Minutes of Prudential Committee Meeting

Jericho Fire District #1

March 15, 2016

Attendees: Fred Lavenberg, Brian MacDonald, Ann Kroll Lerner, John Irving, Les Allen

Financials: A summary of income and expenses, provided by Brian Stevens, showed an account balance of $17,666. This does not include any receipts from the 2^nd qtr. billing. This I & E document showed a $1,000 payment to P & P Septic for the filter backwash sludge disposal that occurred in 2015. This has been discussed before and our expectations are that these disposal cost can be kept to $680 if we properly dewater the holding tank prior to the sludge pump out.

Assets Management Grant consideration: An opportunity for a State grant to perform an assets management study/survey was discussed. The down sides; our 20% of cost, the commitment to complete the recommendation by 12/30/16, the imposed time and work for us and our judgement of the limited value add, were the collective reasons to decide to pass on this opportunity.

Sludge pump out alternative options: The current cost for the sludge pump out is still cause to continue to consider alternative means. In particular, pumping out on site, reducing sludge to solid form for accumulation into fewer, less costly disposal trips, will be explored.

2nd Qtr. Bill collecting: With the absence of Mac Lippert due to a family emergency, Les is filling in for this quarter. Les expressed his appreciation for the spreadsheet support work that he believes was done by Debby and Dave Lackey. It organizes the documentation and simplifies the bill printing.

Help needed: The Prudential committee discussed the need for Foothills volunteers for a) a permanent bill collector and for b) a web site maintainer. These are both limited time tasks, the bill collection is done quarterly and the web site maintenance; when changes occur, mostly annually. Brian has accessed the web site and believes this task to be not complex. Fred will make a plea to our neighbors for help.

Respectively submitted;

Les Allen, clerk, JFD#1

Minutes of Prudential committee Meeting

Jericho fire district No. 1

February 16, 2016

Attendees: Fred Lavenberg, Brian MacDonald, Ann Kroll Lerner, Les Allen

Les showed the newly revised Coliform Sampling Rule required by the ANR. This was completed for us by Kirk Patch of SOS. This includes the monthly scheme for taking water samples at alternating customer location.

Les explained that the Vermont State Health Department requested us to locate our water system on a Health Dept. map, which we did.

A lawyer for the Byerly estate is paying the water bills from her office account pending a probate court resolution of the executor for the estate. We anticipate a resolution to the delinquent Strait bills in either April or May.

Mac Lippert informed us that he will be absent as our Bill Collector due to a family emergency. Les agreed to pick up these duties for the upcoming 2^nd quarter billing. Ann offered to help. This bill will contain the 5% increase approved at the Annual meeting of the Fire district. We still need a replacement bill collector for the 3^rd and 4th quarters and beyond.

After some discussion regarding our web site, and our web manager Mike Wright’s relocation out of state, Brian offered to look into understanding how to access and make updates to our web site.

Fred will do a renewed appeal for a) a bill collector b) web manager.

Respectfully submitted;

Les Allen, Clerk, JFD#1

Minutes of Prudential Committee Meeting

Jericho fire District No. 1

October 6, 2015

Attendees: Brian MacDonald, Les Allen, Fred Lavenberg, Brian Stevens

Treasurers report: Brian Stevens provided the following documents; “Operating Income and Cash Flow Projections” (attached), a “Balance Sheet”, and a detailed “Summary of Income and Expenses”, and talked through a few of the essentials. The subtotal of expenses (“Projected 2015”), show that we will be close to the YE budget expectations. We discussed how some of the current operations expense may effect this outcome. This report was approved.

Brian also reported that from his attendance at a water systems finance seminar, he found two ideas for us to consider. One, the incrementing of rate increases to replace delayed and abrupt changes, and a budget display of the capital replacement funding.

Operations: Les reported that there is a problem with a failed water meter in the main line that disrupts the system control of the well pump. We are currently operating the system with manual over rides and our system operator will purchase and replace the failed meter, within a few days.

The system distribution lines will be “blown out” to clean out collected sediment, sometime within the next few weeks. This will disrupt service (selectively) between 9:00 AM and noon. We will give our customers a day or two advance notice once this task is scheduled.

It was decided to postpone cleaning the reservoir until next Spring.

Sludge Disposal: Since the Vt. ANR drinking water Div. has allowed us to rescind our U.I.C. (Underground Injection Control) permit we have considered if and how we could reduce the filter backwash sludge removal cost. We currently spend approx. $2300 per year for liquid sludge pump-out and removal. If the ANR DW Div. is not concerned with the manganese oxide and iron oxide disposal, could we dump it on our property?  The minerals back to the earth from whence it came.

