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[BCRUA Board of Directors Meeting]
RIGHT.WE WILL, UH, CALL, UH, THIS EVENING'S, UH, BRUSHY CREEK REGIONAL UTILITY AUTHORITY MEETING TO ORDER, UM, GO AHEAD AND PLEASE CALL THE ROLL PRESIDENT BAKER HERE.
AND I'D LIKE TO WELCOME IRENE WHO'S, UH, SITTING IN TODAY AS WELL.
UH, ANYBODY SIGNED IN TO SPEAK FOR CITIZEN'S COMMUNICATION? OKAY.
UH, WE'LL MOVE TO ITEM FOUR, APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.
CONSIDER APPROVAL OF THE B-C-R-U-A MINUTES FOR OCTOBER 25TH, 2023.
I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE.
I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE BY VICE PRESIDENT THOMPSON.
MOVE THIS TO ITEM FIVE STAFF REPORTS.
CONSIDER A STAFF REPORT FROM THE GENERAL MANAGER REGARDING, UH, SWIFT LOAN APPLICATIONS AND CONSIDER A STAFF REPORT FROM GENERAL MANAGER REGARDING B THREE OPERATIONS.
UM, HAPPY TO, UH, INFORM YOU THAT THE 2023 SWIFT LOAN, THE 98 PLUS MILLION DOLLARS CLOSED TODAY.
AND, UH, WANTED TO, UM, YEAH, THANK ALL OUR CONSULTANTS WHO HELPED PUT THAT TOGETHER FROM THE APPLICATION THAT, UM, WALKER PARTNERS HELPED US WITH AND ALL THE THREE CITIES FIGURING OUT THE, UH, MONEY, WHICH WAS VERY CHALLENGING, CONSIDERING WE HAVE DIFFERENT ARPA GRANTS AND, UM, LOTS OF, UM, OTHER GRANTS WE ALREADY HAVE THAT MAY HAVE SOME FUNDS REMAINING.
SO, UM, PLUS SAW WALKER PARTNERS DID A GREAT CASH FLOW PROJECTION FOR US, CONSIDERING ALL THE CHANGES.
SO, UM, WE, UM, HAVE THAT MONEY SECURELY IN HAND NOW.
AND, UM, NOW, UH, WE WERE DISCUSSING WHETHER WE WERE GOING TO NEED TO APPLY FOR A 2024 SWIFT LOAN.
SO I CHECKED WITH ALL OF THE CFOS FROM THE THREE CITIES, AND IT LOOKS LIKE THAT NO ONE AT THIS TIME FEELS THAT THEY WILL NEED TO, UM, APPLY FOR, UM, A LOAN.
AND THE REASON I'M BRINGING THAT UP NOW IS THE ABRIDGED APPLICATION FOR 2024 WAS USUALLY DUE THE VERY END OF JANUARY, BEGINNING OF FEBRUARY.
SO IF WE WERE GOING TO HAVE OUR NEXT MEETING TOWARDS THE END OF JANUARY, I DIDN'T WANT TO SPRING THAT ON YOU SO THINGS COULD CHANGE, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE FOR NOW WE ARE NOT GOING TO NEED THAT.
UM, WE STILL HAVE, UM, A LOAN THAT WILL CLOSE THAT WAS JUST PART OF A MULTI-YEAR LOAN THAT WE HAD FROM A FEW YEARS AGO, BUT IT WON'T, UM, ENTAIL ANOTHER APPLICATION.
AND THAT'S REALLY ALL I HAD ON THAT ITEM.
ALRIGHT, ANY QUESTIONS ON ITEM FIVE A? NOPE.
UH, ALREADY READY, BUT CONSIDER STAFF REPORT ON BASIC OPERATIONS.
SO, UM, BEING AS THIS IS MY LAST MEETING, I WANTED TO GIVE YOU A FEW UPDATES.
UM, ONE, UM, PARTICULAR IS THAT, UM, WE DID GET SUFFICIENT RAIN, UM, OVER THE LAKE TRAVIS WATERSHED THAT THE, UH, LAKE CAME UP FIVE FEET.
SO WE ARE IN A MUCH BETTER POSITION THAN WE, UH, WERE.
UM, EVEN THOUGH WE DO NEED CONTINUED, UM, RAIN AND INFLOW TO, UM, SECURE OUR LONG-TERM, UM, POSITION FOR THAT, UM, THAT FLOATING BARGE, WE ARE, WE REALLY WON'T HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THAT FOR A WHILE.
