To the agenda as proposed, hearing none all those in favor please say aye. Hi, those opposed. All right, then that is adopted. Then next we move on to the approval of the minutes of April the 19th. Commissioners.
I will look only at the minutes. That's important.
It's been moved and supported any corrections or revisions to the minutes as presented. Hearing none, all those in favor please say aye. Aye. Opposed and that is adopted. All right. Next we come to public comment. And we will be making the introduction regarding how we will be conducting public comment.
Now, here you
Good afternoon to make a comment. If you are in person, please sign the sign in sheet Your name will be called and you can proceed to the microphone. If you are online, 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 if you are online or on the phone after a name is called it will give 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're online or star six if you are calling and as a reminder, you will have a limit of three minutes to make your comment. There will be a timer indicating your remaining time 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 with you 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 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 on site comments will go first, followed by online and on the phone. Thank you for your attention.
All right, thank you very much. I'd like to begin by recognizing Mr. Dale Williams. Mr. Williams, please come forward. Good afternoon, sir. You have the floor.
Good afternoon. My name is Dale Williams and I'm the controller at Fago beverages. In August of 2022. I received notification that our water rates would increase from where they had been previously for Faygo beverages that amounted to a 69% increase in water from our typical usage. six cents a gallon is our new rate. The rate structure that was implemented to an inclining block structure for all customers whereas those who use more water pay more even though it is cheaper. To service higher volume customers and what it is those who use less the result is that less six those there excuse me sorry. You the policy has has moved a substantial cost increase to commercial and industrial customers and we are no longer treated uniformly in the in the rate structure. posing a 69% increase in our water rates causes companies to think you know why they remain in the city of Detroit when the cost of is is going up. vaguer was banned in Detroit for 115 years we've demonstrated a long standing commitment to the city to its citizens providing a lot of good paying jobs. But as companies move out of Detroit, for various reasons, that leaves less customers to continue to pay and cover up more and more costs. One of the items that we don't understand fully is a move from a $20 million. What previously had been sewage costs to water costs, and that is a significant cost drivers. Other cities around the country of similar size of Detroit have different classifications of of groups of users cities such as Pittsburgh, San Diego, Tucson, Columbus, Louisville, Milwaukee breakout, residential and commercial industrial rates. When the rate was set, there was no water. There was no rate structure Advisory Council, and there was no opportunity for public comment just a letter informing us that our rates had gone up. If we're going we should have equity within our rates within enter within rates if we're going to have a water rate for residents and a water rate for commercial and business industry. We should take a look at that. But there's policy that we have right now in place where business and industry is penalized and for failure that happened to be a 69% increase in water is an inequitable water rate structure. Thank you.
Stay there. I'll call on Sam Smalley.
Yes. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We we conducted a comprehensive cost of service study using one of the nationally known rate study consultants who looked at our overall water versus sewer cost allocations and ensuring that the costs were being allocated appropriately. All of that being said we'd be happy to meet with Fago to determine how they're being billed and what options may exist.
I mean, if and I have no reason to believe what you're saying is not true. I mean, 69% just doesn't sound right. So we've got your contact information, Mr. Williams. And Mr. Smalley are one of his designees will specifically follow up with you. And we'll go over your account and see if we're treating it the right way. Okay. I would greatly appreciate that. All right. And thank you. I grew up in Detroit. We don't want to go to leave I grew up on the east side in Detroit. We don't like to go.
Next, Mr. Perron Good afternoon, Miss Perrin, how are you?
Good afternoon. Thank you for your attention. I am speaking as individual as advocate for seniors. I'd like to know what types of programs are being put into place to assist seniors who are above the poverty income level but are in need of plumbing and water, say repairs or services to the residents. Such as things regarding impervious impervious surfaces like charging them for long driveways when they have been maybe residents for over 5040 years. Maintenance, interior maintenance for their fixtures like toilets, sinks tubs where they're leakage but they don't. They don't they're being taken advantage of because of they don't have contractors to really come in and give them credible service. basement backups and hydrostatic pressure issues that many people with older homes are being faced with. And then also COVID moratorium moratorium which prevented the fluid process of transacting business regarding water bill payments between landlords and tenants. So I'd like to know what types of things that the water department is going to put into place to address these issues. So that we'll have sustainability of the citizens in the city of Detroit, that they won't want to move out because of lack of services. And also contacting on the phone it's still a problem with the weight of being answered on when you call the water department. Thank you. Thank you,
Mr. Chairman. We have her contact information and I was suggested we assemble a small team of customer service as well as technical people who can help answer some of the questions that she raised.
Yes, we have your contact information is paren. And thank you very much. We will follow up. Sure, Commissioner black.
I'm curious about the concern about the wait time so if she could share with with whoever she's talking to, what wait time she's experiencing because we've been getting very good reports about the amount of time customers have to wait to get to our customer service representatives. Thank you.
