SCHUYLERVILLE/VICTORY BOARD OF WATER MANAGEMENT
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
The Schuylerville/Victory Board of Water Management held a meeting on April 22,
2008 at 7pm in the Village of Schuylerville.
Present: Commissioners Kori
Siciliano, Whitney Colvin, Douglas Pink, and George Kahnle.
Recording Secretary
Buchanan, and Trustee Dennison from the Village of Victory.
Commissioner Colvin led the meeting.
Announcements:
The meetings for May will be Tuesday May 13th, 2008 in Victory and Tuesday May 27th, 2008, both at 7pm.
There was a discussion on the meeting for the 13th, the secretary will not be able to attend the meeting and Commissioner Colvin stated that they would take the minutes. I stated I will set up a tape recorder and if they could be sure to take the minutes on any action taken, so nothing is missed.
Minutes:
The March 25th and April 8th 2008
meeting minutes were discussed. There
was one change to be made to the April 8th meeting, it was
incorrectly stated where the meeting was:
it was in the Village of Victory with Commissioner Siciliano leading the
meeting. Commissioner Siciliano made a motion to approve the March 25th,
and April 8th meeting minutes with the one change to the April 8th
minutes and it was seconded by Commissioner Kahnle, all ayes, motion
passed.
Treasurer’s Report:
There was a resolution
#2007-35 presented to transfer $10,000.00 to apply to the outstanding
vouchers, payroll and for those miscellaneous expenses this month and prior to
the next meeting for the water department.
This is to authorize a transfer from the water savings account to the
water checking account. Commissioner Siciliano made a motion to
approve and sign this resolution #2007-35 to transfer $10,000 from Savings to
Checking, and it was seconded by Commissioner Pink, all ayes, motion passed.
Operational
Items:
Selective Insurance Company of America, It was reported that a notice outlining the terrorism risk insurance program was received. This reauthorization act of 2007 extends the expiration date of the act from Dec. 31, 2007 to Dec. 31, 2014. Also a cap of 100 billion limits US Government reimbursement.
Newsletter issued from the NYS Revolving Fund: This new quarterly newsletter contains information about funding for water and sewer projects, which you will find in your folders.
Updated Budgets: The updated budgets are presented after
meeting with the Budget Officer and those recommendations. An overall increase to the budget has been
made, with a very large fund balance utilized in order to balance the budget
and to maintain the current rate of water.
Commissioner Colvin explained that this is going to be a tight
budget. He explained that they will
bring over $124,000 from the fund balance so there is no increase in rate this
year. He explained that this budget
does include the long term debt, the new employee, the operating costs for the
Victory plant, but only $20,000 for the filter account where it has been 43,163
in the past. Commissioner Kahnle made a motion to approve the budget for the fiscal
year 2008-2009 and it was seconded by Commissioner Siciliano, all ayes, motion
passed.
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April 22, 2008
Page two
Capital Improvement Project:
Resolution 2007-36: This resolution is required as per Mark
Colopy, Fiscal Advisors and Sue Delehanty, EFC. The purpose of this resolution is to clear up all the costs
associated and paid already by the water board for engineering services. The total of $822,684.45 has been already
paid to Laberge Group by the water board.
$638,441.61 of that was already approved by resolution on April
2005. $157,742.84 also has already been
paid but needs to be cleared up according to EFC by this resolution. $26,500.00 also has already been paid for
out of scope services (those costs exceeding the contract, but agreed to pay,
by the water board with a separate agreement). Commissioner Siciliano made a
motion to approve resolution 2007-36 and it was seconded by Commissioner
Kahnle, all ayes, motion passed.
Contract Addendum with
Engineering Contract: The water
board has paid for current out of scope services in the amount of
$7,253.69. Since these are current
expenses related to easement survey and mapping, the asbestos water main
inspection/evaluation and supplemental discharge permitting it is suggested to
require the Engineering Firm, Laberge Group, to submit a contract addendum for
these costs. The water board may have
already verbally approved these items as part of previous discussion. However, even thought those costs are agreed
to there must be a contract addendum to reflect those new costs for the out of
scope services. Commissioner Siciliano made a motion to request a contract addendum
from Laberge group in the amount of $7,253.69 to determine if these costs are
eligible, reimbursable costs from EFC, and it was seconded by Commissioner
Kahnle, all ayes, motion passed. Commissioner
Colvin stated he would speak to the Treasurer to get some more clarification on
this issue.
Filter Tank Modification: The Victory Water Plant Improvements have a pending issue to determine what method will be used to correct the current status of pressure tanks. The decision of the water board, and what approvals with respect to change order work for Contract 1 (WM Shultz) and if another contract addendum will be required by Laberge Group for this change order item, needs to be made in a timely manner. Since any costs associated with the project at this point largely impact he project budget, costs saving measurers are supported. Any large ticket item change orders should be addressed and supported through Fiscal Advisors to verify funding through this project. Commissioner Colvin stated he spoke with Steve Adams and he quotes $4,800 for 8 new legs and 6 pipe connectors. He also stated that he spoke with Maureen and we do have the money in the budget. He went on to say he spoke with Chief Water Operator, Mark Dennison and he is not in favor of the cement legs. Commissioner Kahnle made a motion to approve the modification of the tanks with 8 new legs and 6 new pipe connectors and it was seconded by Commissioner Pink, all ayes, motion passed.
