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Board of Water Commissioners June 2023 Committee Meetings
Speaker 1
00:00For Commissioner forte chairing the meeting today, at this time, I'd like to call the Detroit water sewer department. Finance Committee to order Miriam Can you call the roll please?
Unknown Speaker
00:11Commissioner Coleman,
Unknown Speaker
00:13President detroit michigan
Speaker 2
00:15Commissioner iron Hauser is excused but plans to join us Commissioner forte is absent. You do not
Speaker 3
00:23have a chair. Right. And for your committee, so we need to wait for chair I Hauser
Speaker 1
00:29Okay, so we don't have a quorum at this point right?
Speaker 4
00:33That's correct. Right. Okay.
Unknown Speaker
00:36So we'll table this one and go to the next.
Speaker 2
00:41Do you want to do to go to public participation? Okay, wait till we get to the chair arrives.
Speaker 1
00:49Okay. No problem. All right. This time public participation is anyone that has any comments, concerns they'd like to discuss
Unknown Speaker
01:05Sonali
Speaker 5
01:06Hi Commissioner Coleman. This is Sonali Patel. I'll be happy to read the script before we started public comment.
Unknown Speaker
01:12Thank you. I appreciate this now.
Speaker 5
01:15To make to make a comment, please raise your hand by using the raise hand icon on your desktop or mobile device. If you are calling into the meeting by phone, press star nine to raise your hand after your name is called it will give you permission to unmute. In order to begin speaking, you will have to unmute yourself. To do so press the unmute button, which is a microphone icon if you're online or star six if you are calling in. As a reminder, you will have a limit of three minutes to make a comment. There will be a timer indicating your remaining time on the screen. If you're online and make a comment, we kindly request you fill out the comment card link that's located in the chat. By filling out the card we will have your contact information to follow up appropriately if you are unable to click the link. Please let us know and a phone number will be provided for you to call to provide the needed information. You will only be called upon once once a chair closes public comment there will be no other comments from the public and all attendees will remain muted for the duration of the meeting. Thank you for your attention. Thank you.
Unknown Speaker
02:30At this time, do we have anyone for public comment?
Unknown Speaker
02:33Mr. Chair Dale Williams has raised his hand.
Unknown Speaker
02:36Mr. Williams, you have a floor
Speaker 6
02:40Good afternoon. Thank you for your time. Finance Commission. My name is Dale Williams and I am the comptroller at Fago beverages. We've been on 3579 Gratiot for approximately 115 years and I'd like to make some comments regarding the water rate increase which was implemented last August for Fago. This water rate increased represented a 69% increase in our costs. Some suggestions to reduce the costs were to install a smaller meter but when your costs are about $50,000 a month or more a $400 a month meter charge is negligible. The 69% increase represents about a quarter million dollars a year to Fago which is a substantial item on our expenses. I'd like to talk about the lack of meaningful engagement with business and industry regarding the rate study vagal was notified August 22 2020 To have a rate increase that was effective August 1 2022. And there was no phase in period for this rate increase. Of great concern to Faygo is the move from a uniform rate to inclining block structure for industrial customers such as vago we are higher users, higher volume users and it actually cost less to service high higher volume users. Right now the industrial customers are bearing the cost of this rate shift structure. Cities of Pittsburgh San Diego Tucson Columbus, Louisville and Milwaukee. Separate out commercial and industrial wastes as DWSD did in the past. A question I have also is why did $20 million shift from the sewer funds expenses to the water expenses, an increase of about 20% It's unclear what changed in the cost driver assumptions. sewer rates went down only 3% While water increased for industrial customers such as Fe go by 69% and I respectfully request a new model which has rates calculated on a uniform model rate be
Unknown Speaker
05:06implemented.
Unknown Speaker
05:09Thank you for your time. Thank you.
Unknown Speaker
05:13Yeah. Yes sir.
Speaker 7
05:16Can I Can I just suggest that we'll give bago management a call and let's have a meeting and sit down and go through these issues. One by one. I'll commit to doing that by tomorrow setting up a meeting.
Speaker 3
05:33We have we have spoken with their attorneys so we have been communicating directly with their attorneys. Director Brown.
Unknown Speaker
05:40Okay. All right. Thanks.
Speaker 3
05:45Thank you. So they're no no one else is requested to speak. We're still waiting for Commissioner Iein Houser to show up for the meeting. So we will have to just adjourn to the call of the chair.
Unknown Speaker
05:59Okay, at this time, I will table the Finance Committee meeting.
Speaker 1
06:09And we can't start the other one until Tuesday. All right, just sit tight for a second.
Speaker 1
06:27Right looks it appears that he's joined him here. Welcome Mariam at this time, I'd like to call the roll please. Finance Committee.
Unknown Speaker
06:44Commissioner Coleman,
Unknown Speaker
06:46present detroit michigan.
Speaker 2
06:48Commissioner I housing. I am present in Detroit. And Commissioner My forte is absent.
Speaker 1
06:54Okay. At this time, I'd like to ask for approval of the agenda as presented.
Unknown Speaker
07:03So move
Speaker 1
07:06and I'll second it has been moved and seconded. All in favor Aye. Aye. The motion has been approved. Next, I'd like to ask for a motion to approve the minutes as presented for May 3 2023. So move has been moved. I second. All in favor. Aye. Aye. The motion passes. We've already done public participation. Okay. Six is communications. line item a 2023. Tech 131. C one file of correspondence.
Unknown Speaker
07:41125. Mr. Chair
Unknown Speaker
07:46what's what's 125 here?
Unknown Speaker
07:48The number 2023 125 Not 131.
Speaker 1
07:52Okay, information I'm looking at has 131 So I must have different information but no problem 125
Speaker 2
08:01That's because you're the CIP. This is the Finance Committee.
Unknown Speaker
08:05Oh, thank you. I'm sorry. You're welcome. Okay. Our sponsors Welch.
Unknown Speaker
08:14Is the motion to receive and file?
Speaker 1
08:16Yes. Do we need to have any discussion on it? No. You didn't need to take the motion first. Okay, can we have a motion to receive and file 2020
Unknown Speaker
08:25I move we receive and file
Speaker 1
08:28and I second All in favor? Fine. Aye. Motion passes.
Unknown Speaker
08:41Okay, you can continue. Is there someone going to discuss
Speaker 2
08:44only if you have any questions about the items for receiving file?
Speaker 1
08:49Any questions, commissioners? No. Okay, motion passes. We'll go to the next line item unfinished business.
Unknown Speaker
08:57We have none.
Speaker 1
09:00New business. We've got a full docket today. 2023 Tech 126. Commissioners. Do we have a motion please?
Speaker 8
09:13Oh, this is small. Mr. Chairman. I moved that the Board of Water commissioners for the city of Detroit water and sewage department. Does what authorizes the director to approve DWSD contract 6005348 a piggyback off city of Detroit contract 6005209. For media strategy planning and buying services with emerald media LLC for a term of two years and nine months and a total contract not to exceed the amount of $1,400,000 and authorize the director to do whatever is appropriate to implement this.
Unknown Speaker
10:13I support that.
Unknown Speaker
10:16discussion, please.
Speaker 9
10:20You're not supposed to talk. But does this have to be recommended to the full board not just the Finance Committee?
Speaker 8
10:26Indeed it does. I amend my motion to say that I move we recommend to the board the adoption of the contract we've already specified. Thank you. Brian, are you
Unknown Speaker
10:43going to speak to this?
Speaker 10
10:45I am good. Afternoon Board of Water commissioners. How's everyone doing? The contract before you is a city of Detroit piggyback contract for media and marketing services with Emeral media. Again it is 2.9 years and 1.4 million. The City of Detroit did solicit an RFP for proposals and in a mural was awarded as low as equalized bitter. City Council approved it on May 16 2023. And emerald media is a city of Detroit certified Detroit based business, Detroit small business as well as a woman owned business and the procurement department is recommending to the Finance Committee to move to forbore.
Speaker 1
11:31Thank 
you. Any other questions? Seeing none, all in favor Aye. Aye. Any abstentions? Hearing on the motion passes. line item b 2023 Tech 127. I'd like to recommend to the Board of Water commissioners for the city of Detroit water and sewer department authorized directors to approve amendment number three to DWSD contract number 6002651. CS TAC 1943 With I Vantage group for temporary staffing services for I Tron application analysis by adding funding in the amount of $380,000 and extending the contract term for two years for new total amended not to exceed the amount of $965,000 in a term of 5.3 years. The Board of Water commissioners also authorized directors to take such other actions as may be necessary to accomplish the intent of this vote. I support. It has been moved and supported discussion, please.
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you. Any other questions? Seeing none, all in favor Aye. Aye. Any abstentions? Hearing on the motion passes. line item b 2023 Tech 127. I'd like to recommend to the Board of Water commissioners for the city of Detroit water and sewer department authorized directors to approve amendment number three to DWSD contract number 6002651. CS TAC 1943 With I Vantage group for temporary staffing services for I Tron application analysis by adding funding in the amount of $380,000 and extending the contract term for two years for new total amended not to exceed the amount of $965,000 in a term of 5.3 years. The Board of Water commissioners also authorized directors to take such other actions as may be necessary to accomplish the intent of this vote. I support. It has been moved and supported discussion, please. Speaker 10
12:40Yes, this requests for an amendment with high vantage contract is to add 380,002 more years for continued support for the AI trial project. This application analysts was on boarded by DWSD and 2020 and hired as a contractor to support the water safe source system. This individual has made significant progress and understanding the concepts and the redesigning of the existing integrations in preparation for the new meters. To be installed. As you all are aware I Tron is still in process. It is a major project to replace all of the meters in the towers that support our billing system. And so at this time, the IT department is requesting additional money and extending the terms so that we can keep the analyst that is assigned to this project. So procurement is recommending to the Finance Committee for to go to full board.
Unknown Speaker
13:37Thank you. Are there any questions? Seeing none, all in favor? Aye.
Speaker 1
13:46Aye. Any abstentions? Hearing on the motion passes. Next 2023 Tech 128. Commissioner Eisenhower, can we have a motion please?
Speaker 8
13:56Yes. I move that the Finance Committee recommend to the Board of Water commissioners the approval of DWSD contract number 6004922. To utilize is it my deal Corporation contract number 23 000000345. With waste management of Michigan for renewal of sub what is that? Oh sub hazards and wild waste rubbish and garbage services. For a total contract amount not to exceed $180,000 and a term of three years.
Unknown Speaker
14:49Support.
Unknown Speaker
14:51discussion, please. Five years is it five years?
Speaker 8
14:59Yep, I'm in my contract to five years.
Speaker 10
15:08Okay, before you as a co op for trash removal with waste management, it is 480,005 years with two one year options of renewal. This is a state of Michigan contract and DWSD de published an ITR for seven days to allow for local businesses to be able to be we did receive one bid. However, the supplier who responded was not able to meet and or be the co op pricing and this DWSD is recommending our procurement is recommending to finance committee to be sent to floor board and adopted as our contract going forward.
Speaker 1
15:52question if I may. The Co Op pricing is is that with companies just in the state of Michigan or is crossing us that were
Speaker 10
16:05the mydeal contracts are Michigan contract so different organizations and public government entities. So they do a bit and then in their bidding documents they a lot for others to be able to use it and then the companies that are awarded have to offer us the same price and in terms
Speaker 1
16:26Well my question is the company that we're doing business with they state or local business or they are out of town business,
Speaker 10
16:35their local, their station. They're headquartered in Wixom, Michigan.
Speaker 1
16:39Okay, great. Thank you for the questions for me. Do we have any other questions? No, sir. Thank you. All in favor? Aye. Aye. Any abstentions? Of course we hear none. The motion passes. Next line item 2023 Tech 129. I'd like to recommend to the Board of Water commissioners for the city of Detroit approves the following finance policies, procurement of goods and services rescinding the 2016 procurement policy in its entirety. Number two mileage reimbursement and number three real property transactions and also authorized directives to take such other actions. As may be necessary to infiltrate these policies.
Unknown Speaker
17:26support
Unknown Speaker
17:29Mr. Chair, yes, I can speak. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
Speaker 3
17:36So 
the Finance Committee met over a series of three special sessions to discuss numerous revisions to the procurement policy. Attached to the agenda is a PowerPoint of all the slides from all the sessions combined, which I will not go through in this meeting. It will take a good hour to do so. So there are many new new segments to the procurement policy. And I just want to outline for this committee, what our next steps will be. Basically, it's to recommend this to the full body for approval. And once it's approved, we will post this online and we are going to conduct conduct education sessions for our vendors, perhaps a webinar of some sort. So public affairs and procurement will work together to advise vendors, current vendors and potential vendors of all the changes to the procurement policy. So that's next steps and I need to share my screen to discuss the other two policies. But first, if there's any questions on the procurement policy, I'm happy to take those right now.
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the Finance Committee met over a series of three special sessions to discuss numerous revisions to the procurement policy. Attached to the agenda is a PowerPoint of all the slides from all the sessions combined, which I will not go through in this meeting. It will take a good hour to do so. So there are many new new segments to the procurement policy. And I just want to outline for this committee, what our next steps will be. Basically, it's to recommend this to the full body for approval. And once it's approved, we will post this online and we are going to conduct conduct education sessions for our vendors, perhaps a webinar of some sort. So public affairs and procurement will work together to advise vendors, current vendors and potential vendors of all the changes to the procurement policy. So that's next steps and I need to share my screen to discuss the other two policies. But first, if there's any questions on the procurement policy, I'm happy to take those right now. Speaker 3
19:06So these you know this committee members were at all of the sessions so I would not expect you to have questions. Now, when we recommend this to the full board. It's I'll do whatever is the board's pleasure. I don't think you want me to go through the formal session. All of the slides. I would just encourage all board members to read the slide presentation, and note the items that are marked as new on the on the slide presentation is new provisions in the procurement policy.
Speaker 8
19:42Were those meetings of the finance committee recorded?
Speaker 3
19:47Yes, they were specially Oregon person any other building. Meeting,
Speaker 8
19:52maybe we can in advance of this presentation to the full board we can make links to those recordings available. And provide the agenda for the those specific meetings and then any members who want to go in a little bit more depth. can look at the agenda to see the topic and listen to that recording.
Unknown Speaker
20:14That would be fine. We had very specific topics.
Unknown Speaker
20:18Yes, each meeting
Unknown Speaker
20:22Commissioner Kinloch, you have your hand raised. Yes.
Speaker 11
20:26I just want to say that just pretty much a reinforce what you said that we had extensive conversations at the committee level and then we also you know had some various discussions and changes and back and forth. So I think all of us are pretty much familiar because we have been following it as we've been progressing through this policy revision, and pretty, pretty proud with some of the changes that we we made and I think many of us have made those comments before. Yep.
Speaker 3
21:01All right. So if I if I may share my screen. I just want to go through the mileage reimbursement policy and the real property transaction policy.
Speaker 3
21:46We will discuss the record retention policy in a different meeting. So I'll skip that. One. So real estate transactions in pursuant to judge Cox's order when they had the root cause committee. We were allowed to create our own procurement policy in the prior procurement policy or the existing one real estate transactions are included with purchases of goods and services. So I've broken that out into a separate policy. And the guiding principles to this policy are judge Cox's order the leases between liwan DWSD so the policy notes that there's an inventory of all real property, and if it's deemed to be something seemed to be surplus property no longer needed, then it can be sold, but before it can be sold, there has to be a formal appraisal, so that you know we have a fiduciary duty to market and sell the property for the highest and best value. The approval thresholds are set forth here. These are the same as our in our current policy. Yes, ma'am.
Speaker 9
23:00Showing up on the screen is the large DWSD policy and you can't really read what the left hand side Oh, okay.
Speaker 3
23:09All someone's from it is coming in my office. Okay.
Unknown Speaker
23:15Deb if you hit the function five key
Unknown Speaker
23:19and my and this
Unknown Speaker
23:22ft. Pa five will start the presentation.
Speaker 3
23:28Okay, yes. But at least seeing all that you
Speaker 12
23:33were still seeing the procedure and you're we're seeing the the presenters screen but not the screen itself. So
Unknown Speaker
23:43we need to switch the have Derrick switch the display says around where it says Display Settings. Do you see that? But just above the real estate transaction.
Unknown Speaker
23:59Seeing in this review,
Speaker 12
24:02where it says Display Settings, swap presentation view and slideshow? There we go. Now we're seeing
Speaker 3
24:08and we'll get rid of my faith. Okay. All right. I have this okay. So before property can be sold or purchased. We have to have a formal appraisal. These are the approval thresholds. They're the same as before. Direct your approves transactions that are 500,000 or less this body if they're over 500,000 and city councils are greater than two and a half million. Also note that there are properties under the lease that are leased out to the Glee wha and Lila has authority to sell properties and just give us notice of that if it's something that's considered a regional asset although it's owned by the city, the Glee WA has the authority to sell that property and give us notice they have been having us approve the transactions. But under the leases, it's not it's not a mandate. They just have the authority. There may be unsolicited offers for real estate and those do come in from time to time. Those are presented to the procurement manager, the COO the facilities manager. They decide whether the property that someone wants to buy do we even want to sell it. We'll still do an appraisal and then we can decide whether we want to negotiate with that unsolicited, bitter or put the property out for market. And the policies just sets forth very clearly the duties of each one of the people mentioned here, General Counsel, procurement facilities manager coo so that's the transactions policy. Next policy is mileage reimbursement. This is very straightforward if you're required to use your car your personal car to do your job. The amount we pay is set by the IRS. If you're driving from a DWSD facility to a non DWSD facility, but it's for work you can obtain mileage. If you're coming from home to some sort of meeting or conference or facility that's not a DWSD facility, then you can get mileage for the difference between what it would have been if you came to work your usual place to work versus the place you're being dispatched to from your home. Again, very smart policy. Very straightforward.
Speaker 1
26:44Yeah, question for you. Sure. And I don't want to get into the weeds with this, but I'm assuming that we have insurance to cover these folks. If they're in their own car on company business, correct?
