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October 30, 1998AMSA Proceeds with Purchase of 1816 Jefferson Place N.W.
On October 20 AMSA entered into a real estate purchase agreement with Americans United for the Separation of Church and State for the purchase of 1816 Jefferson Place, NW, in Washington, DC. The purchase price is $1,650,000 and the terms for the seller's departure (including a post-sale occupancy lease) are generally consistent with the timing of our lease obligations at our current location. We are now into our 45-day inspection period, with a complete inspection of the building scheduled for completion the week of November 9. The firm doing the inspection is the Loudoun Group, a Virginia based organization recommended highly by John Barron, with Squire, Sanders & Dempsey in Washington, D.C. They are extremely thorough and plan to provide us with a detailed report covering all major systems of the building. We have also begun to work closely with a few banks to secure financing for the purchase, with the Century Bank in D.C. already offering a commitment to provide up to 90% financing (with a 10 year call) over 30 years with an interest rate of 7.5% for the first 5 years. Finally, we have reviewed building expenses provided by the seller and find them within the parameters for commercial buildings, approximately $10.00 per square foot. Real estate taxes and other expenses to operate and maintain the building were $90,200 for 1995, $79,100 for 1996, $81,700 for 1997, and $86,100 for 1998. This should be lower for the next three years because the assessed value of the property has been modified from $1,902,000 to $1,500,000. We have until Friday, December 4 to decide whether to move forward to settlement. A more complete report will be provided to the Board the week of November 23, if not sooner.Resource Guide Readied For Online Response The information gathering phase of AMSA's latest management undertaking, Competitive Management Practices for Public Utility Operation: An AMSA/AMWA Resource Guide , is about to begin. The project is designed to collect from among AMSA and Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies (AMWA) members descriptive and quantitative information on best practices in the delivery of support services within utilities. The information collected, via online survey instrument, will be indexed and made available through the association's web sites, and potentially produced in hard copy form. The initial survey instrument has undergone review by AMSA's Competitive Management Committee (formerly Competitiveness Workgroup) is being finalized for release online for member agency response in the near future. The Resource Guide is scheduled for release in early February 1999, in conjunction with AMSA's 1999 Winter Conference, Running Your Utility as a Business. . .Entrepreneurial Successes in the Wastewater Industry.
POTW Radioactivity Guidance Document Under Development by National Biosolids Partnership
In anticipation of a nationwide survey of radioactivity content in POTW biosolids, the National Biosolids Partnership (NBP) approved funding support in the amount of $6,000 for AMSA to develop a guidance document to guide wastewater operators and others in assessing the discharge of radioactive materials from Nuclear Regulatory Commission licensees into sewer systems. The guidance will also serve as information and technical support to POTWs to facilitate participation in the joint NRC-EPA survey scheduled for late 1998. The document, which will be developed by a workgroup of AMSA member agencies and a contractor, is scheduled to be completed by the end of the year. An initial draft of the document and meeting of the workgroup was held during the AMSA-EPA Pretreatment Coordinators' Workshop in Kansas City, MO in late October.WERF Given Tentative Approval by NBP to Manage Development of National Manual of Good Practice
During the AMSA-WEF Officers meeting held in conjunction with WEFTEC, the two organizations were requested by the NBP Management Committee to consider how to reduce overhead expenses for the administration of all projects developed by the Partnership. The Management Committee also asked that WERF express an interest in managing the development of the National Manual of Good Practice which is an essential component of the comprehensive Management System for Biosolids (MSB). Under a proposal advanced by WERF for the manual development, the Partnership would be represented on a WERF Project Steering Committee and that the Steering Committee would be part of the review process used by the Principal Investigator. During a conference call held among the principals of these organizations and the Management Committee, WERF indicated that it can administer this project with no overhead and no staff time would be charged. The only WERF costs assigned to the project would be direct expenses such as staff travel. The Management Committee approved the WERF verbal proposal to manage the National Manual of Good Practice portion of the Code of Good Practice Project, subject to the review and comments of the NBP's Advisory Committee. Final approval of this approval will be made sometime in early November. The Management Committee has also requested that WERF assess whether they can administer other priority projects, including the development of independent third party verification as part of the overall MSB.Potential Member Interest Continues/Board Membership Drive Underway
We're pleased to report that the City of Henderson, Nevada, the Brazos River Authority in Texas, and the Lakehaven Utility District in Washington have joined AMSA since our late September Board of Directors Meeting. We also had 15 nonmember agencies represented at our Pretreatment Coordinators Workshop this week in Kansas City, where a special outreach breakfast was planned to familiarize them with the benefits of AMSA membership.At the September Board meeting we laid the groundwork for a Board-driven membership development campaign -- within our overall Membership Development Strategy. Potential member lists were distributed to those present at the Board meeting, with the promise of additional materials to follow. This week the remaining information you will need to begin your individual outreach efforts was forwarded to you, with complete instructions and information on how the National Office can be of assistance. As special incentives we are offering both the remainder of 1998 free, and a limited-time guest pass to access the Member Pipeline of AMSA's web site, www.amsa-cleanwater.org. enough to implement any water quality standard for such waters."
