MINUTES
OF MEETING
CORAL
SPRINGS
IMPROVEMENT
DISTRICT
The regular meeting of the
Board of Supervisors of the Coral Springs Improvement District was held on
Present and constituting a quorum
were:
Bob Fennell President
Glen Hanks Vice President
Sharon Zich Secretary
Also present were:
Ed Goscicki Manager –
Dennis Lyles Attorney
John McKune Engineer
Isabello Rodriguez CH2M-Hill
Jane Early CH2M-Hill
David Green CH2M-Hill
Randy Fredericks Field
Supervisor
Doug Hyche District Staff
Dan Daly District Staff
Diane Manza
Mona Slaughter
Marilyn Murphy
Pam Rower
John Petty
Janice Larned
FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS Roll
Call
Mr.
Fennell called the meeting to order and Mr. Goscicki called the roll.
SECOND ORDER OF BUSINESS Temporary Appointment of
District Manager
Mr.
Fennell asked what happened?
Mr.
Goscicki responded my understanding is we had a resignation within our
organization from Mr. John Petty. Severn
Trent Services asked me to act as District Manager, since I have a history with
this District as District Manager. I am familiar
with the history of the District and the issues. The intent is for me to act on an interim
basis until we can restructure and provide a permanent District Manager, at
which time we will transition.
Mr. Fennell asked are there any
other resignations or pending resignations?
Mr. Goscicki responded I understand
from emails I received this morning that Ms. Larned resigned from Severn Trent
Services effective immediately.
Mr. Fennell stated temporarily, we
need to have a District Manager. I
propose using existing staff for this purpose and suggest appointing Mr. Dan
Daly to serve in this capacity. Mr. Daly
is already part of our management staff.
He has over 15 years experience working in the Building Department for
CSID and NSID and recently took charge over the billing and operations. He admirably handled the experiences we
endured during Hurricane Wilma. In fact,
he handled all the difficult calls as far as fallen trees. A number of current employees report to
him. He works for us, understands our
situation and I propose on a temporary basis while we search for a permanent manager,
he become our District Manager. He is
more than welcome to apply as our permanent District Manager. This will give us stability by using someone
we know who is on-site. I think he can
handle the position. He is surrounded by
staff who have more than enough capabilities.
In looking at the situations we faced during Hurricane Wilma, our staff
handled the situation.
Mr. Hanks stated in regards to the
issues before us, let’s determine who is going to be the right person to
continue moving those projects along to the next step. Is this something we should be covering at
this meeting?
Mr. Lyles responded Severn Trent
Services has a contract and under this contract, they are the District
Manager. The Board has the sole
authority to choose an individual to be the primary provider of District
services under this contract. The
individual you previously approved resigned from Severn Trent Services and is
no longer with the company. Therefore,
you need to authorize someone to serve in the capacity of District
Manager. Mr. Fennell proposed we
transfer those duties to a management employee of CSID on an interim
basis. Severn Trent Services will
continue under any scenario for 60 days because this is the notice you need to
give if you plan to sever ties with this relationship. There needs to be some type of working
relationship the management providers will work out with you so your business
is taken care of effectively and efficiently.
In terms of when you discuss this item is going to be up to the Board
but under any scenario, you have a 60 day period during which time Severn Trent
Services will still be on board. What
was proposed by Mr. Fennell is an interim role to be filled by Mr. Daly while
the process of obtaining proposals is ongoing.
Mr. Fennell stated this is what I propose
under item three.
Mr. Hanks stated I was surprised by
Mr. Fennell’s suggestion. I was
expecting for Severn Trent Services to provide an interim manager.
Ms. Zich stated when I saw the agenda;
I realized someone was not going to be here.
Mr. Fennell stated we are in a
stronger position than we have been in a long time thanks to Mr. Petty’s
efforts and others. We consolidated our
management structure within CSID to a point where we have our own structure and
assist other districts. We have strong
expertise in a number of different areas.
During our crisis, CSID employees were able to hold down the operation
to the point where we were well off while Severn Trent Services employees were
hard to find as we were not the worst case they had to take care of.
Mr. Goscicki stated I disagree. At the time, we were in contact with your
staff and available. You are absolutely correct;
staff did a great job and did not need help.
It was not that we were not available.
They did not need us.
Mr. Fennell stated you are
correct. Staff can handle themselves,
especially on an interim basis. We
should look for the best manager possible.
We are on our fifth manager in 24 months. To be honest, most groups cannot take this
type of turnover. We should look for our
own manager or sharing a manager.
Mr. Hanks asked have you looked into
other services Severn Trent Services provides and how well they handle those
services?
Mr. Fennell responded yes. Severn Trent Services provides us with
management services, accounting, recording and administration. Those are the main services. Our accounting and billing services are
operating better than before. Unfortunately,
I found out the person assisting us with our finances, has also left. Certainly management and accounting are our
key fundamental services. We can handle
recording and administration on a contract basis and we have the personnel to continue
running on a day to day basis. Mr. Daly
has the experience to operate adequately, which gives us the time to
proceed. I feel we can stand on our own
well. This not only pertains to our
District but the manpower we sell to other districts, which I do not see an
interruption in. We need to take quick
action to make sure this happens.
Mr. Hanks stated you mentioned
provision of service to other districts.
Has this been coordinated through Severn Trent Services?
Mr. Fennell responded at this point,
not anymore. The employees report to us
and bill CSID directly. Money is not
changing hands through Severn Trent Services.
We asked Severn Trent Services and their employees to consolidate this
better. A couple of years ago, there was
confusion as to who reported to whom and what kind of services. We are in a much better position to do this
now than two years ago. We are standing
on our own on a day to day basis. We
just need to make sure there is someone in charge we can go to. This gives us sufficient time to look around
to see what we want to do next.
Mr. Hanks stated we need to decide whether
we need to hire a person directly or put it out for bid.
Mr. Fennell stated it could be
either one as the Board directs. We do
not need to make a decision tonight or next month but make it in the next five or
six months.
Mr. Hanks asked do we feel Mr. Daly
is the best person to guide us through the transition.
Mr. Fennell stated other staff members
are capable.
Mr. Hanks stated I think Mr.
Goscicki is a great person but I am asking these questions to see what the
Board thinks.
Mr. Fennell stated I feel Mr. Daly
is the best person. Mr. Jan Zilmer is
another possibility. He is already
running the operations. Mr. Zilmer is
the perfect compliment to Mr. Daly. On a
day to day basis, Mr. Petty had a strong operations background but he already
has strong people reporting to him.
Mr. Goscicki stated at least one
member of the Board made the decision to go out for proposals from other
companies providing management services.
If this is your decision, ST certainly abides. As District Counsel pointed out, we have a 60
day termination provision. The reason is
to protect you as well as to give us the time to allow for an orderly
transition. If you give us our termination
notice today, we are still around for the next 60 days.
Mr. Fennell stated we discussed this
issue before and decided to look around and we did. We actually ended up coming back to Severn
Trent Services. This could happen again
in the future. Thanks to the good work Severn
Trent Services provided to us, we are in a stronger position to where we can be
on our own. We like the type of
management style on-site, which you can see by walking around the Water
Treatment Plant.
Mr. Goscicki stated we understand.
Mr. Fennell stated this is important
to us. I was hoping a larger
organization would be more stable. The
problem is you are doing such a good job training managers; they are leaving. We are better off on our own. However, I was hoping to maintain some of the
services Severn Trent Services provides.