Speaker 3
27:01Yes, the city is self insured. And in those instances where it's your personal vehicle, you are on company business. There'll be some rules between no fault law of your own auto insurance carrier versus being covered by your employer. For the most part, it's that both entities will will pay. It's for the legal third party liability for the pain and suffering the injuries you may cause to someone that would be covered by the city but your personal vehicle damage would be covered by your auto insurance. And, and since I've been here six years that we have not had any accidents and a personal vehicle and city business they thankfully So any other questions Yeah, that was step sharing.
Unknown Speaker
28:12Okay,
Speaker 1
28:14I'll call the vote at this time. All in favor? Aye. Aye. Motion passes. Next line item E 2023. Tech 136.
Speaker 8
28:33We are on EA. Is that correct? Yes. Yes, Mr. Chairman, I moved the Board of Water. I moved that the Finance Committee recommend to the Board of Water Commission in areas of the city of Detroit to approve contracts 6005318 With here, rentals, Inc. Rental of one ton pickup trucks, quarter ton pickup trucks and one ton cargo vans utilizing the ideal contract 07187700146 were a total contract not to exceed the amount of $500,000 and a term of 6.5 months.
Unknown Speaker
29:25Support.
Speaker 10
29:27Discussion. Yes, good afternoon, before you see a co op for light duty vehicles DWSD procurement went with the co op because there's an urgency behind putting this contract in place so we did have an exception to competitive solicited for this and the coop already had pricing in place. It is the goal of the operations department to onboard 45 New fsts beginning July one and due to supply and demand challenges in the automotive industry. We have a few vehicle orders that have come before you are that you've authorized us to purchase however, we have not yet received delivery for those items. And so we need to put something in place rental wise so that there's not an impact to the department. Initially the city of Detroit also has a hertz contract in place for rental. However, those rentals did not include light duty they were for heavy duty so we could not use same contract. So we are asking for this to be moved from Finance Committee to full bore for a six month rental to accommodate the gap in time.
Unknown Speaker
30:40Okay, thank you. Any other any questions?
Speaker 4
30:44No. Hearing none. All in favor? Aye. Aye. Motion passes.
Speaker 1
30:54One item F 2023. Tech 130 border water commissioner Finance Committee. Financial Review March 2023. Their presentation
Speaker 13
31:07Good 
afternoon, commissioners. Good afternoon Mr. Chair is to go around and CFO DWSD. Today I'll be going through the financial highlights for the month of March 2023. This is a quarter ending presentation and therefore a few more slides than our normal presentation especially we'll be talking about our Budget to Actual variance analysis. At the end of this presentation, just in the very outset, nothing unusual for the month or so far in the fiscal year doing this pretty business as usual, but I'll go through the highlights. First slide is caching investments. DWSD continues to maintain adequate reserves for our operating and capital programs on a system wide basis our total cash and investments stood at $229.5 million as of March 121.7 to 29 is in the water fund and having 7.8 is in the sewer fund. This is a decrease of approximately $13.4 million from last month and the main contributor to the decrease is the water fund to the extent of $4.8 million in the IND and then sewer ind $3.6 million decrease and then sewer operating $5 million. I'll go through those in the next few slides. Water operating cash amounted to $17.1 million and sewer operating cash at 32.8. The decrease in sewer operating cash as you'll see when I go through the sewer operating case, again is primarily due to our growing up of 20 fy 29 and 2022 2020 Sorry 2020 2019 and 2020 sales services accounts are GL WA and then below this slide are graphs just to show you the trend of our gas position. Over the last 12 months or so. The next slide is gassing investment for water Iranian construction fund. And with the spring and summer months we continue to spend on her Iranian construction gas, water and he guests stood at $38.8 million, which is a slight increase of approximately 900,000 from the previous month. In our construction gas we had $65.8 million. It represents a decrease of $4.8 million. Again, the decrease is due to increased activity in our construction space. And we expect such an increase during this summer spring summer months. As a whole over the last 12 months we have spent approximately $11.1 million in our water construction funds. The slides down below are again the trend trend analysis or gasp position for both water AMI and in water construction cash. The next slide 
is similar but this relates to the sewer fun. We had $31.9 million in our sewer ayeni gas which is a decrease of $3.6 million or some large payments that we had to make for construction projects. Our construction casts stood at 43 Point 1 million with no change from from the previous one for the sewer fund we spent around $5.6 million over the last 12 months. Let's talk briefly about our cash and investments cash held in trust with the GL ws trust account. That balance stood at $15.6 million, a slight increase of approximately 700,000 from last month. Retail water receipts in March exceeded February collection by approximately $2.3 million and it kind of stayed at par with our target collection our target collection each month is approximately $10.2 million to meet our operating needs. Sewer casts a GL wa was to $29.3 million and that represented an increase of $8.7 million over last month which is great news this increase is mainly because of sewer collection of approximately $32 million which exceeded our target collection of $23.3 million. So we expect to collect or we can break even if we collect $23.3 million on a monthly basis for sewer in the month of March. Obviously we collected $8.7 million more and it also exceeded our February collection by approximately $7.6 million. The main reason for sewer collection spike is because in March there was a MDOT highway drainage catch up payment of about $3.3 million. We received 1 million from DPS as well as 700,000 from DTE, and there were several other miscellaneous commercial collections
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afternoon, commissioners. Good afternoon Mr. Chair is to go around and CFO DWSD. Today I'll be going through the financial highlights for the month of March 2023. This is a quarter ending presentation and therefore a few more slides than our normal presentation especially we'll be talking about our Budget to Actual variance analysis. At the end of this presentation, just in the very outset, nothing unusual for the month or so far in the fiscal year doing this pretty business as usual, but I'll go through the highlights. First slide is caching investments. DWSD continues to maintain adequate reserves for our operating and capital programs on a system wide basis our total cash and investments stood at $229.5 million as of March 121.7 to 29 is in the water fund and having 7.8 is in the sewer fund. This is a decrease of approximately $13.4 million from last month and the main contributor to the decrease is the water fund to the extent of $4.8 million in the IND and then sewer ind $3.6 million decrease and then sewer operating $5 million. I'll go through those in the next few slides. Water operating cash amounted to $17.1 million and sewer operating cash at 32.8. The decrease in sewer operating cash as you'll see when I go through the sewer operating case, again is primarily due to our growing up of 20 fy 29 and 2022 2020 Sorry 2020 2019 and 2020 sales services accounts are GL WA and then below this slide are graphs just to show you the trend of our gas position. Over the last 12 months or so. The next slide is gassing investment for water Iranian construction fund. And with the spring and summer months we continue to spend on her Iranian construction gas, water and he guests stood at $38.8 million, which is a slight increase of approximately 900,000 from the previous month. In our construction gas we had $65.8 million. It represents a decrease of $4.8 million. Again, the decrease is due to increased activity in our construction space. And we expect such an increase during this summer spring summer months. As a whole over the last 12 months we have spent approximately $11.1 million in our water construction funds. The slides down below are again the trend trend analysis or gasp position for both water AMI and in water construction cash. The next slide +1
is similar but this relates to the sewer fun. We had $31.9 million in our sewer ayeni gas which is a decrease of $3.6 million or some large payments that we had to make for construction projects. Our construction casts stood at 43 Point 1 million with no change from from the previous one for the sewer fund we spent around $5.6 million over the last 12 months. Let's talk briefly about our cash and investments cash held in trust with the GL ws trust account. That balance stood at $15.6 million, a slight increase of approximately 700,000 from last month. Retail water receipts in March exceeded February collection by approximately $2.3 million and it kind of stayed at par with our target collection our target collection each month is approximately $10.2 million to meet our operating needs. Sewer casts a GL wa was to $29.3 million and that represented an increase of $8.7 million over last month which is great news this increase is mainly because of sewer collection of approximately $32 million which exceeded our target collection of $23.3 million. So we expect to collect or we can break even if we collect $23.3 million on a monthly basis for sewer in the month of March. Obviously we collected $8.7 million more and it also exceeded our February collection by approximately $7.6 million. The main reason for sewer collection spike is because in March there was a MDOT highway drainage catch up payment of about $3.3 million. We received 1 million from DPS as well as 700,000 from DTE, and there were several other miscellaneous commercial collections Speaker 1
36:32question you back and forth. Yeah. The slot is titled cash and investments. Cash held in trust. I guess the question I had at least on the first line item we had approximately increase of 700,000 last month. Was that due to that sitting in an investment account or was that just cash that was deposited in that?
Speaker 13
36:56These are gas just gas held in a trust account? Not investment accounts this? These are all the receipts all the retail receipts come into a trust account, customer collections and people making payments. They all sit in the trust account. From where we make our operating on m expenses and other expenses like pension and other related costs.
Speaker 1
37:20Okay, so there are no investments, no investment is no for why is it titled that?
Speaker 13
37:28It's it's a trust account, where we can only use the money for a specific purpose. All the retail receipts come into that trust account. It's by Master Barnard ordinance that we have to set up a trust account which is not controlled by DWSD but it's something that GLBA holds it on our behalf. And all our retail collections come into the trust account. And they make appropriate disbursements from the former state and our cash but it's controlled. It's in the GL ws
Speaker 1
38:02I guess the confusion for me is it an interest bearing account because it says investments?
Unknown Speaker
38:07Yes. It it is an interest bearing Okay. All right. All right, that
Speaker 1
38:10okay, that makes sense. Okay. All right. Thank you.
Speaker 13
38:13All 
right. We then go back, go to the next slide which is so this is a slide that I usually present on a quarterly basis. And it summarizes our cash position by fund which is water and sewer as well as some operating funds like operating Cass R I N E CAS and construction funds. Nothing much to look at here except that they represent all our cash, whether it's in our common gas pool or impress gas accounts, or our all our gas bank accounts. The next slide is similar it's again, something that I present on a quarterly basis. This is a quarterly Casin investment summary by financial institutions. So on the top part, you will see all the financial institutions where we have parked our cash and investments and the majority of our cash and investment is in government, which obviously gives us higher rate of return. You'd see 64.5% of our overall cash and investments are with the government. We also have some large balances in financing institutions that we are currently reviewing to see if we can diversify and move money across different institutions so as to reduce the risk of exposure. And the bottom 
half of this chart is again a breakdown by a water fund and the sewer fund. Only difference between this in the previous slide is this is all cash held in banks, whereas the previous slide was all cash in our trial balance in our accounting system. And the only difference between the two could be reconciling items because of timing differences. Then we have here this is a net operating cash and intra fund balance slide it kind of gives you an idea of our overall net operating cash positions when we when we factor in our Inter fund balances. Our net water operating cash and inter fund balances have increased over time. So over the last nine months, we have a positive we have an increase and this is all because of the positive budgetary results. Our March net water operating cash and interfund balances amounted to $38.3 million, which is an increase of 8.3 over the past 12 months. The next slide is a similar story just showing the suicide of the operations. The this also has steadily improved since we moved $50 million shortfall in the first two years after bifurcation. marches. Net Operating cash and interfund was $39 million, which represents a hefty $29.5 million over the past 12 months. We switch gears here now to talk about economy so that those were all caprylic acid investments related slides. We move on to accounts receivable our March sales amounted to $36.5 million, the slight decrease of 1.2 over previous one which is kind of expected sometimes due to the seasonal variation. Our total receivable for active accounts amounted to $280.7 million slight decrease on $4.4 million over the previous month. Now the average age of residential receivable increased by 20 days in the month of March compared to February. Residents and accounts receivable were flat from February to March. If you look at this chart, and this is due to a combination of factors. Number one the ongoing receipt of third party assistance payments, the lower sales revenue in February owing to fewer billable days in the month and also higher rate of customer cash payments during the tax refund season. We've seen that trend Trend during March April. We tend to get more collection because of tax refund people get during the tax filing process. I briefly go through the accounts receivable friends. Our water accounts receivable have increased about 16 and a half million dollars over the past 12 months. Residents and water accounts receivable increase 14 and a half out of that. Over the 12 months. non residents and accounts have slight increase of $1.9 million over the same period. From the sewer side we have $28.7 million increase in overall accounts receivable. Residential receivables represents about both of and most of it actually $30.9 million. non residential this increase is offset by a decrease in non residential receivable of $2.2 million over the same 12 months. Accounts receivable trend toward a 
receivable versus net receivable. We continue to increase bad debt allowance due to high average age of activist residential accounts are bad debt allowance. increased by $30.5 million since June of 2020 2022 and 4.8 million over the previous month. Although we have high accounts receivable balances, we have an offsetting allowance for bad debt of 227 and $68.4 million that just leaves us $54.3 million in net exposure in terms of receivables. DWSD anticipates resuming service interruptions on delinquent versus residential accounts in the near future. Overall our net accounts receivable has increased by $13 million over the last 12 months. Let's talk briefly about again this is a slide that comes up once in a quarter. This is aging report by customer class you see all the customer classes on the left hand side. It spread across the chart receivables that are new, that are overdue between zero and 30 days 30 to 6060 90. So on over one year in total receivable if you if he noticed this slide Rez residents and receive receivable accounts for 67% of total receivables and approximately 51% of these residents receivables are more than a year old uncollected accounts receivable are generally generally carried for five years that's a search term statutory lien expires. Just FYI, we have not yet finalized or write a policy for our long outstanding receivables. This is the primary factor is because of the current potential governmental funding opportunities that we are seeking that we continue to see. And that might allow us to collect on some of these long outstanding receivables. Once the dust is settled a little bit in the near future. We hope to have a write up policy written up and drafted for your review and who is certainly paying into the committee for review and approval. Overall for all customers combined all customer classes, you'll notice more than 53% of total receivables is over one year past you. Again, as I said the total valuation of receivables was reduced by an allowance of one in $16 million, leaving us a net receivable balance of $54.3 million at the end of March. I'd like to talk briefly about our collection rates and the trend. Residence and collection rates have shown steady improvement over several months now. The recent receipts of government government assistance program ongoing receipts of these assistant payments, the nine month average collection rate for residents and customers actually improved from 72.4% in July of 2022 to 84.8% in March of 2023. Although residents and collection rate has exceeded 80% In recent months, but still far below the pre pandemic collection rate of more which was in excess of 90%. We also believe the collection has improved for residential customers because of their response to the anticipated restart of service interruption and higher rate of customer gas payments during the tax season. As far as commercial and industrial collection rates, they have fluctuated over time, and they keep fluctuating as we go through and the slight decrease in the commercial line you'll see is mainly due to collections that are not allocated to specific customer accounts. When a customer writes a check and they don't write their account number it's hard to allocate that cast so it sits in an unallocated cash, unallocated bucket till we figure out which which account it actually relates once that's determined that gets posted and it's accounted for in our collection trends. Any questions so far? Okay,
+1
right. We then go back, go to the next slide which is so this is a slide that I usually present on a quarterly basis. And it summarizes our cash position by fund which is water and sewer as well as some operating funds like operating Cass R I N E CAS and construction funds. Nothing much to look at here except that they represent all our cash, whether it's in our common gas pool or impress gas accounts, or our all our gas bank accounts. The next slide is similar it's again, something that I present on a quarterly basis. This is a quarterly Casin investment summary by financial institutions. So on the top part, you will see all the financial institutions where we have parked our cash and investments and the majority of our cash and investment is in government, which obviously gives us higher rate of return. You'd see 64.5% of our overall cash and investments are with the government. We also have some large balances in financing institutions that we are currently reviewing to see if we can diversify and move money across different institutions so as to reduce the risk of exposure. And the bottom +1
half of this chart is again a breakdown by a water fund and the sewer fund. Only difference between this in the previous slide is this is all cash held in banks, whereas the previous slide was all cash in our trial balance in our accounting system. And the only difference between the two could be reconciling items because of timing differences. Then we have here this is a net operating cash and intra fund balance slide it kind of gives you an idea of our overall net operating cash positions when we when we factor in our Inter fund balances. Our net water operating cash and inter fund balances have increased over time. So over the last nine months, we have a positive we have an increase and this is all because of the positive budgetary results. Our March net water operating cash and interfund balances amounted to $38.3 million, which is an increase of 8.3 over the past 12 months. The next slide is a similar story just showing the suicide of the operations. The this also has steadily improved since we moved $50 million shortfall in the first two years after bifurcation. marches. Net Operating cash and interfund was $39 million, which represents a hefty $29.5 million over the past 12 months. We switch gears here now to talk about economy so that those were all caprylic acid investments related slides. We move on to accounts receivable our March sales amounted to $36.5 million, the slight decrease of 1.2 over previous one which is kind of expected sometimes due to the seasonal variation. Our total receivable for active accounts amounted to $280.7 million slight decrease on $4.4 million over the previous month. Now the average age of residential receivable increased by 20 days in the month of March compared to February. Residents and accounts receivable were flat from February to March. If you look at this chart, and this is due to a combination of factors. Number one the ongoing receipt of third party assistance payments, the lower sales revenue in February owing to fewer billable days in the month and also higher rate of customer cash payments during the tax refund season. We've seen that trend Trend during March April. We tend to get more collection because of tax refund people get during the tax filing process. I briefly go through the accounts receivable friends. Our water accounts receivable have increased about 16 and a half million dollars over the past 12 months. Residents and water accounts receivable increase 14 and a half out of that. Over the 12 months. non residents and accounts have slight increase of $1.9 million over the same period. From the sewer side we have $28.7 million increase in overall accounts receivable. Residential receivables represents about both of and most of it actually $30.9 million. non residential this increase is offset by a decrease in non residential receivable of $2.2 million over the same 12 months. Accounts receivable trend toward a +1
receivable versus net receivable. We continue to increase bad debt allowance due to high average age of activist residential accounts are bad debt allowance. increased by $30.5 million since June of 2020 2022 and 4.8 million over the previous month. Although we have high accounts receivable balances, we have an offsetting allowance for bad debt of 227 and $68.4 million that just leaves us $54.3 million in net exposure in terms of receivables. DWSD anticipates resuming service interruptions on delinquent versus residential accounts in the near future. Overall our net accounts receivable has increased by $13 million over the last 12 months. Let's talk briefly about again this is a slide that comes up once in a quarter. This is aging report by customer class you see all the customer classes on the left hand side. It spread across the chart receivables that are new, that are overdue between zero and 30 days 30 to 6060 90. So on over one year in total receivable if you if he noticed this slide Rez residents and receive receivable accounts for 67% of total receivables and approximately 51% of these residents receivables are more than a year old uncollected accounts receivable are generally generally carried for five years that's a search term statutory lien expires. Just FYI, we have not yet finalized or write a policy for our long outstanding receivables. This is the primary factor is because of the current potential governmental funding opportunities that we are seeking that we continue to see. And that might allow us to collect on some of these long outstanding receivables. Once the dust is settled a little bit in the near future. We hope to have a write up policy written up and drafted for your review and who is certainly paying into the committee for review and approval. Overall for all customers combined all customer classes, you'll notice more than 53% of total receivables is over one year past you. Again, as I said the total valuation of receivables was reduced by an allowance of one in $16 million, leaving us a net receivable balance of $54.3 million at the end of March. I'd like to talk briefly about our collection rates and the trend. Residence and collection rates have shown steady improvement over several months now. The recent receipts of government government assistance program ongoing receipts of these assistant payments, the nine month average collection rate for residents and customers actually improved from 72.4% in July of 2022 to 84.8% in March of 2023. Although residents and collection rate has exceeded 80% In recent months, but still far below the pre pandemic collection rate of more which was in excess of 90%. We also believe the collection has improved for residential customers because of their response to the anticipated restart of service interruption and higher rate of customer gas payments during the tax season. As far as commercial and industrial collection rates, they have fluctuated over time, and they keep fluctuating as we go through and the slight decrease in the commercial line you'll see is mainly due to collections that are not allocated to specific customer accounts. When a customer writes a check and they don't write their account number it's hard to allocate that cast so it sits in an unallocated cash, unallocated bucket till we figure out which which account it actually relates once that's determined that gets posted and it's accounted for in our collection trends. Any questions so far? Okay, Speaker 13
48:13and then the last few slides we are on our trends and on revenues. These are water, commodities and service revenues and matrix. You will see year to date water volumes trended at 9.5% over our budget for the last nine months, year to date. Water commodity revenues were $3.3 million or 4.5% over budget. When it comes to the water meet meters remain slightly ahead a 2.2% of our budgeted levels throughout the last nine months. Our overall year to date water service revenues were trending at 8.5% over budget x represents about $1.5 million. The next slide, same story 
but the suicide it's sewer trended over budget by one point 161.3 MCF for the first nine months of the fiscal year and you can say this is due to the delay in implementing our gaps and residents and consumption in the first two months of the fiscal year. Overall sewer year to date, revenues exceeded budget by sewer meter counts have exceeded again. Budget levels for each of the months in fiscal year 2023. Year to date Council are trending at 2.8% ahead of budgeted estimate, and year to date, revenues exceeded budget by 3.2% and drainage fiscal year 23 year to date. Bia which is the billable impervious acres has exceeded it by 0.5%. Trends in recent months have been slightly negative. In terms of revenues, you will see a slight fall mainly because of highway highway drainage credits are currently at 170,000 more than what we budgeted for, as well as Wayne County roads continue to be billed at pre MDOT settlement rates. In addition to all that, we have green credits currently exceeding our budgeted levels by 95,000. So all of that contributes to a decrease in our drain hrs revenue. Now again, switching gear, the 
last three slides in my presentation these are quarterly slides representing comparison of our budget versus actual for our revenues and expenses. The first slide here is is a comparison of version revenues. The top person is the water part and the bottom portion is the sewer part. Nothing unusual but you'll see some differences in terms of commodity revenues where we are overburdened by $3.3 million or 4.5%. So far to March of 2023. Year to date, water service revenue, as I mentioned before, is trading at $1.5 million dollar over budget which was 8.5%. For the sewer side, again, commodities exceeded revenues by $8 million. The positive variance was driven by the delay in the implementation of our sewer gaps and suicide rate hrs revenue fell short as I mentioned, because of the reasons we just talked about, mainly the highway drainage as well as the relation between credits. This is the expense side. The main differences are variances you'll find in the three main areas of operations compliance and finance. And the reasons are on the right hand side and I can see the bigger differences and because of some personnel savings because of vacancies we have for all three categories, whether it's an operations compliance or finance, we have vacancy savings. We have also saved for contracts and services across the board. Mainly because of the timing differences. Some of those costs especially the IT projects are paid more towards the end of the fiscal year. And that will cover some variance between actual and budget by the end of the fiscal year. This is a variance analysis by natural classification of expenses. You'd see salaries and wages were 8.6% under budget for the first nine months. Again, the savings were due to vacancies across multiple cost centers. The savings were slightly offset by over overtime expenses exceeded budget by $1.4 million. Employee Benefits is related to salaries and wages and they were also $1.2 million under budget. Contractual services as I mentioned due to budgetary savings and timing of disbursements is showing positive variance now but that might change or will change by the time we close the fiscal year. search services and under budget because of the way we budgeted for we actually over budgeted some of the shared services where the actual numbers came in much lower. So we have a positive variance there. Other operating expenses were under budget due to savings and purchase services, rental equipment and our utility expenses. Now, that kind of concludes the presentation. It will be happy to answer any questions.
