Nelson Regional Sewerage Business
Unit Minutes - 13 December 2019
Present: Tasman
District Councillor K Maling (Chairperson), Nelson City Councillor T Skinner
(Deputy Chairperson), Tasman District Councillor T Tuffnell and Messrs B
Silcock and P Wilson
In
Attendance: Acting General Manager Nelson Regional Sewerage
Business Unit (D Clifford), Nelson City Council Group Manager Infrastructure (A
Louverdis), Tasman District Council Manager Engineering Services (R Kirby) and
Nelson City Council Governance Adviser (J Brandt)
Apologies: Councillor
McGurk and Mr F Hippolite
1 Apologies
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Resolved NRSBU/2019/005
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That the Nelson Regional Sewerage Business Unit
1. Receives and accepts
apologies from Nelson City Councillor B McGurk and Mr F Hippolite.
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Mr/Tuffnell Carried
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2. Confirmation of
Order of Business
No
changes to the order of business.
3. Interests
There
were no updates to the Interests Register, and no interests with items on the
agenda were declared.
4. Public Forum
There was no public forum.
5. Confirmation of
Minutes
5.1 4
December 2019
Document number M6606, agenda
pages 6 - 8 refer.
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Resolved NRSBU/2019/006
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That the Nelson Regional
Sewerage Business Unit
1. Confirms the minutes of the meeting
of the Nelson Regional Sewerage Business Unit, held on 4 December 2019, as a
true and correct record.
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Tuffnell/Mr Carried
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6. Chairperson's Report
There was no Chairperson’s report.
7. Nelson Regional
Sewerage Business Quarterly Report
Document number R13692, agenda
pages 9 - 42 refer.
Acting General Manager Nelson
Regional Sewerage Business Unit (NRSBU), Don Clifford, presented the report and
answered questions regarding operational management and odour management at Bells
Island. The Board gave feedback regarding the content and presentation of
information for future quarterly reports.
The Bell Island consent
application and subsequent hearing was discussed. It was noted that the
decision, which was expected in March 2020, may require further changes to be
made to the NRSBU business plan 2020/21. It was further noted that the Councils
may request changes to the plan in 2020 as part of their Annual Plan processes.
It was decided not to go ahead
with the recommendation to council to adopt the plan at this time for the above
reasons, and a recommendation was added to request a further revised draft to
come to the board at the first NRSBU meeting in 2020.
The Board expressed its thanks to
the Alliance Group, Nelson Pine Industries and the ENZA site companies for
minimising effects on the wastewater treatment system by coordinating shutdown
processes for their machinery over the Christmas period.
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Resolved NRSBU/2019/007
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That
the Nelson Regional Sewerage Business Unit
1. Receives the Nelson Regional
Sewerage Business Quarterly Report R13692; and its attachments (A2313564 and
A2314624); and
2. Notes that there was no feedback
from Nelson City and Tasman District Councils regarding the draft Regional
Sewerage Business Unit Business Plan 2020/21; and
3. Notes that the Nelson Regional Sewerage
Business Unit Business Plan 2020/21 remains in draft until further
consideration and adoption by the board in 2020.
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Skinner/Tuffnell Carried
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8. Exclusion
of the Public
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Resolved NRSBU/2019/008
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That the Nelson Regional Sewerage Business Unit
1. Excludes
the public from the following parts of the proceedings of this meeting.
2. The
general subject of each matter to be considered while the public is excluded,
the reason for passing this resolution in relation to each matter and the
specific grounds under section 48(1) of the Local Government Official
Information and Meetings Act 1987 for the passing of this resolution are as
follows:
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Skinner/Tuffnell Carried
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Item
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General subject of each matter to be
considered
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Reason for passing this resolution in
relation to each matter
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Particular interests protected (where
applicable)
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1
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Nelson Regional Sewerage Business Unit Meeting -
Public Excluded Minutes - 4 December 2019
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Section 48(1)(a)
The public conduct of this matter would be likely to
result in disclosure of information for which good reason exists under
section 7.
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The withholding of the information is necessary:
· Section 7(2)(h)
To enable the local
authority to carry out, without prejudice or disadvantage, commercial
activities
· Section
7(2)(i)
To enable the
local authority to carry on, without prejudice or disadvantage, negotiations
(including commercial and industrial negotiations)
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The meeting went into public excluded session at 2.36p.m.
and resumed in public session at 2.54p.m.
There being no further business the meeting ended at 2.56p.m.
Confirmed as a correct record of proceedings:
Chairperson
Date
4. Health
and Safety
4.1 The
implementation of identified improvement works is ongoing.
4.2 No
serious incidents have been reported.
5. Contract
3458 – Operations and Maintenance
5.1 Operations
are generally running well.
5.2 The
current contract expires 28 September 2020.
5.3 A
consultant is preparing a new contract for tender. This is being done in close
co-operation with the Acting Operations Manager.
6. Odour
Management
6.1 We
have achieved some good improvements at Bell Island; however, odour management
will require ongoing vigilance.
6.2 Odour
from biosolids disposal at Moturoa (Rabbit Island) has been reported by members
of the public. We will be investigating methods to mitigate this issue.
