DEERFIELD REGIONAL STORM WATER DISTRICT
REGULAR DISTRICT BOARD MEETING
Landen Station, 3292 Montgomery Road
Loveland, OH 45140
May 8, 2007
President Walter Daniels called the meeting to order at 6:37 P.M.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG
ATTENDANCE:
Those present at the meeting were:
Board Members: Walt Daniels, Tim Greive, and Susan Berger
Attorney: Eric Luckage, Esq., Albers & Albers
Technical Consultant: Jamie Coleman, Ph.D., Camp, Dresser, McKee
Administrative Assistant: Cathy Herrick
Public: Matthew Hausfeld, Lorraine Charbonneau, and
Pam Valentine
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
The Board reviewed the Regular Board Meeting minutes of April 10, 2007, resulting in the following motion:
Ø Action Taken/Required: Susan Berger made a Motion, seconded by Tim Greive to accept and approve the minutes from the Regular Board Meeting of April 10, 2007, as written. Vote: All Yes.
Treasurer’s Report: Susan Berger presented the treasurer’s report as shown on a copy of the income and expenses versus budget report and a reconciliation summary of the District’s current receipts and disbursements through April 30, 2007. She also presented a copy of the report she was compiling regarding storm water utility fees. This newly created report shows the amounts being billed for user fees and also the actual amounts being collected monthly. The Board reviewed the reports resulting in the following motion:
Ø Action Taken/Required: Walt Daniels made a Motion, seconded by Tim Greive, to approve and accept the Treasurer’s Report as presented. Vote: All Yes.
Ms. Berger said she had met with the State Auditor two weeks prior to the Board meeting at which time she was given a copy of the final report with the two recommendations of the auditor having been previously addressed and made a part thereof. She said she had given the report to Ms. Herrick for filing as no further action was needed. She said she was also given a comment report which the Board agreed she should complete on behalf of the District and return. Ms. Berger also advised the District would not be required to be audited again for another two years.
Ms. Berger then presented the bills for April as follows:
Payment of the Bills:
· Minuteman Press, Inv. #735886 in the sum of $27.41;
· CDM, Inv. #80252163/10 in the sum of $1,273.55:
· Warren County Water & Sewer, Inv. #07-054 in the sum of $1,992.25;
· Treasurer of State, Inv. #BILL0000000009708 in the sum of $211.94;
· Cathy Herrick, wages & mileage for April, in the sum of $500.60;
· Albers & Albers Inv. # in the sum of $4,569.50.
Ø Action Taken/Required: Walt Daniels made a Motion, seconded by Susan Berger, to approve and pay the invoices as presented as listed above. Vote: All Yes.
Walt Daniels inquired as to the feasibility of paying the promissory note to Deerfield Township for the loan received prior to the initiation of the user fees. Ms. Berger indicated that there were sufficient funds to do so at this time. Mr. Daniels also inquired as to whether the Board would need a resolution to do so to which Mr. Luckage informed him that would be required. The Board then agreed to do so at this time.
Ø Action Taken/Required: Susan Berger made a Motion, seconded by Tim Greive, to authorize a $20,000.00 payment to Deerfield Township pursuant to the District’s intergovernmental agreement with the Township. Vote: All Yes.
COMMENTS FROM GENERAL PUBLIC:
Public member, Matthew Hausfeld, of 9924 Country Hill Court, addressed the Board at this time with his concerns regarding a small storm water problem in the Mt. Clair neighborhood. Mr. Hausfeld stated the homes were built 1993 and since that time, a drainage problem has occurred causing many of the property owners’ yards to become wet and soggy and remain that way. He indicated the builders had been contacted but had not made any attempt to correct the situation. He also said this was not a huge problem at this time but, was concerned about the potential of future problems and the situation becoming worse. Mr. Greive asked if there were any drains or catch basins placed in the area to which Mr. Hausfeld replied there were not. Mr. Daniels stated the next step, on behalf of the District, would be to request Dr. Coleman to view the area and report back to the Board his findings and any recommendations to rectify the situation.
Ø Action Taken/Required: The Board asked Jamie Coleman to coordinate a time with Mr. Hausfeld to view the property and the problem areas and report back to the Board his findings and possible solutions for the property owners.
