North Emery Water Users Discuss Projects

By COREY BLUEMEL Staff Writer

The regular monthly meeting of the North Emery Water Users Special Service District was held Jan. 2 at their office in Cleveland at 7 p.m. Chairman Randy Bell called the meeting to order. Board members present were Bill Coyne, Jack Stoyanoff, Mike McCandless, Ray Quinn and Joy Barton. Laura Fillmore, secretary for the district was also present.
The first item discussed was a non-agenda item. There were several subcontractors and suppliers present at the meeting to discuss and ask questions regarding NEWUSSD Water Improvement Project 2002. The completion date of the project was Sept.11 and the contractor, Cox Development, Inc. has not paid local suppliers for materials and services for the project. The businessmen asked the NEWUSSD board when they could expect payment.
Craig Johansen, engineer for the project, was present and asked if he could respond. Johansen stated he had talked to the attorney for the water district and a letter has been sent to the bonding company for the development company asking for payment. This letter included specific companies and dollar amounts owed to them.
A copy of that letter was distributed to all concerned. Johansen also said he had been trying to contact the owner of the development company and the bonding company himself and neither will return his calls. He reported that a correct copy of all claims must be presented to the attorney along with any interest fees or late penalties the suppliers are accruing.
Johansen reported the attorney had no response as yet to the letter that had been sent to the bonding company. He stated the individuals may need to hire their own attorneys to get paid. He also stated the bonding company will most certainly pay the debts but the question is when.
Item number one on the agenda was discussion of the master plan for the North Elmo tie in with the Elmo line. Craig Johansen representing Johansen and Tuttle Engineering began by explaining the present water system and showing maps he had prepared diagraming the entire NEWUSSD water system.
Johansen showed graphs of water usage for the year 2002 and comparisons of the spring output from the different water sources under the control of the NEWUSSD. Of the four water sources discussed, only one spring needed some attention. Johansen recommended that the output line be cleaned out to improve water flow. He also explained the state statutes about water flow and required pressures.
Johansen then referred to another map he had prepared and displayed on the board. It was a graphic of each line, pump station, tank and connections in the water district. He then handed out printed explanations of several different computer generated scenarios of improvements to the water system. These scenarios explained and evaluated the pressures and flows from all parts of the system.
The board considered each scenario and the costs included to make each of the changes. They analyzed the needed upgrades and feasibility of each option. Johansen handed out drawings of the valve and vault locations and explained what would be required to make the connection to the Castle Valley tank. Since these drawings had been prepared, some changes had been made and other choices had been considered. Johansen said the basic drawing is accurate and would give a good picture of what the needs would be to make this connection.
The board voted to move on this arrangement as the corrections could be made in a few days and get the project underway and finished before the need for more water in the spring of the year. Engineering costs were discussed and CIB options were contemplated. The board made the decision to do a lump sum. Johansen pointed out two changes that needed to be made to the master plan and suggested some remedies. The board voted to make the corrections.
Johansen reported to the board that Energy West has been talking to Castle Valley about replacing Little Bear Springs. When Genwal had the lease, they were under agreement to build a new water treatment plant and since Energy West now has that lease, Energy West plans to fulfill the previous agreement. Johansen made some recommendations for the upgrades planned by EW.
The next agenda item was the resolution on the rate increase planned for 2003. Some corrections were made to the resolution that had been passed the previous month.
Terrorist insurance was next on the agenda. Stoyanoff reported the insurance company had sent a letter stating that under current statutes all entities had to declare the need for terrorist insurance. Each entity had to evaluate the need for this insurance and declare to the insurance company if it was needed or not. The board voted to inform the insurance company they did not need this coverage.
Plans for the St. George conference were discussed. The conference will be held in St. George during the last week of February.
Reservations have been made and the board needs firm decisions of the number of board members who plan to attend.
Stoyanoff reported that a drinking water conference is to be held in Price on Jan. 8.
The EPA has mandated new rules for drinking water and this conference will discuss and clarify the new rules and the steps to compliance.
The next agenda item was to discuss the need for a written statement of rules and regulations for the district.
After some discussion, the board decided that since they are no longer a corporation and are now a district, state statues regulate everything they do, and to make of copy of the state statutes would not be feasible.. If a customer requires an answer to a question, the state statutes and resolutions already on the books can be researched for clarification.
Minutes from the Dec. 5 meeting were corrected and approved followed by a motion to pay the bills.
The meeting was adjourned and the next meeting is scheduled for Feb. 6 at 7 p.m.