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MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING OF THE

BINGHAMTON-JOHNSON CITY JOINT SEWAGE BOARD

Tuesday, June 13, 2006

Johnson City 2nd Floor Conference Room

Members Present: Thomas R. Augostini, Chairman

Thomas Dellapenna, Jr., ABSENT

Eugene Hulbert

Kenneth Kinsman

Arthur Ospelt

Kevin Transue

Also Present: Robert C. Murphy, Esq., Co-Counsel (left early)

Kenneth Helisek, Esq., Co-Counsel

William A. Miller, Jr., Superintendent

Catherine P. Aingworth, Assistant Superintendent

Beverly J. Palmer, Fiscal Officer

Michele Cuevas, Confidential Secretary

Kathleen C. Carney, Transcriptionist

Guests: Jack Bills, Personnel Services Consultant (left early)

Brian Kessler, C&S

John LaGorga, Stearns & Wheler

Mayor Harry Lewis, Village of Johnson City

Bob Palladine, C&S

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Chairman Tom Augostini called the meeting to order at 1:35 p.m.

Chairman Tom Augostini introduced Kevin Transue, the newest member of the Board. Chairman Augostini will send letter to Ron Lake thanking him for his service on the Board.

Chairman Augostini will follow up with Computel Consultants on the status of the NYSEG bill audit.

PRIVILEGE OF THE FLOOR

Debbie Preston, Town of Conklin

Ms. Preston informed the Board that the Town of Conklin has received preliminary plans that a developer plans to build 30 homes outside the service area that Conklin is contracted with. The area is outside the Corporate Park area, heading south on Route 7. Ms. Preston requested the proper procedures this developer should follow in order to secure sewage treatment services. Mr. Murphy advised her the developer should submit a letter to the Board indicating the anticipated amount of flows, their plans, when they plan to go online, if it is purely residential, if anything else will pass through it, will it be metered. He indicated that Superintendent Miller may have some suggestions as to the metering. Mr. Murphy informed her that Conklin's agreement will need to be modified with both owners.

Mr. Kinsman also requested a 10-year plan from the Town of Conklin.

Stearns & Wheler

John LaGorga presented an update on Stearns & Wheler's projects as follows:

Industrial Pre-Treatment Program

In changing the local limits and the rules and regulations, Stearns & Wheler has submitted the headworks analysis to the US EPA for approval. This is the next technical step in getting these local limits changed. They expect to hear back from the EPA around August 1, 2006 and are hoping for approval at that time. The EPA may come back with comments, and some changes may need to be made at that time.

They have also done the year 2006 Industrial Pre-Treatment Program and are still working on last year's contract. He provided the amendment to the contract with a start date of July 15, 2006, the end date of the previous contract, and with a new contract end date of April 30, 2007. They chose to end the program on April 30, 2007 because that will be when their submittals are due to the EPA and the DEC and it finishes up the 2006 program year.

For the year 2007 Industrial Pre-Treatment Program, Stearns & Wheler is asking for an increase of $10,000.00. They believe this to be a one-time increase due to securing EPA approval of the headworks analysis. The amendment Mr. LaGorga is presenting today is the same scope of work as the previous year, but due to dealing with the EPA to effect the limits change, it will not be a typical year.

The Board discussed the increase in oils that is being seen at the plant. It was decided a letter should be sent to the County Health Department asking for a list of recent restaurant inspections with a focus on grease and oil disposal.

Motion made by Mr. Hulbert authorizing Mr. Helisek to draft a letter to the Broome County Health Department regarding restaurant inspections. Second by Mr. Kinsman. Mr. Helisek will explain why the Board is requesting this information and ask for a response.

Motion carried: 5 ayes

0 nay

1 absent

Staffing:

Mr. LaGorga provided draft material for the staffing project and reported they have met with Superintendent Miller, Assistant Superintendent Aingworth and Jack Bills and have changed the organizational chart. They will have the remainder of the organization chart completed before the next workshop.

Mr. LaGorga explained that they have reviewed some EPA documents and their original submittal regarding the staffing plan will be increased.

Compost Facility

Initially Stearns & Wheler had considered both operating a full-scale facility and also scaling it back. After reviewing the available possibilities, they feel a full-scale facility is best at this time.

