NCUCC MEETING MINUTES
November 12, 2002 – 10:00 AM
Roanoke Rapids, NC
 
·        Call to order
 
Chairperson Paulette Warren welcomed everyone to the meeting and thanked Dominion for sponsoring the meeting. Group introductions were made.
 
·        Old Business
 
A.     Treasurer’s Report – The account balance for the NCUCC as of October 31, 2002 is $634.20.  There are no outstanding invoices or checks.
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    Next Meeting - Paulette said that we needed to prepare a 2003 meeting site schedule. After discussion, the following schedule was prepared:
 
January: NCDOT, Winston Salem
March: PSNC Energy, Raleigh
May: JOINT SESSION IN MYRTLE BEACH, SC
July: CP&L, TBA
September: CITY OF CHARLOTTE, Charlotte
November: DOMINION, Roanoke Rapids
 
Note: Yvonne Ellis with NCNG also said that she would host a meeting. Paulette said that she would give way to NCNG to host the July meeting in New Bern.
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    Committee Reports
MESSAGE BOARD – Stephanie SaintSing will give this report as the program after the meeting.
 
LOCAL UCC PARTICIPATION – Paulette reported that Lola is inviting each Local UCC chairperson to each meeting. The Northampton/Halifax UCC did have representatives at the meeting.
 
2004 JOINT SEMINAR  – Lola Ausby distributed a revised list of committees needed for the 2004 Joint Seminar with duties and the names of individuals who volunteered to serve on each committee. All the groups are sufficiently manned except Vendor/Sponsors. Mark Price is the only one on the committee so far. Sandra reported that Robert Reed was no longer at PSNC Energy. The Site/Contract will find a replacement for Robert. Lola also asked for site suggestions for the 2004 Joint Session. She distributed a list of suggestions for the site.
 
DAMAGE PREVENTION – This committee was formed at the last meeting to visit the Board of General Contractors to make them aware of contractors repeatedly cutting cables and find out what actions can be taken to resolve this matter. Herb Livingston is chairperson and Glenn Flowers is also on the committee. Glenn did not have a report.
 
·        New Business
 
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    NCDOT – Aydren Flowers reported that NCDOT would host the January 2003 meeting in Winston Salem. NCDOT Environmental Specialists will give the program. The topic is Environmental Permit Issues involving highway construction projects and related impact on utility relocations. The DOT is being forced, when they make application for a permit for projects in wetlands and other areas, to include in that permit the impact on the local utilities in the area.
 
Roger Worthington shed some more light on the program. He called it “but for” causes. An example is but for the road, they wouldn’t have to be moved. The goal is to look at projects 2-5 years early to get all the impacts to the utilities and come up with the best designs rather than waiting to the last minute. Roger stated that any individuals handling highway conflicts and environmental permitting should attend this meeting. Due to limited seating please RSVP Lola Ausby at 252-308-1028 or Lola_Ausby@dom.com by December 31, 2002. Please inform individuals within your organizations of this important program. See the attachments to the meeting for directions.
 
A Work Zone Traffic Control Rodeo will be held February 3rd and 4th, 2003 at the James B. Hunt Horse Complex on the NC State Fairgrounds in Raleigh. The training is helpful to anyone deploying, specifying, or overseeing work zone traffic control. Contact Meredith McDiarmid at 919-250-4159 or Jim Kellenberger at 919-733-7384. See attachment to the minutes.
 
Aydren stated that the Highway 64 Bypass project in Wake County is the largest project this far that has utilized the Design-Build concept. In Design-Build, the DOT completes a partial design of the project, usually 25% to 75%. It then goes through a selection process to award the project to a Design-Build firm. NCDOT is still doing the environmental permits for these projects.
 
Aydren still has some draft TIPs. The final draft is due July 2003. You can also view the draft TIP at www.ncdot.org.
 
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    One Call Center – Stephanie reported that the NC One Call Center has taken 1,003,333 locate requests to date and has transmitted 6,323,899 tickets. A new UCC was organized in Burke County.  Stephanie will show us the  “Message Board” and new map for web ticket entry as part of the program. Open house at the NC One Call Center in Greensboro will take place January 17, 2003
 
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    Power Companies – Paulette reported that effective January 2003, CP&L would be Progress Energy Carolinas. 
 
