Skip to main content
(912) 261-7100    |   Contact Us

Commission Meeting Minutes Thursday, May 2, 2019

Written by Janice Meridith on . Posted in Commission Meeting Minutes.

For your consideration, please read the minutes from the Commission Meeting held on Thursday, May 2, 2019.

Commission Meeting Minutes 5-2-19 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, May 2, 2019 at 2:00 PM

 COMMISSION MINUTES

 PRESENT:                             

G. Ben Turnipseed, Chairman

Steve Copeland, Vice-Chairman

Donald Elliott, Commissioner

Tripp Stephens, Commissioner

Wayne Neal, Commissioner

Bob Duncan, Commissioner

ALSO PRESENT:                 

Jimmy Junkin, Executive Director

Charlie Dorminy, Legal Counsel HBS

Andrew Burroughs, Deputy Executive Director

Todd Kline, Director of Engineering

Pam Crosby, Director of Procurement

John D. Donaghy, Director of Finance

Jay Sellers, Director of Administration

Janice Meridith, Exec. Commission Administrator

 ABSENT:                               

Cornell L. Harvey, Commissioner

 MEDIA PRESENT:               

Taylor Cooper, The Brunswick News

Pamela Permar Shierling, The Islander

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

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

 PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD

Chairman Turnipseed opened the public comment period.

Calvin Waye, Fire Hydrants for Old Buck Swamp Area – Mr. Waye commented that as the President of the Tri-Area Association in the Brookman, Buck Swamp and Fancy Bluff Area, he has often been receiving questions about the original Buck Swamp area, specifically regarding the need for fire hydrants and the lack thereof.  There are residents in the area as well as a church, and they have been asking why do all of the fire hydrants go out towards the newer parts of Buck Swamp and there are none in the original portion?  This is a need for safety purposes as well as insurance premium costs which are higher when there is a lack of presence of fire hydrants.  Mr. Waye is asking for immediate attention in providing fire hydrants in this area.

Chairman Turnipseed thanked Mr. Waye for his commentary.

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

COMMITTEE UPDATES

There were no committee updates.

APPROVAL

  1. Minutes from the April 18, 2019 Regular Commission Meeting

Commissioner Duncan made a motion seconded by Commissioner Stephens to approve the minutes from the April 18, 2019 Regular Commission Meeting.  Motion carried 6-0-1.  (Commissioner Harvey was absent from the meeting.)

Chairman Turnipseed requested a motion to excuse Commissioner Harvey from the meeting due to being out of town on business.

Commissioner Stephens made a motion seconded by Commissioner Neal to excuse Commissioner Harvey from the meeting.  Motion carried 6-0-1.  (Commissioner Harvey was absent from the meeting.)

  1. Minutes from the April 18, 2019 Executive Session

Commissioner Neal made a motion seconded by Commissioner Copeland to approve the minutes from the April 18, 2019 Executive Session.  Motion carried 6-0-1.  (Commissioner Harvey was absent from the meeting.) 

  1. Intergovernmental Agreement – Sea Palms Sewer Rehabilitation – C. Dorminy

Charlie Dorminy provided the Commissioners with a copy of the proposed SPLOST V Intergovernmental Agreement between Glynn County and JWSC regarding the SPLOST V Sewer Line Rehabilitation Project for their review.  He recalled for the Commissioners that the SPLOST V projects for Glynn County included various water and sewer capital outlay projects, including the SPLOST V project known and described as “Sewer line Rehabilitation”.  The JWSC has identified this as a qualifying project within the Sea Palms development.  The Intergovernmental Agreement is required by law to be entered into in order for the County to be able to provide SPLOST V funds to the JWSC, and so that JWSC may manage the project.  Mr. Dorminy then gave an overview of the proposal and agreement for the Commission.

Commissioner Duncan made a motion seconded by Commissioner Stephens to move that the JWSC enter into the SPLOST 2005 Intergovernmental Agreement for Sea Palms Sewer Line Rehabilitation.  Motion carried 6-0-1.  (Commissioner Harvey was absent from the meeting.)

