Chair David Schultz called the meeting to order at 10:06 a.m.

Present: David Schultz, Jarrod Christen, John Hill, Richard Nagy, Terry Reisch, Edward Sorensen, John LaPointe, John Norgren, John Thom, Yasser Abouaish, Karla Peterson, Gerry Mahon, Jon Eaton, Jim Haugen, Scott Anderson, Mark Sweers, Lih-In Razenia, Stew Thornley, Bernie Bullert, Lyle Stai, and David Allen. Staff present was Scott Franzmeier.

Absent: Robert Keiper, James Plahn

Motion by Thom to approve the minutes of September 24, 1999 Board meetings. Second by Eaton. Passed unanimously.

D. Allen presented the financial report for the year-end 1999. Total Section assets & liabilities at the end of the period were $242,779.30. Income for the period was $203,973.61 and expenses of $228,954.64 for total net loss for the year of 28,690.78.

D. Allen encouraged the Board to incorporate the Minnesota Section for additional legal protection of the Association. Motion by Nagy to incorporate the Minnesota Section. Second by Abouaish. Passed unanimously.

D. Allen encouraged the Board to consider performing a full financial audit during 2000. After brief discussion, the Board asked Allen and Franzmeier to provide cost proposals at the May Board meeting for approval at that time.

Motion by Christen to approve the financial report. Second by Hill . Passed unanimously.

AWWA Director Yasser Abouaish reported briefly on National AWWA items and encouraged the Board to pay attention and get involved in supporting candidates for upcoming Board and Committee positions at the National level.

Jarrod Christen reported that the Northwest District held their three-day school in Crookston from Nov. 30 – Dec. 2. Seventy operators in attendance. 20-30 operators took exam – results not yet in.

No report from Northeast District.

Dick Nagy reported that the Central District had 100 people attend their St. Johns School in October. The program went very well. The three-day school in June will be at Ruttgers.

Glen Gerads gave the Metro District report. Next Metro District member meeting scheduled for January 26. The District will elect a new Vice Chair at this meeting and Jon Eaton will formally take over as Chair.

Terry Reisch reported the Southwest District is currently planning their next operator school in New Ulm. The District is also involved in planning the Annual Meeting to be held in Mankato in September, 2000.

No report from the Southeast District.

Motion by Thom to accept the District reports. Second by Hill. Passed unanimously.

No report from the Action Now Committee.

Breakfast Committee did not conduct a breakfast at Chicago in June 1999. The Board discussed whether to hold a breakfast at the meeting in Denver in 2000. The Board will consider subsidizing the breakfast at the May Board meeting. Bernie Bullert will look into going to a baseball game in Denver.

The Commercial Committee is currently not active. John LaPointe and Tom Umm are working to increase the committee’s activities. LaPointe asked if the Board had any concerns if companies were to be permitted to have hospitality suites. Some concern was voiced over having private companies providing hospitality suites for public employees. The Board also discussed what steps could be taken to improve the exhibit portion of the Annual Meeting, including better location, longer exhibit time, etc.

Endowment Committee Report. The Board discussed the letter that was sent to Minnesota Section Chairman, All Past-Chairman, Fuller Awardees, Leonard Thompson Awardees, Jerry Smith (Scholarship Chair) about some potential changes to how the Endowment Fund is used. The Board asked to receive more information at the May meeting before making a decision.

Finance Committee Report. Gerry Mahon provided the Finance Committee report. Mahon presented the report and asked the Board to consider the following recommendations: 1) The Board of Governors adopt a written investment policy for the Minnesota Section. 2) The Board of Governors approve transferring $17,829.23 from the investments into an operating reserve with the remaining investment balance to remain invested in the WealthBuilder Growth Balanced Fund. 3) If an operating reserve is approved, that the decision to use any operating reserve funds would be made jointly by Gerald Mahon, David Allen and Suzanne Dempsey. And, 4) that the Chair of the Board consider appointing a current Board member to replace Verne Jacobsen at the end of this year.

After some considerable discussion, David Schultz asked John LaPointe to put together a sub committee to determine specific guidelines and recommendations

A motion was made by Nagy to put together a sub committee to determined specific investment policies and recommendations for the Board to take action on in May. Eaton seconded. Passed unanimously.

A motion was made by Eaton to move the checking with a lower or no finance charge. Seconded Gerads. Passed unanimously.

No report from the Fuller Award Committee.

No formal report from the L.N. Thompson Award Committee.

No report from the Meritorious Service Award Committee.

No report from the Chair-elect Nominating Committee.

