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HomeMy Public PortalAbout02.02.22 FinCom Packet Town of Brewster Finance Committee 2198 Main St., Brewster, MA 02631 fincommeeting@brewster-ma.gov (508) 896-3701 MEETING AGENDA Remote Participation Only February 2, 2022 at 6:00 PM This meeting will be conducted by remote participation pursuant to Chapter 20 of the Acts of 2021,. No in-person meeting attendance will be permitted. If the Town is unable to live broadcast this meeting, a record of the proceedings will be provided on the Town website as soon as possible. The meeting may be viewed by: Live broadcast (Brewster Government TV Channel 18), Livestream (livestream.brewster- ma.gov), or Video recording (tv.brewster-ma.gov). Meetings may be joined by: 1. Phone: Call (929) 436-2866 or (301) 715-8592. Webinar ID: 862 2956 9696 Passcode: 565167 To request to speak: Press *9 and wait to be recognized. 2. Zoom Webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86229569696?pwd=MUhJNGpoU3VocTZ0cTU0VGpYcWdVQT09 Passcode: 565167 To request to speak: Tap Zoom “Raise Hand” button or type “Chat” comment with your name and address, then wait to be recognized. Finance Committee Harvey (Pete) Dahl Chair Frank Bridges Vice Chair William Meehan Clerk Andrew Evans William Henchy Alex Hopper Honey Pivirotto Robert Tobias Robert Young Town Administrator Peter Lombardi Finance Director Mimi Bernardo 1. Call to Order 2. Declaration of a Quorum 3. Meeting Participation Statement 4. Recording Statement 5. Public Announcements and Comment: Members of the public may address the Finance Committee on matters not on the meeting’s agenda for a maximum 3-5 minutes at the Chair’s discretion. Under the Open Meeting Law, the Finance Committee is unable to reply but may add items presented to a future agenda. 6. Town Administrator/Finance Director Report 7. Integrated Water Resource Management Plan – Financial Impacts 8. Budget Calendar – Discussion and Approval 9. Nauset Regional Public Schools Budget – Discussion and Strategic Direction 10. Nauset Regional Public School and Brewster School Department – Budget reconciliation 11. Liaison Assignments and Reports 12. Review and Approval of Minutes 13. Request for agenda items for future meetings. 14. Matters Not Reasonably Anticipated by the Chair 15. Next Finance Committee Meeting 16. Adjournment Date Posted: Date Revised: Received by Town Clerk: Integrated Water Resource Management Plan 2022 Update Town of Brewster Brewster Town Hall 2198 Main Street Brewster, Massachusetts 02631 Table of Contents Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 2 Overview of Water Quality in Brewster ........................................................................................ 3 Brewster’s Public Drinking Water Supply .................................................................................. 4 Pleasant Bay Watershed ........................................................................................................... 5 Herring River and Bass River Watersheds ................................................................................. 5 Other Coastal Estuaries ............................................................................................................. 5 Fresh Water Ponds .................................................................................................................... 6 IWRMP Summary .......................................................................................................................... 6 Implementation of the IWRMP ..................................................................................................... 7 Pleasant Bay Watershed ........................................................................................................... 8 Golf Course Fertilizer and Wastewater Management ............................................................... 9 Golf Course Fertilizer Leaching Rate Evaluation ...................................................................... 10 Install a Neighborhood Wastewater Treatment and Collection System .................................. 10 Onsite Septic System Treatment Upgrades ............................................................................. 11 Nitrogen Trading ..................................................................................................................... 11 Buildout Nitrogen Management ............................................................................................. 12 Fresh Water Ponds .................................................................................................................. 13 Stormwater Management ....................................................................................................... 15 Herring River Watershed ......................................................................................................... 16 Summary of Potential Costs & Funding Sources ......................................................................... 16 Conclusions – Summary of Next Steps ........................................................................................ 17 REFERENCES ................................................................................................................................ 18 2 BREWSTER’S INTEGRATED WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN - 2022 UPDATE Introduction Since the 1980’s, Brewster has actively focused on protecting and restoring the Town’s water resources. This includes significant investments to protect undeveloped land to prevent the pollution of groundwater and surface waters associated with residential and commercial development. In 2009, the Town of Brewster began a detailed study (known as the Integrated Water Resource Management Plan or IWRMP) to identify the issues associated with the Town’s water systems and propose strategies to protect and restore water quality. This planning process led to a series of recommendations related to groundwater, freshwater ponds, stormwater management and coastal estuaries, with a focus on Pleasant Bay. In the last 10 years, significant work has been done to advance these recommendations. The purpose of this updated report is to summarize the goals of the Town’s planning process, describe the actions that have been taken to date and present the current plans for continued water management in Brewster, including the costs needed to implement these plans. As will be described throughout this report, the Town’s investments in protecting open space have preserved drinking water quality throughout Brewster and have significantly reduced the future investments needed to restore the quality of freshwater ponds as well as Pleasant Bay and other coastal estuaries. Integrated Water Resource Management Groundwater and surface waters, throughout Brewster, are interconnected. Rainfall is the source of Brewster’s groundwater and surface waters. Rainwater lands on the ground surface and either infiltrates through the soil into groundwater or flows over the ground surface to a freshwater pond, Cape Cod Bay or one of the coastal estuaries in or near Brewster. These interrelationships led to the decision to develop the IWRMP to evaluate the quality of the groundwater that provides drinking water to Brewster’s residents, as well as the quality of the Town’s many freshwater ponds and coastal estuaries. This planning process recognized that individual plans or actions are needed for specific watersheds in town; those areas that contribute groundwater or surface water to freshwater ponds, or coastal estuaries (Figure 1). The IWRMP process also recognizes ongoing planning is needed for those areas that contribute groundwater to the Town’s public drinking water wells. These areas are known in Massachusetts as Zone II’s, or wellhead protection areas, and are shown in Figure 2. In £¤6 UV137UV124 UV6A DENNIS HARWIC H YARMOUTH ORLEANS CHATHAM Cape Co d Bay Stony BrookQuivett Creek Ple asa nt Bay Bass River Herring River Namskaket Swan Pond Little Namskaket Source: Esri, Maxar, GeoEye, Earthstar Geographics, CNES/Airbus DS, USDA, USGS, AeroGRID, IGN, and the GIS User Community / 0 10.5 Miles Date: 1/18/2022 Path: H:\Projects\2011\11109 Brewster Int.Wtr.Res.Mgt Plan\GIS\Maps\Report\Figure B-2.mxd Figure 1. Brewster's Water Reso urces C apeC odB ayP l e a s a n t B a y Cape Cod Bay Legend Ponds Streams Subwatersheds Wetlands Town of Brewster Watersheds !A !A !A !A !A !A UV6A £¤6 UV137 UV124 WELL # 6 WELL #5 WELL # 4 WELL # 1 WELL # 2 WELL # 3 DENNIS HARWICH ORLEAN S CHATHAMYARMOUTH / 0 10.5 Miles Date: 1/26/2022 Path: H:\Projects\2011\11109 Brewster Int.Wtr.Res.Mgt Plan\GIS\Maps\Report\Figure 2.mxd Figure 2. Brewster Conservation Lan ds and Zone II Are as C apeC odB ayPleasantBayCape Cod Bay !A Publi c Wells Legend Conservation Lands Ponds Brewter Zone II Town of Brewster Other Zone II 3 addition, the areas contributing groundwater and surface water to freshwater ponds must also be assessed and the sources of pollution to these ponds managed. The interrelationships between groundwater, surface water and different sources of pollutants can be seen in Figure 3. The graphic shows how day-to-day activities of town residents impact the quality of drinking water and the quality of freshwater ponds and coastal estuaries. What is flushed down a toilet into a septic system can impact water quality in downgradient wells, ponds or coastal estuaries. Pollutants on town roadways (e.g., automobiles, fertilizers, and pet wastes) are collected in stormwater runoff that flows into waterways or soaks into the ground and impacts groundwater quality. Figure 3 – Integrated Connections Between Water Resources and Pollutants Overview of Water Quality in Brewster Brewster is fortunate to have a public water system that provides high quality drinking water. However, there are ongoing issues with the water quality in many of the freshwater ponds in town, in Pleasant Bay and in Herring River in the adjacent town of Harwich. While Brewster only has frontage on a small portion of Pleasant Bay, and none on the Herring River, a portion of the watersheds that contribute pollutants to them are located in Brewster and the Town has a regulatory obligation to manage these watersheds. An overview of the regulatory requirements for managing the Town’s water resources, and the protection and restoration strategies the Town is currently evaluating, are summarized below. The status of the Town’s actions to restore these waters is then discussed in the following report sections. 4 Brewster’s Public Drinking Water Supply Most Brewster residents get their drinking water from the Town’s public water supply system. Brewster’s public water supply provides high quality drinking water pumped from six wells withdrawing groundwater from the area surrounding each well. The Zone II protection areas to these wells are shown on Figure 2. The protection of undeveloped open space around the Town’s wells serves to minimize the potential for contaminants to impact drinking water quality. In 2012, 40% of the Town’s Zone II areas were protected open space (See IWRMP Phase II Report). The extent of protected open space has grown since then, with further acquisitions by the Town and the Brewster Conservation Trust. Public supply wells using groundwater are typically threatened by nitrogen from septic systems, lawn fertilizers, road runoff, hazardous material releases from fuel storage tanks, and accidental spills from roadway accidents. The open space protection in Brewster has significantly reduced the number of onsite septic systems potentially affecting drinking water quality. The Town’s Water Quality Review Bylaw also prohibits hazardous materials use, or storage at volumes above those typically used in a household, in the Zone II areas. The Town’s wells are tested regularly, and the tests confirm there are no contaminants exceeding federal and state drinking water standards. This data is reported annually in the Consumer Confidence Report, which the Water Department is required to produce. As can be seen in the 2020 report (Town of Brewster Water Department, June 2021), the nitrogen concentration in the Town’s drinking water averaged less than 1 part per million (mg/L). The drinking water standard for nitrogen is 10 mg/L. Nitrogen is an indicator of contamination from septic systems, fertilizers and runoff. The low value is reflective of the extent of protected open space in the Zone II areas around the town wells. Emerging contaminants are an ongoing concern for every drinking water system. One of the emerging contaminants of concern for many drinking water systems is per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). PFAS compounds are found in firefighting foams, a variety of personal care products, food wrappings, Teflon coated cookware, and clothing. The recently updated state drinking water standard for six of these PFAS compounds is now 20 parts per trillion. Note, this drinking water standard is six orders of magnitude lower than the standard for nitrogen. Small releases of these compounds to soil and groundwater can create issues for public water systems, so ongoing testing and evaluation is needed. Tests conducted in 2021 showed no PFAS compounds have been detected in the Town’s public water supplies. There are properties in Brewster that use private wells for drinking water, and they are located in various locations across the Town. These wells face the same water quality issues as the Town wells and often also benefit from nearby protected open space. One issue with private wells is their placement relative to an onsite septic system on the same property or an abutting property. Even if a septic system is outside the required 100-foot setback from a private well, if groundwater is flowing from the septic system towards the well it can bring nitrogen and other contaminants to the well. For this reason, it is important for residents to test the water quality in their private wells on a regular basis. 