Mohawk Valley Water Authority Minutes
December 9, 2019
Mr. Bruce Brodsky called the meeting to order at 5:00 PM and opened with the Pledge of Allegiance.
Roll Call
Present: Rocco Arcuri, Bruce Brodsky, Dave Corr, Vincent Coyne, Luke Lewis, Richard Karam, Frank Mutolo, and John Wallace. Absent: Mr. Bova, Mr. DeLia, Mr. Ford and Ms. Szesny. Also Present: Richard Goodney, Anne Milograno, Phil Tangorra, Jim Korfonta, and Ken Bobrow, Esq.
Mr. Brodsky thanked Mr. Wallace for his three years of service on the Board and wished him well.
Mr. Brodsky presided and Suzanne Harmon took the minutes.
Approval of the October 28, 2019 Minutes
Motion made by Mr. Arcuri to approve the minutes. Seconded by: Mr. Karam
Vote: (8) Ayes (0) Nays (0) Abstain (4) Absent Motion Carried.
Resolution: Professional Services Award to Corona Environmental Consultants to Perform a Corrosion Control Study Related to EPA Proposed Lead and Copper Rule Regulations
The MVWA intends to undertake proactive measures to identify water treatment compliance strategies to meet the proposed Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR) currently being developed by the EPA. The Firm of Corona Environmental Consulting, Rockland MA, has prepared a Statement of Qualifications and detailed scope of services that include the following: Task 1 – Review of historical water quality and operational data; Task 2 – Assess WTP treated water corrosivity; Task 3 – Evaluate Corrosivity in the Distribution System; and Task 4 – Develop Corrosivity Assessment Report with Next Step Recommendations.
Corona Environmental Consultants has proposed a professional fee of $41,950 and an estimated Study duration of 12 weeks. The Engineering and Water Quality Departments have recommended Corona Environmental Consulting for this effort on a sole source basis.
Motion made by Mr. Corr to approve. Seconded by: Ms. Arcuri
Vote: (8) Ayes (0) Nays (0) Abstain (4) Absent Motion Carried
Resolution: MVWA Funding Participation in Town of Frankfort Welshbush Road Water District
The Town of Frankfort is pursuing a project which will extend the water mains from the Regional System into the areas of Welshbush Road, Rolling Hills and Meckler Roads. The project will add 90 customers to the system with a potential for more. The Town of attempting to obtain grants and loans for the project which is estimated to cost $3.0 million. The Town has requested the Board commit $50,000 toward the cost of a new High Service Zone water tank that will connect to the existing water system. The Board’s participation will improve the likihood of funding for the project.
Motion made by Mr. Coyne to approve. Seconded by: Mr. Karam
Vote: (8) Ayes (0) Nays (0) Abstain (4) Absent Motion Carried
Approval of MVWA Policies
Code of Ethics
Motion made by Mr. Arcuri to approve. Seconded by: Mr. Mutolo
Vote: (8) Ayes (0) Nays (0) Abstain (4) Absent Motion Carried.
Procurement Policies and Procedures
Motion made by Mr. Arcuri to approve. Seconded by: Mr. Mutolo
Vote: (8) Ayes (0) Nays (0) Abstain (4) Absent Motion Carried.
Workplace Violence Prevention Policy
Motion made by Mr. Arcuri to approve. Seconded by: Mr. Mutolo
Vote: (8) Ayes (0) Nays (0) Abstain (4) Absent Motion Carried.
Committee Reports
Mr. Korfonta stated that at the end of October 2019, cash is positive by $700,000 year-to-date. A large cash recovery occurred in October resulting in a more comfortable position heading into the end of the operating year. In December we have outlays for retirement and prepayments for 2020 insurances.
Executive Director’s Report
- Mr. Becher stated that Mr. Brodsky sent him as article that appeared in the OD on November 10th regarding chemicals in the water. Mr. Tangorra stated that in NY State the Department of Health’s Governor’s Drinking Counsel has proposed regulations for fluorinated compounds and one-four dioxin. A couple of years ago they called contaminates of emerging concern. NY State has proposed maximum levels for those. The MVWA would like to be ahead of the regulatory curve so we did sampling in 2014 for the fluorinated compounds. Since that time the analytical techniques are better. They can detect much lower levels now in 2019 than they could say 5 years ago. We re-sampled again this year and they were non-detects. We are fortunate to have the source water that we have and the watershed that is 89% forested. Those two regulations alone in NY State will cost $1.5 billion for water suppliers to comply with, which we will not have to comply with. We sample for mercury every year and they fall below the detection limit.
- Mr. Becher stated that back in October we were talking about Cyber-Security updates. IBM had given us a packet of proposals, which wasn’t very detailed at the time. Mr. Mack has been working with IBM and has a crystalized version, which is almost ready to go. We are looking at our SCADA system, generally speaking remote control monitoring of the system. This was developed in-house and is aging out and now we need something different. Mr. Mutolo and the Operations Committee have a strong desire to move forward with all of our SCADA so that we don’t have all of our eggs in one basket with one employee. The committee thinks it would be good to have an outside company. The committee has met with three companies and one of them has detailed information that we would like to share with the Committee. It would be good to do an initial evaluation of the system and then launch a plan to do a whole scale change out if that is the overall recommendation. Mr. Becher will get in touch with Mr. Mutolo to set-up a Committee meeting to start going through the plan.
- Mr. Becher stated that as far as Ilion goes that is still moving along. One thing that is emerging right now is that they are looking to see if some kind of partnership could be formed with us now. It would be more solid on a contractual basis to provide some support for them if needed in emergencies. Mr. Tangorra is going down there next week to tour the system and shadow their operator to size it up before we can decide what would be workable. We should have a proposed agreement at the March meeting.
Mr. Brodsky asked if there were any other conversations with Cree. Their engineers at O’Brien & Gere they are doing design work for Cree and requested flow tests from us. They are moving ahead and EDGE committed some funding to continue site work for them.
Meeting was adjourned at at 5:44 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
__________________________
Suzanne M. Harmon, Secretary
Mohawk Valley Water Authority