DeKalb Sanitary District Board Meeting Minutes
Meetings are held at 303 Hollister Avenue in DeKalb.
DeKalb Sanitary District
November 19, 2008
Minutes
Approved December 10, 2008
The November meeting of the DeKalb Sanitary District Board of Trustees was held at the office of the District at noon on Wednesday, November 19, 2008. In attendance were Trustees Dennis Collins, Tim Struthers and Carol Zar. Michael Zima, District Manager; Janice Tripp, Assistant Manager Administration; Steve Olsen, Plant Foreman; and Betty Jones, Secretary were present. Attorney for the District Keith Foster and District Treasurer Richard Stokke attended, as did Scott Trotter, P.E. and Mark Eddington, P.E. of Trotter & Associates.
President of the Board Collins called the meeting to order.
Trustee Collins moved to approve the November agenda. Trustee Zar seconded. Motion carried.
Trustee Zar made a motion to approve the October minutes. Trustee Struthers seconded. Motion carried.
Janice Tripp, Assistant Manager Administration explained the purpose of the transfers. Trustee Struthers moved to approve the transfer of: $465,000.00 to the O & M Fund for Operations from the Revenue Fund; $10,358.01 to the O & M Fund from the Dedicated Tax - IMRF Account; $7,402.91 to the O & M Fund from the Dedicated Tax - FICA Account. Trustee Collins seconded. Motion carried.
During the review of the bills the Trustees asked Scott Trotter to give them notice before the fact whenever the firm’s billing practices might differ from customary, and Scott agreed. The bills as presented were approved in a motion made by Trustee Collins and seconded by Trustee Zar. Motion carried.
There were no members of the public present for Public Input and Communications, but the Trustees discussed with Scott Trotter a letter received from TAI about billing issues and Mike Zima provided the Trustees with the letter received from an attorney requesting the District’s financial participation in required repairs to 502 West Lincoln’s service lateral after a water main was installed in conflict with it. The Trustees reviewed their December 18, 2007 decision that the repair of the service lateral was the responsibility of the contractor who installed the water main. They found that decision still valid, and asked Keith Foster to so inform the attorney.
Treasurer Stokke gave the Treasurer’s Report and discussed investment policies with the Trustees.
Janice explained DeKalb County’s deductions from the District’s tax revenues because of DSD’s participation in the City of DeKalb’s decreasing term tax abatement business incentive program. She presented suggestions for the coming year’s tax levy, which the Trustees will vote on at the December meeting.
Trustee Zar moved to approve Resolution #2008-11-19-01 for Tax Abatement for 3M at 1211 Fairview Road. Trustee Struthers seconded. Motion carried.
Mike Zima, District Manager, said that no annexations or pre-annexations have been requested this month.
Scott Trotter presented the Engineer’s Report in writing and deferred discussion to the individual items later in the agenda.
Mike Zima presented the Site Plan for the new high school and asked the Board’s direction on annexation and connection fees for the facility. Trustee Collins moved to use public benefit funds to pay the annexation fee on behalf of District #428. Trustee Zar seconded. Motion carried, and Attorney Foster was asked to prepare a resolution for the December 2008 meeting. The Board said that they consider connection fees to be a different issue, and asked Mike Zima to bring to a future meeting his calculations of the expected increase in water usage.
The Facilities Plan is still being reviewed by the IEPA.
Scott says the conceptual design of the Biosolids Rehabilitation and Improvements has been recommended for approval by the permit section at the Illinois EPA and the loan application will be submitted soon.
The Lions Park Lift Station project is completed except for submission of paperwork. TAI approved Pay Request Number 11 in the amount of $142,047.80. This leaves a 5% retainage of the total contract value. Liquidated damages continue to accrue.
Mike says Wagner has about half of the Knollwood Improvements project completed.