5 Pleasant Bay Watershed The majority of the IWRMP implementation work over the last four years has focused on Brewster’s portion of the Pleasant Bay watershed. Nitrogen inputs from the land uses within the watershed that contributes groundwater to the bay is the major water quality concern. Excess concentrations accelerate the growth of algae and invasive plants leading to the loss of fish and shellfish habitat. A main concern is the loss of eelgrass that provides habitat for fish to lay eggs and threatens protection of bay scallops. Brewster occupies approximately 25% of the overall watershed shared by Orleans, Harwich, and Chatham, but only contributes to 13% of the total nitrogen load entering the Bay. Brewster still needs to reduce its load by 981 kg/year and has agreed to do this under the Watershed Permit issued by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to the four Pleasant Bay Towns. Herring River and Bass River Watersheds Portions of the watersheds to Herring River in Harwich and Bass River in Dennis and Yarmouth are located in Brewster. Like Pleasant Bay, nitrogen is the pollutant of concern for these estuaries. Brewster’s portion of the Bass River Watershed is quite small, at 160 acres (Univ of MA Dartmouth, April 2011). Given this small area and the fact most of the watershed land within Brewster is protected open space there are no nitrogen management requirements for this watershed. For the Herring River watershed there is likewise no need to reduce the existing nitrogen load within Brewster. However, any additional load resulting from new development in the watershed will need to be managed to minimize the extent of additional nitrogen entering the Herring River system (Univ of MA Dartmouth, May 2013). Recent open space acquisitions in the watershed have reduced the potential for additional nitrogen impacts and the Town will be updating the quantity of nitrogen that needs to be managed in this watershed in the future. Other Coastal Estuaries Nitrogen management for the Namskaket Creek and Quivett Creek watersheds has also been evaluated in Brewster. These estuaries are located on the north shore of Brewster and drain into Cape Cod Bay. Namskaket Creek is different from the estuaries discussed above as the current and future nitrogen load to this estuary is lower than the threshold established by DEP. So, there is no current need to develop a management plan for this system (Univ of MA Dartmouth, December 2008). The Quivett Creek watershed was evaluated by the Cape Cod Commission (October 2018), and it determined there is no need for nitrogen management at this time. Recent data for Quivett Creek developed by the Association to Preserve Cape Cod (APCC) is currently being reviewed by the Brewster Natural Resource Advisory Commission to determine if water quality has changed. The tidal range in Cape Cod Bay and within these 6 estuaries is much higher than in Pleasant Bay, Herring River or Bass River. Therefore, nitrogen entering these systems is quickly flushed out into Cape Cod Bay and does not have the same impact on the health of the estuaries. Fresh Water Ponds Brewster is home to over 80 freshwater ponds located throughout the Town. Unlike coastal waters, pond water quality is impacted by both phosphorus and nitrogen. Excess inputs of these nutrients fuel the growth of algae which, when they die and decay, reduce the oxygen level in the water. Fish kills can result if algae blooms get too big and result in anoxic conditions in the water. In addition, the mixture of nitrogen and phosphorus can promote the growth of toxic organisms like cyanobacteria which were found in three ponds in the summer of 2021 based on testing conducted by APCC. Warmer temperatures and drought conditions over the last year have extended the growing season in the ponds, exacerbating some of these water quality issues. Many ponds are experiencing water quality impairment as shown in Figure 4. The main sources of these nutrients to ponds are septic systems, lawn fertilizers and road runoff. Since phosphorus does not travel extensive distances in groundwater, the concern with septic system discharges is only related to those within approximately 300 feet of the pond shore, especially on the upgradient side of the pond, as mapped on the Water Resource Atlas described later in this report. IWRMP Summary As mentioned above, Brewster’s IWRMP development began in 2009. Since then, a series of reports specific to Brewster have been prepared to outline specific water quality issues and recommend actions to address them. The majority of them can be viewed on the Town’s Website at www.brewster-ma.gov (click on the Water Planning button on the home page). A summary of the main reports that continue to direct the IWRMP process is provided below. • Integrated Water Resource Management Plan Phase II Report, January 2013. This report provided a review of the regulatory process governing water quality management in Brewster and made specific recommendations for restoring and protecting water quality for drinking water, freshwater ponds and coastal estuaries. • Pleasant Bay Nitrogen Management Alternatives Analysis Report, March 2015. This report focused on strategies to reduce nitrogen loading from Brewster’s portion of the Pleasant Bay Watershed to help achieve the nitrogen reduction goals to restore water quality in the Bay. The alternatives considered included a neighborhood sewer system, changes in fertilization practices at the Captain’s Golf Course, the use of innovative septic treatment systems and other potential solutions. • Pleasant Bay Watershed Permit and Targeted Watershed Management Plan, 2018. Brewster entered into an agreement with the DEP and the three other Pleasant Bay £¤6 UV137 UV124 UV6A Long Pond Cliff Pond Upper Mill Pond Seym our Pond Sheep Pond Walkers Pond Flax P ond Low er Mill Pond Elbow Pond Slough Pond Cahoon Pond Griffiths P ond Bakers Pond Greenland Pond Pine Pond Little Cliff Pond Higgins Pond Cobbs Pond Mill PondSmalls Pond Blueberry Pond Canoe Pond Grassy PondMud Pond Smith Pond Black P ond Sols Pond Owl PondMyricks Pond Eel PondSchoolhouse Pond Round Pond Lees Pond Widger Hole No Bottom Pond HARWIC H ORLEANS DENNIS CHATHAM / 0 10.5 Miles Path: H:\Projects\2011\11109 Brewster Int.Wtr.Res.Mgt Plan\GIS\Maps\Report\Figure 1_20171002.mxd Figure 4. Water Quality in Brewste r's Po nds C apeC odB ayPleasantB ayCape Cod Bay Legend Ponds Town of Brewster Ponds Health Assessment Water Q uality Category 1 - High Quality 2 - Meets Most Uses 3 - Some Im pairment 4 - ImpairedMassDOT Major Roads Wetlands No Data Date: 1/14/2022 7 Watershed towns to restore water quality in Pleasant Bay (DEP, August 2018). The Permit specifies specific requirements to reduce nitrogen loading to the bay. The Pleasant Bay Alliance prepared a companion report, the Targeted Watershed Management Plan, outlining the strategies proposed by each town to meet the nitrogen reduction goals in the Permit. (Pleasant Bay Alliance, March 2018) • Meeting the Nitrogen Reduction Goals for Pleasant Bay, October 2020. This report provides an update to the Pleasant Bay Nitrogen Management Alternatives Analysis Report mentioned above. The update was prepared for the Select Board and incorporates updated information on the nitrogen management alternatives available to Brewster based on the requirements of the DEP Permit issued in 2018. • Mill Ponds Management Plan, November 2014. This report, prepared by the School for Marine Science and Technology (SMAST) at the University of Massachusetts, provided recommendations for the restoration of Upper Mill, Lower Mill and Walkers Pond. Based on these recommendations, the Town purchased a weed harvester to help manage Walkers Pond. They also conducted an alum treatment in Upper Mill Pond to reduce water quality impacts from phosphorus historically discharged to the pond, which is now contained in the sediment on the pond bottom. • Water Resource Atlas – Fresh Water Ponds. This Atlas provide maps of the surface watersheds and groundwater recharge areas to each pond in Brewster, and provides the areas proposed for additional septic system management within 300 feet on the upgradient side of each pond, and 100 feet on the downgradient side of the pond. Additional reports have been prepared as part of the Massachusetts Estuaries Project and on behalf of the Pleasant Bay Alliance and these are referenced in the following section of this report. Implementation of the IWRMP The Town’s actions to implement recommendations in the IWRMP are currently focused on the following topics: • Nitrogen reduction in the Pleasant Bay Watershed, as required in the watershed permit issued by DEP. • Actions to protect and restore water quality in the Town’s freshwater ponds. • Implementation of the recently adopted stormwater management bylaw to protect water quality. • Plans to reduce future nitrogen loading in the Herring River watershed. An update on the status of each of these topics is provided below, summarizing the actions being considered, the associated costs, and the work needed to make final decisions. 8 Pleasant Bay Watershed Brewster has collaborated on managing nitrogen in Pleasant Bay with the other towns in the watershed through the Pleasant Bay Alliance. This has included documenting the nitrogen removal responsibilities for each town and establishing the Pleasant Bay Watershed Permit with DEP that provides a framework to meet these nitrogen reduction goals over a 20-year period. The details of these plans are summarized in the Pleasant Bay Targeted Watershed Management Plan, prepared by the Alliance and referenced in the DEP Permit. Much of the data in this plan was obtained from the 2006 Linked Watershed Model, developed by SMAST, as part of the Massachusetts Estuaries Program (Univ of MA Dartmouth, May 2006). It documents the existing nitrogen loading from each town, divided up by the watersheds contributing groundwater to the Bay. It then establishes the nitrogen reduction requirements for each town in each watershed. The Permit requires Brewster to remove of 2,262 kg N/year from the watershed and to address nitrogen impacts from future development. At the time it was issued, the Town had already removed 56% of this load, taking advantage of fertilizer and irrigation management at Captains Golf Course as well as the adoption of a town-wide fertilizer management bylaw (Table -1). This was done with minimal cost to the Town. Total Nitrogen Reduction Required 2,262 kg N/year Golf Fertilization Reduction -930 kg N/year Golf Irrigation Recapture -230 kg N/year Town-wide Fertilizer Bylaw -121 kg N/year Total Nitrogen Removed to Date -1,281 kg N/year Remaining Reduction Needed 981 kg/N/year Table -1 Pleasant Bay Nitrogen Load Summary The permit also requires that the Town address nitrogen inputs from future development in the watershed. Based on an assessment in 2018 (HW, April 2018), this could include an additional 1,209 kg N/year. The Pleasant Bay Alliance will be working over the next year to update this buildout number to assist with the planning needed to manage this additional load. Any future load created will have to be offset by further reductions in existing loads. The Pleasant Bay Alliance is currently working with SMAST to evaluate and revise the nitrogen reduction requirements for each Town based on updated land use information since the initial report was prepared in 2006 and considering the changes in hydrology in Pleasant Bay given the new inlet that was formed in 2007 that increases the tidal flushing in the estuary. The extent of nitrogen entering Pleasant Bay from the Tar Kiln portion of the watershed is currently being reviewed and is an important issue for the Town. If groundwater containing 9 nitrogen enters a freshwater pond or wetland, some of the nitrogen is attenuated, or taken up by the algae and plants, and less is transferred back into groundwater which then flows to Pleasant Bay. No attenuation was attributed to the Tar Kiln watershed in the initial SMAST Model, but recent studies by SMAST led them to conclude that there is attenuation in this marsh system. As such, the existing nitrogen impact from this watershed is reduced, meaning that septic systems, lawns and stormwater in this area of the watershed do not have as much impact on Pleasant Bay. However, a portion of Captains Golf Course lies in this watershed, and the plans for managing further nitrogen reductions may be somewhat offset by the new attenuation attributed to the Tar Kiln Marsh. The Town is working with the Pleasant Bay Alliance to quantify how this affects Brewster’s requirements under the Watershed Permit. However, the effects should not be significant enough to require major changes in the plans developed to date. The options to fully comply with the Watershed Permit are summarized below. One major opportunity is continued fertilizer management at Captains Golf Course. The extent to which this will reduce nitrogen loading will affect the scale and cost of the other options the Town is considering. Each option is discussed below, with an initial estimate of the cost for implementation. Golf Course Fertilizer and Wastewater Management In 2020, the Town has collaborated with the U.S. Golf Association to identify additional strategies to further reduce nitrogen inputs at Captains Golf Course. Proposed changes at the golf course include: • Changes in fertilization practices to reduce applications on the fairways and roughs, incorporating sprayed