The Board of Trustees meet the 3rd Monday of each month at 5:00 PM at District offices, unless otherwise announced.
Minutes of the last twelve Board of Trustee meetings are available by viewing the drop-down menus below. Minutes are posted after being approved by the Board of Trustees. Older versions of meeting minutes are maintained at the District's main administration office.
Chairman Gordon Maybury called the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m. In attendance were Larry Hopkins, Vice Chair; Lauren Edgerton, Secretary; Dr. Joseph Martin, Executive Director Emeritus; Seth Eckard, Executive Director; Jackie Bryson, MSD Representative; Megan Powell; Keith Webb; Sam Chattin, Field Supervisor.
The agenda was approved by unanimous consensus.
Motion by Edgerton to approve September 2024 minutes, Hopkins seconded. The motion carried unanimously.
Ms. Bryson mentioned that MSD did not hold a meeting last night due to Hurricane Helene. Director Eckard thanked MSD for their help in the District’s recovery.
FEMA Reimbursement Discussion – Megan Powell
Megan Powell with WhithersRavenel gave the Board an overview of the FEMA reimbursement process, specifically concerning damage caused by Hurricane Helene. Keith Webb with McGill Associates mentioned that the District is actively working on a revised CIP via a resiliency committee that will evaluate capital projects that need to be completed due to damage caused by the hurricane. Director Eckard noted that the State of North Carolina is offering communities damaged by the Hurricane a $3,000,000 loan at zero percent interest to be paid back over twenty years for projects related to the storm.
A citizen named Gary thanked the District for their hard work restoring water service to customers. Chairman Maybury thanked Gary for his comments. John Payne, who lives on Blackberry Inn Road, shared concerns about damage to the District’s reservoir dam during the storm. John asked if the District had the dam inspected. Director Eckard explained that the dam had been inspected by the North Carolina agency Dam Safety, The Army Corp of Engineers, and the engineering firm WhithersRavenel. The dam did receive some damage but was not in danger of failure. John said that he heard that the dam had floodgates open during the storm. Director Eckard noted that the dam has no floodgates and only a natural passive spillway. John asked Chairman Maybury if he could take a tour of the dam. Chairman Maybury said that staff would arrange a tour for John and anyone who would like to tour the dam at the Woodfin Water District Reservoir.
Director Eckard provided the following updates:
1.
Hurricane Helene
Hurricane Helene caused catastrophic damage to the utilities in Buncombe County, including the Woodfin Water District. So far, we have found damage to the reservoir dam, the transmission line, power access to our facilities, roads, and the pump station, as well as dozens of known and unknown breaks and leaks throughout the system. This initially left most of our 10,000 customers needing water. Since the storm, we have restored water service under a mandatory boil water notice to the majority of our customers. Many partners helped us restore service to our customers, including, but not limited to, MSD, Buncbome County, FEMA, the State of North Carolina Emergency Operations Center, the City of Durham, Onslow Water and Sewer Authority, the City of Asheville, the Town of Woodfin, and many others who helped us obtain materials and supplies.
2.
Woodfin Water Reservoir Dam
During the storm, part of the front face of the earthen dam at the reservoir slumped off. Dam Stafey with the State of North Carolina inspected the dam's condition and said it wasn’t in imminent failure, but work needs to be done to restore the dam. The District is working with WitherRavenel Engineering to assess the damage and help us procure a contractor to repair the dam as soon as possible.
3.
Transmission Line
After the storm, crews repaired several breaks along the main 14-mile transmission line from the plant to our first tank. With the help of MSD and Terry Brothers, some water can now reach Reynold’s Tank. We know there are still leaks on or serviced from the transmission line that still need to be found and fixed.
4.
Water Plant
The Water plant did not sustain damage during the storm. Blackberry Inn Rd, which leads to the plant being completely destroyed. The street and associated bridges have been rebuilt with the help of MSD and NCDOT. We had initial concerns about our ability to bring chemicals to the plant, but those issues have been resolved. The plant is fully operational, running under Duke Energy power, and producing high-quality water. At some point we will need to replace our backup generator.
5.
Outside Help
The District is a member of NC Water Warn, an organization made up of utilities across the state that have mutual aid agreements that are activated during natural disasters. The City of Durham and Onslow Water and Sewer Authority have sent crews to help Woodfin Water fix broken lines and clear access to our system assets, such as the Baird Cove tank and the pump house. The district is also utilizing Hyatt Construction to help the District make repairs to broken water lines.
6.
Mandatory Boil Water Notice
The District is under a Mandatory Boil Water Notice until further notice. This means boiling water vigorously for at least one minute before ingesting it.
7.
Service Restoration Status
As of October 16th, 2024, most of our customers have water service east of the river. We are still waiting for the City of Asheville to restore water service to our interconnect in the West Buncombe area.
8.
Report Leaks
We want to encourage customers to report any leaks that they find by calling (828) 253-5551
9.
