MINUTES OF MEETING
The
regular meeting of the Board of Supervisors of the Coral Springs Improvement
District was held on
Present and
constituting a quorum were:
Robert
D. Fennell President
William
Eissler Vice
President
Glen Hanks Secretary
Also
present were:
Dennis
Lyles Attorney
John McKune Engineer
Roger Moore Engineer
Rich Hans Staff
Bill Joyce Staff
Donna
Holiday Staff
Paul
Hillers Hillers
Electrical Engineering
Mr. Fennell called the meeting to
order and called the roll.
SECOND
ORDER OF BUSINESS Approval of the
Minutes of the December 15, 2003 Meeting
Mr. Fennell stated that each Board
member had received a copy of the minutes of the
There not being any,
On
MOTION by Mr. Eissler seconded by Mr. Hanks with all in favor the minutes of
the
THIRD
ORDER OF BUSINESS Presentation
of Lightning and Surge Protection System and Consideration of Award of Contract
for Same
Mr. Hillers stated the lightning
protection system and the surge protection system are different systems. The areas we are covering are the wastewater
plant, the administrative building and the maintenance building. The water plant has already been done. The reason this one is lacking is the water
plant has a new computer system that controls the water plant. When you get into those types of systems, you
become more vulnerable to lightning and surges.
We are in the process of installing a computer-controlled monitoring
system at the wastewater plant. This
building contains many computers, which becomes a matter of
protection/insurance. Lightning
protection protects you from lightning from above. It tries to direct the lightning to a pad in
the ground, and you want it in the ground as much as possible in equal potential. The potential difference is what hurts you
because potential difference means current, which means you can fail
equipment. Lightning protection is more
than just putting a rod on the building.
It is tying the buildings together in order to make the potential equal
as much as possible.
Mr. Fennell asked will the
difference be between the ground and the cloud?
Isn’t this where the strike comes from?
Mr. Hillers responded once it is on
the ground, you want to have equal potential as much as possible.
Mr. Fennell stated we will still get
hit.
Mr. Hillers stated that is correct
but with the dissipation system that we have, it can be argued that the strike
is less severe because of the fuzzy ball theory that has been established. We have a fuzzy ball on top of each lightning
rod, which is the technology we use on the water plant. This adds approximately 10% to the price tag.
Mr. Fennell asked what does the
fuzzy ball do?
Mr. Hillers responded it tries to
ionize the air, which will aid in the receipt of less lightning strikes. In addition, we have surge protection. Surges come in through the electrical system
from the power company, which can be caused by different means, including
lightning. You can protect a facility in
stages such as the wastewater plant, which has a surge protection unit at the
main switchboard, motor control center and panel board.
Mr.
Fennell asked how will we measure if this is effective?
Mr. Hillers responded currently, you
have no surge protection in most of the buildings. If you get a surge, you hope that the
equipment, on its own, can withstand the surge.
Some equipment has its own built-in protection to a certain extent. However,
what we are talking about is external to each panel and switchboard to
put a surge protection unit so the surges do not go downstream.
Mr. Fennell asked do you also do the
telephone system?
Mr. Hillers responded yes.
Mr. Fennell asked how will I know
that this works and how well it works?
Mr. McKune responded that is hard to
ascertain. You cannot specifically
measure them. It is like buying
insurance.
Mr. Hanks asked is the effectiveness
of the lightning protection system improved by the number of facilities that we
have protected? For example, if we were
to protect only the wastewater plant with lightning protection and leave this
building unprotected, does that hamper the effectiveness of the lightning
protection for the wastewater plant?
Mr. Hillers responded I do not
believe so.
Mr. Eissler stated we have the
lightning protection on the water treatment plant, and this is a similar system
that we will use for the wastewater plant.
Did we pay anywhere near that kind of money for the water plant that we
will be paying for the wastewater plant?
Mr. McKune responded the lightning
protection and surge protection part of the water plant project was part of a
larger project, and the entire project, including the lightning protection, was
one lump sum bid.
