WEBSTER COUNTY, Ky. (1/16/13) - The Webster County Water District met Thursday morning in Dixon.

The monthly operations report was presented by Webster County Water District Superintendent Paul Lashbrook.

In December the water plant produced 27,702,800 gallons of water, 925,700 less than they produced in December of 2011. They also worked 45.5 fewer hours than the same period a year earlier.

The plant averaged 1,857 gallons per minute.

“These numbers are for production of water we actually pumped out of the plant,” he said. “We sold a little more water in 2012 than we did in 2011. Next month I will try to have a report showing the customers and actual sales for 2012.”

Lashbrook then presented a request for payment for the Dixon Tank Rehab project, totaling $24,012. The board members voted unanimously to approve.

“The GPS units have been ordered and will be there next week,” he said. “A guy from Louisville is coming in for a few days to train us here in the office.”

The GPS units will allow workers to pinpoint lines and shutoff valves to within four inches. Currently some of the lines are equipped with marker wire, which makes them easier to locate, but much of the county’s older water lines are unmarked.

As soon as the worker’s are trained, they will begin adding lines to the GPS database.

The next item on the agenda was a proposed increase to “on-call” pay for water district employees.

“There was some discussion a few months ago about weekend on-call pay,” Lashbrook said. “We tabled it last month because not everyone was no here. We do on-call pay every month on cut off day. That pays $20 a day, plus any hours they work. We also do rotating weekend on-call. We pay $40 from Friday night through Monday morning.”

“I don’t think $40 is enough to tie up someone’s whole weekend,” said Board Chairman Jimmie Frederick.

According to the current handbook policy, on-call is supposed to pay $20 per day. The weekend on-call period is slightly more than two and a half days.

“The guys are just concerned about the last 16 hours on the weekend that they don’t get paid for,” said Webster County Water District Assistant Superintendent Robert Schindley. “If you can fix that they’ll be alright.”

The board finally agreed that, instead of changing the policy, they would change the way they have interpreted it. Since the weekend on-call period took most of three days, they would pay them $60, or $20 a day.

“I want to go through the handbook and make sure there are no other gray areas,” Lashbrook added.

Next Lashbrook presented the proposed 2013 budget.

One notable increase was the cost of employee benefits. Since 2011 the cost of insurance and retirement has gone from $87,493 to $146,523. In that same period transportation expenses have gone from $33,082 to $46,264.

Projected revenue for the 2013 budget was projected at $1,837,144 with a total operating expense of $2,221,381. That would bring the districts year ending balance to $795,363, about the normal year ending balance..

“Things that we have to buy have gone up,” Lashrbook said. “Pipes, valves, you name it and the price has gone up.”

After the projected budget was completed, Superintendant Lashbrook moved on to new business.

“Mark of E & M Contracting called me a few weeks ago to remind me our contract was expiring,” Lashbrook reported. “He was wondering if the board would consider raising his fee.”

After some discussion the board agreed to advertise a job bid for the position. Bidding will open January 31, 2013 at 1:00 p.m.

“A local farmer stopped and asked us about farming the 15 acres down by the plant,” Robert Schindley reported. “Right now we’re paying someone to bush hog it. He wants to farm it.”

The board voted to advertise the land for bids, stating that they could not just agree to let an individual rent it.

Matt Hughes
J-E News Editor

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