by Neil Richard
The King George County Service Authority Board of Directors kicked off their meeting at 6:31pm. There was an amendment to the Agenda to add a Closed Session. Though no surprise to me, most in the audience sighed or groaned at the potential for another long evening.
There was no Public Comment.
Mike Bennett began the Board Reports by stating he attended a Town Hall on June 7th, hosted by Supervisor Jeff Bueche. He said about 10 or 12 citizens attended, which allowed for a more informal discussion.
Richard Granger, Ruby Brabo, and Cathy Binder had no report.
Chris Werle, Chairman, said he visited the Oakland Park Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP) and was impressed by the dramatic changes led by Tim Maceijewski, the plant's Class 2 Operator. He joked that a WWTP may not be high on the list of places to visit by his fellow Board members but encouraged them to visit Oakland Park. Werle's Facebook post had more details and photos of the improvements. Werle said he and Chris Thomas, General Manager, conducted interviews and went through negotiations on June 13th and 14th related to the Fairview Beach Stabilization Project. He said details were still pending but the cost should not exceed $300,000. Also on the 14th, Werle said he watched Service Authority crews use a directional drill to install a new water line on Windsor Drive in Owens to replace a leaking line that went under the road. He said the new line would eliminate future leaks, allow for increased water pressure, and would be cheaper to maintain in the future.
Ruby Brabo asked if the cost of the replacement was covered by the developer that was tasked with making the Owens to Dahlgren water system connection and Thomas said no. Werle said Thomas would give more detail during his report.
The Consent Agenda was approved.
The County Attorney, Eric Gregory, had no report.
The first Action Item was a Request to nominate a Proposal Review Committee for the Interim General Manager position. Chris Werle, Ruby Brabo, Mike Bennett, and Dr. Neiman Young, County Administrator, were nominated and approved. The second Action Item was to Authorize the Chairman to negotiate and enter in to a contract to retain an Interim General Manager. Chris Werle was nominated and approved after a slight correction in the nomination to ensure it was an Interim Manager and that the cost was not to exceed $20,000 per month. The last Action Item was to Authorize the General Manager to negotiate and enter in to a lease with Sprint. Thomas reminded the Board that this lease was for five years at $2,500 per month. This Action Item was approved.
Chris Thomas then broke his General Manager's report down into three main points. The first topic was the water line leak repair on Windsor Drive in Owens. He said the leak was discovered under the pavement between Route 206 (Dahlgren Road) and Route 301 (James Madison Parkway). He said the line had been repaired in the past at this same location and that the previous repairs had caused a major traffic disruption. Thomas said it was decided to use directional drilling instead to allow traffic to continue pass more easily during the repair as well as to allow for a valve to be added for future repair work. Thomas said a new cap was also installed at the day care center nearby. He said it will prevent any leaks under the pavement as the new line is now parallel to the road.
Werle added that the previous repair cost about $60,000, largely due to the requirements to bring the road back up to VDOT requirements while this repair only cost about $12,500.
Thomas' second topic was about the Service Authority's Master Plan. He said Wiley Wilson was contracted to develop the plan and that Phase 1 was nearly complete. He said they were on site that day to finish gathering data and visited the sewer pump stations to ensure they meet Class 1 levels. Thomas said he expects the report back within two or three weeks.
Thomas' third and final topic was an update on the minor fire that was at Dr. Wendy Moore's dentist office on June 12th. He said that during the fire department's response, they found that the nearby hydrant was inoperable. Service Authority staff was notified by both Dr. Moore and the fire department about the hydrant. They discovered that it should have had an Out of Service ring on it and Thomas suspected that the ring was removed during a recent painting operation. He said that staff conducted a flow rate test on the hydrant, which is fed by the Presidential Lakes main, and it did not produce enough pressure so staff installed an Out of Service ring and painted the bonnet, or top, red. According to the National Fire Protection Association 291, a red bonnet signifies a Class C hydrant that produces less than 500 gallons per minute. Thomas said he coordinated with Dr. Moore's office and the fire department to discuss how they respond to fires in areas when little or no water is available as well as fire extinguisher training. He said that thankfully the fire was put out with limited damage and no injuries.
