TO CALL TO ORDER THE CITY OF SHERWOOD WASTEWATER SEWER COMMITTEE MEETING FOR OCTOBER 7TH, 2025.
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ROLL CALL APPEARS. EVERYBODY IS HERE. EARL WILLIAMS, SARAH BRESHEARS, SUZANNE STARE, BEVERLY WILLIAMS, MYSELF, ERIC FLEMING AND SCOTT GREENWOOD. HAS EVERYBODY HAD A[3) Approval of July Minutes]
JULY, OR THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FOR JULY FOR LAST MEETING? DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? I MOVE, WE ACCEPT HIM SECOND.ALL RIGHT. ALL IN FAVOR. AYE OKAY. PASSES IMPROVED.
THE REVIEW AND APPROVAL OF THE JUNE, JULY AND
[ 4) Approval of June,July and August Operations Repor]
I'VE ALREADY DISCUSSED WITH SCOTT. DOES ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ABOUT ANY OF THE OPERATIONS REPORTS? SOUNDS TO ME LIKE IT WERE PRETTY CLEAN. YEAH, I THINK THAT'S WHAT THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO HEAR IS THAT OUR OPERATIONS ARE CLEAN AND OUR WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT FOR[ 5) Old Business]
OLD BUSINESS. I SINCE SINCE THE LAST MEETING, OUR NEW GROUP CHAMBERS COME ONLINE.COULD YOU GIVE US AN UPDATE ON PERFORMANCE AND HOW IT'S DOING? YES.
IT'S BEEN ONLINE SINCE I GUESS JULY. I GUESS AT THE TOWARD THE END OF THE MONTH.
YEAH. IT'S BEEN RUNNING GREAT. AND NO PROBLEMS, NO HICCUPS.
AND IT'S YEAH, IT'S PUTTING A LOT MORE GRIT. I MEAN, I'VE EVEN THE OLD GRIT CHAMBER NEVER, NEVER PUT THAT MUCH IN. I'M AMAZED. SO YOU'RE VERY HAPPY WITH OUR SELECTION AND INSTALLATION.
YES. OKAY. VERY GOOD. YES. SO WITHIN THIS PAST YEAR WE'VE PUT IN THE NEW GRIT CHAMBER AND THE NEW BAR SCREEN, AND YOU'RE HAPPY WITH THE INSTALLATION AND PERFORMANCE OF EVERYTHING? YEAH. IN FACT, THE SAME CONTRACTOR PUT BOTH IN. SO.
OKAY. THEY DID THEY DID AN EXCELLENT JOB. PRETTY GOOD.
AND THE BEST THING IS THEY'RE ALL PAID FOR IS RIGHT OKAY.
THE LONG RANGE PLAN I KNOW THAT WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT THE LOAN AND THE INTERCEPTOR PROJECT.
BUT BUT WE ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS. SO OKAY SO THE FUNDING HAS BEEN APPROVED.
WE'RE SELECTING THE ENGINEERING SERVICES ARE GOING TO BE SELECTED HERE FAIRLY QUICK.
AND THEN CONSTRUCTION. THE BID WILL GO OUT PRETTY MUCH AS SOON AS POSSIBLE RIGHT.
YEAH. BECAUSE TO BE HONEST I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG THE THE ENGINEERING PART.
BUT AS SOON AS THEY GET DONE, WE WILL START THE BIDDING PROCESS.
AND, AND WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO THE CONSTRUCTION PART IDEAL IS DO IT DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS WHERE IT'S THE DRIEST, BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO A LOT OF BYPASSING AND ALL THAT.
AND IT WOULD, IT WOULD BE, IT WOULD BE, IT WOULD BE EASIER DURING DURING THE, THE SUMMER MONTHS WHERE IT'S DRIER, WHICH WE HAVE LOWER FLOWS, IT'D BE EASIER TO MANAGE.
[ 6) New Business]
OKAY. HAS EVERYBODY HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THE BUDGET A LITTLE BIT AND HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? WHAT DO YOU WANT TO CALL TO OUR ATTENTION ON THIS BUDGET? SCOTT. WELL, LET'S SEE FOR ONE THING, YOU KNOW, IF YOU NOTICE, THE BUDGET HAS BEEN RAISED FOR 3.3 IS WHAT MY WHAT I'M ASKING FOR, BECAUSE THAT'S PROJECTED OF OUR FOR OUR REVENUE COMING IN NEXT YEAR.BECAUSE BECAUSE YOU KNOW, WE HAVE ANOTHER RATE INCREASE FOR 26 AND I AND THERE'S A FEW LINE ITEMS THAT I THAT INCREASED THAT I FELT LIKE WE MAY IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL FOR ONE THING, GO AHEAD AND CALL OUR ATTENTION TO THOSE IF YOU DON'T MIND.
