GREENWOOD METROPOLITAN DISTRICT
MINUTES OF THE
March 11, 2009
Regular meeting
The regular meeting of
the Greenwood Metropolitan District Commission was held
Wednesday, March 11, 2008 at 3:00 p.m., in the Training
Room of Greenwood Metropolitan District’s Technical
Service Facility, 110 Metro Drive, Greenwood, SC 29646.
In attendance:
Commissioner Bob Haynie,
Chairman
Richard Coleman Marsha Meyer
Commissioner Byron Smith,
Vice Chairman George Martin
Bill Moore
Commissioner Gene
Hancock, Secretary
Marion Boone Jamie Peeler
Commissioner Michael G.
Monaghan
Daniel Clark Becca Steifle
Commissioner Henry Watts
Wayne Daniel Joe Swofford
Commissioner Tim
Burke
Ken Davis Brian Waldrep
Gayle Grogan Danny Ware
Roy Hemphill Tony Williamson
Paige Holley
I.
Chairman Haynie called the meeting to order and
gave the statement of compliance with the notification
provision of the Freedom
of Information Act.
II.
Mr. Martin gave the invocation.
III. Commissioner
Hancock made a motion to add a bank resolution from
County Bank to the agenda;
Commissioner Burke
seconded, and the motion was unanimously approved.
IV.
Wilson Creek Plant Upgrade
Mr. Danny Ware of Davis
and Floyd, Inc (D & F) provided the Commission with an
update on clarifier #4. Commissioner Monaghan asked Mr.
Ware to explain what happened to clarifier #4 and why
something that heavy could float up. Mr. Ware said when
a surface area is that great, it cannot be designed to
resist the floatation. He said the force from the water
is equal to 62.4 pounds per cubic foot pushing this
upward. The contractor is waiting to hear back from
their insurance company before they proceed with the
destruction of the existing clarifier and began working
on the new clarifier #4. The contractor has secured two
prices for demolishing. Chairman Haynie inquired about
a time delay from this problem. Mr. Ware said D & F and
Metro are looking at some alternative ways to keep this
problem from impacting the BNR start-up and have a
minimal impact on the schedule completion time. He said
the original plan had clarifier #4 ready so that BNR #1
and clarifier #4 could start-up and proceed with
demolition of the existing trickling filters to start on
the second BNR. Alternatives are being investigating to
start the BNR unit. Commissioner Hancock wanted to know
how much the clarifier floated up. Mr. Ware replied
about 4 feet on one side. Commissioner Hancock inquired
if the contractor could drill holes in the concrete to
pull more concrete in to make it go back down. Mr. Ware
said the problem with that is even if it could get back
to the correct elevation, they are not sure what damage
might have happened to the pipes. Commissioner Monaghan
asked since the contractor has to demolish clarifier #4
then rebuild it, would not it be faster to build both
clarifiers at the same time. Mr. Ware said clarifier #3
is the one that has the existing influent trunk line for
the Wilson Creek Plant running right through the
structure site. Commissioner Monaghan said he thought
the trunk line was broken. Mr. Ware said one of the
lines did rupture and that is what caused a surge of
water to enter the excavation area. He said part of the
thought process is to allow the construction to proceed
by placing BNR #1 into operation and once the influent
lines are replaced the contractor can work on clarifiers
# 3 and #4 at the same time. Commissioner Monaghan
wanted to know how much the clarifier cost. Mr. Ware
said he thought the line item cost for the clarifier is
$2.5 million. Mr. Ware said they did a successful test
on the influent pumps this morning. The plan is to have
start-up on the influent pump station and grit removal
on April 6th or 13th.
Commissioner Monaghan asked if there are any leaks
around the tie in of the 72” line and in the pump
station wall. Mr. Ware said he is not aware of any
leaks. Commissioner Watts asked if there will be a
warranty on the influent pump station especially because
of the leak. Mr. Ware said there will be a one year
warranty on the entire construction project. Manager
Coleman said clarifier #4 did not float straight up. He
explained that only one side of the clarifier floated
up. Commissioner Monaghan wanted to know what caused
the pipe to break. Mr. Ware said the line is an old
clay line that has been excavated by the contractor
earlier in the project. There was a previous rupture in
the line July, 2008 and the contractor repaired the
break. Mr. Ware explained the break was the next joint
upstream of the repaired joint.