It is time for CSID to look for its own District Manager, which can be
accomplished by hiring someone indirectly or hiring another management company.
THIRD ORDER OF BUSINESS Review of Management
Contract with
Mr. Fennell stated I propose we give
Severn Trent Services 60 days notice.
Please help us out with the transition process in the next 60 days and
come back to us during the transition as we review our management structure. We have been through this before and I recall
month after month having temporary managers.
It takes time to find adequate services.
Luckily we are blessed with staff who are self sufficient.
Mr. Hanks asked is Mr. Goscicki
based out of
Mr. Goscicki responded yes.
Mr. Hanks stated obviously this came
as a surprise and you did not have any plan.
In any organization for any position, there should be a contingency for
deaths or resignations. What is your
plan going forward?
Mr. Goscicki responded on an
immediate basis, the plan was for me to serve as your District Manager. I have history with the District and was a
resident of the District for eight years.
I understand the issues with this District, which is mainly a drainage
and utility District. This fits well
with my background. I read through the
minutes and the Integrated Water Resource Management Program, which you are in
the process of implementing. I worked
with NSID,
Mr. Hanks stated you need to recruit
someone to relocate to
Mr. Goscicki stated we have one
internal candidate who we can re-assign to this location and make him
available. If not, we will have to find
other candidates.
Mr. Hanks asked what is your time
frame for putting someone permanent into place, assuming we decide to stay with
Severn Trent Services?
Mr. Goscicki responded our goal is
to have someone permanently assigned within 60 days.
Mr. Hanks asked do you have staff
immediately on hand to fill Ms. Larned’s position?
Mr. Goscicki responded we brought
Ms. Rower here to introduce her to the Board.
She is the director of our accounting group, has a strong background in
finance and has been with us for nine months.
Ms. Zich asked how much time will
you spend here in the next 60 days?
Mr. Goscicki responded I will
probably be here one day a week but I am always available by phone and
email. I know Mr. Daly and Mr.
Hyche. I worked with Mr. Hyche on the
operations side a year ago. I am used to
working by telecommuting through conference calls and email.
Mr. Hanks asked how long do you
think it will take you to get up to speed to implement the transition and
follow it?
Mr. Goscicki responded I have spent
a great deal of time in the past three days getting staff up to speed. I read over the minutes for the last several
months and had a conference call this morning with the finance team in terms of
the interim financing. I am already up
to speed on what is occurring.
Mr. Fennell stated I see them as an
advisor in the next 60 days.
Ms. Zich asked is it possible to
have staff report to Mr. Daly on a day to day basis who can then relay the
information to Mr. Goscicki? Is there
something precluding staff from reporting to Mr. Daly even though Mr. Goscicki
is the District Manager?
Mr. Fennell responded there is still
a chain of command. My thought was to
have Mr. Goscicki be an advisor to Mr. Daly.
Mr. Hanks stated it is important for
us to retain the same corporate services and oversight we have become
accustomed to with Severn Trent Services.
Does Mr. Daly feel comfortable serving as interim manager?
Mr. Daly responded there are a
handful of candidates more qualified than me.
This is a comfort level I am not at.
However, I can learn some things as I am smart enough to ask questions. I promised Mr. Fennell between Ms. Zich and
myself, every decision made here will be for the benefit of CSID. The long term approach is to have someone you
have a comfort level with, have more trust in and have a history with and share
common goals and objectives. Looking
around the room, I see people who are entrenched in many of these goals. Does this answer your question?
Mr. Hanks responded in some respects. Are you more in the administrative and money
side of the District?
Mr. Daly responded exactly. I am good speaking to customers and have a
rapport with them. I represent you every
time I pick up the phone.
Mr. Hanks asked how is your rapport
with staff?
Mr. Daly responded perfect.
Mr. Fennell stated I received
independent information from the City of
Mr. Hanks stated Mr. Daly said there
are other candidates who may be more qualified.
In six months, if he is not selected as a permanent manager, will he
have difficulty going back to his current position?
Mr. Daly responded absolutely
not. In fact, I hope you settle this in
the next 30 days. I am here to help
out. I know this is a difficult time for
the Board and a rerun of what we did a year ago and six months before and you
want to make sure this goes in the direction you want as opposed to revisiting
this again. Anything I can do or Mr.
Zilmer can do to ensure the continuity and status we have and make sure
everything is done properly, we will do.
Mr. Hanks stated I do not want you
to get frustrated and leave. We do not
want to lose you. What is Mr. Hyche’s
opinion?
Mr. Hyche stated I think Mr. Daly
will be a good District Manager. I will
assist him in any way I can, operationally.
Mr. Hanks asked how do we go about
pursuing a permanent manager? What is
the process?
Mr. Lyles responded there is no
legal requirement. This is not so much a
question for counsel as it is a question the Board members will have to be
comfortable with in terms of the approach.
Management services are not subject to the same competitive
proposals. It is not a CCNA type
requirement. It is not even required to
be bid. Most elective bodies like this
one will do a process such as a notice to invite proposals and have
interviews. There is a track these often
follow but not because it is legally mandated.
It is for you to develop internally and fit your comfort level. I will let you know if you get out of bounds.
Ms. Zich stated I am sorry they are
leaving.
Mr. Fennell stated me too.
Ms. Zich stated I have only been
here for a short time and they have been so helpful, have great advice and know
so much. However, Mr. Daly has been
around for a long time and he can work with the operational side. We are only talking about a 30 day interim.
Mr. Fennell stated experience has
shown me 30 days can stretch to
Mr. Hanks stated in three months, we
will have a landowner’s election and it may become a situation where none of us
are here to make the final decision.
Ms. Zich asked are we definitely
having a landowner’s election?
Mr. Fennell responded yes. No matter what happens with the bill, we
still have to re-run. All of us will be
petitioning for votes. I propose
appointing Mr. Daly as temporary manager.
It will be up to him to decide if he wants to be more involved.
Ms. Zich asked what will Severn
Trent Services be doing in the meantime?
Mr. Fennell responded my proposal is
to retain Severn Trent Services for the next 60 days but give them notice we
are terminating services. At the end of
60 days, we may end up hiring them or retaining other services. We have to at least give them notice.
Ms. Zich asked do we have to do this
now? I do not know how long you knew
about this. You had time to digest
it. I just found out about this today.
Mr. Fennell stated we have to give
them notice but we can always reverse it.
The 60 day time period starts the clock.
I expect during the next 60 days, they will get some money for us and
will be fully cooperative. Six months
from now, we may say, “We cannot find the right person and Severn Trent
Services is the best for us”.
Mr. Goscicki stated if you give us
the 60 day notice now, we urge you not stay with us. You cannot just assume 60 days from now we
will turn around and say, “We want you to stay”. If you give us 60 days notice, we are not
going to recruit to fill this position because you are giving us notice you
want us gone. If 60 days from now you
say, “We want you to stay”, we may not be prepared to stay. I am not committing one way or another.
Mr. Hanks asked is it better to say
it in a different way such as “We are giving you notice and in 60 days you are
under no obligation to provide services”?
Mr. Goscicki responded yes. You are terminating our contract under the
termination provision providing for 60 days notice. You are taking the action to terminate our
relationship with you. I suggest taking
30 to 60 days to think about it and then take action. If you take action now, you terminated our
agreement and we are in the process of transitioning out.