FEMA Reimbursement
The District is engaging with the engineering firm WitherRavenel for disaster recovery and grant writing services. Staff is documenting all storm-related expenses and plans to submit reimbursement requests as soon as possible.
10.
New Taps and Connections
We are temporarily paused for new connection requests until we have restored water service to our existing customers.
11.
Project on Hold
Reynolds Tank Rehab
Water plant Lagoon
12.
Audit
Hurricane Helene impacted the firm that provides our annual audit, but it is now re-engaging with the District to finish the fiscal year 2023-2024 audit.
13.
Lead and Copper Service Line Inventory
In 2022, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NC DEQ) released updated standards called the Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR). The updated rule is designed to protect communities from the risks of lead exposure from drinking water flowing through lead-based pipes.
The primary goal of the Lead and Copper Rule is to ensure that drinking water in communities across the United States remains safe and free from contaminants. The rule stipulates that water utilities must work to eliminate any existing lead water lines in their distribution systems. The Woodfin Water District is working diligently to meet the new requirements and guidelines in the LCRR.
As far as Woodfin Water District staff is aware, the District’s water system does not have lead service lines. Staff has no records or knowledge of any known lead service lines in the District’s water distribution system.
District staff routinely samples for lead and copper as required by the EPA, and results have met state and federal safe drinking water standards. The Annual Drinking Water Quality Report has more information on the latest water quality sampling.
Dr. Martin submitted our report by the due date of October 16th. In this report, Dr. Martin has reported the material type for service lines in the district that were constructed after the federal government prohibited lead lines in the construction of new homes; what we do not know is the material type for service lines on the customer side of the meter for most homes. Therefore, we have marked those addresses in our report as “unknown.” This is an acceptable answer for the report.
As per federal guidelines, any property marked as “unknown.” will receive a letter from the District next month stating why they are receiving a letter; note that we don’t suspect any lead service lines and do not know the material type of their service line. We will develop a game plan asking property owners to help us identify the material type of their service line so we can complete the report in the future.
No old business.
a.
Resolution 2024-12. Director Eckard explained that the purpose of adopting the proposed procurement policy, as established in Resolution 2024-12, is to ensure compliance with state and federal procurement rules. This policy is crucial for enabling the District to access FEMA reimbursements for expenditures incurred in response to Hurricane Helene. Motion by Edgerton to approve Resolution 2024-12, Hopkins seconded. The motion carried unanimously.
b.
Resolution 2024-13. Director Eckard explained that the purpose of adopting the proposed resolution is to authorize the Executive Director of the Woodfin Sanitary Water and Sewer District to enter into agreements for various professional services essential for the District’s operations. These services include engineering, grant writing, consulting, FEMA documentation, disaster recovery services, and others necessary for maintaining efficient operations. Motion by Edgerton to approve October 2024 minutes, Hopkins seconded. The motion carried unanimously.
c.
Chairman Maybury began a conversation with the Board to determine what to do with upcoming water bills in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. Board members shared their concerns about not burdening customers experiencing financial hardship immediately after the storm and that they do not want to charge customers for water when service is unavailable. Dr. Martin shared the same concerns but also said that the district is responsible for finding a compromise and charging customers for water consumption. Staff noted that water was still under a mandatory boil advisory. The water is being tested and is within all acceptable parameters, but it still has some turbidity from water sourced from the City of Asheville. Director Eckard proposed the following motion for consideration by the Board. Approve discounting bills by 50% of the minimum charge for all customers in the billing cycle going out in November 2024 and in the billing cycle going out in December 2024. Commercial customers and businesses who are billed monthly will only receive this discount one time. Motion by Edgerton to approve the above 50% discount of the minimum charge for all customers in the billing cycle going out in November 2024 and December 2024, Hopkins seconded. The motion carried unanimously.
The Board discussed current and future communication with the public. Trustee Edgerton said she is grateful for our outreach but doesn’t think it’s reaching everyone. She noted that it’s not due to a lack of effort but to the demographics in Woodfin. The District’s tools, which mainly consist of social media and the website, are tools that older individuals are not utilizing as much. Edgerton also noted that a citizen offered to help the District with foreign language interpretation. Director Eckard agreed with the analysis.
Chairman Maybury noted that the text alert system content was acceptable, but the alerts went out only to those signed up for the notification service. Maybury wanted to know if we could find a way to send information to all of our customers by text alert. Maybury also mentioned that we need to revise our website so that it’s easier for customers to find information.
Trustee Hopkins noted that remote customers have no way to communicate. The Board pointed out this is a complex problem, especially during a crisis. Supervisor Chattin said that early in the aftermath of the disaster, no one had any way to communicate. Trustee Edgerton noted that it wasn’t just the District that couldn’t communicate with the public; every organization experienced difficulty communicating during the crisis.
Director Eckard said he would work with the resiliency committee to find ways we can improve communication with our customers.
The meeting was adjourned at 6:38 PM.
