[0:00] Sewer Authority board of directors

[0:01] meeting this Thursday September 12th

[0:05] 2024 we have six

[0:07] announcements first is a question uh

[0:10] does any board member know of a conflict

[0:12] of interest or potential conflict of

[0:14] interest with respect to any item on the

[0:16] agenda

[0:18] tonight looks like the answer is

[0:20] no um the next announcement is welcoming

[0:23] our new board member Michael Hughes um

[0:25] Michael is an Orange County appointee

[0:27] and took his oath of office on July 3D

[0:30] welcome Michael thank you it's good to

[0:33] have you here um and on June 17th the

[0:36] chapel Hilltown Council reappointed Todd

[0:39] to the aasa board of directors for his

[0:41] second three-year

[0:44] term nice job

[0:47] Todd and we have uh two meeting

[0:51] updates the first is that over the

[0:53] summer aasa hosted two Community Chats

[0:56] on the topic of pest on June 27th the

[0:59] community chat focused on paying for p

[1:01] mitigation which was held at the Chapo

[1:04] public library and on July 30th another

[1:07] chat was held at lza Cafe in carboro

[1:10] both events were well attended with

[1:12] about 20 to 25 members of the public at

[1:14] each and fostered informed and engaged

[1:17] discussion staff are working on plans

[1:19] for two additional Community chats this

[1:21] fall and then in August aasa hosted a

[1:25] briefing on aasa's P action plan for

[1:28] state senator Greg Meer state

[1:30] representatives Alan boy Renee price and

[1:33] a representative from US Representative

[1:36] Valerie fi's office um in addition we

[1:39] had a really good showing from local

[1:40] elected officials local government staff

[1:42] and the Press uh staff and our

[1:45] consultant walked attendees through the

[1:47] details and challenges of dealing with

[1:49] pasas including a really well attended

[1:51] tour of the pasas treatment pilot

[1:54] project at the water treatment plan we

[1:56] had an enlightening conversation about

[1:58] ideas for pursuing federal and state

[1:59] funding and staff for following up on

[2:02] some of the leads that they provided

[2:04] would anybody else like to provide any

[2:06] additional Reflections or takeaways on

[2:07] the

[2:10] briefing okay and now this is an

[2:14] exciting announcement um Monica Dodson

[2:17] has been named aasa's new Deputy

[2:18] executive director and Todd Taylor will

[2:21] provide the

[2:26] introduction yes it's my distinct

[2:28] pleasure to interv Monica doson as our

[2:32] new Deputy executive director um we had

[2:36] a very competitive Nationwide search for

[2:39] this position and uh got to interview a

[2:42] lot of interesting candidates but uh

[2:45] Monica bested them all as our homegrown

[2:49] uh candidate here and uh you know her 20

[2:53] years of experience here at aasa leading

[2:56] both our water resources and waste

[2:59] management teams are going to serve her

[3:01] very well uh in this position not to

[3:05] mention her leadership style her

[3:08] commitment to continuous Improvement and

[3:10] her unwavering support for the aasa

[3:13] staff will all pay dividends to us uh

[3:16] down the road as she uh transitions into

[3:19] this new role so please join me and

[3:22] congratulating Monica on this promotion

[3:24] and we very much look forward to working

[3:26] with her

[3:31] [Applause]