Nashville to Host Pilot Onsite Competitiveness Workshop
AMSA member the Department of Water & Sewerage Services, Nashville & Davidson County will host the first onsite AMSA/AMWA onsite Thinking, Getting & Staying Competitive Workshop on November 4-5. As we conclude the nine regional workshops we have held throughout 1998, we are beginning to gear up for a series of onsite workshops anticipated for 1999.The "packaged" workshops were conceived in response to numerous inquiries requesting that we conduct additional workshops either for their agency or in their state. Under this scenario interested agencies could either purchase the standard workshop or a customized version tailored to their agency. The member agency would be responsible for securing a location, providing refreshments and soliciting registrants or identifying participants. AMSA and AMWA would in turn confirm the date, provide the faculty and the materials. This approach allows individual member agencies to access the training - or a group of agencies in a state or region to pool resources and offer a workshop. A notice, making the onsite workshops widely available will go out in mid-November
Urban Wet Weather Legislation Being Drafted
In response to discussions at AMSA's September 23 Legislative Strategy session, Squire, Sanders, and Dempsey has been requested to draft a comprehensive urban wet weather legislative amendment that addresses regulatory requirements and funding needs for urban stormwater, combined sewer overflow, and sanitary sewer overflow programs. The draft amendment addresses current problems being experienced by municipalities nationwide in designing, financing, and implementing urban wet weather control programs that meet regulatory expectations. A meeting between AMSA and other municipal organizations, such as the National League of Cities (NLC), and the National Association of Flood and Stormwater Management Agencies (NAFSMA), to discuss the draft amendment has been scheduled for November 4. Subsequent to the meeting, the AMSA membership will be given an opportunity to comment on the draft amendment.AMSA and EPA Region IV to Form Working Group
As reported in AMSA's October 26 FaxAlert , AMSA member agency representatives met this month with EPA Region IV officials to discuss emerging issues regarding Region IV's sanitary sewer overflow permitting and enforcement policies. The meeting, convened at AMSA's request, allowed member agencies to share concerns with Regional Administrator, John Hankinson, and resulted in a commitment by AMSA and Region IV to form a regional working group to discuss SSO policies and other emerging POTW water quality issues, such as the development of total maximum daily loads. Based upon the success of the Region IV working group, AMSA may encourage members in other EPA regions to develop similar dialogues to resolve regional water program issues.Evaluation Process Underway
Just a reminder that Board member comments regarding the Executive Director's evaluation are due to Michele Plá, AMSA President, by November 6. On October 21 copies of the Executive Director's Performance Appraisal and 1998 Work Goals and Projects, as well as proposed 1999 Work Goals and Projects were sent to you. This information was forwarded to you for your review and written comment prior to the Executive Director's evaluation by the Executive Committee on November 15, 1998 in Washington, DC. Please remember that all comments will be considered confidential and must be provided in writing and be signed by the responding Board member.National Office Welcomes Two New Staff Members
AMSA's National Office welcomed two new staff members in October. A familiar face will be returning to AMSA. Greg Schaner will return to our staff to fill the position of Manager, Government Affairs in mid-November. In this capacity Greg will assist with both legislative and regulatory activities in the newly reorganized Government Affairs group. Greg has served as a natural resources planner for the Chesapeake Bay Critical Area Commission since December 1995 where he assisted in the implementation of State of Maryland's regulatory program on natural resources protection and land use planning including watershed planning activities. Greg previously served as AMSA's Manager of Regulatory Affairs from January 1994-December 1995 and managed the Wet Weather Issues and Financing & Management committees.Aleya Akhran also joined the staff in early October as Secretary/Receptionist. Aleya is currently attending the University of Maryland where she is majoring in computer science and has experience as a switchboard operator and performing administrative duties.