+1
but the suicide it's sewer trended over budget by one point 161.3 MCF for the first nine months of the fiscal year and you can say this is due to the delay in implementing our gaps and residents and consumption in the first two months of the fiscal year. Overall sewer year to date, revenues exceeded budget by sewer meter counts have exceeded again. Budget levels for each of the months in fiscal year 2023. Year to date Council are trending at 2.8% ahead of budgeted estimate, and year to date, revenues exceeded budget by 3.2% and drainage fiscal year 23 year to date. Bia which is the billable impervious acres has exceeded it by 0.5%. Trends in recent months have been slightly negative. In terms of revenues, you will see a slight fall mainly because of highway highway drainage credits are currently at 170,000 more than what we budgeted for, as well as Wayne County roads continue to be billed at pre MDOT settlement rates. In addition to all that, we have green credits currently exceeding our budgeted levels by 95,000. So all of that contributes to a decrease in our drain hrs revenue. Now again, switching gear, the +1
last three slides in my presentation these are quarterly slides representing comparison of our budget versus actual for our revenues and expenses. The first slide here is is a comparison of version revenues. The top person is the water part and the bottom portion is the sewer part. Nothing unusual but you'll see some differences in terms of commodity revenues where we are overburdened by $3.3 million or 4.5%. So far to March of 2023. Year to date, water service revenue, as I mentioned before, is trading at $1.5 million dollar over budget which was 8.5%. For the sewer side, again, commodities exceeded revenues by $8 million. The positive variance was driven by the delay in the implementation of our sewer gaps and suicide rate hrs revenue fell short as I mentioned, because of the reasons we just talked about, mainly the highway drainage as well as the relation between credits. This is the expense side. The main differences are variances you'll find in the three main areas of operations compliance and finance. And the reasons are on the right hand side and I can see the bigger differences and because of some personnel savings because of vacancies we have for all three categories, whether it's an operations compliance or finance, we have vacancy savings. We have also saved for contracts and services across the board. Mainly because of the timing differences. Some of those costs especially the IT projects are paid more towards the end of the fiscal year. And that will cover some variance between actual and budget by the end of the fiscal year. This is a variance analysis by natural classification of expenses. You'd see salaries and wages were 8.6% under budget for the first nine months. Again, the savings were due to vacancies across multiple cost centers. The savings were slightly offset by over overtime expenses exceeded budget by $1.4 million. Employee Benefits is related to salaries and wages and they were also $1.2 million under budget. Contractual services as I mentioned due to budgetary savings and timing of disbursements is showing positive variance now but that might change or will change by the time we close the fiscal year. search services and under budget because of the way we budgeted for we actually over budgeted some of the shared services where the actual numbers came in much lower. So we have a positive variance there. Other operating expenses were under budget due to savings and purchase services, rental equipment and our utility expenses. Now, that kind of concludes the presentation. It will be happy to answer any questions. Unknown Speaker
54:05Do we have any questions at this time?
Unknown Speaker
54:09None for me.
Speaker 1
54:12Okay, thank you very much. Appreciate ya. Thank you. Next line item is Item G planning calendar.
Speaker 13
54:22There are no changes to the planning calendar. Mr. Chair. Okay,
Speaker 1
54:26excellent. Are there any other matters to be brought before the board at this time? The committee I'm sorry at this time. Okay, seeing none Our next meeting is scheduled for July the fifth 2023. I'd like to call for a motion to adjourn please.
Speaker 3
54:42Mr. Chair. Yes. Perhaps this may come up in other committees as well. Does the committee want to reschedule that July fifth meetings since its day after the holiday?
Unknown Speaker
54:56That's a good point. Yeah.
Speaker 8
55:01It's probably a good idea. You know the following on a Tuesday is odd because I think most people are there long weekend is going to be Saturday, Sunday and Monday and I wouldn't be surprised if these are my plans. I'm going to be driving home on the fourth. But putting it over a week probably couldn't hurt.
Speaker 3
55:27So well will confer with other community members and we'll post a date we'll come up with a date. Okay.
Speaker 1
55:38Okay, um, I mean personally for me that works, but I'm just one person. Okay.
Speaker 11
55:50You seen the face of jet lag? You said a fifth of July, right? Okay, so Fifth of July. Caught on Keisha one second. Wednesday. Wednesday, hold on one second. Wednesday. July let me check right now.
Unknown Speaker
56:07That works for me. It's on my calendar.
Speaker 3
56:12Okay, well, we'll we'll pull the rest of the committee's and see what they decide.
Unknown Speaker
56:17Okay. All right.
Unknown Speaker
56:21Motion to adjourn,
Unknown Speaker
56:22please. I would make that motion.
Unknown Speaker
56:25Mean adjourn time now is 156 Four minutes before the next meeting.
Speaker 8
56:39And marry it. When is the legal and Government Affairs what time is the legal and Government Affairs Committee scheduled?
Unknown Speaker
56:50It's for 315
Unknown Speaker
56:54Okay, thank you. You
Unknown Speaker
59:47Okay, time now it's two o'clock.
Speaker 1
59:51I'd like to call to order the capital improvement program. And operations committee meeting. Roll call please marry.
Unknown Speaker
01:00:08Chairperson Coleman
Unknown Speaker
01:00:10present detroit michigan
Unknown Speaker
01:00:12Commissioner Ken Locke,
Unknown Speaker
01:00:14President Detroit. Michigan.
Unknown Speaker
01:00:15Commissioner Davis
Unknown Speaker
01:00:18and Detroit Michigan.
Unknown Speaker
01:00:20Mr. Chair, we have a core.
Speaker 1
01:00:22Thank you. At this time, I'd like to call for approval of the agenda as presented please
Unknown Speaker
01:00:28let the chair I move approval.
Unknown Speaker
01:00:32Can we have a second please?
Unknown Speaker
01:00:34Never been done.
Unknown Speaker
01:00:40I'm sorry. Did someone say something?
Unknown Speaker
01:00:41Commissioner Kinloch. Can you second that? Second.
Unknown Speaker
01:00:45It has been moved and seconded. All in favor.
Unknown Speaker
01:00:50Aye. Aye.
Speaker 1
01:00:53Any abstentions? Hearing none, motion passes. line item for a motion to approve the minutes as presented from May 3 2023. That's
Unknown Speaker
01:01:04a fair Move approval with any necessary corrections.
Speaker 1
01:01:08I second. It has been moved and seconded. All in favor? Aye. Aye. Aye. Motion passes. line item five public participation. Do we have anyone that would like to speak please?
Speaker 3
01:01:28No Mr. Chair, but we should make the announcement in this meeting just in case. There's someone who's trying to understand how to do it.
Speaker 5
01:01:35Okay, thank you. Yes, Commissioner Coleman. I'm here to read the script. Thank you. Good afternoon. To make a comment, please raise your hand by using the raise hand icon on your desktop or mobile device. If you are calling into the meeting by phone, press star nine to raise your hand. After your name is called it will give you permission to unmute. In order to begin speaking you will have to unmute yourself. To do so press the unmute button. Which is the microphone icon if you are online, or star six if you are calling in. As a reminder, you will have a limit of three minutes to make your comment. There will be a timer indicating your remaining time on the screen. If you're online and make a comment we kindly request you fill out the comment current link that's located in the chat. By filling out the card we will have your contact information to follow up appropriately. If you're unable to click the link, please let us know and a phone number will be provided for you to call to call to provide the needed contact information. You will only be called upon once. Once the chair closes public comment there will be no other comments from the public and all attendees will remain muted for the duration of the meeting. Thank you for your attention. Thank you
Speaker 1
01:02:58at this time going once going twice anyone. Chair. Thank you no one for public comment. line item six communication item a 2023 tech 131 receiving correspondence please.
Speaker 14
01:03:19Mr. Chair, yes. If someone's going to speak on this or doesn't require that we receive in file Do you know I think
Unknown Speaker
01:03:26we need to make a motion
Speaker 2
01:03:30a motion to receive and file and if you have any questions you can ask if you have any questions or concerns about the items.
Unknown Speaker
01:03:39Mr. Chair I saw move.
Unknown Speaker
01:03:41Okay, is there a second please?
Unknown Speaker
01:03:46Mr. Kinnelon I'll second it.
Unknown Speaker
01:03:53Are there any questions at this time before we vote on it? Seeing none all in favor?
Unknown Speaker
01:04:02Aye. Aye.
Speaker 1
01:04:05Motion passes it to receive and file correspondence. Thank you. Next item is unfinished business. I see there is none. There are none. I'm sorry. line item number eight new business 2023 Tech 133 CIP, third quarter March 3120 23. Update.
Speaker 13
01:04:31Yes, 
Mr. Chair. Good afternoon, again is to go around and this is the CIP quarterly report to the committee. This is actually a Budget to Actual variance comparison variance analysis for all the CIP projects that we have in our CIP program. As I said, this is the third quarter report. You'll see the list of the projects behind this in the next couple of slides. But there are no projects that have exceeded the contract amounts, the amounts that are approved by the board. Majority of the projects currently active in all the unexpended money that you would see in those two lists are expected to be spent during the course of the contracts. All active CIP projects both for the water as well as the sewer funds will have the details like contract period, contract amount amount spent through March 31 and the variances you will see in the next two slides. Again in the next few slides, you will see there are four contracts in the water projects list and eight in the sewer projects list where the contract periods have expired. These contracts are highlighted in red in the in the list following the slide. So 
the first list is this water list. You can see all these all these active projects with the contract number and the period as well as the dollars that were approved, and the other is expanded through March of 2023 and the variances and you'll see the variances are mostly all positive which means there are monies available which will be spent during the course of the period the contract has been active for the four contracts that are expired. Two of those have closed. The third one, we don't expect any more payments retainage have been released. So that's going to be closed out to same thing with the the last and final one which is ws three 734. On the sewer slide again, there were eight there were eight yes eight contracts that have expired. For other contracts which are ongoing right now. You'll see them on the contract that was approved by the board as well as the amount spent so far. All of them have positive variances, meaning that our funds available to be spent over the next you know next few months years till the contract closes out. And here are the reasons for the eight contracts that contracts have expired. The first one says remaining to pay outstanding balance pending some settlement which hasn't happened yet. Most of those are four to be outstanding invoices and therefore once that's done, and it's all confirmed and we can close out those contracts it's a short one. If you have any questions.
+1
Mr. Chair. Good afternoon, again is to go around and this is the CIP quarterly report to the committee. This is actually a Budget to Actual variance comparison variance analysis for all the CIP projects that we have in our CIP program. As I said, this is the third quarter report. You'll see the list of the projects behind this in the next couple of slides. But there are no projects that have exceeded the contract amounts, the amounts that are approved by the board. Majority of the projects currently active in all the unexpended money that you would see in those two lists are expected to be spent during the course of the contracts. All active CIP projects both for the water as well as the sewer funds will have the details like contract period, contract amount amount spent through March 31 and the variances you will see in the next two slides. Again in the next few slides, you will see there are four contracts in the water projects list and eight in the sewer projects list where the contract periods have expired. These contracts are highlighted in red in the in the list following the slide. So +1
the first list is this water list. You can see all these all these active projects with the contract number and the period as well as the dollars that were approved, and the other is expanded through March of 2023 and the variances and you'll see the variances are mostly all positive which means there are monies available which will be spent during the course of the period the contract has been active for the four contracts that are expired. Two of those have closed. The third one, we don't expect any more payments retainage have been released. So that's going to be closed out to same thing with the the last and final one which is ws three 734. On the sewer slide again, there were eight there were eight yes eight contracts that have expired. For other contracts which are ongoing right now. You'll see them on the contract that was approved by the board as well as the amount spent so far. All of them have positive variances, meaning that our funds available to be spent over the next you know next few months years till the contract closes out. And here are the reasons for the eight contracts that contracts have expired. The first one says remaining to pay outstanding balance pending some settlement which hasn't happened yet. Most of those are four to be outstanding invoices and therefore once that's done, and it's all confirmed and we can close out those contracts it's a short one. If you have any questions. Unknown Speaker
01:07:47Commissioners, any questions at this time?
Unknown Speaker
01:07:52Nothing made Mr. Chair.
Unknown Speaker
01:07:54Thank you very much.
Speaker 11
01:07:56For me there I had technical issues. Sorry about that. But I was on
Speaker 1
01:08:03line item number seven unfinished business. I'm sorry. That was business. line item b CIP update. We just did that. Or was that a new one? DWSD CIP.
