For your consideration, please read the minutes from the Commission Meeting held on Thursday, March 7, 2019 at 2:00 p.m.

Commission Meeting Minutes 3-7-19 with Attachments

To read the minutes, please open or download the pdf from the link above, or you may see more below.

Brunswick-Glynn County Joint Water and Sewer Commission

1703 Gloucester Street, Brunswick, GA 31520

Thursday, March 7, 2019 at 2:00 PM 

COMMISSION MINUTES

PRESENT:                             

G. Ben Turnipseed, Chairman

Steve Copeland, Vice-Chairman

Cornell L. Harvey, Commissioner

Tripp Stephens, Commissioner

Wayne Neal, Commissioner

ALSO PRESENT:                 

Charlie Dorminy, Legal Counsel HBS

Andrew Burroughs, Deputy Executive Director

Todd Kline, Director of Engineering

John D. Donaghy, Director of Finance

Jay Sellers, Director of Administration

Janice Meridith, Exec. Commission Administrator

ABSENT:                               

Bob Duncan, Commissioner

Donald Elliott, Commissioner

Jimmy Junkin, Executive Director

MEDIA PRESENT:               

Taylor Cooper, The Brunswick News

Pamela Permar Shierling, The Islander

Chairman Turnipseed called the meeting to order at 2:00 PM.

Commissioner Copeland provided the invocation and Commissioner Neal led the pledge.

PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD

Chairman Turnipseed opened the public comment period.

Monica Smith, SPLOST 2020 – Monica Smith commented that she had attended the Glynn County Retreat Session where the provisional SPLOST 2020 list was discussed.  She noticed that beside JWSC on the project list there were no entries and inquired if JWSC had a list of projects that were to be included and also if anyone had reviewed with the County to see if there were any projects that might intersect.

Andrew Burroughs responded that JWSC had received the County’s list of SPLOST projects which staff is currently reviewing to see if JWSC has assets in those areas to be worked on, and that JWSC does also have a list of projects if there is funding available.

There being no additional citizens for public comment, Chairman Turnipseed closed the public comment period.

APPROVAL

1. Minutes from the February 21, 2019 Regular Commission Meeting

Commissioner Harvey made a motion seconded by Commissioner Neal to approve the minutes from the February 21, 2019 Regular Commission Meeting.  Motion carried 5-0-2.  (Commissioner Duncan and Commissioner Elliott were absent for the vote.)

2. Minutes from the February 21, 2019 Executive Session

Commissioner Harvey made a motion seconded by Commissioner Neal to approve the minutes from the February 21, 2019 Executive Session.  Motion carried 4-0-3.  (Commissioner Duncan and Commissioner Elliott were absent for the vote.  Commissioner Stephens abstained due to his absence from that Executive Session.) 

Chairman Turnipseed requested a motion to excuse Commissioner Duncan and Commissioner Elliott from the meeting due to being at a conference out of town. 

Commissioner Stephens made a motion seconded by Commissioner Harvey to excuse Commissioner Duncan and Commissioner Elliott from the meeting due to attending a conference out of town.  Motion carried 5-0-2.  (Commissioner Duncan and Commissioner Elliott were absent for the vote.) 

Commissioner Stephens requested permission to leave the Commission Meeting after the approval section of the agenda due to an out of town commitment. 

3. Deed for Hawkins Island Infrastructure – C. Dorminy

Charlie Dorminy presented the request for approval to accept the deed from the Hawkins Island Property Homeowners Association for the Hawkins Island infrastructure.  He noted that a second identical deed would come from the Sea Island Council once approved.  Hawkins Island and Sea Island request that JWSC accept the deed from Hawkins Island Homeowners Association and Sea Island quitclaiming their interest in the real property located on Hawkins Island which contains water and sewer infrastructure that is being operated and maintained by the JWSC.  Mr. Dorminy provided the background history of this infrastructure for the Hawkins Island Development.

Commissioner Stephens made a motion seconded by Commissioner Harvey to move that the JWSC accept the quitclaim deeds conveying the water and sewer infrastructure located on Hawkins Island, Glynn County, Georgia.   Motion carried 5-0-2.  (Commissioner Duncan and Commissioner Elliott were absent for the vote.)

4. Regina Court Encroachment – T. Kline

Todd Kline presented the recommendation to approve the acceptance of the Regina Court sewer infrastructure with the easement as public infrastructure.  Regina Court is a small subdivision off of Demere Road on St. Simons Island.  Mr. Kline briefly advised that this acceptance will clean up some easement issues and that there was also an encroachment involved.

Commissioner Copeland made a motion seconded by Commissioner Neal to move that the Brunswick-Glynn County Joint Water and Sewer Commission accept the on-site water system and on-site sewer system along with associated easements within Regina Court development as public infrastructure for ownership, operation and maintenance.  Motion carried 5-0-2.  (Commissioner Duncan and Commissioner Elliott were absent for the vote.) 

Charlie Dorminy advised that a second motion was required to accept the encroachment on both lots 1 and 4 on that same project as well.   He added that the easements were accepted upon the condition that JWSC and the developer enter into an Encroachment Agreement as included in the package.

Commissioner Copeland made a motion seconded by Commissioner Stephens to move that the Brunswick-Glynn County Joint Water and Sewer Commission accept the on-site water system and the on-site sewer system along with associated encroachments on lots 1 and 4 within the Regina Court development as public infrastructure for ownership, operation and maintenance.  Motion carried 5-0-2.  (Commissioner Duncan and Commissioner Elliott were absent for the vote.)

Commissioner Stephens left the meeting at 2:11 p.m.

DISCUSSION

1. Academy Creek WPCF Urgent Dryer Repair Update – A. Burroughs

Andrew Burroughs advised the Commissioners that an agreement had been entered into with AIT Services to perform some emergency maintenance on the sludge dryer at Academy Creek.  He provided a brief history of the issues with the dryer and added that the back plate to the dryer has failed causing it to be non-functional at this time.  Mr. Burroughs also noted that the sludge is currently being pressed and then hauled to the landfill, but the sludge still contains some water.  He added that every month the sludge dryer is down is costing an additional $25,000 at the landfill due to the moisture in the sludge.  The total cost of $73,500 will include the emergency repairs, re-programming of the dryer, and the JWSC staff will also be formally trained on the proper maintenance of the dryer to help avoid future issues and will also be provided with necessary operations and maintenance manuals for the dryer.  AIT Services is expected to be available to begin the repairs by the end of the month and complete everything within a couple of weeks for the dryer to be functional by mid to late April.  Mr. Burroughs advised the funding is coming out of the wastewater treatment plant operations budget. 

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S UPDATE

Andrew Burroughs advised that Mr. Junkin and two of the commissioners were at the Utility Management Conference and gaining good information at the workshops. 

CHAIRMAN’S UPDATE

Chairman Turnipseed commended the staff and noted that JWSC has been providing better service and improving operations, all of the pump stations now have additional capacity, the commission is looking at extending the system, as well as making improvements to all of the plants in the upcoming years.  He expressed his appreciation for the staff and all of the commissioners working together to improve the system for the customers of the JWSC.

EXECUTIVE SESSION

There was no executive session.

There being no additional business to bring before the Commission, Chairman Turnipseed requested a motion to adjourn the meeting.

Commissioner Neal made a motion seconded by Commissioner Harvey to adjourn the meeting.

Chairman Turnipseed adjourned the meeting at 2:19 p.m.