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Board Meeting Minutes of January 10, 2024

The regular meeting of Buncombe Public Water District was called to order on January 10, 2024, at 6:01 p.m. at the District’s office located at 79 Wiley Lane, Makanda, Illinois.

Call to Order

Trustees Present: Hughey, Brewer, Dickson, Heern, Fiorino, Lamb (7:21)

Trustees Absent: None

Also Present: Mike Williamsen; Richard Howell, Sage Lintner, and Michael R. Twomey

Chairman Hughey conducted the meeting.

                MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING HELD ON DECEMBER 12, 2023, was made by Trustee Brewer and seconded by Trustee Fiorino. On voice vote, motion passed with all Trustees voting aye.

Visitors, Customer, and Public Comments:

  1. Richard Howell, engineer with Horner & Shifrin, presented to the Board of possibility of obtaining an emergency grant up to $150,000.00 from Rural Development for replacing the water main on Church Street which has numerous leaks for a number of years. Mr. Howell met with Chairman Hughey, Treasurer Mike Williamsen, Operator Heidbreder, and Office Manager Lintner to discuss the Rural Development Emergency Grant. Mr. Howell delivered to the Board an estimate of cost and a map showing the replacement. His estimate is $140,000.00 for replacement. The Engineer will apply for the Grant. Mr. Howell stated there will be no engineering charges to the District for application unless the Grant is awarded. In the event the District obtains the Grant, the water main replacement should be ready for bid Summer of 2024.

MOTION TO APPROVE APPLICATION FOR GRANT WITH RURAL DEVELOPMENT was made by Trustee Fiorino and seconded by Trustee Brewer. On voice vote, motion passed with all Trustees voting aye.

MOTION THAT OFFICE MANAGER LINTNER BE DESIGNATED AND AUTHORIZED TO SIGN RURAL DEVELOPMENT DOCUMENTS FOR THIS PROJECT as made by Trustee Heern and seconded by Trustee Brewer. On voice vote, motion passed with all Trustees voting aye.

  • Water Loss Meter Credit Meter 2-4760: This has been an ongoing leak situation. The customer has taken appropriate action to correct the problem. They have requested a credit of $253.26.

MOTION TO GRANT CREDIT was made by Trustee Dickson and seconded by Trustee Brewer. On roll call vote, motions passed with all Trustees voting aye.

Old Business:

  1. Water Service/New Meter/Disconnect Apps:

These three applications were revised by Office Manger Lintner and Attorney Twomey and presented to Board for review and approval.

MOTION TO APPROVE ALL THREE REVISED APPLICATIONS was made by Trustee Heern and seconded by Trustee Fiorino. On voice vote, motion passed with all Trustees voting aye.

  • Employee Handbook Revision 2.0:

Trustee Fiorino has completed some changes pursuant to Board discussion held at the last Board meeting. She is waiting for paid time off language from Attorney Twomey. He stated that he was currently working on the same type of language at his office and then would supply to the Board for review at the February meeting.

  • 5 – Year Strategic Plan:

Trustee Heern has reviewed some of the information. Chairman Hughey stated that it would probably be best to wait to complete this until the District Improvement Work Group meets, and those suggestions could be incorporated into the Strategic Plan. Trustee Heern will review documents and get with the Group. Chairman Hughey and Treasurer Williamsen stated that they will help in the preparation. No Board action taken.

  • HVAC Unit:

This matter will be tabled as Office Manager Lintner is still acquiring bids. She will contact the engineer to discuss ideas and possible contractors.

New Business:

  1. Clarida Ziegler/Carbondale Water Supply:

It was noted by Office Manager Lintner and Operator Heidbreder that there are discrepancies in the plans/as builds as opposed to actual installation of valves and tracer wire and general oversight of the installation of the line from the Carbondale Master Meter to pump station one.

After Board discussion it was determined that the District would contact Richard Howell to discuss the situation.

City of Carbondale

No report.

Monthly Staff and Board Group Reports

  1. Office Manager Lintner Report:

A written report was submitted to the Board by Sage Lintner for examination and placement of record. There were 1,033,153 gallons billed. The amount billed for December was $35,535.49.

  • WSO Heidbreder Report:

A written report was submitted to the Board by Alex Heidbreder for examination and placement of record (Trustee Lamb present from this point forward).

  • Work Group 1 Ordinances:

No report.

  • Work Group 2 District Improvements:

The Group met and has discussed changing rates. Chairman Hughey and Treasurer Williamsen would like to meet with the Board members on January 19, 2024, at 6:00 p.m. at the District’s office. Notice to the Public will have to be given for this meeting pursuant to Open Meetings Act.

  • ROINC Report:

A written report was submitted to the Board by Sage Lintner for examination and placement of record.

MOTION TO APPROVE THE MONTHLY STAFF AND BOARD REPORTS was made by Trustee Fiorino and seconded by Trustee Brewer. On voice vote, motion passed with all Trustees voting aye.

Monthly Accounting/Financial Report:

  1. Office Manger Lintner presented a list of bills to the Board.
  2. Treasurer Williamsen wants to transfer $50,000.00 from the emergency account to a 6-month or less Treasury Bill.

MOTION TO ALLOW TRANSFER was made by Trustee Dickson and seconded by Trustee Brewer. On roll call vote, motion passed with all Trustees voting aye.

                Monthly Accounting/Financial Report was not approved as the same is being revised. Board will review at the February meeting.

Payment of Bills:

  1. Bush Construction was shown in the January 2024 bills to be paid in the amount of $11,368.25. This was revised by the Board to $6,924.50 which excludes money that was charged by Bush Construction when trying to make repairs on the water leak on Church Street. Bush Construction broke the line multiple times and charged for each repair.

Attorney Twomey was questioned as to whether or not the District should have to pay. Attorney Twomey stated that if Bush Construction was not performing its work pursuant to industry standards that the District should not pay for those repairs.

MOTION TO PAY BILLS WITH THE REVISED BUSH CONSTRUCTION BILL was made by Trustee Brewer and seconded by Trustee Heern. On roll call vote, motion passed with all Trustees voting aye.

Additional Trustee Comment or Questions:

None.

Executive Session:

  1. Pending Litigation:

No Executive Session was held, however, Chairman Hughey informed the Board that the Federal Lawsuit filed by ex-employee Karen Dunn had been settled for $13,000.00.

Motion for Adjournment:

MOTION TO ADJOURN MEETING was made by Trustee Fiorino and seconded by Trustee Brewer. On voice vote, motion passed with all Trustees voting aye.

Meeting adjourned at 8:27 p.m.

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