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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-08-10 MinutesCAPE FEAR PUBLIC UTILITY AUTHORITY AUTHORITY BOARD MINUTES AUGUST 10, 2022 Lucie Harrell Conference Room Regular Meeting 9:00 AM 230 GOVERNMENT CENTER DRIVE WILMINGTON, NC 28403 I. CALL TO ORDER Mr. Norris called the meeting to order, with a quorum present. Mr. Rivenbark moved to excuse Messrs. Corder and Sneeden. Mr. Briggs seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously. II. DETERMINATION OF A QUORUM Attendee Name Organization Title Status Arrived Wesley Corder Cape Fear Public Utility Chair Excused Authority William Norris Cape Fear Public Utility Vice -Chair Present Authority Deans Hackney Cape Fear Public Utility Secretary Present Authority Jennifer Adams Cape Fear Public Utility Treasurer Present Authority Jessica Cannon Cape Fear Public Utility Board Member Present Authority Hollis Briggs Cape Fear Public Utility Board Member Present Authority Larry Sneeden Cape Fear Public Utility Board Member Excused Authority Jonathan Barfield Cape Fear Public Utility County Commissioner Present Authority Charlie Rivenbark Cape Fear Public Utility City Councilmember Present Authority Luke Waddell Cape Fear Public Utility City Councilmember Present Authority Rob Zapple Cape Fear Public Utility County Commissioner Present Authority Kenneth Waldroup Cape Fear Public Utility Executive Director Present Authority Linda Miles Miles Firm, PLLC CFPUA Consulting Attorney Present Nicolette Fulton Cape Fear Public Utility Deputy Attorney Present Authority Cal.,)e Fear Public Utility Authority Page I Minutes Authority Board August 10, 2022 Beth Eckert Cape Fear Public Utility Director of EMD Present Authority John McLean Cape Fear Public Utility Chief Financial Officer Present Authority Carel Cape Fear Public Utility Deputy Executive Director Present Vandermeyden Authority Frank Styers Cape Fear Public Utility Deputy Executive Director Present Authority Kristine Irick Cape Fear Public Utility Customer Service Director Present Authority Lori McKoy Cape Fear Public Utility Human Resources Director Present Authority Vaughn Hagerty Cape Fear Public Utility Public Information Officer Present Authority Cammie Bellamy Cape Fear Public Utility Assistant PIO Present Authority Julia Vosnock Cape Fear Public Utility Procurement Manager Present Faircloth Authority Kathryn Pohlman Cape Fear Public Utility Assistant Director of EMD and Present Authority Sustainability Jude Eden Cape Fear Public Utility Server Administrator Present Authority Donna S. Pope Cape Fear Public Utility Clerk/Executive Secretary to the Present Authority Board III. ADOPTION OF AGENDA Mr. Rivenbark moved to adopt the day's Agenda. Mr. Hackney seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously. IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Authority Board -Regular Meeting -Jul 13, 2022 9:00 AM RESULT: ACCEPTED [UNANIMOUS] MOVER: Jonathan Barfield, County Commissioner SECONDER: Jessica Cannon, Board Member AYES: Norris, Hackney, Adams, Cannon, Briggs, Barfield, Rivenbark, Waddell, Zapple EXCUSED: Corder, Sneeden V. PUBLIC COMMENTS - 4 MINUTE LIMIT PER SPEAKER There were no public speakers. VI. CONSENT AGENDA Caj.')e Fear Public Utility Authority Page 2 Minutes Authority Board August 10, 2022 Mr. Waddell asked for Item 1 to be removed from the Consent Agenda for clarification. Mr. Rivenbark moved to approve Items 2, 3, and 4. Mr. Waddell seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously. 1. $2,996,180 Design -Build Contract with Crowder Construction for Southside WWTP Interim Upgrades Phase II Mr. Waddell asked for background on the replacement of the chlorine building and asked if it could be retrofitted for office space. Mr. Styers reported that staff had evaluated conversion of the existing building and decided that replacement would be cost-effective and provide a better building for future use. The new building will be pre- fabricated, and the cost includes pouring of the concrete slab and installation of the building. It can be used during the Southside rehabilitation project, and its use will be consistent with the treatment plant after the rehabilitation. Mr. Waddell thanked Mr. Styers for the information and moved to approve the contract. Mr. Zapple seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously. RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS] MOVER: Luke Waddell, City Councilmember SECONDER: Rob Zapple, County Commissioner AYES: Norris, Hackney, Adams, Cannon, Briggs, Barfield, Rivenbark, Waddell, Zapple