GLWA, Board of Directors
Great Lakes Water AuthorityLocation unavailable
Zoom Meeting: https://glwater.zoom.us/j/83119258016?pwd=aStrb09YQVJSYTUrQ3YyVzNBc2V5UT09
Check the source website for additional information
Reporting
Edited and summarized by the Detroit - MI Documenters Team
$1 mil HP payment to be distributed to member partners; board authorized $40 million in bonds to address project cost overruns at Northeast Water Treatment Plant due to a 120-inch water main break
Today’s agenda is a beautiful nine pages long, probably because last months board meeting was canceled. https://t.co/7Tpl21Bhxn
The meeting has been called to order at 2 p.m. by Board Chair Freman Hendrix
All members are present except Representative Jaye Quadrozzi who is excused. A quorum is present.
We’re now making some organizational changes to the agenda including withdrawing Line E, the procurement agenda which is not ready yet.
This moves us into Line Item 6: Public Comment
There is nobody in person, and two individuals online.
#1: Highland Park resident is asking how sewage changes are determined for the city.
Chair Hendrix is explaining that the Board cannot respond to questions during this public comment period.
#2: Another Highland Park resident, said they are concerned about the debt owed by the city. Said on behalf of residents, this should be investigated.
Here’s some context into what this speaker is referring to: https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/wayne/2023/06/11/highland-park-pays-1-million-in-water-debt-case/70309703007/
#2: wants to know specifically how the debt was calculated because the community is having trouble understanding how they are responsible for so much debt
#3: Another Highland Park resident wants answers to the process behind determining the amount of debt that is owed.
#4: A Highland Park resident said 70% of the city is retirees and seniors, who cannot afford to meet the tax increases GLWA is suggesting. “We do pay our bills… the media has portrayed us an indigent… and that’s not true.”
#5: Highland Park resident said she’s echoing the earlier comments. How are sewage assets made? How was it calculated? What was the process? She said she desperately wants to keep her home but can’t afford the bills GLWA is placing upon them
#6: Highland Park resident said she reviewed GLWA’s water & sewage rates and it doesn’t align with other city’s rates. She also pointed out how a new project includes the installation of meters in Dearborn, so why hasn’t this been done in Highland Park?
Vice Chair Brian Baker asked if protocol could be broken to allow more details to be given to the public.
Chair Hendrix agreed that a public meeting is needed in this case and passed the mic over to General Counsel Randal Brown to clear up some “misinformation”
Brown said the process is public and available on GLWA’s website. He also said GLWA is in remediation with the city of Highland Park.
Brown said a forum is good but we should start with making the forms accessible and available to those who spoke at today’s meeting.
Brown said in 30 days this information will be public and on GLWA’s website.
Brown said GLWA is responsible for setting charges for over 100 municipalities and has always been transparent in its process in doing so.
We are now moving into New Business Line Item A: Northeast Water Treatment Plant Repurposing Project presented by Chief Operating Officer Cheryl Porter
Porter said GLWA the 120-inch water main break has GLWA rethinking how to pursue this project
https://www.michiganradio.org/transportation-infrastructure/2022-08-16/se-michigan-water-main-break-larger-than-thought-boil-water-advisories-expected-until-september
Porter said GLWA has made investments that may not see 100% return, but they do have a study, design and construction phase involved
Director of Water Engineering Tim Kuhns is going over.a presentation and will be available to answer the Board’s questions https://t.co/FnofTijrea
Kuhns said this chart shows sustained pumpage during the 120-in main break I linked earlier https://t.co/briGmzu4Ca
In the past, EGLE served in an advisory capacity and they’re suggesting a filter upgrade https://t.co/53z0Vodpb8
Kuhns said the original plan has many operational challenges, so it was less expensive. Since then, they’ve settled on constructing a new pipe project in Detroit to reroute that water. https://t.co/MLqYnb6Dy0
Background information into the transmission costs associated with decommissioning the NE site https://t.co/0FZ4KYA9Kq
Expenditures to date that won’t be useful if GLWA moves forward with the decommission https://t.co/1z0sbzWCaB
If GLWA moves forward with reconstruction, then there will also be some changes https://t.co/CzENrOeYeo
This concludes the presentation and the floor is open for questions
Hendrix said the CIP committee needs a series of meetings to determine “how we got here and where do we go”
He said 100s of millions of dollars have been spent on this project just to change courses
Baker asked if Porter would recommend this even if there was $100 million in savings or if the 120-in break is the key here.
