DeKalb Sanitary District Board Meeting Minutes
Meetings are held at 303 Hollister Avenue in DeKalb.
DeKalb Sanitary District
November 18, 2009
Minutes
Approved December 16, 2009
The November meeting of the DeKalb Sanitary District Board of Trustees was held at the office of the District at noon on Wednesday, November 18, 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 Wayne Fesler attended, as did Scott Trotter, P.E. and Mike Holland, P.E. of Trotter & Associates. Jamie Smirz, City of DeKalb Community Development Department and Jim Schneider attended the meeting. Cindy Capek, Executive Director of the DeKalb Park District and Lou Karrison of Sikich LLP, Certified Public Accountants attended for portions of the meeting.
President of the Board Collins called the meeting to order.
Trustee Collins noted that he would have to leave today's meeting no later than 3 pm. Trustee Struthers moved to approve the November agenda. Trustee Zar seconded. Motion carried.
Trustee Zar moved to approve the October minutes. Trustee Collins seconded. Motion carried.
Trustee Collins moved to approve the transfer of: $240,000.00 from the Revenue Fund to the O & M Fund; $6,756.38 from the Dedicated Tax IMRF Fund to the O & M Fund; $4,814.88 from the Dedicated Tax FICA Fund to the O & M Fund; $3,675.00 from the Dedicated Tax Audit Fund to the O & M Fund. Trustee Struthers seconded. Motion carried.
Trustee Collins moved to pay bills as presented and to approve the writing of the secondary meter refund checks at a later date in the amounts reviewed and approved by the Trustees at this meeting. Trustee Struthers seconded. Motion carried.
In Public Input and Communications, Cindy Capek, Executive Director of the DeKalb Park District informed the Board about the Park District's proposed aquatic center project. The Board thanked her for the presentation and expressed appreciation of the Park District's work and its spirit of cooperation with the DeKalb Sanitary District. There was no other public input.
Treasurer Fesler presented the Treasurer's Report in writing and discussed it with the Board.
Lou Karrison of Sikich LLP, reviewed the Audit Report for Fiscal Year 2008-2009 with the Trustees. Trustee Collins made a motion to approval the Audit for the Fiscal Year Ending April 30, 2009. Trustee Struthers seconded. Motion carried.
Trustee Collins reported on his meeting with Mike Weckerly of Morningstar Media about the community information brochure he is preparing for the District.
Mike Zima said the Cortland agreement having been signed, he will finish up the practical details such as a survey of contributing industries and verification of meter calibration.
There had been no requests for annexation or pre-annexation this month.
Scott Trotter deferred the Engineer's Report to the individual agenda items.
Mike Zima deferred the Plan Review until discussion of the individual agenda items concerning the NIU Chiller Plant and Shodeen's East Lincoln Highway Project.
Scott Trotter said that the construction start date on the Biosolids Rehabilitation Project was October 29, 2009. A Substantial Completion date of October 18, 2011 and a Final Completion Date of January 6, 2012 were established for Williams Brothers, the General Contractor. Mobilization is under way. The Board requested a Subcontractor List for review at the December meeting.
The sludge barn site was discussed and a possible alternate site reviewed. Mike Zima said that it would be acceptable from the District's standpoint. Scott Trotter said zoning is already in place at that site. Deliberation and discussion with the City of DeKalb is continuing.
Executive Change Order #2 which incorporates into the Biosolids Rehabilitation Project contract documents specific language regarding the Federal Davis-Bacon Wage Act Requirements was approved with a motion made by Trustee Collins, seconded by Trustee Struthers and carried.
As requested by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, Mike Zima had prepared a letter for the Board's signature itemizing the District's intent to comply with additional compliance items "Exhibit A, Item #8," which includes "applicable Federal funding certifications, non-discriminating statutes, regulations and environmental standards" as itemized in the letter. After review by the Trustees, Trustee Collins signed the letter on behalf of the District as President of the Board of Trustees.
Scott Trotter asked the Board, in order to expedite the District's submission of requests to the IEPA for loan money reimbursement, to approve Trustee Collins acting as sole approval agent and signer of the District's applications for payment. In this way the District's requests for loan money could be approved, signed and submitted to Springfield without waiting for a Board Meeting. Each of the Trustees concurred with this. [Note change to this item in the December 16, 2009 meeting.]
The Notice to Proceed with the Country Club Lift Station Project was issued to Williams Brothers, and they have begun site demolition and clearing in preparation for excavation for the proposed lift station. The Substantial Completion date is July 25, 2010 and the Final Completion Date is August 24, 2010. Executive Change Order #1 which incorporates into the contract documents specific language regarding the Federal Davis-Bacon Wage Act Requirements was approved with a motion made by Trustee Collins, seconded by Trustee Struthers and carried. Janice informed the Board of the high cost of the EPA required flood insurance. There were questions about the need for such an expenditure because the only area subject to flooding contains only piping. Scott Trotter will investigate the requirements.
Construction has been completed on the West Lincoln Highway Sanitary Sewer Improvements. Trustee Collins moved to approve Change Order #1 for quantity adjustments and additional work resulting in a $1,801.78 deduct. Trustee Struthers seconded. Motion carried. Mike Holland presented Elliott and Wood's Pay Request #1 for $192,094.27. Ten percent is being retained pending the receipt of further documentation from one subcontractor. Trustee Collins moved to approve the pay request. Trustee Struthers seconded. Motion carried.