UM, AND THEN REGARDING OPERATIONS, I'M REALLY PLEASED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WE HAVE, UM, FILLED ALMOST ALL OF OUR POSITIONS, UM, ON, IN THE OPERATIONS STAFF.
UM, I REALLY HAVE TO THANK, UM, THE ROUND ROCK, UH, SUPERINTENDENT, UM, CHAD KINDER AND, UM, EVAN LARSSON, WHO'S THE SUPERVISOR AT ROUND ROCK.
AND THEY DID, UH, UH, ALONG WITH OUR OWN, UM, OPERATIONS SUPERVISOR, CHRIS CULVER, THEY INTERVIEWED A LOT OF PEOPLE TO, UM, UM, BE ABLE TO ULTIMATELY HIRE SIX NEW OPERATORS.
AND ONE IS A SENIOR AND ALL OF THEM HAVE SOME FORM OF, UH, OPERATOR'S LICENSE ALREADY.
UH, SO WE'RE, UM, WHILE THEY WILL NEED TO BE TRAINED ON OUR, UM, OUR PLANT SPECIFICALLY, UM, WE'RE REALLY GOING TO BE IN MUCH BETTER SHAPE RIGHT NOW.
UM, SO WE HAVE, WE ALSO HAVE OUR SENIOR MECHANIC ON BOARD.
SO WE JUST HAVE A, A SORT OF A JUNIOR MECHANIC POSITION REMAINING.
AND THEN WE HAVE ANOTHER, WE HAVE AN OPEN OPERATOR, UM, POSITION AS WELL.
BUT I THINK WE'LL HAVE OUR HANDS FULL WITH, UM, WITH TRAINING THOSE OPERATORS.
IN FACT, UM, I THINK ROUND ROCK IS GOING TO TRAIN SOME OF THEM BECAUSE WE HAVE THE ALMOST EXACT SAME WATER TREATMENT PLANT.
AND THAT WILL HELP, UM, SPREAD, SPREAD THE LOAD.
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UM, THE NEXT THING THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN IS TO HIRE OUR OWN SUPERINTENDENT.AND WE HAVEN'T REALLY BEEN FOCUSING ON THAT RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WE WANTED TO GET THE OTHER POSITIONS, UH, FILLED.
AND ROUND ROCK WAS DOING SUCH A GOOD JOB, BASICALLY COVERING OUR PLANT AS WELL AS THEIR PLANT WHILE IN THE INTERIM.
AND, UH, BUT NOW I ALSO WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT SAM, ROBERT WOULD BE THERE TO, UH, HELP SELECT THE SUPERINTENDENT POSITION.
SO THAT'LL BE ONE OF THE THINGS I KNOW HE'LL BE FOCUSING ON SOON.
UM, SO THAT'S ALL I HAD TO REPORT FOR THAT ITEM.
ANY QUESTIONS ON ANY OF THOSE ITEMS? UH, I HAD A QUESTION.
SO ON, UH, THE LAKE TRAVIS COMING UP FIVE FEET, THAT'S, I THINK BOUGHT US AT LEAST A COUPLE OF MONTHS.
UM, OBVIOUSLY WE'RE IN, IN THIS, THIS LOWER USE SEASON AS WELL.
SO IS THAT, IS THAT CORRECT THAT IT IT PUSHED THE ANY ISSUES AT ABOUT TWO, THREE MONTHS? YES.
WELL, IF YOU LOOK AT, UM, RA'S FORECAST FOR THEIR BASIC, THE LOWEST, UM, UM, PROBABILITY OR OF, OF HAVING RAIN, UM, WE REALLY WEREN'T GOING TO HAVE ANY ISSUES, UM, EVEN THROUGH 2024.
UM, SO THIS, UM, WHILE THEY ARE CONSTANTLY UPDATING THEIRS, UM, THIS WILL, UH, PROBABLY ENSURE THAT NOTHING WOULD BE A CONCERN, AT LEAST TILL THE END OF NEXT YEAR.
SO IT'S, OH YEAH, I KNOW THERE WERE SOME CHALLENGES WITH THAT, SO GREAT TO HEAR THAT.
OKAY, UH, WE'LL MOVE ON TO RESOLUTIONS SIX A, CONSIDER A RESOLUTION ACCEPTING THE B-C-R-U-A QUARTERLY INVESTMENT REPORT FOR JULY 1ST, 2023 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2023.
THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
UM, AS STATED, THIS IS THE QUARTERLY INVESTMENT REPORT FOR THE PERIOD JULY THROUGH SEPTEMBER, UH, 2023.
I'LL JUST GO OVER A FEW OF THE, THE HIGHLIGHTS OF, OF THE, OF THE REPORT.
UM, THE, FROM THE PORTFOLIO SUMMARY MANAGEMENT REPORT, THE, UH, SUM TOTAL OF ALL FUNDS, UH, FROM VARIOUS SOURCES FOR THE B-C-R-U-A TOTAL SLIGHTLY OVER $125 MILLION FOR THE, THE QUARTER ENDING SEPTEMBER, UH, 30TH.
THE WEIGHTED AVERAGE MATURITY, THE WHAM DECREASED FROM 98 DAYS AT THE END OF JUNE TO 67 DAYS AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER.
AND THAT'S A REFLECTION OF, UH, THE NEED TO KEEP THE, THE FUNDS LIQUID.
AS THE PROJECT, UH, PROGRESSES, THE AVERAGE YIELD ON THOSE INVESTMENTS, UH, INCREASED SLIGHTLY FROM THE JUNE REPORT.
IN JUNE, IT WAS THE AVERAGE FOR THAT QUARTER WAS 4.198%.
AND FOR THE QUARTER ENDING IN SEPTEMBER, THE AVERAGE YIELD WAS 4.362.
UM, OUR COMPARISON, UH, IS THE TWO YEAR TREASURY.
SO FOR THE QUARTER ENDING IN SEPTEMBER, THE TWO YEAR TREASURY WAS, UH, TRADING AT 4.92%.
UH, ANOTHER POINT OF REFERENCE IS TECHSTAR, WHICH IS THE, UH, LOCAL GOVERNMENT INVESTMENT POOL.
AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER, IT WAS, UM, EARNING 5.31%, AND I CHECKED IT TODAY, AND IT'S, UH, PRETTY MUCH UNCHANGED AT 5.33%.
UM, THE, UM, THE REASON THAT THE, UM, QUARTERLY INVESTMENTS, UM, OR THE AVERAGE YIELD ARE SO MUCH LESS THAN TODAY'S RATES IS BECAUSE AFTER THE, UM, WHEN WE CLOSED ON THE, THE LOANS IN 2021, UM, CEDAR PARK AND LEANDER, UH, WE MADE INVESTMENTS AT THAT TIME.
SOME OF THOSE WERE, UM, OUT A YEAR, TWO YEARS.
SO, UH, THOSE ARE STARTING TO MATURE.
BUT IF YOU REMEMBER TWO YEARS AGO, THE INTEREST RATE ENVIRONMENT WAS SIGNIFICANTLY, UH, DIFFERENT THAN THAN TODAY.
UM, BUT THE GOOD NEWS INVESTMENT EARNINGS FOR THE QUARTER, IT'S A TOTAL $1,462,754.
AND THE FISCAL YEAR TOTAL FOR INVESTMENT EARNINGS IS $5,442,075.
THE ASSET ALLOCATION ASSETS BEING THE CASH AND INVESTMENTS, UH, ASSETS, UH, FOR THE QUARTER ENDING SEPTEMBER ARE SPLIT ALMOST EVENLY 50 50 BETWEEN THE, THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT INVESTMENT POOLS, LIQUID OVERNIGHT, AND THE ONE, UM, ZERO TO ONE YEAR OUT IN INVESTMENTS.
THAT'S, UH, SLIGHTLY MORE LIQUID THAN WE WERE IN IN JUNE.
UM, IN TERMS OF PRIOR LOANS, UH, THE
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ORIGINAL 2009 AND THE 2018, UH, WE'RE CONTINUING TO DRAW DOWN THOSE FUNDS AS THE WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD WILL ALLOW US TO, TO USE THOSE FOR THE PROJECT.SO THOSE ARE ALMOST, UH, COMPLETELY, UM, UH, SPENT, WHICH IS A GOOD THING.
UM, IN TERMS OF THE, IN INVESTMENT STRATEGY, CEDAR PARK IS KEEPING ITS INVESTMENTS RELATIVELY, UH, SHORT TERM, UM, PUSHING IT OUT LESS THAN A YEAR.
