Paris, TN – The August meeting of the Paris Utility Authority Board of Directors began with a review and approval of minutes from the last regular monthly meeting, July 27, 2021, followed by a review of the monthly financial and statistical reports.
The first item of business was the reorganization of officers for the PUA board following Terry Fuller and Butch Powers’ reappointment to the Board at the May meeting. The Board elected to not re-organize the officers and keep the current slate of officers for the term. David Flowers will remain Chairman of the Board, Ralph Anderson, Vice Chairman and, Bethany Edwards, Secretary/Treasurer.
“Our utility and our community are fortunate to have an outstanding Board of Directors who take their commitment to the Board very seriously,” said Terry Wimberley, PUA President and CEO. “Chairman Flowers, along with Vice Chairman Anderson and Bethany do a tremendous job leading the Board and I am proud to serve alongside them.”
Three bids were received for the High Voltage Breakers at the Eagle Creek substation. Bids for the project ranged from $162,282 to $208,472. The bids were thoroughly evaluated by Fisher & Arnold, the engineering consultant on the project as well as Paris BPU. The Board approved their recommendation to accept the low bid of $162,282 from Siemens. This purchase is included in the FY 2022 budget and delivery on the structure is estimated at 18-20 weeks.
Also included in the FY 2022 budget is the substation construction costs at the Eagle Creek substation. Seven bids were received, ranging from $972,082 to $1,096,650. All bids were thoroughly evaluated by Fisher & Arnold, the engineering consultant on the project in addition to Paris BPU. The Board approved the recommendation to accept the low bid of $972,082 from Groves Electrical Service in Madisonville, KY.
Wimberley then turned the floor over to Bethany Edwards, Paris BPU Vice President-Administration and Finance for the presentation of a potential new service for Paris BPU customers. Edwards explained a new program that would provide customers access to a GenerLink™ meter collar device that makes connecting to a portable generator safe and easy. The Board voted to approve the implementation of the new program. The program is set to launch, October 1. More details on the program will be available on the utility’s website in the coming weeks.
“This program is really a win-win for both our customers and our utility,” said Edwards. “It provides ease of service/connectivity for our customer while also insuring the safety of our electric workers.”
In other general business, the Board approved a motion to use Public Entity Partners for the utility’s business insurance package. Additionally, the board approved a motion to engage Allen & Hoshall for a solar generation System Impact Study. This study is a part of a potential relationship between TVA and Silicon Ranch but since it would interconnect with our system, a system impact study is required. This study will be performed at no cost to the utility.
In his President’s report, Wimberley introduced his employee guest, Kelly Jo Brisendine. Kelly Jo serves as the Utility Accountant Assistant and has been with the utility since September of 2020 when she was hired on part-time. She transitioned to her current, full-time, position in October of 2020.
The next meeting of the Paris Utility Authority Board of Directors will take place on Thursday, September 30.
About Paris BPU –Paris BPU is a municipal utility that provides electric, water, and wastewater services to residents of Paris and Henry County as a means of promoting economic development and enhancing quality of life in the community. Serving over 21,000 homes and businesses, Paris BPU strives to provide reliable, safe, and affordable services to our community.