Board of Water Commissioners, Committee Meetings

Detroit Water and Sewerage Department

Utilities

Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024
1:00 p.m. — 5:00 p.m. EDT

View meeting details

Add to iCal

Add to Google Calendar

Location unavailable

Five consecutive committee meetings — same Zoom link

To attend online: https://cityofdetroit.zoom.us/j/81572635118

Agendas and times listed on the Legistar page:
https://dwsd.legistar.com/

Check the source website for additional information

Reporting

Edited and summarized by the Detroit - MI Documenters Team

Note-taking by Sandi Nelson

Capital improvements of Detroit’s aging water system remain constant, with the water and sewerage department reporting $79 million in active sewer contracts and $132 million in active water contracts.

View notes

Live reporting by Nathaniel Eichenhorn

Nachum Eichenhorn

Hello #Detroit ! I will be live tweeting the Detroit Board of Water Commissioners meeting today at 1pm for #DetroitDocumenters @DetDocumenters media partners: @BridgeDet313 @chalkbeatDET @freep @media_outlier @metrotimes @MichiganRadio @PlanetDetroit @wdet @wxyzdetroit

11:05 AM Sep 4, 2024 CDT

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 2/85

We've got five consecutive meetings today. The schedule and the agendas can be found here: dwsd.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx

dwsd.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 3/85

Zoom kicked in with the meeting already in progress. They adopted the agenda and approved the previous meeting's minutes.

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 4/85

They are just receiving the correspondence from Legal and Government Affairs. All without discussion

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 5/85

Moving on to new business, senior director Gray Lepley is presenting the investment update

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 6/85

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 7/85

The city partners with these guys to make their investments, by the way pfmam.com

pfmam.com

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 8/85

The Fed has been surprisingly aggressive with rate cuts lately, and they expect even more rate cuts.

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 9/85

The unemployment rate is sitting below five percent, which is ostensibly good news. Unfortunately, the unemployment rate has been shown to be a flawed measurement of what people want from a measure of unemployment.

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 10/85

This whole thing gets a little weedy (kind of by design) but if you want a very broad overview of the philosophy that has driven Fed policy for over 40 years, check this out en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monetaris…

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monetaris…

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 11/85

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 12/85

Thread continues here: https://twitter.com/nachumdetroit/status/1831383239514321096

https://twitter.com/nachumdetroit/status/1831383239514321096

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 13/85

I've noticed a trend across several meetings I've attended. Namely, investment firms working for the City have been buying up for shorter-term commercial paper.

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 14/85

That is to say, instead of a more classical buy-and-hold strategy, these firms have been buying paper issued by private companies for 6-12 months in order to raise money.

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 15/85

I just wonder about the slooooow increase in risk in order to keep up with expected returns. It seems like it might be compensating for a kind of unacknowledged economic downward trend.

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 16/85

Gary Brown says the board would like to divert some (read: a lot of) money to help fund lead pipe replacement through the winter. They need to talk to GLWA and several others first, but there is concern that if we run out of operating funds, contractors will split.

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 17/85

Brown said that Detroit pays just under $10,000 per line, meanwhile Chicago pays over double that, so if we get shifty about funding even a little bit, there's big incentive for local contractors to take their business across the strait.

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 18/85

That was a play on "take one's business across the STREET" and I don't wanna brag but I think that was pretty clever

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 19/85

Now a rep from Plante Moran is going to talk about a big audit they're getting ready to start

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 20/85

Just going over some areas that might be sticky or difficult to quantify

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 21/85

There isn’t going ti be a financial report for this meeting because they’re getting ready first this big audit.

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 22/85

Now they’re moving on to contracts

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 23/85

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 24/85

They have a much beefier agenda than we do, by the way.

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 25/85

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 26/85

I'm posting these screenshots because we haven't been given ANY of these ck tracts in the agenda they posted.

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 27/85

We're throwing around goofy money to be so cavalier about putting it on agendas. We need that packet!

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 28/85

PACKET! PACKET! PACKET!

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 29/85

They approved 2024-170, 171, 172, 173, 174, and 175 were approved unanimously, one after the other.

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 30/85

Ok moving on to the Capital Improvement Program and Operations Committee, they approved the agenda and previous minutes.

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 31/85

Now on to public participation

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 32/85

Meeko Williams, CEO of Hydrate Detroit, called in to ask about what is to be done about water main breaks in the city. People are getting such bad water pressure they're calling Hydrate Detroit for help.

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 33/85

Williams basically asking for the board to be better about telling people what they're doing. The board just thanked him and moved on instantly.