Unknown Speaker
01:08:19is a new one. Okay, that's okay. Anil
Speaker 15
01:08:32Kumar to start sharing I have Michelle mounting to share
Speaker 15
01:08:48Good 
afternoon Chair Board of Water commissioners. Everybody can see my screen. Yes. All right. So I'm a no go sign Chief Strategy and process officer. I've been managing the engineering capital improvement program since 2016. When we started that major update around our CIP development for engineering, help or assist. Mohammed Farhat, our engineering construction director in delivering our capital and program for water and sewer recently, my portfolio's change to do to include it on top of our systems planning around our capital improvement program. That is part of a decision around being able to tie a lot of technology that we deployed through our capital program to understand how we do better use our data management strategy and an overall integrated architecture going forward to sustain a better infrastructure going ahead. So the purpose the goal of the CIP program is to address high risk assets within our infrastructure to reduce water main breaks operational and treatment costs. PwC participates in a biweekly infrastructure coordination meeting with multiple agencies to review work going on throughout the city. So we meet with DPW DTE m.bi. Weekly talks about projects they're doing the projects that we're doing. We've come up with instances where we can coordinate work within those areas. That's been a big change. It's started off as a small effort, but it's grown into an effort where a lot of the agencies and DWSD and the city agencies are finding value in it. From the onset of the CIP program, we made a decision to create a geographic information system centric environment that allows us to track and analyze our infrastructure. Be city works, which is our asset management solution, which we also utilize to leverage our Esri ArcGIS environment. So part of the reason that went in the early days of our capital improvement program, we decided to make sure that the systems in place to build upon we're interconnected between city works and GIS those are the two systems that runs a lot of what we do in terms of analysis. Front end, there's a lot of tools on the back end around hydraulics and project management that we utilize in the builder and other platforms like that. But a giant
+1
afternoon Chair Board of Water commissioners. Everybody can see my screen. Yes. All right. So I'm a no go sign Chief Strategy and process officer. I've been managing the engineering capital improvement program since 2016. When we started that major update around our CIP development for engineering, help or assist. Mohammed Farhat, our engineering construction director in delivering our capital and program for water and sewer recently, my portfolio's change to do to include it on top of our systems planning around our capital improvement program. That is part of a decision around being able to tie a lot of technology that we deployed through our capital program to understand how we do better use our data management strategy and an overall integrated architecture going forward to sustain a better infrastructure going ahead. So the purpose the goal of the CIP program is to address high risk assets within our infrastructure to reduce water main breaks operational and treatment costs. PwC participates in a biweekly infrastructure coordination meeting with multiple agencies to review work going on throughout the city. So we meet with DPW DTE m.bi. Weekly talks about projects they're doing the projects that we're doing. We've come up with instances where we can coordinate work within those areas. That's been a big change. It's started off as a small effort, but it's grown into an effort where a lot of the agencies and DWSD and the city agencies are finding value in it. From the onset of the CIP program, we made a decision to create a geographic information system centric environment that allows us to track and analyze our infrastructure. Be city works, which is our asset management solution, which we also utilize to leverage our Esri ArcGIS environment. So part of the reason that went in the early days of our capital improvement program, we decided to make sure that the systems in place to build upon we're interconnected between city works and GIS those are the two systems that runs a lot of what we do in terms of analysis. Front end, there's a lot of tools on the back end around hydraulics and project management that we utilize in the builder and other platforms like that. But a giant Speaker 15
01:11:36environment is key to what we utilize to be able to visualize that going.
Unknown Speaker
01:11:55Is everyone still there? I'm here. Okay.
Unknown Speaker
01:11:59Let's make a Neil is the one that froze up.
Unknown Speaker
01:12:01Yeah, we're looking at it now.
Speaker 16
01:12:23You want me to pick it up where he left off? Gary?
Unknown Speaker
01:12:27Looks like he's back.
Unknown Speaker
01:12:28Okay. All right. I'm back. Right let me reshare we're still back on the screen right.
Unknown Speaker
01:12:39I don't see anything yet.
Unknown Speaker
01:12:45We lost you on slide three in the
Speaker 1
01:12:49back. Okay, now Yep. Rather than Okay, we got you.
Speaker 15
01:12:56So, as I mentioned a lot. All these processes now are led by DWSD staff that we've hired over the recent years, which is a huge effort, I would say compared to the I've been here roughly 14 years. And large contractual efforts like this. Usually never get transitioned to DW as the staff the way it is. So that would say that it's really a win, we should say at the end of the day for us to find the right people be able to transition this work and be able to lead this work. We can probably perform all of the work we may need some support, but DWSD staff can manage, run and understand every one of these processes.
Speaker 15
01:13:47So this is part of our this is available in our GIS system. This is the latest risk and Criticality model that didn't take dictates the areas that we select for condition assessment. So if you go back to this prior slide those condition assessments, get done feed into design and construction and overall assessment. This is our latest version. This version is probably one of the more stable versions that we've had year over year, early versions work desktop analysis until we started doing some of the field work. This version compared to last year has a lot of stability in it. We think we have a lot of the nuances worked out a lot of the field data that's been collected, being validated. One of the I guess the wins I would say at the end of the day around what this produces is that the high risk assets that are shown, line up with what the issues are that we've seen in the field whether or not you've seen water main breaks. So where I have water main breaks, ties back to areas that I will see a high risk asset. So this evening, it's you know, this essentially validates the model Build that was done. Quick note at the bottom right so every four miles of condition assessment we do typically delivers one mile of rehabilitation that's required. The next two slides are really around a cumulative summary of the water mains assessed and the sewer mains assessed. We were not doing full blown condition assessments prior to the 2017 cycle we either replaced or realigned water and sewer assets based on break history or any other history. Any other items. This is where we're going in and doing pre emptive work to look inside the source code the source. We're looking at what domains we're doing flow tests, we're doing Leak Detection tests. We're doing valve exercising tests and we've been ramping up the back so you can see 2020 We all had to slow down for water and sewer, but waters a lot more back on track sewers slowly getting back on track. It's a little behind water for some of those reasons that were shown in red in the prior budget slide. If you look at the overall CIP budget expenditures 94% of it supports the replacing of these assets to meet the level of service and around revenue generation. Right so we do try to find that balance in understanding where replacement of assets that drives the maintenance of those assets down but also to make sure that we're finding the ways that revenue generated from these assets. Fire hydrants are a revenue generator we do get some permit fees from that
Speaker 15
01:16:56so 
water system and investments. I'm sure everybody's gonna look at the green line on top it looked really really good. going downward trend we hit an uptrend in 20 We're working with internally and with glue to try turn that 2020 to peak up, back down. And as you can see the capital expenditure miles are slowly going back up since 2020 that we were on a pretty good trajectory up in 1617 and 18. As you look under sewers, I think we've gone back and maintained and try to get our spending levels up to replace the assets that was needed on the sewer side. 22 is going to be and 23 are going to be different years compared to prior years. But those are going to turn around as we look at the way though works getting scheduled back right now.
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water system and investments. I'm sure everybody's gonna look at the green line on top it looked really really good. going downward trend we hit an uptrend in 20 We're working with internally and with glue to try turn that 2020 to peak up, back down. And as you can see the capital expenditure miles are slowly going back up since 2020 that we were on a pretty good trajectory up in 1617 and 18. As you look under sewers, I think we've gone back and maintained and try to get our spending levels up to replace the assets that was needed on the sewer side. 22 is going to be and 23 are going to be different years compared to prior years. But those are going to turn around as we look at the way though works getting scheduled back right now. Speaker 15
01:18:04As 
I mentioned around the meeting with different agencies that through that infrastructure coordination team meeting, this is a typical map that we have that tracks current and planned projects that we share internally and externally. So we update this quarterly, and we have a very good idea around where projects are going in any part of the city on a quarterly basis that can get you faster but this is what's shared with other agencies as well. So on this one, I would like to say that, you know, DWG leadership has done a great job about performing outreach efforts to bring in new contractors to bid the various projects we've had. This region continues to be a very competitive market for construction jobs, engineers, and materials from the EU. As you can see from the money allocated for horizontal and vertical construction. This is this has kind of been the story for the last five, six years. The WC is competing in the region. For a lot of these things. And at the end of the day, we're able to pull in some of these contractors that are new and are working with us and are helping us deliver the rehabilitation of these contracts of these assets. And with that, I'd like to thank you for this opportunity to present what we've accomplished. And to let you know that the CIP delivery system that has been built over the last five years is built in a way that sustainable, transparent and the organization should be proud of
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I mentioned around the meeting with different agencies that through that infrastructure coordination team meeting, this is a typical map that we have that tracks current and planned projects that we share internally and externally. So we update this quarterly, and we have a very good idea around where projects are going in any part of the city on a quarterly basis that can get you faster but this is what's shared with other agencies as well. So on this one, I would like to say that, you know, DWG leadership has done a great job about performing outreach efforts to bring in new contractors to bid the various projects we've had. This region continues to be a very competitive market for construction jobs, engineers, and materials from the EU. As you can see from the money allocated for horizontal and vertical construction. This is this has kind of been the story for the last five, six years. The WC is competing in the region. For a lot of these things. And at the end of the day, we're able to pull in some of these contractors that are new and are working with us and are helping us deliver the rehabilitation of these contracts of these assets. And with that, I'd like to thank you for this opportunity to present what we've accomplished. And to let you know that the CIP delivery system that has been built over the last five years is built in a way that sustainable, transparent and the organization should be proud of Speaker 1
01:19:46appreciate that. Thank you. Any questions at this time? Okay, seeing none next on our agenda is our planning calendar.
Unknown Speaker
01:20:07Mr. Chair, I'm not aware of any changes to the planning calendar.
Unknown Speaker
01:20:11Neither am I so
Unknown Speaker
01:20:12there are no changes.
Speaker 1
01:20:14Thank you. Thank you very much. Are there any other matters to be brought before the committee at this time? Seeing none, our next meeting is scheduled tentatively for July the fifth 2023. I'd like to call for a motion to adjourn. Please.
Speaker 4
01:20:32Geron cannot be moved in
Speaker 1
01:20:35second meeting is adjourned time now to 20. Thank you
Unknown Speaker
01:20:50What do you need to do?
Unknown Speaker
01:20:54Madam Chair, we have 10 minutes.
Unknown Speaker
01:20:57We have a few moments do what you need to do
Unknown Speaker
01:21:05He's amazing.
Unknown Speaker
01:21:35Madam, Chair, can
Speaker 9
01:21:36you hear me if Commissioner Garcia was just about to say hello, do you hear you very well.
Unknown Speaker
01:21:54everyone feeling about the virtual committee meetings? Looking up everyone, okay. Yes, you're not listening to me.
Unknown Speaker
01:22:06working out great for me.
Speaker 9
01:22:08Thank you. Thank you, Commissioner Coleman. Here here oh goodness Good day this Hi there
Speaker 9
01:22:20it's not my preference, but I you know, I go along with the flow
Unknown Speaker
01:22:31I can't pass notes
Unknown Speaker
01:22:38we're
Speaker 14
01:22:39having a little fun. You know, I sit next to you mirror so that's okay with me.
Speaker 11
01:22:45It's working out for me as well. I'm trying to get through some low Wi Fi kinks.
Speaker 9
01:22:52That's it that rears its ugly head. It does hurt as per minute. Yes. Are you in a place where Wi Fi is is is not as steady. That needs to be that is reliable
Speaker 11
01:23:08No, it's not. So this I'm just using my um, my cell.
Speaker 3
01:23:16issues. I just like to remind you that members of the public are also participating in your conversation can hear everything.
Speaker 9
01:23:22I don't see anything. Anything that they can't identify with the will be very careful. Thank you so much.
Unknown Speaker
01:23:29And I'm Chair, can you hear me?
Unknown Speaker
01:23:31You very well. Commissioner Garcia. Okay. Your hand is up. Is that what you're handed up for? Your hand is raised Oh.
Speaker 9
01:24:02Just to make sure we're on the same timeframe. I'd appreciate a reminder. Madam Secretary
Unknown Speaker
01:24:16Madam
Unknown Speaker
01:24:17Chair, I'll remind you at 230
Unknown Speaker
01:24:19Thank you very much. You're welcome.
Unknown Speaker
01:24:39Okay.
Speaker 9
01:25:45Phillips I see the time in my lower right hand corners. Don't think you'll have to remind me I did. I didn't notice that reminded time down there. I see it now.
Unknown Speaker
01:25:56Thank you. The stress relief is much easier on me now.
Unknown Speaker
01:26:02Good good.
Unknown Speaker
01:28:18who's controlling the screen?
Unknown Speaker
01:28:27You hear me Madam Secretary? That would be Michelle.
Unknown Speaker
01:28:31I only have the first three items that I can see but that's okay. Thank you.
Unknown Speaker
01:28:55Thank 
you.
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you. Speaker 9
01:29:42I'd like to call the Customer Service Committee meeting to order at 230. Madam Secretary, would you please call the roll?
Speaker 2
01:29:50Chairperson Blackmon each right. Commissioner Garcia present. Commissioner forte is absent. Madam Chair. We have a quorum.
Speaker 9
01:30:01Thank you very much. I'd like to now ask for the approval of the agenda. So move Madam Chair, like Commissioner Garcia. And I will second it. Any discussion on the agenda? Hearing none, all those in favor? Please indicate for the sign of Aye. Aye. Oppose nay Motion carried. Next item is the approval of minutes of May 3 2023. What is the role of the board are becoming pardon me?
Unknown Speaker
01:30:27So move Madam Chair,
Speaker 9
01:30:29like Mr. Garcia, and I will second any discussion on the minutes Hearing none all those in favor of approving the minutes please signify with Aye Aye. Aye. Motion carried. Item is public participation. Is there anyone who has indicated a willingness to address this committee at this time?
Speaker 3
01:30:50Madam Chair Miko Williams has asked to speak.
Unknown Speaker
01:30:55We don't have to read that statement again doing
Speaker 17
01:30:59oh my god, we already heard it. No. Hi, good afternoon, commissioners. It's good to see you all virtually. I am on vacation myself and I am just getting some time. off but I wanted to check in and say hello to all of you. I wanted to announce the hydrate Detroit share water donation drive is set for Saturday, July 22. From 12 o'clock pm to six o'clock pm at Avalon village. Jacoby Rob park with Mama's shoe. I would love for you guys participation and your partnership. I request that we work together. The mission for the share water drive is to raise charitable funds to help people with their water bills, but also to raise donations of water for citizens in the city of Detroit that are still living with the water shut off or having issues with the water service. The main goal for this year is to collect charitable funds to fundraise for the lifeline plan participants that are delinquent and debt or have not paid since they've been on the plan. I seen in one of the presentations, where today I'm concerned that there is an uptick of over 3000 people that could be in trouble. I would like to help those persons and to work with those persons. And I would request a partnership of DWSD. I'm also going to reach out to Wayne Metro so that we can do a lifeline outreach together. They worked well. Last season at the hydrate Detroit share water drive, we were able to get people back connected with water again. The overall goal is to spread awareness and to also have a day of good food fun and you know a good old fashioned good time remember Summertime is party time. So a lot of graduations anniversaries, hit the graduate, you know all these parties and things. You know the last thing people will be concerned about is the water bill. So we have to work with these people but also we need people to work with the water department and I'm going to continue to do what I can to work with the citizens, our clients and those to make sure that everyone is included. That means the working poor, those that may have income, the Chrysler workers that are now being laid off the people that work at Amazon and so that are tricky with jobs and such. We want to help those people then make sure they get into the lifeline plan as well and I would also call for the water and sewage department to work with us in in partnership for this summer. It's going to be a long hot summer it hasn't rained, please make the rain fall but also be considerate and conservative as to those that have to water their grass during this bad time. Thank you so much for taking my comment. Have a good week, everyone.
Speaker 9
01:34:07Thank you mister where you did not mention where this event is taking place. You gone. Okay? Yep, I'm
Speaker 17
01:34:17still here. I'm sorry. Yes, it's Saturday July 24. From 12 o'clock pm to six o'clock pm at Avalon village located at 24 Avalon Street. We're at our headquarters in Highland Park. That's been our headquarters since 2014. And we decided to come back home to the village where we first started in mama shoes. Living room when we first started delivering water to those that were shut off from the horrible water crisis of 2014.
Speaker 9
01:34:51Here, thank you so much. Now, thank you so much for you said July 22. Right? It sounds
Speaker 17
01:34:57like yes, July 22. July Saturday, July 22.
Unknown Speaker
01:35:02Thanks so much.
Unknown Speaker
01:35:03Thank you.
Speaker 9
01:35:05Thank you. there anyone else who would like to address the the committee this time?
Unknown Speaker
01:35:13No Madam Chair.
Speaker 9
01:35:15Thank you very much. Okay, then. Public Participation is closed. The next item on the agenda is communications. We do have that's item a two Oh 2023. Well, there's 132 We have a receive correspondence. Chair will entertain a motion to receive and file
Unknown Speaker
01:35:39a motion to receive and powers in order.
Unknown Speaker
01:35:44Commissioner Garcia
Unknown Speaker
01:35:46Yes.
Unknown Speaker
01:35:47The motion?
Unknown Speaker
01:35:48No. Okay, I'm sorry. So move. That we have more communication.
Speaker 9
01:35:55Okay, no. This is under communications is a receipt of correspondence. Okay. You could do a and b if you prefer but when a is 2023 132 Try to move it.
Unknown Speaker
01:36:10Yes. So move Madam Chair.
Speaker 9
01:36:13rapidly moved in. I will support it. Receiving our items, Item A of 2023 one through 18. All those in favor, please indicate by saying aye. Aye. Aye. Motion. Any opposed? Motion carried the next item is also 20 receive correspondence 2023 days when 38 chair will entertain a motion?
Speaker 18
01:36:43Is it that 138 and 38 are the letters of communication. So move Madam Chair.
Speaker 9
01:36:50Mr. Garcia, I will second that any discussion? Hearing? I was a favor indicate by Aye. Aye. Any opposed? Motion carried. The next item is unfinished business. We have none and I need to have it there you go. Thank you so much. New business item a TG 2023 Dash 130 for the customer service presentation, Mr. Phillips. Madam Chair,
Unknown Speaker
01:37:20thank you. Thank you.
Speaker 19
01:37:24Matthew Phillips Chief of Staff and customer service officer of Detroit water and sewage department. Looking at overall for our May 2023 performance.
Unknown Speaker
01:37:43you see you Madam Chair. I'm sorry. Yes, seeing
Unknown Speaker
01:37:48the screen. We see you.
