Call to Order – Chairman White called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. Board members present were J. B. White, Harvey Norris, Eddie Roberts, Jr., Burt Jones, & Eddie Ford; also present were Marcie Seleb, general manager and Joyce Hosey, clerk to the Board.
Approval of Minutes from November 10, 2015 Meeting – Mr. Roberts made a motion to dispense with the reading of the minutes from the November 10, 2015 meeting and to approve the same. This was seconded by Mr. Jones and approved unanimously.
Revision for Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA) Water Tank Loan to Revise Schedule – Ms. Seleb advised the Board that in order for the Authority to take full advantage of grant funds included in GEFA Loan 11-025, the Authority needs to authorize extending time to complete all project work until October 2016. This will allow the Authority to use the approximate $125,000 left over on the West Butts Tank project on another project.
A motion was made by Mr. Roberts to approve a resolution for an extension on GEFA Loan 11-025 to maximize full advantage of 30% grant on full $1,400,000. This was seconded by Mr. Norris and approved unanimously.
Assist Health Department/City on Sewer Issue – Ms. Seleb advised the Board that she had received a request from the City of Jackson and the Butts County Health Department to assist in getting property owners to correct a substandard sewer service line serving duplexes on 8th Street. These properties are served with water by the Authority, but are sewer customers of the City of Jackson.
Board members reviewed a letter from Robert M. Waggoner, Butts County Environmental Manager for the Butts County Health Department. The letter states that the private sewer line running from four duplexes on Eighth Street in Jackson keeps breaking and spilling raw sewage into a creek. The service line pipe is not secured, supported, enclosed, or protected from the elements.
A motion was made by Mr. Roberts to give the property owners on Eighth Street sixty days to bring the sewer service line up to code and to discontinue water service if not corrected within that time period. This was seconded by Mr. Norris and approved unanimously. A copy of the letter from Robert Waggoner is attached and made a part of these minutes.
Confirmation of Stephen Place as New Employee – A motion was made by Mr. Jones to approve the hiring of Stephen Place on a sixty-day work test to start as a pipe layer trainee with the distribution crew. This was seconded by Mr. Norris and approved unanimously.
Preliminary Trihalomethanes (THMs) Study Results – Ms. Seleb related the preliminary findings of the University of Central Florida (UCF) regarding THM formation after aeration at the Burford Water Treatment Plant and Hwy. 36 ground storage tank. UCF suggested that installing an aeration system at the Hwy. 36 ground storage tank would be the Authority’s best bet to remove THMs in the system so that re-growth is minimized for customers at end points in the system. Ms. Seleb recommended that the Board direct her to move forward with negotiating the most economical pricing on a Medora aeration system to be installed in the first quarter of 2016.
A motion was made by Mr. Ford to direct Ms. Seleb to negotiate lowest pricing on an aeration system to reduce THMs in the Authority’s system, and bring a final quote to January’s Board meeting. This was seconded by Mr. Norris and approved unanimously.
Guidelines for Commercial/Industrial Development Negotiations – Ms. Seleb presented a streamlined procedure for Authority management to use when involved non-disclosure negotiations with commercial and industrial developers. The procedure gauges the value to the Authority and Butts County of a proposed development, giving a rough guideline for response to respond to developers’ concession requests regarding fees.
A motion was made by Mr. Jones for Ms. Seleb to follow the proposed guidelines for non-disclosure negotiations with developers. This was seconded by Mr. Norris and approved unanimously. Mr. White abstained from the vote. A copy of the guidelines for non-disclosure is attached and made a part of these minutes.
Manager’s Report
Construction
- Generator Project – All three generators have been installed and tested, and all are ready for any emergencies.
- West Butts Tank – There has been no action by Caldwell Tank to complete the project since the last board meeting.
- Bertha M. White & Brownlee Roads – The crew has installed all taps on Bertha M. White and Brownlee Roads.
- Brownlee Road – There has been no progress on acquiring easements for continuation of the water extension on Brownlee Road.
- Bucksnort Land Application System (LAS) – The contractor is about one quarter through the liner repair on Harkness Road. The Authority crew is working to unclog and repair a number of spray heads and cut lines at the LAS spray fields.
- High Water Use in West Butts – In the period of December 2-4, the Authority was pumping about 300,000 gallons per day beyond average and received a number of calls from customers with complaints of discolored water in West Butts County. No leak was found, but possible causes were the Georgia Diagnostic Prison overflowing its elevated tank and some line flushing around the new West Butts water tank.
Operations
Water & Sewer Statistics – The average daily finished water pumped in November 2015 to the Authority, Jackson and Jenkinsburg from Burford and Stewart plants was 2.1 million gallons per day, with a maximum of 2.6 million gallons per day. The rolling twelve-month average loss was 10.9% with the current month average loss of 3.3%. The total amount of finished water pumped in November by each plant was: Burford – 57 million gallons and Stewart – 7 million gallons.
Water billing for November 2015 was $235,686, up 6% from the previous month, and up 17% from November 2014. Sewer billing for November 2015 was $51,467, up 10% from the previous month, and down 7% from November 2014. Total water accounts numbered 5,406, with 4,904 active water customers. No water taps were purchased on the existing system, and two new subdivision services were sold during the month of November.
The average influent at the Bucksnort Ranch LAS was 251,000 gallons per day with an average effluent of 310,000 gallons per day. The maximum 7-day effluent was 329,000 gallons per day. Total sewer accounts numbered 146, with 145 active sewer customers. There were no new sewer services sold during the month of November.
Financial Report – Ms. Seleb went over the financial summary for Water & Sewer Operations, and Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) for November 2015. Water operations income for November was $246,831. Water operations expenses were $229,434 for the month. Expenses include $78,401 in West Butts tank costs to be reimbursed from GEFA grant/loan and the biannual Revenue Bond payment. Water capital recovery fee revenue for the fiscal year thus far was $5,162, with interest expenses of $1,779, and debt service costs of $31,541 (Sandy Creek Loan).
Sewer Operations income for November was $53,430 with expenses totaling $101,992. Expenses include $63,894 paid for pond liner repair materials and the biannual Revenue Bond payment. A transfer from SPLOST will reimburse Sewer Operations for the bond payment in December. Sewer Capital Recovery Fee revenue for the fiscal year thus far is $2,451 with no expenses.
Through December 7, 2015, $3,448,430 in revenue has been received in 2007-12 SPLOST funds with no funds remaining. $1,141,548 has been collected in 2013-19 SPLOST with $428,046 funds expended. SPLOST proceeds of $52,828 have been calculated, but yet to be received for December 20, 2015.
Total cash on hand at the end of November 2015 was $7,792,130. This is $342,092 under the June 30, 2015 balance. Copies of November 2015 financial summaries, combined fund balance sheets, and combined fund income statements are attached and made a part of these minutes.
Review Bills Paid – Board members were given copies of check registers for November 2015 to review. Copies of November 2015 check registers are attached and made a part of these minutes.
Adjourn – A motion was made by Mr. Norris to adjourn the meeting at 7:00 p.m. This was seconded by Mr. Jones and approved unanimously.