Minutes of the regular meeting of the Water, Light, Power and Building Commission of the City of East Grand Forks, Minnesota held November 18, 2004 at 7:00 P.M.

Present: Gregoire, Quirk, Ogden, Vetter

Absent : None

It was moved by Commissioner Quirk second by Commissioner Ogden that the minutes of the previous meetings of October 26 and November 2 & 3, 2004 be approved as read.

Voting Aye: Gregoire, Quirk, Ogden, Vetter

Voting Nay: None

The following bills and payroll were recommended for approval:

CHECK #          VENDOR                       DESCRIPTION                   AMOUNT

26416     MMPA                         Energy/demand                    $ 288,179.50

26417     Brandon Tufte                Overpay final bill                79.10

26418     James Thomas                 Overpay final bill                205.43

26419     First Preston                Overpay final bill                30.17

26420     Fabian Albrecht              Overpay final bill                1.19

26421     Gordon Hipsher               Overpay final bill                16.53

26422     Ameripride Linen/Apparel     Contracted services               164.14

26423     AWWA                         Dues/subscriptions                67.00

26424     Batteries Plus               Supplies                          49.91

26425     Border States Electric       Inventory; supplies               8,796.52

26426     Dan Boyce                    Expenses                          117.83

26427     Burmeister Electric          Inventory                         562.45

26428     C&L Pest Control             Contracted services               100.80

26429     Cellular One                 Communications                    187.20

26430     Chrysler Toyota              Maintenance                       16.00

26431     City of EGF                  Transfer; acct’g fees             241,752.77

26432     Commissioner of Revenue      Sales; use; grbg surchrg          35,768.00

26433     Dakota Supply Group          Inventory                         8,514.21

26434     Diamond Cleaning Supply      Supplies                          350.65

26435     EDHA                         Reimbursement                     21.00

26436     Eagle Electric               Repair                            84.46

26437     Environmental Quality Board  Energy facility permitting        509.92

26438     Exponent                     Advertising; publishing           1,022.24

26439     Fed-Ex                       Shipping                          201.60

26440     Firestone Stores             Repairs                           22.49

26441     Fisher Scientific            Supplies                          687.93

26442     GF Thur-O-Clean              Contracted services               431.32

26443     Gaffaney’s                    Supplies                          167.00

26444     Galstad Jensen & McCann      Oct legal fees                    1,323.00

26445     Gopher State One Call        Oct locates                       187.45

26446     GF Utility Billing           Water tests                       220.00

26447     Scott Gravseth               Expenses                          245.00

26448     Hardware Hank                Supplies                          111.32

26449     Hawkins Inc                  Wtr treat chemicals               6,516.64

26450     High Plains Tech             Supplies                          451.71

26451     Home of Economy              Supplies                          57.58

26452     Interstate Companies Inc     Supplies                          145.99

26453     KBM Inc                      Professional fees                 13,235.73

26454     Leighton Broadcasting        Advertising                       440.00

26455     M & W Services Inc           Nov 1-12 meter reads              1,889.80

26456     Midcontinent Comm Adv Sales  Advertising                       640.00

26457     Mine Safety Appliances       Maintenance                       333.11

26458     MMUA                         Training/school                   540.00

26459     North-Holt Electric          Professional fees                 23,780.50

26460     Jeff Olson                   Expenses                          56.00

26461     Orchard Oil Co               Supplies                          35.76

26462     Plant Equipment Inc          Supplies                          727.30

26463     Porta-Mix Concrete           Supplies                          155.49

26464     Praxair Distribution         Supplies                          77.58

26465     Pyro-matic Inc               Supplies                          269.03

26466     Qwest                        Communications                    317.37

26467     Radix Corporation            Maintenance                       130.00

26468     Lance Riel                   Expenses                          9.00

26469     Rydells                      Maintenance                       748.99

26470     SDI Limited                  Supplies                          612.00

26471     Scott’s Electric              Contracted services               3,475.75

26472     Service Bureau               Oct collection fees               311.03

26473     SimplexGrinnell              Contracted services               199.69

26474     Sun Dot Communications       Communications                    201.91

26475     Surplus Center Inc           Supplies                          6.87

26476     Corey Thompson               Expenses                          9.00

26477     Tony Dorn Inc                Service agreements                15,110.30

26478     Underground Focus Mag        Subscription                      25.00

26479     USLink/TDS Metrocom          Communications                    55.23

26480     Verizon Wireless             Communications                    7.04

26481     Basin Electric Power         Current                           105,530.52

26482     Water & Light                Utilities                         9,183.19

26483     X-cel Energy                 Facilities/distribution           5,059.99

          Payroll                      Total cost                        59,201.43

                                                                          $ 839,740.66

It was moved by Commissioner Ogden second by Commissioner Vetter that the bills and payroll be allowed as recommended and the Secretary issue checks for the same.

Voting Aye: Gregoire, Quirk, Ogden, Vetter

Voting Nay: None

It was moved by Commissioner Quirk second by Commissioner Ogden to approve overtime as needed to finish up on current projects before freeze up.

Voting Aye: Gregoire, Quirk, Ogden, Vetter

Voting Nay: None

It was moved by Commissioner Quirk second by Commissioner Ogden to invite officials from the Tri-Valley weatherization program to a meeting to discuss the complaint received on the way their program is being managed. A letter will be sent to the complainant informing her of the Commission’s actions.

Voting Aye: Gregoire, Quirk, Ogden, Vetter

Voting Nay: None

Commissioner Vetter, supported by Commissioner Ogden, introduced the following resolution and moved its adoption:

WHEREAS the Water, Light, Power and Building Commission established participation in the MSRS Health Care Savings Plan by resolution on December 19, 2002; and

WHEREAS participation by all East Grand Forks Water and Light Department non-union employees is mandatory; and those employees covered by a (BMS) Bureau of Mediation Services recognized bargaining unit are eligible to negotiate with the Commission for participation, now therefore

BE IT RESOLVED by the Water, Light, Power and Building Commission that the Health Care Savings Plan policy is hereby revised as follows:

1. All full time employees of the East Grand Forks Water and Light Department eligible for severance pay for unused vacation and sick leave under current non-union memorandums of understanding shall have 25% of their eligible payout directed to the (MSRS) Minnesota State Retirement System administered Health Care Savings Plan.

2. Beginning in 2005, all eligible employees will contribute the dollar equivalent of 100% of all unused and banked sick leave hours in excess of 1,280 and/or 3% of unused and banked sick leave up to and including 1,280 hours. The dollar equivalent is calculated by taking the eligible employee’s hourly rate of pay for the preceding year times the number of hours that the employee is eligible to receive. This contribution will be deducted from banked sick leave in January of each year. The employee’s banked sick leave hours will then be reduced by the number of eligible hours reflected by the employee’s contribution.

3. The Department’s responsibility will be to process the initial employee enrollment in the plan and to forward the appropriate employee contributions to the Minnesota State Retirement System in the manner required and approved by MSRS.

Voting Aye: Gregoire, Quirk, Ogden, Vetter

Voting Nay: None

The president declared the Resolution passed.

Discussed negotiations with non-union employees.

It was moved by Commissioner Quirk second by Commissioner Ogden that the meeting be adjourned to December 7, 2004 at 5:00 P.M.

Voting Aye: Gregoire, Quirk, Ogden, Vetter

Voting Nay: None

 

 

 

 

                                                     Bonnie Abel

                                                     Sec'y