Sanitary board elects officers, approves $5,755,432.22 in claims; district administrator outlines 2024 accomplishments

The Board of Sanitary Commissioners on Jan. 8 elected Adam Leach president, Tim Overton vice president and David Smith secretary and approved minutes and a register of claims totaling $5,755,432.22, board members said at the meeting.

District Administrator Rick Conrad delivered a detailed review of 2024 operations and priorities, summarizing personnel changes, storm and tornado response, efficiency efforts and capital work the district completed or began last year. "First, I want to thank or welcome Mr. Steve Selvey to the board," Conrad said, and later reviewed operational changes and project highlights.

Conrad told the board the district saw extensive turnover in 2024, including the retirement of long-serving district administrator John Barlow after 42 years and five additional retirements, plus the deaths of two longtime employees, Lisa Fellers and Dave Campbell. Conrad said those losses represented "over 200 years of experience" leaving the district and led to promotions and new hires across departments.

Conrad described the district's emergency responses in 2024: assistance after an EF-3 tornado struck Selma and Winchester, and a pair of storms in April that dropped about 7 inches of rain in a week and overwhelmed storm drains in parts of the city. Those events prompted the district to seek a mutual-aid agreement with neighboring jurisdictions and to reevaluate departmental emergency action plans.

On finances, Conrad summarized a yearlong focus on costs, fees and rates that produced five new resolutions and a professional cost-of-service study. He said the board approved a rate increase "for the first time since 2016," which he described as intended to cover routine operations and larger obligations such as combined-sewer-overflow (CSO) separations and maintenance of Army Corps-built levees.

Conrad said the district combined engineering and sewer-maintenance departments, expanded in-house construction crews, and adopted renewable natural gas that "we imagine for a full year will be close to $72,000 a year" in offset credits. He also said the district stopped subsidizing credit-card fees on sewer bill payments, shifting fees to users and encouraging ACH, a change Conrad said saves the district "roughly $15,000 per month." The district hired a full-time human-resources director and purchased software for hiring, training and evaluations, Conrad said.

Conrad listed capital and environmental work: partial separation of CSO 7 and complete closures of CSOs 13 and 33; upgrades in areas he identified as Hoyt and LCN; a Ball Brothers Foundation grant to build a canoe launch at Lewick Avenue with plans for four more launches; and continued work to realign the South Levee, a project Conrad said will save the district about $3,000,000 in future levee maintenance. He said the district is negotiating a long-term control plan with the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) that could, if approved, save the district "as much as $300,000,000 over the next 10 years."

Conrad closed by noting awards the district received and by welcoming the board's newest member, Steve Selvey. He said department heads will give more detailed updates at upcoming meetings.

Votes at a glance — • Election of officers (motion to elect a slate: Adam Leach, Tim Overton, David Smith): motion moved by Aaron; second not specified; vote 5–0, outcome: approved. • Approval of Dec. 11, 2024 board minutes: mover and seconder not specified; vote 5–0, outcome: approved. • Register of claims ($5,755,432.22): mover and seconder not specified; vote 5–0, outcome: approved.

No members of the public offered comment during the meeting. Board members asked no substantive follow-up questions after Conrad's report beyond expressing thanks and asking that the accomplishments and awards be posted to the district website. The board adjourned after a short additional-business period.