Board Meeting - January 15, 2015

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, January 15, 2015, at 9:00 a.m.  This meeting was preceded by notice duly published in the Hastings Tribune on Tuesday, January 12, 2015, 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.

Chairman Shoemaker was absent, therefore Acting Chairman Dewalt chaired the meeting.

Acting Chairman Dewalt 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.  She also declared a quorum of members present.

The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.

There were no public comments.

Marv Schultes informed the Board that the City Council approved the resolution to call the 2005 Series Electric System Revenue Bonds.

Lori Hartman reported on personnel activities.

Under Committee Reports, Krieger reported that a Street Light Sub-Committee will meet next week and will report back to the Board with any recommendations.

Kully reported that the Bidding Policy Committee has meet and will get bidding policies from  the General City for comparisons and will get back to the Board with any recommendations.

The Insurance Committee met online and reviewed the insurance policies for Hastings Utilities.  The insurance consultant has also looked at policies and had no recommendation for changes.  The Board asked staff to obtain a letter to that effect from the insurance consultant. 

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

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

Moved by Krieger, seconded by Kully to approve Resolution No. 2015-01 for Insurance Coverage for the Combined Utility Revenue Bonds, Series 2006 and Combined Utility Revenue Bonds, Series 2012.  Roll Call:  Ayes; Krieger, Kully, Hunt, Dewalt.  Nays; None.  Motion carried.

Moved by Hunt, seconded by Krieger, to approve Resolution No. 2015-02 for Insurance Coverage for the Electric System Revenue Refunding Bonds, Series 2005 and Electric System Revenue Bonds, Series 2011.  Roll Call:  Ayes; Hunt, Krieger, Dewalt, Kully.  Nays; None.  Motion carried.

Moved by Krieger, seconded by Kully, to approve checks issued January 9, 2015, with the exception of check 25306 to Kully Pipe & Steel Corp.  Roll Call:  Ayes; Krieger, Kully, Dewalt.  Nays; Hunt.  Motion carried.

Moved by Krieger, seconded by Dewalt, to approve check 25306 to Kully Pipe & Steel Corp. in the amount of $2,756.20.  Roll Call:  Ayes; Krieger, Dewalt.  Nays; Hunt.  Kully abstained.  After Attorney Ptak informed the Board that the motion was not approved because of a lack of majority affirmative votes, Hunt changed his vote to Aye.  The motion carried.

Moved by Krieger, seconded by Kully, to approve the following work order:

Under Board Member comments, Dewalt announced that HDR Engineering received an Honor Award in the ACEC/Nebraska 2015 Engineering Excellence Awards competition with the Hastings Utilities Enhanced WPCP project.  Only six projects received this recognition from the judging panel.

Hunt distributed a copy of the 2015 street projects.  He asked if staff could prepare a similar document with HU projects.  Dewalt said that instead of creating more work for staff, that Schultes visit with Dave Wacker to discuss if there are any coordination issues that need to be resolved.  HU projects that are budgeted are listed in the budget by line item.  Schultes was asked to report back to the Board after his meeting with Wacker.

Under Miscellaneous and Future Agenda Items, the Board asked staff to provide an update on Legislative actions regarding grant money for funding that could help the City of Hastings was treatment program. 

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

The meeting closed to the public at 9:37 a.m.  The executive session consisted of Board Members, the Board’s Attorney, Council Liaisons, and Schultes. 

Moved by Krieger, seconded by Kully, that the meeting be reopened to the public at 10:18 a.m., and that no decisions were made nor official actions taken during said Closed Session.  Roll Call:  Ayes; Krieger, Kully, Dewalt, Hunt.  Nays; None.  Motion carried.