January Minutes

Meeting Minutes > 2019 > January

BEST ROAD MUTUAL WATER COMPANY

MONTHLY MEETING

Minutes of January 10, 2019

In attendance: Board members: Nan Bustos, Summer Garcia, Julian Rogers, Marsha Poenisch, Ed Flores

Guests: Bill Biermann

Meeting convened at 7:12 pm by Julian Rogers

Approval of Minutes from November 15, 2018 and December 12, 2018

Financials

A. Treasurer Report: As of December 2018

a. CD: $1,022.17

b. Checking: $56,554.42

c. Repair & Replacement: $82,392.33

B. Invoices and Expenditures: October 2018

a. Ellen Fisher’s Bookkeeping: $450.00

b. Bracewell: $1,882.00

c.       PG&E:                                           $915.39
d.      AT&T:                                            $98.90
e.      First Trust Alarm:                              $90.00
f.        Summer Garcia Reimbursement         $50.40

Water System Operations and Maintenance Report

A. Bracewell is investigating small membrane filtration systems with the state. There has been success with other water systems and will determine if this will work

for us and if it will be permitted by the state. There will be an expense to us to perform this evaluation.

B. Chlorination has been restarted, but there are issues with the pump shutting off. Bracewell is investigating.

C. 4^th Qtr Arsenic notice has been sent to shareholders.

D. Both well heads have leaks that will need to be repaired. Bracewell has provided a quote of $947 to repair the leak on one well head, and $624 to repair the

leak on the other well head.

E. Flow meter is not working and will need to be replaced. Bracewell has provided a quote for replacing meter in the amount of $856.

F. Well #2: No operational issues. Online since January 16^th 2017.

G. Backflow certifications were completed with no issues.

H. Status on Well 1: Cracked casing, livestock nearby, pooling water, all contributing to contamination issues. Requested information on what will it take for us to

get well #1 in compliance. Must fix cracked casing in order to prevent issue of surface water influence.

Actions

1. Julian will follow up with Bracewell to either turn off chlorination or meet state’s compliance requirements based on Sanitary Survey results.

2. Marsha will work on completing the capital plan

3. Julian will contact Ellen Fisher to obtain a quote for providing additional services

4. Nan will post 2018 CCR to website

5. Marsha will send 2^nd draft of Delinquency Policy and Procedure

6. Marsha will follow up with H26 on billing issue

7. Julian will follow up with H27 regarding potential water leak

8. Summer will contact Ellen Fisher regarding late fee waiver for P02

Executive Session

A. H27 potential water leak as meter seems to be spinning. Attempting to contact the resident to follow up and check meter readings as courtesy.

B. H26 reported billing issue. Resident received incorrect billing statement. Will work out resolution to the board. Motion called to adjust billing due to billing error.

Motion was approved.

C. F01 Second Notice

D. H11 First Notice

E. P02 First Notice

F. P08 First Notice

G. P15 First Notice

H. P02 is asking for waiver on late fee. Shows evidence that payment was initiated electronically on 12/22. Motion to waive late fee since payment was made in

good faith.

New Issues / Information

1. Chlorination has been restarted, but there are issues with the pump shutting off. Bracewell is investigating.

2. SCADA system that we purchased a couple of years ago was never installed and is no longer supported by the vendor. We will keep this on the agenda for

ongoing options on what to do with the system. Not a top priority at this time due to other ongoing issues.

3. Marsha Poenisch presented a draft policy for dealing with delinquencies in payables from shareholders. Some suggestions were made for additions/changes for

consideration. Marsha will send out an additional revision to the board of directors for review.

4. Marsha Poenisch presented that we have an opportunity to reduce our AT&T expense by changing our existing single line measured business plan to a basic line

service. This would require one year contract. The board voted and approved change.

