Utilities
Board Meeting - October 2, 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, October 2, 2014, at 8:00 a.m. This meeting was preceded by notice duly published in the Hastings Tribune on Wednesday, October 1, 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, Kully, Dewalt
Also Present: Schultes, Meyer, Vrooman, Cogley, Hartman, Goebel, McCoy, Barfknecht, Crecelius, Tony Herrman (Hastings Tribune), and Ptak (8:40 a.m.)
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. He also declared a quorum of members present.
The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.
There were no public comments.
Marvin Schultes reported that there were no outages from the rain/wind/hail storm last night.
Al Meyer reported that the WEC Unit 1 maintenance outage began Tuesday, September 30th and the unit is planning on coming back on line on Monday, October 6th. The WEC Unit 2 maintenance outage will start earlier than planned because of a steam leak found in a valve. The unit will come down Friday, October 3rd.
Chuck Shoemaker congratulated the following employees for their years of service to Hastings Utilities.
Committee Reports were given at this time.
Moved by Dewalt, seconded by Krieger, that the following items on the Consent Agenda be approved:
Roll Call: Ayes; Dewalt, Krieger, Shoemaker, Hunt, Kully. Nays; None. Motion carried.
Al Meyer gave a presentation on the benefits of entering into a contract for Refined Coal at WEC Unit 1. The PPGA Board has already approved the agreement. The agreements are confidential so any confidential questions on the agreements will be answered in an Executive Session later in the meeting.
Moved by Krieger, seconded by Dewalt, to approve checks issued September 26, 2014, with the exception of check 24226 to Kully Pipe & Steel Corp. and check 24247 to Nebraska Personnel Consultants. Roll Call: Ayes; Krieger, Dewalt, Hunt, Kully, Shoemaker. Nays; None. Motion carried.
Moved by Hunt, seconded by Dewalt, to approve check 24226 to Kully Pipe & Steel Corp. in the amount of $962.11. Roll Call: Ayes; Hunt, Dewalt, Shoemaker, Krieger. Nays; None. Kully abstained. Motion carried.
Moved by Kully, seconded by Krieger, to approve the following claims:
Roll Call: Ayes; Kully, Krieger, Shoemaker, Hunt, Dewalt. Nays; None. Motion carried.
Moved by Hunt, seconded by Krieger, to approve the following work orders:
EL-301 Conversion from 2400/4160Y to 7970/13800Y north of 7th St. between Hastings Ave. and Denver Ave. Estimated Cost: $60,793
EL-303 Installation of a three-phase underground electric line and padmount transformer to serve the Howard Bldg. at CCC east of College Ave. north of Academic Dr. Estimated Cost: $20,654
EL-305 Installation of a single-phase underground electric line and padmount transformer to serve the new Verizon retail store at 3500 Osborne Dr. East. Estimated Cost: $10,188
EL-306 Installation of a single-phase underground electric line and padmount transformer to serve the new cellular communications tower at MPH ace track south of Hwy. 6, east of Showboat Blvd. Estimated Cost: $11,930
EL-307 Installation of a single-phase underground electric line and padmount transformer to serve the new cellular communications tower at 1413 East South St. north of Hwy 6, east of 6th Ave. R.O.W. Estimated Cost: $8,772
Roll Call: Ayes; Hunt, Krieger, Shoemaker, Kully, Dewalt. Nays; None. Motion carried.
Moved by Hunt, seconded by Krieger, to approve the following work order:
GA-306 New 4” Std. wrapped gas main on Osborne Dr. East, starting at a point 750’ south of 39th St., and then south 440’. Estimated Cost: $20,521
Roll Call: Ayes; Hunt, Krieger, Dewalt, Kully, Shoemaker. Nays; None. Motion carried.
Moved by Dewalt, seconded by Kully, to approve the following work order:
SW-309 New diesel generator and automatic transfer switch at the North Kansas Avenue Lift Station. Estimated Cost: $39,675
Roll Call: Ayes; Dewalt, Kully, Hunt, Shoemaker. Nays; None. Krieger abstained. Motion carried.
Moved by Dewalt, seconded by Krieger, 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, Krieger, Shoemaker, Kully, Hunt. Nays; None. Motion carried.
The meeting closed to the public at 8:45 a.m. The executive session consisted of Board Members, Council Liaisons, the Board’s Attorney, Schultes, Meyer, Vrooman, and Hartman.
Moved by Dewalt, seconded by Kully, that the meeting be reopened to the public at 9:30 a.m., and that no decisions were made nor official actions taken during said Closed Session. Roll Call: Ayes; Dewalt, Kully, Krieger, Hunt, Shoemaker. Nays; None. Motion carried.
Moved by Hunt, seconded by Kully , to approve three Refined Coal Agreements for WEC-1 between Hastings Utilities, Public Power Generation Agency, and RCF 2, LLC, and that the Chairman of the Board be authorized to sign the agreements. Roll Call: Ayes; Hunt, Kully, Dewalt, Shoemaker, Krieger. Nays; None. Motion carried.
Moved by Hunt, seconded by Krieger, to approve the recommendation of Derek Zeisler to the position of Assistant Director of Electrical Production effective October 5, 2014. Roll Call: Ayes; Hunt, Krieger, Shoemaker, Dewalt, Kully. Nays; None. Motion carried.
Moved by Hunt, seconded by Krieger, to approve the recommendation of Patti Dierfeldt to the position of Customer Accounts Supervisor effective December 8, 2014. Roll Call: Ayes; Hunt, Krieger, Kully, Dewalt, Shoemaker. Nays; None. Motion carried.
Moved by Hunt, seconded by Krieger, that upon the recommendation from staff, to reorganize the Electric Department into two separate divisions, and fill the position of Substation and Communications Superintendent, along with the Electric Distribution Superintendent. Roll Call: Ayes; Hunt, Krieger, Shoemaker, Dewalt, Kully. Nays; None. Motion carried.
Moved by Dewalt, seconded by Hunt, to move Noel Nienhueser to the position of Substation and Communications Superintendent effective immediately. Roll Call: Ayes; Dewalt, Hunt, Kully, Shoemaker, Krieger. Nays; None. Motion carried.
Lee Vrooman will be the Acting Electric Distribution Superintendent after the retirement of Jon Yocom.
Moved by Hunt, seconded by Dewalt, to table Agenda Item 8 - Approval of Ordinance No. 4409 Amending Chapter 32-109 of Hastings City Code, and Agenda Item 9 - Approval of Process for Filling Hastings Utilities’ FLSA Exempt Positions. Roll Call: Ayes; Hunt, Dewalt, Kully, Shoemaker, Krieger. Nays; None. Motion carried.
Moved by Dewalt, seconded by Hunt, to table Agenda Item 17 - Presentation of the August 2014 Monthly Report. Roll Call: Ayes; Dewalt, Hunt, Shoemaker, Krieger, Kully. Nays; None. Motion carried.
The Board discussed Preliminary Budget Issues that were identified in the packet. This Agenda Item will be on the October 16 Agenda for possible further discussion
During Miscellaneous and Future Agenda Items, the Board discussed the rescheduling of meetings around Thanksgiving and New Years. Staff will get back with the Board with possible alternative dates.
The meeting adjourned at 10:10 a.m.