August 11, 2006
The regular monthly meeting of the Board of Water Commissioners of
Columbus, Georgia was held at the office of the Columbus Water Works on Friday,
August 11, 2006, at 1:30 p.m., the following Commissioners being present:
Harry Vernon, Treasurer
Phillip Thayer
Mayor Robert Poydasheff
Absent: Kathelen Amos, Chairperson
James Yancey
Due to the absence of Chairperson Amos, Treasurer Vernon was Acting
Chairperson.
Receipt of the Minutes of the July 10, 2006, meeting was acknowledged
by the Board and approved as written.
Management presented the reports from the Division of Operations and
Technical Services, Division of Engineering and Division of Strategic and
Master Plan Implementation. Following each presentation, the Board
acknowledged the Division Reports for the month of July.
Management advised the Board that they received a request from a
developer of Lexington Hills Subdivision to waive Sewer Availability Fees (SAF)
on 275 residential lots. In exchange, the developer will extend approximately
1,500 lf. of sanitary sewer collection main, eliminate an old existing sewage
lift station and install a new sewage lift station per Columbus Water Works
specifications. The cost of the gravity sewer extension and the lift station
relocation is estimated to cost the Lexington Hills developer approximately
$185,000 and the Sewer Availability Fees amount is $137,500. After a lengthy
discussion, Mayor Poydasheff agreed with the staff?s recommendation to waive
the Sewer Availability Fees and to allow Mr. Erickson to proceed with this
project, however, he must provide in writing the commitments he is going to do
to the Water Works staff for their approval. Motion was made and seconded to
waive the Sewer Availability Fees in the about of $137,500. Motion carried.
Secretary Blount informed the Board that Strategy Team Six/Financial
Stability reviewed the Water Works? Purchasing Procedures and Guidelines. He
told the Board that the Team made a comparison of nine similar organizations
and based on their evaluations, and the desire to establish increased
responsibility for managing critical functions within the organization, the
proposed changes were provided to the Board for their approval. Secretary
Blount gave a brief overview of the changes and a copy is on file. Following
discussion, motion was made and seconded approving the summary of changes to
the Purchasing Guidelines and Procedures. Motion carried.
The Financial Report for the month of July including Ft. Benning, along
with the Meter Reading, Employee and Customer Services? Reports, were presented
to the Board. Following discussion, motion was made and seconded to accept
the reports. Motion carried.
Next, Management gave a brief update on the Strategic and Master
Facilities Plan Implementation. The Board was advised that stakeholder
interviews were conducted to obtain additional public input into the strategic
planning process.
Also, Management advised the Board that the Water Works continues to
work with the ?Water is Life? program to inform the public about the need and
benefits of maintaining the water and wastewater infrastructure system. The
Board acknowledged management?s report.
Management informed the Board that the Columbus Water Works has been
awarded the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting by
the Government Finance Officers Association of the U.S. and Canada. The
Certificate of Achievement is the highest form of recognition in the area of
governmental accounting and financial reporting. This is the twelfth year the
Water Works has received this award.
Also, an award of Financial Reporting Achievement has been awarded to
Emory Blount for preparing the award-winning CAFR. The Board congratulated
Emory and his staff for the excellent accounting procedures.
President Turner gave the Board a brief update on the status of a
hearing which he attended in Gainsville regarding the water flows of the
Chattahoochee River. He stated that the major concern of the Water Works
continues to be that sufficient flows be maintained in the river at Columbus at
all times to protect the habitat with a specific focus on the assimilation of
wastewater at Columbus. The Columbus Water Works has worked diligently to
obtain certain guaranteed minimum flows. As a result, Georgia Power Company?s
FERC license incorporates specific flows in the Chattahoochee as measured by
the USGS gauge at Columbus.
President Turner advised the Board that the flows had been maintained
earlier in the year. Very large releases from the major reservoirs at Lake
Lanier and West Point were initiated to sustain flows in the Apalachicola River
for certain aquatic species. The Water Works became concerned that the Corps
of Engineers operational plans and procedures were being changed due to various
legal actions. These changes have the potential to impact the flows to which
Georgia Power has previously agreed. (Graphs showing Columbus? gauge flow
conditions in July are on file).
The Water Works will verify the accuracy of the flow data with USGS and
the Corps and then meet with Georgia Power representatives to discuss the
possible failure to comply with the agreement as set forth in the FERC
license. President Turner informed the Board that he would keep them apprised
of the progress.
Also, he advised that there was a report from the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife scheduled to come out September 5th, which is their proposal for what
the Corps should do to protect the endangered species (Sturgeon and Mussels).
The Board acknowledged his report.
President Turner informed the Board that Bob Tant received the Charles
H. Jones Award. This award was in recognition of extraordinary service and
contributions to the Water Environment Federation and the Georgia Water and
Pollution Control Association presented August 1, 2006.
Also, the Columbus Water Works? Water Plant received the Georgia Area
Wide Optimization Program for the year of 2005 Award. This means that our
plant met turbidity requirements stricter than regulation and had no violations
within the year.
Last, President Turner informed the Board of an accident involving two
Water Works employees ? Albert Manual and Joe Cooper. They were working on a
sewer when a drunk driver went through a barricade and ran over them. Mr.
Cooper broke his collar bone which required surgery and he is recovering at
home. Mr. Manual had extensive damage to his leg which has required three
surgeries to-date. He is recovering at Hughston Rehab.
There being no further business the meeting adjourned.
__________________________________
Emory E. Blount, Secretary
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