Unknown Speaker
01:37:50Yeah, we can't see the Well,
Speaker 19
01:37:53that's because I didn't click I got a little ahead of myself. I'm sorry. I can fix that in two seconds.
Unknown Speaker
01:38:02Mr. Director. We're glad to see you Oh, there we are.
Unknown Speaker
01:38:07We all good.
Unknown Speaker
01:38:09Okay, sorry, I just
Speaker 19
01:38:13got a little ahead of myself. All right. So for the month of May 44,000 calls, which was 4000 more than what we received in the month of April responded to a little over 6200 email inquiries were a total of 50,232 Touch customer touch points for the month of May. We averaged almost 2300 contacts per day, which is a 61% increase of our plan our forecasts a plan of 1400 contacts per day. And from an overall perspective, our customer service phone calls, inbound calls our emails and customers that reached out to us through the self service portal. We had a little over 133,000 contacts for the month of May 18% of our calls were answered within two minutes. We had an average speed of answer of five minutes and 16 seconds on the emergency line and 13 minutes and 25 seconds on the non emergency line. Our CSAT or customer satisfaction came in at 75% which is above goal. And our first call resolution, which we call our fcr was at 69% Just two percentage points away from our target of 71% and our quality was at 84%. So the next slide, the next slide. Yes, ma'am. Precisely. Madam Chair, am I on the right slide for you?
Speaker 9
01:39:44That's the previous slide. Okay, are there any questions or comments about this slide from the committee?
Unknown Speaker
01:39:55No, ma'am. Ma'am. No, ma'am. Madam Chair.
Unknown Speaker
01:39:58Um I have a question right away. Let's see.
Unknown Speaker
01:40:12Maybe maybe we'll come on the next one. Go ahead, please. Okay.
Speaker 19
01:40:16So the next slide is giving a six month comparison. As you can see, basically from January we've had a, it may showed us an increase in call volume, up almost nearly 4000 calls. And as you can see, if we look down towards the bottom, our first call resolution is the highest that it's been in the last six months 69% Just two points away from our target and our customer satisfaction. came in at 75%. Still above goal of 72%. We did see a slight dip in our CSAT by 5% for the month of May. And we can attribute that to the fact that we had five brand new individuals and several individuals that were assisting and going through training during the month of May, but still above target. Any questions on this slide?
Speaker 9
01:41:12Any questions? I want to I want to say commendations for maintaining I think a very consistent improvement, even though we did not. We did not meet our first call resolution goal. We're certainly very close to our key performance indicator. So I really think that under the circumstances everyone has to be commended as there are no further questions. We'll go to the next row comments.
Unknown Speaker
01:41:45Thank you, Madam Chair. The next slide?
Speaker 19
01:41:52Yep. So the next slide, what we're looking at what we're going to discuss here is questions that came up from the last committee meeting, which was around the American Water Resource insurance program. There was four questions that remained outstanding, and I wanted to respond to those. The first one was does the American Water Resource insurance cover the repair and or replacement of private sewer laterals? The answer is yes. As long as the exists as long as the condition is was not pre existing before the insurance and was not caused by human error and the example that was used, you know your child put a toy in the toilet and broke the pipe. Does the American Water Resource cover the cost to connect or reconnect? Sometimes we use the words offset of a private sewer lateral? The answer is yes. As long as the sewer lateral. The connection at the sewer lateral was at a factory Wye connection. So that's that's a connection that's that's built into the sewer main that comes factory installed. But if you were if your sewer lateral was manually tapped did not use the factory Wye connection that would not be covered
Unknown Speaker
01:43:08well I'm sorry, go ahead.
Unknown Speaker
01:43:12It's hard to understand the difference.
Speaker 19
01:43:15Likely not that's something that we that that, that if we were asked the question at customer service, we would be able to explain that. But most customers don't know what a factory Wye connection is or what a manually tap connection is. But I'm sure that the American Water Resource would be able to explain that as well it because when when customers call them for clarification.
Speaker 9
01:43:39Okay. Any other questions, commissioners? No. Thank you. The next
Speaker 19
01:43:45one of the commissioners had a question at the last meeting was what if the sewer main is private and these are conditions where the the neighborhood an association would has taken ownership of a water or sewer main. And so the American Water Resource will not cover repairs replacement to the main itself when it's under private ownership and not under ownership of DWSD but the warranty would cover a repair or replacement of the water sewer line that we would consider to be the lateral and that's the the what I would call in layman's terms the smaller pipe that connects the building the home to the main
Speaker 9
01:44:29how do customers know the difference in these two different types of repairs only
Speaker 19
01:44:40I would imagine and um, maybe Sam Smalley can can jump in but from what I understand is that most homes I mean, I think all homeowners or associations understand whether or not they own or do not own or taken ownership of the water main or sewer main.
Speaker 9
01:44:59Their responsibility to notify their residents is not ours.
Unknown Speaker
01:45:04That is correct. Thank you.
Speaker 9
01:45:06That's what they might not know what their responsibilities are. But that is not on us. It's on them. Oh, thank you.
Speaker 19
01:45:14Yes, correct. And I believe that there's some type of an agreement that's that's in place as well. So that would be something that's it's not imaginary. It's it's in writing. Okay, and then does American Water reason? Yes.
Speaker 14
01:45:28Yes. Madam Chair, although I'm not a member of this committee, is it appropriate for me to speak?
Speaker 9
01:45:33No, what? There's a certain rule that we're not supposed to do that but I mean, I ignore that rule.
Unknown Speaker
01:45:41Go ahead commission.
Speaker 3
01:45:42Since this meeting is not a quorum of the body. We can waive that rule.
Speaker 9
01:45:48Waiving that rule go please, Commissioner. Davis
Speaker 14
01:45:51concern? I believe that Matt was referring to me about this line of questioning. The concern that I had is that if a person unknowingly bought coverage that we wanted to prevent that we didn't want American Water Resources, selling something that could not benefit a homeowner who was in an association and didn't realize that they were buying something that would not provide coverage. That's the question that direct director Brown, I thank you if you're still here, my understanding from you was that you were looking to identify all those areas, and so that we wouldn't sell them not weed but American Water Resources wouldn't sell in coverage. That they couldn't provide coverage for.
Unknown Speaker
01:46:49Me, Commissioner.
Speaker 19
01:46:52It should also be noted though, is that you know with with that coverage, it does cover the what would be considered or what we would call the private water line and sewer line. So that's the connection. That's the pipe that runs from the home, you know, inside the home underneath the home or wherever it's connected to the main so there is still coverage that is being provided. Yeah, it's not it's not completely, you know, something that you could not use ever. There is some coverage and there is some protection that is provided that would be I'm sure for most homeowners quite expensive.
Speaker 14
01:47:34Well, Director Brown, do you remember the conversation we had at our last meeting?
Speaker 7
01:47:40Yeah, and we're, I'm still waiting. I sent a memo out asking for that information so that we can buy American Water and give them the list. So
Speaker 14
01:47:51your audio is trailing throughout the bra.
Speaker 7
01:47:55Yeah, by our next committee meeting, we will have that list. But we're having a little trouble pulling the data together, but we will have it by the next meeting.
Unknown Speaker
01:48:04That's made sure the question is clear. So the answer is clear. Thank you, Mr. Davis.
Speaker 14
01:48:12Thank you, Gary. Do you understand what I'm saying? Am I right here? Absolutely. Okay. Okay.
Speaker 7
01:48:19There are many of them but we're trying to identify the exact number where they are. So we can notify American waters if they're not selling to customers that are attached to private line.
Unknown Speaker
01:48:34Thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Speaker 9
01:48:36Welcome. Any other questions on this slide? Please proceed. Okay,
Speaker 19
01:48:44I'm looking at the lifeline dashboard for the month of May so protected from shut off so Wayne Metro is determined eligibility for 18,638 cents I put this together. We're nearing 19,000 2757 individuals around the 10 3050 payment plan and pending eligibility. These are applications that are pending to be processed at Wayne Metro as a little under 1400. So nearly 23,000 individuals are protected from shut off in one form or another at the current time.
Speaker 9
01:49:24Any questions committee members before you go before we go to the next slide, we still have any questions committee members. So we read Astrid so do you have recap behind determined eligible by
Unknown Speaker
01:49:39by way Metro,
Speaker 9
01:49:43we Metro they are eligible but they have not all been processed yet.
Speaker 19
01:49:48So the application has been processed and Wayne Metro is determined that they are eligible for the program based on their income. The reason why I put the asterisk in there is just that the household may not have actually received a benefit of lifeline yet the benefit that they're receiving financial benefit. The benefit they've received is protection from shut off at that moment, but they have not received protection or they have not received a financial benefit. And that's just based on the billing cycle it can take depending on where when the date of actual approval is it could take up to six weeks for that customer to actually see the $18 month payment on their bill. So it was just a it's a clarification. That question has been asked a few times over the past six months and that's why they Asterix in them.
Speaker 9
01:50:36That customer were to call in though the representative would explain to them that they are eligible for the amount that is
Speaker 19
01:50:43absolutely absolutely Yep. It's completely notated in our system.
Unknown Speaker
01:50:48Did I see here you Commissioner Garcia.
Speaker 18
01:50:50Yes, I guess the question is that determination is almost 18,000 People have been protected is that when I'm determined to eligibility
Speaker 19
01:51:05so determined eligibility means that they are determined to be eligible financially to enter into the program. So there's a there's a few criteria points, you know, income is one of them. Another one is they have to have the the their water bill has to be in their name. And so some of that, you know, is that's what's determined during the eligibility process. There's a few other factors but those are the two main ones.
Speaker 18
01:51:30Matthew, are you are you happy? Are you satisfied with that kind of numbers when you think about the city of Detroit? That are they're eligible when we have residents and how many residents are connected to the water. I mean, not everybody's going to be eligible, but you would imagine it would have been more than 18,000 households.
Speaker 19
01:51:50I think that actually I'm I'm actually quite satisfied with the number of individuals that you know, obviously, I've done this before, you know, with work work with in similar programs as this and I will tell you that you know there is a group of people that that do need, you know, sometimes a little more reminder that the program is there. I mean, they may already know it, but to understand more of the benefits and if you if you give me just an extra three minutes here, I'm going to show you some of the things that we've done to help improve this number. Okay, thank you. Okay. Yep. But I think from an overall perspective, to answer the question, the I think that we have done an outstanding job as a department of communicating in the best ways possible with our residents of the program and of the benefits and the benefits to them. So I'm actually quite proud of that, that piece, and I'll share that information with you in just a couple of minutes.
Unknown Speaker
01:52:55Thank you. Yep.
Unknown Speaker
01:52:58Any further questions?
Speaker 7
01:53:00I was just gonna put some context around it. Madam Madam Chair, who would permit me to do it? In five years of the wrap program, we barely got 5000 people enrolled into the program, and you got 16,000 people within 90 days. And we're we know that we're going to be at 20,000 very shortly. And so yes, that's a that's a really impressive number. When you look at over the last five years, you barely got 5000 residential customers enrolled into the rap.
Speaker 18
01:53:32Yes, sir. Metro my forte Can I call her back or when I'm meeting? Okay. Thank you.
Speaker 9
01:53:39Yeah, I think I think you're right. That is a very impressive number. A Thank you very much for that clarification. That needs to be perceived met.
Speaker 19
01:53:48Okay, 
thank you. So this is just by tears. I won't read any of this year. But this is just the information by tears. You know, who's who's eligible for the program, and enrolled financially gap are the gap payment, which is the difference between the tiered amount, the $80 amount and the actual bill and the arrearages overall, is nearly $19 million that has been assessed between the gap in arrears. The gap payment, which is just the payment between the difference between the average $80 Bill and $18 month payment is nearly $3 million. To Mr. Williams to Miko Williams made a point of you know, the 3000 individuals that have not paid their last invoice and I will I will make a clarification on that and some some some chips and news on that in just a minute. And then ineligible for Lifeline is 2500 And I think that's a to Commissioner Garcia you know with with 19,000 people in the program. In only 25 Haven't been eligible for the program and likely they haven't been eligible because either they didn't live in the city of Detroit or they're over income. I think that the success rate is extremely high with those that are applying and those getting you know into the program and being eligible to receive the benefits. So I think that's quite quite remarkable.
+1
thank you. So this is just by tears. I won't read any of this year. But this is just the information by tears. You know, who's who's eligible for the program, and enrolled financially gap are the gap payment, which is the difference between the tiered amount, the $80 amount and the actual bill and the arrearages overall, is nearly $19 million that has been assessed between the gap in arrears. The gap payment, which is just the payment between the difference between the average $80 Bill and $18 month payment is nearly $3 million. To Mr. Williams to Miko Williams made a point of you know, the 3000 individuals that have not paid their last invoice and I will I will make a clarification on that and some some some chips and news on that in just a minute. And then ineligible for Lifeline is 2500 And I think that's a to Commissioner Garcia you know with with 19,000 people in the program. In only 25 Haven't been eligible for the program and likely they haven't been eligible because either they didn't live in the city of Detroit or they're over income. I think that the success rate is extremely high with those that are applying and those getting you know into the program and being eligible to receive the benefits. So I think that's quite quite remarkable. Speaker 9
01:55:16I was gonna ask you a question. Do we have any 2500 How many of those would are eligible? I see how many are enrolled the total number of know how many of the 20 525 would be eligible or have enrolled in in the 10 3050.
Speaker 19
01:55:36So I don't know of the 2500 How many are in the 10 3050 but I can tell you that they all would be eligible, all 2500 of those individuals and they were all offered. When they for whatever reason they were denied that we're all offered the opportunity to connect with DWSD and enroll in a 10 3050 plan.
Unknown Speaker
01:55:56You see some were
Speaker 19
01:55:57denied. No one was denied being out being enrolled into the 10 3050
Speaker 9
01:56:05Very good. Thank you. Yep. Mr. Garcia, did you have an additional question? I didn't want to miss that. Please proceed. Thank you. Okay.
Speaker 19
01:56:20All right. the the next item if I can just skip to the on the agenda and go to the planning calendar, Madam Chair.
Unknown Speaker
01:56:41Madam Chair,
Unknown Speaker
01:56:42please do so. Yes. I'm sorry. I must have just lost that audio
Speaker 19
01:56:45for a second. All right. So this month looking at the planning calendar, we're looking at lifeline outreach in general. And so one of the questions that we that we get quite often from advocates and from customers is what are we doing to communicate with our Lifeline customers and residents about what resources are available that are out there? So happy to announce that during the month of May we sent out 4000 postcards and we chose postcards because it's something really easy. You don't have to open it up. You can see it right away. And what you're looking at is an example of the front and back of the postcard. So this the first one was 4000 postcards were sent out in May to let Lifeline customers that have not paid their bill in the past 60 days to remind them that if they are facing a hardship they can call Wayne Metro and get additional assistance to help them with that hardship. So that was number one. In fact, D'Amico Williams actually sent us a note on this earlier in the week letting us know that he he's seen a few of our residents that have received this postcard and then he was extremely pleased to see that so that's the first one. The second one that went out in May was a little over 12,000 postcards were sent out to hope customers and these are that's the homeowners protection or property exemption used to be called HP tap. So these are individuals within the city of Detroit that receive a property tax exemption and I think the unique thing or item about this postcard was it was specifically targeted, as you can see on the front there to hope enrollees, but if you'll notice on the second page, the second sentence says this automatically qualifies you for the new DWSD lifeline plan. So we the outreach on this one to 12,000 individuals was you automatically qualify for low lifeline because we already know that you are in the HOPE program. So hopefully this message will reach those individuals and we did not send it to individuals that we already know that around hope and already on lifeline. So this was a unique subset of that of customers that we know are automatically qualified but have not reached out to us yet. So that's the second postcard and then the third postcard that will be going out shortly. Likely within the next three weeks is we do have approximately 50,000 customers not on lifeline they're not hope eligible or qualified. These are just 50,000 individuals who have not paid their water bill in the last 60 days. So we will be sending out a postcard to them as well reminding them that they do need to pay their bill. But if they need assistance they can get on the Lifeline program. They can call us they can enroll so that we have various outreach efforts that are going on there. And then the fourth really that one.
Unknown Speaker
01:59:45Yes, ma'am.
Unknown Speaker
01:59:47So are you not low income? Yes, I'm not
Unknown Speaker
01:59:52low income at the moment.
Speaker 9
01:59:55If this I'm just Just what I look at this if you are not low income and unable to pull down you've already already been bred and sent out right.
Speaker 19
02:00:11I'm sorry, said to me one more time Madam Chair, printed and sent out. This postcard has not been sent
Speaker 9
02:00:17I would I would just make a suggestion that you look at that second one where it says are you not low income and and look at the possibility if you are not low income. Yes. Full balance.
Speaker 19
02:00:32I'm this one we're trying to we're trying to communicate because this is just this is these are individuals that haven't signed up for any of our payment plan programs or lifeline or rap. So we are saying are you limited income or had a recent decrease in income so that maybe that's your inability to pay at the moment you know, are you not low income at all, but you're just unable to pay your full balance. So you can call us and talk to someone about getting on a payment plan. So we're trying to we're trying to offer and speak to as many of our customers as possible.
Speaker 9
02:01:07Yeah, I'm not making myself clear. So okay. Yes. You just take out the are you are not low income and unable to pay your full balance call. Okay.
Unknown Speaker
02:01:20Okay, and add it to the
Unknown Speaker
02:01:22suggested. Okay.
Speaker 19
02:01:26I'm sure Brian Peckinpah is on as on the call and he will
Speaker 20
02:01:31not Madam Chair and I am listening the cards. The cards haven't been mailed, but they have been printed. Oh, and these have been looked over by the advocate. So
Unknown Speaker
02:01:45what these
Speaker 20
02:01:48these cards in the messaging have been looked over, but activists are advocates as well as the Department of neighborhoods.
Unknown Speaker
02:01:56Okay. All right. Thank you.