All right, and Sherry Robinson.
Miss Robinson, Chris Roberts. Oh, Chris Robinson. Pardon me. Sorry, Mr. Robinson. Okay, thank you. Mr. Robinson, welcome.
I'm here as an individual. We've seen the concerning increase in crime, gun violence, bad adult behavior, especially reckless driving in our community. And we've heard the mayor, the Detroit Police, the Michigan State Police, the FBI and the US Attorney's Office, put the call out for help. Because all residents and visitors in the Eastern District of Michigan deserve to feel safe in their homes, in the public and on the road. I'm asking this animal body to answer that call by leveraging the untapped and overlooked influence and resources of DWSD to let the current and future customers know that crime, violence and bad behavior will not be tolerated in the DWSD service addresses and areas. I need to speak with someone in the legal department so we can discuss and explore more ways, ways for the DWSD to launch a program to assist in stopping crime, violence. Bad adult behavior before it begins, like DWSD can sponsor by invitation only gun buyback programs they can up the ante on rewards that the Detroit Police Department Crime Stoppers, one 800 Speak up and they can also encourage and remind customers to bring the new year in 2024 with the celebratory flush of their toilets instead of a bang from their guts. Also, we seen that we heard the devastating staffing cuts that face our D. P S CD schools no because of the enrollment drops to one COVID. My understanding is that if enrollment was increased by as little as 2000 students this would help prevent these drastic cuts from occurring. I'm asking this honorable body to help DPS recruit up to 5000 students by crafting a multi year incentive program and targeting current DWSD customers with children residing in the city and that are currently enrolled in schools outside of DPS. Now give them a reasonable break on their water bills in exchange for them enrolling. Or re enrolling their kids in DPS CD. Just like the 15 year property tax abatement the city afforded those residents that purchase those beautiful high priced homes along the lower east side along the river. I think it's called Sheriff shore point you know, whom at the time needed that incentive to overcome the high property taxes that came along with subject properties.
So if you can put me in touch with somebody we can cooperate, make this happen.
All right. Thank you. Mr. Robinson. Thank you. I have no other names that have signed in is are there any other people in the room that would like to address the board? If so, come on down to the podium. I don't see anybody do we have anybody online?
Yes, Mr. Chair, we have Cecily McClellan.
Mr. or Miss McCollum Miss, Miss, Miss. Miss.
Yes. Good afternoon. I am Cecily McClellan. I'm representing Detroit. I like to thank the board for this opportunity to speak. We appreciated the relationship we have had with DW SD over the past year, allowing the community input into the lifeline policy. As a result, we believe the policy is more reflective of the needs of the residents of Detroit. As DWSD staff has agreed this is a living document that will change or evolve over time. The true test of the effectiveness of any policy is implementation and outcome. This is why we plan to pay close attention to the role and relationship of DWSD with the third party administrator in five point 2.3. It is the responsibility of the third party administrator to enroll residents who exceed the water allowance or CCF and water conservation measures program. However, and 4.0 and six point 4.3 It is the customer's responsibility to contact Wayne metro or a third party administrator to schedule a water conservation audit and possible plumbing repairs. We would like to know how the rest of residents been informed of this policy and how many residents have contacted way Metro the third party administrator who have exceeded their water allowance to schedule a water conservation order and request funding repairs since implementation of the program. And six point 6.1 a hardship exemption for program arrears indicates that a resident may contact the third party administrator to apply for a waiver who has extenuating circumstances in paying their lifeline bill or due to high uses within the current theory billing period have the customer has been informed of the hardship policy waiver and how many customers ever apply for the waiver for billing or high uses since implementation of the program in six? Point 7.1 relates to failure to comply with the lifeline plan. Requirements. It says DWSD will contact the third party administrator when you measure when a customer fails to comply with requirements related to meter installation payment or forward forwarding of one month's balance. The TPA will then begin outreach services to provide case management services as DWSD notify Wayne metro to initiate outreach to provide case management to customers in non compliance particularly as it relates to non payment of a lifeline bill in January DWSD reported over 2500 customers that Miss paying their last bill this will cause a customer to what was called the customer paying $18 Bill to miss that payment. A good policy can be totally ineffective if it is implemented poorly or not at all. Thank you very much.
Thank you Miss McClellan.
Mr. Chair we have Tiana Starks. All right.
Ms. Stark
Hi. Thank you. My name is Tiana Starks. I am the director of communications with with the people of Detroit. Thank you all for allowing us to be here today and to speak with you. I would like to echo necessery sentiments and that we appreciate DWSD is engagement with with the people of Detroit. The water justice advocates in the community as a whole over the last year. I want to specifically thank Deborah puppies for her responsiveness to our questions. As it relates to door knocking. We had a couple of questions and you sent over a map that shows where doors have been not. And we just had some additional questions regarding the effectiveness of the door knocking campaign. Are you able to provide actual numbers for the number of people that have been made contact with and that have actually enrolled in the plan of those 49,000 doors? Based on the map it looks like the vast majority have not been completed. So we just wanted to get some insight on the actual data around that.
