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Commission Minutes – Thursday, October 17, 2024

Written by Janice Meridith on . Posted in Commission Meeting Minutes.

For your consideration, please read the minutes from the Commission Meeting held on Thursday, October 17, 2024 at 2:00 p.m. in the Commission Meeting Room.

Commission Minutes 10-17-24 with Attachments

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

Brunswick-Glynn Joint Water and Sewer Commission

1703 Gloucester Street, Brunswick, GA 31520

Thursday, October 17 2024, at 2:00 PM 

COMMISSION MINUTES 

PRESENT:                             

G. Ben Turnipseed, Chairman

Clayton Watson, Vice-Chairman

Charles Cook, Commissioner

Wayne Neal, Commissioner

Lance Sabbe, Commissioner

Dave Ford, Commissioner

Chad Strickland, Commissioner (Via Teams) 

ALSO PRESENT:                  

Andrew Burroughs, Executive Director

Charles A. Dorminy, HBS Legal Counsel

LaDonnah Roberts, Deputy Executive Director

Todd Kline, Director of Engineering

Pam Crosby, Director of Procurement

David Owens, Director of Finance

Jay Sellers, Director of Administration

Frances Wilson, Accounting Manager

Janice Meridith, Executive Commission Administrator

Chairman Turnipseed called the meeting to order at 2:00 PM.

EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION

            Donna Martin – Wastewater Collection System Operator

Robert Dismuke – Wastewater Collection System Operator

            Andrew Kelly – Water Distribution Operator

            Matt O’Connor – Water Operator Class 3

            Harry Patel – Water Operator Class 3

            LaDonnah Roberts – Water Laboratory Analyst

            Kalem Head – Comp TIA Security Certification

            Jay Sellers – Master Public Information Officer Certification

Commissioner Neal provided the invocation, and Commissioner Sabbe led the Pledge of Allegiance. 

PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD

Chairman Turnipseed opened the public comment period.

There being no public comment, Chairman Turnipseed closed the public comment period.

COMMITTEE UPDATES

Facilities Committee – Chairman Turnipseed provided an update on the Facilities Committee Meeting held on September 18, 2024.

Finance Committee – Pro term Committee Chairman Cook provided an update on the Finance Committee Meeting held on September 18, 2024. 

APPROVAL

  1. Minutes from the September 19, 2024, Regular Commission Meeting

Commissioner Neal made a motion seconded by Commissioner Sabbe to approve the minutes from the September 19, 2024, Regular Commission Meeting.  Motion carried 7-0-0.

  1. Fiscal Year 2024 Audit Presentation and Acceptance – D. Owens

Mr. Owens stated that the BGJWSC is required to have its financial statements audited annually.  The Operational Agreement requires that the audit be completed by October 15 of each year.  Mauldin & Jenkins, Certified Public Accountants, issued their unqualified opinion for the Fiscal Year ended June 30, 2024, and issued their report. Mr. Owens presented the Fiscal Year 2023-2024 Financial & Compliance Audit for acceptance by the full Commission.  He stated that a clean unmodified opinion resulted from the analysis.  There were no findings or management points for discussion.

Commissioner Watson made a motion seconded by Commissioner Cook that the Brunswick-Glynn Joint Water and Sewer Commission accept the audited financial report for the Fiscal Year ended June 30, 2024, and authorization of its release to the public and reporting agencies.  Motion carried 7-0-0.

  1. Fiscal Year 2024 Year End Transfer – A. Burroughs

Mr. Burroughs noted that the Fiscal Year 2024 financial statements have been audited by our external auditors.  As a result of effective management of operational funds, JWSC has positioned itself to be able to transfer funds to their elective reserves. Personnel costs for FY24 came in approximately $315,000 under budget, due to difficulty filling open positions. Revenues came in stronger than expected, particularly service fees, operational fees from new construction, and septic hauler fees. These line items savings total approximately $1,100,000. Based upon current cash balances and projected upcoming cash needs, staff is comfortable recommending a total transfer amount around $2,200,000.  Based upon the most recent Pension Plan Actuarial Review, the calculated unfunded liability for the JWSC pension program as of January 1, 2024, is $1,281,842, with a funded ratio of 88.95%. The JWSC has an existing capital lease for the purchase of four (4) VacCons as approved by the Commission at the August 2022 Commission meeting. The remaining balance on this lease is $902,570.93.

