2 November 2023- DCRSD Board Meeting Notes
Steve Renihan - President, Brett Fehrman - Vice President, Russell Beiersdorfer, and Steward Cline
ABSENT: Bill Shelton, Doug Baer, and Jeff Stenger
Board Attorney - Frank Kramer
Also present: Commissioner Probst, Hrezo Engineering (Christy and Bob),Tamara Taylor(Beacon)- departed before Brock presentation, and 2 citizens
Renihan read the Public Access Statement as legally required.
Minutes: October 19 minutes - not approved as not enough members present who had been at the meeting.
Treasurers Report: none
Public Comment:none
Project Updates: Christy from Hrezo:
Guilford- Design work and easement ( 2 needed that they know about) Strip of land Between SR 1 and the?? another in the Guilford Park itself. They can gravity the restrooms there to their lift station. It will be flood resistant.
High Ridge WWTP
High Ridge west Expansion - Texas Gas Rd
Wilson Creek Project
Huesman Rd and Cole Lane
Harrison TIF/Stone Project- New business down there looking for the application from Mr Leslie. It’s about 200 ft from their manhole. It is an Ohio resident.
Scenic Ridge/148 Sewers /Outer Drive
Stateline Rd- low pressure sewer line that will be connected to DCRSD Stateline Line. DCRSD owns the line but Crossroads maintains it now that they own LMH. Discussion seemed to point out that research from Kramer had DCRSD actually turning it over to LMH. They only need to provide data for them as DCRSD paid to build the original line. DCRSD has 2 different types of agreements with LMH.Serenity Ridge and Justis Rd are examples. The new customers added to this one on Stateline should require amending the interlocal agreement. More discussion that seems to need Crossroads coming in to explain how this is working with them. The 10 customers that exist out there pay a debt service fee via LMH/Crossroads and the treatments and maintenance fees go to LMH/Crossroads. Dan Bedinghaus paid $30,000 ten years ago to help build that line. Board is wanting to meet with Crossroads via Kramer to get a proposal for an interlocal agreement. Board Approved Frank meeting with Crossroads to check this out.
Serenity Ridge Tranquility Court
Moores Hill
Dillsboro- Lake Dildear- Asking to connect thru their site to get to the discharge point. Who pays for a private company to locate things in that path? Why do these companies not know where their lines are? They are going to need costs and then decide who is paying. $2.5million project cost. $42/month so base rate $56/mo Dillsboro rate is $96/mo. Reference rate study from Oct 12 from Watson. Our rate should be on cost to operate the sewer plant. They treat 28 million and we would use 6 million gal/ mo. Equity in the plant would reduce our rate or capacity fee.They want us to fix our problems rather than pay them to fix our problems. SEI communications is out there and we want token them as our customer. Next step is to have another working meeting. Also who will pay for mapping the area. They will meet with them again. Christy is going to check on abandoned roads and easements there.
Steve Brock- Rate Study Presentation - Their are funding like State Revolving Loan Program and they lave a long lead time to get their funding. $125 million each year. Half has to be spent as grant and to disadvantaged communities. ($49,955 or less for medium household income.) Apply by April 1 each year- with asset management plan and preliminary engineering report. They only fund the least cost alternative. They have higher income area funding but only maybe $20 million. For the $125 million pool - have to get by April 1. Application , PER , and asset management program. You do not have to do design etc till after you get the award.
He ran the customers from Dillsboro and Guilford to his rate report. Started with page 23-4. Projection f revenues and receipts and future expenses based on your budget. $153,473 is the budget. Also looked at HighRidge expansion. There is a shortfall as budget doesn’t cover. $44,000 shortfall. Took out tap fees.
63 customers in Guilford and 42 in Dillsboro. These are problem areas so they would be compelled to hook on. A manageable rate increase could get the $20,000 shortage there covered.
Discussion of lien process to get sewer bills paid. Interim rate can be charged as soon as the construction starts. This gives DCRSD time to see who is going to stay and pay and who is not.
He will show rates for 80 and also 90% participation. And update his report based on their input tonight. You have $315,000 in your bank account and you will never see that one again. He will have report by Nov 16th. He will be at Dec 7 meeting.
Cline asked about the process of raising rates and who they have to report to. Brock will send statute to Kramer about the local process on doing this. Cline akee him to send the rate increase process timeline to them. Current rates have not changed since 2010. Rates should be looked at every 3-5 years and see that they are recovering your costs. Renihan and board thanked Brock for putting this together. Increases that are based on CPI or inflation is not legal. Cline said you are not allowed to use projected growth to keep your rate down. Need to be sure the 3 missing board members see this report also. Fehrman- This is a lot better than he thought it was going to be.
More Business:
Cline asked Christy how they identify the fees that Kramer and Hrezo put into each project. These will put those expenses under PROJECT on the spreadsheet. There is no depreciation in the rate study.
Meyers pumps are different than E-1 pumps. Renihan has a letter sending out to get people out there to pick them out.There are 18 people that need to install these pumps. Plus we need to get them out of storage. The letter will go out next week.
Rate adjustments for people with pools had to be approved and signed.
Some other items for Mrs Wilke to see about pressure out there. They put a lien on her property. They have been dumping the waste on the ground.They will not be given a credit.
Frank Kramer- RR ROW to the plant in Guilford approved signed and $30,000 paid to RR. There is a separate permit to get under the RR for the lines from the plant which will be gotten later- already filed for it.
Barnes and Thornburg will be here on Nov 16th
New Business: none
Office Update: none
Claims: none
Comments:none
Adjourned:7:30 PM
Christine Brauer Mueller
Lawrenceburg Township