Chairman Gordon Maybury called the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m. In attendance were Larry Hopkins, Vice Chair; Lauren Edgerton, Secretary; Dr. Joseph Martin, Executive Director Emeritus; Seth Eckard, Executive Director; Jackie Bryson, MSD Representative.
The agenda was approved by unanimous consensus.
Motion by Edgerton to approve August 2024 minutes, Hopkins seconded. The motion carried unanimously.
Asheville Fire Department
The Asheville Assistant Fire Chief updated the board on the fire department. The Assistant Chief then explored opportunities with the Board of how Asheville Fire can better communicate with the District to report fire hydrants that need to be repaired.
Ms. Bryson gave a general update for MSD. She reported that a few significant projects were under budget, and everything was going well.
No one from the public spoke.
Director Eckard provided the following updates:
1.
Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) and Rate Study Update:
Our Distribution and Plant team met with McGill representatives on September 9th to assess potential system needs. McGill is compiling that feedback and will present recommendations for our review within three to four weeks. Following that, we will draft the initial version of the CIP.
2.
Audit Schedule:
The in-house audit is scheduled to take place shortly after September 16th.
3.
Reynold’s Tank Rehabilitation:
We have finalized a contract with CROM to conduct a Level Two inspection of the tank’s exterior and interior. Scheduling for the inspection may take several months, but once complete, the report will serve as the basis for obtaining quotes for the necessary repairs to both the exterior and interior of the tank.
4.
Lagoon at the Water Plant:
Since MSD ceased allowing us to discharge our lagoon waste at their facility a few years ago, the district has incurred significant expenses for pumping, hauling, and proper disposal of sludge. We are collaborating with McGill to address this issue. The proposed solution involves installing a metal curtain to divide the lagoon in half and necessary work on the outflow drains. This will allow one side of the lagoon to dry while the other half collects wastewater from cleaning the water plant’s filters. Once dried, sediment can be removed and disposed of at a landfill at a significantly reduced cost.
Chairman Maybury expressed a desire for staff to estimate any pending revenues and expenses, allowing the District to report the previous month's finances rather than the current method of reporting, which reflects data from two months prior. Executive Director Eckard and Dr. Martin said they would explore that option further.
No old business.
a.
Resolution 2024-11. The District recently held an authorized surplus sealed bid process for a non-operational 2008 Ford F-150. Unfortunately, no bids were received. One possible action is to donate the vehicle to a deserving charity. Staff recommended that the Board of Trustees authorize the donation of the truck to Working Wheels, a reputable charity in western North Carolina. More information about their work can be found at WorkingWheels.com. Motion by Trustee Edgerton to approve Resolution 2024-11, Trustee Hopkins seconded. The motion carried unanimously.
b.
Executive Director Eckard updated the Board on the Asterra Leak detection service results. Director Eckard shared a list of leaks that were found throughout the system. Field Supervisor Sam Chattin provided the Board with the District's Plan of Action to fix the leaks.
c.
Director Eckard proposed adjusting office operating hours from 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., effective Monday, September 23rd 2024. Motion by Trustee Edgerton to approve Resolution 2024-11, Trustee Hopkins seconded. The motion carried unanimously.
The Board discussed various issues and asked staff questions during Call of the Board.
The meeting was adjourned at 5:47 PM.
Chairman Gordon Maybury called the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m. In attendance were Larry Hopkins, Vice Chair; Lauren Edgerton, Secretary; Dr. Joseph Martin, Executive Director Emeritus; Seth Eckard, Executive Director; Jackie Bryson, MSD Representative.
The agenda was approved by unanimous consensus.
Motion by Edgerton to approve July 2024 minutes, Hopkins seconded. The motion carried unanimously.
Ms. Bryson gave a general update for MSD. She reported that a few significant projects were under budget, and everything was going well. Dr. Martin provided a brief update on the history of wastewater consolidation in Buncombe County and how our representative from the District is determined. Chairman Maybury noted that MSD mailed an informative newsletter to their customers. The district also mailed an MSD insert during the last cycle.
No one from the public spoke.
Director Eckard provided the following updates:
Chairman Maybury noted the importance of fixing the District’s capital items. It is good news that McGill is helping us identify those priorities, and we need to prioritize addressing those items in current and future budgets. Director Eckard noted that the one big project we would like to complete this year is the rehab of Reynold’s Tank before the end of the current fiscal year.
No old business.
A.
Resolution 2024-10 Authorizing the Sale of Surplus Property. Trustee Edgerton motioned to approve the resolution as presented with an amendment to start the minimum bid at $1,500. Trustee Hopkins seconded the motion. The resolution was passed unanimously. The Board commented that if the truck did not sell, we may consider donating the truck to a charity at the next board meeting.
B.
Customer Satisfaction Survey Results: Director Eckard provided the Board with information related to the survey methodology, how it was advertised, and for how long it was available for customers to complete. There was a total of 10 responses. Overall, the responses were positive, with a few takeaways on improvements that staff will look at implementing.
