MANAGER’S REPORT
01/10/2018
WSP:
Our response letter has been submitted to DOH on December 20th. I expect that DOH will take their full 90 days to review.
Revenue/Expense Report:
General Maintenance revenues for December were $49,484. Expenses for December were $47,959. So we spent $1,525 less than we took in for the month.
I have included a reconciled revenue/expense report for the year. The monthly report includes the year, but by just showing the year it is easier to see how we have done.
For2017 we collected $648,669. Which is $29,215 more than our projected $619,454. However, we spent $741,967. Which is $89,722 more than we took in. We can lay the bulk of that to the Reynvaan Project,which ended up being roughly double the 2016 estimate, just over$165,000.
Our fund balances as of December 31, 2017 are as follows:
End of: 2017 2016 +/-
Regular Maintenance: $302,128 $420,284 -$118,156
General Facilities: $ 87,778 $ 47,434 +$ 40,344
USDA Reserve: $ 50,394 $ 45,355 +$ 5,039
Tota lin all Funds: $440,300 $513,073 -$ 72,773
The bright spot is the General Facilities Fund, which saw considerable growth in 2017.
Our 2018 budget envisions revenue exceeding expenses by about $70,000.
Treasurers Report:
The Treasurer’s Report provides information regarding Fund balances. There are still some balance problems with the report. Since we are on a cash basis,the totals in the Funds should equal the totals in the cash accounts. Right now they are off by $25,197, which is one USDA payment.
There is an unreconciled payment somewhere in the computer system. Note that the above fund balances are correct and each cash account balances with its associated fund. So all balances are reconciled. The problem exists in the generation of the Treasurer’s Report.
I am working with Bias to solve that small problem.
2018 Audit
No results yet. We received a good deal of positive response from the auditor, so I am looking forward to a good report.
Breakin
We experienced a breakin on December 17th. Thieves broke into the shop building. The probable cause making that possible was that we neglected to set the bolt. Kenny and I both check this at the end of the day, but it appears we slipped up on that Friday.
There is an outside chance, though very small, that somebody obtained a key.
We lost both of our chain saws, the backpack blower, the pole saw, the cutoff saw, and other small tools. They also took some service meters and some of our scrap brass/copper.
The cutoff saw has been recovered.
Most of the other tools are not critical right at the moment. So we can drag our feet on replacement. We will replace as needed.
Replacement costs will be less than our insurance deductible.
In response, Kenny and I are checking with each other at the end of every day to be sure we are clear as to who is going to do the final lock up. As a precaution we re-keyed all of the building locks. We have also tightened up key control. All door keys are stamped with a number and a record is kept noting the location/holder of each key.
I am keeping an eye on Craigs List.
Water Usage
I intend to keep up in 2018
Maintenance Activity:
Usual daily/weekly/monthly maintenance activity. See attached report.
Compensation Policy
We do not have a District specific compensation policy because we do not have an employee manual.
We have been following the County’s general compensation policy and holiday schedule. They have a general policy and specific policies for each union contract.
I would propose that we codify and adopt a compensation policy. The County’s general policy is as good as any.
Specifically:
Over 40 hours per week: time-and-a-half
Most holidays: double time
1/1, 7/4 and 12/25 double time-and-a-half
We have been following the County’s holiday schedule since it tracks with the payroll calendar, to which we are tied since the County processes our payroll.
Contractor Repairs
Fire Hydrant on Highway 12 close to North Bank Road. The hydrant was hit by a car. Examination indicated that the hydrant was not damaged.
Due to the proximity of other utilities, and the need to stage outside the highway fog line, it was advisable to excavate by vac-truck.
Hill Road Water Main
Joe has suggested that we explore the possibility of doing part of this project. One approach would be to replace the line from south of Central Park Drive to the north side of the River Road intersection. This part of the project would avoid the two road crossings, which are expensive, and cut the length of the project approximately in half.
I think there is some merit in that approach. I haven’t had an opportunity to explore possibilities with contractors, but will do that in the near future if that is the board’s wish.
Highway 12 Meters
I have done some research into this project, and will need to do some more before I am ready to solicit estimates.
Currently I have information from two companies that would fill our need. I would like to have more.
In view of the Hill Road problem we may need to postpone this project.
Training/Certifications.
No training activity in December.
I intend to sit for the WDM4 exam sometime this year. Just acquiring the qualifications to sit for the exam is an accomplishment. The District would have the distinction of being the smallest district in the state managed by a WDM4.