Mr. Hanks stated we need to be
prepared. If we choose to exercise our
right to terminate Severn Trent Services, we need to be in a position to take
over all the services they provide to us.
Mr. Fennell stated we probably are in
a position to take them over. We have 60
days to get prepared. We may want to
retain some services later on. They told
us they will work with us in a new kind of capacity. At this point, we need to terminate their
services and re-negotiate everything.
Ms. Zich asked who works for Severn
Trent Services? I know Ms. Larned and
Mr. Petty worked for them. What other
people within this building work for Severn Trent Services?
Mr. Fennell responded two other
individuals in this building.
Mr. Petty stated I had an assistant
and a financial advisor who worked on-site.
Mr. Fennell stated this is not the
only location Severn Trent Services has.
They are here mainly to serve us.
They also have a site down the street on
Mr. Petty stated your operations are
much stronger now than in the past. You
have a Capital Improvement Coordinator with Mr. McKune, which we felt was
invaluable for the re-building of the water and wastewater facility. CH2M-Hill in acquiring Gee & Jenson had their
own corporate issues to add, which required a great deal of attention from
staff. We wanted someone with the
experience of the District sitting on our side of the table. Therefore, we asked you to consider Mr.
McKune and you did. We tried to fill
many other positions as requested by the President and made sure staff knew
their designation so it was less confusing.
The contract calls for management, finance, comptroller and recording services
and those were the services you received.
The secretarial staff is located offsite at the
Mr. Goscicki stated I do not feel it
is appropriate for you to discuss Severn Trent Services at this point and what
they can or cannot or have or have not done.
You are no longer an employee of the company. If you want to speak to what you have done, I
do not have a problem with it but not about Severn Trent Services.
Mr. Hanks asked what services are
under contract with Severn Trent Services?
Mr. Goscicki responded we provide
you with management services, recording services, administration and financial
services.
Mr. Hanks asked what is provided
under administrative services?
Mr. Goscicki responded all of your
record keeping.
Ms. Larned stated I believe where
the conversation was going was to demonstrate Mr. Petty’s performance over the
last 16 to 18 months as willing to follow the Board’s direction. This District as well as the sister districts,
are in a much stronger position than in previous years. What needs to be said is what this District
is facing in the future. I believe Mr.
Hanks is questioning issues being faced in the District. I suggest allowing Mr. Petty to revisit with
the Board where they have been, where we have come and where we are going for
the next 20 years and this is what we are losing sight of. Yes, the operations are in far better shape
than they have ever been. Staff is
incredible and they do their jobs without being asked. What is more important are the issues facing
this District in the near future. From this
perspective, I feel this Board has come a long way in being able to give us
direction and capturing your vision. At
this time, I wish to turn the floor over to Mr. Petty. He is not speaking for Severn Trent Services;
but as your employee. We were here on-site
to provide you with the sustainability, settlement and consistency necessary
for this District to start facing their issues.
Mr. Petty stated I think the Board
is in a good position to consider management services at this time. I do not believe you are putting the District
in any harm whatsoever. Most of your
services are provided on-site by onsite staff.
When it comes to the timing of the issues, I think you have a
concern. I do not believe you have six
months to figure out the leadership of your operations. You only have 30 days as you have many
projects on the table at this time. If
they are stopped or stalled, it will take much longer to bring them back than
the time period you have to put them on hold.
You are looking at having two financial plans run continuously in the
next month or so. You have a rate study,
which has been running for four months and is coming to the point where it needs
input from the Board. We also have some
operational and staffing considerations.
We just made changes amongst staff.
We have Ms. Kay Woodward who left Severn Trent Services and is a
tremendous asset. We hired her for
CSID. She is working on providing checks
and balances. I believe you have many
management and leadership tasks in front of you. I relied on Mr. Daly for a great many things
in the past and he has performed perfectly.
However, he does not have experience dealing with these issues and they
will be foreign to him. In consideration
of the management, we believe your time frame may be sooner than you
estimated. However, I do not see any
harm in looking at the options.
Mr. Hanks stated what I was trying
to point out is what Mr. Petty just addressed.
We have many long term projects.
My concern is we need to keep the momentum going. Please keep your vision as broad as possible
on the issues before us. We have Water
Use Permits, capital improvements for the Water Treatment Plant and ongoing
drainage studies with regards to storm drainage. We have many outstanding issues and have to
think about the best way to complete them.
It does not do us any good to get them halfway done and leave them.
Mr. Fennell stated I agree. This is the importance of having a manager,
which is why I want to stabilize this as quickly as possible. I believe temporary appointment of Mr. Daly
is appropriate.
Mr. Hanks stated Mr. Lyles has seen
different Boards request District management services. How long does this process usually take? Are we realistic to think this can be done in
30 days?
Mr. Lyles responded I think 30 days
is overly optimistic but 60 days is doable, assuming the Board is going to call
one or two special meetings. You may
want to interview the short list of finalists individually or as a group.
Mr. Goscicki stated if this gives
the Board any peace of mind, we appreciate you having an exceedingly aggressive
plan for your utility in terms of developing and integrating a water resource
management program. You are looking at
developing a reuse system, tying it into the future membrane Water Treatment
Plant and combining those reject streams to create additional quantity working
with NSID and the City of
SECOND ORDER OF BUSINESS Temporary Appointment of
District Manager
Mr.
Fennell stated there is currently a proposal on the table for Mr. Daly to be
appointed District Manager on a temporary basis.
Mr. Fennell moved to temporarily appoint
Mr. Daniel Daly as District Manager.
There being no second to the motion, the motion dies.
Mr.
Fennell stated keep in mind this is a temporary appointment.
Mr.
Hanks asked what is the best management company for us in order to move
forward?
Mr.
Fennell responded this is what we need to figure out but we temporarily need a
District Manager in place.
On MOTION by Mr. Fennell seconded by Mr.
Hanks with all in favor Mr. Daniel Daly was appointed District Manager on a
temporary basis.
Mr.
Fennell stated congratulations, Mr. Daly.
THIRD ORDER OF BUSINESS Review of Management
Contract with Severn Trent
Mr. Fennell stated Severn Trent
Services brought many advantages to us.
Unfortunately two of the advantages are no longer here.
Ms. Zich asked how long has Severn
Trent Services been our management company?
Mr. Fennell responded they bought
out Mr. Gary Moyer. They are a large
management company based in England providing many different services
throughout the US. This is their
business. When Severn Trent Services bought
out Mr. Moyer, they took over the management services. Mr. Moyer served as interim manager as well
as a number of employees who work for CSID.
There was an initial period where we had contracts with
individuals. Most of the individuals,
who were once part of the Moyer operation, have left Severn Trent Services for
one reason or another.
Mr. Goscicki stated Mr. Moyer still
has a relationship with Severn Trent Services.
Mr. Fennell stated he made me come
back. He manages the Villages in North
Central, Florida.
Ms. Zich stated I saw an office for Severn
Trent Services in Celebration.
Mr. Goscicki stated we are a
national company and have been in the management services business for nine
years when we purchased Mr. Moyer’s business.
We provide operating services for utilities across the company. We are a $500 million company in the US.