V.
TSF Expansion
Mr. Bill Moore with D&F
stated there are only six days left on the contract. He
said a lot of work still remains unfinished. The
furniture is scheduled for delivery on Wednesday, March
18th. The painters are scheduled for
Thursday and Friday. Staff is to mark the areas that
need sheetrock repairs. The tile contractor will be
back to work on their part of the project. Mr. Moore
said the contractor hopes to have the sheetrock and
floors finished by Friday. Staff said the building will
be available to the contractor on Saturday and Sunday if
needed. The contractor is fully aware of what needs to
be completed by March 17th. Manager Coleman
said the move date for the main office is Friday, March
20th.
VI.
Commissioner Watts made a motion to approve the
February 11, 2009, minutes as amended;
Commissioner Hancock
seconded, and the motion was unanimously approved.
VII.
Commissioner Monaghan inquired about the status
of updating the minutes to the website. Mrs. Holley
said she
will do a better job of
notifying Mr. Davis on updating the minutes. Mr. Davis
is to train Mrs. Holley on adding the
minutes to the website.
VIII.
GMD Finances
Commissioner Monaghan
asked if Mr. Hemphill was able to check the governing
statute concerning capacity fee and inform Metro of any
restrictions. Mr. Hemphill said there is nothing in the
law that dictates that. He said as he see it Metro can
draw it down as far as they want to. Manager Coleman
said the Long Range Financial Plan is where the numbers
are written down. Commissioner Monaghan said he thought
Manager Coleman said it was in the Cost Recovery
Policy. Manager Coleman said it is in the Long Range
Financial Plan. Commissioner Monaghan said it is not a
policy so if Metro does not have a policy they can do
whatever they want to. Manager Coleman said the
Commission adopts the Long Range Financial Plan and the
numbers are included. Commissioner Monaghan said the
financial plan is a moving target. Chairman Haynie said
he received an email from the County saying the property
tax collection is down $307,000 compared to this time
last year. Mrs. Grogan said she received the email
right before the Commission meeting. Mrs. Grogan asked
if the email has been forwarded to all Commissioners.
Chairman Haynie said per the email the main reason for
the decrease amount of collection is from the state of
the economy. Mrs. Grogan said she emailed the County
because Metro’s collections were low and that was the
response. She will forward the email to all
Commissioners.
IX.
Service Reports
a.
Collection Systems
Commissioner Monaghan
asked if the format has changed for the recording of
revenue for the grinder pump maintenance. Mr. Daniel
replied he has changed the format and will be in next
month’s report. Commissioner Monaghan asked for the new
report to be emailed to all Commissioners. Mr. Daniel
said he would email the information to the Commission.
Commissioner Monaghan asked for an update on the
emergency phones. Mrs. Meyer said the second emergency
number cannot be rolled over to a third number. Metro
has added voice mail to the second number. The voice
mail has Mr. Daniel’s mobile number for the customer to
call. Commissioner Burke asked for more information on
the removing of the grinder pumps for the LMI area. Mr.
Daniel said Metro had turned off the grinder pumps and
plugged the line back in January. He sent crews out
there to investigate on how the residence was getting
sewer. The crews determined that three of the four
houses were connected back to their septic tank. Those
grinder pumps were removed from the tanks. Commissioner
Burke asked if there are any DHEC or grant issues that
might arise from Metro removing the grinder pumps. Mr.
Martin said Metro thought there would be some issues
from DHEC if the homeowners connected back to their
septic tanks. Mr. Daniel said Metro notified DHEC when
they removed the grinder pumps and have not heard back
from DHEC. Commissioner Hancock said he had called DHEC
as well. Chairman Haynie commented that if Metro
provides sewer there should be an enforcement mechanism
in place for people to be required to use it.
Commissioner Burke said that is through DHEC and that is
why he is asking about those grinder pump residents. He
said if sewer is available, not retroactively, then you
are required to connect to sewer by DHEC rules.
