OWUI Board Meeting Minutes January 16, 2025

Thursday, January 16, 2025 | 6:00 PM 
Olga Community Center 

Board Members Present: Geoff Cunard, Paul Groeninger, Patrick Boehm 
OWUI Administrator Present: Aurora Fackler-Adams 
OWUI Members Present: Grace Gottlieb 
Board Members Absent: Guy Woods 

Meeting called to order at 6:04 PM. 

 

1. Approval of Minutes 

December Meeting Minutes 

  • Minor corrections were discussed, including changes to clarify terms such as "parcels" instead of "addresses,” and adjustments to language regarding the sand filters, clarifying the maintenance situation. 

  • Motion: Pat moved to approve the edited minutes. Paul seconded. The motion passed unanimously. 

 

2. President’s Report 

Small Water System Management Program (SWSMP) Update: 

  • The SWSMP has been filed with the Department of Health by the engineer Barry after he resolved issues he was having with accessing the online portal. 

  • A thumb drive containing the document will be sent to Geoff in Seattle. 

Intertie Update: 

  • Bill Hoyt from Earthworks is investigating leaks in the final 1,000 feet of the pipeline. Due to wet conditions, excavation had to be paused and will resume in drier months. 

RCAC Training Opportunities: 

  • The Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC) offers resources and funding for small water systems. Geoff highlighted a guide titled "Formulate Great Rates" to assist with rate-setting practices and create more systems around assessing our rate creation.  

  • Key recommendations: 

  • Charge the Olga Community dock for water as it generates income; the community center’s water will remain free. 

  • Annually review water rates and apply for RCAC funding for emergencies or maintenance needs. 

  • Look into possibilities of acquiring a grant via RCAC to repair our sand filters. 

Top 5 OWUI Needs Exercise: Board members ranked the organization’s priorities: 

  1. Priority 1: Sand filter replacement, meter updates. 

  1. Priority 2: Intertie completion, raw water intake improvement, leak detection. 

  1. Priority 3: Infrastructure replacement plan, tank repair assessment. 

  1. Priority 4: Emergency response protocol, new meters, sand filters. 

  1. Priority 5: Transfer water rights to Mountain Lake Dam, intertie updates. 

Action Items: 

  • Geoff will contact Raquel, the DOH regional engineer, to better understand what further steps are needed from our engineer to be fully in compliance with our intertie & SWSMP. 

 

3. OWUI Administrator’s Report 

  • Microsoft 365 Setup: SharePoint and email systems (e.g., president@olgawater.com, admin@olgawater.com) have been established. Plans to migrate email archives and improve data organization are ongoing. 

  • Accounts Receivable: Notable progress on overdue accounts, though follow-up with two larger accounts is pending. 

  • Banking: Geoff signed necessary documents at Banner Bank; Aurora will secure a debit card. 

 

4. Treasurer/Financial Report 

  • 2024 Financials: The organization stayed in the black during this fiscal year. Further details will be presented at the February meeting by Treasurer Guy Woods. 

 

5. Operator’s Report (Eastsound Water) 

  • No operator present. Geoff will request a written report or quarterly attendance going forward from Eastsound Water. 

  • Missing September and November Monthly Surface Water Treatment Reports (SWTRs). These have been requested from Eastsound Water via Geoff, waiting on them now. 

  • Administrative task: Monthly treatment reports need better year-specific organization. Management of SWTR upload and communication about this with Eastsound Water will shift from Geoff to Aurora, admin. 

 

6. Operations Report (Pat Boehm) 

Meter Replacement Discussion: 

  • Cost estimates for new meters were presented: 

  • Upfront Costs: $58,700 (equipment, software, and installation). 

  • Annual Costs: Approximately $1,050 (licenses and hosting fees). 

  • Decision to only use drive-by meters, not cellular meters. This way we will have a uniform system. 

  • Flume devices using Wi-Fi for real-time tracking were discussed as an addition. Member agreements will be needed for installation, especially because connection to home Wi-Fi within 200 feet is required for use. An additional wrinkle is that because these require connection to Wi-Fi, we will need members to be present in their homes to install the Flumes. 

  • It is important that we complete the meter replacement and Flume installation before the intertie is completed, because that is when water will stop being free for our org, and tracking usage correctly becomes crucial. 

  • Paul makes a suggestion that we call a special meeting (outside of our annual meeting) so we can get members on board ASAP and begin installing now. 

  • Grace suggested connecting this initiative with removing the leak forgiveness policy, to underscore how much more important leak tracking will be once members are fully financially responsible for all water lost. 

