VILLAGE DISTRICT OF EIDELWEISS
August 2019 NEWSLETTER
In This Issue:
Upcoming Meetings: September 28th Budget Review
Commissioner News:
Capital Reserve Update
Independent Insurance/Financial Reviews
Grader Repair Status
Reinach Tank Status
Warrant Article Status
Job Posting
Volunteer Update
EPOA News - presentation by Sara Steiner of DES
UPCOMING MEETINGS
Check the VDOE website for all meetings & locations.
Please note that on Saturday 9/28 at 10:00 AM (following a 9:00 AM Commissioners meeting) at the Lodge at the top of Oakridge Rd, the Commissioners will present a “State of the District” financial review. Residents are encouraged to attend as we will be discussing our current budget, environmental initiatives, Reinach water tank, roads and plans for the 2020 budget and warrant. We will also review changes made in 2019, VDOE Capital needs and funding for meeting these needs.
COMMISSIONER NEWS Capital Reserve Funds as of 7/31/2019:
Highway Equipment $17,000 ($15,000 of this allocated to grader repair)
Highway Eq Repair $2,462
Land Acquisition $11,183
Road Construction $7,132 ($10,182 less $3,050 pending withdrawal)
Office Equipment $7,413 ($8,361 less $948 pending withdrawal)
Water System CRF $45,518
Water Pipe CRF $40,000 (incudes $20,000 to be added this year)
Water Tank CRF $40,842
The Commissioners reached out to industry professionals to review our financials. We were looking for a neutral evaluation as to how we could save the district money going forward. Thanks to Bill Schwab and John Corcoran for taking the time to provide the following insight.
Property owner Bill Schwab, a CLU (Certified Life Underwriter), Licensed Life and Health Insurance broker for NH and MA and, member of the Society of Professional Benefit Administrators volunteered to review our employee health insurance coverage. He reported:
“EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTIONS - It is unusual to see a medical plan that requires no employee contributions. Massachusetts has a similar municipal trust (risk pool) and all the participating towns require employees to pay part of the cost. A reasonable starting point would be 10%. Among the corporate clients I have, the average is more like 30%.
PLAN DEDUCTIBLE - Most plans have a deductible that the participant must pay each year and the most common is $1,000 per person. Your current plan has a $1,000 deductible but you said that the Village covers 100% of the deductible through a Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA). This creates an additional liability of $6,000 to the Village but you didn't say how much was actually paid out during the past year.
RATING BASIS - With only 3 employees you have little clout with the Trust underwriters. The rates for the larger entities could be lower than you received. Is there any way you could join Madison, Conway or North Conway and get the benefit of their larger size?”
Property owner John Corcoran volunteered to do a cost reduction review of our overall finances. He reported:
“I have spoken to several VDOE people in the last few years about my cost reduction business.
I analyze, benchmark then renegotiate everything a business or nonprofit spends their money on. I work on a contingency basis so there are no fees if I don't find savings.
As an owner, I would love to help out the district find some savings to avert the need for fee increases. I do all of the work and but the final decisions land at the VDOE board or the VDOE office.”
“Based on the current rates for the bills there isn't much opportunity for savings. The insurance rates were in line overall and didn't have any red flags. Utility costs made sense. Office products were already priced well with low volume.
The cell phones were highest. Spectrum Mobile (the carrier I use) is great and they use Verizon towers so the signal is good. I'd suggest reaching out to Spectrum and switching your cell phones over.
I'll keep VDOE in mind for future services that pop up and would make sense. “
Road Grader: It was expected to be back in working order by mid July but while in for repairs, additional repairs and work were identified. We hope to have it back on our roads the week of Sept 9th. In the meantime, the DPW continues to utilize other equipment for road repairs and maintenance.
Reinach tank project update: The subsurface exploration for the proposed tank construction has been completed. A schedule for the tank project is as follows:
August – complete tank design plans and specifications
September 13- Groundwater Trust applications are due
September – complete site construction plans and specifications and booster pump well house building
August - September - Bid tank construction
September through November – Groundwater Trust Commission Review projects
September - October – Bid Opening for tank construction
October - November - Bid Site construction and booster pump well house building
November – Award tank construction
December – Groundwater Trust Commission Award funds
December – Award Site construction and well house
May through June 2020 – site construction on tank site and building
July – October 2020 – Tank construction.
DPW1 and Summit Pump House warrant articles: These electrical upgrades were approved at the annual meeting. Updated pricing has been requested for complete upgrades to both the Summit Pump house and DPW1 electrical panels which includes SCADA controls, metering and lightning protection. Work is scheduled to start in early November.
A job has been posted for two (2) part-time highway workers for snow removal with CDL-B license. Hourly rate $20-$25 commensurate with experience. Contact the office for an application at office@vdoe-nh.org or call at 603-367-9022
DON’T FEED THE DUCKS
Just a friendly reminder to not feed the ducks in our ponds. Doing so encourages them to linger at the beaches, which increases the opportunity for water contamination.
NO DOGS ALLOWED ON PUBLIC BEACHES
The exception is Muddy Beach located on Eidelweiss Drive, 1.5 miles from the Eidelweiss entrance sign on the left side of the road. Park at the district pump house.
VOLUNTEER UPDATE
Summer
weekend beach raking by volunteers was a success. We had 13 residents
volunteer. Thank you to Mike Dolan for
coordinating this project which saved the District approximately $2,000.
Line stripe painting of the basketball court at Eidelweiss Beach has been completed. Thanks to Jay Buckley for labor and material.
Jay Buckley is coordinating the reconstruction of the bulletin boards at the Huttwil parking area during Sept-Oct, if interested contact him at jaybuckley@verizon.net
The Environmental Committee is seeking a volunteer to redesign the Porridge Shore beach because of all the erosion happening there. If you are interested in helping or know someone interested in helping, please email commissioner2@vdoe-nh.org or office@vdoe-nh.org.
Three years ago, property owner Sharon Monroe received approval from the BOC to install a Little Free Library at the Huttwil mailbox area. Andrew Harteveldt volunteered to build and install it. It was unveiled and filled with books on Saturday 8/24. Please take a closer look and feel free to add or take a book. However, if it is full, please do not leave books in the shed, on the mailboxes or on the ground nearby. Many thanks to Sharon, Andrew and the prior BOC for adding this to our community. Adam Leiser has agreed to maintain the library.
To learn more about Little Free Libraries, visit this website.
EPOA – News
Sarah Steiner, DES VLAP biologist will be presenting on Sept 14th at 11am at the Lodge for discussion on the health of the ponds and the VLAP testing. Appetizers will be served. A potluck lunch will follow (if interested in lunch, please contact the EPOA at epoa@eidelweissvillage.com)