I'LL SECOND THE THE FIRST ONE IS THE ENGINEERING PROFESSIONAL FEES.
YOU KNOW, LAST THIS YEAR I HAD 160 000. I RAISED IT UP TO 260 BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE OF THE NEEDS OF THE OF THE UTILITY, BECAUSE WE'RE AND I NOTICED THIS YEAR WE'VE ACTUALLY USED ENGINEERING SERVICES A LOT MORE.
SO I'LL BE HONEST, I HAVE A FEELING WE'LL BE DOING THE SAME FOR NEXT YEAR TOO.
SO AND IN THE NEXT ONE IT WILL BE. LOOKING AT AT 738.
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I'M GOING TO INCREASE IT 100,000 BECAUSE SO FAR THIS YEAR ON REPAIR MAINTENANCE I SPENT 50,000.AND THAT'S ON WHAT WE USE ON REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE ON EQUIPMENT, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE YOU KNOW, LIKE OUR LIKE ANYTIME WE REPAIR LIKE A JETTER OR.
VAC TRUCK AND, YOU KNOW, OUR EQUIPMENT TRACK HOSE AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
SO AND THE OTHER ONE IS 764, WHICH IS THE MANHOLE REHAB.
OUR INCREASED AT 10,000 FROM 20 TO 30 BECAUSE WE'RE DOING A LOT MORE WORK NOW ON THAT.
AND I JUST IF BETWEEN THE COST OF EVERYTHING GOING UP, I FIGURE I FEEL LIKE WE NEED IT TO RAISE IT UP A LITTLE BIT TO, TO BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE WE'RE COMFORTABLE.
YOU KNOW, THAT WAY WE DON'T OVEREXTEND THAT LINE.
THIS HAS THE MANHOLE IS 30,000 FOR THIS YEAR FOR 24 AND 25.
YOU'RE HANG ON. ARE YOU RAISING IT FROM 20,000 TO 30? I'M SORRY. YEAH. YEAH. THAT'S WHAT I'M DOING. YES. BECAUSE YOU GOT YOU AND OKAY. THE OTHER ONE IS THE PUMP STATION IMPROVEMENTS.
NOW, NOW THE PUMP STATION, THE TREATMENT PLANTS.
THAT'S THE TWO BIGGEST ONES I RAISED IT FROM.
FROM FROM 90,000, WHICH I HAD FOR THIS YEAR TO 243,000 FOR NEXT YEAR.
AND THE REASON WHY? BECAUSE BECAUSE THIS YEAR WE WE ENDED UP BUYING REPLACING PUMPS.
AND NEXT YEAR WE'LL PROBABLY DO THE SAME. AND PLUS ON OUR HIGH TIDE, WHICH IS OUR SKATER SYSTEM, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE PLANNING ON DOING AN UPGRADE.
ALL OF THEM WHERE WHEN WE BASICALLY WE COULD DO MORE WITH IT.
WE COULD WE CAN ACTUALLY TRACK THE FLOWS. WE CAN ACTUALLY SEE IN REAL TIME.
WE CAN PUT THEM ON A LAPTOP. WE CAN SEE IN REAL TIME, LIKE ON LIKE DURING RAIN EVENTS AND SEE HOW MUCH IT RAISED UP, HOW MUCH IT PUMPING, YOU KNOW. AND THAT WAY WE CAN KIND OF TRACK OUR I AND I BECAUSE WHEN DURING, DURING HIGH FLOWS, WE COULD ACTUALLY SEE, OKAY, WHICH AREA ARE WE LOOKING AT THAT YOU KNOW, THAT NEED TO LOOK AT I AND I BECAUSE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF OLDER STATIONS AROUND SHOSHONE, ONEIDA. AND WE'RE KIND OF CONCERNED ABOUT SOME OF THOSE AREAS THAT WE MIGHT BE SEEING.
THAT'S WHO DOES OUR SCATTER SYSTEM AND AND EVERYTHING.
WE ALSO RAISED IT FROM 110 TO 243 ALSO BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO DO THE SAME ON THAT.
WE'RE GOING TO IN ON AT THE NORTH PLANT. WE'RE GOING TO TO UPGRADE OUR SCATTER SYSTEM WHERE, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE GET ALARM. RIGHT NOW WE SEE AS A CONTROL PANEL, BUT WE DON'T HAVE A CLUE WHAT WE GOT GOING ON UNTIL WE GET THERE.
