Bio-en CLC Meeting Minutes, 6 May 2014

Due to technical difficulties, these minutes are not yet available on the Bio-en web site. Thanx to Tom Fahey of Bio-en for making them available.

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CLC Meeting May 6, 2014- Minutes

1. Call to Order
   Earl Brubacher called to order the meeting of the CLC in the Meeting Room at the Elmira Branch of the Region of Waterloo Library at 7:00pm.
2. Roll Call
   The following committee members were present / absent:

   Name:	Present:	Absent:
   Earl Brubacher (Chair)	X
   Doug Thomas (Vice Chair)	X
   Marg Tassy Kreller	X
   Robert Musselman	X
   Earl Martin		X
   Jerry Heidbuurt		X
   Bob Gray	X
   Michael Purves Smith	X
   Kevin Martin	X
   Tom Fahey (Secretary)	X
   Chuck Martin		X
   Lance Buchholtz (Plant Operator)		X
   Derek Martin (Plant Operator)	X

   Members of the public attending:
   Bob Jonkman, Al Marshall

3. Approval of minutes of April 1, 2014 meeting

   Earl Brubacher presented the minutes and asked if there were any comments or questions.
   Questions & Comments:
   Bob Gray noted that he was present at the meeting, but the roll call indicated he was absent. Minutes to be corrected.

   Some discussion on clarifying the following:

   • page 6, paragraph 8; for further clarity, the minutes have been edited to indicate that the addition of new feedstock materials simply expands the menu of potential feedstock materials and does not increase the 70,000 tonne per year limit on material receipts. The April 1 minutes will be updated accordingly.
   • page 6, paragraph 10; correction of the word “diluted”, it should be “concentrated”. For further clarity, the minutes will be edited to indicate that clean air samples are modified by adding increasing concentrations of the air samples taken until such point that the test panel members indicate that they can detect an odour.

   Motion to accept the minutes as corrected – Doug Thomas
   Seconded – Michael Purves Smith
   Carried.

   Comments regarding distribution of minutes – Bob Jonkman noted that the minutes did not get posted to the company website. Earl Brubacher was sure that the minutes had been posted, and advised that he would follow up with the person that is responsible for updating the website.

4. Construction update:

   The plant is now receiving product daily. The engines were fired up today (April 1) for commissioning and testing purposes.

   The testing process entails running the engines and then tripping every fault and validating that the system responds properly to each fault. The engines are running off and on during this process, but while running they are generating electricity into the grid.

   The company received a call today from Waterloo north Hydro advising that from May 14 until June 6, the access to the grid will not be available as they are doing upgrade work on the substation. As a result, the plant will need to flare off excess gas during this time period. The flare will cycle on and off based on minimum and maximum gas levels in the dome as defined by set points in the control system.

   Additional outside work to be completed: grading, paving, grass, tree planting, landscaping.

   Earl circulated the April Receiving Report (copy attached). One truck arrived before 7:00am, and was met by Derek Martin. The plant operators (Derek Martin and Lance Buchholtz) are encouraging all drivers to arrive after 7:00am and before 7:00pm in the future.

   All truck traffic is arriving via Martin’s Lane.

   Still in start-up mode, so current receiving volume is about 25%-30% of capacity. The plant is past the initial fill with manure and all materials now being received are regular feedstock materials.

   Michael Purves Smith asked if the company was happy with the way things are running. Earl Brubacher replied that things are going better than expected. Derek Martin replied that there have been some small issues, but nothing major, and he is pleased with the progress so far.

   Doug Thomas asked how many people were on site. Derek Martin replied that there are two operators on site each day, between 7:00am to 5:00pm, and one will stay late if a late truck arrival is scheduled. Remote monitoring and remote alarming is in place for non-manned hours. One person is on call and will receive a page with an alarm code and will respond accordingly, and attend on site at the plant if required.

5. Other Business:

   Robert Musselman presented the information he had gathered regarding incorporating an organization; there are five steps, and they can be performed online.

   1. Is the organization a Charity – Yes or No
   2. If No, then choose the corporate name and do a search of the corporate name registry to determine if it is available
   3. Complete the application form on the website
   4. Receive Letters Patent from the Ministry of Corporate Affairs
   5. Additional steps for corporation to follow

   Approximate cost is $600 to incorporate as a “not for profit” entity.

   Robert also reported that the Royal Bank indicated setting up a bank account for the CLC is a simple process. The Committee would need to record in its minutes that it wished to open a bank account, and then appoint the individuals that will be the authorized signatories on the account. No need to open until such time that it becomes necessary to do so. When and if it becomes necessary, the CLC can raise the matching funds and then open the bank account and make a request to Woolwich Bio-En to advance its share of the funds under the letter of credit.

   If the CLC members wish to have protection and security an limited legal liability, then a corporation would need to be created.

   Earl Brubacher noted that there are new rules for incorporating a not for profit organization, and the Biogas Association recently had to rewrite its by-laws to be in compliance with the new rules. Robert Musselman replied that the information he presented was as per the new rules, and the creation of the required by-laws was not onerous, and could be done by using online examples as a template and simply filling in the blanks to suit the needs of the Committee.

   Earl Brubacher asked the committee how they would like to proceed. The consensus of the Committee members was for a recommendation to leave as is for now until such time that a requirement to raise funds in support of a peer review.

   Earl Brubacher reiterated the company will not advance funds under the letter of credit to cover legal or incorporation costs, only costs directly related to peer review.

   Doug Thomas moved to table the report to a later date. Opening a bank account and the feasibility of incorporation can be determined at that later date. Seconded by Bob Gray. Carried.

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   Derek Martin raised a point of clarification regarding the Receiving’s Report regarding the capacity percentage of current receiving. April 17 was the last day of receiving manure to fill the tanks. The capacity percentage referred to previously is in relation to material receipts after April 17. The number of trucks coming in to April 17 is higher than normal. This was the initial fill period. The number of truck movements after April 17 is more in line with expected truck movements.

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   Earl Brubacher asked if there were any more comments or questions. There being none, the next meeting was scheduled:

   Date: June 3, 2014
   Time: 7:00pm
   Location: Meeting Room (downstairs) at the Elmira Branch, Region of Waterloo Library

   The meeting was adjourned at 7:31pm.

April 2014 Material Receiving Report (30.1 kBytes, .PDF)