applications of liquid fertilizers that can be readily adsorbed by the turf. These new practices began in 2020. • Reductions in the size of fairways by a total of approximately 2.5 acres by converting this turf to rough and reducing fertilizer demand. The areas selected are based on an inspection by the U.S. Golf Association and would not hinder the way the course is used. • Installation of a nitrogen treatment system to the septic system at the course that would reduce the nitrogen concentration in the effluent to 10 mg/L or less. If implemented, these actions would further reduce nitrogen loading by 458 kg/year, such that the Town will only need to manage the remaining current nitrogen load of 523 kg/year. There would be little to no cost for changes in fertilization applications, the cost for the adjustments to the size of the fairways would cost about $20,000 and the septic system upgrades would cost approximately $200,000. The golf course has already begun to implement the sprayed applications of fertilizer at reduced rates and this process will continue moving forward. Nitrogen Reduction 458 kg/year Estimated Cost $220,000 – Current Estimate 10 Golf Course Fertilizer Leaching Rate Evaluation Separate from the reduced amount of fertilizer applied to the golf course turf, the Town could receive a nitrogen reduction credit related to the amount of fertilizer that actually leaches into groundwater and flows to Pleasant Bay. Currently the DEP watershed permit assumes that 20% of the nitrogen in fertilizers leaches into groundwater. The proposed management practices will likely reduce this leaching rate. If so, additional nitrogen reduction credits can be obtained. The Town has begun a study to evaluate the fertilizer leaching rate that involves the testing of water in the soil and the underlying groundwater for nitrogen. A series of six lysimeters have been installed in the golf course fairways that capture water infiltrating through the upper 1-2 feet of soil. Six monitoring wells located near the lysimeters have also been installed. Quarterly testing of nitrogen concentrations will be conducted for two years to document how much nitrogen applied in fertilizer actually enters groundwater below the golf course. Based on this data, an updated leaching rate for fertilizers will be documented and used to determine the remaining nitrogen load that must be managed by Brewster. This option is attractive because the only expense is the cost for a study to document this leaching rate. If the leaching rate is substantially lower, the nitrogen reduction requirements for both existing and future loads could be reduced. Nitrogen Reduction To be determined Cost (for leaching rate study) $140,000 – funded in 2021 and underway Install a Neighborhood Wastewater Treatment and Collection System A traditional wastewater system could be installed in the upper, western portion of the watershed to treat effluent prior to its discharge to groundwater. This area was selected based on the concentration of development that reduces the length, and therefore the cost, of sewer lines needed to collect wastewater. There are two options for this, either site the wastewater disposal field in the watershed or locate it outside the watershed. If the disposal field is not within the watershed, all the nitrogen from the homes connected to the system is removed, and therefore fewer homes need to be connected to reach the required nitrogen load reduction. The siting of a disposal field outside the Pleasant Bay watershed needs to account of other potential impacts to drinking water supplies or other sensitive watersheds. The sizing of the system assumes no change in the golf course leaching rate. Both of these options could be expanded to accommodate additional nitrogen from future development. The costs listed below are broken out into those needed to design and permit the system and those needed for construction and a long term (20-year) operation. Disposal in the watershed Disposal outside the watershed 11 No. of Homes 152 No. of Homes 100 Nitrogen removed 523 kg/yr. Nitrogen reduction 523 kg/yr. Planning Cost $450,000 Planning Cost $400,000 20-year cost $10,000,000-$15,000,000 20-year cost $9,000,000 Onsite Septic System Treatment Upgrades Septic systems serving individual properties could be upgraded to provide additional nitrogen treatment. Currently, it may be possible to utilize an innovative treatment system to treat nitrogen to about 12 mg/L, well below the typical system which discharges nitrogen at a concentration of about 35 mg/L. There are innovative systems that could meet this goal, but they are still being evaluated. Based on the best, currently available data, approximately 320 septic systems would need to be upgraded to this relatively new technology to provide the necessary nitrogen reduction. This number may change based on the results from the golf course leaching rate study and the nitrogen attenuation attributed to the Tar Kiln Marsh watershed. More septic systems could be upgraded with nitrogen treatment to help accommodate future nitrogen loads from buildout. The Pleasant Bay Alliance evaluated the cost for the design, construction and long-term operation of these systems and reported that the price for an individual system could run as high as $33,900 with annual operation and maintenance costs of $2,360 (HW, 2020, Appendix C). Over 20 years this results in a total cost for 320 properties of $26,000,000. This cost makes this option more expensive than the neighborhood system described above. The Town is continuing to evaluate these costs, based in part on a pilot program led by the Barnstable Clean Water Coalition documenting actual construction costs for 15-20 systems which are somewhat lower than that estimated by the Alliance. The use of these systems could be beneficial if the leaching rate study at the golf course shows fewer of them are needed. They may also be useful for managing future development not just in the Pleasant Bay watershed but in watersheds adjacent to freshwater ponds as well. No. of Homes 320 Nitrogen reduction 523 kg/yr. 20-year cost $26,000,000 Nitrogen Trading The Town can negotiate a “nitrogen trade” with another Pleasant Bay town by financing nitrogen removal actions they are taking. As an example, if a neighborhood treatment plant would cost $10,000,000 to remove 523 kg N/year, the Town could negotiate an agreement with Harwich, Orleans, or Chatham to fund wastewater treatment in their community to remove the same amount of nitrogen, taking advantage of economies of scale and excess nitrogen removal in their new wastewater systems. The size and cost of the trade could be adjusted to accommodate future nitrogen impacts from buildout. This would eliminate the long-term management of a facility in Brewster. 12 Buildout Nitrogen Management Under the Watershed Permit, Brewster needs to develop a plan to ensure future development is managed to keep the nitrogen loading in the Town’s portion of the watershed within the levels allowed for Pleasant Bay. Part of this can be accomplished through the strategies discussed above. In addition, there are regulatory options that the Town can evaluate to make sure that the loading from future development is minimized to the extent possible. The Water Quality Review Bylaw currently in place limits the amount of nitrogen from development within the Pleasant Bay watershed. For any new project, or for an expansion of an existing development, the applicant must demonstrate the overall nitrogen load is limited to an average of 5 mg/L in groundwater underneath the site. Several changes to this bylaw were approved by Town Meeting in November 2021 and the Board of Health recently approved related nitrogen loading calculation regulations pending town counsel review. This 5 mg/L limit applies to both residential properties and to commercial/industrial areas also located within the Pleasant Bay watershed. The Town is considering changing the 5mg/L limit for commercial and industrial properties to 3 mg/L. If this change is made, the overall nitrogen load from buildout is reduced by 25-30% in this watershed. New data from the Pleasant Bay Alliance’s ongoing buildout assessment will refine the actual benefit of this change. Preliminary calculations suggest that most commercial/industrial uses allowed in the watershed could comply with the 3 mg/L threshold. If not, a project may need to install an innovative septic system technology to treat nitrogen in wastewater effluent to meet this goal. Given any new development increases the overall nitrogen management load, it is worthwhile to consider having some limitations on the extent of additional load that could be allowed. Other buildout options include limiting the extent of development allowed on town-owned properties within the watershed and further limiting the allowable nitrogen load from residential properties. Further discussion and public input are needed on these options. These discussions will benefit from the ongoing collection of data from the golf course study discussed above. In summary, there are several viable options to fully comply with Brewster’s obligations under the Pleasant Bay Watershed Permit. The proposed leaching rate study will document potential additional nitrogen reductions at the golf course with minimal cost. This would further reduce the costs for the remaining actions the town will have to take. The neighborhood wastewater treatment options could be used to manage the remaining nitrogen or as a basis for a nitrogen trade with another Pleasant Bay town. Each of these options can also be expanded, if needed, to accommodate future development. The Town is required to provide annual updates to DEP under the Watershed Permit and coordinates these updates with the other Pleasant Bay Towns. The Cape Cod Commission also reviews ongoing work in the watershed as part of its 13 implementation of the Section 208 Area Wide Water Quality Management Plan. Its most recent review is provided in Appendix A. Fresh Water Ponds As discussed above, if too much phosphorus enters a pond, it will accelerate the growth of algae. When algae dies it decays, and as this happens the oxygen in the water column is depleted. In extreme situations, this results in fish kills as there is not enough oxygen to keep the fish alive. Phosphorus does not travel far in groundwater as it readily binds to the iron and manganese in the subsurface soils and sediments. This means that, for phosphorus, the primary concerns with septic systems are those located within 300 feet of a pond on the upgradient side where groundwater is traveling towards the pond. Recent studies have shown that nitrogen is also a concern in ponds, as the combination of nitrogen and phosphorus can create conditions that support the growth of cyanobacteria, a toxic organism that can affect people and wildlife. Water Quality Data The Town has conducted regular water quality monitoring of many of the larger ponds in Brewster and used that information to support restoration projects in Long Pond, Walkers Pond, and Upper Mill Pond. A summary of this water quality data was last published in 2009. An update on the current water quality status based on the data collected since 2009 would be useful and the Town is working to review ongoing monitoring data and develop a new status report. The cost for this update report is estimated at $50,000. It should be noted that bacteria testing of pond water quality is also conducted by the Board of Health monitoring water quality at the public beaches at ponds in Town. Board of Health Septic Regulations The Board of Health currently has a regulation prohibiting septic system leaching facilities within 300 feet of a pond. This serves to minimize phosphorus impacts from future development. However, there are approximately 600 properties either fully or partially within the 300-foot buffer to the ponds in Brewster. Applicants looking to update or expand their septic system are regularly asking for a variance to this regulation as they cannot move their leaching facility outside the 300-foot buffer. HW prepared a draft revision to this Board of Health regulation in 2016. The draft requires septic systems within 300 feet upgradient and 100 feet downgradient of a pond to install a leaching facility or alternative technology that will provide phosphorus treatment. This regulation was discussed at a public Board of Health Hearing in 2016. There were questions related to the cost of the treatment systems and the performance of the technologies available at that time for phosphorus treatment. Further evaluation of the draft regulation is needed to advance the process to restore pond water quality. In part, it needs to consider the treatment for nitrogen as well as phosphorus given concerns about cyanobacteria. Along with evaluating 14 the technologies available, it will be important to consider the cost of implementing a new regulation and the process for funding it. Innovative/Alternative Septic Pilot Program In 2018, a charrette was held with members of the Board of Health, Town staff, local design engineers and a representative from the MA Septic System Test Center to evaluate the proposed phosphorus treatment technologies then available and associated costs. The installation of pilot systems within 300 feet of one or more ponds in Brewster to test the technology and document the costs was recommended at each session. Newer technologies are now being tested to document their performance for treating both nutrients and these could be incorporated into a pilot project in Brewster. A pilot project testing 6 innovative septic systems would cost approximately $300,000. Based on recent work conducted in the Shubael Pond neighborhood by the Barnstable Clean Water Coalition (December 2021), the cost to design, permit and install an alternative treatment system is approximately $20,000-$25,000. Note, this cost is lower than the estimate for similar systems developed by the Pleasant Bay Alliance. This is in part due to the need for a greater amount of monitoring of the systems under the Pleasant Bay Permit. The cost for each site will vary based on the size of the property, the slope of the land and the operational status of the existing septic tank and leaching facility (if they can be maintained). There may be more affordable technologies, but this provides an initial estimate for implementing this regulation. Large-Scale Innovative/Alternative Septic Upgrades The overall cost if all 600 properties within the proposed setback to ponds were upgraded would be approximately $12,000,000 to $15,000,000. There would also be annual operation, maintenance and monitoring fees for these systems. Further discussion on who should pay for some or all of these upgrades is needed. Not all ponds in Brewster are accessible by the public, as the shoreline at some locations is all privately owned. A question that has been raised is whether the town should provide funding for system upgrades if there is no public access. The next steps for implementing actions for ponds include: • Updating information available on the technologies that can provide phosphorus and nitrogen treatment, including their performance and cost. • Revising the draft health regulation. • Evaluating other sources of nutrient pollution to ponds and develop strategies to minimize these threats. As discussed below, the stormwater bylaw adopted in November 2021 will help with pond water quality management. Additional outreach and public discussion will be needed to achieve consensus on the best approach for pond management. 