[3:33] thank y'all um I've had a very exciting

[3:35] career at AA so far um and I'm honored

[3:39] to be able to uh continue to serve this

[3:41] community can serve um the organization

[3:44] and our employees you know when I

[3:46] started a Wasa 20 years ago I was a

[3:48] young woman less than a year out of

[3:50] college and still very much trying to

[3:52] figure out what I wanted to do what my

[3:54] place was and so I feel very blessed to

[3:57] have found a Wasa um I learned early on

[4:00] that this was a place where I knew I

[4:01] could learn and grow and one where I

[4:03] could have a positive impact not only on

[4:04] the organization and the community but

[4:06] also the employees um aasa is full of

[4:09] talented hardworking dedicated employees

[4:12] and um they are certainly a source of

[4:15] motivation and inspiration for me and so

[4:17] I'm excited to continue to support them

[4:19] um to advance the organization and

[4:22] ensure our community our our our success

[4:25] um within the community especially with

[4:26] all the important work that we have

[4:28] ahead of us so o want to say thank you

[4:30] all um if it wasn't for your support we

[4:32] wouldn't be able to do what we do so

[4:34] thank

[4:34] you thank you

[4:39] very thank you Monica we're looking

[4:42] forward to working with you in your new

[4:43] role um and now our final announcement

[4:47] uh Mo Rashid PE has been named aa's new

[4:50] utilities engineer and Alison Spinelli

[4:52] will provide an

[4:56] introduction thank you I'm excited to

[4:58] introduce MO mois rased he prefers to go

[5:01] by Mo so Mo has nine years in the water

[5:04] and wastewater industry he has a

[5:06] background in both uh variety of

[5:08] Consulting as well as technology vendors

[5:11] most recently um Mo comes to us from a

[5:14] consulting firm called with's Ravenel um

[5:17] where he was doing a lot of facility

[5:19] type projects um he has a bachelor's

[5:21] degree from NC State and is a licensed

[5:24] PE here in North Carolina uh interesting

[5:27] enough he is a native of Chapel Hill so

[5:29] it's kind of fun to bring somebody back

[5:31] into the fold here with us um Mo joined

[5:34] us at the beginning of August and it's

[5:36] been a really great and seam list from

[5:39] that point on and so we're really

[5:40] excited that Mo's here and joins the

[5:42] Capital Improvements team and just want

[5:44] to welcome Mo as part of our our new

[5:46] engineering team as one of our newest

[5:48] utility Engineers

[5:56] Mo thank you for that very generous

[5:58] introduction um yeah I'm excited to be

[6:00] here I look forward to serving the

[6:02] community and my dad is already asking

[6:03] me a whole bunch of questions

[6:06] about but thank

[6:13] you thank you we're looking forward to

[6:15] working with you too and my parents also

[6:17] ask me a lot of

[6:19] questions um are there any other

[6:21] announcements by board

[6:23] members are there any other

[6:24] announcements by staff

[6:28] no um we're moving on to petitions and

[6:31] requests are there any petitions and

[6:32] requests from the

[6:36] public um are there any petitions and

[6:38] requests from board members I know of

[6:40] two Bruce and myself are there any

[6:43] more okay start with

[6:46] Bruce okay I have a

[6:50] um proposal that I'd like the board to

[6:54] uh consider uh uh discussing uh

[6:58] regarding how the uh budget alternatives

[7:03] are presented to us uh each year when we

[7:06] go through the budget cycle um and I

[7:09] bring it up uh now so that we can

[7:13] discuss uh if this is something we want

[7:15] to take seriously and perhaps at the

[7:17] next board meeting we can go into some

[7:19] details on on uh uh what the proposal

[7:23] should should look like unless board

[7:25] members want to just um discuss it now

[7:27] and make a decision at this point

[7:30] um the um typically what happens is in

[7:35] December uh we start the budget cycle at

[7:38] least as far as the board is concerned

[7:40] and Stephen presents uh What uh the

[7:43] schedule will look like and what we'll

[7:45] be doing at each each board meeting uh

[7:48] and then in the spring we get uh

[7:51] typically a a uh base proposal and then

[7:54] one or two

[7:56] Alternatives uh uh that uh would allow

[8:00] for lower uh rates um

[8:03] and those uh alternatives are pretty

[8:07] detailed in terms of the cost savings

[8:10] but my frustration has been that they're

[8:13] not detailed at all in terms of the

[8:15] additional risk that we're taking on by

[8:17] pushing projects out or not doing

[8:20] projects uh um and

[8:24] um uh so what I would like to do is uh

[8:28] see if the Bo is in uh agreement at

[8:32] least in part uh with respect to that

[8:35] frustration and if so uh requests that

[8:39] uh management produce board altern or

[8:42] budget Alternatives uh that include some

[8:45] assessment in a quantitative sense of

[8:48] what the the risks are that we're taking

[8:49] on in those Alternatives uh I understand

[8:53] that it will probably take a couple of

[8:56] Cycles to get to that point uh uh um

[9:01] because we will be asking management to

[9:05] to uh um project out unknowns and and

[9:10] and try to quantify some some unknowns

[9:12] but I think we can get there and and

[9:14] there will be some uh projects where

[9:16] we'll just have to say we we we don't

[9:18] know what it is it's it's just too too

[9:20] unclear um I I brought this up uh just

[9:26] before this this topic up just before

[9:29] the

[9:30] pandemic uh we did a little bit of work

[9:32] on it Stephen in particular did did work

[9:35] on it pandemic came and we made a

[9:37] decision to keep rates fixed for a

[9:39] couple of years uh so that essentially

[9:42] forced our hand in terms of what the

[9:44] Alternatives would be and uh never

[9:46] really restarted it but I think it's it

[9:48] it would I think it's an important

[9:50] Initiative for us to look at seriously

[9:53] um so anyway uh i' be curious to hear if

[9:58] other folks share that

[10:00] frustration uh and if so uh if if we

[10:03] should move forward with a discussion on

[10:06] what uh uh what a proposal would look

[10:12] like uh yes I think it would be nice if

[10:16] we have that proposal in in that or that

[10:20] presentation in that manner because that

[10:23] way it will be easier for us to assess

[10:26] and make a decision at the end so I

[10:29] think it's a it's to toward the benefit

[10:32] of the board and Wasa

[10:38] so would anybody else like to

[10:43] weigh I have a question for Stephen oh

[10:46] go ahead somebody over sure I'll say an

[10:49] additional benefit is that it would help

[10:52] um provides communicative value to the

[10:55] elected officials and and the general

[10:57] public um as well just like it does for

[11:03] us I mean it seems totally reasonable to

[11:06] me I my question for Stephen is is that

[11:08] feasible is there anything that you

[11:11] would need is that something that you

[11:12] can work

[11:14] in um so the last time we tried this

[11:19] this may have been

[11:21] staff's picking the wrong thing to start

[11:23] with we tried with in the operations

[11:26] department so we looked at the

[11:28] collection system and were trying to say

[11:30] trying to determine well if we spend

[11:32] money doing these things or don't spend

[11:34] money doing these things you know how

[11:35] will that impact the performance of the

[11:37] collection system and it was not a very

[11:40] satisfying uh exercise for us and I

[11:43] don't think for the board either um but

[11:46] when I uh Bruce gave us a little bit of

[11:49] heads up that he was going to bring this

[11:50] up tonight when I read your comment in

[11:51] your email for some reason hit me

[11:54] differently and um if we were to if you

[11:57] intended and and I would advocate this

[12:00] to focus on CIP projects as opposed to

[12:03] the operating group I think we could

[12:05] come closer to uh to something like that

[12:08] and as you know we've we've we've done

[12:10] that kind of at a not a very detailed

[12:13] level the last couple of budgets um I'm

[12:17] a little uh heartened by the fact you

[12:19] say it's going to take more than one

[12:20] budget cycle uh Todd and I were talking

[12:23] a little bit briefly this afternoon and

[12:25] our asset management

[12:27] program uh is is making some Headway but

[12:30] it's a long-term project that's going to

[12:32] take

[12:33] another two years give mind plus or

[12:37] minus a year um and I think that it will

[12:40] be able to to help us answer those types

[12:42] of questions not only um you know if we

[12:46] don't do this project kind of what are

[12:48] the what are the risk associated to but

[12:50] what what will we have to spend in

[12:52] maintenance as because we didn't fix it

[12:54] and that sort of thing so um I think we

[12:56] could make some to answer your question

[12:59] M I think we can make some steps um this

[13:02] year and and hopefully bigger steps as

[13:04] we as we go

[13:07] along with

[13:09] you I I think on the CIP projects

[13:13] projects I think that's basically where

[13:16] I'm um I like to have more info on that

[13:20] so and and as we talked before um we C

[13:25] staff certainly feels we have more

[13:26] flexibility in the CIP program as a as

[13:29] opposed to the you know the operating

[13:34] expenses I I think it's a good idea for

[13:36] us to as a board to understand the

[13:40] budget all of it not just the CIP but

[13:43] the operating Basics well yeah

[13:46] discussion we have at least a session

[13:48] that we had talked about a little bit

[13:50] before of having a session so that

[13:52] everybody gets on the same page and

[13:55] understand where we are and why we are

[13:57] where we are would be helpful

[14:00] just to bring the new people up and the

[14:02] old people to where we are and why we

[14:05] are where we are especially since there

[14:08] were things or I would say um

[14:12] circumstances that got us here from

[14:13] previous board

[14:15] activity or board decisions that pushed

[14:18] us

[14:19] to this outrageous percentage Inc that's

[14:24] my opinion and I've been is that

[14:26] different than what Bruce is suggesting

[14:27] are you suggesting no it's not I'm I'm

[14:30] supporting what he's saying okay but are

[14:31] you asking for something additional as

[14:32] well just want to be all inclusive okay

[14:36] yeah and and my my only point is

[14:40] um the risk assessment will be um I

[14:45] think more meaningful on the CIP side

[14:46] but I I take your point Didn't mean to

[14:49] apply we wouldn't we would just ignore

[14:51] that

[14:54] part anybody else have a does that seem

[14:57] good with that sounds reasonable I mean

[15:00] I I agree also that long term we should

[15:04] cover operations as well and and I I do

[15:07] see a a path to getting to operations

[15:10] but uh walk before we run yeah um so

[15:14] does it make sense then for

[15:16] maybe uh Stephen and I or Steph and I

[15:19] and Todd I'm not sure who the group

[15:21] would be to get together and and put

[15:23] together a proposal we can talk about at

[15:25] the next board meeting is that

[15:28] reasonable yeah that seems okay that

[15:31] seem to with you time yeah I think

[15:33] that's fine I just want to make sure

[15:35] we're getting it the expectations set

[15:38] out so that we don't go off and come

[15:41] back again with no I think it should be

[15:43] very narrowly scoped initially just so

[15:45] that we can respond I think as I Echo

[15:47] Steven's comments if we can focus on the

[15:49] CIP that makes sense maybe we you know

[15:52] we can discuss this maybe we even focus

[15:54] on a part of our overall C like we're

[15:58] focusing on the distribution system or

[16:00] something like that maybe run that out

[16:02] kind of see if are we getting before we

[16:04] do a whole lot of work and then yeah

[16:06] that makes complete tense just to kind

[16:08] of scope it so I think our Our intention

[16:11] would be that next meeting is kind of a

[16:12] conversation I think it's great that

[16:14] maybe we could get together kind of come

[16:17] up with a framework and then maybe

[16:20] discuss it see if we're hitting all the

[16:22] points of the next me that works okay

[16:25] cool you good with that yeah great all

[16:27] right um and then I also have a um

[16:30] request and this is to the board um for

[16:33] whether this is something we're

[16:34] interested in having aasa look into or

[16:38] investigate for its impacts to aasa um

[16:41] and so I'm just going to read from

[16:43] something that Kirk Ross who's a local

[16:44] journalist wrote uh earlier today um so

[16:48] on July 31st UNCC Chapel Hill filed for

[16:50] a permit modification for its Cameron

[16:52] Avenue co- generation plan that would

[16:55] allow it to um conduct a year-long test

[16:57] of replacing coal with pellets made from

[16:59] a mix of wood paper and plastic scraps

[17:02] if successful the change to the new fuel

[17:05] conversion would become permanent and

[17:06] the vendor making pellets would likely

[17:08] build a facility to gather and process

[17:11] manufacturing scraps to supply it likely

[17:13] by rail um testing provided by the

[17:16] vendor said that the percentage of

[17:17] plastic in the pellets runs from 15 to

[17:19] 40% an additional appendix included with

[17:22] the application shows that the pellets

[17:24] also include varying amounts of P

[17:27] compounds um so far um the North

[17:30] Carolina Department of Environmental

[17:31] Quality shows that a public hearing and

[17:33] public comment period has has not been

[17:35] scheduled aside from a UNCC press

[17:38] release two weeks after the permit

[17:40] modification uh public discussion has

[17:42] been minimal um there are lots of

[17:45] reasons to discuss this and the reason

[17:47] that I think that our board would be

[17:49] interested in this um is that um there

[17:53] is both

[17:56] um um most studies that they have shown

[17:59] and that were in this report that they

[18:01] released looked at groundwater and

[18:03] waterways um but there's also the issue

[18:06] of potential um contamination of Wells

[18:09] crops and lakes downwind of the plant

[18:11] and our water source University Lake um

[18:13] could potentially be affected by these

[18:15] plastic pellets being burned at the

[18:17] co-generation plan um and

[18:20] so um the university says that it will

[18:23] monitor the pasas to make sure that

[18:25] levels are acceptable um but experience

[18:28] tells that they should also have to

[18:30] monitor emissions which they have not

[18:31] said that they would do yet um and so

[18:35] this would be introducing pasas into a

[18:37] process that would be being burned at a

[18:40] downtown facility um surrounded with by

[18:43] schools hospitals and our nearby local

[18:45] water supply so it does seem like

[18:47] something that we as a board should be

[18:49] aware of and potentially ask aasa to

[18:52] investigate so um when I first read

[18:55] about this it was uh buried on the UNCC

[18:57] website um and journalists brought this

[19:00] to the attention of the public and so

[19:02] this is more of a conversation for the

[19:04] board on whether we are interested in

[19:06] having a Wasa look at this or to ask for

[19:09] more information from UNCC so that we

[19:11] can be better informed about the test

[19:13] that UNCC plans to

[19:19] conduct go

[19:21] ahead the question I have is about the

[19:23] remediation or the cost of cleaning up

[19:27] the psp4 when it hits to water is there

[19:30] a cost attached to the contaminant

[19:34] Organization no there's no process not

[19:37] not in the report that has been released

[19:39] so far so being part of the discussion

[19:41] that we had with the legislators and

[19:43] people like that would lend one to think

[19:46] that going forward there might be a

[19:49] process where you can actually have the

[19:50] people that are contaminating the water

[19:52] pay for it's clean up at some point yeah

[19:55] that that is not on the UNCC website and

[19:57] that has that topic is not included

[20:02] not so my question is who will oversee

[20:06] besides

[20:07] UNC as far as how much pasas is been

[20:13] released because I know if UNCC has

[20:16] interest in it who else would be

[20:21] overseeing you do we know I we don't

[20:24] know but that is something that we could

[20:25] ask aasa to have a conversation with UNC

[20:29] we could ask aasa if there's going to be

[20:30] a public hearing on this topic um this

[20:33] is this is a board discussion is this

[20:35] topic like something that we are

[20:36] interested in asking aasa to investigate

[20:39] further so that we as a board can learn

[20:40] more about this planned um pilot study

[20:45] and what it might do to our

[20:48] community Kim yes I think so

[20:53] um I'm shocked that anybody's even

[20:55] talking about burning Plastics at any

[20:57] level anywhere

[20:59] yeah and

[21:02] um yeah it should be investigated okay

[21:06] other people I I think the dialogue

[21:09] would be useful um I think to answer

[21:12] your question this is DQ that manages

[21:16] this whole thing oh yeah my

[21:17] understanding is Department of

[21:18] Environmental Policy yeah and my

[21:20] understanding is that the

[21:22] um uh they're also the ones that like

[21:25] manage public hearings associated with

[21:27] that so

[21:29] um but this is in theory to increase you

[21:32] know air quality so I think it's good to

[21:35] have the dialogue yeah would anybody

[21:38] else like to I mean I I think that it

[21:40] would be useful to have the dialogue and

[21:41] for aasa to enter this conversation um

[21:44] because um just from doing you know the

[21:47] reading and talking to reporters who

[21:48] have been looking into this um my fear

[21:51] is that it would affect University

[21:55] lake so I I I agree with the dialogue I

[21:58] would like to add dialogue with a

[22:00] purpose yeah what is the expectation

[22:03] from this

[22:04] dialogue yeah

[22:08] um my thought would be that uh we would

[22:11] reach staff reach out to UNC just to

[22:15] learn more about potential impacts to

[22:18] aasa as far as the water and wastewater

[22:21] are concerned and then report back to

[22:24] the board on what we have learned and

[22:28] that be the first step and then we can

[22:31] take take it from there as to how we

[22:34] want to proceed once we know a little

[22:36] bit more this is kind of hot off the

[22:38] presses we we haven't had a lot of time

[22:41] to talk to anyone about it or plans are

[22:45] so I would say give us if if the board's

[22:48] interested refer it to staff give us the

[22:50] opportunity and we'll report back on on

[22:53] what we find it is there

[22:56] um an an industry in existence now that

