The Stafford County Utilities Commission met for its regular meeting on April 11, 2006, in Conference Room A,B,C in the Stafford County Administration Center. Commission members present were Joyce Arndt, Richard Carroll, Lloyd Chittum, Juan Chaves, Robert Hunt, and Patricia Kurpiel. Bob Bos, Dale Allen, Nancy Collins, and Cheryl Giles were present for the Utilities Department.

Juan Chaves presented former commission member Terry Payne with an appreciation plaque and a Stafford County throw and thanked him for his service to the Utilities Commission.

2. Public Presentations – Mr. Arthur Hart, Director of the Tri-County/City Soil and Water Conservation District requested that the Commission consider a proposal to print watershed messages on each monthly water bill.

Patricia Kurpiel made a motion to have staff investigate how many words could be placed on the utilities bill and if it would be feasible. Lloyd Chittum seconded the motion. The motion passed with a 7-0 vote.

Mr. Edward T. Bourne, Jr. spoke on behalf of residents who have paid their $500 deposit for the Trail Ends Lane Water Extension Project. Mr. Bourne expressed concern that the project has not begun because a waterline easement has not been obtained from one resident, Mr. Root. Mr. Bourne also inquired if other options have been explored. Residents Gary Clark, Cheryl Tyson, Chris Roach, Terry Baca, and Trula Knapcyzk also spoke and expressed their concerns of lack of water because their wells were very low.

Dale Allen commented that the design work has been completed for the project. Dale explained that he had spoken with Mr. Root on several occasions and Mr. Root said that he would grant the easement once he repaired some drainage problems he has on his property and completed some road work.

After some discussion, Robert Hunt made a motion that if the County could not resolve the issue with Mr. Root within three months then the County would be responsible for filling the residents’ wells until the project was completed. Joyce Arndt seconded the motion. The motion passed with a 7-0 vote.

3. Approval of Minutes – Juan Chaves asked the words “per hangar” in paragraph one under Pump and Haul be deleted. The minutes were amended and then the February 13, 2006 minutes were approved as written.

4. Pump and Haul Policy – Dale Allen reported on changes to the Pump and Haul policy in response to the Board of Supervisors request to decrease the cost of the Pump and Haul program. Dale commented that there are three major alternatives for potential changes to the program.
1. Eliminate the program
2. Restrict the program to the Urban Service Area
3. Change the program, either inside and/or outside the Urban Service Area.

Dale also reviewed a list of suggestions to reduce the cost of the program.
· Implement stricter eligibility rules.
· Implement a rate structure that would encourage conservation.
· Construct public sewers when economically justified.
· Find ways to decrease the rates charged by pump and haul contractors.

After much discussion of the suggested ideas for reducing the cost of the pump and haul program, Bob Bos explained how the pump and haul program originated and asked the Commission what steps would they like to have staff pursue.

Juan Chaves commented that he would like to see included in the revised pump and haul policy a rate structure that would not penalize customers that could not afford to remain on the system and at the same time reduce the number of customers on the system within a five to ten year time period. Patricia Kurpiel commented that Stafford was the only jurisdiction in Virginia that subsidized pump and haul and wondered if this was an appropriate use of ratepayer funds

Staff will present a revised pump and haul policy with the suggested recommendations by the Commission at next month’s meeting.

5. Utilities Fiscal Policy – Postponed until a future meeting.

6. Drainfields Standards Update – Dale Allen reported that two proposed drainfield ordinances were presented to the Board. Ordinance O06-02, submitted by the Planning Commission, which consists of more stringent requirements for the Subdivision Code, Section 22-118, for Water and Sewer and Ordinance O06-23, which amends the primary and reserve drainfield. Resolution R06-177, which would authorize a public hearing was also presented. All items were removed from the Board agenda by the Board Chairman.

Patricia Kurpiel commented that she attended the meeting when the Board removed the ordinances from the agenda. Patricia explained that the Board wanted to review the revised pump and haul policy before they made a decision about the ordinances.

7. Reservoir Protection Overlay – Bob Bos reported that the Reservoir Protection Overlay has been before the Planning Commission for years. Bob asked Patricia Kurpiel to explain the item in more detail. Patricia responded that the she had gone on the internet to research the language of other Reservoir Protection Plans. Patricia distributed a list consisting of 23 additional ideas to consider for Stafford’s Reservoir Protection Plan. She commented that she would like to discuss some of the ideas at next month’s meeting.

8. Preliminary Subdivision Plans – Commission members reviewed the Background Report. There was no discussion.

9. Public Utilities Administrator’s Report – Bob Bos reported the following items:
· The Utilities Department reached a milestone in March of serving over 30,000 customers.
· Distributed memo of Briefing of the Rocky Pen Run Reservoir.
· Residents are concerned about the closing of Rocky Run Road and traffic concerns that may be encountered.

9. Commission Members Comments – The following members commented:
· Patricia Kurpiel commented that she has an item that she would like to discuss at next month’s meeting.
· Bob Hunt commented that he has an item about comprehensive planning that he would like to add to next month’s agenda.
· Richard Carroll inquired about the water level at the reservoirs. Bob assured him that the reservoirs are full.
· Lloyd Chittum inquired about the completion date for the Rocky Pen Run dam. Bob Bos responded that construction should start in early Fall.
· Juan Chaves commented that he attended the first orientation meeting for the Comprehensive Compliance Review Committee and expressed concern that there were no utilities information in the packet

The meeting was adjourned at 9:30 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Patricia Kurpiel
Recording Secretary