Mr. Fennell stated we reviewed Severn
Trent Services contract two years ago when we had many management changes. Several different managers were here and for
one reason or another left Severn Trent Services. We are on our fifth manager in two
years. Mr. Petty has been with us since
December of 2006. There are many issues
as far as services. Mr. Moyer had the
advantage of using this District as the basis for growing its business. Before he sold his business to Severn Trent
Services, he served 100 districts. However,
he knew this one so well he had no trouble running it. After he left, we had more issues. This District has grown considerably since
that time. Mr. Moyer did not treat this
District as one District. He had all of
his districts under the name of “Gary Moyer, Inc.” It was sometimes difficult to figure out who
worked for Mr. Moyer and who worked for CSID.
Severn Trent Services inherited those problems, which was a dilemma for
awhile. However, under Mr. Petty’s
tutelage, it was consolidated to where it worked out good. We are at a point now to where CSID can stand
on its own.
Ms. Zich stated when I joined the
Board, I was surprised to learn we had a management company and we did not
stand alone.
Mr. Fennell stated it was probably
because Mr. Moyer was here. Mr. Moyer
came from Coral Ridge Properties and Westinghouse. Coral Ridge Properties used to own all of the
property out here and voted on most of the Board members. Westinghouse used to watch our every
move. In fact we had a lawyer representing
Westinghouse who made sure we did not make a wrong decision. Politically, we now stand on our own. This group has grown up to a “third
generation” business as we have been in business for close to 30 to 40
years. We bring in services as needed and
cooperate with other groups. I see us
moving forward. Severn Trent Services has
done a good job for us. I do not want to
go into the issues of why we are sitting here today. Frankly, this is the shortest notice we ever
received regarding personnel changes.
This information is only one week old; usually we get two to three weeks
notice.
Ms. Zich asked why did I not know?
Mr.
Fennell responded because I could not talk to you directly due to the Sunshine
Law.
Mr.
Goscicki stated I notified the Chairman as soon as we received
notification. We did not notify the
other Board members.
Ms.
Zich stated I found out when I read the agenda.
I knew something happened.
Mr. Fennell stated I propose at this
point we go out on our own but I expect Severn Trent Services to fully support
us in the next 60 days.
Mr. Hanks stated my concerns are if
we provide notice, 60 days from now, Severn Trent Services is under no
obligation to provide any assistance to us.
Do we want to provide them with 60 days notice or think about this for
30 days? We can hold a special meeting
in two weeks to give it more consideration.
Mr. Fennell responded there is a
sense of urgency. We should advertise an
RFP immediately for a District Manager.
We can have a District Manager and still have Severn Trent Services.
Mr. Goscicki stated I am not sure
what services I will be providing.
Mr. Fennell stated he has a good
point. Mr. Daly is the District Manager
effective immediately.
Mr. Goscicki stated the reason these
items were on the agenda from our perspective, is the contract you have with Severn
Trent Services goes back to the contract you have with Mr. Moyer, which we
assumed. It actually stipulates Mr.
Moyer as the District Manager. If it is
going to be substituted, it is going to require the Board’s approval. This is an internal contract administration
issue. I need to recognize the fact I am
here per our contract.
Mr. Lyles stated the contract says
initially Mr. Moyer will provide the day to day management services. You will be the primary responsible
management individual. However, other
individuals are authorized in the contract to provide management services with
approval by the Board. You operated
under the contract to approve Severn Trent Services designation of a different
individual to be the primary management provider under the management services
contract. What you are doing today is
designating an employee to serve as manager.
Maybe he should be called “Interim Administrator” for ease of
reference. You are considering giving 60
days notice to Severn Trent Services.
You may also be considering notifying Severn Trent Services you will
amend their contract to purchase some of their services; however you want the
management individual to be an employee of CSID. I think you have some flexibility. Severn Trent Services indicated some
flexibility but in the most severe scenario where they go away after 60 days,
we are in a transition period. You will
have two managers for the transition period, which is not unheard of. This actually happened in other cases. As I mentioned earlier, the new manager and Severn
Trent Services will have to work out a working relationship but you have some
flexibility and time to decide what you want to do.
Mr. Hanks stated I request having a
special meeting to discuss the Severn Trent Services management contract. I do not have a copy of the contract in front
of me with regards to services Severn Trent Services is providing. If we are considering services within the
contract, I want to cover all the services.
We can do the District great harm if we choose to rush into terminating
their contract.
Ms. Zich stated I want to wait a
week or two as this is all new to me. I
still have quite a few questions for exactly what we are giving up and whether
or not we can cover it all.
Mr. Hanks stated I want to make sure
if we decide to amend the contract, we do so and not terminate it. Severn Trent Services provides a great
service to us and has in the past.
Mr. Fennell stated I think it is reasonable
to hold a special meeting in two weeks to discuss specifically this item. When is our next regularly scheduled meeting?
Mr. Goscicki responded on April 16th.
Ms. Zich asked can we schedule the
special meeting for March 29th?
Mr. Lyles responded the 29th
gives us enough time to advertise.
Mr. Fennell asked do we need to have
special notification?
Mr. Lyles responded we should
advertise a special notice rather than recessing the meeting due to the
importance of the subject.
There was consensus from the Board
to advertise a special meeting for March 29, 2007 at 4 p.m.
Mr. Fennell stated the discussion
item for this meeting will be review of management contract with Severn Trent
Services. There are other management
companies locally. One actually gave us
a presentation. Should we schedule
presentations on the 29th?
Mr. Hanks responded no. We should focus on what our position is going
to be with Severn Trent Services. Let’s
not cloud the issue with presentations.
We will make our decision at that time.
Mr. Fennell stated we currently have
two managers; Mr. Goscicki and Mr. Daly.
Mr. Goscicki stated if I understand
the Board, you are looking for Mr. Daly to serve as your appointed manager to
take on the day to day issues and providing the hands-on direction to the
District. However, you are still looking
for Severn Trent Services and me as Severn Trent Services designee to provide
guidance, direction and oversight to Mr. Daly.
I will bring my expertise to Mr. Daly.
Mr. Lyles stated it will be better
expressed as support to Mr. Daly as opposed to oversight. Certainly the services financial and
otherwise under your management contract, you will still provide as well as the
day to day hands on management and report directly to the Board.
Mr. Hanks stated you are still
fulfilling a portion of the Severn Trent Services contract.
Mr. Fennell stated Mr. Daly will be providing
management support. We will see how well
they work together. Mr. Daly will receive
guidance from Mr. Goscicki. We have
other services taking place in the interim.
Do you want to amend this in any way, Mr. Daly?
Mr. Daly responded not at all.
Mr. Fennell stated for the next
meeting we will put together a pro and con sheet of the services we receive
from Severn Trent Services. I expect Mr.
Daly to make a list of pros. Does the
Board agree on this direction?
Mr. Hanks responded yes.
Ms. Zich responded yes.
Mr. Fennell stated meanwhile, we
have someone in charge.
FOURTH ORDER OF BUSINESS Approval of the Minutes of
the February 26, 2007 Meeting
Mr. Fennell stated each Board member
received a copy of the minutes of the February 26, 2007 meeting and requested
any additions, corrections or deletions.
Mr. Fennell stated on page 42, in
the middle of the page, “Three year old system” should be “30 year old
system”. Did we authorize the hiring of
three employees or one employee?
Mr. Goscicki responded the way I
read the minutes, you authorized the hiring of three employees, provided two
were paid for by NSID. I was wondering
why you were hiring employees paid for by NSID unless it was through the
Interlocal Agreement. What is your
recollection, Mr. Petty?
