Bluff Water Works Special Service District
Meeting Minutes for Feb 12, 2025
Called meeting to order: 7:05
In attendance: Marx Powell, Brandt Hart, Steve Simpson, Amer Tumeh, , Mike Yearous Jennifer Davila
Absent: Benny Musselman
Audience: Ann Leppenen, Linda Sosa, Gary Lichtenstein
Approval of minutes:
Simpson motions to accept minutes with edits
Hart seconds the motion
Motion passes unanimously
Community Input:
Powel commented that the statement that Sosa made on the TOB meeting on Feb 4th. He agreed with everything that she said about there not being a difference in water rights, water rights are water rights. The difference is that if we put those right into the wells it would over tax the wells and if we give up the those rights we will not get them back. The problem with solely relying on the 50 year plan, it may not apply because we are currently showing a decrease in population rather than an increase. Powell feels that in moving forward, we really need to have a plan that shows that we intend to use those rights in order to not lose them.
Culinary Water:
Powell: there have been a lot of replacement meters installed and it looks like we are finally getting the billing statements in line.
We need to get an accurate estimated use that the fire department is using when we are filling pump trucks or flushing fire hydrants so that it doesn't look like we have had a big unaccounted for loss.
Unfinished Business:
Water Meter Applications:
Application for a new meter for Gary Lichtenstein. Everything has been turned in with maps, location of the meter and payment, this was applied for in October and because of that the old rates will be charged
Tumeh motions to approve the meter
Yearous seconds the motion
Approved unanimously
Meter Report:
Update on QED on a strategic plan for BWW
Lichtenstein gave a run down of the Strategic planning session that took place on January 30. He explained that he had issued a survey to the group and then tally the results to see how they shook out. He then let the results of the survey help drive the discussion.
He felt that the development of a water utility is something that is within reach especially if it is approached as a 'cut and paste' type system. He feels that the need is to balance the autonomy of the water board with need for local control.
He also stated that one of the desires of proceeding with a secondary water system could go a long way with helping to 'green' the town to help lower temperatures of town by planting a lot of trees
Tumeh took issue with the 'cut and paste'
Powell felt that the idea that Egge stated at the end of the planning session about creating a venn diagram type model in coming up with the different desires of each board and how they overlap with the similar desires/concerns and building on those strength areas.
Bills to Pay: See Treasures Report
The last two bills for catering for the QED meetings need to be included for the current bills to be paid. The total of those payments should total $400.
Tumeh motions to pay the bills
Hart seconds the motion
The motion passes unanimously, Simpson declared his conflict of interest.
Other: None
Next meeting: Mar 12th, 2025
Meeting adjourned: 7:35