JANUARY 12, 2009
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,
January 12, 2009, at 1:30 p.m., the following Commissioners being present:
Philip Thayer
Billy Blanchard
Dr. Carole Rutland
Karl Douglass
Mayor Jim Wetherington
This being the first meeting of the new year, election of Officers was
in order. The following Officers were nominated:
Office 2009
Chairperson Philip Thayer
Treasurer Billy Blanchard
President Robert L. Tant
Secretary Emory E. Blount
Following discussion motion was made and seconded to elect the above
Officers for the calendar year 2009. Motion carried.
Receipt of the Minutes of the regular meeting on December 8, 2008 was
acknowledged by the Board and approved as written. Also, the November 10, 2008
Minutes were amended to acknowledge that Dr. Carole Rutland abstained from
voting on the sewer and pumping station for the National Infantry Foundation.
Management gave a brief update on the following activities for the
month of December conducted by the Engineering Department.
Bull Creek Inflow and Infiltration Project
System Services eliminated a significant amount of inflow by repairing a 60?
section of sewer main adjacent to a creek at Lawson Street and Ansley Avenue.
Ft. Benning BRAC Projects
Repaired a 12? transmission water main to Harmony Church that was damaged by a
grading contractor. The main had been properly located. Many customers in
Harmony Church experienced a short period of low pressure. We were able to
turn off the valve, isolate and fix the problem within five hours without any
service interruption. The grading contractor will be charged for the cost of
the repair ($2,451.11).
There are currently 12 BRAC related water and sewer projects under construction
via CWW construction contracts.
Engineering is underway on the North Columbus Transmission Main CIP project, a
project that will bring a second major supply line from the NCWRF into the
North Columbus pressure zone. This new main is being installed to help support
the additional demands, recent and future, in this growth area of Columbus. A
preferred route has been selected that minimizes traffic disruption, tree
removal and construction costs. Letters are being mailed out to approximately
22 property owners requesting their participation by granting easements.
Management introduced Ron Harris, President of Krebs Engineering and
Jason Dearing to the Board. They advised the Board that with the help of the
Columbus Water Works they received the American Council of Engineering
Companies (ACEC) Award for the Ft. Benning Water System Master Planning
Project.
Mr. Dearing gave the Board an overview of the project as follows:
Planning Components
Forensic Distribution System Evaluation & Operation Program
Program to Transfer Operation to CWW
Hydraulic Network Computer Model
Distribution System Master Plan
Master Plan
Sequenced/Phased Recommendations for Uninterrupted Service to Ft. Benning
Sustainable Planning & Design
Reduce both Treatment Chemicals & Power Consumption
Enhanced Habitat for Endangered Red Cockaded Woodpecker
True Life-Cycle Cost Driven Recommendations
Reduced both Unaccounted-for-Water & Withdrawal from Chattahoochee River
Recycle of Unneeded Steel Water Tanks
Complexity
Balanced Needs/Concerns of 14 Separate Entities
Evaluated 18 Different Options to Supply Future Demands
Simultaneous Development: Operation Transition Plan ? Hydraulic Model
Exceeding Expectations
Construction Bid Prices Below Estimates
Engineering Fees Below Contract Ceilings
The Board acknowledged the report.
Management updated the Board on the Strategic and Master Facilities
Plan Implementation and continuous improvements as follows:
Strategic Plan Implementation and Continuous Improvement
Officials from the Clayton County Water Authority visited the CWW Customer
Service Department.
CWW continues to participate in the EPA WaterSense Program
CWW staff is preparing comments on the State Water Conservation Implementation
Plan
Communications
Introduction of new CWW President, Bob Tant
Awards received in 2008
The Board acknowledged the report.
The Financial Report for the month of December including Ft. Benning
was presented to the Board. Motion was made and seconded to accept the
reports. Motion carried.
In addition, Management presented a report on the Accounting, Meter
Reading, Customer and Meter Services and Employee Services. They are as
follows:
CWW celebrated its annual Christmas Fellowship on December 12th at the Trade
Center with a record number of employees in attendance
Meter Reading/Meter Services and Customer billing activities remain current for
this cycle
The Accounting Staff submitted the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for FY
ended 2008 to GFOA
Customers continue to utilize the IVR and Website for payment processing and
inquiries
The Board acknowledged the report.
President Tant presented the following meeting dates for the Board in
2009. These are all on the second Monday of each month (except for October)
starting at 1:30 p.m.:
February 9, 2009
March 9, 2009
April 13, 2009
May 11, 2009
June 8, 2009
July 13, 2009
August 10, 2009
September 14, 2009
October 19, 2009
November 9, 2009
December 14, 2009
The meetings were scheduled as presented.
President Tant presented the following Holiday Schedule for calendar
year 2009 for the Board?s approval:
Thursday, January 1, 2009 ? New Year?s Day
Monday, January 19, 2009 ? Birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Monday, May 25, 2009 ? Memorial Day
Friday, July 3, 2009 ? Independence Day
Monday, September 7, 2009 ? Labor Day (First Monday in September)
Monday, October 12, 2009 ? Columbus Day
Thursday, November 26, 2009 ? Thanksgiving Day
Friday, November 27, 2009 ? Day after Thanksgiving
Thursday, December 24, 2009* - Christmas Eve
Friday, December 25, 2009 ? Christmas Day
Personal Holiday ? Employee?s own choice
*FY 2009-2010 Floating Holiday recommended for approval by the Board
of Water Commissioners.
Motion was made and seconded approving the Holiday Schedule for
calendar year 2009. Motion carried.
Last on the agenda, President Tant provided the Board with copies of
the following items of information:
Thank you letter from Timothy S. Mescon, President, Columbus State University
to Billy Turner
Thank you note from Amy Waite with Oxbow Meadows to William Kent
Letter to Gwen Ruff from customer recognizing Natalie Smith, Customer Service
Representative on a job well done
There being no further business the meeting adjourned.
_____________________________________
Emory E. Blount, Secretary
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