Northport/Leelanau Township Utilities Authority 116 W. Nagonaba, PO Box 158 Northport, MI 49670 Approved Minutes July 18, 2017 Regular Meeting I. CALL TO ORDER Chairperson, Barb Von Voigtlander called the meeting to order at 9:30 AM in the Village conference room. II. ROLL CALL Board Members Present: Barb Von Voigtlander, Bob Featherly, Tim Overdier and Gary Fredrickson Staff Present: Joni Scott, Chris Holton, Mark Huggard (OMI) Public Present: Several Citizens attended III. APPROVAL OF BOARD MEETING MINUTES The April 18, 2017 regular meeting minutes were accepted as presented. IV. TREASURERʼS REPORT The Treasurers report was accepted as presented. V. PUBLIC COMMENT Mike Sinclair- made comments on REUs for businesses with and apartment, Short term rentals. Campbell Mcleod- commented on REUs for Short term rentals sharing in the costs. Bill Collins- made the comment- too soon old, too late smart Will Harper- made comments regarding; Village Council vacancy, Ordinance 96, metering properties in the SAD.
Mike Stoffel- stated that he would like to fill the vacant position on the NLTUA Board. VI. PAYMENT OF BILLS Bob Featherly Moved, Supported by Gary Fredrickson to approve the bills to be paid for the month of May in the amount of $30,840.06 Roll Call Vote Yeas (4) Nays (0) Absent (0) Motion Approved. Gary Fredrickson Moved, Supported by Bob Featherly to approve the bills to be paid for the month of June in the amount of $43,547.68. Discussion: Fredrickson asked about the bill for the grinder pumps and lids. Clerk Scott responded that 3 grinder pump packages and 3 lids had been ordered. Roll Call Vote Yeas (4) Nays (0) Absent (0) Motion Approved. Bob Featherly Moved, Supported by Gary Fredrickson to approve the bills to be paid for the month of July in the amount of $30,914.22. Roll Call Vote Yeas (4) Nays (0) Absent (0) Motion Approved. VII. STAFF REPORTS A. Superintendent s Report Superintendent Chris Holton reported the following; mowing of the ribs at the treatment plant completed by the county, grease trap inspections are ongoing, one new connection in the SAD, that the ribs at the treatment plant have been mowed, he had ordered 3 new grinder pump packages, one control panel and three grinder pump lids for inventory. Holton also said that he had received receipts from Tuckers for grease removal in the fall of 2016. B. Treasurer/Clerk Report Joni Scott provided a financial report for the months of May, June and July. New Connections: Scott reported one new connection on Sixth Street.
C. Treatment Plant Operator Report Mark Huggard submitted and reviewed a written report for the treatment plant activities for the month of June. Chair Barb Von Voigtlander asked treatment plant operator what the flows were during the week of the Fourth of July holiday. Operator Mark Huggard replied that the plant reached 110,000 gallons per day. VIII. COMMITTEE REPORTS None IX. CORRESPONDENCE A. Attorney response to role and jurisdiction of the NLTUA B. Village Council request to look at letters from Harper & Sinclair C. Letter from Fleis and VandenBrink concerning payment of bills X. DISCUSSION & ACTION ITEMS A. REQUEST BY COUNCIL TO REVIEW LETTER FROM SINCLAIR, HARPER- REFER TO AUDIT COMMITTEE: The Board agreed to let the audit committee gather data on Short-term rentals. The Board would also like to continue the discussion as a whole once the information is gathered. B. BILLS FOR CLEANING GREASE FROM SEWER-RESPONSIBLE PARTY: A bill from Northern A-1 in the amount of $2,007.08 was received for the removal of grease on Waukazoo Street. Clerk Scott provided the Board with a copy of the February 1, 2016 letter to restaurants/commercial kitchen owners citing the new policy for grease build ups in lines. Bob Featherly Moved, Supported by Gary Fredrickson to split the cost of the grease removal, with the businesses, contingent upon lateral identification of which properties service the line. Discussion included whether or not Deeps lateral was serviced by the main on Waukazoo Street. Roll Call Vote: Yeas (3) Nays (1) Tim Overdier Motion Approved. C. BILLS ASSOCIATED WITH LOCATING A LATERAL AT 6TH STREET PROPERTY:
Fleis and Vandenbrink provided a payment for the televising ($460) and excavating ($973) for a missing lateral at a property located at 206 E. Sixth Street. Fleis and VandenBrink have offered to write a letter to the original contractor Dunigan Brothers, Inc. for the remaining costs to install the lateral. D. COST AND FREQUENCY FOR SLUDGE REMOVAL-RATE INCREASE TO COVER COSTS: Treatment plant operator Mark Huggard recommended having the Biosolid removed by the end of the summer. Clerk Scott provided the following data and recommendation to the Board to review and consider. Biosolids: The first Bio-solids removal was completed in the spring of 2015 removing 224,000 gallons at a cost of $24,416. The original schedule for sludge removal was estimated for every 5 years. Current funds available annually to transfer to Capital improvement and Bio-solids reserve funds-$37,073 2017- Biosolids - $5,000 and Capital- $32,073 = $37,073 According to the current Estimate the Biosolids removal in 2017 will cost -$55,000 Removal of biosolids is now expected to take place every 2-3 years due to increased sludge accumulation (increase flow). 2017-18 Proposal for a Rate increase of O&M fees: DECEMBER 30, 2010- NLTUA Board agreed to increase the O&M from $38 per month to $43 Current quarterly O&M fee- $129 per REU generates $306,000 annually. Recommendation: Recommendation for a $5 a month increase would result as follows: Currently the NLTUA bills 595.32 REUs 595.32 X $5 = $2,976.60 x 12 months =$35,719.20 annually The additional revenues would support the Biosolids and Capital improvement funds. Clerk Scott recommended that the recommendation be considered as an action item at the next regular meeting. VIII. PUBLIC COMMENT Mimi Heberline- commented on Short Term Rentals and hotel taxes Will Harper- commented on the impact that short term rentals have on the sewer. Campbell Mcleod- had questions about the grease trap inspections, and also offered to share the burden of the sewer by paying more for his short term rental. Mike Sinclair- commented on Short Term Rentals and the burden they put on the sewer.
Ben Crow- commented on taxes for businesses and stated that the sewer system was oversized. Gerald Schatz- made comments regarding the REU schedule and the need to review the financing. Bill Collins- commented that Tuckers didnʼt feel that they should be responsible for the grease removal bill. IX. MEMBER COMMENTS The Board members had a discussion about the way the audit committee will be handling the requests from Harper and Sinclair. Von Voigtlander explained that the audit committee will be reviewing data, which will then be brought back to the Board as a discussion. Von Voigtlander also reminded the Board that Mr. Harpers request had been denied by the Board back in April. X. ADJOURNMENT Bob Featherly Moved Supported by Gary Fredrickson, to adjourn the meeting at 11:05 pm. Motion Approved. The next Authority regular meeting will be held on October 17, 2017, in the Village meeting room at 9:30 am. Joni L. Scott, Treasurer
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