Director Eckard mentioned that he plans to provide a “State of the District” presentation at the April 2025 Woodfin Town Council Meeting. Trustee Edgerton mentioned that she received a message from a customer who asked how folks who are served by the District but not in the primary voting district could become voters. The Board noted that the process exists in the laws but has challenges. The customer's area is far from the voting area of the District boundaries, and adding them would not be easy. Trustee Hopkins noted that voter turnout is low in general. Dr. Martin said that voter turnout (percentage-wise) would probably remain similar if you increased the District’s voting boundaries. Dr. Martin noted that the biggest concern in the future is the possible regionalization of local water systems. Chairman Maybury shared a message from the Mayor inviting Woodfin Water staff to volunteer at the local elementary school. Director Eckard said he would share that with staff and create a paid volunteer program for the organization.
The meeting was adjourned at 6:04 PM.
Chairman Gordon Maybury called the meeting to order at 5:01 p.m. In attendance were Larry Hopkins, Vice Chair; Lauren Edgerton, Secretary; Dr. Joseph Martin, Executive Director Emeritus; Seth Eckard, Executive Director; Jackie Bryson, MSD Representative; and Jim McAllister, Mayor of Woodfin.
The agenda was approved by unanimous consensus.
Motion by Edgerton to approve June 2024 minutes, Hopkins seconded. The motion carried unanimously.
Ms. Bryson reported that MSD did not hold a meeting in July and asked if the Board had any questions that she could answer. No one had any questions. The Board thanked Ms. Bryson for her continued service.
No one from the public spoke. Chairman Maybury encouraged citizens to attend meetings or contact him if they have anything they wish to share with the Board.
Director Eckard provided the following updates:
1.
The District hired a new utility field technician in June. His name is Eddie Stafford. He has worked in the public works department for the Town of Woodfin for the last 11 years. Eddie has experience operating heavy equipment and is familiar with the District. We are excited to have him join our team!
2.
The Asterra leak detection project kicks off on July 22nd. Chairman Maybury and Trustee Hopkins plan to attend the upcoming meeting with staff.
3.
Capital Improvement Plan / Rate Study Update: McGill staff have begun meeting with District staff to gather system and financial information.
4.
The District is collaborating with the Town of Woodfin on the Town’s upcoming summer newsletter.
5.
We are working with our mailing vendor to price the inclusion of an MSD brochure insert in our next billing cycle. We are also exploring the modification of the bills to include our customer’s zone designation.
6.
Dr. Martin updated the website to reflect our new rates and construction standards and added the District’s zone map.
7.
Tyler Helm earned his PC1 Certification at the Water Plant.
8.
We are working with our mailing vendor to include zone designation on customer’s utility bills.
9.
The Asheville Fire Department regrets not being able to attend tonight’s meeting. However, they plan to attend the August Board meeting.
10.
Director Eckard plans to present the 2024 customer satisfaction survey results at the August meeting. Trustee Edgerton asked if she could have a copy of the survey link to share with her neighborhood. Chairman Maybury asked how many survey responses we have collected to date. Director Eckard said that ten customers have submitted responses.
Chairman Maybury complimented the graphs in the agenda packet and requested that an appendix explaining the graphs' movements be included in future agenda packets. He also asked for the percentage of the reservoir's capacity to be tracked and graphed as a new activity report to be included in the agenda packet. Dr. Martin explained that lake levels are tracked every day. Trustee Edgerton requested that our monthly leaks and breaks report be charted on a map of the District each month. Director Eckard said that this would include these requests in upcoming agenda packets.
No old business.
A.
Resolution 2024-08 Declare Juneteenth a District Holiday: Trust Hopkins motioned to approve the resolution. Trustee Edgerton seconded the motion. The resolution was passed unanimously.
B.
Resolution 2024-09 Budget Amended: Director Eckard proposed a budget amendment for $92,000 to cover the McGill CIP contract and the Asterra leak detection contract costs. Trust Hopkins motioned to approve the resolution. Trustee Edgerton seconded the motion. The resolution was passed unanimously.
Trustee Hopkins mentioned that the Town of Woodfin may construct a splash pad, and if they did, perhaps the District could provide water free of charge for this service. The Board agreed that this is a great suggestion. Director Eckard said he would contact the Town Manager of Woodfin to gather more information and advance this project in partnership with the Town.
The meeting was adjourned at 5:49 PM.
Chairman Gordon Maybury called the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m. In attendance were Larry Hopkins, Vice Chair; Lauren Edgerton, Secretary; Dr. Joseph Martin, Executive Director Emeritus; Seth Eckard, Executive Director; Jackie Bryson, MSD Representative; Jeff Angel, Woodfin Fire Chief; Keith Webb, McGill Associates; R.J. Mosley, McGill Associates; and Sam Chattin, Distribution Field Supervisor.
The agenda was approved by unanimous consensus.
Motion by Edgerton to approve May 2024 minutes, Hopkins seconded. The motion carried unanimously.
