February 9, 2015
The regular monthly meeting of the Board of Water Commissioners of Columbus,
Georgia was held at the office of the Columbus Water Works on Monday, February
9, 2015, at 1:30 p.m., the following Commissioners being present:
Carole Rutland, Chair
Karl Douglass, Treasurer
Sanders Griffith
Absent: Reynolds Bickerstaff
Mayor Teresa Tomlinson
Mr. Bickerstaff and Mayor Tomlinson were excused from the meeting.
Receipt of the Minutes of the regular meeting on January 12, 2015, was
acknowledged by the Board and approved as written.
The Financial Report for the month of January including Ft. Benning was
provided to the Board. Motion was made and second to approve the reports.
Motion carried.
Jeremy Cummings presented the following update on the I&I Abatement
Project:
I&I Abatement History
? In 2009 Columbus, recorded 80.6? of rainfall which is the highest annual
rainfall recorded in 130 years. The average annual rainfall is 48.6? for
Columbus. 41 counties in central and South Georgia were declared disaster
areas by the Governor?s office.
? January 2009-December 2009, CWW reported 68 sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs)
to the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD).
? 53 of the 68 SSOs were caused by excessive rainfall events.
? Because of these spills, the EPD issued CWW a Consent Order which requires
the following.
Requirements
? Complete the Rehabilitation of the Bruce Street Sanitary Sewer by May 30,
2011
? Completed on February 22, 2011
? Complete the Rehabilitation of the Exeter Court Lift Station by May 30, 2011
? Completed on March 8, 2011
? Initiate the Sewer System Capacity Evaluation (SSES) Program by July 30, 2011
- Completed on May 11, 2011
? Complete the Flatrock Creek Sanitary Sewer Relief Project by January 30,
2012
? Completed on December 6, 2011
? Complete the Entire Collection System Assessment Evaluation (Desk Top
Analysis) and Submit to EPD the Collection System Assessment Report by January
30, 2013
? Completed and submitted to EPD on December 14, 2012. The evaluation
recommended Turkey Creek Basin be added to the SSES plan. SSES has been
completed and repair is underway.
? Complete the Weracoba Creek Basin (89.4 miles) SSES and repairs by April 30,
2014
? Completed on June 25, 2013
? Complete the Lower Lake Oliver Basin (19.1 miles) SSES and repairs by
November 30, 2014
? Completed on January 27, 2014
? Complete the Main Post/ Ft. Benning Basin (48.3 miles) SSES and repairs by
June 30, 2016
? SSES was completed on July 10, 2013. Repair work is currently underway and
we do not foresee any challenges meeting the deadline.
? Complete the Lindsey Creek Basin (123.5 miles) SSES and repairs by June 30,
2017
? SSES has been completed in 5 of the 12 sub-basins. Repair work is currently
underway and we do not foresee any challenges meeting the deadline.
? Submit a progress report to EPD on December 31st and June 30th of each year
for each action listed above.
? Progress report was submitted to EPD on December 16, 2014.
? CWW is currently ahead of schedule on the Consent Order requirements and does
not foresee any challenges on meeting the deadline.
The Board acknowledged Mr. Cummings? report.
Joey Murphy introduced Marquette McKnight with Media Marketing and
More, Inc., to the Board. Ms. McKnight was present at the meeting to give a
brief update on how the conversion to monthly meter reading will be
communicated to our customers.
Key Components of Communication Plan
? Customer Focus Groups ? scheduled for February 10th and 11th, led by CSU.
The groups will determine how to communicate with all customers.
? Standard Media ? including video production, radio, television, newspaper
? Social Media/Web ? website design, blogs, and other feeds
? Mailings ? bill inserts, direct correspondents, etc.
? Speaker Bureau ? used to engage community leaders and civic organizations
directly
? There will be several announcements both internally and external leading up
to the media campaign that is currently scheduled to launch the week of March
16th.
The Board acknowledged Ms. McKnight?s report.
President Davis provided the following items of information to the Board:
? John Peebles received an email from Tripp Layfield thanking us for the new
signage on our South Plant maintenance Road.
? President Davis received an email from Greg Pridgen praising CWW for having
the most attractive grounds (North Plant) in town. They especially appreciate
the Christmas decorations on River Road.
? Natalie Smith received a thank you note from Robert Gary (new customer)
expressing his appreciation for her excellent customer service skills.
The following Division Reports were provided to the Board:
? Customer Service Report ? Linda Sanders
? Meter Maintenance Report ? Joey Murphy
? Engineering Report ? Kevin White
? Field Services Report ? Jeremy Cummings
? Information Services, Environmental Compliance and WQM Report ? Vic Burchfield
? Communication, Security, Community/Corporate Events Report ? Becky Butts
? Strategic Planning and Employee Services Report ? Savonne Monell
? Water Resource and Managed Maintenance Report ? Lynn Campbell
There was no discussion.
There being no further business the meeting adjourned.
__________________________________
Joey Murphy, Sr. Vice President
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