Waunakee Utilities Commission

Waunakee Utilities Commission Meeting August 28, 2023 Members Present: Steve Kraus Roxanne Johnson Kristin Runge Paul Endres Joe Zitzelsberger Shirley Nelson John Roessler Others Present: Tim Herlitzka Randy Dorn Mike Forslund – Strand Jared Heyn John McLain John Roessler joined the meeting on the phone. Steve Kraus called the regular meeting of the Waunakee Utilities Commission to order. Minutes A motion was made by Joe Zitzelsberger and seconded by Kristin Runge to approve the minutes of the July 24, 2023 Waunakee Utilities Commission meeting. Motion carried. Bills The list of bills was reviewed. A motion was made by Shirley Nelson and seconded by Paul Endres to approve payment of the following bills: Total Vendor Description $ 100.48 Ace Hardware Fasteners, soap, bolts, PVC, softener salt 103.14 Aflac* Monthly premium 841.58 APG (Adams Publishing Group)* Web and energy assistance ads 198.98 Auto Value Parts 3,305.50 Boardman Clark Legal services associated with MG&E lease 5,625.00 Border States Materials 12.72 C & M Hydraulic Tool Tools 432.76 Cintas Corporation Uniform service 502.00 Coverall North America, Inc. * Cleaning service 1,140.00 CTW Corp. Lexington Booster repairs 1,580.95 Delta Dental Dental insurance Site inspections for Verizon changes at Ripp Park Water 2,700.00 Dixon Engineering, Inc. Tower 31,558.68 EFTPS * 941 taxes 400.00 Bond Trust Services Corporation Paying agent fees 15,345.30 Elemech Bulk water fill station 21,772.80 Elster Solutions, LLC Meters 16,783.42 Employee Trust Funds* Retirement 8,356.10 Empower Retirement * Deferred compensation & Roth 9,051.65 GLS Utility Locating services 4,157.40 Infosend * Bill and print services 3,688.91 Infosend Bill and print services 66.33 Insight FS Forklift cylinders 4,890.98 Lake Ridge Bank (credit card payment)* Tools, fan for Well 5, training, Google, Microsoft, Adobe programs, filters, electrical tape, computer equipment 8,450.00 LMS Construction Inc. Excavating for new school project 163.98 Madison Investments Investment advisor fees 261.74 Madison Gas & Electric Utilities 108.47 Main Street Piggly Wiggly Office supplies 150.00 Monona Plumbing Fire sprinkler inspection 225.98 Nesheim, Garrett Mileage reimbursement 2,260.00 North American Mechanical, Inc. Replace HVAC system compressor and blower 216.00 Northeast Technical College Schooling 2,300.00 North Shore Bank * Deferred compensation 1  5,225.54 Northern Lake Service, Inc. Water sample testing 41,219.67 Payroll* August 18,925.10 Quartz Health insurance 584.12 Rhyme Business Products* Copier lease 3,155.51 Resco Inventory, metering 587.25 Ruekert - Mielke Mapping 533.64 Securian Financial Group* Life insurance premiums 4,799.79 SEERA Focus on Energy* Focus on energy program fees 36.00 SSM Health* Testing 264.00 Stafford Rosenbaum, LLP Legal services 1,200.00 Steel Surgeon, LLC Truck box 94.99 Strand Associates Assistance troubleshooting SCADA system 39,540.00 Stuart Irby Inventory, minor materials 198.00 T.A.S. Communications* Answering service 1,002.92 TDS Telecom* Monthly phone and modem service 81.60 Tri-County Paving Materials for Hwy V project 840.00 Tyndale Enterprises, Inc. Clothing 249.39 U.S. Cellular * Monthly cell phone service 251.88 USA Bluebook Supplies 123.66 UPS Store Shipping charges Flex plan, mechanic, refuse billings, electric & water taxes 268,691.57 Village of Waunakee and re-bills 17.94 Waunakee Power Equipment Tool repairs 2,317.77 Wex Bank (Exxon Mobil)* Fuel 73,771.47 WI Dept. of Revenue * Withholding tax, sales & use tax 90.00 WI DNR Certification renewal for two water operators 175.00 WI DOT* Underground permit 63.30 Wil-Kil Pest Control Exterminator services 28.00 Wisconsin State Lab Lab fees 1,397,704.89 WPPI Energy Meter data collection & mgmt., utility billing & CIS, shared meter technician, low-income admin. service fee, hosted e-mail & financial and accounting software, cyber security, member network assessment & monitoring, member network support, member/WPPI WAN and Verizon charges Bills Received Subsequent To Packet Delivery 35.52 Ace Hardware Fasteners 84.48 Adair Ebright Refund on account 103.14 Aflac Monthly premium 89.72 Amanda Streiff Refund on account 295.51 Amy & Jon Matsumura Refund on account 115.99 Auto Value Parts 306.62 Beverly Hanson Refund on account 120.55 Charles & Rosanne Facktor Refund on account 108.19 Cintas Corporation Uniform service 14,793.85 EFTPS 941 Taxes 