Commissioners Meeting Minutes 08/07/12
Harwich Water Department
BOARD OF WATER COMMISSIONERS
Meeting on August 7, 2012
Present: Chairman Donald Bates, Vice Chairman Allin Thompson, Clerk Danette Gonsalves, Superintendent Craig Wiegand, Secretary Alexandra Bilek, Senior Billing Administrator Wellesley Marsh, Comptroller Sandra Cummings, Angelo LaMantia, John Pina
Chairman Donald Bates called the meeting to order at 8:15 a.m.
The minutes for the previous meeting held on July 24, 2012 were approved with a motion by Vice Chairman Thompson and seconded by Clerk Gonsalves; 3-0-0.
Mr. John Pina was in attendance inquiring as to how he goes about getting water to his property on Oak Street Ext. Mr. Wiegand asked if there are other buildable lots on the street. Mr. Pina said the other properties are owners unknown. Mr. Wiegand said the Department’s policy is that the water main would need to be extended to the furthest point of his property. He said that the Department could probably split the cost of the materials needed as continuing the water main on that road would complete the loop to the Pleasant Lake Tank. Mr. Pina asked if it would be possible to extend only a 2” main to a meter pit. Mr. Wiegand said he will have to speak with the Fire Department and have the Foreman go out and measure. He said he will probably require an 8” main, but the Department will split the cost. Mr. Pina asked if the cell companies had installed the electricity to the Pleasant Lake Tank. Mr. Wiegand said not as of yet but soon.
The Board reviewed the abatement request from Bernice Gilbertson of 16 Schoolhouse Rd in regard to late fees. Upon review and discussion Vice Chairman Thompson moved to deny the abatement request with a second by Clerk Gonsalves; 3-0-0.
Mr. Wiegand said the cost to erect a monopole at this location for AT&T would be about $150,000.00, not including engineering and geology. He asked the Board if they are still interested and if so how do they want to proceed. Vice Chairman Thompson said he does not want to own the pole, but nor does he want AT&T competing with our Tank’s cell revenue. Mr. Wiegand said we could structure the lease with a no compete clause. He said he will ask them to put together an RFP and present it to the Board. Mr. LaMantia suggested using the lease agreement the Town has for the cell tower at the East Harwich Fire Station as a reference.
Mr. Wiegand informed the Board that T-Mobile is up and running on the Route 39 Tank. He said Verizon Wireless is getting ready to install their equipment on the Route 39 Tank. Mr. Wiegand said they will be submitting final drawings for the Oak Street Tank which will be reviewed by the Department’s Engineer.
Mr. Wiegand said the Board needs to set a date to present the Water-Sewer Study to the Waste Water Implementation Committee. Vice Chairman Thompson said he would like to have a final review first. Mr. Wiegand said we can review it at the next meeting on August 21st and then it can be presented to the Waste Water Implementation Committee on August 23rd.
Comptroller Sandra Cummings presented the Board with a preliminary 4th quarter budget report as well as a preliminary end of fiscal year report. She said the Town is requesting a preliminary 7 Year Capital Plan from the Department by the end of the week. Mr. Wiegand said we need to decide whether we are going to do the repairs to the Lothrop Tank or build a new Treatment Plant in North Harwich next year. He said he has had to use Well 10 to keep the Lothrop Tank full for fire protection and the water is very dirty. Mr. Wiegand said he is mixing this dirty water with the clean water that has been treated. He said he has spoken with the engineer and was told the Lothrop Tank can go another 2 years. Mr. Wiegand said both projects will be on the 7 Year Capital plan for 2014 and 2016, and he hopes to pay cash for both. The Board agreed the Treatment Plant is the priority.
Ms. Cummings also presented the Board with the 4th quarter internal adjustments. Vice Chairman Thompson moved to approve the 4th quarter internal adjustments in the amount of $3,759.48 with a second by Clerk Gonsalves; 3-0-0. Ms. Cummings presented the Board with the Department’s water bills for abatement. Clerk Gonsalves moved to approve the abatement of the Water Department’s water bills in the amount of $6,160.55 with a second by Vice Chairman Thompson; 3-0-0.
Mr. Wiegand informed the Board that the Department has pumped 50 million gallons more this summer than last summer. He said we have been pumping 7 million gallons of water per day.
Mr. Wiegand read a letter from Harwichport Laundry commending the work of the Department.
Mr. Wiegand discussed the Department’s challenges in regard to help with Information Technology. He said the Department currently has one consultant that comes once per week. Mr. Wiegand said last year we paid him $38,000, and he cannot meet need the Department’s needs one day a week. He suggested possibly hiring someone part time to avoid paying benefits, but he doesn’t think 19 hours a week will be enough time to get everything done. The Board would like to know how much it would cost to employ someone full time for this position. Mr. LaMantia suggested sharing the employee with other Departments to defray the cost.
Mr. Wiegand told the Board that the Town Planner invited the Department to join a regional program for asset management. He said he offered him the use of the Department’s new Asset Management software as it is the same thing. Mr. Wiegand said he received an email from the County to join regional GIS. He said he is attending a meeting at the Cape Cod Commission this week. Mr. Wiegand said we already have the software for this too.
The Board will meet again on Tuesday, August 21, 2012.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:20 a.m. with a motion Vice Chairman Thompson and seconded by Clerk Gonsalves; 3-0-0.
Respectfully submitted,
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Donald T. Bates, Chairman Craig Wiegand, Superintendent
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Allin P. Thompson, Vice Chairman Alexandra Bilek, Secretary
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Danette Gonsalves, Clerk
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