Commissioner Ford made a motion seconded by Commissioner Sabbe to move that the Brunswick-Glynn Joint Water and Sewer Commission authorize the transfer of $1,281,842 to the Brunswick-Glynn County Water and Sewer Retirement Plan and $902,570.93 to Truist Bank to payoff the remaining VacCon lease from net operating revenue generated in Fiscal Year 2024.  Motion carried 7-0-0.

  1. Christmas 2024 Staff Gift Cards – D. Owens

Mr. Owens stated that The Brunswick-Glynn Joint Water and Sewer Commission has in past years given employees a Christmas gift card as an expression of appreciation and thanks. The cost of the cards is included in the Fiscal Year 2025 budget.  The cards will be distributed on December 13th, 2024, along with payroll. The staff of the JWSC recommends that the Brunswick-Glynn Joint Water and Sewer Commission provide employees with a gift card in the amount of $100.00 to Walmart.  The total number of cards would be 143 for a total of $14,300.00. Commissioner Sabe requested that in the future gift cards for local businesses be considered in place of the Walmart gift cards to support our local vendors.

Commissioner Cook made a motion seconded by Commissioner Neal that the Brunswick-Glynn Joint Water and Sewer Commission approve providing employees with a gift card in the amount of $100.00 to Walmart.  The total number of cards would be 143 for a total of $14,300.00.  Motion carried 7-0-0.

Commissioner Sabbe noted that in the next year he would like to explore other options of gift cards that would support local businesses.

  1. Fiber Optic Sharing Agreement – A. Burroughs

Mr. Burroughs stated that JWSC and Glynn County share a high-speed fiber optic data network which connects our facilities to a data center. This speeds up the transfer of data between systems and eliminates the duplication of services by the County and JWSC. In 2014, a ten-year agreement was entered into concerning this shared fiber optic network. The agreement expires November 25, 2024.  This fiber optic network is critical for the sharing of data for GIS and sewer CCTV inspection videos between the various locations for the County and JWSC. There is no guaranteed cost associated with the agreement, but a sharing of any necessary costs for repairs is based on the fiber optic strands utilized by the JWSC. The JWSC utilizes 4 of the 96 strands in the fiber optic cable. The existing agreement has been updated to reflect current contact information and correct the legal name of the JWSC in the agreement; otherwise, no changes have been made.

Commissioner Cook made a motion seconded by Commissioner Ford that the Brunswick-Glynn Joint Water and Sewer Commission renew the fiber optic sharing agreement with the Glynn County Board of Commissioners.  Motion carried 6-0-1.  (Commissioner Neal abstained due to membership on the Glynn County Board of Commissioners.)

  1. Dedication of Easements and Infrastructure – T. Kline
  • Sterling Industrial Park Water Main GA99 – Easements Conveyance
  • Towne Square Phase I – Dedication of Infrastructure

Mr. Kline provided that Seaboard Construction Company has presented documents to convey a Utility Easement of a 2,766 square feet (0.063) acre parcel to JWSC.  Plant Improvement Company has presented documents to convey three parcels to JWSC for Utility Easements.  Tract 1 parcel contains 13,860 square feet (0.318) acres of land. Tract 2 contains 5,744 square feet (0.132) acres of land. Tract 3 parcel contains 4,722 (0.108) acres of land. All four parcels are easements for the Sterling Industrial Park Water Main GA 99 Project.   Mr. Kline also stated that the Developer of Towne Square Phase 1 has provided documents to dedicate infrastructure to JWSC.  It was noted that Phase 2 and Phase 3 infrastructure were previously dedicated to JWSC.

Commissioner Sabbe made a motion seconded by Commissioner Ford that the Brunswick-Glynn Joint Water and Sewer Commission approve and accept these projects with associated documentation. Motion carried 7-0-0.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S UPDATE

Mr. Burroughs provided the Commissioners with a brief update. 

COMMISSIONERS’ DISCUSSION

Commissioner Neal thanked the staff on behalf of Glynn County for their efforts during the storms.

Commissioner Sabbe requested that at the next meeting to revisit the organizational strategic goals and recap where JWSC is. 

CHAIRMAN’S UPDATE

Chairman Turnipseed provided the Commissioners with a brief update. 

EXECUTIVE SESSION

There was no Executive Session.

ADJOURN

There being no additional business to bring before the Commission, Chairman Turnipseed requested a motion to adjourn the meeting. 

Commissioner Sabbe made a motion seconded by Commissioner Ford to adjourn the meeting.  Motion carried 7-0-0. 

The Chairman adjourned the meeting at 2:47 p.m.