AND THEN WHEN THOSE MATURE REINVESTING, AND, UH, ANOTHER POINT OF REFERENCE, WE WILL, UM, SETTLE THREE TRADES TOMORROW WITH CEDAR PARK'S, UH, INVESTMENTS THAT ARE MATURING IN NOVEMBER.
AND THOSE ARE PAYING 5.7 PLUS PERCENT.
SO, UH, JUST A DIFFERENT INTEREST RATE ENVIRONMENT THAN WE WERE A YEAR OR TWO AGO.
UH, LEANDER HAS PRETTY MUCH STAGGERED ITS INVESTMENTS OUT THROUGH, UM, THE END OF NEXT YEAR.
SO, UM, DON'T SEE US MAKING ANY INVESTMENTS BETWEEN NOW AND NOVEMBER.
THE NOVEMBER IS OF 24 WILL BE, UH, ER'S THIRD AND FINAL TRANCHE TO TAKE DOWN FROM THE, UH, ORIGINAL WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD, UH, LOAN.
AND, UH, WE WILL BE WORKING WITH THE CITIES OF CEDAR PARK AND ROUND ROCK ON THE MONEY THEY, UH, JUST CLOSED ON TODAY AND INVESTING THAT AS THEY, UM, AS THEY DESIRE.
I WANNA THANK ALL THE FINANCE FOLKS, UH, FROM MY PARTNERS IN CEDAR PARK AND ROUND ROCK THAT, UH, DO A LOT OF THINGS BEHIND THE SCENES THAT, THAT, UH, DON'T NECESSARILY INVOLVE THIS INVESTMENT REPORT, BUT I REALLY ENJOY WORKING, UH, TOGETHER WITH THEM.
AND THEN FINALLY, UH, I'D BE REMISS TO NOT PUBLICLY, UH, THANK KAREN FOR SO MANY, UM, YEARS OF HARD WORK AND PATIENCE.
UM, I CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT, UH, HERDING THREE STRONG-WILLED CATS, UM,
WISH YOU THE BEST AND CONGRATULATIONS.
HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS IF THERE ANY, AND THANK YOU.
AND WE APPRECIATE WHAT YOU ALL DO FOR US.
I KNOW IT'S A LOT OF WORK BEHIND THE SCENES AND NOT ALWAYS A SEXY THING, BUT, UH, WE APPRECIATE YOU 'CAUSE IT'S A LOT OF NUMBERS.
I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE SIX A MOTION TO APPROVE.
A MOTION TO APPROVE BY VICE PRESIDENT THOMPSON, SECOND BY SECRETARY DUFFY.
IT THIS A SIX B CONSIDER RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PRESIDENT TO EXECUTE A CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT WITH CONTROL PANELS USA INC FOR THE B-C-R-U-A DELIVERY POINTS IMPROVEMENTS PHASE ONE.
UM, JASON, UH, BIBLE FROM WALKER PARTNERS, UM, LAST MONTH, UH, GAVE US A PRETTY GOOD OVERVIEW OF THIS PROJECT.
UM, SO WE ARE, UM, GOING INTO PHASE ONE OF THE DELIVERY POINT, UM, IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE HAVE PLANNED.
UM, SO WE WANTED TO, UM, GET THIS ONE, UM, BEFORE THE BOARD, UM, IN TIME TO BE ABLE TO CONSTRUCT THESE BEFORE NEXT SUMMER.
AND JASON DID HUSTLE TO, UM, GET THAT DONE.
UM, SO WE, UH, YEAH, COME ON UP, JASON.
UM, AND WE, UH, DID, YOU KNOW, UH, HASTEN THE ADVERTISEMENT AND, UH, HELD THE PRE-BID CONFERENCE AND, UM, YOU WANNA TELL THE STORY FROM THERE? SURE, JASON.
AND WE, WE WERE ABLE TO, UH, THANKS FOR HAVING ME BY THE WAY.
I'M JASON BIBLE WALKER PARTNERS.
UM, WE DID, UH, SPEED UP THE DESIGN OF THE PHASE ONE IMPROVEMENTS, UH, WE'RE WE WERE ABLE TO GET THE BIDS OUT, UM, WITHIN A MONTH.
UM, WE OPENED BIDS LAST WEDNESDAY AND, UH, MADE A RECOMMENDATION THE FOLLOWING DAY, UH, FOR C-P-U-S-A.
UM, UH, WE THINK THAT OFFERS, UH, A, A PRETTY GOOD VALUE THE TO, UH, B-C-R-U-A IS THERE.
