5.2. ERMUSR 12-14-2010Elk River ^-,
Municipal Utilities
13069 Orono Parkway • P.O. Box 430
Elk River, MN 55330-0430
UTILITIES COMMISSION MEETING
Phone: 763.441.2020
Fax: 763.441.5099
TO: FROM:
Elk River Municipal Utilities Commission David Berg -Water Superintendent
John Dietz, Chair
Jerry Gumphrey, Vice Chair
D 1 Thom son, Trustee
MEETING DATE: AGENDA ITEM NUMBER:
December 14, 2010 5.2
SUBJECT:
Hirin of R lacement Water O erator
BACKGROUND:
At the November 17, 2009 meeting, the Commission was informed of the resignation of one of the water
department's operators. At that time the recommendation to the Commission was to hold-off on replacing
the operator in the short term, assess the workload, and return to the Commission in the ls` quarter of
2010 with a request for permission to implement a replacement strategy.
DISCUSSION:
Although past the 1 s` quarter of 2010, the water department superintendent and employees have recently
discussed the workload issues related to operating shorthanded for this extended period of time. The
water department is recommending replacing the water operator at this time. This action is budgeted in
the 2011 plan and is necessary to accomplish the following goals: water meter change-outs, well up-keep,
system maintenance, customer service, irrigation, tower maintenance, and implementation of conservation
programs. Under the current staffmg levels, the water department staff has been unable to meet the Water
Distribution Maintenance Program schedule as adopted in ERMU policy, even with the water
superintendent shifting focus to perform water operator duties. Replenishing the water department
staffing to the previous level through the hiring of the requested water operator will free up the water
superintendent's time to address more strategic issues, versus being time limited to address only day-to-
day workload concerns.
To support this request, refer to the Municipal Utility Benchmarking Analysis included under agenda item
5.1. ERMU services 72% more customer meters per FTE (full-time equivalent) than the average of the
16 utilities in the benchmarking analysis. Per the same analysis, ERMU also maintains 28% more miles
of water mains per FTE and pumps considerably more gallons per day than the other utilities in the
benchmarking.
ACTION REQUESTED:
At this time, the utilities is seeking the Commission's approval to hire a replacement water operator in an
expeditious manner for the position left open with the departure of a water operator in Nov. of 2009.