Board Meeting Minutes- July 14, 2025

Monday, July 14, 2025 at 5:00 PM | 601 Cherokee Leavenworth, KS 66048-0576

Directors in Attendance

• Richard Gervasini
• Nick Poff
• Chad Lough
• Eric Peterson

Directors Absent (Excused)

• William Daniels

Staff in Attendance

• Joel Mahnken, General Manager
• Dana Splichal, Finance Manager
• John Hodgden, Distribution Manager
• Neil Seichepine, Treatment Manager
• Britni Huff, Staff Engineer

Others in Attendance

• Eric Price, 403 N. Broadway St.

Director Gervasini called the meeting to order at 5:02 PM.

Director Gervasini noted that a quorum was present.

None

None

Upon motion from Director Peterson and seconded by Director Poff, motion passed 4-0…

RESOLVED (No. 15593), that the Board approved minutes from June 23, 2025.

Upon motion from Director Peterson and seconded by Director Poff, motion passed 4-0…

RESOLVED (No. 15594), that the Board approved the consent agenda as presented.

As directed by the board, the General Manager presented a policy statement addressing damages to private property resulting from water main breaks, which was drafted based on board discussion in previous meetings.

Discussion was held and upon motion from Director Peterson and seconded by Director Lough, motion passed 4-0…

RESOLVED (No. 15595), that the Board approved the policy statement as presented.

The Staff Engineer presented the change order noting that MCON, LLC has been working on the Lecompton WMR since April 7, 2025.

Current plans have Main B on the Nash Easement tie in with 6” HDPE on 18th Street. The current 6” HDPE line ties into the 8” DI at the 18th St & Lecompton intersection. Proposed change is to extend 12” HDPE main (Main B) along the east side of 18th Street approximately 125’ to the current 8” DI pipe at the 18th & Lecompton intersection. This would eliminate the narrowing to 6” pipe on 18th Street then back up to 8” DI pipe. The connection of Main B to the 6” line on 18th can also be eliminated.

MCON, LLC provided a cost estimate where additional materials for the 125’ extension and associated valves and connections would be $47,319.00. With the elimination of the connection to the 6” line on 18th street, there would be a savings of $16,763.00 on materials. The total cost of the change would be an increase to the original contract price $30,556.00.

Upon motion from Director Peterson and seconded by Director Poff, motion passed 4-0…

RESOLVED (No. 15596), that the Board authorize the General Manager to execute change order 1 with MCON, LLC for an additional $30,556.00.

Administration

1. June month end reconciliations
2. KMU Professional Development held Monday, July 7th over evaluations.
3. Safety Committee is working to update the Safety Manual.
4. Software conversions:
   • BS&A Software – go live date July 28th
     1. Continuing to work with the conversion team
        • Bi-weekly meeting to discuss status and questions
        • Meeting with key members weekly
        • On-site training begins July 21st
        • Working with BS&A on new bill design
     2. Attending various online webinars to familiarize myself with the new software
     3. During the final conversion period, we will be unable to process debit and credit card payments. All activity from July 23rd to July 28th will be recorded on paper and then entered into the new software on July 28th, after successful testing occurs of the new system. We have scheduled several notifications so that customers are not caught off guard by this.
   • InfoSend
     1. Conducting weekly meetings to discuss status and questions
     2. Drafted the back of the bill info
     3. Working on insert for the first bill
   • Customer portals in process to update with all the changes.
   • Communications:
     1. We have started communicating with customers who call in for an extension that they will no longer have to do after this month.
     2. Updating website for new customer information
     3. Scheduled various notifications in Facebook and on letters/bills to announce changes.
5. Planning employee appreciation lunch for 2025

Distribution

Progress pictures were shared of the Mount Olivet Tank Project.

Water Distribution Projects

1. Lead & Copper Service Inventory
   • Total 16/37 for the year. 4 GRR services identified to be replaced due to low psi.
2. Lecompton Water Main Replacement (2023)
   • West most pipeline substantially completed, services active, to begin on East side this week.
3. Mount Olivet Project
   • Most work for the last couple of weeks has been on the interior of the tank, no new pictures
4. Lawrence Ave
   • Survey complete, Britni has started drawing.

Water Distribution Operations

1. Valve exercise update.
2. Main breaks since our last meeting.

Water Treatment

Ohio Street Booster Station

1. Nothing new to report.

North Plant Summary

1. The plant will be offline every Tuesday & Wednesday until further notice.
2. HTE completed preventive maintenance on the new air compressor.

South Plant Summary

1. General Elevator is diagnosing issues with the freight elevator.
2. Attended the KMU Professional Development held on Monday for employee evaluations.

General Manager

• Water Tank Project
  • Contract #1 Pipeline: Waiting on Final Pay Request.
  • Contract #2 Tank: Tank is starting the outer shell. Their construction schedule has water in the tank around Labor Day, with completion about 2 months’ later.
• South Treatment Plant Resiliency Project
  • Congress will now be working on the individual appropriations bills where the CDS grant may come from. Chad Tenpenny will be in Washington DC the week of the 14th and will provide and update on our CDS application thereafter.
• MCON is about half complete on the Lecompton WMR project.
• Attended the Missouri Regional Advisory Committee meeting in Atchison on July 9th. Discussed the State’s 2026 budget for water projects.
• Attended an online MRPWSA meeting on obtaining 404 and 408 construction permits from the USA Corp of Engineers on July 10th.
• Attended the July LCDC meeting.
• Began working on updating spreadsheets for the 2026 budget preparation.

Extensive discussion was held on the tank project and status.

At 5:39 pm, the Board recessed the regular meeting to enter Executive Session to discuss personnel matters of nonelected personnel for thirty minutes.

Upon motion from Director Lough, seconded by Director Peterson, motion passed 4-0.

RESOLVED (No. 15597), that the Board recess the regular meeting to enter Executive Session to discuss personnel matters of nonelected personnel for fifteen minutes.

At 6:09 pm, the Board ended the executive session and resumed the regular meeting.

Upon motion from Director Lough, seconded by Director Peterson, motion passed 4-0.

RESOLVED (No. 15598), that the Board end the executive session and resume the regular meeting

Upon motion from Director Daniels, seconded by Director Poff, motion passed 4-0.

Director Gervasini adjourned the meeting at 6:10 PM.