15 Neighborhood Sewer Systems It should be noted that there was discussion about providing neighborhood sewer systems around ponds in Brewster at the public meeting in 2016 and at the charrette in 2018. This option seems to be significantly more costly than using individual onsite systems. It would not be feasible to construct one system to sewer all the areas around Brewster’s ponds. There would be a need to construct sewer lines around each pond as well as multiple treatment facilities. In addition, a location for each neighborhood system would also have to be selected and acquired by the owner of the facility, be it the Town or a neighborhood association. Further analysis comparing neighborhood sewer systems to individual systems will need to be part of future technical evaluation and public policy discussions. Stormwater Management Stormwater management has been a key part of the IWRMP process since the beginning. During the development of Phase II of the IWRMP, a series of proposed stormwater improvements were identified to limit the direct discharge of stormwater to surface waters in Town. One location was the town-owned boat ramp for Long Pond on Crowells Bog Road. Currently stormwater runs directly down the access road into the Pond. However, the Town is redesigning the boat ramp, parking area, and incorporating updated stormwater practices to prevent direct discharge of untreated runoff into Long Pond. Other stormwater improvements at Breakwater Landing, Crosby Landing and Paine’s Creek have been completed and the Walker’s Pond boat ramp upgrade is planned for this spring. Brewster adopted a new stormwater management bylaw at its November 2021 Town Meeting. This bylaw is required under the federal Municipal Separate Storm Sewer (MS4) regulation under the federal Clean Water Act. The bylaw requires both minor and major projects to design and build stormwater management systems to prevent the overland flow of water directly to ponds and coastal waters. It also incorporates treatment requirements to protect groundwater quality where stormwater is infiltrated into the ground. Over time it will help improve water quality, especially in areas where stormwater is currently flowing directly to a surface water. Projects creating less than 500 square feet of impervious cover or disturbing less than 10,000 square feet of land are required to apply for a minor permit. As part of the application the runoff volume from the project must be calculated and one or more stormwater management practices, such as a rain garden or vegetated swale must be sized and installed. Larger projects must apply for a major permit to be reviewed by either the Planning Board or the Conservation Commission if the Conservation Commission has jurisdiction under the state Wetlands Protection Act. These larger projects must document that the stormwater will be managed in accordance with the state’s stormwater management regulations. 16 The Planning Board is now finalizing a set of implementation regulations for the bylaw. They are also working with Town staff to develop application forms and instructions for both the major and minor permits. These new requirements for stormwater will help improve water quality through Brewster. Herring River Watershed As mentioned above, the Town’s obligations for nitrogen management in the Herring River watershed involve limiting the nitrogen load from future development. The strategies considered for future development in the Pleasant Bay watershed could be applied for the Herring River watershed as well. Further work is needed to quantify the extent of buildout possible in this watershed given recent open space acquisitions by the Town to refine the management strategies for Herring River. Summary of Potential Costs & Funding Sources Based on the information provided above, the overall cost for implementing the primary components of the IWRMP as of 2022 is approximately $22,970,000 - $31,070,000. Table 2 shows a breakdown of costs for the Pleasant Bay watershed and freshwater pond management which are the two issues with significant management costs. For Pleasant Bay, the overall cost includes the neighborhood wastewater treatment plant option as this is less expense than using individual septic treatment systems. In most towns, the implementation of wastewater management strategies includes funding from the property owner and the town. How the funding is managed in Brewster still needs to be evaluated. The extent of town funding is often based on the benefits received by all residents in the town. For example, the restoration of water quality in a pond or coastal estuary can benefit all resident who have access to the water. Table 2 also provides information on the potential for the Town to obtain a State Revolving Fund (SRF) loan to finance the costs or to get funding from the recently created Cape Cod and Islands Water Protection Fund (CCIWPF). Funding for CCIWPF is through taxes on hotels and short-term rental facilities. To receive an SRF Loan, the Town must apply through the MA Clean Water Trust. If the Trust approves a project, it is then eligible for funding from the CCIWPF. The CCIWPF funds are used to repay a portion of the SRF loan. For a project to be eligible for SRF funding, the Trust requires DEP approval of a comprehensive wastewater management plan, IWRMP, targeted watershed plan or project specific plan. Cape Cod Commission Clean Water Act Section 208 approval is also required for a project to be eligible for SRF funding. Proposed project(s) must be submitted to the Clean Water Trust for inclusion on the annual Intended Use Plan. If a project is included on the plan, it is then eligible for SRF funding. Funding is provided as a 20-year loan with a maximum interest rate of 2%. Some projects can qualify for a lower interest rate as well. Projects demonstrating their   Table 2:  Summary of IWRMP Costs and Funding Options     Pleasant Bay Watershed Project  Golf Course Fertilizer Adjustment and Fairway Size Refinements Cost:   $20,000  SRF Funding Eligibility No CCIWPF Eligibility  No  Construction of Captains Golf Course I/A Treatment System.  Cost:   $200,000  SRF Funding Eligibility Possible   CCIWPF Eligibility  Possible at 50% of SRF cost  WWTP Planning.   Cost:    $200,000 ‐ $225,000 SRF Funding Eligibility  Possible  CCIWPF Eligibility  Possible – At about 50%   WWTP Design and Permitting.   Cost:    $200,000 ‐ $225,000 SRF Funding Eligibility  No  CCIWPF Eligibility  No  Construction of a Neighborhood WWTP*.    Cost: $10,000,000 ‐ $15,000,000  SRF Funding Eligibility  Possible CCIWPF Eligibility  Possible –at 25%         Fresh Water Ponds Project  Development of an Updated Report on Pond Water Quality Cost:    $50,000 SRF Funding Eligibility  Possible CCIWPF Eligibility    Possible – At about 50%  Development of a Pilot Program for Septic Upgrades Near Freshwater Ponds.   Cost:    $300,000 ‐ $350,000 SRF Funding Eligibility  Possible CCIWPF Eligibility  Possible – At about 50%   Installation of I/A Septic Systems Adjacent to Fresh Water Ponds.   Cost:   $12,000,000 ‐ $15,000,000 SRF Funding Eligibility Unlikely CCIWPF Eligibility  Unlikely   Total Cost:    $22,970,000 ‐ $31,070,000 Total SRF Funding Eligibility  $10,750,000 ‐ $15,825,000 Total CCIWPF Eligibility      $2,875,000 ‐   $4,162,500   * Note: The WWTP cost is for the larger system serving approximately 150 homes.  The costs for onsite septic treatment systems for Pleasant Bay are not included here as the neighborhood WWTP is currently the more cost effective option.   17 implementation will not result in any growth in development can qualify for a 0% interest rate. In 2021, 75% of the projects that requested SRF support were awarded a loan by the Clean Water Trust. The CCIWPF provides separate funds, as grants to the Towns that participate in the program. The funds are provided only for projects approved for an SRF loan. Each year the grants are provided based on the funds available and the number of projects eligible for funding. This data is used to select a subsidy percentage for each project. For the first round of funding through the CCIWPF, awards for projects on the Intended Use Plan were provided at a rate of 25% of the project cost. Small projects, below $1,000,000, are eligible for twice the percentage awarded to other projects. Awards for all projects are paid out in equal installments over four years after they are awarded. Per correspondence with DEP officials in Summer 2021, based on the information provided in Table 2, Brewster could potentially receive SRF funding on one or more 20-year loans, for the planning projects, the installation of the septic treatment system at Captains Golf Course, and the construction of the neighborhood wastewater facility. A total of $10,750,000 - $15,825,000 could be funded. If awarded SRF funding, there would then be funds available from the CCIWPF to support the repayment of the SRF loans. Assuming a 25% payment of the cost of each project (and 50% for projects under $1,000,000 in cost) a total of $2,875,000 - $4,162,500 could be financed through the CCIWPF. Conclusions – Summary of Next Steps Reducing the nitrogen load to Pleasant Bay and developing a plan to restore pond water quality are the two main water resource issues for Brewster. For Pleasant Bay, the extent of nitrogen reduction that can be achieved at Captains Golf Course will determine the extent of wastewater management needed in the watershed, either through a neighborhood wastewater treatment plant, the use of nitrogen treatment technologies for onsite septic systems or a nitrogen trade with another town in the watershed. For freshwater ponds, the Town is planning to develop updated information on their water quality status. With that information, the primary goal is to develop a program to upgrade septic systems along the pond shores to minimize impacts from nitrogen and phosphorus. Following additional data collection and technical analysis, decisions on these topics will need to be made in the next 1-3 years and ongoing outreach is planned to obtain input from town residents to help inform these critical policy decisions. 18 REFERENCES Barnstable Clean Water Coalition. December 2021. Coalition Quarterly – Fall 2021 Newsletter. https://bcleanwater.org/living-lab-cape-cod-blog/coalition-quarterly-issue-17-fall-2021/. Cape Cod Commission, 2017. Watershed Report – Quivett Creek, Brewster and Dennis. https://www.capecodcommission.org/resource- library/file/?url=/dept/commission/team/Website_Resources/208/watershedreports/2017_Wa tershed_Report_MC_Quivett_Creek.pdf . Horsley Witten Group, Inc. July 2020. Pleasant Bay Alliance Task 1A: On-Site Denitrification Systems Summary Report. Prepared with grant funding from the EPA Southeast New England Program. Horsley Witten Group, Inc. April 16, 2018. Memorandum - Updated Buildout Analysis for the Pleasant Bay Watershed. Horsley Witten Group, Inc. January 2013. Integrated Water Resource Management Plan - Phase II Report Horsley Witten Group, Inc. March 2015. Pleasant Bay Nitrogen Management Alternatives Analysis Report. Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. August 2018. Pleasant Bay Watershed Permit 001-0. Pleasant Bay Alliance. March 2018. Pleasant Bay Targeted Watershed Management Plan. Town of Brewster Water Department, June 2021. 2020 Water Quality Report (CCR). (https://www.brewster-ma.gov/departments-mainmenu-26/water-department-mainmenu-39) University of Massachusetts Dartmouth School of Marine Science and Technology. May 2006. Linked Watershed-Embayment Model to Determine Critical Nitrogen Loading Thresholds for the Pleasant Bay System, Orleans, Chatham and Harwich, Massachusetts. University of Massachusetts Dartmouth School of Marine Science and Technology. December 2008. Linked Watershed-Embayment Model to Determine Critical Nitrogen Loading Thresholds for the Namskaket Marsh Estuarine System, Orleans, Massachusetts. University of Massachusetts Dartmouth School of Marine Science and Technology. April 2011. Linked Watershed-Embayment Model to Determine Critical Nitrogen Loading Thresholds for the Bass River Embayment System, Towns of Yarmouth and Dennis, Massachusetts. 