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

December 19, 2005

 

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, December 19, 2005 starting at 10:00 a.m. Chairman Rod Spronk called the meeting to order with Commissioners Mike Brunner, Ken Buysse, Bill Ufkin, Earl DeWilde, Charlie Simonson, Leonard Swenson, Henry Van Dyke, Jerry Lonneman, Frank Engels and Joe Weber present. Also present were Board Attorney, Ron Schramel; DGR Engineer, Darin Schriever; Field Superintendent, Tom Muller; and CEO, Dennis Healy.

 

Agenda:  M/S/P Lonneman/Engels to approve the Agenda with the addition of the election of officers for 2006.

 

Minutes:  M/S/P Ufkin/Brunner to approve the minutes of the December 5, 2005 regular Board meeting.

 

Treasurer's Report:  M/S/P Buysse/Swenson to approve the Treasurer’s report as presented.  The Board asked Healy to prepare an RFP for audit services beginning with FY 2006.

 

Bills:  M/S Lonneman/Engels to approve the bills for payment.  M/S/P Ufkin/Swenson to table the payment of bills until Darin Schriever is available to explain some of the items.

 

 

Attorney’s Report:  Ron Schramel reported to the Board on the following issues:

 

•   M/S/P Buysse/Brunner to close the meeting to discuss the ECI litigation. Ron Schramel presented information concerning a settlement offer from ECI, and the Board discussed the litigation issues.  M/S/P Lonneman/Engels to reopen the meeting.  M/S/P Engels/Simonson to reject the December 12th settlement offer from ECI.  M/S/P Ufkin/Brunner to forward the counteroffer described by Board Attorney, Ron Schramel, to ECI for their consideration.

 

 

Engineer’s Report: Darin Schriever discussed the following items.

 

•  Boyd Connection:  The City of Boyd Service Connection has been completed, and the final quantities have been calculated. M/S/P Lonneman/Swenson to approve Change Order #1 to extend the completion date and set the final quantities.  M/S/P Lonneman/Engels to approve the final payment subject to completion of all final paperwork by the contractor.  M/S/P Buysse/Van Dyke to approve final acceptance of the project.

 

Bills:  M/S/P Ufkin/Brunner to approve the following bills for payment:

·   DeWild Grant Reckert and Associates Company: 2005-08 System Wide Improvements #1 = $9,000.00; Adrian Well #7 ppe #6 = $222.00; Boyd Service #4 = $1,050.00; General Services #53 = $379.50

·   McDonald, Gudmestad & Schramel: General Legal Services = $828.00; ECI litigation = $1,403.70

·   Carstensen Contracting, Inc.:  Boyd Service Connection – PPE #2 = $5,078.35

 

•  NE Expansion and GIS/GPS:   Darin Schriever reported on the progress of the GIS Project and the Burr WTP improvements.

 

•   Hydraulic Model Update: Darin Schriever presented a summary of costs and activities to complete the update of the Hydraulic Model.  M/S/P DeWilde/Simonson to authorize DGR to proceed with the Hydraulic Model update at a lump sum cost of $41,688.00.

 

•   Water Resources Update: Darin Schriever presented information on potential water sources in the south part of the system.

 

 

Field Superintendents’ Report: Tom Muller reported on the following items:

·   Muller reported that 6 hookups remain to be finished.

·   Operations are running smoothly.

 

 

CEO’s Report:

•   The Lewis & Clark project is behind schedule due to the lack of federal funding, but work is continuing.

·   A meeting will be held on January 23rd to discuss the Topeka Shiner issue.  Healy will provide more information when it becomes available.

·   Healy has met with the Pipestone County SWCD and some landowners to discuss the CREP II program, but no one has signed up yet.

 

 

Committee Reports: The following committee reports were given: 

 

Executive Committee: No report.

 

Personnel Committee: The Committee met with the employees on December 12th.  M/S/P Lonneman/Brunner to close the meeting to discuss personnel issues.  The Committee presented an overview of employee comments, and noted that they were mostly positive.  M/S/P Lonneman/Van Dyke to reopen the meeting.

 

Water Resources and Equipment Committee: No report.

 

Budget & Finance Committee: No report.

 

Minnesota Rural Water Association, Board Representative: No report.

 

Minnesota Governmental Agency Finance Group:  No report.

 

Other:  M/S/P Buysse/Simonson to approve the 2006 Board meeting and holiday schedules.

 

Election of officers:  The Chairman asked Board Attorney, Ron Schramel, to conduct the election of officers for 2006.  Schramel asked for nominations.

·   M/S/P Engels/Ufkin to nominate Jerry Lonneman for Chairman.

·   M/S/P Engels/Buysse to nominate Bill Ufkin for Vice-Chairman.

·   M/S/P Weber/Simonson to nominate Earl DeWilde for Secretary.

·   M/S/P Lonneman/Weber to nominate Rod Spronk for Treasurer.

·   M/S/P Engels/Swenson to cease nominations and cast a unanimous ballot for the candidates nominated.

The new officers will take office in January, and the Chairman will announce committee appointments at the January meeting.

 

Adjournment:  M/S/P Ufkin/DeWilde to adjourn the meeting at 2:00 p.m.  The next Regular Board meeting will be Monday, January 30, 2006 at 10:00 a.m. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                         ____________________________________________

                                                                                                Joe Weber, Secretary