8/8/2024 NE Florida DPC

Location: Gainesville Regional Utilities, 4747 N Main St., Gainesville, FL 32609

Start Time: 9:00 AM
End Time: 11:35 AM
Attendance: 27

NEXT MEETING:
Not yet scheduled

DPC Officers and Open Seats
Brad Martin of Sunshine 811 is acting Chairperson
Gabriel Blake and Tony Smith of GRU were facility hosts.
Official officers not yet selected.

Meeting Forum and Notes:

Short 811 presentation on meeting make up, rules for respect and discussion. Open forum.

Tony Smith, Gainesville Regional Utilities Line Locating Supervisor, gave a ppt presentation on “What happens at GRU when a damage occurs.” Very interesting discussion and clarifications for the attending excavators regarding the perspective of the utility when damages occur. Utilities cannot always drop what they’re doing to rush to a damage site to get the contractor back in action. Could take days depending on the situation.

LOCATE DELAYS

Ongoing topic regarding the 3F Positive Response Code. Discussions regarding what each participant can do to help make things run more smoothly, i.e.,

  • Excavators can be more precise in locate descriptions

  • Utilities can communicate more timely and directly with issues

  • End ticket renewals when work completed or not within next 30 days

  • More clear communications all around

LARGE PROJECTS

Fiber installs in Gainesville are clogging up the system…..more tickets than locators can handle. GRU discussed their project of agreements with fiber installs for private locates and sharing mapping information.

ATT discussed an upcoming pilot project where possible changes can affect Large Project Tickets.

W Schaefer