Boise, Idaho 83702-5642
Minutes of January 18, 2006
ROLL CALL: William A Thompson-Chair
Victor Coles, Board Member
Kevin M Pfenning, Board Member
Michael N Schroeder, Board Member
Robert F. Hansen, Board Member
Barry Burnell, DEQ Representative
ABSENT: Ross Spackman, Board Member
BUREAU PRESENT: Rayola Jacobsen, Bureau Chief
Budd Hetrick, Deputy Bureau Chief
Roger Hales, Administrative Attorney
Mary Miles, Technical Records Specialist I
OTHER’S PRESENT: Richard Dees, Boise City, Public Works
Marcia Schmelzer, Boise City, Public Works
Don Munkers, Idaho Rural Water Association
Lynn Moser, Eagle Sewer District
RJ Lake, Eagle Sewer District
Patricia Brown, Brown Environmental
The meeting was called to order at 9:00 a.m. by Chair, Bill Thompson.
Motion made by Victor Coles to approve the minutes of the October 05, 2005, December 8, 2005 and December 28, 2005 board meetings. Seconded by Mike Schroeder, motion passed.
Mr. Hetrick presented the financial report. As of December 31, 2005 expenditures were $65, 574.20 with a cash balance of 228, 515.81. A proposed rule change is going before the Legislature to reduce fees.
Mr. Hetrick presented the investigative report. There is one (1) complaint for 2006 that has been referred to the Attorney General’s office. Two (2) complaints for 2005; 1 has been closed and 1 is under investigation.
Richard Dees, Boise City, Public Works presented his letter to the Board for discussion.
The application process is as follows: Applications must be submitted with applicable fees and documents. Letters are sent to the applicants requesting additional information or informing the applicant their application will go before the board. Completed applications are presented to the Board for review. If an application is denied by the board the examination fee and original license fee is refundable. If an examination is scheduled for an applicant the fee is non-refundable.
Discussion regarding Operator in Training licensure. An OIT license can be held for three (3) years. A licensee can submit an application for an upgrade for a Class I after one (1) year of experience and pay the $25.00 application fee. If after three (3) years from the date of licensure for the OIT license, the licensee does not apply for an upgrade, the license is non-renewable. Rule 600.03.
Motion made by Victor Coles to interpret the rules as follows; that the experience a person has at the plant classification and the time of experience, with clarification that the supervisory requirement has been met with proof of documentation and the applicant has the required education the exams can be taken sequentially. Seconded by Mike Schroeder, motion passed.
Roger Hales, Administrative Attorney addressed the Idaho Statue 24.02. An engineer working as a consultant within his scope of licensure does not need to have a wastewater operator license. If an engineer is working as an operator in charge, he must have a wastewater operator license. The DEQ January newsletter addresses this issue.
Break at 10:20 am
Called to order at 10:30 am
Discussion with Don Munkers, Idaho Rural Water Association, in regards to the letter he wrote to the Board. Mr. Munkers invited the Board to attend the Statewide Drinking Water Critical Training Needs Symposium to be held on March 14, 2006, during the IRWA’s Annual Conference.
Motion made by Bill Thompson that the board continue discussion with Mr. Munkers at the May board meeting. Seconded by Victor Coles, motion passed.
Rule discussion regarding operator in training licensure. Lynn Moser, Eagle Sewer District, raised licensing and hiring questions. The Bureau is pursuing online exams with the possibility exams would be available more frequently. The Board discussed quarterly exams; due to the time frame required exams would overlap. The ABC conference is next week and it is expected online exams will be discussed.
Discussion regarding Grandparent licensure and the certification review required within the first year of licensure. All Grandfather licenses need to be audited to insure requirements have been met. The board would like to have “GP” added to all Grandparent licenses.
Discussion of course instructors receiving 50% of the CEU’s offered for their course.
Rule 500 does not support the instructor receiving credit from their own course.
Discussion of Continuing Education Units with Patricia Brown. Rule 500.01.d : Continuing education hours for approved operator training courses, seminars, related college courses, and other training activities may be converted to Continuing education Units (CEU) as follows: Six (6) classroom hours = point six (.6) CEU.
Clarification of Rule 500.01.d is 0.1 CEU per one (1) hour of attendance.
Ms. Brown presented the 2006 Statewide Operator Trainer Contract.
C520 - c. Training Session Continuing Education Units—All training sessions will
offer continuing education units (CEUs) commiserate with the number
of hours to every participant that completes the training session. Each
training session must be approved in accordance with the process identified
in Appendix A, Item 10, for a given number of CEUs PRIOR to being held.
One day of training shall at a minimum include no less than seven (7) contact
hours that is worth 0.7 CEUs. The CONTRACTOR will only accept
registrations for a full training session. No registrations for partial attendance
of a training session may be accepted by the CONTRACTOR.
The CONTRACTOR may not issue CEU Certificates for any other than the
pre-approved given number of CEUs for a training session unless the
CONTRACTOR has approval or direction from the IBOL and the Idaho
Board of Drinking Water and Wastewater Professionals (WWP Board) to
give partial credit or no credit to a student failing to complete an entire
training session. The Department views a training session as a learning
experience on a specified subject matter that necessitates attendance of the
whole training session to acquire the new knowledge or skill being taught.
Discussion regarding signatures on the Employer/Owner Affidavits.
Motion made by Mike Schroeder that an applicant signing their own Employer/Owner
Affidavit must submit a letter of explanation. Seconded by Kevin Pfenning, motion passed.
Robert Hansen and Victor Coles abstained from voting.
Motion made by Barry Burnell to break for lunch and return at 1:15 pm. Seconded by Mike Schroeder, motion passed.
Called to order at 1:15 pm.
Discussion regarding “For Hire” registration on the DEQ website. The web link for an operator to register is:
http://www.deq.idaho.gov/Applications/WWDWOper/WWDWOperatorAcceptDisclaimer.cfm
The web link to search for an operator for hire is:
http://www.deq.idaho.gov/Applications/WWDWOper/WWDWSearchContractOperatorInfo.cfm
Ms. Jacobsen presented correspondence regarding pre-treatment coordinators.
Pre-treatment experience does not qualify them for licensure. Pre-treatment coordinators would need to demonstrate they have operational experience and qualifications and would need to follow application process.
Motion made by Robert Hansen that applications will be kept for one (1) year, if there is no action regarding the file during this time the file will be closed. Seconded by Victor Coles, motion passed.
Motion made by Barry Burnell that Wastewater Treatment Land application will not be excluded by rule from the Grandfather clause. Seconded by Bob Hansen, motion passed.
Mary Miles presented Continuing Education Courses to the Board for approval.
The Board approved the following courses:
Motion was made by Victor Coles to go into Executive Session to review applications exempt from public disclosure per Chapter 3, Title 9, Idaho Code. Seconded by Kevin Pfenning, motion passed.
The next board meeting is scheduled for May 24, 2006
The board meeting was adjourned at 7:45 p.m.
______________________________ ______________________________
William A. Thompson, Chair Victor Coles
______________________________ ______________________________
Kevin M. Pfenning Michael N. Schroeder
______________________________ ______________________________
Ross Spackman Robert F. Hansen
______________________________ ______________________________
Barry Burnell Rayola Jacobsen, Bureau Chief