Commissioner Burke wants to make sure that Metro is
following the regulations established by DHEC.
Commissioner Hancock said that DHEC does not want to
enforce any of the laws. Mr. Martin said DHEC does not
seem to mind enforcing the laws on Metro. Manager
Coleman said he is concerned about it jeopardizing the
LMI qualifications. He said that is 3 out of the 35
grinder pumps that were paid for that are no longer in
use. Mr. Daniel said they only removed 3 pumps. They
could not tell if the 4th homeowner was
connected back to sewer. Commissioner Burke reminded
staff to make sure they have everything in writing.
b.
Engineering
Commissioner Watts wanted
to know what Metro will do about the violations from
Self Regional. Mr. Williamson said over the last few
months Self has been adding a treatment to their hot
water recirculation lines and it should be building a
coating on the interior of their hot water pipes. He
said Metro is looking at converting Self from a
concentration limit to a mass limit or pounds per day
limit. Commissioner Watts asked if the violations are
affecting the treatment plant. Mr. Williamson responded
the violations are not affecting the treatment plant
now. Commissioner Monaghan said he thought Metro gave
Chandler relief on the contract schedule on the City
Pond Project. He wanted to know why Chandler is working
overtime when Metro gave them relief on the contract.
Mr. Waldrep replied Chandler does not have a lot of work
right now. Chandler has an extra crew that does not
have any work. There are two crews working on this
project; one crew works Monday through Thursday and the
other crew works Thursday through Sunday. Mr. Waldrep
said it is advantageous to Chandler to work as much as
possible during the dry days. Chandler is working the
two crews so that his employees can work 40 hours per
week. Commissioner Watts asked if Metro has received
money from CPW for the City Pond Project. Mrs. Grogan
responded yes.
c.
I/I Abatement
Commissioner Watts wanted
to know when Metro will hold the pre-bid meeting on the
Seaboard Avenue Project. Mr. Boone said he has a
meeting next Wednesday with Aaron Frazier and the
pre-bid meeting should be in three to four weeks.
Commissioner Monaghan asked if that is in the same area
where CPW is doing a water line project. Mr. Martin
said it adjoins the CPW projects. Commissioner Hancock
said Metro will be on one side of East Cambridge and CPW
will be on the other side. Commissioner Monaghan would
like for staff to use the general terms to indentify
projects i.e. “WCB-1 Sewer Rehabilitation Project”
should be identified as Cambridge Ave Project.
Commissioner Monaghan asked for an explanation of a dog
house manhole. Mr. Martin said that is a manhole
without a bottom in it and the manhole walls are notched
at the side to fit over the sewer line. Mr. Boone said
in order to keep the sewer flowing a doghouse manhole is
set over the top of the line and it will allow the sewer
line to continue to run. A base is poured over the
bottom and the top of the pipe is removed.
d.
Maintenance
Commissioner Burke asked
for an explanation of the photo on page 29. Mr. Martin
said that was a sink hole at the Lake Shores Pump
Station. The sink hole occurred the weekend of March 1st.
Mr. Boone said the repair has been made. Mr. Martin
said Metro had twenty days left on the warranty for this
project so it was a warranty repair at the contractor’s
expense.
e.
Biosolids
Commissioner Monaghan
asked for an update on removing the silo at the farm.
Mr. Peeler replied he is working with Danny Ware to see
about getting the silo at the farm and the silos at
Wilson Creek removed (destroyed) at the same time.
f.
General Service Reports
Commissioner Monaghan
asked for numbers to be used instead of bullets.
Commissioner Monaghan suggested having a sign-in sheet
for all training events held at Metro. Mr. Martin
replied Metro does require all employees to sign-in for
all training held at Metro.
X.
Action Items
a.
Resolution from County Bank (Attachment A)
Manager Coleman said the
sheet that he handed out is the Operation and
Maintenance Account. Commissioner Monaghan asked if
this is for the Sweep Account. Manager Coleman replied
yes. Commissioner Monaghan asked if this is the account
that payroll is taken out. Manager Coleman said the
Payroll Account is a zero balance account; the
Operations and Maintenance Account has deposits and
withdrawals. The money from the Operations and
Maintenance Account sweeps out of the Sweep Account.