Unknown Speaker
02:01:59Thank you for the feedback, Madam Chair. Great. Well, okay,
Unknown Speaker
02:02:03please go ahead and please proceed, Brian. I mean,
Speaker 2
02:02:06excuse me, Matt. We need to recess and open up the HR meeting.
Unknown Speaker
02:02:11Yes, ma'am.
Speaker 9
02:02:13I would be the one to exceed my time would not. Okay. Here we'll recess this meeting to the college here.
Speaker 14
02:02:23All right. We will move resources. subcommittee to order madam secretary we have a roll call.
Speaker 2
02:02:30Chairperson Davis present. Mentioned the Garcia present. Commissioner Blackman? Great. Mr. Chair, we have a quorum.
Speaker 14
02:02:41Thank you will now recess to the call of the chair.
Speaker 9
02:02:46And the Customer Service Committee will resume its meeting. Where were we? We just finished. We're on the planning calendar.
Unknown Speaker
02:02:56One last slide manager
Unknown Speaker
02:03:00I'll be really
Speaker 19
02:03:01quick. 
So this is the last on the on the lifeline in general and to end to respond to some of the questions about you know who we've communicated to and when? On top of all the postcards but just wanted it to be noted that DWSD visited 48,590 low income households. I have attached the map that shows all the points of all the households we we visited but it just wanted to note that 49,590 homes were visited and all of those households whether we saw someone in person or not, which 4711 individuals did answer their door. But every single one of these residents was provided with information about lifeline and how they can receive the benefits of lifeline. So I just wanted to provide that data. It's been asked on a couple of occasions so I wanted to put this one to rest
+1
So this is the last on the on the lifeline in general and to end to respond to some of the questions about you know who we've communicated to and when? On top of all the postcards but just wanted it to be noted that DWSD visited 48,590 low income households. I have attached the map that shows all the points of all the households we we visited but it just wanted to note that 49,590 homes were visited and all of those households whether we saw someone in person or not, which 4711 individuals did answer their door. But every single one of these residents was provided with information about lifeline and how they can receive the benefits of lifeline. So I just wanted to provide that data. It's been asked on a couple of occasions so I wanted to put this one to rest Unknown Speaker
02:04:03gressive colorization
Unknown Speaker
02:04:07as Mr. Peckinpah
Speaker 9
02:04:09Very good. Any questions on this the commissioners? Okay, please proceed.
Speaker 19
02:04:14And that concludes the customer service presentation for the month of May Madam Chair,
Unknown Speaker
02:04:19very much like to see the agenda again.
Unknown Speaker
02:04:29Thank you, Madam thank the entire team for the hard work. Thank you.
Speaker 3
02:04:36Madam Chair is July 5 All right for you to have the next month.
Unknown Speaker
02:04:43I will certainly make that Yes. Thank you. Um, so the chair will entertain a motion for adjournment.
Unknown Speaker
02:04:57That I have a motion to adjourn. A committee member anybody
Unknown Speaker
02:05:05was coming. Right here.
Unknown Speaker
02:05:09Alright, please, please make a motion to adjourn.
Unknown Speaker
02:05:12I'm sorry. I'm having trouble hearing. It's my fault.
Unknown Speaker
02:05:15Would you make a motion to adjourn? Commissioner Garcia
Unknown Speaker
02:05:21move Hello,
Unknown Speaker
02:05:26I'm not on this committee but
Speaker 2
02:05:28not on this committee not met Miss Madam Chair. You can move it our support.
Unknown Speaker
02:05:34Support our support
Unknown Speaker
02:05:41okay, I can see that.
Speaker 14
02:05:45All right. We will now reconvene the HR committee. Is there a motion to approve the agenda?
Unknown Speaker
02:05:51So move sir.
Speaker 14
02:05:55Is there a second? Second. Motions been made and properly seconded to approve today's agenda All in favor signify by the sign of Aye. Aye. All opposed that motion is carried. Chair entertain a motion to approve the minutes of May 3.
Unknown Speaker
02:06:13Will Mr. Chair support
Speaker 14
02:06:16that motion? has been made and properly supported all in favor signify by the sign of aye aye opposed. And that motion is also carried will now open up for public participation. Is there anyone miss possibly Sure.
Unknown Speaker
02:06:34who's handling that today?
Speaker 3
02:06:37Yes, Mr. Chair, mica Williams would like to speak.
Speaker 14
02:06:41Welcome again. Mr. Williams. Hi.
Speaker 17
02:06:45Thank you, Commissioner Davis. So good to hear from you. Tomiko Williams, Chief Director hydrate Detroit. I wanted to make a comment and thank the Board of Water commissioners and DWSD for hosting a job fair at Triumph Church on the east side. set for tomorrow. I was able to blast that information and a few of my social media followers have shared that information as well. So hopefully we get a good turnout. I would like to suggest, if possible that DWSD need to look at some of these street fairs these big events to have their table for people that want to work. And most definitely to have different locations. At least there should be a table with a retractable stand saying DWSD is hiring. That would be very important. Also within the inserts for the water bills, there should be a postcard for people encouraging to spread the word about DW wanting to work for DWSD it is still one of the greatest water departments that you can retire from it is still one of the greatest companies that can be in municipal and it's very important that we get people working. I'm very happy to hear about the Oh yes, I'm very happy to see before I left I saw some of the vacuum bowls, trucks out on the streets. Shout out to Sam Smalley for that, um, in my in my assessment and making sure that we hire top talent I requested a while ago that there needs to be a program within the vocational schools used to be some back and bright hall or go lightly where you could learn how to be a plumber and such and work for the water department. You would get practice. There are also used to be something at Wayne County Community College District where they teach you certain things about water systems and such has there been any graduates or people from that program? I also remember be talking to Director Brown a few years ago about having a black man program at 16 to 35. To train new water workers to work on those pipes when we were getting that money allocated to us from lead and copper and also from the United States federal government. I still believe that a better world can be had with teaching our young people and also within the future generations of the city. Let's consider and work together in partnership to strategize a little bit more on how we can retain talent that would have a better future. Thank you for taking my comment.
Speaker 7
02:09:55Can I Can I just say that I want to thank Mr. Williams for his his very thoughtful recommendations and just suggest to any of the audience that may be listening, that the city has a Skills for Life program that has 10s of 1000s of Detroiters being trained every day in it. And that if anyone is interested in getting in that program, it pays up to $7,200 while they get the training needed to be hired by many different city departments, that that information is on the city's website under workforce development.
Speaker 14
02:10:29All right. Thank you both. Is there anyone else? Who wants to participate in public comment?
Unknown Speaker
02:10:40No, Mr. Chair. All right.
Speaker 14
02:10:42Thank you Miss Powell speech. We will now move to communications we have none. We don't have any unfinished business and new business. That'll be Mr. O'Neill for HR metrics.
Unknown Speaker
02:10:57Good afternoon, commissioners.
Unknown Speaker
02:11:00Good afternoon,
Unknown Speaker
02:11:01sir my screen.
Speaker 21
02:11:13We'll 
start off with the HR metrics. As of this month, we have 556 employees. That's a change of for additional employees in comparison to last month. We've also had two employees retire. We'd like to offer congratulations to two field former field service technicians. Alvin Coleman, who retired from our maintenance and repair division he had 27 and a half years with DWSD are at the city. So congratulations to Mr. Coleman. And also Jeffrey hitch. He had 39 years with the city and he retired from our meter Operations Division. We wish both of those ways well.
+1
start off with the HR metrics. As of this month, we have 556 employees. That's a change of for additional employees in comparison to last month. We've also had two employees retire. We'd like to offer congratulations to two field former field service technicians. Alvin Coleman, who retired from our maintenance and repair division he had 27 and a half years with DWSD are at the city. So congratulations to Mr. Coleman. And also Jeffrey hitch. He had 39 years with the city and he retired from our meter Operations Division. We wish both of those ways well. Speaker 18
02:12:00It's an honor to have a cabinet question man, Mr. Chair
Unknown Speaker
02:12:05missioner Garcia, yes, with the
Speaker 18
02:12:07person that's 39 years of service. And I'm not sure when it ended and when it began. Is this he still grandfathered in for a pension.
Speaker 21
02:12:18I'm not certain of Mr. Hit just personal situation, but I'm sure he should be with 39 years of service.
Speaker 18
02:12:27I don't know maybe the question should go to Director Brown. Do you know by any chance after the bankruptcy people, some people curse? You know, the didn't have a couple of several years. Some of them did lose their pension. But I thought some of the people that were there, like in the 80s some of them were protected for their pensions, but I'm not sure so I thought I asked.
Speaker 7
02:12:51Yeah, he's absolutely protected. His pension is two parts. He's in the legacy, as well as the hybrid portion of the pension system. So the legacy is his first years prior to the bankruptcy and then he stays in that pension since them under a new hybrid system. So for sure he would have a pension.
Speaker 18
02:13:12Oh, that's great. Congratulations to them to all Thank you. So I feel really good about that.
Unknown Speaker
02:13:18Have a question, Mr. Chair
Unknown Speaker
02:13:20missioner Blackman?
Speaker 9
02:13:22I wasn't aware that they any of them lost their pension and I thought they went to a different system to some of the employees lose their pension.
Speaker 7
02:13:30So they didn't lose their pension. But there were some serious clawbacks and pitching dollars out of the general fund system that did cause harm to some of the employees with regards to a reduced pension. But they still they still have.
Unknown Speaker
02:13:50Okay, thank you.
Speaker 21
02:13:54Any 
other questions? Open requisitions. We have three additional from last month for a total of 21. And that equates to 72 open positions. And we have two pages here. You'll see we have 32 openings for field service technician and I'll talk about our recruiting fairs in just a second. So this is page one of open requisitions and this is page two, are there any questions? recruitment efforts regarding returning citizens. Um, Commissioner Garcia, I believe you had a question last month regarding how many returning citizens are still employed with DW FD Currently, we have 13 that are still employed with us. And I would like to add that our returning citizens are participating in learning about our s licensing. So they are taking our classes and that's the drinking water operator training certification program that Mr. Smiley teaches for us here. But our returning citizens are participating in that. And we've been told by the state that our organization has the most employees with s licensing that is so great.
+2
other questions? Open requisitions. We have three additional from last month for a total of 21. And that equates to 72 open positions. And we have two pages here. You'll see we have 32 openings for field service technician and I'll talk about our recruiting fairs in just a second. So this is page one of open requisitions and this is page two, are there any questions? recruitment efforts regarding returning citizens. Um, Commissioner Garcia, I believe you had a question last month regarding how many returning citizens are still employed with DW FD Currently, we have 13 that are still employed with us. And I would like to add that our returning citizens are participating in learning about our s licensing. So they are taking our classes and that's the drinking water operator training certification program that Mr. Smiley teaches for us here. But our returning citizens are participating in that. And we've been told by the state that our organization has the most employees with s licensing that is so great. Unknown Speaker
02:15:18Yeah. Can I just possess a chair
Speaker 18
02:15:20of it? Mr. Chairman, I'd like to commend Mr. Brown director brown because I think he was one of the first directors that I remember seeing that he was open to hiring returning citizens that you know, would not only give them a way of life, but also change their lives. And I think that's, I need that's so commendable in that it'd be being recognized across the state commend, you know, congratulations and to all of you gracias.
Unknown Speaker
02:15:51It's fair.
Unknown Speaker
02:15:52Here here, Director Brown.
Speaker 7
02:15:55Yeah, I just I noticed that I and I'm Hope I'm not stealing thunder at the back end of this presentation. But I know that we just hired 10 employees that have CDLs, which means they started $20 An hour and once they obtained that s license why that's important, is that's a large bump in pay for them immediately upon getting the s license. So we strongly encourage them to do it. We it makes our organization stronger, but most importantly, it increases their salary. So that's the importance of the SLI
Unknown Speaker
02:16:36Oh, Commissioner Blanton,
Speaker 9
02:16:38Mr. Smiley posted in the chat that we have the highest pass rate so I think not only is that a tribute to him or employees, certainly to him and I want to make note, note of that.
Speaker 14
02:17:05Thank you. We've had permission. Here. Commissioner Blackman, your audio kind of trailed off there. Were you done or were you still looking to add something?
Speaker 9
02:17:19Friday I asked one additional question regarding the fire hydrant painting project. That should have been at another committee, not this committee. I just at this level, we're just showing the number of employees all ask that subsequent to our meetings. Thank you so much.
Speaker 14
02:17:34Okay, are there other questions on this matter? Mr. Thornhill? Please continue.
Speaker 2
02:17:41Excuse me. Patricia patrician. Mr. Chair we need to recess and open up the legal and Governmental Affairs Committee.
Speaker 14
02:17:50All right. The chair will call a recess to the call of the chair.
Speaker 11
02:17:58Okay, we will now call the Board of Water commissioners, legal and Governmental Affairs Committee to order Madam Secretary would you please call the roll?
Speaker 2
02:18:10Chairperson Ken lap resident Commissioner Blackman present Detroit. Commissioner I'm Hauser is absent. Mr. Chair. We have a quorum.
Speaker 11
02:18:21Thank you. We will now recess to the call of the chair.
Speaker 14
02:18:28Okay, we will reconvene the HR committee Miss Thornhill. Could you continue?
Unknown Speaker
02:18:35Yes, thank you.
Speaker 21
02:18:38And 
Commissioner Blackman you may have touched on this because as Commissioner Henry say that John Henry stayed at you are trailing off a little bit but I do want to say special thank you again to Sam Smalley you know with his large job, he still find the time to train the employees and to prep them for the certification exam for the S licensing. So he really inspires the team, the operations team. So we'd like to thank him for that.
+1
Commissioner Blackman you may have touched on this because as Commissioner Henry say that John Henry stayed at you are trailing off a little bit but I do want to say special thank you again to Sam Smalley you know with his large job, he still find the time to train the employees and to prep them for the certification exam for the S licensing. So he really inspires the team, the operations team. So we'd like to thank him for that. Unknown Speaker
02:19:08That's great. Thank you.
Speaker 21
02:19:14recruitment 
efforts, you will see that on May 17. We held our regular every last Wednesday of the month job fair with Detroit at work. We saw 23 candidates. Also on the 31st of May we had our Detroit at work job fair at the Durfee Auditorium, where we saw eight candidates, and today as we speak, my team there at Triumph church east and we're conducting a hiring fair today or DWSD positions. Only. But for tomorrow we are conducting a job fair. We are actually leading it, hosting it. First time ever so we're really excited. Job Fair also at Triumph church east and we've invited other city departments the seed, Department of Public Works DDOT the police general services and the Great Lakes Water Authority is participating also, and that will be tomorrow. From 10am to 2pm. Are there any questions?
+2
efforts, you will see that on May 17. We held our regular every last Wednesday of the month job fair with Detroit at work. We saw 23 candidates. Also on the 31st of May we had our Detroit at work job fair at the Durfee Auditorium, where we saw eight candidates, and today as we speak, my team there at Triumph church east and we're conducting a hiring fair today or DWSD positions. Only. But for tomorrow we are conducting a job fair. We are actually leading it, hosting it. First time ever so we're really excited. Job Fair also at Triumph church east and we've invited other city departments the seed, Department of Public Works DDOT the police general services and the Great Lakes Water Authority is participating also, and that will be tomorrow. From 10am to 2pm. Are there any questions? Speaker 21
02:20:36COVID Update I'm sure many of you know that the United States government and all COVID-19 public health emergencies effective May 11 Last month, therefore the policies and procedures listed on the screen have ended with the city of Detroit so their sunset policies are no longer in place. Any questions?
Speaker 21
02:21:05Our 
planning calendar for the month of June. We're going to go over the engagement, survey and action planning results. As you know the engagement survey was offered in 2020 and 2022. So the results from the 2022 survey are as follows. There was a four week window where employees could participate and take the survey. There were 49 questions across eight themes, and DWSD had a 67% participation rate. Approximately 500 employees were invited to take the survey and 337 participated in the survey. And here are some of our key outcomes and results DWSD improved in every area, every survey theme and they're listed in descending order. So we had an overall improvement on all categories. And here are survey themes listed by how many employees agreed? How many were neutral and how many disagreed. And again, we improved overall in comparison to 2020. And we also improved in comparison to the public sector are there any questions? Great job everyone at DWSD.
+2
planning calendar for the month of June. We're going to go over the engagement, survey and action planning results. As you know the engagement survey was offered in 2020 and 2022. So the results from the 2022 survey are as follows. There was a four week window where employees could participate and take the survey. There were 49 questions across eight themes, and DWSD had a 67% participation rate. Approximately 500 employees were invited to take the survey and 337 participated in the survey. And here are some of our key outcomes and results DWSD improved in every area, every survey theme and they're listed in descending order. So we had an overall improvement on all categories. And here are survey themes listed by how many employees agreed? How many were neutral and how many disagreed. And again, we improved overall in comparison to 2020. And we also improved in comparison to the public sector are there any questions? Great job everyone at DWSD. Speaker 21
02:22:39Some of the areas where we're going to celebrate and we have been celebrating Wow have been a customer service. I take pride in delivering optimal customer service. I won't read them all but you can see on the screen What's the question engagement index diversity, equity and inclusion, the employees role the culture work environment and ethics.
Speaker 18
02:23:07Have a question? Yes. Mr. Chair, I look at the survey I understand it but in the diversity in equality inclusion. What was how was the question provided? Or at least the question asked. I guess how can I be myself at work? I'm just trying to figure how was the question ask because diversity and equality and inclusion seems a little different to everybody.
Speaker 21
02:23:38Right. I can show you the questions in just a second. And I'll answer your question, Commissioner.
Unknown Speaker
02:23:44Thank you. Okay.
Unknown Speaker
02:23:48So these are some of the strengths and areas to celebrate.
Speaker 18
02:23:53Well, because if 77% of the people answered that question is that I can be myself at work. I'm trying to figure out okay, how was the question asked is,
Speaker 21
02:24:03I mean, let me answer that for you right now. I'll pull up another slide. I haven't
Speaker 18
02:24:07right. So that's 77% is high. Yes,
Speaker 21
02:24:11that's good. It's like a set is one of our areas. Right? So that's good. Let me pull that up for you. Please. Commissioner people pass like I have a right here.