Mr. Petty stated I received a request
from a representative of Severn Trent Services to not comment on Severn Trent
Services issues. With respect to this
direction, I defer.
Mr. Goscicki stated I have not seen
an Interlocal Agreement. I will have to
see what the mechanism is between CSID and NSID.
Mr. Hanks stated our intention on
having this approved by the Board was NSID meetings do not fall within the time
sequence of CSID meetings. We authorized
our District Manager to hire three employees, provided NSID agreed to fund two
employees. The funding was not approved
yet. I believe it was on the agenda for
the next NSID meeting.
Mr. Goscicki stated I have no
problem with Mr. Petty offering his recollection of the situation.
Mr. Petty stated NSID authorized two
employees. CSID opted to be the paternal
district for all employees in the last budget period. Any shared employees CSID wanted to own
outright and be able to fund outright.
We produced agreements with the other districts, which Mr. Lyles is
still working on but we instituted the policy.
NSID, Sunshine and Pine Tree are amenable to doing this. Two employees will be funded by NSID and CSID
will hire three employees.
Mr. Hanks stated the direction was
if for some reason NSID did not go forward with this or one of the other
districts changed their mind, we were looking for one person to take care of
this.
Mr. Goscicki stated we did not move
forward on filling two until there was verification on whether or not there was
funding available from NSID. We are
working on an agreement. A year ago,
when we delved into the issue of shared employees, one of the suggestions was
for CSID to enter into an Interlocal Agreement with NSID so there was a clear
agreement or understanding you were providing services through either part-time
or full-time employees and there was agreement on NSID’s part to pay for those employees. One employee has been hired who is now
sitting upstairs.
Mr. Petty stated this is not quite
accurate. As we told the Board, we
already filled two positions and are looking to fill the third position. The first position was filled by Ms. Jodi Michaels,
the second was filled by Ms. Kay Woodward and the third was filled a week ago
by Mr. Royce Horak.
Mr. Fennell asked is this a done
deal?
Mr. Petty responded yes.
Mr. Hanks stated on page 20, “Hydrologic
rate line” should be “Hydraulic grade line”.
Ms. Zich stated on page 21, I did
not say, “They did not want to have a house pad and then have a berm in the
backyard”. It was Ms. Early.
On MOTION by Mr. Hanks seconded by Ms. Zich
with all in favor the minutes of the February 26, 2007 meeting were approved as
amended.
FIFTH ORDER OF
BUSINESS Presentation
of Draft Rate Study
Mr. Fennell asked is the rate study
ready?
Ms. Zich responded I did not receive
a draft copy.
Mr. Green stated at this point we
are not ready to send a draft to the Board.
I was asked to meet with Ms. Zich and Mr. Hanks and have not done
so. I can provide you some preliminary
information related to the rate study.
Mr. Fennell stated we will table
this item to the next regular meeting.
SIXTH ORDER OF
BUSINESS Consideration
of Request for Right-of-Way Permit for Canal Crossing at 20th Street
Mr. Goscicki stated we provided
supporting documentation for this permit request under tab six. This was reviewed by the engineer who did not
find the canal crossing impacting any District facilities and recommended
approval with several conditions.
Mr. Fennell asked do you have any
problem with this request, Ms. Early?
Ms. Early responded no. This is a typical request. They came to the District because they are
crossing over our easement. They are not
working within the right-of-way.
Mr. Hanks stated so it is not a
canal crossing.
Ms. Early stated they are crossing
the canal but not in the canal right-of-way.
I believe there is an easement going across the street to our culvert.
Mr. Hanks asked are they installing
a sidewalk along the right-of-way?
Ms. Early responded yes.
Mr. Hanks asked is this work being
done on behalf of the city?
Ms. Early responded yes, by the City
of Coral Springs.
On MOTION by Mr. Hanks seconded by Ms.
Zich with all in favor the request by Chen & Associates for construction of
a sidewalk along the north and south side of 20th Street was
approved.
SEVENTH ORDER
OF BUSINESS Consideration
of Change Order No. 2 to Interstate Construction Corporation for Wastewater
Treatment Plant, Phase II for a Net Increase of $25,155.00
Mr. Rodriguez stated this change
order is for the cleaning of the headwalls in the surge tank. The diffusers have to be cleaned by hand
using pressure hoses. It is tedious
work, which has already been completed.
This work was necessary.
Mr. Hanks stated this must have
taken some time to accomplish.
Mr. Rodriguez stated you have a
lever control system on the headwalls and a screen system. The screen system has to be saturated in order
to control the lever control system. The
flow from the force main had to be diverted into the surge tank. Once we were in there, there was no screen at
all. The solids going into the force
main were directed to the surge tank while this operation was being performed.
Mr. Hanks stated we just installed
the bar screen within the last two years.
Correct?
Mr. Rodriguez responded the bar
screen is fine. This was for the
cleaning of the screen system.
Mr. Hanks asked was there any way of
diverting the flow past the bar screen?
Mr. Rodriguez responded in this
case, you needed the diversion.
Mr. McKune stated as Mr. Hanks
indicated, the bar screen is fairly new.
It has been operating for two years.
Prior to this time, there was almost a daily diversion of raw sewage
into the surge tank because there was no operating screening facility. The diversion was done manually. This surge tank has not been taken out of
service and cleaned for five years. It
is a mess. Mr. Rodriguez is now in the
process of making the entire divergent system run automatically as it did when
it was first installed. This is step one
in order to get this system back into service.
Mr. Hanks asked should this be
figured into the operational cost of the plant and budgeted?
Mr. McKune responded normally it
would be but this was an opportunity to get the job completed for a less
expensive amount than going out for bids.
Mr. Hanks asked is this a
maintenance activity associated with the ongoing operation?
Mr. McKune responded part of it is
maintenance and part of it was to replace some of the diffuser systems.
Mr. Hanks stated this should be
included in the overall budget.
Mr. McKune stated Mr. Hyche talked
about this and each of these plants are going to be taken down, cleaned and put
into the budget on a rotating basis.
On MOTION by Mr. Hanks seconded by Mr. Fennell
with all in favor Change Order No. 2 to Intrastate Construction Corporation for
Wastewater Treatment Plant, Phase II in the amount of $25,155.00 was approved.
EIGHTH ORDER OF
BUSINESS Staff Reports
A. Attorney
Mr. Lyles stated our proposed
amendments to the Special Act are making its way through Tallahassee. Our Lobbyist had a couple of preliminary
meetings. We are still getting
resistance from one of the local delegation members at the public hearing in
Broward County but we are not getting this anywhere else. We are continuing to get questions and supplying
all the paperwork Representative Bogdanoff can possibly deal with so she will
never be able to say we kept anything from her.
She is continuing to be critical.
However, this is one voice out of many.
I am telling you in an abundance of caution; we have a critic in the
local delegation who ultimately after many questions, voted in favor of the
proposed legislation when it was at the public hearing stage. However, since this is in Tallahassee, the
game has changed quite a bit. We are
doing the things we need to do.
Mr. Hanks asked are there any
proponents?
Mr. Lyles responded we obviously
have sponsors but one of the biggest proponents is Senator Geller, who holds a
great deal of influence at the highest levels of this republican controlled
legislature. However, the effort the
Board authorized regarding the change in the election process was favorable. We have unsolicited proponents. This was an unanticipated critic.
