Board Meeting - February 26, 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, February 26, 2015, at 9:00 a.m.  This meeting was preceded by notice duly published in the Hastings Tribune on Tuesday, February 24, 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.

Present: Hunt, Kully, Krieger, Dewalt, Shoemaker

Also Present:  Schultes, Meyer, Vrooman, Cogley, Ptak, Leonhardt, Crecelius, Hartman, Davis, Sekora, Odom, and 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.

There were no public comments.

Marv Schultes introducted Bob Davis as the new Director of Safety.  He also thanked employees for their United Way contributions and reported that Hastings Utilities received the Crystal Award for being in the Top 10 contributors in Hastings.

Al Meyer reported that the WEC Unit 2 spring outage will begin on March 4 and hope to go back on line March 16th.  WEC Unit 1 outage will take place the latter part of March and be down for most of the month of April.

Lori Hartman reported on hiring and personnel activities.

Chairman Shoemaker reported that the American Public Power Association National Conference is in Minneapolis June 7-10.  If any Board members are interested in attending, contact Marv Schultes.

Dave Ptak reported that he is in the process of changing the owner name from Hastings Utilities to City of Hastings on the forest land.  Other properties may also need to be changed to recognize the correct ownership of city property.  The Board asked staff to look at any ideas of parceling the forest land for development before the platting is complete.  Easements on the property also need to be identified.

The Comparability Committee received a sheet from Hartman on the implementation of benefits identified in the Comparability Study that needed revised.  Schultes said staff has been meeting with Joe Patterson on the market adjustment issue.  Ptak said that there are new potential law changes on comparability regarding health insurance which will affect Hastings Utilities.  He will keep the Board up to date on this matter.

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

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

Moved by Krieger, seconded by Hunt, to approve the Chairman's Board Appointments to Hastings Utilities Committee dated February 1, 2015.  Roll Call:  Ayes; Krieger, Hunt, Kully, Dewalt, Shoemaker.  Nays; None.  Motion carried.

While discussing the Release of Easements, Hunt pointed out that the City Clerk name needs to be updated on all three releases.  Staff will make those changes before forwarding them to the City Council.

Moved by Hunt, seconded by Kully, to approve the Release of Easement for Matheson (Linweld) on S. Burlington Ave., with the correction of the name of the City Clerk, and forward it to the Mayor and Council for their approval.  Roll Call:  Ayes; Hunt, Kully, Dewalt, Shoemaker, Krieger.  Nays; None.  Motion carried.

Moved by Hunt, seconded by Dewalt, to approve the Release of Easement for Hastings College, with the correction of the name of the City Clerk, and forward it to the Mayor and Council for their approval.  Roll Call:  Ayes; Hunt, Dewalt, Kully, Krieger, Shoemaker.  Nays; None.  Motion carried.

Moved by Dewalt, seconded by Krieger, to approve the Release of Easement on South St. between Lincoln Ave. and Hastings Ave., with the correction of the name of the City Clerk, and forward it to the Mayor and Council for their approval.  Roll Call:  Ayes; Dewalt, Krieger, Hunt, Kully.  Nays; None.  Shoemaker abstained.  Motion carried.

Moved by Krieger, seconded by Dewalt, to approve checks issued February 20, with the exception of check no. 25691 to Kully Pipe & Steel Corp.  Roll Call:  Ayes; Krieger, Dewalt, Shoemaker, Hunt, Kully.  Nays; None.  Motion carried.

Moved by Hunt, seconded by Krieger, to approve check 25691 to Kully Pipe & Steel Corp. in the amount of $1,323.11.  Roll Call:  Ayes; Hunt, Krieger, Dewalt, Shoemaker.  Nays; None.  Kully abstained.  Motion carried.

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

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

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

EL-322   Installation of a three-phase underground electric line and padmount transformer to serve Casey's General Store west of Juniata Ave., north of 13th St. in Juniata. Estimated Cost:  $15,444

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

During Board member comments, Dewalt asked about the status of the cemetery watering issue.  Staff has worked with the City to come up with a solution.  The Water Department will bore the pipe under 12th Street, at the Water Department's expense, and the City will finish the project.

Council Liaison Odom shared a brochure with the Board on the Hastings-Ozu Sister City 20th Anniversary.  In July 2015, Hastings will host a delegation of up to 30 government officials, citizens, and students from Ozu to commemorate the signing in 1995 of the Sister City Relationship.  Odom asked the Board to consider making a donation to help with costs of transportation to and from Omaha.  Chairman Shoemaker asked the members of the Economic Development Rate Incentive Committee and members of the Chamber of Commerce Retail Oversight Committee to consider the request, consult about which source of funds might be the most appropriate to consider this suggestion, and bring any recommendation back to the Board for action.

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

The meeting closed to the public at 10:15 a.m.  The executive session consisted of Board Members, the Board's Attorney, Council Liaisons, and staff.

Moved by Hunt, seconded by Dewalt, that the meeting be reopened to the public at 11:35 a.m., and that no decisions were made nor official actions taken during said Closed Session.  Roll Call:  Ayes; Hunt, Dewalt, Shoemaker, Krieger, Kully.  Nays; None.  Motion carried.

The meeting adjourned at 11:35 a.m.