DeKalb Sanitary District Board Meeting Minutes
Meetings are held at 303 Hollister Avenue in DeKalb.
DeKalb Sanitary District
May 20, 2009
Minutes
Approved June 17, 2009
The May meeting of the DeKalb Sanitary District Board of Trustees was held at the office of the District at noon on Wednesday, May 20, 2009. 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 Mike Holland, P.E. of Trotter & Associates. Dave Zajicek and Gary Gustafson attended a portion the meeting representing DeKalb Community School District #428. Jim Schneider attended the meeting.
President of the Board Collins called the meeting to order.
Trustee Struthers moved to approve the May agenda with the change that Item #11 Annexations and Pre-Annexations be moved forward in the agenda to follow approval of the April minutes. Trustee Zar seconded. Motion carried.
Trustee Collins moved to approve the April minutes. Trustee Zar seconded. Motion carried.
Trustee Collins reiterated the District's concern that the School District's project not be held up by a failure to complete the necessary steps to obtaining IEPA sewer construction permits. Mike Zima has reviewed the on-site plans and suggested revisions. The Sanitary District will sign IEPA sewer construction permit applications after those have been made and Plan Review & Administration Fees paid. The separate off-site sewer project will require separate IEPA permits, Plan Review & Administration Fees, and review process. Mike is working with the School District's other engineering firm on these. Connection fees for the School District facility will need to be paid at the initiation of building construction. The School District having presented the necessary petition, plats and administrative fees for the annexation of a total of 88.2 acres of land for the new high school site, Trustee Collins moved to approve Annexation #225 Ordinance #522 annexing the site to the DeKalb Sanitary District, and paying the annexation fee of $251,730.00 ($3,000 per acre based on the net acreage of 83.91 acres which does not include 4.29 acres of ROW) out of the District's Public Benefit Fund. Trustee Struthers seconded. Motion carried.
Trustee Zar moved to approve the transfer of $265,000.00 from the Revenue Fund to the O & M Fund; $1,000.00 from the Public Benefit Fund to the O & M Fund; $251,730.00 from the Public Benefit Fund to the Capital Fund; $5,970.07 from the Dedicated Tax IMRF Fund to the O & M Fund and $4,275.74 from the Dedicated Tax FICA Fund to the O & M Fund. Trustee Struthers seconded. Motion carried.
Trustee Struthers moved to approve bills as presented. Trustee Zar seconded. Motion carried.
Trustee Struthers moved that officers for the 2009-2010 Fiscal Year be Dennis Collins as President, Timothy Struthers as Vice President, Carol Zar as Clerk and Janice Tripp as Assistant Clerk. Trustee Zar seconded. Motion carried.
In Public Input and Communications, Janice Tripp relayed the DeKalb County Economic Development Committee's request for a donation. Trustee Zar moved and Trustee Struthers seconded a donation of $1,000 to be transferred from the Public Benefit Fund to the O & M fund and sent for donation to the DeKalb Economic Development Corporation in response to their request. Trustee Struthers noted that he is no longer a member of the Board of that organization. Trustee Collins abstained from voting. Motion carried.
Treasurer Stokke gave the Treasurer's Report and he and the Board discussed length of term for investments.
The Board reviewed the most qualified of the candidates applying to fill Treasurer Stokke's position at his retirement. After discussion, they agreed on the candidate that Trustee Collins should contact and offer the position effective in June. That would allow a two month overlap while Mr. Stokke participates in the 2008-2009 audit before Treasurer Stokke resigns on August 1, 2009. The Board will consider the formal appointment at next month's meeting.
In Plan Review, Mike Zima discussed the impact of NIU's new chiller plant on the 8-inch Garden Street sewer to which they plan to connect. DeKalb Sanitary District was not consulted prior to construction. He will review capacity issues and contact Northern Illinois University concerning that and the necessary Plan Review & Administration Fees and Connection Fees.