  • Action Items: 

  • Develop a member communication plan to educate and prepare for meter installation. 

  • Board members to start drafting a letter to members to precede the annual president's letter that will detail upcoming changes (meter replacement, Flume introduction).  

 

7. Member Input 

Member input given throughout meeting. 

 

8. New Business 

  • No new business. 

 

9. Next Meeting 

The next board meeting is scheduled for February 20, 2025, at 6:00 PM at the Olga Community Center. 

 

Meeting adjourned at 7:18 PM. 

OLGA WATER USERS, INCORPORATED 
owuistaff@gmail.com 

 

OWUI Board Meeting Minutes December 19, 2024

Olga Water Users, Incorporated 

 BOARD MEETING AGENDA 

Thursday, December 19th, 2024 6pm

Olga Community Center

Meeting Start Time: 6:01 PM

Board Members Present:

  • Geoff Cunard (President)

  • David Noneman

  • Paul Groeninger

  • Pat Boehm

  • Guy Woods

Administrator: Aurora Fackler-Adams
Members Present: Grace Gottlieb

1. Call to Order

  • Meeting called to order by Geoff Cunard at 6:01 PM.

2. Approval of Minutes

  • Minutes from October and November 2024 were approved unanimously following a motion by David Noneman and a second by Pat Boehm.

3. President’s Report

a. SWSMP Update

  • Submission to the state confirmed but pending response from Barry Buchanan.

  • Follow-up action: Geoff will contact Barry for confirmation.

b. Intertie Update

  • Doe Bay terminated its contract with Buchanan & Associates.

  • OWUI received an overcharge reimbursement of $9,441 from DWUA.

  • Barry Buchanan proposed that OWUI take over the contract for the Intertie project. Steve Schaefer will continue supporting as needed.

  • Board discussed ongoing issues, including:

    • Leak location narrowed to 1,000 feet of pipeline.

    • Pressure and flow tests not completed due to leaks.

    • Remaining steps: as-built drawings, proper testing, and sanitation.

  • Action Items:

    • Geoff to request a detailed proposal from Barry Buchanan with an hourly rate cap for the remaining work.

c. Lead Service Line Inventory

  • One galvanized line identified, triggering a notification to affected members.

  • Next steps include further investigation based on guidelines from Eastsound Water.

d. Olympic View Estates Membership Status

  • Clarification provided on billing errors:

    • A member was charged for two memberships in 2023 and 2024 but only has one.

    • A credit has been issued for the overcharges.

    • Future memberships for additional parcels at this address will require separate discussions with the Olympic View Estates HOA. This membership has two meters serving separate parcels on one membership, which technically violates our bylaws.

4. OWUI Administrator’s Report

  • Aurora Fackler-Adams provided updates on administrative processes:

    • Bills for the current cycle have been sent out successfully.

    • Transition to Microsoft 365 is underway, streamlining document management and collaboration.

    • Board members point out that the billing period on the bills is incorrect

    • Administrator to post update on website notifying members that the billing period was written incorrectly on recently sent out bills.

    • New automated systems are being implemented for billing and tracking of member accounts and deposits to improve efficiency and accuracy.
      Action Item:

    • Administrator will post notice of incorrect billing period on bills on the OWUI website.

5. Treasurer’s Report

  • Guy Woods reported financial challenges stemming from unpaid bills to our operator, Eastsound Water, and administrative errors by the previous administrator.

  • Updates:

    • Eastsound Water’s overdue payments have been addressed.

    • Loan application for new meters will be submitted shortly.

  • Discussion on annual vs. monthly billing:

    • Consensus to consider transitioning to monthly billing when online payment systems are fully implemented.

    • Aurora Fackler-Adams to be added as an authorized signer for OWUI’s bank accounts.

    • Sue Min to be removed from OWUI bank accounts.

    • Mark Mayer and Brian Frenyea to be removed from safety deposit box access and Geoff Cunard and Guy Woods to be added.
      Motions approved unanimously, with Guy and Geoff abstaining from voting to add themselves to safety deposit box.

6. Operations Report

a. Sand Filters Replacement Needed

  • Current sand filters are deteriorating and require maintenance:

    • Filters are having difficulty filling due to debris and covers in the way of the flow.

    • Covers and metal structures supporting the filters have failed due to storm damage in 2021 and freezing conditions in 2022.

    • Proposal to replace or construct a roof over the tanks to prevent debris.
      Action Items:

    • Pat and Paul to explore options for constructing a roof and provide a bid by the next meeting.

b. New Meter Quote

  • Discussion on upgrading to digital water meters to improve accuracy and leak detection:

    • Two options considered:

      • Cellular meters for real-time data reporting.

