CRANE LAKE WATER & SANITARY DISTRICT (CLWSD)
BOARD OF MANAGERS’ REGULAR MEETING
Wednesday, November 6, 2019 –1:00 P.M.
CRANE LAKE CHAPEL FELLOWSHIP HALL
The meeting was called to order by Chairman Rob
Scott at 1:10PM.
Members present: Mark Anderson, Bruce Beste, and Rob Scott.
Members absent: Darrell
Scott.
Also present:
District Liaison Deena Congdon, Ron Rutchasky of Rutchasky Enterprises, Clerk/Treasurer
Jo Ann Pohlman and 1 member of the community.
Opening Comments:
Chairman Scott thanked Nick Roth for serving as a Board Manager and for
working for the District. Agenda item O &
M Decentralized was moved forward in the meeting to accommodate those present.
O & M. Decentralized
- Management Program Update: Deena Congdon reviewed her report with input
from Ron Rutchasky. There was
discussion of the issues with the system at the Richter property. Ron will call Mr. Richter and will try
again to remedy in the spring. The
McVeety system needs to be completed and will also be addressed in the
spring. A tank needs to be
abandoned on the deHaas property, also to be done in the spring. The washout on the Tieberg property was
repaired. A partial load of rock was hauled to the Partridge
property. Deena will check with the
County on the privy update at the Cunningham property. Deena is waiting to hear from the USFS
on the three installs on leased land this summer. Some homeowners will not connect the
plumbing and electric until spring.
Ron responded to Mr. Ellis’ questions regarding his property on Lindgren
Shores. Deena asked who would be
installing the controller pump alarm on the systems. Installs for 2019 were: Cunningham, Filippi, Kline-Moore, Gove, Hagen,
Schwanke, Smerillo, and Wiessner.
There is currently construction at the Groomer Garage.
- Peat
System vs Mini-Mound: Deena stress
the importance of the Board researching the near-term and long-term
benefits of each system. There seem to be more yearly expenses for the
peat systems. Peat systems require a yearly inspection
by the District that involves a payment to the County for each system
inspected. M. Anderson will talk to
our County Commissioner requesting a blanket fee each year.
- New RV site:
Bill Congdon is considering construction of an RV operation
including 40 sites across from the Forest Service Road. He asked if the District would provide
service via the main line or ISTS systems.
The Board felt that they would install individual tanks to be
pumped. The sites would be sold to
individual customers.
- ISTS Rates:
The Board discussed the monthly rates for new ISTS’s installed by
the District on properties with no structures, structures with plumbing,
and those without plumbing. A
motion was made by R. Scott, supported by M. Anderson, to charge $40 for
empty lots or parcels not generating gray or black water; and to charge
$80 for properties with existing structures generating grey or black water
beginning with completion of ISTS installation and upon receipt of the
Certification of Completion and Operating Permit from St. Louis
County. The $40 rate would be valid
for one year, with the customer paying the $80 fee going forward. The property owner could appear before
the Board to request a variance to paying the $80 monthly fee and continue
with the $40 monthly fee. M. Anderson
and R. Scott voted in favor; B. Beste abstained; and the motion carried.
Minutes: A motion
was made by B. Beste, supported by R. Scott, to approve the minutes of the 10/2/19 Board
of Managers’ Meeting. 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’s
Report: Clerk/Treasurer J. Pohlman
reviewed the Treasurer’s Report. The September 2019 Financial Statements, which
were Previous Year Comparisons, were presented to the Board. October 2019 payroll: Admin – $1,707.65; Operating – $3,171.40; and Payroll
Taxes -$2,005.76. 3rd Quarter QuickBooks entries were reviewed with
Jennifer of Glorvigen. The 2017 Audit
has been completed and 2017 QuickBooks adjustments have been made. An Agreement
has been signed and communication has begun with Walker, Giroux, and Hahne for
the 2018 Audit. The new auditor has requested
that the District look into PERA requirements.
