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Commission Meeting Minutes Thursday, October 17, 2019

For your consideration, please read the minutes from the Commission Meeting held on Thursday, October 17, 2019 at 2:00 p.m. in the Commission Meeting Room.

Commission Meeting Minutes 10-17-19 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, October 17, 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

Cornell L. Harvey, Commissioner                            

Bob Duncan, Commissioner 

ALSO PRESENT:                 

Andrew Burroughs, Interim Executive Director

Charles Dorminy, Legal Counsel HBS

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 

MEDIA PRESENT:               

Taylor Cooper, The Brunswick News

Pamela Permar Shierling, The Islander                                     

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

Chairman Turnipseed provided the invocation and Commissioner Copeland led the Pledge of Allegiance. 

PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD

Chairman Turnipseed opened the public comment period.

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

STAFF RECOGNITION – C. Harvey / T. Kline

            Georgia Utilities Coordinating Council Awards

                        Mike Fields – GUCC Region 5 Chairman of the Year Award

                        Tiffany Tiner – GUCC Region 5 Secretary of the Year Award

Commissioner Harvey announced that this staff recognition was for awards made by the Georgia Utilities Coordinating Council to two JWSC staff members Mike Fields and Tiffany Tiner.  Their supervisor Todd Kline presented background information regarding the Georgia Utilities Coordinating Council and its purpose and function; provided a brief history of Georgia’s Region 5 Council Group; the relationships, communications and coordination necessary between the various utilities; and also the involvement of 811 “Call Before You Dig.”   Mike Fields was presented the award for GUCC Region 5 Chairman of the Year.  Tiffany Tiner was presented the award for GUCC Region 5 Secretary of the Year.  Commissioner Harvey congratulated and commended both JWSC staff members for their responsibilities and duties they have performed in their roles for the GUCC.  

COMMITTEE UPDATES

Facilities Committee – Chairman Turnipseed provided that the Facilities Committee had met on the previous day, approved two property dedications to be moved forward to the full Commission, had a Meter RFI presentation, reviewed the three wastewater plant flows, discussed current status of unsolicited proposals, discussed sludge hauling, sewer expansion, the proposed SPLOST projects list for JWSC, and updated the wasteload allocations from EPD.

Finance Committee – Commissioner Copeland provided that the Finance Committee had also met on the previous day and reviewed a number of items with the most significant being the presentation by Trey Scott of Mauldin & Jenkins for the financial and compliance audit report for FY 2019.  The Finance Committee voted to accept the audit and move it forward to the full Commission for acceptance.

Human Resources – Commissioner Elliott provided that the candidates for the position of Executive Director were interviewed. 

APPROVAL

  1. Minutes from the October 3, 2019 Regular Commission Meeting

Commissioner Duncan made a motion seconded by Commissioner Elliott to approve the minutes from the October 3, 2019 Regular Commission Meeting.  Motion carried 6-0-1.  (Commissioner Stephens was not present for the vote.) 

Chairman Turnipseed advised that Commissioner Stephens would be arriving late for the meeting.

  1. Minutes from the October 3, 2019 Executive Session

Commissioner Copeland made a motion seconded by Commissioner Harvey to approve the minutes from the October 3, 2019 Executive Session.  Motion carried 6-0-1.  (Commissioner Stephens was not present for the vote.) 

  1. Minutes from the October 7, 2019 Special Called Meeting

Commissioner Duncan made a motion seconded by Commissioner Neal to approve the minutes from the October 7, 2019 Special Called Meeting.  Motion carried 6-0-1.  (Commissioner Stephens was not present for the vote.) 

  1. Minutes from the October 7, 2019 Executive Session

Commissioner Harvey made a motion seconded by Commissioner Duncan to approve the minutes from the October 7, 2019 Executive Session.  Motion carried 6-0-1.  (Commissioner Stephens was not present for the vote.) 

  1. Acceptance of FY2019 Financial Audit – J. Donaghy

Mr. Donaghy stated that Trey Scott from Mauldin & Jenkins had presented the FY 2019 financial audit to the Finance Committee.  He noted that a financial audit is required to be completed by October 15th of each year under the Operational Agreement and this year’s report is dated October 7th.  Formal copies of the audit were provided to the Commissioners.  Mr. Donaghy advised that the Finance Committee has recommended that the audit be accepted and authorized for release to the public and to reporting agencies.

Commissioner Elliott questioned the difference between what was shown in June for salaries and personnel expenses on the revenue statement in the audit and the covered payroll on page 34 of the audit report and operating personnel services for 2019 and 2018 on page 5 of the Management Discussion and Analysis.  Mr. Donaghy responded that the information reported in the notes on the financial statement relative to pension numbers are those that are provided to the auditors by GMA and the GMA actuaries.  Those numbers are based on a payroll census that was reported to them in August of the previous year, therefore the numbers seen are those the actuary had as of August of 2018, and we are reporting Fiscal Year 2019.  Mr. Donaghy added that the actuarial numbers lag by 9 months to a year, so there is some difference there.  He also noted that when there is turnover employees that have left are not included in covered payroll which makes another difference, and the amounts of salaries that are reported on the financial statements include accrued salaries for the last payroll period of each year that have not been paid as of yet.  There are timing differences and there are differences due to financial reporting requirements.  Mr. Donaghy advised that those numbers will never line up dollar for dollar.  Mr. Burroughs added that the line item personnel services on page 5 versus the covered payroll on page 34 does reflect a difference because personnel services covers more than just payroll.  Mr. Donaghy noted that also covers the statutory and elective benefits that are paid to personnel.  Commissioner Elliott commented that this would be discussed more at the next Finance meeting and the next Human Resources meeting.

