|
|
|
|
BRUNSWICK SEWER DISTRICTBoard of Trustees Regular Monthly MeetingApproved Minutes 09 October 2007
Click here to return to the Board of Trustees page. Click here to return to the main page.
Call to Order, Notice of Meeting Advertised, Recorded, and Prepared Agenda The regular monthly meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Brunswick Sewer District was called to order by Chairperson Priest at 6:35 p.m. on Monday, 09 October 2007, in the conference room at District offices. Notice of the meeting was advertised in the 05 October 2007 edition of the Times Record. A prepared agenda was noted and the meeting was recorded. Members present: Chairperson Priest, Trustees Green, Savage, Boochever, and Schwindt. Others present: General Manager McVey, Assistant General Manager Blanchette, Finance Manager Nuttelman; Michael C. Wing, Human Resources Consulting (6:37 – 6:48 p.m.); Robert C. Brooks, Verrill Dana (7:32 – 8:10 p.m.); Debra Miller, camera operator. Trustee Appointment: Chairperson Priest welcomed newly appointed Trustee Peter Schwindt to the Board. Trustee Schwindt was appointed by Town Council at its 01 October 2007 meeting and has been sworn to office by the Town Clerk. Minutes of Previous Meeting(s) The Trustees reviewed minutes of the 10 September 2007 regular Board meeting. IT WAS MOVED BY TRUSTEE GREEN AND SECONDED BY TRUSTEE SAVAGE TO ACCEPT AS PRESENTED MINUTES OF THE 09 AUGUST 2007 REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES. TRUSTEES PRIEST, GREEN, SAVAGE, AND BOOCHEVER VOTED IN FAVOR; TRUSTEE SCHWINDT ABSTAINED. THE MOTION PASSED. Public Comment No members of the public were present. No public comment has been received. Election of Board Officers In keeping with provisions of the District Charter, the Trustees considered election to Board offices. IT WAS MOVED BY TRUSTEE SAVAGE, SECONDED BY TRUSTEE BOOCHEVER, AND UNANIMOUSLY VOTED BY THE TRUSTEES TO TABLE THE ITEM TO THE NEXT REGULAR BOARD MEETING. Administration of Executive Position Michael Wing, Human Resources Consultant, reviewed with the Trustees revisions to the form proposed for use in evaluating performance of the General Manager. In conducting the evaluation, forms will be completed by each of the Trustees and forwarded to the consultant for compilation. Results will be returned to the Board and a meeting between the Board and the General Manager will then be held to discuss indications of the evaluation. It was consensus of the Board that the process begin immediately, for conclusion in November. The Trustees thanked the consultant for his assistance, and he left the meeting at 6:48 p.m. Discussion of legal aspects of the question was deferred to later in the meetingTreasurer’s Report
Sludge Utilization: The 2007 program included four spreading events held from July through September, each of which went very well. Work with Woods End Laboratories of Mount Vernon, Maine, yielded significant improvements in control of odors that traditionally accompany spreading. The total amount of sludge landspread was reduced from that done in previous years, with significant quantities removed for composting or landfill, due to the nature of the sludge and the District’s desire to avoid activity on fields that have been the subject of complaint. The Town of Bowdoinham continues to have concern with the program, although no complaints were received by the District. District staff and the Farmer will meet in November to consider a 2008 program.
Total flow to the Treatment Plant for September of 2007 was 59.596 mg, down approximately 7% from the previous month. Flows of 8.5 and 5.2 mg for the month originated with Topsham and the Navy Base, respectively. Average daily flow for the period was 1.95 mgd, 51% of that allowed by permit. The maximum daily flow processed was 2.243 mg, which occurred on 12 September 2007. Rainfall for the month totaled 2.14 inches. Maximum daily rainfall received was 1.07 inches, which occurred on 11 September 2007. Unusually dry recent weather is reflected in system flows. Septage receiving for the period totaled 193,750 gallons, up 3% from the previous month. Removal rates for BOD and TSS for the period were 95.3% and 94.2% respectively, in compliance with the minimum 85% required for each parameter by permit. Seasonal disinfection continues without incident. A total of 192 cubic yards of sludge generated is being trucked for commercial composting. The Discharge Monitoring Report for the month noted no exceptions to permit limits. There were no flow bypasses or spills. All flow received full treatment, and all other permit requirements were met. Collection system maintenance for the month included cleaning 7,000 feet of mainline, CCTV of 2,938 feet of mainline, and adjustments of 13 sanitary maintenance hole frames and covers. Economic Adjustments The Trustees returned to their consideration of a new formula to calculate economic adjustments due to inflation. A new formula based on an averaged consumer price index was presented in both narrative and mathematical forms. IT WAS MOVED BY TRUSTEE BOOCHEVER AND SECONDED BY TRUSTEE SAVAGE THAT ANY ECONOMIC ADJUSTMENT TO WHICH THE DISTRICT IS A PARTY, AND FOR WHICH THE DISTRICT HAS THE AUTHORITY TO DETERMINE THE MEANS OF CALCULATION, SHALL BE CALCULATED USING THE FOLLOWING FORMULA: USING THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX FOR ALL URBAN CONSUMERS, DESIGNATED CPI‑U, FOR THE U.S. CITY AVERAGE, FOR ALL ITEMS, AS PUBLISHED BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS, THE ECONOMIC ADJUSTMENT SHALL BE CALCULATED AS THE AVERAGE OF THE TWELVE MOST RECENTLY PUBLISHED MONTHLY INDICES, FOR THE MONTHS OF NOVEMBER THROUGH OCTOBER (A), LESS THE AVERAGE OF THE TWELVE PUBLISHED MONTHLY INDICES FOR THE SAME PRECEDING PERIOD (B), DIVIDED BY (B), THEN MULTIPLIED BY 100. EXPRESSED MATHEMATICALLY, THE FORMULA IS
