Meetings are held the first and third Mondays of the month, unless there is a holiday.
6:30pm at the District Office, 3957 Malaga Ave.
GENERAL AGENDA
FOR THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE MALAGA WATER DISTRICT
COMMISSIONERS
Staci Shearer, Krista Herling, Matthew Crane, Jeremy Walker,
and Mike Schoenwald
1. Regular Session
Called to order.
Roll call, introductions, and guests.
Changes to published Agenda.
2. Consent Agenda
Approval of Minutes
3. Public Comment
4. Attorney time:
5. Microsoft Updates:
6. Old business:
System Report: Manager.
Financial statement.
7. New Business:
8. Commissioners’ comments.
9. Review and sign vouchers.
10. Meeting adjourns.
THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
FOR THE MALAGA WATER DISTRICT
August 18th, 2025
The commissioners present were Mike Schoenwald, Staci Shearer, Krista Herling, and Matthew Crane. The staff present was Jon Johnston. Guest present: Ryan Peterson, and John D’ Antoni. Commissioner Walker was excused.
The minutes of August 4, 2025, were approved as corrected.
The agenda of August 18, 2025, was approved as written.
Public comment:
N/A
Legal:
N/A
Review notes from last meeting:
Chelan County Regional Port Authority has not been informed that property owners are okay with the routing of the pipeline through their property between W Malaga Rd and the Golf Course. Seven properties involved. Jon needs to take final documentation to the landowners and when they agree then the Port will create the easements.
Jon is still trying to collect information from Mike, the foreman for Hensel Phelps about what happened with the meter bypass.
Matthew attended the County Commissioners’ meeting. There is a contractor doing analysis of the UGA. They expect information in September. There is money for the analysis and regulations, but it needs to be spent by the end of this year. It appears they are going towards the idea of creating a UGA for Malaga.
Microsoft:
Mike went to the meeting last Friday.
We’re waiting for the county’s approval for the reservoirs and retaining wall. Plans for the pipeline at 60% may be ready by our next meeting in mid-September
State health department is looking at our permits for the well buildings.
Ryan just discovered that our comp plan was only for 6 years and not 10 and it expired last week. We need a pre-plan meeting with DOH for scope and sequence of the plan.
Old Business:
System report: Manager: Everything’s working well.
Digging up on Joe Miller for a new tap for 731-1. Three new valves and a wire on the new pipeline.
GIS system: about 90% done; Hamlin, Laurel Hills, and part of W Malaga are all that’s left other than a few valves here and there.
Put in our system franchise that the county needs to notify the district if they’re chip sealing and mark the valves.
New tap going in on Dixie for a subdivided property.
The water district would approve not less than 2.5 acres per lot and advanced nitrate removal system that would bring it down to less than 10mg/L at effluent.
Integrated Water Services' bid is about $10k. Liquivision is less but charges extra for every little thing which might make it more real fast and once they’re here we’re committed. The Health Department recommends cleaning once every 5 years. We’ll go with Integrated and Jon will schedule it.
New Business:
Jon requests a policy change for the deposit. The system doesn’t track the years time so it’s hard to deal with.
Just charge renters the $200.00 deposit and keep it until they move out. Homeowners don’t need a deposit because you can put a lien on the house.
Will have a resolution for next meeting.
Repaint the billing drop box. Fix the numbers above the door. Get a new sign with our new logo on it. Put a window in by the reception. Buy or rent a commercial printer. Get a paper folding machine for bills and mailing. Fix the small window. Picnic table for employees break space outside.
Overall estimate for these projects.
Commissioner Discussion:
Matthew met with Kevin Overbay and is open to attending our meetings. We should invite him to our first meeting in October.
Matthew noticed a hiccup on the billing portal that when you choose email and paper bills it then says you will no longer receive a paper bill.
Krista showed Lisha how to work the website, update minutes, and she will be doing that from now on with support if needed.
Vouchers were presented and signed. 10 lines for a total of $8,452.25.
Meeting adjourned.
Next meeting is September 15, 2025, at 3957 Malaga Ave.
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MEETING MINUTES 08/04/2025
THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
FOR THE MALAGA WATER DISTRICT
August 4th, 2025
The commissioners present were Mike Schoenwald, Staci Shearer, Krista Herling, Jeremy Walker, and Matthew Crane. The staff present was Jon Johnston and Allison Foreman by zoom. Guest present: Adam Neff, Ryan Peterson, Eric Smith from RH2, Jon Port, Austin Port of Real Homes, and John Dantoni.
The minutes of July 21, 2025, were approved as corrected.
The agenda of August 4, 2025, was approved as written.
Public comment:
N/A
Jon Port: Questions on the wellhead protection area and increased water usage due to MS coming online. Septatec Star system, 75% nitrate removal approved by Washington State.
Legal:
Hensel Phelps letter. They are denying that they bypassed the meter and said it was Microsoft who must have changed it. Allison recommends collecting more information in a written format from everyone involved. Jon will work on that with Matthew’s help.
Review notes from last meeting:
Permit for the new well houses was approved with conditions like draining, fencing, landscaping, etc.
The treatment plant leak was fixed, the bell was broken just like Jon thought.