THEY CURRENTLY SUPPORT AND MAINTAINS, UH, LEANER SCADA SYSTEM AND ALSO THE PREFERRED VENDOR FOR, UH, THE CITY OF ROUND ROCK, UH, WHICH ARE KIND OF THE TWO MAJOR, UH, CONTROL PANEL, UM, AND SCADA INTEGRATION TASKS ON THE PROJECT.
UM, BIDS CAME IN AT $448,000, ABOUT 12% MORE THAN WHAT OUR, UH, ESTIMATE WAS.
BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, SUCH A LOW BID OR, YOU KNOW, SMALL BID, UH, WE, WE KINDA EXPECTED TO, TO SEE SOME VARIATION THERE.
UM, AND JUST FOR EVERYBODY'S INFORMATION, THE PHASE TWO DESIGN, UH, WE ANTICIPATE, UH, ISSUING 90% HERE IN DECEMBER, UM,
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FOLLOWED BY, UH, ISSUING THE BID IN JANUARY.AND SO PHASE TWO WILL IMMEDIATELY FOLLOW, UH, IN CONSTRUCTION, THE PHASE TWO, THE PHASE ONE WORK.
ANY QUESTIONS? UH, FROM, UH, KAREN OR JASON? NOPE.
SEEING NONE OR ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM SIX B OH, I'LL APPROVE THAT FOR SURE.
ALRIGHT, MOTION TO APPROVE BY SECRETARY DUFFY, A SECOND BY VICE PRESIDENT THOMPSON.
ITEM SIX C, CONSIDER RESOLUTION APPROVING SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT NUMBER 21 WITH WALKER PARTNERS FOR THE PHASE TWO LIGHT, UH, LAND RIGHTS AND STAKEHOLDER COORDINATION PROJECT.
UM, THIS NAME OF THIS ITEM REALLY DOESN'T DESCRIBE WHAT, UM, WE'RE FOCUSING ON, UM, IN THIS, UM, ACTION.
WE'LL, WE'RE ASKING YOU TO TAKE, UM, THIS PARTICULAR ITEM IS TO, UM, FINALLY MOVE FORWARD WITH THE FINAL DESIGN OF THE PERMANENT POWER PROJECT, UM, WHICH IS, UH, GOING TO PROVIDE THE ULTIMATE POWER FOR OUR PHASE TWO DEEP WATER INTAKE AND PUMP STATION.
SO WE'LL HAVE AARON, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND, DESCRIBE, UM, THE PROJECT AND THE PRESENTATION.
SO YOU, YOU PROBABLY RECALL, UM, MANY YEARS BACK WORKING WITH PEC TO UPGRADE ALL THE POWER TO BRING OUT TO THE PUMP STATION SITE.
WE BROKE THE PROJECT INTO A TEMPORARY POWER PROJECT AND THE, AND THE PERMANENT POWER PROJECT.
THE TEMPORARY POWER PROJECT HAS BEEN DESIGNED AND CONSTRUCTED AT THIS POINT, AND IT WAS ABLE TO BRING POWER UPGRADES TO THE SITE SO THAT THE CONTRACTOR HAD ENOUGH POWER TO BUILD THE JOB.
BUT THERE IS ANOTHER LEG OF WORK THAT STILL NEEDS TO BE DONE CALLED THE PERMANENT POWER PROJECT, WHICH EXTENDS ANOTHER FOUR MILES OR SO OF OVERHEAD LINES FROM THE NAMELESS STEPS STATION ON NAMELESS ROAD OVER THERE TO TRAILS AND ROAD WHERE IT WILL CONNECT WITH THE TEMPORARY POWER PROJECT THAT WAS BROUGHT ONLINE LAST YEAR.
AND SO THE WAY THAT THE PEC IMPROVEMENTS HAVE BEEN DONE TO DATE IS THAT P'S ENGINEER M AND S ENGINEERING HAS BEEN WORKING UNDERNEATH MY ORIGINAL CONTRACT GOING ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE PHASE ONE C PROJECT.
AND WE'RE AT A POINT NOW ON A SCHEDULE BASIS WHERE THE FINAL DESIGN OF THAT PROJECT NEEDS TO BE COMPLETED SO THAT WE CAN MOVE INTO CONSTRUCTION IN A TIMELY MANNER.
