The Auburn Board of Public Works (BPW) Monday, April 12, was updated on the progress of the electrical distribution study.
Ken Fairchild of Olsson Associates said that the global positioning (GPS) pole map field work was completed, the power plant field survey was completed, the Environmental Protection Agency’s Feb. 17, 2010, rule was reviewed with the staff, field inspection of all BPW distribution facilities was completed and documented, the computer model of the distribution system was completed and preliminary runs made, circuit breaker maintenance was discussed with the staff and recommendations made and voltage conversion opportunities were discussed with the staff and will be modified.
Remaining to be completed were load flow computer model runs, voltage contingency model runs, finalizing recommendations on the distribution system, finalizing recommendations on distribution power plant and completing the GPS pole map.
Fairchild said that plans are to present a draft report on the study and its findings by the end of April.
Progress reports on the water treatment plant, water line/well and wastewater treatment plant were presented.
David Hunter, general manager, said that work on the water treatment plant will move forward with improving weather conditions. A $239,209.18 payment was approved to Eriksen Construction Company.
Hunter said that work was wrapping up on the water line/well.  Clean up work was progressing. Dry weather was needed to wrap it up. There is a need to have the new well test pumped and then have Health and Human Services officials inspect it. K2 Construction officials have had problems getting the new water line to pass a coliform test. Once that is completed, HDR can complete the work. A $172,445.13 payment to K2 Construction was approved.
Work is moving forward on the wastewater treatment plant, Hunter said. By the end of this week, bypass pumping should be completed. Dry weather has helped on the project, Hunter said. A $187,814.75 payment to Graham Construction was approved.
Work was also moving forward on the 6th Street Sewer Phase I. Hunter said that the dry weather has helped. There will be a meeting Thursday, April 15, on crossing the highway. Sod will be placed to replace grass on the ballfield, he said. A $103,460.84 payment to VanKirk Sand & Gravel was approved.
This week, work has started on the 6th Street Sewer Phase II. A construction services agreement with HDR was approved.
Plans are to complete both phases by mid-May.
A resolution on a multi-jurisdictional hazardous mitigation plan was approved. The plan was prepared by officials of the Nemaha Natural Resources District (NNRD) with assistance from officials of JEO Consulting Group, Inc. NNRD officials received grant funding. Once areas are identified, that opens the door for possible grant funding for emergency equipment and hazardous mitigation projects.
Another resolution was approved to renew League Association of Risk Management property and liability coverage through September 2013. That resulted in a 5 percent discount.
A bid from Altec was accepted for a new digger derrick truck. That was contingent on receiving bids to sell the old unit and acepting the highest trade in value for the old unit. The Altec bid was the only one received for a new truck. The $199,171 bid included options. The new truck may be delivered by mid-May. The current truck is 20 years old. There is  local interest in the current truck. Bids will be accepted on it through Monday, April 26.
Daniel Duren of Benefit Management was selected as the independent broker for the city and BPW Pension Plan & Trust. That was the recommendation of the Administrative Committee/Trustees of the Pension Plan & Trust.
It was approved to turn over $161.64 in unclaimed property to the state treasurer’s unclaimed property division.
The personnel manual was amended to change summer working hours. Summer working hours will be 7 a.m.-3:30 p.m. from the first full week of April through the first full week of October. That was because of the change in daylight saving time in recent years.
A website development proposal from Jason Nabb, Lincoln, was approved. The BPW and city website is being updated to make it more user friendly.
After discussion, it was decided to drop membership in the American Public Power Association, a national public power organization group, because of increased costs.
Hunter updated the board on paperless board meetings. Discussed that emailing packets was less expensive than laptops. Discussed the need to purchase an overhead projector and a larger screen to put against the whiteboard. That will result in improved vision. That will also save a lot of paper and time. The lowest price will be sought.
Several reports were presented.
Melissa Sierks will start Monday, April 19, as accounting and finance manager. She will succeed Betty Filbrandt, who is retiring after more than 33 years. Six applicants were interviewed. Two were called back for second interviews. Sierks said that she was looking forward to starting.
JEO was hired by city officials to design and bid a water line to Orscheln. The contract will be awarded by early June.
Solomon officials changed the tapchanger and the plant sub with a new controller similar to the one installed in the south sub. There were problems with the plant sub maintaining proper voltage.
BPW officials have worked with city officials on using an old city well to supply water to Rotary Lake. The well was pulled last week and it will be test pumped to determine its condition. That is an attempt to control algae.
Water conservation kits and coupons for fluorescent bulbs were taken to the Senior Center.A letter was written at the request of the board on Community Development Authority.
BPW officials will go to the Planning Commission to update it.