Woodfin Fire Department Report
Woodfin Fire Chief Jeff Angel introduced himself and noted that the Water District’s building was once the fire department's original home. Chief Angel provided a brief update on the department and took questions from the Board of Trustees. Chairman Maybury asked if the WFD tested hydrants. Chief Angel said they must test a certain percentage of hydrants each year. Dr. Martin mentioned that the District has a form that the Fire Department can fill out and submit to the District so that the District is aware of hydrants that need to be repaired or replaced.
Ms. Bryson reported that the updated capital improvement plan and information regarding rates and personnel adjustments were presented to the board at the April Metropolitan Sewerage District meeting.
Chairman Maybury made the Instagram live audience aware that they could send texts to him, and he would read messages sent to him out loud during public comments.
No one, virtually or in-person, spoke during public comment.
1.
Director Eckard reviewed the projected end-of-year budget with the Trustees. He noted that revenues slightly exceeded projections and expenses aligned with the budget.
2.
We are currently advertising and interviewing for two utility field tech positions.
3.
Our team attended a preconstruction meeting for Reynolds Mountain Villas and a post-construction walk-through for Rydele Phase 2.
4.
Our team met with the Town of Weaverville to discuss an emergency connection between the two systems and a possible partnership to purchase water. We plan to continue discussions throughout the year.
5.
Plans are underway to inspect the condition of the Reynolds Water Tank.
6.
The District will conduct the NC DEQ triannual lead and copper sampling in July and August. This consists of sampling 30 residences and institutional facilities out of a predetermined pool of 60, which is determined based on NC DEQ criteria.
7.
We have started posting more content to the District's social media account.
8.
The new line breaks, leaks, and pressure complaints report is included with the activity reports.
9.
We received results from the required 19 PFAS and lithium analysis from our system. None of them were detected! If no PFAS are detected in three more quarterly samples, we will no longer have to test them.
10.
Kenric Walker obtained his C Certification this month.
No old business.
A.
Chairman Maybury declared the public hearing on the FY 2025-2026 budget to be open at 5:25 PM. No one spoke during the public hearing. Chairman Maybury declared the public hearing closed at 5:27 PM.
B.
Resolution 2024-03 FY 2025 Budget—Trustee Hopkins moved to approve the budget resolution as presented. Trustee Edgerton seconded the motion, which carried unanimously.
C.
CIP and Rate Study—Representatives from the engineering firm McGill Associates, Keith Webb and R.J. Mosley, introduced themselves and provided an in-depth overview of long-term planning and its value to the organization. The capital improvement plan and the rate study will provide a road map for how we can pay for the system’s needs. Mr. Webb noted that one of the District’s financial challenges is that we cannot borrow money due to how the State of North Carolina formed the District. Mr. Webb also noted that the District was one of his first clients more than 30 years ago and was familiar with how the system has evolved.
Trustee Edgerton asked how long it would take to complete this planning process. Mr. Webb explained that it would probably take around six months. Director Eckard noted that this plan will be presented to the Board during the early stages of next year’s budgeting process. Mr. Mosley stated that this plan is just a guide and that the District has complete discretion to make changes as circumstances change. The plan helps you make an informed decision as we enter the budgeting process.
Trustee Hopkin asked if this plan needed to be updated every year. Mr. Webb noted that it should be updated at least every two years. Dr. Martin said that the District’s former CIP went into stasis mode around the time of COVID due to staffing challenges and retirements.
Trustee Hopkins moved to accept the McGill proposal for $45,800. Trustee Edgerton seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously.
D.
Asterra Leak Detection Proposal – Chairman Maybury reviewed Asterra’s satellite leak detection system with the board. He noted that the District is having a difficult time finding hidden leaks throughout the system and that after listening to Asterra’s presentation, he feels confident we will be able to discover more leaks that our team can begin to fix. Director Eckard said fixing these leaks will save the District money and allow us to rely less on Asheville water. Director Eckard reviewed references from other systems, which were positive.
Trustee Hopkin moved to approve Asterra’s proposal for $57,000. Trustee Edgerton seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously.
E.
Resolution 2024-07 Backflow Policy and Construction Standards Amendments – Utility Field Supervisor Sam Chattin provided the board with an overview of the proposed changes. Mr. Chattin highlighted the following changes: The District will require developers to use stainless steel materials, install automatic flushers at the end of dead-end lines, include tracer wire in all new pipes, and require contractors to wrap new service mains. Dr. Martin wrote the original construction standard and that the proposed updates are reasonable.
Trustee Hopkins asked if these changes would apply to active projects. Director Eckard said the old rules will apply to any projects already in process, but the new rules will apply to any new projects moving forward. Dr. Martin mentioned that we have a catch-all in our standards that says contractors will follow whatever rules we give them if they wish to build new lines that will become part of our system.
Trustee Hopkins motioned to approve the Backflow Policy and Construction Standards Amendment resolution, which Trustee Edgerton seconded. The motion carried unanimously.
