SPECIAL MEETING
MINUTES
NSD Business Office
1326 W. Highway 92 #12
Bisbee, AZ 95620
September 12, 2022, at 10 PM

Minutes

NSD Chair Stephen Dey called the special meeting to order at 10:10 PM. Present: Charles Behney, Stephen Dey, Jesus Guerrero, Andrew Foster absent, Robert Orlowsky, excused. Ms. Monika Patience was also present.

Under old business, the minutes were revised from a special meeting to a regular meeting. Mr. Dey made a motion to accept the meeting, which was seconded by Mr. Behney. The minutes were approved unanimously.

Mr. Dey changed the order of New Business to discuss the rate increase before the letter to customers regarding rates. Mr. Dey stated that a rate increase was necessary to prevent NSD from running out of operating expenses. NSD barely has enough funds for basic needs, such as the office and testing. An increase of either $25 or $27 was brought up by Mr. Dey. Mr. Dey suggested a temporary rate increase for six months, and then the board would readdress it. Mr. Behney asked for the record that the rate increase was necessary due to past due accounts from residents and businesses not paying. Yearly customers would not be charged extra. Mr. Dey wanted to know how many monthly customers would be affected by the rate increase. Mr. Behney noted that 150 customers paying $25 a month would raise $3750 in revenues. Mr. Dey stated that tax revenues were soon to arrive, and some other customers were now paying. Mr. Behney suggested a rate of $25 while Mr. Dey considered a $27 increase.

Mr. Behney made a motion to raise the rates to $25 for six months, after which it will be revisited. Mr. Dey amended the motion to raise the rates to $25 a month for monthly customers, for six months, effective on November 1^st until May 30, 2023. Any customer can pay the yearly fee of $170 until November 1^st, 2022. After that it will rise in accordance with the new fees, to be readdressed in six months. The motion was seconded by Mr. Behney and then passed unanimously.

Mr. Behney read the rough draft of the letter to NSD customers. The board edited the letter and unanimously approved this draft for November:

Dear Naco Sanitary District Customers,

There are several Naco Sanitary District customers who have not paid for their sewer services and are past due.

These past due accounts owe the NSD approximately $30,000, as of September 9, 2022. Because of this, NSD will need to raise their rates to $25.00 for the next six months to continue to provide services for the Naco community.

Customers who are not paying will have their services discontinued, their water may be disconnected, and a lien may be placed on properties that have non-payment and past due accounts. Cochise County may condemn the property.

After six months, when the NSD accounts are no longer past due, the rates may be reduced again.

The former NSD Board of Directors received a Notice of Violation that caused the wastewater treatment plant to go out of compliance with the Aquifer Protection Permit. This cost NSD $15,000 to bring the WWTP back into compliance.

The required flowmeter was over twenty years old and was out of warranty and no longer functioned. NSD paid $20,000 for a new, automated flowmeter to remain in compliance with ADEQ.

As a result, reserve accounts were emptied, so NSD must raise rates and refill our reserve accounts for the community’s waste and sewer services.

Sincerely,

The Naco Sanitary District Board of Directors

Mr. Dey spoke about the past due letter that will need to be on a future agenda.

The meeting was adjourned at 10:35.

_____________________________________

Stephen T. Dey

Naco Sanitary District Chair October 4, 2022

NACO SANITARY DISTRICT
P.O. BOX 755
Naco, AZ 85620

MEETING MINUTES
NSD Business Office
1326 W. Highway 92 #12
Bisbee, AZ 95620
September 6, 2022, at 5 PM

Minutes

NSD Chair Stephen Dey called the special meeting to order at 10:06 PM. Present: Charles Behney, Stephen Dey, Andrew A. Foster, Jesus Guerrero, Robert Orlowsky, excused. Ms. Monika Patience was also present.

Mr. Dey made a motion to accept the minutes of the meeting of July 6, 2022 as written. The motion was seconded by Mr. Behney and was passed unanimously.

Under old business Mr. Behney spoke about the decision to write a letter on past due accounts to customers that was agreed during the prior meeting, and the need to finish it, despite unforeseen personal problems that postponed the writing.

Mr. Behney and Mr. Guerrero are translating and editing the English bylaws into Spanish, to provide to the community with the letter regarding past due accounts.

Mr. Dey reported that the owner of the RV Park has agreed to pay for one year in advance, based on 35 units average.