Mr. Hanks stated it is somewhat
balanced.
Mr. Lyles stated we are more than
balanced but I wanted to let you know there is a critical voice, which we are
dealing with effectively.
NINTH ORDER OF BUSINESS Supervisor Requests and
Audience Comments
Mr. Fennell stated I am not privy to
what took place between former Severn Trent employees and Severn Trent Services. I know files and information were taken in
and out of the building but I am not sure of the appropriateness of those
files. I want to make sure as we move
forward, Mr. Daly is privy and approves of everything going in and out of the
District office. Since I do not
understand the situation, I have to make sure CSID is protected.
Mr. Goscicki stated we have no
problem with this direction. The only
concern Severn Trent Services has in a situation where employees leave us on
short term notice, is the protection of Severn Trent Services property.
Mr. Fennell stated I understand.
Mr. Goscicki stated computers,
furniture and other items in this facility are ST property.
Mr. Fennell stated I have no
official understanding of the situation.
Mr. Goscicki stated I have no
intention of removing any CSID files.
Mr. Fennell stated I know some files
were removed. Mr. Daly is now in charge
of security for this building and will approve anything coming and going. Do you agree?
Mr. Goscicki responded no
problem. We gave additional
clarification to Mr. Lyles in this regard and with staff. I spoke with Mr. Zilmer today regarding this
issue. We are all working together.
Mr. Fennell asked can you add
anything, Mr. Lyles?
Mr. Lyles responded we cannot
control any past employee coming into the facility but we can control what
leaves the facility. I think Mr.
Goscicki understands. The Board needs to
understand certain documents and equipment are owned by Severn Trent Services and
if they decide to remove it, they have every right to do so. I am comfortable with a public management
company like Severn Trent Services staying far away from ever attempting to
remove a public record from a facility such as this one. I am sure they understand where the lines are
drawn. We will work with Mr. Daly to
make sure everything is handled smoothly.
Mr. Fennell stated I do not know
what their issues are with their own employees.
They refuse to tell me and therefore, I have to be open to all
possibilities.
EIGHTH ORDER OF
BUSINESS Staff Reports
B. Engineer
i. Discussion of Capital Improvement
Program
Mr. Rodriguez stated as an update,
we met with an individual from SFWMD and this process is moving along. We need information from SFWMD in regards to the
regulations and requirements for the reclaimed facility and elevation of the
aquifer. We are proceeding with sampling
of the Nano Filtration Plant and getting good results from the well water so it
will be easier to treat.
Mr. Fennell stated you brought up a
good point, which was we can sink in millions of dollars to have water no one
wants, especially in areas receiving 70” of rain per year. This has to be a clear consideration as we
move forward.
Mr. Rodriguez stated we understand
your concerns. We have an aerial showing
the areas we are working in. We are
moving along fairly slowly with the Nano Filtration Plant and Water Use Permit
but we are looking at completion of the rate study in late March or early
April. We have the schematics of the Nano
Filtration Plant and water tests performed.
The Water Use Permit ties everything together. This is what we have been discussing for many
meetings. We know there will be some
regulation tactic by SFWMD as they do not know what the final requirements are
going to be for the reclaimed water.
Mr. Skehan stated as you recall from
the last presentation, there was some discussion about how the Water Use Permit
was the driving component to the flow of water taking place. Flows from the treatment side will give you
the same allocations as before. For the
treatment side, you need more advanced treatment of your wastewater system
going into your reuse component. Just a
short time ago we were talking about how far you can go with your reuse and how
much we have to treat to be able to get to a final understanding. Getting this understanding will be a
significant component of how we drive the decisions with CSID with how reuse
water can be used in other locations. It
is part of a total integrated total Water Management Resources Plan. Working with the SFWMD is going to be a
challenge as they have draft rules. It
is difficult to anticipate what the draft rules may or may not be and it is
wise to move forward with caution and take full consideration.
Mr. Goscicki stated the challenge in
this part of the state is the institutional frameworks do not overlap
correctly. The people who need the reuse
are not producing it and the people producing it do not need it. This is the challenge we are facing
here. You have the ability to generate
this asset and the District does not have a need for it. You need to move forward with an engineering
study defining what the product is going to cost, whether we can produce it and
where we can make it available; while at the same time, running a parallel
track to deal with the interlocal governmental issues at the same time as the
engineering issues. This is an ongoing
effort of what we can do legally and what we are required to do. I will defer to Mr. Skehan because I have not
been involved with SFWMD as much as SWFWMD.
Is there anticipation the management districts will start denying
permits or withholding permits from other entities such as a golf course
outside of the District if reuse water is available?
Mr. Skehan responded I do not think
there is a clear understanding. With
each Water Use Permit, there is a component of the permit requiring the utility
to evaluate reuse. With the location of
the District at the edge of the everglades, the use of the groundwater is being
looked at with significant scrutiny at this point, not just here but every
utility in the southeast from Ft. Pierce to the keys. Questions are arising such as how to
implement reuse and whether reuse is going to benefit local recharge and going
a step further than necessary. Mr.
Goscicki relayed in the past, Broward County had tight restrictions on what
they are allowing or will not allow. The
District and Broward County are currently trying to come together to see what
can take place. Under Mr. Petty’s
direction, we were proceeding with how this was going to take place because you
have an asset and are not looking for any more water allocation than what you
have been receiving. You have this asset
in your reuse and need to find out how you are directed to use it. Ultimately, if you are going to be directed
to use it, at what cost to your customers.
Mr. Petty wanted to be cautious about this so there were no mis-steps
and your customers will be treated with the respect they are due.
Mr. Fennell stated we do not have
any customers yet.
Mr. Skehan stated I mean your water customers.
Mr. Goscicki stated significant
potential customers.
Mr. McKune stated most of this is
driven by the Consumptive Use Permit. We
must consider reclaimed water use.
However, a year and a half ago, we received an operating permit for the
Wastewater Treatment Plant. It took us
an extra six months to obtain this permit because DEP forced us to do a
Reclaimed Water Feasibility Study. Ten
years ago we could write them a letter saying, “It is neither nor economically
feasible to provide reclaimed water”.
Now we have to do a study telling them what it will cost to build a
system here and provide reclaimed water to three local golf courses. CSID ended up with a 25% or 30% rate increase,
which we said was not reasonable. DEP
said, “It does not look bad”. The compromise
was this Board signing a letter saying when the subject comes up it will be
considered. Now it is coming up. We do not want to build reclaimed system
unless we have a customer.
Mr. Fennell stated this is what Mr.
Goscicki is saying and he has a good point.
The right place to put the reclaimed water is in the everglades. However, SFWMD is so touchy about the quality
of the water they will not even take our canal water much less our regular
water. They want water purer than what
falls from the sky.
Mr. Goscicki stated there are
potential solutions. Mr. McKune
discussed several with me in terms of getting water to NSID. The City of Coral Springs is going to be in
the same situation with their Consumptive Use Permit. If they need additional water, they are going
to be under a great deal of pressure.
There is going to be pressure between every local utility abutting you
in regards to this issue. We will not be
able to move forward on the interlocal governmental side at the same time we
are moving forward on the engineering side.
Mr. Hanks stated someone needs to
pinpoint the restrictions placed on the use of reclaimed water in regards to
potential users for recreation areas or golf courses.
