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Columbia Utilities Commission Dec. 19, 2006 meeting report ColumbiaMagazine.com exclusive Aggressive expansion of utilities has become major factor in city growth. New mapping system will save time, money, materials and customer stress. Detailed gas, water, and sewer department charts. Department (and customer) caught $13,000 mistake, too, in his home heating bill. By Ed Waggener While the highway system is providing the greatest impetus for economic growth in Adair County, new utilities are the providing the greatest impetus for annexation for the city of Columbia, KY. Or so it would seem from attending the last Columbia Utilities Commission meeting. The newest targets for annexation which came up at the Tuesday, December 19, 2006 regular meeting of the Columbia Utilities Commission are:
At the meeting, Mr. Williams also announced milestones for the utilities in other construction:
Utilities Inventory Mapper and Cartographer Jaremy Austin gave an overview of the utility's mapping program. Previously, mapping was farmed out, and it was rather poor. The new system, when complete, will give the city an inventory with locations of all gas, water and sewer lines. "When Jaremy gets through," City Gas Superintendent Joe Hare said, "we'll have it all, and it can be continuously updated." The benefits with having the new system are great. It will allow pinpointing of problem areas, with minimal interference to the rest of the distribution network. An example given was of what would happen with a water leak at the residence of CUC Chairman Robert Flowers on Greensburg ST. Austin told the commission that valves on only three lines would be shut down: One on Stults Lane, a second on Dillon Street, and a third on Greensburg. Only homes in that area would be without service while the repair would be made. When the vehicle and crew are dispatched to repair the line, they would know from computer printouts exactly what the fittings, pipe, and supplies would be needed to repair it and would have those items and necessary tools onboard. "We won't have to make several trips back to the warehouse for supplies, as we do now," Austin said. General boil water radio alerts will be thing of past Because the problems can be localized, General Manager Williams said, it will also mean that general "Boil water," alerts to all water customers should no longer have to be aired on local radio stations, once the mapping is complete. "We'll have a list of few dozen homes of businesses affected," he said. "We'll notify them, and the rest of the customers won't need to be disturbed." The system, Cartographer Austin said, will have a buffer capacity to allow for the foreseeable rapid expansion. Gas department having good business Gas Department Superintendent Joe Hare reported good business for natural gas in November, 2006, with $188,424.64 in total sales, $129,326.96 in gas purchases. Sales were helped by the cold weather in November, and Supt. Hare said that the commission should expect lower performance in December. Customer caught $13,000 mistake, too Originally, the department showed over $200,000 in sales. "But there was a mistake on one bill," Hare said. "One residence was billed over $13,000 for the month of November." "We caught it and backed the mistake out of the report," Hare said. He was asked whether the customer caught the mistake, and he grinned, "The customer caught it, all right!" Hare said that three large industrial users are in sight or good prospects. White Mill Works will convert some kilns to gas, he said, "And that they dry year round," Supt. Hare said, "so they will be a summer customer as well." He said that Majestic Yachts is now more positive about the use of natural gas radiant heat. He also said that he still hopes Columbia Utilities Gas Department will supply Gaddie Shamrock's Zion complex. Supt. Hare did cite a downside in the warm weather, long-term, for local customers. "Warm weather is costing us on our hedge," he said. The utility maintains control over future prices with guaranteed future purchases, and the contract is adversely affected with unusually low volume. Details are in the following chart: Continued improvements in water department Water & Sewer Superintendent Dana Rogers reported a total of $92,134.02 in water sales in November, including $39,532.92 to the systems largest customer, the Adair County Water District. Sewer charges were $50,106.42.Water loss in the water distribution lines was high for November, at 21.49%. That figure is more than twice the department's target of 10%, but Rogers noted that a major water loss was corrected on Church Street with the High Street Waterline Project completed in November. Details follow in the chart.
Dry weather helps Sewer Department The sewer department had better performance in November, helped by the dry weather. General Manager Williams added to the report that the growth in sewer customers will be the biggest help to sewer performance. "We've got the best sewer plant in Kentucky," he said, "and we can handle a much higher volume. Fixed costs would rise, but revenue would," he said. The complete sewer report follows. Last meeting for Commissioner Larry Marshall The meeting was chaired by Commissioner Ron Rogers, in the absence of Chairman Robert Flowers. The quorum consisted of Rogers plus Commissioners David Wells, and Larry Marshall. The December meeting was the last regular meeting for Commissioner Marshall, who represents the Columbia City Council on the Commission. Marshall, the senior councillor in the city, did not stand for re-election. He is moving to Elizabethtown, where he operates a shoe store and where his wife, Dr. Rachel Marshall, is pastor of Memorial United Methodist Church. Marshall is in the process of selling the inventory and closing his Columbia Store, which had operated over a half-century in Columbia. Besides the previously mentioned, the meeting was recorded by Clerk Ann Marie Nixon. Business was concluded at 12:35pm, CT, 35 minutes after the meeting started. The meeting was attended by only one member of the media, the representative of ColumbiaMagazine.com End of report of December 19, 2006 meeting About your Columbia Utilities Commission Chairman, Robert Flowers. Members David Wells, Dr. Ronnie Rogers, Larry Marshall (mayor appointed ex officio council member whose term expires at midnight, December 31, 2006). A fifth seat is vacant following the death of Commissioner Craig Williams, October 31, 2006. City Utilities General Manager Jim Williams. City Water and Sewer Superintendent Dana Rogers. City Gas Superintendent Joe Hare. Assistant Manager for the Office Betty Coop and Office Clerk Ann Marie Nixon. The commission holds regular meetings at 4:00 p.m. each Third Tuesday in the month. This story was posted on 2006-12-20 08:28:04
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