19 University of Massachusetts Dartmouth School of Marine Science and Technology. March 2013. Linked Watershed-Embayment Model to Determine Critical Nitrogen Loading Thresholds for the Herring River System, Harwich, Massachusetts. University of Massachusetts Dartmouth School of Marine Science and Technology. June 2021. Linked Watershed-Embayment Model to Determine Critical Nitrogen Loading Thresholds for the Pleasant Bay System, Orleans, Chatham and Harwich, Massachusetts 2020 Update Final Report. Appendix A - 208 Compliance Reports 2021 The Cumulative Town Snapshot section summarizes the funding snapshot categories since 2015 Complete or Approved Partial Not Shared or Not Approved Not AvailableSYMBOL LEGEND OTHER LEGEND The Cumulative Town Snapshot section summarizes the funding snapshot categories since 2015 Progress shown is for the period from November 2020 through November 2021 208 COMPLIANCE REPORT | 2021 Brewster Town Team: • Comprehensive Water Planning Committee (dissolved 2015) • Water Quality Review Committee • Town Planner • Health Agent • Natural Resources Director • Horsley Witten Group Collaborations: • Pleasant Bay Alliance • Town of Chatham • Town of Harwich • Town of Orleans • MassDEP • Cape Cod Commission • SNEP Network Town of Brewster Town(s) with Joint Agreement or Plan in Place Priority Watershed Watershed 28,910 kg N22,690 kg N 48,210 kg N40,201 kg N Town of ALL PROPERTIES SERVED BY CENTRALIZED SYSTEMS - Plans and permits in the priority watersheds as identified by the 208 Plan Implementation Report in 2017. *Bass River watershed, <1% nitrogen allocation for Brewster **Swan Pond River watershed, <1% nitrogen allocation for Brewster * ** PRIORITY WATERSHED PROGRESSTEAM Team members engaged in water quality planning efforts. MS4 COMPLIANCE 12 Cape Cod towns are required to address stormwater discharge under the MS4 Permit. Towns with nitrogen impaired waters must meet additional permit requirements. TMDLTMDL NON- TRADITIONAL PROJECTS UNDERWAY TOTAL FLOW COLLECTED BY CENTRALIZED SYSTEMS TOWN MEETING APPROVED FUNDING CUMULATIVE TOWN SNAPSHOT SINCE 208 PLAN APPROVAL GRANT FUNDING RECEIVED 3 -$612K $482K* Subject to MS4 Permit No Additional nitrogen related requirements In compliance with MS4 Permit requirements Plan In Place Agreement In Place Consistency Determination Permits Issued Plan In Place Pleasant Bay Watershed Plan (2018) Agreement In Place Pleasant Bay IMA Consistency Determination 208 Consistency Determination (2018) Permits Issued Watershed Permit (2018) Pleasant BayHerring River (Harwich) Current Attenuated Watershed Load Current Attenuated Watershed Load Complete or Approved Partial Not Shared or Not Approved Not AvailableSYMBOL LEGEND OTHER LEGEND Text color indicates that data made available is 5 years or older 2016 201720192019Brewster 208 COMPLIANCE REPORT | 2021 WATER USE EMBAYMENT MONITORING PARCEL DATA ASSESSOR DATA TOWN REGIONAL DATA SHARING STATUSTown of IMPLEMENTATION Actions taken relative to plan and project implementation and regulatory and town meeting actions. FUNDING Cape Cod and Islands Water Protection Fund Member Community Actions taken during the reporting period to secure funding for water quality improvement plans and projects. Progress shown is for the period from November 2020 through November 2021 TOWN IMPLEMENTATION ACTIONS LOCAL REGULATORY ACTIONS Fertilizer By-Law in Place Zoning Changes • None in reporting period Adoption of Regulations • None in reporting period Town Funding Actions • 2021 Professional services for MS4 stormwater permitting and compliance ($80,000 Approved) • 2021 Walkers Pond Water Quality Evaluation ($40,000 Approved) • 2021 Pleasant Bay Fertilizer Impact Assessment at Captains Golf Course ($140,000 Approved) • 2021 Integrated Water Resources Planning and Implementation ($75,000 Approved) Grant Funding • None in reporting period Implementation Actions reflect unfunded municipal actions such as, inter-municipal agreements, procedural approvals, and committee actions. • None in reporting period * From Town Snapshot: grant funds reflect a decrease of $20k from the 2020 report, as a grant was previously duplicated. PROJECT STATUS Project Stage Captains Golf Course Fertilizer Reduction Captains Golf Course Fertigation On-site Denitrification Systems PRestoration Project Remediation Project Reduction Project Pilot project FEASIBILITY IMPLEMENTATION IMPLEMENTATION Horsley Witten Group, Inc. Integrated Water Resource Management Planning 2022 Update Horsley Witten Group, Inc. All Water Resources are Interconnected Therefore: Horsley Witten Group, Inc. An Integrated Plan! Horsley Witten Group, Inc. The Big Picture… Protecting the Town’s Waters Protecting Public and Private Drinking Water Supplies Managing Nitrogen Loads to Coastal Embayments Protecting and Restoring Fresh Water Ponds Improving Stormwater Management Horsley Witten Group, Inc. Brewster’s Conservation Lands and Zone II Areas Horsley Witten Group, Inc. Coastal Watersheds Horsley Witten Group, Inc. Status of Brewster’s Ponds - 2009 Horsley Witten Group, Inc. Water Quality Issues - Nitrogen Impacts Drinking Water, Coastal Waters and Fresh Water Ponds SOURCES – Septic Systems, Fertilizers, Road Runoff Horsley Witten Group, Inc. Water Quality Issues - Nitrogen Septic System Discharge 35 mg/L Drinking Water Standard 10 mg/L State DW Planning Standard 5 mg/L Brewster Drinking Water < 1 mg/L Coastal Estuary Threshold ~0.3 mg/L Horsley Witten Group, Inc. Phosphorus and Ponds Horsley Witten Group, Inc. Water Quality Issues – Emerging Contaminants Per and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Found in Fire Fighting Foams, Cleaning Products Teflon Pans, Food Wrappers, Skin Care Products and Waterproof Clothing State Drinking Water Standard of 20 Parts Per Trillion Currently Not Detected in Brewster’s Public Wells Horsley Witten Group, Inc. Integrated Water Planning Timeline 2009 Comprehensive Water Planning Committee Formed Integrated Water Resources Management Plan Phase I - 2011 Phase II - 2012 Pleasant Bay Nitrogen Management Alternatives Assessment -2015 Horsley Witten Group, Inc. Timeline - Continued Implementation Phase Water Resource Atlas – Fresh Water Ponds – 2016 Pleasant Bay Watershed Permit – 2018 Pleasant Bay Targeted Watershed Management Plan - 2018 Golf Course Fertilization/Leaching Rate Study – Ongoing Horsley Witten Group, Inc. Timeline - Continued Implementation Phase Walkers Pond Weed Harvesting Program Upper Mill Pond Alum Treatment Elbow Pond Weed Harvesting Program Ongoing Water Quality Assessments Horsley Witten Group, Inc. Key Issues in 2022 Pleasant Bay Nitrogen Management to Comply with Watershed Permit Development and Implementation of Strategies to Protect and Restore Fresh Water Ponds Horsley Witten Group, Inc. Horsley Witten Group, Inc. Pleasant Bay Watershed Permit Brewster makes up 25% of the Pleasant Bay Watershed and is accountable for 13% of the N load. Horsley Witten Group, Inc. Open Space Purchases Protect Brewster’s Waters Horsley Witten Group, Inc. Pleasant Bay Watershed Permit Permit Signed in August 2018. Requires Brewster to remove of 2,262 kg of nitrogen per year and address future development. The town has already removed 56% of this load through changes in fertilizer practices at Captains Golf Course. Horsley Witten Group, Inc. Nitrogen Reductions Achieved To Date Nitrogen Reduction Required:2,262 kg-N/year Approved Reductions in Watershed Permit: Golf Fertilizer Reduction (pre-2015) 930 kg-N/year Golf Irrigation Recapture 230 kg-N/year Town-wide Fertilizer Bylaw 121 kg-N/year Total Nitrogen Removed 1,281 kg-N/year Remaining Reduction Needed 981 kg/N/year Horsley Witten Group, Inc. Nitrogen Reductions by Watershed Horsley Witten Group, Inc. Nitrogen Impacts in Tar Kiln Subwatershed Currently Being Reevaluated Tar Kiln Watershed Horsley Witten Group, Inc. Nitrogen Management Alternatives to Meet Permit Goals Additional Captains Golf Course Fertilizer Management Neighborhood WWTP I/A Septic Treatment Systems Nitrogen Trading Horsley Witten Group, Inc. Further Nitrogen Reduction Opportunities at Captain’s Golf Course Reduce fertilizer applications on the fairways and roughs, incorporating sprayed applications of liquid fertilizers (underway). Potentially reduce the size of fairways by approximately 2.5 acres (course-wide) –subject to further discussion. Septic System Upgrade to Treat for Nitrogen (Cost approx. $150,000 -$170,000) Horsley Witten Group, Inc. Example of how a fairway could be shortened to reduce fertilizer applications Horsley Witten Group, Inc. Further Nitrogen Reduction Opportunities at Captain’s Golf Course Fertilizer Reductions -364 kg-N/year Fairway Changes -49 kg-N/year Septic Upgrade -45 kg-N/year Total New Reduction 458 kg-N/year Final Reduction Needed 523 kg/N/year Horsley Witten Group, Inc. Golf Course Fertilizer Leaching Rate Evaluation •Changes in fertilizer practices may mean that less nitrogen is leaching into groundwater. •The permit assumes that 20% does leach. •Documenting a lower leaching rate would further reduce Brewster’s obligations under the permit. •Study underway to document how much nitrogen enters groundwater from fertilizer applications. Horsley Witten Group, Inc. Golf Course Fertilizer Leaching Rate Evaluation Six fairway sites being tested using subsurface lysimeters and groundwater monitoring wells Horsley Witten Group, Inc. Golf Course Fertilizer Leaching Rate Evaluation Horsley Witten Group, Inc. Golf Course Fertilizer Leaching Rate Evaluation •Results of this study – completed in 2023 - will determine what additional nitrogen load must be managed using other techniques Horsley Witten Group, Inc. Neighborhood Wastewater Treatment and Collection System Disposal in the watershed Disposal outside the watershed Number of Homes = 152 Number of Homes = 110 Nitrogen reduction ~ 523 kg/yr Nitrogen reduction ~ 523 kg/yr 20-year cost = $10,000,000 - $15,000,000 20-year cost = $9,000,000 •A traditional wastewater system could be installed in the upper portion of the watershed to treat effluent prior to its discharge to groundwater. •Can offset future development Horsley Witten Group, Inc. Horsley Witten Group, Inc. Option 3: Onsite Septic System Treatment Upgrades Septic systems serving individual properties could be upgraded to provide additional nitrogen treatment. On-site septic system treatment upgrades have until recently been recently been the preferred alternative. Through the PB Watershed Permit and supporting SNEP Grant, this approach appears to be less cost effective for this watershed at this scale. Number of Homes = 320 Nitrogen reduction = 523 kg/yr 20-year cost = $26,000,000 Horsley Witten Group, Inc. Nitrogen Trading •The permit allows the town to negotiate a “nitrogen trade” with another Pleasant Bay town. •Eliminates the long-term management of a facility in Brewster. •Size and cost of the trade could be adjusted to accommodate future nitrogen impacts from buildout. Horsley Witten Group, Inc. Summary 75% of Brewster’s obligations can be achieved at Captains Golf Course with Minimal Cost. A successful study of leaching rates will further reduce the town’s obligation. Options to manage the rest includes: Neighborhood WWTP Onsite Septic Upgrades Nitrogen Trade Horsley Witten Group, Inc. Ongoing Pond Restoration Activities Walkers Pond – Weed harvesting to remove plants and associated phosphorus. Water quality continues to deteriorate and further study by SMAST is underway Upper Mill Pond – Alum Treatment to minimize phosphorus input from pond sediments Elbow Pond weed harvesting Horsley Witten Group, Inc. Ongoing Water Quality Testing Annual testing of 28 ponds across Brewster Last update report on testing published in 2009 New update would be useful Estimated cost - $50,000 Horsley Witten Group, Inc. Septic Management Near Ponds Horsley Witten Group, Inc. Septic Management Near Ponds Horsley Witten Group, Inc. Current Regulation Proposed Regulation Pond Nutrient Management Areas Nutrient Management Area for Ponds Horsley Witten Group, Inc. Water Resource Atlas - Fresh Water Ponds Horsley Witten Group, Inc. Draft Health Reg for Ponds Reset septic buffer 300 feet upgradient 100 feet downgradient Require phosphorus treatment units or shallow leach fields to capture phosphorus in iron rich soils Require nitrogen treatment as well Horsley Witten Group, Inc. How Many Properties Affected? Estimate up to 600 Homes Would Require an Upgrade Total Cost at $20,000-$25,000 per Property = $12,000,000 to $15,000,000 Horsley Witten Group, Inc. Pilot Project Proposed Installing and Testing I/A Septic Systems for Phosphorus and Nitrogen Treatment Would Answer Many Implementation and Performance Questions. Estimate Pilot Cost - $300,000 Horsley Witten Group, Inc. Financing – Who Pays? Town’s Contribution? Property Owner’s Contribution? Horsley Witten Group, Inc. Potential Financing Options State Revolving Fund (SRF) Loans at Low or 0% Interest for Eligible Projects Barnstable County Septic System Loan Program Cape and Islands Water Protection Fund Local Funding Alternative Horsley Witten Group, Inc. Cost Summary – Pleasant Bay Golf Course Design Refinements $20,000 Captains I/A Septic System $200,000 WWTP Planning $200,000 - $225,000 Design and Permitting $200,000 - $225,000 Construction 10,000,000 - $15,000,000 A lower fertilizer leaching rate at Captains Golf Course will reduce these costs. Horsley Witten Group, Inc. Cost Summary – Fresh Water Ponds Pond WQ Update Report $50,000 Pilot Septic Program $300,000 - $350,000 I/A Systems $12,000,000 - $15,000,000 Horsley Witten Group, Inc. Cost Summary – Total Total Cost:$22,970,000 - $31,070,000 Total SRF Funding $10,750,000 - $15,825,000 Total CCIWPF $2,875,000 - $4,162,500 Local Funding up to $1,000,000/year Horsley Witten Group, Inc. Questions? Brewster Select Board May 24, 2021 •Established by MA legislature in 2018 to help 15 Cape & Island towns pay for wastewater infrastructure and water quality remediation projects (Chapter 337 of the Acts of 2018) to meet the obligations of the 208 Plan •Affiliated with existing state programs – Clean Water State Revolving Fund and Clean Water Trust •Funded through 2.75% additional surcharge added to all lodging transactions (traditional and short-term rentals) effective July 1, 2019 •Comprised of member representatives from each town – must be TA/M, Town staff, or Select Board •Cape Cod Commission provides support and technical assistance •Responsible for determining the subsidy allocation, including equitable distribution among participating towns for projects and debt relief •Developed and adopted regulations and bylaws in Fall 2020 •Project must be eligible for SRF funding to receive a subsidy from the CCIWPF •CCIWPF regulations specifically identify eligibility: •Innovative strategies and alternative septic systems •Drainage improvements •Projects to improve water quality in fresh water ponds •Brewster has never participated in SRF loan program •CCC is committed to assisting communities with SRF •25% subsidy for new eligible projects in equal installments over 4 years for Clean Water Trust loans •25% subsidy for pre-existing projects in equal installments over 10 years for already issued debt •Expense assumptions: •$65.9M in prior eligible debt – commitments made in April 2021 •Existing CWT loans ($30M in FY18; $65M in FY19; $24M in FY20; $86M in FY21) – commitments made in April 2021 •$60M/year in new loans in FY22+ •2% project cost annual escalator •Revenue assumptions: •$9.1M actual FY20 revenues •$15M estimated FY21 revenues •$17.4M projected FY22 revenues (+16% from FY21 estimates) •$19.1M projected FY23 revenues (+10% from FY22 projections) •2.5% projected revenue increases in FY24+ •.5% investment earnings •Brewster contributions to date: $1.4M •Likely annual contribution of ~$1M based on recent lodging tax data •Water Resource Planning - $75k/year (Free Cash @ Spring 2021 Town Meeting) •Captain’s Golf Course Fertilizer Impact Assessment (Nitrogen Leaching Rate Study) - $140k (Free Cash @ Spring 2021 Town Meeting) •Captain’s Golf Course Septic System Upgrade - $170k •Neighborhood Wastewater Facility (or Nitrogen Trade) - ~$6M •Road & Drainage Improvements - $200+k/year •Alternative/Innovative Septic Systems (Phosphorus Mitigation) - $6-10M •2.75% rooms tax on all lodging via CCIWPF, subject to disbursement of Management Board consistent with regulations & bylaws – current practice •Free Cash appropriations – current practice •2.75% rooms tax on all lodging via special act where Town would retain full control over revenues & expenditures – Town Meeting & State Legislature approval required •Up to 3% community impact fee on short-term rentals (only) via local option – Town Meeting approval required (35% of revenues collected must be spent on affordable housing or infrastructure) •Up to 3% Water Infrastructure Investment Fund (WIIF) tax on local property taxes – Town Meeting approval required •Work with Town staff/consultants to finalize list of upcoming Brewster water resource projects and associated costs •Determine SRF eligibility of Brewster projects with Cape Cod Commission •Decide on preferred approach to funding future Brewster water resource projects Archive d: Thursday, January 27, 2022 1:45:29 PM From: Erin Perry Se nt: Fri, 7 Jan 2022 20:50:52 +0000ARC To: Erin Perry Cc: Kristy Senatori Subje ct: CCIWPF Management Board Mtg - 1/11/2022 Se nsitivity: Normal Attachme nts : 20220111 Agenda CCIWPF.pdf; 2020 IUP Projects - PRA Project Costs.pdf; 2021-04-14 Draft CCIWPF Board Minutes.pdf; 2021-12-14 Draft Minutes CCIWPF Executive Committee.pdf; 20211130 Draft Minutes CCIWPF Bylaws&RegsComm.pdf; Cape Cod and Islands Water Protection Fund Regulations_amended_draftrevDec2021.pdf; CCIWPF Annual Report for 2021.pdf; Verified Pre-Existing Debt.pdf; Good afternoon, We look forward to seeing you all at the next CCIWPF Management Board meeting. The meeting will take place at 4pm on Tuesday 1/11/22 via zoom. I am attaching the agenda and meeting materials to this e-mail. I will also attach these documents to the calendar invitation previously sent to the Board. To join the meeting, please use the following Zoom link and details: Zoom link: https://capecodcommission.org/cciwpf/join; password: join Call in details: 1-929-205-6099; meeting ID 962 3150 0800 Please also see the latest CCIW PF distributions, below. The most recent distribution covers the period from September 2021 through November 2021 and totals $8,845,378.63. As a reminder, you will also see the Year 1 subsidies that have been set aside per the Management Board’s approval of subsidy awards in April 2021. Please feel free to reach out with any questions. Sincerely, Erin Erin PerryDeputy DirectorCape Cod Commission508-744-1236eperry@capecodcommission.org       2021 ANNUAL REPORT CAPE COD AND ISLANDS WATER PROTECTION FUND     PREPARED FOR: Chairs of the Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture Senate: Rebecca L. Rausch, Chair James B. Eldridge, Vice Chair 24 Beacon Street, Room 218 Boston, MA 02133 House: Carolyn C. Dykema, Chair Mindy Domb, Vice Chair 24 Beacon Street, Room 473F Boston, MA 02133 Cape Cod and Islands Legislative Delegation Senator Julian Cyr 24 Beacon Street, Room 312-E Boston, MA 02133 Senator Susan L. Moran 24 Beacon Street, Room 506 Boston, MA 02133 Representative David T. Vieira 24 Beacon Street, Room 167 Boston, MA 02133 Representative Kip A. Diggs 24 Beacon Street Boston, MA 02133 Representative Sarah K. Peake 24 Beacon Street, Room 7 Boston, MA 02133 Representative Timothy R. Whelan 24 Beacon Street, Room 542 Boston, MA 02133 Representative Dylan A. Fernandes 24 Beacon Street, Room 472 Boston, MA 02133 Representative Steven G. Xiarhos 24 Beacon Street Boston, MA 02133 PREPARED BY: Cape Cod Commission, on behalf of the Cape Cod and Islands Water Protection Fund Management Board 3225 Main Street P.O. Box 226 Barnstable, MA 02630 January 2021 CAPE COD AND ISLANDS WATER PROTECTION FUND 2021 ANNUAL REPORT 3 The Cape Cod and Islands Water Protection Fund (CCIWPF) was established by the Massachusetts Legislature in 2018 (M.G.L. Chapter 29C, Section 19) to help Cape Cod and Islands towns pay for necessary wastewater infrastructure and water quality remediation projects. Creation of the CCIWPF was the result of efforts by a diverse set of stakeholders, including the Cape Cod and Islands Legislative Delegation, local officials, environmental groups, business leaders, and the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce, who recognized the need for new financial tools to address the region’s degrading water quality and lack of wastewater infrastructure. The CCIWPF is a dedicated fund within the Massachusetts Clean Water Trust set up to solely benefit communities within the counties of Barnstable, Dukes, and Nantucket. Its source of revenue is a 2.75% excise tax on traditional lodging and short-term rentals. The fund is administered by the Clean Water Trust and overseen by a management board comprised of representatives from every member town from the region. Currently, the 15 Cape Cod communities are members of the CCIWPF. The Cape Cod and Islands Water Protection Fund Management Board (Board) was established by M.G.L. Chapter 29C, Section 20. The Board is responsible for determining the method for allocating subsidies from the fund, including, but not limited to, an equitable distribution among participating municipalities consistent with revenue deposited from each municipality into the fund. The Board Is also responsible for ensuring that the Water Protection Fund is spent only for the purposes set forth in M.G.L. Chapter 29C, Section 19. This report has been prepared pursuant to M.G.L. Chapter 29C, Section 20, Cape Cod and Islands Water Protection Fund Management Board. CAPE COD AND ISLANDS WATER PROTECTION FUND 2021 ANNUAL REPORT 4 CCIWPF Revenue As received from the Department of Revenue through the Clean Water Trust, fund revenue to date (July 2019 through November 2021) totals $39,337,123.18. Income generated by the fund for this period totals $95,312.05. Subsidies for projects listed on Intended Use Plans for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund dating back to the creation of the CCIWPF (2018) will be paid over 4 years, while subsidies for eligible pre- existing debt incurred for clean water projects that pre-date the CCIWPF will be paid over 10 years. Subsidy awards made to date are described below. The Year 1 transfer from the Clean Water Trust totals $13,708,673, as detailed in the Expenses and Project Summaries section below. The balance of the fund at the end of the calendar year 2021 is $25,723,762.23. CCIWPF Amounts Revenue to Date $39,337,123.18 Fund Income to Date $95,312.05 Year 1 (2021) Transfer $13,708,673.00 Balance $25,723,762.23 Expenses and Project Summaries On April 14, 2021 the Board voted to award the first set of subsidies to qualified and eligible water quality projects in several Cape Cod towns. Per the regulations established by the Board in 2020, projects in excess of $1 million received subsidies equal to 25% of the project costs. Projects of $1 million or less received 50% subsidies. Projects eligible for funding include, but are not limited to, innovative strategies and alternative septic system technologies, water quality and wastewater management planning, the construction of sewer collection systems and wastewater treatment plants, and the implementation of drainage improvements and water treatment programs to improve water quality in freshwater ponds and marine resources. Member communities must go through the Clean Water State Revolving Fund program, or SRF, and be listed on the Clean Water SRF Intended Use Plan (IUP) to receive funds. Contingent commitments are made upon release of the annual IUP. Final commitments are made following execution of a Project Regulatory Agreement (PRA). CAPE COD AND ISLANDS WATER PROTECTION FUND 2021 ANNUAL REPORT 5 Final Commitments for 2018 and 2019 Intended Use Plans Projects Town IUP Year Description Project Cost Total Subsidy Chatham 2018 Phase 1D – Chatham/Harwich Regionalization $8,174,858 $2,043,715 Chatham 2019 Sewer Extension $1,324,983 $331,246 Harwich 2018 Harwich Sewer Collection System – Phase 2 $22,214,467 $5,553,617 Bourne 2019 Buzzards Bay Wastewater Treatment Facility $4,660,410 $1,165,103 Orleans 2019 Downtown Area Collection System and Wastewater Treatment Facility $59,409,200 $14,852,300 Totals $95,783,918 $23,945,981 Contingent Commitments for 2020 and 2021 Intended Use Plans Projects Town IUP Year Description Project Cost Total Subsidy Barnstable 2020 Wastewater Pump Station Improvements Project $1,000,000 $500,000 Barnstable 2020 Strawberry Hill Road Sewer Expansion $13,275,023 $3,318,756 Barnstable 2020 Route 28 and Yarmouth Road Intersection Sewer $1,853,762 $463,441 Barnstable 2020 Solids Handling Upgrade Project $8,495,050 $2,123,763 Chatham 2021 Chatham Queen Anne Pumping Station Upgrade 2021 PE $2,464,000 $616,000 Chatham 2021 Chatham Stormwater Improvement Projects - 2021 $6,161,000 $1,540,250 Barnstable 2021 Route 28 East Sewer Expansion Project $17,106,000 $4,276,500 Barnstable 2021 Wastewater Pump Station Improvements Project $2,000,000 $500,000 Mashpee 2021 Mashpee WRRF and Collection System - Phase I $51,200,000 $12,800,000 Falmouth 2021 Falmouth Wastewater Treatment Facility TASA Improvements $19,000,000 $4,750,000 Totals $122,554,835 $30,888,710   CAPE COD AND ISLANDS WATER PROTECTION FUND 2021 ANNUAL REPORT 6 Pre-Existing Debt Consistent with the provision in M.G.L. Chapter 29C, Section 19, certain Cape Cod and Islands communities are eligible for subsidies for debt incurred for water pollution abatement projects apart from the Clean Water Trust prior to the establishment of the CCIWPF. On April 14, 2021, the Board voted to award subsidies for pre-existing debt to the towns of Barnstable, Chatham, Falmouth, and Provincetown, subject to verification of eligibility. In April 2021, estimated pre-existing debt totaled approximately $65.9 million, 25% of which would be subsidized through the fund, per the unanimous vote of the Board. Town Estimated Pre-Existing Debt (April 2021) Estimated Total Subsidy Provincetown $19,198,453 $4,799,613 Barnstable $3,958,400 $989,600 Chatham $34,619,778 $8,654,945 Falmouth $8,113,640 $2,028,410 Totals $65,890,271 $16,472,568 Upon verification, the final pre-existing debt and subsidy amounts are presented below. Town Eligible Pre-Existing Debt Total Subsidy Provincetown $11,729,661 $2,932,415 Barnstable $4,842,300 $1,210,575 Chatham $21,391,410 $5,347,853 Falmouth $7,675,200 $1,918,800 Totals $45,638,571 $11,409,643 Administrative Expenses The Cape Cod Commission is charged with providing administrative and technical support to the Board. On behalf of the Management Board, the Commission contracts with consultants to provide additional financial and legal support, as necessary and requested by the Board. Costs associated with this support from January 2019 through November 2021 total $112,057.30, as detailed below. At their December 14, 2021, the Board’s Executive Committee voted to recommend the Board reimburse the Commission for these expenses. It is anticipated the Board will vote on this matter in early 2022. CAPE COD AND ISLANDS WATER PROTECTION FUND 2021 ANNUAL REPORT 7 Expenditures Amount Cape Cod Commission Personnel Salaries, including fringe benefits and indirect costs $38,352.30 Contractual Services Pierce Atwood – legal $44,455.00 PFM Financial Advisors $29,250.00 Total Expenditures $112,057.30 5-Year Revenue Projections The Board, through Barnstable County through the Cape Cod Commission, contracted with PFM Financial Advisors to provide advisory services relative to subsidy allocations and revenue projections. In consultation with the Board and based on their expertise in forecasting and financial modeling, PFM Financial Advisors developed the following 5-year revenue projections. Growth in revenue is anticipated to be greater in 2022 and 2023, as a result of increased short-term rental use over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. 