AND SO WHAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU RIGHT NOW IS M AND S'S SCOPE AND FEED PROPOSAL TO COMPLETE THAT FINAL DESIGN.
THEY'VE ALREADY DONE SOME PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING WORK, WHICH WAS USED AS THE BASIS FOR COLLECTING OUR EASEMENTS, UH, TO, TO DO THIS POWER IMPROVEMENT FROM NAMELESS OVER TO, UH, TO TRAILS IN ROAD.
THIS IS THE SECTION OF THE LINE THAT WE'VE TALKED TO MANY TIMES OVER IN THE PAST BOARD MEETINGS ABOUT THE NORTH RIM ROUTE AND THE SOUTHERN ROUTE, AND THE 1431 ROUTE.
SO THIS REFLECTS THE SOUTHERN ROUTE THAT WE HAD SELECTED AFTER DOING A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT EVALUATIONS OF DIFFERENT ALIGNMENTS TO BRING THAT POWER ACROSS TO TRAILS IN ROAD.
SO M AND S WILL COMPLETE THIS DESIGN, UH, THEN WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH PEC TO FORMALIZE AN AGREEMENT FOR THE PERMANENT POWER PROJECT ON HOW WE PAY FOR IT AND THE SCHEDULE AND TIMING OF GETTING THAT WORK CONSTRUCTED.
THE NAMELESS SUBSTATION PROJECT WILL BE COMPLETED AS A SEPARATE PROJECT AND THAT WILL BE DONE THROUGH PEC AND WOULD NOT BE A PART OF MY CONTRACT.
SO YOU, YOU WON'T SEE ANOTHER AUTHORIZATION FOR PEC IMPROVEMENTS RUNNING THROUGH MY CONTRACTS AFTER WE COMPLETE THIS WORK.
AND WHEN, WHEN DO YOU ESTIMATE THAT WORK TO BE COMPLETED? SO WE'RE, WE'RE TARGETING HAVING THIS PROJECT COMPLETE, BOTH THE SUBSTATION AND THE OVERHEAD UPGRADES DONE BY THE THIRD QUARTER OF 2026.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS ITEM? NOPE.
THANK YOU FOR THE BRINGING THE MAPS TOO, JUST AS A REFRESHER.
UH, ACCEPT A MOTION TO, UH, APPROVE ITEM SIX C.
I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE BY SECRETARY DUFFY, A SECOND BY VICE PRESIDENT THOMPSON.
AND THAT BRINGS US TO THE END OF OUR AGENDA.
UM, SO WE'RE HAVING A LITTLE THEME HERE OF, OF PEOPLE LEAVING OUR BCUA BOARD.
SO, UM, BUT I, I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE GONNA HAVE A DECEMBER MEETING OR NOT.
SO WE'RE GONNA USE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT YOU A LITTLE BIT
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO READ YOU THIS LITTLE THING THAT WE PREPARED FOR KAREN, JUST A, A REMINDER ABOUT KAREN'S HISTORY WITH US.
SO, UM, KAREN BOND, WHO'S A PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER, HAS BEEN A GENERAL MANAGER OF THE BREY CREEK REGIONAL UTILITY AUTHORITY SINCE
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AUGUST OF 2018.AND SHE HAD A 36 YEAR WATER INDUSTRY VETERAN WORKING NEARLY 20 YEARS WITH THE, UM, LCRA AS WELL.
IN 1998, BONNIE BEGAN HER CAREER WITH LCA DURING HER TENURE WITH THE LCRA, BONNIE OVERSAW KEY WATER RESOURCE PLANNING AND CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS, INCLUDING CRA'S WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN, UH, UPDATES, AND DEVELOPING THE $250 MILLION ARBUCKLE RESERVOIR PROJECT.
THIS RESERVOIR IS KEY TO MAXIMIZING HIGHLAND LAKE STORAGE DURING FUTURE DROUGHTS.
AS BCR, A'S GENERAL MANAGER BUNNY HAS BEEN AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE TEAM IN LEADING THE CONTINUED COORDINATION AND PLANNING EFFORTS FOR THE NEXT PHASES OF THE B-C-R-U-A AND HAS WORKED WITH THE THREE PARTNER CITIES, CEDAR PARK LAND, ENTERED ROUND ROCK TO ENSURE THAT B-C-R-U-A COULD PROVIDE ADDITIONAL TREATED WATER FOR THE THREE CITIES.
