Mohawk Valley Water Authority – July 21, 2008
Chairman Gaston called the meeting to order at 5:03 PM and
opened with the Pledge of Allegiance.
Roll Call:
Present: Rocco Arcuri, Bruce
Brodsky, Vincent Coyne,
Chairman Gaston presided and Suzanne Harmon took the minutes.
Public Comment Period:
Councilman James Zecca,
Mr.
John Catera, a member of a Property Owner Association stated that landlords in
the
Mr.
Becher stated that he would be happy to sit down and discuss these issues with
the Council and Association members.
Approval of the June 16, 2008 Minutes:
Motion made by: Mr. Price
Seconded by: Mr. Trevisani
Vote: (10) Ayes
(0) Nays
(0) Abstain (2) Absent
Motion carried.
Resolution:
Award of Professional Services Survey
Contract to
A site survey is required to prepare design plans, property
map and deed for the proposed Toby Road Tanks.
The Board’s staff evaluated 5 qualified firms on the basis of price and
determined that
Motion made by:
Mr. Coyne Seconded by:
Mr. DeLia.
Vote: (10) Ayes
(0) Nays
(0) Abstain (2) Absent
Motion carried.
Resolution:
Professional Services Award for the Marcy Reservoir Tank Professional
Engineering Services
The Board’s current Capital Improvement Plan calls for
construction of a new 3.0 M gallon concrete tank on the site of Marcy Reservoir
to comply with EPA water quality regulations.
The Board requested proposals from engineering firms to perform
engineering, prepare construction documents, provide bidding and construction
services in accordance with the scope of services described in the Request for
Proposals. The staff determined that
Stearns & Wheler Engineers & Scientists,
Motion made by:
Mr. Brodsky
Seconded by: Mr. Trevisani
Vote: (10) Ayes
(0) Nays
(0) Abstain (2) Absent
Motion carried.
Resolution:
Smith Hill Tank SEQRA Completion
The new Smith Hill Tank will replace the existing 80 year old
riveted steel tank located on
Motion made by:
Mr. Coyne Seconded
by: Mr. DeLia
Vote: (10) Ayes
(0) Nays
(0) Abstain (2) Absent
Motion carried.
Committee Reports:
Capital Projects:
Mr. DeLia stated that the committee met
on July 21st, which he did not attend.
Agenda items 5, 6 and 7 were discussed at that meeting and were voted
on and passed tonight.
Budget and Finance:
Mr. Korfonta stated that the annual
financial report is due 90 days after the end of our fiscal year.
The Annual Financial Audit has been
completed; the opinion was the highest that can be achieved.
We prepare our own financial statements and flow charts of internal
controls, which is a cost savings to the MVWA.
The MVWA also has to do quarterly investment reports.
Mr. Coyne requested that a schedule be put together of all the reports
that are due and when and it should be kept in a binder for Board review.
Mr. Brodsky stated we are hoping to
receive a Certification of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for
the MVWA Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, year ended March 31, 2007.
The MVWA has received this certificate
for the last five years. We send this
report to the public libraries, our 50 largest customers and it will be on the
MVWA website.
Also, Mr. Brodsky would like an executive summary added.
The conversion to our new bank, HSBC, is still ongoing and in
the next few weeks the customer will be able to go on-line and access their
account and pay their bill. The MVWA
is also in the process of re-configuring the customer’s water bills.
Mr. Brodsky made the following motion:
The Board would like a staff report on the procedures and
process used to put information together on unaccounted for water and the cost
to improve it.
Seconded by Mr. DeLia.
Vote:
(10) Ayes (0) Nays
(2) Absent
Motion Carried.
Personnel
Committee:
Mr. Coyne stated that the committee did not meet this month.
Operations: Mr.
Price stated that the committee did not meet this month.
Mr. Coyne stated that the Board needs to establish new
committee structures. The Ad-Hoc
Executive Committee should review the by-laws which includes provisions on
committees required under the Public Authorities Accountability Act of 2005.
Executive Director’s Report:
-
Public Authority’s training is a one time training
requirement for Board members with two sessions.
Mr. Becher is working with EDGE to set-up a regional type seminar
with SUNY. We will notify the Board
with a schedule as soon as we have it.
-
Update on Bonding: O’Brien & Gere Engineers is making
good progress and the SEQRA work is complete.
Ed Marcus is doing the financial end of the work.
Tomorrow there is a conference call and we should know if it is still
on schedule, the closing is expected after Labor Day.
-
Automated meter reading: the MVWA is looking at a fixed
point radio system.
·
We have a vacancy in the Engineering Department and would like to meet with the
Personnel Committee to discuss re-structuring the department.
·
Mr. Brodsky stated that we need to have succession planning to prepare us for
critical positions. Mr. Coyne stated
that the Personnel Committee has been working on this and similar issues, which
will be presented to the Board shortly.
·
Litigation is in a holding pattern.
·
A letter dated June 16, 2008 was addressed to Donald Weimer from Russell E.
Brooks II, Fire Chief of the City of
Old Business:
Mr. Coyne
stated that Mr. Becher will set-up a tour of the MVWA Maintenance Facility on
New Business:
In
consideration of the defeated motion by Mr. DeLia last month to pull the video
of Board Meetings from viewing on Time Warner Cable.
Mr. Wicks said he would like to make a motion to place a static display
on the Time Warner Cable system relaying valuable information and include a link
to a web site containing the taped proceedings hosted on a free web site.
Providing public access in this way, we do not loose our time slot on
cable.
Motion
made by: Mr. Wicks
Seconded by: Mr. DeLia
Vote:
(10) Ayes (0) Nays
(2) Absent
Motion carried.
The next
Board Meeting is scheduled for Monday, August 18, 2008 at 5:00 PM.
Mr. Trevisani moved to adjourn the meeting.
Seconded by: Mr. DeLia.
The meeting was adjourned at 6:33 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
__________________________
Suzanne M.
Harmon, Secretary