Porter said she thinks a pause just needs to be taken to reevaluate just in case there’s a future break
Chief Financial Officer Nicolette Bateson is presenting a resolution calling for approval of a series ordinances authorizing issuance and sale of water supply system revenue bonds in an aggregate amount of $20.9 million.
This resolution requires all 5 board members present 1/2
We now have a similar resolution to approve a Series Ordinance Authorizing Issuance and Sale of Water Supply System Revenue Bonds in an Aggregate Amount Not to Exceed $21,800,000
Now we are moving into approving the FY2023 Fourth Quarter Budget Amendments
We are now moving into a contract on Municipal Advisory Services, line item x
Baker is questioning why there’s been an increase from $2.5 million to over $3 million. He’s asking what the grant totals were for the other services and it doesn’t seem like Bateson has this information ready or available
Baker asked if they negotiated a lower amount. Bateson said yes, they held fees the same for 5+ years and they agreed to hold for another 3 years.
A motion was made to approve the line item but it was not supported.
Hendrix said he’s prepared to support because he feels Bateson has done her due diligence. But he’s also concerned why she can’t answer Baker’s questions
Hendrix said they can come back after closed session with that information, and until then the motion is on hold.
It’s time for Remarks.
Brown said it’s easy to anticipate the questions that will come out of Highland Park and it’s vital that the Board answers them in laymans terms, and a community meeting is absolutely necessary.
Hendrix agreed a Frequently Asked Question page should be made.
Board representative John Zech asked if it would be a full board meeting in Highland Park or just a one-issue meeting. He says he supports the idea either way
Hendrix said he doesn’t feel a special trip is needed, they can conduct their normal business and allot time to speak about the Highland Park situation.
Zech said it’s important the Board goes into this with the mindset of allowing time and not rushing participants
Chief Administrative and Compliance Officer William Wolfson is sitting in for CEO Suzanne Coffey. In the CEO’s Report Wolfson said despite the comments today about Highland it’s important to consider the board is being asked to vote on 1/2
a resolution to approve the Highland Park Bad Debt Recovery Credits Methodology and Approval of Schedule of Member Partner Bad Debt Recovery Credits #2023-1 Totaling $1,000,000.
Wolfson said GLWA will not benefit from this $1 million
Wolfson said GLWA has won it’s first Emmy award for its video ‘Where does the water go?’ 🏆
The creative mind behind the video, I apologize for not catching his name said he’s so happy to create the platform for GLWA to tell remarkable stories. https://t.co/JlYIKBdVKm
The board is now moving into closed session on multiple items. Brown said having these conversations in open session would open the Board up to financial concerns so he requests a closed session.
All three motions passed. https://t.co/QlGITMySPa
Bateson said the question is now that GLWA was paid the $1 million - how do they get that money to its member partners https://t.co/AYymOyW1jS
Bateson said the Board is being asked to approve a resolution that identifies the $1 million payment and allocate it to the balances funded by member partners. And also establish this as a methodology for future payments.
This concludes the presentation and the floors opens for questions.
Zech is asking about member partner contributions.
Bateson said a pause was put on bad debt recovery in last years, creating a timing difference.
Zech asked if partners know there’s been a pause.
Batseon said it’s up to the extent they are in communication
Board Secretary Mark Miller said the marketing is more important than the numbers. And the focus should be on saving the GLWA brand
We are now circling back to the Board’s earlier question about Municipal Service Proposals
these numbers are estimates https://t.co/0BDN4NuTE8
This concludes my coverage of the Great Lakes Water Authority Board meeting on June 28, 2023 for @DetDocumenters
@DetDocumenters If you believe anything in the coverage today is inaccurate, please email us at documenters@outliermedia.org with “Correction Request” in the subject line.
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Agency Information
Great Lakes Water Authority
The Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA) is a regional water and sewer authority that services nearly 40 percent of the water customers in Michigan. Currently GLWA provides wholesale water and waste water services to 127 municipalities in eight Southeastern Michigan counties, which is equivalent to approximately 3.9 million customers.
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