Thursday, February 20, 2025 | 6:00 PM
Olga Community Center
Board Members Present: Geoff Cunard, Paul Groeninger, Patrick Boehm, Guy Woods
OWUI Administrator Present: Aurora Fackler-Adams
OWUI Members Present: None
Board Members Absent: None
Call to Order
Meeting called to order at 6:19 PM.
1. Approval of Minutes
Motion: Patrick Boehm moved to approve the minutes for the previous meeting.
Second: Paul Groeninger seconded the motion.
Vote: Motion passed unanimously.
2. President’s Report
SWSMP Update
• An issue with opening the SWSMP document has been resolved, making it accessible on both Mac and PC. More on this in the Administrator's report.
• The SWSMP has been submitted to the state. The review process will take 90 days, after which the state may request edits.
• Barry giving us cost estimates for the finalization process are pending until state feedback is received.
• Most of the review will go through Raquel, our regional engineer. Geoff will schedule a meeting with Raquel once we are a bit further along and have an idea of what else is needed to complete the process.
• Action Item: Geoff will reach out to Raquel after further progress is made to assess the next steps.
Intertie Update
• A planned meeting between Geoff and Dan to outline next steps was canceled but will be happening soon.
• Dan, Sam, Earthworks, and possibly Island Excavating will be involved in finalizing plans.
• Discussion regarding plant maintenance: a survey conducted a year ago suggested changes that were delayed due to expectations that the intertie would be completed. Since completion is not imminent, the board must decide how to maintain the plant.
Discussion:
o Pat noted that sand filters previously lacked covers, which are now causing issues. Simply removing them may be a cost-effective solution.
o Geoff will address sand filter issues in discussions with Dan.
o Documentation (as-builts, method sheets, parts lists) will be required once the SWSMP is approved for the intertie’s finalization.
o Construction requirements for intertie completion:
▪ A blowout filter for pressure failsafe at the EJ Young filter.
▪ Plumbing adjustments ($10-15K) to the tank, including a float valve to prevent overflow.
o Action Item: Seek a second opinion on engineering requirements before proceeding.
Member Communications Discussion
• The board will engage in member outreach through quarterly updates and announcements to encourage participation and seek new board members.
Action Item: Aurora and Guy will draft a letter notifying the Community Club about charging the dock for water usage, with a minimum six-month notice period.
3. OWUI Administrator’s Report
Administrative Tasks for Q2 2025:
• Billing Cycle Preparation:
o Optimization of meter reading lists for efficiency.
o Researching new payment systems, including QuickBooks, and considering a transition from annual to monthly billing.
• Member Communication:
o Drafting board-reviewed communications.
o Developing a comprehensive communication plan.
o Exploring Mailchimp and other communication tools.
• Microsoft 365 Implementation:
o Ensuring the system is fully integrated and operational.
• RCAC Engagement:
o Researching funding and educational opportunities for board and staff development.
o Action Items: Board to consider potential areas of focus for administrator and come to the next meeting/reach back out with feedback on board priorities.
Financial System Update
• Discussion on Payment Systems:
o The board discussed options for payment system management, comparing QuickBooks and Caselle. The board also discussed plans to transition from annual to monthly payments once a payment processing system is in place.
o QuickBooks: A more affordable, general-use accounting software that is not specifically designed for utility companies but could be customized to meet OWUI’s needs.
o Caselle: A specialized utility management software designed for small utility systems, offering robust features for billing, tracking, and reporting. However, it is significantly more expensive and may be excessive for OWUI’s size and operations.
o Concerns were raised about the potential complexity and cost of Caselle versus the more straightforward implementation of QuickBooks.
o The board agreed that QuickBooks is a viable and cost-effective option for OWUI’s immediate needs.
Motion: Guy Woods moved to authorize Aurora to purchase QuickBooks when necessary. Second: Paul Groeninger seconded the motion.
Vote: Motion passed unanimously.
• Action Items: The board will discuss with Jazmin’s team how QuickBooks implementation will affect current financial services.
4. Treasurer’s Report
• 2024 Financial Summary:
o Revenue: $234,000
o Expenses: $198,000
o Net Revenue: $36,000
o Interest Earned: $8,500
o Total Surplus: $45,000
• Despite increased assessment fees, revenue declined due to a loss of three memberships and overall lower member water usage.
• Guy Woods mentions importance of keeping in mind that for some of our members, the OWUI bill presents real financial difficulty.
• Approximately $200,000 earmarked for meter replacement.
• Action Item: Guy will generate a 2025 budget based on actual spending throughout the year so far.
5. Operator’s Report (EWUA)
• No operator present.
• Action Item: Geoff will request an access pipe installation on the recently repaired 3rd Street valve for easier access, and mentoin importance of this going forward.
6. Operations Report (Pat Boehm)
• Two "No Parking" signs installed near Pt. Lawrence; vehicles have been removed by their owners.
• Awaiting meter replacement funding approval.
• Action Item: Pat will obtain a bid/estimate from EarthWorks for meter installation. • Discussion re: will the last manual meter read will be in September before switching to the new meters, or will we try to switch to new meters before that meter read takes place?
• Board decides to try to switch before meter read if possible- if it ends up being unfeasible, will can do one last manual meter read.
• Discussion regarding pressure release valves (PRVs) with new meter installations: o Adding PRVs complicates plumbing but should be standard.
o The board needs to determine if PRVs will be owner or utility responsibility. o Action Item: Pat will ask EarthWorks for an estimate on PRV installations.
7. New Business
• Water Monetization Proposal:
o Jenny (salmon restoration in Coho) proposes applying to GiveOrcas for ~$500/month to pay OWUI for water diversion into Coho Creek.
o Proposal involves using .25 cubic feet per second from OWUI’s surplus of .3 CF/sec.
o Board acknowledges this as a potential revenue stream but will review logistics.
Next Meeting
Date: Thursday, March 20, 2025
Time: 6:00 PM
Adjournment
Meeting adjourned at 7:59 PM.
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