Granger asked if the hydrant had ever been usable. Thomas replied that it was never usable for fire fighting purposes because it was pretty much at the end of the Presidential Lakes system so it's fed by small diameter lines. Thomas said that typically a hydrant like that is only used for flushing. Brabo asked about the Out of Service tag being removed during painting and why, if it was never an operating hydrant, it was painted like a regular, functional hydrant. Thomas said it was painted silver. Brabo then asked if it was historically never an operable hydrant, how was it missed during the painting operation. Thomas said he assumed it was painted silver and crews just never went back to paint it all red. Brabo then asked if the Service Authority is doing regular maintenance checks on the hydrants, is staff ensuring that things have been painted appropriately. Thomas said yes. Brabo continued to question Thomas, this time asking if it was painted several years ago as previously stated, and we're doing regular service checks, how was it missed. Thomas said he didn't know. Bennett added that he also received an email from Dr. Moore and that he wasn't even aware that the street her office is located on, Grover Drive, and the adjoining Francis Folsom Drive had hydrants. He said he noted another hydrant on the street that was painted silver and that when he revisited the area both hydrants were painted red and had Out of Service signs on them.
The Board then went into Closed Session at 6:52pm and invited Dr. Neiman Young and Eric Gregory.
The Board returned from Closed Session at 7:31pm and adjourned a minute later.
Meeting Attendees:
Christopher Werle (Chairman, Board of Directors)
Christopher Thomas (General Manager of Service Authority)
Richard Granger (Board of Supervisors)
Michael Bennett (Citizen)
Ruby Brabo (Board of Supervisors)
Cathy Binder (Board of Supervisors)
Neiman Young (County Administrator)
Eric Gregory (County Attorney)
(plus 2 assistants)
Meeting Agenda
Next Meeting:
The Service Authority will next meet on August 7, 2018 at 6:30 pm at the Revercomb Building.
Previous Meeting:
Read about the previous Service Authority Meeting.
The King George County Service Authority Board of Directors kicked off their meeting at 6:31pm. There was an amendment to the Agenda to add a Closed Session. Though no surprise to me, most in the audience sighed or groaned at the potential for another long evening.
There was no Public Comment.
Mike Bennett began the Board Reports by stating he attended a Town Hall on June 7th, hosted by Supervisor Jeff Bueche. He said about 10 or 12 citizens attended, which allowed for a more informal discussion.
Richard Granger, Ruby Brabo, and Cathy Binder had no report.
Chris Werle, Chairman, said he visited the Oakland Park Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP) and was impressed by the dramatic changes led by Tim Maceijewski, the plant's Class 2 Operator. He joked that a WWTP may not be high on the list of places to visit by his fellow Board members but encouraged them to visit Oakland Park. Werle's Facebook post had more details and photos of the improvements. Werle said he and Chris Thomas, General Manager, conducted interviews and went through negotiations on June 13th and 14th related to the Fairview Beach Stabilization Project. He said details were still pending but the cost should not exceed $300,000. Also on the 14th, Werle said he watched Service Authority crews use a directional drill to install a new water line on Windsor Drive in Owens to replace a leaking line that went under the road. He said the new line would eliminate future leaks, allow for increased water pressure, and would be cheaper to maintain in the future.
Ruby Brabo asked if the cost of the replacement was covered by the developer that was tasked with making the Owens to Dahlgren water system connection and Thomas said no. Werle said Thomas would give more detail during his report.
The Consent Agenda was approved.
The County Attorney, Eric Gregory, had no report.
The first Action Item was a Request to nominate a Proposal Review Committee for the Interim General Manager position. Chris Werle, Ruby Brabo, Mike Bennett, and Dr. Neiman Young, County Administrator, were nominated and approved. The second Action Item was to Authorize the Chairman to negotiate and enter in to a contract to retain an Interim General Manager. Chris Werle was nominated and approved after a slight correction in the nomination to ensure it was an Interim Manager and that the cost was not to exceed $20,000 per month. The last Action Item was to Authorize the General Manager to negotiate and enter in to a lease with Sprint. Thomas reminded the Board that this lease was for five years at $2,500 per month. This Action Item was approved.