F.
Reimbursement Request—Dr. Martin reviewed a travel reimbursement request from a former Executive Director candidate. The Board engaged in a brief conversation about the request.
Trustee Edgerton moved not to approve the reimbursement request, which Chairman Maybury seconded. The motion passed unanimously.
Trustee Hopkins plans to attend the June 18th Woodfin Town Council meeting to share the District's activities and initiatives started over the last year. He also plans to ask the Town Council if there are opportunities to partner with the Town by sharing information in their upcoming newsletter. Director Eckard said he would follow up with the Town Manager to explore possibilities for a partnership.
Chairman Maybury mentioned that our bills are not easy to understand. He said that he was working with Director Eckard on furthering transparency by adding additional helpful information to the bill, such as which zone customers are in, and creating a “How to Read You Bill” section of the website. Director Eckard agreed and will work on this.
Chairman Maybury asked that staff look into our billing vendor to ensure we can communicate with our customers as affordably and effectively as possible, specifically by including information from MSD in an upcoming billing cycle.
The meeting was adjourned at 6:31 PM.
The meeting was called to order at 5:00 P.M. by Gordon Maybury, Chair. In attendance: Larry Hopkins, Vice-chair; Lauren Edgerton, Secretary. Joseph Martin, retiring Executive Director; Seth Eckard, Executive Director; Jackie Bryson, MSD Representative; and Jim McAllister, Woodfin Mayor.
The agenda was approved by unanimous consensus.
Motion by Edgerton to approve March 2024 minutes, Hopkins seconded. Motion carried unanimously.
Ms. Bryson reported that the Metropolitan Sewerage District’s budget and capital improvement plan has been presented and adopted.
Mayor McAllister came on behalf of the Woodfin Elementary Advisory Council and thanked the Board for participating in the Woodfin 5k. The fundraiser raised over $14,000; the event will be held at the Town’s park next year.
Director Eckard provided brief comments on the current fiscal year's budget. Eckard explained that despite a few line-item overages, the capital projects budget is way under, and revenues are projected to be slightly more than anticipated at the end of the fiscal year.
Chairman Maybury inquired about the proposed budget and how it related to our current budget. Maybury wanted to understand more about why we are under budget in the capital projects budget and commented that we need to make sure we are doing what we told our customers we would do. The Squirrel Hill line replacement project was an example of a project we did not complete this year.
Dr. Martin explained that the capital projects budget is under budget because we have two full-time positions in the line crew that were not filled, and the automated meter reading project was canceled. Eckard said that these savings allowed us to subsidize other areas of the budget that went over this year. Eckard said that the District intends to start developing a 10-year strategic capital improvement plan next fiscal year and that this plan will be transparent and available to our customers.
Chairman Maybury and Trustee Hopkins requested that we start tracking and reporting monthly leaks and customer pressure complaints to the board. Director Eckard said that staff has started tracking both and will include a report in future board packets.
No old business.
A.
Resolution 2024-03 FY 2025 Budget – No action taken.
B.
Resolution 2024-05 Appointment of Board Attorney - Motion by Hopkins to approve, Edgerton seconded. Motion carried unanimously.
C.
Resolution 2024-06 Participation in NC CLASS- Motion by Edgerton to approve, Hopkins seconded. Motion carried unanimously.
Board of Trustee members explored ideas and inquired about possible ways for the District to rely less on Asheville Water. Staff intends to explore various options that were discussed. Dr. Martin noted that the satellite leak detection survey may help significantly by empowering staff to find and fix unidentified leaks throughout the system.
Trustee Hopkins inquired if the fire departments have been testing and evaluating the working conditions of hydrants in their respective coverage areas. Director Eckard said he would contact them and report back. Director Eckard will invite the local fire chiefs to future board meetings.
Trustee Edgerton asked if we have contacted Weaverville to explore potential opportunities. Director Eckard and Chairman Maybury said they intend to meet with Weaverville officials soon.
Closed Session
Chairman Maybury called for a motion to recess into Closed Session.
Closed Session Pursuant to NC General Statute 143-318.11(a)(6) to consider the qualifications, competence, performance, character, fitness, conditions of appointment, or conditions of initial employment of an individual public officer or employee.
At 6:15 PM Trustee Hopkins moved to recess into Closed Session, seconded by Trustee Maybury. The vote was unanimous.
At 6:25 PM, Trustee Hopkins moved to return to Open Session, seconded by Trustee Hopkins. The vote was unanimous. No action was taken in the subsequent Open Session.
The meeting was adjourned at 6:27 PM.
The meeting was called to order at 5:00 P.M. by Gordon Maybury, Chair. In attendance: Larry Hopkins, Vice-chair; Lauren Edgerton, Secretary; Jackie Bryson, MSD Representative. Joseph Martin, retiring Executive Director; Seth Eckard, incoming Executive Director.