SO WE WHEN WE NOW THEY WHEN WE UPGRADE, WE'RE GOING TO ACTUALLY GET UPGRADE SAYING OKAY THE BLOWER ONE IS OUT OR OFF, YOU KNOW, OR YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A PUMP THAT'S DOWN OR WE GOT A VALVE THAT'S NOT OPEN OR CLOSING.
YOU KNOW, INSTEAD OF TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON, YOU KNOW, AND THEY ALREADY KIND OF HAVE AN IDEA. SO ANYTHING BUT THAT'S IT'S COSTLY, BUT IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL FOR US IN THE LONG RUN.
TECHNOLOGY IS NOT CHEAP. IT'S RIGHT. YEAH. YEAH. SO I'M LOOKING AT THE CAPITAL ITEMS REQUEST.
AND THE CAMERA. NOW, ARE THESE ALL REPLACEMENTS OR ARE THESE NEW ITEMS TRUCK COULD BE A REPLACEMENT, I GUESS. OR. AND THE TRACKHOE. THAT WOULD BE ACTUALLY ADDITIONAL BECAUSE THE TRACKHOE WE'RE GETTING, WE GOT A SMALLER ONE, BUT WE NEED A THE GUY, YOU KNOW, MY STAFF SAYS NO, WE NEED ONE JUST A SIZE BIGGER.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO. WE'RE GOING TO KEEP THE OTHER ONE WE GOT, BUT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ONE THAT'S A LITTLE SIZE BIGGER FOR THE BIGGER JOBS. AND THE GENERATOR, THAT'S A NEW ONE. THAT WAS GOING TO BE FOR CAHOOT.
YEAH, CUYAHOGA PUMP STATION. AND BECAUSE FROM FROM WHAT MY PUMP GOT MY, MY PUMP STATION GUYS TOLD ME THAT THAT STATION LOSES POWER ALL THE TIME FOR WHATEVER REASON, YOU KNOW.
AND SO YEAH, SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE A BACKUP ON THAT ONE FOR SURE.
I MEAN, HE SAID, THE WIND BLOWS, THE POWER GOES OUT.
SO IT'S KIND OF ODD AND. YEAH. SO AND AND THE CAMERA I KNOW WE JUST BOUGHT A CAMERA.
THIS IS A SMALLER CAMERA. THIS IS FOR LIKE FOR, FOR THE LATERALS FOR THE SERVICE LINES.
BECAUSE WE DO WE DO. WELL WE GET CALLED OUT SOMETIMES.
SO WE WHAT WE'LL DO IS WE'LL, WE'LL STICK A CAMERA IN THERE IF THERE IS A PROBLEM, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE IF IT'S NOT ON US, IF IT'S AT THE TAP AND IF IT'S IN THE YARD,
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WE MARK IT AND WE EVEN SHOW THE HOMEOWNER YOUR PROBLEMS RIGHT HERE. AND THAT WAY THEY SAY, OH, OKAY. SO THAT WAY IT WON'T BE. NO. YOU KNOW, THEY THINK, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TRYING TO PASS THE BUCK, YOU KNOW. BUT YOU KNOW, IF IT IF IT IS OUR PROBLEM WE'LL FIX IT.BUT YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIMES THEY JUST DON'T CALL A PLUMBER. THEY JUST CALL US AND SAY, HEY, WE GOT A PROBLEM ON THE SERVICE LINE, AND WE'LL JUST CAMERA IT FOR THEM AND JUST, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THEY'LL SAVE THEM MONEY. RIGHT? SO IT'S JUST KIND OF A LIKE A SERVICE WE GIVE THE HOMEOWNERS.
AND WE JUST PUSH THAT LITTLE CAMERA IN THERE. SO WE JUST FIND THE TAP.
BUT ANYWAY SO OKAY OVERALL I MEAN ON YOUR CAPITAL EXPENSES YOU ACTUALLY HAVE FOR THE NEW YEAR, YOU ONLY ASKING HALF AS MUCH AS LAST YEAR BECAUSE LAST YEAR IT WAS FOR THE BAR SCREEN AND BAR SCREENS AND THAT CAMERA, A BIG CAMERA WE BOUGHT WAS WAS PRICEY. IT WAS LIKE 120 400, SOMETHING LIKE THAT, OVER 100 GRAND.
AND AND WE THE BAR SCREEN WAS BETWEEN THE CONTRACTOR AND THE IN THE EQUIPMENT.
