Call to Order – Chairman White called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. Board members present were J. B. White, Robert Harris, Wesley Keber, Harvey Norris, & Burt Jones; Authority staff members present were Marcie Seleb & Joyce Hosey.
Opening Prayer – Mr. Norris opened the meeting with a prayer.
Approval of Minutes from Previous Meeting – Mr. Harris made a motion to dispense with the reading of the minutes from the September 13, 2011 meeting and approve the same. This was seconded by Mr. Keber and approved unanimously.
Review Bids for Mini Excavator – Ms. Seleb presented a tabulation of bids received for the mini excavator. They are summarized as follows:
• Mason Tractor – Kubota KX121-3 – $37,217.58 – 36 month purchase at 0% APR
• Vermeer SE – Yanmar V1045-5 – $42,685.00 – 36 month lease with $4,268 balloon
• Gene & Matt Tractor Sales – Kubota KX121-3 – $39,305.00 – 36 month lease with $11,792 balloon
• Yancey Brothers – CAT 304D – $41,348.00 – 36 month lease with $24,000 balloon (guaranteed buyback at $24,000)
• Lashley Tractor – Kubota KX121-3, $38,850.00 – 36 month lease with $100 balloon
A motion was made by Mr. Norris to award the bid for the mini excavator to Mason Tractor with the lowest bid at $37,217.58, 36 month purchase and 0% annual percentage rate. This was seconded by Mr. Harris and approved unanimously.
Approve Application for Loan Funding from Georgia Environmental Finance Authority(GEFA) for Meter Replacement – A motion was made by Mr. Keber to authorize Chairman White to sign the application for the GEFA loan for meter replacement. The resolution is required as part of the loan application. This was seconded by Mr. Jones and approved unanimously.
A copy of this signed resolution is attached and made a part of these minutes.
Review Bids for Rehabilitation of Burford Ground Storage Tank – Bids for the Burford ground storage tank rehabilitation were significantly higher than the $150,000 budgeted for the project. Ms. Seleb presented a summary of bids received:
• Southeastern Tank & Tower – $249,150
• Tank Pro – $256,314
• Worth Contracting – $297,500
• Mo Pac – $307,930
• Utility Services – $328,900
• Caldwell Tanks – $351,385
• Classic Protective Coatings – $370,125
• E & D Contracting Services – $501,004
Ms. Seleb reported that she and the project engineer, Tim Ingram, have been negotiating with the low bidder on specification changes that could get project costs closer to the budget. She said that several options are under evaluation and asked to present a recommendation at the November Board meeting. Board members directed her to do so. A copy of the complete bid tabulation is attached and made a part of these minutes.
Review Results of Singley Road Tap Survey – Ms. Seleb advised the Board that the Authority has received eight positive survey responses for water service on Singley Road. The extension length would be .7 mile with eight customers, resulting in a density of 11.4 taps per mile, and would move Singley Road to the top of the priority list.
A motion was made by Mr. Jones to accept the petition from the property owners of Singley Road and to send out tap letters. This was seconded by Mr. Norris and approved unanimously.
Atlanta Gas Light (AGL) Encroachment Agreement – Board members reviewed a proposed encroachment agreement for AGL related to a 16-inch natural gas transmission main that will run through North and West Butts County. AGL needs to obtain the encroachment agreement to work in several areas where the gas line will be inside existing easements held by the Authority.
The Board was advised that AGL has resisted Butts County’s attempt to include language to protect Authority infrastructure in Utility Permit for the transmission main. AGL staff contends that this would exceed Georgia Department of Transportation requirements and is, therefore, illegal.
Ms. Seleb told the Board that she and the Authority’s attorney, Will White, have put protective language for all Authority infrastructures throughout Butts County in the Encroachment Agreement. Of particular importance is a 4-foot vertical separation and 5-foot horizontal separation from the Authority’s facilities.
A motion was made by Mr. Keber accept the AGL Encroachment Agreement as written. This was seconded by Mr. Norris and approved unanimously.
A copy of the proposed AGL Encroachment Agreement is attached and made a part of these minutes.
Manager’s Report
Construction Project Update
Hwy. 16 Sewer Project – The contractor is almost through rock at Kermit Williams Road. Only a couple hundred feet of sewer line has been installed in the past month because of slow progress through a deep stretch of hard granite. The Authority has paid Jones General Contracting for its first three pay estimates and has, through Butts County, made two draw requests for reimbursement from the OneGeorgia grant with no funds yet released by the State. The Department of Community Affairs is set to approve the environmental review on the Employment Incentive Program (EIP) grant for the project which will allow for construction to begin on that portion. Even so, no EIP funds can be drawn until the required bond for job creation is obtained by the Great American Travel Center. Progress has been made by Burt Jones in finding a company to write the bond.
Hwy. 36 Sewer Project – A preconstruction conference for this project is scheduled for Thursday morning, October 20th.
Crew – The crew continues repairing service lines, repairing leaks, painting fire hydrants, flushing dead end lines, LAS maintenance & haying, and equipment repair & maintenance.
Towaliga Watershed Program – Ms. Seleb advised the Board that the biennial fish survey was carried out the first week in October with one hundred times more fish counted now than in 2009. Quarterly watershed monitoring continues with most of the lab work being done by Authority employees and reports being submitted to the Georgia Environmental Protection Division annually.
Operations Report – Water billing for September was $226,777 , down 4% from August and down 4% from September 2010 with a total customer base of 5,249 and 4.661 active customer accounts. Sewer billing for September 2011 was $27,861, down 14% from August and down 7% from September 2010 with a total customer base of 129 and 118 active customer accounts.
The average daily finished water pumped in September 2011 to the Authority, Jackson and Jenkinsburg from the Burford and Stewart Plants was 2.2 MGD, with a maximum of 2.5 MGD. The rolling 12-month average loss was 11.3% with the current monthly average loss of 1.7%. The total amount of finished water pumped in September per plant was: Burford – 61 MG; Stewart – 6 MG. The average wastewater influent at the Bucksnort Ranch LAS was .171 MGD with an average daily effluent of .219/.550 MGD and a maximum 7-day effluent of .256/.550 MGD.
Internet Security Policy/Financial Transfer Policy – Ms. Seleb asked Mr. Harris to help her develop an internet security policy and online banking policy. A suggestion was made by Mr. Jones to contact ACCG/IRMA, the Authority’s insurance provider, to see if they offer any kind of cyber insurance.
Financial Report – Ms. Seleb went over the financial summary for Water & Sewer Operations and SPLOST through September 2011. Finances are within budget thus far for FY 2012. A copy of these reports is attached and made a part of these minutes.
Review Bills Paid – Board members reviewed check registers and credit card statements for the month of September 2011. A copy of these check registers and credit card statements is attached and made a part of these minutes.
Adjourn – A motion was made by Mr. Keber to adjourn meeting at 6:20 p.m. This was seconded by Mr. Jones and approved unanimously.