Mr. Goscicki stated you are talking
about public access versus non-public access.
Both of your examples are public access for reuse.
Mr. Hanks stated this will be
helpful to us in order to identify our potential customers. CSID may have title to some parks. If it is not a restriction based on the water
quality side, this may be a potential use.
There are also other situations.
Mr. Skehan stated we can summarize
this for you and look at those locations.
Mr. Hanks asked can homeowners make
use of the water?
Mr. Skehan responded there is a cost
for a homeowner distribution system.
Mr. Hanks stated I am not interested
in the cost. I want to know from a
restriction perspective, where we are prohibited from applying reclaimed water
and under what conditions were are allowed to apply reclaimed water.
Mr. Skehan stated we can give you a
summary on those rules and regulations.
This requires going to multiple levels of treatment. Depending on the level of treatment you want
to go to is how you will be able to apply the water in certain situations.
Mr. Hanks stated it will help us to
identify our customers.
Mr. Fennell stated I like your chart
and your schedule. I want to see one
every month.
Mr. Hanks stated we should have a
copy included in our agenda packages.
Mr. Fennell stated do not make any
changes unless you show us the changes first.
This is the amount of detail we need.
Thank you.
ii. Continuation of Discussion of Water Management Hydraulic
Study
Mr. Fennell stated I was supposed to
meet with Ms. Early last week but failed to attend. It is not important for me to be there as
much as Mr. Hyche and Mr. Frederick. I
want to have our technicians figure out how long it will take to pump out the
water after 5” of rain. Our current
system is based on experience, which is great until the technicians retires,
moves or wins the lottery and then no one knows how to turn on the pumps.
Ms. Early stated we prepared a PowerPoint
presentation but I would have liked for us to meet with Mr. Hyche and Mr.
Frederick. You may want to table this
presentation until the next meeting.
Mr. Fennell stated I want to get
with Mr. Hyche and the operators first.
If they do not use it, it is a waste.
Mr. Hanks asked in the Hydrologic
Study, are you considering the water shortages?
Ms. Early responded Mr. Frederick does
not pump during the dry season. We can
provide the information on how long it will take to pump but it is based on his
experience and results. We will show you
what we came up with as far as pumping rates.
Mr. Hanks stated what should be
considered in the pumping schedule is the West Basin provides the water quality
treatment.
iv. Discussion – NRCS Funded Canal Bank
Restoration
Mr. McKune stated if you recall, we
were authorized by NRCS to expend up to $750,000 to repair the bank in Eagle
Trace, which failed. At that time, we
installed rip raff bags as a test case, which worked beautifully. We came up with an alternative method for
bank restoration, which is using a Geo Tube.
The lake bank in back of several houses is falling into the water. The Geo Tube is basically a fabric bag pumped
full of debris and silt. It is like
making a sausage but looks fairly decent.
There is a series of bags, one on top of the other. When you are done, it looks great. The City of Margate has been using this method
for some time. We propose doing
something similar for bank repairs within CSID and perhaps even in the Sunshine
WCD. If this proves to be feasible, it
is an effective way of doing repairs. The
cost for this method is approximately $20 per running foot per bag. For example, if it takes three bags, it will
cost $60 per foot. We authorized our
contractor to use this method to finish the bank repairs at Eagle Trace. This job totaled much less than what NRCS agreed
to pay for.
Mr. Hanks asked why is this under
NRCS?
Mr. McKune responded due to bank
erosion. This is an east/west
canal. Heavy winds from the west caused
substantial wave action that eroded the bank.
It is continuing to fail.
Mr. Hanks asked is there an overall
slope stability problem?
Mr. McKune responded there was. This canal is approximately 26’ deep. It was over dug by the developer. We have the standard cap rock edge.
Mr. Hanks stated I want more detail
on this later.
Mr. Fennell stated we are doing this
in more than one place.
Mr. McKune stated we are also doing this
on a canal east of Ramblewood Drive, behind 15 lots.
Mr. Hanks stated we should keep in
mind as CSID grows and things become more intensely developed and people pursue
additions to their houses or there is more commercial development, there may be
a need to expand these canals. We need
to think about what we can do to stabilize the bank.
iii. Consideration of Work Authorization No. 37 for Feasibility
Study
Mr. Bohorguez gave a PowerPoint
presentation on the work authorization, which will be made a part of the
official record and addressed the following:
• Districts
are subdivided into many basins based on the drainage.
• Recommend installing additional piping
and changing the pumping capacity for each pump station to lower the flood
value at the finished floor elevation.
Mr. Fennell asked is this for the
main canals and not the small ones?
Ms. Early responded just the major
culverts or interconnect culverts.
Mr. Hanks stated if the culverts are
blocked, you will have flow into the streets.
Has there been any verification the finished floors were violated under
the permit conditions for the 100 year flood?
Have we been able to identify any houses below this elevation?
Mr. Bohorguez responded it is based
on as-builts.
Mr. Hanks asked do we actually have
problems in those locations? If the
finished floor of your home is 12.5’ on the northeast corner of the east basin,
you do not have an issue as your finished floor is still protected from the 100
year flood. Are we pursuing a solution
to a non-existing problem?
Ms. Early responded not all the
homes were at 12’.
Mr. Bohorguez stated many areas were
developed before the criteria was established.
Mr. Fennell stated such as my
section.
Ms. Zich stated my garage was under
water in 1979.
Mr. Hanks stated you are looking at
big bucks to get these areas taken care of.
Ms. Early stated some of the
drawings had a finished floor. We could
check every house.
Mr. Fennell stated if you averaged
out below 12’, some were significantly lower.
We need to see the data so we know what the distribution of heights
are. Are we talking about one house or
200 houses in the area?
Ms. Early responded we need a few
culverts. These were only a few options.
Ms. Zich asked what is the elevation
of Riverside Drive?
Mr. Hyche responded 10.8’ minimum.
Mr. Fennell stated we can
significantly lower our expected flood levels by half of a foot, which is
significant.
Mr. Hanks stated if there is a
problem, there is a solution.
Mr. Fennell stated you said you can
do this by installing additional culverts.
Ms. Early stated we can show you the
locations where they are needed. The
purpose of this work authorization is to give you a cost for each of these
locations. We have to come back with a
scenario.
Mr. Fennell stated this is good
news. Let’s find out how much it costs
and look at rational ways of prioritizing the costs. Are the costs excessive?
Ms. Early responded we are obtaining
prices.
Mr. Hanks stated I want to get a narrower
view of the problems by taking a sampling from the road crown to get a
baseline. I am glad we are doing this;
however, we may want to consider some type specific alternatives.
Ms. Early stated the District has a
surveyor we can contact.
Mr. Hanks stated we just considered
a permit request for Taravella High School this past year. They were provided with a higher finished
floor. We need to be able to narrow the
scope considerably to keep our costs down.
Mr. Fennell stated we need to cost
it out first. This will help us
prioritize where the worst areas are.
All we need is an understanding of the severity. Does any settling occur?
Mr. Bohorguez responded if you are
away from the catch basin, you are fine.
Mr. Hanks stated it is not a case of
settling as it is a case of the water rising.
On MOTION by Mr. Hanks seconded by Mr. Fennell
with all in favor Work Authorization No. 37 with CH2M-Hill for preparation of
the Feasibility Study in an amount not to exceed $10,000 was approved.