[22:59] does this are there um it's small and

[23:02] it's in um very specific places in the

[23:05] United States as far as I'm aware

[23:06] they're not usually in population

[23:08] centers the way that our Coen plant is

[23:09] on in the middle of a neighborhood

[23:13] okay um my reason for asking was uh less

[23:17] about sort of the sighting but more um

[23:20] are there other places where we can get

[23:21] information on what the emissions are so

[23:23] if the inity already exists we the

[23:26] University of Missouri is doing this

[23:28] okay so may may make sense also Todd to

[23:31] do at least a little bit of research and

[23:33] see if we can get some information from

[23:35] ex you know existing

[23:37] operators that's a good point yeah did

[23:40] the excuse me did the article say if

[23:42] this is in Li of switching to natural

[23:44] gas because for a time they were going

[23:45] to switch to natural gas it seems like

[23:48] this is the pilot that is going forward

[23:50] this mixture of wood plastic and paper

[23:52] they can't switch entirely to natural

[23:54] gas because you'd actually have to crank

[23:56] up the size of the pipeline okay

[23:59] Mill did they give any indication on the

[24:01] percentages of each of those components

[24:03] they did and there's a really detailed

[24:04] report that I can send everybody and you

[24:07] know if you're interested in this I

[24:08] don't know off the top of my head but

[24:10] yes there is a percentage of each one

[24:11] yeah that'd be great if we could have

[24:13] yeah I'm happy to share that and uh with

[24:15] respect to Bruce's comment about

[24:17] emissions I'd be surprised if there

[24:20] weren't data on emissions and my

[24:22] goodness I can't imagine getting that

[24:25] permitted without an understanding what

[24:27] the permissions are

[24:29] yeah I mean they they they do have

[24:31] everything listed out are are the

[24:33] concern of the reporters is that it's

[24:34] been disaggregated and the way that they

[24:36] burn these products is not

[24:38] disaggregated so so um I think getting

[24:42] more information is a really good first

[24:44] step and I appreciate staff looking into

[24:50] this does anybody else want to say

[24:52] anything on that topic mam chair for as

[24:55] a matter of History the University

[25:00] uh

[25:02] emissions have ended up on top of within

[25:07] the resources of and

[25:11] um without question have adversely

[25:14] impacted the community during all the

[25:17] years since I've been in Chapel Hill

[25:18] since

[25:19] 1963 you know if the things that PO to

[25:23] mind immediately are the collash under

[25:26] what used to be the police station still

[25:28] is but um it's it's always been amazing

[25:32] to me that conversation about that

[25:34] collash has not included the University

[25:37] where it came from agree if you go to

[25:40] the other end of the pipe to the steam

[25:42] generating plant that has deposited Ash

[25:46] on the houses of the people who lived

[25:49] around that plant ever since I've been

[25:51] in the community and long before

[25:54] that uh I can't imagine

[25:59] that the university would even apply for

[26:02] such a permit without a widespread

[26:05] Community conversation about this

[26:08] because what it does is that Coen

[26:11] plan has impacted the community in an

[26:15] adverse way for so many years promises

[26:18] have been made over and over again and

[26:20] broken over and over again by the

[26:23] university to switch to fuel sources

[26:26] that were less harmful to the community

[26:29] uh and it's it's astonishing to

[26:32] me that

[26:35] uh the community would have

[26:37] learned about this

[26:40] proposal only by reason of the diligence

[26:44] of reporters who don't have a newspaper

[26:45] to write anything in the traditional

[26:49] sense the process for getting the

[26:53] permit uh is managed by

[26:56] DEQ under rules that are in place those

[27:00] rules permit the public to request

[27:03] public

[27:04] hearings before the permit is issue and

[27:07] I would think at the very least

[27:10] University ought to be advised that the

[27:14] community community is going to insist

[27:16] on uh public

[27:18] hearings where information can be

[27:20] developed analyzed considered and where

[27:23] the community can come to a consensus

[27:26] about whether or not you want another

[27:28] impact like the CO as impact or like the

[27:31] impact of the Coen plant for all the

[27:34] years uh I see my friend braxon sitting

[27:38] here braxon uh fushi has led a community

[27:42] effort for many years to try to get

[27:45] folks who lived around that plant for so

[27:47] many years relief from what the

[27:49] University was doing to them we're in a

[27:52] different era now yeah but we're

[27:55] still I mean I can't imagine that there

[27:58] that they're considering doing this

[28:00] without a fullsome community involvement

[28:03] so that's my herang about it me for

[28:06] jumping in but I think please don't

[28:08] apologize I appreciate the historical

[28:10] context and I agree with you I mean I I

[28:13] think that this is something that as far

[28:15] as I'm aware it has not come up before a

[28:18] public board prior to tonight and um I

[28:22] would encourage the people here to both

[28:24] contact the two town councils and see

[28:27] what we can do to um encourage the

[28:30] university to have a very full community

[28:32] conversation about

[28:34] this and now you said you'd be sending

[28:37] us that article yeah I'm happy to send

[28:38] you the three articles that have been

[28:40] written by journalists as well as the

[28:42] report that UNCC has put out um and I

[28:45] will send that to you as

[28:46] well um okay does anybody else want to

[28:49] say anything on that topic and thank you

[28:51] for taking the time on that I appreciate

[28:52] it I do have a question who issues the

[28:56] uh permit the town of

[28:58] no the DQ the the Department of

[29:01] Environmental environment quality yeah

[29:04] so it's it's a state level

[29:06] decision so um just wanted to make

[29:09] people aware and um happy to work with

[29:12] you on next steps um we will now move on

[29:16] to the consent agenda there it's a

[29:17] really really big consent agenda so bear

[29:19] with me and let me know if you'd like to

[29:22] pull something from the consent agenda

[29:24] there's 13 items um I'll just read all

[29:27] of them and if you want to pull it tell

[29:29] me um afterwards uh one is a report for

[29:33] material procurement for the Clark Lake

[29:35] Road water main replacement project two

[29:38] is a report for chemical procurement for

[29:40] water and wastewater treatment

[29:42] processes three is an annual report on

[29:45] disposal of surplus personal property

[29:48] four is um the update from the diversity

[29:52] Equity inclusion and belonging program

[29:54] and equal employment opportunity for

[29:56] fiscal year 2024

[29:59] five is the Capital Improvements program

[30:01] semi annual

[30:02] report six is the pre preliminary

[30:05] financial report for the 12-month period

[30:07] ending uh June 30th

[30:10] 2024 seven is the quarterly report on

[30:12] attendance at board meetings eight is

[30:15] the fiscal year 2024 budget

[30:17] amendment nine is the review proposed

[30:20] work plan for aasa's executive

[30:23] director 10 is the resolution accepting

[30:26] lead and copper rule revision

[30:28] funding 11 is the resolution accepting

[30:31] an increase in state revolving Loan Fund

[30:34] for the West Cameron water main project

[30:37] 12 are the minutes of the June 13 2024

[30:40] meeting of the board of directors and 13

[30:43] are the minutes of the June 13 2024 Clos

[30:46] session of the board of directors are

[30:48] there any public comments on any of

[30:49] these

[30:50] items okay um are there any questions

[30:53] comments or would a board member like to

[30:55] pull an item from the consent agenda

[30:59] number four number four number four is

[31:01] the diversity Equity inclusion and

[31:03] belonging program update and equal

[31:05] employment opportunity for fiscal year

[31:07] 2024 would anybody else like to pull

[31:10] number five number five from Michael

[31:13] that is the Capital Improvements program

[31:14] semiannual report um anybody else should

[31:19] we um have a motion for the remaining

[31:21] items and then we can pull those opers

[31:24] so I have a couple of questions and

[31:27] comments comments that

[31:29] are uh that don't rise to the level of

[31:33] pulling the items which items do you

[31:36] want to question or

[31:38] comment um and

[31:40] I item two I have a comment

[31:44] on uh that one is going to be

[31:47] pulled um why don't we pull them so we

[31:50] can um motion the rest and then we can

[31:54] okay okay and what are the other ones uh

[31:57] this one is the no that one's already

[32:00] been pulled uh that one's been

[32:04] pulled uh

[32:06] the financial six month Financial I have

[32:10] a question on what number is that

[32:16] um is it the preliminary six okay okay

[32:20] and then this one is number nine number

[32:26] nine okay so here's what I'd like to do

[32:29] I'd like to make um a motion in a second

[32:32] to approve

[32:35] 1378 10 11 12 and

[32:38] 13 and then I would like to pull 2 4

[32:43] five six and

[32:45] nine for discussion did I do that

[32:48] correctly uh it would be more

[32:49] appropriate for another uh member to

[32:53] make the motion okay and a second from a

[32:55] board member okay then I will just date

[32:58] them and I will ask for a motion thank

[33:00] you may I please have a motion all right

[33:04] Todd makes the motion may have Myra

[33:07] second all right um all those in favor

[33:10] say I for the list that I

[33:13] just I okay those opposed say

[33:17] nay okay great the motion passes for the

[33:21] items that I just outlined let's do

[33:24] these in numerical order to make it easy

[33:26] so we're going to start with two which

[33:28] is the report for chemical procurement

[33:30] for water and wastewater treatment

[33:32] processes and Bruce has a question okay

[33:35] it should be pretty simple um the uh

[33:39] aluminum sulfate is this a

[33:41] commodity is that a commodity

[33:45] chemical I want

[33:49] to I'm Kelly safield Director of Finance

[33:52] Monica

[34:00] I'm uh Monica doson Deputy executive

[34:03] director I'm not sure what you mean by

[34:04] commodity um okay here's my my concern

[34:07] there's a pretty wide range of prices

[34:10] here and you normally wouldn't expect

[34:13] that for a commodity they'd be really

[34:15] tightly um grouped together um which

[34:18] leads me to

[34:20] believe uh is something funny going on

[34:23] like for example the product we'll get

[34:27] from

[34:28] usco is not of the same quality as the

[34:31] others it just looks funny those numbers

[34:34] so the the winning bid was actually the

[34:36] current product we've been using um for

[34:39] several years so certainly don't have

[34:40] any concerns with um with the quality of

[34:43] it maybe it's because we had an existing

[34:47] relationship and yeah that's fine that

[34:49] answers it okay that's

[34:52] fine just recognize a lot of these

[34:54] chemicals that we use are specific that

[34:57] you can put it into water drinking water

[35:00] so they are not like you know you just

[35:03] couldn't go buy a raw aluminum sulfate

[35:05] somewhere it actually had you know okay

[35:08] standards there that other things aren't

[35:10] in it okay that could contaminate the

[35:12] water so okay but presumably that the

[35:15] chemical from all four of these

[35:17] suppliers are those requirement um but

[35:22] if if it's working for us and it's the

[35:24] same stuff then that answers the

[35:26] question okay question on process would

[35:28] it be appropriate to list that fact like

[35:33] this is a current supplier in the future

[35:36] I think that would be useful think so

[35:44] that yeah all right let's move on to

[35:47] number four which is the diversity

[35:49] Equity inclusion and belonging program

[35:51] update an equal employment opportunity

[35:53] for fiscal year 2024 Al my okay

[36:05] a couple of questions here with regard

[36:07] to when did the position become vacant

[36:10] exactly because you said you're in the

[36:12] process of um you filling it October

[36:16] November yes that was in July I believe

[36:19] okay so what's the process I mean I read

[36:22] what you said you were doing did you

[36:24] have an exit interview with the person

[36:25] that left we did

[36:28] and other than he left for more money is

[36:30] that that's the story at a higher level

[36:32] position yes a higher level position

[36:34] then our position is titled diversity

[36:37] equ Equity inclusion and belonging

[36:39] Specialists and he took a director level

[36:42] position so what what kind of of um

[36:46] promotional opportunities there are none

[36:48] for existing positions since this was

[36:51] the first time you had a had a DB person

[36:55] and so there's no growth within that

[36:57] road as far as promotions or counter

[36:59] offers or anything like that um

[37:01] specifically the person if they're

[37:03] interested in the Director of Human

[37:04] Resources position that would be an

[37:06] Avenue for them um to to be promoted oh

[37:12] I mean I'm just mean in in position in

[37:14] title there's no growth opportunity

[37:16] within a position if a person if you

[37:19] wanted to keep a person that was already

[37:21] here without giving them somebody else's

[37:24] title you don't have any professional

[37:26] development built and that's not just

[37:28] for that position but for any position

[37:30] for growth we do have professional

[37:33] development opportunities with entitle

[37:36] yes but that wasn't for this for the de

[37:39] position well I would say that every

[37:41] position has professional development

[37:43] opportunities the person that we're

[37:45] speaking of um took a the E Cornell

[37:48] diversity Equity inclusion certification

[37:51] program while they were

[37:52] here I think specifically El Mar you're

[37:56] talking about is there like a one two or

[37:58] three or a an opportunity for that well

[38:01] you counter offer people to keep them if

[38:04] they're doing a good job sure without

[38:07] without them having to leave to go get

[38:09] something else I I know the E Cornell

[38:11] stuff well yeah unfortunately we we we

[38:14] don't have that for this much for this

[38:16] position as far as you know TI other

[38:20] titles or things like that we can offer

[38:22] so what about can you explain the

[38:25] belonging portion of your de I and

[38:28] what's actually happening here with the

[38:30] B part sure um we just want to cultivate

[38:34] um a sense of fulfillment for people a

[38:37] sense of um being included and being

[38:40] engaged being um invited to um

[38:45] participate in things that maybe are not

[38:47] on their job descriptions whether it's

[38:49] serving on one of our committees on

[38:52] interview panels attending training and

[38:55] things that um would be out there for

[38:59] them that maybe are not specific to

[39:00] their role so if they're say a treatment

[39:02] plan operator it may not have anything

[39:05] treating water but they would be able to

[39:07] uh to gain experience now for employees

[39:10] we are we have a program um it's a bonus

[39:14] pay program for additional

[39:16] certifications that are above what's

[39:18] required for your position and sometimes

[39:21] they very much align with the job

[39:23] description and sometimes they're um I

[39:26] would say valid or or accurate for

[39:29] another position or maybe other skills

[39:32] project management that sort of thing so

[39:35] for the current opening that you have

[39:37] for the deib person and you're going to

[39:40] hire in October November so you have

[39:42] candidates that you're bringing in now

[39:44] absolutely we uh got a great response to

[39:47] our recruitment we're currently um

[39:50] screening we're doing telephone

[39:52] interviews with 15 individuals and are

[39:55] going to narrow that down

[39:58] um and do inperson panel interviews

[40:02] those are scheduled for the first week

[40:03] of October okay it may bleed into the

[40:06] second week of October

[40:09] too one other question what may one

[40:11] other question that I have with regard

[40:14] to the the chart that's on page nine

[40:16] that list the note at the bottom says

[40:19] you know decline people declined the

[40:22] offer or you failed the post offer

[40:24] process what's the post offer process um

[40:26] so all of our positions require a

[40:29] physical as well as a drug screen as

[40:31] well as background

[40:35] checks verifying their education that

[40:37] they put on their resume that sort of

[40:39] thing oh

[40:41] okay and back background checks I'm just

[40:44] interested what would keep a person from

[40:45] getting a job here if they fail a drug

[40:48] screen if they um say they got a degree

[40:52] somewhere and they

[40:55] didn't it doesen it does

[40:59] okay I I was just interested in in

[41:01] knowing what that was have you ever had

[41:03] a board member participate in any of the

[41:05] interview

[41:07] processes I don't think that's ever

[41:09] taken place to my

[41:11] knowledge that has not not ever been

[41:14] suggested forly in a board meeting there

[41:17] have been occasions where

[41:21] conversations there have been occasions

[41:23] where conversations about that have

[41:25] taken place and we've always

[41:28] um uh made sure that we reminded the

[41:32] board to remind its relationship with

[41:35] the executive director Personnel matters

[41:38] are matters that are generally within

[41:40] the authority of the executive director

[41:43] and uh the extent to which a board

[41:46] member might be interested in

[41:49] participating uh would suggest a

[41:53] dilution of the uh executive director's

[41:57] auor authority over hiring U and firing

[42:00] so for that reason our advice has always

[42:02] been it would be inappropriate to have

[42:06] member okay I was just interested to

[42:08] know how how brought diversity into the

[42:11] process because I don't see a whole lot

[42:12] of diversity in staff sure so we always

[42:16] make sure we have you generally have a

[42:18] four sometimes five but mostly four um

[42:22] member panel for each Recruitment and um

[42:26] there has to be

[42:27] um minority representation as well as

[42:30] representation from outside the

[42:31] department okay what about

[42:34] Community

[42:36] people we've done that at times where if

[42:40] we've had a position um one comes to

[42:43] mind um it was our director of

[42:47] Information Technology and we used a

