18 April 2024 DCRSD Board Meeting Notes
Steve Renihan - President, Brett Fehrman - Vice President, Russell Beiersdorfer, Bill Shelton, Doug Baer, Jeff Stenger (arrived15 min late), and Steward Cline (arrived 10 min late) both due to SR1 construction.
Board Attorney - Frank Kramer
Also present: Christy and Bob from Hrezo Engineering, Commissioner Jim Thatcher, Tamara Taylor, Beacon, Nick Bailey, Crossroad supt., and 3 citizens.
Renihan read the Public Access Statement as legally required.
Minutes: April 4 Minutes Approved.
Treasurers Report:
Barnes and Thornburg- Jake German and Chris Griswold (sp?)- thanked Hrezo and Christy for their help. Stop us at any time with questions. Chris- sent RFP- request for proposal- out. We are really close to getting a final RFP. Filled in details from the asset list. Possibilities are: Acquire all assets of utility or come in as an operator.They will fill in a timeline with an RFP- like they see in government all the time. There is NOTHING that commits you with an RFP. You still have fun control of them process. This is just asking you to take a leap of faith. Included the Wolpert Study that they had done in the past.There is. Prioritization of problem areas. They will show your concerns to any 3rd party. What happens is we turn this over and get ignored for the foreseeable future. Jake noted that no 2 utilities are alike. As we move to putting a price on the assets. Rate stabilization is an issue. Need the short term 5 year issues and then the long term plan. Day to day management and how they handle risks. Making sure your voice continues if you are acquired. Some of the continue as a liaison to the new utility private operator.
They asked for deep details on each entity submitting RFPs. Want to know if they are the right fit for the utility. Need two see history and examples of their other utilities. Want to see day to day operations and proposed staff. How will they manage financials and what the monthly reports look like. How do they plan to bring on new customers. The 2 big ARPA projects DCRSD has done needs to be outlined to get interest in submitting RFPs.
Cline noted that all the steps will lead to about 3 finalists. And the cost to DCRSD is $0 other than the attorney cost (that the Commissioners paid)
Cline said the board had talked- the initial RFP will have the 5 year short term things we want addressed in the structure of their response.The people of the county need someone LOCAL- not 3 states away to contact.
Jake- we addressed this in service and billing structures and resumes and how will they address the operators
Cline- also the 10 year plan and how they will fund it. Need to see the rates.
Fehrman- Private utilities raise rates often compared to public ones per our rate study person. Jake- you could affect it in the short term but the IURC will be the rate limiter. Chris- They need a negotiated first rate to take to the IURC in the beginning.OUCC is on the other side. Quasi judicial body.
Fehrman- We have public entities that handle our treatment. They have expressed fear of dealing with a private entity. Non-tangible assets are these contracts. Chris - they will take on the obligation - but they can change those perhaps in the future. They would have RFP state they will puck up these obligations. Municipalities have the ability to opt out of IURC or OUCC. That is because customers can vote the municipal leaders out.
Chris- There are a lot of utility practice groups who have a great interest on this entity. Some are close.
Renhan- What else do you need from us? We also have your draft rate study. The priority list is the piece we ned to iterate in the RFP. Also teh map.
With all this- we are a few weeks away from getting the RFP out.
Cline- when we have the bids for the 2 ARPA projects- that will be the time to get the RFPs out. Chris- Could issue it and then add an addenda for those 2 projects. Jake-We could allow for the question and answer period while waiting for the bids.
Christy said she is waiting on info for IDEM and no info on low pressure sewer lines yet. Working with INDOT on the slip on SR1 issue. It’s close.
Cline and Renihan want to get it out in June. Cline- we get map and priority list out by 2nd meeting on May 16th.
Renihan thanked them for their time. Have another meeting with teh committee before May 16th. Need a copy before the meeting of RFP BEFORE the meeting.
5:50 PM
Project Updates: Christy from Hrezo
Guilford-
High Ridge WWTP
High Ridge west Expansion - Texas Gas Rd
Wilson Creek Project
Huesman Rd and Cole Lane
Harrison TIF/Stone Project
Scenic Ridge/148 Sewers /Outer Drive
Stateline Rd- extend 400 ft extension has been requested by homeowner. Discussion on if it’s DCRSD or Crossroads territory.
Serenity Ridge Tranquility Court
Moores Hill
Dillsboro- Lake Dildear- still working on this. Bill Brett and Stew met with Lake Dildear - there are numbers in there. They want a more detailed cost service study for the operating and maintenance costs of the plant and the agreed to base our rate on that. I think they are looking for guidance on the area we are looking to serve. They agreed to give us a description of their rates. The additional study- 30-60 days to get that info. Cline part of the reason it is complicated for them = they ave an inefficient system. They can go as high as half a million gallons in rainy weather. So they are trying to get a true cost for us. Fehrman- we have to be efficient on our line to them. Cline- We need to have appropriate language that we won’t allow downspouts and will have smoke tests to keep the rain issues out. They want to be sure they are not treating wastewater to save us money from fixing something. Had to work out the penalty system. Could put a flowmeter on the sewer line to monitor flows but not on individual homes. Asked Hrezo to see what the cost would be to measure flows. Annexation was another issue- If they want to annex them they will have a conversation about them purchasing our infrastructure then. That al seemed to settle their concerns.
Fehrman- Liability of the 2 lagoons in Dillsboro is significant. There is a substantial cleanup involved for those that are no longer used. This should be addressed in the interlocal agreement.We are only buying capacity- not part ownership.
I left at this point at 6:15 PM to cover the Candidate Night at HVL.
New Business:
Office Update:
Claims:
Discretion of the Board:
Adjourn:
Christine Brauer Mueller
Lawrenceburg Township
