Meeting Minutes of November 8, 1983

The meeting was called to order at 7:00 pm by Chairman Walter Brieschke.

Roll Call: Present were Mr. Douglas Mayer, Mr. James Simpson, Miss Phoebe Cox, Mr. William Hardenbergh, Mr. Richard Parrish, Mr. Vern Cornell and Mr. Walter Brieschke. Employees present were Mr. John Nannie and Mrs. Kim Forby.

Customer Requests: Mr. Herb Modglin and Mrs. Hattie Heern were present along with their attorney, Mr. Dennis Graber, representing the estate of Mr. Charles Modglin. Mr. Allen Vancil, representing the Evergreen Cemetery Board was also present. Mr. Brieschke explained the right to an Executive Session to both parties and they each waived that right. Mr. Modglin claims that since his brother is deceased that they owe the District nothing and wish all bills to be waived. Mr. Brieschke explained that the District would probably be willing to work out some sort of compromise but that since the tap belongs to the property, rather than an individual, that the outstanding bill of $150.50 was still due. The Board did offer to waive all late fees, with the final balance due when the property was sold. Mr. Brieschke also stated that tap sealing might be a possibility if exceptional circumstances could be proven, and that the customer would be responsible for sealing costs of approximately $50.00 to $100.00. No action was taken concerning tap #45. Mr. Vancil stated that the Cemetery was not willing to pay their outstanding bill of $538.30 since they were not using water and no longer wanted the tap. No action was taken concerning Tap #39.

Engineering Report: Armen Asaturian of Asaturian and Easton, Engineers, was present to discuss long term planning for the District. Mr. Asaturian’s firm is to submit a proposal for a study of flow and pressure and water use trends to determine the adequacy of the present system and future possibilities. This report would help the District to improve customer service, in setting management goals, improving maintenance procedures, determining expansion possibilities, setting modernization and replacement schedules and determine the impact of all the above on the Budget in terms of yearly expenditures and longe range accumulation in the Reserve and Depreciation Funds.

The minutes of the previous meeting, Executive and Regular, were approved.

The Secretary/Treasurer report was submitted and accepted.

The Financial report was submitted and approved.

Presentation of the Bills: Mr. Hardenbergh made a motion to pay the bills presented in the amount of $4,570.14 and Mr. Mayer seconded. Roll call vote: Mr. Mayer – yes Mr. Simpson – yes, Miss Cox – yes, Mr. Hardenbergh – yes, Mr. Parrish – yes, Mr. Cornell – yes, Mr. Brieschke – yes. Motion passed.

AWWA Library: Mr. Brieschke presented for inspection by the Board, the small operations library set which costs $42.45. The Board looked over the set but no decision was made as to purchase.

Investment of Funds: Mr. Parrish gave the following recommendations on investing the District’s funds at a higher rate of interest: The Fund account to be divided between a Money Market Account and a Super Now Account with accumulating excesses to be put into Certificates of Deposit. The Reserve and Debt Service Accounts to be put into Money Market Accounts. The Depreciation Account would be divided between a Money Market Account and staggered Certificates of Deposit. All accounts would remain at the First National Bank of Carbondale and would therefore be federally insured. Mr. Parrish made a motion to change the Fund Account over to a Super Now Account and Mr. Simpson seconded. Roll call vote: Mr. Mayer – yes, Mr. Simpson – yes, Miss Cox – yes, Mr. Hardenbergh – yes, Mr. Parrish – yes, Mr. Cornell – yes, Mr. Brieschke – yes. Motion carried.

The Water Supply Operator report was submitted by Mr. Nannie.

Communication system: Mr. Mayer researched the possibility of a telephone system for the Pump Station to Water Tower communication system. He concluded that if the radio system was functioning correctly that there was not advantage to be gained by switching to a telephone system.

Audit: Mr. Parrish made a motion to accept Mr. Don Morgan’s proposal to complete the 1983 audit for not more than $1,200.00. Miss Cox seconded. Roll call vote: Mr. Mayer – yes, Mr. Simpson – yes, Miss Cox – yes, Mr. Hardenbergh – yes, Mr. Parrish – yes, Mr. Cornell – yes, Mr. Brieschke – yes. Motion passed.

1984 Budget: Mr. Hardenbergh made a motion to adopt the 1984 Budget and Justification as submitted. Mr. Mayer seconded. Roll call vote: Mr. Mayer – yes, Mr. Simpson – yes, Miss Cox – yes, Mr. Hardenbergh – yes, Mr. Parrish – yes, Mr. Cornell – yes, Mr. Brieschke – yes. Motion carried.

Revised Ordinance X: Mr. Parrish made a motion to adopt the Revised Ordinance No. X (concerning zero use water taps). Mr. Hardenbergh seconded. Roll call vote: Mr. Mayer – yes, Mr. Simpson – yes, Miss Cox – yes, Mr. Hardenbergh – yes, Mr. Parrish – yes, Mr. Cornell – no, Mr. Brieschke – yes. Motion passed.

Mr. Cornell requested that the following be entered into the record:

“The BPWD Board is obliged to treat all customers fairly and without preferential treatment. With this basic premise in mind, I object to Ordinance X for the following reasons:

1. The water district will in no way jeopardize its financial responsibilities to FmHA by lowering the minimum charge imposed on all customers from $15.00 to $7.50, providing the existing rate structure is kept in effect.
2. By adopting the proposed ordinance, the Board is enacting preferential treatment to a part of a category of users.
3. The additional loss of income the district would have to absorb by reducing the minimum charge for all customers, rather than just a few of one category of customer, is insignificant over a one-year period.

The record should also show that, although each Board member has access to the necessary records to verify point 3 above, I volunteered to compile the statistics for the year of 1983 to show the exact difference of revenue loss between a reduction of the minimum charge to all users as opposed to a reduction of the minimum to a part of one category of users. As a public official I feel it is my duty to champion the cause of any and all of the water district customers, whenever feasible, rather than support a policy of giving preferential treatment, in a direct way, to only a few customers. Once exception to this would be in the case of the death of a water district user, in which case all billing to the deceased user should cease it no water is being used. I am not against reducing financial obligations of those who use no water. In fact, they should have no financial obligations to the water district if they use no water. My vote against the ordinance is not prejudiced against non-users but is based solely on the three points I stated above. I am sure that, if the reasons for my vote are entered accurately into the record, anyone reading the minutes will be able to understand the reasons for my vote against proposed Ordianance X.”

Mr. Parrish made a motion to adjourn and Mr. Brieschke seconded. All in favor voice vote. Meeting adjourned at 9:25 pm.