09/12/18

Plenty of activity happening at the moment. The fire station, LeMay, the Armory, and the new billing software. I expect the Highway 12 meters are going to hit on September 10th.

Budget Position Report

County reports did not arrive in time to complete reconciled reports.

Revenues for August were $59,847. Revenues for the year are running about $1,850 behind the budget. That covered Section 2 June and July. We just sent out the bills covering Section 1 usage for July and August. We sent out $83,503 in the September billing. I expect to see about $66,000 within the month from this billing plus another $8,000 or so from the Section 2 billing, plus late fees. There will also be a few hundred dollars in interest income. The next Section 2 billing (October) covers August and September, so it should be significantly over the projected monthly average, as well.

Unreconciled fund expenditures for August were $40,251. Revenues exceeded expenditures by $19,295. The expenditures will increase by a few hundred dollars once we get the County reports.

Scott: Could you explore the possibility of the money in the 402 Fund earning interest?

Treasurers Report:

No Treasurers Report without the County reports.

2019 Budget

Included is the budget certification for the County’s purposes. That needs to be certified at this meeting.

I have also included a copy of the Budget Comparison that is the budget we adopted at the last meeting.

Operational Issues

I have moved Operational Issues to a separate sheet. There is no need to wander through these at every meeting.

When new ones come up I will introduce them in the Manager’s Report. Once introduced they will get moved to the Operational Issues sheet.

When resolved, a note will be made in the Operational Issues list and the issue deleted.

I have included a copy of the sheet in your packets.

Shop Site Adjustments

The fire station improvements will require some re-arranging of the shop site. Our stock piles of rock currently reside in the area where the retention pond will be located.

We are planning to move those materials to the northwest corner of the site and contain them with environmental blocks.

Some re-grading of the site has been accomplished in August.

Due Date Change

A benefit of the change is that payments arrive in a more spread out fashion. At least for August. There was no big “due day rush” as there has been in the past.

Billing System

The new billing system has been ordered. And just in the nick of time. It will take all of the days we have to get everything ready for January 1st start up.

The base data from the Banyon Data Systems (BDS) software has been uploaded to the Bias programming department. They are configuring the application that will transfer the data. So far it has gone very smoothly, but we are in the very early stages.

Once the data is configured and transferred we will start running the two systems in parallel in order to make sure that the data transfer has occurred accurately and will be up to date for the start up date. That will take us to the end of November if all goes well.

In December we will make the final tweaks and set up the transfer protocols to DATABAR. Interfacing with DATABAR should be very easy as DATABAR and Bias work closely together and already have the transfer protocols available. The change may modify our bill format to some extent.

I have been working with Bias on account numbers. We have arrived at a process whereby the new account numbers will be the same as the existing ones in a slightly different format. As an example:

01-00001541-00-03 becomes 011541.

So there will be no confusion should someone submit a check with the BDS account number at the same time the account numbers are much less cumbersome.

Another point on which we have been working revolves around our policy of attaching the account to the property rather than the person. I believe they understand the concept and there is no difficulty in setting up accounts that way. The sales person assured me that there would not be a problem. But now I am talking to the technical people.

We will need to keep BDS available in order to access historical data. But we will no longer need to keep it updated or pay for support.

Water Usage

Please see the Production Summary included in your packets.

921 Garden Road

This service has been shut off since 2015 but has continued to accumulate water bills. The balance stands at $8,345.14. A lien has been recorded. This is a burned out house.

We need to decide to whether to let it ride or to foreclose.

Central Park Elementary School Lead Problem

No word from anyone in August.

Maintenance Activity:

Usual daily/weekly/monthly maintenance activity. See attached report.