Welcoming of Director
Prior to the start of the meeting, Chair Maybury introduced Seth Eckard as the District’s incoming Executive Director.
Agenda approved by unanimous consensus.
Motion by Edgerton to approve March 2024 minutes, Hopkins seconded. Motion carried unanimously.
Nothing to report.
No public comment.
Motion by Edgerton to release the public survey for the next four months, Hopkins seconded. Motion carried unanimously.
No old business.
A.
Resolution 2024-03 FY 2025 Budget – No action taken.
B.
Resolution 2024-04 Auditor Agreement, Gould-Killian – Motion by Hopkins to approve, Edgerton seconded. Motion carried unanimously.
Board of Trustee members will be manning the District’s table and participating in the Woodfin 5K race scheduled for Saturday, April 27th.
Meeting was adjourned at 6:14 PM.
The meeting was called to order at 5:00 P.M. by Gordon Maybury, Chair. In attendance: Larry Hopkins, Vice-chair; Lauren Edgerton, Secretary; Jackie Bryson, MSD Representative. Joseph Martin, Executive Director; Sarah Gassaway, former Board of Trustees Chair.
Presentation of Plaque
Ivo Ballentine was presented with a plaque for appreciation and recognition of his ten years of service as a member of the District Board of Trustees.
Agenda approved by unanimous consensus.
Motion by Hopkins to approve February 2024 meeting and work session minutes, Edgerton seconded. Motion carried unanimously.
Nothing to report.
No public comment.
No action taken.
No old business.
A.
Consideration of early retirement request – Motion by Hopkins to approve, Edgerton seconded. Motion carried unanimously.
B.
Resolution 2024-01 Employment Agreement – Motion by Edgerton to approve, Hopkins seconded. Motion carried unanimously.
C.
Resolution 2024-02 Contract for Services – Motion by Hopkins to approve, Edgerton seconded. Motion carried unanimously.
Maybury suggested the District hold an employee “meet and greet” luncheon for the District’s incoming Executive Director Seth Eckard. Director will arrange for April 15th. Maybury and Hopkins volunteered to man the District’s table at the Woodfin 5k run later in April. Motion by Edgerton to spend $250 for materials for the race, Hopkins seconded. Motion carried unanimously. Maybury provided a possible survey for the District to use for its customers. Director and staff will put something together for review at the next meeting.
Meeting was adjourned at 5:56 PM.
The meeting was called to order at 5:00 P.M. by Gordon Maybury, Chair. In attendance: Larry Hopkins, Vice-chair; Lauren Edgerton, Secretary; Jackie Bryson, MSD Representative. Joseph Martin, Executive Director; Jim McAlister, Town of Woodfin Mayor; Sarah Gassaway, former Board of Trustees Chair.
Presentation of Plaque
Sarah Gassaway was presented with a plaque for appreciation and recognition of her fourteen-year term as a member of the District Board of Trustees as well as eight years as Board Chair.
Agenda approved by unanimous consensus.
Motion by Hopkins to approve amended January 2024 meeting and work session minutes, Edgerton seconded. Motion carried unanimously.
Ms. Bryson reported: MSD is continuing testing for COVID in wastewater; the plant heat exchanger will be replaced in 2025; MSD has expanded its regional training opportunities.
No public comment.
No action taken.
No old business.
Maybury proposed sponsoring a table at the Woodfin 5K street race on April 26th. Motion by Hopkins to authorize $300 towards the purchase of giveaway items for the table, Edgerton seconded. Motion carried unanimously.
Maybury suggested a survey or other communication to better determine if the Board is meeting the public’s needs for availability & transparency. Staff will create a website with survey after conferring with Board members. Hopkins inquired about adding verbiage to District regulations regarding project approval. Staff will present changes to existing regulations at a future meeting. Hopkins inquired about the status and process of determining working fire hydrants; Director explained process in years past. Fire chiefs from the various fire departments will be invited to future meetings. Edgerton inquired about the history of grants at the District. Director reported that radio read meter pilot system had been paused in light of the resignation of the previous Director.
Meeting was adjourned at 5:55 PM.
The meeting was called to order at 5:02 P.M. by Gordon Maybury, Chair. In attendance: Larry Hopkins, Vice-chair; Lauren Edgerton, Secretary; Jackie Bryson, MSD Representative. Joseph Martin, Executive Director attended the meeting virtually via Microsoft Teams due to weather conditions.
Agenda approved by unanimous consensus.
Motion by Edgerton to approve amended December 2023 minutes, Hopkins seconded. Motion carried unanimously.
Ms. Bryson reported: she will be sworn in on 1/17/24 for her next 3-year MSD term; the Board can tour the MSD treatment plant in the spring.
No public comment.
Motion by Hopkins to lift voluntary conservation restrictions, Edgerton seconded. Motion carried unanimously.
Maybury announced to the Board that the project in the Robin Hood Road area will not occur as the surrounding property owners have purchased the property.
No new business.
