Meeting Minutes July 11, 2023
Call to Order: Vice Chairman Kimberly Cole called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm at the District Office 79 Wiley Lane in Makanda. A roll call was taken.
Board Members present were Vice-Chairman Kimberly Cole, and Trustees Grace Brewer, John Dickson and Karen Fiorino. Chairman Bob Hughey, Trustees Paul Heern, and Warren Ladner were absent.
Staff and Professionals: Present Absent
Treasurer, Mike Williamsen, Absent
District Secretary Mike Twomey, Present
Legal Counsel Mike Twomey, Present
Engineer Absent
FT Staff: WSO, Alex Heidbreder Present
Office Manager, Sage Lintner Present
Visitors present and Visitor Requests:
None
Customer Requests:
None
Approval of Minutes: Trustee Dickson made a motion to accept the minutes of June 13, 2023 and 2nd by Trustee Brewer and with a voice vote of (4) yay votes and (0) nay votes. The minutes of 06/13/2023 were approved.
Communications for July 2023:
Notification was received that former employee Dunn has filed a lawsuit related to Workers Compensation. This communication and all the detail have been provided to the BPWD insurance carrier legal team.
New business:
- Board training for new Trustees Ladner and Fiorino. Vice-Chair Cole asked for staff and/or Board members to volunteer to give tours of the district operations and assist with our two (2) new Board members training. Trustee Fiorino has completed Board member training with Vice Chair Cole but still needs a tour of facilities. PENDING
- Valves: Work is continuing to locate several missing valves and exercise all the existing marked valves within the district. This agenda item will be moved to the WSO monthly report to update the Board on this work. PENDING
- Absent: Trustee Fiorino announced that she will be absent the month of September 2023 for a planned trip to Italy. RESOLVED
Old business:
- Congressional spending grant opportunity: No update. This agenda item will be moved to the Office Manager monthly report to update the Board on this item going forward. PENDING
- IEPA re-opened grant for Lead Service Line inventory: The grant was accepted for $30,000 and awaiting the IEPA staff to submit the contract to us for signatures. PENDING
- Repair of roof, Water/wiring damage-Insurance Claim: Bryce Mason communicated that he would decline to be able to do the work project. WSO Heibreder announced that he will fix the ridge cap and seal it. PENDING
- Employee handbook Rev. 2.0 updates: The 2023 Rev 2.0 Employee handbook is complete and a copy was distributed to everyone present. A form of receipt was signed for the files. Office manager Lintner will get a copy to the absent Trustees and Chair at this meeting and obtain the receipt form to be filed. PENDING
- Strategic plan Five (5) Year: Vice Chair Cole reported that the Strategic plan document is on track for August Board meeting distribution. PENDING
- Lead (Pb) service line inventory: Vice Chair Cole reported that substantial progress is being made on the inventory with the field work of WSO Heidbreder and Friday field work with Office manager Lintner. Monthly updates are being given in staff meetings held at the first of each month. See the WSO report for more details. The deadline for the completion and submission of the inventory to the IEPA is April 15, 2024. PENDING
- GPS mapping of the District: Office manager Lintner reported she will be getting together some additional vendors for the work projects as alternatives to IRWA since they indicated they are behind and backed up with possibility of unable to do the project by the deadline for the IEPA grant. Also, there are missing valves that are still being located to go into the map. PENDING
- Cross connection survey and program: Vice Chair and ROINC Cole continues the review of each customer’s survey and signing each one. This review was delayed to write and review the BPWD Program of Cross connection prevention. Some surveys (approximately 20 out of 400) have questions or lack of documentation. (One example: Boiler heat checked on survey when this is probably not the case) There is some follow-up clarification with the customers still to be done. Work is proceeding with a goal of October 2023 completion. PENDING
- March 2023 fire-fighting water bill to Makanda Fire Department: Office manager Lintner reported that the bill has been paid. RESOLVED
Carbondale Water District: Nothing new to report
Staff and Board group reports:
- Office manager Lintner report (attached):
- Maintenance water Operator Heidbreder report (attached):
- Work Group 1, Ordinance review. Vice Chair Cole prepared and emailed the table of contents listing all of the ordinances in the blue desk copy notebook to District Secretary Twomey and staff to compare with the newly found boxed ordinances.
- Work Group 2, Water loss: Meeting scheduled for Thursday, August 3, 2023, at 10:45 am. There is a 23% overall District loss in July with a 64% loss in Route 1 that is being investigated currently. Office manager Lintner stated she will be sending out the water loss spreadsheet to everyone.
- ROINC report (attached)
Accounting and Financial reports, June 2023: Treasurer Williamsen was absent this meeting for the financial report review presentation. Reconciliation reports and an expense listing for June was distributed to the Board for review. Some reports are delayed from the Accountant. Both June and July 2023 reports will be reported by Treasurer Williamsen at the August 8, 2023, Board meeting.
Payment of the bills and approval of June 2023 disbursements: Treasurer Williamsen was absent for the disbursement presentation and will be reviewed upon his return. Trustee Brewer made a motion to pay the bills. Trustee Fiorino made the 2nd. A roll call vote was taken and 4 ayes, and 0 nays was obtained, and the motion passed to pay the bills listed for June.
Additional Public comments or questions: None
Executive session: NoneMotion for Adjournment: Trustee Brewer made a motion to adjourn and was 2nd by Trustee Fiorino. All in favor by voice 4 ayes, and 0 nays, the motion carried to adjourn.