(A – B) TRUSTEES PRIEST, GREEN, SAVAGE, AND BOOCHEVER VOTED IN FAVOR; TRUSTEE SCHWINDT ABSTAINED. THE MOTION PASSED Maine State Retirement System Program Amendments The Trustees considered amendments to a program adoption agreement requested by the Maine Public Employees Retirement System (MainePERS), formerly known as the Maine State Retirement System. The Finance Manager observed that only provisions relating to Retirement System handling of unforeseen emergencies apply to the District, due to the types of plans offered by the District. The provision allows MainePERS to establish a policy to determine when an unforeseen emergency exists and, pursuant to that policy, to make distribution of System funds to an employee member of the System. IT WAS MOVED BY TRUSTEE SAVAGE, SECONDED BY TRUSTEE GREEN, AND UNANIMOUSLY VOTED BY THE TRUSTEES TO AUTHORIZE THE CHAIRPERSON TO EXECUTE ON BEHALF OF THE DISTRICT AMENDMENTS TO THE ADOPTION AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE MAINE PUBLIC EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT SYSTEM AND THE BRUNSWICK SEWER DISTRICT. Five-Year Comprehensive Financial Projection The Trustees reviewed a report on District operations for 2008 through 2012. The report is a projection based on a model, intended to provide a generalized look at the District’s financial future and the likely adequacy of the District’s user rates over time. Overall the model foresees a deficit of $181,000 at the end of 2012 operations. This amount is not considered prohibitive, given the number and scope of assumptions made in preparing the model. The projection draws from the five-year capital improvement plan, which includes a number of major projects whose cost would not typically be underwritten by operating income. Accordingly the model anticipates rate increases of 3%, 2%, 2%, and 4% in 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2012, respectively, use of financial reserves consistent with the purpose of the reserve account, and issuance of $700,000 in new debt in 2010. The projection will be considered more closely during review of the District’s user rates at a future Board meeting. Employee Service Recognition The Trustees considered a program to recognize terms of employee service to the District. Two alternatives were presented. Following discussion of the concept, details of each alternative, and projected cost to the District, IT WAS MOVED BY TRUSTEE GREEN, SECONDED BY TRUSTEE BOOCHEVER, AND UNANIMOUSLY VOTED BY THE TRUSTEES TO TABLE FURTHER CONSIDERATION OF AN EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION PROGRAM, PENDING PRESENTATION OF A REVISED ALTERNATIVE AT A FUTURE BOARD MEETING. Administration of Executive Position (continued) Robert C. Brooks, an attorney with Verrill Dana, reviewed with the Trustees details of employment law in Maine. He noted that employment in Maine is at-will. Possible forms of relationship include employee and independent contractor. Terms and conditions of employment are more clearly understood when they are specifically stated. This can take the form of either action by the Board or a written agreement. While a written employment agreement is not required by law, this form is generally used by larger organizations for positions of greater responsibility and discretionary authority. Principal advantages of a written agreement include specification of wages, benefits, and term of employment. At the conclusion of discussion, the Trustees thanked Attorney Brooks for his assistance, and he left the meeting at 8:10 p.m. Construction & Development Report The Assistant General Manager reviewed for the Trustees a report dated 02 October 2007. The report notes the location, type, and size of developments currently in progress in Brunswick, as well as their financial and flow impacts on the District. Schedule of Upcoming Meetings, Events, etc. It was consensus of the Trustees that future Board meetings be held in the evening, with a 6:30 p.m. starting time. The By-Laws will be reviewed for necessary changes. • Trustees Regular Tuesday 13 November 2007 6:30 p.m. • Annual Budget Monday 26 November 2007 6:30 p.m. • Trustees Regular Monday 10 December 2007 6:30 p.m.
Chairperson Priest thanked the Trustees for their assistance. Adjournment There being no further business before the Board, and on recommendation of the General Manager, IT WAS MOVED BY TRUSTEE SAVAGE, SECONDED BY TRUSTEE BOOCHEVER, AND UNANIMOUSLY VOTED BY THE TRUSTEES TO ADJOURN THE MEETING TO EXECUTIVE SESSION AT 8:18 P.M. TO DISCUSS A PERSONNEL MATTER UNDER PROVISIONS OF M.R.S.A. TITLE 1, CHAPTER 13.405.6.A. Following discussion of the matter, the executive session concluded at 10:30 p.m. No action was taken during the executive session, nor any consequent to it. Attest,
Emily L. Boochever Click here to return to top of document. Click here to return to the Board of Trustees page. Click here to return to the main page.
|
|
|
|