Mr. Hillers stated looking at the
scale of the buildings, it is my guess that it will cost half of what we are
talking about for the wastewater plant.
Mr. Eissler asked is burying the
copper cable one of the major costs?
Mr. Hillers responded yes.
Mr. Fennell stated that cable will
deteriorate in a matter of a couple of years. How long will the system last?
Mr. Hillers responded copper cable
usually lasts for decades.
Mr. Eissler asked how big are the
cables?
Mr. Hillers responded approximately
3/4” in diameter.
Mr. Fennell asked how much is
installed?
Mr. Hillers responded approximately
4,000’.
Mr. McKune stated this is a large
project. It encompasses nine buildings
and six tank-like structures.
Mr. Fennell asked what happens if we
get struck by lightning?
Mr. Hillers responded we are trying
to make sure that the potential on the ground is as neutral as possible. However, if you get a direct hit, I am not
sure that anything will protect you.
There is too much energy for any such equipment. This is where surge protection comes in. The surge protection units are rated at
250,000 amps for a few cycles. If you
get a direct hit, nothing can help. I am
not trying to discourage you. We are
simply trying to put together the latest approach. While lightning protection and surge
protection are two different systems, they both have the same goals, which is
to protect your investment and operation.
Mr. Fennell asked does a lightning
rod to divert the strike still work?
Mr. Hillers responded yes.
Mr. Fennell stated I am concerned
about our workers. Are we giving them
added protection?
Mr. Hillers responded lightning rods
will offer more protection because there is more chance of the lightning
hitting the rod than the person. They
are conductive, too.
Mr. Hanks asked how much do you
reduce the likelihood of a strike?
Mr. Hillers responded I estimate
50%.
Mr. Eissler asked can you install a
surge protection system to protect the equipment without having to install the
lightning rods?
Mr. Hillers responded you will still
be faced with the issue of a direct hit.
Mr. Eissler stated perhaps we can do
the opposite; install the lightning protection system. This plant has been here for 30 years without
surge protection. We may lose our
telephone or computer system once in a while, but it is a cost benefit. Do you have a cost analysis of each system
separately?
Mr. McKune responded it was bid as
one package.
Mr. Eissler asked could it be broken
out?
Mr. Hillers responded yes.
Mr. Hanks asked what would happen to
the operation of the wastewater treatment plant if we were to lose our computer
controls?
Mr. Hillers responded if the new
computer system comes on-line, it will not be greatly dependent on the control
side but more on the monitoring side of the plant. However, as technology increases, more items
will be automated.
Mr. Hanks asked if we were to get
struck by lightning and all the systems on the wastewater treatment plant were
taken out, will it still receive treatment?
Mr. Hillers responded yes; if we
solely concentrate on the control system, but there is also an electrical
system and if this system is destroyed, the operation will be in trouble
because we solely depend on major electrical switchboards to distribute power.
Mr. Hanks asked if the circuit
panels are ever destroyed, will the blowers be out of commission?
Mr. Hillers responded yes.
Mr. Moore stated the plant needs
power whether it is from FPL or from our generators to work. Almost everything can be operated manually
even though we are installing electronic controls in many areas.
Mr. Fennell stated I am concerned
because we have many workers walking across the tanks. I feel lightning protection is good to have
for the safety of the workers.
Mr. Hanks asked what protection
systems do the other plants have?
Mr. Hillers responded some have
them; some do not. Others are in the
process of installation.
Mr. Eissler stated I do not know if
the $175,000 estimate is reasonable.
Mr. Fennell stated we received two
bids and an estimate, and they came in about the same.
Mr. Eissler stated I have to defer to
our engineers.
Mr. McKune stated not many people do
this kind of work, which tends to increase the price.
Mr. Fennell stated I think we should
do it.