6.3 Our
odour monitoring person has retired, so we are now seeking a permanent
replacement.
7. Biosolids
Operation
7.1 The
biosolids operation on Moturoa (Rabbit Island) continues to perform well (other
than odour issues).
7.2 The
Biosolids application contract 3619 has been extended until 30 June 2021.
8. Bell
Island Land Irrigation
8.1 The
lease to Raine farms has been extended to mid-2020. The new General Manager
will be considering whether there are better uses of the land for NRSBU e.g.
direct irrigation to land by NRSBU.
9. Regional
Pipeline
9.1 Works
are ongoing to comply with some of the conditions of the aberrational discharge
consent at pump stations (e.g. installation of screens).
9.2 Initial
studies are underway to assess flow capacity for the concept design for extra
pipe capacity downstream of the Beach Road pump station.
9.3 Higher
power output back-up generators are to be procured for the pump stations. The
existing generators will be relocated to Bell Island; and installed at the WWTP
to provide back-up to the Inlet screens, ATAD biofilter and aeration basin (as
per the new Resource Consents).
10. Trade
Waste Agreements
10.1 Nothing
new to report.
11. Trade
Waste Management:
11.1 Nothing
new to report.
12. Bell
Island Resource Consent Application
12.1 The
Decision was received 21 February 2020.
12.2 All
five consents were granted.
12.3 The
consents have a duration of twenty years.
12.4 Most
of the consent conditions were as expected; with a few minor additions and
clarifications.
12.5 The
Board is recommended to accept the Resource Consents and the Decision.
13. Treated
Wastewater Re-use Trial
13.1 Construction
and assembly of equipment is expected to commence in April 2020.
13.2 It
is expected that the plant will be producing filtered water by August 2020.
14. Carbon Emissions
14.1 Nothing
new to report
15. Best
Island
15.1 A
60 hectare block of land at Best Island has been purchased by the NRSBU. Final
Settlement date is 31 March 2020.
15.2 The
land is intended for future harvesting of nutrients from treated wastewater
e.g. by growing feed crops.
15.3 This
use of nutrients will also reduce the volumes of treated wastewater being
discharged to the estuary; which will align well with the Commissioners’
Decision on the Bell island resource consents.
16. Business
Plan
16.1 The
draft Business Plan 2020/2021 was approved by the Board at the September 2019
meeting; and has been submitted to both councils.
16.2 Both
Tasman District Council and Nelson City Council have received the Business Plan
2020/2021; with no feedback to the NRSBU.
16.3 The
Bell Island Resource Consents Decision and imposed Conditions will be reviewed.
The review will assess impacts on the draft Business Plan 2020/2021.
16.4 It
is proposed that an extraordinary meeting will be held for the board to approve
the Business Plan 2020/2021 (with any amendments).
17. Annual
Report
17.1 The
Annual report (2018/2019 year) was submitted to both councils.
17.2 Nelson
City Council has accepted the report.
17.3 Tasman
District Council has formally received the report.
18. Finance
18.1 Attachment
1 includes three financial reports up to the end of January 2020:
· Income Account for
the period to 31 January 2020.
· Balance Sheet as
at 31 January 2020.
· Detailed Budget
– Capital Expenditure.
18.2 Total
income was 99% of YTD budget.
18.3 Total
O&M Expenses were 96% of YTD budget.
18.4 Total
expenses were 93% of YTD budget.
18.5 Net
income was 128% of YTD budget.
18.6 Renewals
and Capital Expenditure was $1.5m vs annual budget of $5.5m.
18.7 Management
costs were down (92%) against budget for the acting General Manager and the
acting Operations Manager.
18.8 Consultancy
costs were only 22% of YTD budget. This will change significantly due to work
on the AMP and other projects.
18.9 Maintenance
costs were over budget (126%) due to numerous items at Bell Island.
19. Strategic Plan
19.1 The
Strategic Plan is being rewritten.
19.2 Board review and approval of the new
plan will be sought soon.
19.3 The Strategic Plan is the key basis
for the Asset Management Plan.
20. Asset Management Plan
20.1 The Asset Management Plan (AMP) is
being rewritten.
20.2 A
consultant has been engaged to undertake a thorough review in conjunction with
the Acting General Manager and the Acting Operations Manager.
20.3 A
discussion workshop is to be held with the Board and key staff from both
Councils.
20.4 The outcome of that workshop will
inform the content of the AMP.
21. General Management
21.1 The new General Manager (GM) will
start in his role 9 March 2020.
21.2 There
will be a transition period during which the current Acting GM will provide
support as requested by the new GM.
21.3 Recruitment
is currently underway for the new Operations Manager (OM) and the new Activity
Manager (AM).
21.4 All
three roles (GM/OM/AM) will be filled by individuals who will also hold a
similar role for the Nelson Tasman Regional Landfill Business Unit (NTRLBU).
22. Attachments
22.1 Three financial reports up to the end
of January 2020:
· Income
Account for the period to 31 January 2020
· Balance
Sheet as at 31 January 2020
· Detailed
Budget – Capital Expenditure.