Robert signed up for the water operator classes, but not through the apprenticeship program because we can only have one at a time with a mentor and Mikayla is already in it. But he can do it through the Quest program, we just don’t get reimbursed.
Microsoft:
No meeting this week. Ryan and Jon found another way to get from Well 5 to the golf course without going to Conarty Road. Have contacted all the property owners involved and they all seem okay with it.
Next meeting is August 15th. Mike will attend.
Old Business:
System report: Manager: Everything’s working well.
Water samples went out today. PFAS test next month again. Report came back with no PFAS in Well 5.
About 80% of the GIS of the district is done. Adding photos as well to the system.
Wellhead protection. Discuss LAMIRD (Local Area of Rural Intensive Development) and the County growth management area. The county isn’t making us a UGA area right now and making it a LAMIRD instead, without the infrastructure/utilities. They are “studying” it right now. We could potentially challenge their determination because we are now on the hook for the services. Maybe it would convince them to actually create a UGA, which could allow a sewer plan.
It also says they should “mitigate effects to groundwater”, but that has never been done.
Discussion of connecting all homes in a subdivision and then making one septic system that would also be outside the wellhead protection area. East would be better.
Community Development department at the county to ask where they are in the comprehensive plan and what they will be doing about the UGA. The need for sewer infrastructure could force the UGA creation.
County Commissioners meeting tomorrow 10:15am has an update on the UGA for Malaga and the comprehensive plan. Matthew has volunteered to go and bring us a report.
Watch for the appeal of the CUP on the 20th. Watch for Port to propose stacked systems of 9 houses on one system.
Get back to Mr. Petty at the health district.
Reservoir tank inspections. Another bid is coming for inspections and silt removal from another company.
New Business:
N/A
Commissioner Discussion:
Vouchers were presented and signed. 10 lines for a total of $8,452.25.
Meeting adjourned.
Next meeting is August 18, 2025, at 3957 Malaga Ave.
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MEETING MINUTES 07/21/2025
THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
FOR THE MALAGA WATER DISTRICT
July 21, 2025
The commissioners present were Mike Schoenwald, Staci Shearer, Krista Herling, Jeremy Walker, and Matthew Crane. The staff present was Jon Johnston and Allison Foreman. Guest present: Aaron Rosenburg, and Vicki Malloy of the Malaga Colockum Community Counsel.
The minutes of July 7, 2025, were approved as corrected.
The agenda of July 21, 2025, was approved as written.
Public comment:
Vicki and Aaron have some questions about the wellhead protection area and the new wells feeding MS and about how much water is available.
Legal:
Nothing at this time.
Review notes from last meeting:
Fidelity bonds are already covered by our CIAW insurance. Jon checked and forwarded the email to the Board.
Hensel and Phelps paid the water bill for their water usage, but not the fine. We’re still waiting for their letter of explanation.
July 11th meeting with the county planner, District personnel, John Port, and other landowners. The meeting was to discuss the wellhead protection area and no decisions or anything else came out of it. The point is that Richmond Petty, from the health district, is the one who can approve new septic systems.
CUP meeting on July 16th, to equip the new well houses. We should hear back in 10 days from the hearing examiner
Microsoft:
Finally, we had a meeting. Pipeline projects are 30 to 50% designed. Pipeline along Conarty Rd is not an option so we’re going straight out from the wellfield across to connect with the Golf Course and through a few people’s properties. Some easements will be in exchange for connections.
Old Business:
System report: Manager:
Running well.
GIS is going really well. Much of the district is done except for Hamlin to the church. Jon would like to start Rob on the apprenticeship program next month.
Mikayla has her WDM1 and cross connection certificate.
Question about taking back more of our own banking from the county because they’ve written 2 checks wrong lately and it’s hard to get fixed. Mikayla had to wait 30 days to get her raise. Something to think about.
We’ve been asked to come up with a value we will accept for nitrate loading in the wellhead protection area. Ryan has done a lot of research. At 3 homes per acre the system needs to reduce nitrates by 93% percent. Nitrex from Lombardo Associates seems to be able to provide this based on some reports, we need to contact them and get more information.
Ryan created a simulation to predict various developments and how they will affect the nitrates. We would also need the annual testing and review set up and what happens if the system isn’t working. These cost about $20k each.
Digging leak at Treatment Plant. Digging for the leak tomorrow.
New Business:
Ryan brought us a memo that he prepared about our water availability for Sabey. What they are asking would take up most of our available water rights so they will go back to their drawing board.
Reservoir tank inspections. Sanitary survey walk through with the health department. Recommends inspection of the tanks. We got a bid from Integrated Underwater Services to inspect the 3 on Level 1, but those will be offline in the next 2 years, so we need a bid to do the next 3 up the hill instead.
Commissioner Discussion:
Revised billing procedures are going out.
Decided not to do an IT grant application. Our new provider, Simple Power IT is taking a different direction, more cloud based so we don’t need as much protection on site. They simply recommended some training and some more monitoring and the costs are pretty low.
Question about improving the office environment. New furniture, new sign out front, perhaps a window in the front wall.
Vouchers were presented and signed. 16 lines for a total of $102,969.85. This includes the Capitol expense of $94,626.05.
Meeting adjourned.
Next meeting is August 4, 2025, at 3957 Malaga Ave.