Call to Order – Chairman White called the meeting to order at 5:32 p.m. Board members present were J. B. White, Harvey Norris, Eddie Roberts, Jr. & Eddie Ford. Also present were Marcie Seleb, general manager, and Alyssa Hopson, clerk to the board.
Approval of Minutes from November 8, 2016 Meeting – Mr. Roberts made a motion to dispense with the reading of and to approve the minutes from the November 8, 2016 meeting. This was seconded by Mr. Norris and approved unanimously.
State Action and Local Response on Drought – Ms. Seleb reported that a Level Two drought was declared on November 17, 2016 for fifty-two north and middle Georgia counties, including Butts County. Despite recent rains, the Level Two declaration is still in effect. Ms. Seleb met with representatives from Butts County, the City of Jackson and the City of Jenkinsburg to discuss additional strategies required to encourage water conservation. One of these strategies is adoption of a Drought Surcharge Rate which must be implemented if a Level Three drought is declared. Ms. Seleb presented a rate that increases the price per 1000 gallons by 50% to $7.50 for regular customers using more than 10,000 gallons per day during a Level Three drought. A motion was made by Mr. Norris to adopt the proposed Drought Surcharge rate. This was seconded by Mr. Roberts and approved unanimously.
Burford Water Treatment Power-Ms. Seleb presented the Board information on a Real Time Pricing (RTP) rate from Central Georgia EMC (CGEMC). The Authority is currently under Rate 6. The RTP rate will save roughly $20,000 a year by using generators during the power company’s load management periods. A motion was made by Mr. Ford to ask CGEMC to transfer the Burford Water Treatment Plant from Rate 6 to the RTP rate. This was seconded by Mr. Norris and approved unanimously. A copy of the Real Time Pricing schedule is included and made part of these minutes.
Mutual of Omaha Dental Rates – Ms. Seleb reported that there will no price increase on Mutual of Omaha Life, Accidental Death and Short Term Disability insurance plans. The price for dental increased by 5%. This rate is guaranteed for two years. A motion was made by Mr. Roberts to renew insurance with Mutual of Omaha for the February 2017-January 2019 period. This was seconded by Mr. Ford and approved unanimously. A copy of the renewal information and exhibits is included and made part of these minutes.
American Mutual Builders Workman’s Compensation Rates – Ms. Seleb presented the Board with a proposal from J. Smith Lanier and Company for workman’s compensation insurance from American Mutual Builders. The rate offered is a decrease of 1% more than 2016. A motion was made by Mr. Norris to use the plan proposed by J. Smith Lanier for calendar year 2017. This was seconded by Mr. Ford and approved unanimously. A copy of the proposal is included and made part of these minutes. Brownlee Road Engineering Revision and Other Approved Mains – Ms. Seleb requested the Board’s approval to obtain proposals from engineers for design modifications/bidding of the Brownlee Road water main and for design of other mains on the other roads planned for extensions and approved by the Board at the November 2016 meeting. A motion was made by Mr. Norris to request proposals for the engineering. This was seconded by Mr. Ford and approved unanimously.
Manager’s Report
Construction
East Ball Road Water Main – The Authority’s crew has installed 3000 feet of main on this project.
Greer Dairy Road – Design work is on hold until the surveyor can determine the road’s exact right of way and ownership.
Operations
Griffin Rate Change – Effective January 2017 The City of Griffin’s wholesale water rate will change from $5.01 to $4.82 per thousand gallons. The Authority purchases water from the City of Griffin to serve an isolated area of southwest Butts County. A copy of the City’s letter outlining the rate change is included and made part of these minutes.
Barnesville Water Sale – The City of Barnesville is buying 200,000 gallons of water a day from the Authority at its Chappell Mill Road connection because of the City’s low water supply reservoir level due to the drought.
University of Central Florida Water Assessment Study – The study to assess Authority’s source water, treatment processes, and distribution system will kick off December 14, 2016.
West Butts Tank- The tank has been drained to increase the chlorine level from the Stewart Water Treatment Plant.
Georgia Diagnostic Prison Well – The prison’s well is now online and producing an estimated 60,000 to 100,000 gallons a day. This reduces the daily purchase from the Authority by approximately thirty-percent.
Water and Sewer Statistics – Water and sewer pumping and billing numbers for the month of November 2016 were reviewed. The average daily finished water pumped in November to the Authority, Jackson and Jenkinsburg from Burford and Stewart plants was 2.4 million gallons per day, with a maximum of 3 million gallons per day. The rolling twelve-month average loss was 12.0% with the current month average loss of 2.4%. The total amount of finished water pumped in November by each plant was: Burford – 65 million gallons and Stewart – 5 million gallons.
Water billing for November 2016 was $253,774, up 2% from the previous month, and up 7% from November 2015. Sewer billing for November 2016 was $53,841, up 1% from the previous month, and up 5% from November 2015. Total water accounts numbered 5,487 at the end of November, with 4,991 active water customers. Two water taps were purchased on the existing system during the month of November. No new sewer connections were purchased during the month.
Financial Report – Ms. Seleb went over the financial summary for Water & Sewer Operations, and Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) for November 2016. Water operations income for November was $268,759 with expenses of $145,739. Water capital recovery fee revenue for the fiscal year thus far was $7,550, with interest expenses of $14,971 and debt service costs of $33,320 for the Sandy Creek loan.
Sewer Operations income for November was $56,069 with expenses of $42,251. Sewer Capital Recovery Fee revenue for the fiscal year thus far was $4,850 with no expenses. To date, $1,534,956 has been collected in 2013-19 SPLOST, with $813,709 expended.
Total cash on hand at the end of November 2016 was $8,877,469. This is $445,555 over the June 30, 2016 balance. Copies of the November 2016 financial summaries, combined fund balance sheets, and combined fund income statements are attached and made a part of these minutes.
Review Bills Paid – Board members were given copies of check register and credit card register reports for November for review.
Adjourn – A motion was made by Mr. Ford to adjourn the meeting at 6:36 p.m. This was seconded by Mr. Norris and approved unanimously.