At our Aug. 10, 2015 meeting we authorized a lab test of the sludge that the Vt. ANR Waste Management Div. requested. This we hoped would lead to a decision to allow us to self-dispose of the sludge. The answer was “no” because this concentration of minerals also contained arsenic. What is not a problem as a trace element in our drinking water, in this concentration is within the limits of a “Controlled substance” that requires waste disposal in a lined land fill.

We agreed to continue to have the sludge pumped out until we determine there is a more cost favorable alternative.

We agreed to continue to determine the costs associated with drying the sludge (to reduce the volume), repackaging it for handling, and allow Casella Waste to truck it to their land fill. This would be considerable less frequent than the pump-out needs.

Respectfully submitted,

Les Allen, Clerk, Jericho fire District No. 1

Minutes of the Meeting of the Prudential Committee

Jericho Fire District No 1

April 21, 2015

Attendees: Brian MacDonald, Ann knoll Lerner, Les Allen

CCR: Les reported that the CCR (Consumer Confidence Report) was distributed electronically to 67 of the 72 water system customers. The remaining customers will be served via US mail. This report of our water quality in 2014 has a mandate by State law to attempt delivery to all customers. This report will also be added to our web site.

Op Permit: Les reported that he received notice that our State Operating permit is due to expire and he will file the required renewal application.

Generator Maintenance contract: A maintenance contract offer from Reliant Electrical Works was reviewed, discussed and approved by the PC. This included a list of yearly preventive maintenance items for a cost of $250. This generator is what will keep the reservoir and the pressure pumps operating during a power outage.

Customer shut offs: After consideration of the pros and cons of operational testing all 72 customer shut-offs it was decided to not do this work. We currently will operate on a fix when needed bases.

Back-wash holding tank pump-out: With the withdrawal of our U.I.C. (Underground Injection Control) permit, the PC discussed this now uncontrolled part of our operation and alternatives for manganese sludge disposal. With the cost of $780 per pump out, expected 3 to 4 times per year, it appears worth considering. After a discussion, It was concluded that more research is needed before making a decision.

“FoothillsAll” email distribution: Recent use concerns were discussed. The Yahoo facility for simple e-mail to all (in the Foothills), is a free facility but with the restriction of no document attachments. Les explained that he created a separate Water System Clerk’s distribution that will allow the attachment of documents like the CCR recently sent. Otherwise, he would be required to send 72 US Mail letters.

Other types of water system documents, like these meeting minutes, can also be sent directly, without a copy and paste. It was not intended, and shouldn’t be used by piggy backing, as an alternatives to the FoothillsAll distribution. That distribution is intended for all other options useful to the Foothills neighborhood. There are currently 56 on the FoothillsAll distribution of the likely 67 possible. We hope that those missing will be able to sign-in successfully. It should be noted that a distribution to “all” goes to “all” and some discretion should be used before adding to everyone’s In box.

Respectfully submitted;

Les Allen, Clerk, JFD#1

Minutes of Prudential Committee Meeting

Jericho Fire District No. 1

February 17, 2015

Attendees: Brian McDonald, Fred Lavenberg, Les Allen

Financials: Financials were not reported nor discussed.

Bill Collecting: After researching the requirements, mostly related to the bank deposits, Mac has informed the PC that he will continue billing by mail. The Second quarter 2015 will be mailed this month. One of our water system customer is in arrears two quarters after paying with checks that have bounced. The house is currently unoccupied and the water has been shut off. The whereabouts of the owner is not known. Mac has performed all proper notifications (stipulated by law). Because the post office is forwarding mail, it was decided by the PC that a certified letter from the Clerk, representing the PC, would be sent in an attempt to determine the situation. A property lien is being explored.

Back wash holding tank: The tank was pumped out on 2/6/15 when the sludge depth indicated the need. Because this seems too frequent, Les and our system operator Kirk Patch were observers. The tank is 17’ long with the access at one end. While the sludge that is pumped out is a soft flowing material, we concluded that there may be an accumulation (25 yrs. ?) of solids at the other end that is reducing the containment volume. We decided, and the PC supports an effort to gain access at the other end of the tank for clean out purposes. The second sealed concrete access will be replaced with a “Tuft-Tite” lid. This will allow us to determine if there is a problem and a way to remedy it. This work will be done during warm weather. It is hoped that this will reduce the frequency of pump outs.

Vt. public meeting laws: As a Fire District, we are a municipality under Vt. State law and subject to meeting notice and meeting minute’s regulations. The Vt. State legislature made changes to these laws last session and are considering changes again. We are able to maintain awareness of these activities through weekly legislative publication from the Vt. League of Cities and Towns.

Respectfully submitted,

Les Allen, Clerk, JFD#1