The Assiniboine Rural Pipeline Association is in better shape than it has been in for a while, members were told last week during the association’s annual meeting.
“We have no debt and we made more than $18,000 in 2015, but we have to stay ahead,” said Dave Clark, the association’s manager, during the annual meeting held March 23.
In the manager’s report, Clark told the 22 members attending that although the Town of Kamsack had recently increased the price for the treated water it sells to the association to $14.50 for 1,000 gallons, because the Town is facing possible upgrades to its treatment plant, he would not be surprised if that cost is increased by about another two dollars in the near future.
During 2015, the association paid the Town of Kamsack $70,000 for water for its 85 subscribers, and while the association’s total revenue for the year was about $174,000, expenses totalled $140,000.
Reviewing the year, Clark said that Leanne McGriskin, was hired as a bookkeeper on a part-time “as needed” basis and the RM of Cote has provided office space for the association at its Kamsack office.
A cell phone dedicated to the association has been purchased, he said, adding that although a person may not answer a call, a message manager would record them. If an emergency should arise, Clark advised members to contact any one of the association’s board members.
“We have no new connects scheduled for 2016,” he said, explaining that the association had gained 13 new subscribers in the past few years.
In his report, Clark discussed a few of the recent major leaks which “hurt us badly.”
He said that in the few cases where shortcuts had been taken to save money at the time of the initial installation of the waterline, those installations would have to be redone properly or the association may have to face continued major leaks at those locations.
Clark stressed the need for the association to generate adequate revenue in order to pay for such repairs, and explained that while the association currently uses about 10,000 gallons of treated water a day, its contract with the Town of Kamsack allows it to acquire as much as 100,000 gallons a day.
In the discussion, the installation rates for ARPA were compared to those of other nearby rural water pipelines, which were said to be far more expensive.
He reminded subscribers the need for prompt payment of water bills because the Town requires payment by the 20th of every second month.
Although currently test work is being contracted out, the association is still in need of a maintenance person, he said.
Re-elected as the association’s board of directors were: Brian Hunter, Dale Nelson, Steven Wishnevetski, Ken David, Murray Peterson and Andy Kazakoff.
