Millers Creek Special District Meeting Minutes
September 17, 2018
6:30 PM, 3740 Beach Blvd (2nd floor above the Compass Bank)
I. Call to Order: 6:31 PM
II. Roll Call
a. Board Members Present: Barbara McMorrow, Jonathan Wright, Sharon Johnson, Scott Bates – Quorum present
b. Others: Deb Bates, Bobby Baker, Joe Wagner
III. Approval of August 2018 Meeting Minutes
a. Jonathan Wright moved to approve, Scott Bates seconded, passed by unanimous vote
IV. Open Business
a. Treasurer’s Report
i. Jonathan Wright went through the Statement of Financial Position, the Statement of Financial Activity (July 1 – September 17, 2018) as well as the Statement of Financial Activity (January 1, 2015 – September 17, 2018)
1. Last page of the Financial Reports provided expenditures from 8/1 – 9/14/18 by payee
2. Scott Bates motioned to approve the financial report, seconded by Sharon Johnson– approved by unanimous vote
ii. Vote on Audits to be submitted to COJ Tuesday, September 18, 2018
1. Approval of the 2017 Audit – Barbara McMorrow moved to approve, Scott Bates seconded, passed by unanimous vote
2. Approve of the 2018 Audit – Barbara McMorrow moved to approve, Sharon Johnson seconded, passed by unanimous vote
b. Dredging financing updates
i. Mike Oster – BB&T and AmerisBank – no update provided
ii. Scott Bates – Synovus and Compass Bank
1. Scott has not yet talked to Compass Bank
2. Synovus is interested, wants some information on when funds are available to distribute, terms typically 15 yr amortization with a 5 yr balloon, they would consider accepting an annual payment
3. Have given Synovus everything provided by Sharon
a. Any bank will want a dredging contractor locked in before moving forward
b. Synovus asked if we would be able to sell the fill; Joe Wagner indicated proceeds would be minimal, roughly a couple of dollars p/cubic yard, basically a wash. We would be better off looking to the city, or others, to see if they could use it for one of their projects and take the bulk of it.
4. Sharon shared that Wayne Flowers indicated banks are more willing to do these types of loans because it’s guaranteed
5. Barbara McMorrow suggested checking with Community First Credit Union. Scott Bates will provide Barbara with the information from Sharon that has been provided to Compass. Barbara will meet with Community First Credit Union.
6. Joe Wagner indicated the Isle of Palms project and one other tax district are doing this now. Jonathan Wright stated Isle of Palms was only a 5 year loan.
c. Joe Wagner Engineering Report
i. Areas 4 & 5 samplings meet 100% of the requirements
ii. Areas 2 & 3 samplings are slightly above the residential limit and can be deposited into an industrial/commercial area
iii. Area 1 samplings exceeded the Commercial/Industrial limit, requiring all material removed to go to a landfill
1. Area A1 is the anticipated worst area containing Benzo(a)pyrene –which results from coal tar and road ash. This sample was taken closest to a storm drain.
iv. Joe recommends taking 8 additional core samples to possibly “average” and reduce the indicated contamination level in area A1. Four samples would be 4 taken in A1, with the remaining four spread among areas A2 and A3.
v. DEP is now requiring us to do Elutriate testing with the additional soil samples to measure if contaminates would be water borne during dredging.
1. While not 100% sure, Joe feels since Benzo(a)pyrene adheres to soil particles, it may not be an issue.
vi. Cost for the 8 additional core samples
1. $17,786 for mobilization and 4 samples, and additional $1,974 for four more samples once on site = $19,760 for 8 samples
2. Scott Bates moved to go forward with the 8 water samples, initially testing the four (4) from A1, Jonathan Wright seconded the motion, passed by unanimous vote
vii. Bobby Baker asked if we can move forward with getting preliminary pricing for the dredging; as a district we need to look at the volume of material we can take out of the creek. Using mechanical dredging, looking at $40-45 p/yd. Bobby thinks it’s likely we can dredge approximately 3 feet below mean low water line (low tide).
viii. Joe Wagner is creating the Opinion of Probable Cost, should have it ready to present at the October meeting
ix. Joe Wagner asked DEP to allow the contractor to do the sampling, as a special condition, this will allow the permit to move forward
x. It’s best to provide as much information as possible to the contractors before we start the bidding, i.e. additional soil samples and elutriate testing
d. JEA
i. JEA was fined $3,500 by the City for the July 24, 2018 sediment spill into Millers Creek
ii. It was suggested we propose to JEA they use their SEP to help clean up area A1 of Miller’s Creek for their restoration project
iii. Need to have a MCSD board representative go to JEA to work together/in conjunction on this
1. Joe Wagner will take the lead and reach out to Louis Joseph, to get the JEA meeting scheduled with the contacts
e. Church Agreement
i. The original agreement has been signed, we need another signature due to the amendment. Joe Wagner, Barbara McMorrow, Sharon Johnson and a Notary will meet with Pastor Lee to obtain his signature.
V. New Business
a. Kym Johnson, Web Administrator, has started on the website. The video is working again. Kym has requested the Board Members photo and bio by FRIDAY Afternoon 9/21/18.
b. Select permanent monthly meeting location – We have approval to use the First Korean Baptist Church, 3202 Atlantic Blvd, Jacksonville, FL 32207. Jonathan Wright moved to use the church, Barbara McMorrow seconded – approved by unanimous vote
c. City of Jacksonville Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) budget
i. MSCD Line Item (pg11) $275,000
ii. The City Council votes on this September 27th
d. MCSD November meeting is the 19th, the Monday before Thanksgiving, we will keep that date; December’s meeting is the 17th we will keep that date as well
e. Secretary will prepare a blank change notice of our meeting location for remainder of 2018 and submit it to the Daily Record for publication
f. Next meeting October 15th at 6:30 PM
VI. Adjournment 7:58 PM