Commissioner Copeland made a motion seconded by Commissioner Elliott to move that the JWSC accept the audited financial report for the June 30, 2019 Fiscal Year and authorize its release to the public and reporting agencies. 

Commissioner Duncan suggested to Mr. Donaghy that where there are these non-material differences it would be beneficial to have it footnoted to indicate the differences, and why they are there, so that all who read the report have that information and understanding of the timing differences and then the different reporting requirement.  Commissioner Duncan added that going forward this is his recommendation so that the Commission will already have that answer resolved, and then more particularly for the public that reviews the documents where they might see that difference, it is already footnoted as to what the inputs were for the differences.  Mr. Donaghy said that the most appropriate place for that is in the Management Discussion and Analysis at the beginning of the audit, which is a document actually prepared by the JWSC.

Commissioner Copeland commented that for the Commissioners and the public it is important to state the findings of the audit, and the findings were that, “We have issued an unmodified audit report.”  That’s a clean opinion.  We have been given a clean bill of health essentially with no findings, no negative findings.  Commissioner Copeland then read from the audit report, “The respective financial statements are considered to present fairly the financial position and results of operations as of and for the year ending June 30, 2019.”  He then said we have a clean audit and the only recommendation was that we compile our financial procedures together in one location or one book and we should be doing that over the next year.  Mr. Donaghy agreed and added that there is a board adopted financial policy and various procedures, but they are just not in one binder where they can all be found at once, and that is their suggestion.  He noted that part of that is the data flow mapping which we are continuing to do for the Strategic Plan that has been put together.

Commissioner Harvey commented that he agreed with Commissioner Duncan’s suggestion regarding the footnote.  He then questioned if the audit report is being accepted as is, and with the stipulation of the added comments.  Commissioner Elliott rephrased the question for confirming if the Commission wanted the footnote added to this audit report before it is released to the public.  Commissioner Duncan indicated that the footnote can be added as Mr. Donaghy had suggested within the Management Discussion and Analysis section since that is the document provided by JWSC with no other changes to the report.

Commissioner Copeland reconfirmed that the suggestion is to have the footnote added to the Management Discussion and Analysis section and the entire packet would be updated to include that footnote before it is released.  It was agreed that the footnote would be added.

Commissioner Copeland then amended the motion to accept the audit as it stands with the addition of that footnote in the Management Discussion and Analysis section.  Commissioner Harvey seconded the amended motion.    

Commissioner Stephens arrived at 2:25 p.m.

Motion carried 6-0-1.  (Commissioner Stephens was not present for the discussion and abstained from the vote.)

  1. Dedications (2) – T. Kline
  • PS2022 Dunbarton Creek Plantation
  • 205 Dunbar Drive Force Main Extension

Mr. Kline presented the recommendation to accept two dedications to the Commissioners.  He noted that there are two items, with one being a pump station that will come off of the list of pump stations that are already operated and maintained by JWSC with the ownership not yet dedicated.  He added that the second item is from a new customer who put in a grinder station at their home and extended the force main down the right of way (ROW) to connect to JWSC’s system, and that portion of force main coming down the ROW is what is being dedicated to JWSC.  Chairman Turnipseed commented that this had been reviewed by the Facilities Committee and approved to move forward to the full Commission.

Commissioner Duncan made a motion seconded by Commissioner Elliott that the Brunswick Glynn County Joint Water & Sewer Commission accept the projects described as public infrastructure for ownership, operations, and maintenance.  Motion carried 7-0-0.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S UPDATE

Mr. Burroughs advised that the manhole rehab contract kicked off on Monday and it had been issued to BioNomics.  The mainland smoke testing project has kicked off as well.  Mr. Burroughs noted that during the next week on Whitlock Street, the bypass for the SPLOST project will be installed.  Bids are due back on the Altama/Sea Palms Cured In Place Pipe project on November 5th and the Banking RFP is due back on November 5th also.   Mr. Burroughs provided that the Grand Jury interviews will be held on October 23rd and 30th with the public hearing on November 6th and final selection on November 20th.

CHAIRMAN’S UPDATE

Chairman Turnipseed advised that he had no further update.

EXECUTIVE SESSION – Property & Personnel

Commissioner Elliott made a motion seconded by Commissioner Stephens to enter into Executive Session to discuss Property & Personnel with no vote to be taken after.  Motion carried 7-0-0.

Return to Regular Session.

Commissioner Neal made a motion seconded by Commissioner Duncan to return to Regular Session.  Motion carried 7-0-0.

Commissioner Copeland made a motion seconded by Commissioner Neal to adjourn the meeting.  Motion carried 7-0-0.

There being no additional business to bring before the Commission, Chairman Turnipseed adjourned the meeting at 3:53 p.m.