DISCUSSION

  1. Meter Replacement RFP Update – J. Junkin

Mr. Junkin provided an update on the progress of the Meter Replacement Request For Proposal (RFP).  He indicated that the AMR telemetry batteries through the system are failing.  BGJWSC desires to replace the current meters systematically with AMI or Advanced Metering Infrastructure.  Mr. Junkin advised that staff is in the process of finalizing a Request For Proposals to solicit AMI providers to provide new metering infrastructure with telemetry capabilities to support AMI such that water meters are monitored in near real time.  After the proposals are received and evaluated, the proposing vendors will be reduced to a short list.  Those on the short list will be allowed to do a pilot study for 6 months using the technology they proposed and to find out what the capabilities are for the technology.  Financing will be a significant consideration as well as customer access and customer support via internet access to the data being generated by the water meters serving each customer which is very important.  Mr. Junkin provided a preliminary schedule of execution for the project and also a draft of the RFP Initial Evaluation and Technical Worksheet for the Commissioners’ review.  Commissioner Elliott questioned if JWSC is requesting a particular lifespan for the meters in the RFP.  He suggested that the RFP language should include a minimum life for the battery and the head, and that if these do not achieve their minimum life that the vendor replace it at their cost to include both the battery and the head, and then provided the reason for his suggestion.  The Commission further discussed various details and outcomes that should be expected.  The RFP is expected to be for advertisement in June 2019.

  1. Whitlock Avenue Sewer Blockage/Collapse Update – J. Junkin

Mr. Junkin provided highlights and a summary update on the Whitlock Avenue sewer blockage and collapse found on April 18, 2019.  He discussed the CCTV that was done on the line and where there were issues and blockage found by Bloodhound that did the CCTV work.  He commended the staff who worked on the repairs to the initial collapsed 30” line and sinkhole as well as the second collapse and sinkhole.  There was a total of 545’ of line that had to be replaced.  Jay Sellers provided a descriptive video of the collapses and sinkholes, included CCTV video of the interior of the lines, and detailed the work that was required for the repairs not only on Whitlock Avenue, but also additional sinkholes that occurred on B&W Grade Road.  After additional discussion between the Commission and staff, Chairman Turnipseed commended staff for the quick responses and hard work.  Commissioner Neal also complimented staff on the frequent updates during the work.

  1. Proposals for Academy Creek and Dunbar Creek Upgrades – J. Junkin

Mr. Junkin provided that five responses had been received from engineering firms on the previous day, and noted that the evaluation team is in the process of reviewing those.  Initial scoring is expected to be completed by May 10th.  After the initial review, interviews will be conducted with the five proposing firms on May 13th and 14th.  A final recommendation will be presented to the Facilities Committee and Commission soon thereafter.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S UPDATE

Mr. Junkin acknowledged and congratulated Chairman Turnipseed on becoming a member of the Georgia Tech Hall of Fame.  Mr. Junkin then commented that the RFP for the solids hauling roll-off truck is going out for advertisement on May 3rd with one month for responses, and a few more months before an order would be filled.  He added that the inventory analysis is in process.  Also noted was that the critical equipment inventory requiring preventive maintenance is in process; that equipment will be receiving scored for determining the worst in need of preventive maintenance.   Mr. Junkin updated that the smoke testing project started in East Beach.  He provided that an emergency preparedness table top drill will be held at end of May at the EOC.  It is expected that four staff members will attend.  He added that staff will reach out to Commissioner Stephens to schedule an Emergency Preparedness Committee Meeting.

CHAIRMAN’S UPDATE

Chairman Turnipseed recommended that the Commissioners attend the Georgia Rural Water Association Conference on Jekyll Island.

EXECUTIVE SESSION

Chairman Turnipseed advised that there would be an executive session to discuss litigation and personnel with no vote to be taken after.

Commissioner Copeland made a motion seconded by Commissioner Stephens to enter into Executive Session to discuss Litigation and Personnel.  Motion carried 6-0-1.  (Commissioner Harvey was absent from the meeting.)

Return to Regular Session.

Commissioner Duncan made a motion seconded by Commissioner Stephens to return to regular session.  Motion carried 6-0-1.  (Commissioner Harvey was absent from the meeting.)

Chairman Turnipseed requested a motion to adjourn the meeting.

Commissioner Stephens made a motion seconded by Commissioner Duncan to adjourn the meeting.  Motion carried 6-0-1.  (Commissioner Harvey was absent from the meeting.)

There being no additional business to bring before the Commission, Chairman Turnipseed adjourned the meeting at 3:46 p.m.