2021 2022 2023 2024 2026 2027 Revenue $15,000,000 $17,400,000 $19,140,000 $19,618,500 $20,108,963 $20,611,687 Revenue Growth 16.00% 10.00% 2.50% 2.50% 2.50% In summary, the Cape Cod and Islands Water Protection Fund receipts through November 2021 totaled $39,337,123.18. In 2021, the CCIWPF Board voted to award subsidies for 15 projects and to 4 towns for pre-existing debt. The total transferred from the CCIWPF in 2021 for project subsidies totaled $13,708,673. With the addition of fund investment income totaling $95,312.05, the balance of the fund at the end of the calendar year 2021 was $25,723,762.23. CAPE COD AND ISLANDS WATER PROTECTION FUND 2021 ANNUAL REPORT 8 At their meeting on January 11, 2022, the CCIWPF Board voted to approve final commitments for subsidies to fund qualified projects listed on the 2020 Clean Water State Revolving Fund Intended Use Plans, for which Project Regulatory Agreements have been executed in the amounts of: Town Project Project Cost in PRA Total Subsidy Barnstable Solids Handling Upgrade Project $11,313,805 $2,828,451 Barnstable Wastewater Pump Station Improvements Project $1,226,751 $306,688 Barnstable RTE 28 Yarmouth Rd Sewer $1,731,512 $432,878 Barnstable Strawberry Hill Road Sewer Expansion $12,289,531 $3,072,383 The CCIWPF Board also voted to approve final subsidies to qualified and eligible town projects for verified pre-existing debt in the towns of Barnstable, Chatham, Falmouth, and Provincetown in the amounts of: Town Eligible Pre-Existing Debt Total Subsidy Provincetown $11,729,661 $2,932,415 Barnstable $4,842,300 $1,210,575 Chatham $21,391,410 $5,347,853 Falmouth $7,675,200 $1,918,800 Totals $45,638,571 $11,409,643 Lastly, the CCIWPF Board voted to approve additional subsidies for authorized debt and debt that was not issued as of April 14, 2021 in the amounts of $1,478,010 for Provincetown, pending loan issuance and closure, and $803,750 for Chatham, as show below: Town Amount Status Total Subsidy Provincetown $1,651,000 Pending Loan Closure $1,478,010 $2,486,000 Pending Loan Closure $1,775,041 Pending Issuance Chatham $1,850,000 Closed 5/27/2021 $803,750 $235,000 Closed 5/27/2021 $1,130,000 Closed 5/27/2021 These subsidies, and any transfers or payments made related to these subsidies, will be reflected in the 2022 annual report. Brewster Finance Committee Budget for 2022-2023 Budget Questions for Nauset Regional & Brewster School Committee, Superintendent and Nauset Regional Finance Director The primary goal of the Brewster Finance Committee is to see a budget that is accurate, honest and understandable. With that in mind, we would like the Nauset regional school Committee to address the following questions: Could we please have a reconciliation of the Reserve for Negotiations line items from the prior year’s budget. This report should demonstrate how the monies were allocated and spent. In the budget for the current year $229,234 was budgeted for Brewster, 487,495 was budgeted for the Middle School and $864,809 was budgeted for the High School. In the 2022-2023 budgets those numbers are not included in the Budget 2021-2022 columns. Have these been placed in there respective line items, and if so could be get a report that details which line they are in that balances to the reserve numbers. There has been a presumption of a 2.5% increase in NRSD Budgets. Will that increase be in this year’s budget. How is current inflation considered in this year’s budget? Given the trends in declining enrollment, what is the strategy to match the expense budget to the enrollment trend? Is the decline in Choice intentional or is it driven by decline in student applications? What is your strategy for full borrowing for the new high school? What is the current rate on the BANS and when will full borrowing take place? We would like the Superintendent to address Nauset Per Pupil spending vs other districts. What is the budgeting strategy for Health insurance in the FY2023 Budget? Please address strategy with respect to retaining Students leaving for Charter Schools vs bringing in School Choice students. Town of Brewster 2198 Main Street Brewster, MA 02631-1898 Phone: (508) 896-3701 Fax: (508) 896-8089 MEMORANDUM RE: Sea Camps Planning Committees DATE: December 20, 2021; Revised January 10, 2022 At their December 20, 2021 meeting, the Select Board unanimously approved the following charges for the two new planning committees tasked with developing Comprehensive Plans for the former Cape Cod Sea Camps properties. At the January 10th, 2022 Select Board meeting, the charge was updated to include a member of the Water Commission as a voting member instead of a liaison. Bay Property Planning Committee (BPPC) 1. Purpose: a. Identify existing conditions of the former Cape Cod Sea Camps Bay property b. Evaluate potential low-cost, short-term public access opportunities c. Develop and propose interim public access plan d. Develop and implement a public engagement strategy to ensure broad community input e. Determine priority long-term uses appropriate for the Bay property, taking the adjacent Spruce Hill property into consideration f. Identify and evaluate potential partner organizations with shared interests and values, particularly MA Audubon and YMCA Cape Cod g. Propose recommended long-term uses and partnerships h. If recommended long-term uses include construction of a community center and/or Town offices, evaluate alternative uses of Council on Aging site, Town Hall, and Eddy School as appropriate i. Develop an implementation plan for the proposed uses 2. Strategies: a. Actively engage the public and stakeholders b. Provide residents with regular updates regarding progress and milestones c. Consider a range of interests, needs, ages, and abilities d. Collaborate with design professionals to develop and present a comprehensive plan to the Select Board and Town Meeting Office of: Select Board Town Administrator i. Consider Brewster’s key strategic planning documents (Vision Plan, Open Space and Recreation Plan, Coastal Resource Management Plan, Housing Production Plan, and others) ii. Incorporate maintenance, safety, and legal requirements iii. Identify estimated one-time project costs, ongoing operating expenses, funding sources, and timelines, incorporating prudent financial practices and exploring opportunities for revenue generation 3. Composition: Eleven (11) total members, including: a. Two (2) representatives from Select Board (Select Board Chair shall not be eligible) b. One (1) representative from each of the following committees: Vision Planning Committee; Natural Resources Commission; Recreation Commission c. Six (6) at-large members (may be part-time residents) d. Term: One (1) year, subject to annual reappointment; first term through June 30, 2023 e. Officers: Committee shall initially and annually thereafter elect a Chair, Vice Chair, and Clerk; Chair position shall not be held by a Select Board member; Chair and Vice Chair will meet on quarterly basis with their counterparts on PPPC to ensure coordination f. Liaisons (non-voting): Finance Committee; Open Space Committee; Council on Aging; Affordable Housing Trust; Cultural Council g. Representatives (non-voting): MA Audubon, YMCA Cape Cod, and Brewster Conservation Trust; other organizations such as Trustees of Reservations, etc may be included as needed h. Lead Town Staff Support: Town Administrator; other Department Heads as needed 4. Appointment Process: a. Notice soliciting letters of interest and completed applications from residents will be posted on Town website – due January 21, 2022 b. Residents seeking to serve as at-large members will be asked to complete new Board/Committee application form c. Members of representative committees will be asked to submit letters of interest d. Select Board members appointed to serve on BPPC will individually vet all applicants (at-large and representative members) and then make their recommendations to the full Board in February e. Select Board are anticipated to make all appointments by the end of February f. Committees and outside organizations may identify their own liaisons/representatives 5. Selection Criteria: In addition to the criteria outlined in the Select Board’s recently revised Board & Committee Appointment Policy, Select Board members will also take into account the following criteria in selecting members to serve on this committee: a. Record of effective teamwork ability; able to collaborate well with others to achieve common goals b. Experience in community planning, municipal activities, project management, equity and inclusion, conservation/environment, park management, sustainability, historic preservation, recreation, public finance, (landscape) architecture, youth services, human services, engineering, community housing, and/or law c. Excellent written and verbal communication skills d. Previous volunteer service e. Sufficient time to actively participate in meetings and take on tasks outside of meetings Pond Property Planning Committee (PPPC) 1. Purpose: a. Identify existing conditions of the former Cape Cod Sea Camps Pond property b. Evaluate potential low-cost, short-term public access opportunities c. Develop and propose interim public access pan d. Develop and implement a public engagement strategy to ensure broad community input e. Determine priority long-term uses appropriate for the Pond property, taking the adjacent Long Pond Woodlands (Robinson) property into consideration f. Identify and evaluate potential partner organizations with shared interests and values, particularly MA Audubon and Brewster Conservation Trust g. Propose recommended long-term uses and partnerships h. Develop an implementation plan for the proposed uses 2. Strategies: a. Actively engage the public and stakeholders b. Provide residents with regular updates regarding progress and milestones c. Consider a range of interests, needs, ages, and abilities d. Collaborate with design professionals to develop and present a comprehensive plan to the Select Board and Town Meeting i. Consider Brewster’s key strategic planning documents (Vision Plan, Open Space and Recreation Plan, Coastal Resource Management Plan, Housing Production Plan, and others) ii. Incorporate maintenance, safety, and legal requirements iii. Identify estimated one-time project costs, ongoing operating expenses, funding sources, and timelines, incorporating prudent financial practices and exploring opportunities for revenue generation 3. Composition: Ten (10) total members, including: a. Two (2) representatives from Select Board (Select Board Chair shall not be eligible) b. One (1) representative from each of the following committees: Natural Resources Commission; Open Space Committee; Affordable Housing Trust, Water Commission c. Four (4) at-large members (may be part-time residents) d. Term: One (1) year, subject to annual reappointment; first term through June 30, 2023 e. Officers: Committee shall initially and annually thereafter elect a Chair, Vice Chair, and Clerk; Chair position shall not be held by a Select Board member; Chair and Vice Chair will meet on quarterly basis with their counterparts on BPPC to ensure coordination f. Liaisons (non-voting): Finance Committee; Vision Planning Committee; Recreation Commission g. Representatives (non-voting): MA Audubon & Brewster Conservation Trust; other organizations may be included as needed h. Lead Town Staff Support: Assistant Town Administrator; other Department Heads as needed 4. Appointment Process: a. Notice soliciting letters of interest and completed applications from residents will be posted on Town website – due January 21, 2022 b. Residents seeking to serve as at-large members will be asked to complete new Board/Committee application form c. Members of representative committees will be asked to submit letters of interest d. Select Board members appointed to serve on PPPC will individually vet all applicants (at-large and representative members) and then make their recommendations to the full Board in February e. Select Board are anticipated to make all appointments by the end of February 5. Selection Criteria: In addition to the criteria outlined in the Select Board’s recently revised Board & Committee Appointment Policy, Select Board members will also take into account the following criteria in selecting members to serve on this committee: a. Record of effective teamwork ability; able to collaborate well with others to achieve common goals b. Experience in community planning, municipal activities, project management, equity and inclusion, conservation/environment, park management, sustainability, historic preservation, recreation, public finance, (landscape) architecture, youth services, human services, engineering, community housing, and/or law c. Excellent written and verbal communication skills d. Previous volunteer service e. Sufficient time to actively participate in meetings and take on tasks outside of meetings Finance Committee Minutes January 19, 2022 Page 1 of 4 TOWN OF BREWSTER FINANCE COMMITTEE Date: January 19, 2022 Time: 6:00 PM VIRTUAL MEETING MINUTES Present: Chair Pete Dahl, Vice Chair Frank Bridges, Clerk Bill Meehan, Honey Pivirotto, Robert Tobias, Alex Hopper, Andy Evans, Bob Young, William Henchy Also present: Peter Lombardi, Town Administrator Absent: Mimi Bernardo, Finance Director The Chair called the meeting to order at 6:01 pm and announced a quorum. This meeting will be conducted by remote participation pursuant to Chapter 20 of the Acts of 2021. No in-person meeting attendance will be permitted. If the Town is unable to live broadcast this meeting, a record of the proceedings will be provided on the Town website as soon as possible. The meeting may be viewed by: Live broadcast (Brewster Government TV Channel 18), Livestream (livestream.brerwster-ma.gov), or Video recording (tv.brewster-ma.gov). 