Brief report from the Scholarship Committee.

Scott Anderson announced that he has an opportunity to take a trip to Guatemala to see a water project at work (Donor Education Tour). Anderson provided a letter with specifics on the trip to the Board. Anderson’s formal request was for $800 to subsidize the trip.

A motion was made by Gerads to pay no less than 50% and up to 100%, as needed, to fund the trip. Seconded by Haugen. Passed unanimously.

LaPointe announced that he was involved with the Rotary and that an anonymous donation of $250,000.00 had been received by the Rotary to be used to develop wells in under-developed countries. LaPointe said he would push for the money to go to Water for People.

Membership Report. Bernie Bullert reported that membership is down slightly from in the fall, despite the 2000 members by 2000 campaign. Franzmeier announced there would be a direct mailing to all current members with the campaign information in February. Franzmeier also reported that one of the goals of the Ambassador Program would be increased membership.

Brief report from the Public Information Committee – Update on State Fair, LCMR grant, CCR reports and awards,

Brief report on the BREEZE. The Public Information Committee is looking at a different printer to lower the costs. Frank Keuler has agreed to contact companies to increase income on ads. Gerads announced there were concerns over the increased ad costs of the Breeze and asked for a specific breakdown on the labor costs associated with the Breeze.

No report from the Spouse Publicity Committee.

No report from the Small Systems Committee.

Energy Committee Report. Eaton briefly reported that a potential merger between NSP and another a company out west should not have a negative affect in Minnesota.

Research Committee Report. Research Committee hosted a program last fall that was very beneficial. The research Committee is planning another program in the spring at St. John’s. Although the first program lost money, the second program may make enough money to break even overall.

Karla Peterson reported on the development of a Research Award. Members of the Research Committee will review the papers received and determine the winners.

The Conservation Committee has been reorganized and is now active again. Eaton said he would report on their activities at the next meeting.

Stew Thornley reported that the Education Committee was interested in becoming involved with a very large project that would include the writing, training of teachers, and coordination of a K-12 curriculum to be used throughout the State of Minnesota on water usage and treatment. Thornley asked for support from the Board to move forward in trying to secure funding support for this project (total project cost of $272,040.00) by using some of Franzmeier’s time in soliciting support from Foundations and other Associations. After considerable discussion, the Board reached consensus to have Franzmeier assist as much as possible in the process.

Thornley also reported on upcoming operator schools, a potential series of one day seminars in Northern, Central and Southern Minnesota and other ongoing smaller programs.

Yasser Abouaish reported on the upcoming Water Management Institute program for 2000.

No report from the Safety Committee.

Ed Sorensen gave the Water Utility Council report. The WUC is meeting with DNR to discuss aquifer appropriations. The meetings have been going well. There seems to be a better attitude toward AWWA and our requests.

At the WUC Bullert raised the issue of taxing capital investments. Jacobsen moved that our board support the legislative actions related to this taxation issue. Second by Kramer. Passed unanimously.

Motion by Kramer to approve the all Council reports. Second by Christen. Passed unanimously.

John Thom provided and reviewed the Board a tentative conference program. Jon Norgren reported on the Conference House Committee activities. He reported that Randy Stetler would become Chair of the Committee because John was retiring at the end of January 2000. Overall, everything has been working very well with this committee.

Tom Fornier reported on the tentative spouses program. The Board announced they were pleased with the program announced. Fornier asked the Board for feedback for the entertainment portion of the banquet - a mystery theater during dinner and after the awards portion. Schultz asked if a location for the Board dinner location had been determined.

No unfinished business was addressed.

Bullert announced the winners of the 1998 CCR’s and explained that plaques were being developed for each winner and would be sent to them. In the future, the awards will be given at the Annual Meeting.

Jim Haugen and Scott Franzmeier briefly reported on the development of the Ambassador and Mentor Programs.

John Thom reported that there had been informal discussions between AWWA and MWOA about exploring the possibility of developing joint training opportunities. Thom asked for permission from the Board to have official AWWA representation to begin formal discussions with MWOA on this possibility. The Board recommended Bob Cockriel, John Thom and Jarrod Christen represent AWWA.

John Thom volunteered to delay a discussion on the Joint Powers Agreement until the May Board meeting but passed out the information and asked the Board to review the information and comment to him. The Board will discuss this at length at the May Board meeting.

The Spring Board meeting was set for Friday, May 19, 2000, at 10:00 a.m. at the Holiday Inn in Mankato

Meeting adjourned at 2:40 p.m.