BOARD MEETING MINUTES
Tuesday, Dec 12th, 2023 5-6:30 pm — Olga Community Center
Board members present: Geoff Cunard, Pat Boehm, Guy Woods
Operator, Sam Prado
Admin job candidate, Susan Min
1. Call to Order: 5:08PM
2. Approval of minutes for November: Board approves.
3. OWUI Operators Report production is down currently 8gpm. Last November production was 17gpm. A number of large leaks have been fixed since then. Discussion of water use efficiency tracking. Is the Fire Department filling their trucks at our hydrants and if so, are they recording the amount of water used? Geoff will research. Because use is very low, the operator is needing to open valves at the system ends to keep chlorine up to minimum standard. The amount of water used for this purpose is being recorded for WUE tracking. Sam informed us of new EPA lead and copper regulations that require us to compile an inventory of service lines on both the distribution side and customer side. By Oct 2024 we need to have an inventory of at least 20% of the service lines, and more each year until the inventory is complete. The method would be to expose the underground meter setter at each meter location, where both the distribution line and customer service line can be viewed. This will require excavation at meter locations. EWUA is developing a technique to do this using a Shop Vac. We hope to contract with EWUA to do this work for us in April or May. Guy suggests we pursue DWSRF funding for this. Sam has asked for a finished water production meter for our plant. Board approves. Pat shares with Sam his new position as director of operations and project management. Pat asks Sam to notify him any time EWUA works on our distribution system.
a. chlorine update See above.
4. OWUI Administrators report: All bills are prepared and ready to email on Dec 15. The Board Letter is ready to include with the bills. We now have email addresses for all but a handful of members. Those members without email will receive their bills via snail mail. Geoff has shared the Admin job description with two candidates. He interviewed one yesterday, and the other one is here at the meeting tonight. Board interviews Susan Min and hires her with a starting date of Jan 11,2024.
5. Treasurer/ Financial report
No major changes. We still have plenty of cash on hand, and Guy will work on a 2024 budget to present at the January board meeting.
6. OLD Business:
a. Intertie Update: No update since last month.
i. SWSMP: No update.
b. Leak Detection Update Pat will finish repairs at David Sofair’s house. The leaking hydrant will be removed. Pat has spoken to the fire Marshall who told him that the Fire Department does not use hydrants on 3” lines, because the volume is inadequate. Therefore there is no plan to replace the hydrant.
7. New business Pat will meet with Jenny DeGroot and Peter Guillozet tomorrow regarding providing more water for the fish in Cascade Creek. Is there money available for us to lease a portion of our excess water rights for fish conservation?
8. Public Access No members present.
9. Next meeting time January 10, 2024 5:00PM
10. Adjournment 6:29PM