Chief Water Operator’s Report:
Mark Dennison submitted a written report: He stated that he has provided copy’s of the following reports for all board members: 2007 Annual Water Quality Report, First Quarter Monthly DOH Reports, 2008 DOH Monitoring Schedule Report for 1st Quarter, 2008 DEC Outfall Monitoring Schedule Report for 1st Quarter, 2008 Schuylerville Industrial Discharge Monitoring Report, an the March 1st thru April 22, 2008 Alarm Reports. It was stated that hydrants are currently being flushed in the Village of Schuylerville. Also April 16th, National Grid hit a water service line while installing gas line on Burgoyne and Schuyler Heights Drive. The DPW crews from both villages repaired the line.
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April 22, 2008
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Old Business:
Drumm-Herkimer St. Victory-There was a discussion on possible waiving of the connection for the new home. This is due to the number of feet that the connection would need before the curb box. Commissioner Colvin asked the Attorney Phil Dixon his opinion on this issue. Mr. Dixon stated that you can grant a waiver. He stated that if we required him to hook up we would be required to bring the line to his property line. He stated that sometimes local laws can establish a certain number of feet, but if you don’t have anything established in the village for this you are allowed to make a case by case decision. Mr. Dixon stated that you need to make your waiver specific to the situation so you do not open this up to both villages entirely. Commissioner Siciliano made a motion to grant a waiver for the purpose of hooking up to the municipal water supply for the proposed development of the Drumm property on Herkimer Street in Victory, due to positioning of the main and the geological conditions in that area and it was seconded by Commissioner Pink, all ayes, motion passed.
Personnel Manual: Commissioner Siciliano distributed a copy of a portion of the update personnel manual to Commissioner Pink and stated she would email Commissioner Covlin and Kahnle to review for the next meeting. She asked all board members to review this and if they had any changes please notify her and she will make the adjustments. She also stated as she gets more done she will distribute it out for further discussion. There was some discussion on the insurance and vacation portion of the manual, which is yet to be determined.
Hiring of Employee: After a short discussion it was determined that the board is not ready yet to make a decision on the hiring as of this meeting. Commissioner Siciliano stated she would contact the applicants and let them know that we have not yet made a decision.
New Business:
none
Public Comment:
Leslie Dennison asked if the benefit package was yet determined for the Chief Water Operator and if it was included in the current budget. Commissioner Colvin stated that they hoped to get this resolved in the Executive session.
Jim Gorham-6 Mennen Road: He asked about green paint on his lawn. He was wondering if this had to do anything with the new water plant. It was unknown about the paint, but he left his phone number with the secretary and she stated she would speak with the Victory DPW and try to find out and get back to him.
Executive Session:
Commissioner Kahnle
made a motion to go into executive session for matters leading to the
appointment, employment, promotion, demotion, discipline, suspension, dismissal
or removal of a particular person or corporation, where as there may or may not
be any action taken, and it was seconded by Commissioner Siciliano, all ayes,
motion passed.
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April 22, 2008
Page four
After returning from Executive session Commissioner Kahnle made a motion to resume the regular meeting, it was
seconded by Commissioner Siciliano, all ayes, motion passed.
Commissioner
Siciliano made a motion to approve a 3% raise for the Chief Water Operator as
of June 1, 2008 and it was seconded by Commissioner Kahnle, all ayes, motion
passed.
Commissioner Pink
made a motion to approve a 3% raise for the Secretary of the Board as of June
1, 2008 and it was seconded by Commissioner Siciliano, all ayes, motion passed.
Commissioner Pink
made a motion to increase the salary of the Treasurer to the same salary of the
Secretary to also include the 3% as of June 1, 2008 and it was seconded by
Commissioner Siciliano, all ayes, motion passed.
Commissioner
Siciliano made a motion to renew the benefit package for the Chief Water
Operator to be the same as carried the previous year as of 1/1/08, until which
time a policy is adopted by the Water Board, this renewal will be reviewed
again at that time, this was seconded by Commissioner Pink, all ayes, motion
passed.
Commissioner
Siciliano made a motion to continue the reimbursement of health insurance to
the Chief Water Operator as of 1/1/08 at the rate of $439.50, until which time
Health Insurance is available through the Water Board, and at this time this
reimbursement will be reviewed again, it was seconded by Commissioner Pink, all
ayes, motion passed.
There was a discussion on the process of using purchase
orders. It was determined to have the
Treasurer issue PO’s after the budget is verified to be supportive of such
purchase, due to the tight budget. Commissioner Colvin made a motion to have
the purchase order process change to be started with the Treasurer as of this
date and it was seconded by Commissioner Siciliano, all ayes, motion passed.
Commissioner
Siciliano made a motion to adjourn the meeting and it was seconded by
Commissioner Kahnle, all ayes, motion passed.
Respectfully Submitted
Brenda
S. Buchanan,
Recording Secretary