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    Gas Companies – Sandra Johnson reported for Danny Harris in Hendersonville. The Jackson County gas main in Sylva is near completion. November 14, 2002 is the activation date.
 
Yvonne Ellis reported that NCNG has completed and gassed up 100 miles of transmission line on the Eastern NCNG project. This line runs from Tunis to Elizabeth City. The following towns have distribution systems: Edenton, Cape Colony, Hertford, Winfall, Elizabeth City, Camden, Gatesville, Valhalla and Bell Cross.
 
Also, NCNG has been sold to Piedmont Natural Gas. Herb Jeans with Piedmont Natural Gas is Dick Carter’s replacement on the committee.
 
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    Telecommunications & Cable TV– James Gilmore was present from Mediacom. Mediacom operates in the northeastern section of NC.
 
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    Contractors – Temple & Sons was present.
 
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    Railroads – Not Present.
 
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    Locate Companies – CLS was present.
 
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    Local UCC’s - Sandra Johnson reported for Wake UCC. Their Annual Damage Awareness Breakfast was held October 10, 2002. Approximately 130 people attended. It was a good program on safety. Sandra thanked George Glenn and NC One Call Center for supporting the breakfast. George was the Master of Ceremonies.
 
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    Utilities Commission – Not Present
 
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    Safety Issues  - Paulette reported on penta treated poles. There was an incident where a penta treated pole broke in the middle and fell over. After an investigation, the top and bottom of the pole was found to be sound, but the middle was defective.
 
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    Miscellaneous – Mark Price reported that starting next year, the NCDOT will start using private Utility Coordinators on TIP projects and maybe on small projects as well. The goal of the Utility Coordinator is to make sure facilities are moved in time by coordinating this with all parties affected by the project. The will be a first for NCDOT. Currently, the resident engineer is responsible for coordination.
 
Aydren apologized to Steve Nichols for not thanking him at the July NCUCC meeting in Charlotte for his help with the AASHTO Convention that was held in Asheville earlier in the year.
 
Steve Nichols reported that the home of Jim Brooks, manager of Telics’ Winston Salem office, was burned in a fire last week. Most of the members of the NCUCC know Jim. No one was hurt, but about half of the house was burned. Jim is doing well in spite of the misfortune.
 
·        Program – Stephanie showed the group the new map for web ticket entry. Approximately 42% of all tickets are entered using web ticket entry. The new map will greatly help to pin point an exact location for a particular locate request. Stephanie said that NC One Call would send an email out of the new enhancements. The enhancements should be ready in about 2 weeks. Stephanie also showed how to get into the “Message Board” and type in a question or concern. Any member can answer the question or address the concern. Members were encouraged to monitor the “Message Board” on a regular basis. It is located at ncucc.org. Click on “Message Board” and click post. Type in your subject, name, and your comments. Click post article.
 
·        Paulette thanked Stephanie for presenting the program.
 
·        Lola asked a question to see how other UCCs are handling the issue of Cable TV and Telephone both using orange paint to mark their cables. This was the topic of discussion at the Northampton/Halifax UCC last month. Someone commented that you could put CATV or Telco on the mark. Someone suggested a light and dark shade of orange paint. Afterward a discussion was generated regarding the State Law. Sandra commented that about a year and half ago she was invited to be a member of the Legislative committee. This committee was formed to look at the State Law. The committee is looking at the existing laws and trying to come up with a draft that would make changes to the existing laws. Some of the items up for discussion are Mandatory Membership to the NC One Call Center, Penalties with enforcement procedures, Tolerance Zone, Hand digging, Life of a Ticket, Positive response, Multiple facility marks, Accurate Asbuilts and a few other issues. The Legislative Committee is also meeting with the Underground Safety and Utility Damage Prevention Coalition to discuss changes to the State Law.
 
·        Directions to our next meeting in Winston Salem at the NCDOT office on January 14, 2003 are attached to the minutes.  click here for directions
 
 
Respectively submitted by
Lola S. Ausby