Board Meeting - October 30, 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 30, 2014, at 9:00 a.m.  This meeting was preceded by notice duly published in the Hastings Tribune on Tuesday, October 28, 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, Cox, Ptak, Sekora, Stange, J. Sidlo, Strom, Liehr, Odom, Goebel, Wacker, Crecelius, Tony Hermann (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.  He also declared a quorum of members present.

The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.

Dave Wacker, City Engineer, appeared before the Board to ask for reconsideration of a bill sent to the Nebraska Department of Roads for a traffic signal work.  Wacker felt it was a miscommunication and a misunderstanding with the Department of Roads and they should not have been billed.  The Board agreed and staff will waive the bill.

Schultes reported that the PPGA Board approved their 2015 Budget at their meeting in Nebraska City on October 29th.  Copies will be distributed to the Board today as requested.

Meyer reported that the WEC Unit 2 Outage is ongoing and on schedule.  He reported on the major issues being addressed.  The unit is expected to be back on line on November 10th.

Hartman reported that a new employee started on Monday, October 27th, filling the position of Lineman.  The Project Coordinator position is currently posted, and the Business Office is working on restructuring the Credit & Collection Supervisor position that will be vacated when Patti Dierfeldt fills the position of retiring Customer Accounts Supervisor Betty Liehr.  The Plant Electrician Assistant Eligibility List was received yesterday and interviews were being scheduled.  The position of Director of Safety as recommended by staff will be discussed at the budget worksessions.

Schultes reported that the Chairman had a public citizen express concern regarding the lack of watering capabilities in the Mt. Sinai cemetery on East 12th Street.  The cemetery is maintained by the City Cemetery Department.  Staff will look into the process needed to bring water to the cemetery and will be put on the agenda for discussion at the next meeting.

Committee Reports were given at this time.

Comparability Committee – Dewalt reported that the committee has met twice since the last Board meeting, once with the Comparability Study Consultants.  The Committee would like to meet with the Board during Executive Session with possible recommendations for moving forward with the study.

The Merit Award Committee is recommending an Outstanding Performance Merit Award, along with a cash award of $250.00 be given to Betty Liehr for her outstanding performance when short staffed by a total of three employees, when two employees retired and one quit.

Moved by Hunt, seconded by Krieger, that upon the recommendation from the Merit Award Committee, to award an Outstanding Performance Merit Award along with $250.00 to Betty Liehr.  Roll Call:  Ayes; Krieger, Hunt, Kully, Dewalt, Shoemaker.  Nays; None.   Motion carried.

The Street Light Committee had no reports at this time, but Odom remarked that he had seen some new LED fixtures in the downtown area and was impressed with them.  The Board asked for an updated street light print to be distributed to them before the budget worksession.

Dewalt asked that the historical rate increase sheet be distributed to the Board before the budget worksession, along with rate comparisons with other cities.  The Board also asked for information on the outstanding revenue bonds to be distributed.

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

a. Review, correction or approval of minutes of October 16, 2014
b. Review of payroll for period ending October 18, 2014

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

Moved by Hunt, seconded by Dewalt, that upon the recommendation from staff, to approve an Agreement for Ash Utilization Service with Werner Construction, Hastings, Nebraska.  Roll Call:  Ayes; Hunt, Dewalt, Shoemaker, Krieger, Kully.  Nays; None.  Motion carried.

Moved by Dewalt, seconded by Krieger, for possible reconsideration of Board Action Recommending Approval of Ordinance 4409.  Roll Call:  Ayes; Dewalt, Krieger, Shoemaker, Hunt, Kully.  Nays; None.  Motion carried.

The process of dismissal was discussed.  The Board felt that the Manager, Director of Human Resources, and the City Attorney could bring proposed language for a dismissal process for exempt employees that would be uniform with all employees.

The City Council had postponed the action on Ordinance 4409 until January 12th, because of information discussed in the Executive Session following Board action on the ordinance.  Chairman Shoemaker set aside this agenda item, along with the item to Approval of Process for Filling Hastings Utilities' FLSA Exempt Positions (Tabled from Last Meeting) until after the Executive Session.  There were no objections from the Board.