AND THAT WAS OVER VERY CLOSE TO 300,000 FOR THAT.
SO YEAH. BUT YOUR OVERALL BUDGET IS GOT AN INCREASE OF ABOUT 20%.
YES. BECAUSE WE'RE LIKE I SAID, WE'RE GETTING A A RATE INCREASE.
AND ALSO ONE MORE THING. THE THE LAB TEST. AND I PUT ANOTHER 10,000 BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO RENEW SOUTH'S PERMIT IS DUE IN FEBRUARY. SO IT MEANS WE'RE GOING TO DO SOME EXTRA TESTING.
SO I WENT AHEAD AND PUT THAT IN THERE AND TO KIND OF COVER THAT AND YOU KNOW, SO OKAY, SO, SO ANYWAY THAT THAT'S THAT'S ABOUT ALL I MEAN THAT'S THE BIGGEST CHANGES I HAD.
YOU KNOW, I MIGHT HAVE ADDED A FEW HERE AND THERE, BUT THAT WAS THE MAJOR ONES I POINTED OUT.
THAT LOOKS LIKE IT WAS WELL THOUGHT OUT. AND YOU GOT EVERYTHING COVERED FOR THE NEXT YEAR.
REMIND US AND THE PEOPLE WATCHING WHAT YOU MEAN BY THE RATE INCREASE.
OKAY. YOU KNOW, BACK IN 23, YOU KNOW, THE CITY COUNCIL VOTED TO INCREASE HAVE A RATE INCREASE ON FOR 24, 25 AND 2,625% FOR ALL THREE YEARS. WELL, 26 IS COMING UP FOR THE LAST YEAR AND WE'LL GET ANOTHER.
THERE'LL BE ANOTHER 25% RATE INCREASE. SO AND WE'LL ACTUALLY WE'LL BE FINANCIAL WILL BE ON TRACK.
AND AND NEXT YEAR I'M GOING TO BE LOOKING AT IT AGAIN.
IF WE DO HAVE TO DO IT, IT'S GOING TO BE JUST A LIKE A COST OF ALMOST LIKE A, A LOW INFLATION RATE, LIKE A 2%, 3%, SOMETHING LIKE THAT. IT WON'T BE NOTHING DRASTIC.
SINCE WE'RE NOW WE'RE KIND OF WHERE WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE ON THE, ON THE, ON THE RATES.
SO. OKAY. WELL, AFTER HEARING ALL OF THAT ABOUT THE BUDGET, IF I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION, IF ANYBODY WANTS TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE BUDGET SO WE CAN GET THAT SENT TO CITY COUNCIL TO VOTE FOR MOTION TO APPROVE THE BUDGET, DO I HEAR A SECOND? SECOND? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
OKAY. PASSES. OKAY. ANY OTHER NEW BUSINESS? THERE? I HAVE SOME NEW BUSINESS I NEED TO GO OVER. THERE'S BEEN SOME TALK BETWEEN THE CITY OF NORTH LITTLE ROCK WASTEWATER AND SHERWOOD WASTEWATER ABOUT THE OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF SHERWOOD WASTEWATER UTILITY AND THE POSSIBLE MERGER OF BOTH OF THE UTILITIES.
ALTHOUGH THE POSSIBILITY OF A MERGER IS UNNECESSARY AND A BIT EXTREME, IN MY OPINION, A REVISIT TO THE COURT ORDER THAT WAS SIGNED IN 1989 THAT MAY HAPPEN. THERE MAY BE GOOD FOR THE CITY OF SHERWOOD, SINCE WE HAVE A BUDGET SURPLUS FOR THIS NEXT FISCAL YEAR, I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION THAT THE CITY OF SHERWOOD WASTEWATER HIRE AN ATTORNEY WHO HAS EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE IN ENVIRONMENTAL LAW TO ASSIST US AND REPRESENT US AT THE TABLE WITH THE NORTH LITTLE ROCK ATTORNEYS.
SO. I'D ENTERTAIN A MOTION IF SOMEBODY WOULD LET ME MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND THAT WE AS A COMMITTEE CAN'T HIRE ANYBODY. BUT WE'RE RECOMMENDING TO THE COUNCIL THAT THE COUNCIL HIRE SOMEBODY TO REPRESENT US. I DON'T THINK THAT'S EVEN NECESSARY, SINCE WE DON'T HAVE TO ASK FOR ANY MONEY, BECAUSE WE ALREADY HAVE IT IN OUR BUDGET UNDER PROFESSIONAL FEES, PROFESSIONAL FEES, WE CAN COVER THIS. AND AFTER DISCUSSIONS WITH THE MAYOR, I THINK THAT WE CAN JUST GO AHEAD AND HIRE THIS JUST TO OUR COMMITTEE.
