Board of Water and Sewage Commissioners
Monday, December 11, 2006, 12:00 P.M.

PRESENT: Paul Adamski, Eugene Tubbs, Dave Eckholm, James Cooper and Mae Nachman.

ALSO PRESENT: Kim Halverson, Brenda Thomas, Eric Niffenegger, Joel Lemke, Jaime Zdroik and Andrew Halverson.

Index of these Minutes:

I. ADMINISTRATION
1. Approval of minutes of the November 13, 2006 meeting.
II. ACCOUNTING
2. Consideration of claims for the Water and Sewage Departments.
3. Consideration and action on Capital Improvements, Operation and Maintenance Schedule for Water and Wastewater Departments.
4. Consideration of chain link fence quotes at Bliss Ave. and Water St. water tower locations.
III. WATER OPERATIONS
5. Report on water distribution operations.
6. Report on water supply operations.
7. Discussion and action on Well 7 rehabilitation.
IV. SEWAGE TREATMENT OPERATIONS
8. Report on sewage treatment operations.
9. Discussion and action on additional fee for roof replacement for digester.
10. Discussion and action on methane boiler utilization instead of natural gas.
11. Report on LAB evaluation and report by the D.N.R.
12. Report on D.N.R. Plant Inspection.
V. PERSONNEL
13. David Eckholm's resignation from Commission.
VI. ADJOURNMENT

I. ADMINISTRATION

1. Approval of minutes of the November 13, 2006 meeting.

Motion made by Dave Eckholm, seconded by Eugene Tubbs to approve the minutes of the November 13, 2006 Water & Sewage Commission meeting.

Ayes all. Nays none. Motion carried.

II. ACCOUNTING

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

Paul Adamski presented the statement of claims for the Water Utility for November. The balance on hand as of November 30, 2006 was $1,088,982.93; the bank deposits recorded in November 2006 were $361,432.79. Checks issued since the November 13, 2006 meeting numbered 40853 through 40898 were in the amount of $224,905.93. Checks numbered 40899 through 40933 for $115,341.06 were presented for action on December 11, 2006. The net balance on hand December 11, 2006 was $1,011,457.36.

Motion made by Dave Eckholm, seconded Jim Cooper to approve the water utility claims for the months of November 2006 as audited and read.

Ayes all. Nays none. Motion carried.

Paul Adamski also presented the statement of claims for the Sewage Treatment Utility for November. The balance on hand as of November 30, 2006 was $1,920,387.86; the bank deposits recorded in November 2006 were $173,288.93. Checks issued since the November 13, 2006 meeting numbered 25312 through 25334 were in the amount of $25,160.40. Checks numbered 25335 through 25356 for $120,708.35 were presented for action on December 11, 2006. The net balance on hand December 11, 2006 was $1,884,552.92.

Motion made by Eugene Tubbs, seconded by Mae Nachman to approve the sewage utility claims for the month of November 2006 as audited and read.

Ayes all. Nays none. Motion carried.

3. Consideration and action on Capital Improvements, Operation and Maintenance Schedule for Water and Wastewater Department.

WATER DEPARTMENT

Kim is requesting approval of all items listed under the 2007 budget estimate in the amount of $447,743.

The water main projects are estimated at $300,000 this year a lot lower than normal. Kim coordinated projects with Joe Euclide to be compatible with the Public Works Street repair schedule.

Kim feels the office generator item is necessary because the Water Department office is an emergency operations center in regard to the Water Department Emergency Response Plan and therefore would need power at all times. This was brought to their attention at the training Kim, Brenda and Jeremy attended in Emittsburgh, Maryland for emergency response. Without power to the building no phones, radios or computers work.

The Commissioners would like Kim to get a more accurate estimate for the generator and would like her to research how other utilities deal with this issue.

The computer software and hardware budget estimate is $25,000 and includes the new inventory system, work order system, meter reading computers and accessories, AutoCAD 3D map software, and Navigator II Cross Connection Control Software.

Kim explained training and education expenses are budgeted not to exceed $25,000. Normally this wasn't listed as an item under the Capital Operations and Maintenance Plan and has always been under this amount. This item would include Kim attending the national water conference, Brenda and one member of staff to attend the Springbrook user group in Portland Oregon, Joel attending either a GIS conference, a water distribution conference or the national conference, continuing education for office staff and required training needed for the servicemen to keep up their certifications. Last year only $10,486 of the $25,000 was used but Joel did not attend any conferences.

Dave would like to see an estimated itemized breakdown for training.

Motion made by Dave Eckholm, seconded by Mae Nachman to approve the Water Department Capital Operations and Maintenance Plan as follows: $25,000 for computer software and hardware upgrades, equipment, and training; snow blower for well field $950; confined entry gas meter replacement $2,040; Tools & work equipment $5,000(to include generator $700, 1" pump $500, 2" pump $2,000, Saw $875, Sand blaster $925); Office building generator $29,000; Installation of office generator ($10,000-$30,000)-$30,000; water main projects $300,000; Bliss Ave. tower fence $3,129; Water St. tower fence $2,124; training/education $25,000; leak detection $5,500 and hydrant painting $20,000; with the following contingencies; a more accurate estimate for the office generator and research how other utilities handle the back-up power situations; and an estimated itemized breakdown for required annual training and certification education expenses.

Ayes all. Nays none. Motion carried.

SEWER DEPARTMENT

Eric explained some of the items listed on the Sewer Departments Capital Operations and Maintenance Plan.

Eric said the heavy half ton pickup truck is necessary because they currently have to take two trucks to sites to accommodate everyone.

The aeration header airflow meters will allow them to measure the amount of air going into the tanks so they can be more efficient and save money on the blower.