[42:50] member of the another municipality

[42:53] another local entity um that had um

[42:57] extensive Information Technology um

[43:01] experience and understanding and they

[43:03] were on the panel so we've other used

[43:04] other municipalities that sort of thing

[43:07] okay CU I was just thinking about people

[43:08] that have knowledge of the community and

[43:10] the diverse nature of the clientele that

[43:12] the board serves as not a board member

[43:15] that could participate in helping in the

[43:17] process whether or not

[43:19] that's outside of any rules or prohib is

[43:24] prohibited I don't know if any law La

[43:27] that prohibits it but some of the same

[43:30] um concerns that were expressed about

[43:33] board members about the delici of the

[43:35] executive director's Authority okay we

[43:38] tried very hard to maintain a pretty

[43:41] bright line uh between U board member

[43:47] conduct and Community conduct and the

[43:50] executive director's authority over the

[43:52] staff

[43:57] okay I truly appreciate your interest in

[44:00] questions thank you wait wait there one

[44:01] oh I'm

[44:02] sorry how are you no wor is good uh

[44:06] silly question I was looking at your

[44:08] graphs on page S8 kind of sort of and I

[44:12] was wondering if all the interviews for

[44:14] your positions are done in

[44:16] person we try very hard for that um but

[44:20] if there are people you know throughout

[44:22] the the country and Beyond um sometimes

[44:26] they are um virtual

[44:29] interviews

[44:30] okay on page nine I couldn't help but

[44:35] notice and I don't know if this warrants

[44:39] much analysis but when you look at the

[44:42] hired percentages distribution across

[44:45] the

[44:46] categories they're very disproportionate

[44:49] with the percentage of applicants in the

[44:52] categories I'm sorry say that again I

[44:54] just got to the right page sorry page

[44:56] page nine sure

[44:59] if you look at that last row on the

[45:01] hired percentages by the categories

[45:05] they're just they're disproportionate

[45:07] with respect to the pool of applicants

[45:09] in each of the categories sure we've

[45:11] discussed that before and there's

[45:13] probably a lot of reasons for that but I

[45:15] just want you know paid attention thank

[45:18] you on page

[45:20] 10 um could you help me understand what

[45:24] a protective service worker is and what

[45:27] they do the definitions of the EO

[45:30] categories of a protective service

[45:33] worker yes I don't have that that

[45:36] information in front of me I can let you

[45:38] know um there are definitions that that

[45:42] the eeo puts out for each classification

[45:45] and I know in years past I have emailed

[45:47] those to the board and I can do that

[45:49] this time just curious sure thanks

[45:53] that's all I

[45:54] got thank you yes

[45:57] yeah not yet

[45:59] uh the uh Apprentice program that was

[46:03] started in 2023 that's fantastic that we

[46:05] got three folks as permanent absolutely

[46:08] that's wonderful um

[46:11] the uh on retention that would be on

[46:14] page 10 of the package or page five of

[46:17] the report

[46:20] um uh do you have

[46:24] um sort of historical retention number

[46:27] maybe that you could send

[46:28] around last five years seven years

[46:31] something like that

[46:33] um uh I

[46:36] know the last few years we've had some

[46:38] some difficulty

[46:41] recruiting uh I don't know what why if

[46:44] that's if there's been a retention

[46:46] problem as well but that'd be useful to

[46:48] to send around and and maybe include in

[46:51] in you know future reports like this

[46:53] sure uh do you have something specific

[46:56] in mind or no just you know is is there

[47:00] a pattern there uh are certain position

[47:03] are we losing people in certain

[47:05] positions uh more than others or uh

[47:11] certain age age ranges were losing or I

[47:14] you I don't know just it'd be

[47:16] interesting from a pattern recognition

[47:18] Point sure so I think I'd have to get to

[47:21] the right page um we did spell out

[47:25] information on the 20 people that we

[47:28] left in this reporting period is that

[47:30] the type of information that you're

[47:32] looking for ex but but historic maybe

[47:34] that's a normal those numbers are normal

[47:36] but if they're uh abnormal relative to

[47:39] history then that's a signal there's

[47:40] something going absolutely yeah we can

[47:42] certainly speaks to to the belonging

[47:45] piece if your largest on on that

[47:49] particular chart on page 10 if the

[47:52] majority of your people that are leaving

[47:56] everybody it's percentages and stuff

[47:59] people that the retention number is

[48:00] extremely high white and it's extremely

[48:03] low for everybody

[48:06] else so the belonging program could

[48:09] probably use

[48:13] some oh I think our work will never be

[48:17] done and and the last one on uh page 11

[48:21] of the report 16 of the package so

[48:24] there's a drop off in women in the last

[48:27] three years or so uh is is that

[48:32] consistent with numbers that other

[48:35] Municipal municipalities have or other

[48:38] organizations in the state or the region

[48:41] any sure any color you can shine on that

[48:44] I can look into that I I don't have that

[48:46] information with me um the one thing

[48:49] that um with this report it's one day

[48:53] out of the year it's June 30th and we

[48:56] look at the data on June 30th and that's

[48:58] what we report to the board and so we

[49:01] fluctuate so much throughout the year

[49:03] but if we had um two three people leave

[49:08] in the prior month it you know and then

[49:11] we increase it the next month once we

[49:13] recruit it just it's whatever it is on

[49:15] that June 30th date and that's always

[49:17] kind of yeah you know okay hurt my bell

[49:20] a little

[49:22] bit I have I have one question um it it

[49:25] seems like you got a lot more

[49:26] applications I'm just curious what you

[49:28] did what did you do that Chang that well

[49:30] I think it's it's in the report we went

[49:32] to a lot of different um um events and

[49:36] things like that I think you know we

[49:39] attended the minority participation

[49:40] program and learned a whole lot more

[49:43] about how we can can recruit women we

[49:46] went to the veterans and water Workforce

[49:48] um the Central Carolina women and

[49:50] business career focused event um I

[49:53] personally went to several of these and

[49:56] I attended the triangle Dei event one of

[49:59] the best things I've ever attended in my

[50:01] life and career on how to support

[50:03] re-entry and re-engagement into the

[50:05] workforce for those leaving

[50:07] incarceration um they started it off

[50:10] with a

[50:11] 2hour um exercise where we played the

[50:16] role of trying to get our social

[50:17] security card and catch the bus to go

[50:20] get all the documentation that we needed

[50:22] and then try and get an interview and

[50:24] how do we get to the interview if we

[50:25] don't have any money and it it was one

[50:27] of the best things I've ever attended so

[50:30] all sorts of things and at those things

[50:31] you make um networking opportunities and

[50:35] and find out about all sorts of things

[50:36] so we've got our new deib plan in place

[50:40] and we're looking forward to to grow in

[50:43] it even more um in the next

[50:46] months thank you very much does anybody

[50:48] else have any okay great thank you thank

[50:51] you so much I appreciate the interest

[50:53] okay and now we will move on to we have

[50:56] three more excuse me the Capital

[50:59] Improvements program semiannual report

[51:02] um Allison and

[51:04] Michael hey Elison hey Michael question

[51:08] what do we use permanganate for at

[51:11] University Lake we permanganate could

[51:13] too control iron and

[51:15] manganese so there's iron and manganese

[51:17] in the reservoirs and when they reach

[51:19] certain levels they can cause

[51:22] um coloration of the water or taste and

[51:25] odor issues and so we treat at the lake

[51:27] and so that helps to allow enough

[51:30] contact time for the iron and maganese

[51:32] to interact with the oxidant to bring

[51:34] that out of solution and then we remove

[51:35] it during filtration great answer do we

[51:37] have like a sump or something that we

[51:40] add the chemicals to and then pump them

[51:43] up here I mean what's the

[51:45] process are you referring to the process

[51:48] at Cane Creek or the process at

[51:49] University Lake University Lake okay

[51:51] perfect so at University Lake we have a

[51:54] bulk tank of permanganate a sodium

[51:57] permanganate Solution that's um now

[52:00] housed in a a new building we used to

[52:03] feed it out of chemical totes within the

[52:05] existing Pump Station okay um but we've

[52:07] now created a more reliable sustainable

[52:10] solution that has it fully inclosed away

[52:13] from the public all of that and so we

[52:16] meter in the sodium permanganate into

[52:20] the actual raw water line that comes out

[52:22] of the pump station and that mixing that

[52:25] happens from the pump station where it's

[52:27] in injected into that raw water line it

[52:30] it travels and mixes that whole way down

[52:32] jonesberry road back to the water

[52:33] treatment plant and then it enters into

[52:36] the rest of the treatment facility and

[52:39] there it it oxidizes out iron and

[52:41] manganese and then that's captured

[52:43] through the rest of the process like

[52:45] infiltration cool thank you um might

[52:48] have another question

[52:54] sure um yeah so this is about on

[52:59] page well it says two at the top but

[53:02] this is kind of directed to the

[53:04] engineering group I

[53:06] think

[53:08] that you know we say a conservable

[53:10] amount of CIP work was accomplished

[53:11] despite Staffing challenges which

[53:13] continue through the year and to combat

[53:16] this temporary project management

[53:18] support from Jacobs um was provided I'm

[53:20] just curious what what they did for us

[53:24] they served as an acting project manager

[53:26] so they sat here in our office at least

[53:29] one day a week and then did ancillary

[53:31] work um either at their home office or

[53:34] um in the field doing Project work as if

[53:38] they were assigned as a team member on

[53:39] my team okay how many staff did you have

[53:43] from Jacobs just one uhuh one

[53:46] part-time cool daffer all right and kind

[53:50] of one last request sure table

[53:53] one I'm wondering if you all could

[53:57] provide that spreadsheet form or some

[54:00] other way that you know it's legible

[54:03] when either we print it out or we want

[54:05] to study it sure we were so effective

[54:09] and productive there's so many on this

[54:11] list this year so yeah we can definitely

[54:13] do that so I I printed it out on tablet

[54:16] paper so I can read it but I can't and

[54:19] uh you know it'd be well suited to um

[54:21] you know if I could get it into Excel

[54:23] and split the screen and you know keep

[54:25] column and Rose where I could have a

[54:29] hard look at it' be great sure that's

[54:30] how I produce it so it's easy enough for

[54:32] us to share it thank you yeah no problem

[54:35] thank you thanks okay two more um and

[54:40] these are both Bruce so the first one is

[54:42] number six the preliminary financial

[54:44] report for the 12-month period ending on

[54:47] June 30th

[54:49] 2024 okay um s excuse uh so on the

[54:53] system development fees dollars are not

[54:57] large but there's a huge variance uh the

[55:00] the actual is 2.7 million the budget was

[55:03] 1.0 I may show my ignorance here but it

[55:07] would seem to me that we have pretty

[55:09] good visibility into um the the system

[55:14] development projects we're going to do

[55:17] uh so why is it off so much is there

[55:21] something else going on or it's uh I may

[55:25] not be the best person that answer this

[55:26] and I'm looking around and I think the

[55:27] person that is might not be here no he's

[55:30] he's oh sorry on the wrong side of the

[55:35] room uh fish nuk and gather director of

[55:38] engineering so system development

[55:40] projects we do track them and try to

[55:42] provide as good you know as good of a

[55:44] forecast as we can um just like our own

[55:47] CIP projects they're so many of them are

[55:50] subject to you know changes and delays

[55:53] accelerations and I think this there was

[55:56] one project in particular that was

[55:58] accelerated if I'm okay if I'm

[56:01] remembering correctly so we actually

[56:03] don't have very good visibility into

[56:05] what's going to happen okay that's fine

[56:07] that's fine okay I I you know I'm a

[56:12] pattern matcher type of person and when

[56:15] I see big variances that I always wonder

[56:17] if there's something hidden behind it

[56:18] but that okay that's

[56:20] great anybody else have anything on that

[56:23] one and then this our last one um number

[56:26] nine the review proposed work plan for

[56:29] aasa's executive director okay and Todd

[56:32] this one on on uh item number two for

[56:36] you Financial Management number B says

[56:39] monitor financial and fraud management

[56:41] as well as customer building monitor

[56:44] sounds too weak to me I sure would like

[56:46] to have something like you know ensure

[56:49] that we have the proper controls in

[56:52] place rather than just monitoring what's

[56:54] going on does that make sense absolutely

[56:59] okay is that

[57:03] so I wrote ensure that proper controls

[57:07] are in place for financial and fraud

[57:10] management as well as customer billing

[57:14] performance it's on page 42 of the

[57:16] package can I can I ask one question

[57:18] from page 43 um do you know when we'll

[57:20] get an update on care to share and in

[57:23] coming in house I think we're planning

[57:27] on if I'm correct yeah it's like January

[57:31] February time

[57:33] great about that all right so here's

[57:37] what we're going to do now we pulled

[57:39] items two four five six and nine and if

[57:44] there are no additional questions or

[57:45] comments may I have a motion and second

[57:48] to approve 24 five six nine I'll make a

[57:52] motion great thank you

[57:54] Michael Bruce all right we have a motion

[57:58] by Michael and a second by Bruce all

[57:59] those in favor please say I I I I okay

[58:03] the motion for those items on the

[58:06] consent agenda um passes

[58:10] unanimously we will now move on to the

[58:13] regular

[58:14] agenda and this first item is

[58:18] exciting um it is a resolution honoring

[58:21] the service of Mary Dar to the Chapel to

[58:24] the carboro Chapel Hill Orange County

[58:27] Community um so I'm going to read this

[58:30] out loud would you like to come to the

[58:33] podium

[58:36] love okay so I'm going to read from here

[58:39] and then I will come to the podium

[58:42] whereas after working more than 30 years

[58:45] as an aasa professional engineer Mary

[58:48] Dar will retire on November 1st 2024

[58:51] from her present position as Deputy

[58:53] executive director and the board of

[58:56] directors wishes to thank her for her

[58:58] work as an essential Public Employee in

[59:01] service to our community and whereas

[59:04] Mary began work for aasa in

[59:07] 1994 as a utilities engineer where she

[59:10] soon became known for her willingness to

[59:12] undertake and complete the difficult and

[59:14] often complicated projects necessary to

[59:17] guide the operation and support the

[59:18] replacement and new construction of

[59:20] water and sewage infrastructure vital to

[59:23] the life of our community she was

[59:25] promoted to serve as operations engineer

[59:28] director of engineering and planning and

[59:30] then as general manager of operations

[59:32] and she will retire having most recently

[59:34] served as Deputy executive director of

[59:36] aasa and whereas Mary well and

[59:39] Faithfully performed her

[59:41] responsibilities including management of

[59:43] aasa's water supply water distribution

[59:46] and Wastewater collection systems its

[59:48] water and wastewater treatment plants

[59:51] its reclaimed water system along with

[59:53] its Laboratories and maintenance

[59:55] operations she will be remembered by her

[59:57] colleagues for her warm smile and

[59:59] enthusiasm in service with all of them

[1:00:01] and her willingness to notice and then

[1:00:03] to help those who needed a lift or a

[1:00:04] hand up or some thoughtful suggestion to

[1:00:06] help them through their day indeed it is

[1:00:10] remarkable that even with so many

[1:00:12] responsibilities Mary always found time

[1:00:14] to help whoever needed her encouragement

[1:00:17] and whereas throughout her career she

[1:00:20] was instrumental in planning and

[1:00:22] executing projects such as the

[1:00:24] preparation of aasa's sewage use

[1:00:26] ordinance which today protects aasa's

[1:00:29] sewage sewer infrastructure from

[1:00:31] dangerous and damaging inflows she was

[1:00:33] in charge of various award-winning

[1:00:35] projects that brought National and

[1:00:37] international recognition to aasa

[1:00:39] including the 2005 partnership for Safe

[1:00:42] Water directors award and the 2011

[1:00:45] excellence in water treatment award she

[1:00:48] was also project manager for the

[1:00:49] construction of the operations center a

[1:00:52] building intended to build relationships

[1:00:54] between the engineering and operations

[1:00:56] staff and whereas Mary Dar has earned

[1:01:00] the admiration and respect of co-workers

[1:01:02] at aasa our local governments the

[1:01:04] University of North Carolina at Chapel

[1:01:06] Hill and other professionals within the

[1:01:08] National Water and Sewer industry her

[1:01:10] character and her work will now serve as

[1:01:12] her Legacy to aasa and our

[1:01:15] community now therefore be it resolved

[1:01:18] that the board of directors of the

[1:01:20] orange water and sewage Authority hereby

[1:01:23] honors and expresses its sincere

[1:01:24] appreciation for the distinguished

[1:01:27] Public Service of Mary Dar PE to aasa

[1:01:30] and the people of carboro Chapel Hill

[1:01:32] and Orange County and the Border

[1:01:33] directors extends our best wishes to

[1:01:35] Mary for good health and happiness in

[1:01:37] your retirement may I have a motion and

[1:01:40] second to approve the

[1:01:42] resolution P

[1:01:45] Pedro

[1:01:46] Bruce okay we have a motion by Pedro and

[1:01:49] a second by Bruce I'm getting teary all

[1:01:51] those in

[1:01:54] favor all those in favor please say

[1:01:57] I the motion passes unanimously and the

[1:02:00] resolution is approved congratulations

[1:02:02] thank

[1:02:20] you that was

[1:02:29] [Music]

[1:02:30] [Laughter]

