Board Meeting Minutes- November 10, 2025

Monday, November 10, 2025 at 5:00 PM | 601 Cherokee Leavenworth, KS 66048-0576

Directors in Attendance

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

Directors Absent (Excused)

• Williams Daniels

Staff in Attendance

• Joel Mahnken, General Manager
• Dana Splichal, Finance Manager
• John Hodgden, Distribution Manager
• Neil Seichepine, Treatment Manager

Others in Attendance

• Eric Price (Director-Elect)

Director Gervasini called the meeting to order at 4:55 PM.

Director Gervasini noted that a quorum was present.

None

None

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

RESOLVED (No. 15622), that the Board approved minutes from October 27, 2025.

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

RESOLVED (No. 15623), that the Board approved the consent agenda as presented.

The Finance Manager noted that with the upcoming open enrollment period and renewal of our contract with BlueCross BlueShield Kansas, we are presenting to you the 2026 health and dental renewal information.

Further noted that currently, the approved cost sharing formula for employees and dependents is 90/10 and 70/30. The approved 2026 budget was based on this cost sharing formula and continues to offer Option A of the package presented.

Employees do have the alternative to move to Option B, C, or D within this package. In this case, Leavenworth Waterworks pays up to the 90 and 70 split amounts for Option A, which is generally enough to cover the employee’s premium and the bulk of dependent coverage. If an employee moves to another option within the package, both the employee and employer save on premiums. Again, this is at the discretion of the employee.

BCBSKS calculated an 11.31% premium increase for health and a .04 premium decrease for dental, based on premiums and participants as of October 2025.

The 2025 budgeted amount for insurance was $466,213 and the amount included in the proposed budget for 2026 is $532,243, based on the actual premiums and the participants including vacant positions.

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

RESOLVED (No. 15624), that the Board approved the continuing with Option A as presented and a 90/10 and 70/30 split, with an alternative for employees to select other Options at reduced premiums.

The General Manager reminded the Board of the budget presentation during the last Board meeting and asked for questions or concerns.

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

RESOLVED (No. 15625), that the Board approved the 2026 budget as presented.

The General Manager reported that Mike Crow with Crow & Associates reached out to him on October 28th notifying him that Noah Scrimsher had resigned. He further reported that Peter Robertson had to Crow & Associates and will again be handling the bulk of the Board’s legal requirements. However, Peter acquired Lan-Del Water District as a client while at another firm and would like to continue to represent them.

Before Peter resigned from his prior firm, he was ethically required to advise Lan-Del of his employment status change and that Lan-Del had 3 choices, 1) to come with him to Crow & Associates, 2) stay with the current firm, or 3) seek other counsel. Peter further advised Lan-Del of our relationship with Crow & Associates, and of the potential conflict of interest, but that Crow & Associates could ethically represent both entities so long as we were fully advised of the potential conflict and
enter into a mutual consent and waiver agreement. Lan-Del’s Board voted to follow Peter to Crow & Associates conditioned upon an agreed mutual consent and waiver with us to allow the dual representation.

If we were involved in a legal issue with Lan-Del, both Lan-Del and Leavenworth Waterworks would need to obtain separate counsel, i.e. Crow & Associates could not be involved due to the conflict.

Unless the Board wishes to seek legal assistance elsewhere, we need to have an agreement with Lan-Del which would allow Crow & Associates to ethically represent both entities. Crow & Associates can draft the agreement (at no charge) for the Board’s approval.

Discussion held by the Board and Management.

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

RESOLVED (No. 15626), that the Board approved retaining Crow & Associates for legal representation, contingent upon Lan-Del’s agreement of said representation; authorizing the General Manager to sign Consent & Waiver agreement.

The General Manager reported that the contract with Tenpenny Law was up for renewal. He noted that for the past year we have had an agreement with Tenpenny Law to lobby at both the Federal and State levels. Specifically, he has worked on federal grant funding for the South Treatment Plant project, and for the State, on the Centennial Bridge project. The bridge project has been funded by KDOT and is currently arranging utility relocations. The GM noted that nothing more can be accomplished in this area through lobbying but that he feels Mr. Tenpenny’s work would be very useful in going for additional federal money.

Reported that for the upcoming year we would pay $62,100 plus expenses, plus a 1.5% incentive fee for any grant funds obtained through his efforts. The revised agreement was presented.

Discussion held.

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

RESOLVED (No. 15627), that the Board approved the Agreement for Professional Services with Tenpenny Law, LLC, and authorized the General Manager to execute the same.

Administration

1. October reconciliations and month end work
2. Met with BCBS rep to discuss 2026 premiums
3. Attended a virtual 2-day management conference
4. Continue review of new board member packet
5. Continue review of job descriptions
6. RFQ for audit services drafted

Distribution

Water Distribution Projects

1. Lead & Copper Service Inventory
   • Total 30/37 for the year.
2. Mount Olivet Project
   • First fill, leak test, and negative bacteria testing is complete. Mt. Olivet tank is now in service. Final grade, SCADA, Fencing, and lighting in progress
3. Lawrence Ave
   • 3rd Draft Complete, in review

Water Distribution Operations

1. Main breaks since our last meeting.

Shared pictures of Mount Olivet and noted that the valve inspections are approximately 50% complete.

Water Treatment

Ohio Street Booster Station

1. Nothing new to report.

Treatment Summary

1. State inspection for boilers
2. Updated RRA
3. Worked on RFQ for upcoming South Plant upgrade

Noted that Pedrotti was onsite setting up workstations for the upgraded SCADA system

General Manager

• Water Tank Project
  • Contract #1 Pipeline: Complete.
  • Contract #2 Tank: DN Tank completed chlorination of the tank and passed the leakage test. Their Subcontractor to finish the site by the end of November.
  • Discovered a problem with the relative elevations of the two tanks. It appears that the Pilot Knob tank is not at the elevation believed to be. The Mount Olivet tank has a volume at the top that may be difficult to utilize. The issue could be resolved with the addition of altitude valves at PK. However, the tanks are acting unexpectedly, hydraulicly speaking, depending which Plant is running or not.
• South Treatment Plant Resiliency Project
  • Waiting on the Federal Appropriations process/Government shutdown.
  • Worked on Request for Qualifications for engineering services in the next month.
• Working on finalizing the 2026 budget.
• Reviewing update to Risk and Resiliency Assessment.

Discussion held on the discovery of elevation differences between Pilot Knob and Mount Olivet and what that could mean for Mount Olivet capacity. Noted that we will know more after a few months of evaluating the system.

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

Director Gervasini adjourned the meeting at 5:39 PM.