Mayor Nathan Frisch called a Special Meeting on December 23, 2023 Village of Attica Council to order at 9:00 AM to discuss health insurance for Village employees and hiring/contracting with a water operator.
Roll Call: Ed Beamer, Owen Best, Keith Hopple, Nicole Lenhart, Louis Sanders, and Kirk Stanfield
Others Present: Dawn Ratliff and Jaime Mendoza
Approval of Warrants: N/A
Approval of Minutes: N/A
Dawn Ratliff was present to answer questions about the health insurance spreadsheet she sent. She suggested the renewal of a similar United Healthcare plan to what we currently have, but Council noticed the spreadsheet offered a plan through Medical Mutual which would be cheaper with lower deductibles. She presented the differences in plans. Moving to Medical Mutual would keep our premium similar to that of what it is this year with United Healthcare with lower deductibles and lower out of pocket maximum.
Councilman Best moved to go with Medical Mutual PPO Gold 2520-2000, Councilman Beamer seconded. Vote: 6-0. Motion carried.
Jaime Mendoza was present to present a new contract for operating the water plant as the operator of record. The Village recently hired a Class III operator who quit within the first week, putting the Village in a bind. Jaime reported he didn’t feel comfortable operating the plant without bring in his own operators to run the plant. He reported his operators have wage requirements and staffing requirements. He said the last contract it was agreed upon to charge $40 an hour; this contract will have to be at $100 hour. This is jump is due to the wage requested by his operators and the increase in business insurance expenses. This contract is for 2 months. Jaime stated he would require anyone operating the plant be a licensed, certified operators with the EPA so there would be some liability on the shoulders of the operators. The ferric pumps have been a pain, they leak constantly. One went down recently. He doesn’t believe the village has exceeded the number of days in the year you are allowed to exceed. Jaime alluded that he would like the ferric pumps upgraded. You are allowed 6 days to exceed the range. He suggested purchasing at least 2 of them at about $600 a piece. The other requirement would be to make some cosmetic upgrades to the plant in hopes that when the village interviews for the operator position, hopefully interviewees wouldn’t be scared off by the condition of the plant. Jaime mentioned a grate that is broken and the channel below is full of sludge that he would like to have pumped out.
The contract would renew on March 1st for another 2 months, unless the Village wants to cancel, that would require a 30-day notice. Jaime’s guys want guaranteed 48 hours a week at $100 an hour. Mike Heacock of Mike’s Waterworks would be the person filling in on the 7th day. Councilman Best pointed out the 6-day requirement is not in the contract. Councilman Beamer asked, so with this contract we wouldn’t need an employee down there. Jaime replied yes, we tried it and people are too laxed. Councilman Stanfield asked what would be Dakota’s role. Mayor Frisch replied, reading meters, installing meters, mowing, and other duties. Mayor Frisch went on to say that if Jaime felt one of our guys could paint or something, he would be okay with that. Jaime said if you are okay with handling any repercussions that come of that. Jaime said it might not be necessary if his guys are coming in at 6 am and making water until noon, they will still have 2 hours to go where they could pick up a paint brush or wipe down a pipe.
Councilman Beamer indicated the contract presented by Jaime mentioned including preventative maintenance, but in the addendum, preventive maintenance would be $100 an hour. Councilman Best pointed out that is the regular rate. Mayor Frisch asked what would happen in the event of a waterline break. Jaime stated that would be an additional $100 an hour. Jaime said most likely he would be the one who show up, as he lives the closest. Councilman Stanfield asked if his operators are Class III operators. Jaime replied, yes, they are a father/son duo. Chad Johnson is a Class IIII operator. Jaime indicated this contract doesn’t need signed right now. If you can think of anything you think needs added we can discuss it. Councilman Beamer asked if the Solicitor had reviewed the contract. He was concerned about a portion that mentioned technical operations. Jaime said that is anything short of sweeping and mapping. Councilman Beamer read a part of the contract that says: ensures sampling and testing are done on time, implying the Village would be responsible for testing, not ND Solutions. Councilman Beamer went on to read in the contract, provide funding to return the plant to compliance, Councilman Beamer asked what is out of compliance. Jaime said there is nothing out of compliance currently. Jaime believes because we are exploring regionalizing he thinks the EPA may be taking it easy on us. The contract asks the Village to continue looking for a Class III Operator.
Jaime went on to say his guys don’t know the plant, so they will need to have 5 days of side by sides, which was granted by the EPA. They will also need to get lab certified. Jaime said he will be the one doing most of the training. During the training days where there would be 6 hours in a day where there are two operators here at $ 200 an hour, 1 hour with one operator at $100 an hour, and 1 hour with all 3 operators at $300 an hour. Jaime expects this to go on for the first two weeks of January, possibly 10 days. Council was concerned about this expense. Jaime offered to ask the operator’s if during training they would consider only working 6 hours to save a little money. Jaime said keep actively looking for an operator and make upgrades to the plant. Councilman Best stated he feels like it is going to be hard to find someone to come work here when we are considering regionalization, with the possibility of no longevity. Jaime suggested considering an administrator. Jaime said it is a tough position, he and his guys are just trying to help us buy some time. Councilman Best replied that he wished there was an option for a longer contract at a lower rate. Councilman Stanfield pointed out the contract stated payment would be made to ND Utility Solutions at $100 an hour, failing to delineate the rate per man hour. Jaime reported that he would clarify per man hour. Councilman Best stated there isn’t a limit on the number of renewals, he asked Jaime for clarification. Jaime stated that is why he put the 30-day cancellation notice. Councilman Best also pointed out that he noticed in the contract that Jaime would attend one meeting a month, he stated he thought that would be very helpful. Jaime replied, he would attend if necessary. Everyone thanked Jaime for his time and trying to assist with keeping the Village supplied with clean drinking water.
Next meeting: Thursday, December 28, 2023 at 7:30 PM.
Councilman Beamer moved to adjourn, Councilwoman Lenhart seconded. Vote: 6-0. Motion carried.