Speaker 18
02:24:17And it's the only other one is my role understanding comes out as the same thing as 77%. I just wonder.
Speaker 21
02:24:35And I have all those answers. I just didn't want to bombard you but here they are. So under diversity, equity inclusion, here are the questions. Here three of the questions so it is asked exactly the way it was presented. Commissioner Garcia I can be myself at work. Here's some of the other questions that were asked under diversity, equity and inclusion.
Speaker 18
02:25:01My opinion without tradition. I find I find that difficult to believe. I guess I find it hard to understand how you could relate that to the questions refreshing the diverse i don't know I'm well versed in diversity, equality and inclusion is a very different question when you're asking corporate America or you know, other corporations that does not have that kind of role. So maybe inclusion moreso than diversity and equality. I don't know. I've just find a question. It just seems odd to me. That's all
Speaker 21
02:25:43from an HR perspective. Commissioner Garcia is an employee saying can I be myself at work, no matter who I am, how I look where I'm from, what I believe in, where my head I beat myself at work. So and from an HR perspective, that's how it's been okay? Okay.
Speaker 18
02:26:04Okay. That helps. A little bit. Um, I'm not sure you know, I'm trying to I use diversity, equality and inclusion, very different when I'm talking to corporations and saying, you know, where are minorities? Where are women where, you know, I see that very different than how this is expressed. Maybe I can be myself at work is more of a inclusion, but I'm not sure about diversity and it's just how I guess it's red. It's, it must mean different to a lot of other people. Okay, thank you.
Unknown Speaker
02:26:41You're welcome. Any other questions?
Speaker 14
02:26:43So just so that I understand. It looks to me like it wasn't. Those weren't questions per se, but more so affirmative statements and the employee gets to say I agree or disagree. Is that right? Or no? Yes. Okay.
Unknown Speaker
02:27:00are neutral. No, right.
Speaker 14
02:27:03Yeah. Gotcha. Okay. Okay, I'm sorry. That's vice versa. All right. Please continue. Here. Oh, Commissioner black.
Speaker 9
02:27:15Before you leave this, I don't know what the norm is. But I would feel that I feel like this undue culture, work environment, I feel I can manage my stress and challenges in the workplace 73% I think that's low. Maybe I don't know what the what the range ought to be to make it different, more affirming, but that would seem to me low when it compared to I take pride in delivering optimal customer service. 96% and I intend to stay with the city of Detroit 84%. I'm just thinking, Are we do we have any concerns as we look at some of these percentages, we need the right question.
Speaker 21
02:27:48That's a great, great question. So in my opinion, if something isn't 100% there's always an opportunity for improvement, right? But the way we try to look at these questions, anything above 70% we take as a strength or something to celebrate. That doesn't mean we don't have an opportunity to improve, but there are some items that are below 55% So those are the ones that we're tending to focus on. Because within the timeframe that we get the results to the timeframe that we have to take the engagement survey again, you can't do everything. You pick a few of the low hanging fruit items, and you make improvements. So that's why every two years you continue to take the engagement survey so you can continue to make improvements and hopefully overall at some point in time Commissioner, all of your percentages will be high, but that's a great point that you make. There's always room for improvement, but we have some that are lower than that.
Speaker 9
02:28:45Look at this. I don't know if this is a presentation to the Board list. You're presenting your your survey results as a presentation to the board. There could be maybe like a sub something this. This is what we're concentrating on because these are our highest priorities. But there are some other areas that we feel that need to be have improved dramatically. Some some some of those sub comments that we're working on something to that effect, I think from our perspective, or at least from my perspective, that would have greater meaning for me. And in addition to you just presenting the results of your of your survey,
Speaker 21
02:29:21we'll go over in a few slides what we plan to do to address some of the areas well, we will certainly always welcome any feedback that you have. So if you'd like I can call you later, or next week.
Unknown Speaker
02:29:35We'll be able to we'll talk. Thank you. Thank you. I think it's
Speaker 21
02:29:40great. I love to hear your suggestions. Thank you. Okay, so next we have opportunities and areas to further explore and as I mentioned, these are areas where we scored less than 55%. So the areas that are in the lighter to color here, these are DWSD specific, the other ones pertain to the entire city. So if you take a look at the top four, these are some of the areas of opportunity that we plan to focus on. And a couple of these are carryover from last year as well. So if you take a few seconds and take a look at some of these opportunities, and again, it's not that everything's not an opportunity, right.
Unknown Speaker
02:30:24Mr. Chair,
Unknown Speaker
02:30:26oh, Commissioner Garcia
Speaker 18
02:30:28Yes. Um, the lowest point, point Patricia what I can see is the city department collaborating effectively with others. Can you give me an example because that is very low.
Speaker 21
02:30:44Well, that may pertain to for example, DPW and DWSD or DDOT and bc I don't know the true functions of the other departments. Perhaps Mr. Brown can step in, but that was everyone from the city's overall feeling on how the Oh, the mayor and his team may have some actionable items. Around that one.
Unknown Speaker
02:31:09Okay, thank you.
Speaker 21
02:31:12Okay, 
so we're going to take these top four areas of opportunities for improvement. And we're going to show you an action plan. Let me show you two word clouds. This first one talks about what is the one thing that if changed, could have a positive impact on the workplace culture of the city of Detroit as a place to work. And communication is the largest word on the word chart, which means that was the greatest amount of feedback, and that's where we came out last year on 2020. Also, to improve our communication. The next word cloud focuses on what did you like best about working for the city of Detroit? And you'll see here that career and career path mobility was the most chosen comment. Are there any questions before we talk about our plans?
+1
so we're going to take these top four areas of opportunities for improvement. And we're going to show you an action plan. Let me show you two word clouds. This first one talks about what is the one thing that if changed, could have a positive impact on the workplace culture of the city of Detroit as a place to work. And communication is the largest word on the word chart, which means that was the greatest amount of feedback, and that's where we came out last year on 2020. Also, to improve our communication. The next word cloud focuses on what did you like best about working for the city of Detroit? And you'll see here that career and career path mobility was the most chosen comment. Are there any questions before we talk about our plans? Speaker 21
02:32:21So what we plan to do to address some of those opportunities, and hopefully this will help all of the scores overall, as we're going to inspire change from the top. HR has already started meeting with executives from specific divisions to share the results of each of the divisions and to document and discuss action plans. We're going to keep managers focused. The executives and the directors will be sure to cascade objectives and goals and use reports to continuously monitor performance to goals and process improvement. We're gonna get a deeper understanding. HR is going to continue to do something that director Brown had been doing in the past which is have coffee and conversations sessions or skip level meetings where each month one executive will rotate and meet with different groups at different levels and just talk about some of their concerns. And hopefully, you know, we'll reach to that group that may not have sport favorably in some of the communication areas. We're also going to hrs might partner with public affairs, and try to implement quarterly state of the business reviews where the director Brown and executives could present the state of the business either via Microsoft Teams, zoom or a pre recorded announcement and have it played on the screens, or maybe do some in person, especially in our operations to give those employees a chance to hear about the business because not everyone can come and attend a board meeting. We're going to keep managers focused executives and directors I'm sorry, I skipped we're going to sorry, involve people HR is going to implement stay interview. So what we're going to do with that is follow up with new employees after 3060 90 days and get feedback from them on what they liked or where we could make some improvements. And then also a year we're going to track the new employees and track their feedback. So this will work in tandem with exit interviews. But we want to talk to the employees before they decide to leave and hopefully they won't decide to leave if we take their feedback. Early on, and we act on it. Are there any questions?
Speaker 21
02:34:57And then our next steps one through four we've already talked about but two more things that we're going to do. We're going to collaborate HR and Public Affairs. And publish the in the flow magazine lovely. In addition, we're going to start communication announcements on our TV screens and via email of all new employees that are supervisors and above. We do it for everyone else in the in the flow magazine. So we're going to start doing that monthly versus quarterly, but we're going to make sure we properly announced all supervisors and above what the picture and background monthly so that people will know who's starting. Are there any questions? Here?
Unknown Speaker
02:35:38Mr. Chair,
Unknown Speaker
02:35:39I'm sorry, Commissioner Blackburn.
Speaker 9
02:35:41I don't have a question. But these last two slides, I think really are commendable because they're getting at what the employee needs to know and how they can give input along the way. I think this will make them feel much better. About how we are respecting their wishes and and guiding them to evidence where they can feel more feel but feel better about what they do and with whom they're working. I think these are to be commended.
Unknown Speaker
02:36:14Thank you. You're here.
Speaker 21
02:36:17And lastly, our next steps. We already discussed them. You'll see on the screen where we are currently with the red circle. Again, we're sharing our results and action plans and partnering with employees on what those action plans should be. And we'll take the third survey in January of next year. And this concludes my report. Are there any questions?
Speaker 14
02:36:41Right. I don't see any hands. Thank you as always, Mr. O'Neill
Speaker 14
02:36:52Miss Thornhill were you going to do the engagement survey action planning?
Unknown Speaker
02:37:03She just did that. Mr.
Unknown Speaker
02:37:04Commissioner Davis. I'm sorry. Yes.
Speaker 14
02:37:06I'm sorry. Okay. All right. All right. Are there any other matters? Hearing none, our next meeting will be sometime after July 5 based upon us being that close to the holiday. Just in small print, Commissioner Blackmun. I know you were asked about your next meeting being on July 5, but if you recall when we're thinking of moving it off.
Speaker 9
02:37:32Yeah, I guess I hadn't checked my calendar. Thank you very much. I will not be back in time to have my meeting on July but that will not be available on July 4.
Speaker 14
02:37:42as well. All right, Chair entertain a motion for German.
Unknown Speaker
02:37:46So move, sir. Got it.
Speaker 14
02:37:50All right. That motion is approved and we stand adjourned. Thank you all very much.
Speaker 18
02:37:56Good meeting. Have a nice day everybody the rest of the day.
Unknown Speaker
02:38:01Right what's left over your right. Thank you. You too.
Speaker 11
02:38:09Yes, the legal and Government Affairs Committee will reconvene. The next item on the agenda is the approval of the agenda. A motion is in order to approve the agenda. Mr. Chair, support. All those in favor signify by saying aye. Aye. Any nays? This action stands approved. Next item on the agenda is the approval of the meeting previous previous meeting minutes. A motion is in order to approve the previous meeting minutes
Unknown Speaker
02:38:44ahead in the previous meeting, so there are none to approve.
Speaker 11
02:38:47Thank you for that. That's why sis none right there. Next item on the agenda is public comment and at this time I'm
Unknown Speaker
02:38:59asking you to speak Mr. Chair.
Unknown Speaker
02:39:01Okay, so we will now go
Unknown Speaker
02:39:05Oh, Williams just raised his hand. So
Unknown Speaker
02:39:09chair recognizes Mr. Williams.
Speaker 17
02:39:13Yes, 
hello, commissioners. Tomiko Williams. Chief Executive Director of I drink Detroit. I wanted to thank you for having this very important session. Just a few comments. There is a man that has been coming to the Board of Water commissioners meetings and have been suggesting to punish Detroit residents for drag racing and infractions and such by shutting off their water. I saw a letter that was published to that gentleman but I wish it would have been a little more clear into letting him know that we cannot do any of the sort that he is suggesting it is very dangerous. The ACLU will be on us like white on rice. So I'm just thankful for a communication for that gentleman to be told no, we cannot punish people for for civil infractions or wherever that's the police's job, let the police do their job. Um, in regards to the comment in regards to government, I'm just getting very concerned about the Arper money, the ARP aid the American rescue plan money. Have we utilized any of those funds have any of those funds been allocated for us and what is it gonna mean, when the United States signed the debt agreement? Are we still gonna have access to that money? The City of Detroit is currently sitting on that money and it could be taken away or sent back. Are we doing making any efforts to retrieve that money so we can get some of our capital water improvements and such, also our governmental representatives of the DWSD I would like to know more information about the lobbying being done such in Washington do we have anybody that's talking to these committees and officials other than the director, I mean, it's very important that we know who's advocating for us in Washington DC and how we can move on some of these things. So that we can be a leader in the country and delivering clean water. Shout out to all the legal persons Jacob Bari Nicaea and the rest that are working to retrieve businesses I would like to know some businesses that Oh, water bills, the most water bill, you know, we ever had any workers downtown. It's very important to learn from a legal standpoint, how many of those consumers business consumers that are owing money to DWSD that need to pay like Chris Elledge, Stephen Ross Dan Gilbert, you know, all of those corporate citizens who claim they are people and their people when they should be treated such as regular citizens. That's all my comment. Thank you so much and have a good day everyone. Peace and Love you. Thank you
+1
hello, commissioners. Tomiko Williams. Chief Executive Director of I drink Detroit. I wanted to thank you for having this very important session. Just a few comments. There is a man that has been coming to the Board of Water commissioners meetings and have been suggesting to punish Detroit residents for drag racing and infractions and such by shutting off their water. I saw a letter that was published to that gentleman but I wish it would have been a little more clear into letting him know that we cannot do any of the sort that he is suggesting it is very dangerous. The ACLU will be on us like white on rice. So I'm just thankful for a communication for that gentleman to be told no, we cannot punish people for for civil infractions or wherever that's the police's job, let the police do their job. Um, in regards to the comment in regards to government, I'm just getting very concerned about the Arper money, the ARP aid the American rescue plan money. Have we utilized any of those funds have any of those funds been allocated for us and what is it gonna mean, when the United States signed the debt agreement? Are we still gonna have access to that money? The City of Detroit is currently sitting on that money and it could be taken away or sent back. Are we doing making any efforts to retrieve that money so we can get some of our capital water improvements and such, also our governmental representatives of the DWSD I would like to know more information about the lobbying being done such in Washington do we have anybody that's talking to these committees and officials other than the director, I mean, it's very important that we know who's advocating for us in Washington DC and how we can move on some of these things. So that we can be a leader in the country and delivering clean water. Shout out to all the legal persons Jacob Bari Nicaea and the rest that are working to retrieve businesses I would like to know some businesses that Oh, water bills, the most water bill, you know, we ever had any workers downtown. It's very important to learn from a legal standpoint, how many of those consumers business consumers that are owing money to DWSD that need to pay like Chris Elledge, Stephen Ross Dan Gilbert, you know, all of those corporate citizens who claim they are people and their people when they should be treated such as regular citizens. That's all my comment. Thank you so much and have a good day everyone. Peace and Love you. Thank you Speaker 11
02:42:18Miss apostrophes. Is there anyone else asking to be recognized? Oh,
Unknown Speaker
02:42:22Mr. Chair,
Speaker 11
02:42:24it will now go to the next item on the agenda which is new business.
Unknown Speaker
02:42:33Communications.
Speaker 11
02:42:34Thank you I'm just looking Thank you communications. Okay. And under communications. Speaking of litigation, this is a litigation report and just to say a miss Potts attorney possui. I see that we do have some litigation. Yes. Been trying to capture you know, some of the data that's out there on this.
Speaker 3
02:42:57After the motion to receive and file we would like to make some comments highlights of the report. Okay.
Speaker 11
02:43:03Okay, at this time, chair will entertain a motion to receive and file
Speaker 9
02:43:07your me I would like to move that we received this report. Okay.
Speaker 11
02:43:11Support, support it. Okay, all those in favor signify by saying aye. Aye. Those opposed? This action stands to approve. Ms. passerbys.
Speaker 3
02:43:23So, Mr. Chair, what we'll do in this committee each month is you'll be saved the long written litigation report, we will we would just want to highlight a few of the more prominent cases. Litigation report, you can see outlines at least 15 cases against large commercial customers who haven't been paying first I will speak about the class action cases that are ongoing. First one being the cases related to the 2021 rain events. All of the cases against DWSD related to the June storm have been dismissed by the court. The court stated very simply that it was the historical amount of rain that was the proximate cause of the rain of of the flooding and basement backups. So that so DWSD the city was not liable. For us the plaintiffs will appeal. So this will this will linger for several years while it goes through the appeal process. Next is the drainage charge cases the class actions litigation they're just a short history lesson. In 2018, the Court of Appeals upheld the drainage charge. Plaintiffs appealed to the Michigan Supreme Court who had a hearing. They referred the case back to the Court of Appeals and asked them to do a fact finding because the whole case was decided on documents only not any testimony or other discovery. So they refer to back to the Court of Appeals in 20. In March of 21, the Court of Appeals referred it back to the trial court to appoint a special master to oversee the discovery process. That's judge Patricia Frossard. So over the past couple of years, we've been engaged in discovery, a lot of depositions. We have we even attempted a mediation of the drainage charge case that that was not fruitful. So the parties submitted their briefs to judge for zard had a hearing her job is to create a document called findings of fact, and conclusions of law, which will then get submitted to the court of appeals, who will then issue a new ruling and hopefully still be convinced that the drainage charge should be upheld as a lawful fee. So I think this will drag on another three years which would make this these cases this whole drainage church issue be a 10 plus year litigation experience. So that's my report on the the class action litigation. The key a branch or deputy general counsel will just highlight a couple of a high level cases and then Devin Graham is will highlight just a couple of the collection cases against commercial businesses.
Speaker 11
02:46:36Okay, thank you. Um, and so, is that in regards so I guess moving forward as well. How will we speak to Government Affairs and the discussions as relates to any type of legislation that would be impacting us in Lansing or Washington or how do you see that portion of the role of the committee?
Speaker 3
02:47:00Yeah, I will speak to that when we get to other matters, but we will make that a regular line items. Well, I do have a report for the for the committee.
Speaker 11
02:47:08Okay. Thank you. Okay. So we will now we did this vote on that, right.
Speaker 3
02:47:15Yes, but I'd like to give you a couple more updates. So Mr. Benson, you may go now.
