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
January 26, 2004
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, January 26, 2004 starting at 10:00
a.m. Chairman Rod Spronk called the meeting to order with
Commissioners Mike Brunner, Ken Buysse, Earl DeWilde, Frank Engels, Jerry Lonneman, Charlie Simonson, Leonard
Swenson, Henry Van Dyke, Joe Weber, and Bill Ufkin present. Also present were 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 with minor rearrangement of topics.
Minutes:
M/S/P Ufkin/Swenson to approve the minutes of the December 29, 2003
Regular Board meeting.
Treasurer's Report:
M/S/P Lonneman/Swenson to approve the Treasurer’s report as presented.
Bills:
M/S/P Lonneman/Brunner to approve the following bills for payment:
· DeWild Grant Reckert and
Associates Company: NE Phase #38 = $18,893.85; General Services #31 = $524.00;
· McDonald, Gudmestad
& Schramel: General Legal Services = $1,565.10; Northeast Expansion = $1,156.12
· Eatherly Constructors, Inc.: NE Phase
Schedule 1B Mainline-Pay Estimate #14 = $32,434.20
· Ervin Well Co.: NE Phase Wells #9 site
work = $2,605.18
· Ervin Well Co.: NE Phase Wells #8, #9
& #10-Pay Estimate #4 = $75,331.70
· KHC Construction, Inc.: NE Phase Minneota
Booster-Pay Estimate #7 = $10,125.00
· US Bank: Nobles County GO Water System
Refunding Bond of 2003 = $184,463.79
· Energy Alternatives: Verdi Well Field Generator = $37,635.15
Attorney’s Report:
Dan McDonald was not in attendance due to weather conditions, but he
provided information that the counties were proceeding with the Board
appointments as recommended.
Engineer’s Report: No one from DGR attended due to the
weather, but they provided reports on the following items:
• Lynd Project: The
project is completed.
• Minneota Tower and Booster:
The Caldwell contract has been completed. Healy was directed to correspond with the City of Minneota
concerning letter on the water tower. The
KHC contract is complete and final payment will be made when O & M Manuals
are delivered.
• Green Valley Booster:
The project is completed.
• Schedule 1B Mainline:
The contractor has completed Section 1 work, and is working on Section 2
work.
• GIS/GPS: The
GIS/GPS mapping project has been approved by USDA-RD, and DGR is authorized to
proceed, but DGR will be asked to clarify some cost items at the February
meeting. M/S/P Ufkin/Buysse to approve
Amendment No. 2 to the DGR Engineering Agreement subject to explanation of the “Other”
category of expenses and RUS concurrence.
Commissioner Engels abstained.
Several questions were brought up but with no DGR representation there
were no satisfactory answers. M/S/P Ufkin/Buysse
to rescind the previous motion and to discuss the DGR Contract Amendment at the
February meeting. Commissioner Engels abstained.
• Burr WTP Improvements: The
Burr Water Treatment Plant improvements project has been authorized by the
Board subject to USDA-RD approval.
• Burr Wells: The Ervin Well Company contract is
completed, and the final Change Order No. 3 dealing with final quantity
adjustments was presented. M/S/P
Lonneman/Engels to approve final Change Order No. 3 dealing with final quantity
adjustments that reduces the contract price by $13,449.66.
Regional Water
Development:
• Adrian: The
test wells drilled in the last month were not successful, but an alternative
site has been identified. Evers is
working with the landowner to get permission to explore for water.
• Edgerton Well: Dakota
Chemical is working on a polyphosphate treatment proposal.
• Lewis & Clark: An
emergency Lewis & Clark interconnection between RCRW and Worthington is
being studied, and will proceed if the costs are reasonable.
• Dawson: Water
quality may be an issue, but meetings should be scheduled and advertised in
area towns.
The Board directed staff to discuss water
supply activities in the spring newsletter.
Director of Operations
Report: Don Evers reported on the following
items:
·
Don Drietz
and Don Evers discussed the purchase of 3 replacement pickups and a replacement
semi and trailer for the dump truck and trailer. The Board authorized staff to get quotes, but make purchases only
as cash flow allows.
·
Don Evers presented
information from Maguire Iron to inspect and clean the Hendricks and Ivanhoe
water towers for $1,350 each. M/S/P
Ufkin/Lonneman to hire Maguire Iron to inspect and clean the Hendricks and
Ivanhoe water towers for $1,350 each.
·
Evers
reported that the Burr lime removal project is complete except for some cleanup
work at the Burr WTP, and final payment will be made except for enough to
complete the cleanup work.
·
Evers
reported that water levels are declining at the Verdi well field, but they are
holding up well at the Holland well field.
Director of Finance and
Administration Report:
·
Healy reported
on a Vulnerability Assessment training session held in St. Cloud on January 20th,
and preparation of the LPRW Vulnerability Assessment will start with a meeting
with the consultants, TKDA on February 19th.
·
A summary
of 2003 system operations was presented for Board review. The annual meeting with the DNR and USDA-RD
is scheduled for February 24th, and issues concerning use of the
Prairie Coteau and system expansion will be discussed.
·
The 2004 IRS
mileage rate is $0.375.
·
A storage
building at the Minneota Tower site appears to be acceptable to USDA-RD if the
land can be acquired.
·
A
resolution authorizing the new officers and Directors to perform banking functions
was presented. M/S/P Van Dyke/Buysse to
authorize the officers, Don Evers and Dennis Healy to perform banking functions at First
Security Bank in Lake Benton.
·
MRWA
Conference attendance was discussed.
Chairman Rod Spronk proposed the following appointments and
the Board concurred:
Executive Committee: Per the approved “Committee Structure”
the four Board officers are automatically appointed: Rod Spronk (Chairman); Jerry Lonneman
(Vice-Chairman); Joe Weber (Secretary); and Bill Ufkin (Treasurer).
Personnel Committee: Proposed appointments are: Secretary, Joe Weber, Chairman; Frank Engels; and Henry Van Dyke.
Budget & Finance Committee:
Proposed appointments are: Treasurer, Bill Ufkin, Chairman; Charlie Simonson; Earl DeWilde; and Ken Buysse.
Water Resources and Equipment Committee: Proposed appointments are: Vice-Chairman, Jerry Lonneman, Chairman;
Leonard Swenson; and Mike Brunner.
Minnesota Rural Water Association, Board
Representative: Leonard Swenson; and Bill Ufkin as alternate representative.
Lewis and Clark Rural Water Board, and
the Minnesota Joint Powers Board in support of the Lewis and Clark Project: Don Evers is the current appointed
representative with Dennis Healy as alternate.
Southwest/West Central Service
Cooperative: Dennis Healy
Committee Reports: The following committee reports were
given:
Executive Committee: No report.
Water Resources and Equipment Committee: No report.
Personnel Committee: No report.
Budget & Finance Committee: No report.
Minnesota Rural Water Association, Board
Representative: No report.
Other: Evers reported that problems with the electronics
at Holland R.O. Units are being addressed.
Engels suggested and the Board agreed that the Water Resources and
Equipment Committee should meet to discuss rate structures and hookup costs for
various sizes of users.
Adjournment:
M/S/P Van Dyke/Engels to adjourn the meeting at 2:40 p.m. The next Regular Board meeting will be
Monday, February 23, 2004 at 10:00 a.m.
______________________________________________
Joe
Weber, Secretary