Olga Community Center
Board Members Present: Geoff Cunard, Pat Boehm, Guy Woods, Paul Groeninger
OWUI Members Present: None
OWUI Administrator Present: Aurora Fackler-Adams
1. Call to Order
The meeting was called to order at 6:04 PM.
2. Approval of Minutes for May
Pat Boehm made a motion to approve the May 2025 board meeting minutes. Guy Woods seconded the motion.
Motion passed unanimously.
3. President’s Report
Administrator Update
Aurora Fackler-Adams shared that she has been accepted to graduate school in Seattle. She will remain in her role as OWUI Administrator.
Intertie and SWSMP Update
Geoff reported that there has been no new update on the Small Water System Management Program (SWSMP). He spoke with Steve Schaeffer from Doe Bay Water Users Association (WUA), who submitted their SWSMP on the day of the meeting. OWUI’s submission is still pending approval, and both systems are hoping for a timely response from the state.
No updates were available regarding Earthworks’ progress on investigating a possible leak site identified previously.
Annual Meeting Preparation
Geoff contacted Sam and Dan from Eastsound Water Users Association (EWUA) regarding the Water Use Efficiency (WUE) report and related documentation for the Annual Meeting. Sam was out of office but is expected to follow up upon return.
The WUE report is nearly complete, but the state is still disputing whether the significant water loss in Harvey Glasser’s field should be counted as part of a single leak. Once that is resolved, the report can be finalized and submitted for inclusion in the Annual Meeting.
● Annual Meeting Date: July 12, 2025 at 6:00 PM
● Member postcards must be mailed soon to meet the 3-week notice requirement. ● Guy and Geoff will collaborate on writing the President’s Letter.
Aurora has created a dedicated page on the OWUI website to house Annual Meeting materials. However, it's possible that not all documents will be ready by the time postcards are sent.
The Board discussed whether to include a conversation about Flume water monitoring devices at the Annual Meeting. Concerns were raised about complicating meter rollout and the uncertainty of funding for Flume or pressure reducing valves (PRVs).
Geoff emphasized that meter replacement is a priority per state requirements. Pat noted that T-Mobile is launching satellite coverage soon, which may make cellular meter endpoints more viable than Flume.
Pat mentioned that the technology is changing rapidly, so Flume may not be the easiest monitoring device in the near future. Guy said that this conversation wasn't immediately productive- we can't install Flumes now, maybe in the future.
WUE Planning Meeting
Geoff noted that a Water Use Efficiency planning meeting is required every six years. OWUI last held one in 2020, so another is due. He recommended not combining it with the Annual Meeting.
Guy asked if it should be announced at the Annual Meeting. Geoff responded that it's not required and can be handled via direct member outreach.
4. Administrator’s Report
Annual Meeting Postcards
Aurora presented the postcard design and confirmed preparation for mailing. Billing Updates
Aurora gave a brief update on accounts in arrears and will verify totals against billed accounts.
5. Treasurer’s / Financial Report
● Guy reported approximately $30,000 in outstanding member billing.
● Aurora will double-check the billed totals to confirm accuracy.
Guy attended a funding training for small water systems. Key insights:
● State funding processes take approximately five years.
● Successful applicants typically have completed engineering, planning, and asset inventory documentation and are fully ready to go.
● While federal funding is decreasing, the revolving loan fund model ensures ongoing availability of most funds.
● OWUI may seek funding for asset inventory work to strengthen future applications.
A pro-forma budget was shared. OWUI paid $6,629 in taxes in May—slightly above budget, likely due to increased revenue from higher rates.
6. Operator’s Report (EWUA)
Operators were not present but confirmed they will send a representative to the Annual Meeting.
7. Operations Report
Meter Replacement Project
Pat reported receiving an order acknowledgment from General Pacific for 150 meters and all associated reading materials, totaling approximately $73,000 (original quote was $63,000; the increase includes additional materials and ~$5,000 in taxes).
● Pat confirmed the order was placed.
● Once installed, the Board will decide on meter reading frequency.
● Geoff emphasized the need to distinguish seasonal rates.
● A training session will be scheduled after installation; Board members are encouraged to attend.
Logistics & Installation:
● Pat noted that shipping and delivery timelines remain unclear.
● Aurora will update General Pacific with her contact info to facilitate delivery coordination.
Loan Discussion:
Guy asked for confirmation of installation rates from Dan ($75/hour). That confirmation is still pending.
Guy stressed the need for a final project cost to secure a loan.
Motion:
Guy Woods motioned that OWUI pursue a loan to fund the meter replacement project, with authority to borrow up to the assessed amount of $130,000, though the final amount will likely be less.
Motion passed unanimously.
Discussion of Meter Components:
Pat clarified that General Pacific asked whether OWUI wanted to replace just the meter register or the entire meter. Due to the age of the existing meter bodies (20–25 years), OWUI opted to replace both the body and register. The $73,000 order reflects complete meter replacements.
Tank Cleaning Invoice:
Liquivision submitted an invoice for tank cleaning. Aurora will attempt to pay via online bill pay, but if the amount exceeds online payment limits, board members may need to issue a check manually.
8. Member Input
No members were present.
9. New Business
No new business was presented.
10. Next Meeting
Date: Saturday, July 12, 2025
Time: 6:00 PM
Location: Olga Community Center
This meeting will serve as both the Annual Meeting and the next Board Meeting. 11. Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 7:03 PM.
OLGA WATER USERS, INCORPORATED. owuistaff@gmail.com