The portable generator is necessary to run their SCADA system in case of power outage.

The Commissioners also requested that Eric doing an estimated itemized breakdown of the training and education expenses.

Motion made by Dave Eckholm, seconded by Eugene Tubbs to approve the Sewer Departments Capital Operations and Maintenance Plan as follows: Digester roof repair additional fee $900; methane boiler utilization $32,000; heavy half ton pickup (4 door) $26,000; LW Allen computer work $2,000; Aeration header airflow meters (4) $13,500; spectrophotometer $2,700; gas meter replacement $2,040; portable generator $1,000; eDMR programming $3,000; sludge storage flow meter replacement $4,000; DAF flow meter $4,500; lift station float replacement $2,000; Della St. lift station phase converter replacement $5,600; final effluent sampler $5,000; replace Hycor screen $3,500; and training/education expenses $10,000 with the following contingency; an estimated itemized breakdown of the training and education expenses and $9,000 for cleaning digester #3. Kim mentioned some of the money for these items can come out of the Clean Water Fund replacement account.

Ayes all. Nays none. Motion carried.

4. Consideration of chain link fence quotes at Bliss Ave. and Water St. water tower locations.

Per Commissioner's previous requests Kim received quotes from American Fence Company and Security Fence for not only the Water Street tower but also the Bliss Avenue tower.

Kim recommends that barb wire be added to the fence on the Water Street tower because it is isolated and the gate is always open during the day for the Engineering department staff who have trucks and equipment stored there. There are also four cell phone companies who have their antennas on our tower that have a lot of equipment in that area.

Kim and staff do not feel that barb wire is necessary on the Bliss Avenue tower fence due to its location and the way the tower is built compared to the Water Street tower.

Motion made by Mae Nachman and seconded by Eugene Tubbs to approve the low quote from Security Fence & Supply Co., Inc. in the amount of $5,023.00 for chain link fence for both the Bliss Avenue and Water Street water towers.

Ayes all. Nays none. Motion carried.

III. WATER OPERATIONS

5. Report on water distribution operations.

The report was distributed.

A total of 94 valves were operated in November 2006.

A total of 0 business properties have been checked for backflow preventors in November 2006 for a total of 35 in 2006.

6. Report on water supply operation.

Our pumpage in November was 172,565,000 gallons, a decrease of 22,601,000 gallons of water from November 2005.

The replacement was installed at the mill.

7. Discussion and action on Well 7 rehabilitation.

Kim explained that Well 9 rehabilitation was supposed to be done next but the motor on Well 7 broke down. Well 7 had the same things wrong with it as Well 6 had except for the motor. Well 7 has not been rehabbed since 1993.

Kim said Well 6 rehabbed very well.

Motion made by Mae Nachman, seconded by Eugene Tubbs to approve the quote from Municipal Well & Pump for Well 7 parts and repairs in the amount of $22,571.

Ayes all. Nays none. Motion carried.

IV. SEWAGE TREATMENT OPERATIONS

8. Report on sewage treatment operations.

B.O.D. (3.34 ppm), Phosphorus (1.15 ppm) and Suspended Solid (3.57 ppm) limits were met for the month of November 2006.

Eric said everything is running well.

9. Discussion and action on additional fee for roof replacement for digester.

Kim explained to the Commission at last month's meeting that in the process of replacing the digester roof Kulp's found another roof under the existing one along with asbestos. This stopped production on the roofing project. To finish the job properly Kulp's would have their employees certified to remove asbestos and finish the project for an additional $900.

Motion made by Dave Eckholm, seconded by Jim Cooper to approve the additional fee of $900 for Kulp's of Stratford to remove the asbestos and continue the digester roof replacement.

Ayes all. Nays none. Motion carried.

10. Discussion and action on methane boiler utilization instead of natural gas.

Eric explained that there is extra heating capacity available at the methane boiler. There is also excess methane gas that is presently flared off and could be utilized instead of natural gas.

They would like to extend the hot water lines over to the buildings that are being presently being heated by the natural gas boiler. The cost of this would be $32,000 and would have a payback period of less than four years.

Motion made by Eugene Tubbs, seconded by Jim Cooper to extend the hot water lines over to the buildings that are presently being heated by natural gas in order to heat the buildings using the excess methane gas in the amount of $32,000.

Ayes all. Nays none. Motion carried.

11. Report on LAB evaluation and report by the D.N.R.

Kim publicly commended Eric, Jeremy Cramer-Chief Operator and staff for receiving this great evaluation on the lab. The D.N.R. representative stated it is rare to find no deficiencies in the lab, and is especially rare when four different people operate it.

12. Report on D.N.R. Plant Inspection.

A letter was received from Joe Behlen of the D.N.R. regarding the 2006 Wastewater System Inspection. The letter stated the wastewater treatment system was in substantial compliance with the WPDES Discharge Permit. In the letter Joe Behlen also commended Eric, Jeremy, Dan, Dave, Lee and Frank for doing an excellent job of running the plant, maintaining equipment and buildings, and keeping things clean and orderly and for coming up with creative ideas to optimize treatment, reduce operating costs and save energy.

V. PERSONNEL

13. David Eckholm's resignation from Commission.

Paul said Dave has been an excellent commissioner.

Paul presented Dave Eckholm with a plaque in appreciation for serving on the Water & Sewage Commission for almost 15 years. A brief social was held in his honor.

The next Water & Sewage Commission meeting will be January 8, 2007 at noon.

VI. ADJOURNMENT

MEETING ADJOURNED
1:25 pm

BOARD OF WATER AND SEWAGE COMMISSIONERS
EUGENE TUBBS, SECRETARY

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