      • Drive-by meters requiring manual data collection but at a lower cost.

    • Estimated costs:

      • Approximately $300 per meter package (meter, register, and endpoint).

      • Total cost to purchase and install approximately 160 meters: $45,000 - $50,000.

    • Installation costs estimated to be about $500 per meter, bringing the total project cost higher.

    • Maintenance considerations:

      • An annual service fee of $1,000-$2,000, expected to increase over time.

  • Board Discussions:

    • Guy emphasized the importance of having consistent meter types across the system for ease of operation and billing accuracy.

    • Grace highlighted the improved accuracy of digital meters over analog, potentially uncovering underreported water usage.

    • Geoff and Grace noted faster leak detection with digital meters, reducing water waste.

    • Concerns raised about mixed systems if cellular coverage is not feasible everywhere.

    • Dave pointed out that inconsistent meter types could lead to unfair billing practices.

  • Testing Plan:

    • Geoff suggested testing a small batch of cellular and drive-by meters to determine functionality across various locations.

    • Grace reminded that meters are powered by water flow and must be properly installed to function.

Action Items:

  • Geoff and Pat to discuss options for determining how much of our system could be covered by cellular meters, discuss with Pat and see if it is necessary to install all meters before we can know if they work or if it is possible to test using a tool.

  • Guy to oversee financing options for the meter replacement project and confirm annual service fee structure.

  • Sam to be consulted about meter reading capabilities for both types.

7. New Business

  • Vice President vacancy to be filled following Guy Woods’ departure.

  • Next board meeting is scheduled for January 16, 2025, at 6:00 PM.

8. Adjournment

  • Meeting adjourned at 8:06 PM.

Key Action Items:

  1. Geoff to contact Barry Buchanan for proposal details and request an hourly rate cap.

  2. Admin Aurora to post notice on the website notifying members that the billing period on their bills is incorrect.

  3. Pat and Paul to research roof construction options for sand filters and provide a bid by the next meeting.

  4. Guy Woods to finalize and submit the loan application for new meters.

  5. Geoff and Pat to assess possibility for testing cellular coverage across the system and coordinate testing of both cellular and drive-by meters. Sam to be consulted about meter reading capabilities for both meter types.

  6. Board to discuss the feasibility of transitioning to monthly billing when online systems are implemented.


OWUI Board Meeting Minutes November 21, 2024

 BOARD MEETING MINUTES 

Thursday, November 21st, 2024

Olga Community Center 

Board present, Geoff Cunard, Pat Boehm, Dave Noneman, Paul Groeninger

Members Present, Dan and Grace Gottlieb


 Approval of minutes for October

Minutes were not provided by admin prior to meeting

  President’s report

SWSMP Update

  1. DBWUA engineer status.  Doe Bay has fired BB&A and engaged a new engineer.  Steve Schafer told Geoff he hopes to have DBWUA SWSMP complete by March

Intertie update. 

The intertie construction is complete, except for the final 2” connection assembly, which is on site and ready to install after DOH approval. Leak testing and sanitizing are the next steps being undertaken now.

Lead Service Line Inventory status.

 EWUA performed the necessary work to satisfy the October 16 deadline for an initial LSLI. One customer has been notified about a galvanized service line exiting their meter. OWUI must plan for next steps.

EWUA T&M pause 

With EWUA pausing T&M projects, Dave asked about the meter replacement project at David Sofaer’s not being finished. Geoff will reach out to EWUA.

Olympic View Estates garden change. 

The board agrees that the bylaws prohibit us from moving an existing membership on to a different parcel.

        4. OWUI Administrators report  

Administrator Sue Min was absent.

5. Treasurer/ Financial report

Treasurer Guy Woods was absent. 

6. Operator’s Report (EWUA)

Operator not present.

Dave suggests we reach out to members for what we want in a monthly operator’s report.

7. Operations report (Pat)

Meter replacement project   Hybrid meter testing. Pat is working with GenPac to try to determine if cellular meters could work in certain locations in our system.  Pat and Geoff will try to obtain a remote control and one meter to field test.

Pat suggests we add a discussion of pipework needs at our reservoir to next month’s agenda.

8. Member input

Grace Gottlieb suggests we consider hiring a project manager with water system experience to help OWUI track compliance with EPA and DOH requirements.

9. New business

None

10. Next meeting time December 19, 2024  6:00PM 

        11. Adjournment 7:35 PM 

After adjournment Board went into executive session.