[1:02:47] are there any public

[1:02:49] comments there is

[1:02:54] one I'm going to get my

[1:02:57] water okay yes so um Ed Kerwin really

[1:03:02] wanted to be here tonight he was a

[1:03:03] wasa's executive director from 1996 to

[1:03:07] 2020 um and again he very much wanted to

[1:03:10] deliver his remarks about Mary Dar in

[1:03:13] person at tonight's meeting but he's

[1:03:15] under the weather and asked me to read

[1:03:18] his um comments on his behalf so I'm

[1:03:22] doing this all for Ed so it sounds like

[1:03:24] he's right here

[1:03:26] you're welcome all right I join the aasa

[1:03:30] board of directors general counsel and

[1:03:33] staff in acknowledging and thanking Mary

[1:03:36] Dar for her 30 years of progressively

[1:03:39] responsible and truly impactful Public

[1:03:42] Service Mary has always worked very

[1:03:45] effect effectively with others

[1:03:47] throughout the organization and

[1:03:49] Community to ensure aasa successfully

[1:03:52] fulfills its critically important resp

[1:03:55] responsibilities to provide Chapel Hill

[1:03:59] carboro the university and Southern

[1:04:01] Orange County with high quality and

[1:04:04] reliable water services around the clock

[1:04:07] in doing so Mary always displayed

[1:04:09] genuine caring for others she's a true

[1:04:12] team player Mary's very knowledgeable

[1:04:15] and experienced in nearly all aspects of

[1:04:17] aasa's operation and she has freely

[1:04:20] shared her knowledge support and

[1:04:22] guidance with others

[1:04:27] if I

[1:04:29] had if I had to pick and highlight just

[1:04:32] one of Mary's many accomplishments that

[1:04:34] would that will continue to benefit our

[1:04:37] community in the years ahead it is the

[1:04:40] inspired leadership role she had guiding

[1:04:42] our team to further improve our drinking

[1:04:44] water quality this resulted in aasa

[1:04:47] becoming the only becoming only the

[1:04:50] ninth water treatment plant in the

[1:04:52] country and the first in North Carolina

[1:04:55] to be awarded the Excellence in water

[1:04:57] treatment award by the partnership for

[1:04:59] safe water in 2011 the partnership for

[1:05:03] Safe Water comprises six organizations

[1:05:05] including the EA and the American

[1:05:08] Waterworks

[1:05:09] Association this award acknowledged that

[1:05:11] a the aasa team was operating a fully

[1:05:14] optimized water treatment process the

[1:05:17] aasa team has suain sustained this level

[1:05:20] of drinking water and treatment

[1:05:21] optimization for over 10 years Mary

[1:05:24] would be the first

[1:05:26] to give full credit to all her

[1:05:28] co-workers for this

[1:05:30] accomplishment please know that Mary

[1:05:32] effectively LED our very inclusive

[1:05:34] process with Frontline staff and many

[1:05:37] others throughout aasa this initiative

[1:05:40] was an important part of our overall

[1:05:42] work building a culture of teamwork

[1:05:45] continuous Improvement and performance

[1:05:48] Excellence I'm so proud of how this

[1:05:50] initiative has been successfully

[1:05:52] expanded by the aasa team and Water

[1:05:55] District distribution Wastewater

[1:05:57] collection treatment and reuse Mary

[1:06:00] would also be quick to give credit to

[1:06:02] the board for providing employees with

[1:06:05] competitive pay benefits and for

[1:06:08] supporting policies and funding to keep

[1:06:10] the organization sustainable I work

[1:06:13] closely with Mary and I could always

[1:06:15] count on her to share her ideas and how

[1:06:17] we can improve especially when there

[1:06:20] were they were different than

[1:06:22] mine which which makes for a healthy

[1:06:25] work envir ironment Mary it was a true

[1:06:28] pleasure and privilege working with you

[1:06:31] and I thank you so very much for your

[1:06:32] dedicated service wishing you all the

[1:06:35] best and good health and retirement Ed K

[1:06:39] and

[1:06:47] Andy thank you

[1:06:52] Ed my turn yeah wow

[1:06:57] okay um anyways I just want to thank you

[1:07:01] Mel for the resolution that was lovely

[1:07:04] um I just want to thank the board this

[1:07:06] board and the previous boards for the

[1:07:08] last 30

[1:07:10] years I'm not gonna make it through

[1:07:14] retirement um for all the support I want

[1:07:17] to thank Bob Todd Ed K Andy and all the

[1:07:21] staff um for the support through all the

[1:07:24] years um um AAS has been a great place

[1:07:27] to work staff supports one another we've

[1:07:30] heard that over and over again tonight

[1:07:32] um and the board support staff and

[1:07:34] that's really important so thank

[1:07:41] you Bob say

[1:07:44] something anyways I really do truly

[1:07:47] appreciate all the opportunities I've

[1:07:49] had um and I also appreciate um that the

[1:07:53] board's allowed me and AAS has allowed

[1:07:55] me to give back to the professional

[1:07:57] organizations and the industry um

[1:07:59] through volunteer work and uh presenting

[1:08:02] at conferences and all the Innovative

[1:08:04] stuff that aasa does so thank you very

[1:08:19] much that was great

[1:08:25] so the board will now move on to

[1:08:27] information and reports thank you Mary

[1:08:30] um we will get a update on the service

[1:08:32] line inventory and replacement program

[1:08:35] Mary tiger the director of community

[1:08:37] relations and Jesse duclaw the director

[1:08:39] of distribution and collection we'll

[1:08:41] provide a 15minute uh

[1:08:44] presentation all right that was a very

[1:08:47] inspiring presentation to follow up on

[1:08:50] so um I just want to start this

[1:08:53] presentation tonight by acknowledging

[1:08:56] the massive team effort that this whole

[1:09:00] program is and preparing for uh the

[1:09:03] compliance with the lead and copper rule

[1:09:04] has been um I stand here as one person

[1:09:07] why the director of community relations

[1:09:09] is talking about it is that this whole

[1:09:11] program is getting ready to take a turn

[1:09:13] for a very public facing phase um and so

[1:09:17] we want to make sure that the board is

[1:09:20] up to date on the what and the wise of

[1:09:22] what we're talking about when we talk

[1:09:23] about the service line inventory and

[1:09:25] this pending replacement

[1:09:28] program I also want to acknowledge that

[1:09:30] massive team effort it's led by aliceon

[1:09:33] Spinelli um our engineering manager for

[1:09:36] capital

[1:09:38] projects so before we jump into the

[1:09:41] details of this program I do want to

[1:09:43] assure the board and the public that's

[1:09:45] watching we're not talking about this

[1:09:47] because aasa has a problem with lead um

[1:09:50] this is a national requirement for all

[1:09:52] Water Systems um that is above and beond

[1:09:55] beyond the existing lead and copper rule

[1:09:58] which aasa is in full compliance with um

[1:10:02] that original rule was passed in um

[1:10:05] 1991 so the water leaving our water

[1:10:07] treatment plant has no lead in it and we

[1:10:10] have no known lead pipes in our

[1:10:12] distribution system that being said lead

[1:10:15] can enter drinking water through

[1:10:18] Plumbing um this diagram here on the

[1:10:20] screen is a one that's put out by EPA

[1:10:23] that shows how lead can enter drink

[1:10:25] drinking water through private Plumbing

[1:10:28] we add um Ortho and polyphosphate to our

[1:10:31] water to prevent the corrosion of pipes

[1:10:33] and plumbing fixtures um kind of coats

[1:10:36] the pipes um this is a consistent

[1:10:38] practice with um state and federal

[1:10:41] guidelines additionally every three

[1:10:43] years we collect 30 samples from homes

[1:10:46] with copper pipes and Lead solder and

[1:10:49] since 2008 we have only detected lead in

[1:10:53] six of these sample sites and only one

[1:10:55] of those was above the um Action level

[1:10:58] and then for that one particular site

[1:11:01] that home had no other um lead detects

[1:11:04] and it was cleaned out once they cleaned

[1:11:07] out their air Rader um so again we're

[1:11:10] not talking about this because we have

[1:11:12] an issue it's a it's a national

[1:11:15] requirement in December of 2021 the EPA

[1:11:18] finalized the revised lead and copper

[1:11:21] rule which enhanced the existing

[1:11:23] regulation in a number of ways

[1:11:25] so for the purposes of our discussion

[1:11:27] tonight we're really going to focus on

[1:11:28] three major aspects of this regulation

[1:11:31] and that is the lead service line

[1:11:33] inventory public education and Outreach

[1:11:36] and the lead service line

[1:11:39] replacement and a big driver of this

[1:11:42] kind of Latter um topic the lead service

[1:11:45] line replacement program is the lead and

[1:11:49] copper rule improvements or what we call

[1:11:51] the

[1:11:52] LC so this is a proposed revision to the

[1:11:56] revised rule that is currently in draft

[1:11:59] form so it is not finalized yet we

[1:12:02] expect this rule to be finalized anytime

[1:12:06] now um but it impr it enhances or

[1:12:10] improves the the new rule and so it's a

[1:12:13] it's a bit speculative in nature but

[1:12:16] most in the industry are expecting it to

[1:12:18] be passed as drafted again later this

[1:12:22] year so we have folded in the

[1:12:24] requirements

[1:12:25] of that proposed rule into our

[1:12:28] preparation for the

[1:12:31] LCR and the when we talk about the

[1:12:34] replacement program the LC is actually

[1:12:38] requiring replacement of any lead or

[1:12:41] galvanized lines that are requiring

[1:12:43] replacement within 10 years of going

[1:12:45] into effect so it kind of enhances that

[1:12:48] replacement requirement um on top of the

[1:12:53] LCR so just to pause and Define what

[1:12:57] what is a service line when we talk

[1:12:58] about service line inventory service

[1:13:00] line replacement so a service line is

[1:13:03] the extend of pipe that connects the

[1:13:05] water m to the building Plumbing the

[1:13:08] portion of that line that between the

[1:13:11] water man in the meter is a wasasa it's

[1:13:13] owned by aasa we put it in the ground

[1:13:16] the portion of the pipe that's between

[1:13:19] the meter in the home is the

[1:13:20] responsibility and under the ownership

[1:13:22] of the property owner um so up until the

[1:13:25] LCR Water Systems really had no no

[1:13:29] knowledge of the private side of the

[1:13:31] service line or responsibility for

[1:13:34] it the lead and copper rule revisions of

[1:13:37] the LCR requires Water Systems to take

[1:13:40] inventory of all the service lines in

[1:13:42] their service area there's really four

[1:13:44] buckets that we want to put those

[1:13:47] service lines into in this inventory

[1:13:50] first bucket is lead status unknown this

[1:13:53] is a completely valid category for the

[1:13:56] initial inventory that's due next month

[1:13:59] that we just don't know the second

[1:14:02] category is pretty self-explanatory lead

[1:14:04] service line so a portion of the pipe is

[1:14:07] made out of

[1:14:08] lead the third category is a galvanized

[1:14:11] service line now galvanized service

[1:14:13] lines in and of themselves are not an

[1:14:15] issue but if they were ever Downstream

[1:14:18] of lead pipe they could have collected

[1:14:20] lead particles which could be freed up

[1:14:23] if there's a disruption in the

[1:14:26] distribution system so if there is a

[1:14:28] loss of pressure uh a meter is changed

[1:14:31] out service is cut on or off um if a

[1:14:34] galvanized line was ever Downstream of

[1:14:37] lead pipe it could have collected

[1:14:39] that if the utility if aasa cannot prove

[1:14:44] that a galvanized line was never

[1:14:46] Downstream of a lead pipe we have to

[1:14:48] assume that it some point it was so it's

[1:14:50] a out of an abundance of caution that we

[1:14:53] are considering galvanized service lines

[1:14:55] as galvanized requiring

[1:14:58] replacement and then this final category

[1:15:02] non-led um non-led could be any number

[1:15:04] of materials U most commonly copper or

[1:15:07] plastic and ultimately the goal of all

[1:15:11] of this all of the regulation and aasa

[1:15:13] efforts are to get all of the service

[1:15:15] lines into that last category that's the

[1:15:18] that's the goal um so how are we doing

[1:15:21] with this incredible really really in

[1:15:25] incredible um aasa's efforts to to

[1:15:28] bucket the utility or the the service

[1:15:30] lines so a little bit about how our

[1:15:33] process went of how we went about doing

[1:15:34] that we first looked at um historical

[1:15:38] work orders and Records to identify the

[1:15:40] service line

[1:15:41] materials then we looked at the size of

[1:15:44] the line and the date of the

[1:15:46] installation so service lines that are

[1:15:48] greater than three in are non-led we

[1:15:50] know that categorically so and any

[1:15:53] service line that was installed after

[1:15:55] March of 1987 we can categorically rule

[1:15:58] out as as not L because a ban went into

[1:16:00] place at that time so once we have this

[1:16:03] historical a after we had this

[1:16:05] historical information we begin an

[1:16:07] iterative process of doing field

[1:16:10] verification and machine learning so

[1:16:12] doing statistical analysis using those

[1:16:15] field verifications to draw conclusions

[1:16:18] about what the service line material is

[1:16:20] and this is a practice that's accepted