Lorraine Charbonneau, of 7983 Hedgewood Court and Pam Valentine, of 7956 Plantation Drive, were also in attendance but said they did not wish to address the Board but, were interested in the Board’s intent regarding the Greenfield Place subdivision, which was on the agenda to be discussed during this meeting.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS AND GENERAL ORDERS
CDM Update: Dr. Coleman referred to a couple of community members who were present at the prior month’s regular meeting addressing the Board with concerns regarding drainage problems on their property. Dr. Coleman stated he had met and conducted a site inspection at the property of Judith Pepin, of 6830 Autumn Mist Court. He said his observation was her property seemed to be improperly graded which in turn was causing a swale along the entire fence line and allowing the area to retain water and remain soggy and wet. Further, Dr. Coleman recommended installing a French drain or filling in the area with gravel for better drainage. Mr. Daniels inquired as to whether Dr. Coleman could prepare a formal response indicating these solutions to Ms. Pepin’s concern. Dr. Coleman agreed to do so.
The Board then conducted a discussion regarding future concerns of and recommendations for community members and in the most effective, professional manner in which to do so. It was agreed, there should be some type of form created which could be completed and submitted to the District for consideration, review and response. Eric Luckage suggested the idea of making this type of form available on the web site so that it could be reviewed prior to addressing the community member directly. Tim Greive inquired if a ledger of previously received concerns or problems was being kept. Dr. Coleman replied he had the information but, not in a formal format. It was agreed these concerns of community members should be kept and given a ranking as to the severity of the problem and then addressed in that order.
Ø Action Taken/Required: Ms. Berger volunteered to create a submittal form for community members to directly relay their concerns, questions or requests for assistance to the Board utilizing the District’s web site and shall copy the Board members upon completion for their review.
Dr. Coleman also reported that he and Jeff Thomas of Warren County Soil and Water, had visited Mr. Fred McCarnan’s property and arrived at some possible solutions for his drainage concerns. Mr. Daniels asked if Dr. Coleman planned to compose a formal response to these community members to which he replied he would and would email copies to the Board for review upon completion.
Ø Action Taken/Required: Dr. Coleman shall create formalized responses to Judith Pepin and Fred McCarnan and email his correspondence to the Board for their review.
Tim Greive asked if there had been any further developments in the process of billing new accounts as discussed in the prior month’s meeting. Dr. Coleman said he did not have any further information at this time but, he would again try to contact Lois McKnight, of Warren County and inquire as to any progress in that area.
Ø Action Taken/Required: Dr. Coleman shall attempt to contact Lois McKnight and discuss the most effective solution to inclusion of new developments in the billing of the storm water user fees.
Greenfield Place Update: Dr. Coleman reported he and Jeff McComber of CDM, have been working on Task Order No. 9 as directed by the Board and provided copies of an aerial map wherein their GIS specialist mapped out the storm sewer lines, catch basins and manholes in Greenfield Place showing how the system is connected. The Board reviewed and discussed the information. Dr. Coleman then advised that Mr. McComber was presently working to complete a draft summarizing their findings regarding the drainage issues within the subdivision and hoped to email a copy to the Board in the upcoming week. It was mentioned there would be a meeting on May 21, 2007 at 7:00 p.m. to be held between the Greenfield Place Homeowner’s Association and CDM to discuss their findings and possible solutions available to resolve the major drainage issues of the subdivision. Upon agreement of the Board, Walt Daniels would also attend the meeting and represent the District.
Dr. Coleman said he had in his possession, a video which Larry Weis of Deerfield Township provided him with, of which Warren County Soil and Water recorded using a closed circuit video camera to evaluate the area in question beginning at the collapsed pipe. He hoped to share this visual with the Greenfield Place HOA during the upcoming meeting.
The Board then agreed to hold a special meeting with CDM and prior to the May 21, 2007 meeting at Greenfield Place to discuss what the District would like to share with the residents in remedying this situation and in a timely manner especially due to the nature of the problem. The Board discussed the necessity of Eric Luckage’s attendance at the HOA meeting and decided they would make that decision at the special meeting to be held on May 16, 2007 at 4:30 p.m.