Metro also has a small account (Not For Profit Account)
that is used to purchase right-of-ways. Commissioner
Monaghan wanted to know how much money per month is
taken out of the Operation and Maintenance Account. He
noted Metro has $1.286 million in the account and wanted
to know if Metro would spend that amount in the month.
Manager Coleman said the average for the month is
$800,000. He said the target is to have two months
worth of O&M expenses in the Sweep Account. Manager
Coleman said the average of the account that earned
interest is $1.286 million. Chairman Haynie asked if
that was the average daily balance. Mrs. Becca Steifle
from the County Bank said that is the average balance
for the year in the Sweep Account. Commissioner
Monaghan asked if the average was a daily, monthly or
yearly average. Ms. Steifle said she would have to
ask. She said that is Metro’s average balance year to
date. Manager Coleman said this is the Sweep Account
which earns 85% of the treasury three month credit
rates; that rate was real good when the interest rate
was 4 to 5 %. Currently Metro is earning 85% of .3%.
Manager Coleman said instead of earning a Ľ of a percent
interest from now to the end of the year; Metro could
get a guarantee of .4 %. This is not just for the Sweep
Account, but it would be for all of Metro’s account (O&M
and the Not For Profit Account) that earn interest.
Commissioner Monaghan said that is not a lot of interest
for a million dollars. Chairman Haynie said the money
is in and out so the ending amount might not be a
million. Commissioner Monaghan said it makes a
different if the average balance is daily, monthly,
quarterly or yearly. Manager Coleman said the money
that is not in the Sweep Account is in the Reserve
Account which is earning 4% interest. Commissioner
Monaghan asked if the Sweep Account ever has $2 or $3
million that stays in the account for a couple of
months. Manager Coleman replied no. He said the
account balance fluctuates around the average daily.
Chairman Haynie said he interprets it to read for 2008
the average daily balance was $1,286,960. Commissioner
Burke said there is no static money in the account. Ms.
Steifle said it is a moving target. Commissioner Burke
said the interest amount is being calculated on what is
in the account on that particular day. Commissioner
Watts asked if this is for the remainder of the calendar
or fiscal year. Manager Coleman said for the remainder
of the calendar year. Commissioner Burke said the
current negotiated rate which is 85% of a three year
treasury note is about .3; County Bank is making a
proposal that they will pay .4. Commissioner Monaghan
inquired as to why County Bank is willing to pay more.
Ms. Steifle explained the new program called Temporary
Liquidity Guarantee Program (TLGP) that the FDIC
recently came out with. She said the two has two parts
and County Bank opted to participate in the Debt
Coverage and the Account Transaction Program which is
what County Bank is proposing to Metro. Ms. Steifle
stated the advantages to County Bank. She also
explained the advantages to Metro. Some of the
advantages to Metro are a guarantee rate through the end
of the calendar year that is currently higher than what
Metro is earning; Metro is fully insured by the FDIC
over and above the $250,000 FDIC insurance, County Bank
will now pay interest to Metro on the O&M Account and
the Not For Profit Account. County bank will also waive
all service charge fees. Last year the amount of
service charge fees waived was around $2,800.
Commissioner Monaghan asked what does Metro need to do
if they opt for this. Ms. Steifle said Metro will need
to sign a signature card and a corporate resolution.
She said operationally nothing will change for Metro.
Commissioner Monaghan asked for copies of the
resolution. Commissioner Burke asked if the increase in
the FDIC insurance would have a sunset clause. Ms.
Steifle said the $250,000 is also through December 31,
2009, but it is not sure if the FDIC will extend it.
She said County Bank does not know if the FDIC will
extend the TLGP. If the FDIC will extend the program
then, County Bank will keep Metro in it and if the
program is not extended, County Bank will switch Metro
back to the previous program. Commissioner Burke asked
for Ms. Steifle to keep the Commission informed on the
status of the TLGP. Mr. Hemphill said the only changes
he sees are the dates and the name which is Greenwood
Metropolitan District instead of Greenwood Metropolitan
Commission.