WE'RE A COMMITTEE. THAT'S WHY I WAS WONDERING, IN THIS ROLE STATUTORILY, YOU CAN THANK YOU.
OKAY. I'M NOT OPPOSED TO IT. I
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YEAH. OKAY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. SO MOVED SECOND.OKAY, I GUESS IT PASSES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, LADIES.
I THINK WE NEED TO VOTE. YEP. ALL IN FAVOR OF HIRING AN OUTSIDE ATTORNEY OR ENVIRONMENTAL ATTORNEY? ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. THOSE OPPOSED. OKAY, THAT PASSES TO.
VERY GOOD. I DO HAVE A COUPLE OTHER THINGS I'D LIKE TO GO OVER REAL QUICK.
WE HAD ALREADY TALKED ABOUT THE FUNDING FOR THE INTERCEPTORS, AND THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
SO JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY OUT THERE KNOWS THAT THE INTERCEPTOR PROJECT THAT WE ORIGINALLY WERE GOING TO DO WITH NORTH LITTLE ROCK IS PRETTY MUCH GOING ACCORDING TO SCHEDULE. YOU KNOW, WE HAD A LITTLE HICCUP ABOUT THE FUNDING.
IT GOT DENIED THE FIRST TIME. SO WE HAD TO RESUBMIT OUR REQUEST FOR FOR THE LOAN.
CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG. NO, WE GOT IT THE FIRST TIME.
OKAY. YEAH, WE DID GET IT THE FIRST TIME. YEAH.
OKAY. ANYWAY, THE ENGINEERING FEES AND ALL THAT STUFF IS GOING TO BE TAKEN CARE OF.
THERE WAS ALSO MENTIONED IN A RECENT LETTER TO THE CITY OF SHERWOOD THAT NORTH LITTLE ROCK CAN TREAT OUR WASTEWATER FOR 30 TO 40% CHEAPER THAN WHAT THE CITY OF SHERWOOD CAN PAY FOR THAT. WELL, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A NOTE THAT THIS IS INCORRECT, AND THAT DATA WAS FROM 2007 AND 2008. THAT'S NOT EVEN CURRENT DATA.
I'VE GOT AN EXTENSIVE FAMILIARITY WITH BOTH THE CITY OF SHERWOOD AND NORTH LITTLE ROCK WASTEWATER UTILITIES, HAVING BEEN AN INSPECTOR AT THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY SINCE 1990, WAS IN CHARGE OF KEEPING ALL OF THESE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTS IN COMPLIANCE. SO I KIND OF HAVE A REALLY GOOD HISTORY.
AND SUZANNE STAIR WAS ALSO AN INSPECTOR FOR ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY.
AND SHE ALSO USED TO INSPECT ALL THESE WASTEWATER PLANTS.
SO BETWEEN US, WE GOT A PRETTY EXTENSIVE BACKGROUND AND HISTORY ON ALL THESE UTILITIES AND EVERYTHING THAT HAD BEEN GOING ON FOR SINCE 1980S, ACTUALLY. AND I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT OUR COLLECTION SYSTEM RIGHT NOW IS PROBABLY IN THE BEST SHAPE THAT IT'S BEEN IN IN THE LAST 30 YEARS OR SO.
WE HAVE AN EXTENSIVE CMOM PROBLEM PROGRAM THAT WE INSPECT, WE TELEVISE, WE CLEAN, WE REPAIR OUR COLLECTION SYSTEM ON A REGULAR AND ON AN AS NEEDED BASIS. IF WE EVER ENCOUNTER A PROBLEM, IT IS ADDRESSED QUICKLY AND TAKEN CARE OF.
NOT ALL UTILITIES DO THIS. IN SUMMARY, I'D. I'D LIKE EVERYONE TO KNOW THAT OUR WASTEWATER UTILITY IS BEING PROPERLY OPERATED AND MAINTAINED AND WITHIN ITS PERMIT LIMITS.
I EXPECT GREAT THINGS TO CONTINUE WITH THIS UTILITY IN THE UPCOMING YEARS.
AND WITH THAT, I WILL ACCEPT A MOTION TO ADJOURN OUR MEETING MOTION.
ALL IN FAVOR? SECOND, SECOND, AND ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.