Call to Order – Chairman White called the meeting to order at 5:26 p.m. Board members present were J.B. White, Eddie Roberts, Eddie Ford and Harvey Norris. Staff members present were Alyssa D. Hopson, Deputy General Manager, Amber Eason, clerk to the board, Herbert Head,Water Production Superintendent & Land Application System Manager, Andre Thomas.
Approval of Minutes from November 20, 2020 Meeting – Mr. Roberts made a motion to dispense with the reading of, and to approve, the minutes from the November 17, 2020 meeting. This was seconded by Mr. Norris and approved unanimously.
Burford Water Treatment Plant Modifications- Ms. Hopson presented a cost estimate from Wiedeman and Singleton Engineers totaling $3,613,450. This cost is a 20% increase over the original design development report at $2,990,000. The reason for the increase are due to a break-room and lab extension, yard piping and paving, feed facilities redundancy, a raw water chemical feed building, a drain pump station, and the rise of material prices.
Mr. Head discussed top priorities needed for the Burford Water Plant. Mr. Roberts suggested the board review the design plans, along with the proposal prepared by Wiedeman and Singleton. Board members agreed to table this discussion for the March board meeting. Mr. Head exited the meeting at 5:40 pm.
Bucksnort LAS Pond Clean-out- Andre Thomas discussed the removal of sludge from one of the Land Application System ponds. Mr. Thomas reported the pond was last cleaned during the summer of 2014 for $15,000 not including additional cost for rental pumps. White advised Mr. Thomas to present bids at the March meeting. No action was taken.
Mr. Thomas exited the meeting at 6:00 pm.
Manager’s Report-
GA Power Easement – Ms. Hopson presented an easement request from Georgia Power at the Truck Stop Way Lift Station. Mr. White instructed Ms. Hopson to have a GA Power representative meet him onsite to discuss the easement.
Construction – Ms. Hopson reported the Authority’s crew has completed work on Fairfield Church Rd. The crew is expected to start construction on Walter Moore Rd soon.
Operations Statistics – Ms. Hopson went over the water production, water loss and customer statistics for January. The average daily finished water pumped to the Authority, Jackson and Jenkinsburg from Burford and Stewart plant was 2.07 million gallons per day, with a maximum of 2.40 million gallons per day. The rolling twelve-month average loss was 2.1% with the current monthly average loss at 2.3%. The total amount of finished water pumped in January by each plant was: Burford – 62 million gallons and Stewart – 3 million gallons.
Water billing for January was $259,858, up 3% from the previous month, up 9% over a rolling 12-month total, and up 10% the same month for the previous year. Sewer billing for January was $59,898, up 17% from the previous month, up 5% over a rolling 12-month total, and up 19% from the previous year.
Total water accounts numbered 5,911 at the end of January with 5,444 of those being active customers. There were 7 new connections and no subdivision connections sold . There were 196 total sewer accounts at the end of January, with 193 of those being active customers.
Financial Report – Ms. Hopson reviewed the financial summary for Water & Sewer Operations and Capital Recovery Fees for January 2021 and Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) through February 16, 2021.
Water Operations income for January was $296,837 with $103,696 in expenses. Water capital recovery fee revenue for Fiscal Year 2021 thus far was $47,327 with $0 in expenses.
Sewer Operations income for January was $60,694 with expenses of $22,251.
Sewer Capital Recovery Fee revenue for Fiscal Year 2021 thus far was $1,236 with $0 in expenses.
For the 2019-24 SPLOST, $676,356 has been collected. A SPLOST payment of $69,446 was received on February 02, 2021 . Overages in the 2019-24 SPLOST are being covered by temporary transfers from the Water Operations fund.
Total cash on hand at the end of January was $10,844,590. Copies of the January 2021 financial summaries, the consolidated fund balance sheet and the consolidated fund income statement are attached and made a part of these minutes.
Executive Session Begin – Motion by Mr. Roberts to adjourn into Executive Session to discuss real estate, seconded by Mr. Norris and approved unanimously.
Executive Session End – Motion by Mr. Roberts to return to the regular meeting, seconded by Mr. Norris and approved unanimously. No action was taken.
Adjourn – A motion was made by Mr. Norris to adjourn the meeting at 6:44 p.m. This was seconded by Mr. Roberts and approved unanimously.