Call to Order – Chairman White called the meeting to order at 5:32 p.m. Board members present were J. B. White, Harry Marett, Eddie Ford, Eddie Roberts, Curtis Taylor, Ken Rivers and Bill Jones. Staff members present were Alyssa Hopson, general manager, and Amber Eason, clerk to the board.
Approval of Minutes from December 20, 2022 Meeting – Mr. Roberts made a motion to dispense with the reading of, and to adopt the minutes from the December 20, 2022 meeting, with the necessary corrections being made. This was seconded by Mr. Ford and approved unanimously.
Watkins Park Pool Road Water Extension- This item was tabled until Robert Raymer was expected to be present.
Dental/Life/Disability Insurance Proposal- Ms. Hopson presented the Board a renewal rate analysis from Equitable for Dental, Life and Disability insurance. The Authority’s insurance broker, Michelle Cole, recommended that the Authority go with Equitable because of their decrease of 6% to 15% from the current MetLife rates. A motion was made by Mr. Rivers to accept the renewal rates for calendar year 2023. This was seconded by Mr. Roberts and approved unanimously. A copy of the rates are attached and made part of these minutes.
McNair, McLemore, Middlebrooks & Co. Auditing Services – Ms. Hopson noted that McNair, McLemore, Middlebrooks & Co has sent an engagement letter to do the Authority’s financial audit for a fee ranging between $14,000 to $16,000. Mr. Rivers instructed Ms. Hopson to request proposals from other certified public accounts. A copy of this engagement letter is attached and made a part of these minutes.
Managers Report-
Certificates of Deposit- Ms. Hopson presented rate comparison for funds available from certificates of deposit totaling $4.9 million were reviewed. United Bank and Ameris Bank elected to quote with rates as shown below:
• United Bank – 12 month CD – 4.9%
• Ameris Bank – 12 month CD – 4.75%
• 100% penalty for early withdrawal if moving funds from Ameris $13,217.84 – 50% penalty for keeping funds at Ameris $6,608.92
• Interest earned at 4.9% $247,940.40; Interest earned at 4.75% $240,215.50
• Difference between the two rates over 12 month $7,724.90; Loss if moving from Ameris in favor of 4.9% interest rate $5,492.94
A motion was made by Mr. Marett to keep the CD’s at Ameris Bank. This was seconded by Mr. Ford and approved unanimously. A copy of the comparison rates are attached and made a part of these minutes.
Mr. Jones made a motion to analyze the Authority’s financial accounts to determine how much of the operating funds are needed to remain in the Ameris revenue account and put the remainder in Georgia Fund 1. This was seconded by Mr. Rivers and approved unanimously.
Joint Meeting- Ms. Hopson reported Butts County Commissioners requested a meeting with the Authority’s board to discuss current and future water and sewer needs. A date to be determined within the upcoming weeks.
Operations Statistics – Ms. Hopson went over the water production, water loss and customer statistics for December. The average daily finished water pumped to the Authority, Jackson and Jenkinsburg from Burford and Stewart plant was 2.50 million gallons per day, with a maximum of 3.86 million gallons per day. The rolling twelve-month average loss of 10% with the current monthly average at 1%. The total amount of finished water pumped in December by each plant was: Burford 74 million gallons and Stewart 5 million gallons.
Water billing for December was $828,517 up 4% from the previous month, up 10% over a rolling 12-month total, and up 10% the same month for the previous year. Sewer billing for December was $54,044 up 7% from the previous month, up 9% over a rolling 12-month total, and up 6% from the previous year.
Total water accounts numbered 6,892 at the end of December with 5,615 of those being active customers. There were 2 new connections sold. There were 263 total sewer accounts at the end of December, with 204 of the being active customers.
Financial Report – Ms. Hopson reviewed the financial summary for Water & Sewer Operations and Capital Recovery Fees for December 2022 and Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) through December 31, 2022.
Water Operations income for December was $319,444 with expenses of $325,407. Water capital recovery fee revenue for Fiscal Year 2022 thus far was $53,904 with $0 in expenses.
Sewer Operations income for December was $63,763 with expenses of $40,640. Sewer Capital Recovery Fee revenue for Fiscal Year 2022 thus far was $52,250 with $0 in expenses.
For the 2019-24 SPLOST, $2,590,672 has been collected. A SPLOST payment of $90,589.81 was received on January 5, 2023. Overages in the 2019-24 SPLOST are being covered by temporary transfers from the Water Operations fund.
Total cash on hand at the end of December was $13,015,137.00. Copies of the December 2022 financial summaries, the consolidated fund balance sheet and the consolidated fund income statement are attached and made a part of these minutes.
Adjourn – A motion was made by Mr. Rivers to adjourn the meeting at 7:08 p.m. This was seconded by Mr. Marret and approved unanimously.