The meeting will be a hybrid format, both in person at the DWA building and online via Zoom. All shareholders are invited to attend.
Link https://us02web.zoom.us/j/5160276420 Meeting ID 516 027 6420.
Call To Order: 10:14 AM
Welcome everyone present
Present/Quorum: Darton, Susan, Patrick, Sam, Paul, Dave, April, Todd.
Consent Items:
Approve: Contents and order of this Agenda
Approve: Minutes of previous meeting.
Information Items:
Guest Speakers comments (if any): Guests (on Zoom) Leda, Penny, and Bruce. “Keeping track.” – Bruce.
Board Member comments (if any): None.
President’s Report:
- How/whether we’re going to change plans at springs, Todd’s finance report, and 268th St project.
- Reminder to use anonymous pronouns (i.e. they/them) and names like “shareholder” to address people anonymously during board meetings.
Manager/Operator Report:
- Estimate is $1200 to remove tree that broke water line.
- PRV loan is going through.
- Autopay system – on track to be online in November. Note on bill as well as on website to let people know how to get signed up to online billing. Todd suggests using a few board members to test the online billing system. Dave will talk with Angie to see how we can get that going.
- Springs project –
- Dave thinks we should get a sense of what it will take to do the updated Springs bag filtration system (30% finished design) and then close this project. This will show the DOH that we’re serious about public health.
- April – did we get clarity on whether it is even permissible to hold us to a standard that doesn’t exist yet?
- Susan – We should request premise for asking for this standard of public health safety.
- Dave – They can just use “public health safety” reasoning to delay/deny our Springs Well project due to the Springs Wells being prone to surface water intrusion.
- April – What is the cost of the bag system update for the Springs Well project vs. drilling new well at 268th St?
- Dave – No clear sense of financial range at this time.
- Todd – One thing DOH is calling out is whether we’re running our business well and safe and the DOH is putting that in question right now. DOH is saying we’re already at risk. Things can change in personnel, in protocol, etc. and these unknowns could play in our benefit. Not comfortable putting more money into a “bad pot” and wants to put Springs project on the shelf. Believes G&O did not come through as they did in the past.
- April – Is this type of situation uncommon (where plans are in motion and then an agency changes their mind/protocol)?
- Darton – Very common in permitting and dealing with DOH. We can’t proceed with the money we had for that project. What we can do is figure out what they’re asking of us, get a 30% project plan done. We want to be in good standing with DOH.
- Todd – Does this project involve the new wells or could it be strictly the springs and replacing current wells with bag system? What is the 30% number?
- Darton – 30% is a general starting point in the industry.
- Dave – In response to Todd – Project would encompass new and old wells.
- Paul – Contact basin would be taken out and filtration station would go in that space.
- April – Given the amount of money we have left, what would it take to do a 30% design? Is it even worth it to do a 30% design project.
- Paul – With the amount of fee G&O has left, they can complete a 30% design without additional fee.
- April – Do we just use the fee that would be used for 30% design to use for another design?
- Sam – What I hear from Paul, Darton, and Dave is that the 30% design plan is an important step in the process.
- Darton/Paul – Not doing 30% design would be throwing out plans and making a stand with the DOH that we don’t care about their consulting. Not a route we want to take. Having the 30% design plan could open doors in DOH to access grants and financial support.
- April – We should have a vote to see if G&O can move forward with 30% design plan.
- Patrick – What is the 30% number?
- Darton – 30% is $40K. Let’s wait to vote until we find numbers.
- Patrick – Once we know that number, the next question is what else can/could we do with the number?
- Susan – Can we also ask for a proposal on what the 30% of the 268th project will cost?
Water Production Committee:
- None.
CIP Planning Committee:
- None.
Finance Committee:
- Using less water – rain came in earlier in August.
- Good Neighbor Fund – A bit over budget.
- Have not paid insurance yet?
-
- Dave – Just renewed it and sent out check.
- Treatment & Testing – 9% higher.
- Maintenance (unscheduled) – Higher.
- System operations – In line with last year.
- Much less spent on fuel.
- Interest income – $2000 (offsetting almost all of our interest expense)
Community Outreach Committee:
- None
Old Business / Carryover Items:
- None
New Business / Discussion Items:
- Decided next meeting will be 10/26, then 12/7
Other Business:
- Susan – DWA building use – Learned that when office was added it was not permitted.
- Paul – Will get some drywall done this season.
- King County – Easement purchase on 268th St to preserve space as undeveloped land – offer of $590K for conservation easement on 100% of the property (around 25 acres). What are the merits of the offer? What is the feasibility of this offer?
- Darton – Need to be able to continue to be able to have well access in the future.
- Dave – Language excludes building and needs to include building language (for roads, wells, etc.).
- Todd – There should be no constraints for water production initiative.
- Darton – Need to have a lawyer look at the offer to include DWA initiatives into offer.
- April – Price seems lower than expected. Does it make sense to subdivide and outright sell?
- Darton – Can we get county’s appraisal numbers?
- Bruce – Agrees the offer is very low. Thinks we should reach out to broader shareholders before making any big decision.
- Susan – Can we ask for a six month to a year extension?
- All agree that we need a significant time extension, will need to have open shareholder meetings, and have no grey area for the community as we proceed with discussions and decision-making. We absolutely cannot make a decision without shareholder meeting and consensus.
- Sam – Happy to help connect April with folks at Land Trust.
- Todd – The 268th St land is an incredible legacy, and any money made from the land and invested as an endowment. Wondering if King County development rights could remain on the island. Also, if we sell on our own, we could potentially sell as individual lots and sell at a higher price.
- April – What we’ve seen in the past is that shareholders are not interested in selling the land. Shareholders are interested in preservation of wild space. Vegetation is good for the aquifer.
- Dave – Property is not being sold for development purposes if sold to King County. It’s clear that shareholders do not want individual households to be developed on 268 land.
- Bruce – Discussion also needs to be put into context about the limiting situation at the Springs for water access.
- April – Want to target annual June shareholder meeting to make final decision. Make timeline for open houses and shareholder meetings.
- April: Remote vote re: GNO 30% design costs; reach out to get extension on King County offer on 268th St. (at least a year extension); Talk to Duncan about King County offer.
- Darton: Finish up building drawings to give to Susan.
- Dave: G&O 30% design numbers; Online billing test with board members.
- Patrick: None.
- Paul: None.
- Sam: Reach out to Kristine re: website.
- Susan: None.
- Todd: None.
Meeting End: 11:51AM
Next Board Meeting: Saturday, December 7th, 2024 @10AM
Board meetings are usually held on the fourth Saturday of the month at 10:00 AM. The November and December meetings are often combined into a single meeting in early December to avoid conflicts with holidays. Upcoming meeting dates are: December 7th and January 25th.