HomeMy Public PortalAbout11-04-2021 Minutes WSAC Regular Meeting WSAC 12.2.21 Item 3
101 E. Orange St., PO Box 429, Hillsborough, NC 27278
919-732-1270 | www.hillsboroughnc.gov | @HillsboroughGov
WATER AND SEWER ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES | 1 of 3
Minutes
WATER AND SEWER ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Remote regular meeting
7 p.m. Nov. 4, 2021
Virtual meeting via YouTube Live
Town of Hillsborough YouTube channel
Present: Chair Arthur Sprinczeles, Vice Chair Jenn Sykes, Paul Cough,
Saru Salvi, Barry Weston, Commissioner Evelyn Lloyd
Absent: Barry Hupp (excused), Daniel Rawlins (unexcused)
Staff: Assistant Town Manager Margaret Hauth, Utilities Director Marie Strandwitz, Finance Director
Tiffany Long, Administrative Services Director Jen Della Valle, Public Information Officer
Catherine Wright
1. Call to order and welcome of guests
Chair Arthur Sprinczeles called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m.
2. Agenda changes and approval
No changes were presented.
Motion: Member Saru Salvi moved to approve as presented. Member Paul Cough seconded the motion.
All in favor.
Vote: 5-0. Ayes: 5. Nays: 0.
3. Minutes review and approval
Minutes from regular meeting on Oct. 7, 2021
Motion: Vice Chair Jenn Sykes moved to approve as presented. Member Barry Weston seconded the
motion. All in favor.
Vote: 5-0. Ayes: 5. Nays: 0.
4. Updates
A. Director Strandwitz asked if there were questions regarding the utilities report. She highlighted the
progress on the funding applications for the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities grant and
also on staffing, the reservoir level and the upcoming budget kickoff.
B. Strandwitz reported the in-town member vacancy solicitation has been posted. Cough asked how the
member solicitations were distributed and if the Citizens Academy participants were specifically targeted
as he found that a valuable program. Weston concurred. Public Information Officer Catherine Wright
indicated Facebook, Nextdoor, Twitter and the bill insert. She will check with Administrative Services
Director Della Valle about the Citizens Academy members and if they are on the Email subscription list.
Strandwitz stated there was one former in-town application on file. There is a potential application
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coming from Waterstone and two out-of-town applications have been received. It is anticipated that the
vacancy would be filled by April or May if not earlier.
C. Salvi updated the group on the outreach subcommittee activities. She has scheduled a meeting with
Public Information Officer Catherine Wright. She is also looking at existing videos on the town website an
developing a schedule that works with the communications schedule. Sykes reiterated that the questions
people ask, even if simple, should be answered after Salvi noted several. Questions include, what are
these big protrusions in Gold Park (manhole) and how do I find a leak before my bill? Why don’t my taxes
pay for water and sewer? Salvi felt it was hard to find things on YouTube. Wright indicated she could
make a YouTube channel dedicated to water and sewer. An elevator pitch is needed. Salvi mentioned the
town does hang a door tag when the bill is higher than usual. Several other questions to answer were
thrown out. Simplicity is key. Weston said, Hillsborough, it is in our name – we have more hills than other
areas and thus needing more pumping stations. Need to explain simple features of the system.
D. Strandwitz reviewed the provided proposed CIP and larger projects list for the upcoming budget and
already in the budget in whole or part. She said the focus will be on the collection system needs.
E. Strandwitz went over the town board assignments for next year and attendance report. The percentage
of attendance may be calculated incorrectly.
5. Discussion
Original Agenda Items A and B were switched for the discussion
A. Assistant Town Manager Margaret Hauth presented ideas for equity through annexation. She highlighted
three modest neighborhood examples that may gain the benefit of lower water rates through annexation
and benefit the town. These are Wildwood, Heritage and Cedar Creek complexes and Locust and Tuliptree
Roads. She explained the policy on annexation. It must be a voluntary petition with 100% commitment.
Areas are not necessarily annexed parcel by parcel. Additionally, involuntary annexation is not a process
the town chooses to employ but the ability is there. Member Salvi indicated she liked this voluntary
annexation idea as another tool towards equity. Vice Chair Sykes suggested looking at all neighborhoods.
Hauth discussed general benefits of annexation to residents.
B. Rate structure priorities – Sykes just Emailed the decision matrix previously discussed to Strandwitz. Salvi
felt the categories were already discussed. Sykes said she thinks the top priority is relief and feels the
board may differ on the differential aspects. She is unclear how they may lean towards relieving
commercial customers. Strandwitz suggested taking the general ideas and voting on them to take to the
Board. Member Cough stated he was not ready for a motion and that his priority is cost recovery. He
reviewed the general categories previously discussed (equity, business friendly, affordability and
conservation) and thinks there will be subcategories. Sykes assumed cost recovery is inherent to all
options. Salvi felt equity, affordability, and business friendly seem to be the top three. Cough felt
affordability, business friendly and conservation are important and that these things need to be defined
clearly. Weston concurred about conservation. The group decided to have a memo prepared to the Board
to request what information would be helpful for future discussions. Strandwitz again offered to facilitate
an outside person to come in and discuss rates further. She said it is a big undertaking with many other
tasks to accomplish to find an answer. Cough agreed to call Stephen Lapp at UNC to see if there is more
information on the definitions of rate goals.
Motion to prepare a memo to the Board of Commissioners requesting more insight to expectations on the
rate discussion: Weston moved to approve. Cough seconded. All in favor.
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Vote: 5-0. Ayes: 5. Nays: 0.
Motion for Cough to contact UNC Environmental Finance Center to gather more data on rate goals: Salvi
moved to approve. Weston seconded. All in favor.
Vote: 5-0. Ayes: 5. Nays: 0.
6. Future agenda Items
A. Rate structure prioritizations
B. Communication subcommittee
C. December recurring items
7. Member reports
Member Hupp was not present to report on the Board of Commissioners meeting. Sykes discussed the joint
public hearing with planning board members. Weston was not aware he was to attend the workshop.
8. Assignments for other meetings
All main assignments for upcoming meetings were accepted (Sprinczeles on November 8, Salvi on November
22).
9. Adjournment
Sykes motioned to adjourn. Salvi seconded. All in favor. Chair Sprinczeles adjourned the meeting at 8:36 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
K. Marie Strandwitz, PE
Utilities Director
Approved: Dec. 2, 2021