The public hearing on the District proposed 2009-2010 Fiscal Year Budget was held at 1 p.m. Jim Schneider raised questions about why two additional staff had been budgeted for, why the budget had increased so much over last year and the impact of the District's building on property taxes. He received answers and explanations from Mike Zima and Janice Tripp who told him that the District relies on its staff to do more work formerly allotted to outside contractors and is budgeting for capital improvements projects for which it expects to receive both federal stimulus and IEPA low interest loan funds, and that the District does not fund capital projects from property taxes. Trustee Struthers presented a review of budgets for the past five years and discussed planned capital projects. After discussion the Board agreed that if it is possible to do so, it wants to apply for federal stimulus funding for design phase engineering on the Biosolids Rehabilitation Project and instructed Scott Trotter to ask the IEPA about this possibility. There was no further public input. Trustee Collins moved to close the public hearing. Trustee Struthers seconded. Motion carried.
Trustee Struthers moved and Trustee Zar seconded approval of Ordinance # 521, "AN ORDINANCE MAKING APPROPRIATION FOR CORPORATE PURPOSES OF THE DEKALB SANITARY DISTRICT FOR THE FISCAL YEAR OF SAID DISTRICT, FROM MAY 1, 2009 TO APRIL 30, 2010 INCLUSIVE." Motion carried.
Mike Zima explained the visit he had from representatives of the Town of Cortland asking that the DeKalb Sanitary District accept sewage from only the Pine Street Lift Station. They say that heavy rains and high ground water tables have prohibited their ground application of sewage effluent and their storage capacity has nearly been reached. After discussion, the Board expressed its concern for the citizens of Cortland and the environmental impact of a sewage spill there. Keith Foster said the old agreement between the two communities was rescinded by the Town of Cortland's forming their own Facilities Planning Area and their cessation of wastewater discharge to the DeKalb Sanitary District on August 28, 2007. The Board regretted that the inaction of Cortland representatives has resulted in no new agreement having been signed by the two communities yet despite the District's continued attempts to get it done. A new agreement will have to be reached before the District can begin to accept Cortland's flow. Since no representatives from the Town of Cortland came to the meeting today despite having been invited to do so, the Board instructed Keith Foster to contact their Attorney and urge them to cooperate with formalizing the new agreement quickly.
In the Engineer's Report, Scott Trotter updated the Board on loan status issues. Trustee Collins moved for approval of Ordinance #523, "AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING LOAN AGREEMENT." Trustee Zar seconded. Motion carried.
Mike said that the City of DeKalb has committed to addressing illegal sanitary to storm connections discovered downtown and agreed to take responsibility for getting them properly rerouted.
The DeKalb Sanitary District Facility Plan was approved by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency in a letter dated May 8, 2009 and received by the District.
The Biosolids Rehabilitation and Improvements project Engineering Design Phase is 95% complete according to Scott Trotter. He thinks the District will receive an IEPA Construction Permit and letter of commitment by June 15th.
The Biosolids Rehabilitation and Improvements project Engineering Design Phase is 95% complete according to Scott Trotter. He thinks the District will receive an IEPA Construction Permit and letter of commitment by June 15th.
The Country Club Lift Station Project has been permitted by the IEPA and the City of DeKalb permit has been applied for. There will be an engineering contract addendum required. Timing of bidding and construction start was discussed. The District has already met with the Park District regarding impact on Buena Vista Golf Course operations.
Trotter and Associates recommended awarding the West Lincoln Highway Sewer Replacement Project to the lowest of the three bidders, Elliott & Wood Construction of DeKalb. Trustee Collins moved to sign the Notice of Award. Trustee Struthers seconded. Motion carried and the Notice of Award was issued.
A preconstruction meeting was held with Elliott & Wood for the 2009 Spot Repair Project. Wet weather is slowing progress on the backyard portions of this project. Repairs that need to be done in City streets will be coordinated with other street repairs slated by the City.
Trustee Struthers moved to issue the Notice to Proceed with the 2009 Lining Project to Visu-Sewer. Trustee Collins seconded. Motion carried.
The 2009 Chemical Grout of Service Connections bid was extended to June 2, 2009 in order to allow contractors time to review the District's SSES DVDs of the job sites.