Commissioner Hancock made
a motion to adopt the Temporary Liquidity Guarantee
Program as proposed by County Bank correcting Greenwood
Metropolitan Commission to Greenwood Metropolitan
District and correcting the date from March 12, 2002 to
March 11, 2009; Commissioner Watts seconded, and the
motion was unanimously approved.
XI.
Old/Other Business
a.
Grants
Commissioner Monaghan
inquired if Metro has a grants program. He wanted to
know how much of Mr. Williamson work day is spent on
grants. Mr. Williamson replied right now he spends 6
hours a day due to all of the economic stimulus
information coming out about grants.
b.
Kimbrook
Commissioner Burke asked
for an update on Kimbrook. Mr. Martin said yes, they
have paid. Commissioner Monaghan wanted to know if
Metro spent more than what Kimbrook paid. Mr. Daniel
said it was only a few dollars more. Commissioner
Monaghan asked if Metro received the whole $30,000.
Metro received $32,001.38 from Kimbrook on February 12th.
c.
Lander University
Commissioner Hancock
asked if Lander was completed to Metro’s satisfaction.
Mr. Moore said as far as knows it is.
d.
Industrial Luncheon
The luncheon will be on
April 22nd at 12:00 pm at TSF. The
Commission meeting will follow at 2:00 pm. Chairman
Haynie asked for a reminder to be sent to all
Commissioners.
e.
Credit Card Points
Manager Coleman said he
sent an email to all Commissioners regarding redeeming
the credit card points. The Commissioners were in
agreement to redeem the points as stated in the email.
f.
Lobbyist
Commissioner Monaghan
said that CPW has hired a lobbyist. Commissioner Burke
said if you look at the big picture there is $40 million
and there is $500 million worth of applications. He
wanted to know if the government has come to an answer
on how water and sewer will be treated. Mr. Williamson
said on March 2nd, EPA issued some guidance
to the States as to some addition verbiage to put in the
intended use plans. The verbiage is under what
conditions; what percentage of principle forgiveness,
negative interest loans; but what portions of these will
be grants. Mr. Williamson hopes to see within a month
finalize intended use plan for South Carolina that will
tell Metro what the details are. June 17th
is the first milestone in getting some of the money out
there. Mr. Williamson said Metro has submitted project
questionnaire for six projects to the State SRL.
Initially Metro’s projects were ranked fairly low.
There is $610 million dollars worth of projects from the
State on the list. Mr. Williamson has gone back with
more information to get Metro’s projects ranked higher.
Two projects are ranked up to 85 points which puts those
projects 4th and 5th on the list.
The projects are Sample Branch Trunkline and Rocky Creek
Trunkline. The next two projects are ranked 34th
and 35th. Those are the Panola Mill Village
and Spring Street. The other projects are ranked 106th
and 107th. Commissioner Monaghan asked if
there are any other funds other than the State Revolving
Loans. He said Mr. Steve Reeves at CPW has been talking
to some people in Washington, DC that gave him a list of
other possibilities. Commissioner Monaghan recommended
for Mr. Williamson talk with Mr. Reeves. Commissioner
Burke said he thinks if DHEC gets involved in this, they
would allocate money for Eagles Harbor. Chairman Haynie
said he does not know if it would be that simple. Mr.
Martin said he would be afraid that DHEC would steer the
money towards the Eagles Harbor Project. Manager
Coleman said part of that project would be for Metro to
put in the pump station and lines up to Virgin Heights.
Mr. Williamson said the listing he has is termed “A
Comprehensive Priority List of Clean Water Projects”.
He said there are 170 projects on the list and Eagles
Harbor is not listed.
XII.
Commissioner Watts made a motion to go into
Executive Session to discuss a contractual matter;
Commissioner Hancock
seconded, and the motion was unanimously approved.
XIII.
The meeting returned to open session.
XIV.
Consideration of Organization Chart (Attachment
B)
Commissioner
Hancock made a motion to adopt the new organization
chart as proposed by
management on March 11,
2009; Commissioner Smith seconded, and the motion
was unanimously approved.
XV.
With no further business, the meeting was
adjourned.