Specific Summer Projects:

  • Strip and recoat North Bank Reservoir roof DEFERRED
  • Paint pumphouse plumbing IN PROCESS
  • Paint pumphouse steps PROBABLY DEFERRED
  • Install Well #6 flush valve
  • Determine status of Devonshire Road transmission line IN PROCESS
  • Install sampling station at Reynaan Reservoir DONE
  • Locate buried fire hydrant and water main isolation valves ONGOING
  • Paint and/or repaint fire hydrants WAY BEHIND
  • Install number plaques on remaining fire hydrants WAY BEHIND
  • Catch up fire hydrant maintenance UNDERWAY, BUT BEHIND
  • Rearrange shop site to accommodate proposed fire station retention pond
  • Fix 117 Reynvaan Drive service lateral FIXED
  • Clean up well site PROBABLY DEFERRED
  • Continue re-organization of the shop ONGOING, MAJOR ISSUES DEFERRED

The above is in addition to the routine grounds maintenance. Lots of grass to mow.

Contractor Repairs

We only had one in August, but it was a big one. We had a water main break (we rarely have main breaks. Most breaks are service laterals) on Highway 12 just west of the west end of Aberdeen Lake Road.

This is the third break within a couple of hundred yards in the last few years.

My initial analysis was that the leaks were caused by eddy currents set up from nearby electrical facilities. However, on examining the section of removed pipe, it is clear that there is a physical crack. This leak resulted from physical damage.

This section of pipe had been damaged previously (before my time) within a foot or so of the current break and repaired with a repair sleeve. Which is a bad idea. Cracked pipe needs to be cut out and replaced.

This is cast iron pipe, not ductile iron. I have passed photos around among WASWD members, and the consensus is that it is cast iron pipe and the fracture is the result of damage or stress, such as vibration.

The likelihood of more breaks is 100%.

We are going to have to do something about this length of water main. We will need to determine where the cast iron pipe begins and ends and replace all that pipe.

What drawings we have show AC pipe on Lake Aberdeen Road and the cast iron (the drawings say ductile, which it is not) beginning at the point the main exits Aberdeen Lake Road onto the Highway 12 right-of-way headed west.

I will be working on strategies and costs in the weeks ahead.

Hill Road hydrant replacement

Scott is pursuing this issue. Please see attached.

Hill Road Water Main

I am putting this project on hold. I just don’t see where we can squeeze out the money. It will remain in the report as a place holder.

Well Site Fence

Along with some of the other nagging maintenance chores, the well site fence needs some work. Some of the barbed wire has fallen and the gate needs a bit of welding. On hold for the moment in deference to more pressing concerns.

This will remain as a place holder.

Highway 12 Meters

The meters have been ordered. Expected delivery date is 9/10.

Well #5 Source Meter

No installation proposal yet.

Shop Organization

This project has started. But we need to keep breaking off to get some higher priority work done.

Some of the re-arranging and sorting will get done. But the complete inventory of items to be surplussed will need to be deferred.

Training/Certifications.

Nothing new in August.

I will be attending the WASWD Fall Conference the third week in September.

Safety

We have a mini safety meeting every morning. This time of year we focus on hydration issues and driving safety.

The focus on safety, and safety training, has reduced our accident rate to zero for many months now. Call that years. I intend to keep it that way.

Vehicles

Service Truck: No issues.

F-150: No issues.

S-10: No issues.

Pickup Truck: No Issues

New Connections

No new connections in August.

Old Shop Building Gutters & Downspouts

No action in August. I need to move this item up on the priority list before the winter rains set in.

Shop Site South Fence

The Fire Chief and I have been working on this issue. I will approach the owner of the mobile home park when we get some more details worked out regarding what we need to do for the driveway radii. Both the Fire Chief and I will approach the property owner to the north. I expect that some money will need to change hands.

Alder Glen & Etc.

No news in August. This project is deferred.

Carl Way/Ridgeview: Not an issue

Hemlock Park

Lois Lane Not an issue

Waverly Court Not an issue

Garden Road: Not an issue

Walthom Lane: Not an issue

Greenbriar Court

Reynvaan Court

Madow Court

Reed Lane Not an issue

Blaine Road (End) Not an issue

Larson Lane Not an issue

Fremont Drive

Silkey Court

Lake Road

Hemlock Park

Fairway Park

River Road: Replaced

Alder Glen: Will need replacement.