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: Admin: Costin Group – $1,250.00; and LMCIT – $65.19. Legacy Fund:
Rutchasky Enterprises – $29,445.00; and Udovich Electric – $978.20. Operations: Lake Country Power – $697.85, $179.23, $46.17,
$45.10, $45.00, & $50.00; Anderson Outfitters – $660.00 & $39.83;
Aqua-Pure – $3,000.00; LMCIT – $2,107.81; Dept. of Employment – $114.32;
Northwoods True Value – $116.24; Pace Analytical – $481.00; Pelican Bay –
$217.05; Robert J. Scott, Jr. – $1,248.56; and S.E.H. – $1,476.42. All
voted in favor and the motion carried.
CLWSD Meeting Minutes – November 6, 2019
Treasurer’s
Report: (Cont.)
Rates: R. Scott and J. Pohlman reviewed the Revenue
and Expense Forecast through 2022 and agreed that the current rates could
continue for 2020. Near the end of 2020
the Board should review again with the thought of a rate increase process going
forward. The Board agreed.
Funding
Balances: An accounting of the Legacy II
& Legacy III Funds was provided to the Board.
Clean
Water Partnership Loan Program: The
Board is considering the loan as an option for the Legacy III matches and
payment of the current $60,500 loan. The
CWPLP is either low interest or zero interest.
More research is required.
Administration
- Management Plan –
Rates: The Board discussed raising
the buy-in rate for the ISTS program, that is currently $7,500. The Board agreed that the rate remain
the same.
- Delinquent Account
Certifications: There were no delinquent
customer accounts to certify to St. Louis County.
- CLWSD Board Appointments
by Twp.: The Town of Crane Lake has
posted and published the two Manager positions on the CLWSD to be
appointed at the Township’s December meeting.
Joint Powers Board
- VNP Comprehensive
Plan: There was no new report
- Kicker Blvd.
Annex: The project is temporarily
on hold.
- State and Federal
Grant Funding: There was no new report.
S.E.H. Engineering
- District Update:
There was no new report.
Jason will be contacted regarding the status of the ISTS mapping laminated
binders for the District.
- Land Purchase and Easement: The Cowdens are in the process of a land
purchase near the District’s waste water treatment plant and have
requested road access and purchase of 3 acres of the District’s land.
Jason has provided the necessary information to Mia Thibodeau of
Fryberger, Buchanan to go forward with the easement and land purchase
process. Rural Development has been
contacted regarding the land purchase as it relates to the District’s loan
with RD.
O & M. Decentralized
- Management Program Update: Above.
O
& M Centralized
- Operations Report: Rob Scott Jr. provided the following
report: The plant operations went smoothly last
month and there was a noticeable decrease in influent with the busy summer
season coming to an end. The
sludge levels have been pumped down to a low enough level that should get
us through the winter. Lance
has ordered a new chemical pump as the current pump fails to stay primed. We met the MPCA
effluent limits last month. On that note, it appears the phosphorus level
in the effluent exceeded the limits for the months of July and August.
Terry Jackson brought this to my attention recently and gave me some
suggestions to correct this by making some adjustments to the plant
operations. He said it has happened to him in the past and the adjustments
that were made always corrected the issue.
The phosphorus levels are now well
below the effluent limit and with some proactive planning for next summer
this shouldn’t happen again. It sounds like efforts are being made to get
two new infusers installed plus getting pumps covered up. We’ll be turning on the two heat tapes
at the bridge and on Handberg road to get us ready to prevent winter
freeze ups.
- Other Operations Issues: M.
Anderson reported that a back-up pump is needed for chemicals. A trip will need to be made to repair a
pump.
- Winterization: There are
more tarps to be placed on grinders.
Heat tapes have been turned on and infusers will be programed by
December. A plumber has been
contacted to install the two new infusers that need to be installed.
- Voyagaire Houseboat Pumping: There was no report.
- Maintenance Facility
Options: The container concept as a
storage building is not working out.
The District is now considering the purchase of a truck to store tools
and to be able to transport equipment to sites for repair.
- Maintenance
Personnel: M. Anderson will continue
to look for a maintenance worker for the District.
CLWSD Meeting Minutes – November 6, 2019
PUBLIC COMMENTS (5 Minute Limit): There were none.
The
meeting was adjourned at 3:10PM
Jo Ann Pohlman, Clerk
NEXT MEETING: BOARD OF MANAGERS’ MEETING – DECEMBER 4, 2019 – 1:00PM, 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.
|