IN ADDITION, KAREN OVERSEES THE B-C-R-U-A CAPITAL PROJECTS, INCLUDING THE EXPANSION OF THE WATER TREATMENT PLANT, AS WELL AS THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE $225 MILLION PHASE TWO DEEP WATER INTAKE TUNNEL PUMP STATION NEAR LAKE TRAVIS.
AND SO I WANNA THANK KAREN FOR HER FIVE DEDICATED YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE BREY CREEK REGIONAL UTILITY AUTHORITY.
SO WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS, UH, IF ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO SAY ANYTHING, YOU'RE WELCOME TO STEP UP TO THE PODIUM, IF NOT, AND THEN WE'LL MOVE TO DIRECTOR COMMENTS.
BUT IF, IF ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO STEP UP, NOT GONNA PUT ANYBODY ON THE SPOT, BUT GOING ONCE, I'D LIKE TO SAY, WELL, PLEASE COME UP, PLEASE COME UP TO THE MIC.
BUT KAREN AND I MET, I JUST WANNA SAY, 'CAUSE IT, IT IS, HER CAREER IS, IS A FANTASTIC CAREER.
AND WE MET BACK IN THE EIGHTIES IN A CONSULTING FIRM, UH, IT WAS A VERY LARGE CONSULTING FIRM CALLED SB HOUSTON, PRETTY MUCH BACK THEN, IF YOU WERE A CONSULTANT IN AUSTIN, YOU, YOU WORKED AT THIS LARGE COMPANY AT SOME POINT IN TIME.
AND, AND, AND THAT'S HOW WE MET.
AND, BUT THEN WE KIND OF WENT DIFFERENT PATHS.
AND THE FACT THAT SHE SPENT 20 YEARS DOING THE, THE WORK THEY DID AT LCRA AND, AND THAT'S WATER RESOURCES, YOU KNOW, EXTRAORDINAIRE.
AND, AND SO HER, HER LEGACY THERE WAS AMAZING.
AND I JUST, I REMEMBER VERY WELL WHEN SHE RETIRED AND, AND TOM GALLAGHER WAS LEAVING, SHE, IT WAS LIKE SUCH THE PERFECT FIT FOR HER TO, TO BE THE BCRM, A GENERAL MANAGER.
AND, UH, AND, AND I CAN TELL YOU, I I, 'CAUSE I I GOT TO WATCH HER, HER AND ERIN AND THE REST OF THE TEAM.
I MEAN, IT'S A, IT'S A HUGE TEAM EFFORT, BUT SHE, THEY GOT A LOT OF STUFF DONE.
UH, I MEAN, SO MANY MOUNTAINS THAT THEY CLIMBED THAT NOW HAVE PAVED THE WAY FOR, FOR EVERYTHING WE'RE DOING ANYWAY.
ANYBODY? WELL, I, I HAD THE FORTUNE OR MISFORTUNE, I DON'T KNOW, TO, UM, TWICE BE PRESIDENT.
AND DURING THAT TIME,
UM, SO, UH, JUST YOUR TENACITY AND PROFESSIONALISM IS, IS BAR NONE.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WE'LL, WE'LL BE IN GOOD HANDS, BUT I, I'M EXCITED FOR YOU TO, TO KIND OF ENJOY A, A DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, USE OF YOUR TIME.
I WAS GONNA SAY THANK YOU AGAIN.
I KNOW I'VE SAID THIS PROBABLY ENOUGH, AND YOU'RE PROBABLY TIRED OF HEARING THAT, BUT THANK YOU FOR BEING SO WELCOMING WHEN I CAME ON BOARD, WHEN I WAS ELECTED AND SHOWING ME THE ROPES, BEING WILLING TO MEET WITH ME AND EDUCATE ME AND PROVIDE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES, BUT ALSO FOR THE CONNECTION OUTSIDE OF THIS WITH MUSIC AND CONCERTS.
WE'VE HAD A LOT OF FUN AROUND THAT.
SO I'M EXCITED FOR YOU TO GET TO DO MORE OF THAT, UH, IN YOUR FUTURE.
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK.
YEAH, I DEFINITELY SO APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'VE BROUGHT AS GENERAL MANAGER TO B-C-R-U-A AND, UM, JUST WISH YOU, UM, THE BEST AS YOU MOVE FORWARD INTO A NEW, NEW PHASE OF LIFE.
