eugene Tubbs and John Wandrey.
Nays: None. Motion carried.

Kim stated the Police Department conducted a security review of the building and has made some recommendations.

The Commissioners would like Kim to get a quote for the new security recommendations.

Next month's meeting will be held on Tuesday, August 9, 2005 starting at 12:00 p.m

VI. ADJOURNMENT

Motion made by Eugene Tubbs, seconded by Dave Eckholm to adjourn.

Ayes all. Nays none. Motion carried.

MEETING ADJOURNED
1:35 pm

BOARD OF WATER AND SEWAGE COMMISSIONERS
EUGENE TUBBS, SECRETARY
 
The meeting minutes reproduced on this website are derived from the computer files used to produce the official minutes for the City of Stevens Point, but are unofficial. The minutes on this web site cannot be certified under s. 889.08, Wis. Stats., and cannot be considered prima facie evidence under s. 889.04, Wis. Stats. Certain tables, maps, and other documents that are a part of the official minutes are not included in the files reproduced on this website. Please consult the printed minutes, available in the City Clerk's Office, for the official text. The decisions made by City of Stevens Point boards, committees, and commissions (other than the Police & Fire Commission) are advisory only and are not binding on the City until affirmed at a meeting of the Common Council. Some of the minutes on this web site might not be approved by the Common Council as of today.

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