Safety
We have a mini safety meeting every morning. This time of year we focus on exposure issues and driving safety.
Vehicles
Service Truck: No issues.
F-150: No issues.
S-10: No issues.
Pickup Truck: No Issues
New Connections
No new connections in December.
Old Shop Building Gutters & Downspouts
No action in December.
Shop Site South Fence
On indefinite hold.
Alder Glen & Etc.
No news in December.
Carl Way/Ridgeview: Not an issue
Hemlock Park
Lois Lane Not an issue
Waverly Court Not an issue
Garden Road: Not an issue
Walthom Lane: Not an issue
Greenbriar Court
Reynvaan Court
Madow Court
Reed Lane Not an issue
Blaine Road (End) Not an issue
Larson Lane Not an issue
Fremont Drive
Silkey Court
Lake Road
Hemlock Park
Fairway Park
River Road: Replaced
Alder Glen: Will need replacement.
Fairway Terrace: Will need replacement.
Filing System
We are approaching the point where we can call in the shredding truck.
We still haven’t implemented a new filing system. A lot of my time got sucked up with the accounting system this year. It has been a steep learning curve that should be easing down some in 2018.
Renters
No action in December. As a reminder regarding this item…it is my intent to have two forms. One form that is completed by the tenant at the time they apply to have the billing in their name, and a second form that will be sent to the property owner informing them that the tenant is vacating. My thinking on the second form is that it will include a forwarding address for the tenant and will require acknowledgement by the property owner before the tenant’s deposit will be sent to the forwarding address.
While our policy of requiring a deposit for tenants is a service to the property owner, the primary objective is to remove the District from tenant/owner conflict.
Armory
No action in December
LeMay Project
No action in December
Fire Station
No news in December.
Reynvaan Site Security
Lighting and fencing have not been ordered.
As-Built Drawings
No action in December
Disaster Management Planning
No action on the plan outline in December.
I really need to bear down on this. We are in pretty good shape for typical emergencies, but there are still holes in our ability to respond to a real catastrophe.
WAWARN
On a periodic basis there are new batches of information and new resources. I receive email alerts when new things pop up.
Most are not of immediate interest to us.
I am trying to find the time to study all the resources available to us so that, if need arises, I know what kind of assistance we can expect.
There were no requests for assistance in December.
Red Flag Programs
I am putting this on here as a reminder that I need to start work on this program. Since we now accept credit cards and have District credit cards we need to have an ID protection program, typically referred to as a “Red Flag” program.
New programs are tail end charlies for the next couple of months, at least.
Future Very Small Projects
We have a list of very small projects that need attention during the course of the year:
Clean North Bank Gutters (Needs to be done every year)
Install Well #6 Flush Valve
Repair Well #6 Shut Off Valve
Locate Isolation Valves in “The Swamp” area (MAIN MAY BE DRY)
Paint Hydrant Caps/Install Number Plates (Started Summer 2015)
Landscape Shop/Garage Area (ONGOING)
Install Sampling Stations at North Bank and Reynvaan (Sanitary Survey)
Install Sampling Stations stations to replace followup sites that are currently private addresses.
Isolation Valve Exercise Program (Now an item on the Sanitary Survey) IN PROCESS
Clean and organize Shop
Future and/or On-Hold Programs
Web Page
Email Bills
Unfunded “Dream” Projects
Include Reynvaan Pump Station in SCADA
Probably will require new controls, which are getting due anyway
Include Hirschbeck Pump Station in SCADA
Convert SCADA Communications to Cellular, or whatever
Repave Office Parking Lot (Over Jim’s dead body) THE WORST SPOT IS PATCHED.
Replace Office Carpet
Long Distance Service Laterals
Any thoughts would be welcome.
Future Project
I will start work on the remote read meters for Highway 12 after the first of the year.
Another Thought for Future Planning
With increasing levels of regulation and the workload of maintenance and repairs to an aging system, I am very much thinking that it will not be long before it will make sense to add another full time field technician, probably more like a laborer/meter reader. I will be planning that into future budgets.
I am very sensitive to the problem of budgetary inflation, and the phenomenon that work is like a gas, it always expands to fill the space available. But it seems the list of necessary tasks grows faster than we can get those tasks completed.
Respectfully Submitted:
Reg Hearn
General Manager