AND, UH, I JUST FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE REALLY GOOD NEWS IS WE'RE GOING FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH AND, AND IT WILL BE, YEAH, I THINK PRETTY SEAMLESS TRANSITION BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, ALL THE KNOWLEDGE IS THERE OVER THERE AS WELL.
SO WE'RE IN, WE'RE IN REALLY GOOD, GOOD HANDS.
I'LL ECHO THE SAME COMMENTS, BUT, UH, CERTAINLY REMEMBER US INTERVIEWING YOU FIVE YEARS AGO AND, UH, AND I THINK WE MADE A GOOD SELECTION.
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ALL YOUR RESILIENCE AND, UH, GETTING US THROUGH A LOT OF THESE HILLS AND CHALLENGES THAT WE HAD.UH, BUT I THINK IT WAS A GOOD RUN.
AND I, I, I, UM, I HAVEN'T SEEN YOU SMILE THIS MUCH IN THE LAST
UH, ON A SEPARATE NOTE, I WANNA THANK EVERYBODY INVOLVED IN GETTING US OUT TO THE, UM, SEE THE, THE DEEP WATER INTAKE SHAFT TODAY.
AND THAT WAS, UH, EVERYBODY THAT WAS INVOLVED IN COORDINATING THAT, PUTTING THAT TOGETHER.
BUT THAT WAS REALLY AMAZING TO SEE THAT, TO SEE THE WORK IN ACTION, TO SEE IT KIND OF SEEING IN THE GROUND, COMING OUTTA THE GROUND, GOING INTO THE GROUND.
SO THANK YOU FOR EVERYBODY, FOR ALL THE EFFORTS TO GET US THERE.
AND NOTHING REALLY MUCH TO ADD.
I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
UM, YOU CERTAINLY HAVE HAD YOUR FAIR SHARE OF CHALLENGES, UH, WITH THE BREAKS AND THE SCHEDULES, AND YOU TALKED ABOUT THE, THE MEETINGS WITH THE, THE NEIGHBORHOODS ON WORKING OUT THE POWER LINES.
AND THAT'S ABOUT WHEN I CAME ON, THAT'S WHEN, WHEN I WAS INTRODUCED.
BUT, UM, WORKING THROUGH ALL THE, THE ISSUES WITH THE, WITH THE LAND FOR THE, THE, THE ROUTE FOR THE PIPE AND, AND THOSE MEETINGS AND, UM, CERTAINLY A LOT OF CHALLENGES AND THE DROUGHT, UM, AND, AND ALL THOSE THINGS.
AND YOU CAME THROUGH LIKE A CHAMP ON ALL OF 'EM.
AND SO, UM, IT ALWAYS FEELS GOOD TO HAVE SOMEBODY WITH YOUR EXPERTISE AND ABILITY AT THE HELM.
UM, AND I KNOW WE'RE IN GOOD HANDS, BUT, UM, WE'RE HAPPY FOR YOU, NOT, NOT, NOT HAPPY TO SEE YOU GO, BUT WE KNOW WE'RE IN GOOD HANDS.
UM, WHEN YOU LEAVE, UM, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR THE LOVE OF YOUR WORK.
I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S CLEAR THAT YOU HAVE A PASSION FOR IT TOO, AND THAT SHOWS EVERY TIME WE HAD A, A MEETING AND, AND TALKED.
UM, AND I JUST WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE WITH ME AND FOR ALL OF US.
AS, AS WE COME AND GO, YOU HAVE TO TRAIN US UP AND BRIEF US UP ON THE HISTORY.
AND THAT'S ALWAYS A CHALLENGE WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH ELECTED OFFICIALS, BUT YOU'VE BEEN A MASTER OF THAT AS WELL, AND VERY PATIENT WITH, WITH THOSE OF US.
AND, UH, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
WE HAVE, UH, A LITTLE, A LITTLE TOKEN FOR YOU AND, UM, IT JUST SAYS, KAREN BONDY, PE BCRU, A GENERAL MANAGER, JUNE, 2018 THROUGH DECEMBER, 2023.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR DEDICATION TO THE CITIZENS OF CEDAR PARK, LEANDER, AND ROUND ROCK.
SO I'D LIKE US ALL TO DO A PICTURE AS SOON AS WE CONVENE.
ALRIGHT, UM, ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR CLOSING COMMENTS FOR TONIGHT? ALL RIGHT, WELL, SEEING NONE, I WILL, UH, HOLD US ADJOURNED.