Board Meeting - April 17, 2014

MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS

A regular meeting of the Board of Public Works was held at the Hastings Utilities Board Room on Thursday, April 17, 2014, at 9:00 a.m.  This meeting was preceded by notice duly published in the Hastings Tribune on Tuesday, April 15, 2014, and by notices duly posted in the lobby of Hastings Utilities, 1228 North Denver Avenue, and the City Hall, 220 N. Hastings Avenue, and was therefore open to the public.

Present: Hunt, Krieger, Shoemaker, Dewalt, Kully

Also Present:  Schultes, Meyer, Sanders, Stange, Cogley, Hartman, Ptak, Cox, Leonhardt, Odom, Goebel, Crecelius, and Laura Bernero (Hastings Tribune)

Chairman Shoemaker stated that the Board of Public Works is subject to the Open Meetings Laws and acknowledged that the Open Meetings Law poster has been posted in the room.

The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.

There were no public comments.

Marv Schultes reported that the new Hastings Utilities website is now up and video of the Board Meetings are available on that website.  Al Meyer reported that WEC-1 came back on line April 16^th after the planned maintenance outage.  WEC-2 planned maintenance outage will start after midnight Friday night and is scheduled to last until May 7^th.

Chuck Shoemaker thanked Ron Sanders for all his work on the filming of the Board Meetings.  Mr. Shoemaker remarked that the quality of the sound and video of the meeting was very good.  Mr. Shoemaker also congratulated a number of employees on their service to Hastings Utilities.

Moved by Dewalt, seconded by Krieger, that the following items on the Consent Agenda be approved: 

• a. Review, correction or approval of minutes of April 3, 2014 
• b. Review of payroll for period ending April 5, 2014

Roll Call:  Ayes; Dewalt, Krieger, Shoemaker, Hunt, Kully.  Nays; None.  Motion carried.

Steve Cogley announced that Hastings Utilities had applied for and received American Public Power Association’s RP3 Reliable Public Power Provider (Gold Member) Award.  Mr. Cogley gave a presentation on the application process and shared the results of how Hastings Utilities scored on the reliability standards.  Al Meyer attended APPA’s Engineering and Operations Annual Conference on April 7^th and accepted the award.

Moved by Hunt, seconded by Kully, to approve Change Order No. 5 to contract for Addition to the Pollution Control Facility (Contract No. 2012-04, IC-13) with Eriksen Construction Company for nine various work efforts for a net decrease of $9,262.00.  Roll Call:  Ayes; Hunt, Kully, Dewalt, Shoemaker, Krieger.  Nays; None.  Motion carried.

Don Cox gave a presentation on Gas Storage and Purchasing Policies.  He recommended no change in these purchasing policies at this time.

Moved by Hunt, seconded by Krieger, to approve checks issued April 11, 2014, with the exception of check 22588 to Kully Pipe & Steel Corp. and check 22629 to Sullivan Shoemaker PC LLO.  Roll Call:  Ayes; Hunt, Krieger, Shoemaker, Kully, Dewalt.  Nays; None.  Motion carried.

Moved by Krieger, seconded by Hunt, to approve check 22588 to Kully Pipe & Steel Corp. in the amount of $1,165.23.  Roll Call:  Ayes; Krieger, Hunt, Dewalt, Shoemaker.  Nays; None.  Kully abstained.  Motion carried.

Moved by Dewalt, seconded by Kully, to approve check 22629 to Sullivan Shoemaker PC LLO in the amount of $2,627.90.  Roll Call:  Ayes; Dewalt, Kully, Hunt, Krieger.  Nays; None.  Shoemaker abstained.  Motion carried.

Moved by Krieger, seconded by Dewalt, to approve the following work orders:

         EL-290   Installation of a three-phase underground electric line and padmount transformer to serve the new Perkins Restaurant south of 38^th St., east of Cimarron Ave.       Estimated Cost:  $15,371

Roll Call: Ayes; Krieger, Dewalt, Shoemaker, Kully, Hunt.  Nays; None.  Motion carried.

The January 2014 Monthly Report was presented and briefly discussed.  It was requested that staff give an update on the capital budget street lighting items.  Staff will update the Board at the next meeting.

A discussion was held on the digital agenda packet process.  Most like the new digital process and the Board asked staff to continue the transition as each member requests.

Chairman Shoemaker presented his list of Board Committees.  He added that the Mayor would like to appoint some additional people to the Mission Statement/Core Value Committee.  Mr. Shoemaker also said that he would like the committee assignment reviewed every year.

Moved by Hunt, seconded by Krieger, to approve the Chairman’s Committee List for the year 2014 as presented.  Roll Call:  Ayes; Hunt, Krieger, Dewalt, Kully, Shoemaker.  Nays; None.  Motion carried.

Under Board Member Comments, Jeanette Dewalt reported that the Comparability Committee had met with Mr. Cripe and Mr. Essman from Nebraska Personnel Consultants and the committee will have a full report at a later date.

Moved by Dewalt, seconded by Hunt, that this Board go into Closed Session, which Closed Session is clearly necessary for the protection of the public interest and for the prevention of needless injury to the reputation of an individual, which individual has not requested a public meeting, in order to discuss certain matters relating to personnel, and that said Closed Session will consist of a strategy session relative to negotiations and litigation.  Roll Call:  Ayes; Dewalt, Hunt, Kully, Shoemaker, Krieger.  Nays; None.  Motion carried.

The meeting closed to the public at 10:42 a.m.  The executive session consisted of Board Members, Council Liaisons, the Board’s Attorney, and staff. 

Under Board Member Comments, Scott Krieger informed the Board that he and HU staff had attended an NRD meeting in Davenport, Nebraska, gave a presentation, and requested the NRD consider funding help for the water treatment in Hastings.  An NRD committee will consider the request.

 The meeting adjourned at 11:59 p.m.