All right, thank you very much. Miss Stark
Mr. Chair we have next Monroe Schneider.
Mr. Schneider
Yes.
Good afternoon, sir. You have the floor.
Okay, very good. Very good. I've been trying to reach you for a while but I'll tell you what. I'm reaching for. I'm representing the faith base. churches in the city of Detroit. And we're having a problem with the drainage fee and the drainage fee as an accountant. I see I've been with a farm and we've done nothing but rates. But I see this is being misapplied for the same reason that you have one rate for all and these churches that have parking lots cannot afford to pay the high drainage be and operate the same way. Now what what I see is that the missile application is is that you're charging churches the same as you would charge salvage yards. You have junkyards and what have you that operate 24 hours a day 365 days a year in oil, Russ org kinds of drippings, whatever it may come in into the sewage system, so I can see that you may charge them which is justifiable, but you're charging church basis just because they have a parking lot. That's the same size as a junkyard you're charging them at the same rate. And the drainage most certainly is not the same. So I think it's a misapplication as Endicott as an accountant. There's a principle we have as a matching principle. That is you mess usage, with lands, whatever you're doing, and the uses of a church for instance, is 10 hours a week, at the most, but you're charging him at the same rate. And you have dread you're driving churches out of the city. You had one that was on Van Dyck, now in the Van Dyck chose to call Van Dyck but as a nine mile in Warren, Michigan. You have another church that moved to Roseville and then and they have bought a van to transport their people to Roseville from the city of Detroit. Now we have to do something about this because there's a miss plying when you have matching acreage, you learn that you're not taking in consideration usage and usage of a junkyard, most certainly isn't the same as the usage of a church parking lot. The drainage is not the same and your drainage charge should be matching the uses as well. And I appreciate if you can reconsider. What you what was happening here because what you're doing is you're driving people right out of the city. So I think that this is one thing that committee should read that you should go back and see exactly why you're charging these fees other than that and base it on more on usage, rather than just acreage.
Thank you. Is it Reverend Snyder? Are you a pastor sir?
All right, I'll just make one comment. I think we all appreciate the nature of the remarks. Regretfully, we are legally prohibited from charging different rates to different customers based on what kind of customer they are. But any individual rate payer who believes that they they are entitled to some relief from the drainage charges should contact us and we can visit that site and discuss whether or not what we're charging is is accurate and correct. And also talk about the potential for some opportunities to turn impervious surfaces into pervious surfaces that could reduce somebody's drainage fees. Okay. All right. And
may actually one other thing short, I've met with with Mr. Brown and what have you at the church I've met with them. And I can tell you right now and I've read the Court of Appeals when the they justified the charges of drain and storm fee. I exactly know exactly what it says and how you're charging have nothing to do with that. It has everything to do with you're basing acreage, against usage and you're not taking that in consideration.
Okay, well, thank you very much for your comments. Is there anyone else who would like to address the board?
Mr. Chair? Next up is Narelle him Phil
Canfield. him feel Mr. Canfield?
Good afternoon. My name is yes, this is attorney neuro Hemphill. I'm an Equal Justice Works fellow and I work in coalition with we the people of Detroit on water affordability in Detroit. I would like to thank the board today for your time and for allowing us this time in public comment. Since June of last year, we work diligently with the Board of Water commissioners on the lifeline plan Detroit lifeline plan. And the reason that we do this type of work is to make sure that the policies and procedures that are implemented by the Board of Water commissioners are the best for the residents of Detroit or of Detroit. And aren't more harmful to Detroiters. We want to thank I want to thank you for this last revision of the lifeline plan. It has come a long way. And as we look forward, I think there's a couple of things that we need to do to still tweak it. And of course as we know as mom says Lisa earlier this is a living document. Before I get into that, do I want to say thank you for the online portal. I think that that helps people to see in real time how the Detroit Lifeline is changing people's lives and impacting the community in a positive way. We definitely need a process for customers. That's customer facing that outlines the policy in a way that makes it very easy to digest. So that customers know exactly what to expect from the policy document and where to go when they have issues. Something like a flowchart or some visual representation that is available not only online, but but that is tangibly available. So I'm not sure if this gets mailed out or whatever, because I'm not sure if the service centers are open now as we still are in COVID but something that that clearly defines where customers can go for help and what those procedures are based on the lifeline policy document. Again, we've come a long way. And I think if we continue to to fine tune these things that we can get it more close to water affordability and securing the Human Rights water for Detroiters. Thank you
Thank you, ma'am. Have we any other Yes,
Mr. Chair, we have three more hands raised. Next up is Taylor pine.
