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CRANE LAKE WATER & SANITARY DISTRICT (CLWSD)
BOARD OF MANAGERS’ REGULAR MEETING
July 10, 2013 – 7:30 P.M.
CRANE LAKE CHAPEL FELLOWSHIP HALL
The meeting was called to order by Chairman Rob Scott at 7:30P.M.
Members present: Managers Mark Anderson, Bruce Beste, & Rob Scott
Members absent: Managers Bill Congdon & Darrell Scott
Also present: Randy Jenniges of S.E.H., Inc., Sewer Operator Terry Jackson and Anne; Sewer Maintenance Worker Jim Pohlman, Clerk/Treasurer Jo Ann Pohlman, a reporter from the Cook News-Herald and 12 members of the community.
Opening Comments: Chairman Scott welcomed everyone to the meeting and reviewed the order of business. He further explained that the District is in a 4th phase of operation with the Western Service Area sewer service completion in 2004, the CSAH 24 expansion from Handberg Road to Anderson’s and now the Handberg Road and Bear Island expansions. He explained the different types of meetings that the District held and reviewed meeting procedure.
BUSINESS:
Minutes: A motion was made by B. Beste, supported by M. Anderson, to approve the minutes of the Board of Managers’ Regular Meeting of June 5, 2013. All voted in favor and the motion carried.
Correspondence: The correspondence list was reviewed by the Board. A motion was made by M. Anderson, supported by R. Scott, that the correspondence be placed on file and acted upon as required. All voted in favor and the motion carried.
Treasurer/Accountant Report: Clerk/Treasurer J. Pohlman reviewed the Treasurer’s Report. June 2013 payroll expenses were as follows: Administrative – $666.00 and Operations – $3,037.64. No transfers were made from G. C. Operating Fund to Capital Reserve Savings. $44,242.24 levy money was received from St. Louis County for the Admin Fund and $24,458.85 was received for the S.A. Revenue Fund. The May 2013 Financial Statements were presented to the Board. A motion was made by M. Anderson, supported by B. Beste, to approve the Treasurer’s report as presented and the payment of bills as follows: Administrative: Costin Group – $4,321.00, Fryberger, Buchanan – $1,333.80 & $60.97; Lutefisk – $275.40; Quill – $19.23; RVS Software – $261.00; Braun Intertec – $3,220.00; and S.E.H. – $5,610.14. Operations: Lake Country Power – $788.52, $101.53, $50.68, $56.47 & $76.00; Citi-Lites – $275.00; Randy Clemmer – $150.00; Electric Pump – $1,448.40; Gopher State One Call – $2.90; Lance Ulen – $151.72; Pace Analytical – $312.00; Quality Flow Systems – $4,215.15; Range Electric – $3,518.71; Ziegler – $2,102.23; and Terry’s Operational Services – $1,246.80. All voted in favor and the motion carried.
- Fund Transfers: There were no transfers approved.
- Budget Forecast: The budget will be reviewed after funding is determined for expansions.
Administration
- Ordinance Review: B. Beste and B. Congdon continue to work on the Ordinance 3 update. B. Beste presented a red-line copy of the Ordinance to all Board members to review and act upon at the next meeting.
- Carl Brown Proposal: Carl Brown’s Sewer Rate Analysis and Connection Fee Calculations will be referenced when funding becomes available for the expansions.
- Sewer System Management: S.E.H. discussed this under the S.E.H. Update.
- St. Louis County Ongoing Items:
Handberg Road ISTS Systems: The District is working with the County to determine system installation times to factor in a timeline payment plan of Special Assessments.
Cost Overrun Support: The CountyCommissioners are considering.
Property Transfers in CLWSD: There was no new input.
Legal Issues
- RLK Arbitration: The Honorable Charles Flinn has been selected as the arbitration judge. Stephanie Ball of Fryberger, Buchanan has contacted him as to availability for arbitration. The expected arbitration date will be in August or September.