Steve Olsen said that the new flow monitors for the Permanent Flow Monitoring Project should be installed next week.
There have been no new developments as to the Infiltration and Inflow Reduction Plan (Private Laterals Program) this month.
Mike Zima says the Pretreatment Program Update Project is awaiting a response from the USEPA on the District's submission.
Mike says the City of DeKalb has not yet responded to his latest communication on the Moraine Terrace tree issue.
Keith Foster says Eagle Homes has not responded to the judgment against them.
Jan and Mike presented Mrs. Clara Nieman's request for consideration of a reduction of the flat rate used by the District to bill those residences served by sanitary sewer but having a well as their water source. They reviewed the history of the decision to charge a flat rate rather than having sewage meters installed and the process by which the flat rate was calculated. Janice said that Mrs. Nieman's situation of only one or two persons in the residence instead of the planned for three or four was common throughout the 35 accounts billed in this manner and Janice and Mike recommended a reduction of the number of units used to calculate the flat rate from 30 to 19. The Board directed Keith Foster to prepare an amending ordinance reducing the number of units to 20 for consideration at next month's meeting.
Trustee Collins moved to approve the Catastrophic Loss Claims of Kristy Ausloos of 812 Leonard and Andrea Jackson of 1027 State Street. Both of them had water loss due to defective toilets. Trustee Zar seconded. Motion carried.
In New Business Trustee Collins thanked Trustee Struthers for taking the lead on the search for a new Treasurer and Trustee Zar for her work on developing a job description for the position that will be vacated by Janice Tripp upon her retirement in December 2009. As Mike Zima says he will also be retiring next year, Scott Trotter was asked to begin development of a job description for that position.
With a motion made by Trustee Collins and seconded by Trustee Struthers and carried, the Board continued the May meeting until noon on June 5, 2009 for the purpose of awarding the 2009 Sewer Grouting Project, issuance of the Notice to Proceed for the West Lincoln Highway Project, and consideration of construction engineering addenda as per IEPA requirements.
DeKalb Sanitary District
June 5, 2009
Board Meeting Minutes
Approved June 17, 2009
The May meeting of the DeKalb Sanitary District Board of Trustees had been continued until noon on June 5, 2009 for the purpose of awarding the 2009 Sewer Grouting Project, the Notice to Proceed for the West Lincoln Highway Project, and consideration of construction engineering addenda as per IEPA requirements. On June 5, 2009 at noon Trustees Collins and Zar were in attendance. Mike Zima, District Manager; Janice Tripp, Assistant Manager Administration; and Betty Jones, Secretary were present. Scott Trotter and Mike Holland of Trotter and Associates also attended.
Mike Holland presented the results of the June 2, 2009 bid opening for the 2009 Chemical Grout of Service Connections Project. He presented TAI's letter of recommendation for the bid to be awarded to the lower of the two bidders, Visu-Sewer of Pewaukee, Wisconsin. Trustee Collins moved to issue the Notice of Award to Visu-Sewer. Trustee Zar seconded. Motion carried.
Janice Tripp informed the Trustees that all insurance and bonding information for the West Lincoln Highway Sewer Replacement Project has been presented by Elliott & Wood , Inc. and is acceptable. Trustee Zar moved to issue the Notice to Proceed. Trustee Collins seconded. Motion carried.
Trustee Zar moved to issue Addendum #1 Country Club Lift Station Improvements which is an addition of bidding, resident engineer and construction services to the Country Club Lift Station portion of the project at a cost of $14,000 bidding phase and $130,000 (estimated) construction engineering services. Trustee Collins seconded. Motion carried.
Trustee Collins moved to issue Addendum #2 to the Biosolids Rehabilitation and Improvements Project which is an addition of resident engineering services to the main project at a cost not to exceed 3% of the construction contract. Trustee Zar seconded. Motion carried.
Trustee Zar moved to adjourn the meeting. Trustee Collins seconded. Motion carried. Trustee Collins adjourned the meeting.
Dennis J. Collins, President