Motion by Hopkins to create a mechanism for approval of future projects requiring some type of coordination with affected municipalities, Edgerton seconded. Motion carried unanimously. Director will present adjustment language to District regulations at the next Board meeting. Maybury requested a more detailed summary of leaks and breaks for future meetings. Director will demonstrate GIS capabilities and offer options at a future meeting.
Executive Session
Motion by Edgerton at 6:05 to enter Executive Session to discuss personnel, Hopkins seconded. Motion carried unanimously. Board exited Executive Session at 6:21 P.M, no action taken. At conclusion of Executive Session, motion by Hopkins to have a Board work session on 1/30/24 at 1 PM to review resumes and applications for the position of Executive Director, Edgerton seconded. Motion carried unanimously.
Meeting was adjourned at 6:21 PM.
The meeting was called to order at 1:01 P.M. by Joseph Martin, Executive Director. In attendance: Gordon Maybury, Larry Hopkins, Lauren Edgerton, Trustees-Elect; Jackie Bryson, MSD Representative; outgoing Trustee Ivo Ballentine. Prior to the meeting. Trustees Maybury, Hopkins, and Edgerton took their Oath of Office administered by Angela Webb, Office Manager/Notary.
Director Martin asked for nominations for position of Chair. Motion by Hopkins to elect Maybury as Chair, Edgerton seconded. Motion carried unanimously. Chair Maybury asked for nominations for Vice-Chair. Motion by Edgerton to elect Hopkins as Vice-Chair, Maybury seconded. Motion carried unanimously. Chair Maybury asked for nominations for Secretary. Motion by Hopkins to elect Edgerton as Secretary, Maybury seconded. Motion carried unanimously.
Agenda approved by unanimous consensus.
Motion by Hopkins to approve November 2023 minutes, Edgerton seconded. Motion carried unanimously.
Audit Report Presentation
Dan Mullinix, CPA with Gould-Killian Associates, presented the FY 2023 financial audit. No action taken.
Ms. Bryson reported: MSD will not have a meeting in December 2023; renewed the offer for the Board to set up a tour of MSD facilities at the completion of construction in the spring.
No public comment.
No action taken.
No old business.
A.
Resolution 2023-10 WSRP Approval – Motion by Hopkins to approve, Edgerton seconded. Motion carried unanimously.
B.
Developer request, Woodspring Suites – Motion by Edgerton for conditional approval, Hopkins seconded. Motion carried unanimously.
Motion by Hopkins to begin process to livestream future Board meetings, Edgerton seconded. Motion carried unanimously. Motion by Edgerton to move January 2024 and future Board meetings from 1 P.M. to 5 P.M., Hopkins seconded. Motion carried unanimously.
Executive Session
Motion by Hopkins at 2:30 P.M. to enter Executive Session to discuss personnel, Maybury seconded. Motion carried unanimously. Board exited Executive Session at 3:31 P.M, no action taken.
Meeting was adjourned at 3:41 PM.
The meeting was called to order at 1:00 P.M. by Sarah Gassaway, Chair. In attendance: Ivo Ballentine, Vice-chair; Gordon Maybury, Secretary; Brian Goldstein, Executive Director; Jackie Bryson, MSD Representative; Joe Martin, Previous Executive Director, Jerry VeHaun, Mayor Town of Woodfin.
Agenda approved by consensus.
Motion by Chair Gassaway to approve September 2023 minutes Maybury seconded, motion carried unanimously.
Ms. Bryson reported: Three projects in front of planning committee, Crest Mountain, Serenity Townhouses, Weaverville Road Subdivision. Voting on Policy on sewer extension. Customer Service Requests were 53. Tour is still available to the Board.
Director Goldstein thanked Mayor VeHaun for his support and service to the district and the community. Financial reports discussed. Trustee Maybury explained his feeling on how he looked at the line items. Budget to Actual is running on target. Requests are still coming in for single family homes, not multi-home development. Still encouraging customers to sign up for Auto Payments. Non pay disconnects lower than previous month due to it being the smaller of the two billing cycles. We are using more Woodfin made water, and less Asheville water. The reservoir is down by 2-3 feet. We are not in a drought situation as of yet. Under relevant reading the dates of next year’s Board Meeting dates. Motion to approve dates for next year’s meetings, they were approved.
Director’s Report
Old Business
No Old Business
No New Business
Trustee Maybury discussed a question regarding a person’s large bill. Director Goldstein will investigate it. Most of the time if a person’s bill is high, it is a leak on the customer’s side of the meter. Customers also need to ensure free and clear access to the meter. We do leak adjustments for customers as needed. Trustee Maybury said the process worked as it should. Chair Gassaway mentioned the election, the November 20th Meeting will be last meeting of the current board. The new Board will start and be sworn in at the December 11th Board Meeting. Chair Gassaway said on behalf of the Board, We would like to thank Mayor VeHaun for his service and his support of the Water District for many years.
Meeting was adjourned at 1:48PM.