189.44 Erin Swenson Refund on account 16,891.40 Employee Trust Funds Retirement 4,178.05 Empower Retirement Deferred compensation & Roth 1,370.00 Interstate Power Systems Lift station maintenance 192.44 Jackie Ziegler or Art Nicholson Refund on account 111.78 Joseph & Sharon Regnier Refund on account 91.17 Joshua & Tristan Verbeten Refund on account 250.00 Karen Garcia EV charger rebate 266.06 Mark & Carman Maly Refund on account 1,785.00 McCanns Rooter Sewer & Drain Inc. Seal manhole leaks 140.00 MEUW Seminar registration 1,150.00 Northshore Bank Deferred compensation 487.00 Northern Lake Service Inc. Water testing 39,929.30 Payroll* Payroll 201.90 Pepsi Soda 2  73.72 Power House Electric Refund on account 584.12 Rhyme Business Products Copier lease 1,005.69 Stuart Irby Tools 250.98 Thomas & Karen Jankowski Refund on account 190.00 Tim Herlitzka Mileage reimbursement 1,409.95 Tyndale Clothing 79.51 USA Bluebook Water testing 2,451.40 WI Dept. of Revenue WI withholding tax $ 2,097,856.33 Motion carried. Public Comment There was no public comment. Water Storage and Pumping Station Project and Proposal for Preliminary Engineering Services The Commission discussed the proposed project to construct a water storage facility and pumping station at the Well 5 location. Mike Forslund from Strand detailed the project scope and timeline. The project is estimated to cost approximately $3,000,000. The project is expected to be completed in September 2025. The Commission reviewed a Strand proposal for the preliminary engineering portion of the project. After a discussion, a motion was made by Shirley Nelson and seconded by Paul Endres to approve the preliminary engineering proposal for an amount not to exceed $44,750. Motion carried. Additional engineering services will be considered at a future time. Billing Practices for High Strength Wastewater Usage The Commission discussed the staff recommendation to not allow credit to be provided to wastewater customers when actual high strength sampling indicates results below the domestic strength limit. Staff provided information obtained from other communities who also do not allow credit to be provided in similar situations. Our engineer and rate consultant also support this recommendation. After a discussion, a motion was made by Kristin Runge and seconded by Shirley Nelson to not allow credits to be provided when actual samples are below the domestic strength limits. Motion carried. Change to Vacation Policy The Commission discussed a staff recommendation to allow for up to 40 hours of vacation time to be paid out for hourly electric department staff because of the extensive amount of overtime they worked this year and, in some instances, staff not being able to use their vacation allotment. The proposed policy modification would only be available for 2023 and eligible to hourly electric department staff. The payment would be made in December, at 2023 wages. After a discussion, a motion was made by Steve Kraus and seconded by Roxanne Johnson to approve the change to the vacation policy for the electric workers. Motion carried. Underground Wire Replacement Project The Commission was provided information about a section of wire under Sixmile Creek that has become exposed and will need to be replaced. The project will not begin until permission is received from the railroad, as a section of the wire that needs to be replaced will go under their tracks. We have worked with the DNR on this and boring appears to be the best option for replacing the wire. The project is expected to cost $32,000. 3 After a discussion, a motion was made by Shirley Nelson and seconded by Joe Zitzelsberger to approve the underground wire replacement project. Motion carried. Hiring Efforts There was an update provided on hiring efforts. Village-Wide Construction Projects No projects were discussed this month. Operations Report Various operational items were discussed, including an update on the recent electric service interruptions. General Manager’s Report The General Manager discussed the status of the missing check from AT&T and the recent extreme weather that caused a new all-time record peak demand to be reached. Financial Statements The July financial statements were presented. A motion was made by Kristin Runge and seconded by Shirley Nelson to adjourn the meeting. Motion carried. Respectfully submitted: _____________________________ Commission Secretary 4