C. Manager
i. Short Term Funding
Mr. Goscicki stated we had a
teleconference call this morning with, Mr. Lyles; Ms. Denise Ganz, Bond Counsel
with Ruden, McClusky; Mr. Kevin Mulshine with Prager, Sealy and members of our
staff including Ms. Rower and myself. We
reviewed the minutes and tried to get an understanding of the $5 million. Some concerns were raised by Bond Counsel in
terms of the nature of the expenditures and what they are being tied to. I have not had a chance to get into more
detail with staff but if we are dealing with drainage work to be pledged
against assessments, this is one issue.
However, if we are dealing with water and wastewater being supported by
revenue, this is another issue. From
talking with staff today, it appears there is an urgency to move forward on the
financing. If the Board chooses to move
forward with the change order to the existing wastewater contract for another
treatment unit, it will constitute another $1 million, which is outside of the
current budget and we will need another revenue source. We have a follow-up conference call with the
same participants for early next week; after all of us have had a chance to
review the documents in more detail.
Mr. Fennell stated we approved going
out for temporary funding.
Mr. Goscicki stated I believe it was
scheduled to come back at this meeting.
However, the Board failed to take action at the last meeting, which is
why it is back on the agenda for this meeting for discussion.
Mr. Hanks asked what do we have to
do?
Mr. Goscicki responded we are
recommending you do nothing. We will
bring this back in 30 days for consideration.
Mr. Lyles stated the professionals
such as Bond Counsel, Underwriter and bankers have concerns about the structure
of the borrowing. They want to get a better
handle on what is going to happen. The
Board did not authorize us to qualify $1 million. You authorized us to move forward and
investigate and put the deal together.
The structure may not work but we will come at this in a different
way. There were many questions answered
today by this financing team and we answered some of them. They want to do more homework. For your next meeting there should be a
proposal for you to sign off on.
iii. Monthly Water & Sewer Charts
Mr. Hanks asked do the water restrictions
impact our District operations?
Mr. Hyche responded the restrictions
are for non-permitted irrigation.
Mr. Fennell stated we never liked
the hours they stipulated because they are draining water out as we are
draining water into our system. Is there
any rationale behind it?
Mr. Hyche responded there is no
rationale.
Mr. Hanks stated the water never
reaches the ground. You are not drawing
down the system with the irrigation.
Mr. Hyche stated with the
restrictions, SFWMD anticipates a 15% reduction in water use.
Mr. Fennell stated not many people
use our water for irrigation.
Mr. Hyche stated this applies to all
irrigation sources such as lakes, canals and private wells.
iv. Utility Billing Work Orders
There not being any, the next item
followed.
v. Complaints Received/Resolved
There not being any, the next item
followed.
NINTH ORDER OF BUSINESS Supervisor Requests and
Audience Comments
Mr. Daly stated on your way out
today, you will see a black and red relic.
This is our old AS400 computer system used in this facility owned by Severn
Trent Services. The new AS400 is the
size of a PC and runs three to four times faster than the old one. It will be running in April. Mr. Lyles mentioned there may or may not be
an issue with signature cards.
Mr. Fennell asked who is signing the
checks?
Mr. Lyles responded Ms. Larned was
Treasurer and Mr. Goscicki is Assistant Treasurer. Since Ms. Larned cannot continue serving as
Treasurer, you either need to rely on Mr. Goscicki to sign checks or designate
someone as Treasurer who is on staff.
Mr. Fennell asked does Mr. Daly have
signature powers?
Mr. Lyles responded you need to have
a separate Treasurer to take charge of the finances of the District. You can have the Assistant Treasurer serve in
this capacity in the meantime.
Mr. Goscicki stated you can have two
people within Severn Trent Services designated as Treasurer. I suggest appointing Ms. Rower as Assistant
Treasurer since she is our Director of Accounting within the organization.
Ms. Rower stated I suggest having
two signatories.
Mr. Lyles stated if you are not
comfortable making a decision today for the Treasurer, so you are not limited
to one Assistant Treasurer, I suggest appointing Ms. Rower as Assistant
Treasurer.
On MOTION by Mr. Hanks seconded by Mr.
Fennell with all in favor Ms. Pam Rower was appointed as Assistant Treasurer.
TENTH ORDER OF BUSINESS Approval of December
Financials and Check Registers
Mr. Hanks stated I suggest the backup
for our various consultants be available for review. I request a summary of any outstanding work
authorizations so I can see what has been paid and what is remaining.
Mr. Goscicki stated CH2M-Hill
prepares a summary as part of their routine invoices and provides us with the
information on what has been authorized, paid to date and what is outstanding.
Mr. McKune stated we can provide you
with a monthly report.
Mr. Fennell stated I provided a
Hurricane Preparedness Manual to the Board members. Do we have our communications in line?
Mr. Hyche responded all of our
communications are in place and ready to go.
Our extra fuel tanks are here but we are waiting on the permit from the
city.
Mr. McKune stated we are trying to
get this resolved.
Mr. Fennell stated this is important
to us.
Mr. McKune stated it does not appear
to be important to the city. The Fire
Marshall says we cannot have more than a certain gallonage on the same facility
site. This was a comment made in
discussion and was not written up as part of their review. We are waiting for this to be resolved.
Mr. Fennell asked how long do you
think it will take?
Mr. McKune responded I am trying to
set up a meeting with the Chief Building Inspector.
Mr. Fennell stated if you need help
or we need to call people, let us know.
I do not want to be short again.
Are the pumps working?
Mr. Hyche responded Mr. Frederick
just had a pump installed.
Mr. Frederick stated it is not
completed yet.
Mr. Hanks stated we are going to
need all the water we can get.
Mr. Frederick stated this is to
replace the pump that blew up.
Mr. Hyche stated the generator was
replaced and is functioning.
Mr. Hanks asked do you have any
concerns for the upcoming season?
Mr. Hyche responded no, we are all set
once we receive our fuel tanks. The only
item I am concerned with is the generator with the broken engine. We have problems obtaining parts.
Mr. McKune stated it is part of the
current project.
Mr. Hyche stated the generation
portion is degregated. The inside
portion has been re-built and is working fine now. The engine side has the problem.
Mr. Fennell stated bring any
concerns to the next meeting. We are
more than happy to advocate being prepared.
We were lucky last year after getting hit with hurricanes two years in a
row but the probability of one hitting us is the same.
Mr. Hanks stated it will more than
happen this next year due to La Nina returning.
ELEVENTH ORDER OF BUSINESS Adjournment
There being no further business,
On MOTION by Mr. Fennell seconded by Ms. Zich
with all in favor the meeting was adjourned.
Sharon Zich Robert
Fennell
Secretary President
Notes
for 3/19/07 Meeting
Agenda
Items for Next Meeting
• Presentation of Draft Rate Study
• Continuation of Discussion of Water
Management Hydraulic Study
• Short Term Funding Discussion
***NOTE: Schedule special meeting for March 29, 2007
at 4 p.m.
• CH2M-Hill to
provide chart and schedule from regarding capital improvement program, pumping
information and rates and list of outstanding work authorizations for inclusion
in agenda packages.
Items
Discussed at Meeting for Future Agendas
1. Update the Board on the results of the
Sunshine WCD survey regarding the water levels at the north corridor.
2. Sending letter to the City of Coral
Springs outlining the permits they are responsible for.
3. Discussion of Document Management Program