Mr. Kinsman felt the County should be aware of the potential of the Sewage Board spending money on the compost facility. He asked that the County be invited to the next meeting to discuss the composting situation. Attorney Murphy will draft a letter of invitation to the County to attend a future meeting.

The compost facility work plan will be completed after the June 29, 2006 work session.

Mr. LaGorga presented the work plan draft for review prior to the next workshop and suggested several dates for the next workshop, those being June 28, 29 or 30. It was decided the next workshop would be held on Thursday, July 29, 2006 at 1:30 p.m. in the Johnson City 2nd Floor Conference Room.

Mr. Kinsman asked that one of the attorneys review the contract for the Industrial Pre‑Treatment Program contract prior to approval. It was decided that attorney Helisek would review the contract. Upon review and approval by attorney Helisek, Chairman Augostini will sign the contract.

Lime Stabilization Enhancement Project:

Mr. LaGorga distributed a proposal highlighting three options for lime stabilization. One option utilizes the existing system, installing a small silo and using a small rebuilt floor auger, the second proposal is a larger system and the third option is the original system with a larger lime silo.

Mr. LaGorga explained the various proposals, as well as the cost summaries and breakdowns, to the Board members.

Mr. Transue recommended a silo with a capacity of at least 40,000 pounds with 80% silo capacity.

The Board discussed the future life of the compost facility and the possibility of replacing the compost facility with lime stabilization. They also discussed the current shortcomings of the existing auger system. They also discussed making lime stabilization primary and compost secondary.

Mr. Hulbert made a motion to accept the new proposed system at $565,750.00.

Chairman Augostini asked Mr. LaGorga to return on June 29, 2006 with Amendment #9, a proposal for the $565,750.00 system, for a vote. Mr. Helisek asked that Amendment #9 set out the terms of the proposal in contract form.

Mr. Hulbert withdrew his motion.

Mr. Hulbert made a motion to invest 565,750.00 in the upgrade to the lime stabilization equipment in order to meet New York State DEC requirements and request Stearns & Wheler to set forth a proposed contract. This will be a not to exceed contract. Mr. Hulbert asked that this contract include the costs of notifying the DEC of the project. (Going ahead with lime stabilization in lieu of upgrading the compost facility and asking for DEC approval). Second by Mr. Kinsman.

Motion carried: 5 ayes

0 nay

1 absent

Mr. LaGorga agreed to prepare and present Amendment #9 on June 29, 2006.

C&S

Treatment Process Monitoring Plan

Under the new permit requirements, a work plan was to have been submitted for monitoring individual unit processes of the BAFs. An outline was submitted to the DEC on May 15, 2006. He spoke with the DEC and they have not reviewed it as yet. Assistant Superintendent Aingworth will provide copies of the outlined submitted to the DEC to all Board members.

Spedes Permit

A pre-application conference was held on June 2, 2006 with Sandy Lizlovs and Steve Eike. They went through the entire permit while at the DEC. They provided Mr. Palladine and Mr. Murphy their permit writer's fact sheet, which was supposed to be submitted with the draft, but it was never received with the original information. Mr. Murphy informed the DEC that the Plant does not mind performance-based limits as long as they are fair and requested a basis for the limits.

Because of the number of changes the DEC has made, a modification cannot be done. The DEC will recreate a draft permit as they did a year ago, they will put it out for public notice for 30 days and C&S has until October to get the permit approved.

Mr. Palladine will provide fact sheets to the Board members. He discussed potential permit limits for nitrogen, ammonia, mercury.

As part of the Pre-Treatment Program they will include letters and public information to doctors and hospitals addressing mercury limits.

Dye Testing

Bob Palladine submitted the draft report on the dye testing to the Board members and reviewed the conclusions. The tanks tested are running at 45-50% efficiency and getting by with the minimum amount of desired detention time. There is definitely an opportunity to make them better. He has discussed with Bob Bennett doing some of this work under Contract 3. The weirs need to be inspected, cleaned and leveled and the flows need to be adjusted. His recommendation is to also inspect all of the baffles. Mr. Palladine will e-mail a plan for this work ASAP.

Mr. Hulbert made a motion to authorize Mr. Palladine to prepare Work Order #4 (in the event the work cannot be part of Contract 3) to perform the planning (not contracting work). Second by Mr. Ospelt.

Motion carried: 5 ayes

0 nay

1 absent

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Chairman Augostini asked for a motion to approve the minutes from May 9, 2006.

