Handy Sanitary District
Regular Meeting of the Board
June 22, 2017
Minutes
Handy Board Attendees: Chairperson Debbi Yarbrough, Secretary Richard Smith, Charles Hobson, Pauline Weaver
Town of Denton Board Attendees: Mayor Pro Tem Deanna Grubb, Julie Loflin
Handy Staff Attendees: General Manager Darrell Hinnant, Clerk Angela Jennings
Town of Denton Staff Attendees: Mayor Larry Ward, Manager John Gray
Engineer: Charlie McGougan-MBD Consulting Engineers, Tim Carpenter-LKC Engineering
Chairperson Debbi Yarbroughcalled the meeting to order at the Denton Elementary School and asked for a moment of silence.
Adoption of the Agenda: Charles Hobson made a motion to adopt the Agenda as written, seconded by Pauline Weaver, passed by the Board 4-0.
Welcome: Chairperson Debbi Yarbrough welcomed all attendees and emphasized that she is excited about the Merger/Regionalization Feasibility Study. She also informed the public that nothing would happen until after the Study is completed and the recommendations are agreed upon by the Handy Sanitary District and Town of Denton Boards. Debbi mentioned that the grants that were received also offer the option to do nothing. Debbi then introduced the Handy Sanitary District Board members and staff present and also recognized Handy’s past Chairman, Tim Loflin.
Comments from Mayor Larry Ward: Mayor Larry Ward thanked the Handy Sanitary District Board for the opportunity to speak and introduced the Town of Denton Board members present. He expressed that the Town of Denton was 100% behind the Study. Mayor Ward informed the public that the Town of Denton had approximately 1,000 customers, whereas the District had 3,100 customers. He discussed that the water rates in the Town were high due to there not being many customers to bear the cost. He also expressed the hope that the Town could reduce costs and produce water at a more efficient rate.
Presentation: Handy Sanitary District General Manager Darrell Hinnant then presented the background of the Study, detailing the three parts to the Study (communication, financial, physical), and informing the public that there were no preconceived ideas going into the Study from either the Town of Denton or Handy Sanitary District. He informed the public that the Study would be completed independently on water and wastewater and that the Study would be paid for entirely by the grants received from the State. Darrell discussed that once the Study is completed, there would be another public meeting to discuss the recommendations from the engineers. He also discussed that if a Merger was recommended, it would need to be determined whether there will be a merger of operations, assets, or both. Darrell detailed that once Handy received the grant money, they sent out a request for proposal from engineering companies to garner their qualifications. He discussed that once Handy received the proposals, Handy sent them over to the Town of Denton. He informed the public that the Study would take nine months to complete.
Study Procedures: Charlie McGougan, from MBD Consulting Engineers, detailed the procedures/schedule of the Merger/Regionalization Study. He informed the public that MBD had partnered with LKC Engineering and Tim Carpenter to ensure that the Study could be done accurately and in a timely fashion. He discussed that the majority of the work would be assessing Handy’s and the Town’s systems. He also discussed that at the end of the Study there would be a set of meetings where they detail their findings to the Boards and the public. Charlie then introduced the project team that would be completing the Study: Randy Sturgill (an electrical sub-consultant from Lexington), Bill Dixon (a structural sub-consultant from Raleigh), Charles R. Underwood Incorporated, Rives & Associates (CPA firm from Lexington), along with staff from MBD Engineering and LKC Engineering.
Questions & Answers:The question was asked where customers who don’t have “representation” from either Board go to have their voice heard. Darrell informed him that since he was a water customer for the Town of Denton his area will be part of the Study.
The question was asked if we were the first 2 municipalities that were participating in a Merger/Regionalization Study. Darrell answered that there were other municipalities that had applied for and received the grant, but that our Study was farther along in the process and that there was no precedent set.
The question was asked about if the Study would investigate merging with Davidson Water. Darrell answered that the Study is just between Handy Sanitary District and the Town of Denton but that there were no preconceived notions about the possible outcome.
Ron Sink with Davidson Water expressed interest in the results of the Study and working with the Town of Denton and Handy Sanitary District in the future.
The question was asked about black, slimy stuff in the water-would the Study help that? Darrell answered that he had challenged the engineering firms to discover what it will take for us to meet today’s needs as well as the needs of the future regarding new regulations for water quality.
Adjourn: Richard Smith made a motion to Adjourn, seconded by Charles Hobson, passed by the Board 4-0.