HomeMy Public PortalAboutWater Commissioners -- 2008-08-20 MinutesBrewster Water Commissioners' Meeting August 20, 2008 page 1 oft
Meeting was called to order at 9:03 am by Bill Porter, Chairman. Those present were: Walter Rowles
member, Paul V Hicks, Superintendent and Julie A Cahoon, Administrative Supervisor.
1. VISITORS: None
2. MINUTES: Walter Rowles made the motion to approve the July 16, 2008 meeting minutes as corrected.
Bill Porter seconded the motion. Passed unanimously.
3. SUPERINTENDENT'SREPQRT
a. Operations report
• The field crew has been busy with water meter re-reads for the billing and other minor work
requests; they have worked some out at the new building site with the landscaping and brush
removal.
• The Brewster Pipeline has been printed and preparing the bills for mailing will begin tomorrow. The
bills are scheduled to be mailed out on Friday, August, 29th.
• Paul informed the Water Commissioners that he has recommended Seth Ritchie to Charles Sumner
for the Water Laborer position with a start date of September 8th
• Paul is to meet with Lisa Souve' today to review the FY08 Self-sufficiency analysis.
• Julie, Paul and Lisa Souve' had a telephone conference with Mary of Data West, the billing software
provider, last week. After a lengthy discussion it was decided to go with Mary's advice of charging
interest once a month. Julie has requested that the interest be calculated on the 15th of each month,
with Monday for any month that the 15th falls on a Saturday or Sunday. Using amid-month date
will assist Julie by not interfering with closing out or beginning of the month. The Water
Commissioners discussed this further with Paul and Julie.
Bill Porter made the MOTION to revise the June 4, 2008 motion as follows:
Water Department customers will be charged interest at an Annual rate of 14%, beginning forty-five
(45) days from date of bill issuance. Interest will be charged to any delinquent customer account that
is past this date to be calculated on the 15th of each month. If the 15th falls on a Saturday, Sunday or
Holiday interest will be calculated on the next regular business day. A reminder bill for nonpayment
will be sent after thirty (30) days from the date of bill issuance.
b. Water Quality update
• Regular bacteria samples taken for the month of August have been reported with no bacteria.
• There are a few third quarter samples that still need to be taken.
4. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
a. Project updates
• The new building site project is going well.
- Paul spoke with the sign company that did the Fire Department and Police Department signs.
The quoted price was $4,000.00. With this quoted price, it was decided to go further with the
original architect's suggestion of using the brick and blue-glass block. Paul has submitted the
Sign Permit request to the Building Department and it has been issued. There will be an outside
ground light on the sign.
- Dick Carroll is expecting the contractor to be substantially finished in 2 to 3 weeks.
- The grading has been completed and the final asphalt will be done next week.
- Paul expects the move-in date to be in early October.
- Paul and Julie have been working together on the new furniture required for the front office. The
existing furniture will be used for the Foreman, Treatment Operator and SCADA room offices.
- As of August 18th the building was on permanent service for electrical power.
MIN Aug 20, 2008.doc/shared/minutes/2008
Brewster Water Commissioners' Meeting August 20, 2008
• The mapping update is still on hold due to available work time for this project.
• Fiddlers Lane has been re-chlorinated and new main water samples were taken yesterday and are to
be taken again this Friday.
• Williams Drive water main has been added to the Department's system. Bud asked if there had been
any applications submitted for installation. Julie informed him that there were none to her
knowledge. Bortolotti Construction is to do the stubs to the curb-stops for each service lot. The cost
will be charged to the abutters when they connect. This is being done to reduce the fusion costs for
saddling the HDPE pipe.
5. ANY OTHER UNFINISHED BUSINESS:
a. Fall Town Meeting Articles
Paul submitted the Town meeting items for the Water Commissioners' approval along with a cover
letter to Charlie and letter to the Board of Selectmen regarding Capital Plan waivers needed for two of
the items on the equipment article(attachment 1). Paul explained the necessity of the Generator for
Standpipes and the Water Discharge Permitting fund request in more detail.
Walter Rowles made the MOTION to accept the four(4) November 2008 Fall Annual Town Meeting
articles in the amount of $66,400.00, a $55,000.00 budget transfer request for chemicals, a possible
Water Conservation Bylaw amendment and the letter to the Board of Selectmen for the Capital Plan
waiver request. William Porter seconded the motion. PASSED unanimously.
6. NEW BUSINESS: none
page 2 of 2
7. ANY OTHER NEW BUSINESS: none
8. DATE OF NEXT MEETING
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
9:OOAM
9:OOAM
9:OOAM
9:OOAM
William Porter moved to adjourn the meeting at 10:28AM
Respectfully submitted, Julie A Cahoon, Administrative Supervisor
l0: f, k1 l- 1~0 30.
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MIN Aug 20, 2008.doc/shazed/minutes/2008