CLWSD Meeting Minutes – July 10, 2013
JPB Update
- JPB Update – The next meeting is scheduled for July 17th. R. Scott will bring up the cost over-run issue. Taconite Tax funds of $660,000 will be available to the District in August and will be used as matching funds as required by the State Bonding. The State Bonding bill was approved but requires a super majority vote, so the funding did not carry, but will be considered next year. 1.5 million was allotted to the District by the Clean Water Legacy Fund which requires 25% matching funds. Application will be made to the MPCA to determine the Legislature’s intent to include Crane Lake in the Clean Water Legacy Fund allotment. A motion was made by B. Beste, supported by M. Anderson to adopt a resolution stating that the Legacy Funds can be allotted to Crane Lake. All voted in favor and the motion carried. The District will consider the USDA-RD grant. A motion was made by M. Anderson, supported by R. Scott, requesting S.E.H. to prepare the Owner-Engineer Services agreement required by Rural Development. All voted in favor and the motion carried.
S.E.H. Update
- CSAH 24 Easements: The easement process has been completed.
- Grinder Capacity Review: The new pump for the Driggs property has been installed.
- Voyageur Lakes Development: Voyageur Lakes Development petitioned the District for the project to begin the process for Board action.
- Randy provided a Bear Island Outline to the Board and a slide presented for all present. Options being considered are: Individual grinder stations with a main line to a lift station with a force main underwater to a site near Voyagaire. Barging is an option. Phase concepts are also an option depending on funding.
- Lake Country Power was contacted for information on customers with electrical hookups on Bear Island. A motion was made by R Scott, supported by B. Beste, requesting customer information from Lake Country Power. All voted in favor and the motion carried.
- Randy will begin permitting processes so the District will be prepared when funding becomes available.
Treatment Plant and Operations Report
- Terry Jackson’s reported that the plant maintained all effluent limitations in June. Chemical dosing is adjusted daily based on flow rate at the plant.
- The motor on the pump utilized to transfer solids into the sludge storage tank was replaced. A contactor in the panel was also replaced, as well as the starter for the redundant sludge pump.
- The ABS recirculation pump and motor were returned from Range Electric. The windings in the motor were determined to be bad, the motor was returned to Electric Pump in Fargo for repair.
- Survey-Sewer Connection Physical Inspection: This process is ongoing with completion planned for end of summer.
- Staff Increase. Terry will provide a recommendation at the next meeting.
PUBLIC COMMENTS (5 Minute Limit): There were numerous comments from Bear Island residence, some of which include: Residents of Bear Island have not been informed of what is going on. The 80% sewer non-compliance on Bear Island was questioned. Systems should be inspected for non-compliance rather than spend so much money. A lot of residents are there in the summer only, there are very few full-time residents. A tank and pump system should be considered. Concern was expressed about running a pipe under the water. What happens when the power goes off for long periods of time? Will there be an environmental impact study? What constitutes a sewer generating parcel? (A structure with people staying more than one day) A lot of Crane Lake’s water comes from Lake Vermilion, what is being done to clean up that lake? Why is Little Bear excluded? A public meeting was requested during the summer months. With the difficulties of the current system, why is the same not expected with an expansion to Bear Island? It looks like the District is looking for grant money to increase income. Give the grant money to Bear Island residents that need to become compliant. The District has a failure to communicate. The 2006 Advisory Committee recommended ISTS’s for Bear Island, why isn’t that a consideration? If the District considers all options, doing nothing is an option. All outhouses on the island are not in use. The people should have been advised that someone was walking around the Island.
The meeting was adjourned at 9.10PM
Jo Ann Pohlman, Clerk
NEXT MEETING: AUG 7, 2013, 7:30PM, CRANE LAKE FELLOWSHIP HALL
This draft of the CLWSD minutes has been posted solely for preliminary informational purposes. Minutes are unofficial and subject to change until they have been approved by the CLWSD Board of Managers.
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