DRAFT Board Meeting Minutes – March 25, 2023
Meetings

DRAFT Board Meeting Minutes – March 25, 2023

Meetings

Call to Order:

Welcome: April, Vice President

Present/Quorum: Dave (Manager), Paul, April, Todd, Clint, Sam, Susan

Consent Items

Approve – Contents and order of this Agenda: Approved.

Approve – Minutes of February meeting: Approved.

Information Items

Guest Speakers comments (if any): Sheila Doane provided an email re: price changes for membership, Bruce inquired re: the SMWSP, Maya inquired how DWA is tracking and addressing PFAS. Dave replied we will begin testing the springs this year and the Sandy Shores well in 2025.

Board Member comments (if any): None

President’s Report (April)

  • Darton will be on leave for the next 6-8 weeks.
  • Susan is looking into a grant program to install a solar system with a battery backup. We were late submitting the application and if they open it back up in April, we can re-apply. Susan will continue to pursue the grant to reduce our electricity expense. 
  • Sam is planning to showcase the Dockton Springs for the next informational flyer for the members.  Dave said we have sufficient supplies on-hand to prepare the flyers.
  • The Beachcomber had an article about DWA, featuring Dave and included a note about our membership fee increase.
  • The board revisited the topic of share price changes in response to a member email. No changes were made and the board will continue to consider going forward.

Manager/Operator Report (Dave)

  • SMSWP – Items remaining are the water use efficiency goal: 1.5% per year or 49,000 gallons DSL (distribution system leakage).  That needs to be approved.   The other items is the 6 year CIP.
  • Tree on 268th – Johnson can’t make it out, new person engaged. We’ll push this to after July 1. Should cost $500.
  • Sandy Shores runs the same as the Springs electricity-wise.  Dave suggested shutting down Sandy Shores a couple of weeks in the winter to save electricity and chlorine. This should not have any side effects to water in production.
  • 6 year CIP: PRV Relocation and drilling new wells are the immediate projects on the list. The springs are surface water rights, subject to manganese contamination. We could convert the surface water rights to ground water rights. This project could run $200,000. We are the “poster child” for grants: non-profit, serving a rural community, involves drinking water and we have infrastructure that needs to be upgraded.
  • The board discussed the CIP list in detail:
  • Silo Survey
  • Building Improvements
  • Sandy Shores PRV – Engineering is the priority
  • Dockton Springs Wells – Engineering to reduce surface water intrusion, new wells are need for long term sustainability.
  • A motion was made to approve the Small Water System Plan, including the new water efficiency goal of 1.5%/49,000 gallons DSL.  Motion was approved.
  • A motion was made to approve the CIP for including in the SWSP.  The motion was unanimously approved.

Committee Reports:

Finance Committee (Todd):

  • February results – water usage was down, utilities and chlorine usage are slightly higher than anticipated.
  • Budgets – Todd described the 2023-2024 budget in detail. The board will vote to approve the budget in April. Big improvement in covering some deficits. Loans and grants will continue to be a source we look to. We are still targeting the $50,000 transfer to the replacement fund with a combination of rate increases and cost reduction.
  • Todd proposed a motion to address actual cost increases and to increase our reserves for essential capital improvements, new billing rates are proposed: Base rate of 34$ increased to 37$, Usage fee of 0.025$ increased to 0.03$ per CF, Capital charge of 12$ increased to 17$.  The motion will be reviewed in April.
  • Susan brought up the option for a relief fund for those that these increase will impact adversely.

Water Production Committee (Paul):

  • Paul noted that water production was discussed during Dave’s portion of the meeting.

CIP and Planning Committee (Darton)

  • None

Old Business / Carryover Items

  • Annual Report and Annual Meeting update – Need agenda by April 4th Call for Candidates

New Business / Discussion Items

Other Business

What did we decide?

  • April: Annual Meeting and Annual report, note to Dave for Duncan re: non-profit status
  • Clint: Minutes
  • Darton:
  • Dave: Tree, SMSWP, Saving on Chlorine and Electricity
  • Paul: Proposal on useful life
  • Susan: Send out copy of the application for solar panels
  • Sam: Informational Flyer
  • Todd: Final budget in appropriate format

Next Board meeting: Saturday, April 22, 2023