Taylor, kind. Hi.
Good afternoon and thanks for the opportunity to speak today. My name is Taylor pine. And I'm on the communications team at with the people of Detroit first and foremost, I wanted to thank the board for receiving feedback from residents and from advocates as well. I really appreciate their acknowledgement that this policy is a living document as some of my colleagues have previously stated. And I appreciate the acknowledgement that this document can be changed when needed to best suit the needs of our residents. I echo the statements which my colleagues have already made, and I'd especially like to reinforce my colleague attorney Narelle hen Pils point about the need for policy clarifications and also about the resident facing document to explain and clarify the policy. Specifically, I believe that residents would benefit from having access to a user friendly web page and or printed documentation providing details about overconsumption charges, which is mentioned in Section six point 3.4 And also usage requirements which are mentioned in Section six point 3.2. In reviewing these sections Personally I found the current language was lacking detail and clarity. I believe that a resident facing document would be beneficial to ratepayers, as well as to the water service provider as it would ensure that residents have a comprehensive understanding of the policy which they're enrolled in. Thank you so much for your time and the opportunity to to provide feedback today.
Thank you this time.
Mr. Chair, we have Gwendolyn Howard from We the People.
Ms. Howard, good afternoon. You have the floor.
Good afternoon. Again, I am also from the the people of Detroit and we thank you for working closely with us on this Lifeline program. My colleagues have just about covered all of the issues that we have, but in reviewing the map that was provided to us about the 49,000 door knockers and and what have you it does not the key does not work with the map. So they are not correlated together. You it's not an understanding their or what was done and and who responded and how they responded. The question at the end said something to the effect that maybe they were home and maybe they weren't. So maybe a clarity on that and how we could actually use that in our knowledge for I'm trying to see who responded how they responded if they responded. So the key does not follow the map with the x's in the in the color chart and so forth and so on. It's actually not even legible to know which color that supposed to be. So my colleagues have covered everything and we thank you so much for allowing us to review, adjust and suggest and you respond in a timely manner. So my colleagues at We the people of Detroit have covered just about everything on the Lifeline program, but I would like to ask one thing the water and sewage mentioned by that pastor, how did that come about? And if at some point can we get that answer? Why is there water and sewage that how what what started that it wasn't always there. So is there a end to this or I know we have to still pay the water and sewage especially the churches that what how, how did that I thought it originated as paying a debt. And now it's permanent. So is there into that or is it merged in or what?
Thank you very much Miss Howard.
Mr. Chair. That is public comment.
All right. Let me ask Is there anybody in the room or online who would like to address the board? Hearing none, then we will close public participation.
Mr. Chair, yes,
someone raised their hand. Monica Louis Patrick,
Ms. Patrick.
Ms. Patrick, are you there? Can you unmute yourself?
Hello, can you hear me?
Yes, ma'am. Good afternoon. Yes, sir. Thank
you so much, Mr. Chair, and greetings to the commissioners. And I would just like to join my colleagues and my team from the the people of Detroit and also thanking the commissioners as well as DWSD, the staff, Mr. Brown, and, of course, a special dose of gratitude to miss factcheck who has been very responsive to our requests and many of our emails over the last almost close to a year now of trying to work through the different nuances of the Detroit lifeline. But we will want to thank you for allowing the public input and also for the ongoing focus on making the lifeline plan a successful possibility for water affordability in our city. And we believe that the improvements to the lifeline will also help to inform movement at the state level for water affordability. We're in alignment about the importance of getting it right for Detroiters, and we the people of Detroit's team has spent countless hours reviewing the lifeline plan policy and correlating it with the website to ensure that the information is accurate, and that there is clarity in terms of the roles, the responsibilities, the actions and also the consequences. And to that end, my colleagues are offering areas of specific feedback. But the big picture for us is that all is needed is to keep updating the policy in recognition as has been stated that it is a living and breathing document. We need to make sure that the updated information on the website is also correlated as was stated by not only attorney Hemphill but also by Miss pine, as well as others on our team, that we must have a customer facing document that explains a lot of the complicated information that is either not clear, specific or accessible in ways that the community may need to digest it. And so we're just hoping that the things that we have offered to you today and even over the past year, that the intentions are there that we have nothing but the best and highest good for the success of this body to ensure that water is clean, safe and affordable to the residents of Detroit. So thank you so much for my time. And we look forward to continuing the conversation to get more clarity and more transparency on the document and on ensuring that the residents get the support that they deserve. Thank you, sir.
Thank you, Ms. Patrick. All right. Is there anyone else? Hearing none, then we will close out public participation and we will turn to the agenda as adopted we are on item number five and item number six. Six A is the monthly report of requests pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act. Are there any questions on any of those requests? And can we have a motion to receive and file
Mr. Chair that we received in file? All right, it's been moved.