EXCUSED: Corder, Sneeden 2. Disposition of Surplus Radios to Brunswick County RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS] MOVER: Charlie Rivenbark, City Councilmember SECONDER: Luke Waddell, City Councilmember AYES: Norris, Hackney, Adams, Cannon, Briggs, Barfield, Rivenbark, Waddell, Zapple EXCUSED: Corder, Sneeden 3. Sole Source -Meter and AMR Transmitter RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS] MOVER: Charlie Rivenbark, City Councilmember SECONDER: Luke Waddell, City Councilmember AYES: Norris, Hackney, Adams, Cannon, Briggs, Barfield, Rivenbark, Waddell, Zapple EXCUSED: Corder, Sneeden 4. Additional Office Space at 235 Government Center Drive Caj.')e Fear Public Utility Authority Page Minutes Authority Board August 10, 2022 RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS] MOVER: Charlie Rivenbark, City Councilmember SECONDER: Luke Waddell, City Councilmember AYES: Norris, Hackney, Adams, Cannon, Briggs, Barfield, Rivenbark, Waddell, Zapple EXCUSED: Corder, Sneeden VII. NEW BUSINESS A. Administrative Reports i. Attorney's Report Ms. Miles had no report and did not require a closed session. ii. Executive Director's Report Mr. Waldroup reported on a research opportunity. CFPUA is a member of the Water Research Foundation. WRF and the University of South Carolina have both asked staff to provide water samples for a research project that EPA is planning and requesting proposals from organizations wishing to participate. The project will focus on the occurrence and concentration of opportunistic pathogens and unregulated disinfection byproducts in drinking water distribution systems. The project is expected to last approximately two years, and CFPUA's in -kind contribution would be around $15,000, should WRF or the University of South Carolina's proposals be accepted. For several years, it has been staff's policy to inform the Board of such research opportunities and request Board endorsement. Mr. Vandermeyden reported that CFPUA currently participates in a CDC project that samples and analyzes wastewater for the Covid-19 virus. Dr. Cannon asked staff to share the resulting DHHS data with her. Following clarification questions, the Board endorsed participation in the study. 1. Key Indicators Report Mr. Vandermeyden answered questions regarding Ph sampling at the Southside Wastewater Treatment Plant. RESULT: REVIEWED 2. Environmental Report .. ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .................. RESULT: REVIEWED 3. Safety Report Caj.')e Fear Public Utility Authority Page 4 Minutes Authority Board August 10, 2022 RESULT: REVIEWED B. Committee Reports i. Executive Committee 1. Executive Committee - Regular- Aug 3, 2022, 10:00 AM 2. Election of FY23 Officers Mr. Zapple presented the following slate of Officers for FY2023, as recommended by the Nominating and Executive Committees: Jennifer H. Adams, Chair Wes Corder, Vice -Chair Jessica Cannon, Secretary Bill Norris, Treasurer Mr. Rivenbark moved to approve the Officers. Mr. Waddell seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously. Ms. Adams took over chairing the meeting. RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS] MOVER: Charlie Rivenbark, City Councilmember SECONDER: Luke Waddell, City Councilmember AYES: Norris, Hackney, Adams, Cannon, Briggs, Barfield, Rivenbark, Waddell, Zapple EXCUSED: Corder, Sneeden ii. Long Range Planning Committee 1. Long Range Planning Committee -Regular -Jul 28, 2022, 3:00 PM iii. Finance Committee 1. Finance Committee -Regular Meeting -Aug 3, 2022, 9:00 AM RESULT: NO ACTION REQUIRED 2. Monthly Financials Mr. McLean reported that, with 8.33 percent of FY23 complete, revenues are at 8.9 percent of budget. He presented the unaudited year-end FY22 financial data. The fund balance as $108.9 million at the beginning of FY22 and ended at $100.5 million. Debt service was $13.1 million, and $16.25 in 2019 bond proceeds are Caj.')e Fear Public Utility Authority Page Minutes Authority Board August 10, 2022 unspent. $11.8 million is committed for capital projects, $2.7 million for capital reserves, and 18.5 million encumbered for pay -go capital funding. Year-end expenditures were 98.98 percent of budget. The unassigned fund balance is $55.5 million. Final FY22 financials will come to the Board at the November Annual Meeting. Mr. McLean reported that the Other Post -Employment Benefits fund (OPEB) is $1.1 million. At CFPUA'S closing in 2008, City and County provided $4.5 million to fund retiree health insurance. Last year's actuarial review projected the need for funding through 2042. The OPEB fund should last approximately three years longer. The Board discussed methods of funding the OPEB, including the use of unassigned funds or requesting additional funding from the County and City. Mr. Rivenbark observed that the County and City provided CFPUA with all their water and sewer assets and liabilities at closing and would probably be insulated from further expenditures for OPEB. .. ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .................. RESULT: REVIEWED 3. Sweeney WTP Treatment Enhancements Project Update Mr. Styers introduced Jeff Coggins with Black & Veatch, the engineering consultant on the current Sweeney enhancement project and on the last Sweeney expansion. Mr. Coggins reported that the project is 85 percent complete. Change orders have been under 1 percent of the original contract amounts. The project was originally planned to be completed in February 2022, but schedule delays due to covid, supply chain issues, and weather events expanded the time frame to June 2022. The project includes eight deep bed contactors to hold the granular activated charcoal media. It takes three days to load the media into each bed, and 11 days after that to rinse and backwash the media in preparation for use. The contactor beds should be filled and prepped by the end of December. There are electrical components and SCADA that will need to be completed following the contactor preparation before operational testing can be conducted. Instrumentation and punchlist items should be complete by March 2023. Caj.')e Fear Public Utility Authority Page Minutes Authority Board August 10, 2022 The contactor beds cannot be loaded and prepped simultaneously because the waste stream from backwashing all eight would be more than Sweeney's waste treatment process can handle at once. The first contactor is complete, and the second is underway. Mr. Coggins reported that the new infrastructure could be functional with four of the eight beds in operation. Black & Veatch and CFPUA operations staff will determine if the plant can go online with four contactor beds functioning while the other four are being prepped. If so, the GAC system may be operational by fall. Mr. Coggins commended CFPUA staff for their ability to work safely and efficiently in a construction zone during the past three years. Board members thanked Mr. Coggins for his report and urged him and staff to proceed with caution to ensure that the new plant infrastructure is operating properly. .. ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .................. RESULT: NO ACTION REQUIRED 4. $316,290 Black & Veatch International Company Contract Amendment #4 for Sweeney Treatment Enhancements Project RESULT: APPROVED [UNANIMOUS] MOVER: Rob Zapple, County Commissioner SECONDER: Jonathan Barfield, County Commissioner AYES: Norris, Hackney, Adams, Cannon, Briggs, Barfield, Rivenbark, Waddell, Zapple EXCUSED: Corder, Sneeden iv. Human Resources Committee Mr. Briggs reported that the Committee received presentations from Linda Rawley Thompson and Joe Conway from the County and City, respectively, regarding their DE&I programs. Ms. Rawley Thompson, Mr. Conway, and CFPUA's DE&I consultant recommended a needs assessment. Mr. Briggs endorsed that approach and expressed his enthusiasm for CFPUA beginning a DE&I program. Board members discussed the possible cost of the assessment and use of the Strategic Plan innovation budget for its implementation. 1. Human Resources Committee -Regular -Jul 27, 2022, 10:30 AM Caj.')e Fear Public Utility Authority Page 7 Minutes Authority Board August 10, 2022 RESULT: NO ACTION REQUIRED 2. DE&I Informational Items ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .................. RESULT: REVIEWED VIII.OLD BUSINESS There was no old business. IX. AUTHORITY Q & A / CLOSING COMMENTS Mr. Barfield congratulated the new Authority Officers. Mr. Rivenbark encouraged any Board members who haven't yet visited the Sweeney plant to do so, stating that the technology is amazing. X. CLOSED SESSION There was no closed session. XI. ADJOURNMENT There was no further business to come before the Board, and Mr. Norris moved to adjourn. Mr. Hackney seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 10:12 AM. The next regular CFPUA meeting will be Wednesday, September 14, 2022. The Board will meet at 9:00 AM in the Lucie Harrell Conference Room, New Hanover County Administration Building, 230 Government Center Drive, in Wilmington, North Carolina. Respectfully submitted, Donna S. Pope Clerk to the Board. Caj.')e Fear Public Utility Authority Page