Foothills residents – Here are the minutes from the January 2022 JFD #1 meeting.
Attendees (via Zoom): Fred Lavenberg, Brian Stevens, Chris Lavorgna, Chris Laskowski, Robert Nadal, Jeffrey Earl, Charlie Windisch.
Meeting was called to order at 7pm

1. Robert reported that as of the meeting time, six households are delinquent in paying the Q1 water bills. Reminders to be sent out.
2. The committee continues to await approval from the State regarding our permit to replace the greensand filter. (Green Mountain Engineering submitted the permits on our behalf.) As this is an exact replacement for what currently exists, no surprises are expected.
3. A request has been made to Culligan Corp to get a refresh on the quote for the greensand filter replacement itself. The current quote is over a year old.
4. The committee is also awaiting word from the State to see if JFD #1 can get a low interest loan from the drinking water fund. We expect a decision within a few weeks.
5. The Annual Meeting will be held Tuesday, February 15 2022 at 7pm. The meeting warning has been sent to all Foothills residents.
6. The committee is looking for help! Please consider attending future meetings and becoming engaged in the operation of our water system. This is NOT a huge time commitment!

Meeting adjourned at 8pm.

1. It is believed that all residents are paid up and current for the second quarter bills. We will verify that this is in fact true.
2. Brian reported we are still awaiting word from the state with regards to our application for DWSRF monies, to be used for payment for the greensand filter replacement (this summer). We expect to hear within the next couple of weeks. Our fallback position is a loan from the Community Bank NA.
3. Our bank balance is in good standing. (If anyone would like details, the committee would be glad to share the information).
4. A short discussion was held regarding the use of the common land around the well head. This land is open to all Foothills residents. Grass paths are being mowed and maintained (thank you Chris Lavorgna) for our benefit. There was a No Trespassing sign that was removed (by whom we do not know), but will be replaced. The sign was to signal that the land was not open to the general public. The committee again wants to point out it is open for the enjoyment of our neighbors.

1. Second quarter bills were due April 1st. There was a slight increase in the amount due – $235 vs the previous amount of $230. Several payments were received in the old amount; an email was sent to those affected. The latest status as to how many outstanding bills as of the meeting time was not available.
2. Brian reported that a decision on our loan/grant application to the state (drinking water fund) should be available in several weeks. As a backup, an application has been made to the Community Bank NA. The money is needed to pay for the greensand filter replacement that will happen this year.
3. At this point, we are waiting for Green Mountain Engineering to submit the design and acquire a permit for the replacement of the filter. Once that happens, we can get a schedule in place for the work to begin.
4. SOS reports the communication between the pump house and the reservoir seems to be good at this point. 
5. The consumer confidence report has been received from SOS (Simon Operating Systems). It will be distributed (as required by law) to all Foothills residents for their review.

1. Second quarter water bills have been sent out via US mail. Bills are to be paid by April 1st! (If for some reason you have not received your bill, please contact Robert Nadal. Also note that the bills have increased by $5 – total due is now $235.
2. The list of valves that need to be replaced was reviewed (email from Simon Operating System). SOS will forward an estimate as soon as it’s available. Work is planned for this Spring.
3. The heater in the pump building intermittently stops working. This is a new unit, so it should be problem free at this point. Chris Laskowski will take a look; if more serious, the contractor who installed it will be contacted.
4. Communication between the pump house and reservoir okay at the moment. Situation will continue to be monitored.
5. The financials were reviewed. Overall our accounts are in good shape.
6. Brian Stevens reported on the loan/grant that was submitted to the state that will cover the replacement of the greensand filter in the pump house (estimated in the $40K range.) He will also pursue a loan thru the Community Bank in case the grant application falls through.