Change Order #1 for an increased cost of $53,482.85 for quantity adjustments and additional work done on the 2009 Spot Repair Project was reviewed by the Board, but action was deferred until they have been provided with a more detailed summary noting what specific work was done and who approved it. Elliott and Wood had also submitted their Pay Request #1 for $126,019.07, and action on that was also deferred.
The 2009 Lining Project having been completed by Visu-Sewer Inc., Mike Holland presented Change Order #2, a $1,640.13 deduction to account for quantity adjustments. Trustee Collins moved to approve the change order. Trustee Struthers seconded. Motion carried. Visu-Sewer submitted their Final Pay Request for the amount of $10,887.24. Trustee Collins moved to approve it. Trustee Struthers seconded. Motion carried.
The Locust Street Sanitary Improvements Project has been completed. Change Order #4 which is a deduction of $193.30 for quantity adjustments and the placement of topsoil without seed was approved in a motion by Trustee Collins that was seconded by Trustee Zar. Motion carried. Trotter & Associates recommended payment of Elliott & Wood's Pay Request No. 2 in the amount of $10,998.24, and that was approved in a motion by Trustee Collins, seconded by Trustee Zar, and carried.
The Board asked Trotter & Associates to express in writing the Trustees' dissatisfaction with Visu-Sewer's not accepting responsibility for and correcting a sewer obstruction apparently caused by Visu-Sewer. District staff discovered and has since removed the obstruction, which could have created problems in the public line.
Mike Zima and Steve Olsen presented information concerning the Permanent Flow Monitoring Project. The Trustees asked Scott Trotter and Mike Zima to put together a five-page statement of goals, objectives, methods and measuring criteria for this long-term (20 to 30 year) project.
Trustee Collins moved and Trustee Struthers seconded a motion to accept an Engineering Agreement with Trotter & Associates for a Spring 2010 Moraine Terrace Sanitary Sewer Improvements Project. The hope is to go to bid in February 2010.
Mike Zima recommended the District's approval of IEPA Sewer Construction Permits for the Northern Illinois University Chiller Plant. He said an agreement has been reached as to the rate of discharge that is acceptable to the District.
IEPA Sewer Construction Permits for the Shodeen East Lincoln Project were also signed by the District. Mike Zima reminded the Board that the District has agreed to some cost-sharing for upsizing of sewers there.
The Board deferred discussion of Ordinance No. 464 – Connection Fees.
The Trustees reviewed information presented by Mike Zima and by Trustee Struthers on current revenues and costs, recalculation of projected costs based on reduced interest expense due to the receipt of federal stimulus money, and the pros and cons of paying off existing loans early. All of the Trustees expressed their desire to be sensitive to user's financial concerns while still fulfilling the Board's function to responsibly plan for the future of the District. Consideration of an Ordinance to enact the twenty cents per 748 gallons user fee increase recommended by District Administrators will be undertaken by the Board at its December meeting.
Janice Tripp, Assistant Manager Administration presented recommendations to the Board concerning the Tax Levy, and the Board directed preparation of an Ordinance to be considered for passage at the December meeting.
The Board stated it will consider an adjustment to the tax abatement after review of actions the City of DeKalb may take.
Janice informed the Board of the 2010 increase in employees' Major Medical Insurance premiums.
Discussion of the District Manager Search was brought forward into the public portion of the meeting, and the proposals received from Executive Search firms were reviewed. Trustee Struthers moved to retain Voorhees Associates LLC of Deerfield, Illinois. Trustee Zar seconded. Motion carried.
Trustee Collins left the meeting. Trustee Struthers took over direction of the meeting.
Janice updated on repairs in progress on the District's property at 1109 Sycamore Road. A renter will be sought after repairs have been completed.
Janice Tripp reviewed four Catastrophic Loss Relief Claims forwarded from the City of DeKalb Finance Department. She said each of the claims did meet City/District policy requirements. Trustee Struthers moved and Trustee Zar seconded a motion to approve the Catastrophic Loss Relief claims of: Paul Whitney of 1102 South 9th Street for a $93.00 loss caused by a leaking toilet; Victoria Aburto of 1705 Prather Lane for a $343.20 loss due to a malfunctioning water-powered sump pump; Walter Owens of 243 Greenwood North for $105.60 for a loss due to a water-softener malfunction; and Scott Barker of 733 North 9th Street for a $112.80 loss from a leaking toilet. The motion carried.
In New Business, Mike Zima reported on the Laboratory’s perfect score on the DMR-QA26 test for 2009.
Mike recommended that the Board retain McMahon Engineering to complete the work begun by them during the Pretreatment Program Rehabilitation Project when they helped the District update the Pretreatment Portion of its Sewer Use Ordinance, and have them complete the updating of the rest of the Ordinance. The Board agreed to consider this at the December meeting.
Janice Tripp reviewed Holiday Luncheon plans with the Board.
Trustee Struthers moved to adjourn the meeting. Trustee Zar seconded. Motion carried.
Trustee Struthers adjourned the meeting.
Timothy A. Struthers, Vice President