HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-SJC-2024-02-14SJC MEETING
February 14, 2024
SJC Board members
E Rob Cantelmo, City of Ithaca P Dave Warden, City of Ithaca
P Clyde Lederman, City of Ithaca P Rob Rosen, Town of Ithaca
P Scott Reynolds, City of Ithaca P Jason Leifer, Town of Dryden
P Rich DePaolo, Town of Ithaca PZ Ray Burger, Town of Dryden
P = Present, PZ = Present via zoom, A = Absent, E = Excused
Staff
P Steve Thayer, City of Ithaca PZ Peter Wernsdorfer, Camden Group
P Scott Gibson, City of Ithaca P Joe Slater, Town of Ithaca
P Rod Howe, Town of Ithaca P Dan Thaete, Town of Ithaca
P Chanelle Corder, City of Ithaca E Susan Brock, Attorney to IAWWTF
P Ken Scherrieble, Camden Group
P = Present, PZ = Present via zoom, PP = Present via phone
Guests
Jason Greene-GHD Engineering Jimmy Jordan-Ithaca Voice
Stephen Waldvogel-GHD Engineering John LaGorga-GHD Engingeering
Richard Straut-Barton Leguidice Jesse Semanchick-Barton Leguidice
George Bevington-Barton Leguidice
Rich volunteered for interim chair. Rich moved, Rob seconded. All in favor 5:0.
Rich volunteered to be chair. Rich moved, Rob Seconded. All in favor 5:0.
Agenda review, no changes. Approval of January 10, 2024 minutes, Dave moved. Scott
Reynolds seconds. No edits to the minutes. All in favor 5:0.
Financial Report: Steve Thayer
The results for 2023 aren’t final yet but Steve gave a rundown of the activity for 2023. It
is right about where expected.
Revenue: Budgeted was $5,852,844 and actual is $5,905,687. There will be more
receivables to post.
Expenses: Expenditures total $5,702,000.00 and there will be final postings.
• Contracted Chief operator Camden Group was paid $435,000.00. That is being
offset by the unfilled salary positions.
• Health insurance will be closer to budget once all employee contributions are
posted in the next couple of weeks.
So far in 2024,
• Debt payments from Town of Ithaca, City of Ithaca and Town of Dryden have
been paid for this year and will be posted for next month’s meeting.
Expense so far for January was $495,000.00, giving a surplus of $1,121,000.00.
• Insurance came in as a lump sum payment of $214,000.00 so roughly $19,000.00
under budget.
• Debt payment of $139,000.00 made in January.
• Capital activity- no postings in January, expect some in February.
Operations and Engineering Report – Peter Wernsdorfer
1. Operations
• Regulatory Compliance - Process Control remains stable. We had a report of non-
compliance for an instantaneous excursion on our disinfection. The matter has been
resolved.
• Personnel – We are accepting applications for two operator positions.
2. Maintenance
• Blowers –Howden technician are on site and working on getting the blowers
working.
• Micro Turbines – running well and provide the heat needed for the digester.
• Asset Management – Implementation continues.
• Clarifiers – We have a complete repair proposal for $1.4 million. We are discussing
interim solutions as we look at engineers for the capital project.
• Boiler Replacement – The dual fuel boiler is installed.
• Facility Improvements – The VRF Heat Pump installation continues.
• ActiFlo – no change, status quo.
• Digester- primary will need to be put offline due to a pipe leaking. That needs to be
fixed. The emptying of the digester will need to be done when the new grit gates are
installed. Should be without digester for about a month.
3. Staff Management
• Semi-monthly staff meetings continue.
• Weekly and/or semi-monthly check-ins continue with function leads.
4. Reporting
• Regulatory reports were sent as scheduled.
5. Business, Long-Term Development
• Capital Planning – We are watching presentations today.
• Energy Management – Our Strategic Energy Management will kickoff in March.
6. Operations Data-attached
Discussion regarding digester return pipe leak.
• The piping will need to be fixed so the secondary will need to be run as the
primary and primary will be shut down, pulled apart and repaired.
• Will have to coincide the repair with the diversion bypass happening in June
when the new gates are being installed in the influent building.
• Trucked waste will have to be shut down while the repair is happening. This
should be about a month, no more than 6 weeks.
• There will be a revenue hit.
Discussion regarding staffing issues.
• The city manager was talking about creating a negotiating team working on the
pay being increased to market wages. The group will be looking at admin unit
salaries right now.
• The chief positions were bumped up a grade getting them about $10-15,000.00
closer to market wages but it is still about $30,000.00, too low for market for a
competent chief.
• Hope to get this resolved but there has been a lot of change in personnel, so it is a
matter of getting personnel together to start the process.
• Scott will follow up with Deb Molhenoff to see where that process stands.
GHD presentation for capital improvement project.
Barton Logiudice presentation for capital improvement project.
Discussion regarding the presentations and the companies that presented.
Clyde moved to make recommendations for municipalities to approve Barton Leguidice to
negotiate a contract for engineering services. Scott seconds, No further discussion, vote
unanimous 5:0.
Agenda fulfilled, No other business to discuss. Rich Depaolo adjourned the meeting at
3:16pm.
The next SJC meeting is March 13, 1:00 pm.