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 34/85

Oh hey the next caller asked why they do that and if they could move public comment to the end to accommodate questions. Answer: We do it that way because that's the way we do it. If you want a response feel free to send an email

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 35/85

Makes public comment pretty perfunctory. Very letter-of-the-law

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 36/85

DWSD Security and Integrity is giving the presentation over the phone

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 37/85

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 38/85

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 39/85

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 40/85

They've got an issue with vacant homes busting pipes and then basically pumping free water onto the floor/ground. They've dealt with about 700 of these cases so far this year.

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 41/85

Now Anil Gosine is going to give the Capital Improvement Plan update

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 42/85

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 43/85

Over 10,000 lead service lines have been replaced since 2018, says Gosine.

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 44/85

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 45/85

Now the Customer Service Committee is up. They approved the minutes and agenda unanimously

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 46/85

Caller says his street was torn up to mud and can't get an answer from DWSD. Board says they'll get him an answer

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 47/85

Next caller says people don't know about recertifying for Lifeline. Caller after them says the same thing. Meeko Williams called again and criticized the board for a lack of communication.

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 48/85

Shockingly low percentage of recerts, according to the board. About 10%.

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 49/85

The department says they are sending out tons and tons of notifications. The low recerts seem to belie that assertion. Where's the disconnect here?

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 50/85

They accepted the correspondence unanimously

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 51/85

Now moving on to Customer Service Metrics, presented by Kimberly Crowell.

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 52/85

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 53/85

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 54/85

Crowell says the response time is so bad because they do not have sufficient staff.

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 55/85

Thread continues here: https://x.com/NachumDetroit/status/1831407546789457990?t=hoo7ruX0dnkrR4SxFFr2ig&s=19

https://x.com/NachumDetroit/status/1831407546789457990?t=hoo7ruX0dnkrR4SxFFr2ig&s=19

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 56/85

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 57/85

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 58/85

DWSD is farming out EasyPay to a company called Promise Pay. The company promises it'll be great and everything will be great.

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 59/85

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 60/85

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 61/85

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 62/85

Now moving on to the Human Resources/Organizational Development committee. They approved the agenda and minutes unanimously

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 63/85

And now HR director Patricia Thornhill is going to give the HR presentation, but is having trouble using Powerpoint

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 64/85

It's giving "what button do I press?"

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 65/85

They keep talking about residents not being able to use technology as a reason for bad customer service, but I can't tell you how many high level government employees I've had to watch struggle to operate Microsoft Office suite or be unable to negotiate a microphone.

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 66/85

Are EMPLOYEES being trained to use these fancy new software programs all across city departments?

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 67/85

How can they be when director-level civil servants and elected officials seem fundamentally unable to grasp the basics of a graphical user interface, the basic shape of which has been essentially standardized for nearly 40 years?

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 68/85

PowerPoint was released in 1987. I learned how to use it in middle school, about the same time I was mastering fractions.

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 69/85

We keep hearing about QR codes and payment portals, and I'd be surprised if a single board member could explain what either of those things are, let alone evaluate the best way to troubleshoot municipal software startup issues.

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 70/85

They're moving on to Legal and Government Affairs committee. Agenda and minutes passed unanimously

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 71/85

I think I just saw Commissioner Kinloch Zooming in from his car! 🚗💨

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 72/85

Debra Prospiech is giving a presentation on the proposed water affordability legislation

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 73/85

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 74/85

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 75/85

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 76/85

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 77/85

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 78/85

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 79/85

Thread continues https://twitter.com/nachumdetroit/status/1831421799424520272

https://twitter.com/nachumdetroit/status/1831421799424520272

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 80/85

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 81/85

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 82/85

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 83/85

The meeting was adjourned at 4:17pm

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 84/85

Well folks, this closes my coverage of the board of Water Commissioners meeting for September 4th. Learn more about our coverage of local meetings at documenters.org

documenters.org

Nachum Eichenhorn @NachumDetroit 85/85

If you believe anything in the coverage today is inaccurate, please email us at documenters@outliermedia.org with "Correction Request" in the subject line

View thread

Attachments

1 attachment

Transcript and recording

By Noah Kincade ⋅ September 4th, 2024

Otter transcript: Detroit Board of Water Commissioners, September Committee Meetings, 9/4/2024

Agency Information

Detroit Water and Sewerage Department

dwsd.legistar.com

See Documenters reporting

Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) is one of the largest water and sewer utilities in the United States, serving more than 200,000 Detroit residential and commercial accounts that includes a city population of nearly 680,000. DWSD’s water network consists of more than 2,700 miles of transmission and distribution mains and nearly 3,000 miles of sewer collection piping.