It's been seconded. Are there any questions on any of those requests? Hearing none, all those in favor please say aye. Aye. Those opposed, and that motion is adopted. Item B is our report regarding damage claims for March 1 Can I have a motion to receive and file
your move approval to receive and file support
and it's been moved and supported? Are there any questions on any of those individual damage claims? Hearing none, all those in favor of the motion please say aye. Aye. Those opposed and that is adopted. Item seven. Are there any items from the commissioners? Colleagues? What's on your mind today?
Beautiful day. It is all right
even with the allergies. It's a beautiful day. All right, then let's move to Item eight unfinished business. There is none. Item nine is the approval of the Consent Agenda. The Consent Agenda consists of items A through G and these are individual motions that have been considered in detail at the committee level and they are being presented to be adopted as a group, however, the Consent Agenda requires unanimous consent. And so let me ask commissioners, Does anyone wish to take any item off the consent agenda and consider it separately?
Move approval of oliday the Consent Agenda
support all right. It's been moved and seconded. Are there any questions or comments? I believe these all come from the finance committee and Commissioner forte is the Chair of the Finance Committee. So it comes with that committee's recommendation. That's correct. Okay. All right. Hearing no other questions or comments, all those in favor of adopting the consent agenda, please say aye. Aye. Those opposed, and that motion is adopted. Next we move to new business item 10. And the first item of new businesses 10. A 202311 12. Is there a motion? Mr. Chair Commissioner Kinloch.
Move approval of this item. Page has a resolution on
it's on page four at the top of the page. Item A
page for
H 4048 40400. Okay, thank you. Do
solution right here. Yes, Mr. Chair? Yes. Upon recommendation of SR Rahman, CFO, CFO of the ward, Detroit water and sewage department. I moved that the Board of Water commissioners approved the accompany water supply system capital improvement plan for fiscal years 2024 through 2028. And for fiscal year 2024 capital budget and also authorize the director and the chief financial officer to take such other action as may be necessary to accomplish the intent of this vote.
All right, it's been moved. Is there a second? Second? Any discussions or questions? Commissioner?
I just have a question. We're approving this. It's not here yet. It's 24 to 28. In that process, does somebody monitor this system? I'm just asking.
Well, I'm sure the answer is yes. Okay. Is it monitored every every year? I think we revisit this every year.
Looking at it every year.
The rolling approval? Yes. Is that correct, Sam?
Yes, Mr. Chairman, this is our five year CIP. I would say it's actually monitored on a daily basis.
I think a lot of money very frequently, yes.
And it is a rolling rolling period. So
this time next year, or sometime close we will be taking a look at it again and looking at it for Okay. Thank you. Thank you. There's this require all okay. Any other comments? Hearing none, let's call the row. Housing. Yes.
Commissioner Blackman. Yes. Commissioner Garcia? Yes. Mr. Kandla. Commissioner for tick. Yes.
All right. That is adopted next. Item B 2023 113. Mr. Chair, Commissioner forte.
I'd like to move that upon the recommendation of this ticker Rahman, Chief Financial Officer of the Detroit water and sewerage department. The Board of Water commissioners approved the accompanying sewer disposal system capital improvement program for fiscal years 2024 through 2028 and the fiscal year 2024 capital budget, and also authorizes Director and CFO to take such other action as may be necessary to accomplish the intent of this vote. Second,
it's been moved and seconded. Any discussion? Hearing none, let's call the roll.
All right. And that is adopted. Next item C 20231 28. Commissioner Kinloch?
Yes, Mr. Chair, on recommendation. I moved that upon recommendation of general counsel on that the Board of Water commissioners for the cities for water and sewage department authorizes the director to enter into an easement agreement with Lexington village preservation limited dividend Housing Association LLC, a Michigan limited liability company with an address of 41 800 West 11 Mile Road and no VI and Henry Ford Health System, a nonprofit corporation of Michigan located at 1/4 place Detroit, Michigan and for the purpose of maintenance and repair of a DWSD watermain and also authorizes the director to take such other action as may be necessary to accomplish the intent of this vote.
Is there a second or questions or comments? We are we are granting an easement or we are being granted an easement.
Okay, for profit, we are going to
take the virus online he can speak to that
and to renew it and
it's good afternoon commissioners we are we are receiving an easement in order to maintain access to a new roof. Okay, yes. 10 foot watermain
do we have to pay for it? No. That's good. Okay, any other questions or comments? All right. All those in favor of accepting this easement. please say aye. Hi. Those opposed and that is adopted. My other question is, I didn't know we had mains. In the suburbs. I thought that was all great lakes.
No, this is in the city of Detroit.
Okay, just owned by Sheridan.
Okay. Thank you. Then the next item is Item D. Amendment to the bylaws of the Board of Water commissioners. Is there a motion?
