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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-SJC-2010-06-09 SJC MEETING June 9, 2010 SJC Members Staff Wade Wykstra, Chair Supervisor Herb Engman Supervisor MaryAnn Sumner Rich DePaolo Joel Zumoff Ellen McCollister Eric Whitney Bill Gray Scott Gibson Steve Thayer Dan Ramer Absent Pat Leary Mayor Carolyn Peterson Guests IAWWTF Staff Jose Lozano, Ed Gottlieb Johnson Controls Staff Christopher Kalwara Ithaca Journal Staff Stacey Shackford MRB Consultants Bill Davis, Robert Sciarrone OTHER Walter Hang, Toxics Targeting Paul Jennette, Cornell CCWMAC Beverly Livesay, Brian Eden, Stan Seltzer Wade called the meeting to order at 12:34PM Approval of May 2010 minutes – Moved by Herb, seconded by MaryAnn. The motion passed without dissent. Energy Audit Study – The Johnson Control project requires an additional step. As JCI presented to Dryden’s board it was pointed out that the enabling legislation for performance contracting required that a Request for Proposal process to select a qualified contractor. A previous NYS contract for Security Systems and Solutions included performance contracting as one of the approved project types. A revised version of the NYS contract removed that option. Chris of JCI was unaware of the change and we missed it as well. We are working with the Controller and attorneys to pursue a Request for Proposals. State Contract or Professional Services are exceptions to the Competitive Bidding Process. The bidding threshold is $35,000 which this project exceeds. An RFP can be used to select a qualified, responsible Professional Services provider for this project. 1 Action Item: Staff to Develop an RFP to implement identified projects for energy reduction. Financial Report – Steve Thayer Steve distributed the financial reports for the past month. He noted that expenses are within normal range. Payments for the 1st and 2nd quarters have been received by all 3 entities. Excess revenue over expenses total $466,199. The expenses for the 1st Energy litigation are $27,000 to date. The Fund Balance is showing steady growth ($1.3M through 2009) and should be discussed at a future meeting. There has been no capital activity in the past month. The City is behind on audits and is working to catch up. IAWWTF audits are conducted each year at a cost of $5000. Copies of 2006 and 2007 audits will be distributed at July meeting and 2008 will be forthcoming soon after and 2009 towards the end of the year. Steve noted that billing and collections lag for multiple reasons. Invoices are booked at the end of each month but are actually dispersed in the first or second week of the following month. This process is due to waiting for final calculations from the Environmental Lab to enter into the invoices for final pricing calculations. Operator/Engineering Report Summary – Dan Ramer, Scott Gibson Johnson Control Energy Project – Covered in 1st item of business. Interviews for the open Operator position will be set up for the latter part of June. New Penn Valley Pump for digested sludge in operation. The IAWWTF Ithaca Festival Parade Float marched down Cayuga Street and represented our facility beautifully. Thanks to all who participated in the parade; Hank Spencer, Frank Eggleston, Lynn Smith, Roxy Johnston and Ivana Nitzova. Thanks also to all who helped get it ready; Terry Henry, Ken Dzikiewicz and Ed Gottlieb. NYSEG and their consultants are still evaluating the field data from their remedial investigation of the former MGP site. No remedial plan has been developed for our site which includes our new septage receiving facility. Bill Davis from MRB indicated that his firm has approximately $7,000 in cost overruns on the headworks loading project from the original cost of $13,000. The basis for this assertion is additional meetings that have been expended in Ithaca, additional evaluation on items like formaldehyde, phenols, and general hydrolosate, and additional time with staff than what was originally proposed in the scope. We wish to discuss this issue in more detail to identify what, if any, amount might be acceptable for approval. As you recall, in May 2009, the SJC voted to increase the total project amount by $23,000 to cover additional sampling and analysis that was directed at the time. I do not believe we had exceeded that amount and should have funding left in the project account for the MRB overage. Bill was asked to provide a breakdown of items to be considered. 2 3 Cornell Animal Waste – A letter was received from Walter Hang requesting a negative vote for the acceptance of Cornell Vet Waste (hydrolysate) based on his concerns with the recent headworks loading study that was conducted on the plant, and the recusal of Dan Ramer, Chief Operator of IAWWTF. Staff presented a 5 page document rebutting Mr. Hang’s conclusions with the study. A letter written by SJC Chair Wade Wykstra commenting on Mr. Hang’s initial letter was also distributed to the members. Representatives of CCWMAC (Cornell Community Waste Management Advisory Committee) were present and distributed a document which describes the history of the Cornell Digester Project and how the public and Cornell have worked together since the early 1990’s to bring this project to fruition. A lengthy discussion took place regarding plant operations, permitting and requirements, legalities, worker and community health and safety, to name a few. Action Item: Pat and Scott to finalize resolution Dan and Scott to draft permit and monitoring plan to be distributed 2 weeks prior to July meeting On a motion, the meeting adjourned. The next meeting is scheduled for July 14, 2010 at 12:30PM.