PACIFIC CITY JWSA BOARD OF DIRECTORS
BUSINESS MEETING MINUTES
November 5, 2013
Chair McVicker called the November 2013 business meeting to order at 5:00 PM in the Authority’s meeting room.
Directors Present: Carolyn McVicker, Sean Lambert, Dick Carter, Anne Price and Doug Kellow.
Guests Present: Tim Hirsch.
Staff Present: Tony Owen
MINUTES:
A. 10/01/13 Business Meeting Minutes
Chair McVicker said that there appeared to be some dialog missing in the guest comment section and asked that the Authority Manager review them and bring back for approval at the next meeting.
FINANCIAL REPORT
A. Accounts Payable: 10/10, 10/29 and 11/05/2013.
Motion
Director Lambert moved to approve the payables for 10/10, 10/29 and 11/05/2013. Director Price seconded, and the motion carried unanimously.
B. Fiscal Year 2013-2014
None.
MANAGER’S REPORT
Mr. Owen reported that a customer had requested a refund because of a broken waterline in between the meter and the house. Mr. Owen continued that approximately five years ago the meter location was changed by PCJWSA from their private property about 35 feet downhill to a location in the right-of-way, installed a new meter, and put in a meter idler where the previous meter had been. Mr. Owen said that when leaks occur, PCJWSA policy is that reimbursement is not granted.
Discussion ensued regarding the age of the service line and how long it had been since the meter was relocated.
Mr. Owen reported that this leak resulted in the usage of 105,000 gallons of water, and was discovered during a routine monthly meter reading. Mr. Owen said that the customer has put in a new service line and has paid the water bill.
More discussion ensued about where in the line that the leak was located, but Mr. Owen said that the customer had not searched for it; they just dug a ditch and installed a new line.
Motion
Director Price moved that the Board respectfully decline refunding the amount to the customer as requested in keeping with the policy. Director Lambert seconded, and the motion carried unanimously.
Mr. Owen reported that he had received a request from the attorney representing the individual that ran into our gate. Mr. Owen stated that PCJWSA and the insurance company have been fully reimbursed by that person’s insurance company. Mr. Owen continued that this request has nothing to do with the criminal portion of the case, but was a compromise of the civil portion of it. Mr. Owen said that if PCJWSA wanted to pursue this person for any reason, the attorney requested an additional restitution (i.e to PCJWSA or to a charitable organization like the Pacific City Food Bank), if PCJWSA would agree to not file any additional penalties. Mr. Owen said that he personally saw no reason to pursue this civilly because it would cost us more money and time.
Discussion ensued.
Motion
Director Price moved that PCJWSA agree to a civil compromise in Tillamook County Case 13-7075 and that we ask for a $50 donation to the Pacific City Food Pantry by December 1, 2013 and verification that this donation had been made. Director Carter seconded, and the motion carried unanimously.
Mr. Owen said the 004 fund, the Sewer Capital Improvement Fund, was running in the red and would continue to do so for the remainder of this fiscal year unless the Board chose to transfer money from the line of credit with TLC Federal Credit Union before December 31. Mr. Owen said that PCJWSA had currently borrowed $200,000 and had authority to borrow up to $500,000 by December 31. Mr. Owen continued that the monthly payback begins in June 2014, with no prepayment penalty. Mr. Owen said that 004 was funded by the Capital Improvement Charge which is currently set at $5 per month with the authority granted during the budget process to raise it to $10 per month. Discussion ensued.
Motion
Director Lambert moved to authorize the Authority Manager to borrow an additional $200,000 from the line of credit at TLC, and review it again at next month’s meeting. Motion was seconded and carried unanimously.
Mr. Owen commended the dedication and longevity of service of the PCJWSA employees.
Mr. Owen said that Ray Browning had passed his Wastewater Collection 2 test, and had goals this year to get more certifications.
Mr. Owen requested that the old defective recording equipment be declared surplus so that it could be sold.
Motion
Director Price moved to declare the old recorder as surplus. Director Lambert seconded, and the motion carried unanimously.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
WWTP Funding
Mr. Owen reported on the progress of research for funding, and that a meeting with USDA tomorrow would define the direction they would allow PCJWSA to go to start qualifying for funding. Mr. Owen continued that USDA does not fund projects up front, and that interim financing was required.
BLM
Mr. Owen said that he and Chair McVicker had met with Dory Pointe representatives at the BLM offices on Saturday. Chair McVicker reported that three people from Dory Pointe attended and presented their issues and concerns. Chair McVicker stated that there were a number of items where they had misinformation or were confused about issues, and those items were cleared up. Discussion followed. Chair McVicker continued that next level of the process should be summarized and out in January.
In-Plant Lift Station
Mr. Owen said that startup was now scheduled for Thursday and that the standby pumps would remain on site for a few more days. Mr. Owen reported that staff had been running this project, working with subcontractors, and doing a real good job.
Personnel Manual
Mr. Owen referred to last month’s discussion and recommended that the start date for health insurance should stay as it was, the first of the month following date of employment, because that was what nearly every district was doing.
Mr. Owen also recommended that the overtime policy stay as written.
Mr. Owen explained that accruals and accrual caps for sick time and vacation time could legally be modified for both new employees and existing employees.
Multi-family dwelling units
Mr. Owen said that he met with Director Lambert and Director Price on October 23rd and they continued to come up with more questions. Director Price said their meeting included talking about the individual situations that they were aware of, an administrative fee at the initial stage and during the amnesty period, and the hardship of requiring people to completely re-plumb into multiple meters. Director Price said that they would continue to meet until they could come up with something concrete to present to the Board. Director Lambert said that they had reviewed a list of properties, everyone different, making it unclear how to apply basic rules. Discussion followed to schedule the next meeting.
GUEST QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS
UNSCHEDULED
Mr. Owen said that he had time off planned in December.
CHAIRMAN/DIRECTOR COMMENTS
Chair McVicker adjourned the regular meeting at 5:48 PM.
The PCJWSA Board of Directors approved these minutes on December 3, 2013, by the following votes:
Aye______Nay______Abstain______Absent______
ATTEST:
Carolyn McVicker, Chair Tony Owen, Authority Manager
PCJWSA Board of Directors Business Meeting 11-05-13
Page 4 of 4