Moved by Hunt, seconded by Krieger, to approve checks issued October 24, 2014, with the exception of check 24596 to Krieger Electric and check 24598 to Kully Pipe & Steel Corp. Roll Call:  Ayes; Hunt, Krieger, Dewalt, Kully, Shoemaker.  Nays; None.  Motion carried.

Moved by Kully, seconded by Dewalt, to approve check 24596 to Krieger Electric in the amount of $1,646.26.  Roll Call:  Ayes; Kully, Dewalt, Shoemaker, Hunt.  Nays; None.  Krieger abstained.  Motion carried.

Moved by Dewalt, seconded by Krieger, to approve check 24598 to Kully Pipe & Steel Corp. in the amount of $576.88.  Roll Call:  Ayes; Dewalt, Krieger, Hunt, Shoemaker.  Nays; None.  Kully abstained.  Motion carried.

Moved by Krieger, seconded by Hunt, to approve the following claims:

- General Operating Fund against the Electric Fund – $2,623,410.04
- General Operating Fund against the Combined Fund - $2,368,296.04

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

Moved by Dewalt, seconded by Krieger, to approve the following Work Orders:

PL-664   New pump, piping spray nozzles, and wiring for Wetting System at the Unit 5 Cooling Tower at North Denver Station.                               Estimated Cost:  $21,414
 
PL-665   Extend existing fencing at WEC to enclose the entire railroad loop.  A gate will
be installed where the track enters the WEC property.        Estimated Cost:  $67,200

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

Preliminary Budget Issues was discussed.  The Board asked staff to provide information for the budget work sessions on the following:

  • Bond Issue coming up for availability of refunding in 2015 or the option of paying this off.
  • The impact on In Lieu of Tax Payments.
  • State Statute Information on the Municipal Proprietary Function Act
  • Tables of Organization for all department
  • Payroll Summary (department breakdown)
  • Historical Rate Increase Information along with the increases for the future which are already approved and others that are proposed
  • Rate comparison with other utilities
  • Allocation of general and administrative expenses – last time the formula was addressed by Black & Veatch
  • Impacts of using invested cash by loaning to other departments
  • Information on what is the appropriate cash to keep on hand
  • Street Lighting Recommended Areas List

During Board member comments, Hunt reported that he had learned at the engineer's meeting that the Corp. of Engineers will be revising flood plain maps and this could affect the proposed aquifer storage project.  It was reported by staff that they, along with the consulting engineers, are aware of this and dealing appropriately with it.  Odom said he has had comments from residents on MacArthur Street complaining that their sump pumps are running a lot and fear the new aquifer storage project could add additional burden.

Odom also reported that the City Administrator is in the process of working on the possibility of hiring a consultant to conduct an organizational review of the general City and Hastings Utilities functions.  The Chairman requested that once a dollar amount is determined, that information should be given to the Board.

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

The meeting closed to the public at 11:16 a.m.  The executive session consisted of Board Members, Council Liaisons, the Board's Attorney, Schultes, Meyer, Vrooman, and Hartman.

Moved by Hunt, seconded by Krieger, that the meeting be reopened to the public at 11:17 a.m., and that no decisions were made nor official actions taken during said Closed Session.  Roll Call:  Ayes; Hunt, Krieger, Dewalt, Shoemaker Kully.  Nays; None.  Motion carried.

Moved by Hunt, 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 also consist of a strategy session relative to contract negotiations.  Roll Call:  Ayes; Hunt, Dewalt, Shoemaker, Kully.  Nays; None.  Motion carried.

The meeting closed to the public at 11:19 a.m.  The executive session consisted of Board Members, Council Liaisons, the Board's Attorney, Schultes, Meyer, Vrooman, and Hartman.

Moved by Krieger, seconded by Dewalt, that the meeting be reopened to the public at 12:30 p.m., and that no decisions were made nor official actions taken during said Closed Session.  Roll Call:  Ayes; Krieger, Dewalt, Hunt, Shoemaker, Kully.  Nays; None.  Motion carried.

Moved by Kully, seconded by Dewalt, to table the following items until the next meeting.

-    Possible Reconsideration of Board Action Recommending Ordinance 4409
-   Approval of Process for Filling Hastings Utilities' FLSA Exempt Positions (Tabled from Last Meeting)

Roll Call:  Ayes; Kully, Dewalt, Hunt, Shoemaker, Krieger.  Motion carried.

The meeting adjourned at 12:31 p.m.