Metro – August 2, 2017

EL RANCHO FLORIDA METROPOLITAN DISTRICT
REGULAR MEETING – AUGUST 2, 2017

 

The El Rancho Florida Metropolitan District held their regular monthly meeting on August 2, 2017 at 6:00 PM.   The following Board members attended the meeting:

Steve Swisher – President
Robin Boucher – Vice President
Mike Arries – Secretary
David Shipps – Treasurer

Also, present for the meeting were: Robert Ludwig & Tom Riley – water operators; Rex Emenegger – grader operator and Marsha Moreland – administrator.  The meeting was called to order at 6:00 PM.

MINUTES:

The July 5, 2017 minutes were approved with minor corrections.

WATER REPORT: 

Tom Riley reported that he had replaced 4 meters and read them on 7/23/17 before he went to his Water Operator’s class.  A couple leaks were found:

• George Maki’s meter had a leak – District’s side of the meter.
• A second leak in Maki’s service line from when it was repaired previously.
• A leak in the main from Maki’s meter out towards the main line.

Tom wants to be sure that the District doesn’t get billed for the repair to Maki’s service line since both were done by Bond’s Construction.  Steve would like for Bond’s to have a schematic of the system so they can find where to turn off water lines for repairs.  There were a few meters that were read incorrectly but are now in the correct order in the meter books for reading.

Tom Riley had the Water Operator classes and stated they were interesting and intense studies.  He will be testing in September on the information he studied in July.

SONNY HALE/TOM BIESSENBERGE FLOOD DAMAGES :

Steve Swisher met with Bud Smith, Attorney for the District, and his advice was to NOT get involved in the flooding issues with Pioneer Ditch.  The District has governmental immunity.  There has been no response as yet from Pioneer Ditch to the District.

There apparently is a third situation now at Dan Ruff’s property due to a non-maintained ditch by Pioneer Ditch which caused the water to overflow the banks of the ditch and into Ruff’s property.

 ADMINISTRATION:

Accounts Payable – The payables were reviewed and approved.
Accounts Receivable – Marsha reviewed the delinquent A/R with the Board.
Tap Fees –  A motion was made, moved and passed to increase the Tap Fee to $10,000 and the Meter Installation Fee to $500.

ROAD REPORT:

Rex had emailed his road report to the Board prior to the meeting.  It was agreed the barrels have slowed traffic down but David Shipps feels they are still unsightly and would like another option considered.  The barrels are the most inexpensive option since the district owns the barrels already.

COMMON AREAS:

The Extension Office offers a rebate program on the cost of the chemical if it is one they approve of.  Brief discussion followed.  It was agreed that since the chemical used is not one they do reimbursement on the District will not participate in the program.

NEW BUSINESS:

The house at the corner of CR 510 and CR 222 (Apple Blossom Lane) has a lot of equipment, sprayers, cars, etc.  The Board is concerned that if chemicals are on the property or in the stored equipment it could leach into the district’s ‘zone of influence’ of the water system.  There was a recent fire there that burned down the barn on the property.

Marianna Spechact, County Code Enforcement Dept., should receive a letter from the District expressing concern about our water quality of the subdivision if a ‘non-licensed’ sprayer is storing chemicals and equipment there.  There is no septic system if people are living there.  County would like a copy of the District’s filing with the Division of Water Resouces on our Zone of Influence for water quality control protection.  Marsha will send Steve that information in the next day so that he can get it to the County.

The meeting adjourned at 7:04 pm with no further discussion.

 

Michael Arries, Secretary