Speaker 22
02:47:21Good afternoon, commissioners. Nicaea. Branch Benson, Deputy General Counsel, wanted to give you a couple of highlights of some of our the litigation that we're defending. So that's where DWSD is a defendant. One important one would be the case of at least Williams versus the city. of Detroit. That is a wrongful death and gross negligence case that was filed against the city of Detroit. We did file a motion for summary disposition and it was granted by the court and the plaintiff in that case did appeal. So that one is currently on appeal. We're expected to hear something from the Court of Appeals so now as to whether they will take the plaintiffs appeal and that we will you know, see what happens with our motion there. I'm sorry.
Speaker 9
02:48:12Ramming Mr. Chair. Is there a reason that I can't pull anything up and what as we're talking? I read this. Now I can't find I read what you're talking about. I made all of these actions, but I but I cannot see it on my computer at this time. Is there a reason for that?
Speaker 3
02:48:29Well, if you click on the Attach litigation report, that should open up the long report.
Speaker 11
02:48:35Yeah, so open it up for me now. I mean, open
Speaker 9
02:48:41where I didn't get you get smaller. It's smaller, but I mean, the attachments is litigation report Office of the General Counsel, I
Speaker 22
02:48:50got to open it from the actual document. Not from the screen enough. That's
Speaker 3
02:48:56that's helping you. Yeah, you can't do it from the screen. Yeah. All right.
Unknown Speaker
02:49:02I'm going to
Speaker 22
02:49:05go ahead and Nikki. Okay. And so, just want to highlight two more. We have one case Simmons versus City of Detroit that involves is a personal injury case involves a plaintiff who allegedly injured themselves when they stepped into a catch basin that did not have a cover. And then we have a matter of the law versus City of Detroit, which is a case where the plaintiff was allegedly injured when they were in a motor vehicle accident with a DWSD vehicle. So these are cases that are currently in discovery. We're litigating and we will definitely keep you posted as we proceed.
Unknown Speaker
02:49:44Yes. Thank you.
Unknown Speaker
02:49:47Sorry, Mr. Chairman.
Speaker 11
02:49:49No, no, I had a question that city of Detroit versus is that Herman Keefer? Is that the
Speaker 22
02:49:55Yes, thank you. I do want to highlight that one as well. Thank you. That one actually is a collection case, but it's a serious one. So that's one that we do want to highlight. So we are seeking to collect outstanding charges totaling about maybe $600,000. From the harm and key for development. We are in the course of discovery. We did file a motion for summary disposition in that case, and it is scheduled to be heard next month. So we're hoping that the court will rule in our favor and that we're able to collect those long, outstanding funds. Thank you.
Unknown Speaker
02:50:35Miss possiblys
Unknown Speaker
02:50:37Devin
Speaker 23
02:50:39Good afternoon, commissioners. I'm Devin Graham. I ash, Associate General Counsel and I handle the collections cases. So where DWSD is the plaintiff? And I'm just going to highlight a couple of cases same as attorney branch Penson. So to me this year to date, we've collected over 1.8 million through both litigation and pre litigation. And currently in active cases, we are seeking over 2.8 million in damages through multiple lawsuits that are currently filed and these are against delinquent commercial and industrial customers. So I just wanted to highlight a couple that are in the works first being a case DWSD the UC UC Palmer Park DWSD is seeking $482,725.61 in damages. And this is for unpaid water, sewer and drainage services, a majority of which are metered water and service, water and sewage services. And that's throughout 15 properties. This case is one of our newer ones. It was only filed a short time ago. So there's likely to be more updates coming from this litigation in the coming months. rather sorry, chairman, was there
Unknown Speaker
02:52:05are those properties occupy
Speaker 23
02:52:09they are apartment buildings, so they're classified as commercial as to whether they're occupied. We do not know yet. We'll just we'll get to that more when we get to the process of litigation. So I don't have a firm answer to that as of yet. Mr. Kinloch,
Speaker 3
02:52:26since they are apartment buildings, we don't shut off apartment buildings for collections. So we have to sue the owner of the property.
Speaker 11
02:52:35Let me ask you, do you have any background on this property? Owner?
Speaker 23
02:52:42They are a it was purchased in 2022. By what I remember serves a foreign limited liability company. But aside from that, I don't have any further history.
Unknown Speaker
02:52:59Okay, okay. Thank you. Yeah.
Speaker 23
02:53:03Another case I wanted to highlight what is a matter of DWSD versus magic plus LLC. Magic plus might ring some bells. They purchased two parcels at the State Fairgrounds from the Michigan land bank. That sale was finalized in 2019. And we are seeking unpaid drainage fees for both parcels in the amount of $269,483.97. And I'm happy to report that this will likely settle in the next couple of weeks. And so that's that's some good news. We also have several other cases that aren't active settlement, but this is one of the biggest and more exciting at this time. We're also preparing to fire up sorry, was there another question? I apologize. No, that wasn't okay. We're also preparing to file an additional collections case in the next few days. An additional collection case and the amount of $117,184.28 and that's for unpaid damage fees. And we also have two cases we're looking to file to cover the cost of repair for damages caused to the DWSD system by private entities during private construction. So those are also will come with further updates in the months to come.
Speaker 11
02:54:29Thank you. I can absolutely say I'm sure that other Commission's would convert or three that we've really been taking some aggressive approaches and dealing with these commercial and industrial debts. Miss posture is, you know, in as much as is a new committee and it's a different committee because we're dealing with legal matters. I'm gonna lean on you and trust on you to advise us when we're asking questions. veering off into areas that you know, we, you know, may not intentionally intend on doing Yeah. Okay.
Unknown Speaker
02:55:08I got you covered.
Unknown Speaker
02:55:10It. Thank you. Okay, next time.
Speaker 9
02:55:14I'm not seeing any of these. Okay, hold on. I said, I read them. I read most of what we've talked about before, but I'm not seeing any of them on my screen right now.
Speaker 3
02:55:23Commissioner Blackmon just moved to a new business place.
Speaker 11
02:55:27So we're okay so a Okay, so we did, so eight a so at this time we will go to eight a year yes. I recognize Commissioner Blackman
Speaker 9
02:55:49items What 2023 Dash 139. Do I need to read the motion? Yes, commissioners when I moved that we refer to the Board of Water commissioners for the city of Detroit water and sewage department to approve the local system capital contribution agreement between the Detroit water and sewage department and Great Lakes Water Authority and authorize the director to take such other actions as may be necessary to accomplish the intent of this vote, including the execution of a memorandum of understanding.
Unknown Speaker
02:56:20Support.
Unknown Speaker
02:56:25Yeah, Mr. Chair,
Speaker 3
02:56:28CEO Sam Smalley will address this item
Unknown Speaker
02:56:35Okay, Miss Smalley
Speaker 16
02:56:37Good afternoon, commissioners Sam Smalley, Chief Operating Officer. DW DWSD is doing a capacity adjustment project on the west side known as the West Warren or far west area. What we are doing is getting stormwater out of the combined sewer system. We are doing it to reduce flooding to reduce the load on the treatment plan. And it's also the green thing to do. There is a community to the north the Evergreen Farmington sanitation district that is in need of more capacity. Both of these neighborhoods or areas are a tributary to the Rouge river that flows from the north to the south. So the project that we are doing is removing flow from this system. The customer to the north needs additional capacity. So they are paying for our $31 million project to remove a greater amount of flow going into that system. The benefit of this is that they currently have sanitary sewer overflows that flow into the Rouge that then flow past to the south. So we're going to end up with cleaner water faster. Through this. What I think is a phenomenal arrangement which is us getting less sewer less flow less stormwater into our sewer, it's less that we have to pay treatment for the rouge is going to be cleaner. So this is a three party arrangement between GL wa the Evergreen Farmington Sanitary Sewer District, and DWSD. I would be happy to answer any questions that you may have
Unknown Speaker
02:58:35here. Commissioner Blackman
Speaker 9
02:58:41someone's messing with my screen. So I could not follow I saw part of what he was saying. But are we on item 2023 139? Yes, we are not showing up for me in terms of okay, I have the motion. That's all I haven't found the sponsor.
Speaker 11
02:59:01Okay, so So you have to get the attachment. Open that up. And
Unknown Speaker
02:59:07the attachment is on the screen.
Unknown Speaker
02:59:10It's on the screen. Yes.
Speaker 3
02:59:11So Commissioner Blackmon what is there something you'd like to see on the screen?
Speaker 9
02:59:16A decorative no on my screen, but that's okay. I'm fine. There was not an attachment is not on my screen.
Speaker 3
02:59:22Do you have any questions about the the agreement itself? No. Okay. Kinloch, do you have any questions?
Speaker 11
02:59:35I don't have any questions. No have any questions on Sam gave a great overview. So we will now vote. All those in favor, signify please signify by saying aye. Aye. Those opposed this action stands. Approved next item on the agenda
Unknown Speaker
03:00:03Okay, yeah, go ahead.
Unknown Speaker
03:00:07Well, let's make your motion first.
Speaker 11
03:00:09Okay, so next item on the agenda is Item Number 2023. Dash 140. A motion is in order to motion his order for this item.
Speaker 9
03:00:24Here I would move that we refer to the Board of Water commissioners for the city of Detroit water and sewage department that to approve the record retention policy and authorize the director to take such other action as may be necessary to effectuate the policy
Speaker 11
03:00:38support. Okay. Who will be speaking to this?
Speaker 3
03:00:43Yeah, so in the interest of time, I see the PowerPoints that are included here in the packet but this is very straightforward policy of how we will retain documents that DWSD it's based on state law plus some enhanced requirements that are greater than state law for how we will retain documents at DWSD and there's there's an attached manual that goes into excruciating detail department by you know, business unit by business unit, what, what it has to be saved and for how long? So the water department owns the records. It's less than something personable personal. The business 
units are the keeper of the records. So records can be kept in paper or electronic and they're not destroyed until the specific time period elapses. So the IT team is basically going business unit by business unit and going through these rules and looking at all the documents that have been, for lack of a better word hoarded it in our offices to see what should be scanned in and retained in a more official way. We've asked that the legal team start first. We have at least 40 banker's boxes of cases and documents and things that are from the prior DWSD and the current that need to be properly indexed. So we ask that you refer this policy for approval.
+1
units are the keeper of the records. So records can be kept in paper or electronic and they're not destroyed until the specific time period elapses. So the IT team is basically going business unit by business unit and going through these rules and looking at all the documents that have been, for lack of a better word hoarded it in our offices to see what should be scanned in and retained in a more official way. We've asked that the legal team start first. We have at least 40 banker's boxes of cases and documents and things that are from the prior DWSD and the current that need to be properly indexed. So we ask that you refer this policy for approval. Speaker 11
03:02:28Yes. And the policy actually was sent out to us and I've been looking at it and the apps it delineates on all the various activities associated with going and all the departments and whatnot. So yes, I did say it and review it is so very, very detailed. And at this time, are there any other questions? Any additional questions? So all in favor of this 14 is for recommendation to the board. For full approval, signify by saying aye. Aye. Aye. Those opposed? This action stands approved next item on the agenda item 2023. That's 142
Speaker 9
03:03:18that we refer to the Board of Water commissioners of the city of Detroit. What are you doing, Robert to approve Amendment One to DWSD contract number 600038 refi vs 1962 With mechanized administrators LLC to add funding in the amount of $500,000 per total contract amount not to exceed $3,500,000 and authorizes the director to take such other action as may be necessary to accomplish the intent of this vote.
Unknown Speaker
03:03:48Thank you, sponsors attorney apostrophes
Speaker 3
03:03:51so as as you may recall when the rain events of 2021 first occurred and we received 1000s 10s of 1000s of phone calls, and about 30 boxes of paper claims for damages. We retained Makena administrators to create an inventory of all claims made they've scanned in all of the damaged documents and they are handling the administration of all the claims they have denied the majority of the claim so far based on my direction as general counsel. There are some claims left to be reviewed. We ran out we simply ran out of money on the contract. My initial estimate was three to 5 million we have exceeded the 3 million so I'm seeking another 500,000 so that they can fulfill their obligations under the contract.
Speaker 11
03:04:54Okay, thank you. Um, let me ask, is there any additional questions of attorney possiblys? Any additional questions?
Speaker 9
03:05:04Questions, just to clarify. This is saying that it was showing stating that we are okay, I'm looking at the two different ones. Okay. Don't move it anymore. Okay, no, I'm fine.
Speaker 11
03:05:25Okay, so you can finish with your question? Yes. Okay. Okay. At this time, all those in favor signify by saying aye. Aye. Those opposed this action on stanza dissection stands approved. Next item on the agenda is the planning calendar.
Speaker 3
03:05:49Attorney. We don't have a planning calendar at this time. The two of us should probably confer. Okay. Do you have in mind that you'd like to be part of this committee? We can. We can plan some things for future months. Okay, thank you. And it's not I don't think it's mandated by your bylaws. It's, it's up to you if you think we want to find in calendar, but I think the format will be pretty similar. Each month is litigation report, voting items, and then I'll give the government affairs report. Okay.
Speaker 11
03:06:24Good, thank you. Okay, and the next item is other add other other matters. So for
Speaker 3
03:06:30other matters, I will for this meeting only we'll put it here is a legislative update. The city has retained squire Patton Boggs as its federal lobbying firm. So the federal lobbying firm works very closely with me. And there has not been much action at the federal level with regard to water affordability. We I talked to them weekly during the height of the ARPA funding, getting approved, the Cares Act money. I mean things during COVID Things were very, very busy, but they've quieted down as far as lobbying at the state level. I humbly bring to you your lobbyist, sir director Brown and Debbie pa speech. We are constantly in contact with state legislators of the governor's administration and there are some very exciting things coming down the pike. First of all, there are two pieces of legislation that I've been working on with Senator Stephanie Chang's office, and the coalition of advocates, professors funders, just a whole group of people. The first one relates to water affordability, and it's to set up a funding mechanism for water affordability programs like lifeline. They are looking at a per meter fee. imposed at the state level. And these fees will be collected by the state and then distributed to the water utilities or the community action agencies to fund approved waterfall stability programs. And it will set up a task force of stakeholders to set up for smaller utilities that can't have their own program, maybe a state run water affordability program. So that's that's a piece of legislation that should be ready for publication very soon. I will provide it to you when I have it. The other one is called a shutoff prevention bill. And it's a bill that gives certain requirements that water utilities must meet before they interrupt service for non payment a lot of notice provisions giving people time to come in. And there's provisions in there that if they are certain income levels and can't afford their bill that they get referred to. It's kind of in conjunction with the water affordability funding bill, they get referred to a program. So I've been heavily involved with drafting that piece of legislation as well. So when the two of those are our final, we have a few more meetings. I will provide those to this committee. Also with regard to federal LiveWatch dollars. There is a meeting at the end of June with a large group of stakeholders and Debbie Dingles office. She has candidly stated that additional funding at the federal level is is a long shot. That's why we're focusing very heavily on the state level right now. So we still participate. We'll see what happens with that. The other option is expanding LIHEAP. So it includes water, putting more money into the current LIHEAP program instead of setting up a separate program and paying for water assistance do that. A lot of things in motion on that simultaneously, and I'm tracking that as well. Lastly, Director Brown and our Chief of Staff Matt Phillips, will be attending the new ACC conference in San Diego next week. New ACC is an association of utilities. And DWSD is one of maybe a handful of water utilities. In the past this group is the one that's been lobbying for water for electric and gas bills. But we were going to bring a stronger presence of the water utilities into this group. And this group will probably be the one that advocates for expansion of LIHEAP to food water as well. So, Director Brown is making a presentation about lifeline. Matt Phillips was active in that group in his prior life and saw. So we have we have our our feet firmly planted in the water affordability issue around the country. And I will just keep you posted every month. There should be new information because things are moving fast. The time is right to keep going on long term funding for these Waterford affiliate programs. As it stands right now, most of the people we talked to want to mimic lifeline across the state and across the nation. But what may be the end result is legislation that kind of sets basic parameters for any kind of affordability program. And if you meet the basic parameters, you can go with your own program, which is helpful to us as well because then we can make changes as needed. So that's that's the update from the legislative level. And you know, if there's other topics you'd like us to discuss in this committee, we're certainly happy to add to the agenda. The chair of the board has mentioned maybe splitting up the committee's to different days. So the day isn't so long like it was today and really we had very little public comment. I think I have a public comment day these five meetings would go past five o'clock. So I think when the board meets on the third Wednesday of this month as a whole, you may want to discuss whether you'd like the committee's all in one day or you'd like to bring it up.
Speaker 11
03:13:03I'm thinking just on the day like you just said because I've mentioned at the last meeting that we voted on creating this committee, we want to see how it would last How would flow absolutely correct because there's gonna be some times when we have something 10 times on it. We'll look at where we are now. We will be here after five o'clock. So yeah, I would always support the idea of, of moving spilling a couple of days up. Yeah.
Speaker 3
03:13:31Well, that's trying to be mindful of the time but you can see everyone's pretty excited about what they bring for the body in the various committees.
Unknown Speaker
03:13:42Oh, absolutely. And don't want to be rushed either.
Speaker 3
03:13:44Everyone works hard on on their work product. I guess bring to you.
Speaker 11
03:13:49Yes. So no. So definitely, definitely, um, so um, Monday's would work for me any of the other days would become a problem for me.
Speaker 3
03:13:58Yeah. Okay. Well, we'll work it through.
Unknown Speaker
03:14:01Yep. Okay. Thank you
Unknown Speaker
03:14:05for today for the legal committee.
Speaker 11
03:14:07Okay, thank you. And this was a very good first meeting. Because I'm talking to him, especially from the vantage point of, you know, how you're going out to, to address the, you know, the money owed as well as the conversations that's taking place and landed in Lansing, for permanent funding sources to deal with water affordability. And so this, this was great, great report. So looking forward to future meetings. And so with that, we will now go to the next item on the agenda, which is adjourn, correct? Yes. Your support and all those in favor signify by saying aye. The meeting stands adjourned. Thank you,
Unknown Speaker
03:14:56Keeper. Good person meeting. Thank you
Unknown Speaker
03:15:04is that it for all of our meetings? Yes. Oh,
Unknown Speaker
03:15:09exclamation point.
Unknown Speaker
03:15:10Yes. Bye.
Unknown Speaker
03:15:26recording stopped