Mr. Behney will check the assessor and treasurer property records and make sure they are current with the NSD billing. Mr. Guerrero reported that a few customers complained about not having information on the bills, such as past due amounts.

Ms. Patience stated that currently the bills are for what is owed. Mr. Guerrero stated that one customer was not aware that they could pay in the office. Ms. Patience stated that past due amounts could be added to the bill, but it would take some time and effort for this.

Mr. Behney suggested placing this in the draft letter. Mr. Guerrero said he was still learning the system, yet a few people wanted to pay every six months.

Mr. Dey said that if they were renters, instead of owners, the landlords are responsible. Mr. Guerrero said that some renters were sending the money to their landlords, not NSD.

Mr. Behney will come in and look at the current status of the county assessor records, and line by line review the addresses in Quickbooks. Mr. Behney will also contract with Sparklight for an office phone, instead of Centurylink’s lack of service.

Mr. Dey stated that the prior NSD board had complicated these matters, as many customers never received a bill in years. The previous administration never gave NSD the phone code necessary for hearing voicemails on the NSD phone line.

Mr. Behney will audit the current past due bills, against the latest county assessor and treasurer records to find whether property owners are receiving the bills. Mr. Behney will look at the records, obtain new phone services and write a draft letter to the NSD customers.

Mr. Dey stated that raising the rates was missing from the agenda, and it was the most important matter for NSD. Mr. Behney suggested holding a special meeting to discuss and approve rates.

Mr Dey suggested sending the NSD bylaws to the customers with a bill stating past due amounts. There are no excuses for customers who refuse to pay. The RV wants to hook up more lots to NSD lines.

Mr. Behney inquired about holding a special meeting for 9/12/2022 to address the rate increases.

Next agenda item concerned writing a Request for Proposal for an attorney. Mr. Behney made a motion to fill out an RFP form to write a draft RFP for an attorney. Mr. Dey seconded, and the motion carried unanimously.

The agenda item to discuss and approve the Spanish translation of the NSD Bylaws was tabled for the next agenda.

Mr. Behney made a motion to write a draft letter with Ms. Patience for the NSD board to discuss and approve when written. Who is required to pay, why they must pay, and the consequences of not paying. Mr. Dey claimed some past due amounts may be waived, if proper. Mr. Dey said that if everyone was paying their bill, then NSD would have enough revenue to function without problems.

Mr. Behney recommended placing money in reserve accounts.

Mr. Dey made a motion for Mr. Behney to draft the letter, which was seconded by Mr. Behney. The motion passed unanimously.

Mr. Behney suggested that the Chair call a special meeting.

Mr. Dey announced a special meeting on September 12, 2022 at 10PM to discuss and approve rate increases, and a letter to NSD customers.

The meeting was adjourned at 10:40.

_____________________________________

Stephen T. Dey

Naco Sanitary District Chair September 12, 2022

 

NACO SANITARY DISTRICT
SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES
July 27, 2021, at 6:00 PM
3853 S Towner Avenue
El Centro Community Center
Naco AZ 85620

The meeting was called to order at 6:00 PM. Present: Charles Behney, Stephen Dey, Andrew A. Foster, Robert Orlowsky, excused.

OLD BUSNESS

NSD Chair Stephen Dey reported on continuing efforts to remediate the WWTP vegetation and other issues of non-compliance. NSD hired a crew from Verhelst House which has been cutting down trees and weeds, the lagoons are all flowing well after the Vac-Truck maintenance with the City of Bisbee and City of Douglas site operators.

NEW BUSINESS

Mr. Dey spoke about the ongoing efforts to hire a site operator including email solicitations, phone calls and advertisements. After meeting with Ronald L. Jacobsen, a Grade 4 site operator in charge of the San Jose WWTP, Mr. Jacobsen accepted the offer to become NSD site operator, for a salary of $2000 a month.

Mr. Jacobsen has forty years of experience. He has the expertise to return NSD’s WWTP to compliance with ADEQ.

Mr. Behney made a motion to hire Mr. Jacobsen for $2000 a month, effective on August 1^st. NSD’s attorney should assist in drafting a contract. Mr. Foster seconded the motion.

The motion was passed unanimously.

Mr. Dey made a motion to adjourn, which Mr. Behney seconded. The motion passed unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 6:04 PM.

Minutes Approved on August 3, 2021.

Stephen T. Dey

Naco Sanitary District Chair August 3, 2021