VINTON MUNICIPAL ELECTRIC UTILITY BOARD MEETING
NOVEMBER 14, 2017
A regular meeting of the Vinton Municipal Electric Board of Trustees was held on the 14th day
of November, 2017, at 5:00 p.m., at the Line Distribution Office, Vinton, Iowa. Chairman
Woodhouse presided and the roll being called the following board members were present and
absent: Present: Barron, Elwick, Kremer, Woodhouse. Absent: Anderson.
Motion by Kremer, second by Elwick to approve the minutes of the October 10th meeting.
Question: Yes – All. The Chairman declared the motion carried.
Motion by Kremer, second by Woodhouse to approve invoices in the amount of $228,660.64.
Question: Yes – All. The Chairman declared the motion carried.
General Manager Richtsmeier reported a resident that lives near the property that had their
security light removed would like a street light installed. A street light is for traffic safety.
Richtsmeier will discuss this with the police chief.
Motion by Barron, second by Kremer to approve the agenda. Question: Yes – All. The
Chairman declared the motion carried.
Richtsmeier reported the iVinton subcommittees are scheduling meetings. The marketing
committee is meeting tonight. Barron is on the finance committee and asked if the electric utility
would share any cost of burying lines for a telecommunications utility. The electric utility would
own the infrastructure and lease it to the telecommunications utility. Curtis Dean and Todd
Kielkopf are sources of information for the iVinton committee.
Motion by Elwick, second by Barron to approve an energy adjustment factor of negative .003
cents per kWh for November billings. Question: Yes – All. The Chairman declared the motion
carried.
VMEU owns approximately 36 acres near 69 kV substation. The Trustees discussed the
possibility of selling a part of this ground. They would like to keep at least 6 acres, in case if it
was ever decided to move the generation plant away from the river. They would prefer a
commercial entity that used a fair amount of kilowatts build on this land. The zoning of this
ground is residential.
Richtsmeier reported that the roof of the distribution building had 9 leaks. He has one quote
for a new roof and will seek a second quote. A new roof could be installed next spring and the
expense would be in this fiscal year.
Richtsmeier stated that Lineman Smith is planning to retire in January. Richtsmeier is working
with Brad Still on a job description. They would like someone with 5 to 10 years of lineman
experience.
Motion by Woodhouse, second by Elwick to receive and file the October revenue and
expenditure report. Question: Yes – All. The Chairman declared the motion carried.
OCTOBER 2017
Begin.
Balance Receipts Expenses
Transfers
In/Out
End.
Balance
Operating 3,396,313.58 428,486.75 345,198.72 0.00 3,479,601.61
Capital
Improvement 2,235,059.43 288.37 0.00 0.00 2,235,347.80
Self Insurance 750,000.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 750,000.00
Richtsmeier stated that Police Chief Paxton inquired about a contribution for a defibrillator for
a squad car.
General Manager Richtsmeier reported on: 1) Participated in a 6th grade career day on
October 13th 2) RPGI meeting Oct. 24th. 3) HISS hearing testing Oct. 31st. 4) Safety group
meeting Nov. 2nd. 5) Fred Pryor human resource meeting Nov. 7th. 6) Gave information to city
administrator on street signal lights. 7) Coggon is looking at VMEU’s old digger. 8) Unit 20 was
backed into. A repair cost estimate was given to the driver’s insurance company. 9) J. Long is
now up to 5 pound lifting restriction.
Secretary reported Incode, the software company, is working on splitting out the monthly base
electric meter charge for utility billing. The Bethlehem Lutheran Church recently made a
contribution to the Project Share fund.
Motion by Elwick, second by Kremer to adjourn the meeting. Question: Yes – All. The
Chairman declared the motion carried. Time: 6:05p.m.
_____________________________
Dr. Alan S. Woodhouse Chairman
Attest: _______________________
Cindy Michael Secretary