5. Ongoing compliance issues:

a.      TTHM: Compliance Order 02_05_17R_001 TTHM). We are currently in compliance. Need to continue to report for one year after we meet compliance.
b.      Arsenic MCL: 02_05_16R-005 Arsenic levels above recommended levels for drinking water.
c.       Well #1: 02_05_18R_002 Groundwater under the influence of surface water
d.      Cross-connection: Blue valve water source does not have proper separation from BRMWC water source, therefore cross-connection. This is a compliance

violation. State has offered for us to provide results of the backflow testing for the past two years. This will possibly satisfy our compliance issue.

e. Lead compliance: Need to “prove” that we don’t have any lead in our water lines.

6. Board members (Nan Bustos, Ed Flores, Marsha Poenisch) need to complete ethics course AB54 and AB240. Marsha and Nan are registered for classes in

February.

7. Bracewell is still evaluating status of water system and will continue to provide suggestions for improvements as well as a long term plan. Basic testing has been

completed, and there have been no significant changes in results from previous testing. Question regarding sample points being before filtration is applied vs. after. If we petition to the state, we can ask to change testing to after the filtration system.

8. SCADA system was purchased from XIO Systems and not yet installed for several years due to other priorities with our water systems. The company in which the

system was purchased does not perform installations. In addition, the system is no longer supported based on the age of the system. Cost is $15,000 to update the system to current technology in order to be installed. We will continue to work with the company to see if price can be further negotiated. Both wells have already been configured in order to install the system. We just need to see what can be done to upgrade the system so that it’s supportable. It does not look promising that XIO Systems will support the system. We may have to scrap.

9. John Van Den Bergh – RCAC Capital Planning will provide us with guidance in setting up our go-forward capital plan and record retention as expected by the

State.

10. Board will review the policy on billing late fees and will work towards putting in place an equitable policy for shareholders when issues arise. The objective is to

eliminate the amount of time the board is spending on individual issues with late fees.

11. Future board discussion on investigating working with San Benito Water and Sunnyslope Water to see if there is any opportunity to tap into Sunnyslope Water.

12. Annual Sanitary Survey was completed December 11^th with Julian Rogers, Marsha Poenisch, and Summer Garcia and the State. Overall feeling that meeting went

well. State was found to be helpful in their approach to helping us with our issues. We feel confident that working with the state we will be able to come to a plan for compliance. The official report was received in January. The results are listed below.

a. Some deficiencies

              i.      Check valve needs to be installed on well 2 by March 25, 2019.
              ii.      Chlorination or an alternative oxidant must be operational.
              iii.      Plan must be in place by 2/20, and chlorination needs to be operational by 3/20.
              iv.      Manganese treatment needs to be achieved immediately.
              v.      Treatment plant operations plan needs to be updated – this is being discussed with State and Bracewell. Due by April 10, 2019.
              vi.      Backwash tank air gap verification must be completed by March 25, 2019.
              vii.      Seal needs to be installed on roof access hatch on the tank to prevent insect entry by April 10, 2019.
              viii.      Treatment facility inadequate and needs updating. Due as budget allows.
              ix.      Disinfection byproduct formation study should be completed after commencing with chlorine or alternative oxidant application.
              x.      Emergency Response Plan must be updated for 2019.
              xi.      Well one can only be used in case of emergency due to cracked casing and contamination issues.

xii. Need some additional information about current filter media.

13. Discussion on how board members can better manage administrative tasks. Is there potential to have an outside resource take on some of these tasks (ie sending

late payment letters) at some cost to the water company. A motion was raised to have Ellen Fisher’s Booking Service take over responsibility for sending late notice letters. We will obtain a quote from Ellen Fisher on the charges to do this service. Board authorizes a maximum fee of $100/mo.

14. New board member Dennis Silva has not been present at last two meetings. Will follow up with him to see if he will remain on board.

Next Board Meeting – Annual Shareholder’s Meeting

Date: Thursday, February 14, 2019 Time: 7:00pm

Location: Sunnyslope Water District, 3570 Airline Highway

Meeting adjourned at 9:32pm

Respectfully submitted,

Nan Bustos, Secretary, BRMWC