Chris Thomas then broke his General Manager's report down into three main points. The first topic was the water line leak repair on Windsor Drive in Owens. He said the leak was discovered under the pavement between Route 206 (Dahlgren Road) and Route 301 (James Madison Parkway). He said the line had been repaired in the past at this same location and that the previous repairs had caused a major traffic disruption. Thomas said it was decided to use directional drilling instead to allow traffic to continue pass more easily during the repair as well as to allow for a valve to be added for future repair work. Thomas said a new cap was also installed at the day care center nearby. He said it will prevent any leaks under the pavement as the new line is now parallel to the road.
Werle added that the previous repair cost about $60,000, largely due to the requirements to bring the road back up to VDOT requirements while this repair only cost about $12,500.
Thomas' second topic was about the Service Authority's Master Plan. He said Wiley Wilson was contracted to develop the plan and that Phase 1 was nearly complete. He said they were on site that day to finish gathering data and visited the sewer pump stations to ensure they meet Class 1 levels. Thomas said he expects the report back within two or three weeks.
Thomas' third and final topic was an update on the minor fire that was at Dr. Wendy Moore's dentist office on June 12th. He said that during the fire department's response, they found that the nearby hydrant was inoperable. Service Authority staff was notified by both Dr. Moore and the fire department about the hydrant. They discovered that it should have had an Out of Service ring on it and Thomas suspected that the ring was removed during a recent painting operation. He said that staff conducted a flow rate test on the hydrant, which is fed by the Presidential Lakes main, and it did not produce enough pressure so staff installed an Out of Service ring and painted the bonnet, or top, red. According to the National Fire Protection Association 291, a red bonnet signifies a Class C hydrant that produces less than 500 gallons per minute. Thomas said he coordinated with Dr. Moore's office and the fire department to discuss how they respond to fires in areas when little or no water is available as well as fire extinguisher training. He said that thankfully the fire was put out with limited damage and no injuries.
Granger asked if the hydrant had ever been usable. Thomas replied that it was never usable for fire fighting purposes because it was pretty much at the end of the Presidential Lakes system so it's fed by small diameter lines. Thomas said that typically a hydrant like that is only used for flushing. Brabo asked about the Out of Service tag being removed during painting and why, if it was never an operating hydrant, it was painted like a regular, functional hydrant. Thomas said it was painted silver. Brabo then asked if it was historically never an operable hydrant, how was it missed during the painting operation. Thomas said he assumed it was painted silver and crews just never went back to paint it all red. Brabo then asked if the Service Authority is doing regular maintenance checks on the hydrants, is staff ensuring that things have been painted appropriately. Thomas said yes. Brabo continued to question Thomas, this time asking if it was painted several years ago as previously stated, and we're doing regular service checks, how was it missed. Thomas said he didn't know. Bennett added that he also received an email from Dr. Moore and that he wasn't even aware that the street her office is located on, Grover Drive, and the adjoining Francis Folsom Drive had hydrants. He said he noted another hydrant on the street that was painted silver and that when he revisited the area both hydrants were painted red and had Out of Service signs on them.
The Board then went into Closed Session at 6:52pm and invited Dr. Neiman Young and Eric Gregory.
The Board returned from Closed Session at 7:31pm and adjourned a minute later.
Meeting Attendees:
Christopher Werle (Chairman, Board of Directors)
Christopher Thomas (General Manager of Service Authority)
Richard Granger (Board of Supervisors)
Michael Bennett (Citizen)
Ruby Brabo (Board of Supervisors)
Cathy Binder (Board of Supervisors)
Neiman Young (County Administrator)
Eric Gregory (County Attorney)
(plus 2 assistants)
Meeting Agenda
Next Meeting:
The Service Authority will next meet on August 7, 2018 at 6:30 pm at the Revercomb Building.
Previous Meeting:
Read about the previous Service Authority Meeting.
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