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Facilities Committee Meeting Minutes – Wednesday, March 18, 2020

Written by Janice Meridith on . Posted in Facilities Committee Minutes.

For your consideration, please read the minutes from the Facilities Committee Meeting held on Wednesday, March 18, 2020 at 1:00 p.m. in the Commission Meeting Room.

Facilities Committee Minutes 3-18-20 with Attachments

To read the minutes, please open or download the pdf from the link above, or you may see more below.

Brunswick-Glynn County Joint Water & Sewer Commission

1703 Gloucester Street, Brunswick, GA 31520

Commission Meeting Room

Wednesday, March 18, 2020 at 1:00 PM 

FACILITIES COMMITTEE MINUTES

PRESENT:                             

Ben Turnipseed, Chairman

Bob Duncan, Commissioner

Charles Cook, Commissioner

Andrew Burroughs, Executive Director                              

ALSO PRESENT:                 

Donald Elliott, Commissioner

Todd Kline, Director of Engineering

John Donaghy, Director of Finance

Janice Meridith, Exec. Commission Administrator

MEDIA PRESENT:               

None Present

Chairman Turnipseed called the meeting to order at 1:00 PM.

Chairman Turnipseed provided the invocation.

PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD

There being no citizens that wished to address the Committee, Chairman Turnipseed closed the Public Comment Period.

APPROVAL

  1. Minutes from Facilities Committee Meeting February 19, 2020

Commissioner Duncan made a motion seconded by Chairman Turnipseed to approve the minutes from the Facilities Committee Meeting held on February 19, 2020.  Motion carried 2-0-1.  (Commissioner Cook abstained as he was not present for that meeting.)

  1. Water Meter RFP Award – A. Burroughs

Mr. Burroughs advised that a team of staff members from JWSC Meter Services, Customer Service/Administration, Distribution, GIS, and Finance very thoroughly reviewed and scored the Water Meter Proposals that were received from 6 providers on January 28, 2020.  He highlighted the technical requirements and various capabilities the proposals/services were scored on; and provided the Committee with a copy of the completed scoring matrix along with a very detailed memorandum explaining the processes the team of staff went through in preparing the RFP, reviewing the proposals, scoring the services and technical offerings, interviewing the different proposing firms, and considering all of the critical requirements for JWSC’s metering services.  Mr. Burroughs provided that staff recommended negotiation and finalizing contract award to Delta Municipal Supply Company for an initial pilot phase with plans to move forward on a 5-year phased program implementation; and presented a spreadsheet with the 5-year project estimated cost including contingency.   Delta Municipal Supply represents Neptune AMI Meters, and staff’s consideration was based on many different points, some of which were noted as: the low cost provider; favorable management team; integration with JWSC’s billing system (a key aspect); meter accuracy and mechanical register on the smaller meters for customer confidence in readings for billing; the meters have brass or at least metal threads; network as a service which is a radio network sending data back to JWSC; provider maintains the network; software as a service whereby the data is housed on their server which benefits JWSC by not having to purchase more servers to hold the enormous amount of data; the ability to read the data at the office on the computer which limits the trucks and staff needed on the road to read the meters; and a leak report is generated each morning giving the ability to report to customers on the same day which means less water loss for the system and less cost for the customer.  Mr. Burroughs responded to and discussed the many questions the Committee had regarding the type of meters, registers, costs, warranty, battery life, backflow preventers, network, installation, contract details, budget, etc.

Commissioner Cook made a motion seconded by Commissioner Duncan to move that the Facilities Committee recommend that the full Commission review and approve authorization of the Executive Director to move forward in negotiations with Delta Municipal Supply Company for AMI and MDMS products and services for a five-year program integration to serve the meter reading needs of the JWSC.  Motion carried 3-0-0.

DISCUSSION

  1. Annual Water Audit – J. Donaghy

Mr. Donaghy provided a copy of the Annual Water Audit for the Calendar Year of 2019 to the Committee.  He explained that the JWSC is required to submit an Annual Water Audit to the Georgia EPD by March 1st of each year.  The report is in the national AWWA format and is presented by means of completing the Reporting Worksheet in the AWWA Water Audit Software.  Copies of the Reporting Worksheet and Performance Indicators for each of the JWSC’s reporting districts were included in the packet provided to the Committee.  Mr. Donaghy explained the data and calculations within the worksheet, and provided responses and discussion for the questions the Committee asked.

  1. Pump Station 4021 Rehab Update – A. Burroughs

Mr. Burroughs reported that bids had been received on the Pump Station 4021 Project and that the bids came back at higher than expected and outside of budget.  Staff is currently working with the apparent low bidder to consider what can be removed from the scope of the project in order to get closer to the budgeted amount.  Mr. Burroughs noted that when the project was originally scoped, staff had a plan in place to reuse the existing electrical panels and maintain the duplex set-up.  As the project went forward it became a triplex station with new panels.  Staff is looking at going back closer to the original scope and eliminating some of the overages in that project.  It was not expected that some of Georgia Power’s assets would need to be relocated, therefore this was not included in the original estimate and added to the cost.

  1. SPLOST North Mainland Phase 3 Pump Stations Update – A. Burroughs

Mr. Burroughs stated that bids have been received on the SPLOST North Mainland Phase 3 Pump Station Project for PS4036 and 4035.  These pump stations receive the flow from the Harry Driggers Blvd. area.  PS4036 is located at the end of B&W Grade Road beside the canal, and PS4035 is located on Ross Road.  Mr. Burroughs provided that the bids came in higher than estimated, but the scope will be reviewed for any deductions that can be made in order to be closer to budget.  This is expected to be presented again at the next Facilities Committee Meeting.  The force main portion of the Project is expected to be advertised in mid-April.  

  1. WPCF Plant Flows Report – A. Burroughs

Mr. Burroughs provided the discussion on plant flows report for all three wastewater treatment plants, Academy Creek, Dunbar and Southport during the month of February 2020.  The numbers and percentages for various influent and effluent concentration levels reported for the three plants were all within permit limits.  This indicates that are all three plants are operating well within permit. 

  1. Project Report – A. Burroughs / T. Kline

Mr. Burroughs and Mr. Kline presented the current project report containing the financial data as of February 29, 2020 to the Committee.  Commissioner Duncan requested an overview be presented when the St. Simons Island Roundabout Project is started.  JWSC’s water and sewer portion is at the front end of the Project and must be completed first.

There being no further Committee business, Chairman Turnipseed adjourned the meeting at 2:14 p.m.