2008 Country Club Lift Station Improvements design drawings have been submitted to the IEPA by Trotter & Associates. Trustee Struthers moved to adopt Resolution 2008-11-19-02 for funding the project with local funds. Trustee Zar seconded. Motion carried. Janice raised the issue of available funds, given the District’s intention to do two major projects (Digester and Country Club Lift Station improvements) and a large lining project soon. Trustee Struthers asked Janice to prepare a cash flow chart for the December meeting. Scott Trotter agreed to supply her with cost estimates.
Scott said there have been no engineering developments with the Permanent Flow Monitoring or Infiltration and Inflow Reduction projects.
Mike Zima said that the Moraine Terrace issue will be addressed in a December 4, 2008 meeting he has scheduled with representatives of the City of DeKalb.
Mike met with engineers for the Town of Cortland and toured their waste water treatment facility. They discussed the status of the new facilities and the physics of Cortland pumping back to DSD in an emergency. The new intergovernmental agreement is still pending.
Keith Foster expects a judgment in early December in the Eagle Homes litigation.
Mike will be meeting with City Manager Biernacki the first week in December to discuss downtown infrastructure TIF funds.
Mike supplied the Trustees with the letter received from the Environmental Protection Agency consequent to their September 2007 audit of DSD’s Pretreatment Program. Mike Zima and Steve Suddeth (Pretreatment Coordinator) recommend retaining a consultant to help the District update and improve the pretreatment program as well as become compliant with regulations. Mike is preparing a summary of the response required with the time deadlines.
USA Zabiha Halal has submitted an application for an Industrial User Permit. They want to use the former Cavel plant for animal slaughter. They would also restore the pretreatment facilities Cavel was using before they shut down. Mike said the parameters of their discharge would not differ much from those of Cavel International except that they expect to process fewer animals. He will have Keith Foster review a draft discharge permit.
Janice asked the Board’s permission to proceed with purchase of computers for the control room (SCADA upgrade), TV truck (PipeVision upgrade), JULIE computer, and new computers for Betty and Janice as well as purchasing a server, rewiring part the network and supplying a computer to Steve Olsen’s office. Mike has a newer computer so would only require software upgrades. She would also change the District’s DSL provider. She is expecting more quotes but would need to act soon to avoid expiration of software licensing on the PipeVision upgrade. Trustee Collins moved to approve her proceeding with purchases within budget limitations. Trustee Struthers seconded. Motion carried.
Janice said that most of the District’s employees have taken advantage of the District Influenza Prevention Program this fall.
Janice updated the Board on the financial status and current and possible future rate for the District IMRF program.
Janice is working with the District’s insurance company to line up Workman’s Compensation insurance for the coming year. Property Insurance might be changed as well. Quotes are still being received.
Trustee Struthers moved to approve the Catastrophic Loss Relief requests of Brittany Racine of 2435 Alpha Court, Marilyn Sjoholm of 223 Gurler, and Ryan Marino of 341 Manning Drive. All did meet the policy requirements. Trustee Zar seconded. Motion carried.
Trustee Collins moved to change the date of the December Board of Trustees Meeting from December 17 to December 10, 2008 to accommodate some scheduling problems. Trustee Struthers seconded. Motion carried. The District’s Holiday Luncheon will be held on December 17.
In New Business, Janice raised the issue of the need to review the Fiscal Year 2008-2009 Budget line items for Engineering. The Trustees agreed, and will review the budget at the December 2008 meeting.
Janice raised the issue of revenues not having met expectations. The Board asked that a comparison of the last three year’s revenues be brought to the December 2008 meeting for review along with the Facilities Plan section that deals with User Fees. They will consider whether a User Fee increase will be necessary in the coming year.
Trustee Collins moved to go into Executive Session to address personnel issues. Trustee Struthers seconded, and the motion carried. The Board went into Executive Session.
After the Board returned from Executive Session, Trustee Collins moved and Trustee Struthers seconded a motion to adjourn the meeting. Motion carried. Trustee Collins adjourned the meeting.
Trustee Collins adjourned the meeting.
Dennis J. Collins, President