Commissioners Meeting Minutes 02/07/12
Harwich Water Department
BOARD OF WATER COMMISSIONERS
Meeting on February 7, 2012
Present: Chairman Donald Bates, Vice Chairman Allin Thompson, Clerk Danette Gonsalves, Superintendent Craig Wiegand, Secretary Alexandra Bilek, Sr. Billing Administrator Wellesley Marsh, Comptroller Sandra Cummings, Selectmen Angelo LaMantia
Chairman Donald Bates called the meeting to order at 8:18 a.m.
The minutes for the previous meetings held on January 24, 2012, were approved with a motion by Clerk Gonsalves and seconded by Vice Chairman Thompson; 3-0-0.
Selectmen Angelo LaMantia briefed the Board about the Selectmen’s meeting.
Superintendent Wiegand said he got the draft back from Town Counsel for the Open Cape lease for the 700 MHz antenna for emergency backup. He said they are requesting a one year license to place an antenna on the Pleasant Lake Tank. Mr. Wiegand said after the first year they will put out an RFP for a 20 year lease, and at that time we would have to sit down and negotiate with them. Vice Chairman Thompson moved to grant a one year lease to the Open Cape subject to a final RFP with a second by Clerk Gonsalves; 3-0-0.
Comptroller Sandra Cummings said she attended a health insurance advisory meeting. She said they provided all of the pricing that will be proposed for July 1st for the Cape Cod Municipal Health Group. Ms. Cummings said they have put together a plan that mimics the GIC Plan. She said it is not a negotiable item with the unions. Mr. Wiegand said contract negotiations are coming up.
Ms. Cummings provided an overview of Invoice Cloud, the vendor the Town uses to process online payments. She said the Department is interested in committing to a one year contract to test it out. Ms. Marsh said it would not be implemented until the fall billing cycle. Vice Chairman Thompson moved to accept the one year contract with Invoice Cloud with a second by Clerk Gonsalves; 3-0-0.
Mr. Wiegand asked the Board to set a date for the Public Hearing regarding the 5 ½% rate increase that was previously voted on. The Board set the Public Hearing for Tuesday, March 13, 2012 at 8:30 a.m.
Mr. Wiegand said the Treatment Plant is complete. He said the Route 39 Tank is back online and in service. Mr. Wiegand said the crews will have to come back to touch up the paint. He said they will be leaving some of their equipment at the site until then.
Mr. Wiegand said the Department received a check from T-Mobile for $68,000. He said they have all of their equipment on the Route 39 Tank and are staging to install on the Pleasant Lake Tank. He said Verizon Wireless is installing their equipment on the Route 39 Tank this week and then the State Police. He said then they will begin on the Pleasant Lake Tank.
Mr. Wiegand pointed out the literature from Town Counsel regarding the changes to the Open Meeting Laws.
Mr. Wiegand said he received a letter from Comprehensive Environmental stating the Commonwealth has started a new unfunded mandate in regard to manganese. He said it will not concern us now that we have the new Treatment Plant. He said we will have to run additional tests though.
Mr. Wiegand said he is doing a cost analysis for the solar aspect of the $10.5 Million SRF Funding for the new wells and Treatment Plant at Site 10. He said the numbers look like there would be enough energy to sell back the excess to pay off the principal and interest of the project.
Mr. Wiegand presented a draft letter from the Board to the Town Administrator in regard to a study about becoming a Water-Sewer District. Vice Chairman Thompson moved to accept the letter with a second by Clerk Gonsalves; 3-0-0.
Vice Chairman Thompson briefed the Board about the East Harwich Collaborative Group meeting that he attended. He said he arrived at the meeting late and was unable to give the Board’s letter to the Chairman of the Planning Board until the end of the meeting.
Mr. Wiegand noted the email from the Hemeon’s commending Foreman Steve Hick’s work performance.
Clerk Gonsalves moved to appoint Vice Chairman Thompson as the Board of Water Commissioners representative to the Wastewater Implementation Advisory Committee with a second by Chairman Bates; 2-0-0. Vice Chairman Thompson accepted the appointment.
The Board will meet again on Tuesday, February 28, 2012.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:07 a.m. with a motion by Clerk Gonsalves and seconded by Chairman Bates; 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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