Mr. Ospelt made a motion to accept the minutes from May 9, 2006 as presented. Second by Mr. Hulbert.

Motion carried: 5 ayes

0 nay

1 absent

FISCAL OFFICER'S REPORT

Ms. Palmer presented a Fiscal Officer's report totaling 3,149,231.90. All second quarter billings have been paid. The only final billing that has not been paid is Binghamton University.

Ms. Palmer presented to Board members the listing of current encumbrances for outstanding projects.

Ms. Palmer informed the Board that the budget process is being started earlier this year. She will be meeting preliminarily with Superintendent Miller in July. The budget will be presented to City Council at the end of August and the budget hearings will be in September.

Chairman Augostini asked for a motion to accept the Fiscal Officer's report.

Mr. Ospelt made a motion to accept the Fiscal Officer's report as presented. Second by Mr. Kinsman.

Motion carried: 5 ayes

0 nay

1 absent

BOARD LISTING

Ms. Palmer presented a Board Listings totaling $374,957.43.

Mr. Hulbert asked for a projection for chemical usage compared to what has been budgeted. Superintendent Miller will provide that next month.

Mr. Hulbert made a motion to approve and pay the Board Listing as presented. Second by Mr. Kinsman.

Motion carried: 5 ayes

0 nay

1 absent

CORRESPONDENCE

Although Jack Bills left the meeting early, it was reported that he has completed his Management by Objectives program for the Plant and will get a copy to Board members.

A letter was received from the Broome County Landfill extending the Plant another year.

Mr. Helisek reported that he received a check from the City of Binghamton, pursuant to the consent order, and as the file indicates, he sent a letter to the EPA with the check and the signed consent agreement. The EPA cannot accept the check at this time, as it was premature, as well as the fact that the EPA Financial Management Office is undergoing reorganization and cannot hold the check. Mr. Helisek will send the check to the amended address. The consent order has to be signed by the EPA first and then the 45-day period runs after the EPA sends the consent order to the Board.

SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT

Violations, Complaints & Significant Problems

· There were no odor complaints this month. We have been notified by Stearns & Wheler that we may have violated our lead limit for May.

Personnel

· Management personnel continue management training with consultant Jack Bills.

· Interviews for Building Maintenance Helper are being conducted.

· We have requested Binghamton Civil Service review qualifications for several positions including shift operator, computer analyst (approved and funded as of June 1), as well as instrumentation technician. We are receiving training for new instrumentation and equipment and need to hire for these positions as soon as possible.

Compost Facility

· Additional compost facility temporary repairs need to be undertaken. As directed in the previous meeting, we are working on bid specifications with Stearns and Wheler for additional repairs of the compost facility.

· We are removing the biosolids from the compost reactors in preparation for repairs.

· Currently all biosolids are disposed of at the landfill.

· We continue to have discussion with the EPA regarding our 2005 biosolids report. We have responded with the additional information that they have requested.

· Sawdust will be bought on an as needed basis.

Operations

· The effluent suspended solids limit was met in May. Plant personnel are working diligently to remove solids inventory in the plant, operating the centrifuge 6 days per week and removing an average of 90 tons of solids per week.

· Influent suspended solids were 147, and effluent suspended solids were 37, which is an average 75% removal. Current effluent limits for Suspended Solids are 53. Influent BOD was 200 and effluent BOD was 126, which is an average 37% removal. The effluent BOD limit is 132.

· Iron limits were met in 8 out of 8 samples. High iron contained in the centrate and effluent continues to be an issue we monitor closely.

· Plant personnel are in the process of investigating the replacement of our skimming system. The current skim troughs are leaking profusely and will result in continuous pump operation and grease problems.

· Plant personnel continue to meet with Stearns & Wheler to assist in the design for lime stabilization.

· Plant personnel met with a representative of PESH regarding employee health and wellness as it relates to the lime stabilization operation.

· Plant personnel assisted C&S with detention time flows in settling tanks.

· Plant staff and board members toured the Syracuse BAF facility and had a chance to discuss operations, organization and permit issues with the Syracuse staff.

· Superintendent Miller and Assistant Superintendent Aingworth toured West Warwick Wastewater Treatment Plant in Rhode Island to learn about their experience with BAF issues, as well as to discuss management and training topics at their facility.

· Oxy-Pro has agreed to send a limited supply of the product for testing in the centrifuge centrate return stream.

