HARWICH WATER DEPARTMENT
Water Commissioner Meeting Minutes
November 20, 2007
Present: Chairman Donald T. Bates, Vice Chairman George Cavanaugh, Clerk Danette Gonsalves, Superintendent Craig Wiegand, Secretary Kelly Byrnes
Meeting called to order at 8:20 a.m. by Chairman Donald Bates.
Abatements presented and discussed. Motion made by Chairman Donald Bates to approve abatements. Motion seconded by Vice Chairman George Cavanaugh. Unanimous vote to approve; abatements signed.
Vice Chairman George Cavanaugh made a motion to approve minutes from meeting held on Tuesday, October 23, 2007. Motion seconded by Clerk Danette Gonsalves. Unanimous vote to approve.
Old Business:
Discussion took place on account #2666 and the past due balance on water account. Customer was not notified of the Board’s decision to deny request for abatement in August of this year. Customer inquired with Water Department last week regarding this decision and office felt it needed to be brought before the Board again.
Motion made by Vice Chairman George Cavanaugh to reduce balance of $801.50 by fifty (50%) percent plus the base rate of $50.00. Motion was seconded by Clerk Danette Gonslaves. Unanimous vote to approve.
New Business/Correspondence:
Secretary Byrnes presented to the Board a draft of abatement procedures, form letters, and abatement approval/refusal forms.
Motion to approve abatement forms and procedures made by Clerk Danette Gonsalves, motion seconded by Vice Chairman George Cavanaugh. Unanimous vote to approve.
Superintendent Craig Wiegand informed the Board that the appeal was sent to the State Appellate Tax Board regarding their decision for Mr. Louis Lacerra, 41 Blueberry Lane, abating his water bill.
Superintendent Craig Wiegand discussed revising the Rules and Regulations for abatements. Superintendent Craig Wiegand would like to add a section stating that when assistance, or abatements, are granted by the Board that they are offered on a one time basis, or at the discretion of the Board as they deem necessary. The intent is to avoid customers abusing the abatement process each time a high bill is received.
Upcoming water main projects are scheduled to take place on Division Street in West Harwich during the week of November 26, 2007. Orleans Road is scheduled to be repaved in the spring of 2008 and as a result, the Water Department is hoping to renew services in this area. The Division of Highways and Maintenance will be putting in place a five year moratorium on any work in the road layout once paving has been completed.
Superintendent Craig Wiegand discussed the need to update the heating system for the main office at the Water Department. Concerns came up regarding the system when the boiler was serviced. Superintendent Wiegand requested permission to award the job to the lowest bidder, Harwich Heating and Cooling.
A discussion took place about account #6102 and request for abatement. Customers wrote a letter to the Board addressing their most recent water bill and explained that the usage was a result of their irrigation system, not a leak, rather a problem with the timer which caused the drip zones to run continuously underground.
Motion was made by Chairman Donald Bates to deny request for abatement. Motion was seconded by Vice Chairman George Cavanaugh. Unanimous vote to approve.
The RFP’s for cell phone towers are almost finalized and should be ready next week. Superintendent Craig Wiegand will ask the Board to review and approve RFP’s once they are available.
December meeting dates are scheduled for December 4 and 18.
Next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, December 4, 2007.
Motion to adjourn made by Vice Chairman George Cavanaugh, motion was seconded by Clerk Danette Gonsalves. Unanimous vote to approve.
Meeting adjourned at 8:55 a.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Donald T Bates, Chairman
Danette Gonsalves, Vice Chairman
George Cavanaugh, Clerk
Craig Wiegand, Superintendent
Kelly Byrnes, Secretary
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