CIP Ranking System: Dr. Coleman gave the Board a copy of the ranking methodology chart currently utilized by the city of Mason for discussion and consideration in the creation of such a system within Deerfield Township. As mentioned at the prior month’s meeting, he and Jeff Macomber were presently working on developing a ranking system to be used to determine the severity of any private property problems and in what order they should take priority in being resolved and at what costs. The formula for ranking consisted of several examples of criteria as follows:
A) Number of Households/Number of Employees Benefiting from Project
B) Potential Structural Damage (0%-100%)
C) Potential Loss of Life (0%-100%)
D) Water Quality/Quantity (% ranking to improve in watershed)
E) Estimated Cost to District (not total cost)
By virtue of the example, (A) Number of Households/Number of Employees Benefiting from (a) project and from the stand point of the District (E) Estimated Cost to the District (not total cost) would be the main drivers on the priority of ranking a project. The Board agreed item (A) as referenced above, would be the most important factor in determining the rank of any project as the needs of many people would out way any costs especially in a life threatening situation. The Board then continued a discussion as to the information presented and their thoughts as to different scenarios which could arise and how they would like to see them ranked accordingly and also regarding the amount or percentages (as indicated on the example) which the District would be willing to be accountable for. After discussion, the Board agreed they would rather use a numbering type system versus percentages in ranking. Otherwise, they agreed this was a good starting point and Mr. Luckage suggested having a system similar to a neighboring community’s was a good idea. Dr. Coleman advised he had forwarded this example to a comrade he knew in Cleveland for his input and would keep the Board informed as this system was further developed.
Adopt-A-Stream Project: Susan Berger informed the Board she had spoken to Diana Halligan who had expressed interest in compiling a proposed power point presentation and spearheading a project of this nature on behalf and in cooperation with the District. Ms. Halligan advised Ms. Berger she wasn’t quite prepared to make her presentation at this time but hoped to have it completed for the June 12, 2007 regular Board meeting. Ms. Halligan did advise Ms. Berger she had arrived at a possible name for the project, as the adopt-a-stream title was already being utilized and unavailable. The proposed project name could be “Stream Keepers”.
With the mention of restoration and conservation being the topic, Walt Daniels advised that he had recently spoken with Gary Algae of the Landen CSA regarding the Landen Lake restoration project and reiterated to Mr. Algae the willingness of the District to assist in providing direction on vegetation restoration before completing the Lake project.
South West Ohio Storm Water Collaborative: Ms. Berger spoke of the radio advertisements which began in April and ran for two weeks saying the response was not as good as they had hoped for and the group would be meeting again soon to discuss whether or not to continue in this direction for public outreach.
DFT/SWD Communications: Mr. Daniels advised the Board due to Dan Corey being very busy with Deerfield Township’s business he and Mr. Corey had not had an opportunity to actually discuss any new information at this time. Ms. Berger said she learned that the Township would be temporarily moving their offices to a location off Mason-Montgomery Road sometime in June and remain relocated there until a new business complex could be completed for the Township. The monthly board meetings will be held at the new temporary offices once in place.
NEW BUSINESS
None.
COMMENTS FROM BOARD MEMBER
Susan Berger raised the question as to whether the Board wished to participate in the Deerfield Day festival again this year to be held on September 15th at Cottrell Park. She said the costs for both days would be $55.00 and added that last year’s event proved to be a worthy venture raising public awareness of the District and its goals. The Board agreed to participate and Ms. Berger added she would talk with Dave McElroy and Amy Pond of Warren County who assisted last year and ask if they would be interested in helping again.
Ø Action Taken/Required: Susan Berger made a Motion, seconded by Tim Greive to spend $55.00 to secure a booth at the 2007 Deerfield Day festival to be held on September 15th at Cottrell Park. Vote: All Yes.
Tim Greive reported he had received some information since registering to attend the upcoming 2007 Sediment Erosion Field Day saying that as a sponsor, the District’s name and logo were clearly displayed on the front page of the brochure and that he looked forward to attending this annual event along with Dr. Coleman on behalf of the District.
Mr. Greive also commended Ms. Berger and Ms. Herrick for the work done and assistance provided to the State Auditor in completing the recent audit of the District. He said he received favorable comments and appreciated their efforts on behalf of the Board.
RESOLUTIONS Eric Luckage presented the following previously adopted resolutions: Resolution No. 2007-016, Approving the revised 2007 budget; Resolution No. 2007-17, Accepting and approving the 2007 Treasurer’s Report; Resolution No. 2007-18, Approving payment of the March bills as presented; Resolution No. 2007-19, Approving and accepting the Fifth Third Bank as the permanent public depository of the Deerfield Regional Storm Water District; Resolution No. 2007-20, Approving and accepting CDM Task Order No. 9, Resolution No. 2007-21, Approving and accepting the Refund Policy as written for storm water user fees.
MOTION FOR ADJOURNMENT
Tim Greive made a Motion, seconded by Susan Berger, to adjourn at 8:30 P.M. Vote: All Yes.
Next Regular Meeting: June 12, 2007
The Deerfield Regional Storm Water District Board meets the second Tuesday of every month at 6:30 p.m., unless otherwise notified.
Attest:
_________________________________
Susan Berger, Secretary/Treasurer