Mr. Eissler stated since we are not
in the lightning period, this is probably the least likely time for lightning
to strike. Can we find out what it would
cost to do the lightning protection as a project and then do the surge
protection as a project versus doing them together?
Mr. Hillers responded if you wait,
there is a chance for a price increase.
Mr. Fennell asked can you give us a
ballpark figure of what you think the differences in cost are?
Mr. Hillers responded surge
protection is approximately 25% of the cost.
The lightning with the grounding is approximately 75%.
Mr. Eissler asked if you were to do
this, how soon could you start?
Mr. Hillers responded the contractor
could probably start in a few weeks.
Mr. Hanks asked how is our
financing?
Mr. Fennell responded I think we are
in good shape. We managed to keep
positive cash flow coming in while doing all these buildings and pay down our
bond issues. However, there is a point
when we will have to start looking at cost reductions.
Mr. Hanks responded will we receive
a price break from the insurance company, or are we self-insured for some of
the facilities?
Mr. Hans responded we will have to
contact the insurance company to find this information out. There should be a break because we are
insured for damage due to lightning strikes.
Mr. Eissler stated since we do not
know where half the lines are underneath the ground of this plant, every time
we dig, there is potential problems of digging something else up. If we are going to bury 4,000’ of cable. How deep does it get buried?
Mr. Hillers responded 2’.
Mr. Eissler stated we run into problems
every time we dig, and I am concerned that it will cost more than $175,000.
Mr. Hiller stated the cables can
easily be moved a couple of feet either way.
Mr. Fennell stated we would like an
accurate understanding of where these cables are laid, and they should be
easily detectable.
Mr. Hanks asked with regard to the
facilities that we are going to improve, what is the time frame of other
renovations to those buildings? Are we
going to be renovating any of those wastewater treatment tanks in the near
future and tearing those down?
Mr. McKune responded this calendar
year, there should be some major modifications toward the end of the year.
Mr. Hanks asked should we take them
out of the contract?
Mr. McKune responded the two major
components that we changed are included as an additive alternate so they are
identified, which means they will not be installed if the Board chooses not to
install them now. We are still in the
process of making a decision on physically how to modify these two components.
Mr.
Fennell moved to award the lightning and surge protection contract to Benson
Electric in the bid amount of $170,910 and the additive alternative in the
amount of $15,522.
Mr. Eissler asked have we used
Benson Electric to do anything here before?
Are you familiar with them?
Mr. McKune responded no.
Mr. Eissler asked do you know if
they are competent?
Mr. McKune responded they are
competent.
Mr. Hillers stated I worked with
them many years ago, and they did a good job at that time.
Mr.
Eissler seconded the motion and on VOICE Vote with all in favor the motion was
approved.
FOURTH ORDER OF BUSINESS Staff Reports
A. Attorney
Mr. Lyles stated with regard to Lake
Coral Springs, I have called and written letters to their attorney, Steve
Weinberg, indicating that the Board wants a response, that we are having a
meeting today and that we need to put this matter to rest. However, I did not receive any response.
Mr. Fennell asked have you talked
directly to the President of Lake Coral Springs.
Mr. Lyles responded no. It would be inappropriate for me to go
directly to Mr. Weinberg’s client. I
have to go through Mr. Weinberg.
Mr. Eissler stated it seems like
they do not plan to do anything. We have
to decide to bill them for work done.
Mr. Lyles stated this is unusual for
him. I believe he doing what his client
is instructing him to do.
Mr. Fennell stated before we bill
them, let’s send the president a letter from this Board and explain that it has
come to our attention that this is private property; that we cannot do these
kinds of things for them; and inform them that we are no longer responsible for
these services and have not been.
Mr. Lyles stated you can also stop
doing any maintenance activity at this point and see what reaction this brings.
Mr. Fennell stated we can do that,
but they will call us. We can also
contact their Board and explain that we have contacted their attorney and show
them the letter we send.
Mr. Lyles asked do you want the
letter to go out from the manager or the President of the Board of Supervisors?
