LINCOLN PIPESTONE RURAL WATER SYSTEM

East Highway 14, P.O. Box 188, Lake Benton, MN 56149

                (507) 368-4248 or (800) 462-0309                 fax (507) 368-4573                                  email:  lprw@itctel.com

 

 

 

 

MEETING MINUTES

August 25, 2003

 

 

The regular scheduled meeting of the Lincoln Pipestone Rural Water (LPRW) System Board of Commissioners was held at the LPRW office in Lake Benton on Monday, August 25, 2003 starting at 6:00 p.m.  Chairman Frank Engels called the meeting to order with Commissioners Ken Buysse, Earl DeWilde, Charlie Simonson, Rod Spronk, Leonard Swenson, Henry Van Dyke, Joe Weber, and Bill Ufkin present. Commissioner Jerry Lonneman was absent. Also present were LPRW Attorney, Dan McDonald; DGR Engineer, John Madden; Field Superintendents, Don Drietz and Tom Muller; Director of Finance and Administration, Dennis Healy; and Director of Operations, Don Evers.

 

Agenda:  The Agenda was approved as presented.

 

Minutes:  M/S/P Ufkin/Van Dyke to approve the minutes of the July 28, 2003 Regular Board meeting.

 

Treasurer's Report:  M/S/P Buysse/Swenson to approve the Treasurer’s report as presented.

 

Bills:  M/S/P Weber/Simonson to approve the following bills for payment:

·   DeWild Grant Reckert and Associates Company: Minneota Tower #36 = $1,695.09; NE Phase #33 = $14,606.15; Lynd Area #32 = $773.00; General Services #29 = $156.00

·   McDonald, Gudmestad & Schramel: General Legal Services = $868.87; Northeast Expansion = $140.00

·   Eatherly Constructors, Inc.: NE Phase Schedule 1B Mainline-Pay Estimate #10 = $279,061.68

·   Caldwell Tanks, Inc.: NE Phase Minneota Tower-Pay Estimate #7 = $35,625.00

·   Robert L. Carr Co.: NE Phase Green Valley Booster-Pay Estimate #1 = $11,875.00

 

Attorney’s Report:  Appointment of a new Board member from the Northeast Expansion area was discussed, and Search Committee recommendations were reviewed.  Dan McDonald reviewed appointment procedures with the Board.  The Board instructed Healy to send letters to the list prepared by the Search Committee to invite them to submit a letter of application if they are interested in the appointment.

 

Engineer’s Report:  John Madden reported on the following items:

 

•  Schedule 1B Mainline:  The contractor is installing services, and  people are beginning to receive water.  M/S/P Van Dyke/Simonson to approve, subject to USDA-RD concurrence, Change Order #6 increasing the Eatherly Contract by $31,771.00 for the Burr Well pipeline and mag meters at Hazel Run and Echo.

 

•  Green Valley Booster:  Work has started on the project, and the booster should be delivered in October.

 

•   Burr Wells:  The Ervin Well Company is ready to start work pending final approval by MDH.  M/S/P Weber/Swenson to approve, subject to USDA-RD concurrence, Change Order #1 increasing the Ervin Well Company Contract by $34,123.74 for stainless steel drop pipe in wells 8, 9 & 10.

 

•  Lynd Project:  The Project is complete except for some minor cleanup and paperwork.

 

•  Minneota Tower and Booster:  Painting of the tower should be completed by mid-September.  KHC is taking care of paint problems for the booster station portion of the project.

 

•   Burr WTP Improvement: The preliminary engineering report for the project is being prepared.

 

 

Regional Water Development:

 

•  Adrian:  Jerry Lonneman and LPRW staff met with a landowner in the Adrian area to discuss purchase of a well site, and the landowner is reviewing our offer.

 

•  Edgerton Well:  The well is not being used now, and treatment options to deal with iron problems are being reviewed.

 

•   City of Dawson:  The Board decided to begin feasibility studies this winter.

 

 

Director of Operations Report:

·   Don Evers reported that Lewis & Clark groundbreaking was successful, and work has begun on the project.

·   M/S/P Weber/Ufkin to authorize Energy Alternatives to proceed with design and installation of a standby generator at the Verdi Well Field based on their estimated cost of $83,000.

·   Don Drietz reported that operations were going smoothly, and pipeline relocation is being done as part of a highway project near Minneota.

·   Tom Muller reported that Jeff Dale of MRWA did pressure testing at Woodstock and LPRW pressure were found to be good, but some valves in town were partially closed resulting in some pressure problems.

 

Director of Finance and Administration Report:

·   The Minnesota Senate Bonding Committee will be meeting in Luverne on September 9th and Board members are encouraged to attend if possible.

·   A summary of hookups in the Northeast Phase Expansion Project was presented for Board review.

·   Health Insurance costs are scheduled to increase by 6.7% in 2004.  This is the lowest increase in our group.

·   Healy reported that the cost of DNR Stream Crossing Permits has increased from $40 to $500 per crossing.  For the Northeast Phase that would have increased the project cost from approximately $2,000 to approximately $25,000.  The Board directed Healy to pass this information on to our elected representatives.

 

Committee Reports: The following committee reports were given:

Executive Committee: No report.

Budget & Finance Committee: The Committee will meet before the next Board meeting if possible.

Personnel Committee: The Committee will meet at 6:00 p.m. on September 11th at the LPRW office.

Search Committee: The Committee met at the Corner Café in Taunton at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, August 13th

Water Resources and Equipment Committee: No report.

Minnesota Rural Water Association, Board Representative:  Leonard Swenson reported on the last MRWA meeting.

 

Adjournment:  M/S/P Swenson/Weber to adjourn the meeting at 9:30 p.m.  The next Regular Board meeting will be Monday, September 29, 2003 at 6:00 p.m.

 

 

 

 

                                                                                     ______________________________________________

                                                                                                Rod Spronk, Secretary