Mr. Chair? Yes, I move that upon the recommendation and opinion of Deborah enpass Beach, General Counsel. The Board of Water commissioners for City of Detroit water and sewerage department hereby approves an amendment to Article Nine of its bylaws to establish the legal and Government Affairs Committee and authorizes the board secretary to take such other action as may be necessary to accomplish the intent of this vote and to notify the public moved in
supported discussion. We are the principal reason we are adapting this amendment to the bylaws. were motivated by two things. One is the Open Meetings Act in which we will be limiting the number of committee members to three which means we will be able to conduct those meetings virtually. And we are adding a new subject matter committee that will deal with legal affairs and governmental affairs. I've asked Commissioner Kinloch and he is agreed to chair that new committee. And so that is principally what motivates us. Other comments or questions about this change to our bylaws
just to clarify who will be staffing?
I assume the Office of the General Counsel. But that's a decision for the director to make.
Mr. Chair, yes, the bylaws does state that the chief legal officer will be present at our meetings. All right. I'm sorry.
Well, then, colleagues, I want to raise this question. We are adding another committee. Our practice has been to conduct all of the committee meetings on the first Wednesday of every week, every month, every month. Pardon me. Yeah, we don't we don't work that hard. Every month with the addition of a new committee. I'm curious about your thoughts do we keep our current structure or should we be considering considering changing the scheduling and the fact that we can do this virtually mitigate mitigates the obligations of people to come here in person? What are your thoughts?
I'm fine with escaping because even the actions that we get there don't seem to be a lot from late as far as litigation or whatnot. Um, so I think we can try try it right now the same day
when we have some long Wednesday afternoons.
Yeah, yes, we do.
Maybe you're right. Let's try it and see what happens and, and we can make a change and of course, people now know. They can participate virtually, and we're still complying with the provisions of the Open Meetings Act. All right, any questions or comments? I'd then on the amendment to the bylaws. All those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Aye. Opposed, and the bylaws are amended. Next is the Director's Report. Mr. Small
Yes. Good afternoon, Sam Smalley, chief operating officer sitting in for Director brown with his Director's Report. So many of you may have seen this in multiple newspapers and media outlets. There was an announcement press conference this week announcing that DWSD is going to ramp up its lead service line replacement. We're our goal is to replace 5000 this year and to replace 10,000 Next year, and every there every year thereafter until we get all estimated 80,000 lead service lines replaced. outside funding remains key to being successful. It's an $800 billion plus project and we need outside funding. In order to accomplish this. We've done a significant amount of work and increased the amount of contractor capacity. Miss Tiffany Jones has done a phenomenal job of reaching out to small and large contractors, both locally statewide and nationally. So we're getting more competition our bids our next offering will be a $45 million offering for lead service lines only that that is structured to allow small, medium and large contractors to equally compete and we plan on awarding to four or six or eight contractors who who have the required skills and experience
the number of inoperable fire hydrants is historically low. Special thanks goes to Neil go sign the hydrant team and make major contracting for jumping on the hydrants. Seven days a week. I've never seen the hydrant number inoperable hydrants is low so they've done a phenomenal job. Just as an aside, we're also looking at a pilot project to start painting hydrants in in anticipation of some of the major events coming to Detroit over the next year. The number of running water services you can tell that our production is matching the demand pretty closely so we have a very high level of productivity with our minor asset repair team called the Mars team within maintenance and repair. We've also had historically low number of breaks and that's continuing till now. As of May 12, we only had 11 breaks. I think the number has actually dropped a few over the last few days. So we've been very blessed with low main breaks recently. One of the major areas that we're focusing on is cleaning our sewers and catch basins. As of the end of April we cleaned 530 That number is actually much higher right now and we're getting probably 20 to 25 a day. It's our goal to to clean at least 3000 on an annual basis. As we add additional full time employees starting in July 16 of the 48 additional technicians are going to be assigned to the sewer group where they will be cleaning sewers and cleaning catch basins so we anticipate a lot of progress in that area. Cleaning sewers is probably one of the highest priorities that we have. Year to date this this says 74 But I checked on it this morning and we're actually at 90 miles of sewers clean so far this year. We have the equipment but we need the people and when they come here in July. The cream of the crop that we get is going to go into this area because we realize it's very important within the meter meter Operations Division, what this slide shows is that our success rate is starting to significantly exceed our failure rates. Meaning when we make the appointments, if we can set successfully complete them. It's a success. We also during the winter because of COVID and supply chain issues ran out of five eighths inch meters. During that period we installed straight pipes or templates on 67 properties. Those have all been replaced now with five eighths meters. We have plenty of meters in stock. And so we're we're there are no impediments. to success in that area. Looking a little deeper at the the failure versus success. The things that prevent our meter technicians from being able to install the meters are either plumbing issues or no access, or stompbox. We have a plumber on staff now. We highly encourage our customers to take advantage of this free program. We will replace the inlet valve the outlet valve or some of the couplings whereas historically our customers have had to hire a plumber to get that work done. We are now offering that as a service
we continue to try to increase the number of remote real estate REITs we are working to eliminate the backlog that we have in this area.