Mr. Fennell responded under our
direction, perhaps you should call the Board.
Mr. Lyles stated I am not supposed
to contact another attorney’s client without his permission, but I will work
with the manager on this.
Mr. Hans stated we will initiate a
call first to the president.
Mr. Fennell stated explain the
situation to them first before sending them a bill. Perhaps they are unaware of the situation.
Mr. Eissler stated I believe they
are aware of the situation. It is a
misuse of our money.
Mr. Lyles stated staff will confirm
that once we discovered this problem, we are not extending that type of service
to this waterway. We are extending the
basic maintenance activities that would go along with maintaining flowage and
drainage easement.
Mr. Eissler stated the Board
instructed staff to continue with the anticipation that we would have a
monetary agreement for our service.
Mr. Hanks asked is there much
aquatic weed growth this time of year?
Mr. Joyce responded there is more
cleanup than weed growth.
Mr. Eissler asked are we still
getting calls for stranded boats?
Mr. Joyce responded no. However, the Board, instructed staff to
continue with any complaints we receive.
Mr. Fennell stated let’s give them a
call and tell them what has been going on.
Mr. Hans stated I will tell them
that the Board is preparing to stop services.
Mr. Fennell stated we owe a letter
to Stacey Ritter.
Mr. Lyles stated we will when she
informs us of the direction she is taking with her proposed changes to the
method of electing members of Boards; either the statewide approach in Chapter
189 or the special acts that pertain to this District and the North Springs
Improvement District. At that point, we
will owe her a letter because it needs to be tailored to the approach she is
going to take. We have not heard
anything from her or her staff, but it is still early, and I am sure she will
let us know.
B. Engineer
1. Monthly Water & Sewer Charts
2. Update on Construction
Mr. McKune stated Plant E is capable
of being put into service if need be. We
are approximately three weeks away from putting the headworks into
service. This is a function of getting a
control panel put in place. The screen
has been tested.
Mr. Fennell stated everything should
be up and running before the rainy season.
Mr. McKune stated that should not be
a problem.
Mr. Fennell stated let’s double our
efforts to do that. Let’s make sure that
this summer we have more than enough capacity so that if anything goes wrong,
we will be able to handle it.
Mr. Hanks asked is there anything
holding us back from having that plant operational by our March meeting?
Mr. McKune responded no.
Mr. Fennell stated let’s make it our
goal. In March, we will go out there and
look at it.
Mr. McKune stated it is one thing to
have it operational; it is another to have it certified by the state. We need to operate it for at least a month to
get it tuned up, etc.
Mr. Moore stated distributed a
report titled CSID Sanitary Sewer Collection
System Lining Program dated June 24, 2003 and stated three months ago, we
took the $10,000 items out of the contract for wells for the landscaping of the
parks becuase we were working out a process with the park to do it with another
contractor. At this time, the cost will
be approximately $6,200.
Mr. Moore cited his report, which is
attached hereto and made part of the record.
C. Superintendent
There not being any, the next item
followed.
D. Complaints
There not being any, the
next item followed.
FIFTH
ORDER OF BUSINESS Supervisors
Requests and Audience Comments
There not being any, the next item
followed.
Mr. Eissler stated $500,000 was sent
to the State Board of Administration to transfer excess funds. Where does it go?
Mr. Hans responded we have excess
funds in our general fund banking account so instead of sitting in a checking
account, we transfer funds to the State Board of Administration where it earns
more interest than it does in a checking account.
Mr. Eissler asked is this normal
procedure?
Mr. Hans responded yes, and we can
wire transfer the money back to us with a phone call.
On
MOTION by Mr. Eissler seconded by Mr. Hanks with all in favor the invoices were
approved.
There being nothing further,
On
MOTION by Mr. Eissler seconded by Mr. Hanks with all in favor the meeting was
adjourned at 5:10 p.m.
Glen
Hanks Robert
D. Fennell
Secretary President