The Utilities Service Board Special Meeting acquainted new board members with their roles Wednesday evening.
Mayor John Hamilton took office in January and appointed members to the Service Board, which oversees the Utilities Department.
Efrat Feferman, the assistant director of finance for the Utilities Department, presented some early 2015 financial information to the board members.
The unaudited numbers were not available to the Indiana Daily Student outside of the meeting.
Financial information for the Utilities Department is divided into three parts: water treatment, sewage and stormwater.
In general, 2015 water treatment revenue was slightly lower than expected, Feferman said, but so were expenses.
The year was mild and wet, she said, which likely meant less demand for water.
Total revenue was about $14,700,000, according to the unaudited numbers, though the Utilities Department had expected and budgeted for about $15,200,000.
However, the department had predicted nearly $15,500,000 in expenses for 2015, according to the presentation, and spent less than $14,100,000.
In the end, there was a slight, unexpected net gain.
“Despite some overages in some areas, I think we were fairly conservative in spending where we could be,” Feferman said.
Utilities Service Board President Sam Frank said the goal of the meeting was to introduce the service board members to additional elements that go into their jobs.
Former city council member Jason Banach, now a service board appointee, suggested consolidating committees. For example, a suggestion was having the administrative committee merge with the rules and regulations committee to form an Administrative Rules and Regulations committee.
Hamilton has not yet appointed a new director to the Utilities Department.
Banach suggested that when he does, the board should encourage the director to exercise his or her decision-making authority about the matters the Administrative committee tends to handle — mostly customer disputes.
In that case, the Administrative committee would again be free to hear appeals from people who disagree with the director’s decision, City Council at-large Rep. Tim Mayer said.
Feferman said the new members of the rules and regulations committee could look into establishing wastewater credits for some businesses.
Businesses generally receive a flat charge for water that is disposed of and has to be treated and cleaned in the city’s wastewater plant before it can be re-used, Feferman said.
However, some businesses — beer manufacturers, for instance — make a product with that water that “goes out the door, not into a sewer,” Feferman said.
In that case, it would be helpful to look into credits for businesses that don’t produce as much wastewater, she said.
The current lineup of board members to each committee is subject to change, Frank said.