[1:16:22] in the state we've turned over our

[1:16:23] methodology to the State and they have

[1:16:25] approved our statistical um verification

[1:16:29] method so to date um over 6,000 customer

[1:16:33] side services and all of the 78 unknown

[1:16:36] aasa side Services have been inspected

[1:16:39] and in fact aasa was awarded a $1

[1:16:42] million no interest interest loan from

[1:16:44] the bipartisan infrastructure law

[1:16:46] drinking water State revolving fund Leed

[1:16:48] service line replacement funds to fund

[1:16:51] our inventory work um and effectively

[1:16:53] reimburse aasa for this work you guys

[1:16:56] actually um approved the acceptance of

[1:16:58] those funds um in the consent

[1:17:00] agenda so if this sounds easy it

[1:17:03] absolutely was not and so I'm going to

[1:17:05] invite our director of distribution and

[1:17:07] collection Jesse duclaw to acknowledge

[1:17:10] the team that put in the work that got

[1:17:12] us to this incredible

[1:17:15] place thank you Mary I'm Jesse duclaw

[1:17:17] distrib director of distribution and

[1:17:19] collection I want to start by saying in

[1:17:22] my February March budget present a about

[1:17:25] some of the challenges this is one of

[1:17:26] the challenges we talked about and how

[1:17:28] big of a task this is and how big of a

[1:17:30] challenge it is um it would not be

[1:17:32] successful without the team that I have

[1:17:34] as well as Alison spelli as the champion

[1:17:37] of the whole Le copper rule um

[1:17:39] addressing as well as uh Communications

[1:17:41] and Community rations department and

[1:17:43] what they've done but specifically I

[1:17:45] want to say Marcus Fuller if you stand

[1:17:48] up Marcus is our crew Supervisor over

[1:17:51] valve maintenance and him and his team

[1:17:52] have went under more than

[1:17:55] 5,000 um as you see Josh patzer in this

[1:17:58] uh in this picture right here under

[1:18:00] 5,000 crawl spaces in identified this so

[1:18:03] they have the leg work behind all this

[1:18:05] but also Nick Rogers if you would stand

[1:18:07] up he is uh the orc of our distribution

[1:18:10] system and he's been working with the

[1:18:11] teams to uh you know put this to the

[1:18:14] front of our goal and in front of our

[1:18:15] list to get it tackled in time so I want

[1:18:18] to say thank you

[1:18:27] thank you Marcus thank you

[1:18:29] Jesse so where do we go from here so the

[1:18:32] initial inventory is due to the state by

[1:18:35] October 16th um and it must be available

[1:18:38] for all customers so we will be posting

[1:18:41] this inventory on our website and then

[1:18:43] within 30 days of posting that we will

[1:18:45] be sending um direct notification to all

[1:18:49] of our customers that have the

[1:18:50] galvinized requiring replacement lines

[1:18:53] which didn't actually talk about so we

[1:18:54] have

[1:18:55] 110 um lines that that we estimate and

[1:18:59] we determine to be galvanized requiring

[1:19:01] Replacements the rest are non-led um so

[1:19:05] our um because of the work of Marcus and

[1:19:08] his crew um at narrowing that down we

[1:19:11] really are focused only on these 110

[1:19:14] galvanized requiring replacement lines

[1:19:16] and

[1:19:18] customers so we'll be sending Outreach

[1:19:20] to them about what it means to have a

[1:19:23] galvanized requiring replacement line um

[1:19:26] and and where we're going from here um

[1:19:30] this is a sneak peek at what the what

[1:19:34] the inventory is going to look like

[1:19:36] that's posted on our website um so

[1:19:40] customers will be able to enter their

[1:19:42] address and zero in but they'll see from

[1:19:44] a a broad scale all of the service lines

[1:19:48] in the community um and then colorcoded

[1:19:50] based on is it lead status unknown

[1:19:53] non-led Le or galvanized requiring

[1:19:55] replacement and it's amazing that we can

[1:19:58] pull up a map that says you know as many

[1:20:01] non-ls um as we do if somebody types in

[1:20:04] their address they'll zero in um and be

[1:20:07] able to see a DOT at their property um

[1:20:11] and it will show there's two sides of

[1:20:13] the circle one is the Utility side one

[1:20:16] is the private side um and it'll say

[1:20:18] what we what the material is of both

[1:20:21] sides and how we got that information so

[1:20:23] this particular address the Utility side

[1:20:26] material is copper the private side

[1:20:28] material is unknown but we determined it

[1:20:30] to be not Le um the source of the

[1:20:34] Utility side how we got that information

[1:20:36] is through historical records and then

[1:20:39] how we um determine the private side is

[1:20:41] through that predictive modeling so we

[1:20:44] will also have information on our

[1:20:45] website about what is predictive

[1:20:46] modeling and how did we get there how

[1:20:48] did we get to

[1:20:50] that this one which on that screen is

[1:20:53] worse than on this screen

[1:20:55] so is what the dot will look like for

[1:20:58] one of the 110 households that has a

[1:21:01] galvanized requiring replacement so

[1:21:03] they'll zero in on their property and be

[1:21:05] able to see that and then we will have

[1:21:08] information for those customers about

[1:21:10] again what exactly does that mean what

[1:21:12] is the risk of having a galvanized

[1:21:14] requiring replacement what can they do

[1:21:17] um as a property owner or a tenant to

[1:21:19] reduce that risk and then what are our

[1:21:21] plans moving forward on the replacement

[1:21:23] program what we know now and then how we

[1:21:26] will communicate about what we know in

[1:21:27] the

[1:21:29] future I see some yeah I I was gonna say

[1:21:32] can you just tell us briefly what the

[1:21:35] plan would be going forward for those

[1:21:37] 110 folks I will get there yes yeah are

[1:21:41] they clustered in a certain geographic

[1:21:42] area are they kind of spread out they

[1:21:45] are so more so in the downtown area

[1:21:49] because they're the older homes like we

[1:21:51] can there is but there's no kind of

[1:21:54] pattern Trend actually turn it to

[1:21:56] Allison who's been looking a lot more at

[1:21:58] the the data the prevalence because this

[1:22:00] is a sneak peek I say because we really

[1:22:03] are like doing this machine learning um

[1:22:06] kind of hot off the

[1:22:07] presses did I

[1:22:11] answer um Mary answered it appropriately

[1:22:14] a lot of it is clustered very closely to

[1:22:16] where we have older sections of town and

[1:22:18] maybe areas that haven't been

[1:22:19] revitalized or redeveloped where um the

[1:22:22] service lines would have been renewed

[1:22:23] for another reason so it's a lot of

[1:22:25] older homes or um just areas that have

[1:22:28] an experience for

[1:22:30] development both both I'm curious uh

[1:22:35] using a predictive model uh you'd have

[1:22:38] to train that on positives so if there's

[1:22:42] so we would never predict lead in our

[1:22:45] predictive model because we will never

[1:22:47] find lead because we have no known lead

[1:22:49] sources of any pipe in our distribution

[1:22:52] system now we have found through all of

[1:22:55] the work that Marcus's team with Jesse

[1:22:57] and Nick have done over 78 um service

[1:23:00] lines on the private side that have been

[1:23:02] galvanized which is training the model

[1:23:04] in those certain areas that we may be

[1:23:07] more likely to see galvanized we also

[1:23:09] did have some galvanized showing up in

[1:23:10] some of our original records so that's

[1:23:12] also been training the model too um one

[1:23:15] of the slides Mary showed earlier was

[1:23:18] there was the bar graph that showed from

[1:23:21] last June till now thank thank you um

[1:23:25] that there was an initial goal of 2,000

[1:23:27] that was the initial training set that

[1:23:29] we used so we needed to get 2,000

[1:23:32] physical inspections done on service

[1:23:35] lines in order to have enough data to

[1:23:37] run the model for the first time and

[1:23:40] then based on that model it gave us the

[1:23:43] next sets of data that we needed to try

[1:23:46] and find to fill the gaps where we

[1:23:47] didn't feel like we had the right level

[1:23:49] of um accuracy in terms of predictions

[1:23:57] a question on the model that sort of

[1:23:59] feeds it to how we communicate this to

[1:24:01] people is was the

[1:24:03] model like a traditional statistical

[1:24:06] model where you have parameters that are

[1:24:07] variables that have coefficients that

[1:24:09] are predicting something some number or

[1:24:11] it was it more of a neural network and

[1:24:12] you don't really

[1:24:15] know what the what led to a particular

[1:24:17] house being

[1:24:20] flagged it is more of a neural network

[1:24:22] if I understand um so we using a

[1:24:24] software called lead cast and a lot of

[1:24:26] it is being done by their data analytics

[1:24:28] we are feeding the model through our

[1:24:31] work but I am not as familiar as some of

[1:24:34] the background data that might be in

[1:24:37] there

[1:24:43] okay one of the positives and bit on it

[1:24:46] that we do have in the model or the

[1:24:48] galvaniz requiring replacement as she

[1:24:51] said we don't anticipate any lead but

[1:24:54] that would be the positive in the

[1:24:56] model are you still do you still have

[1:24:58] slides uh okay why don't we hold

[1:25:02] questions until the

[1:25:07] end

[1:25:09] sorry so a little bit about the kind of

[1:25:11] communication that we do with these 110

[1:25:14] customers so I mentioned that we'll send

[1:25:16] a letter within 30 days of publishing

[1:25:17] the inventory and then we will send

[1:25:21] those customers a letter annually

[1:25:24] reminding them about their service line

[1:25:25] we also will send any new customer that

[1:25:27] moves into that um household information

[1:25:31] about that once as we figured out out

[1:25:34] the replacement program we'll be

[1:25:35] communicating directly with those

[1:25:37] customers as well um and then also if

[1:25:39] post disturbance so if we have a water

[1:25:41] line break if we do a disconnection or

[1:25:45] um any sort of um instances that could

[1:25:49] free up potential lead in those lines

[1:25:51] we'll be communicating with those

[1:25:53] customers um about steps that they can

[1:25:55] take to minimize their risk and in some

[1:25:58] cases when there's a major disturbance

[1:26:00] we will be providing them with uh

[1:26:02] pictures picture filters um and six

[1:26:05] months of

[1:26:06] filters so I want to point out here that

[1:26:09] the Outreach for customers with unknown

[1:26:12] service lines this would be the

[1:26:14] requirement for our communication with

[1:26:15] customers so in with a Wasa setting a

[1:26:18] goal of having no unknowns it really

[1:26:21] minimizes a lot of necessary

[1:26:25] communication and kind of red flag

[1:26:27] raising for our community so it's a

[1:26:30] really important thing that aasa did and

[1:26:33] um having zero

[1:26:39] unknowns so beyond this where do we go

[1:26:42] so when we think about the lead and

[1:26:44] copper rule improvements so the

[1:26:47] requirements around that in the

[1:26:49] replacement program so that rule is

[1:26:52] going to require that you utility submit

[1:26:55] a baseline inventory to the state we're

[1:26:57] estimating around October

[1:27:00] 2027 and that Baseline will set the 10%

[1:27:03] replacement rate that's required over

[1:27:05] the next 10 years so from that point

[1:27:07] forward every year utilities will be

[1:27:09] required 10% to replace 10% of their

[1:27:12] Leed galvanized requiring replacement or

[1:27:15] unknown service lines um and so that

[1:27:19] sets the um sets the Baseline of how

[1:27:24] having any unknown um and then so then

[1:27:27] 10 years later than that all known lead

[1:27:30] and galvanized requiring service lines

[1:27:32] must be replaced um with

[1:27:35] non-led is that the private service line

[1:27:38] or public service private service line

[1:27:40] are going to be required to be

[1:27:42] replaced and aasa absorbs the cost of

[1:27:46] that it is not required in the

[1:27:48] regulation that the utility pay for the

[1:27:51] replacement of the service line we do

[1:27:54] have we'll go to the next slide so our

[1:27:56] five-year CIP a budget to replace those

[1:28:00] service lines and at that point time we

[1:28:02] were estimating that we had more than we

[1:28:05] had over we were estimating that we

[1:28:06] would have over 300 lines and so that

[1:28:09] 3.2 million and the 5year CIP was for

[1:28:12] that um we do estimate that it's about

[1:28:15] $110,000 per service line to replace

[1:28:18] that service line one of the reasons why

[1:28:21] we're making the recommendation to move

[1:28:24] move forward with aasa paying for the

[1:28:27] service line replacement one is that

[1:28:30] it's compliance with regulations we will

[1:28:31] be held to that 10% replacement rate um

[1:28:35] and so it's incredibly important that we

[1:28:38] comply with that regulation one is it

[1:28:40] helps to ensure that it's Equitable in

[1:28:43] terms of when the service lines are

[1:28:45] replaced um if you can pay for a

[1:28:48] replacing a service line you're going to

[1:28:49] do it early if aasa can pay for it we

[1:28:52] can ensure that it happens um in a in a

[1:28:55] fast Manner and that it's done in an

[1:28:57] equitable way um and further it reduces

