VILLAGE OF MORRISVILLE WATER AND LIGHT DEPARTMENT
February 2, 2009
MONDAY 6:00 PM
Water and Light Office
The meeting duly noticed and warned was called to order at 6:02 PM.
PRESENT:
Trustees: Dana Wildes, Tim Sargent, Peter Bourne, and Ed DeBor.
Staff: Craig Myotte, Jim Fontaine, Penny Jones, Linda Osgood
ABSENT: Keith Thompson
GUEST: Brice Simon
1) PUBLIC MEETING:
No members of the public were present.
2) EXECUTIVE SESSION:
At 6:03 PM, on a motion by Trustee Bourne, seconded by
Trustee Sargent and approved by all present, the Board went into Executive
Session to discuss Board issues.
At 6:12 PM, on a motion by Trustee Bourne, seconded by
Trustee Sargent and approved by all present, the Board came out of Executive
Session. No action was taken.
3) CURRENT PRIORITY PROJECTS:
Craig briefly updated the Board on the status of the
current priority projects.
4) MANAGEMENT REPORT:
At Plant #2 the small head gate and actuator arrived
today. The gate has already been
installed. Jim is trying to see if the
second gate can be shipped before the actuator so we can at least get the gate
in place. Still expecting to be online
by mid-February.
Substation #14 has been de-energized with the load
switched to Sub #3. The feed to Sub #14
is being converted to a distribution line.
Jim met with Dan Lindley about Maple Street. They had Stantec update the project costs and
it is now on the VLCT Stimulus Plan list.
Trustee Bourne asked if we could quantify the decrease in
line loss due to upgrades over the last 7 years. Craig will investigate.
Penny has been working on year-end reports. The Chairman reminded the Board that they had
already voted to spend dividends and interest earned in 2008. Did the Board want to authorize the
expenditure of those dividends for 2009.
Penny wants to wait and see and track it on a quarterly basis.
We have some customers that are refusing to have a water
meter installed. Staff recommends either
creating a penalty, shutting the water off, or just raising their rates in lieu
of a penalty. Johnson created an
arbitrary figure that forced customers to either pay the much higher flat rate
or have a water meter installed. Staff
will contact these problem customers by letter.
Craig briefly discussed possible scenarios for a
functional consolidation of crews, equipment, and inventory of Johnson
Electric, Hyde Park Electric, Hardwick Electric, and MW&L. One way would be to bring all crews,
equipment, and inventory to MW&L as a central distribution center to serve
all. Another way is to create an
independent Field Service Group, again based at MW&L because we have the
facility and are centrally located.
Craig will explore the pro’s and con’s of both options.
Trustee Sargent asked for a comparison of MW&L’s
electric, water, and sewer rates to other municipalities. The Chairman asked staff to also determine
the age of the other municipals’ infrastructures and whether they were saving
for their next major upgrade.
Trustee Bourne stated that while we were asking HLTurner
for a justification of having a hydro plant operator that we ask Hardwick what
labor they use to operate their plant.
If we have an operator again, could he also run Hardwick’s plant for a
fee? Craig stated that Hardwick has
already expressed an interest in this.
The Chairman asked for clarification on what the
“inconsistency” was that the State found in our SQRP filing. Craig said we simply changed “yes” to “no” on
an attachment that now made the attachment match the filing. We were not alone on this “inconsistency”.
5) APPROVE MINTUES OF MEETING HELD JANUARY 5, 2009:
On a motion by Trustee Sargent, seconded by Trustee DeBor and approved by all present, the Board approved the minutes of the January 5, 2009, regular meeting.
6) APPROVE MINUTES OF MEETING HELD JANUARY 19, 2009:
On a motion by Trustee Sargent, seconded by Trustee DeBor and approved by all present, the Board approved the minutes of the January 19, 2009 regular meeting.
7) UPDATE ON WWTF PROJECT:
The SBR building is being sheet-rocked, sided, and roofed. Our crews ran the overhead primary line. Transformers will not be erected until needed. The UV building is finished with the equipment due to arrive mid-February. The schedule shows a month’s delay and FA&A is questioning the reasonability of Keymont’s schedule. Late penalties would not kick in until December 2009. Gravel returns in April to continue site work. The project is still at or below budget.
8) UPDATE ON WATER METER PROJECT:
East National is now looking at having two crews working at the same time to catch up. We had two frozen distribution pipes this weekend. Both pipes were 6’ deep. Jim suggests that on lines that are prone to freezing that we install a weep line before the water meter so any water loss is on our system, not the customer’s. Trustee Sargent also suggested insulating lines from now on. We will be offering our old water meters at scrap value to landlords for sub-metering purposes. Trustee Sargent asked what happens if a customer doesn’t want the remote pad on the outside of their house. The pads are necessary. Everyone has a telephone access box on the side of their house, they’ll get used to the new pads.
9) DISCUSS ANNUAL MEETING TIME LINE:
Craig has received a couple of recommendations for the dedication – Richard Tomlinson or Andrew Jensvold. Craig hopes to have a draft of the Manager’s Report, the Trustee’s Report, and the Warning at the next regular meeting. Working on staff photo and will get Trustee photo at next regular meeting. Trustee Debor recommended that this year’s Annual Report be dedicated to Richard Tomlinson and next year’s Annual Report be dedicated to Andrew Jensvold.
10) OTHER BUSINESS:
Stowe Electric still wants to have a joint meeting with their Commissioners and MW&L’s Trustees. Craig suggested an informal luncheon. Trustee Sargent agreed that it should be later in a week instead of on a Monday or Tuesday. The Chairman agreed.
Craig is still looking at wheeling services and outside services to Johnson Electric.
Stowe is proposing that they, Richmond, Waterbury, and Morristown collaboratively purchased a vactor truck for $187,000 (used chassis). Jim’s concern is that we have a good relationship with Hartigan. If we call them in the middle of the night, we get them in the middle of the night (we pay for it, too). Stowe has already indicated they would not be providing emergency services.
Craig received a proposal on the Zackwoods property from the Vermont River Conservancy. MW&L needs to come up with a selling price that everyone is comfortable with. Trustee Bourne wants clarification from DPS/PSB as to whether we can allow the principal from the sale to grow with the CPI. Trustee DeBor said that was presuming the MW&L held onto the principal. It is his opinion that Zackwoods is a non-performing asset that MW&L should never have owned in the first place. Trustee Bourne still wants a letter from DPS/PSB stating what we can and cannot do with any proceeds from the sale. Trustee Sargent recommended having a project ready to go to transfer the proceeds to. He also wants to know the VRC’s policing powers because lack of presence at Zackwoods is currently a huge part of the problem. Trustee DeBor reminded the Board that it was their responsibility to sell Zackwoods for as much as they could, not just to VRC because they learned of the land through the Friends of Zackwoods. The Chairman feels that the appraiser did not place enough emphasis on public access and the uniqueness of the parcel. Trustee DeBor ended by stating that after their experience with the Gregory property, they had better get a second appraisal.
KRI’s will be tabled until the next regular meeting.
11) EXECUTIVE SESSION:
At 7:45 PM, on a motion by Trustee Bourne, seconded by Trustee Sargent and approved by all present, the Board went into Executive Session to discuss contractual issues.
At 8:47 PM, on a motion by Trustee DeBor, seconded by
Trustee Sargent and approved by all present, the Board came out of Executive
Session.
The Chair stated that the rest of the agenda would be
tabled due to the time.
12) ADJOURNMENT:
At 8:50 PM, on a motion by Trustee DeBor, seconded by Trustee Sargent and approved by all present, the Board adjourned the meeting.
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Tim Sargent, Clerk