Our revenue protection unit over the last year has recouped $4.9 million 29 In one year since July of 22. They're also helping not only with backfilling and investigations, but they're also starting to play a very significant role in reducing the amount of non revenue water that is water that may be leaking at vacant abandoned houses. They're helping us identify those ensuring that there's no one living in the house before we effectuate a shot. So they're doing a significant amount of investigative work that allows our field crews to be more efficient and effective. So that team is really helping us out a lot.
You see Commissioner Blackmon Oh,
oh if any way are squatters affecting our being able to carry on the business of some of these residences that are abandoned.
Well, we continue to have concerns about just shutting water off. So the RPU team will do investigations to see if the house is truly vacant, or did somebody removed the meter or some of the piping? If if it's just a leak in a truly abandoned vacant house, then we can affect your way to shut which is something that our field crews normally don't do that kind of investigation work. So that's where RPU helps. Now your question about how do we address the spotters? Unfortunately as of right now it's on a case by case basis.
And what with with being there, how are we dealing with on a case by case basis?
We try to see I think Mr. Phillips would like to weigh in do you want to go to what Mike?
So a depending if Sam was right it all depends on the situation. But to give you an example is that when we do find that there are squatters, we will Can't we do go out and do an investigation. We identify who is actually residing at the home, do they have permission to reside at the home and if we find out that it is they don't have permission to be at the home we will contact the local authorities local precinct to come out and do an investigation but our RPU team does a great job of identifying the individuals that are there to ensure whether they should or should not be there but the local authorities are called in fact we had one as a great example at the last commissioners or like the last board meeting. Specifically someone came forward and we did address that and it was turned over to the local precinct for investigation. Thank you
Matt you want to advance this like double duty?
Good afternoon commissioners and Akia branch Penson from the law department just happy to announce that this month or last month and sorry we filed two new collection cases and we're seeking to collect $574,935.16 through those lawsuits. We also brought in $240,453.58 last month bringing our total today up to 1.3 million. The we also revamped the damage claim process and we've made it more streamlined and efficient. Which is definitely allowing us to get through them much quicker.
Afternoon, commissioners Brian Peckinpah, Public Affairs Director and on our two slides from April we had 30 news stories that mentioned DWSD for positive stories highlighted the lifeline plan. Specifically changes in the threshold for water based on the number of people in the home as well as on thank you as well as the other benefits that we made through the that you made through the policy changes. The neutral stories were related to the Highland Park water debt because we are no longer the provider for Highland Park has Great Lakes Water Authority that we had no negative stories. This is a weigh in right there.
Yeah when when
to the big zero we should have made that zero bowl Yeah. Next slide. Thank you for social media activity. Most Important here is our engagements Facebook saw 5346 impressions and 89 link clicks the top performing Facebook posts was do not flush. Just because it says flushable wipes doesn't mean you should flush the toilet. And that's what our pause was on. Opportunity rising video featuring Dave originally from the operations team, the program manager and he has video with the opportunity rising theme that's the city has been doing is actually the most watched opportunity arising video that they have produced so far for any city employee. So we're very proud that one of our own has the most views of any city employee in the future will also be this does not include the paid advertising in the future. We'll also be including that because there's there's some purchased engagement that we have as well. Thank you
I'm Paul Fulton. IT Director of applications. And next slide. So I'm bringing an interesting metric here to share with the board. And this talks about customer contacts that are facilitated by it. Kind of how many times we interact with our customer base on a per month. basis. So what you can see here is we generate a lot of customer contacts with these main contacts of billing email, payments, phone system, and SeeClickFix collectively word facilitating approximately 625,000 contacts with a customer every month. So we're on target to do about six 7.6 million customer contacts for the entire year. And this is for the current fiscal year of July, all the way up through March and we are on target with April with that exact same amount and may is turning out in that same way as and this kind of shows you where how we're interacting with the customer in many ways that aren't always visible from the way customer service might on the phone or on the web or through some of the other feeds just some some of the things you can see from the behind the scenes as well. And the IT investment helps make this possible. Next slide please. And one of the big things that we've done recently was an IVR upgrade and we replaced the IVR system with a newer system to reduce the complexity and overall cost that we make. So this helps reduce the cost and streamline the call flow within the system. And it allowed us to for a small investment relatively speaking about 120,000. We were able to in one year recoup a savings of approximately 150,000 With ongoing costs year over year of the same amount between 150 and 200,000. So it represents a large savings for the department as we move forward.