[1:29:00] the operational and contractual

[1:29:02] challenges so if we were to drag it out

[1:29:05] we are looking for a timeline of between

[1:29:07] 2025 and 2027 of replacing all those 110

[1:29:12] service lines um and we want to do it in

[1:29:15] that tight time frame because we

[1:29:16] anticipate that contractually that will

[1:29:19] be more attractive to anybody bidding on

[1:29:21] on this project um and then further it's

[1:29:24] going to reduce you know operational

[1:29:26] challenges when we talk about

[1:29:28] communicating with customers time and

[1:29:30] time again about having these galvanized

[1:29:32] lines um if we can knock those out and

[1:29:35] we can turn in that Baseline inventory

[1:29:38] in 2027 then we can kind of put this

[1:29:41] behind us and and move forward um so

[1:29:44] right now our estimated program costs

[1:29:46] based on the 110 galvaniz requiring

[1:29:48] lines that we um estimate to have is

[1:29:51] about $1.3 million

[1:29:54] we have some things to figure out this

[1:29:56] is a atypical project for us right

[1:29:58] that's on private property um we do know

[1:30:01] that we are going to need ride of entry

[1:30:03] from the customers we're going to need

[1:30:05] their permission to um come and replace

[1:30:07] their service line we anticipate that

[1:30:10] we're going to do this work through a

[1:30:11] general contractor that will work with

[1:30:13] licensed plumbers in the region we're

[1:30:16] going to have an open house on October

[1:30:18] 11th here in the community room to talk

[1:30:21] with local General Contractors local

[1:30:23] plumbers local plumbing supply houses

[1:30:26] about the program and get some of their

[1:30:28] feedback um that will be considered in

[1:30:31] the bid package so we can put something

[1:30:33] attractive out that will actually get

[1:30:35] bid on um but we know we have a lot of

[1:30:38] important things to consider to in

[1:30:40] setting up this replacement program the

[1:30:42] order of replacement although we want to

[1:30:44] do it in a pretty timely manner someone

[1:30:47] has to go first we can't replace 110

[1:30:50] service lines in one day so there there

[1:30:52] will be an order and and how that is

[1:30:54] ordered um we've got to consider how to

[1:30:56] handle customers that don't want to work

[1:30:58] with an aasa contractor but are still

[1:31:00] going to be part of that you know

[1:31:02] requirement and then how how to handle

[1:31:05] customers that maybe recently replaced

[1:31:07] their galvanized service line and now

[1:31:10] you know they footed the bill and and

[1:31:12] now a Wasa is paying so there's and

[1:31:14] there's a list of other considerations

[1:31:17] that we need to think through as we

[1:31:19] design this program luckily we're not

[1:31:22] first um a lot of Utilities in the

[1:31:25] Northeast um and Out West have already

[1:31:27] gotten started on similar programs

[1:31:30] Raleigh down the road has gotten started

[1:31:32] on their replacement program so we have

[1:31:34] some peers that we can look to for some

[1:31:36] lessons learned

[1:31:40] um so um with that you know we will

[1:31:44] certainly be informing the board as we

[1:31:46] figure out those details of the

[1:31:48] replacement program and no action is

[1:31:52] asked of you all tonight but again it is

[1:31:54] a very public facing we're moving into

[1:31:57] this public facing phase and wanted to

[1:31:58] make sure that you all had the

[1:32:00] opportunity to ask questions and really

[1:32:02] understand um what is going on so I'll

[1:32:05] turn it back over to Mel and yeah team

[1:32:08] is happy to answer questions thank you

[1:32:11] all three of you for that great

[1:32:13] presentation

[1:32:14] um what what questions do we

[1:32:19] have Kyle and then Pedro yes amyra Kim

[1:32:25] um two questions uh one probably minor

[1:32:29] is this document says there were 180 at

[1:32:33] most and now here's 110 does that mean

[1:32:35] like they were flagged you check them

[1:32:36] and

[1:32:38] 70 at the time of writing the memo that

[1:32:41] was the estimate and as the machine

[1:32:43] learning the last iteration of the

[1:32:45] machine learning has come through that's

[1:32:47] um been able to be tighten down a little

[1:32:49] bit gotcha and then um

[1:32:54] maybe it's not I'm guess I'm just

[1:32:57] curious like if I were to go to this map

[1:33:00] I like and I see unknown notled if I'm a

[1:33:04] cautious person I might be

[1:33:06] like so like is is the map going to be

[1:33:08] behind a wall that explains the

[1:33:11] categories first or can there be like a

[1:33:12] tool tip on on that one that explains

[1:33:15] like if it's three inches of 1987 and

[1:33:18] why I should trust

[1:33:20] those things we will be providing

[1:33:23] information about the categories and how

[1:33:24] we arrived at the information

[1:33:28] yes my question I'm sorry I lost a

[1:33:31] little bit of the presentation as I went

[1:33:33] to the bathroom and apologize for that

[1:33:36] um I need to

[1:33:39] go anyway uh my question is on on regard

[1:33:44] of the uh service line is that after the

[1:33:48] uh

[1:33:49] meter the piece of service line that we

[1:33:52] are going to replace

[1:33:54] which is considered private is that what

[1:33:57] we're talking about yes that's what

[1:33:59] we're talking about we have um no known

[1:34:01] galvanized requiring replacement on the

[1:34:03] on our side of the meter and so we're

[1:34:06] really going to be looking at that the

[1:34:08] property owned side service line thank

[1:34:13] you okay thank you regarding the

[1:34:17] selection of the contractors that's

[1:34:18] going to replace that portion of the

[1:34:20] line that was is going to pay for is

[1:34:23] there a bid

[1:34:26] process that you use to select the

[1:34:29] people the different contractors that's

[1:34:31] going to come go out and um make these

[1:34:35] changes thanks alar that's a good

[1:34:37] question so we are going to use a

[1:34:39] typical bidding process that we would

[1:34:41] for any other construction project it

[1:34:43] will be based off of a set of

[1:34:45] specifications the contractors will be

[1:34:47] given the different 110 locations with

[1:34:50] the requirements for each location and

[1:34:53] based off of that they will provide I'm

[1:34:56] not 100% sure it'll be a single lump sum

[1:34:58] or if it'll be like unit price bidding

[1:35:00] but they'll provide a number and low bid

[1:35:02] will be inspected to see if they're

[1:35:04] responsive responsible safe kind of our

[1:35:07] normal procedure so you expect to have

[1:35:08] one company do all of it or can you have

[1:35:12] multiple companies it would be our

[1:35:14] preference from a Contracting standpoint

[1:35:16] to do one contract um with a general

[1:35:19] contractor who then could choose to have

[1:35:22] several different

[1:35:25] plumbers yeah there there are some

[1:35:28] complicating factors we've looked we've

[1:35:29] looked into that as well of areas where

[1:35:32] we can um invite um underutilized

[1:35:36] businesses minority businesses

[1:35:37] women-owned businesses um there will be

[1:35:40] some specific State revolving fund

[1:35:42] requirement loan requirements

[1:35:45] potentially so we're just going to make

[1:35:47] that very clear when we have the

[1:35:48] contractor openhouse so anybody who can

[1:35:50] meet those requirements of um certified

[1:35:54] um payroll living wage Davis bacon able

[1:35:57] to there there's a a few things that we

[1:36:00] want to make sure that we consider if we

[1:36:02] go down that path but we would be

[1:36:04] welcoming to any small business to be

[1:36:07] supporting that process well I'm just

[1:36:10] thinking of the diversity equity and

[1:36:12] inclusion part of bidding on contracts

[1:36:17] when you have small businesses that are

[1:36:18] in the area uh plumbers Etc that can do

[1:36:21] this kind of work but don't have the

[1:36:23] magnitude of a big contractor to be able

[1:36:26] to bid on 110 different projects but my

[1:36:29] other question is the rates the is the

[1:36:34] payment for these Services part of the

[1:36:37] rates that we are going to be

[1:36:38] paying yes it's currently included in

[1:36:41] our budget um and just one more thing

[1:36:44] with the open house scheduled for the

[1:36:46] October 11th we are including every

[1:36:48] local plumber that we can get a contact

[1:36:51] for so we're trying to connect General

[1:36:54] Contractors with those plumbers so that

[1:36:55] they can build those relationships and

[1:36:57] have have those as subcontracting

[1:36:59] opportunities okay so the small business

[1:37:03] person or Plumbing would have to work

[1:37:06] under a general contractor which is what

[1:37:08] your preference is for awarding the

[1:37:09] contract correct and we're we're open to

[1:37:13] different teaming opportunities so if a

[1:37:15] general contractor wants to have five

[1:37:17] different local plumbers working for him

[1:37:19] or if he wants to have one that's going

[1:37:21] to be up to them for how they want to

[1:37:22] manage what what their bid looks like

[1:37:24] but we're looking into having a pretty

[1:37:28] open dialogue with those contractors and

[1:37:30] plumbers when they come here for a visit

[1:37:32] so we can learn what type of solution

[1:37:35] works

[1:37:36] best please consider expanding what you

[1:37:39] require them to do so that they can

[1:37:41] actually work with some small business

[1:37:43] people in the community absolutely yeah

[1:37:45] or use some of the small business people

[1:37:47] I would say as a previously working in

[1:37:49] the contractor world there's a a

[1:37:50] requirement that aasa has for soliciting

[1:37:53] and reaching out to local underutilized

[1:37:55] businesses minority companies and it's

[1:37:57] not a it's a goal but it's also a

[1:37:59] requirement to show where they did reach

[1:38:01] out where they have solicited for

[1:38:03] assistance on these projects well

[1:38:05] whether they use them or not you can ask

[1:38:07] but you still don't have to select a

[1:38:09] requirement or something that they

[1:38:10] actually have participation and the

[1:38:12] state has verbiage in there that

[1:38:14] requires that you to not like the very

[1:38:16] first one is you can't dismiss somebody

[1:38:19] because of you know any reason and why

[1:38:21] you chose them and why you didn't chose

[1:38:23] them so it's a it's a pretty robust

[1:38:25] program that the state runs that aasa

[1:38:27] aderes to okay thank

[1:38:29] you

[1:38:32] Kim I'm just wondering I don't know who

[1:38:36] to ask or who would even know but if

[1:38:38] there's any evidence on the flip side of

[1:38:41] this issue are there doctors in the area

[1:38:44] finding kids that seem to have lead

[1:38:47] poisoning is that just a non-issue in

[1:38:50] our area or if it was a non-issue if it

[1:38:52] was an issue would we

[1:38:56] know not specifically related exactly to

[1:39:00] that question but one of the slides that

[1:39:02] Mary had showed earlier was the whole

[1:39:04] breadth of what the letting copper rule

[1:39:06] revisions is trying to do and part of

[1:39:07] that is school sampling and so that's

[1:39:10] another piece of this that um could play

[1:39:13] into that but we might not be privy to

[1:39:17] all of those results at this

[1:39:19] moment to Kim were you done

[1:39:24] okay Todd so what is what is the legal

[1:39:27] enforcement mechanism for the state on

[1:39:32] aasa to have private lines like what if

[1:39:36] people just don't or what if we like

[1:39:39] oasa didn't pay for this we would be in

[1:39:42] non-compliance with a regulatory

[1:39:44] requirement so there could be fines or

[1:39:46] there could be a notice of violations

[1:39:49] fin because of private inaction

[1:39:53] the state has not released guidance yet

[1:39:55] on so I I I asked this because exactly

[1:39:59] because I mean from my perspective aasa

[1:40:01] has taken a hard stance against

[1:40:05] connecting people to Wastewater even

[1:40:07] though there are lots of people not

[1:40:09] connected to Wastewater within the

[1:40:11] service area and that has potentially

[1:40:14] horrible impacts on the community and

[1:40:16] like our water quality but for 110

[1:40:20] houses some of which may be incredibly

[1:40:22] wealthy in able to pay themselves we're

[1:40:26] gonna shell out like $1.3 million after

[1:40:29] raising rates like three years in a row

[1:40:32] so I think this this could be a very bad

[1:40:34] look honestly down the road um if you

[1:40:38] know especially now that like if word is

[1:40:41] out hey aasa is going to pay for this

[1:40:43] like none of these people are going to

[1:40:44] pay for their

[1:40:46] own to put some context in it we've been

[1:40:50] having conversations with our neighbors

[1:40:52] so Raleigh is paying for it Carrie is

[1:40:54] paying for it uh General consensus this

[1:40:56] is the only way that we will reach

[1:40:58] compliance well you could turn them

[1:41:01] off I mean I I just I I I can't imagine

[1:41:07] how you

[1:41:09] know how Utilities in Western Carolina

[1:41:14] that have 80% leakage and are barely

[1:41:18] able to you know be solvent are going to

[1:41:21] do this

[1:41:24] I guess I don't know there I don't know

[1:41:26] if there's any insight into like the

[1:41:28] [Laughter]