Digesters

· Number 3 digester is working to meet the stabilization requirements. We continue to analyze solids data in order to balance digestion requirements, composting and lime stabilization operations.

Centrifuges

· The Westphalia centrifuge is on-line and working very well. The two new centrifuges are scheduled to be on line within two months.

Influent Pumps

· Corrective action is being planned through C & S Engineers and lead agency, the Village of Johnson City. There was an independent evaluation performed and the report is pending.

Primary Tanks

We are in Primary only mode. We are working with C&S in an effort to determine the short-circuiting and flow patterns of the tanks using dye testing.

Industrial Pretreatment Program

· Stearns & Wheler is assisting our staff with the Industrial Pretreatment Program.

· The lead limit for May was exceeded.

Plant Business

· We are exploring and gathering information from several companies regarding an asset management plan. We have recorded a large portion of the plant equipment and are working with contractors to itemize and record new equipment to enter into our database.

· State Contract Bids have been completed for the purchase of a new truck to assist in the removal of solids. Our main option for solids removal has been Bert Adams. We would like to purchase a truck to remove the solids in a more efficient manner. This would equate to less down time for the centrifuges by eliminating the need to call for a driver and the time to switch the cans out. The total State Bid price is $112,995.81 from Burr Trucking. The truck is the same brand and size of our other truck. We received State Bids from two other companies, Tracey Equipment ($114,606.00) and Stadium International ($107,829.00). The Stadium International is not comparable to Tracey Equipment or Burr Trucking. I would recommend Burr Trucking. Our previous experience with them has been very positive, and they are in close proximity for service. They also have one in stock for quick delivery. Bert Adams will still remain as an auxiliary method of solids removal. This was discussed in the October, November and December meetings and determined to be the best method for removing solids from the plant.

Recommended Board Actions

· Approval to purchase a truck on State Contract.

Contract 3 – BAF's

Work is in progress with 92% of the time allotment used with 95% of the work completed or in progress. This does not include the five-week extension that may be granted by the DEC.

Contract 4 – Solids Handling

Work is in progress with 82% of the time allotment used with 82% of the work completed or in progress.

BOARD COMMITTEE REPORTS

There was a peer review summary on May 19, 2006. The minutes are due out on Monday, June 19, 2006.

OLD BUSINESS

No old business.

NEW BUSINESS

Mr. Kinsman made a motion to approve the purchase of a truck as recommended by the Superintendent for $112,995.81 from Burr Trucking off the New York State subcontract bids. Second by Mr. Hulbert.

Motion carried: 4 ayes

0 nay

1 absent

1 abstention

Mr. Kinsman made a motion that the Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent be allowed to advertise and hire two (minimum) Class 3 experienced operators to be hired as quickly as possible to the Pre-Treatment Program. These positions will be advertised for second and third shift. Second by Mr. Hulbert.

Motion carried: 5 ayes

0 nay

1 absent

Mr. Kinsman indicated that the Board is supporting a second meeting for the month of June. He proposed that the Board set aside the fourth Tuesday of every month for a potential second meeting. At this point the second June meeting is June 29, 2006 at 1:30 p.m. in the second floor conference room in Johnson City. The regular July meeting is July 11, 2006 at 1:30 in the City Clerk's Conference Room in Binghamton and a second meeting July 25, 2006 also in the City Clerk's Conference Room in Binghamton.

EXECUTIVE SESSION

No Executive Session

Motion by Mr. Ospelt to adjourn the meeting at 5:03 p.m. Second by Mr. Hulbert.

Motion carried: 5 ayes

0 nay

1 absent

The next regularly scheduled meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, July 11, 2006 at 1:30 p.m. at the City of Binghamton, City Clerk's Conference Room.

TIME & PLACE OF NEXT BOARD MEETING

Tuesday, July 11, 2006 @1:30 PM

City of Binghamton, City Clerk's Conference Room

Respectfully submitted,

Kathleen C. Carney

Transcriptionist

cc: All Board Members

Mayor Ryan, City of Binghamton

Mayor Lewis, Village of Johnson City

Kenneth P. Helisek, Esq.

Robert C. Murphy, Esq.

Beverly J. Palmer, Fiscal Officer

William A. Miller, Jr., Superintendent

City of Binghamton, City Clerk

Haylor, Freyer & Coon

File