Commissioner forte, you had a question.
Question on your previous slide. What does SCF uh you may have said it, I missed it
back up one slide, please. SCFs SeeClickFix so this is the improved Detroit application that is accessible on that people can download and put on their phone and access through the website. Thank you.
Thank you. When you're recording contacts,
you send me a bill that's a contact. Yes. So that was a the bill that's another contact. Yes. Okay. So to that one caught one communication to that customer in one direction. When that customer comes back and communicates with us to make the payment. We have another opportunity, another interaction with that same customer.
I go paperless now. I just get an email that's a contact. Okay. Thank you.
Good afternoon, commissioners. Matt Phillips Chief of Staff. I just wanted to give a brief update on customer service. I know we have a committee that we meet on but I just wanted to give a couple of updates for the team. I'm just going to do it verbally as opposed to the screen in the sight of time, we currently have 18,359 of our customers that are currently eligible for lifeline so those of the number of individuals 18,359 that have completed an application and Wayne Metro has vetted and determined that they are eligible for lifeline doesn't necessarily mean that they're receiving the benefit today, just from a timing perspective. But I wanted to give that update. There's been over 1000 in the last week that have signed up for the program, approximately 1700 since my last update, which was unmade the third. So I just wanted to give that update because I think it's pretty significant. It also brings us awfully close and if you can kind of continue the math equation here that before July 1 was, which is when a year from now or a year ago on July 1 is when we first introduced the Lifeline program I believe we started enrollments in August. So before the year is up on this program introduction of this program, I believe that we will meet Director ground director Browns goal of 20,000 enrollees in the program. So I just wanted to celebrate that success. The second piece of it is is that I know one of the comments that came in earlier about customer calls and customers calling in and the time that it takes just wanted to give a quick example and it just lent itself. I was going to give this update as well that we had a low pressure situation yesterday in one of our neighborhoods on the northwest side. We received over 800 phone calls in a 30 minute timeframe. And there's two pieces here to it one. We have approximately 30 individuals that are taking phone calls. If each phone call takes approximately beginning to end 10 minutes per call, you can imagine that there was no possible way that we were going to get through 800 calls within 30 minutes of that timeframe. The interesting piece and I think which lends itself to what Paul Mr. Fulton was just up here speaking about in technology. Some of the additions a month ago I presented some of the new services that we have to be able to track calls and see who's calling and one of those services is transcriptions we can actually we're actually recording the text of what comes through in a voice from both the customer and our agent. One of the really interesting things from my point of view is that a we can use this as training tools because now we have the complete transcript from both the customer and our side. What Paul was able to use within less than 30 minutes, was able to look at that data and determine the words low pressure, no water, and including some of the mileage or the mile roads that customers were calling in for so we can identify relatively quickly that the issue was not something that was technology based it was more something of our assets. So I just wanted to bring that up as well. There was also an a question earlier about the capital improvement program and when it's reported, and I just wanted to mention that on a monthly basis. The CIP or the the Improvement Program is a committee and it's presented on a monthly basis. So I just wanted for the record just announced that thank you any questions? I believe that conducts the sorry, Sam, but I believe that conducts the directors report.
I'm not gonna cover finance or HR. No,
we do that in committee.
All right. Any questions or comments with regard to any of the aspects of the directors report? Collecting 5 million bucks through by our investigation team and what was the number from legal 2,000,001 point 3,000,001 point 3 million. You know, as the director reminds us, anybody who doesn't pay means everybody else has to pay for them. And so I think the numbers themselves compared to our entire budget, our modest numbers, everything helps. And so those are that's very good news. All right. Any other comments or questions? Yes. It's not her forte.
Yeah. It's just along those lines to in terms of commendation, I, the team that the investigations team, their focus on non revenue water is really admirable, but they're getting started. That they're making some headway in that issue, which is an extremely costly and expensive drain on the system.
Really, it's this it's the same equation because water is running. We're paying for it, thankfully, and can't bill for it. Okay, other questions or comments? Then, are there any comments by the commissioners?
commendations, who are all of our staff employee?
When with regard to comments by the chair, the other thing that take away from the directors report is the ongoing success of the Lifeline program. I think it's one of the most extraordinary things that's happened in my tenure on this board. It is reflected both in terms of people who are not going to face shut offs. In fact, they're there they're immediately frozen from a shut off. It's also reflected in the tenor of the communications we have with the water advocates. I don't want to tell people stop complimenting us. Because but it's it's it's nice. That's not the way it was nice to hear a year and a half ago. All right, any other matters to come before the commissioners, then a motion to adjourn is in order. It's been moved. And seconded by Commissioner forte. All those in favor of a journeying please say aye. Aye. All those opposed. Watch your email. I'm going to be soliciting soliciting your preferences in terms of moving forward with our committees. Okay, thank you. We are adjourned.
