By Phill Coffman
I was sworn in as a new Director of the BVWD just prior the Dec.21st Board meeting. Several events strongly indicated a business-as-usual posture by the Board.
First, Dave Ritchie was re-elected Board President by a 3-2 vote. Ritchie, Davis, and Bissell voting for, and Coffman and Nelson against.
At the Nov. 16th Board Meeting, I asked that a proposed Plan of Action be placed on the Agenda for the Dec. 21st meeting after I became officially a Board member.
I presented the attached proposed Plan of Action as the first step to bring about substantive improvements to the operation of the BVWD Board. The rationale for each item of the plan was presented in depth. Subsequent to the presentation, Director Nelson made a motion to accept the proposed Plan: however, it was voted down by 3-2. Director Bissell seemed to feel it involved too much work. Little comment was expressed by Directors Ritchie and Davis except for a comment from Director Ritchie about not seeing a need to invent the wheel. Unfortunately, what he thinks is a wheel, doesn’t exist or if it does, it is square! A later discussion during the meeting on the general subject of Committees, resulted in four committees (loosely from my proposed plan) being placed on the Agenda for the January Board meeting for further discussion.
The take home message from this meeting was that business-as-usual is to be expected from this Board without significant pressure by the ratepayers for change.
The Proposed Plan of Action is only a first step and a comprehensive system review is absolutely essential even though three members of the Board apparently didn’t think it was necessary. An example of why it is necessary is the recent discovery that we have been inadequately disinfecting the effluent transferred to the storage pond. Apparently, we have never properly treated the effluent! The cost to you, the rate-holder, is approximately a cool $100,000 for installation of a new 12,000 gallon tank to provide adequate Chlorine contact time for disinfection.
You asked me to represent you on this Board. Now I’m asking you to help me get done what we need to do to have a well managed water district. I encourage your comments, and if you agree that business-as-usual is not good enough and we need to bring some rigor to this Board, let them know with an email. Tepid response will only strengthen a business-as-usual attitude on the part of the BVWD Board of Directors and will vindicate their inaction.
PROPOSED BVWD PLAN OF ACTION
Phillip Coffman P.E. (RET)
December 21, 2009
OBJECTIVE
The recent events surrounding the proposed rate increases and the assumed need for significant and expensive modifications to the BVWD facilities strongly indicate the need for a general system review on the part of the new board of directors to enable establishment of strategic direction and policy development for the management of BVWD. The objective of this plan is to assure a well managed sanitary sewer system that is cost-effective, provides good value and is fair and balanced to the rate-payers. To provide such service, it is imperative that our decisions and policies be based on hard, objective fact that can only be determined by a thorough understanding of real system requirements. Given an understanding of real system requirements, our current system design can be objectively evaluated to determine it’s adequacy in meeting those requirements for current operations and future growth.
The BVWD General Manager has proven to be a highly capable professional. The BVWD Board of Directors must provide strategic and policy direction to the General Manager to assure his efforts are consistent with the long term needs of our community and the rate-payers we mutually serve.
PLAN OF ACTION
This plan of action consists of several elements:
- Comprehensive System Review
- Comprehensive Administrative Review
- Definition of the System Baseline Design
- Definition of System Growth Capability
- Assessment of System Performance vs. System Requirements
- Update of BVWD By-Laws
- Establish Standing Committees to Maximize Board Efficiency
- Election of BVWD Officers for 2010
- Establishment of Policies for Future Rate Increases
The comprehensive reviews will be implemented by formation of ad hoc committees to perform each of the various elements. It is proposed that each committee consist of at least two directors, one of which will serve as chairman, and several pro bono volunteers (three to five) from our community that have the requisite experience and expertise to perform the functions of each element of the plan for which they are assigned. If specialized or certificated expertise is required, the committee will request approval of such expenditures prior to obligating the district for such charges. It is the intent of this plan to avoid such charges.
BVWD COMPREHENSIVE SYSTEM REVIEWS
The outline of the comprehensive System Reviews is as follows; however, the ad hoc committees shall have the latitude to fine tune their conduct according to their findings as long as the general content is addressed:
Technical:
- System Description
- Performance and Failure History
- System Requirements
- System DesignCollection
- WWTPF
- Monitoring and Instrumentation (including calibration requirements)
- Life limited items
- Operations and Maintenance Features
- Safety (system and personnel) - Design Documentation
- Functional Diagram
- Drawings
- Specifications
- Critical Equipment List
- Reliability and Maintainability Assessments (if any) - System Growth Capability
- Capital Improvement Program
- Technical Personnel Issues
- Certification and Qualifications
- Technical Training - Requirements for Regulatory Reports
Administrative:
- Review BVWD By-Laws
- BVWD Policies and Procedures
- Rate Determination Process Review
- Financial Operations
- Policies and Procedures
- Accounts (including banking)
- Budgets
- Audit Reports - Personnel
- Policies and Procedures
- Job Instructions
- Functions and Responsibilities
- Compensation - Management
- Policies and Procedures
- Job Instructions
- Functions and Responsibilities
- Compensation
BY-LAW UPDATE
The update of the BVWD By-Laws will address the following:
- Election method for selecting Directors
- Voter qualifications
- Director term of office
- BVWD Officers, their functions, responsibilities and authority
- Elections, appointments and removal of Officers and Directors
- Definition of Standing Committees (Recommended)
1) Technical Oversight Committee
2) Financial oversight Committee
3) Administrative Oversight Committee
4) Personnel Oversight Committee
5) Strategic Planning Committee
6) System Performance Evaluation Committee
7) Compensation Committee
8) Public Information and Communications Committee
ELECTION OF OFFICERS
Election of BVWD Officers for 2010 should be done ASAP to provide leadership for implementation of this plan and policy direction of ongoing BVWD operations. It must be noted that the definition of their duties, responsibilities, authorities and accountability is subject to change as a function of By-Law upgrade activities.
CONCLUSION
It is the intent of this plan of action to be conducted in a timely manner. Approval of this plan and assignment of key responsibilities should be expedited to allow completion of the plan by the beginning of the second quarter of CY2010 (Mid April) with certain elements of the plan to be complete ASAP (Election of Officers and By-Law review and update). This plan necessarily places significant demands on our General Manager, but the timing is opportune and the activity will enhance his understanding of our BVWD System as well as providing the Board of Directors substantive information to carry out their responsibilities.