1.Public Announcements and Comment- none 2.Town Administrator/Finance Director Report Peter Lombardi said there are three items of note – work has recently been completed to have a school consolidation feasibility study done – they will be presenting their report tomorrow night to the Brewster School Committee and to the Select Board next Monday night, and a presentation for staff in the beginning part of February, and a Community Forum on March 1st. There is a link on the website to the report. They did a very comprehensive job in looking at the various needs, scenarios, and cost estimates. The US Treasury issued their final rules and regs around use of Federal ARPA dollars – the little over $1M to Brewster – any allocation less than $10M direct to a municipality can be used for general municipal purposes. It is assumed as lost revenues. We have pretty significant discretion on how those funds will be allocated. Lastly, wanted to let the Committee know we will be holding a joint meeting with the Select Board and Board of Health next Thursday, January 27th at 6PM - we will be sending out invitations to other committees to join – we will have a discussion around water quality planning, where we stand today, and potential next steps. We will also talk about the town’s participation in the Cape & Islands Water Protection Fund which we have already brought in a little over $2.6M in the 2.5 years we’ve been participating as a member of that fund. There are significant policy implications both long and short term. Pete said $1M from the Federal Government, and a potential $1.8M from the County – if it was all directly allocated. Peter Lombardi answered that if we had no active county government, our share would be just under $2.6M. Approved: VOTE: Finance Committee Minutes January 19, 2022 Page 2 of 4 3.Budget Calendar – Discussion and Approval We added a meeting on February 2, 2022. 4. Nauset Regional Public Schools Budget – Discussion and Strategic Direction Pete said there has been a fair amount of information disseminated, but we don’t have the final enrollment numbers. Peter Lombardi said he has been in budget meetings all day and there have been enrollment numbers given and proposed budgets for the region, the High School, and the Middle School. For Brewster, we had a dramatic enrollment increase a couple years ago, and for 22-23, we are set to go down approximately 1.6% as a share of Nauset’s budget. This is a bottom-line number, but we had been waiting for the final numbers and these include the out of district numbers. Big picture, we have been on the “wrong” side of the enrollment shift for the past couple of years, but this time, with a slight decrease, it will give us a bit of a break. Pete asked when Peter Lombardi would be able to send out those numbers. Peter Lombardi said he would send what he has out to the committee after this meeting tonight. Robert Tobias said the Nauset Public School’s website has the middle school and high school budgets up on their calendar. Brewster School Committee will be getting their budget tomorrow. Peter Lombardi said that we just received notice that they are now posting their packets on their website to view once it has been sent out to their school committee. Pete said that was some good news to give us time to come up with our questions and have enough time to get those questions answered as we go along. Pete then opened the meeting to discuss strategies that will be helpful going forward. We did not have a budget meeting set until February 7th but thinks we can add in February 2nd so we could have some discussion. Bill Meehan said that over the last couple of years, he has raised the question of the presumption of holding to a 2.5% increase from year to year and wondered about allowing that increase on infinitum. He would like to examine this budget to see if this assumption is carried forward, if so, he renews his question. Who says you can have 2.5% and why? Honey said that her question is trying to track this enrollment, if numbers are going down, what adjustments are being made to expenses to correlate with that? Andy asked about using Choice as a formal strategy to generate some revenue in the face of declining enrollments. And if that is true, what is the long term strategy around that? Also, with the ARPA funds, would the school system have a call on any of those funds directly? Peter Lombardi said the one-time Federal and State funding sources available to use as supplemental revenues in their budgets. So, in looking over the horizon and long-term sustainability, it would be good to know how those funds have been used to date and the extend to which they are relying on those funds to come in at budget. He also said that in what Frank was talking about, he thinks one potential concern is we have seen 2.5% increases when our health insurance increases have been negligible. Once we get back to where we are used to being with insurance prices rising yearly, that is a potential concern. Pete said it still is in the face of declining enrollments. One of the things he sees, the number of students attending charter schools have increased every year. Here’s the conundrum, it is important to keep as many students in the Nauset system as possible. What is the reimbursement they receive versus what has been budgeted? Pete is trying to find out what the probing questions should be. The 2.5% increase, inflation, health insurance, etc. it needs to be a budget based on the reality of your expenses and not on a 2.5% increase for increase’s sake. Bill Henchy thanked Bob Young for his help in understanding this information as he is new to the conversation. We’ve got declining enrollment in member towns, the school committee is using School Choice to make up the difference, so it seems an appropriate starting point to see what the differential is between actual costs of operating the school and funding the capital costs of the school to the member towns as opposed to the reimbursements in tuition from other school choice communities. How do the member towns address that imbalance – if there is one? He thinks this is a Select Board question and doesn’t think the Finance Committee can get too far out front as this will be a Town Meeting issue ultimately. Pete said we have dealt with this issue for a year or two, and it’s important for the committee to not let this go to the back burner. If we don’t make this an important public Finance Committee Minutes January 19, 2022 Page 3 of 4 discussion issue, it will become status quo. He is all in favor of making sure that as we deal with the issues at hand, we don’t lose sight of this bigger question. Frank is focused on having an operating budget that is accurate, honest, and understandable. Peter Lombardi said that he does think that Choice numbers are down dramatically. He doesn’t know if that is based on a school committee decision or based on demand. He thinks this would be a good question to ask. Andy looks at the chart and wonders if it could be extrapolated by three years or so – he hasn’t seen that at all. No organization only looks back, they must look forward. Pete agreed that this would be a very good question – this is certainly something we could ask them for and there might be more interest, with the new Superintendent, to look at and develop into a five-year plan, giving some direction. Frank said if you look at the Habib Report, there is some information that looks at Barnstable County and Brewster. They are projecting a decline and look at other school information that is similar. It also looks at housing statistics. Bob Young said the enrollment numbers are important, but to him, it’s the solid yellow and red lines (on the chart) that reflect the 2.5% every year regardless of enrollment changes. This gets down to sustainability. We need to bend the line on the inflation adjusted operating expense budget and you can’t do that by accepting the 2.5% increases every year. We need to understand how the School Committee and District Administration is going to strategically address this. It just doesn't make sense; we are already nearing private school costs per student. As we look forward, how are they going to bend the curve, so it comes back down? Pete said there is a need to get the budgets and start looking at those items that need to be addressed and reconciliations we would like to have presented. It may be premature to put that list together until we have seen the budgets themselves. He thinks we should meet on February 2nd with those questions in mind. If people have specific questions they would like included, please send them to Pete separately, not send/or reply “All,” and he will include them in the packet. 5.Nauset Regional Public School and Brewster School Department – Budget reconciliation No further discussion from the Agenda Item above. 6.Liaison Reports Pete said the Select Board had completed the charges for the Bay Parcel Committee and the Pond Parcel Committee. He wants to leave it open for anyone on the committee with interest in either of these committees. The Bay Parcel will be an intense assignment; the Pond Parcel will be quite different. It is important to have a Finance member as part of these committees as there will be a lot to do there. Peter Lombardi said the scope of work for the Bay Property is anticipated to include the Eddy School Property relative to potential future uses. There has been some interest in using the Eddy for a Community Center, prior to the Sea Camps acquisition. That committee will be having those high-level policy discussions around potential future uses of the Eddy School if the Bay Parcel gets used for a Community Center, as a possibility. Pete said the School Department controls the use of that building - Robert Tobias is following along as their liaison. Honey said with Council on Aging – as of Jan 4th Elder Services suspended their hot meals program b/c of Covid. The Tax Preparation help is going to begin February 2nd – room C at Town Hall. If it is a basic Tax Return, they are availed of that help. During the Medicare enrollment, the workers who interacted with the seniors, saved 340 clients just under $290,000 with help sorting through this process. There’s been a lot of discussion about the storm preparation for elderly housing and what the Council’s role is in that. One of the things that came up during the storm predictions, a few people that have had concerns came together and purchased quite a bit of handwarmers and non-perishable foods. Thank you, Robert Tobias, as he has worked closely with some of those residents. Finance Committee Minutes January 19, 2022 Page 4 of 4 Honey said on the Vision Committee there has been a substantial amount of work – a survey is going out to the town. Please go online and complete the survey – please tell others to do the same. There will also be pop-ups around Town to ask questions. Please spread the word as they are hoping to get 2000 responses. We are sorting out, right now, what the contractor is doing to shore up the project. Hopefully more help is coming in support of the pop-ups and the survey compilation. We would like to finish up in early March. Pete said he attended the Select Board meeting and will circulate information from that meeting – very interesting report on roads and throughways – the pavement management report. There is a report and summary of findings in the packet from that night that might be worth reviewing. Peter Lombardi said that one of the goals for the Select Board this year is to complete that update to the pavement management plan and use that specific to road construction – maintaining existing roads and other larger projects in the que. It might make sense to have Griffin Rider come in from the DPW to discuss the pavement management and let us know what is in the capital plan -big picture. 7. Review and Approval of Minutes – 12/15/21 Bill Meehan MOVED to approve the Minutes of 12/15/21 as presented. Frank Bridges second. Roll Call Vote: Frank Bridges – yes, Bill Meehan – yes, Honey Pivirotto – yes, Andy Evans – yes, Robert Tobias – yes, Bob Young – yes, Alex Hopper – yes, Bill Henchy – abstain, Chair Pete Dahl– yes. The Committee voted: 8-yes 0-no 1-abstain Bill Henchy abstained as he was not at that meeting. 8. Request for agenda items for future meetings – please email Pete 9. Matters Not Reasonably Anticipated by the Chair- none 10. Next Finance Committee Meeting – February 2, 2022 11. Adjournment Bill Meehan MOVED to adjourn the meeting at 7:37 PM. Frank Bridges second. Roll Call Vote: Frank Bridges – yes, Bill Meehan – yes, Honey Pivirotto – yes, Andy Evans – yes, Robert Tobias – yes, Bob Young – yes, Alex Hopper – yes, Bill Henchy – yes, Chair Pete Dahl– yes. The Committee voted: 9-yes 0-no Respectfully submitted, Beth Devine Packet of supporting materials on the website for public review.