Fairway Terrace: Will need replacement.

Filing System

No action in August.

Renters

No action in June. As a reminder regarding this item…it is my intent to have two forms. One form that is completed by the tenant at the time they apply to have the billing in their name, and a second form that will be sent to the property owner informing them that the tenant is vacating. My thinking on the second form is that it will include a forwarding address for the tenant and will require acknowledgment by the property owner before the tenant’s deposit will be sent to the forwarding address.

While our policy of requiring a deposit for tenants is a service to the property owner, the primary objective is to remove the District from tenant/owner conflict. We are not a collection agency and have not intention of becoming one.

Armory

I believe the contract was scheduled to be awarded August 29. I have not received any word.

WASWD Fall Conference

I will have a full report for October’s meeting.

LeMay Project

The engineer, prime contractor, and electrical contractor are still flopping around like landed fish on the SCADA issue.

I have informed them that they will need to talk to Systems Interface, Inc. regarding the telemetry panel and communications, and Infinite Automation, LLC regarding the software. They also need to be sure American Pump, who is providing the pump pallet, is completely in the loop.

I can do no more than that.

Fire Station

Apparently Rognlin’s has been awarded the contract. But the bid came in considerably over the original estimate. The Fire Chief is scrambling around to cut costs and find some more money.

Big Ridge Lodge

I have heard nothing about this project in August.

Reynvaan Site Security

Lighting and fencing have not been ordered. I am putting this one on hold. We haven’t experienced any problems, and we have bigger fish to fry.

As-Built Drawings

I am leaning towards handling this in-house with some limited assistance from consultants. But I have made no final decision yet, nor have I taken any action.

Very regretfully back-burnered pending more pressing issues. Though having somewhat accurate, and accessible, as-builts is a fairly pressing issue.

Disaster Management Planning

No action on the plan outline in August.

I really need to bear down on this. We are in pretty good shape for typical emergencies, but there are still holes in our ability to respond to a real catastrophe.

One item I want to investigate is the possibility of developing an intertie with the City of Aberdeen at Lake Aberdeen. That would provide us with a source of non-potable water in the event of an extreme event (earthquake/tsunami) that might render our wells inoperable. The water would have to be filtered and boiled in order to be “potable”, but residents could use it for toilet flushing and other, non-potable, sanitary uses. Coffee filters work for filtration and the water could be boiled for drinking and cooking.

No action in August

WAWARN

Nothing of immediate interest.

Red Flag Programs

We don’t have a plan. But we have run into a problem. When payments are being received over the phone we have to be on speaker phone so we have both hands free, and we have to read back the information.

The problem occurs when another customer is at the counter. They can hear all the information they need to steal someone’s credit card information.

Currently, all we can do is ask the person on the phone to hold until we take care of the customer at the counter and get them out the door.

This issue will probably force me to work on developing a formal plan.

No action in August.

Isolation Valve Exercise Program

This is another Sanitary Survey item. It has been on my to-do list since 2012.

I have made some progress in crafting a program. That is the easy part. My time is still being eaten up correcting data on fire hydrants. Once that is complete I will start collecting the data for this program.

By utilizing Google Maps I can move this project forward independent of the as-built drawing project.

I have done a small amount of work on this plan, but a great deal remains to be done.

Future and/or On-Hold Programs

Web Page

Email Bills

Unfunded “Dream” Projects

Include Reynvaan Pump Station in SCADA

Probably will require new controls, which are getting due anyway

Include Hirschbeck Pump Station in SCADA

Convert SCADA Communications to Cellular, or whatever

Repave Office Parking Lot (Over Jim’s dead body) THE WORST SPOTS ARE PATCHED.

Replace Office Carpet

Long Distance Service Laterals

Any thoughts would be welcome.

Respectfully Submitted:

Reg Hearn

General Manager