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

April 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, April 26, 2004 starting at 6:00 p.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 Attorney, Ron Schramel; DGR Engineer Darin Schriever; Deb Munsterman from Minnesota West Community & Technical College; Field Superintendents, Don Drietz and Tom Muller; Director of Finance and Administration, Dennis Healy; and Director of Operations, Don Evers.

 

 

Board Development: Deb Munsterman from Minnesota West Community & Technical College presented training on “Major Duties of Board of Directors” focusing on reading and using financial statements.

 

 

Agenda:  The Agenda was approved with the addition of discussion of activities to celebrate LPRW’s 25th Anniversary and an Open House at the Minneota Water Tower.

 

 

Minutes:  M/S/P Ufkin/Van Dyke to approve the minutes of the March 29, 2004 Regular Board meeting.  M/S/P Lonneman/Swenson to approve the minutes of the April 8th Water Resources & Equipment Committee meeting.

 

 

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

 

 

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

·   DeWild Grant Reckert and Associates Company: NE Phase #41 = $36,174.01; General Services #34 = $1,282.50

·   McDonald, Gudmestad & Schramel: General Legal Services = $1,376.75; Northeast Expansion = $618.25

·   Eatherly Constructors, Inc.: NE Phase Schedule 1B Mainline-Pay Estimate #17 = $18,162.57

·   Moseng Land Surveying, Inc.: NE Phase Minneota Tower site survey = $340.00; NE Phase Marshall easement survey = $380.00

·   Ervin Well: NE Phase seal and abandon Schmidt monitoring well = $862.50

·   US Bank: 1997 Refunding Bond interest payment = $29,377.50

 

 

Attorney’s Report: Ron Schramel reported that Board appointments have been approved by the District Court. Schramel also recommended that a revised payment schedule limiting interest payments to 1-1/2% above the rate paid by LPRW be prepared for the City of Minneota.  A service agreement with the City of Lismore was reviewed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

•  Minneota Tower and Booster:  Some cleanup work remains. 

 

•  Green Valley Booster:  The project is completed, but an electrical inspection on the building needs to be completed.

 

•  Schedule 1B Mainline:  The contractor is doing cleanup work, and they have notified LPRW that they will be closing out the project.

 

•  GIS/GPS:  DGR is finishing setup of the GIS/GPS equipment and software, and preparing additional training for LPRW staff. 

 

•  Additional Pipeline Work:  USDA-RD has authorized LPRW to proceed with additional hookups with local contractors, but the Boyd extension and other short extensions will need to be bid.  M/S/P Lonneman/Brunner to authorize DGR to prepare plans and specifications for the Boyd and other line extensions.  Engels abstained from the vote.

 

•  Burr WTP Improvements:  Vlaminck and Carr are proceeding with electrical and building work at the Burr Wells.  DGR is working with US Filter and LPRW staff on SCADA upgrades.  M/S/P Swenson/DeWilde to authorize DGR and LPRW staff to evaluate the US Filter proposal and proceed with installation. Engels abstained from the vote.

 

•   Municipal Hookups:  The City of Cottonwood has decided not to connect to the system at this time.  The City of Boyd is holding a hearing at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 4th to decide on their future hookup.  LPRW staff and Commissioners will attend the hearing to answer any questions that may come up.

 

 

2004-05 System Expansion Project:

 

•  Dawson area meeting: About 30 people attended a meeting at the Garfield Church and they were very interested in water service.  It appears that enough signups may be available to justify extending a line west of Dawson to provide service in the Garfield Township area.  Service in this area would require the use of water purchased from the City of Dawson.  The Dawson Utilities Commission has invited us to meet with them at 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 29th, and LPRW staff and Commissioners are planning to attend.

 

•  Preliminary Interest: A number of people west of Dawson and east of Clarkfield have returned preliminary signups, and several people scattered around Lac qui Parle and Yellow Medicine Counties have also shown interest.

 

 

Regional Water Development:

 

•  Lismore: A meeting is scheduled at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 4th at the Lismore City office to discuss hooking the City up to LPRW.  LPRW staff and Commissioners will attend to answer questions.

 

•  Adrian: A meeting was held with the City to discuss additional exploration and development of another well in the Adrian well field.  LPRW and the City agreed to proceed with preparation of an agreement, and as soon as that is complete to proceed with drilling and development of a well.  A proposal from Liesch Associates for hydrology services was reviewed.  M/S/P Lonneman/Van Dyke to authorize Liesch Associates to proceed with the well drilling and development project as soon as an agreement has been reached with the City.

 

•  Edgerton Well and Pump Station:  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 very soon.

 

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

 

 

 

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

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

·   Quotes for a portable 150 kw generator based at the Minneota Tower are being reviewed.

·   Quotes for a storage building at the Minneota Tower site were discussed.

 

 

Director of Finance and Administration Report:

·   Healy reported on progress of the Vulnerability Assessment.

·   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.

·   Healy reported that he was contacted by Jeff Dale from MRWA to see if we were interested in providing contract operator services at Lucan or any other communities in our area.  The Board directed Healy to review our costs and review any proposals received from area communities.

 

 

Other:  Don Drietz reported on pressure fluctuations caused by work being done at Minneota, and he asked if a second hookup fee is needed if a customer wants a second meter rather than extending his own line.  The Board referred to current policy that requires a separate hookup fee for each meter installed.  Don Evers reported on a request from the City of Lake Benton for a hookup at their industrial park.  The Board indicated that the City would have to pay for all costs and no additional capacity would be supplied.

 

 

Committee Reports: The following committee reports were given:

Executive Committee: No report.

Water Resources and Equipment Committee: Costs associated with large rural users was reviewed at the last meeting, and the Committee concluded that requiring multiple hookups only affected new users and generated very little revenue.  An increasing rate schedule may be more effective at dealing with large users, but more study is needed.  Evers reported that the Holland wellhead area should be burned to control weeds.

Personnel Committee: No report.

Budget & Finance Committee: No report.

Minnesota Rural Water Association, Board Representative:  The annual conference was very effective.  Two field personnel are being laid off because their work was awarded to the Midwestern Rural Community Assistance Program by the USEPA even though their bid for the work was over $100,000 higher.  MRWA staff is investigating to determine why.

 

 

Other:  Several Board members suggested that the 25th Anniversary of LPRW should be celebrated this summer.  Engels, Simonson, Swenson, Van Dyke and any past Board members wanting to participate were appointed as a planning Committee with Engels as Chairman.

 

 

Adjournment:  M/S/P Lonneman/Engels to adjourn the meeting at 11:15 p.m.  The next Regular Board meeting will be Monday, May 24, 2004 at 6:00 p.m.

 

 

 

 

                                                                                     ______________________________________________

                                                                                          Joe Weber, Secretary