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

March 29, 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, March 29, 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, Charlie Simonson, Leonard Swenson, Joe Weber, Jerry Lonneman, Henry Van Dyke, and Bill Ufkin present.  Also present were Board Attorneys, Dan McDonald and Ron Schramel; DGR Engineers John Madden and Darin Schriever; Matt Taubert from Meulebroeck, Taubert & Co., PLLP; Troy Larson from Lewis & Clark Rural Water System; 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 the addition of the Audit Report at 10:30 a.m. and the Lewis & Clark Rural Water System report at 11:00 a.m.

 

 

Minutes:  M/S/P Ufkin/Lonneman to approve the minutes of the February 23, 2004 Regular Board meeting.

 

 

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

 

 

Bills:  M/S/P Engels/Swenson to approve the following bills for payment:

·   DeWild Grant Reckert and Associates Company: NE Phase #40 = $18,567.31; General Services #33 = $448.50

·   McDonald, Gudmestad & Schramel: General Legal Services = $827.75; Northeast Expansion = $157.50

·   Eatherly Constructors, Inc.: NE Phase Schedule 1B Mainline-Pay Estimate #16 = $57,069.67

·   Frontier Precision, Inc.: NE Phase GIS software = $998.39

·   Lyon-Lincoln Electric Cooperative, Inc.: NE Phase 3-phase service to wells #8, #9 & #10 = $39,245.50

·   Fryberger, Buchanan, Smith & Frederick: NE Phase bond issue legal services = $4,500.00

 

 

Attorney’s Report:  Dan McDonald reported that Board appointments have been approved by all counties and he is waiting for the Judge’s order from the District Court. Payment for painting the City’s name on our water tower has been received from the City of Minneota, and we are reviewing our refinanced debt to determine if an adjustment in rates is needed for the City.  A revised agreement with Lewis & Clark Rural Water was reviewed.

 

 

Auditor’s Report:  Matt Taubert from Meulebroeck, Taubert & Co., PLLP met with the Board to present the “2003 Independent Auditor’s Report” for their review.  Taubert reported that there were no problems found, and their opinion was the highest possible.  M/S/P Buysse/Brunner to accept the Auditor’s Report as presented.

 

Lewis and Clark Rural Water Update:  Troy Larson, Executive Director of Lewis and Clark Rural Water System met with the Board to discuss the proposed “Amended and Restated Commitment Agreement” and to discuss the progress on the Project.  The reallocation costs of excess capacity were also discussed.  The Board thanked Larson for his update.

 

 

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

 

•  Lynd Project:  The Affinity Hills pipeline extension plans are being prepared.

 

•  Minneota Tower and Booster:  The Caldwell Tanks contract has been completed, but some cleanup work remains. 

 

•  Green Valley Booster:  The project is completed, but problems with the electrical inspection on the building have been identified.  Final payment has been approved but not made so Schriever recommended that $500 be held until the electrical inspection issue has been resolved.  M/S/P Lonneman/Brunner to hold $500 from Pay Request #4 until the electrical inspection issue has been resolved.

 

•  Schedule 1B Mainline:  The contractor is doing cleanup work and finishing the remaining hookups.  M/S/P Simonson/Van Dyke to approve Change Order #10 approving bid items 101 and 102 increasing the contract amount by $16,535.80.

 

•  GIS/GPS:  The GIS/GPS equipment is starting to arrive and some initial training has been done. 

 

•  Burr WTP Improvements:  The Burr Water Treatment Plant improvements project bids for Electrical and Control work, and Control Buildings were opened and evaluated.  Control Building bids were received from: a) Robert L. Carr Co. ($93,000 with an Alternate of $84,400); b) D. W. Proehl ($112,170 with an Alternate of $100,170); and c) KHC Construction Inc. ($129,000).  The Alternates bid were unsolicited proposals for a different building type that would be available sooner.  A motion by Buysse seconded by DeWilde to authorize LPRW staff select the best alternative and award the Control Buildings bid failed on a voice vote.  M/S/P Ufkin/Engels to award the Control Buildings bid to the low bidder, Robert L. Carr Co. ($93,000 with an Alternate of $84,400), and to authorize the staff to select the best alternate subject to USDA-RD concurrence. Electrical and Control bids were received from: a) Vlaminck Electric, Inc. ($74,646); and b) Meier Electric ($109,382). M/S/P Lonneman/Engels to award the Electrical and Control bid to the low bidder, Vlaminck Electric ($74,646.00) subject to USDA-RD concurrence.

 

•   Municipal Hookups:  Water service to the Cities of Cottonwood, Boyd and Lismore was discussed.  M/S/P DeWilde/Ufkin to authorize hookup of the City of Cottonwood to include a trade for the City’s wells at a maximum credit of 40% of the cost subject to USDA-RD and DNR concurrence.  M/S/P Engels/Brunner to authorize hookup of the City of Boyd subject to USDA-RD and DNR concurrence. M/S/P Swenson/DeWilde to authorize hookup of the City of Lismore subject to USDA-RD and DNR concurrence.  The cost of the hookups will be based on the standard formula approved by the Board plus the connection cost.

 

 

2004-05 System Expansion Project:

 

•  Clarkfield meeting: About 45 people attended and they were very interested in water service, but most of them wanted water this year.

 

•  Dawson meeting: About 50 people attended and they were very interested in water service, but many of the potential hookups were a considerable distance from Dawson.  Service in this area would require the use of water purchased from the City of Dawson.

 

 

Regional Water Development:

 

•  Adrian: A meeting will be scheduled to meet with the City to discuss additional exploration and development options.

 

•  Edgerton Well:  The pump station pumps will be upgraded, and the well will be placed in operation with treatment for iron to supplement flows to the south.

 

•  Lewis & Clark:  An emergency Lewis & Clark interconnection between RCRW and Worthington is being studied, and will proceed if feasible.

 

•  Northeast Monitoring:  Water quality and water level monitoring will be done in eastern Yellow Medicine County.

 

Large User Hookup Costs:  The cost to hook up large users remains a concern, and was referred to the Water Resources and Equipment Committee for study.

 

 

Director of Operations Report:  Don Evers reported on the following items:

·   Don Evers reported that 3 new pickups have been purchased.

·   Lime disposal issues still need to be resolved before final payment can be made.

·   Don Evers presented information on the Lewis and Clark project.

·   Several potential buyers have contacted us about excess pipe inventory.

 

 

Director of Finance and Administration Report:

·   Healy reported on the Vulnerability Assessment meeting with TKDA and LPRW staff on March 17th.

·   The Northeast Phase project status was discussed, and various additional line extensions were reviewed.  Approximately $1.3 million remains to be spent on the Northeast Phase Expansion Project.

·   A Water Quality Protection meeting sponsored by the University of Minnesota Southwest Research and Outreach Center is scheduled for 1:15 p.m. on Thursday, April 8th in Lake Benton.  The Water Resources and Equipment Committee will meet at 11:00 a.m. on April 8th to discuss hookup costs and water resource issues.

 

 

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:  Healy will schedule meetings with the Counties as soon as possible.  Healy noted that Board meetings will start at 6:00 p.m. starting in March.

 

 

Adjournment:  M/S/P Engels/Van Dyke to adjourn the meeting at 3:30 p.m.  The next Regular Board meeting will be Monday, April 26, 2004 at 6:00 p.m.

 

 

 

 

                                                                                     ______________________________________________

                                                                                          Joe Weber, Secretary