1. 1st quarter bills were due January 5th. With the exception of one household, all residences have paid the first quarter bills and are up to date. The committee discussed adding late fees to unpaid water bills. Robert will look into the bylaws to see what late fees can be imposed.
2. We continue to have issues with the new Mission communication system operating between the lower pump house and the reservoir. (Reservoir and pump house need to communicate with one another – the reservoir tells the pump house when to pump more water). Communication is intermittent and should be continuous. An attempt by Fred and Cody (SOS) to reposition the antenna on the reservoir did not improve the communication. Fred agreed to contact Mission to have them get to the root of the problem.
3. The committee unanimously agreed (by vote) to add Jeff Earl as a member. Welcome aboard, Jeff!
4. Brian Stevens is in the process of completing the application for a grant that will be used to replace the greensand filter in the pump house. The greensand filter has reached the end of life stage and needs to be replaced this summer. The application will be circulated to Prudential Committee members for review and approval.
5. Robert has looked into the possibility of paying the quarterly water bills electronically (direct deposit into the Community Bank account). Although it is doable, it would be more work than the current pay by mail system. Someone would have to keep track two systems – who has paid by mail/who has made an electronic payment. No final decision yet.

1. 1st quarter water bills were due Jan 5th. A handful of households have not paid yet; first late notices to go out January 20.
2. A discussion was held regarding possibly switching to paying the quarterly bills electronically versus the current “mail a check” approach. Robert to contact Community Bank to explore this option.
3. The greensand filter and support structure in the lower pump house needs to be replaced this year. This is THE filtration system for our water, and thus is critically important. It is also fairly expensive ($27K) and as such Brian (Treasurer) is applying for loan money that is available to water districts such as ours from the state. A completed draft application will be circulated to the board for review and approval.
4. There continue to be intermittent communication problems between the lower pump house and the reservoir. The antenna at the tank will be raised and be made upright (currently at a 45 degree angle). This requires a longer cable (about a $200 pricetag). Fred to work with SOS to make this change.
5. The February meeting will serve as our Annual Meeting. All Foothills residents can attend. JFD #1 meetings are the third Tuesday of the month, so February’s meeting date is the 16th. A notice will be sent out approximately two weeks prior to the meeting.

1. SOS has placed wooden stakes on each homeowners lawn, to indicate where the water shut-off valve is. Residents are asked to leave these in place until the spring. In the event water needs to be shut off, these stakes will save time and effort in locating the valves, especially since the ground will be snow covered.
2. Water bills for 1st quarter 2021 have been mailed out. They are due January 5th, 2021.
3. We have a few challenging expenses next year (see below). As such, there was a motion to increase the 2nd/3rd/4th quarter bills by $5. The bills have not increased in some time, and this represents an increase of just over 2%. The motion was seconded, and passed.
4. There was a lot of discussion on some necessary upgrades/repairs to the water system. The big ticket item is the replacement of the greensand filter/support structure in the pump house (roughly $27K), which after a state inspection last summer was deemed a “must replace” in 2021. We have the option to go ahead and replace with a new filter which is the same as what we presently have, or consult with engineers to see if there is a better option. The board decided to get an engineering opinion to search out the best option.
5. A number of curb stop / blow-off valves need to be replaced. The board also want to move the the curb stop for #35 Foothills to the other side of the road (where it will be away from a very congested utilities area). SOS is working to get a good estimate for these repairs, but will probably be in the $5K range.
6. Paying for items 4) and 5) above: The board will investigate several options. One is to take out a loan; another is to look into aid dollars available from the state for small water districts. SOS to send information to the board on the state aid.

Attendees: Chris Laskowski, Fred Lavenberg, Robert Nadal, Charlie Windisch

Zoom meeting was called to order at 7pm.

1. The sinkhole that had developed near the reservoir building has been filled in with gravel. The hole resulted from sand that had settled in the old manganese collection tank.
2. The heater in the lower house has been repaired, but is nearing the end of it’s life. We will need to pursue a replacement in the near future.
3. The dehumidifier in the reservoir house needs to be replaced. The board has told SOS (Simon Operating Systems) to go ahead with the replacement.
4. The Mission Communication System between the pump house and the reservoir has been experiencing intermittent outages. The system was just installed this past summer. SOS is working with the supplier to fix it, including a new antenna and a firmware update.
5. The main filter for our water supply (greensand filter) and support structure will need to be replaced in 2021. SOS is working with Green Mountain Engineering to determine the best solution and get cost estimates.
6. SOS would like to place stakes on each property to mark the location of the shut-off valve (“curb stop” valves) for the winter months. This will save time and effort in the event the valves need to accessed.
7. Next meeting: December 22, 2020 at 7pm.

Charlie Windisch, Secretary JFD #1