Call to Order – Chairman White called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. Board members present were J. B. White, Harvey Norris, Eddie Roberts, Jr. & Eddie Ford; representing the accounting firm of Haisten and Johnston was Rae Johnston; also present were Marcie Seleb, general manager and Joyce Hosey, clerk to the Board.
Approval of Minutes from January 13, 2015 Meeting – Mr. Ford made a motion to dispense with the reading of the minutes from the January 13, 2015 meeting. This was seconded by Mr. Norris and approved unanimously.
Presentation of Fiscal Year (FY) 2014 Audit – Ms. Seleb reviewed a series of slides that illustrated the Authority’s finances, comparing the past year with historical trends. Rae Johnston gave an overview of the Financial Statements for FY 2014. Ms. Johnston excused herself from the meeting at 6:30 p.m. A copy of the audit is attached and made a part of these minutes.
Consider Joint Resolution Concerning HB 170 – Ms. Seleb explained how the HB 170, the 2015 Transportation Funding Bill, would affect Butts County and the Authority. In essence the bill would take sales tax off motor fuel sales, replacing it with a larger excise tax. Currently fuel sales provide 53% of Butts County’s sales tax income. This would be a loss of some $6 million per year for the local governments. Representatives of local governments and civic organizations are working together to lobby against the elimination of sales tax on motor fuels.
A motion was made by Mr. Ford to have Mr. White sign a joint resolution opposing the elimination of local sales taxes on motor fuels. This was seconded by Mr. Norris and approved unanimously. A copy of the joint resolution is attached and made a part of these minutes.
Manager’s Report
Construction Update
- Hwy. 16 E Sewer – The crew has almost finished the gravity sewer installation from Colwell Road to Great American Travel Center.
- Colwell Road Lift Station & Sewer – Everything has been tested and completed on the work done by Crawford Grading & Pipeline. The Authority crew will start on the force main next from I-75 back to Colwell Road. The SCADA connection for the lift station by J. K. Duren is still incomplete.
- West Butts Tank – Metal fabrication is underway with considerable progress made over the last two weeks. The Authority has been unable to pay the contractor due to required “Buy-American” material verifications not being provided to Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA) by the Caldwell Tank company.
- Emergency Pump Tie-Ins for Lift Stations – Materials have been purchased, and the crew is ready to install emergency pump tie-ins on Ready Pac and Truckstop Way Lift Stations.
- Nathan Thaxton Road Extension – The crossing permit from Dixie Pipeline has been received.
Operations
Water & Sewer Statistics – The average daily finished water pumped in January 2015 to the Authority, Jackson and Jenkinsburg from the Burford and Stewart plants was 2.2 million gallons per day, with a maximum of 2.7 million gallons per day. The rolling twelve-month average loss was 12.8% with the current month average loss of 9.1%. The total amount of finished water pumped in January 2015 by each plant was: Burford – 63 million gallons and Stewart – 6 million gallons.
Water billing for January 2015 was $238,971, up 6% from December 2014 and up 1% from January 2014. Sewer billing for January 2015 was $58,696, up 17% from December 2014 and down 2% from January 2014.
The average wastewater influent at the Bucksnort Ranch Land Application System was 297,000 gallons per day with an average daily effluent of 314,000 gallons per day and the maximum 7-day effluent was 371,000 gallons per day.
The total water accounts numbered 5,373, with 4,846 active water customers. There were no water taps sold during the month of January 2015, but one new subdivision meter fee was paid. Total sewer accounts numbered 143, with 139 active sewer customers. There were no sewer taps sold during the month of January 2015.
Retirement Questions – The Board approved formation of a committee to review the options for staff to purchase past years of service in the Butts County retirement plan. The committee members will be Eddie Ford, Rae Johnston, and Marcie Seleb.
Financial Report – Ms. Seleb went over the financial summary for Water & Sewer Operations, and Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) for January 2015. Water operations income was $247,696 and expenses were $194,959 for the month. Water capital recovery fee revenue for the fiscal year so far is $13,355, with interest expense of $3,264 and debt service of $44,384 paid on the Sandy Creek land loan.
Sewer operations income for January 2015 was $59,910, and expenses were $16,166. Sewer capital recovery fee revenue for the fiscal year thus far is $13,487, with no expenses.
To date, $3,448,308 in revenue has been received in 2007-12 Special Purpose Local Options Sales Tax (SPLOST 2007) funds with $124,643 remaining, all of which is budgeted to pay debt on the 2007 Bucksnort Ranch land application system (LAS) expansion. $860,375 has been collected in 2013-19 Special Purpose Local Options Sales Tax with $231,618 funds expended, all for Colwell lift & sewer project. A SPLOST distribution of $58, 273 was received on February 2, 2015.
Total cash on hand at the end of January 2015 was $7,448,740. This is $569,171 over the June 30, 2014 balances. Copies of 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 registers for January 2015 to review. Copies of these check registers are attached and made a a part of these minutes.
Adjourn – A motion was made by Mr. Ford to adjourn meeting at 7:15 p.m. This was seconded by Mr. Norris and approved unanimously.