Utility Trustees Approve Aerial Truck Purchase

The Utility Trustees held their regular monthly meeting March 6, 2025 with all members present with Trustee Byczek joining by phone. They approved the agenda, and no one addressed the board in open forum.

Chairman Dan Heater reported that the wind turbine produced 522,104 kWh for Feb. This was significantly more than the normal production. He singled out the employees for completing repairs and maintenance on the turbine in a timely manner.

The trustees noted that their top priorities are to explore the purchase of a fifty-five foot aerial truck and update the water softener controls at the water treatment plant.

Utility Treasurer Kasi Howard gave the trustees an update on advertising with the NL Junior Baseball Association. The initial cost of an advertising sign is $300 for the first two years and then $200 for each year after.

The utility foreman Dave Ford updated the trustees on the work that has been done since the last meeting. He also reported to the trustees on the issues with the 2005 fifty-five foot bucket truck. It has been turning off while it is in use and recently had to be towed, diagnosed, and repaired again. He doesn’t think that the problem has been found. He feels strongly that the truck isn’t reliable.

The trustees discussed their options for purchasing a new aerial truck. The existing truck is 20 years old and due to be replaced.

For new trucks, the trustees have the option of a Freightliner chassis with either an Altec boom or a Terex boom. The trustees discussed the pros and cons of each truck, noting that price and availability will be big factors in the decision-making process.

Jetco was asked to get prices regarding the softener controls. They will look over the existing ones and give the utility board a price quote in the next one to two weeks.

Foreman Ford has ordered the purchase of transformers approved by the trustees last month. The trustees discussed options for setting money aside to make future purchases of transformers as they are a large purchase for the utility.

The trustees approved the consent agenda. They then turned to old business. They approved the purchasing of three advertising signs from the NL Junior Baseball Association at the price of $300 per sign for two years and then $200 per year starting year three. It will also include the sign that they already have at $200 per year.

The trustees then discussed making donations to nonprofit organizations. It was noted that the comments from the utility’s auditor and email from the attorney stating that certain organizations the utility previously donated to do not meet the requirement for having a public purpose and therefore the utility cannot legally give funds to them.

In new business they took the following actions:

The trustees discussed GIS mapping of water and electric utilities with French Reneker Associates. This project would map out the utility’s water mains, valves and curb stops with GPS coordinates and would be available to all the employees on their cellphones when working out in the field. The city is also considering this project for their sanitary sewer and French Reneker has estimated the cost to be $15,000 for the water and $10,000 for the sewer. The utility could also map out their underground electric with this system. The trustees are very interested in this service and would like the item on their next regular meeting agenda.

The meeting adjourned at 1:55 p.m. The next regular utility board meeting will be Thursday, April 3, 2025 at 10 a.m. in the city office.