[1:41:31] actual and I I spoke with some other

[1:41:33] local Utilities in the area that are

[1:41:35] they've had some of the conversations as

[1:41:37] well like you just said what if we don't

[1:41:39] and the states saying there will be

[1:41:41] fines I don't think they've detailed

[1:41:42] what they'll be right now but they're

[1:41:44] going to Levy but there's also an

[1:41:45] operational impact if people don't

[1:41:48] comply with the work that happens when

[1:41:50] there is a disturbance and um one more

[1:41:52] question so I'm wondering like uh is

[1:41:57] there notification like are any of these

[1:41:59] rentals like is there notification given

[1:42:02] to the renters rather than the owners

[1:42:04] yes so we'll be communicating with the

[1:42:06] property owners as well as the the

[1:42:10] customer um so we'll you the person will

[1:42:13] communicate with the billing address as

[1:42:14] well as the service

[1:42:18] address um Susanna and then Bruce and me

[1:42:21] then I think we've got everybody

[1:42:23] we done you will have hit all of us um

[1:42:27] the uh I'm curious the machine learning

[1:42:29] component of it that what happens when

[1:42:31] you get to one of these that have been

[1:42:33] identified as having uh the galvanized

[1:42:38] pipes and then you discover that they

[1:42:40] don't and is that how does that

[1:42:42] information feedback loop take place so

[1:42:46] part of the State's acceptance of our

[1:42:48] machine learning methodology as well as

[1:42:50] any other utilities machine learning

[1:42:52] methodology is that after you have your

[1:42:55] inventory and it's it's been accepted in

[1:42:58] October when we submit it there'll be a

[1:43:00] requirement to go and spot check um it's

[1:43:02] based on the number of services in your

[1:43:05] inventory so for us with 22,000 Services

[1:43:09] the equivalent statistical number that

[1:43:11] they're wanting us to spot check is

[1:43:12] around that 300 mark so we're going to

[1:43:14] have to go and spot check 300 areas that

[1:43:17] were identified as

[1:43:19] being either yes or no based on

[1:43:23] predictive modeling and confirm that the

[1:43:25] predictive modeling matches what we're

[1:43:27] seeing in the field I will say there has

[1:43:30] been no guidance yet supported from the

[1:43:32] state about what happens if they don't

[1:43:34] match so we are not sure what would

[1:43:36] happen if that's the case because the

[1:43:38] models 98% accurate based on the

[1:43:42] statistical modeling that we've seen to

[1:43:44] date so we're not sure what happens with

[1:43:46] that 2% that might not be accurate right

[1:43:48] the false positives and the false

[1:43:50] negatives and exactly yep thank

[1:43:54] you so we have um we have to start by

[1:43:59] 2027 and we have to be done by 2037

[1:44:03] right if I recall that's the that's what

[1:44:07] we estimate to be the Timeline under the

[1:44:09] yeah the draft Rule and we have a ton of

[1:44:12] stuff that we're doing over the next

[1:44:15] three or four years with the past

[1:44:18] filtration and the clear well and the

[1:44:21] electrical distribution and then all the

[1:44:23] regular CIP stuff and

[1:44:27] um

[1:44:29] all uh and I worry that we're taking on

[1:44:32] too much too fast uh and not being

[1:44:37] required to do it this quickly I

[1:44:39] understand that there's operational

[1:44:41] benefit to getting it done

[1:44:44] quickly understand that but uh I just

[1:44:47] worry that we we're taking on too much

[1:44:50] stuff and there's a lot of unknowns that

[1:44:53] will appear over time as we get into

[1:44:55] these projects so is it is it wise to

[1:44:59] commit to getting this done between 2025

[1:45:02] and 2027 rather than leaving it a little

[1:45:05] further

[1:45:07] open I think I want to respond to that

[1:45:09] and a bit of what Todd you know the

[1:45:12] concern about paying for these ourselves

[1:45:16] and that yeah I think we have to take a

[1:45:19] step back from this and think you know

[1:45:21] what if there are what if there is

[1:45:23] Led in these lines

[1:45:28] y that is not healthy for those folks

[1:45:31] that live in that house that's not the

[1:45:33] level of service that aasa is expected

[1:45:37] to provide um so there's a public health

[1:45:40] concern there there's also now we've got

[1:45:43] that line that's out there that's got

[1:45:45] LED in it that's in service if there

[1:45:48] were some kind of backflow event well

[1:45:51] then the rest of the distribution

[1:45:53] system get LED back in I think if you if

[1:45:57] we look at it through that

[1:45:59] lens these need need the these need to

[1:46:01] come out of the ground okay that's the

[1:46:03] effort that's across you know this this

[1:46:05] all came out of the Flint Michigan U the

[1:46:08] ble and that's the goal of this program

[1:46:12] is you know we're very fortunate that we

[1:46:14] only have 110 of these galvanized lines

[1:46:17] that need to come out but there are

[1:46:18] communities where maybe 50% of these are

[1:46:23] are actually LED so I think if we if we

[1:46:25] look at that through that lens then we

[1:46:29] we need to as soon as possible address

[1:46:31] this uh risk that's out there to uh

[1:46:34] public health so I think if we look at

[1:46:37] that and and we go address these right

[1:46:40] away I think it's a sense of comfort for

[1:46:43] the community we're maintaining the high

[1:46:46] level of service that our customers are

[1:46:48] used to and um you know we're we're U

[1:46:52] ahead of the game so to speak with

[1:46:55] you're not worried that we're taking on

[1:46:56] too many projects at at once this

[1:46:59] is when I look at it this is how I've

[1:47:02] gotten comfortable with it when I look

[1:47:04] at it from that perspective it jumps up

[1:47:06] on priority okay so other things may get

[1:47:09] delayed now yeah it's it's like I would

[1:47:11] I would delay something else and do this

[1:47:14] instead because at it it's it's that

[1:47:16] that important okay it's also important

[1:47:20] to understand this is not a program

[1:47:23] was is undertaking

[1:47:25] voluntarily not our idea hey why don't

[1:47:27] we go out and check and see what which

[1:47:30] of these we can find right the federal

[1:47:32] government has said you will do this

[1:47:34] right and you will do it on this

[1:47:36] timeline those and the timelines that

[1:47:38] were set out on the on the slides 27 and

[1:47:42] 37 or 25 and 3 uh so these are federal

[1:47:46] regulations that must be

[1:47:51] met I thought somebody would ask so what

[1:47:53] happens if you go to Joe Smith's house

[1:47:56] and Joe Smith says get the hell off my

[1:47:58] property well I have a Ser

[1:48:02] questions yeah I I I would imagine that

[1:48:05] that would be true for the public side

[1:48:07] of for the Utility side but I can't

[1:48:11] imagine there would be a federal that's

[1:48:15] well how would that even be legally I

[1:48:17] don't require you to imagine it but I do

[1:48:19] require you to believe it because it is

[1:48:21] true I mean the Federal government has

[1:48:23] now mandated that a was make sure that

[1:48:26] both sides of that service line both the

[1:48:28] was side and the privately owned side

[1:48:31] have no lid well it sounds then like

[1:48:33] elmyra's solution is the one that gets

[1:48:35] used at that point it's like if you're

[1:48:37] not going to let us replace it and we're

[1:48:38] shutting off your water well I I would I

[1:48:42] think it's

[1:48:43] premature uh to try to make that kind of

[1:48:45] a determination today on the other hand

[1:48:48] there may be other solutions that that

[1:48:52] I will add one little piece to the

[1:48:54] conversation

[1:48:56] so the ru makers did have some foresight

[1:48:59] into thinking that some people might

[1:49:00] either not be responsive or not um

[1:49:05] want yeah yeah exactly once someone

[1:49:08] coming onto their property so the rule

[1:49:11] has been written that you have to make

[1:49:12] four attempts to communicate with each

[1:49:15] customer that you're coming to do the

[1:49:17] private side service replacement on they

[1:49:19] have to be different types of

[1:49:21] Communication phone email mailer

[1:49:25] postcard whatever they have to meet a

[1:49:27] certain criteria for the communication

[1:49:29] to be listed as one of the four attempts

[1:49:32] if after that they choose to still not

[1:49:34] be responsive you would list them as

[1:49:35] non-responsive but you would still have

[1:49:37] to

[1:49:38] notify uh we would still have to submit

[1:49:41] an inventory with that being listed as

[1:49:42] galvanized requirement replacement every

[1:49:44] year in perpetuity and we would have to

[1:49:46] comply with the regulations for any

[1:49:47] disturbance notices going to that

[1:49:49] particular resident if they chose not to

[1:49:52] change their service line um in

[1:49:55] perpetuity which can lead to operational

[1:49:58] challenges I can imagine if a customer

[1:50:02] had to pay for the uh construction on

[1:50:06] their side of the

[1:50:07] line they would be more inclined to say

[1:50:10] stay off my property but one of the

[1:50:12] reasons that uh aasa's undertaking the

[1:50:16] cost to both sides of that line is to

[1:50:19] make sure that that uh incentive is not

[1:50:22] there that is why on Earth would

[1:50:24] somebody say no i' even though you're

[1:50:25] willing to fix it and pay it have it

[1:50:28] fixed I'd rather have LD in my

[1:50:31] children's drinking water you I just

[1:50:33] don't think that's going to happen with

[1:50:36] the sore frequency that we would be

[1:50:38] concerned about and I'll tell you Marcus

[1:50:41] will tell you there is quite a few

[1:50:43] people in our community that don't want

[1:50:44] you on their property and don't want you

[1:50:46] to even inspect so that will be an issue

[1:50:49] I'm

[1:50:50] sure I I have uh three

[1:50:53] questions um the first is uh we talked

[1:50:57] about housing and it just the EP this

[1:50:59] rule just might be houses but my kids go

[1:51:01] to carbo Elementary which was built you

[1:51:04] know in the 50s are we doing anything

[1:51:06] about

[1:51:10] schools are schools part of

[1:51:13] this so schools is part of a later phase

[1:51:17] in the Le copper Rule and and Provisions

[1:51:23] be but there are there are current state

[1:51:26] efforts that are testing school system

[1:51:29] which actually is going to fulfill the

[1:51:31] part of this rule requirement and we

[1:51:34] like will my kids be in elementary

[1:51:36] school or High

[1:51:38] School service lines the service lines

[1:51:41] to the school are part of this process

[1:51:43] they're not excluded from that so

[1:51:45] they're inspected and okay A lot of

[1:51:47] times size takes place or you know is

[1:51:50] are they prioritized because they have

[1:51:53] kids in there the service line

[1:51:56] Replacements yeah I mean that would be

[1:51:59] part of the the process that we'll use

[1:52:00] to prioritize this system yeah okay and

[1:52:02] I will say that in Chapel Hill in carbo

[1:52:06] we have done previous efforts of um

[1:52:09] significant School sampling for lead

[1:52:11] okay so that was my first question my

[1:52:14] SEC second question was I think the map

[1:52:16] that we showed is the existing service

[1:52:18] area what about the potential extension

[1:52:21] of the service area

[1:52:23] um with the Wasa agreement and the

[1:52:27] houses that are would be in that

[1:52:30] area they well anything new we know will

[1:52:33] be categorically non-led um but these

[1:52:37] are like old houses

[1:52:38] like if it if they're

[1:52:41] as yeah those those houses that would be

[1:52:45] added wouldn't have service lines right

[1:52:46] now they'd be on whales and would have

[1:52:48] to connect so they'd be they would use

[1:52:50] up toate um new um infrastructure new

[1:52:53] pipe they to their houses and they'd

[1:52:55] have to connect that with today's

[1:52:56] standards okay cool uh and then Bob

[1:52:59] asked my third question so my fourth

[1:53:01] question which is my last question and

[1:53:03] hopefully the last question for the

[1:53:04] group could we go back to the service

[1:53:06] line slide of the picture yeah this that

[1:53:08] one the one that yeah I I thought I was

[1:53:12] operating under the assumption that

[1:53:13] property owners were responsible from

[1:53:15] the line from the house to the main no

[1:53:17] so that's in the sewer service so oh oh

[1:53:21] okay so actually in ours I don't know if

[1:53:23] this has a pointer or not but um aasa

[1:53:26] aasa stops at this part where it leaves

[1:53:29] the meter Setter as our last goes from

[1:53:31] here but on the sewer line it's from the

[1:53:33] main to the house just wanted to clarify

[1:53:35] that um thank

[1:53:37] you anybody else or I I do for on those

[1:53:41] service lines if we take the schools for

[1:53:45] example to change those have you thought

[1:53:48] or analyzed that the cost might be

[1:53:50] higher on those cases

[1:53:53] than a house cost uh have you taken

[1:53:58] account into that yeah but and I just

[1:54:01] explained a little bit about the school

[1:54:02] a lot of the school's infrastructure is

[1:54:04] because it's such a large water usage is

[1:54:06] larger and those aren't typically pipes

[1:54:08] that would be galvanized requiring

[1:54:10] replacement or potentially LED in that

[1:54:12] so that the cost would be higher and if

[1:54:15] there is a university property or

[1:54:17] something that is a 2 in it would be

[1:54:19] more but I think that's averaged into

[1:54:21] the um estimated cost of all of them now

[1:54:24] a second question on this what happens

[1:54:28] with private uh businesses are we going

[1:54:31] to take care of them too or up to what

[1:54:35] at what point we are going to say this

[1:54:38] is you this is not no more of Wasa at

[1:54:42] the expense of Wasa when do we have a

[1:54:45] stopping point and correct me if I'm

[1:54:48] wrong Alison but right now a customer is

[1:54:49] a customer whether it's a commercial or

[1:54:51] a residence

[1:54:52] does UNC have a is you is UNCC part of

[1:54:56] this

[1:54:58] yes we talk a little bit about UNC and

[1:55:01] how much they might be there are a

[1:55:03] handful of galvaniz requiring

[1:55:05] Replacements that are either on or

[1:55:07] adjacent to UNCC properties so we have a

[1:55:10] meeting coming up later this month to

[1:55:11] talk with um UNC both their facilities

[1:55:15] folks their Plumbing staff their right

[1:55:18] of Entry team because we'll need to get

[1:55:20] a right of Entry to to UNCC property in

[1:55:23] the same way that we get right of Entry

[1:55:25] to private property um and in addition

[1:55:28] to UNCC as a stakeholder we're also

[1:55:29] having conversations with um both towns

[1:55:33] because we don't do plumbing inspections

[1:55:34] but now we're going to have plumbing

[1:55:36] inspections and permitting required as

[1:55:38] part of that so we're trying to wrap our

[1:55:40] arms around what the towns and the

[1:55:42] university are all going to require in

[1:55:44] terms of um planning permitting fees

[1:55:48] inspection close out documentation all

[1:55:51] these types of things and sometimes when

[1:55:54] you do this kind of work it's much

[1:55:56] harder than anticipated or you you

[1:55:59] discover things that are you know you

[1:56:01] didn't know and it it could become much

[1:56:04] larger we are actively working on

[1:56:07] talking to the utilities that have

[1:56:09] already started their galvanized

[1:56:10] requirement replacement or their lead

[1:56:11] replacement plan to see what lessons

[1:56:13] learned that they have and the

[1:56:15] consultant that we're working with has

[1:56:16] done this in a lot of of the

[1:56:18] northeastern locations which granted

[1:56:20] have a slightly different

[1:56:23] um situation than we do you know homes

[1:56:25] are built differently The Meters might

[1:56:27] be in basements whereas meters here are

[1:56:29] out on by the sidewalk typically so

[1:56:31] we're trying to capitalize on all the

[1:56:32] lessons learned that we possibly can and

[1:56:34] make sure

[1:56:35] that we keep our arms around what we can

[1:56:38] actually do with compliance for this

[1:56:41] okay great thank you all right I think

[1:56:44] we're gonna WRA just okay go for a

[1:56:48] concern when we get into the replacing

[1:56:51] this service line

[1:56:52] I'm just afraid that we might get into

[1:56:54] an expense equal to the pasas once we

[1:56:59] keep adding you know more more to change

[1:57:03] and and if we go to the university and

[1:57:06] if there is a lot to be changed at the

[1:57:09] University those $10,000 we think for

[1:57:13] unit or per

[1:57:15] unit it's not going to be nothing

[1:57:19] compared to the cost that he can be I

[1:57:22] I'm just concerned of the amount of

[1:57:25] money that it can be spent if we don't

[1:57:28] be

[1:57:31] careful I think we share some of those

[1:57:33] concerns about what what we don't know

[1:57:37] that that might exist out there and

[1:57:39] that's unfortunately that that happens

[1:57:42] with every project we do there's only so

[1:57:44] much that can be determined in planning

[1:57:48] and so usually we build in contingencies

[1:57:50] and things like that to for those

[1:57:52] unknowns um hopefully with the scale of

[1:57:56] this being fairly small and working with

[1:57:59] some experience folks and like Allison

[1:58:02] said learning from uh others that have

[1:58:06] done this we can avoid some of the the

[1:58:09] you know bigger surprises that are out

[1:58:12] there thank

[1:58:14] you um thank you very much for answering

[1:58:19] all of those questions um and for that

[1:58:22] presentation and I'm looking forward to

[1:58:24] the communication to the community and

[1:58:25] if there are things that we can do um to

[1:58:27] help please please let us know um it's

[1:58:30] now time to review the board work

[1:58:32] schedule are there any public

[1:58:36] comments um are there any requests from

[1:58:39] board members General Counsel or

[1:58:41] staff no thanks okay um over to Todd to

[1:58:45] review the rest of the

[1:58:47] item yes um at the next at the October

[1:58:51] meeting Mee we will be having our annual

[1:58:53] meeting so Mar starn and Associates will

[1:58:55] be here to go over the audit with you

[1:58:58] all um we'll also be talking about the

[1:59:01] scope of work for the rate study um

[1:59:04] coming up then we added an item tonight

[1:59:07] to that to kind of discuss this CIP risk

[1:59:11] U impact as far as budgeting is

[1:59:14] concerned um you also find the 12-month

[1:59:18] calendar in your agendas our uh pending

[1:59:21] St staff action items and the recurring

[1:59:24] items for the next three to five years

[1:59:26] I'd be happy to answer any questions

[1:59:27] anybody has about

[1:59:30] that does anybody have any

[1:59:34] questions good on that um thank you very

[1:59:38] much I'd be happy to summarize the items

[1:59:41] I have you summarize tonight's meeting

[1:59:44] um as I mentioned we will uh add the uh

[1:59:47] CIP risk impact discussion to the

[1:59:50] October board meeting agenda

[1:59:52] at Bruce's suggestion we'll investigate

[1:59:55] potential impacts to aasa from uncc's

[1:59:58] proposed changes to the Coen Fuel and

[2:00:02] get back to the board at at some some

[2:00:04] future date uh we'll provide uh some

[2:00:07] followup to the comments that were made

[2:00:10] on the

[2:00:11] de report uh I had protective service

[2:00:14] worker definition we'll get you that

[2:00:16] Michael um historical retention numbers

[2:00:20] um and then we'll look at the uh kind of

[2:00:23] the comps for gender diversity in the

[2:00:26] our you know our known entities that we

[2:00:29] can reach out to and find out about that

[2:00:31] and then the last thing I had was I'll

[2:00:33] update my work plan to reflect the

[2:00:36] suggestions from

[2:00:39] Bruce um I think that just about wraps

[2:00:43] everything up so

[2:00:46] uh Bob the meeting a journ thank you

[2:00:53] all

[2:00:55] right wanted to

[2:01:03] check so the Republican

[2:01:15] National is really bad

[2:01:22] I

Board of Directors

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